He never remember exactly, what makes him throw that catching device exactly two years ago. The tall boy still could remember the way the white button blipped with red color continuously, before finally settled. Completely still, the red light stopped blinking at him. Yifan remembered it clearly, how ecstatic he was when he took the Pokéball from the ground, and started cheering out-of-character, practically scaring nearby Pokémon as well.

After that day, they cannot be separated. But still, there’s might be something Yifan hoped the hybrid Pokémon would start to show. Or at least, shows it again.

Yes, they had conquer a lot of gyms and participated in tournaments. Heck, the giant might have turned himself into a laughing stock by a fellow trainer, Park Chanyeol, for actually joining Pokémon Contest. But, in his defense, it was his yellow, Electric-type, steamed bun-faced Pokémon hybrid of his, who insist on trying out the event.

Yifan would be lying if he ever says he dislike it, or claiming he’s not enjoying every second of it. Nevertheless, Chanyeol’s constant teasing and irritating laughs are getting under his skin. He couldn’t be more than happy when D.O, Chanyeol’s Noctowl hybrid, using the move Peck to the other tall boy, successfully silencing him.

But, that’s just one time thing. There’s still something that maybe making the corner of his eye twitch. Or at least, creating disapproving lines on his forehead. Yifan swears if this continues, he could look a lot older than the professor at his hometown, and that’s the last thing he ever wants. Unfortunately, it was what he was doing right now. Unintentionally quicken his aging as he sighed in exasperation.

“Xiumin, could you please stop eating right now?” he pleas for the nth time for the day, but like all his begging, his words gets through the Pikachu hybrid left ear and then out from the right. Xiumin’s yellow ears only twitched slightly, but is still eating the hideous tasted Pokéblocks – courtesy of Yifan himself, greedily. Another sigh escaped the trainer lips, as his hand found its way too his face.

They already wasted enough time. They need to train, desperately. It’s almost due to Hoenn Tournament, and Yifan even hadn’t receive his sixth badge. And, from what he had heard from fellow trainers and passerby, Hoenn was a difficult place for traveling. It took days longer for him to get from city to city. Not to mention, finding time in between for the sake of training, is proven to be hard.

Yifan is more ready to wails when he heard from Jongin, a fellow trainer he had met from Johto region, that the next gym leader would become a great obstacle. He remembered how uneasy the tanned Sinnoh born trainer was, when he recalled the hardship he and his Sneasel hybrid, Baekhyun shared as they were facing Tiffany, the gym leader whose expertise on Flying-type Pokémon. And, this fact only makes Yifan cringed, even when Jongin – in Baekhyun’s demise, insists the reason to their near losing situation is because the hybrid Sneasel’s infatuation to the gym leader’s Pokémon.

However, that doesn’t change the fact that Jongin and Baekhyun could won easily by the advantage, as Sneasel is part Ice-type. But no, and Yifan’s previous confidence for a definite win crumbles.

He took another look at Xiumin who is no longer eating, but now is lying on his back, watching the clouds, moving soundlessly above the blue sky. The wind makes his ears and copper colored hair sway. As he stared at his hybrid Pokémon, Yifan slightly filled with a bit of nostalgia, involuntarily the scene two years ago, popped inside his mind. The trainer stopped his daydream immediately, remembered that there’s something a lot more important to do than reminiscing the past.

He walked closer towards the Electric-type hybrid. “Xiumin, let’s train, okay?” The taller yet again tried to persuade the hybrid. A bit recklessly, he crouched next to Xiumin. Yifan couldn’t help but die a little when he saw the slight red tint on Xiumin’s cheek. It is no wonder his Pikachu hybrid won the cute category in the recent Pokémon contest – and received another teasing from his friend, who yet again assaulted by his hybrid Noctowl.

Xiumin looks so peaceful, as if he was sleeping. A part of him wants to let the Pikachu hybrid relax, but another part plus brain screams for him to just shake the Pokémon hybrid awake. So he extends his arm, and put his hand to the Xiumin’s shoulder. But, before he even say a word, or even move his hand, Yifan’s eyes widened in realization. Uh, oh…

The Pikachu hybrid’s eyes snapped open, brown orbs turned wide, and the trainer could feel Xiumin flinched. All he could do is to brace himself when the first wave of light electricity hits him.

From afar, a random passerby has his jaw dropped, when he saw a certain scene in front of him. Blinding yellow light that certainly comes from some kind of Electric-type. And, there’s an echoing, ear splitting high-pitched voice, even Yifan couldn’t believe, it’s coming out from his very own vocal cords.

“X-Xiumin!”

-

-

Yifan’s eyes twitched badly as the boy on the screen, along with another boy, pink cat-ears on top of his head, are laughing at him. He tried not to jump between the circuits and land himself on other side of Hoenn to strangle them both. “Yeah, yeah, laugh when you can,” he snaps spitefully at them, but it doesn’t ceased their laughs. But, not that Yifan ever even tried to hope so.

“Sorry,” the boy on the screen says finally. “It’s just, I thought you guys sort it out already”. At this, Yifan tried to control himself from hauling at the screen. He scoffs as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. He looks at his side, Xiumin is too giggling oh-not so secretly. Yifan stops himself before he could even try to remind his hybrid Pikachu, that his half-grilled state is most likely to be the Pokémon’s fault. But, he keeps his silence and only glowers at Xiumin, yet only to be ignored.

The trainer’s eyes returned to the screen when he heard his friend’s laughs, softer this time, and less teasing. “You’ll get him to listen to you eventually,” Yifan’s eyebrows crease when he listened. His friend is now petting his own hybrid Pokémon. There’s green in him. Sometimes, he wished he could do the same with Xiumin – mostly to that red tinted cheeks. But, it will take him to the same situation he’s in currently.

Hair sticking at every possible directions, and his skin tone turned darker, all because of being electrocuted by his own hybrid Pokémon. Sad, indeed. He supposed he had sulks too much because of this.

“It’s easy for you to say, Tao,” Yifan retorted, but with a calmer voice. His finger taps the corner of the screen.

Tao’s eyes turned wide. “It’s not easy, Dhuizang!” he half shouted, and sounds ultimately disagree with the statement. “Chen is one pompous, full of mischief Pokémon hybrid. To think he’s just a Skitty hybrid!” he says in a whiny voice. Yifan wants to remind his friend halfway, that the Skitty hybrid will be putting all his branded clothes into water of bleach. However, the deed was done and Yifan tried to at least look sympathetically at Tao whose now being scratched by Chen’s slightly longer and sharper nails.

“Yah, who gives you the privilege to say things about me!” Chen shrieked out, voice ear splitting. However, there’s a mischievous smile playing on his lips. As if, he was just looking for the momentum to harm his trainer.

Xiumin next to him, is already laughing too. His face brighten as he laughs freely, pointing at the scene unfold on the screen. The Pikachu hybrid’s laugh is proven to be contagious, as Yifan starts to laugh as well, earning a disapproving look from Tao, who’s displeased at the upturn of event.

Still with Chen hissing angrily, Tao said his goodbye and good luck to Yifan. “As long as Xiumin listens to you, the battle is going to be one nice ride,” his friend gives one last advice.

Yifan chuckles. “You too, with Chen and the Pokémon contests,” the trainer told the panda-eyed coordinator. Tao was about to respond with something, but at the second he opened his mouth, Chen had found a chance to get away from Tao’s arms those are fending the hybrid off. Tao screeches when Chen’s nails are digging to his cheek, creating downwards red lines. And with that, the video call ended, leaving both Yifan and Xiumin stare at the screen for a good few seconds.

That only stays before Xiumin said something that definitely touched that spot in Yifan. “Arceus, you smell like over cooked meat!” the hybrid exclaimed shamelessly as he covers the part of his nose and mouth. Yifan’s mouth agapes, offended. But, he cannot deny that he looks as terrible as he smells. Maybe he’s used to get electrocuted by the electric-type hybrid Pokémon, his nose fails to send the ‘you stink’ message to his head.

Nevertheless, Yifan sighed. “You’re right,” he agreed as he sniffed his arms. Nose now scrunching as the horrible smell finally come in full force on his senses. “I think the day ended here,” he sounded disappointed. How come he’s not? He has a big goal, a due time to complete it, a gym leader to beat, and a hybrid Pokémon who acts like he owns the world, or at least Yifan’s.

“And, we get to have a nice dinner!” the Pikachu hybrid added ecstatically, jumping up and down on his spot, with his yellow lightning shaped tail wags behind him. Yifan chuckles before nodding his head.

“Let’s,” he agreed. “But, after I cleaned up, okay?” As he said this, Yifan backs away a step, when statics started to appears on Xiumin’s cheeks. Showing the hybrid’s excitement of another day free of training and more time to relax. Half of his being feels a bit mad at it, and also he starts to worry if he couldn’t help himself, but just to spoil his hybrid Pokémon.

-

-

It’s been three days, three freaking days, and Yifan hadn’t make any noticeable progress with Xiumin’s training. He was in verge of desperation when he saw another strong looking trainer exiting the gym with a fainted hybrid Pokémon in tow. It’s all for Xiumin’s sake, and Yifan couldn’t stress this much to his hybrid Pikachu. “You know, if that Volt Tackle fails, you’re be the one who’s sent flying, not me,” Yifan noted when Xiumin was on his back, nearly get pummeled by a random hybrid they encountered by the tall grass.

The Pikachu hybrid pouted and puffed his cheek, making the slight red imprint on his cheeks becomes more apparent. “In the end everything’s fine, doesn’t it?” Xiumin inquired, not even trying to sit up from his lying position. He was in a very comfortable position, with the texture of ground on his back. Xiumin couldn’t care less if his yellow shirt gets dirtied. He’ll clean it up, or in other words, Yifan will.

His trainee’s crossed arms finally fell to the side. Yifan walks towards Xiumin, and then crouches next to the Pokémon hybrid. “Hey, you used to be so independent, where that attitude goes?” Yifan asked, but not making contact with Xiumin. However, the Pikachu hybrid just closed his eyes and rolls to his side, pretending to take yet another nap.

Yifan could feel veins popped on his forehead. “Yah,” his deep voice threatened, but even if Xiumin’s ears twitched, the hybrid Pokémon pretends on not hearing. Fed up, Yifan’s poked Xiumin’s cheek with his finger. There’s a small glee inside of him when the tip of his finger touched the hybrid’s bun-like cheek. Though, his happiness doesn’t last long.

Because, when Xiumin opened his eyes, Yifan’s screeching voice filled the area.

-

-

“I already told you since day one, no touching my cheeks,” Xiumin huffed as he waited his trainer washed his face. Cleaning the remaining dirt on his face. Yifan sighed as he does recalled the warning. But, that doesn’t make him not to chuckle. It seems throughout years they spent together, he couldn’t get that one thing in mind. Always slipped, whether he’s touching the hybrid’s cheek, or merely startling Xiumin.

He turns his head, eyes on Xiumin’s. The hybrid looks wary for a second, before blinking his eyes, waiting for what his trainer would do with that unusual attitude. “You know, even if you told me thousand times, it will be the same,” Yifan says, water are dripping from the ends of his hair. Now his face is clean, and only left his clothes dirty.

Yifan walks slowly, he could see Xiumin’s tensing, looking alert with both his ears and tail stand up. But, for some reason, suddenly, Yifan doesn’t care. Not when his hybrid Pikachu is now staring at him with his brown eyes. He’s now right in front of Xiumin, and the hybrid slightly curled himself, as if he was waiting something to happen.

It does. Yifan never do it before, even when he gets fried for nth times already. But, those are occurred when Xiumin’s not looking, pretends sleeping, or is actually really asleep. However, his eyes now glued on Yifan’s palm, getting closer and closer to his face. His instinct tells him to send his trainer grilled, or simply give a small warning. And, by small, he means a Thunderbolt.

But he didn’t do anything, when Yifan’s hand finally on top of his head. Xiumin’s face started heating up, and his heartbeat slightly increased. He looks up, eyes meeting Yifan’s, who’s cringing in pain as Xiumin involuntarily sends statics. Nevertheless, his trainer just put a small smile, Xiumin hardly see. Yifan starts to pet his head, strands of copper hair between the fingers. His ears perk up, as Yifan started to speak.

“It will be the same. I want to pet you, to touch you like others did. Tao to Chen, Kai to Baekhyun… Hell, I don’t even mind if it’s like D.O to Chanyeol!” Xiumin continued to listen, not missing even one breath from his trainer. “In the end, I don’t really mind being electrocuted daily, as long it was you,” Yifan tells the hybrid lastly, before retracting his hand. Suddenly, being overwhelmed by the static.

However, before his hand completely off Xiumin’s head, a pair of smaller hands stopped him. Yifan tried not to gasp when he saw Xiumin’s hands on his wrist, or when he saw the puppy-like eyes, the hybrid has on his face. The Pokémon hybrid says nothing, but for some reason, Yifan knows what Xiumin’s trying to say.

And so, his hand, his fingers, meet again with Xiumin’s copper colored locks. It was less hurting this time. He knows Xiumin wasn’t so good controlling his power, but Yifan couldn’t be more than flattered as the Pikachu hybrid is trying his best to suppress it. Yifan smiles as his finger rubbed the hybrid’s scalp, petting him.

Xiumin closes his eyes, head nudging slowly and gently to Yifan’s palm. Soft hum comes from his throat. “You know,” Xiumin says, eyes still closed. “That question you asked me earlier… About why I changed the way I do,” the trainer raises one of his eyebrows, he gives a grunt to show that he’s listening.

Eyes opened, Xiumin is now looking up at him. The same brown eyes from two years ago are staring back at him. “I… I want you to pamper me. I want your every affection, to see that you care about my well-being,” the hybrid confesses. “I always love the time you showed your concern when I'm slacking off, or I was potentially hurt. Even if sometimes, you sounded like not caring… You’re not mad, right?” Xiumin added, as if it was his greatest fear – or maybe it was.

Yifan’s entire being is paused, frozen when he heard Xiumin’s every word. The Pokémon hybrid is still tensing up, he could feel it, as Xiumin’s trembling hands are leaving his wrist.

He doesn’t know what happened exactly, but he laughs, a lot more freely. As if a huge boulder was lifted from his shoulder. “How cute,” he says directly, when he messes with the Pikachu hybrid’s hair. “How come I able to get mad with your face like that!” he exclaimed before his features softens.

“I’m not mad, I actually… I feel glad,” Yifan admits shyly. Xiumin lets a hearty laughs, and Yifan finds himself doing it also, infatuated with the Pokémon hybrid’s laughs.

Yifan couldn’t be more than relieved. All this time, he has to take different turns just to understand Xiumin. What he wants, why does he act like that? But, maybe they were more alike than what he had assumed before. Xiumin was taking curves too, just to make sure Yifan is actually do care about him. This sure is an eye opener, because Yifan was afraid, if this continues, can they still be able to stand another year with question marks on top of their heads? The trainer tried not to think about it, ever again.

“Hey,” Yifan heard Xiumin’s reverberating laughs stopped, and his voice calls him. “You know, you could always trust me right?” the Pikachu hybrid says, with a gummy smile flashed towards the slightly blushed trainer.

-

-

The moonlight shines, and makes the shiny object between his fingers seems to glow. As he smiles happily. He knows understand why he has to trust Xiumin, no matter what it is. Yifan thought, as his eyes are not leaving the sight of the feather shaped badge.

Yifan was taken aback of how serious Xiumin was when they were battling Tiffany, the gym leader. The Pikachu hybrid used all his advantages against Tiffany’s flying-type hybrid named Taeyeon – or something, Yifan couldn’t quite recall. His hybrid Pokémon totally took over the battlefield. It is still mesmerizing him, how can Xiumin, who do nothing but slacking off when training, always renders him speechless with his clean way to defeat his opponents.

Or maybe, Jongin was right after all. Yifan makes a mental note to give the Sinnoh trainer a video call when he arrived at the next town. And, probably going to tease Baekhyun, the Sneasel hybrid, thus giving his trainer a good time on annoying the hell out that ever-so sassy half dark-type. Jongin deserves at least a small credit after all.

The sound of the train echoes, and Yifan turned into the present. He was on a train, next to him is a window. He could see the night sky, and blurry pictures of scene, changing every second.

Yifan is undeniably tired, but finds himself unable to sleep. A tiny sound of snore, makes Yifan turned his head to the side. He couldn’t help but smile a little when he saw Xiumin’s sleeping face on his shoulder. Today was a tiresome day for the hybrid after all, a battle with a gym leader is on a totally different level than just wondering aimlessly between patches of tall grass.

“Thank you,” the trainer whispers, trying not to wake the hybrid up.

But then, he realized there was something below Xiumin’s closed eyes. A copper colored eyelash. Yifan slowly extends his hand, and his fingers are now dangerously close to the hybrid face, as he tried to pick the eyelash away. A small gesture of course. But, it’s actually a huge leap for death. And, Yifan realized a second too late. He mouthed damn, before he’s staring at a pair of surprised brown colored eyes. Statics already sent through his body.

-

-

On the side of the train track, a boy and his hybrid Pokémon was on their training. Their session only being halted when one of them, with pair of wings behind his back, turned his head towards the passing train. “What’s that?” He points at the passing train. The other, and noticeably taller boy follows where the Noctowl hybrid’s finger directs.

His jaw just slacks open, when he sees a blinding yellow light coming from one of the train window. Their eyes glued until that certain compartment is out the sight. As, the train finally passed, leaving trail of wind behind it. “I,” the taller pauses. “I… don’t know,” he finishes his sentence.

The Pokémon hybrid stares at him, silently questioning his trainer’s answer. But, the answer is still the same ‘I don’t know’, because really. Chanyeol indeed doesn’t have much to say, when it seems he had misheard something. Something oddly sounds similar to his friend, who sticks with a hybrid Pikachu on his side. Even if the pitch is higher, which he used to doubt his friend could produce, Chanyeol somehow was so sure of what he might just heard.

“X-Xiumin! You’re grilling me!”

A/N: lol. I don't know why I wrote this. probably because IT'S pokemon ._.