It was a simple chase of cat and mouse for them, though they honestly couldn't tell who was doing the chasing and who was doing the running away. He was chasing by taunting and teasing her, and she was chasing because she always wanted to prove herself to him. What were they both running away from?
Feelings.
Oh, how strange people become once their own feelings become apparent to themselves. Things become awkward, blushing occurs, and tears are fallen. People often forget their old relationship with a person just because they realise they are in love.
However, these two are an exception to the rule. Upon figuring out what they were feeling for the other, they continued on as normal, never leaving any holes in the wall of the facade. They tried to leave a few hints, of course, the most obvious of which being his roses, but he made the mistake of telling her that they weren't for her.
What if – just what if – the facade was let down for once?
"Best birthday present ever!" May said as the audience members around her cheered.
She had just won the Grand Festival after five years of trying, and not only that, but she had just beaten Drew Hayden. Drew Hayden. Her biggest rival for all those five years. He had constantly made fun of her for never beating him, and now look. She had beaten him at the Grand Festival, the biggest event for all Pokémon co-ordinators.
After she had received her prize and walked off the stage, she leant against the wall. She could still hear the cheering from the audience, and she felt the corners of her mouth pull themselves up into a smile.
"Congratulations, May."
May turned her head to see Drew smirking at her, his Roserade at his feet. He did his signature hair flip and continued.
"I'm surprised you beat me, May. I mean, really, a co-ordinator like you matching up to me? That's highly unlikely, almost impossible, and now look. You've beaten the odds."
May felt anger boiling up inside of her. She had finally, after five whole years, beaten him, and he was still teasing her? How dare he? If anything, she had a right to tease him, but she wouldn't do it. No, she would be the better person in this situation and would stop herself from going down to his level.
She was about to say goodbye, but she burst out, "Why? Out of all the things I could ask or say to you right now, just… Why?"
"Why what?" Drew questioned, starting to walk down the hall to the locker room.
Following him, May answered, "Why all the teasing? Just why? I finally beat you, and even when you congratulate me you're taunting me. What's your problem?"
"I don't have a problem, May. You're the one with the anger issues," Drew said. He reached the locker room and sat down on one of the benches. The television was replaying the highlights of the festival, but May wasn't paying attention. Her eyes were staring Drew down, her vision completely red.
"I do no – I mean, I don't have anger issues, Drew," May said, sitting on the bench next to him. "Now, I'm going to pack up, leave your annoying face behind, and go home to eat some cake."
As May stood up, Drew put his feet where she had been sitting and said, "First of all, you love my face. I know it, you know it, everybody knows it. Second of all, isn't it a bit egotistical to be celebrating your own victory alone?"
May glared at him. "I'm not going to be alone."
"Yeah, right," Drew scoffed. "I know you've been travelling alone since you, Ash, and Brock went your separate ways."
May felt a pang at the bottom of her stomach. What Drew had said was true. She had been travelling alone for four, almost five years now, and if she was being completely honest with herself, she was getting lonelier and lonelier every day. It was why she had really enjoyed contests, because she could see people she knew besides her Pokémon. She loved her Pokémon, but sometimes they just weren't enough.
"I'm not really celebrating my victory, anyway. It's my birthday today," May said, her bag over one shoulder. She had been planning to leave then and there, but Drew's voice stopped her.
"I'll go with you."
May shook her head without turning to face him. "No, I'm used to being alone on my birthday. It's fine, Drew, really. You don't have to."
Before she could take another step, Drew was by her side. His only words were, "I want to," before linking arms with her and strolling out the doors. Roserade continued ahead of them when he stopped. With his free hand, he shoved something in her face – a something that May knew quite well.
"A rose? For my birthday, right?" May asked, smiling slightly.
Drew's arrogance had apparently returned, as he said. "No, it's for the Pokémon you battled with today. They're the reason you won."
May slid her arm out of his and scowled. "Drew…"
"I was joking! Gosh, May, learn how to take a joke," Drew laughed.
"Whatever," May mumbled, but then a thought occurred to her. "So, if it's a joke, then it really is for me?"
Drew flicked his hair and said, "That's right, May. You always were a slow one."
"But the other ones were actually for my Pokémon."
Drew stopped laughing and hesitated before saying, "Yeah, May. I told you that already."
May frowned, paying attention only slightly as Roserade returned to them. "Why did you hesitate?"
"I didn't."
"You did."
"Didn't."
"Did."
Smack!
May and Drew gasped as their heads slammed into one another, their mouths on top of each other's. They were shocked at first, but then their feelings took over. They closed their eyes and let themselves say everything they wanted to in that one kiss.
Once they broke apart, they stared at each other, surprised at what had just occurred. The cry of Roserade, the little Pokémon who had forced the two co-ordinators together, broke the silence between them. They laughed softly and shared a hug.
Drew whispered in May's ear, "Happy birthday, May."
As you just witnessed, even the most stubborn of soon-to-be couples need to unleash their feelings, but did this stop them from acting like themselves? Absolutely not. He still teased her and she still retaliated, their cat and mouse game continuing, but there was a little more love involved. All was well for them.
Sometimes having a Roserade around can do wonders.
I hope you enjoyed it! Leave a review if you did. :)
