Pokémon AU: Dimensional Travelers

Chapter 14: Christmas with Family

 Mitsuki and the team reached the Pokécenter, freshened up, and then almost panicked because visiting hours ended soon. Mitsuki made some final adjustments and read the backed up text messages as they hiked the ten minutes to the Hospital.

Most of Mitsuki's texts came from Lillie, updating her on Gladion's progress. Apparently, he'd gotten better enough to be taken off life support and wake up on his own the day before, and today he'd woken up entirely and even sat up with some help. Some of them came from Lusamine, updating her about data regarding Mohn. To her surprise, though, almost a quarter of the texts came from Maria, Leah, and Gladion. Of that quarter, about ninety percent of them were Gladion begging her to return safely, to give him some sign she was alright. He was told that she had gone on a mission alone with Silvally and most of her Pokémon, but he wasn't told what she was doing and where she was going.

The last text from Lillie was sent over two hours before Mitsuki arrived back in Dendemille Town. She stated that she'd gathered up his Pokémon and left them in the room with him for company. However, Umbreon hadn't wanted to leave his girlfriend, so he stayed put.

Luckily for Mitsuki, Heather and Chloe were waiting at the bus stop outside the hospital for her with Umbreon, Nymphia, and the Eevee brothers.

"'Tsuki! There you are! Where have you been?!"

"I was--"

"Ever since Gladion woke up yesterday morning he's been all but tearing his IV out fretting over you! You gotta get up there pronto," Heather chattered. Her Gothorita and Kirlia were distracting the Eevees, but they stopped to agree with her.

Chloe nodded. "Around lunchtime today I came in with Umbreon and the Eevee brothers while Heather and Nymphia were getting lunch. The second I stepped through the door, his smile dropped and he kind of slumped over. He was happy to see Umbreon, but he was worried that he'd done something to scare you off when it wasn't you who walked through the door--three times in a row!" She blushed and muttered, "I'll spare his dignity and not tell you what he said to me."

Mitsuki frowned. Her shoulders sagged, and her face turned pale.

Chloe watched a little light disappear in Mitsuki's eyes, and she realized that the black-haired Aura Guardian had taken the statement wrong. The blush on her cheeks disappeared and she said, "It was nothing but fretting over you... and beating himself up for scaring you away. I tried to comfort him, but A, I didn't know how; and B, I didn't know where you went nor what you were doing!"

Heather gave her the Poké Balls belonging to the Eevees and the two Eeveelutions and pointed her toward the Hospital building. "Go in there and get up there before visiting hours close!"

Nymphia wasted no time dragging Mitsuki inside to check in as a visitor. Before she knew it she was on the elevator headed up to see him... though he was probably sleeping as it was creeping toward midnight. Gladion bedded down early and rose with the sun, if she knew anything about him, so staying up past midnight was definitely out of the ordinary, especially if he was sick. She had memorized the route she took to his ICU room, and luckily he was still there.

The room was dark, but the Waning Gibbous Moon hung just outside his window illuminated the room enough for her to see his face. The tubes were gone, save for his IV medications, and there was still a heart monitor hooked in place. Umbreon's rings also helped her and the Team see in the dim room.

It was just as Mitsuki imagined he would be: asleep. Everything was peaceful, apart from the furrowed brows and genuine worry crossing his lips. One would think that just hearing about Gladion's worry for her would make her heart ache. But no; seeing it in front of her was what got her. Even in sleep, the concern still got the better of him.