oh hi here have another update. I could have studied for my exam tomorrow but instead have some fluff haha

Also, thank you for the reviews you wonderful people omg I was giggling like a mandman this morning when I saw them.

The sun rays hit Sol dead on, causing her to stir. A weight over her waist made it hard for her to roll over, so she stayed still, only moving her hands to her eyes to rub the sleep from them. Slowly, her eyes opened, mind trying to recall events from last night. She remembered drinking coffee, and the obnoxious sounds of Cutie Panther and Daydream Warrior being played on repeat –

Oh, right. She had been hanging out with Gladion until the early hours of the morning. Her brows furrowed, not recalling letting her pokemon out at any time during the night. Slowly, she shifted the arm under her, feeling for the weight that was over her waist. Her hand made contact with soft skin, and her heart skipped a beat.

Holy fuck is that Gladion's arm what –

It was then she noticed just how close they were – she could feel his breath tickle her neck as he continued to sleep peacefully.

As far as she could tell, he wasn't quite spooning her – there was enough of a gap between them – but he was definitely, technically, cuddling her.

If her face could get any redder, her skin would melt off her face. Not a pleasant thought, but a likely one, nonetheless.

She shifted her arm to a more comfortable position, phone now in hand. It's already eleven in the morning? Sol screamed internally, not knowing how to get out of her predicament.

She could move, and pray to the gods above that Gladion wouldn't wake up until she left. She could also try to wake him up, though she didn't want to give him a heart attack like she had already had.

The girl bit down on her lip, debating over the safer option. The likelihood of anyone running into her was relatively high, unless Hau wanted an early lunch. No matter the outcome, someone was going to notice her leaving Gladion's room.

No time for indecision; we die like men.

As gently as she could, Sol turn around to sleep the facing blond. By Arceus, did he ever look angelic while he was asleep.

A small smile tugged at the corners of Sol's lips, appreciating the moment, then tapped him on the shoulder. He stirred, evidently a light sleeper, and his eyes fluttered open slowly after.

"So, we uh," Sol started, face turning red at the thought, "kinda fell asleep in your room." It took a moment for him to process what she had said before his eyes grew wide, cheeks reddening. With the grace of an Alolan raticate, he threw his arm off Sol, scooting away from her ever so slightly.

She really wanted to laugh, though she tried to hold in it.

She sat up on the bed, giving Gladion a mock salute. "I'm going now, bye," she sing-songed, grabbing her phone and hightailing it out the door.

Gladion had managed to sit up, weakly calling out a "bye" right before the door closed. With the click of the door, he fell back onto the bed, a sigh escaping his lips.

It was the first time in a long time that he had laughed so much – or gotten a decent sleep, for that matter. It could have just been the need for an emotional wind down that brought them together, but Gladion was secretly happy with the outcome.

Though, as soon as Sol left, the empty feeling in his chest had come back with a vengeance. He doubted she would leave today – they all needed to recuperate – so he wasn't certain what was causing the feeling.

Or how she had managed to subside it, in the first place.

After a shower and a change of clothes, Gladion's main plan for the day was to see what Lusamine had dug up about Nebby. Cup of roserade tea in hand – a welcome change from the bitter coffee he had for the last few days – he made his way to the library, hoping he could find something to find his mother.

As he browsed the shelves for anything on Alola's legendaries, his thoughts backtracked to Sol, regardless of how he pushed the thoughts to the side. He groaned, finally giving up for a moment and sitting at one of the desks.

He just couldn't get her out of his head! It was borderline unhealthy, he decided, chugging his tea. Placing the mug back on the desk with the slightest bit too much force, he stood back up, scraping the chair against the floor.

Maybe if he found her and dragged her back here, he could get some work accomplished.

Sol sat at one of the kitchen tables with Hau and Lillie, devilish smile on her lips as her eyes darted back and forth between the two.

Something had happened last night – she was sure of it.

Between the glances they kept giving one another, and the blush that just wouldn't leave their faces, Sol had assumed Hau took proper care of Lillie last night.

Though their three-person conversation was still relatively natural, she could tell the blossoming lovebirds wanted some alone time.

It was perfect timing when Gladion showed up, bangs pinned back once again by a barrette, black framed glasses resting on the bridge of his nose.

"Sol," he said, Hau and Lillie both jumping in their seats, only now aware of his presence. "Can you help me with something?" The girl in question shrugged, leaving her seat and empty coffee mug behind, dutifully following the boy down the hall.

They reached the library easily enough, where Gladion told her to take a seat. She did, curious as to what he would need her for, chin resting in her hand. Her gaze followed him as he began looking through the titles on the shelves, clearly absorbed in his task.

"What did you need me for?" She asked after a few minutes had passed, gaze no longer lingering on him but rather the aesthetics of the room. Instead of the monochrome ordeal everything else had been, the library was dowsed in warm light, earthy and creamy tones covering the room from head to toe. It was the opposite of the rest of Aether, and Sol wanted to know who decided on the design. It certainly wouldn't have been Gladion and Lillie's mother.

A few beats passed before Gladion registered her question, hand lingering on a dusty brown book. "I just need you to sit there for now," he worded carefully, "feel free to do whatever in the meantime."

"Aiight," Sol replied, biting the inside of her cheek. If he wanted to hang out, why didn't he just say so?

Sol had finally managed to squeeze out of Gladion what he was looking for after a few hours of sitting around on her phone, and took it upon herself to inspect the items they had on display. He was currently sitting at the desk, book on the celestial beings of Alola open in front of him. He scanned it idly, leafing through pages with one hand while he rested his chin on the other.

He was still wearing the barrette and glasses, along with his long-sleeved shirt and jeans torn up by Null, making him look like a deformed cross between an edgelord and a hipster. Null slept by his feet, snoring softly. It made Sol smile, being able to experience the side of Gladion that wasn't full of angst and three potato chips.

The book he was currently looking at had mentioned something about ancient flutes, so Sol assumed if Lusamine had acquired such an object, it would be by everything else in the library.

She scouted through the many fossils on display, eyeing the cases they resided in. They were lined up perfectly along the ledge embedded in the wall, though as her gaze followed the wood edging, she noticed a slight jutting that aligned with one of the cases. Curious, she leaned in closer to it, hand feeling along it for anything out of place.

Underneath the edging she felt a slight bump, and against all better judgement, pressed it.

The case receded into the wall, a platform raising up through the gap where it once was. Sol squeaked. "Gladion – get over here!"

The chair squealed against the floor, and he made his way over, face contorted in morbid curiosity. As he came to a stop beside Sol, the platform took over where the case once was, a long velvet box sitting peculiarly in its place. Gladion reached for it, opening the case slowly.

The duo's eyes widened as they were met with a golden coloured flute, and Sol clapped her hands together, grin on her face. "Sweet! I did something useful!"

Gladion chuckled, turning to Sol. Before either of them had time to process the discovery they had made, Gladion had moved closer to her, leaning in and planting a chaste kiss on her forehead. "You've done a lot of useful things," he murmured against her.

Realizing what he had done, Gladion backed away from the girl, her face a brilliant shade of crimson.

He turned around, marching swiftly out of the library, Null at his heels.

Sol stood there for what felt like a thousand years, mind unable to process what had occurred.

She slapped her cheeks, gently grabbing the case that contained the flute, and slowly eased her way out of the library, heart pounding.