Edit: Well she finally sent it to me so here's the edited/beta-ed version, I don't think that many of you will have read it yet soo yay xD fewer people can read my mistakes now
What's Valentine's Day?
For the past week N had seen every place they visited covered in various shades of red, white and pink. He saw guys rushing around jewellery stores and flower stores, though they all seemed to run around in a panic they all looked rather happy. There are those who did these things with slight bitterness, as if being forced. He noticed girls who were staring at guys longingly, and though they always did this it seemed to have increased dramatically in this past week. Perhaps the most noticeable change was the difference in the atmosphere; everything seemed happier and, what was that word Bel often used when she was reading her 'books'? Oh yes, lovey-dovey. Yes, that seemed to perfectly describe what the atmosphere was like...at least N thought so.
He had overheard Lenora talking to Elesa and Arti about what she was going to do with her husband on Valentine's Day. Elesa and Arti proceeded to squeal, they apparently were going to spend that day together and cosplay. N thought that was a fantastic thing to do; maybe Black would do that with him.
On topic, what was Valentine's Day anyway? Growing up in the castle he never learned much of the outside world and its customs. He was only taught the basics, such as English, Math, Science, and the like. When it came to how humans enjoyed themselves he was left in the dark. His father had often told him it was because he needed to remain pure-untouched by the horrors of this planet. Being so young, and relying on his father for basically everything, he'd believed him. Though now he knew that was a lie. His father had used him, and a clueless person was easy to control. He grumbled to himself, why was he so stupid sometimes? Not all the time though, since, you know, as a Prince he is basically right 100% of the time.
He turned his gaze on Black, who was sleeping. It was 2a.m. so it made sense that he was, and N just hadn't been able to get to sleep so he lay awake next to him. They had to share a bed since the Pokémon centre only had rooms with one bed in it, and Black didn't feel like spending extra money for a separate room. Neither really minded sharing a bed either, it was either that or the floor, since the room didn't come with any form of couch that the other could sleep on.
N wondered if Black could be able to describe Valentine's Day to him. He probably would. Unlike N, he had grown up normally. The question was would N dare to wake him up. He would no doubt be annoyed, but N really wanted to know what this Valentine's Day thing was. So N decided that he would wake him up. As the saying went; nothing ventured, nothing gained. And so N began to shake the younger male's body and only when he heard a mumble, an annoyed one at that, did he begin to speak.
"Black, what is this 'Valentine's Day' thing?" said N, staring bright eyed at Black. The younger ignored him trying to snuggle into his covers to make himself comfortable again, but feeling the others eyes on him, he responded; it wasn't exactly a proper response.
"Dammit N, I'm asleep," he mumbled in response, once again snuggling into the cover and closed his barely opened eyes.
N pushed the covers off Black and shoved him awake. "No, tell me what it is!"
Black sat up, an annoyed look in his eyes as he looked at N. "And why do you need to know right now at–," he glanced over at the clock, sighing at how early, late, whatever, it was "–two in the morning."
N stared at him, seemingly not understanding the question. "Because I wanted to know. Does the time really matter?" Black sighed, of course N wouldn't understand. Black was still getting use to that fact though.
He closed his eyes and rubbed the back of his head, tired. He cracked one eye open and gave a sideways glance at N, who was sitting up cross-legged staring at Black expectantly. Although N liked to act all high and mighty, like he knew everything, he was rather childish and innocent on the inside. It was a side of him only Black ever saw really, since he was the one to be with him at all times of the day. The one who helped him when he didn't understand things.
Moments just like now, had it been any other person, Black would have stared at them and wondered if they were insane. Valentine's Day had to be one of the most commercialized holidays out there, up there with Christmas and Halloween. To not know what it is, is a sign that you've been basically living under a rock your whole life or are just plain insane. Which is why Black could not be truly annoyed with N; his rock had been his castle, and he was still learning how to be 'normal.' It had only been about a month or two since Team Plasma was defeated and N started travelling around with Black.
Still, it didn't mean Black sometimes didn't get the annoyed or mad.
"Yes N it does" he finally replied with a sigh.
"Oh..." his eyes darted to the floor, obviously embarrassed.
"But its fine now I guess. I'm up aren't I?" his eyes darted up again, relief flooding through them.
"Really?" N all but exclaimed, eyes sparkling.
"Yes, really, now what did you want to know again?" Black felt so stupid, it had barely been a few minutes since N had asked, yet he couldn't remember what he had said. It was probably because he was so tired. It was the only plausible reason.
"What's Valentine's Day?" Black raised an eye brow. Now fully awake, the question sunk in. It was a rather strange thing to ask out of the blue.
"Why do you want to know?"
"Because everyone's been acting weird this whole week, I dont understand why, and I'm sure this day is the cause." He crossed his arms and 'humph'ed, as if the answer was obvious. Black couldn't help but let out a laugh.
"Well you're right N; it is because of Valentine's Day that people are acting 'weird'."
"But, why?" He tilted his head to the side, confused.
"Well because Valentine's is a Holiday that one spends with the one they love, the one they want to be with, the one they cherish most in this world. Their special someone." Black, finished explaining, lay back in his bed and covered himself up in his blankets, trying to sleep.
N however continued to stare at Black, form unmoving. "Special someone...?"
Black turned over and opened his eyes slightly to look at him. "Yes special someone, like White is for me." he closed his eyes again and went back to sleep.
N felt something odd bubble in his stomach when Black said that White was his special someone. He didn't like that, though he wasn't sure why. "Are you going to spend that day with her?"
Grumbling, Black replied; "I hope I do. Also goodnight N, no more talking."
The strange feeling intensified. N didn't like it or the thought of Black and White being together, though, again, he wasn't sure why. With a frown he settled himself on the bed and drifted off to sleep as well.
~Next Morning~
When N opened his eyes the sun was already high in the sky. He turned his tired gazed on the clock, to see what time it was. N sighed; it was already two in the afternoon. He had never been one to oversleep or wake up late. Perhaps it was because he had slept so late yesterday. Getting up and rubbing his eyes, he blinked.
Black wasn't in the bed. Now, sure, he had woken up late, but on days where Black had nothing to do he practically spent the day asleep. Confused, N walked out of the room looking for the missing male. He found him on the couch watching TV, already dressed; ready to go to wherever he planned.
"Where are you going?"
"Out, with White."
"Are you going to ask her to spend Valentine's Day with you?" The words had an odd tone to them, N didn't know what it was, and although Black raised an eyebrow, he said nothing of it.
"Yeah, were going out for lunch, I hope she says yes." His eyes held a sparkle he had never seen when they were together, and it didn't make N feel any better.
"Oh... okay." N said, looking anywhere but Black's direction.
"Will you be alright on your own?" N had never been left alone, Black was with him basically all of the time, and in the small moments he wasn't, usually one of Black's friends would be near him.
"I... I would feel more comfortable if Bel were here." Out of all of Black's friends he liked her the best, and he truly didn't like being alone. There was always someone, human or Pokémon, around him.
"Good, because I already asked her to come." N wasn't sure if he should feel offended. Sure, he would prefer if Bel were here, but he didn't like that the decision was made for him. Still he said nothing. He didn't want to ruin Black's apparently good mood.
"...Okay" Black raised his eye brow again, certainly puzzled by N.
"Are you alright? You're acting different."
"Yes, I'm fine you can go now" Black gave him a curious stare, uncertain if he should believe him.
"No... I'm going to wait till Bel gets here." there was no ill-meaning to his words, he was just worried and N knew it. So he simply nodded.
It was quiet while they waited for Bel. Black had continued to watch the television and N had gone to the kitchen to make himself some food. There were no sounds other then the TV's dialogue and the quiet rustle of N's cereal as he poured it in and stirred it. It wasn't until after N had finished his cereal and was washing the bowl that Bel arrived, a flushed look on her face from running.
"Ack, sorry for being late Black! I overslept and then you know stuff happened..." she trailed off, arms flailing about randomly.
"It's fine Bel, I expected as much." He gave her a small smile, trying to reassure it was alright.
"If you say so."
"Well I've got to get going, White's waiting for me, bye guys!" he gave a wave and left, clearly in a rush.
N glanced at Bel who noticed the gaze and glanced back sending him a warm smile.
"How are you doing N?" the way she asked the question made it seem like she already knew the answer.
"I'm fine." She stared at him, as if waiting for a different answer, the truthful answer. Still N said nothing, turning his gaze to the TV, which was giving some strange cartoon about ponies and babies with guns.
"N you dont have to lie to me, I know you're not fine" There was a strange glint in her eye as she spoke.
"I have no idea what you are talking about."
"How do you feel about Black asking White to be his valentine?" N froze; did she know something he didn't?
"I feel... I... I dont care about that." N knew his words didn't sound believable.
"Come on N, you dont have to lie to me!" she smiled, encouraging him to be honest.
"... I dont like it I guess... it makes me feel weird." He turned his to the side, blushing.
Bel smiled, a small squeal like sound escaping her lips. She reached out and grabbed both of N's hands pulling them towards her.
"Do you know what this feeling is N?" He shook his head.
"Do you?"
"Why of course I do N!" she smiled. Well she was already smiling, it was actually kind of unsettling now.
"Will you tell me?"
"First will you tell me what Valentine's Day is N?" She was clearly having fun with this.
"Valentine's Day is a day people spend with their 'special someone' isn't it?" his stomach turned as he remembered Black calling White his special someone.
"Yes, every February 14th people spend the day with those they love the most, or alone if they have had no such luck in finding said person. On occasion though, people spend the day with the wrong person, misinterpreting their feelings for something else." She looked towards the door as she said the last part, frowning slightly.
"February 14th? But that's tomorrow!" N exclaimed, glancing at the calendar that hangs from the wall for affirmation.
"You didn't know? Oh gosh, who has been giving you such incomplete information?" She giggled.
"Black."
"Well of course he'd forget the date, silly Black!" she giggled even louder clearly amused. "Well yeah, February 14th. Which, yes, is tomorrow."
"Oh that's cool, I guess..."
"I know right! So cool." she gazed off into the distance eyes glittery.
N looked at her, what were they talking about again?
She seemed to realize that they were clearly off track their initial conversation, her eyes widening, as she smiled sheepishly and blushed, and began getting the conversation back on track.
"Well anyways, back to what we were talking about." She rubbed the back of her head clearly embarrassed. "Do you know why you feel odd when you think of White being Black's Valentine?"
Again N shook his head.
"Would you like to describe to me what you feel?" She seemed slightly less interested in this question, as if she didn't really care for it or already knew the answer.
"Umm, it's this strange, odd feeling in the pit of my stomach. It kind of hurts though it's not really like painful... that didn't make much sense I apologize." He twiddled his thumbs feeling uncomfortable. "All I know is that every time I think of Black and White together I get this horrible feeling, I dont like it all, I feel sort of annoyed too..." he trailed off not really knowing how to continue.
"Well N this feeling is known as jealously!" Bel was practically bursting with glee at this point.
"Jealousy..." N looked at nowhere in particular, taking the word in. He had heard of the word before, it was a rather unbecoming emotion in N's opinion. It was, by definition, at least by one of its many, to feel resentful or bitter in rivalry; envious. How did that apply to him though?
"Because you are jealous of White you silly boy!" She giggled. Since N was older than her it made no sense to call him a silly boy, but he was being one now so it fit she guessed.
N blinked, slightly shocked he had spoken aloud and slightly shocked Bel had suggested he was jealous of White.
"Bel that is an utter lie, why would I be jealous of White?" She put her hand over her mouth, trying to contain her laughter.
"Because silly, you like Black!" she said in a way that made N feel slightly stupid. It was if she was shocked he didn't know.
"Well of course I like him, he is a wonderful friend." Bel resisted the urge to face palm.
"No, like-like. Like in the way a mother loves a father." Although N himself didn't personally experience the suggested example, he understood her point, but he didn't like Black like that... right? No he couldn't possibly, the strange feeling tugged at his stomach as he thought that.
"That's an even worse suggestion than me being jealous of White." She repeated her earlier actions, trying very hard not to laugh.
"Oh N, you really are silly."
N stared blankly at her.
"You like Black, whether you realize it or not. I dont think anyone other than me and White have noticed. You guys are all surprisingly dense when it comes to this."
N wasn't sure how to respond to that.
"I suppose, you'd confuse it for just plain friendliness, considering you have nothing to compare it to," she tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Haven't you noticed that you act differently around Black then the rest of us?"
Sure N had, he just assumed it was because he didn't like them all. Then again he liked Bel and he acted differently around Black than he did around her. He pondered the thought, but still. He couldn't like Black than anything more than a friend, wasn't it wrong?
"In case you're wondering, no it isn't wrong. Some people may think it is, but it's not. At least we'll be fine with it!" she smiled gleefully.
"But still! I dont like Black though, that just doesn't make sense!"Her smile remained as she looked at him with cheerful eyes.
"Well fine, remain in denial, I have to go find Cheren now, he needs help." She waved, leaving N behind, just staring. "And don't worry about Black getting annoyed by me leaving, it won't be a problem!" And with that she was gone, leaving a confused N behind.
He turned his attention back to the television staring at it, though not really paying attention to what was actually happening. He continued to think about what he and Bel had talked about.
He couldn't like Black... right?
~With Black~
Black gave White a sideways glance; she was eating the Castelia cone he had bought. They had finished their lunch a while ago and were now just sitting on a bench watching people pass by, laughing at the occasional odd looking and acting citizen.
She looked the same as normal, her same usual attire. Black sometimes wondered if she ever got cold in that outfit, but pushed the thought aside as it really didn't matter at the moment. He blushed slightly, she was just so pretty. Her eyes glanced at him, noticing his gaze and smiled.
"Something on your mind Black?" his blush deepened. Maybe now was a good chance to ask her?
"Uh, W-White, you know how tomorrow's Valentine's Day?" she nodded, eyes slightly sad, though Black took no notice of that. "W-well would y-you like to spend it w-w-with m-me?" His face was a darker shade of red than a tomato, only made worse by his idiotic stuttering. He glanced down at his Castelia cone taking small bites out of it trying to calm down.
"Black... I'm sorry but I just can't..." she turned away from him, unable to look at him in the eye.
"What! What do you mean you can't?" while his voice had raised, it was still pretty low.
"I'm sorry Black, I don't see you that way... you are like a brother to me." Black looked hurt, his head lowered as he munched on his Castelia cone again.
"Only a brother..." he echoed, voice somewhat empty.
"I'm so, so, so, sorry Black. Although, Black I don't think you like me in that way either..." Black looked enraged at the idea.
"Really now White! And just how do you know that? How could you possibly know what I feel?" he glared at her with shimmering eyes, glistening with unshed tears.
"Black no, please listen!"
"I'm sorry I'd really rather not White, or do you think I should stay, not that I really care." He glared at her a second longer before turning around running.
"BLACK WAIT!" she exclaimed, arm stretched out at him, but he continued running, not even sparing a glance back at her. And so there she was, left arm extended, a saddened expression on her face.
The people surrounding also stared after the young boy. They had heard nothing more than the girl's last exclamation, but considering the time, they pretty much knew what had occurred.
Young love, such a complex thing.
~At Their Place~
It was about 11:50p.m. now. N of course hadn't notice this, too lost in thought to notice that Black had yet to arrive, even though it had been hours since he left.
N was still staring at the television when Black walked, well ran, in. Though, again, he wasn't really watching it, just staring at the pretty changing pictures as he thought. He was pretty much certain about his feelings towards Black, yes almost 100% sure. It wasn't until the door slammed behind Black that N actually looked up.
He was shocked to see Black leaning against the wall, tears running freely down his face.
"B-Black, are you alright?" Black glanced at him eyes red and puffy from his tears. The answer was obvious, yet N still felt the need to ask. As was expected, Black shook his head, an obvious no.
"What happened?"
"S-she said no, N. Told me I was like a brother to her..." the tears continued to fall, but he seemed able to speak normally now.
N felt angry. How dare White make Black feel this way. Though he couldn't help but feel guilty, he felt slightly pleased at this development.
"She said I didn't even like her that way! Like she would know." He seemed annoyed by those words.
"...Maybe you didn't?" N wasn't sure what to say.
"Well if I didn't then explain my feelings!" Black looked so unsettled, so unlike his usual calm, somewhat apathetic self.
"Bel said we can sometimes confuse our feelings for something other than what they truly are." At the mention of Bel Black looked around for her, but seemingly didn't care when he found her to be absent.
He remained silent, thinking over N's, really Bel's, words. That could be a possibility... really he had never liked anyone else before so he had truly nothing to compare the feeling to. And really, other than the blushing, he really did act the same around White and his other friends. So Black admitted he probably never did like White, at least not in that way.
With that thought in mind he glanced over at N, who was hovering nervously over him, eyes filled with curiosity and worry. If there was anyone Black acted truly different around it was N. Just like N showed sides to him he showed no one else, Black did the same. There was no reason for it, it just happened. N brought out sides of him he didn't even know existed.
Black blinked, noticing N had at some point crouched down to get a closer look at him. He stared into those emerald coloured eyes, for the first time noticing how beautiful they were. They shined, his worry for him clearly showing through. Black found that he rather enjoyed knowing the other cared so much about him, it made him happy.
He lifted himself up slightly, never moving his gaze from N, and N also not moving his. He smiled slightly, lips curved up in an amused fashion. He closed his eyes and without a second thought pushed his lips to N's.
Since his eyes were closed he didn't see N's reaction, which consisted of his eyes growing wide before softening and closing as well.
'I guess I'm one hundred percent sure now. Bel was right, I do like Black, a lot.' N smiled in his mind, he wasn't sure he had been ever as happy as he currently was.
Black's arms slowly snaked around him before entrapping him in a warm, possessive hug. Something that N returned immediately.
Breaking the kiss for a second Black glanced over at the clock.
12:00 a.m.
"N, would you like to be my Valentine's?" He shot the older male a silly grin, knowing the question was rather pointless, but wanting to ask anyway.
"What about White?" N replied, the same grin on his face.
"Her? She's like a sister to me man, I could never think of her like that." Both snickered.
"Well if that's the case I think I'll accept your offer." They smiled a second longer and gave each other a brief kiss.
"We should head to our room. This floor isn't exactly the most comfortable thing, you know?" Black flashed N a mischievous smile, N merely blushed in response.
Standing up they dusted themselves off and Black led N to their room, closing the door behind them.
N was extremely happy. His first Valentine's and he had already found his 'special someone.' What more could someone ask?
Nothing, N knew. He decided that this would forever be his favourite holiday; nothing could ever surpass this day when it come to bringing happiness. N was so very sure.
Nat: My longest one-shot yet ^_^ I think I'm beginning to lose the ability to write short things, I wonder if that's good or not.
Anyways this is a Valentine's Day fic, inspired and written for my friend.
It will later be beta-ed by her, but she's not on and I want to get this shit up like now.
So you can thank her for it if you end up liking this xD
Also although I have read the manga and played the game, the names (as in the fact I switch between Japanese and English (also I use Black and White because I'm used to them, also Hilbert is a stupid name (apologies to anyone who's named that)... but yea stupid.).) is because I am an avid fan of the web-comic 'Black Adventures' so I got use to way they are called there. Anything from there that I might have used does not belong to me the rights go to author! Black
And on that note I dont own Pokémon either, those rights as well belong to their respectful owners.
On a side note them being named after colours is so annoying. I forget to capitalize them every once in awhile and word tells me my grammar is wrong, frustrating man.
So...
A merry valentine's Day to all!
And may all you single Pringles (such as I) enjoy your awesome 'forever-aloneness' it's so cool man =u=
Annnnnyways Bye-bye all you xD