My dear friend MajorelleSapphira had told me to do a one-shot for CS Day, so here it is!
Drew watched the waves crash into the stone port of Slateport as he leaned against a railing. It'd been years since they'd met on the exact spot. It was slightly breezy and the Grand Festival was going to be held in a number of days. He thought back to the time, he didn't think there was anyone else out there with much talent outside of people he'd already met and seen in the coordinating world. The combinations were getting dull and monotone. Some just wanted to be on TV, some wanted the pretty ribbons, and some were forced by parents that were previously famous.
He really didn't think he'd find someone as interesting as her. She was stupid, Arceus, was she a fulltime idiot wrapped in a klutzy stubborn gluttonous body. He found her at the beach, messing up what was known as one of the easiest performances he had ever performed. He tried it as a kid and he found it as easy as 1+1, but there she was that day, messing up. He wasn't sure what drew her to watch her terrible practice, but she did it with such a passion. Her elation toward the entire scene was insane. No one should be so happy that her Pokémon was almost getting such a simple trick.
Why he made contact with her on that day was still unknown to him. Solidad had mentioned once that he probably saw a little bit of him in her. That was a lie. He lost his first contest, sure, but Solidad was an exceptional coordinator. It was to be expected.
She, on the other hand looked like she hadn't even seen a contest. Much less, even been in one, and his instincts proved to be true. She was a complete novice, not that she was actually that bad, but Drew didn't expect her to be much either. She was in the range of beginner he predicted. From what he thought, he estimated her to be one of those ditz that wanted a pretty ribbon to tie on a stuffed animal or something. God, he was wrong.
After the first encounter, he'd met her more frequently. He really didn't think he'd see her again; after all you didn't need a collection of ribbons to decorate your items. From his knowledge, she wasn't related to any famous or skilled coordinators. He later did find out her father was a gym leader, but that didn't add up. Plus, she was too ecstatic about being in contests, there was no way it was a forced arrangement. Being on TV didn't seem like her reason, as she looked like she was ready to faint before entering the stage each time. That meant she truly, willingly wanted to be a coordinator for an actual reason.
The reason took a bit of time. To this day, he's still not a 100% sure about it, but her reason's probably that she loves coordinating. He had taken days, weeks, months, and even a year. He thought of complicated reasons, but those were his reasons. She was too simpleminded, that's when it had struck his head. She just loved it. It was a reason, a good one? Who knows? But it was one, one better than the ones he'd first thought she had.
Now, here he was, waiting for that same airhead. That same klutz. That same stubborn glutton. He let out a sarcastic chuckle, it was ironic. He arrived an hour early while she was probably stuffing her face, and just realizing she needed to meet up with him. She was already ten minutes late, just as expected. He wasn't sure what was so extraordinary about her; she looked like another average girl on the outside. She was even pretty average when it came to just about anything.
Maybe he was just overthinking it. After all, he worried that she wouldn't think at all, so he had to do it for her. When she traveled with her friends and brother, they had taken care of her, but after she decided to follow him to Johto. Oh Dialga, did she make mistakes. She wasn't able to cook, read maps, or even identify Pokémon even though her Pokedex had been with her at all times. Not to mention the countless times Harley had fooled her into doing ridiculous things.
He still had a very clear image of May in a Harley suit. Harley and Solidad figured it out right away, too. That he had fallen for the idiot and often teased them about it, but he always had a strong poker face while the latter would retort back in some manner. Drew sighed, half an hour late. What was that idiot doing?
Drew wasn't sure how it happened or when, but he quickly realized he kind of liked being in her presence. Though, he was pretty sure she was annoyed by his most of the time. The teasing was just that. He wasn't sure why she had such a negative reaction every time, but it was entertaining. He had tried it on Solidad once, but she replied, "Don't talk to me like you do to May."
He gave up talking to other girls like that afterward, not that he'd ever talked to anyone else like that. When in the presence of his fans, he didn't do anything interesting. He simply stayed silent and gave a monotonous face when the paparazzi flashed a myriad of photos. Making sure to keep a low profile was his priority when it came to the celebrity world, a world he couldn't care less about.
"May what are you doing?" She was almost forty minutes late. He was a patient man, but he wasn't about to wait an hour for her to eat an entire menu. Taking out a piece of cloth and poke ball, he polished it. Inside the ball was his prized Pokémon, Roserade. She figured it out, too. On the first day he met May, she later teased him about being infatuated with her. He had denied it at the time, even telling her that it was merely because she was a terrible coordinator and he needed to say something.
Roserade, or Roselia at the time had rolled her eyes. He wasn't sure why that day, but now, it was obvious why.
Were they dating? No. They were simply rivals and unless he planned on being reckless, it wasn't going to change. May would have to make the first move, but it was blatantly obvious she wasn't going to do that. On the other hand, she might not even like him that way. Did he mind, well, he was only sixteen. There wasn't any reason to try to rush her through it; she would eventually get the hint. Probably. She couldn't be that oblivious to all the roses he'd given her.
"Sorry I'm late. Someone recognized me," A voice jerked him out of his thoughts. He let out a snort.
"What?" she fumed angrily. Drew motioned toward her outfit. Her signature bandana-now a light blue-was tied onto her neck. She'd updated everything else about her look. She wore a matching light sky blue ribbon top with a white skirt that slightly ruffled on the end. Over her usual outfit was a long, black leather jacket that went down to her mid-skirt. The sleeves had a white collar on the end and white studs that lined along the middle of the coat, which she left unbuttoned. Along with the pocket on the sides were two white buttons that were for decorative use only.
Looking at her outfit, anyone could've recognized her. She wasn't disguised in any way. He wasn't either, but he made it a point to let the public aware that he wasn't going to reveal anything to them. He was too careful, but May. She let them know anything, even things about him. She was horrible at keeping secrets.
"Aren't you aware of what you're wearing?" May looked at her outfit, and then nodded.
"What about it? I already know I put this outfit on today." May squinted her eyes.
"You're not disguised."
"So? You're not either," she retorted starting the billionth argument they've had.
"Fair point, ready to see the stadium for the Grand Festival?" he said changing the subject, he didn't really want to start an argument next to the place they met, though, that's where they had their first one.
"Wait. I want to watch these pretty waves for a bit." May leaned over the railing with her hand gripped on the handle. Drew sighed, since they were already an hour late, why not be two? Together the two watched in a calming silence.
After a bit May finally broke it, "Drew?"
"Yeah?"
"Wasn't this the place I first met you?"
"Yeah," he replied with a slight annoyance. He'd had the entire memory, but she was just recalling it? He figured she would forget something like that, so he let it go. More silence followed after that, May used to be bothered by the silence when they first started travelling together, but she eventually realized that Drew was silent and didn't know what to say to people most the time, and so she left him as he was.
"I'm ready to go, but I'm coming back afterward. I want to see the sunset." They tore themselves from the railing and started walking. Drew stuck one of his hands in his pocket and he was about to put the other in, too, but May took it in hers. Keeping a blush at bay, he managed to raise his brow at her.
"Harley told me it was good luck to hold hands with someone before something important. That way you can get some of their confidence," May answered before he could ask.
"Whatever," Drew replied letting their hands stay connected as they walked to the stadium.
I thought this would be a nice ending. REVIEW! Happy Contestshipping Day!
~TDF~
