Chapter Text
Gladion was training against his father on the backyard battlefield while Lillie, Snowy, and Lusamine watched on. Lusamine had taken a few weeks at home and was working from there now, though she did stop early enough to spend more time with her family and now only worked mornings. Gladion had Nihilego Lillie out to train and Mohn was using Zoroark, he hadn’t yet been able to find his other Pokémon.
“Zoroark, use Shadow Claw.” Mohn instructed.
“Dodge that.” Gladion yelled out as Zoroark’s claw started to glow purple and take the shape of a second set of claws.
Before Zoroark could make his move, Hobbes came out and stopped the battle. “Master Gladion, Miss Lillie, your guests have arrived.”
“Thank you, Hobbes.” Lillie said to the butler. He bowed to her.
Gladion pulled out Nihilego Lillie’s Ultra Ball. “Return.” He recalled the Parasite Pokémon, and walked over to his girlfriend who had Snowy in her arms. Gladion took her hand and held it until they were in the house. After all, they didn’t want to walk in holding hands before explaining things to Lillie’s friends. When they were outside the sitting room’s doors, he turned to his sister. “Are you ready to do this? Are you feeling alright?”
Lillie nodded. “I feel nervous, but I’m ready. Let’s go in.” Gladion opened the door for his girlfriend, and they walked in. They were greeted kindly by Lillie’s friends.
Mallow hugged Lillie and Snowy. “Hi, Lillie.”
“Thanks for having us over. It’s nice to get together outside of school.” Kiawe told Lillie.
“Thank you all for coming. Please, sit. Leah will pour us some tea.” Lillie turned to the maid. “Leah, if you please.”
“Of course, Miss Lillie.” Leah sat out six cups and started to pour the tea as Lillie and Gladion sat down a respectable distance from one another.
When everyone had their tea and a plate of treats, Lillie cleared her throat. “I had an ulterior motive for inviting you today. You see, I have something I want to share with you all.” Lillie took a deep breath. “Gladion and I have started to date.”
Sophocles began to choke on the bite of cookie he’d just taken. Lana, who was next to him, rubbed his back until he stopped chocking. Kiawe’s mouth was agape. Mallow was the only one who spoke. “You’re what? You can’t date your own brother. That’s…that’s…”
“Incest.” Lillie finished.
“Yeah, that.” Mallow shudder at the thought.
“I know it is, and I’m still willingly engaging in a romantic relationship with my brother.” Lillie took another deep breath. “Now, I know you all may feel negatively about this relationship, that’s fine; you have every right to. But I have the right to be in this relationship despite your negative feelings towards it. If this changes our friendship, then I’d like to know now.”
“Changes our friendship?” Lana was confused. “Why would it?”
Lillie was now the confused one. “It could change because you might not support my relationship, or…you don’t want to be friends with me because I’m engaging in an incestuous romantic relationship.”
“Do you seriously think we’re those kind of people?” Sophocles asked now that he could talk again.
“I…I don’t know. It’s possible given the view on incestuous relationship in our world.”
“Let us reassure you now.” Kiawe looked directly in Lillie’s eyes. “We’d never turn our backs on you, not for any reason. You’re our friend, and we care about you, no matter who you date.”
Gladion and Lillie both breathed a sigh of relief. “But do you accept us?”
They all considered it a moment, and looked at each other for their answers before nodding to one another. Mallow spoke up. “We do, but not because we agree with it.”
“Like you said, we have negative feelings about it.” Lana explained.
“We do. But we’ll still accept it because you’re our friend, and we’ll support you in anything you do.”
Tears came to Lillie’s eyes and Gladion rubbed his girlfriend’s back before speaking to her friends. “Thank you. You don’t know how much that means to Lillie.”
Mallow and Lana both turned stern looks on Gladion that made him shiver from fear. “Now you listen here, if you ever hurt Lillie, we’ll make you regret it, and we’ll sick our Pokémon on you too.”
“I wouldn’t ever hurt her. I love Lillie, with all my heart. As a brother and a partner.”
The group accepted it and started to drink their tea, content in the fact that Lillie’s heart was safe.
That evening, Gladion and Umbreon were walking to bed when they went by Mohn’s study. “Gladion? Could you come in here a moment?” His father called out.
“Sure.” Gladion walked into the study, and down the steps before making his way to his father’s desk. Zoroark laid sleeping on the floor, and Umbreon went to curl up with him. They had become close friends when Zoroark was with Gladion. “What is it, Father?”
Mohn turned in his desk chair. “I wanted to let you know that I’ve accepted yours and Lillie’s relationship.”
Gladion smiled; a true, genuine, huge smile. “Thank you, Father. That means a lot, to both of us.”
“That’s not all. You may be my son, but Lillie’s My Little Princess, if you ever hurt her, you’ll regret it. I’ll make sure of it.”
Gladion gulped. “I understand.” He whistled to Umbreon who got up and followed her Trainer to the door. Gladion turned around just before leaving. “You know, you’re the fifth person to threaten me over that today.”
Mohn laughed. “It’s good to know that Lillie has so many people who care about her.”
Gladion smiled again. “It is, it really is.” He ran to his room where Lillie laid in bed, not yet asleep. Gladion sat down beside her and pulled her in for a deep kiss.
“Gladion, what—?” Gladion cut his sister off by kissing her again, just as passionately.
“Father has accepted our relationship. Now, we’re free to be open!”
Lillie wrapped her arms around her boyfriend. “That’s wonderful. I’m so happy. Gladion?”
“Yeah.”
“I love you with all my heart.”
Gladion kissed his sister’s forehead. “I love you too, just as much.”