decade2defeat | Locked to dragontyped

They'd chosen to meet in Wyndon primarily because that's where Leon's flat was, but if we are being completely honest, it's probably because Raihan didn't want to waste anytime waiting on Leon who was bound to get lost in any other city. Granted there was a good chance he'd get lost walking from his flat to the coffee shop, but less so than if they had met in Hammerlocke or where Leon had originally planned, Hulbury. He had wanted to bundle up in warm coats, grab a scalding hot beverage and sit up on the top of the lighthouse with his new boyfriend.

Oh wow! What a thrill was that to think about!

There had always been feelings between the tow boys, and all of their friends have been trying to set them up for years, but between Raihan's schedule as a Gym Leader and Leon's constant busy schedule as Champion, there was never a right opportunity to act on it. Eventually it took a nudge from Hop, who basically said, in a lot nicer and gentler of a way, that someone won't wait around forever, and that nugget had planted its seed in Leon's brain and kept him up at night debating what he should do. Should he tell Raihan that he has more romantic feeling for his best friend, would he even want to be with Leon, he could have anyone he wanted, why would he chose to be with someone that rarely gets a day off. Eventually after a few days and a few more sleepless nights, he'd made his way over to his rival's house and declared how he was in love with the dragon tamer and didn't want to waste anymore time. The whole love part was a lot stronger than he'd anticipated but he couldn't say it wasn't true, so he stuck by it and waited for Raihan's response.

Obviously it was positive, which is why we find Leon in a back private corner of his favorite coffee shop waiting on his other half to show his face, after declining all of Olena's requests for evening interviews and meetings...seriously did she ever take time off. He'd turned his phone off after a final curt decline and found himself humming along to the song of the bistro between sips of his overly sweet coffee beverage.

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After harboring an unrequited crush for years, Raihan was sure his love would be as futile as a Charizard trying to learn Hydro Pump, but Leon had surprised him one night by showing up on his door step and professing his love. Raihan was sure that his heart was about to jump out of his mouth, and he probably wasn't as cool as he could have been when he admitted he'd been thinking of Leon in the same way, but he'd posted an enigmatic picture of a sandstorm to commemorate the date all the same.

Since that night, he hadn't been able to stop thinking about Leon since then (which really wasn't anything new), but today was especially important. It's his first date with Leon! Not just hanging out as close mates or greatest rivals. It's a date.

Before setting off to Wyndon, Raihan spent an hour changing in and out of outfits before settling on an athleisure look: new trainers, a sleek Hammerlocke gym hoodie, and joggers that hugged his hips and hopefully made it look like he has an ass. It's lowkey as far as Raihan's style goes, but he doesn't exactly want to draw attention to himself. He hasn't talked too much with Leon about what this -- their relationship -- means, but they both agreed that this relationship needs to be outside of the media's scrutinizing eye. At least for now.

So with a tightly held breath and a hope that his look is good enough to earn him a (first!) kiss, Raihan walks into the cafe. He's careful to keep his hood up and head down, even if his height makes him stick out. Raihan's a celebrity in Hammerlocke, though not as much in Wyndon, so when the crowd looks away, he's sure he's gotten away as nothing more than an absurdly tall customer.

Raihan's more of a cold brew black kind of guy. If you ask him, Leon's all the sugar he needs, and ever since Leon confessed to him a week ago, Raihan's got to guess that he's all the sugar Leon needs too. (Well, it's not like he doesn't know Leon loves his obnoxiously sugary drinks, but the point still stands.) He grabs his drink by the bar, texts Piers for luck, and slides into the seat across from Leon, trying to fight down a blush and an excited grin.

"Hey, lov--" Raihan begins, quickly corrects himself: "Leon."

They can't be public, not yet. He keeps his hood up and plays with straw so that he doesn't come off as too nervous. Shite, they've been friends for almost a decade, and here he is stuttering over his words. "Didn't wait too long, did you? Came as fast as I could."

Raihan bumps his knee against Leon's beneath the table, hoping it's not too much. They may be on the down low, but surely nobody will notice this? "You look nice, by the way."

"No I haven't been waiting long at all Rai. Actually pretty chuffed that I made it here before you did. That never usually happens." he says with a big laugh and a wide smile. Leon's demeanor visibly brightens even more so at being complimented and felling the gym leaders knee against his own. He moves his own leg out into Raihan's space and hooks his foot around Raihan's ankle.

"Thank You, I was going to say the same think about you! You look gorgeous, you're the only one I know that can pull of a look like that so well." He says before taking a sip of his beverage. He swallows and speaks again. "Did I see the new Bolund's on your feet? How did you manage to get a pair already?" he says with interest, but before Raihan can respond, he's asking another question.

"Is it weird that I'm nervous?" he says slightly embarrassed, but chuckling as he does speaks, "I mean its us, right? Why is this happening?"

"Well enjoy it while you can! It's the last time you'll ever be earlier than me," Raihan teases back, hiding his toothy smile behind his hand. Because it's true: Raihan wants to take Leon everywhere, see everything, experience everything with him. They were sure to have dates in other places in Galar, where Leon was sure to get lost. (That was fine with Raihan. He planned on holding Leon's hand while navigating him around.)

Raihan allows himself a few more laughs but freezes when Leon's legs trap his own. He holds his breath for exactly one, long pinch before letting it out, slow and controlled. Leon flirting with him so blatantly makes his heart pound, and then Leon is saying all these things. Wonderful, gorgeous things. Things Raihan couldn't have ever expected Leon to say. They maker him feel tingly, high, like he's floating away, and Raihan still blushes when he remembers Leon loves.

Truth be told, he-- he hadn't expected Leon to react so coyly, and Raihan was a professional at predicting what Leon would do. Leon noticing what he wore catches him so off-guard that he's too flustered and touched and gooey to react in that usual, smug confidence of his. He's glad Leon cuts in with the question, saving him risking answering shyly, and Leon--

Again takes him by surprise. Raihan's shoulder relaxes into another laugh, one he doesn't cover up this time. "Not at all! Can you tell that I'm nervous too?"

Leon's always been one step ahead of him, even here with admitting their feelings. That makes it two-null. If Raihan doesn't step up his game, Leon's going to bury him alive again. Raihan dares to reach his hand halfway across the table, careful not to link hands for everybody to see but still teasing his fingertips against Leon's. "Everything feels new with you now. Nothing's changed, yet everything has."

Raihan smiles to himself, looks up to say something dashing, witty, or cool, but when he looks up, Leon looks so full of love, so beautiful. Raihan wishes he could take a picture of it and set it as his wallpaper from now until kingdom come. "Can we take a picture?" he blurts out, instead.

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