Hilda opened her eyes and squinted at the light. She audibly groaned and felt like her head was splitting. She suddenly felt someone shift next to her.

Hilda's eyes shot open and she sat up swiftly. Her brain rejected the movement, but it was whirring too fast to truly process the pain.

She realized she was naked.

Hilda looked over to see a familiar redhead sleeping next to her. Her stomach dropped. She grabbed her pillow and smacked the slumbering man.

"Get up!" She hissed.

The man stirred but didn't make any move to get up.

"Silver!" Hilda hissed, "Wake up, now!"

Silver groaned and mumbled an irritated, "What?"

Hilda was silent for a second. Silver seemed to wake up and realize all on his own and sat up just as suddenly as Hilda had. He looked at Hilda in horror.

"Are you naked?" He asked.

Hilda bit her lip and nodded, "Are you?"

She could at least tell that he didn't have a shirt on, but his bottom half was covered by the hotel room's duvet.

Silver shook his head, "No...I've got boxers on."

Hilda hugged the blanket to her chest. She could hardly breathe. No. Arceus please no.

Hilda flinched a bit as she felt Silver's fingers on her neck. He pulled away a bit, but she took a deep breath and craned her neck so he could see better.

"Turn towards me..." Silver said gently.

Hilda shifted her body towards Silver and he checked the other side of her neck.

"Nothing," Silver sighed, "You're clean."

Hilda copied Silver's sigh of relief. She moved the blanket away from her slightly and checked the rest of her body. It was still free of any markings just as it had been the night before.

Hilda's headache suddenly demanded to be felt. She pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned. Arceus she couldn't remember a thing! How much did she drink? It must've been a lot, but did Silver really let her drink that much?

Silver got out of bed and closed the room's open curtains. He winced as he stumbled around the room, searching for his clothes. He found Hilda's first, picking them up and putting them next to her on the bed.

"C'mon Hilds," The redhead sighed, "We gotta get you home."

Hilda fidgeted with the two rings on her left hand. Silver mirrored her, messing with his silver wedding ring as well.

Silver took a seat next to Hilda, "Look...we don't have to tell them anything. As far as we know we just fell asleep next to each other. They don't have to know we were both naked-ish."

Hilda felt her eyes get misty. Silver kissed her temple and stood up, finding his clothes. Hilda watched him as he got dressed. She squinted, trying to remember the night's activities, but failed. While Silver's back was turned, Hilda got dressed.

They searched the room for their phones, finding them both in a dresser drawer. They both found various missed calls from their significant others and Gladion. Hilda also had missed calls from all of her friends and Silver had a few from Gold and Blue. He also had a few texts from Red, but they seemed unrelated to trying to figure out his location.

The pair looked around the room for any other things they may have belonged to them and left. They checked out of the hotel and walked outside, finding themselves in Striaton City. They found Hilda's car in the hotel's parking lot, and Silver offered to drive since his headache wasn't as severe.

Hilda plugged her phone into the aux and scrolled through her contacts. Her thumb hovered over N's name.

"Just call him, Hilds," Silver said, taking a left turn out of the parking lot, "Make sure he knows you're alive at least."

Hilda sighed and pressed the call button. The entire car rang a few times before N's voice sounded on the speakers.

"Hilda!" N sighed, relieved, "Where are you?!" He growled.

"We're in Striaton." Hilda said.

"Silver is with you?" An additional voice asked.

"Lyra?" Silver croaked.

"Silver!" Lyra yelled. Her voice was a pitch higher than usual. Silver could tell she was livid.

"You fucking-UGH!" Lyra exclaimed, "You can't just fucking do this! You both promised you would be back before midnight and now it's twelve in the afternoon?! What the fuck happened?"

Hilda and Silver exchanged glances, "Um..."

N suddenly stepped in, "When will you return?"

Hilda pressed her palm to her forehead, "Uh...we just left so maybe an hour...?"

The phone hung up. Hilda slouched back in her seat. She stared out the window as tears swelled in her eyes. Silver rubbed the back of his neck anxiously.

The rest of the car ride was silent. Both parties tried to remember events from the night before, but neither could remember a thing. The only thing they could recall was leaving Hilda's home together.

They both dreaded the conversation that would unfold next. As Silver pulled into Hilda's driveway they both hesitated. They felt like they were about to go into the Pyroar's den.

Silver got out first. He noticed Hilda's hesitation and walked over to her side of the car and opened her door for her.

"It's gonna be okay," Silver said gently, "We'll be fine."

Hilda slowly got out of the car and Silver handed her her keys. They made their way to the front door and unlocked it. As they walked inside the house, they looked around to find the living room empty. They found their way into the dining room, finding Lyra pacing around and N sitting quietly at the table.

Lyra turned to face the pair. Her face was animated angrily as she spoke, "You! You assholes! What the fuck?! Where have you been?! What the fuck did you do to each other you fucks?!"

Silver reached out to his wife, "Pigtails-"

Lyra pushed Silver's chest, "No! Fuck you! Don't fucking act like nothing is wrong! You can't just keep doing this shit! I've fucking had it! We've fucking had it!"

N slowly stood up from his seat. He walked over to the trio, keeping his eyes locked on Hilda. Silver moved a bit in front of her protectively.

N put a hand on Lyra's shoulder, and the young woman backed down. As N removed his hand he spoke, "Did you two...you know...?"

"No." Silver said immediately.

N looked to Hilda, who was cowering behind the redhead. He raised an eyebrow slightly.

"I..." Hilda whispered, "We can't remember..."

Lyra suddenly smacked Silver across the face. Everyone flinched but him.

"You just lied to my face!" Lyra hissed, "What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

Silver chuckled and touched his cheek, "Quite the arm..."

N and Lyra exchanged glances. Lyra crossed her arms, "N and I have been talking."

"Oh goodie..." Silver muttered.

N didn't look at Silver, "Hilda, I know you and Silver care deeply about each other. However, this is getting out of hand."

"N and I think that you two shouldn't be friends anymore." Lyra spat.

Hilda and Silver's jaws dropped.

"Excuse me?" Silver asked threateningly.

N didn't like Silver's tone and stepped towards him, "You heard her. We want you away from each other."

Silver and Hilda looked at each other. Stop being friends? How could they do that?

"You're gonna make us choose between each other or you?" Silver asked.

"We've given you two eight million chances," Lyra sighed, "This...This was the last straw. She goes or I go, Silvey."

"N?" Hilda whispered, looking up at her husband.

N tore his glare from Silver and adjusted his gaze to Hilda. His expression softened, and it was almost tearful, "I'm sorry, my love," he said gently, "I understand, I do. I just cannot do this anymore."

Silver took a step back, like he'd taken a Sucker Punch attack, "There has to be something else we can do-"

"-I'm sorry, Silvey," Lyra whispered, "But this is it."

Silver clenched his fists. He opened his mouth like he was going to speak, but instead scoffed and stormed out of the house. The group heard the front door slam. Lyra covered her mouth as tears formed in her eyes. She rushed into the kitchen.

N sighed, "I'm sorry."

N took Hilda's hand gently. He placed a kiss on her hand and left to go comfort Lyra.

Hilda took a shaky breath. She stepped towards the way out- to go find Silver- but she hesitated.

She whirled around and snuck into the kitchen, finding Lyra sitting on the counter crying, while N attempted to comfort her.

Lyra hiccuped as she saw Hilda, wiping her eyes and glaring through her tears. N noticed his wife and took a sharp breath.

The couple stared at each other for awhile before Hilda rushed into his arms. N picked her up and spun her around, holding her tightly.

"I'm sorry."

~~~

Hilda found Silver pacing at the edge of the city, mumbling to himself. He didn't seem as angry now.

Hilda approached him, but he spoke first, "I've been thinking...we should listen to them."

Hilda blinked, "I agree..."

Silver bit his lip, "I mean...who's to say after awhile they won't let us see each other again, right?"

"Right."

Silver chuckled, fighting back tears, "This sucks!"

Hilda nodded, "Yeah...but...we're hurting them..."

Silver turned to Hilda and took her hands, "Hilda...I never thought that when I met you and Gladion that I'd...get to be so..." he trailed off, "I love you...ya know?"

Hilda smiled sadly and took Silver's face in her hands. She slowly reached up and kissed his cheek. As she pulled away she stared into his silver eyes for the last time.

"I love you, too."