I Choose You...

Chapter 4: Truth or Dare

Minutes before the sunrise, things started to calm down. The adults talked and mingled, while the children played and some napped.

The captains sat near each other playing would-you-rather, joined by Hau, and Gladion sat on the stairs to the shrine, near the top.

Moon, noticing the mysterious boy by himself, walked over and sat by Gladion.

"Whatcha thinkin-bout?" Moon asked in a silly tone.

"Nothing." He muttered, not meeting her gaze. They sat in awkward silence, Moon thinking of a topic to talk about, and Gladion ignoring her presence.

"Gladion, I have a question." She finally asked.

"What?" 

"Why did you come tonight? I mean, you don't like people, and you don't like parties, especially celebrating your rival's victory."

The blonde boy sat in confused silence, thinking of an excuse.

"I... I don't know... I... I just didn't feel like being alone..."

Moon, curious, was now inching closer to him, subtly, so he wouldn't notice.

"I see, well, it's almost over. Let's go play with our friends!" And she ran off to join her friends, calling Gladion. He could never quite understand her, but she always had a way of convincing him. So he trudged over to the group.

The group of friends had sat in a circle, leaving enough room for Gladion to sit without being touched. He sat in silence in the spot opened for him, next to Moon.

"Glad you came! Now, what are we playing?" Moon asked the group which consisted of Mallow, Kiawe, Hau, Lana, Sun, and of course, Moon and Gladion.

"Truth or dare!" Sun yelled excitedly. "Everyone knows how to play, right?"

When everyone nodded in agreement he continued.

"There's only one extra rule... you only get one torchic!  If you don't want to answer a question or do a dare, you yell TORCHIC!"

Gladion seemed nervous, shifting in his place. He didn't want to use his torchic and then be dared something he didn't want to do.

"I'll go first!" Sun began. "Hau, truth or dare?

"Dare!"

"I dare you to go give your malasada to that lady over there."

"WHAT?!? But it's MY MALASADA!!!"

"Sorry. Are you going to torchic?"

"Heck no!" So Hau went over to the lady and sadly gave her his malasada.

"Man, why'd ya make me do that? Anyway, Kiawe, truth or dare?" Hau said when he got back to his seat.

The game continued for a few turns until Mallow asked Gladion.

"Gladion! Truth or dare?" She asked.

Gladion was surprised that someone had asked him of all people.

"Truth." He muttered.

"What's the happiest you've ever been?"

He didn't know how to answer that. He didn't have that many good memories.

"Hmm... I'd have to say I was pretty happy when Type: Null evolved into Silvally. Or when any of my Pokémon evolve. All of my Pokémon evolve with high friendship, so it's an accomplishment when that happens."

"Lana, truth or dare?" Gladion asked. He dared her to eat a poke-bean. Then Lana dared Kiawe, and Kiawe dared Sun. Then Sun, being the brat he is, dared Moon.

"Moon. Truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"I dare you to go sit in Gladion's lap, and hug him for the rest of the game."

Gladion choked on his spit, surprised, and everyone else stared at the blushing Moon.

In her mind, Moon though this was awesome. But she was nervous to carry it out, but also didn't want to waste her torchic.

She pulled her hat down over her head to hide her red face, and awkwardly placed herself on Gladion's lap, with her arms around him.

Gladion didn't know what to think of this. He was blushing too, but very confused as to what was happening. He didn't like close contact, especially considering his tragic background, but did not object.

Moon hid her face in his hoodie and mumbled, "Hau, truth or dare..."

"Dare." He replied.

"I dare you to strangle my brother."

Sun was laughing, but Hau full on tackled him, in a friendly wrestling way.

Gladion had let his arms fall limp at his sides, staring into space. He was woken back to reality when his name was mentioned again.

"Gladion!" Hau said.

"What?" He said startled.

"Truth or dare?"

"I guess dare."

"I dare you..." he started with a mischievous look on his face. "To... are you guys ready?"

"Just hurry up." Gladion said annoyed.

"I dare you to kiss Moon!"

The blonde boy fell over in his seat, forgetting the girl latched to him. He didn't know how to react.

"WHAT?!?" He yelled. He could feel the face in his hoodie getting hot too, obviously blushing.

"Do you torchic?" Hau asked.

Gladion considered his options. He could torchic, but then he could be made do something else. So he tried to imagine kissing the bundle in his lap. It would be so easy, just one kiss. But he decided his image mattered more.

"Yes. Torchic." He said. Moon exhaled in relief. She had been holding her breath, half wanting to kiss him and half not wanting to in front of her friends.

Gladion felt Moon's whole body relax. She had tensed up while he was deciding.

The game seemed to last forever to Moon and Gladion. Only when the sun rose completely did everyone get up to leave.

But when Gladion tried to stand, he couldn't, because of the sleeping girl in his lap.

"Looks like she got comfy!" Hau teased. She looked so peaceful there in his lap, sleeping soundly.

"Looks like I have to carry her," Gladion muttered.

"Good luck, you two!" Hau said as he ran home.

Gladion gently adjusted her to a position in which he could carry her. He stood up with her in his arms, careful not to wake her.

When Sun saw this, he burst out laughing.

"I knew it! You DO like her!" He teased. Gladion was fed up.

"No I don't, I just don't want to wake her up. Wouldn't that be rude to leave her sleeping on the dirt?"

That shut Sun up. He shrugged and left for home. Gladion carried Moon all the way from the ruins of conflict to her house. He knocked on the door with his foot.

When Moon's mom opened the door and saw the boy holding her daughter, she just smiled.

"Come in, please. Her room is in the back. Thank you for returning her safely." She said to him quietly, not to wake the sleeping girl.

So he carried to her room, laid her on her bed, and left without another word.