If The Name Fits
Some plot bunnies come, some go while others reside within you to the point that they stay housed in your brain and refuse to pay rent...yet you can't let them go. This would be the latter. My first ContestShipping (May/Drew) fic. Yes, indeed! I did not mistype. There was this idea that despite the fact that we may claim to know the intimate details of our partners, facts can arise to the surface to remind us that at times we have no sliver of a clue. Enjoy, folks!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokemon, a creation of one Satoshi Tajiri, and is produced domestically (in the United States) by Pokemon USA/The Pokemon Company, and internationally by Shogakukan and OLM. I personally own nothing and make nothing by writing this. Please do not flame.
Tonight is about having a good time because a bad time is just a waste of time. A certain young lady turned twenty-one today and that means she gets to enjoy her very first drinks downtown.
Making it clear weeks earlier that she was not interested in a loud bar atmosphere, May informed her long-term boyfriend Drew that she wanted to go to a nice restaurant. He had no objection to the request-it was, after all, her birthday wish-so he aimed to please by calling ahead to one of the top seafood spots in all of Hoenn to secure their table.
If he were honest, Drew would openly consider seafood among his least favorite forms of cuisine. Nevertheless, he aims to please the love of his life and is now sitting here on this Wednesday evening with an extensive menu in his hands thinking of what he can order that he will like. Unfortunately for Drew, where there doesn't appear to be shellfish or scaled fish, there is another one of his least favorite dishes in assorted cuts of steak. He shakes his head and loudly sighs while turning another page, but can't escape the watchful eyes of his girlfriend, May.
"Drew, what's the matter?" she asks.
Shrugging his shoulders, he admits, "You know I hate fish, May. So I'm just trying to find something on the menu that won't make me vomit." Looking closer at the entrees, his eyes spot something with a modicum of potential. "Maybe a plate of spare ribs...the chicken cordon bleu or an entree salad. It's been some time since I've had that and the best part is there's no fish. Enough about that. May, have you thought of what you're going to have for your first drink?"
"Well nothing terribly hard for the first one," she answers candidly. "When I told my parents I've never had a drink before tonight, it was the truth. So I'll probably go for wine to pair with my seafood. It's supposed to be fun and I think if I get something too strong, it might turn me off the stuff."
"Based on experiences with my folks, if you're going to have a wine with seafood it's going to be a white wine," Drew says, not batting an eye from the menu and now looking through the appetizers.
While Drew continues to ponder his dinner decision, their server walks up to the couple and says, "Good evening, you two!" While pouring ice water for the couple, he introduces himself, saying "My name is Brent and I'll be taking care of you two tonight. I just poured you the water, but may I start you two off with something else to drink?"
With his menu finally down, Drew signals to May to go first. "I know I'm going to have seafood tonight. Do you have any suggestions on what to pair with it?"
Nodding, Brent says, "Well first let me see your ID and-are you drinking as well, sir?"
"I hadn't planned on it," Drew answers, "but it's her birthday and I'm paying. I know I have to be of age to do that, right?"
"Yes, so I'll have to see your ID as well and we can get to those suggestions."
While May reaches into her purse to find her wallet, Drew only has to dig into his pocket to grab his and then pull out his ID from the protective sleeve. He discreetly passes it to Brent, but the waiter cannot get a proper handle of the card and it slips out of his hand as he grabbed the edge. Drew's eyes widen as his license ends up near May's half of the table.
"Oh, here it is! Finally," May remarks as she's now pulled out her wallet and, subsequently, the ID. Looking at the table, she sees another card much like hers and gets a glimpse of it before Brent picks it up to check it.
"I apologize for that, sir," Brent tells Drew, who's casually looking away at a television screen in the dining room. Appearing to be in order, he hands the card back to Drew and then does the same for May. The dates show both parties are of age to drink or buy drinks so he hands the card back to May thanking her for cooperating.
"You're welcome," she says. "Do you think we could get a few minutes? I still need to figure out what I want."
"Not a problem, Miss," Brent replies. "Take your time and I'll be right back," he says before leaving May and Drew to themselves to decide on their entrees.
Drew feels the laser-guided stare of his girlfriend, but does his best to deflect from the gaze. Drew believes he's been found out, so he decides to ignore the new information May has on him by asking his date, "So what kind of seafood were you leaning to for your meal?"
May, seeing through the question, counters with a simple one of her own. "Who's George?"
Drew, not wanting to talk about this if he can help it, says, "You know, I saw stuffed potato skins under the appetizer menu and I think that would be great. We could share…"
"Drew," May interjects. "I saw your ID, now I want to hear it out of your mouth. Who...is...George?"
His head is down. He knows he's beat, so he has the great idea to skirt the issue one final time by effectively muttering, "That's my first name."
"Excuse me?" May inquires. "Did a Delcatty repossess your tongue or what? Tell me what you said again."
Balling up his fist, he has to admit that he handled that poorly. He seeks to redeem himself by saying under his breath, "George is my real first name, May! Okay? My full name is George Andrew Aaron Hayden! Are you happy?" loud enough for his girlfriend to hear.
"That's better! Now was that so hard?"
Shading his eyes with his left hand and then bringing the hand down the length of his face, Drew admits, "Yes it was! Now can we not speak about this for the rest of the night?"
May taps her chin a few times giving Drew the presumption that his question would be given a tremendous amount of thought. In reality, her answer was simple and succinct. "Umm...no for two reasons. It's fun to tease you and see you squirm and two, honestly, I don't see what you're so embarrassed about, Drew. It's a name, no reason for shame."
Shaking his head, Drew ponders this matter as he didn't think he'd have to address it this evening when the night really should've been about his girlfriend across the table. "I just think it's so old-fashioned, May. Honestly, how many little Georges do you see walking around these days? My folks explained it to me like this; Mom wanted me to be 'Aaron George' and Dad wanted me to be 'Andrew George'. They split the difference by making my first name what they agreed with, my paternal great-grandfather's name, and would allow me to decide what I wanted to be called later. That's how it went down and that's how I got saddled with George."
"That's one way of looking at a two-sided coin, to be honest. You may think it's old-fashioned and you're saddled with your first name, but...I think it also comes with quite a pedigree given that you got it from an elder relative. For that reason alone, someone might consider it distinguished. Maybe they'll conjure up images of a retro modern Hollywood actor, an outstanding fantasy writer or even think of you in a...presidential light. But, that's no big concern. It's your name. You didn't choose it; you only chose how to handle it. Even if I thought it was old-fashioned, in my mind and yours, you're still Drew. Shouldn't that matter more than anything?"
Slightly swaying his shoulders while his hands are out in circular motions, Drew finds it immensely difficult to put up any sort of argument to counter what his girlfriend just said. He's resolved to this reality, like needing to go up a size for jeans or wondering if their good friend Ash Ketchum will ever win a major conference tournament. He nods his head repeatedly. "I suppose it was kind of silly. And I should have trusted you with this if I expected a long-term relationship. You were right. What's in a name if I don't give it any power?"
"Who knows? Maybe it's something you'll grow into one day."
May is pondering the fact that while having this cleansing discussion with Drew, she hasn't been completely honest with her boyfriend either. Gritting her teeth, she unexpectedly chuckles, shakes her head and then says, "Uhh...Drew I think I know what I want from the menu, but while we wait, because I now know this about you, there is something you should also know about me."
"Oh? What's that?"
May doesn't answer immediately. Instead, she reaches back into her purse to find her wallet. She pulls out a card, places it flat on the table near Drew with her hand covering the card, all the while wearing a large smirk on her face, before finally revealing what's behind her hand. "You're not alone."
Drew leans in slightly and knows that he's looking at May's Hoenn region driver's license. The name is not immediately familiar but when he sees it, he has a bit of a laugh.
Looking up to May for confirmation, he asks, "Caroline Mauricia Maple? May, you're your mother's namesake?"
Nodding, she further elaborates. "So as not to confuse people in our household or our family and friends, I've gone by May since age two. The only exception is the middle name. I'm Mauricia and my Mom is Ila."
"Wow, I never would've known," Drew says. "But Mauricia...that's very pretty. Why not tell me?"
"Thanks, Drew. I...should've. You're right," May concedes. "Maybe...I thought Caroline seemed kind of old-fashioned to me, as well? It's my Mom's name. Sorry, Mom, wherever you are this night."
"Eh, looking back it would've made no difference to me. I don't know why we held onto those things, May. There just doesn't appear to be any reason for it. It's no big deal, but I'm glad it's out in the open no matter how it came out."
"Could this be one of those lessons learned like my parents told us years ago?"
Before Drew can answer, their waiter returns to their table. "Okay, are you two ready to go?"
Drew nods and points to May again, insisting that his girlfriend go first. He knows the order will be an extensive one and, besides, he's now looking through the pastas to find his meal. May tells Brent, "Okay, I'm going to have, for appetizers, fried calamari, coconut shrimp and baked clams casino as part of the sampler trio and for my main course...I'll have the two broiled jumbo lump crab cakes with broccoli and wild rice."
"Okay. As far as your beverage, crab cakes...they pair well with either blanc wines or champagne."
"Ooh, I didn't think about that. Drew, do you want to split a bottle of champagne?"
"Sounds good. One standard bottle, please?"
Writing that down on his pad, Brent says, "Not a problem. I'll make sure to put that on ice when it's time. And for the gentleman. What will you be having?"
"I'll have the stuffed potato skins as an appetizer and for my main course...the six-cheese ravioli."
"Excellent choice, my man!" Brent says while gathering the menus. "I'll put in those orders right now. Be back in a few minutes with your champagne."
May and Drew thank Brent for their help and May, again, asks Drew about those lessons learned.
"I guess so. Hopefully two years or so down the line, we'll be reminded of it as we print out invitations to the wedding of George and Caroline Hayden. A couple of old-fashioned folk in 24-year old skin."
At that moment, May recalls one of the reasons she's with Drew. Whether his real name is George or not, he still knows how to tickle her funny bone.
As her laughter subsides, she says "I needed that. Thank you," and leans in to give her boyfriend a kiss. Hearing 'Happy Birthday' from him for about the 28th time today is no surprise. The shock, however, comes when Drew affixes 'Caroline' to the end of this latest birthday greeting.
May gives him an attentive eye, but Drew counters by saying, "Who knows? It could fit you as well as it could me."
She shakes her head as Drew's and May's champagne arrives to the table. As their server pours two flute glasses, he leaves once more. Afterwards May offers sage advice to Drew, saying, "Let's just stick with what we've always known."
Drew shrugs his shoulders and runs his hand through his hair. Picking up his glass and raising it, he figures "If it isn't broke…"
May responds in kind by lifting up her glass and saying, "Cheers to that...and to learning much more about each other."
"Hear, hear!" says Drew as they clang glasses and partake, the matter of names not really coming to mind as much as their next sips.
Here's to many, many more amazing times.
A/N: I don't know what people will think of this...I had the idea and it grew to this. I've always had a middle of the road approach to this ship and wanted to do something with it that didn't end in heartbreak, but didn't get the chance until now. Traditional pairings are a rarity for me, for sure, but I guess it's a bit cathartic. There are little quirks in these stories no one else will know but helped to make this short tale what it is. No matter. I just like trying new things when I have the opportunity and I always appreciate a challenge.
Now it's your turn! You've read, now review and let me know what you think of this. This has been Rave!