That Summer | Raihan x Piers [Pokémon]

Chapter 18 ❀ Get-Together & Getting Together

The moment of truth had finally arrived — or rather, it was the evening of Galar's Gym Leader's get-together.

The clock in the restaurant in which they had reserved their table showed something past eight, meaning it was a bit later than the appointed time. Everyone was present already and seated in their usual chairs — from the youngest member who was Allister to the most elderly being Opal. Everyone, even Leon and Sonia, was here. Everyone except Piers.

Raihan had gotten his hopes up after the prior evening and their encounter, and despite the fact that Nessa had tried to pummel negativity into him, he hadn't lost courage. At least not until now.

The caramel-skinned young man had told the others to go ahead and place their orders, saying he would catch up with them after he had taken in a bit more of fresh air. Most of the Gym Leaders brushed it off as Raihan wanting to snap a picture of himself outside the restaurant, but Nessa knew precisely what was going on in the latter's head — heck, even Bea had picked up a few signals.

The tall male had lost count of the minutes he had waited outside, the chilly breeze urging him to just give up and join the others. Defeated, he allowed an unsightly sigh to roll off his lips before stuffing his hands into the pockets of his dragon-patterned hoodie and decided that something he had expected wasn't worth mourning over any longer.

As soon as he raised his gaze in order to head back, his eyes stopped right in front of himself and widened. Standing there while scratching the side of his head was Piers whose figure covered the last rays of sunlight that were being swallowed by the horizon. Seeing the slim man take a few steps closer to him made it seem like Raihan had never doubted his arrival in the first place. "You're... here."

"Yeah... You coulda told me the time and place though." The spiky-head retorted somewhat smugly, surprised and admittedly a tad amused by Raihan's reaction upon seeing him. The ravenet snapped out of his daze and agreed with the other a tad nervously. He had probably forgotten to mention those because deep down he hadn't counted on Piers actually showing up. But since he did, there was no time to waste. "Well, let's stop standing around then! The others are getting started without us."

"Guys, look who I've brought!" Raihan cheered happily as soon as he stepped into the restaurant, the slim male following close behind and feeling a tad uneasy from all the stares he was being showered with. "A wild Obstagoon has appeared, huh? Long time no see, mate." Gordie was the first one to speak up, greeting their guest with a smirk. Nessa thought she had started hallucinating due to the conversation she had with Raihan yesterday, but didn't hold back whatsoever when it came to muttering her own comment. "More like a pile of bones..."

The seat next to Leon was where Raihan usually sat, and it had been kept unoccupied for that same purpose. If they were to scoot somewhat closer, there would undoubtedly be enough space for Piers to get comfortable as well, so the taller young man beckoned to Piers. The latter couldn't exactly refuse, even if he wasn't too fond of the idea of sticking so closely to Raihan right from the get-go.

And so the evening truly started. Everyone apart from Allister, Bea and Piers ordered their favorite alcoholic beverage and dove into catching up with one another. Mostly it was the same few individuals who either chatted peacefully or bickered to no end, but there were nice changes of pace such as when Kabu took the initiative to strike up a conversation with Piers.

The fire-type Gym Leader was the first one to show interest and ask him about how he was doing and such, and given the fact that Kabu's words were kind and held no ulterior motives to them, Piers found himself getting comfortable with this atmosphere. He found himself wondering about when the last time that he had talked so casually with someone had been — since he only ever spoke with his little sister or the Team Yell grunts.