A little one-shot fluff story to try getting back into the writing scene! Soulfulheartshipping is one of my top Pokemon ships, so I just had to write about it. That, and I haven't seen ship stories of Lyra interacting with USUM Red, so dangit, I made it happen with my own two hands. xD I hope you all enjoy the story!
The Alola region: Lyra had heard about it many times on TV, on the internet, and even through people she knew that had went there before. The place attracts all kinds of tourists from different regions for its big cities, plentiful beaches, great food, and for trainers: the special kind of Pokemon that regional variants you wouldn't find anywhere else...Alola was a region truly deserving of place and popularity.
The Johto Champion had always been so busy with fighting trainers, defending her title at the League, dealing with a lot of people trying to talk to her or even get her autograph...so one day she had decided: why not go to Alola and stay there for a few weeks to just relax herself like she deserves to?
Hence why currently, the young adult, still wearing her puffy white hat, but Alolan attire like a floral print tanktop and puffy bright red capris with sandals. One week had passed so far since she arrived in Alola and she was loving it far, far more than she originally anticipated.
"Ahh, the sunlight and fresh breeze rains down 'pon meeee! " She cheers in a singsong voice, her Meganium walking alongside her and gives a happy yelp in response. Giggling, she patted his head. "Such a silly dork, you are. It's too bad Ethan and Silver couldn't come with me and their Feraligatr and Thyphlosion: just imagine the chaos of all of us vacationing together, hah hah! Though...~"
She did hear that her old buddies, Blue and Red, were also in Alola. It had been quite a long while since she's seen them. She wonders if they're also staying at one of the hotels in Heahea City like she is, specifically Tide Song Hotel. She especially wonders about...Red.
Lyra admits, since around the first time she met Red, she had a little crush on him; or at least, she thought it was a little crush. She was surprised that she and the silent boy had even became close friends overtime, but she certainly wasn't complaining. She wouldn't know what to do if she saw him: even if it had been a long time, it still didn't change the fact she was crushing hard on him.
"...I wonder if Red and Blue really are here. Heck, I'm surprised Blue was even able to convince Red to come down that mountain and vacation here in Alola with him: right, Meganium?"
"Mmmm?" He gave a curious headtilt: from the conversations he had with some of Red's Pokemon, he gathered Red was much more the introverted type; but even legendary trainers need to let loose once in a while, he guesses.
Trying not to let the man invade her mind too much right now, as indicated by the light blush on her cheeks thinking about him, Lyra was heading back to the hotel she was staying in so that she and Meganium could sit in the lobby and snack on some malasadas. She could also do so her back in her hotel room, but they were going to head right back out after they were done, hence why she decided to take a sofa in the lobby and pull up a table.
She takes out two big malasadas: one for herself and one for Meganium. Her Meganium being a relaxed nature, she bought him a sour malasada since it is his favorite, while she got herself a sweet malasada. "Leeet's eat!" Chirps the exciteable young woman as she takes a bite into her malasada. "Mmm! Good as always! How about you, Mega?"
"Mmmgghh!" He gives a mumbled 'mmm' to indicate his was delicious as well. Giggling, she continues to enjoy hers slowly to savor the moment and in general: just to spend this relaxing time with Pokemon.
Though maybe she was too relaxed right now, because one second she's about to take a bite into her malasada: and the next, she sees a certain someone who was leaning over her shoulder and takes a big bite out of her malasada. "I'll take that!"
"?!" She nearly jumps in surprise before looking up at the culprit: she knew that cocky voice from anywhere. "Oh...!" And there stood before her was her friend Blue.
Swallowing the piece, he places his sunglasses on his head to get a better look of his friend. "Well if it isn't Lyra! What's up!"
"Blue!" She didn't even care about the fact he took a big bite out her treat. A wide smile plastering on her face, she gets up and hugs him, laughing. "Yo, yourself! Feels like it's been years!" Chuckling, he happily returns the hug to his close friend.
"I know, right? Me and Red had been traveling around, battling each other and together. We came here not too long ago. You and Meganium staying in this hotel, too?"
"Yep! I didn't know you two were staying at Tide Song, too! You'll have to let me see y'all room." Now when she thinks about it... "...Where is Red?" She asks, breaking out of the hug. "Is he not here with you?"
"Huh?" A confused raise of the brow, he swore Red should have been standing right next to him. Then again, Blue did sprint over to where Lyra was. "Oh, he's still back there." Turning head back, he calls out: "Oiii! Get your slow ass over here: guess who's here!"
Blue steps to the side once Red makes his way over there. Lyra was going to speak... but: those thoughts about her crush earlier? As soon as she saw him, those thoughts came crashing back like a waterfall. Red to her had always been cute, but now: he was just full on attractive. He was always noticeably taller than her, but he towered over her even more. He must have been working out, because the man definitely had some buffness to him. And in general, his overall appearence was just...she almost wanted to pull her hat over her face because she was certain she was blushing even just a little.
"..."
"..."
She didn't say anything; Red, as always: didn't say anything; and Blue- "...?" He just looks at the two confused before hanging his head low and shaking it, sighing. "Come on, man: I know you're the quiet type, but this is Lyra for pete's sake!" He just looks to Lyra and shrugs. "As you can see, he didn't change at all."
"...!" Snapping out of it, she turns head to Blue, chuckling. "Heh! I could say the same for you, too." Then she looks towards Red and steps closer to also give him a tight hug. "Hey there, big guy! I missed you, too!"
"...!" The sudden hug caught him by surprise. Normally he wouldn't let others be phsyically affectionate with him like this: but Lyra is different, so she can get away with it. In fact, after a few seconds, he returns the hug just as tightly, getting a giggle in return.
It had been a couple of years, but it seems like Lyra hasn't changed a bit: she was still her cheery, happy, bubbly self. And Red was happy to see that was still the case. It just made her all the more adorable, all the more fun to be around... and makes him fall for her harder than he already was. "..." Red was sometimes grateful he was much better at hiding certain expressions to hit his face, because he'd surely be blushing right now if he couldn't.
"Anyways, we came back here to relax for a bit after doing some battles at the Battle Tree, so we're-"
Red suddenly shaking his head at Blue made him stop mid-sentence. He was indicating that he was going to stay down here for a little longer. Getting the memo, Blue gives a shrug and starts walking off. "Well then I'll go on ahead and nap or something. It was nice seeing ya again, Lyra! We'll catch up some more later tonight." And gives a wave of the hand.
"Okay! Yeah, we'll do that!" She waves back at him until he disappeared into the elevator to head back into his room; now it was just her, Red, and Meganium; though Meganium was actually chilling with a Starmie in the lobby a little further away.
Lyra sat back down on the couch so she could go back to eating her malasada and chat with Red, who was still just standing there. "..."
"Pffftt, come on, don't just stand the whole time: sit, sit!" She insists, patting the spot on the couch next to her. After a second, he gives a nod and sits down next to her. ("We're almost touching shoulders...") Or rather, her shoulder almost touching his arm due to their 7 inch height difference of her being 5'03" and him being 5'10". She had a feeling it was going to be a little nerve-wrecking sitting next to the person she likes very much: but even this social butterfly didn't know what to possibly talk about.
"S-So, uhh...!" Fingers somewhat anxiously gripping the malasada in her hands, she looks up at him. He looks right at her with that unwavering expressionless look on his face. She can't tell if it's curiosity or boredom behind those brown eyes of his; she's hoping it's the former. Either way, just even looking at him made her heart skip a beat. ("God, he's so gorgeous. I don't know if I can handle this...")
"A-Anyways!" She suddenly yelps out as if she even said anything preceding the sentence in the first place.
"?" He raises an eyebrow: she's acting very strange. She is not nervous, is she, he wonders? He sometimes did have the unintentional ability to intimidate others with his stare. But this was Lyra: even she couldn't feel intimidated by him, right? If so, he admits: it would hurt his heart a little.
"Has Alola...been fun for you so far?" He gives a nod. "And...have you seen those Alolan Exeggcutors?! They're so huuuge!" He gives another nod. "...S-So how about these malasadas! They're sooo good! Which kind is your favorite?" He just shrugs in response. "..." Now she was really getting nervous: she's not surprised he isn't talking, but was he interested in this conversation? Or was he just nodding along and not really caring about this conversation?
("Lyra, get it together! You're acting like this is the first time you've met him or something! Say something interesting, dangiiit!") Looking down at her lap, she gives a low whine of frustration that she hopes he did not hear.
Oh, but he did. He knows how she would always make that whine when she was anxious or worried about something. And while it probably should have worried him a little, it gives quite an opposite reaction. "...Cute."
"!" Blinking, Lyra raises her head to look back up at him. "...H-Huh?"
"...When you whine like that...it's cute." He repeats again in his soft, quite tone with a tiny smile tugging at his lips.
"!" If she wasn't blushing now: she certainly was red as a strawberry, now, giving little meeps. Not only did he just basically call her cute, but he smiled. If there's one thing she should have remembered about Red: the few things that amuses him is definitely him teasing her in his own little way. "U-Uuhh, uhhh! N-No teasing me, you!" A playful pout on her face, she starts quickly digging into her malasada to try calming herself down.
This entire little display was just too adorable-and funny-to Red. How so much cuteness could be contained in one girl, he will never know. While watching her eat, he could see some crumbs around her mouth due to her eating so fast. "..." The teasing wasn't done just yet.
"...!" She stops eating when he suddenly cups one of her wrists, indicating her to stop eating for a second. "?" A tilt of the head, she lowered the malasada from her mouth to look up at him. "Yeah?"
He points to her mouth. "Oh: crumbs on my mouth, isn't it? Heh heh, thanks. Let me get out my nap..." And before she can finish that word, the tall man's already hovering his face towards her. Slowly, he glides his tongue over the crumbs that were on her cheek before he would eventually move his head back. She freezes: she practically feel his breath brushing against her cheek. The feel of his warm tongue licking the crumbs of her face so slowly, along with the low moan that emitted from his mouth as he did so...the hand that was going to be reaching in her face bag froze along with her. "...kin."
If this was a cartoon, steam would probably be blowing out her ears right now from how red she was. A twitchy hand moves from going inside her bag and back to gripping her malasada. She's going to explode: she definitely feels if he keeps teasing her like this, she is going to explode. "...Th...Th-Thank you for ah...taking c-care of the cr-crumbs." Goodness, she hops no one saw that.
But even with all the teasing, she really is enjoying this time with him. Maybe he really was also enjoying his time with her, too. Maybe, she feels...that him liking her back is not too far out the field of possibilities. After she, once again, finds herself calming down again, she begins speaking. "I admit...I really did miss you, Red. Blue, too, of course, but you knew that." She chuckles lightly before continuing. "I was really surprised when I heard that you had left the mountain to travel to another region. I know you're always a call away, but with me being Johto champ and all, well: you know how easy that wouldn't had been, hah. I still had Ethan and Silver hanging out with me, so it wasn't as if I was too lonely. But still, I have to admit it's not as fun when you and Blue aren't chilling with us, too."
"So to see you both here again, especially you...I couldn't be happier. That's why I probably seemed so nervous talking to you: I'm just so happy to be able to talk to you again like this!" She looks back up at him and gives him a bright smile.
"..." Red was always one who could hide his mild anger, fear, sadness, embarassment, etc. behind a quiet, dull-seeming face. But this time: that was not the case. A slight red blush forms on his cheeks, along with a drop of sweat trailing down his cheek. She couldn't be happier, she says: she couldn't be happier to speak to him again.
His heart was racing. Her heart was racing. Just three simple words, Lyra thought. Just three simple, but very powerful words to truly express to him how she feels. It was now or never she thought. Heart pounding, she puts her food down on the table and looks back up at him. "...And you want to know another reason why I'm so happy to see you again? Because I ah..." She wants to look away from how flustered she's getting, but she forces herself to keep looking at him. "I-I...I lo-"
"I love you."
"!" While she was stuttering left and right to even speak the first word: Red said it without hesitation. Her eyes widened, mouth agape in surprise. "Y...You do...?" She asks in a near whisper. He confirms it again with a nod and the small smile on his face increasing just a tad more. The softness behind those brown eyes of his: it was a look only Lyra could ever be wiling to see for herself.
"R-Red...!" To say how happy she became in that moment was an understatement. No words could describe how overjoyed she felt right now. Before she knew it, she practically glomped him down onto the couch, the man giving a surprised blink in reaction. Arms tightly wrapped his waist, she buried her face into his chest. "Hehee, I-I'm so happy, I almost want to cry! I wasn't sure you'd feel the same way, so to hear you tell me you love me...i-it makes me so happy, you don't understand!"
She knew they probably must have looked silly to whoever may have glanced in their direction. Meganium himself couldn't help but smile widely, snickering to the Starmie he was talking to: he felt so happy for her.
The smile on his face doesn't falter as he tightly wraps his arms around her in return. After a minute, however, she gets off of him so that he can sit back up. Her small hand is cupped in his bigger, but warm one as they sit even closer together. "Now back to what I was going to say: I-I...I love you, too, Red. For a long time, I have, actually. So...i-if I could be your girlfriend, that would make me really happy!"
Of course, she knew what the answer was going to be, but she still couldn't help but ask. Words were not needed to convey that answer. His other hand raising to rest on her cheek, he leans in closer. Eyes closing, his lips gently press against hers, cheeks burning a slightly deeper red. He cannot even describe how much he has wanted to kiss her. After he reluctantly breaks the kiss, he sneaks a second quicker one on her cheek before moving his head back. He throws one of his arms around her shoulder and she rests her head against his head, eyes closed in content.
She could stay like this for hours if she could. He could also do the same.