Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It’s around a month into their new reign when he finds Silver in his room, face red and eyes full of tears. He sits on the edge of his bed and stares at nothing. There’s something in his hand but Giovanni questions him first.

“What happened?”

Because outside of extreme circumstances, Silver doesn’t cry; his eyes tear up, and his face flushes, but those tears never find the way down his face and he never whimpers.

Not today.

He takes a shuddering breath before breaking into a combination of coughs and sobs, and Giovanni sits next to him on his bed, resting his arm on Silver’s shoulder.

“Gold…”

“Your friend?”

Silver sighs, licks his lips, opens his mouth then closes it again. He holds out the small glittering object in his hand.

It’s an engagement ring. Giovanni blinks.

“Oh,” is all that comes out.

For a split second he wants to assure Silver that it’s okay, he loves him no matter who he is and who he likes, but then the rejection sinks in. Who is this boy…?

“You asked him to marry you?”

“He said yes,” his son says, “On the condition that I stayed away from Team Rocket. This was around the time I came home, so I tried to hide the missions, but he found out. I tried to explain, and he… wasn’t having it. He doesn’t want me anymore, Father… and it’s all my fault.”

They sit in silence for a few moments. There are several angles that Giovanni could use to talk to him, tell him that it’s not his fault; it’s not him doing the hardcore missions, this is what he had to do to come home, he didn’t want to just survive anymore. He knows none of them will appeal to Silver. For a boy raised by a monster and thrust straight into a world of constant struggle, his morals are stronger and more strict than he’d expected.

Because of that, Giovanni knows that Silver still doesn’t like Team Rocket. Exploitation and murder still don’t sit well with him, even if he’s (mostly) out of the line of fire, and because of that, his father realizes that his most prominent idea won’t be popular to his son.

But this boy, Gold, doesn’t know who he’s just rejected.

Chapter Text

Years ago, when he was just a simple Gym Leader, and just a simple businessman, being Silver’s father was his whole world.

Even though he only got a measly two years with his son before he was snatched away, those two years taught Giovanni a lot about both himself and Silver. Silver was sweet. Silver was curious. He was quiet and independent, a happy boy who loved sitting on his dad’s lap at home or in his office in the Viridian Gym.

And when Silver hurt, Giovanni hurt worse.

His wife had died in childbirth. Something about the bleeding being too much for her body to handle, especially after the strain put on her during her pregnancy. He had mourned her, of course. She was one of his few loves in life, but more importantly, he loved Silver. He had to be there for him.

When he cried, Giovanni had to stop himself from becoming frantic. The mere thought of his son being in any sort of distress put an uncomfortable ache in his chest, one that he had a sinking suspicion went further than just being a nervous first-time father.

But what could he say- Silver was a very important boy. Giovanni wanted him to be happy.

So him crying rare tears over the loss of his fiancé made his father see red.

That was the other thing about Silver, since they’d “met” when he was thirteen, and now as he was finally home- he didn’t seem to grasp the power and influence he had.

He wasn’t just the son of a Gym Leader anymore because Giovanni was no longer just a Gym Leader. In all respects, he had the essence of a King, with Team Rocket his dominion. Men died for him. Their brains splattered against steel walls in Giovanni’s name, they were beaten, bludgeoned, burnt alive in missions conducted for his sake.

They died for Silver too, both as the toddler who vanished from his bedroom in Viridian one night, and the man he returned as: the Prince of Team Rocket.

He definitely doesn’t understand what Giovanni means when he tells him that he’ll fix it: “You can’t, Father. He’s made up his mind.”

Giovanni smiles and gives Silver’s back one more rub before leaving him in his room. Back in his home office, he selects the contact of an old Executive in his gear.

She answers on the third ring. Though years have passed, that reverent tone in her voice still makes him smirk.

Sabrina may be an actress now, but the oath she’d taken as a young woman solidified her as a soldier to Team Rocket- and to him.

“I need a favor from you. Someone significant’s made a decision, and there’s some beliefs they have that need to be corrected.”

He can practically hear the grin forming on her lips and the way her eyes narrow with interest, but her voice remains pleasantly innocent. “Alakazam may be a bit rusty, but I’ll send him over to you right away. Let me know if you need anything else, Boss, or if he doesn’t perform to your standards.”

“I will. It’s good to hear from you, Sabrina. We will keep in touch.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Chapter Text

The plan isn’t set in motion right away; the best ones never are.

Some of his sneakiest men are shifted from their usual positions and sent to trail the boy who broke Silver’s heart.

In order to pull off what he wants to, Giovanni needs to know everything about Gold.

He’s only seen him once, in the Sinjoh ruins, when his idiotic former Executives summoned Arceus. Something about his heart, and the heart of his puny Togepi, made the god pause in its destruction, recall its power, and disappear. His Executives were promptly disposed of.

From what Giovanni’s seen of him, he’s a good trainer. But that’s about all of his positive traits.

Loud and obnoxious, with a big toothy grin and the voice of a bullhorn incarnate, this was the boy Silver chose? This was the object of his desire?

He wants to laugh. He figures it’s okay to let Silver make his own mistakes- once Gold’s back in his possession, he’ll probably realize that crying over him was nothing but a massive waste of time. That and his father would do anything for him, no matter how illogical.

The grunts’ reports make him frown. Most of the details are mundane; Gold lives in a mansion in New Bark Town with his mother, helps out at the school in Violet City, competes in the Pokeathalon near National Park…. And gambles nightly in Goldenrod.

Smart enough to save the world, dumb enough to waste money on rigged slot machines. Giovanni knows because Team Rocket owns that Game Corner.

But it’s convenient. He has a base in Goldenrod, beneath the city. It’s a short walk from the gambling hall.

The men’s next orders pertain to Gold’s nightly habits: what days, what times, what routes-

Where does he keep his team?

That last part’s important. While Giovanni is confident in his ability to subdue Gold in battle, battles between monsters as strong as theirs are noticeable, far too loud for the stealth he needs to make this work.

Chapter Text

The most recent reports drop into his filing cabinet, and after the drawer slides shut, Giovanni locks it, pocketing the key. Habit makes him do the same to his office door.

Logically he knows that there’s no reason to be so uptight, that Silver isn’t one to snoop into files, but if all goes well tonight, when he returns he’ll burn every last one.

If all goes well tonight, his son will have his fiancé back.

The thought makes him smile. Silver’s been so depressed lately. When he’s not training or on the missions he insists on participating in, he’s in his room. Dinner with him consists of even more stilted small talk than normal, that far-away look in his gray eyes as he dutifully eats his food.

All this over a boy, Giovanni still can’t believe it. Perhaps there’s more to him than meets the eye.

He’ll find out soon.

But before he goes, he leans into Silver’s doorway, trying to ignore the skip in his heartbeat when he finds that, yes, he’s still here, he hasn’t disappeared (or been taken). He’s in bed with a book on dark types, absently scratching his Weavile’s crown of feathers as he reads. Giovanni doesn’t miss the little gleam in Silver’s gaze when he looks over and sees him.

“There’s a meeting in Goldenrod tomorrow that’s apparently in my best interest to attend. I’ll be back in a few days, don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything,” he pauses, “I love you. Sleep well.”

A little smile that he knows means ‘I love you too’ before Silver returns to his book, “Goodbye, Father. Be safe.”

“I will.”

He’s telling the truth. There’s no danger in what he’s about to do.

Chapter Text

The weather is the same in Goldenrod as it was in Viridian- windy, rainy, and much too cold for September. When Honchkrow gently sets him on the ground, Giovanni recalls him, turning to where the man stands beneath a street light, exactly where he said he’d be.

“Any change in plans, Boss?”

He shakes his head, lighting a cigarette. “No, just be ready. Fridays he leaves here around one. Doesn’t leave with anybody so that makes it simple.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Back to silence. It’s 12:55 when they get in position, and not even ten minutes later bright light floods the street.

Out comes Gold. He walks straight into the street, not even bothering to raise his head and take in his surroundings. Giovanni chuckles around his third cigarette.

This will be easy.

One hand signal sends the grunt running past, snatching the bag off of Gold’s shoulder before disappearing down the street, away from their target as he runs and yells after him. He follows briskly behind them both.

Down one street, then another, closer and closer to the bad part of town, near the entrance to the Underground. Outside of the final alley, Giovanni releases Beedrill, his silent command making him nod in response.

The grunt runs through the alley, but as he stalks behind Gold, the young man suddenly stops.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. He nods towards the shadow before them in the alley, and as Beedrill rushes forward-

“Double hit.”

-something grabs him, slamming him into one wall, then the other. Two large hands attached to thin purple tails pin Beedrill to the ground, and the rest of the pokemon leaps over Giovanni.

It’s an ambipom. The same one from Sinjoh.

“Your little burglary trick ain’t subtle,” Gold says as he finally turns around, “Come out.”

As he steps forward, he can pinpoint the moment Gold’s pale eyes land on him, then the moment he recognizes him. Even with the growing scowl on his face, Giovanni must admit that he at least sees the physical pull of Silver’s heartbreaker; in the dim light of the alley, with each flicker of fluorescence, Gold is beautiful. High cheekbones, dark lashes and brows, pouty lips. And his eyes are bright yet dangerous, the furious look in them reminds him of his gym battle with-

“Didn’t think you were so sloppy, old man. I was sure something this obvious would be from your new thugs.”

He ignores the insults, opting to drop his cigarette, scraping it against the wet asphalt without a word.

“You didn’t come here to smoke, and I didn’t win anything tonight, so how about you give me my bag back, and I’ll be on my way?”

“Not yet. I wanted to talk, and I know you wouldn’t be willing unless I had your team.”

“Maybe they’re not in my bag. Maybe they’re in my pockets.”

“Then you wouldn’t mind my associate bringing it to the incinerator, would you?”

Gold’s expression sours further. “What do you want, Giovanni?” he bites out.

“Right now I want you to recall your ambipom, and then I want you to come with me.”

“Not happening, bastard,” as he says it, said monkey’s hands tighten on Beedrill.

Giovanni smiles again. “Angry,” he muses, “I can see why your engagement with my son fell through.”

That does it.

In an instant Gold’s handsome face turns bright red. He storms towards him, and as his ambipom shifts one hand-tail to grab his trainer, Beedrill springs away, hovering above with his stingers extended.

“I can’t believe I fell for his lies,” Gold snarls, glaring at him over his pokemon’s head, “He’s just as evil as you are. All you had to do was offer your fucking mansion- that’s all it took for him to betray me-“

“He didn’t betray you, Gold. He’s answered his calling and come home. You’re the one who denied him and ran away like a coward.”

“Then kill me.” There’s stars of light in his eyes that look suspiciously like tears. Ambipom disappears in a flash of red and Gold holds his hands out. “I know that’s what you’re here for. Silver probably sent you for revenge, so go ahead and get it over with. I deserve it, I know I made a mistake.”

“I’m not here to kill you, and Silver didn’t send me,” Gold yelps as Beedrill stings him in the back of his shoulder. Within seconds he’s wilting, one tear falling down his cheek, opposite hand nursing his shoulder. When he crumbles to his knees Giovanni stands over him, tipping his chin up with his hand. “But it’s good that you admit your mistakes. That’ll be an important asset to your marriage.”

He hoists Gold up before his face hits the pavement, signals Beedrill to retrieve Gold’s bag, and carries him towards the Underground.

Chapter Text

Giovanni sits and reviews files as he watches Gold on the monitor. He stirs every so often, but his eyes remain closed.

Alakazam levitates next to him, and he takes the time now to go over Sabrina’s notes. He hasn’t done this in a very long while, and because this mission is for Silver’s sake, it needs to go perfectly.

He almost wishes he’d asked Sabrina to come assist him.

As that thought crosses his mind, Gold jerks in his restraints, breathing heavily, undoubtedly panicking.

A snap brings the psychic pokemon out of his meditation; immediately ready for commands, he follows when Giovanni strides to the holding cell.

Gold’s chest heaves, those gorgeous eyes manic with fear and disbelief. Giovanni gives him a moment to relax as much as possible, but his presence, plus the presence of the psychic type silently watching him, makes that near impossible. Once the young man tires, slumping in his restraints, Giovanni moves from the doorway to stand in front of him.

“I’d say don’t tire yourself out, but maybe that’ll make things easier in the long run.”

“You’re gonna torture me, aren’t you,” Gold pants, “fuck me up for hurting Silver.”

“Why are you so sure that I’m going to hurt you?”

“Because Red’s told me all about you. You’re not honorable. You only care about power. It’s not even that I broke the engagement with Silver, you just care because it makes him- and you- look weak.”

His eyebrow twitches at that. He leans over, far too close for comfort, his eyes sunken into Gold’s.

“If it were up to me, boy, you and your mutts would be at the bottom of the Whirl Islands the moment you insulted my son. Make no mistake.” Giovanni gestures; Alakazam floats to his side. “But Silver, for whatever reason, still wants you.”

“I ain’t a traitor. I’ll never associate with the likes of your gang. It don’t matter what Silver wants.”

Giovanni’s fingers dig into Gold’s chin, ignoring how he flinches, and turns his face towards Alakazam and his spoons.

“My son is a very important man. It’s my job to give him whatever he desires, and if that means modifying what’s in that pretty head of yours,” the spoons begin to glow a rich pink, “I’ll take it.”

Chapter Text

His assessment of Gold as a simple-minded egotist with whom Silver’s irrational affections lay was wrong. He begrudgingly sees that now.

Mind control is fast. Mind control with a well-trained, experienced alakazam is even faster.

Then why is Gold not going under?

He’s struggling, sure, jerking and growling as Alakazam works on him, but each time the spoons pull away, that wild, angry look in his eyes remains.

Giovanni isn’t often at a loss for ideas, but as the minutes tick by and Gold’s strength persevering, he feels the dread of defeat gnawing at his chest.

But he can’t fail this. He can’t fail to establish a grip on this cursed boy because he owns a large portion of Silver’s heart. And if he kills him-

Giovanni loses his temper. He shoves in front of Gold’s restrained body and grabs him tightly by his throat.

“You listen to me, little boy-“

His yellow eyes widen. Before the mob boss can even question what the strange emotion is within them, something down lower grabs his attention.

Is he…?

A glance back to Gold’s face confirms it. He’s blushing, angry tears in his eyes, obviously embarrassed about the growing bulge in his pants. He opens his mouth to hurl more insults but Giovanni tightens his grip on his neck, a dangerous smile on his lips.

“What sort of miserable little worm gets excited at a time like this? Has lacking my son got you all pent up?”

The young man is silent. Silent and hard. Giovanni tells himself that a change in plans this perverted will be worth it- if this gets the job done, he’ll give it his all.

His fingertips find the raised fabric of Gold’s sweatpants as he lowers his voice to a purr: “Or is it me?”

‘No,’ Gold whimpers, voice choked from Giovanni’s one hand still restricting his throat.

A glow of pink. Gold’s eyes flash that same sickly-sweet color, glazed over for just a second before he comes back to himself.

“There you go,” the man grins, brushing his palm against his conquest’s crotch, gaze cycling between watching that cute little tent in his pants grow bigger and bigger, and how Gold’s handsome face is contorting in agony- and pleasure. It makes his own cock twitch with want, the beginnings of an erection stirring within him. “You couldn’t resist me forever.”

“You’re a dirty old man,” Gold whispers the moment Giovanni’s hand trails from his neck to his chest, “how could you do this to Silver?”

“You’ve hurt him worse than I ever will.”

He has to do this.

“He fucked you well when you were together, didn’t he?”

He needs to keep going. Keep pawing at this pretty boy, keep him distracted as Alakazam works on him. Another pink flash, one reflected in Gold’s eyes, longer this time.

“It certainly feels like you need some relief.”

He knows he needs to do this, but there’s one problem: Giovanni is starting to falter. Not in the plan itself, he’s as firm in taking Gold for Silver as ever, but in the young man in front of him.

It’s been so long since he’s had pleasure. Proper pleasure, not just his own hand.

He’d had his wife years ago, but after she died, he didn’t bother dating, busy with his son. But then Silver was gone and he was alone. After the original efforts to find him, Giovanni settled into working to distract himself from the pain, from the loss, from how much he hated the world. In bed late at night, however, he still had time. He still had the urges.

Gold is such a handsome man. He belongs to Silver, yes, but the way he’s looking at Giovanni, with such need in his eyes….

He’s fully hard now, straining against his loose pants, blush lighting up his face like a flame, eyes hazy and voice slurred. Giovanni rubs him gently, loving how Gold’s attempting to writhe away from his hand, while his throbbing cock tells a much different story.

He wants to fuck him. He wants to make him moan.

But the mission comes first.

One more glare of pink and Gold’s face slumps to his side on the table. Giovanni takes his time walking to where he’s facing, pleased to see that his golden eyes are now a dimly glowing magenta.

“I know deep down you wanted to be good, be a good boy for me.”

A little shiver, and he’s about to start his orders-

“Yes, Daddy.”

His mouth goes dry and his cock swells to rock hard immediately. Breathing out slowly, in an attempt to gather his now-scrambling mind and stop himself from fucking this little brat senseless, Giovanni’s fingers trace Gold’s bottom lip, the simple action earning him yet another arousing purr.

Remember the mission. This is for Silver.

“You will listen to my statements,” he begins, just barely managing to keep the young man’s lidded gaze, “and you will believe them fully, even if they contradict how you originally felt.”