Author's Note: Hey guys! It's been a while – life is busy and crazy (in a good way), but I've had this in my back pocket for a while and finally decided to share it with all of you. I'm SO happy with how this turned out. Please read on and enjoy!


One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, th- damnit!

The auburn-haired boy gritted his teeth and knelt over as the soccer ball bounced away from his feet. He'd been trying to get that trick right for weeks – kick it up once with his foot, bounce it on his knee, then head-butt it to his target. Of course, there was always something to screw up, whether it be kicking the ball with the wrong part of his foot or sending it away from the target.

That Arceus-damned ball. It always went in directions he hadn't called for – across the street, in someone's backyard, even once on a rooftop - except for this time when it came rolling right back to him. His mouth fell ajar as the ball slowly rolled to a stop at his feet, and he turned his gaze to the direction it had come from.

About five houses down the street stood a girl with long chestnut hair. Her arms were crossed, with one hip to the side, and on her face she wore partially smug, partially amused smirk. The boy immediately straightened upon noticing her, but before he could begin walking towards her, or even get a word in, she spun on her heel and walked into one of the houses.


Freshly bought tires rolled onto the driveway as a red car came to a smooth stop. The sweetest thing about being sixteen? Finally being able to drive. As the boy got out of the car and headed into his house, he stopped as something caught his eye. Just a few houses down he saw a moving van parked in the driveway.

Right by the moving van stood that very same girl with long chestnut locks, directing movers in and out of the house. The auburn-haired boy confidently raised his hand and waved at her. Her figure stopped moving as she noticed his wave. After a moment, she smiled the brightest smile he'd ever seen. She held his gaze for a moment before turning back to the workers and resuming her job.

He contemplated walking over to her, but his legs seemed to have a mind of their own as his stride carried him onto the sidewalk and towards the house she was at.

She disappeared into the van and he paused, thinking of all the ways he could charm this girl, when suddenly he heard a loud, feminine voice curse. He smirked. Who was he kidding? He didn't have to plan anything – all he had to do was fluster her a little, and she was his.

He approached the entrance of the van as a sly grin slid onto his face. "Guess I'm not the only one who struggles with coordination," he said, leaning casually against the metal frame with his hands in his pockets.

The girl looked up, her fierce green eyes filling with amusement. She was kneeling on the ground, cleaning up the scattered contents of a box and putting them back in. "Ha-ha, very funny," she said. "Listen, I appreciate your unsuccessful attempt at flirtatious banter, but I'm a little busy in case you haven't noticed."

The boy shrugged. "I noticed."

She smirked at him and went back to cleaning up, her eyes never leaving the floor. She'd almost thought he had left until she noticed a pair of hands next to hers, cleaning up as well. She glanced over her shoulder, surprised to see him on his knees next to her.

"By the way," he said, "what ever gave you the idea that I was trying to flirt with you?"

She cocked an eyebrow. "Most people usually introduce themselves before attempting a sensuous smile,"

"So you think I'm sensuous, do you?"

"I think arrogant is a better word to describe the impression you give."

"Gary."

"What?"

"You asked for an introduction. My name is Gary."

Leaf cocked her head to the side. "I did not ask. I said it's a civil commonality."

Gary smiled a mixture of cocky, charming and irresistible all wrapped up into one grin. "And you said my attempt at playful banter was unsuccessful."

She tried to fight the grin pulling at her lips. Much to Gary's satisfaction, she was unsuccessful. "I'm Leaf. Leaf Green."

"Well, Leaf Green, how would you like to go out with me sometime?" His eyes dared her to play along, his smile teasing her into saying yes. At least that was what he thought he was doing.

Leaf narrowed her eyes and laughed. "Oh no," she said. "You do not get to prance in here like you're cupid and charm me just like that."

Gary pouted and feigned hurt by putting his hand against his chest. "Jeez, Leafy. I've known you for less than five minutes and already you've shattered my heart."

Leaf rolled her eyes and shifted her attention to the scattered contents on the ground and resumed her cleaning. Gary waited for her to play along with him or at least say something, but when silence prevailed over the two for a couple of daunting minutes, he tried a different approach.

"Okay." He cleared his throat. "That was a dumb idea." Leaf's 'yeah-no-kidding' look gave Gary more affirmation than he would have liked. Gary sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Erm – what's got you moving into Pallet Town?"

Leaf nodded her head. "Oh- no, you've got it wrong," she said. Confusion crossed his features. "I'm not moving to Pallet – my dad is. I'm just helping him with the move."

Gary tried his best to ignore the minor sinking feeling in his chest. "Where are you living, then?"

He noticed her face turn visibly sullen. "In Hearthome… with my mom," she said.

Gary got the hint that her parents were separating, and he didn't press the issue further. Leaf finished gathering items off the floor and placing them into the box. She closed the top, but Gary grabbed it and stood up before she could do it herself. Her cheeks tinged pink, slightly taken aback by the innocent, yet thoughtful gesture.

Gary exited the van with Leaf in tow. "How often will you be around, then?" he said.

Leaf made a face. "You're very nosy."

Gary rolled his eyes. "Sorry for being interested in you."

She chuckled. "I'll be here on weekends. Maybe I'll see you around then. But –" she grabbed the box out of his hands, "that doesn't mean I want to go out with you." She smiled at him one final time before turning around and heading into the house.

Gary watched her disappear behind the door and hummed thoughtfully.

Yeah. He was definitely going to see her again.


"Well if it isn't the girl who enjoys tearing my ego to bits," Gary said as he sauntered up to Leaf. "Long time no see," he said as he saluted. Leaf's eyebrows shot up.

"It's been one week."

Gary shrugged nonchalantly. "I was hoping you'd pick up on the irony. Anyways," he drawled as he fell into a smooth stride beside her, "how do you feel about grabbing ice cream? I know the best place in Pallet." He flashed her a smile, and she couldn't help noticing the way her heart sped up.

"You're never going to give up, are you?"

"I'll take that as a yes." He grabbed Leaf's hand to pull her along, but this time he couldn't help noticing the way her hand fit perfectly into his.


"See, you've got to prop it up a lot higher on your knee if you want a good headshot. If you hit it with the front of your kneecap it'll go in a random direction," Leaf said. They were on Gary's front lawn, practicing that soccer trick Gary was trying learn weeks beforehand. Leaf had successfully demonstrated the trick several times, whereas Gary still struggled to get the technique right. "It's not that hard."

"Easy for you to say," he shot back. "You're a soccer player."

"I'm trying out for junior team captain this year," Leaf said as she dribbled the ball back and forth between her feet. "We'll see if I get it."

"Want me to help you practice?" Gary winked and tried to steal the ball from her, but she smoothly rolled it behind her legs and out of his reach.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I need something a little more challenging." Leaf laughed and ran away from Gary, teasing him as she would kick the ball to him once, twice, only to swerve away from him with the ball still on her feet. Gary laughed as his feeble attempts to steal the ball eventually resulted in him knocking them both to the ground.

Leaf's smile faded slowly as Gary propped himself on his arms, looking down at her with a curious smile. He noticed the heart shape of her face, and how her nose and cheeks had a light dusting of freckles. Her eyes contained multiple shades of green, and then there were her lips. Pink lips that dared him to cross several boundaries Leaf had warned him against. This was the moment he'd been waiting for. The moment he would finally make her blush. The moment where he would-

"If you try to kiss me, I'll smack you." Gary's mouth fell open as laughter danced in her eyes and melodic sounds of joy left her lips. "Mew, you should see the look on your face right now." Leaf continued laughing while Gary remained frozen above her.

"If you hadn't interrupted our moment, maybe I would have."

Leaf froze, her laughter vanishing into thin air. Green eyes met brown, and they were so close that she could feel his heartbeat through his shirt. Were hearts supposed to beat that fast? Or did this happen anytime he got close to a girl?

"Well," she said quietly. "Instead of kissing me, how about you call me first?" She glanced at his mouth and the corners of her lips tugged upwards. Her smile made his heart skip a beat, and he lost his resolve to fight her anymore.

"I'll need your number for that."

...

Leaf shut the door behind her and leaned against it as she closed her eyes.

"Leaf? Is that you?"

She opened her eyes and stepped into the hallway. "Yeah dad, it's me."

Her father walked into view, as both amusement and suspicion crossed his features. "Who's that boy you were just hanging out with?"

A giggle escaped her lips and she slapped a hand over her mouth. She walked past him briskly, trying to hide the giddiness that threatened to rise out of her throat and spill into laughter.

"No one."

...

Gary looked at his palm and smiled. Of course Leaf decided to write her phone number on his hand, of all places. And she called him a flirt. He hung up his coat in the closet and went into the kitchen to help his grandfather with dinner. Later that night, he pulled out his phone and held it right next to his hand as he dialed her number.


"Guess who just became captain of the soccer team!"

Gary smiled as he finished putting the dishes away. Her voice was all too familiar these days.

"That's great, Leaf. You deserve it."

"Damn. That's all I get? I was hoping you'd write a monologue for me once I told you."

"Your sarcasm is atrocious."

"As is your ability to flirt on demand. Anyways, I'm thinking this calls for a celebration. I'll come to my dad's this weekend and we can get ice cream?"

Gary grabbed his keys off the countertop and spun them on his finger. "I have a better idea. Where did you say you lived again?"

"Arceus," Leaf cursed as she leaned her head against the passenger seat window. "My parents keep asking about you. They think I have a secret boyfriend or something like that." Gary smirked, his hands firmly gripping the steering wheel as he stared onward.

"How would your mom even know?"

Leaf looked at him expectantly. "They're separated Gary, not forbidden to speak to each other." She twiddled her thumbs in her lap and looked down. "They mostly talk about me. How I'm doing, ways they should co-parent, things of that sort."

"Well…" Gary flicked his gaze towards her for a moment. "How are you doing?"

Leaf chuckled, but it was humorless. "I always knew they were fighting, but that had become so normal for me that it felt surreal when my dad finally moved out."

Gary opened his mouth, but he couldn't find words to say. "I'm sorry about that," he said.

Leaf shrugged. "What can you do? It's not the end of the world, and I wouldn't have met you if my dad hadn't moved to Pallet."

"You know, when we first met you seemed apprehensive towards me," Gary said while wiggling his eyebrows at her. Leaf bit her lip as a laugh threatened to emit from her mouth. "Can you, Leaf Green, honestly look me in the eye and tell me that you're glad we met?"

Gary wasn't sure what he had expected to come out of this. He'd thought she might play along with his flirtation or simply roll her eyes, but he hadn't expected her to say her next few words, and so sincerely at that.

"I am glad we met, Gary."

Her hand gently covered his wrist, and he switched his gaze from the road to her. He almost smiled, tempted to lean in as-

"Arceus, Gary!"

He slammed on the breaks and the car lurched forward into a stop before the intersection.

"Shit," he cursed.

"Alright, prince charming," Leaf exhaled. "Time to focus on the road and drive so we can celebrate."

"Yeah, no kidding," Gary muttered to himself. His hands shook slightly on the wheel and relaxed once he felt Leaf rubbing her thumb along his wrist. As the light turned green and he stepped on the gas, there was one question booming in his mind.

Did he seriously almost run a red because he was busy looking at a girl?

Gary spent more time than usual hanging around outside these days. It was especially noticeable on the weekends, when he'd linger on his front lawn with the hopes of seeing a certain brunette show up just down the road. Sometimes she would text him in advance to let him know when she'd be in Pallet, but she also liked to surprise him and show up unannounced.

Today was a perfect example of just that. He'd been outside washing his car when a pair of arms threw themselves around his torso from behind, and nearly caused him to face plant into the windshield.

"Miss me?" Leaf said.

Gary groaned as he pushed himself off the car and pried her arms from his waist. "Who wouldn't miss being attacked by you?"

"Touché." Leaf grabbed a sponge and began wiping the windows. Gary smiled at the gesture and shook his head.

"You don't have to do that. I'm almost done."

"I know," Leaf said with a shrug. "I'm paying back a favour."

Gary's brow twisted in confusion. "You don't owe me any favours."

Leaf stopped washing the car and put her hands on her hips. "Technically speaking, I know I don't 'owe' you anything," she said using air quotes. "But you did help me when I dropped a box on the day my dad moved in, so why not?"

Gary shrugged. "I won't argue with that. Keep scrubbing away."

"I'm voluntarily helping you, Gary." She splashed water at him. "I'm not a maid." He flashed her a million-dollar smile and splashed her back.

"I think you'd make a cute maid."

"Get over yourself already." Leaf rolled her eyes. Those eyes. He'd never get tired of making those green eyes roll.

They stayed like this for an hour, talking and washing his car. Some remarks were playful and intentionally insensitive - mostly on Gary's part - and others were genuine and full of smiles. At one point Gary grabbed the hose and sprayed Leaf, to which she screamed and successfully wrestled the hose out of his grasp so she could spray him back.

...

"I think this is as shiny as your car will get," Leaf said.

Gary crossed his arms as they stood side by side, admiring their work. "This might be the first thing you and I agree on." He looked at her and smiled, and her breath caught at the sight of his gentle brown eyes so focused on her.

"I should get going," she said quietly. "But – before I go-" Leaf's mouth fell open slightly as an abrupt halt came to her speech. Their gazes never broke apart and Gary's palms suddenly felt slick – since when did his palms get sweaty around girls? Usually he was the one making their palms sweat. "There's something else I owe you," she finished.

Before Gary could comprehend what was happening – what was happening? – he felt a pair of lips gently graze the side of his cheek. And, woah, they weren't just any lips, they were Leaf's lips, and the realization sent his heart soaring out of his chest before he could catch it and put it back in its place.

"That's for saying I'd slap you if you kissed me," Leaf said.


One night they found themselves laying beneath the stars, enjoying each other's company in silence. As meteors flew across the sky and painted swirls of light against the otherwise dark canvas, they laid shoulder to shoulder as their minds wandered in the same direction.

Leaf couldn't stop thinking about what it would have felt like to kiss him on the lips instead of the cheek. Why hadn't she gone for it? Why did she chicken out at the last moment and go for the cheek instead? It was as though she'd planned to shoot fireworks into the sky but instead copped out for sparklers. She could have claimed his lips as hers. She should have claimed his lips as hers.

Or the better question to ask, she supposed, was why in Arceus' name did she stop him from kissing her when they fell over? She knew he was going to. She could read the emotions running across his eyes – his eyes were too easy to read, in her opinion - but instead she jokingly threatened to smack him. Smack him? The mere memory made Leaf want to smack herself.

And then there was Gary, with the feeling of her lips burned into his cheek, and the image of her burned into his mind. Literally. Whenever he closed his eyes, thoughts of her clouded his mind and it felt like those pretty green eyes were absorbing him all over again. Who was she to saunter into his life and make him want her like this? Then again, it was he who walked up to her, he who hit on her. Now it had all backfired on him by turning into one big mess of pounding hearts and stolen kisses and secret smiles. The most astonishing part of all was that he liked it.

As the two laid with their thoughts, somewhere, somehow, his hand snaked its way into hers and they both intertwined. Gary looked down at their linked hands thoughtfully, and a smile split Leaf's face in two as she covered her eyes with her free hand.

Meh. Who was Gary kidding? Maybe falling for someone wasn't such a bad thing after all. Heck, Leaf made him want to fall over and over and over again. He would do it again, he decided with a jolt. Leaf flicked her eyes up to his.

"You okay?"

Gary exhaled deeply. All this seemed like it came so naturally for Leaf. Like she'd done it before. He pretended to fall for girls, but none of them were ever worth falling for. None of them indulged in playful banter with a sharp tongue or called him out on his arrogance. None of them gave up their Saturdays to teach him a (rather useless) soccer trick, and none of them had such pretty green eyes.

He squeezed her hand with his, and that was all it took for him to melt into her with the same ease that the ocean always washed up on the shoreline.

"This is new to me," Gary said.

"I know."

"How?"

"Because I'm psychic."

"Very funny, Green."


Their first kiss was one for the story books – no, scratch that, it was one for the movies. Big box movies, cinematic hits so popular that they threatened to evolve time and space. That night they first kissed, they were at the drive-in movie theatre. Leaf told Gary over and over again that it wasn't a date, so he just shook his head and played along with it. After a kiss on the cheek and intimate hand holding, no one could say anything to keep him from acting like it was a date.

Though if there was one thing he would have done differently to make it more "date like," he would have driven them in his car. How was he supposed to woo her without his red corvette? But Leaf insisted the drive-in would be so much better if they went in her dad's pickup truck so they could sit in the back with blankets and popcorn. They could also cuddle, Gary mentally noted. He decided the pickup truck wasn't that bad after all, and he allowed Leaf to pick him up on their first official not-really-a-date date.

The two found themselves being extra flirtatious in the back of the truck, with lots of hand holding, shoulder bumping, witty remarks about the movie (it wasn't that good, they decided early on), and with popcorn being thrown left, right, and centre.

"Oh Romeo," Leaf sang. "How doth thou look like the stars that shineth in the sky?"

"I don't believe that's the correct way to say it." Gary dragged a hand down his face. "I can't believe you took me to see Romeo and Juliet." Leaf grabbed said hand into her own and leaned her head against his shoulder. Gary pleasantly noted that she smelled like mint and flowers – not that he really knew what flowers smelled like.

"I can't believe it either. I thought we were seeing something fun like the Hunger Games or Divergent, but I messed up the dates. That's tomorrow night."

"Well," Gary said as he snuck his arm around her shoulder and looked at her, making her want to burst into flames on the spot. "Why don't we come back tomorrow? My treat."

"Not sure that's such a great idea," Leaf said as she snuggled into his shoulder. "My dad keeps asking about you."

"Oh yeah? And what do you tell him?"

Leaf smiled. "I just say you're some guy I know."

"Some guy," Gary guffawed. He feigned hurt and placed a hand over his heart. "That cuts deeper than a knife, you know that right?" Leaf nodded. "Well, then. Ouch." Leaf laughed her light, breezy laugh that Gary loved, when suddenly, she noticed something wet fall on her nose.

"Do you feel raindrops? Or is it just me?" she asked.

Gary looked up. As clouds rolled in and slowly blocked their view of the stars, the rain started to come down harder. They both got up grabbed their blankets and headed into the front seats of the truck. By the time they'd shut the doors, it was pouring down on them.

"Shall we leave?" Gary said.

"Not yet," Leaf said as she flicked her gaze around the car and frantically searched her pockets. "I can't find my phone."

"Do you know where you last saw it?" Gary asked as he was peering into the back of the car.

"I could have sworn it was in my pocket when we were watching the movie."

"I could check your back pockets for you."

"No thanks, Prince Charming."

"It was worth a shot."

"Gare, do you want to grab my umbrella? It's on the floor right behind your seat." Gary stopped and looked straight at her, bewilderment drawn all over his face.

"You're going out in this rain? You're going to get sick."

Leaf shrugged. "Getting sick won't cost me five hundred dollars like a new phone will."

"Oh. Touché." Gary grabbed the umbrella, got out of the car and opened Leaf's door. As she stepped one foot out onto the ground, she slipped on her other foot and fell into Gary.

"Mew," she swore as she grasped his jacket. Gary stumbled back and quickly regained his footing, one hand on the umbrella and the other on the car door. Leaf was pressed against his chest, her back flush against the car. Gary's mind immediately saw her on the ground beneath him again when they fell over. The first time they were so close together. This was almost the same, except this time he noticed that she fit into him perfectly like no girl ever had before. Or maybe they had fit, but they hadn't made his heart swell like she did. Either way, it didn't matter to him.

Leaf on the other hand, had one thought coursing through her mind: 'Do not threaten to smack him.' Putting her mind aside and not trusting her mouth to speak, she focused on how she felt. Her heart was racing, her palms were sweating and she couldn't stop herself from licking her lips.

Gary's heart sped up as Leaf lick her lips involuntarily. Those pink lips. Suddenly his breathing was uneven and his heart pounded in his ears, pounded like he thought his head was going to explode. Then he was leaning in, closer to those pink lips, closer and closer-

"My phone – um-" Leaf stuttered. "We should- because, you know, water damage. And stuff." She averted her gaze from him and dropped her chin. Gary pressed his hand flat against the car, rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. She closed her eyes as well, and they both stood pressed against each other for a moment as they waited for their hearts to slow down. Why weren't they slowing down?

"What's wrong?" Gary whispered.

"You make me nervous," she replied, just as quiet.

"You make me nervous as well," he said. Leaf bit her lip, her eyes still closed.

"But you seem like such a flirt."

"I am a flirt." Gary smiled. "But that doesn't mean that I don't care about you, or that I'm just acting when I'm with you." He opened his eyes and dropped the umbrella so he could brush her hair back from her face. His touch was so soft and tender Leaf wanted to melt into it.

The rain came pouring down on them, drenching their bodies and matting their hair to their faces and necks. "My mother always told me never to trust a boy like you," Leaf whispered. Gary's face relaxed in understanding. All of her apprehensiveness towards him suddenly made sense. "Once I kiss you, I'll lose all of my resolve with you."

Gary's hands travelled to the back of her head and neck as he slowly leaned in once more. "I lost all my resolve with you a long time ago."

That was all it took for the dam inside Leaf's mind to break and let a tsunami come crashing through.

She threw herself into him and wrapped her arms around his neck, all of her longing and desire suddenly unleashed from its cage. Despite this, their lips collided gently and Gary saw colours exploding everywhere behind his eyelids. The rain was pouring down on them, but Leaf made him feel like there was a fire inside of him, a fire burning so bright and strong that it could withstand any amount of water.

Droplets ran down their faces as he gently grabbed her face and pulled her closer to him, because he needed her closer. Leaf turned them around as she pushed Gary against the truck. His hands slid down her arms to her waist, his fingers gripping her desperately. Their kiss was fiery and hungry, fueled by nothing but passion and desire for each other. They slid down to the ground, and as Leaf settled herself in Gary's lap, their kiss became slower, more gentle.

The fire Gary felt turned calm as their kiss turned slow, an ember burning with promise and passion. The ground was muddy from the rain and they were both soaked, but neither of them cared. Her hands gently caressed his face as his hands ran up and down her back, tangling in her chestnut hair.

Leaf smiled into the kiss, and feeling this, Gary did too. After what felt like an eternity, they pulled apart and kept their foreheads pressed into each other as they breathed heavily. Desire coursed through their veins, and they both laughed as Gary pushed her back onto the ground and resumed kissing her again.

...

Gary groaned as he sneezed into the tissue and grabbed his phone. It wasn't even noon yet and he'd almost used up an entire box.

"Hello?"

"You were right yesterday," Leaf's voice sounded thick and syrupy as it came through on the other end. "I'm sick."

"Yeah, well," Gary sniffled, "making out in the rain is a two-way street. I'm sick too."

"Bleh. This sucks."

"Sure does," Gary wheezed out before coughing into his arm. "Want to do it again sometime?"

Leaf's laugh rang through the phone and it cracked a smile onto his tired face. "I'd love to."


His lips slowly pulled apart from hers and she, with her eyes still closed, smiled in contentment. He always made her feel like she was walking on water or dancing in the clouds. They were leaning against a tree in a park by their houses, completely caught up in each other. His hand lingered on her hip and she intertwined it with her hand, and then she was pulling him alongside her as they strolled through the grassy field.

"I like you," she confessed.

Gary smiled slyly. "Most women do."

Leaf shook her head and looked at him with raised eyebrows. "I better not fall into the category of 'most women.'" Gary threw arm around her and pulled her close to him, kissing her temple.

"You don't," he muttered.


It wasn't long before he asked her to be his girlfriend. They were sitting in a coffee shop, bantering about books and music and soccer when the words suddenly tumbled out of his mouth. He hadn't meant to say it – he planned on asking her in a more romantic setting, but the surprise written across her face settled into a smirk as she pulled him close to her for a kiss.

...

"Huh. You don't strike me as a Nicholas Sparks girl," Gary said. Leaf shrugged and smiled.

"What's not to like about him? His writing is poised and romantic, and his novels always tug on your heartstrings," Leaf said. Gary made a face, at which Leaf rolled her eyes and he inwardly smirked. He loved those pretty green eyes, even when they were being rolled at him. "Fine then. If you're going to act like that," Leaf rambled, and Gary leaned on his hand, trying not to zone out on her, "then I'm going to make you read one of his books. I bet you'll like it so much that you'll wish the main character was your girlfriend."

"I wish you were my girlfriend," he muttered absentmindedly.

Leaf perked up and Gary mirrored her movements as the implications of his words sank in. Shock was written all over her features, and he was almost about to take it back for the sake of his pride - until he realized that he didn't want to. Whether it was planned or not, he wanted Leaf to be his girlfriend.

She was the one who kept him on his toes, who mesmerized him with her deep green eyes. She was the one who made his head spin when they kissed. She made him feel like fire everywhere they touched, a touch so hot and furious that it could withstand oceans and oceans of water.

"What?" Leaf choked out. Gary smiled and his brown eyes softened as they gazed at her. He nodded, hope filling him like water in a cup, when she smirked. But through her smirk, there was tenderness in her eyes, and she slowly leaned across the table to pull him close.

"Took you long enough," she muttered just as their lips met.

Fini.


A/N: So, how did you like it? Please leave a review and let me know your thoughts! As always, constructive criticism is welcome. I loved writing this and playing around with different metaphors to illustrate how Leaf and Gary feel about each other. My style of writing has definitely evolved since my last LGS oneshot, and I think I like it.

It's definitely been a while since I last uploaded, and I honestly don't know how often I'll be able to upload in the future. I'm crazy busy with school and work, but this year I'm trying to go back to my roots and focus on doing what I love – which is writing. So please keep an eye out for any new stories in the next couple months!

Stay beautiful.

~Nicole