Don't Say You Love Me

Tsukasa: I both love and hate this damn song. I hate it because of how bloody girly it is, but I love the beat. It's freaking weird. Well, since I'm still on my hiatus, I'm going to disappoint by skipping the lemon in this fanfiction. Sorry guys, but this is for a contest, which means no lemons. I don't own Pokémon nor the song that inspired this. I only own the idea.

P.S. I know the rules of the contest, but the beginning works best at third person. It will change to Touko's point of view though, so don't worry. ^^

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Touko sat underneath a tree, petting her newest partner's ears. The yellow mouse purred from the pleasure brought from the stroking of its ears, yet that wasn't enough to break the silence that was just begging to end. On the other side of the tree sat a green haired youth, his hat covering his eyes as he tried to sneak in a nap, leaving Touko all alone.

Though, N could indeed feel how lonely she was. It was just that, well, he was scared. Scared of the woman he loved. After five and a half years of wanderlust, he finally found her again, and she never let go of him, dragging him with her everywhere in an attempt to bring him closer... yet despite the fact that she indeed wanted it, he was still scared...

Touko's POV

"Natural?" I flinched when he responded, "It's N" ... "N?"

"What?" he asked. After so long of traveling, N's voice had slowed from its original high speed to a slower, more commanding tone. "I just..." I sighed as I leaned back against the tree, letting my Pichu get up and run off, looking for something to play with, "Nevermind..."

I wasn't expecting him to pursue my thoughts, "No, what is it?" I looked up into the branches of the tree we were under, the rays of the sun gently shining through the gaps, "I don't know, I'm just..." I sighed once again, "It's been five and a half years since that fateful day..." At this I could hear N moving, and I deduced he was looking at his Reshiram's pokeball again. "So much has changed in this world around us... the peace is still solid, Pokémon and trainers are getting along..."

"Yet we aren't getting along, is that what you're trying to say?" N read my mind, just like he could read the mind of my Pichu. "I..." I stuttered, before being cut off, "I guess you want me to just say it, don't you?"

"Say what?" I asked, my chest tightening in anticipation. In truth, N and I had been getting along really well until now... and then, he tried something... he tried to kiss me... from that point on, both of us had kept our distance, afraid of how the other really felt.

At first, I just wanted to stay friends, but as I thought of the warmth of his lips on mine... But what of N? He never acted this way... this was so out of character of him, to make the first move! He was always into his equations, his tactics, his scientific theories, I didn't understand him at all, yet...

I want to understand him...

"I love..." N began, but before he could say the third word, I spoke up, "Don't say you love me..."

Natural took a long breath before standing up, attempting to walk away, "Natural..." "It's N" "I don't care..." At this N froze, "I really don't care."

He turned to see me also standing, my arms extended toward the ground, my hands in fists, and tears barely being held back, "I don't like the fact you tried to kiss me, but it doesn't mean we can't take our relationship further..."

"Touko... what are you talking about?"

"You're moving too fast, I don't understand you!" I shouted, "Why don't you slow down, just take me to a movie or something, then try to kiss me? Maybe then..." I hiccupped, barely holding tears. Now I was out of character. When the hell did I become such a weakling? Ever since I was a kid, I was a badass, yet here I am, begging for a date from this scientific little brat... That's it.

I stormed up to him, grabbed his hand, then dragged him behind me, "Come on, we're going!"

"Going? Going where!" N asked before tripping, his face slamming into the dirt, though his hand stayed with mine, "To the movies, where else?"

"You could have at least tried to catch me..." He mumbled, "I don't think I'd ever have created such an equation to determine my fate with someone as hard assed as you..." He regretted this as I kicked dirt in his eyes, "Quit your bitching and get up!" yet again I rose my voice before dragging him through the dirt by his arm, yet even though I was pissed I smiled. That's the N I love...

The next thing I knew, we were down at the Cinema. We were sitting there, and under N's breath I heard him. He said he loved me. Again, he said it. He was practicing, I believe, but even so I had to say it, "Don't say you love me." At this he snapped to attention, immediately trying to cover his ass, "I didn't say that!" Everyone in the theater stared at him, several hushing him till he sat down, beginning to practice several equations in his head to distract himself. How did I know he was doing that? He did that every time he was irritated. He once told me it distracted his mind from the negativities around him.

For a few minutes I stayed quiet, letting him brood, before I finally said, "If you really want me, then give me some time..." I quickly regretted saying this, "It's been three months since I tried to kiss you. How much bloody time do you need?"

"Don't say your hearts in a hurry, N... Not like we're going to get married..." I quickly noticed the stare N gave me, and then I realized what I said, "Um... Just give me some time, ok!" This time I was shushed, my blush becoming so bright it could have lit the theater.

"So... wait, you're thinking about marriage with me?" N asked with a smirk, "N-No...!" I whispered as loud as I dared, quickly knocking back N's arm as he tried to wrap it around my shoulders, "I'll make it clear, and I'm not going to tell you twice..." I took a deep breath, searching for the words, yet even after the thought I kept it simple, ""Take it slow, and quit pushing me, because you're pushing me away from you." At this N scooted away from me, "Alright, I get it, let's just watch the movie."

After the movie, I could feel the heat between us. At the most romantic scene of the movie, N made another move to put his arm around me, but the moment was just too sweet to stop him... and then when the girl died at the end and I leaned against N for comfort...

I looked up at N's face, "Natural..." I said, attempting to tease him out of his silence, yet instead of retorting with his usual correction, he just smiled at me, "It's pretty late, shall we look for a hotel?"

"A... A hotel...?" I asked, staring at him in shock. Just what was he suggesting? "Well, it's one in the morning. Pokémon centers close at eleven. So the only places to stay are either a: In the woods or b: pay for a night stay at a hotel. You're choice, Touko."

I had to think about it for a second. He was moving fast again, but I knew he had this planned out. He knew what I was going to say... so I had to play along lest I screw up another of his hypothesis, "Alright, a hotel it is..." I took a deep breath, "But Nimbasa's hotels are so pricy, so..."

"So?" N asked, curious at what I was getting at. I don't think this was part of his hypothesis, "Let's get one bed..." he nearly fell over when I said this. No, really, he actually started leaning in shock before finally catching himself from falling, "One... One bed!" N shouted, once again attracting attention, "But, why would you want that? You said that you wanted time, distance, and now you-"

I cut him off by pressing a finger to his lips, "shh... you're talking too loud, and for the first time in a while, you're talking way too fast..." I sighed again, once again, debating on my words, "I'm not ready yet, I can't pretend..." I turned and began walking, though I stopped for a moment to look back, "Best I can do is tell you to talk to me, It's possible, eventual... Love will find a way" I giggled, leading him with the cutest smile my badassness would allow. It worked.

N ran to my side and smiled, more than eager to see where this is going, though I quickly pitched in, "Besides, it's an extra forty dollars for an extra bed, and I don't want you to pay that much for me." N once again tripped, leading me to drag him through the streets by his arm, "So that's the real reason..." He mumbled, "I need to stop trying to make predictions over you... your hard ass attitude always causes them to be false" He regretted his words again as I kicked whatever dust my feet could find on the street into his eyes again. That's my Natural I giggled again.

Of course, when N finally made his way back to his feet, he began to pick between each hotel, before finally he stopped me in front of the fanciest hotel in Nimbasa city, "The Sleeping Cinccino... how's this one look?" He asked me, laughing at how far my jaw had dropped at the sight of the hotel. It was enormous! It had to have at least six hundred rooms, there where fountains and lights and...!

"I can hardly look at its magnificence..." I muttered silently, still staring at it all. "Now you know how I feel when looking at you" N laughed and took off for the door, "What... wait, what!"I shouted, running after him.

Checking in was a little awkward, as the tenant quickly cracked a few comments about us staying the night in one bed. In fact, it was so awkward, my blush was still apparent when we walked into our room, at which my jaw quickly dropped yet again. There was a giant chandelier hanging from the ceiling that looked like it should be in a ballroom, a flat screen T.V. the size of my Zekrom, and the single bed had frills, pillows, three blankets- which all had hot and cold settings- and there were three refrigerators, "Natural, I... I can't sleep here... not knowing how much you had to pay for this..." But despite my complaints he took my hand and led me to the bed, his smile almost creeping me out, "Touko... you said that maybe after a movie..." he began as he pushed me onto the bed, crawling on top of me and leaning in until our noses touched, "you might just kiss me... well?" I stared up into his blue eyes, waiting for him to continue, though his words remained mute, "I..." I tried to talk, but I was so blinded by this change in situation that I too remained mute, leading him to speak once again.

"I was so lonely... five and a half years I wandered without you... That day on the ferris wheel, when we first hugged, first spoke to each other at an equal level... while I was traveling, the thought of your warmth kept me moving, until finally I found you..." He leaned even closer till our lips were millimeters apart, "And even with my loneliness, I wanted to run away, but you stopped me..." He waited for me to stop him, but when I stayed still, he finally did it.

He leaned into a kiss, gently pressing against my lips before pressing harder, then harder as he tapped at my mouth with his tongue. I was scared... I really had to admit, even with my usual attitude, I was scared... but I gave in. For the first time in my life, I gave in to someone else's wishes and opened my mouth, letting his tongue scan the inside till it was satisfied, then I finally wrapped my arms around him, though he slowly broke the kiss, "And all this time, I didn't know how to approach you, especially after my debacle trying to kiss you... but now..." he kissed me again, gently this time, then broke it once more, "I want to say it... and I don't want you to stop me..." Once more he kissed me, then, as my chest tightened once again in anticipation, I once again gave into his wishes, letting him say it, the words that, all this time, I had wanted to hear... "I love you Touko..."

I stared into his eyes, waiting for him to say something else, change his words, take them back in a last minute change of mind, but he just continued to smile, leaning in to kiss me again, though I pushed him away, smiling as his face turned from happiness to sadness, then back again as I said it back, "I love you too, Natural" I grabbed him and brought him back into a kiss, our makeout session finally beginning, and after minutes of kissing each other, we finally laid down next to each other on the bed, ready to continue...

The next morning I awoke, holding the covers over my body to keep warm. I could smell eggs and bacon, and looking to my left I saw a plate with the smelled food sitting on the dresser next to the bed. Looking to my right, I noticed that N was gone, and a quick scan of the room led my eyes to the opened balcony door where I saw his tea green hair waving in the wind. Looking at the end of the bed I noticed a bath robe, quickly put it on, then made my way outside to N's side. We both looked up towards the sun, Pidove's and other bird Pokémon flying across the sky, their songs and chirps being my slow and calm alarm clock for my waking mind. And before I knew what I was doing, I leaned against N's bare shoulder, noticing once again how masculine he was for a scientific brat, and once more without notice I opened my mouth, "I love you Natural..."

N wrapped his arms around me again, "I love you too, Touko..."

It took three months, but I finally was ready... I was ready for Natural to be with me... And I think... no, I am ready... Ready for what? Oh, I think you already know... I did accidentally say it last night. While you think about that, Natural and I are going to go eat our breakfasts.

And remember: Love will find a way!