Julian stood by the bedside, watching the soft, rhythmic glow of Carbink's gem as it drifted through a dream filled with starlight and minerals. The room was quiet, save for the distant hum of Solaceon Town winding down for the night.
He glanced up at the clock on the wall. The hands were creeping toward midnight. He turned to the others, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
"Alright, gang. It's been a marathon of a day. Hatching, battling, and... well, rock-flavored taste tests. It's time to hit the hay."
"Floette-flo~ (Way ahead of you, Boss. My brain is officially pudding.)"
After her "compensation pudding" and the lifting of her cooked-food ban, Floette was finally in a state of grace. She yawned, her tiny petals fluttering, and drifted toward her flower-basket bed with the heavy-lidded eyes of someone who had reached a sugar-induced nirvana.
"Fly-ah~ (Goodnight, everyone. See you in the morning.)"
Sylveon trotted toward her own plush floor-cushion—the one she hadn't used in months because she usually claimed 60% of Julian's mattress. A faint, mischievous glint flickered in her blue eyes just before she closed them, her ribbons tucking neatly around her paws.
"Jia-gei-gu... (Finally. I haven't even had a real battle today, so why am I this exhausted?)" Togetic yawned so wide her whole body shook, before collapsing onto her miniature pillow like a bird falling out of the sky.
With the three of them settled, Julian turned his attention to the final member of the party. He picked up Growlithe, holding the puppy at eye level. A slow, slightly alarming grin spread across Julian's face.
"Growlithe... buddy... it's just you and me now. Our week-long 'Cuddle Sentence' officially begins... now."
Growlithe looked at his Trainer—who was currently radiating the energy of a man who had won the lottery and was about to spend it all on dog fur—and gave a long, suffering sigh. His tail wagged exactly once, more out of habit than enthusiasm.
"Woof... (Seriously, Julian? You've been huffing my fur for three days straight. Don't you have a hobby? Or a girlfriend?)"
(￣ ii ￣;)
Julian didn't care. He pulled Growlithe into a crushing hug, burying his nose in the thick, orange ruff behind the puppy's neck. He took a deep, soul-refreshing sniff of that distinct 'warm puppy and sun-dried grass' scent before pulling back to beam at Growlithe's squished face.
"Never enough! You've been prancing around me with that majestic coat for weeks, and I've had to be 'professional'! But after the stress of the ruins and the egg... I need this, Growlithe. I have a scientific theory that sleeping with an Arcanine-to-be increases my life expectancy by at least ten years!"
(≖ ᴗ ≖)✧
"Woof... (Fine. But if you start snoring in my ear, I'm 'accidentally' using Ember. And I expect double helpings of those honey-glaze buns tomorrow. High-quality ones.)"
Growlithe stomped his paws in Julian's grip, a sign of reluctant surrender.
"Deal! Whatever you want! If I do anything you don't like, just bark and I'll stop immediately. Scout's honor!" Julian promised, already vibrating with excitement.
"Woof. (You'd better mean it.)"
"Hehe~ My fluffy little heater, come to papa!" ε = = (づ ′ ▽ ` )づ
Julian clicked off the bedside lamp, plunged the room into darkness, and dove onto the bed with the grace of a Magikarp using Splash. He pulled Growlithe into the crook of his arm, settling the puppy against his chest.
For about five minutes, there was peace. Then, the "muffled sounds" started.
"Hehe... Growlithe, your ears are so weirdly soft. They're like velvet on the outside but they're so warm on the inside... it's like a little biological earmuff..."
"Woof! (Julian! Sleep means eyes closed, mouth shut! Stop fiddling with my ears!)"
Growlithe gave Julian's restless hand a sharp, warning nip. Not enough to break skin, but enough to convey the message: Keep it up and you're sleeping in the bathtub.
"Alright, alright! I'm stopping! I'll just hold you. Just a static, non-moving hug. See? Hands are still."
"Woof. (Good.)"
Julian lay there for thirty seconds. Then, a primal instinct took over. He opened his mouth and gently, playfully, nipped the tip of Growlithe's ear.
"WOOF! (LIN JING! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? WHY ARE YOU BITING ME?!)"
"Hehe... My hands didn't move! Technically, I kept my promise!" Julian giggled into the dark. "But seriously, your ear is the perfect texture. I couldn't help it."
"WOOF-WOOF! (Go to sleep! Right now! I let you huff my fur all afternoon, and now you're trying to eat me? One more weird move and I am moving to Floette's basket!)"
Growlithe used a firm paw to shove Julian's face away.
"Okay, okay! I'm done! For real this time! Deep sleep mode activated!" Julian squeezed the puppy tight, closing his eyes with a satisfied hum.
"Woof. (Hmph.)" Growlithe rested his chin on Julian's bicep, finally letting out a huff of relaxation.
The room finally went silent.
The Midnight Intruder
About ninety minutes later, the silence was broken.
Two glowing blue orbs ignited in the corner of the room. They hovered near the floor for a moment, then slowly rose. Sylveon stood up from her floor cushion, her ribbons trailing behind her like ghost-tendrils in the moonlight.
She stared at the bed. She saw the orange lump of Growlithe tucked securely in Julian's arms. A flash of jealousy—pure, concentrated Fairy-type envy—crossed her face. She hopped onto the mattress with a silent, feline grace.
She shot a fierce, "don't-you-dare-move" glare at the sleeping Growlithe, then looked at Julian. With a soft sigh, she crept around to the other side of him, pressing her warm, pink back against Julian's spine. She closed her eyes, finally feeling like the world was in balance.
What she didn't realize was that Julian hadn't been fully asleep. The "Aura boost" he'd been bragging about earlier wasn't just for show. He had felt her leap; he had felt the indignant 'vibe' she was giving off.
In the darkness, a small, knowing smile played on Julian's lips. He didn't say a word. He just adjusted his grip on Growlithe, felt the warmth of Sylveon against his back, and finally, actually, drifted off.
The Morning Wake-Up Call
The next morning, the Solaceon sun was aggressive. It beamed through the hotel curtains, painting stripes of gold across a bed that was currently more Pokémon than human.
Julian woke up feeling like a million bucks. He was surrounded by warmth. He looked down—Growlithe was still out cold, snoring softly. He looked behind him—Sylveon was sprawled out, her ribbons tangled in the bedsheets.
He didn't wake them. He slid out of bed with the stealth of a Ninja, washed up in record time, and disappeared into the kitchen.
An hour later, the room was filled with a scent so divine it should have been illegal. Julian walked out carrying a tray of steaming plates, looking like a Master Chef.
He looked at the five lumps of fur and rock still in dreamland.
"Time for the tactical wake-up," he whispered.
He took a plate of miniature honey-nectar cakes and held them inches away from Floette's nose, fanning the steam toward her.
Floette didn't open her eyes. Her nose twitched. Her whole body began to levitate toward the scent, drifting forward in a trance. She reached out a tiny hand, grabbed at the air, and missed. She drifted further. Off the edge of the table.
"Flo—?!"
Julian's hand was already there, catching her before she hit the floor.
Floette blinked, her eyes snapping open. She saw the cakes. She saw Julian. She prepared to pounce.
"Ah-ah-ah!" Julian wagged a finger. "Punishment is over, but hygiene is forever. Bathroom. Now. Wash those petals."
"Floette-flo! (I'm going! I'm going!)" She zoomed into the bathroom like a pink bullet.
Julian moved to the next target. For Sylveon and Togetic, he used the 'Berry-Crepe' method. For Growlithe, he brought out the big guns: freshly baked, spicy meat buns.
"Woof—!" Growlithe woke up with such a start he nearly took Julian's thumb off along with the bun.
"Easy, tiger! It's yours!"
As for Carbink, Julian left a bowl of his improved 'Gem-Mix' Pokéblocks—now with added Fairy-essence—right by its bed. The little rock was still growing, and Julian wanted it to have its own schedule.
Soon, the dining table was a scene of pure culinary focus. The four little ones were face-down in their bowls, the sounds of chewing and happy chirping filling the air. Julian sat down with his own meat bun, leaning back in his chair with a sigh of content.
"Alright, team," Julian said, watching them eat. "The sun is up, our bellies are full, and Reggie is waiting at the Center. Solaceon was great, but the road is calling. Let's finish up and get moving."
"Woof!" "Flo!" "Jia!" "Fly!"
Solaceon Town had been a place of ruins and ancient mysteries, but as Julian looked at his diverse, bickering, food-obsessed family, he knew the best adventures were the ones they were making for themselves.