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“I’m in love with the man I thought I new, not the monster standing in front of me”
Her words shouldn’t have pierced his heart like they had. He was never in it for love, he used her. He had to. Love wasn’t an option, not with what he had planned.
He didn’t miss her, or regret what he tried to do. He’s just upset because he failed… right?
Right. It had to be that. But those words repeated over and over in his mind, and the heartbroken look on her face was imprinted in his memory. He saw it no matter how many times he tried to block it out.
“Monster” she had called him. Volo winced at the memory. He knew it was true, no sane person would try to do what he did. Only monsters were capable of such things. He knew this from the very beginning and he was okay with it that. So what changed? Surely some pathetic stranger who fell from a rift in the sky couldn’t have changed his heart.
But his thoughts wondered back to all those nights spent alone together as they (mostly y/n) went plate hunting. One particular night the stars shone bright in the clear night sky. The two didn’t pitch up a tent that night. It was a relatively safe area, not many Pokémon passed through and so they laid in each other’s arms and star gazed, sharing stories until they both fell asleep. She had fallen asleep first that night. Volo gazed down upon her sleeping form and smiled. She looked so peaceful, she looked beautiful.
Beautiful… that wasn’t the first time he thought her to be beautiful.
Volo and (Y/n) we’re merely acquaintances at the time. She was a regular customer, something he didn’t really pay much attention to at first. But then started to notice little things. He doesn’t remember when he first notice her avoid his gaze when speaking to him or the way she’d fiddle with her sleeve as she spoke with him. The way she’d unconsciously play with her hair when he gave her a compliment and the blush that would appear when he spoke to her first. But he noticed it all and he knew what it meant. It was why he got closer to her, after all, it’s easier to fool and manipulate someone who is blinded by love. It wasn’t cause he thought her actions were endearing, or that he was even flattered that someone could admire him. She’s strong, real strong, he’s exactly the kind of person he needed to collect the plates for him.
But then why was it so difficult for him to admit his ‘fake’ feelings. He needed her to be his partner, lull her into a false sense of security. He had chickened out 3 times, and the 4th when he finally said his script he was nervous. Fuck that, he was terrified actually. He had put so much thought into what he was planning to say, it had to be perfect so she’d say yes… but he felt so vulnerable as he told her he admired her. It was odd, considering there wasn’t an ounce of truth behind his words… at least that’s what he convinced himself.
Volo hated the thought. There couldn’t have been any truth to what he said. He didn’t love her. He never admired her. She was an annoying setback to his plans. If she had never come here maybe things would have gone the way he wanted. He would have won, and met Arceus. Won and erased this pathetic world, breaking it down and building it back up from scratch.
There is absolutely no way he could love her. But if that were really true why does the pained expression she gave him when she learned of his betrayal hurt him. When she cried why did he want to throw up. Why did he hesitate to battle her. Why was he relieved when she won, but frightened when he had summoned giratina , catching her off guard. Why was he worried about her now.
He was confused, until he reached over to the empty space next to him for comfort. Every night previously, when he felt insecurity take over he’d reach over to her for comfort. Holding her in his arms grounded him to reality. She was his safety blanket, the person he could trust, the person he could share his passions with and laugh the night a way.
The woman he loved.
The realisation hit him like a truck. He loved her. He had this whole time.
He really fucked up.