And if you have to go
We'll always know that you
Shine brighter than anyone does.
-Brighter, Paramore
"Yellow."
The jumping wasn't voluntary. It wasn't her fault she was easily scared; but lucky for her, everyone was wrapped up in his or her own conversations, so they didn't notice it.
Ruby and Sapphire were laughing, teasing and arguing each other like only close friends would.
Blue, wearing her usual sly smile, whispered something into Crystal's ear, her eyes on the two Hoenn Dex owners. Whatever it was, Crystal glanced back at Blue and couldn't suppress a giggle at whatever she had said.
Red and Gold and Emerald were chatting about battling or training or something similar, the conversation automatically dragging in the normally stoic Green.
This left one person.
Him. Quiet, antisocial, withdrawn--those were a few of the words used to describe him. He didn't speak to her much. In fact, he didn't speak to anyone, really--outside of Blue and occasionally Gold or Crys. Mostly he just faded into the background; he seemed to like it that way.
She hadn't spoken to him since…
Since…
Oh.
She was face to face with him; well, kind of, as he was taller than her despite being a year younger. Both felt awkward around each other; Yellow blushing as she tucked a stray piece of blond hair behind one ear, and Silver looking around, head bowed, hands in pockets, his pale eyes refusing to meet her yellow ones.
"Yes?" She finally managed to squeak, feeling even more embarrassed. He didn't do anything about it; no conversations stopped, so either no one noticed the two of them talking or no one bothered to care.
"I…" He began, but suddenly his voice began to trail; he shut his eyes and chewed his bottom lip, a look she didn't expect from someone like Silver. "I…" he repeated, like a broken record; his eyes finally opened when he gathered his thoughts. "Thank you."
"F-for what?"
"For helping me. I never thanked you." Silver lifted his head, matching her eyes for once--a second--before they finally pulled away. "If it wasn't for you, I probably would have never found Giova--found my father…"
His voice broke and he stopped. For a moment it seemed like they had switched places: Silver stammering for something to say, pale face flushed the same color as his hair, silver eyes reflecting some emotion Yellow couldn't quite recognize.
But there was one thing she knew.
He was scared.
Yellow felt the need to talk--about anything, really. She needed anything to keep the conversation going. "Does anyone else know about it?"
"Outside from you and Blue and Green, I'm not sure…" He was looking at something over Yellow's shoulder now: Gold, so wrapped up in talking that he didn't notice Silver watching him.
What would Gold say when he found out his rival--one of his closest friends--was the son of the leader of Team Rocket?
"Don't worry," Yellow advised with a smile.
Silver jumped, jerked from whatever trance he'd been caught in this time. "What, can you read my mind too?" He quipped with a frown. Yellow laughed--awkwardly at first, but soon holding her hands up to her mouth in an effort to stop herself. Even Silver cracked a smile.
Someone cleared their throat.
The two stopped abruptly, Silver jumping and running a hand through his hair, Yellow spinning around. Blue watched them, a wide smile on her face; she snickered as both Silver and Yellow's faces turned bright red. Silver shot her a glare, but that only made her laugh harder.
"…Thanks," Silver finally said when he had stopped glaring, when Blue stopped laughing, when a lull was finally forming in all of the conversations. "For everything," he added, a smile forming as he walked away.
Yellow's blush didn't fade, not until Silver grabbed Gold by the arm, tapped Crys on the shoulder.
"G-guys," He stammered at first, unsure of himself but ultimately finding his voice. Yellow smiled. "I've got something to tell you…"