P is for Pokemon
today is the lovely littlelionblaine's birthday! She wanted pokemon!AU, so I fiddled with an idea I'd originally had for ABC (You and Me)
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Mike stared out into the vast, unending ocean. He hefted a pokeball, considering. His pidgeot was pretty tired, he didn’t want to wear her out by making her fly back to land. But he needed-
He was abruptly startled out of his thoughts by the sight of the biggest gyarados he’d ever seen, plunging out the water. The gyarados roared, massive teeth glinting in the sun.
Mike’s whole body was frozen, and he barely had time to think I wish I had told Tina I loved her more before -
“Hi! Need a hand?”
Mike unlocked his knees at the sound, and promptly fell to the sand.
“Oh, I’m so sorry! Mal, down girl.” The pokemon roared again, sending Mike’s hair flying back, but grudgingly lowered its head. Mike could see a person, clad entirely in scuba gear, clinging to its head. They looked cartoonishly small compared to the gigantic spikes they were holding onto it.
The person hopped off, pulling the scuba mask off to reveal impeccably gelled hair and a wide smile. “Hello. Sorry about Mal, she can be a little scary if you don’t know her. But she’s a real sweetheart.” He rubbed the side of the pokemon’s head, right under the barbel.
The gyarados, Mal, purred.
Mike surreptitiously pinched himself to make sure he hadn’t been on the island longer than he thought. How long did sunstroke take to set in exactly? When the gyarados didn’t fade into poisonious smoke, or turn into a polar bear, he shook Blaine’s hand.
“I’m Mike.” He finally managed to say, after staring at the purring gyarados for probably way too long.
“So, Mike, do you need a ride back to shore?”
Mike nodded dumbly, still staring at the way the gyarados was trying to butt more of her head under Blaine’s petting hands.
“Sorry.” Blaine apologized again. “She’s pretty needy. I’ve raised her from a magikarp, so we’re close.” He smiled at her fondly, and chucked her under the chin. Mike flinched instinctively at the sight of limbs so close to that mouth. “We’ve been together a long time.”
“That takes a lot of dedication.” Mike noted dumbly. Most people got tired of their magikarps quickly, the allure of a gyarados outweighed by the uselessness of the magikarp they were stuck with until then.
Blaine’s eyes flashed. “Needing help isn’t being weak.” He looked at his pokemon with such fierce love that Mike had to look away. “Mal was never weak. All magikarps need are a little bit of help and they-” Blaine stopped, closed his eyes, took a deep breath. When he opened them again, he smiled politely. Mike thought suddenly of his father. “They just need a little help, and they’ll be the strongest, most loyal companion you could ever hope for.” It sounded painfully rote.
Mike nodded. “Did people give you a hard time?”
Blaine stared at him, his eyes wide.
“For having a magikarp.” Mike clarified.
“Oh. Oh! Yeah,” Blaine smiled tightly, and it came out as more of a grimace. “My - people didn’t see why I was wasting my time with such a useless pokemon. Sorry,” he looked away and rubbed the back of his neck “I know I can get a little defensive about it. It’s not a big deal, I-”
“No.” Mike touched the battered old pokeball on his hip, because he remembered what it was like to have to lock his bedroom door before he let himself dance. “My Kaisa’s a butterfree.” He said simply. “
For a second, Blaine looked shocked. And then, just as Mike started to reach toward him to hug him, Blaine’s smile nearly blinded him. “So.” Blaine prompted. “Need a ride?”
Mike nodded. “I could use some help. You seem to be pretty good at that.”
Blaine laughed, and pulled him aboard.