A/N: Thank you very much for clicking on this story, and merry Christmas to all of you! Hope you enjoy :)
This story is my Secret Santa present for reminiscent-afterthought. Merry Christmas Remi, and I wish you a very happy New Year!
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.
The Egg Cozy
Christmas music was playing, but it was barely audible over the loud talking from the many customers of the mall. Dawn was one of those many customers, all busy and stressed-out because of one simple reason.
Last-minute Christmas shopping.
Why did I even think that this would be easy? Dawn thought frustrated as she walked out of another shop where they didn't have it either. She just needed one more present, just one more…
An Egg Cozy.
Because only Ash could pick something ridiculous like that. The newest trend in Pokémon breeding. It was pretty much like a tea cozy… only for Eggs. And the more advanced ones also had heating.
And Dawn being Dawn, had wanted to make it extra special by making it herself. She was pretty good at sewing, after all. Just not very good at knitting. And that's an understatement.
Long story short, it had been a woolly disaster.
And that's why she had ended up doing last-minute Christmas shopping.
Ah, finally, she thought as she reached the last shop where they could possibly have an Egg Cozy. Her last hope.
As she walked into the shop, she was met by the sight of many empty shelves. Oh damn…
Pokémon supplies, Pokémon breeding supplies… she was in the right aisle at least. Dawn scanned the shelves, and then her eye fell upon what seemed to be a light-blue, deformed sack, but what the girl knew to be an Egg Cozy.
The last one.
I'm lucky, she thought with a grin as she walked towards it.
Of course, Dawn is never lucky.
Just when she placed her hand on the fabric, another hand was placed on it as well. With a feeling of dread settling in her stomach – someone else wanted her Egg Cozy – she followed the arm with her eyes to see what person was attached to it.
That feeling of dread in her stomach? Yeah, that was now just outright panic.
Because it was Paul. Paul.
No way he would let her have the Egg Cozy.
"I was here first," she immediately declared, tightening her grip on the Egg Cozy, "It's mine."
This caused him to narrow his eyes, and when Dawn tried to pull the Egg Cozy out of his hand, he didn't let go.
"We were both at the same time, and you know it," Paul said, trying to glare her down.
But Dawn wasn't that easily defeated as she bravely stared right back at him. "Well, in that case, it's still mine."
"And why exactly?"
"It's ladies first," she said, looking pleased with herself. "So it's mine."
"I don't see a lady anywhere," Paul replied, a slight smirk on his face.
"Hey!" Dawn exclaimed as Paul had used the opportunity to pull the Egg Cozy out of her hands and run away.
"You jerk!" she yelled, then took after him. "Get back here!"
Dawn wasn't fast enough though. Paul was faster though, and as he maneuvered through the many customers and shopping trolleys, he managed to put more and more distance between them.
"That's not fair!" she yelled, when she noticed he had to stop for the line at the cash register. Now I have him…
"I can't believe you," she hissed, tugging at his arm as she tried to get hold of the Egg Cozy. "Give me that thing!"
For a few moments, Paul tried to ignore her and her yelling as she pulled at his arm, trying to reach the Egg Cozy. But not even he was that good.
"Let me go!" he said, trying to push her away. "It's mine."
"You got it unfairly!"
"I was just smarter."
"Paul!" Dawn said, her voice getting even louder. "I need it!"
"Not my problem," he said simply, still keeping his calm. Dawn was now everything but calm though.
"You're unbelievable!" she yelled, not caring about what the surrounding people must be thinking.
"Yeah, you already said that," he said, still that smirk on his face.
He's enjoying this! Dawn thought angrily. He's freaking enjoying this!
"You're such a heartless jerk!"
"And you're-"
"Hey, you two!" a voice interrupted Paul in his insult, causing them both to look around them and realize that they had drawn quite a public with their fighting. Dawn blushed, and even Paul had the decency to look a bit embarrassed.
When the man in the crowd noticed he had their attention, he pointed to something hanging above their head with a big grin on his face. Whatever he had pointed out, it caused the other people around them to laugh too.
"Mistletoe!" the man yelled, and then wolf-whistled.
Simultaneously, Dawn and Paul looked up to see that dreaded piece of plant hanging there, then looked back at each other with wide eyes. Paul quickly replaced the shocked look on his face with his usual impassive mask, though there was still a blush lingering on his cheeks, while Dawn just turned completely red and stared down, shuffling awkwardly.
"Well…" Dawn wanted to say, but it came out as a high squeak.
Paul huffed, "Forget it girl, I'm not going to-"
"Kiss, kiss, kiss!" the crowd started chanting, shouting and clapping.
Dammit Ash, why did you want an Egg Cozy so bad? Dawn cursed him silently. What am I supposed to do now?
She still didn't dare to look at Paul, and was staring at his shoes. Slowly, her gaze travelled up and she noticed his tensed up body and how he was clenching and unclenching his fists. He doesn't want to kiss me…
Of course not, she reprimanded herself, this is Paul! He doesn't want to kiss anyone! Dawn looked up, and was about to offer him a way out – namely to ignore the audience and just leave – when she noticed the look in his eyes and forgot what she had wanted to say.
And then she couldn't say anything anymore, because he was kissing her. He. Was. Kissing. Her. Her. Paul. Kissing!
It was over too quickly to register anything other than shock. Paul was looking flustered, and she could feel her own cheeks burning as well. Her mouth was hanging open a bit, and there were so many thoughts buzzing in her head that she didn't hear the wolf-whistling and yelling from the audience.
Dawn didn't know what to do. She was just staring at Paul, frozen to the spot. And he was just staring back, not doing anything either.
"I…"
"Sir, it's your turn," the cashier suddenly said, breaking their daze. Paul turned around, and handed the woman the Egg Cozy.
Everything seemed to start moving again, but Dawn was still frozen to the spot, too shocked to move.
Leave, a voice inside of her whispered, leave, right now, run! Run!
But she didn't. She just couldn't. She only started moving when a warm hand around her wrist pulled her out of the line.
"You were blocking it for other people," Paul said gruffly, dropping her hand almost immediately.
Dawn opened her mouth to say, but nothing came out. Fortunately Paul did know what to say.
"Here," he said, as he forcefully shoved something in her hands.
"The Egg Cozy!" Dawn exclaimed happily as she realized what it was. "But…"
"I'll find something else for Reggie, you can have it," he responded with a shrug, trying to appear uncaring.
"That's so nice of you!" she said with a big grin on her face, and he cringed a bit at her loud enthusiasm.
"Wait," Dawn said as she rummaged through her bag, "let me get my money…"
"It's fine," he grunted, already stepping away from her and starting to leave. "It wasn't that expensive anyway…"
"You're giving it to me as a present?" Dawn asked incredulously.
Paul shuffled awkwardly, avoiding her eyes, and grunted something inaudible. A huge grin grew on her face as she pulled him in a hug.
"Hmph," he just said, standing stock-still while she squealed "Thank you" multiple times in his ear.
"Yeah, yeah," Paul said impatiently, pushing her away a bit. "Let me go already."
Dawn smiled brightly at him, finally releasing him. "Thank you."
"You said that already. Six times," he said, scowling a bit.
Paul shuffled a bit, opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, paused and closed it again. He coughed, opened his mouth and closed it, and then finally he forced out, "Er… Merry Christmas."
An even bigger grin threatened to split Dawn's face. "Merry Christmas to you too!"
Paul had already started to walk away, but he raised his hand in acknowledgement that he had heard her.
Still smiling, Dawn looked down at the Egg Cozy in her hands, stroking the fabric.
Too bad Ash, you're not getting this anymore. It's mine now…
A/N: Thank you for reading this, reviews are appreciated, and I hope you liked it. Especially you Remi :) Again, merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
Thanks again!