ash x gladion oneshots

Valentine's Day

A/N- A Valentine's Day oneshot, what else can I say except enjoy~

"Ugh, what's Valentine's Day?"

Lillie turned to her brother in disbelief, searching his eyes for any form of joke. When she found none, she gave him the most affronted look that had him raising his arms in surrender.

"Sometimes, I wonder what you've been doing with your seventeen years of life on earth," she grumbled. Gladion gave her a roll of his eyes before turning his attention back to scratching under Umbreon's chin.

It's been almost two years since the first Alola league happened. Ever since then, Gladion had agreed to stay with Lillie in the mansion, mostly because he felt bad for all those times he hadn't been home, and also because his sibling insisted on it.

Most days, Gladion would go to the backyard to train with his Pokémon. It wasn't like he had much to do anyway. Sometimes he would go over to Aether to help Professor Burnet with her research, or he'd go to the league to find Ash for a battle.

Speaking of Ash, the boy had been terribly busy since he won the league. He'd been juggling between champion duties, hanging out with his friends, and attending the Pokémon School for the fun of it, even though he didn't actually have to. Gladion was, admittedly, a teensy bit worried for him, as he would get so tired sometimes he dropped to the floor when they battled.

"Care to explain, then, of this holiday that's so illegal for me to not know?"

"Valentine's Day, which occurs on the fourteenth of February, is a day where you send gifts or cards to people - sometimes anonymously - to someone you're romantically attracted to." Lillie quickly held up a hand to silence her brother's objections. "But! It has become a tradition between friends and family too. It's often a day to express your love and appreciation for someone."

"Okay? And what exactly do you get people?" Lillie gave him a wicked grin.

"Chocolate, flowers, cards and stuff. Or, a love confession."

Okay, so Gladion wasn't very involved in the romance area. He's always preferred isolation and alone-time, going so far as to take a longer route to somewhere just to avoid people he recognised. He's never had time for dating and stuff either, only focusing on battling. On the rare occasion someone did ask him out, he'd turn them down coldly before walking away.

But, when a certain face popped up in his head, Gladion couldn't stop the little smile from appearing on his lips. The bright smile, excitable voice, the way his eyes lit up when battling, or when the battle ended and he'd take off his cap to wipe the light sheen of sweat off his forehead, the way he'd fidget around when someone complimented him-

"Hah! I knew it, you like him!" Lillie cried, snapping him out of his little daydream. Gladion quickly wiped the smile off his face, but his now reddening face was betraying him.

"I don't like Ash," he said defensively.

"Sure. I never said who."

Gladion's face was completely red now. He grumbled and turned away to avoid his sister's triumphant gaze, trying to drown out her snickers that were growing louder and louder.

"Come on, you can tell me. I know you've liked him for years on end."

"So what if I do?" Gladion snapped. "It's not like he needs to know."

"But what good would it do bottling up your feelings? You're just torturing yourself," she pointed out, watching him carefully as she said that.

Gladion sighed, looking down. "Because he doesn't like me back. There's no use in ruining whatever we have already with my own desires and shit. I'd rather just shut up and appreciate our... whatever it is."