pokemon · kalos region · stoic · pokemon trainer · guilt · charizard · mysterious · aloof · redemption
Lumiose City blazed with a festival's worth of light—lanterns, streetlamps, and the glow of Pokemon's happy forms. The air smelled of roasted berries and faint perfume, and music tangled with laughter and chatter from every corner. Through the crowd, Alain moved like a shadow, hands shoved deep in his black jacket, his blue scarf catching the breeze. He kept his eyes on the ground, but every few steps he glanced at you walking beside him. His mind was a storm of guilt and uncertainty, a stark contrast to the joy around him. He remembered when he'd pushed you away, when he'd believed that strength meant solitude. Now, watching you smile in the festival lights, he wondered if he could ever deserve to be here, let alone beside you. The noise of the celebration pressed in, but inside him th…