Title: hope is the thing with feathers
Fandom: Pokémon Sun and Moon
Rating: PG-13
Length: 0.7k words
Content notes: Referenced past child abuse, dysfunctional families.
Author notes: Finished Pokémon Moon a few days ago and I'm obsessed with Gladion and Lillie's mommy issues. For the square "Relative Values: Families" in my genprompt_bingo card.
Summary: Lillie calls Gladion while in Kanto.

It's late into the evening when Gladion's phone goes off. He sighs, a little annoyed, before seeing Lillie as the one calling him.

"Hey, Lillie," he says, trying to keep warmth off his voice. He's still not used to expressing emotions besides anger and annoyance, something he did to survive as part of Team Skull. "How are you? How is Kanto?"

"Kanto's great!" she chirps. "I'm having a wonderful time here. I got a Bulbasaur from Professor Oak, who was so kind as to give me a starter!"

"That's great," he says.

"And then I caught a Meowth! I was used to Alolan ones, but these are so cute too. Doesn't Elio have one of 'em too?"

"I think he does," he replies. "I've heard him mention him a few times."

"Great! I'm sure they'd love to meet each other. They're the cutest cats ever, I swear." She laughs softly, and then draws in a breath. "How's mother?"

Gladion goes stiff and he looks away to his room in the Aether House, where he is staying for the time being. He went to see their mother at the hospital earlier that day, tried not to go stiff when she started talking. She was weak and shaky and hooked up to all sorts of machines, but she didn't yell at him. She just looked at him, smiled softly, asked where Lillie was.

"She's recovering," he replies, running a hand through his hair to try and compose himself. "She asked for you."

Lillie lets out a little gasp. "Ah," she says.

"Yeah." There's a pause. "I don't… you should take your time, you know. Take your time before calling her or anything. She doesn't — we don't owe her anything, really."

"I just want to think that we could fix it," she tells him.

"I know," he says. "But you can take your time. Watching her is… hard. I am still angry at her. I don't think I will ever stop being angry at her."

"I am just… sad," Lillie admits. "I've always been sad over it, rather than angry. It's hard to reconcile those… those sweet memories from when we were kids, you know? With what happened to her. How… how hateful she got. How obsessed she got."

"Yeah." Gladion stays silent for several seconds, looking at Silvally, curled up into a corner, sleeping soundly. "It's hard. I really want to… to pretend we could just go back to how we were before she started obsessing over the Ultra Beasts. But it's stupid. It's really stupid."

"I understand," Lillie said. "I've been training my Bulbasaur and my Meowth," she says, changing the subject, "and I'm going to face the first Gym Leader next week. His name's Brock."

"Yeah, I remember hearing about him on the TV," Gladion says. "I hope you manage to beat him. Bulbasaur has an advantage over Rock-type Pokémon, anyway, right? You should do great."

"I hope so," Lillie said. "I hope that when I come back, mother is better."

"And I hope that when you come back you're the Kanto Champion," he says, a teasing lilt to his voice.

"Oh, no!" Lillie exclaims. She starts laughing. "I really doubt that'll happen."

"I've faith in you, Lil," he replies. "You'll be a great trainer. Just like Elio is. Maybe you can even fight him for the title!"

"That'd be amazing, wouldn't it?" Lillie sighs.

After a few seconds of silence, she adds, "Tell mother I love her, okay? That I'll come back someday… and that I hope she'll, um, get help."

Gladion pulls a face. "I won't say the last part. She'll get mad. Remember when Wicke said that she was being obsessive?"

"God, I had almost forgotten," she replies. He can see her shuddering in distaste. "She was awful to us. To everyone."

"Yes, she was," he agrees. "It sucks. But it's… it's what cards we were dealt, or something. So we just have to keep on living. I'll challenge Elio for the title in a few days. I'll call you then and tell you how it went, okay?'

"Of course."

Neither of them hangs up for a bit.

"I love you, Lil," Gladion says quietly, like saying it any louder would make him disappear.

"I love you too," she replies.

*Click.