(A/N. I love these two, but I've been working on this for hours and my motivation has drained I'm sorry

Also

I need more of this pairing goddammit)

Hop nervously ran his fingers through his hair, and bounced his leg up and down. He was sitting on one of the benches in the Ballonlea locker room.

Gloria convinced Hop that this would be a good idea. Now, he wasn't so sure.

The gym's leader entered the locker room, a few of his gym trainers trailing behind him.

"Good effort out there," The gym leader said, removing the towel that was draped around his neck and shoulders, "Now go home. I'm sick of looking at you lot."

The gym trainers chuckled and giggled as they opened their lockers and gathered their stuff, but Bede wasn't joking. Not entirely, anyway. He noticed an especially nervous looking purple haired boy in the room.

"Who let you in here?" Bede asked, strolling over the the boy.

Hop chuckled nervously, "Hey, Bede."

"No, seriously, who let you back here? Only gym personnel and challengers are allowed back here."

One of the gym trainers suddenly bolted out the door. The other trainers exchanged looks, shrugged, and left with a harmonic, "Goodbye" to their gym leader.

Bede walked over to his locker and began retrieving his stuff, "So, why did you Weavile your way back here?"

Hop stood up and rubbed the back of his neck, "I-I wanted to have a chat."

Bede took off his gym shoes and bent over to put his regular shoes back on, "What is it, mate?"

Hop looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath, "I like you!"

Bede froze. He slowly stood up straight and narrowed his eyes, "What?"

Hop blushed, "I-I like-"

"-Shut up." Bede hissed. Hop pressed his lips together and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

Bede furrowed his eyebrows together, like he was thinking intensely. Hop let himself get a bit hopeful.

Bede seemed to compose his thoughts and spoke, "You're an idiot!" He spat.

Hop felt his heart break a little, "Bede..."

"Get out."

Hop blinked in surprise, "Huh?"

"Are you deaf?" Bede hissed, turning his back to Hop, "I said get out! You're a proper idiot for thinking I could ever fancy you!"

Hop's heart shattered into a thousand pieces. He felt like the room was shrinking around him, and he couldn't breathe. He couldn't believe he let Gloria talk him into this.

Without a word, Hop ran out of the room. He rushed through the hallways of the gym and out the front doors. He rushed right past the Corviknight waiting for him, and through the streets of Ballonlea. He didn't stop running until he found himself lost in the Glimwood Tangle. He leaned up against a tree and fell to the ground. He hugged his knees to his chest and buried his face in his knees. How could he be so stupid? How could he actually believe Bede could ever have feelings for him?

Back in the locker room, Bede hugged his arms. He wanted to stop shaking. His body rejected his wants and reacted only to the panic and fear building up inside him.

Stop shaking, dammit.

Continuing to shake immensely, Bede gathered the rest of his things and left the locker room. He found it incredibly difficult to lock the doors in the gym with an unsteady hand. Fortunately, the main entrance doors locked automatically.

As Bede exited the building, he saw a confused and concerned looking Corviknight. When the Pokémon saw him, it glared and gave Bede an angry screech. Bede looked away from the Pokémon, rushing to Opal's house. He heard Corviknight take off, but when he turned, the large bird was flying towards Glimwood Tangle, and was thankfully, not after Bede.

Once Bede reached Opal's house he was immediately greeted by the old woman who was allowing him to stay with her, "Hello, Bede. How was the gym today?"

Bede immediately began shaking again. The old woman who had been sitting at the table drinking tea grew a worried look, "Oh my! What happened?"

Bede put his stuff down and sat across from Opal. He tried to pour himself a cup of tea, but he was shaking so much he nearly spilled it all.

Opal raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing...it's just been a long day."

Opal was going to press for information, but Bede seemed incredibly anxious and upset. She decided against it for now, instead asking what he would like to do for dinner.

~~~

Bede felt terrible. He was losing challenge after challenge at the gym every day for the past three days. After a particularly quick match, Bede decided to close the gym for the day. He rushed home and ignored Opal's questioning. She decided to give him about an hour of space before she would go in there and whoop his ass.

Bede spent that hour watching random videos on YouTube. He eventually came across a video called, "Hop and Bede ruining each other's interviews for three minutes straight, and decided to watch it.

True to it's title, it was a collection of the two boys ruining each other's interviews. Most of them were of Hop ruining Bede's, since Hop didn't get many interviews, but the rare opportunity Bede could get revenge, he did.

Bede found himself chuckling throughout the video. During his very first interview as a gym leader, Hop and Gloria snuck up behind him and held up signs reading:

"I'm with stupid"

And:

"Bede is dumb"

Bede later did something similar to Gloria, but the collection moved onto another interview before Bede could remember it fully. The next one was more recent. Bede has been invited on a talk show the same night as Hop and Leon, and in the middle of Bede's interview, Hop ran out and ruffled Bede's hair. Naturally, Bede chased Hop off stage, threatening to kill him and make it look like an accident. No one touches his hair.

During Hop and Leon's portion of the interview, there was an audience Q&A, and Bede chimed in first. He asked Hop what it was like to, "Be a lil' bitch". Hop said something along the lines of, "You'll have to ask a mirror", and Bede chased him down again.

Bede smiled fondly at the rest of the video. He didn't think he and Hop messed up that many of each other's interviews over the years, but it seemed that was the case.

Once the video ended, Bede became sad again. He looked and saw the next video to play was "Hop having a contagious laugh for two minutes". Bede hesitantly tapped on it, and realized it was just two minutes of Gloria's many (many) Snapchats of Hop. Each time Hop started laughing and smiling, Bede felt his chest get tight.

Opal suddenly burst into the room, "Alright, Bede, time to explain your attitude!"

Bede yelped and tossed his phone across the room. Rotom buzzed to life and stopped itself just before it hit the wall. Bede's phone hovered back over to him and spoke, "Would you like to keep watching, 'Hop having a contagious laugh for two minutes'? Bzzt!"

Opal smirked.

Bede blushed and grabbed Rotom, "No! Shush!" He whispered.

Opal frowned, "What has been going on with you?"

Bede sighed and told her everything. Everything that happened with Hop, and everything that Bede said. Opal was furious and kicked Bede out. He was not allowed to come back until he apologized to Hop for being so horridly rude.

"That boy cares about you! How dare you speak to him like that! I don't care about your pride! Swallow it!"

Bede thought about Hop the whole taxi ride to Wedgehurst. Hop was so stupid. He was stubborn, clingy, and annoying, but he was also silly, kind, and he loved his friends more than anything. Hop forgave Bede for the things he said in his youth, and accepted Bede into the group almost immediately.

Bede felt his face get warm at the thought of Hop. He thought about all the times Hop picked him out of a crowd, all the times Hop chose to sit next to Bede during movie night with their friends, all the sleepovers where Hop looked particularly cute in his flannel pants, and all the times their faces would grow closer and closer, as if being pulled in towards each other.

Bede groaned.

Of course. Of course he realized it all too late.

Of course he loved Hop.

~~~

Bede knocked on the laboratory door. He smoothed out his tan vest, even though it was perfectly fine.

It wasn't a surprise when Sonia answered the door, but it was a surprise when she slammed it in Bede's face. Usually she said something before she did that.

Bede frowned and knocked again, earning a, "HE'S NOT HERE" from behind the door.

The blond sighed and scratched the back of his neck. He brought out his Rapidash and got onto its back. He knew Hop's hometown was nearby, and figured it wouldn't hurt to check there, since he (technically) still lived there.

When Hop's mother answered the door, Bede asked about Hop. She said he wasn't home, but to check Victor's. Bede checked both Victor's and Gloria's homes, but couldn't find him anywhere.

Bede returned to Rapidash after another search at Hop's house. Just in case.

Bede stroked the Pokémon's muzzle, "I haven't the faintest clue where to find him..." he mumbled, "Do you think Marnie knows?" He wondered, pulling out his phone and texting the girl.

After a few seconds, Marnie replied:

Piers is with Raihan

So?

So? Piers, Raihan, and Leon are practically inseparable, so who do you think Leon is with?

Oh, thanks

Also Leon just posted a picture of Hop on Snapchat

Could've used that instead of all the buildup

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Bede returned his Pokémon and called another flying taxi. He got to Wyndon fairly quickly, but couldn't remember where Leon lived. He called Gloria.

"Sup, wanker." Gloria hissed.

Bede pinched the bridge of his nose, "Look, I'm trying to apologize to Hop. Can you just tell me where Leon lives?"

"Why would I know where Leon lives?"

"Because we've been there before!"

"Then why don't you remember?"

"Gloria, please."

Gloria sighed, "He's the tallest building near the Wyndon Eye, top floor, first apartment on your right. He'll have to buzz you in. Lots of security so be careful."

Bede grinned, "Thanks, Gloria."

"Also Leon wants to kill you. So be careful of that too."

Bede rubbed his temple, "Okay. Thanks."

"Good luck..." Gloria grumbled, "Bitch..." she whispered.

"What?"

"I said I love you! Bye!"

Gloria hung up.

~~~

Hop hugged his knees to his chest. Three days of sitting around on Leon's couch was not helping him like he thought it would. Leon sat on the opposite side of the couch, flipping through the TV channels. He stopped on an interview of Gloria, smiled, and turned to gauge Hop's reaction. Hop just watched with a blank expression, which was concerning. Hop loved seeing his friends on TV!

Leon sighed and stood up. He went into his bedroom and returned with a large blanket. He draped the blanket around his little brother's shoulders.

"Thanks..." Hop mumbled, grabbing the sides of the blanket and wrapping it around him like a Swadloon.

Leon frowned. He had never seen his little brother like this. He was so...heartbroken. The poor lad. A buzzing sound filled the flat.

Leon went over to the intercom and pressed the button. On the tiny camera, he could see who buzzed his flat. He scowled. It was him. The reason for his brother's distress. Leon should let him up just so he can toss that heartbreaker off the balcony.

"Who is it?" Hop asked.

"No one..." Leon said, pressing the microphone button, "Bugger off."

"Please just let me up! I want to talk to Hop!" The visitor said.

Hop's ears perked up, "Bede?"

Leon scowled, "Go away." He growled.

"N-No!" Hop argued, quickly getting up. He rushed to his brother and put his hands on his arm, "I...I want to talk to him."

Leon frowned, "Have you gone mad?"

Hop smiled sheepishly.

Leon sighed and unlocked the door for Bede. Bede entered the building.

"I'm gonna throw him off the balcony." Leon said.

Leon went back to sitting on the couch, and Hop paced about the room. He didn't really know why he wanted to talk to Bede, but he guessed his feelings for him overpowered logic. He rushed to the door once he heard the knocking.

Both boys held their breaths as they saw each other. Bede looked unusually fancy, wearing a tan vest over a white dress shirt, brown dress shoes, and matching tan dress pants. Hop was wearing pajamas that he hadn't taken off in three days.

"Hey..." Hop whispered.

"Hi." Bede said.

"Hello..." Leon hissed, appearing behind his brother.

Bede took a tiny step back.

"Why don't you see what Piers and Raihan are up to?" Hop asked, "I'll bet they miss you."

Leon frowned. The look on Hop's face told him that he wanted to have a private chat. That or he didn't want any murder witnesses. Smart thinking if the latter was the case. Leon grabbed his coat and headed out, glaring at Bede until he reached the elevator.

Hop stepped aside to allow Bede inside. Bede entered the flat and hovered near the couch. He took in the wonder that was Leon's flat. How could he still afford a place like this?

Hop closed the door and sat back down on the couch, returning to his blanket. He took the remote and turned off the TV.

Bede opened his mouth to speak, but Hop spoke first, "I don't want your apology..."

Bede closed his mouth. He smoothed out invisible wrinkles in his vest.

Hop sighed, "Look...I know you're sorry. You're always sorry. Let's just skip the apology and pretend this didn't happen."

Bede blinked, "But...I don't want that."

Hop frowned and looked up at Bede, "What do you mean?"

Bede blushed and sat on the couch, staying as far from Hop as he could, "W-Well...I actually..." he took a deep breath, "I like you, too."

Hop frowned. He suddenly glared at Bede, "Fuck you."

Bede looked confused, "What?"

"I get it- you think it's funny. I know you enjoy my misery, but this is fucked up!"

The blond blinked in surprise, "N-No! Hop-"

Hop turned his back to Bede, "-I shouldn't have convinced Lee to let you up! Fuck off!"

Bede narrowed his eyes, "You're a proper idiot, you know?"

Hop rolled his eyes, "Yes Bede, you've told me."

As Bede began talking again, Hop started mimicking the speech with his hand as if it was talking to mock him.

"You are so stubborn!"

Hop looked over his shoulder at Bede, "I swear, the only things that come out of your mouth are insults and 'I'm sorry'."

Bede sighed, "I'm an idiot."

Hop blinked and turned back to face Bede, "Why are you suddenly making sense?"

Bede frowned, "Look...I'm sorry I said all those things to you. I just...I didn't want to admit..."

Hop looked down, "Stop...please don't. I know cruelty is like, your thing, but...this is just mean."

Bede scooted closer, "I like you."

Hop shook his head, "Bede, please stop."

Bede hesitantly put a hand on Hop's shoulder, "I like you." He confessed again, leaning in slightly, and blushing immensely.

"B-Bede..."

Hop was beginning to think Bede wasn't joking. The closer Bede's face got to Hop's, the more Hop just wanted to throw himself at him. Bede was so close, Hop could smell him- his hair, his breath, his cologne- everything.

Hop didn't know if he expected Bede to pull away at the last second, or what, but when Bede actually kissed him, it was incredibly surprising. The two boys were stiff and awkward at first, like they were uncertain that this was actually happening. Hop melted into it first, and Bede became more relaxed once Hop started kissing him back.

Once the boys pulled away, Bede sighed in content. It was as if a huge weight had been lifted from him. Somehow, his eyes looked less tired than they had just a minute ago. Something about Hop looked a bit sad, so Bede pulled him into a hug. Hop was surprised once again by the affection, but he returned it.

"I'm so sorry, Hop..." Bede whispered, "I never want to hurt you again..."

Hop tightened his grip on Bede, "I love you..."

Bede smiled softly.

"I love you, too."