Work Text:
Matthew knew it was going to be an odd day when his Sawsbuck, usually the gentlest (or at least, most well-behaved) of his Pokemon nearly unseated him.
He rode bareback for the sake of not lugging a saddle around when Sawsbuck was in his Pokeball, and usually that was fine. Sawsbuck's antlers were strong under the delicate-looking red leaves, and he didn't mind if Matthew grabbed onto them when they went over rough terrain. Today seemed to be the exception, though. They were just passing through a thin screen of trees when Sawsbuck's head came up, and Matthew didn't even have a chance to make a grab for his antlers before he was bounding off.
Matthew yelped, flinging himself forward to wrap his arms around Sawsbuck's powerful neck. He could feel the Pokemon's muscles flexing under him as he bounded through the trees, and for a moment he was afraid something was chasing them. He was about to risk freeing a hand to grab for Beartic's Pokeball when they broke out of the trees and into a wide clearing.
Sawsbuck came to a sudden stop that once again nearly unseated Matthew, and blinded by the bright sunlight it took Matthew a moment to notice why. The clearing was, in fact, someone's back garden. There were rows of neatly arranged berry bushes and raised beds of flowers surrounded by neat stone borders. Off to the right was a sizable greenhouse, and ahead a stream ran beside a modest but tidy little house.
And there was another Sawsbuck just raising her head from drinking at the stream, water droplets falling from the summer green leaves that adorned her antlers. She turned her head enough to look at Matthew and his Sawsbuck out of the corner of one bright blue eye, and she stamped a back hoof once before leaping over the stream and disappearing into the woods.
Matthew felt his Sawsbuck tense under him, and hurriedly he slid down off his back. Before he could even think of trying to recall him to his Pokeball he was gone too, chasing after the doe.
"...Damnit." Matthew sighed after a moment, left alone in the garden. With no other option, he made his way up the gravel path to the back door of the house and knocked.
No one answered after several long moments, and Matthew began to wonder if maybe no one was home. Should he leave a note? He'd have to hang around until Sawsbuck came back anyway.
A rustling in one of the nearby bushes startled him out of his thoughts, and he turned in time to see a smallish Pokemon tumble out onto the path with a squeak.
Matthew recognized it instantly, Bunnelby were pretty common in this part of the world. It seemed a little odd though, Matthew was sure Bunnelby were usually a darker gray, and this one had white spots instead of brown-
It shook itself off, sending a shower of sparkles into the air, and Matthew's breath caught. His hand went for an empty Pokeball in his bag almost without conscious thought. A Shiny. They were so rare that most trainers could go their entire lives without ever seeing one.
(Matthew had seen one before, actually, about a week after he and his twin brother had left home on their first journey. They'd broken through a thicket of bushes beside a stream and startled a bright pink Ducklett. It had taken off in a shower of sparkles, and they'd both been too surprised and awestruck to think of trying to catch it until it was too late. Alfred still told the story; he said it had been a great omen for the start of their journey, and his biggest regret.)
Matthew's hand shook in anticipation, but his aim was true. The Pokeball hit Bunnelby squarely on one of his big ears... and bounced off with a loud buzzing sound. Matthew's eyes widened as it rolled back toward him, the button glowing red.
Of course the Bunnelby already had a trainer. They probably owned this house and, the way Matthew's luck was going, the doe Sawsbuck too.
More immediately concerning, Bunnelby was knocked backward by the Pokeball bouncing off his head, and he began to cry. Before Matthew could manage an apology he scrambled to his feet and took off through the garden in the direction of the greenhouse. Matthew unthinkingly gave chase, but had to dodge around the bushes instead of diving under them. He reached the greenhouse door just as it was closing again behind Bunnelby, and without even thinking he pushed it open again. "Um!"
Inside was a riot of colour, flowers hanging from baskets overhead and trellises on the walls, more laid out in pots and planters on neat rows of benches and tables. A Lilligant was busily watering one row of what looked like miniature berry bushes, meant to be kept on a windowsill.
Bunnelby made a beeline down the center aisle, still crying, and ran right up the leg of the man standing there. He buried his face in the man's shoulder, chattering at him between tears. The man straightened, one hand coming up to help support the Bunnelby as he balanced on his trainer's shoulder. "You what?"
His voice was low and mellow, and as he turned toward him, Matthew was pinned under the full force of his accusing stare. Matthew was almost six feet tall and no frail maiden, but he still took an involuntary step back before holding his ground, hovering in the doorway of the greenhouse.
"I'm sorry!" he blurted before the Bunnelby's trainer could say any more. "I didn't know he already had a trainer. I would never take someone else's Pokemon."
He must have looked sincere, because the man's scowl eased off until he merely looked stern. Matthew tentatively counted that progress. "Um. I'm Matthew, by the way. Matt's fine." He finally took a proper step inside, letting the greenhouse door close behind him.
"Will," the other man answered, his hand still gently stroking Bunnelby's side. Perched on his trainer's shoulder, the Pokemon had quickly calmed down, nuzzling into Will's hair with a pleased sigh.
(He did that a lot, Matthew would learn. Bunnelby had picked up the behavior from Will's Minccino, which did the same thing, and that was the reason Will's hair tended to look like he'd gotten caught at the wrong end of a hair dryer. Will's sister, who'd been the one to give him the Minccino in the first place, thought it was hilarious.)
"Are you here for a bouquet or berries?" Will's question startled Matthew out of his thoughts. "I'm afraid I'm a little low on the healing varieties right now, so if someone's hurt you're better off going to the nearest Pokemon Center."
"Um. Neither." There was a Bellossom peeking out from under one of the benches, which Matthew supposed only made sense if Will was a florist, but the overall picture was a little baffling. Will looked like the kind of guy who'd be taming Dragons riding through the sky on giant birds, but here he was in the middle of a greenhouse with dirt under his nails, with Bunnelby, Lilligant, Bellossom, and (presumeably) Sawsbuck.
Then again, most people didn't expect Matthew to be carrying Beartic and Chandelure.
"I'm just passing though," he continued, bringing his mind back to the point with effort. The point, of course, being that his Sawsbuck had run off with Will's. He could feel his cheeks starting to go red as he properly remembered that, and Will must have noticed because he raised his eyebrows questioningly. "And when we came into your garden, your Sawsbuck was out getting a drink..."
"She's supposed to let me know if I get any customers while I'm working back here." Will's brow furrowed. "Is she okay?"
Matthew let out an embarrassing noise and gave up, covering his face with his hands. "Your Sawsbuck ran off with my Sawsbuck to fuck!"
For a long moment there was silence, and Matthew wasn't inclined to uncover his face even if he'd dared. But he wasn't prepared for Will snorting, followed by low, but warm laughter. Matthew let himself relax a little and hope Will laughing meant he wasn't too angry, but still didn't look up from his palms. It was cozy and dark and Will couldn't see how terribly he blushed. (Alfred never, ever blushed so badly, a fact that irked Matthew to no end.)
As Will's laughter finally died down, Matthew felt a slight tug on the leg of his jeans. He peeked down through his fingers enough to see Bellossom and Bunnelby both looking up at him in open curiosity. He sighed, letting his hands drop and crouching, offering his hand to Bunnelby.
"Sorry I scared you, eh? I'd never take you away from your home."
Bunnelby considered him for a moment, then chirped and ran up his arm to perch on his shoulder just like he had Will's. Matthew squawked in startlement, and Will chuckled again.
"He never walks anywhere if he can get a ride. So, Sawsbuck?"
Matthew felt his cheeks heating up again, but forced himself not to hide. "Um, yeah, I couldn't get ahold of his Pokeball to recall him in time..."
Will shrugged easily. "They'll come back when they're hungry. It's in their nature to have a good time as much as it is ours."
Matthew did a double-take, wondering if that was some roundabout way of flirting, but Will had already turned away to inspect what Lilligant was working on. "...I guess? Is there anything I can do to help out until they return?"
"What?" Will looked back at him, eyebrows again raised in surprise. "No, of course not, you're a guest. Those look good, Lil, they won't need a repot for another week, just give them a good watering." Aside to his Pokemon done, he stepped over to usher Matthew back outside into the garden. "It's almost suppertime anyway, are you hungry?"
"Ah-" Matthew lifted a hand to help balance the unfamiliar weight of Bunnelby on his shoulder, and the little Pokemon made a content sound almost like a purr. "I couldn't impose-"
"Never," Will offered him a smile for the first time, a lift at the corner of his mouth that lightened his eyes and made Matthew stomach tighten in a way he couldn't define. It was understated, it was easily missed, but it was a smile all the same.
(Upon reflection, Matthew wondered if he loved Will's soft, shadowed smiles so much because he'd spent so many years getting blinded by Alfred's spotlight grins.)
Will ushered him up the garden path and around to the front of the house, where a wide driveway led down to the main road. There was a cart parked there, obviously designed to be drawn by his Sawsbuck, and a shop space set up in front of the main house. A sign over the door was shaped like a stylized rabbit's head with two long, fluffy ears and proclaimed it to be 'Bunny's Bouquets'.
Matthew stared up at the sign in bemusement, thinking that you really could never tell a book by its cover. "Are you the mascot, then?" he addressed Bunnelby, who made an annoyed sound and narrowed his eyes. Matthew blinked in surprise, and Will chuckled.
"He's not, actually. He wandered into my garden last year, well after I'd established this place. Miffy, that is, the bunny, is my partner."
Before Matthew could ask what he meant, Will opened the front door and they both stepped in. The shop space was neat and airy, plenty of windows letting in light to showcase the potted plants, arrays of bouquets and jars of berry jams that lined the shelves. Minccino was up on top of one of the shelving units busily dusting with her tail, and as the bell over the door jingled the other Pokemon in residence hopped up from behind the counter with a startled squeak.
Literally hopped, clearing the counter easily and coming to rest with perfect poise in the middle of the room, ready to show off the wares. She was a Lopunny, nearly as tall as Matthew and Will, sleek and fluffy and as full of pampered health as Matthew had ever seen. Her eyes brightened when she saw Will and she gave another little hop of excitement, making the necklace around her neck jingle and drawing Matthew's attention to it.
His eyebrows shot up as a recognized the telltale polish and setting of a Megastone.
Will's stern expression softened, though not quite in the same way as when he'd smiled at Matthew, and he reached out to ruffle the fur between Lopunny's ears. "Sorry Miffy, just me. Sawsbuck's run off for a bit, and it's nearly closing time anyway. This is Matthew, he'll be our guest tonight."
Watching the interaction between them, Matthew smiled. If he had one talent that his brother lacked, it was the ability to read interactions between trainers and their Pokemon. This reminded him of Alfred climbing trees when they were kids to knock down berries for his Teddiursa. This reminded him of himself, huddled against Beartic's side during their trip to northern Sinnoh, Beartic's arm protectively over his shoulders and head to ward off the worst of the driving snow. This reminded him of his mother's assistant, Arthur, and the way that the only time Matthew had ever seen him sincerely smile, it was at his Clefable.
"She was your first."
Will blinked and looked up. "Miffy? Yes, she was. I've had her since I was twelve and she was a Bunneary."
Miffy made a happy little giggling sound, and came over to offer Matthew a theatrical, 'at your service' bow. He laughed, but it died in his throat as she straightened again and gave him a very piercing, very canny look that he couldn't begin to interpret. But as quickly as she had given it, it was gone, and she was snatching a protesting Bunnelby off his shoulder and sweeping off toward the kitchen in the back part of the house, singing something tuneless as they went to begin the preparations for dinner.
Will looked after them for a moment, then turned back to Matthew. "Do you have other Pokemon who'll need to be fed?"
"Do I...? Oh, yes I do, but please don't trouble yourself," Matthew frowned, starting to feel anxious again. "They all ate this morning, and I have plenty of stores of my own-"
"Nonsense," Will waved a hand. "I'm sure we can-"
"I have a Beartic and a Tyrunt," Matthew clarified, and was a little vindicated to see Will stop in mid-sentence, briefly wide-eyed. "...And Meowstic, Glaceon and Chandelure, plus Sawsbuck."
"...Full battle compliment, I see," Will managed after a moment.
Matthew shrugged. "Not really. I'm not on a training mission or anything, just traveling. They're my friends."
"I know the feeling."
Matthew nodded. He'd figured as much. "Anyway, I wouldn't subject you to Tyrunt's appetite. Sometimes I think my brother cloned himself into the fossil before he revived it for me. Tyrunt might accidentally eat Bunnelby and he probably wouldn't notice."
"Well..." Will argued with himself a moment, then smiled wanely. "I would appreciate not having to feed a Beartic and Tyrunt on short notice, yes. I'm sorry."
"No no no," Matthew shook his head. "It's my fault for imposing."
"Technically, it's Sawsbuck's fault. Both of them," Will pointed out, and Matthew laughed in relief.
Dinner felt far more comfortable than Matthew had been expecting. He ended up letting Glaceon and Meowstic out of their Pokeballs to socialize. Meowstic and Minccino apparently took it into their heads to start grooming each other, and by the time Matthew looked again they were seemingly the best of friends. Glaceon was a little more aloof, but she seemed happy to sit beside Miffy, the two of them muttering softly back and forth about things Matthew couldn't begin to guess at.
As for Matthew and Will... It was really nice to have a chance to talk without being talked over. Traveling without Alfred for awhile had been the right choice after all, and some of Matthew's anxieties about leaving his brother eased as the evening wore on. Will was quiet, but after a lifetime of Alfred (and Arthur) that was nice. Matthew liked quiet, and when Will did say something it was always something worth listening to. They got deep into a discussion about the methods of using various berries during intense battle training, and before either of them quite noticed it had gotten dark outside.
"...I have a guest room?" Will offered, and Matthew wondered if he was imagining the hopeful lift at the end of that sentence. But he didn't really have a choice but to accept, since the Sawsbucks weren't back yet. He returned Glaceon and Meowstic to their Pokeballs, and Will did the same for his own Pokemon, with the exception of Minccino.
"She sleeps on the bed with me," he shrugged when Matthew asked. "She always manages to break out of her Pokeball if I try and put her in it. I think my sister spoiled her a little too much."
But not so much that he wasn't continuing the habit, Matthew noticed with a private smile of his own. Will really was a lot more than met the eye.
They stayed up talking a little longer, until Minccino was curled up asleep on Will's lap and Matthew could feel himself starting to nod off. In the hallway as they parted ways into their separate rooms, Matthew lingered for a moment, watching Will's back. He quickly ducked into the guest room before Will could turn back and find him staring.
In the morning, the Sawsbucks were back, smug and unrepentant. Nestled in the soft grass beside the greenhouse door was a Deerling egg, mottled pink for the warm spring night when it had been laid and speckled all over with yellow.
Matthew never got around to leaving.