Escaping the aura of amor today was simply impossible.
Around every corner, a happy couple seemed to magically appear. Reds and pinks adorned outfits, posters, and shops. Soft murmurs and giggles passed between children, adolescents, adults, and elders who walked hand in hand, sharing in their time together as they relived old memories or created new ones.
Most of all, however, Drew was astonished by the number of roses he saw today. The flower was a traditional symbol of romance, but that still hardly accounted for the amazing quantity of them that boys and girls were pointing at, purchasing, embracing, and even discarding on the streets.
That's why he and May had made a pact when they first started dating: No roses on Valentine's Day. Everyone else would be using and abusing their trademark today; in a sense, their refusal to use roses today made the flower even more special for their relationship.
Besides, May deserved something unique and different. He hoped that his simple gift would be able to express his feelings well enough. Although she had insisted that they keep it low-key this year, he had to do something a little extra.
"Well, you're awfully early," May commented as she stood facing the green-haired coordinator at her doorstep. "Our reservations aren't until six o'clock."
"You sound disappointed. Can I come in?"
May rolled her eyes and gestured towards the interior of her room in the Pokémon Center. "Please, the honor is mine." The Slateport Pokémon Center seemed to be accustomed to taking in large quantities of guests, given the popularity of the city's many features and services, and the rooms were probably of a higher quality than most of the other centers in the region.
Drew bowed mockingly to express his gratitude, and he took a seat on the couch. The blue-eyed girl took note of his outfit, admiring the vivid color of his red shirt. 'Wait, white pants and black tie? He is not allowed to dress himself anymore,' she thought, stifling a resigned sigh. "What brings you here so early? Actually, I guess the real question is, what are you hiding behind your back?" She raised an eyebrow curiously. The two of them were probably the sappiest pair of romantic lovebirds that she knew, and she was actually rather fond of the holiday, as commercialized as it was, but nonetheless she had insisted that this year, they tone it down a notch. With the Pokémon Contest being so soon, they needed to have their priorities straight.
"Don't give me that accusatory look." Was he already getting defensive? May braced herself for whatever gift he was about to unveil. "I just know how much you love chocolate, so…" A soft blush settled upon his face as he pulled out a small, heart-shaped box. "I couldn't let Valentine's Day pass without giving you any sweets. What kind of horrible boyfriend would-"
He didn't even get to finish his sentence before May had thrown her arms around him. "You're the best!" she chirped, nuzzling her face into his soft green hair. She got up and plopped herself on the couch right beside him, eagerly taking the box and tearing it open.
"I appreciate the reminder," he replied casually, flicking his now-ruffled bangs out of his face. His remark earned him a sharp jab from May's elbow; he chuckled playfully, not quite willing to admit how much it hurt.
"Oooh, you got the Pidove brand chocolates! These are the cutest!" Her excited demeanor suddenly mellowed out a little as she tenderly unwrapped the first candy in the box. Drew seemed a little perplexed by her sudden change in behavior. "Didn't you know? These are the ones with sayings on the wrapper." She popped the chocolate into her mouth and then smoothed out the wrapper on the coffee table in front of them. "'Chocolate makes everything a little better,'" she read with dramatic gusto. "Yes, yes it does," she murmured in agreement as she finished her milk-chocolate morsel. "You want to try one?"
Drew shrugged and carefully plucked a pink-enveloped piece from the box. "That's strawberry-filled, you know," May informed him, and he continued to unwrap the candy anyway.
"Good," he stated simply. "Those are my favorite." Ignoring her loud groan of disbelief, he cleared his throat and read, "'Smiling is free.'"
May poked him jovially in the cheek. "Yeah, it is. You should try it sometime!" He deliberately pouted at her before taking a bite of his chocolate. He hadn't even finished before May started reaching for another one. "'Be your own valentine', huh? It looks like you're out of luck, mister." She grinned widely at him with a mischievous glow in her eyes.
Drew gasped melodramatically and snatched another candy out of the box. "Well, this wrapper says…" He carefully unfolded it and held it up for them both to see. "'Do something spontaneous.'" Without giving May a chance to process what they just read, he pulled his face in close to hers and gave her a peck on the cheek. He withdrew just as swiftly as he had leaned in, and now he sat facing the wall, not wanting her to see just how flustered he really was. In all honesty, he had acted before he had truly realized what he was doing. Today was Valentine's Day, and they were dating, but… why did that have to be the first idea that came to mind?
May blushed brightly and looked down at her knees. Slowly, steadily, she took a deep breath, and then she let her fingers dance over the box of chocolates. She operated with newfound determination for her secret mission: she had to find a wrapper to top his! With her luck, it would be hidden around an unpopular flavor that nobody liked. Tentatively, she picked up a coconut crème candy and began to unfold the edges of the wrapper. 'Temptation is fun', it read. 'Giving in is even better.' Temptation? Did eating three chocolates before dinner qualify? Her eyes drifted over to Drew, whose green gaze was now locked on her again. "Was it good?" she murmured at last, as the words played over and over in her head. "The chocolate?"
"Um, yeah," he muttered back. "It was caramel-filled. Isn't that your favorite?" He now looked triumphant, having finally calmed himself down.
A true delicacy. With the words of the wrapper sticking out clearly in her mind, May dove in for her own kiss, but this time she planted it right on his smug lips. Although clearly startled, Drew did not hesitate for long before he began to return the kiss.
When she broke away a moment later, her face was about as red as his shirt. Nonetheless, she still whispered with a smile, "Your lips taste like chocolate."
"Just chocolate?" he whispered back, grinning like a fool. "Did you taste any caramel?" She shook her head. "Want to try again?"
They began to kiss once more, and this time they shifted their bodies so that they were sitting closer together than before. Drew raised his hands to caress the brunette's soft face, and she rested her hands against his chest. Slowly, deliberately, the kiss became more engaging and passionate. The LaRousse native allowed his hands to travel down to his girlfriend's neck, her shoulders, her arms… They stopped at her arms as he pulled her curved body closer into his embrace. Her arms suddenly were whipped away from his grasp as she flung them over his shoulders. Naturally, his hands resettled themselves at the nearest place: her waist.
This simple touch served as a wake-up call for May, who broke off their kiss once more. "Look at us," she said with a laugh. "These chocolates are dangerous. If we aren't careful, we'll eat too many to have room for dinner."
"I doubt you'd ever run out of room for dinner," he retorted, and he suddenly leaned back to avoid the shiny, heart-shaped box that was swinging towards his head.
"Go get cleaned up," she insisted, although the playful light in her blue eyes seemed to contrast her sharp tone. "We need to leave early so we can buy you a new tie." He began to grumble a complaint, but she raised a finger to his lips, effectively shutting him up. "We'll save the rest of the chocolates for after dinner~"
"Fair enough. Do I have to wait until after dinner for the rest of the kisses, too?" he inquired.
"Oh, look who's suddenly not so shy anymore," she teased. "I guess one more wouldn't hurt." He closed his eyes, and she leaned forward to fulfill her promise. However, something else caught her eye; a few centimeters beneath his lips, sitting humbly on his chin, a small smear of caramel had gone unnoticed. Realizing that she never did end up getting her share of caramel, she leaned in and swept her tongue over his chin.
Clearly, he hadn't been expecting that. The coordinator who usually had little trouble keeping his cool now found himself flustered yet again today. He recoiled in shock, looking a little dazed.
May was caught somewhere between being embarrassed, amused, and simply satisfied now that she had gotten that sweet taste she wanted. "Caramel," she explained simply, licking her lips.
A sweet taste and sweet victory.