[Pokémon MVGS] Marks
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teamflareTitle: Marks
Fandom: Pokémon Main Video Game Series
Pairing: None
Rating: G
Summary: Anticipation builds in Ruben's body, starting at the tip of his toes to climb all the way up to his cheeks, making his ears ring.
Notes: Written forpokepodproject! Inspired by this Pokédex entry: Once a Smeargle reaches adulthood, it will have other members of its species leave paw prints on its back.
AO3 Link: Here. Podfic Link: Here.
Anticipation builds in Ruben's body, starting at the tip of his toes to climb all the way up to his cheeks, making his ears ring. Today is his coming-of-age ceremony, and everybody in the pack is ready for it. It's a big day for a small smeargle, so big he can't really wrap his mind around it. What does it mean to be "of age"? What will he do now?
His mother has prepared a spot for him. They settled in the area a few years before he was born, a large field that humans use to store the things they don't want anymore. Hidden among the carcasses of their vehicles and the remains of mysterious items discarded long ago, the smeargles have been living a good life. Sometimes, they even find human-made paint that they can smear and mix with their own.
The tip of Ruben's rail is golden orange, the color of the wildflowers that grow in the dirt even through the trash. He likes it a lot. His mother, whose tail is a muted red, praises it often. She smiles at him gently as she guides him to his spot.
She's not the one who will put the first mark on his back. Ruben thought about it – he does love his mother very much – but there's someone else whose paw he wants more than anything.
The color that comes out of Flint's tail is a shiny black, so dark it almost seems to absorb any light that hits it. When he'd joined the pack, rescued by one of the elders after being thrown out by the humans he'd been living with, everyone was wary. What a strange color to have, Ruben had heard the others say. How sad, his mother had lamented. Ruben didn't understand it at the time, and doesn't understand it now. The color of Flint's tail is strange and exciting – just like Flint.
It had taken Ruben some time to convince him. Don't you want the first paw print on your back to be beautiful and vibrant? A shiny yellow like the sun? A gentle green like the grass? A pale blue like the sky right before the clouds take over?
Ruben had shaken his head. He'd taken Flint's paw in his. He'd made his decision.
Now Flint is behind him, hovering nervously. Ruben can imagine him sneaking glances at the circle the pack has formed around them. A warm, tingling sort of joy is spreading through his belly as he thinks about Flint's paw resting between his shoulders.
There are colorful lines and patterns traced all over the ground under his feet. Colors mingling together in swirly shapes, wishes for Ruben's happiness and prosperity. He feels safe. He feels loved.
He shuts his eyes as the elders gesture for Flint to do what he's been called to do. Ruben's ears twitch. His tail taps against the ground. He listens to the sounds of Flint smearing paint on his palms and holds his breath.
Flint's paw is cold on Ruben's back, like a wet nose pushing on a cheek. He presses it firmly, to coat the short fur and ensure it stays. It will stay; the first paw print always does. It's why it's so important. Ruben's heart is so full it feels too big for his chest. Maybe that's what it means, to be of age, to be big: to be full of the love you carry for the ones who matter to you the most. It is that love that makes you grow.
When it'll be Flint's turn, Ruben thinks, he'll be the one putting his paw on a back. They'll be on each other's fur forever, always there to make each other grow.
He can't wait.
For now, as soon as Flint's touch leaves him, he turns to catch him in a hug, wrestle with him on top of the marks painted for his big day, until they're both laughing, their tails tangled together, paint mixing. The rest of the pack cheers for them, and Ruben knows that, no matter what he does next, he'll be alright – and Flint with him.
Fandom: Pokémon Main Video Game Series
Pairing: None
Rating: G
Summary: Anticipation builds in Ruben's body, starting at the tip of his toes to climb all the way up to his cheeks, making his ears ring.
Notes: Written for
pokepodproject! Inspired by this Pokédex entry: Once a Smeargle reaches adulthood, it will have other members of its species leave paw prints on its back.AO3 Link: Here. Podfic Link: Here.
Anticipation builds in Ruben's body, starting at the tip of his toes to climb all the way up to his cheeks, making his ears ring. Today is his coming-of-age ceremony, and everybody in the pack is ready for it. It's a big day for a small smeargle, so big he can't really wrap his mind around it. What does it mean to be "of age"? What will he do now?
His mother has prepared a spot for him. They settled in the area a few years before he was born, a large field that humans use to store the things they don't want anymore. Hidden among the carcasses of their vehicles and the remains of mysterious items discarded long ago, the smeargles have been living a good life. Sometimes, they even find human-made paint that they can smear and mix with their own.
The tip of Ruben's rail is golden orange, the color of the wildflowers that grow in the dirt even through the trash. He likes it a lot. His mother, whose tail is a muted red, praises it often. She smiles at him gently as she guides him to his spot.
She's not the one who will put the first mark on his back. Ruben thought about it – he does love his mother very much – but there's someone else whose paw he wants more than anything.
The color that comes out of Flint's tail is a shiny black, so dark it almost seems to absorb any light that hits it. When he'd joined the pack, rescued by one of the elders after being thrown out by the humans he'd been living with, everyone was wary. What a strange color to have, Ruben had heard the others say. How sad, his mother had lamented. Ruben didn't understand it at the time, and doesn't understand it now. The color of Flint's tail is strange and exciting – just like Flint.
It had taken Ruben some time to convince him. Don't you want the first paw print on your back to be beautiful and vibrant? A shiny yellow like the sun? A gentle green like the grass? A pale blue like the sky right before the clouds take over?
Ruben had shaken his head. He'd taken Flint's paw in his. He'd made his decision.
Now Flint is behind him, hovering nervously. Ruben can imagine him sneaking glances at the circle the pack has formed around them. A warm, tingling sort of joy is spreading through his belly as he thinks about Flint's paw resting between his shoulders.
There are colorful lines and patterns traced all over the ground under his feet. Colors mingling together in swirly shapes, wishes for Ruben's happiness and prosperity. He feels safe. He feels loved.
He shuts his eyes as the elders gesture for Flint to do what he's been called to do. Ruben's ears twitch. His tail taps against the ground. He listens to the sounds of Flint smearing paint on his palms and holds his breath.
Flint's paw is cold on Ruben's back, like a wet nose pushing on a cheek. He presses it firmly, to coat the short fur and ensure it stays. It will stay; the first paw print always does. It's why it's so important. Ruben's heart is so full it feels too big for his chest. Maybe that's what it means, to be of age, to be big: to be full of the love you carry for the ones who matter to you the most. It is that love that makes you grow.
When it'll be Flint's turn, Ruben thinks, he'll be the one putting his paw on a back. They'll be on each other's fur forever, always there to make each other grow.
He can't wait.
For now, as soon as Flint's touch leaves him, he turns to catch him in a hug, wrestle with him on top of the marks painted for his big day, until they're both laughing, their tails tangled together, paint mixing. The rest of the pack cheers for them, and Ruben knows that, no matter what he does next, he'll be alright – and Flint with him.