Couldn't Love You More
Another fic for @polyshipweek‘s Polyamory Ficlet Fest, for the lovely Torchic! 2nd gen protag OT4 (what in blazes is the ship tag HELP)... I’ve never written this ship, or any fic about the games before, so I’m especially fond of this (2+ decades in Pokemon fandoms, whaaaaaAAAAA)
AO3
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~~~
Kris's PokéGear pinged insistently in her pocket, Silver's text tone interrupting itself. "PokéGear, read texts," she said.
She'd been pedaling at a quick clip already, but Silver's messages pushed her faster.
Lyra called me to say hi n she's picking Ethan up at the station
Eth+Ly OTW!!
they'll be here in like 10mins hurry
OMG KRIS
"I'm going— as fast as I— can," Kris said to herself, trying to breathe rhythmically. She had dressed warmly enough for the chill, but that didn't stop her lungs from feeling like they were being stuck with daggers.
Soon it would all be worth it.
She shot down the hill, catching a little air, and whooped with exhilaration.
~~~
"I wonder what Kris and Silver are doing right now," said Ethan, leaning on Lyra's shoulder in the back of their rideshare.
"Making us cookies."
He had to look at her face to tell if she was joking; sure enough, there was that sly smile. "I wish," he said with a laugh. "Silver's probably panicking and trying not to."
Lyra nodded. "And Kris is turning as blue as her hair trying to keep him calm. They're so silly."
"Yeah." He probably had the dopiest smile right now, but Ethan couldn't care less. "They are."
~~~
Silver glared at the milk-filled saucepan as if it were the source of all his problems. The stove was off and he poured the milk straight from the fridge barely a minute ago so it wouldn’t go bad, but….
He looked at his watch. It had only advanced two minutes since the last time it looked, so he took it off and shoved it into his hoodie pocket, grumbling. Surely it wouldn’t be much longer. Why wasn’t Kris answering—
A thump and a massive clatter by the front door had him racing over to open it.
“Told you I’d make it in time are they here yet hi,” said Kris in what might as well have been one word, shouldering past him into the house.
He regarded with alarm her bike, toppled over on the tiny deck, and set it upright out of the way, engaging the kickstand.
“You didn’t tell me anything, because I didn’t get texts back,” he said with a sigh, shutting the door. “But I didn’t realize you were biking all the way here.”
“I had nervous energy to get out!” Kris was already on the couch, struggling out of her poofy pink coat. “Thanks,” she said as he came over to help her.
“No gloves? Really, Kris…” Looking closer, he thought he could see icicles on her pigtails. He got her coat fully off and hung it by the door, then returned to her and took one of her freezing hands between both of his, rubbing gently but firmly.
“You’re s-s-s-such a w-worrywart,” she said, teeth chattering. “It’s p-plenty warm in here, so w-why…?”
“Adrenaline, maybe.”
He jumped when her other hand touched the back of his neck. “What?” he yelped, looking up. “A-Ah…”
Her face was very close. “I missed you, Silver.”
“Y-Yeah.” He needed to warm her other hand. “Missed you too.”
When she kissed him, he didn’t let go of her hand.
~~~
Lyra tipped the driver when the rideshare app announced they were a minute away. Ethan was jiggling one leg with excitement and she wasn’t much better, charging out of the car with a hurried thank-you and forgetting their bags.
“Hey,” Ethan whined, jogging beside her.
She caught her bag easily. “Last one in’s a Vileplume!”
They were neck and neck all the way up the path until she cleared two porch steps at once, which was nearly a big mistake. Ethan caught her, his bag dropping to the deck so he could pull her up the rest of the way. “Easy there,” he said, leaning into the hug she gave him.
“Sorry.” Embracing him, her spiked heart rate slowed. “I’m just…”
“I know. Me too.”
She walked the last few steps to the door with him carefully. “Hey,” she said, trying to see through the windows, “I have an idea.”
~~~
Kissing Silver was a very warming activity, usually. Kris was insulted that she was still shivering. A brief blast of outside air didn’t help.
Twin thumps were all the warning she got, before—
“We’re home!”
Two of her favorite voices said that!!! She turned to see Ethan and Lyra barreling toward the couch. “Welcome home!” she cried, barely aware of Silver echoing her as the other two crashed into them.
Kris got tangled up and covered in limbs and a riot of winter-clothing color, her face and neck smothered with kisses faster than she could return them.
“Okay, okay—” Silver was laughing as he half-tried to disentangle them, catching Ethan for a kiss while Lyra clung to his back. “I haven’t even made the hot chocolate yet…!”
She glomped onto Ethan’s back in turn. “You’ll want marshmallows, right?” she asked into his neck, nuzzling.
“Whipped cream,” he replied, squirming happily.
Silver grinned. “Tough, you’ll get both.”
As Silver extricated himself, she pulled Ethan back on top of her, laughing.
Imitating a Stufful’s cry, Lyra tackled them both.
“Let me go,” Ethan said dramatically, “I must be sure our boyfriend doesn’t burn down the house!”
“Har, har,” Silver deadpanned from the kitchen. “Love you too.”
Kris watched sideways as Ethan got up, grabbing at his tush for a satisfying squeak— times two, since Lyra had the same idea.
“Don’t get distracted,” said Lyra, fluttering her eyelashes.
Blushing, he patted Kris’s head before going to join Silver.
Lyra kissed her, taking both her hands.
“Question,” said Kris, feathering a hand through Lyra’s hair. “Wanna bake cookies?”
Lyra leapt from the couch, cheering. “You don’t have to ask me twice!”
Kris let herself be hauled up and pulled along to the kitchen, buoyed by her full heart and the warmth of all her partners in one place.
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