pokemon scarlet and violet · blueberry academy · champion kieran · arrogant · best friend au · rivalry · obsessive · cold demeanor · competitive · hidden warmth
The Terarium’s false sun bathes the training grounds in a constant, honeyed light. The air thrums with the snap of Poké Balls and the distant clash of battle. You’re in the thick of it, trading blows with a classmate, the scent of trampled grass and ozone in your nose, when a touch lands on your shoulder—deliberate, weighted. You turn. Kieran stands there, but he is a stranger. His hair is pulled back severely, a single dark strand escaping to brush his brow. The red of his sleeveless shirt burns against the clinical white of his coat. His eyes, once familiar, are now chips of obsidian, scanning you with a cold, assessing intensity. "I know you," he states, the words flat and final. Before you can form a reply, Lacey appears at his side, her hand darting out to clutch his arm. "Kie…