I... I like festivalshipping. (hides)

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.

The rain was falling heavily, stormy clouds darkening the sky until no light could shine through. The downpour was cold and unrelenting, and the young woman paused worriedly as a jagged streak of lightning lit the horizon, the heavy rumble of thunder filling her ears.

Soledad's hands tightened on the handle of her umbrella. She quickened her pace as electricity split the sky again, brushing her damp hair out of her face with one shaking hand. Her aquamarine eyes brightened as the welcoming lights of a Pokémon Center came into view, shining through the gloomy darkness like a lighthouse. Excellent, she would be able to shelter there until the weather cleared up a bit—

Thunder boomed again, and Soledad could hear the startled shrieks of a wild Zigzagoon dashing for shelter in the forest. However, she was distracted by a different sound ringing through the air, and a very familiar one at that.

Laughter.

And not just any laughter—it was Harley's laughter. She looked around wildly. Surely she must have been imagining things… After all, why would anyone even be outside at a time like this? It was miserable. The falling raindrops were hard and cold, feeling more like hail than liquid water.

"Harley?" she called, voice laden with uncertainty. She wasn't really expecting an answer, so shock lanced through her body when she received one:

"Over here, sweetheart!"

Okay, so it was Harley. Soledad could have recognized his cheery, slightly feminine voice anywhere. The red-haired woman felt a mixed feeling of relief that she wasn't imagining things and frustration with her fellow coordinator. After one last look of longing towards the Pokémon Center, she turned towards the direction where the purple-haired man's voice had come.

"Where are you?" she shouted, feeling slightly foolish. This time, however, her words were met with silence. Her hands squeezed the umbrella convulsively. Her breath quickened in worry and she bit her lip, eyebrows furrowed nervously.

"Harley?" she repeated anxiously. "Hey, where did you go—?"

However, the rest of Soledad's sentence became a startled squeak when a green and purple monster suddenly attacked her from behind, squeezing the woman around the waist. The umbrella fell from her hands and rolled out of sight as the female coordinator reacted furiously, elbowing every inch of her attacker that she could reach. The monster grunted in pain but did not relent, causing Soledad to struggle harder.

"Let me go!" she snarled through gritted teeth. Bringing her leg up, she attempted to stomp on her attacker's foot, but missed and slipped on the wet grass. After a brief tumble, she landed flat on her back, the monster awkwardly falling on top of her. Her face went red. It wasn't a monster after all—it was Harley, painfully rubbing his ribs.

Oops.

"You didn't have to hit me, honey. Can't you take a joke?" he pouted, looking slightly hurt. Clearly not noticing the closeness of his body to hers, he frowned, taking in her blushing face. "What's wrong, hon?"

"You're… you're crushing me," she muttered. Silently, she cursed her burning face. Why was she blushing? He shouldn't be making her feel this way. It probably wasn't a big deal for him, anyway. After all, the eccentric coordinator seemed to have no notion of 'personal space', especially when he was around May and her friends…

He had never been that way with Soledad, though. Harley had always acted much more subdued around her. In fact, the failed attempt from a few minutes ago was the first time he had actually tried to hug her… The first time he had ever been so close to her…

"Soledad?"

The red-haired woman broke out of her thoughts as the other coordinator gently took her hands and pulled her to her feet, a sheepish smile on his face. The rain had darkened his amethyst hair, taming its usual waviness, and Soledad was suddenly struck by how wonderfully soft it looked. She wanted to reach out, to touch his beautiful hair—

Crap. She shivered, both from her thoughts and from the cold rain still falling from the clouds, chilling her bones. Her umbrella had rolled off somewhere, and without its protection she was almost as soaked as Harley. She was cold. But he had been nice and warm when he had landed on her, and the welcoming heat had radiated from his body like a furnace…

The woman stiffened in horror. What was she thinking? Had she actually enjoyed the intimate closeness they had shared? She turned away from him, breathing heavily.

What was wrong with her?

Harley looked concerned and worriedly moved closer, twisting his long hair around his hand. He looked different without his Cacturne hat, which had fallen off during their fall. He almost looked… cute.

Cute?

The idea of being attracted to him frightened her, and she had to resist the urge to hit her head against a nearby tree. Biting her lip, the red-haired woman shrugged out of his grip as he placed a worried hand on her shoulder. The male coordinator stopped dead, looking sad.

"Soledad, what's wrong? I didn't hurt you, did I?" His words sounded broken and tearful. There was no trace of the usual girlish tone in his voice now.

"Harley…"

Soledad wanted to tell him that she was fine. She wanted to reassure him that she wasn't hurt at all, and that he had done nothing wrong. But she knew she would be lying. She wasn't fine. She was hurt. And, for the love of Arceus, he had done everything wrong.

He had made her realize her feelings for him.

The rain was surprisingly warm as it ran down her cheeks. After a few seconds, she dully realized that it wasn't rain at all. Oh Arceus, she was crying. Why was she crying? Abruptly, the woman pushed her friend away, breaking into a run. She didn't want him to see her like this, didn't want him to see that the calm and collected Soledad, Champion of the Kanto Grand Festival, had been reduced to such a sorry state—a crying, tearful girl.

She didn't get very far, and she wasn't really expecting to. Harley was taller than her and had longer legs, and he quickly caught up. Firmly wrapping his arms around her middle, he held the female coordinator taut against his chest.

"Please, hon," he panted against her cheek. "I know I shouldn't have snuck up on you, and I'm sorry. It was a dumb idea. Just show me where you're hurt, okay? I want to help you…"

Soledad met his eyes and saw that they were swimming with desperation and guilt. She was one of his only friends, and he was obviously worried about losing her trust. Sighing, she took his hand in her smaller ones and gently placed it over her heart.

"Here," she murmured. "It hurts right here."

Harley frowned. His green eyes scanned her face, taking in the way her cheeks were flushed, the way the tears still leaked from her eyes. Then he remembered the awkward position they had shared, and he suddenly understood why she was acting so flustered.

"Soledad," he began weakly, but the female coordinator cut off the rest of his words.

"I want you. But it's wrong for me to feel this way," she whispered miserably. "I shouldn't want these things, not when you don't feel the same way…"

The purple-haired man stiffened angrily. "What makes you say that?" he retorted fiercely. "Why wouldn't I feel the same way?"

"I always thought…" Soledad stammered. "You… you just don't seem like the kind of person who'd be interested in girls."

She immediately wished that those words had never come out of her mouth. Harley looked very hurt after the simple sentence had left her lips, and Soledad couldn't blame him. After all, she was one of the very few people who had never judged the male coordinator by his effeminate appearance and tendencies.

The rain was still falling.

Harley sighed. Soledad looked stricken, but her words had still pained him. She was still in his embrace, however, and he lightly rested his head on her shoulder.

"I didn't tell you, did I?" he murmured, wanting to change the subject. His breath was warm on her neck. "The reason why I was out here during this kind of weather?"

Soledad shook her head silently, leaning limply against her companion's chest. She still held his hand over her heart, but her blue eyes were sad and distant.

"I love the rain," the purple-haired man whispered. "I find it so calming and tranquil…"

The woman nodded numbly, shivering and rubbing her cold arms. Her eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat as the male coordinator suddenly leaned forward, his warm lips brushing her cheek.

"You remind me of the rain," he mumbled against her skin. She swallowed, a tiny smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Do I?" she asked quietly. He nodded.

"You do. You're always so gentle and collected," he breathed, eyes bright with longing. "And then you change, just like how the rain might change into a storm…"

He was far too close now, his mouth barely an inch from hers…

"You're different during your contests." His eyes were fixed on hers, their depths yearning. "I've seen you. You're like a lightning storm when you're performing. You become so fierce and passionate and beautiful—"

The rest of his sentence was abruptly cut off as the female coordinator closed the distance between them, warmly pressing her lips against his. Eagerly, he pulled her closer, stroking her wet hair through his fingers. Soledad sighed contently. Nothing, absolutely nothing, could possibly spoil this moment—

—Suddenly, a blinding flash of lightning jolted through the clouded sky, followed by an earsplitting crash. The two coordinators started in surprise, awkwardly breaking apart as a fierce gust of wind blew by, making the trees rattle.

"It's getting worse out here. I think we should head somewhere safer," Soledad said reluctantly, smiling at her friend's dazed expression. Sighing, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"What did you say, hon?"

The red-haired woman rolled her eyes as if to say, 'you're so hopeless.' Shyly, she reached out and held the male coordinator's hand, squeezing it gently.

"Let's go."