Roark could barely drag himself out of the comforting prison that was sleep. He didn't want to open his eyes, get up and face the world. But a sudden, almost sharp realisation hit him that made him force open his eyes and look around with blurred, glassesless vision. This wasn't his room.

It was the immediate smell of strong deodorant, axe if he had to guess. He fumbled for his glasses, finally finding them on a nightstand. Slipping them on, the blurred colours came together into a cohesive room, and he couldn't help but blink in surprise. It reminded him of gaming headphones. A weird comparison, but he felt it was accurate in his mind; blacks accented by oranges and greens, LED lights strung up along the walls instead of a proper light fixture, and a fairly large TV tucked away in the corner. He honestly thought, for a second, that he'd somehow been put into a teenager's bedroom. But the realisation dawned on him, and he couldn't help but squeak in surprise. This was Aaron's room. He was in Aaron's bed.

He stumbled out of the room on sluggish feet, hand over his face as his cheeks burnt with embarrassment. The gym leader's memories of last night trickled in slowly, but he didn't remember going to sleep in Aaron's room of all places. Said memories made his chest tighten with emotion, tears he was tired of sobbing out threatening to make a reappearance - calling Aaron through wracking sobs, the bug-type specialist showing up at his window alongside his Flygon, and him getting Roark out of the house. He vaguely remembered blocking his father's number during the flight and after that... nothing. He had to guess he fell asleep mid-flight, arms clamped around Aaron's waist in case he slipped off. He never had the reason to go airborne atop a pokemon, due to his own being typically grounded, so the experience wasn't exactly something he enjoyed. "Oh, you're up. D'you want something to eat?" Aaron's familiar voice snapped Roark's head up.

Roark had almost forgotten the bug-type specialist lived in his own apartment, so exiting the bedroom into the living room-kitchen combination was a definite surprise. "I... Why was I in your room-?" Roark managed to splutter.

"Because I didn't want you to take the couch, obviously. You looked like shit, so you needed somewhere comfortable to sleep."

"...Thanks."

"No worries! And stop ignoring my question, do you want something to eat?" Aaron jabbed a spatula in Roark's general direction, "I can make like... eggs, toast, bacon... Kalosian Toast, if you're feeling fancy-"

"You don't- No, eggs, I'll have eggs."

◇◇◇

The bug-type specialist whipped up scrambled eggs as quickly as he could, making slices of toast for himself that he demolished as he cooked. Roark watched him in silence, hovering about the kitchen before flopping down at the table and waiting. He wasn't used to someone making a meal for him, so the silence, saved for Aaron humming under his breath, made him feel even more awkward than before. But at long last, Aaron slid the plate in front of Roark with a flourish, and told him to eat. He did.
"So your dad..." Aaron's words snapped the miner to attention.

"Cheated on my mom, yeah." Roark replied, sliding another forkful into his mouth.

The redhead had no idea how he managed to say that so calmly. The fact that brought him to tears, to a physical altercation with his own father. Stated oh so calmly. "Sweet Arceus- That's... well if it ever got out your old man would for sure lose his gym leader position. You know what the league is like, they love that squeaky-clean image."

"He knew that too. That's why he wanted to get the phone off me. So I couldn't... tell anyone. The league wouldn't believe me without proof so..."

Aaron's hand rested on top of Roark's larger one. He gave the miner a comforting smile, one Roark couldn't help but match. "Well I believe you man."

"Thanks Aaron..." he broke out into a weak peal of laughter, "I have... I have no idea how I'm so calm right now. I mean I literally had a physical fight with my dad and I-"

He flinched at the sudden clatter of cutlery on the table. "Your dad hit you!?" Aaron smacked the table again, eyes wide.

"No no- He just- He grabbed me and kind of threw me a bit- I think he regretted it but-"

"Roark-" Aaron's hands were clamped around Roark's cheeks, squishing his face together, and the miner squirmed in his grip, "That's not okay. Like at all. You- When you report this to the league you need to mention that."

"I- Okay. Can you... let go of my face now." he squeaked out.

Aaron freed the redhead from his grip, and Roark buried his face into his hands to hide his cheeks once again flushed with embarrassment. Aaron crossed his arms over his chest. "Seriously though, we need to figure out how to tell the league. And... figure out how to get the phone back. But uhm... I kind of have to go to work."

Roark almost spat out his last mouthful of egg. "Oh Arceus I have to go to work-!"

"Oh, you don't have to, don't worry."

"What-?"

"So I might've called in sick for you-" Aaron pressed his pointer fingers together.

"Aaron! You can't just-"

"What? You're clearly not in the right headspace to go to gym work today. And besides, you're honestly pretty easy to imitate."

"No i'm not-"

"Yes, you are." Aaron grinned, in a surprisingly accurate imitation of Roark's voice.

Roark buried his face into his hands once again.

"Okay but again, serious Aaron mode. Take it easy for today, just like... rest up and relax. You need it. I give you full permission to raid my kitchen if you need anything, okay?" Aaron gave Roark a gentle pat on the head, and the gym-leader sighed, swatting at his hand.

"I hear you loud and clear." Roark nodded.

"Okay fantastic!" Aaron clapped his hands together, and made a beeline towards the door, "I've gotta run now, so I'll see you later tonight, okay Roarky?"

Before Roark could even reply, the bug-type specialist was out the door. Roark lowered his head onto the table, hands running through his hair as he tried to steady his breathing.

◇◇◇

The rest of his day was a blur. He slumped down onto the couch, and his memories faded into nothing concrete. He was certain he checked his phone, eyes bleary as he stared at 'get well soon' messages from the other league members. He could barely muster up the energy to hold the device, let alone fire off a thank you to them. He could barely keep his eyes from watering. He felt it slip from his fingers and clatter to the floor. He made no move to pick it up.
The next thing he was certain about was dragging himself off the couch to eat lunch. The lethargy in his bones was overwhelming, and so the next thing he knew he was eating a slice of unbuttered bread in deafening silence.

He remembered waking up, all too suddenly, sweat slicking his clothes to his skin, and he buried his face into his hands, trying to keep his breathing under control. Whatever he was dreaming about vanished all too quickly, and he dug his nails into the skin of his face. His mind began to wander, and his breaths began to quicken.

The events of the previous night continued to replay in his mind like a film forced to loop eternally. He felt betrayed, disgusted, horrified. He felt hurt, emotionally and physically; as the day wore on Roark realised his shoulder was still throbbing from when he hit the floor. And yet, he couldn't muster up the energy to get any painkillers.
He tried to mull over what to do about his father. How he'd be able to get the phone back. Report his father. And then what? Make him lose his job? He'd still have to live with his father. He could move out, but where would he go? The musing just made his head - and heart - ache even more, and he just pressed the heel of his hands against his eyes with a sob-like sigh. He wanted any sort of positive distraction. In his heart, he genuinely would have preferred to deal with Aaron's nonsense than be stuck in an apartment all alone, slowly losing his mind. The miner wasn't sure when he started to cry, but realisation dawned on him that he was, as he became all too aware of his aching eyes and damp cheeks. It made him want to cry even more. All he could do was curl up into a tighter ball, hands over his eyes as he tried - and failed - to slow the torrent of tears.

◇◇◇

The sudden clicking of the front door roused Roark from his sleep. His back was aching some type of way, and his eyes were throbbing in their sockets. He slowly sat up, rubbing at them to alleviate the pain as he flicked a glance over at the doorway, and at Aaron, who was practically buzzing in his own shoes. He couldn't help but shiver with anxiety at the bug-type specialist's expression; surprise and excitement, and just... a hint of fear. "Roark. Roarky Roarky Roark do I have something to talk to you about-" he stumbled over to the redhead in a few quick strides.

"Am I in trouble...?" Roark suppressed a yawn into his hand

"I- What? No. Just- Here. Take this." without even giving him time to reply, Aaron shoved a piece of paper into Roark's hands.

He was left staring at the printed information from a familiar trainer card. "...Aaron what. I know this Silver guy. I was his first gym battle. What does this have to do with anything?"

Aaron groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Roark please you can't be this pea-brained- He looks exactly like you!"

Roark's scandalised face slipped into one of thought. "...And...?"

"He literally has the same hair as you, just like... brighter."

"It's probably just a coincidence-"

"He's what... late teens? At max, 18? I don't mean to speculate but the timeline matches up-"

"Stop-!" Roark clamped his hands over his own mouth at his sudden outburst, and he lowered them to wring them together, "Sorry I just... Aaron you're suggesting this... kid is my brother?!"

"Half-brother."

Roark flopped back down onto the sofa, hands over his eyes. "Now is absolutely not the time for semantics." he groaned.

"Okay yes true-" Aaron rubbed his arms awkwardly, "But just... think about it. The ages match up, you sure as hell look alike. Seriously- I thought it was you who waltzed into the battle!"

"But it's- It sounds ridiculous. What are the chances!?"

"Low, but not zero."

Roark let out a slow exhale, hands clasped together above his mouth, drawn into a tight line. "Aaron. What are you expecting me to do about this? Genuine question."

"Talk to him about it?" The bug-type specialist shrugged.

Roark blinked a few times. "You're telling me to waltz up to this kid, all 'hey sorry for the bother but I think we're related! Please don't think I'm crazy!'?"

It was Aaron's turn to blink. "...Okay well when you put it like that it does sound a bit weird-"

An awkward silence settled over the two men; Roark lying on the sofa, Aaron standing next to him, swinging his arms aimlessly like a video game idle animation. "Okay no you know what- I'm going along with your shenanigans."

"Huh-?" Aaron whipped his head up in surprise.

"I'll... find this kid, potentially embarrass myself, and move on with my life. Because thanks to you, I'm not going to stop worrying about the possibility." Roark pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh.

Aaron mumbled a quick sorry, pressing his pointer fingers together. "Well if we're wrong, I give you full permission to punch me."

"What do you mean we? You're the one suggesting this."

"So I can retract my punch offer then...?"

"Absolutely not."

Aaron laughed at Roark's pathetic attempt at an angry face. "Okay okay- I'm going to do some investigating, and see if we can track down this kid." he smacked a fist into his open hand.

Roark bit the inside of his cheek awkwardly. "Uh... That sounds like stalking."

The bug-type specialist didn't seem to be listening, sauntering off to his room. He was gone for a few agonising seconds, and Roark couldn't help but anxiously fumble with his hair, twisting it around his fingers. When Aaron reappeared, a laptop in his hands, the rock-type specialist paled. "Oh Arceus you're being serious-"

"Yep!" Aaron smiled, like he wasn't about to commit what Roark guessed was a serious felony.

"Okay no being serious because the league is kind of required by law to have contact information for all challengers i'm just going to email him-" Aaron chuckled, and Roark buried his face into his hands for what he felt was the 100th time today.

He scootched up into a proper sitting position so the bug-type specialist could flop down next to him, laptop in hands. And after a few moments, Aaron had his email dragged up. He looked at Roark, flashing him a familiar, yet comforting grin. "So, what do you want me to say to him?"

The hours after Aaron hit send crawled by, and Roark's anxiety crept up bit by bit. He barely helped dictate the email in the end, only really saying that he wanted to meet with Silver for reasons better explained in person, and a suggested location to meet. He didn't exactly want to start everything off with an alleged bombshell and scare the teen away. Starting things off simply made his head spin a bit less than it was. And yet, it still spun. He barely knew what the teenager was like, saved for their brief battle. He seemed an alright guy, but he didn't know anything else. Especially how he would react to a situation like this - one of the Sinnoh Elite Four sending him an email regarding another one of the league members and asking to meet up. "You're stewing again."

Roark jerked out of his thoughts with a yelp, whipping around to lock eyes with the inquisitive bug-type specialist. "It's... all I'm able to do nowadays really." he sighed.

Aaron frowned, sympathy glinting in his eyes. "As much as i'd like to be able to give you a fantastic pep talk to get you out of your slump... I can't. It's all pretty... warranted," Aaron waved his hand, "I guess just... take it easy, alright? Don't think you're being stupid for not feeling great over all of this."

Roark looked down, hands absentmindedly twirling over a strand of his hair. "I don't understand how a guy who ate mints and a habanero pepper at the same time is able to be this wise." he mumbled.

"Oi!" Aaron lightly smacked Roark on the top of his head, "My genius expresses itself in different ways!"

Roark chuckled into his hand as the bug-type specialist crossed his arms with a huff. But the smiles were short-lived, as Aaron's phone gave a shriek. He looked at Roark, eyes wide, and immediately started fussing with the device. Roark went back to fussing with his hair. He watched with wide-eyed panic as the other man's own eyes scanned his phone in surprisingly deadpan silence. And finally, he looked at Roark.

And smiled. "You ready to meet this kid tomorrow?"

◇◇◇

Chapter 4 is a wrap, we're halfway there! Unfortunately I will be having to go on a hiatus to finish the rest of the chapters and subsequent art. So stay tuned for that! Might be a while though, because I do have other art to make and other things to write </3 But yeah, bye bye for now!