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Chapter Text

“Puppy,” the cruel voice of N's father cooed.

The younger swallowed taking a step back, to the safety of Zekrom's shadow.

“Oh, don't be like that. A freak like you couldn't hope for more. Now be a good boy and come here, puppy,” Ghetsis held out his hand, as if offering N to take it.

If he was really supposed to act as a zoroua pup he wouldn't be allowed to take it.
He was just mocking him, he must be. Like he was just a few minutes before, when he admitted to only using N.
He never loved him, he never loved his puppy either, yet habit was about to take him.
Every time Ghetsis cooed in that tone it had meant nothing but pleasure and head pats and love.
Lies and yet N wanted to sink to his knees like a good pet.
Old habit and fresh betrayal warred inside of him and made him shake.

N took another step back, stumbling over his own shaking legs and landing flat on his ass.
Zekrom wrapped its arms around him loosely and growled a warning to the man.

Ghetsis gaze turned back into the cruelty it had been not all too long ago.
“Stupid mutt… You can't even be of use this one time, what was I thinking?”

His hateful gaze turned back to his Hydreigon who was dutifully keeping Hilbert away from them.
The obvious way out was blocked by Alder and his pokemon, just waiting for a chance to act.
The exhausted Reshiram was biting and lashing out at the other dragon type, determined to fight its way through so its trainer could come to his help.

N was shaking, watching unable to do much of anything as his world fell apart.

…

N was laying in a bed, he'd been dragged back into the league building and was under house arrest for now.
As far as alder was concerned he was a victim and the real culprit was his father, so it was more like they were protecting from the outside for now.

He felt… empty.
Tried.

He sighed and sat up, the rest was good on his beat up body and mind but still. Being locked up reminded him of his playroom in the worst way in the light of recent revelations…

The door to his room opened and a small figure stepped in with a tablet in hand.
Hilbert, his friend.
N gave him a small smile while the smaller boy sat down next to him, setting the tablet loaded with a meal and some juice on the bedside table.

“Hey… feeling any better?” Hilbert asked him gently.

N nodded tentatively, it was good to have him here.
His one and only friend he'd made outside the castle, the one he'd made all on his own, his rival.

“Say,” Hilbert began, “about what Ghetsis said…”
The younger raised a hand towards the other and N flinched but didn't back away, instead waiting for Hilbert to finish.
Hilbert's hand cradled his face gently, he frowned slightly and spoke,
“...Puppy?”

Ns breath hitched. The boy had replicated the same cooing tone Ghetsis had used with him a million times.
The time tone that had N's knees weak.

Hilbert's hand caressed N's cheek, N closed his eyes trying not to fall to old habits.
He was failing. The need to submit so deep and she was safe and oh, oh maybe giving in now wouldn't be bad, right?

N swallowed and put his hand on the others and opened his eyes again.
The younger repeated the word with a huge gleeful grin,
“Puppy!”

A shudder wrecked Ns body, his brain short circuiting.

“You look cute like this, all blushy!” Hilbert smiled, “I…” he hesitated slightly, “I'm not totally sure I know everything but I'd love to play with you, would you like that? Puppy?”

“... Yes,” it was just a tentative breath, his heart beating out of his chest. Hilbert came even closer, their lips barely a centimeter apart.

“Play with me, puppy,” Hilbert grinned playfully and closed the gap, uniting their lips.

N was swimming, his brain foggy as lips played against his, a little clumsy but oh so warm and soft. The other’s breathless voice called him ‘puppy’ and ‘good boy' as he whined into him.
He was hot and shaking and absolutely melting into the other.

Every touch was good and absolutely overwhelming and Ns clothes were being stripped and suddenly he was just a good boy pleasing the other, kissing at his skin and lips, moving into every touch, helping to undress himself until he was fully bare.

“You're so pretty…” Hilbert told him, “What does a puppy do?”

N couldn't come up with anything better than, “Wuff,” as an answer, his tongue lolling out.

Hilbert's breath hitched, absolutely enchanted by the other. Eyes blown wide, mouth open and panting, yielding to every touch, absolutely stunning.
He could simply eat him up like this, kiss and grope and love him for hours…
It's not like Alder would come in to check on them until dinner time so…
They could.

…

Ns mind was still hazy, the pleasant exhaustion of good sex and the warmth of another were trying to lull him to sleep.
Hilbert's small body was cuddled up against him, just as tried and satisfied.

“Mh… that was fun,” Hilbert mused and cuddles into Ns lax body.

N gave a jawn and a little bark as his answer. The younger laughed, absolutely enjoying himself.
“We should do it again…”
This time N gave him a proper nod, a puppy needed an owner to take care of it and N has been taken care of so very well by the other.
Hilbert giggled when N started to purr, “are puppies supposed to do that?”

Ns mind was too far gone to answer properly but he'd happily explain that zorua young were called pups despite being closely related to species that had kittens.
The odd but charming mix of barks and yips and purring was something N absolutely adored, whether it was in acting as such or in his friends.

Chapter Text

N was staring at the box full with his special toys. The ones Ghetsis had gotten after they started playing puppy and trainer. The Zorua ears and tail and paw gloves and… a collar.

His eyes switched from the collar to the door to the other room, where he knew Hilbert was waiting for him to come out.
Maybe… maybe it was time for a new collar.
N gingerly took the collar out and placed it on his old bed. He was leaving this behind, the castle, his role as the ‘king’, his room and… the way he'd been with Ghetsis.

He still loved him, he'd raised him but he'd also lied to him and used him. N swallowed, he couldn't hold onto it. He couldn't be Ghetsis oblivious little puppy, blindly believing every word anymore.

“This is a reprehensible form of abuse trainers put their pokemon through,” Ghetsis had told him the first time they'd played. The purpose of it was to let him experience the ‘manipulation’ trainers use to make pokemon compliant.
Without the context of the outside world it never struck N as odd that Ghetsis would commit such abuse on him and then reward him with pets and love, plainly working the manipulation he warned N against on him…

It made N compliant, happy and unthinking for just a little while.
It still did but Hilbert wasn't lying to him. He was genuinely his friend and he loved playing with him in whatever ways they tried.

N sighed again and took his little box, those were still good and Hilbert would certainly enjoy seeing him with those cute ears, right?

…

There was an eager Zorua above him.
Hilbert was grinning, absolutely delighted by the sight.
N was so pretty with that headband, if only his ears could twitch and move with his mood like an actual Zorua!

N was kissing and licking and nipping at his neck and Hilbert was shuddering in pleasure with each touch.

Eager and loving and Hilbert let himself melt into it, basically purring at his partner to do as he liked.
The view of hickies and bite marks on delicate skin made N oddly proud.
As always with those games, he found himself worked up and desperate quite early but he didn't want it to stop.
He wanted to kiss and love Hilbert head to!

Hilbert was somewhere between moaning and giggling over the attack of a million butterfly kisses N spread over his face.
“Hehe, good boy. Goody boy!” He praised, a hand coming up to stroke through green strands and scratch behind his ear.

N couldn't help the little whine stuck in his throat, it was so good but he wanted more!
Talking was… not something puppies did really, most humans couldn't understand pokemon at all. The yelps and whines and barks he let out closely mimicked what the regular human heard.
But he had something to communicate, something important!
So he took a deep breath, trying to claw his way back out of the pleasant haze that left him a mindless little pup.

“Sir-”

Ghetsis always told him to use honorifics when he had to talk. Mainly trainer but also sir and Ghetsis favorite; my lord.
Hilbert wasn't a lord and he was most definitely not a cruel Trainer fucking his own pokemon when he can't tell a yes, please from a no, don't.
So for now he was sir. Maybe he would become trainer later, for now N was too used to abusive trainers to give his friend that title during play.

“I need you I-”
Hilbert was laughing and pulled him into a sweet, passionate kiss.

“Fuck me,” Hilbert commanded between their lips colliding and pausing for air.
N stilled in shock.
The boy beneath him spread his legs nicely, one hand led N's paw to his butt to pull his cheek aside, revealing an already lubed up, twitching hole.
If N's tail was more than a piece of well shaped fabric on a belt, it would have wagged so hard he could sprain something.
He was staring in absolute awe at the partner who'd just invited him to… to…

He'd never done it like this before but he would do his very best! He had to!
He wanted Hilbert to feel just as good!
He was falling back into that sweet, compliant pup mindset, if he wanted to do anything special he'd have to wreck his brain while it was still working…

N spread his partner's legs a little wider and leaned in. His tunge met sensitive flesh, his nose bumping into the others cock. Just a little, he told himself and his brain melted back into goo.
Initially he just wanted to please the other a little all over before eating him out, tongue fucking him to fullfil the order. With the smell of sex thick in the air and himself desperate for release the good little pup Ghetsis trained won out though.
He was whining and kissing and licking up and down the others cock, he'd been taught how to deepthroat long ago and Hilbert was groaning his appreciation for the treatment.
N was so lost in putting his lips and tongue on every inch of the other's dick and balls he didn't notice when Hilbert complained.
Not until he was grabbing his hair and jerked him away.

“Bad boy,” Hilbert scolded breathlessly.
N whined his protest, he was good! He wanted to be good!

“I said,” the younger spoke clearly between pants, “fuck me, not suck me.”

If his Zorua ears had been real they'd be drooping in shame, N's face did enough to convey that thought though.
Hilbert laughed, his flushed face split by a beautiful smile, “It's ok, you get a second chance! Be a good puppy now and fuck me nice and hard, yeah?”

N let out a happy little bark over getting that second chance and moved into position, his leaking dick lined up with the already well prepared hole.

The warm, tight insides of another men nearly sent him over the edge when he first entered. N bit his own lip, it was so good, so warm, so tight and so, so very new.
If he'd been in his right mind, N might have wondered if he should curse or thank Ghetsis for training him to hold out.
Being pushed to the edge and forced to deny himself was something the pup had done before, he could do it again.
Could wait until his partner told him to finally, finally come.
Dimly he hoped Hilbert would be so kind to let him come soon.

Hilbert drew him in for another kiss, changing the angle just slightly and N was gone. Absolutely completely gone, just a good pup fucking its owner like it was told to.
Fucking him hard and deep and whining and trying so badly not to come yet.

Hilbert was moaning and crying and absolutely in heaven,if he was trying to say anything it was swallowed by cries and moans of pleasure as his insides were rearranged.

Until it all became too much and he cried out that he was coming, "C-com-HA! Coming! Come, let- Ngh! Yes!"

Incidentally giving N an unintended order to come himself.

…

Hilbert was still full of cum slowly dripping out of his well loved hole but that didn't really matter.
Who cared if they'd need new sheets after this? N was cuddling into him and purring and oh, oh, he loved N so much!
He was sure now, he was going to get a puppy headband himself and ask N to breed his fellow pup.
Never mind the biological impossibility, it would be a fun game!

Maybe the time after that he was going to breed N, the idea of N begging to be filled with his little whines and yips…
It was almost enough to revive his spend boner and Hilbert chuckled to himself.
He was so glad to have the others trust.
He was never, ever, ever going to miss use it or hurt the older the way Ghetsis had!
He was going to be so, so good for his favorite little puppy!

Chapter Text

Anthea and Concordia eyed their brother wearly, he'd come to the safe house after staying another night with the other hero and well.
He was so full of hickies they could see them past the turtleneck.
And in a good mood, on cloud 9 one might say. What had happened was so very obvious but the innocent kid brother they'd helped raise and the thoroughly ‘loved’ adult happily helping to take care of the ex-grunts' pokemon was… quite the contrast.

Maybe it was a good thing. Scratch that, it was definitely a good thing.
Anthea and Concordia had only each other and him to rely on in the aftermath. N had someone outside the former team plasma members who believed in his ideals. He had a friend, a lover, who was there for him and helped him explore the world of man.
It just also meant he wasn't there as often and the sisters had some issues with leaving the safehouse alone.

They'd spend a good decade inside the castle, the free open sky was familiar yet foreign. Wherever N went, there were pokemon so the transition was easier for him. Not to mention him leaving the castle with a purpose when he first did.
They didn't have that.

…

Hilbert was going through the markets of Driftveil looking for battle items and some groceries for dinner.
He had a ravenous pup to feed, so he was going to make something good!
He laughed at his own thoughts, there were two teams of pokemon to feed, not to mention the legendary dragons and their planned dinner guests! Yet here he was thinking of N smiling with a mouth full of pasta, happy he could eat as much as he liked.

Apparently Ghetsis had him and his sisters on a strict diet to keep them healthy and fit and perfect.
Hilbert picked up a tomato berry and wondered if he could get rotten ones to throw at a certain old man.

…He'd escaped prison some time ago and was nowhere to be found, definitely in hiding, probably scheming his revenge.
The young trainer sighed and bought some of the tomato berries. His mom had given him a recipe book as a gift for his first own place, a place he shared with N here in driftveil. Well technically it was Ns flat and Hilbert had temporarily moved in there.

They needed to be close to his sister's and the other half way decent members of team Plasma while they acclimated back to normal life.

N might have left the title of ‘king’ behind but not his care for them and the pokemon of the world, so he did what he could.

He was actually working really hard and had come home more than once so thoroughly drained he went to bed immediately.
He deserved some good food, treats, pets, love…
Hilbert would spoil him rotten.

…

It had taken some effort and some literal handholding to get Anthea and Concordia out of the safehouse and across the city into his flat.
It was very, very sparsely furnished but they did have a little couch table and pillows to sit on and already delicious smelling food to look forward to.
Ns pokemon friends were resting or playing in the mostly empty place and it gave the sisters something to focus on.

Caring for pokemon was something they all knew.
Food and conversations was too.

Pasta with meat sauce wasn't a special meal for Hilbert, it was for the siblings though.
Ghetsis had made a point of the oh, so perfect king of team plasma being a devot vegetarian and his sisters had joined him in ‘solidarity’.
In reality they hadn't had a choice in it.

When Hilbert awkwardly apologized for cooking something with meat N had stared at him as if he was insane. He didn't care, he'd never cared he had explained.
He'd just kept up appearances the way Ghetsis directed him to.
It had Hilbert genuinely confused until he noticed that one of N's best friends in the whole world was a Zoroark, an obligate carnivore.
Then he told him about having Zoroarks mother take care of N when he was small and living in the woods. He'd been fed mildly undercooked meat, meat that was very recognizable as a freshly killed pokemon and N didn't shut up about how all food used to be alive for like half an hour.
He did have a point somewhere but Hilbert had tuned out after he'd gone on a side tangent about the line between grass type pokemon and regular plants.

N was happily munching on pasta and eyeing the pot when his plate was empty.
Hilbert snorted a laugh and stole his plate to refill it, “You know you can just ask, right?”

Ns eyes glanced over at his sister's plates.
They hadn't emptied theirs yet, each leaving some and apparently trying to distract themselves from the rest.
Hilbert had a feeling about a certain old man and female beauty standards that made him want some rotten berries again.
He sighed, he didn't know how to approach this.

“...I wonder if we can actually finish it all, I've made a lot. It would be a shame to let it go to waste…”
He tried an indirect route while refilling N's plate, N definitely owed him for even just trying to help with this.

Anthea looked away before picking up her fork again and taking another bite. Concordia swallowed, “I suppose it would be impolite not to help… right?”
She ate another fork full too and then another.
N looked relieved and let himself enjoy his second helping.

To Hilbert his boyfriend was quite a cute picture. Probably because he'd seen N on his knees, begging for scratches and to be fucked.
In his mind, the intimidating, beautiful king of team plasma had been replaced by the picture of an adorable, loveable puppy.
That wasn't a dangerous terrorist with red like blood on his lips. That was a good boy who quickly noticed and licked away the tomato berry sauce.

…

“Are you alright?” Hilbert asked the other when he came out of the shower.

N sighed, “Tried…”
One of those days where he'd just fall into bed?
Mh. Hilbert thought for a moment and then put his book aside, shifting on the big mattress on the floor.

“Puppy? Come here,” he ordered gently and N stilled for a second.
The younger could almost see the Zorua ears N didn't have, stand at attention before he put the towel he'd just used into the right pile and came to sit down in front of his partner.

Hilbert smiled at the eager look on the others' faces and set up, his hands found slightly wet green strands quickly and started going through them.
They've already been brushed but N was positively melting into the attention anyway.

“Who's my good boy?”, he asked and N yipped happily.
Yeah, this would be good to help the other relax and rest up. Probably better than Ns usual coma.

…

N was happy, unthinking and utterly relaxed in Hilbert arms.
They'd laid down, N cuddled up into the others chest, purring with satisfaction as his head and back were being scratched.

It was the moments after good sex, where he got to calm down and relax into his lover. The way Ghetsis kept him from shaking out of his skin after a harsh punishment.
He was allowed to relax and ask for kisses and not think and just be.

He was and it was so good.
Hilbert pressed little kisses against his hair from time to time, humming into the embrace.
The younger pulled a crumpled up blanket over the two of them and N drifted off into restful sleep.

Chapter Text

Ns heart stopped for a second.
There was a small Lilipup on his bed.
He loved pokemon deeply, knew the way they behaved inside and out but this-
This wasn't actually a pokemon.

“Do I look cute?” Hilbert asked him, he was naked except for a pair of Lilipup ears.

He nodded numbly.
Cute? Cute? That was an understatement.
The understatement of the century really.
N was on the mattress in a second kissing his partner with wild abandon.
Sweet, open, vulnerable, on displays for him.
How could he not fall head over heels for his boyfriend?
He needed him more than the air around them, his hands explored the naked body beneath him and Hilbert moved into his every touch, kissing back just as hard.

When they finally parted they were both panting, a small body with a definite hard on pressed tightly against the older.
Fuck.

“I don't even have to ask if you'll play with me, huh?” Hilbert laughed softly, his cheeks flushed, his breath heavy and his pupils dilated.

How could he- what kind of question was that? Of course he would!
He'd do just about anything for the other! Hilbert always did so much for him! If he could make the other feel good it didn't matter how he wanted it.
If he wanted to switch who played the trainer and who was the pokemon, that was fine by N.
If he wanted something else, whether it be soft and sweet or harsh and painful, he would do it!

N swallowed, unsure how to proceed, “Do you really want to… be the puppy today?”

Hilbert grinned up at him and pulled the Zorua headband from beneath a blanket, “I was thinking of a playdate, actually.”

…

Hilbert was in heaven, he hadn't thought N could be so… harsh.
Bites and hickeys were pressed into his skin over and over, his hips held in a bruising grip and a possessive growl in the air.
Did Zorua or Zoroark mate like this?

He almost wished N had a knot to spread him on just to really sell the experience.
He shuddered and N redoubled his efforts to breed the Lilipup. Hilbert was tearing up at the intensity but couldn't help the stupidly large grin on his face.
N could see neither from behind but it didn't matter, he licked up the younger neck to comfort him, almost an apology for all the marks surely left on his skin.

Hilbert wasn't used to making cute little puppy noises so he was crying and moaning in a very human way. That didn't stop N from fucking him like a Zoroark in heat thankfully.
Oh, Hilbert's brain was filled with thoughts of knots and breeding and he wanted to be filled up so bad!
He wanted N to try to knock him up over and over even if it would never work!

“W-want- HA! Egg- I wan- NGH!”
Hilbert's passionate pleas were disrupted by N biting down hard, burying his sharp canines deep in delicate skin.
The youngers mouth fell open in helpless bliss as the pain-pleasure sent him over the edge.

…

N didn't have the energy to fuss over his partner, not after that. He did have enough to whine a little and cuddle into the partially bandaged chest before him.

“It's… it'll be ok. Probably,” Hilbert groaned, still exhausted.
They'd disinfected the wound and bandaged it but N still felt guilty over the damage he'd done. He nuzzled into his lover's cheeks and peppered him in kisses.

“Sorry… You were just so … so tempting,” another apologetic whine left his throat.

Hilbert snorted a laugh, “That was the plan! Next time I'll be the one breeding you-” N interrupted him with a happy yip and deep kiss.

…

A few days later Hilbert was dragged to a doctor with a mild infection and they're planned play session had to be moved to another day.

Chapter Text

N sneezed in the cold morning air.
Summer was almost over and the weather was changing.
He knew what was coming, what season changes looked like but… he'd also not seen brown leaves or snow since he was small. He was equal parts excited and scared to see it.
Scared because of things his father had described, most of which were lies according to Hilbert and Alder.

No trainer with even a bit of humanity would send a fire type out into autumn rain. Pokemon weren't forced to starve in the winter because of food shortages. Hell, Unova imported fresh fruit and vegetables during the winter. Everyone would be well fed unless something went very wrong. Honestly, Ghetsis had told him things that in hindsight were such obvious lies.

One time when he was small Ghetsis had told him of people hunting pokemon as a food source in winter, decimating their populations.
Humans had started domesticating pokemon to some degree a long, long time ago. There were farms for milk and eggs mainly but also those for… meat.
There was no need to hunt wild pokemon.
N didn't know how to feel about meat farms. Eating meat was one thing, in fact he thought it was the only right thing to do sometimes.
The pokemon was already dead, it would be an insult to the life spent to not make their death mean something by contributing to the circle of life.
To live is to eat and most pokemon and humans had to consume other forms of life to sustain themselves.
Oddly most people didn't seem to think of regular old plants as living beings despite the fact that they grew and lived and died like pokemon and humans.

Still, the idea of raising pokemon, even when they had a good life, just to kill and consume them?
He shuddered and not just because of the chill in the air.
He sighed. He needed to focus.
N didn't know a lot about how that worked, honestly he had barely any idea about anything he hadn't learned about first hand on his journey.

Ghetsis lies were still stuck in his head.
He didn't think there was such a thing as a true shelter for wild pokemon in need. It did happen sometimes that trainers brought badly hurt wild pokemon to the pokemon center before setting them free but that was the exception, not the rule.

A yip dragged him out of his thoughts and he saw Zoroarks pop its head around a corner. Everything was ready.

The people still loyal to his father won't know what hit them.

…

Hilbert groaned in frustration when he heard the news.
Someone had destroyed a warehouse that held some ex plasma grunts with their stolen pokemon and hopes of rebuilding.
They did not expect that someone to be their former king, nor did anyone expect the fucking ceiling to fall after an unfortunately missed attack.

N was in the hospital because that idiot had shielded some of the stolen pokemon he'd recovered.
Still, it was reckless and dumb and he could have just asked Hilbert to come along!

He was still fuming when he arrived in Ns Hospital room though the anger went away soon because he couldn't be mad at N when he looked like a kicked puppy.
Great, that just made him think of…
Maybe this was his fault.
You can't blame your puppy for running amok when you aren't there to control his outbursts.

Hilbert grumbled in frustration and sat down on the edge for Ns hospital bed, silence filled the room for a moment before both spoke at once, “I'm sorry, I-”
They stopped in shock and then N laughed, it was such a sweet sound it charmed Hilbert right into laughing as well.

Hilbert cuddles up into Ns chest, enjoying the moment of peace.
“...I’m sorry. I knew how you feel about ex team plasma people but I didn't see this coming. Guess I'm a bad owner after all,” the younger let out a self-deprecating laugh.

N stares at him as if he was growing a new head like a zweilous.
“That's not- love, I'm not your pet all the time. I mean, I love it, I do! But this isn't an owner-pet thing. This is… I need to do something. Everything, really. The formula for the ideal world has a lot of variables and some are still a mystery to me, I just need to…” N trailed off.

Hilbert sighed anger resurfacing despite the kicked puppy look N still held.
“Idiot!”
N stared at his lover in confusion and surprise.

“Yeah, you heard me! You're a fucking idiot! Use that big brain of yours and think who you could have asked to come with you!”

The older blinked and tentatively pointed at his partner.
“That's right! Me! I get wanting to help the poor stolen pokemon, it's what everyone in the safehouse is doing! It's what I want to do too, whenever possible! I get going in quite without blasting the place with Zekrom but I don't get going in without backup! You have me! If you don't want me to put you on a leash and treat you like a Lilipup making a mess then don't act like one!”
Hilbert was panting slightly after his rant and pushed N's hand away when he reached out.

“... I'm sorry,” N said with a pained expression on his face, “please don't threaten with leashes…”

Hilbert stared at him.
They'd never played with a leash, there was never any need for more props then they already had but N seemed to avoid buying more when Hilbert bought it up.
Something must have happened, something must be the reason-
“...He did something, what did he do!? I swear I'll kill that old bastard what-”

N drew him into his arms and held him tight, startling the younger.
“Don’t,” it was nothing but a small whisper but it was enough.
Hilbert opened his mouth to say something again, planning on being soft now but N just shook his head and repeated, “Don't…”

…

N couldn't sleep. The hospital didn't allow Hilbert to stay overnight so he was alone with Zoroark (the room was far too small for Zekrom).
Zoroark had climbed onto the bed and curled around N protectively and snored gently.

He felt like crying.
That poor skitty was hurt because of him and now he couldn't go out and do anything until his wounds healed!
How was he so useless!?
He was supposed to be better, father had always said so always told him he'd be the next hero of the legendary dagrons-
Zekrom's pokeball shook slightly on the nightstand and N's eyes stung with genuine tears now.
His father had lied to him, abused him, used him for his goals.

What could N even trust?
His world had fallen apart that day in the throne room and he'd clung to what he thought he could be sure of.
So little he could be sure of…

He had Hilbert, the other wasn't chosen by his father, he'd been chosen by N because he'd seen a spark in the other boy's eyes when they met.
Hilbert cared for N, a lot.
N's sisters' loyalty and hearts lay with him and not their father. Wanting to prevent pokemon abuse wasn't wrong, following Ghetsis who had only used it as a continent excuse was.
His ideals weren't wrong, that's why Zekrom stayed by his side even now.
Hilbert truth, that pokemon and people make each other better was just as real.
But everything else….?

What was he supposed to do? Was he Zekroms hero or just his friend? N was afraid to ask at this point.
He'd build so much on that idea, on the thought of becoming the hero who would change the world and now that he's abandoned Ghetsis way he could move so little.
How much had stayed true, how much was right, what way could he make his ideals reality, how could he stop pokemon abuse!?
There were so many ways pokemon were hurt all over the world and yet even that seemed far away from N.
He'd held pokemon who lashed out in anger before finally understanding that N would never hurt them, he'd heard their voices cry and tell their stories he knew their abuse but…
The things his father only ever told him about… were they even real?
What about…?

N looked at his paw- his hands and wondered if there were actually people pushing their pokemon into such acts. Had recreating them actually made him understand their suffering even a little?
Most of the time he hadn't even perceived it as abuse, he'd enjoyed it far too much.
The submission even when it had been forced, the pain that had only sent him over the edge, the father who manipulated him like a trainer would a pokemon groomed for such a purpose.

He understood it, yet he didn't.
The way father had done it and the way Hilbert played with him were night and day.
Hilbert would never choke him with a leash until he almost passed out because he was disobedient. In hindsight that ‘disobedience’ was just him being too curious for Ghetsis liking.
Questions his father didn't want him to know the answers to, spun into apparent insolence to justify violence against N and make him unwilling to ask again.

There was so much he'd been barred from learning!
Oh, he wanted to learn! He wanted to be normal, he wanted to be someone actually worthy of Hilbert's lov-
N choked on a sobb and cuddled into Zoroarks furr.

It was fun being with Hilbert, he liked him a lot, he did! But he was barely a functional person and there was so much he had to do and going home to Hilbert-
It was too much!
He could either work on filling those holes and figuring out how to solve the equation of his ideals /or/ fall into happy unthinking compliance in Hilbert's arms! It should be working to balance each other out but it didn't! It just piled up after all this time!
Trying to figure out where pain ended and began while Hilbert pulled his hair when he was bad and fucked him hard as a punishment was so confusing!

He wasn't-
He couldn't-

He had to leave if he wanted to be fill the holes left by Ghetsis lies…

Chapter Text

There was something bothering N.
It was obvious after merely half a day out of the hospital. He didn't even eat with that stupidly gorgeous smile, even though Hilbert made his favorite!

It was… difficult to take care of N when the older was keeping something from him.
Trying to talk about it had N shut the conversation down, claiming he was still trying to figure something out and that they would talk once he was done.
Every other attempt at talking about it ended in kisses and distractions and in one memorable occasion Zoroark nearly biting Hilbert.

Hilbert sighed, at least they still had this, N was a good puppy after all!
It hadn't been too hard to get N into this, all he had to do was wait until he was tired and relaxed, kiss him lots ans call him by that nickname and N fell into habit.

He was nothing but a good sweet puppy sucking him off with favor, not minding the hand roughly grasping his hair at all.
“Good, good,” Hilbert praised gently and pulled the older off of his dick.
“What does a good puppy say?”

N let out a happy little yip and Hilbert was so, so glad he'd gotten the other out of his contemplative state and into this!
He was so much cuter when he didn't use that big brain of his!
The younger hummed happily, “That's right! I think you deserve a reward. Do you want me to fuck you until you're nicely bred?”

N swallowed numbly and nodded, his eyes equal parts pure love and demanding lust. As it turns out, dirty talk about N getting bred was oddly effective.
The older had tried to explain it after a play session once, something about the thought of being useful to him had him shudder.

Odd, that wasn't why Hilbert enjoyed it.

Hilbert chuckled, one hand gently cradling N's face as he led him into a better position on their mattress.
Sweet and pliable and he loved N so much.

He loved the feeling of his lover around him. The sweet whines it drew out of him, the way N's body reacted when he pulled on messy green strands.
Hilbert would love this idiot forever. He was going to make sure N was alright, take care of his lovely little puppy, as any good owner should.

…

Ns brain was melting or that's what it felt like at least.
Everything was pleasant and hazy and hot. It always was when Hilbert fucked him roughly.
Sometimes he wondered how the smaller boy was so good at this, where did he store all that power making N’s knees weak?
He didn't even look like he had much muscle and yet when Hilbert grabbed a handful of hair and pulled N was being pulled so harshly he barely had to support his upper body anymore.

His scalp burned and his mouth dropped open in breathless moans and barks.
He was a good puppy for Hilbert! Enjoyed all of it like he should!
It made him wonder if having his hair pulled like this could be enough to make him come.
Probably, the reason N didn't end up coming dry from being penetrated was solely down to Ghetsis training.

…

Afterwards the two cuddled into each other under a fluffy blanket.
“Better?” Hilbert asked him, as if N was the one who'd needed this.
Maybe Hilbert thought he could bring everything to how it was?

N looked away, that was not how it worked at all. This was not something good sex and reassurance could make him forget.
Well, it could probably lead to him forgetting in the long term. Into being nothing but an obedient unthinking pet but N didn't want to give into that impulse, to spend his days here with Hilbert where he could simply be his puppy all the time.
N enjoyed being a puppy, he did but that wasn't all life was. Especially not because he still had ambitions, an ideal world to work towards….

He wouldn't let himself fall into unthinking compliance forever. Not the way Hilbert seemed to want him to.
He was going to leave, he just didn't know how to tell his lover yet. N was giving himself a little time to figure it out, where he'd go and what he'd be doing so he could reassure his lover when he told him.
He had to go but he didn't want to hurt Hilbert more than necessary.
He would hold him and explain everything and reassure and kiss him goodbye a million times before leaving.

Ns arms tightened around his lover, he could have this until then.

Chapter Text

Hilbert didn't like arguing with N, it reminded him of before when N was always looking at him with that mix of expectations and disdain. Over their journey that disdain had morphed, first into respect and then into something like affection and before he knew it Hilbert was looking forward to their next meeting and fight.
He'd been smitten, a tall older boy who told him their destinies were entwined.
It felt a little like a confession even when it was a challenge and after their final fight?
N looked like he was almost glad Hilbert had beaten him, he'd reached out his hand and talked about dreams and his eyes were so full of love Hilbert wanted to kiss him and drag him far away from that stupid castle.

It was why he'd fallen so easily into this odd sort of relationship with him.
It was why his heart was beating out of his chest when he realized what Ghetsis had been playing at when he called N his puppy. It was why he hated Ghetsis twice as much as everyone else.

After Ghetsis ranted and insulted N, the boy he'd fallen for changed somewhat.
It was like a wound had been cut through all the layers holding the king of team Plasma up, all the way down to a scared inexperienced young man. One who held affection for Hilbert and craved to be held and feel secure in something, anything.

So Hilbert became his rock. The new trainer for the poor abused Zoroark pup. Ns roommate and lover. His guid to so many things he didn't know. His caretaker in a way…

Now N and him were arguing. It wasn't over anything on a Unova wide scale like they'd argued over before. It wasn't about what was morally right or wrong, no truth or ideals to be seen.
N wanted to leave for weeks, maybe months instead of the few hours he was usually out. He wanted more time away from /their home/, trying to do good and /probably getting himself hurt again/.
Hilbert couldn't have that!
He just couldn't!

How was he supposed to make sure N was eating right when they didn't share meals? He'd discovered N lived off foraged and bought berries during his journey because he wasn't sure what dishes had meat and what didn't and was still following Ghetsis orders to keep his vegetarian diet. Old habits died hard and when Hilbert wasn't there to cook proper meals he'd find N munching on nothing but berries and maybe a plain piece of bread!
He couldn't go back to that!
He couldn't go sleep in some tree or a pokemon center again either, what if he had another nightmare like he'd had just a week ago!?

N had been so fragile after a nightmare about his father. He'd needed Hilbert to calm him down, to remind him that he wasn't under Ghetsis thumb anymore.

N needed Hilbert.
It was so obvious, how could he think to leave?

“I'll have Zoroark and Zekrom with me, I won't be alone. I might even meet the pokemon who helped me previously, I'd like to thank them again and offer them to travel with me if they want, some of them looked so sad when I released them back into the wil-”

“That won't be enough and you know it!” Hilbert argued, his voice raising in anger.
“You'll do something dumb again and get hurt and I won't be there for you. If you want to go so bad then let me come with you!”

N shook his head, he looked almost sorry while he argued against the simple and logical solution yet again.
“This is something I need to do. Not with you, not with my sisters, not Alder, not with anyone coming with me but my pokemon friends.”

How could he say that!?
Hilbert was so close to bursting.
He'd never punished N harshly, that wasn't right for either of them usually.
Ns ‘punishments’ for when he was a bad puppy were not being allowed to cum until Hilbert was satisfied or having his hair pulled a little rougher than usually. Which was basically a staple of their play anyway.
Right now Hilbert wanted nothing more than to give N a punishment much worse than those.
He didn't know what but he knew N would come out of it with some bruises.
He'd make him sleep naked on the bare floor afterwards, like the stupid pup he was too!

“I told you, that's a dumb idea! What about your sisters, what about us, what about me? You said you liked things how they are! What would a stupid lost puppy like you do out there!?”
Silence fell over the small flat, their pokemon were already staring at them for a while but now they'd gone truly silent as they saw N's reaction.
He was backing away from Hilbert, he looked… hurt.

Hilbert replayed what he'd said and saw the error, he'd called him a pup again.
He'd promised not to do so again when they weren't playing.
He'd broken that promise in his anger.
“Ah… I'm sorry, I didn't mean to- I…”

N shook his head sadly, “You did mean it…”

Hilbert sighed, “I didn't,” he argued.
Ns stared at him numbly, sadly, “I need to go,” he repeated.

He was short of just grabbing Ns hair and shoving him on the bed.
How dumb could a genius be?
He didn't need to go. He. needs. to. stay.

The younger grimaced,
“You don't but… I need to calm down, I- I'll go and grab groceries for dinner, I think.“

Hilbert's control was slipping and he grabbed N's shirt, dragging him down so they were closer to eye level.
“I need you to think about all of this. Really think about this!”

His lover looked at him sadly not saying a thing.
This was too much, he'd just end up hurting N if he stayed and he'd sworn he'd never hurt him like that bastard had.

The younger took a deep steadying breath.
“I only want the best for you… I need you to understand that, N.”

N didn't resist having his face cradled, nor the small kiss pressed to his cheek before Hilbert grabbed his pokeballs, recalled the pokemon and left.
He could feel N staring at him as he closes the door.

…

“I don't want to leave either but it's better that way. Maybe further away than I planned…” N muttered to himself after Hilbert left.
His pokemon came over to comfort him a little or to threaten pranks on Hilbert in Zoroarks case.

He sighed and petted his friend's fur while refusing the prank offer. His sister's had understood almost immediately but his lover just…
He didn't and N didn't know why but it didn't feel right. It felt… a little like being Ghetsis pet.

…

Hilbert kicked a rock hard and hit a street lamp. He was fuming.
Why couldn't that dumb pup see that he'd be happier here, in his arms?
That he would just put himself in unnecessary danger out there with Plasma loyalists and his own stupidity!

He needed to get something to keep N occupied, so he couldn't even think of leaving!
The market was busy as always and Hilbert's gaze swept over multiple wears.
A gift might be good, as a little apology too. Maybe he could get him a puzzle.
Actually, a puzzle could keep him entertained for a bit…
Maybe he should get many, lots of toys too!
Hilbert smiled and looked at a stall with wooden toys for kids and pokemon.

There were a variety of things to pick from and Hilbert hovered over it with a small smile. He was about to pick up a train set when a memory resurfaced.

A room.
A gloomy room with a music box playing in a corner. Toys laying around, depicting a paradise for a small child.
What would have been appropriate for a kid of maybe 8 to 12, not a young man who'd just turned 21. It was one of the reasons N felt a little younger than he was, one of the reasons he struggled so much with everything.

Hilbert's face fell.
N didn't even like toy trains, he'd thrown the lead cart of his toy train into the basketball hoop because it was disappointingly simplistic and boring.
The toy had none of the complicated engineering N found so fascinating.

That room…

It was the golden cage Ghetsis had kept his pup in.
Suddenly his own hands looked wrong as they hovered over the toys.
He'd wanted to keep N by his side. He was about to create something similar to hold N…
Hilbert didn't let Reshiram out of its ball at home as their flat was too small, which led to him carrying it around in its ball almost all the time, now it was shaking as he recognized the truth.

…

N was making sure all the pokemon had some food, then he left the flat and building all together.
Infact he left Driftveil for a nice forest clearing he always came to, to share some time and a bite with Zekrom.
He was about to open the Pokeball when he heard a familiar cry and white feathers fell down around him.
He stilled as an elegant white dragon landed in front of him.
Then there was a small body tackling him, holding him tight and crying his name.

Before he could even ask what on earth had gotten into Hilbert, he was sobbing into his shirt, “I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, I mean it! I won't hold you back, I promise! Go out, see what you want! I'm so fucking sorrryyyyy!”

N looked between the tiny body holding him in a vice grip and the mighty dragon smiling down at him.
“My chosen might be a little slow but he realized what was right,” they said proudly and Zekrom's pokeball still in N's hand wiggled in agreement.

Chapter Text

Kissing each other goodbye was hard.
It was hard not to hold onto the other forever. Hilbert was crying his eyes out.
N looked like he was close to tears too.

This wasn't the end, they both knew it.
Not even necessarily the end of their relationship, they'd had a proper talk and agreed they were just taking a break until N felt comfortable coming home.
He would be coming home to Unova and to Hilbert, the question was just when.
The younger really didn't want it to be true but N had to travel alone and as much as something inside of him wanted it, love didn't mean possessing someone.
It meant wanting the best for them.
The best for N was to find the parts he was missing out in the world.

Truth be told, Hilbert had to find himself too. He'd had goals and dreams before N and team plasma came into the picture and ate him up.
He was going to be a proper league champion, the best trainer in the region! He was going to reconnect with Bianca and Cheren who were out doing their own things and check in on Ns sisters every once in a while. He was going to take good care of their home region and find his place here.

N frowned and leaned in for another ‘final kiss’ before Zekrom swept him off his feet and they were off.

…

Time passed. Months turned into seasons turned into years.

Hilbert had been out of the region for one month for a tournament and came back to his region in tarters.
Before he could even be informed of the reformation of Team Plasma a fucking City was frozen over!
Iris, whom he'd left in charge of the league, was in tears over her grandfather getting hurt and her not having been there because of her duties.

A pokeball on Hilbert's belt wiggled and he took a deep, deep breath.
He and Reshiram flew up into the sky looking for that flying boat thing he'd been told about.

…

Ghetsis was as reprehensible as always.
He'd tried to kill some poor kid only a few years younger than Hilbert over them trying to hinder his plans.
It was good Hilbert showed up when he did but oh, it was also a mistake to go straight in with Reshiram.

Hilbert scowled at the old man and the fused dragons. That was his friend in there and he would get them back!
And he was going to kick an old man into his well deserved grave.

Doing that alone would be hard though, the kid and their pokemon were hurt.
It wasn't like him to give up though.
He wanted to stand proud when N finally returned and that did include punching his father's teeth out.
Hilbert laughed and summoned all his other pokemon at once.

Not 5 minutes into the battle a mighty cry shook the cavern and it was Ghetsis' turn to scowl.

“I see the dirty mutt has come crawling back,” the old man scowled at the figure flying in on a jet bald dragon.

N jumped off and landed next to Hilbert with a wide smile as Zekrom landed behind him.
“Crawling back? How mean, I've simply returned to my loving trainer,” N smiled at Hilbert.
“Or perhaps I shall be the trainer tonight and he the puppy, we'll see,” he winked at the younger, N’s eyes were sparkling with hope and mischief.
Hilbert's heart was beating in tact with his as they commanded their pokemon.

The little moment of lighthearted mischief had been all the relaxation they could get. Ghetsis had a legendary and a full team of 6 and while Hilbert was an expert trainer, N was not.
Like before Ns team was composed of pokemon he'd made friends with, which meant barely half of them were really battle ready.

Luckily he wasn't rattled by Ghetsis words this time, as Zekrom themselves was worth more than the rest of Ns Friends combined in this fight.

The obvious frustration mounted on the old bastards face as pokemon after pokemon was knocked out untill he was only left with Kyurem.
Ns eyes still held something like sympathy for him as he offered his hand.
Ghetsis refuses it of course, he screamed and cursed as Kyurems hold on Reshiram loosened and Hilbert was reunited with his hurt companion.

In the end the mighty lord Ghetsis looked like the pathetic, broken old man he was and even Hilbert's distain for him was dampened by his breakdown.
N didn't shake, he didn't fall, he barely shed a tear before turning to Hilbert and his pokemon to help heal them up.

They left the giant chasm with that hurt teen held between them, so many things unspoken but they had time now. Ghetsis was gone, spirited away by the shadow triad after his breakdown and it seemed unlikely he'd come out to challenge them again.
The trainer leaning on them was hurt but not too badly all things considered, they would likely make a full recovery and after Hilbert did some clean up of the region...
They had time.

The N before him was different, yet the same and he looked forward to rediscovering every inch of his lover.
He wanted to see and commit every little change to memory, to kiss him for every piece of his equation he'd found.