Scarf and Spirits || Hop x Gender Neutral! Reader || One Shot

Scarfs

It was early morning in your hometown, the air still cold yet the rays of the sun warmed in contrast. You fixed your bed hair in the bathroom, you were already dressed in warm clothes excited for an adventure you had planned for a while now. A yawn escaped your lips the early morning air made you feel drowsy, you wrapped the scarf you always wore around your neck; it was a very beloved scarf you had it ever since you were a child, your mom was surprised it was still intact after all you wore it every day after you got it (even in the summer!)

You practically kicked the front door open and coming in contact with the cold winter air made you shiver despite being wrapped in many layers of clothing, you were never good with cold temperatures. "There you are!" Your best friend since childhood yelled from his yard, it was Hop; he walked down to the gate of your front yard "What are you doing up so early?" The look of your curiosity made Hop smile "My brother is visiting today! I was way too excited and woke up super early!" Hop exclaimed into the morning air you had laughed at his excitement, finding it cute.

You walked down the worn-down steps you knew so well, Hop looked at your attire and it further fueled his curiosity, "No seriously why are you dressed like that?" He looked at your signature scarf with a cute little crocheted Pokeball hanging on one of the ends "I'm just planning to explore." Hop smiled "Can I join your adventure? There's still time before my brother comes!" His smile beamed and you couldn't help but nod.

"Ah wait, I was planning to check out the Slumbering Weald." Your expression changed to a serious one, Hop knew that people weren't allowed in there but now he just had to ask "Why do you want to go there?" Your eyes met with his, "I'm just curious, and even so, I'm not planning to stay there all day."

You walked over to the wooden gate "Wait!" Hop said in a slightly panicked tone as you unlocked the old gate. With no other options he lightly jogged to your side as you took a few steps in, it was suddenly starting to get unnaturally foggy "I think we should go back... It's too foggy to see anything we'll just get lost!" You knew your companion was right but as you turned the fog suddenly covered everything around you.

"Hop? Where are you?!" You yelled where you hoped was his general direction "I'm right here!" He yelled back, you were about to exhale the air you didn't even know you were holding in but you heard something in the distance. Your eyes darted in a panic, you knew it was useless but you had hoped to see some kind of silhouette.

You heard something running behind you, in a panic you tried to turn around but you got hit and you let out a scream up until you make contact with a hard surface, there was a loud crack and after that, you just stop, "Are you okay?!" Hop's yell landed on deaf ears the damn fog started to clear up then Hop finally noticed your body on the ground; he ran at full speed towards you and kneeled on the ground dirtying his pants but that didn't matter now.

The air was more chilly than it ever was before, the morning was cruel a bitter in contrast to your still warm, yet bleeding body. The fog finally cleared but Hop can only look at your body with a blank shocked stare, was the open-eyed body bleeding on the ground you? His bare hand had held your gloved one, he could tell you had already left but he had pulled off the glove your mom had finished knitting and with both hands, he held yours.

He knew it, he couldn't believe it. How could he? He pressed your hand against his cheek only in the end to face the bitter reality when you went cold.

Guilt had run throughout his body when he had seen your peaceful face resting in your beautiful casket, but he could only see your empty open stare in his mind he just couldn't help but burst into tears again just like he had before in those endless sleepless nights after that day. He had wished they had cremated you so he didn't have to face you again, but he knew he shouldn't be thinking like that. Even after endless "it's not your fault" and "you couldn't have known" being repeated to him he still felt solely responsible, if he had just stopped you.

If he could of just grabbed your arm. If he could have just said something. If he could just hold you in his arms again like he did when you were little kids. Before he knew it he was hyperventilating and crying, they had to forcibly pry him away from the casket, making his brother start crying. In the end, he didn't want to miss your burial. He wanted to be there to see your last moments above ground. His eyes were heavy, hurting, and puffy from all the crying and rubbing of his eyes.

After that day he lay in bed with the cleaned scarf you had worn, your mother had given it to him as she couldn't handle seeing the scarf, it still had your sent.

Months had passed and Hop was happily starting to chase his dreams of surpassing his brother with your beloved scarf neatly wrapped around his neck, he held the crocheted Pokeball in his hand and talked like he was talking to you, "I don't want you to miss this!" he smiled and planted a small kiss on it for good luck as he did after he received your scarf.

He unlocked his door and ran off to start his journey.