Author's Note:

Hello again, all! Well, it took me a good half a year, but I finally finished my multi-chaptered (nine chapters, to be precise) Rocketshipping fanfic. Despite having spent so much time on this, I'm not quite sure how to describe it. "Smutty rom-com", "porn with plot and character introspection", and "comedy of errors with explicit sex scenes and a few somber moments and did I mention the sex scenes" are the best I can do. It starts off right where my previous rocketshipping fic "Mutual" ended, although I don't think you necessarily need to read that one to read this one (although if you like rocketshipping, which I assume you do since you clicked on this fic, you might as well read it anyway lol).

It has been a long time since I've churned out a multi-chaptered fanfic like this—over six years, in fact. It definitely took longer and was more of a challenge to complete this one than others in the past, but more than anything I'm just glad to discover that I still can do it at all, even with the added responsibilities that come with having a full-time job and two kids. I'm not going to promise anything earth-shattering here, but I did have fun writing this one, and I hope that comes through in the finished product.

I will get a new chapter posted every few days or so, when I'm able to. I also fully intend to respond to all signed-in reviews, but it may take a few days, as I am pretty busy (see above re: job and kids). If it does take me awhile to respond, or if I neglect to entirely, please don't take it personally! I'm very grateful to everyone who takes the time to leave me a comment and let me know what you think. So in advance: thank you!

Enough rambling; on with the fic! I hope you enjoy! :)

Nestled in a far-off corner of Kalos, overlooking the coast, was the resort town Vigroux City. With its biggest industry being tourism, the town seemed to have more visitors than residents at any given moment. Spas, golf courses, and shopping boutiques nearly crowded out any other, more mundane businesses. And, on the coastline, lines of resort hotels in varying degrees of glamor stretched the entire length of the town.

The biggest and grandest of these hotels, Ocean Paradise, was on this beautiful day teeming with people—mostly hopeful young girls. The hotel's many conference rooms and its close proximity to an outdoor amphitheater made it the perfect host for a Pokémon showcase. The performers milled around a booth just outside the front door, registering for the very quickly upcoming Vigroux City Showcase, the excited twittering of their voices filling the coastal air.

And the sunny sound was sliced into rather jarringly by the clattering thuds of feet scrambling up the street.

"WE'RE GOING TO BE LATE!" Jessie—or Jessilee, rather, her hair pulled back and her body poured into her maroon cocktail dress—frantically raced towards the registration booth, high heels clicking wildly against the concrete, with only her Wobbuffet able to even somewhat keep pace with her.

Trailing far behind them, James and Meowth panted and heaved, having been run ragged ever since Jessie had woken up later than usual that day with a shriek of realization of how squeezed for time she'd be to secure a spot in the competition. "I'm gonna pass out!" Meowth snapped back in between gasps of breath.

The crowd of performers all turned to gape at the bizarre spectacle as Jessie nearly skidded into the booth. Only slightly out of breath, she quickly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear before saying as cheerfully as possible, "Hello! I'm Jessilee and I'd like to register for the Pokémon Showcase, please!"

The registrar behind the booth gave a wry exhale before scribbling down on the last line of her sheet. "And that's fifteen, and we're officially full and registration is closed. Congratulations, Jessilee, and welcome aboard."

"Fantastic!" Jessie laughed gleefully, throwing her arms in the air, not even noticing Wobbuffet barreling into her, unable to stop his forward momentum.

"Wobba…" he muttered before collapsing on the ground.

James and Meowth hadn't even made it that far, having stopped a good twenty yards away to lean over and attempt to catch their breath. "This… this was her own stupid fault… for sleepin' in in the foist place!" Meowth managed to shoot a sneaky glance towards James. "Someone kept her up way too late last night!"

Gasping for breath himself, James still blushed, even while on the defensive. "It wasn't like that… no matter what… you'd like to think…"

Jessie interrupted Meowth from making yet another snarky remark, to James's utter relief. "Just in time!" she exclaimed happily, gliding her way back to her overtaken teammates effortlessly. "And you thought I wouldn't make it!"

"No, I thought we wouldn't make it," James gasped.

"I'm not so sure that we did," Meowth said with great effort.

"Quit lying around," Jessie huffed dismissively. "We've got to check into the hotel."

James and Meowth looked at each other in confusion, then directed those looks back to Jessie.

"Didn't I tell you?" Jessie laughed. "All contestants and their parties get to stay here at the Ocean Paradise free of charge during the festivities. Once we've paid the admittance fee."

"That's hardly free," James pointed out grumpily.

"It's not that much, considering," Jessie shot back. "And I'll more than make it up with the prize money when I win."

"If you win."

Jessie glared at James.

He gulped nervously. "I mean, yes dear, of course, when you win."

"Heck, I don't care," Meowth said wearily, "as long as I've got a place to put up my feet and get some R and R."

"And you'll get it!" Jessie's excitement had returned. "From my understanding, in fact, we're free to use all of the amenities as we wish. The pool, the spa, the continental breakfast… all of it's included!"

James and Meowth finally began to brighten to begin to match Jessie's enthusiasm. "Can't argue with free food!" Meowth exclaimed.

"After a day like today I could use a nice relaxing spa treatment," James admitted wistfully.

"Well then, get off your sorry behinds and let's get checked in!" Jessie demanded.

James and Meowth did, apparently, have be told twice, but they didn'thave to be told three times.

"Welcome to Ocean Paradise!" the clerk at the front desk greeted with a smile. "Are you here for the Pokémon showcase?"

What a silly question, Jessie thought to herself. Why else would such a fabulously dressed woman with an air of grace and poise such as hers be here mere days before a showcase? "Isn't it obvious?" she said with a confident smile.

"Well, we're very pleased to have you. Please take advantage of all of our amenities, including our Pokémon lodges."

"Pokémon lodges?"

"We offer a separate space for Pokémon tailored to their comfort," the receptionist explained. "We're aware that our guests wish to experience all our resort has to offer without worrying if their Pokémon are being well cared for. If you choose to send them there, they can stay for as long or as little as you'd like. And as you're here for the showcase, we'll have them well rested and fed for you tomorrow morning so they're all ready to go for rehearsals."

Jessie turned to Meowth. "Well? What do you think?"

Meowth, intrigued, leapt up onto the desk to address the receptionist directly. "Do the Pokémon there get the same amount of pamperin' that the humans do here?"

The receptionist looked taken aback from the spectacle of a talking Pokémon for only a second or two. "Yes, most certainly. Most Pokémon are a bit reluctant to return to their trainers afterwards, as a matter of fact."

Meowth grinned. "I'm likin' the sound of this!" He spun his head around to address Wobbuffet, who was attempting to pull himself up onto the desk to better get a handle on things himself. "Might be nice to get some poissonalized attention for a change, huh?"

"Wobba-wobba-wobba!" Wobbuffet sounded as receptive to the idea as Meowth.

Jessie retrieved her other Pokéball. "We'll see if Gourgeist would like to join… what about my partner's Pokémon?" she asked the receptionist, gesturing towards James. "He only has the one."

"Not a problem. These amenities are offered to all performers and their traveling companions, and all of their Pokémon."

"Inkay may appreciate the offer as well," James said, pulling out his Pokéball and releasing Inkay. "What do you say, Inkay? Would you like to stay at a special Pokémon lodge for a few days?"

"With pampering especially tailored to your needs?" Jessie asked her Gourgeist, who had also just been let out.

"No cares in the woild, plenty of rest and relaxation, our every need catered to…" Meowth was reading from a pamphlet regarding the program that was on the desk, the smile on his face growing wider and wider.

"Wobbuffet!" Wobbuffet exclaimed jubilantly.

Gourgeist and Inkay looked at each other for a second before smiling broadly. "Gourgeist!" Gourgeist said enthusiastically.

"In-kay!" Inkay agreed.

"It's settled then!" smiled the receptionist. "Your Pokémon can go right now if they'd like, to get acquainted with the place."

"Would we ever!" Meowth said eagerly, the other three Pokémon exclaiming their agreement with him simultaneously.

"Wonderful!" said the desk clerk. She pushed a button on the edge of desk and summoned a bellhop. "Please take these four to the Pokémon lodge straight away."

"I'll be retrieving you bright and early tomorrow morning!" Jessie called to them as they were being escorted away.

"Hopefully not too early!" Meowth winked back at her before he and the other Pokémon were whisked out of sight.

"Now let's get the two of you checked into a room…" The receptionist looked up at Jessie and James. "Will you be needing one bed or two?"

The two looked at each other, color rising to both their faces.

"One," they answered in unison.

The receptionist typed away for a few seconds before producing two room keys. "Here you are. Room 901. The elevator is straight down the hallway to your right. Oh, and here's the schedule of events for the Pokémon showcase." She handed Jessie a sheet of paper decorated with a fancy font.

Jessie only had to take one quick look at the sheet before nearly screeching in alarm. "There's a meeting for all performers in only five minutes?! COME ON!" She grabbed James by the wrist and yanked him away from the desk, barreling down the hallway.

"Oh no, not again!" James whimpered.

Jessie nearly zipped right past the elevator, screeching to a halt right before she'd passed it. "You'll have to get everything unpacked and settled in." She handed the one handbag she was carrying to James, who had already been lugging the rest of their belongings himself anyway.

He took it without complaining. "Do you know when you'll be finished?"

Jessie peered down at the schedule. "No." She glanced back up, instantly meeting the disappointed expression he was trying and failing to hide from her, an expression that she was sure she was matching. The meeting couldn't take long, but she felt as if she'd been waiting a thousand years already.

Oh, just look how badly he wants me. Jessie felt like there were a hundred butterfree in her stomach.

"Wait for me in the room," she said gently. "I'll join you as soon as I'm able."

He smiled at her. "I'll be right there, dear."

He could be so sweet, and more often than she previously realized. Even just being there next to him in this quiet moment filled her up with a warm, giddy feeling that she'd never known she could feel before. And she desperately wanted him to fill her up with something else. It was almost impossible to understand how someone she'd known for so long could awaken such strong feelings, both tender and fiercely passionate, at the same time no less… but at the moment she didn't really give a damn about understanding.

They both leaned in at the same time, a kiss that should have been somewhat chaste, but Jessie's lips still parted more than they should have. And much to her delight, she could feel James beginning to surrender to her hunger, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer to him…

-but then suddenly pulling away from her with an erratic jerk. "Your meeting-!"

"Oh shit!" Jessie shrieked, shooting out of his arms and tearing down the corridor once more.

Funny, she was normally far more focused than this…

James had memorized every inch of the cozy, intimate room five times over.

He had read the guest services booklet in the desk drawer—thrice. He had found all of the extra pillows and blankets stored in the closet. He had flipped through all of the channels on the television. He had even alphabetized the shampoo samples in the bathroom.

And, as the afternoon dipped into evening, he sat on the small balcony, watching the sunset over the ocean and allowing himself to munch on a granola bar, his hunger finally strong enough to edge out his anxious anticipation.

The sun was setting already? How many hours had Jessie been gone? James's stomach was certainly claiming a ridiculously high number. He had wanted to wait for Jessie so they could eat together. Or at least so he could order room service shortly before her arrival to make sure her food was warm and waiting for her. Was she getting fed at whatever it was she was doing?

He had actually wanted to do a lot more than eat… take a nap, for one… or run a bath and unwind there for an hour or so, relaxing baths being a privilege he was rarely privy to nowadays. But without knowing if Jessie's return would be in two hours or two minutes, he couldn't let himself get anything substantial started up. When Jessie returned, he was going to be ready for her.

Except he wasn't quite ready. In fact, inside he was panicking.

Anyone with half a brain could tell exactly what Jessie wanted from him—and that wasn't the problem, for James wanted it just as much as she did. But all the desire in the world couldn't make up for the fact that he had no inkling of how to give Jessie exactly what she wanted. She was a very high-maintenance individual, harboring ridiculously high expectations regarding any given situation and turning vicious if they weren't met exactly. Her wrath was definitely a concern, and the knowledge that it would most likely flare up if James fumbled something up was far from absent in his worries. But, more than that, James just wanted to make Jessie happy for her own sake. And in that regard he seemed to be very hit-and-miss, even in areas of relative expertise.

And sex was definitely not one of those areas.

Calm down, he reasoned with himself, once again standing up to pace the length of the hotel room, closing the balcony door behind him. Just do what feels natural. She seemed to have no complaints last night. He blushed at the memory, but also felt a jolt of excitement surge through his body. No complaints from me, either.

The room was growing dark as the sun's light from the window grew dimmer, so James flipped on a light before flopping down on the bed, trying to collect himself. Everything will be fine! She understands that I'm inexperienced. Why, she just told me that she is too! We'll figure this out together. She wants this with me… she said so herself…

James felt a warm, dopey grin break across his face. Whatever it was that had come over him the past few weeks had come over her as well. She had fallen for him. She had said that the two of them together felt right. Despite every previous indication that she never even considered him as a candidate for her romantic fantasies, despite her fierce ultimatum that it could never be him… she still had chosen to take this step. With him. And asserting that James's newly realized affections so brazenly exposed to her… were mutual…

In all honesty, and with the way this day had started and seemed to be progressing, he had been growing more and more convinced it had all been a dream… that is, before Jessie had embraced him in front of the elevator.

He sighed in impatience. How the hell long was this meeting of hers going to last, anyway?

The click of a key turning the lock rather abruptly answered his question. James leapt to his feet, a thousand happy waves crashing over him as he took in the only person in the world he wanted to see. "Jessie!"

Jessie was like a bullet. The door had hardly been clicked shut and deadbolted a second before she was on him, lips on lips, body against body, pinning him to the wall. A half a second more and James's arms were wrapped around her back, returning her fervor as best he could.

She pulled away with a lidded look that would have caused James's knees to fail to hold him upright if not for Jessie's hold on him and the wall's unfaltering support. "I have been waiting all day for this," she growled sensually, not even giving James time to respond before enveloping him in another urgent kiss. He could barely even react; all his mind and body wanted to do was surrender to her demands. One of her hands tore through his hair and roughly undid the ponytail that he'd forgotten to undo himself earlier. Her lips were possessively claiming him all the while.

James's greatest inclination was to gladly succumb to her lead, but it was prevented from being his only thought process by the nagging realization that he should be, at least to some level, reciprocating the physical attention.

Awkwardly, he fumbled through her hair, not sure how to undo her bun or even where to begin. Jessie pulled back from James just an inch or so to pause, give him a good-natured look of impatience, and raise her hands to join his, guiding them to all of the clips and bobby pins. The gentleness of her touch was in stark contrast to her previous ardor, but it still seemed to weaken James's knees even more.

Enough pins were now out so that long strands of hair were tumbling out of place and down Jessie's back. She still was smiling her seductive, mildly exasperated smirk, but the most miniscule of twitches rippled her shoulders and left eyebrow. To anyone else it would have been inconsequential (if it was even noticed at all), but James knew her well enough to not only notice it, but to know the cause.

High-maintenance indeed… Jessie was so fussy when it came to her hair. It always had to be up and styled out of her face with not one stray hair in sight, and god help anyone caught between her and a bad hair day. The gesture betraying that incredibly slight hesitation was gone as quickly as it had appeared, but the lingering image of it caused James to muse, now more than ever, how absurd her distress regarding her hair was. She looked amazing either way, hair up or down.

And so, realizing with a start that this was something upon which he could (and wanted to) take the initiative, he smoothed out the last loose strands of her hair and told her, tenderly and sincerely, "You're beautiful."

"Of course I am," Jessie responded confidently, but the blush on her cheeks revealed her true gratitude.

This time, James pulled Jessie in for the kiss, but Jessie was quick to respond. She leaned back in, holding him against the wall again with her mouth much more than her hands, which were stroking the length of his torso and unbuttoning his shirt. "Tell me you love me," she said in a throaty growl between kisses.

James blinked, almost too distracted by the actions of her hands and mouth to realize what she'd just requested of him. "You know I d—"

"I want to hear you say it." She moved her hands back to his hair, tangling themselves in his tussled locks as her own hair framed her face and her lidded, yearning eyes. "Tell me."

There was no resisting those eyes, that face, that voice, and they drew the truth out of James like a combee drawing out honey. "I love you," he gasped out in sweet, superlative submission.

"Damn straight," Jessie growled possessively, her lips back on his as she yanked his shirt off. Wanting to help her with this task as much as possible, he hastily tugged the rest of his clothes off himself, pulling away from her only as much as absolutely necessary to do so. Jessie gave pause for just a moment before, with a grin, shimmying out of her dress and pulling her shoes off.

The majority of their clothes now in a pile at their feet, Jessie pressed close to James again, linking her hands around his shoulders, but stopping just short of their lips meeting again. "You get to take the rest off."

Jessie's nearly naked body already pressed against him should have made the prospect of removing the few clothes that were left small potatoes, but her bra made James lock up like an overloaded computer. It was rather skimpy as far as bras went, but the bra wasn't where his focus was at all. Her breasts. Her cleavage. Dear lord this bra wasn't covering that much.

"You sure are taking your sweet time." Jessie's voice was a ticking time bomb.

"Can't I enjoy them for a minute?" James protested.

"When the bra's off, you can enjoy them all you like. I insist." She planted a soft, sensual kiss on his lips. "Now quit your stalling and get to it."

James's hands fumbled on the straps, unsurely sliding them down her arms. This was how bras came off, right?

Jessie rolled her eyes. "Honestly, James…" She grabbed his hands again and brought them to her back, placing them on the clasps.

"Oh… here?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

"…what are you waiting for?"

"…what am I supposed to—"

"Unhook it, you idiot!"

James's fingers were uncharacteristically clumsy as they worked with the stubborn clasps. "Be fair, Jessie, the rest of you is terribly distracting." Suddenly his fingers broke away from the clasps, now released.

Jessie smirked. "In that case, I suppose I can forgive you."

She didn't have to instruct James on his next step. Grasping the straps he had previously mishandled, he again slid them down her arms, but this time (and with the aid of Jessie holding her arms out in front of her) the garment slid off easily.

Oh merciful heavens, her nipples were perfect.

But he barely got to look at them for a second before Jessie squeezed against him again. "It's not fair that you're completely naked and I'm still not there yet," she breathed into his ear, reaching down and stroking his firmly erect penis for good measure.

Getting the hint, he forced his hands down to her hips despite desperately longing to touch her breasts and, with a firm yank, pulled down the last bit of her clothing. "Give me some time to take this all in," he said, coming out more like a beg than he'd intended.

Jessie laughed as she slid her panties down her legs and kicked them off. "I told you, I've been waiting for this all day. I'm not waiting any longer." She touched her lips to his again, one hand still lightly grasping his cock. "Touch my breasts," she whispered against his mouth, lips fluttering against his with every word. "Touch me. Everywhere."

James moaned. "Dammit, Jessie," he whimpered, "you know you can just ask me and I'll do it… you don't have to seduce me…"

"Oh yes I do." She grinned. "This is fun." She pressed her lips against his more fully this time, her tongue ferociously parting his lips, as she ground her hips against him, causing his cock to rub against her thighs. James was so overcome with desire that he only barely remembered to follow her orders. One hand cupped a breast and rolled the nipple back and forth with his thumb, the other hand too busy gripping Jessie's waist to do anything else.

Much to James's delight, Jessie voiced her pleasure as well, although hers was much more urgent. Hungrily, she deepened the kiss, yanking James away from the wall and pushing him down onto the bed. He fell without her, but she crawled on top of him hastily, as if it pained her to be separated from him even for a moment. It was still enough of a pause for him to finally take her all in, at least as much as he could with how enraptured he was by her fierceness.

She was… beautiful. Terrifyingly so. The light shining dimly from the lamp on the other side of the bed bathed her in an almost otherworldly glow, as if she were the stunningly gorgeous angel of death coming to collect. Every inch of her skin seemed to tingle with the need to claim her prize.

She situated herself on top of him, the hunger and ferocity in her eyes blazing.

Of all of the things she'd ever wanted in her life, James realized, he'd never witnessed her want anything so desperately until this very moment. It was absolutely overwhelming to know that, after so many insane, zealous pursuits, the one to top them all was… him.

With her hands steadying his incredibly ready member, Jessie wasted no time. She unceremoniously plopped herself onto him, her wet, warm pussy engulfing his cock completely. James lurched from underneath her, nearly delirious from the sensation of her wrapped around him so tightly like this. "OH-!"

"OH-!" Jessie gasped at the same time. She paused for another precious second, inhaling carefully to compose herself, and James tried to admire her boobs but the sensation of being buried deep inside of her made even that thought a distant whisper.

Of course, the quiet moment didn't last long. Jessie ran her hands through her hair and smiled seductively, raising her hips upward and taking James with her. "You have a nice cock," she said. Hips lowered.

James's nerves were on fire and his brain was goo. "Th-thank… you…" he spluttered.

"And I'm gonna make it all mine." Her hips raised and lowered again, quicker this time. "I'm gonna make you all mine."

"Th-that ship has already sailed," James gasped. Nothing had ever felt so good as her pussy teasing his cock. Nothing at all. His body was a livewire and hers was the spark.

"Mmm, honey," she moaned approvingly, the pace of her hips growing faster with every word. "Could you be any more perfect?" Her course definitively set, she moved against him with a much more deliberate and intense pace.

James let her possess him. There was no other choice. With every grind against him, with every bounce of her breasts, with every gleam of her eye, he was more and more certain that she was the angel of death and escorting him to heaven. He had never imagined death could feel so intoxicating. He was drowning in ecstasy and had no desire to fight to stay afloat.

And she… she was mad. Insatiable. She was taking everything from him and yet with every thrust she seemed to demand even more. Oh god what was it she needed so badly? Whatever it was, James knew he needed it just as badly as she did. Just take it, take whatever you want, take everything, he silently pled, and as he surrendered to her body he felt himself catapult over the edge and release inside of her with a tremor that rippled his entire body.

Shocked, Jessie jerked to a halt, bewilderment written across her fierce, perfect face. "W-wait… did you just… finish? Already?!"

Somehow, amidst the aftershocks of ecstasy still blanketing him, the long-since silenced rational thinking area of James's brain had a flicker of a thought that he might have irrevocably bungled this state of affairs. His eyes blinked a few times before finally comprehending her expression, one of confusion transforming into ire.

Oh, shit.

"That was only thirty seconds, tops!" Jessie cried, eyes blazing with fury. "You didn't even give me a chance!"

James opened his mouth to say something, but it had dried up.

"I was rather looking forward to a nice orgasm, too!"

"In my defense," James squeaked out, "you came on very strong—"

"Excuse me?"

She was angry and every word he spoke was another hammer of the nails into his coffin, but he would be damned if she'd continue like this without him mounting at least the tiniest defense. "You completely took control and—not that I'm complaining—but you took control over everything—I couldn't—"

"Oh, so you're blaming your little premature blast-off on me?!" Jessie shrieked.

"You could have employed a slower pace, that's all!"

"So now I'm supposed to feel guilty because you can't keep up?! It's not my fault that you can't—I don't know—that you can't accept how I operate!"

"Jessie," James implored her, "that's not what I meant—"

"No, but I can read between the lines." She abruptly rolled off of him and stood up off the bed, the sudden sensation of his penis freed again startling James to the point that he barely even registered what she said next. "Next time will be better. I'm going to go clean off now."

He couldn't make himself move. He felt like a cad. He had failed at the most basic of tasks, to please her when she couldn't keep herself off of him. He couldn't even hold himself back for a minute to make the fornication last any respectable amount of time. And—

-wait, next time?

She wanted a next time? She was willing to give him another chance?

Love and wonderment engulfed him and tugged his worried frown up to a dopey grin.

…clean off?

If he didn't get the bathroom first he wasn't going to get it for hours.

He bolted upright, nearly falling off the bed. "Jessie-!"

Too late. The bathroom door was already shut.

His face fell, but only a little bit. The afterglow and hope of a better second try at being intimate was more than enough to override the annoyance at having to wait for the bathroom. He made his way to the closet to find a towel to last during the interim, allowing happy thoughts to bubble through his brain once more.