Story Note: Gameverse - Red does not exist in the universe in which this story takes place. Takes place right before either Leaf or Blue go to the Indigo League. OldRival/ConflictingShipping. One-shot. Rated K+ for some language, but that's it.

Lightly inspired by the song Break My Fall by Breaking Benjamin.

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon, and this story is for entertainment only.

Break My Fall

by. xxBurningxx

Just for old times' sake, she decides to take a stroll through Viridian Forest. Aimlessly wondering around Kanto does her no good in preparing herself for the Indigo League, but every time she approaches those luminous gates, her nerves get the better of her. It's unsettling, because if there's one thing Leaf is known for, it's her boldness. She's positive that her team of Pokemon are strong enough to lead her to victory, and yet, she can't seem to get a hold of herself. That's why, for the past week, she's been revisiting cities, speaking with old friends she's met along her journey, and just merely procrastinating what she knows she has to do.

Or maybe she's just lying to herself. Perhaps it isn't the Elite Four at all that scares her, but rather the person she'll face playing the role as Champion.

As the sun beings to set, the forest's trees loom over her, almost as if they know what she's thinking and what her fears are. She battles a few wild Rattatas, which are obviously no match for her Pokemon. More than half of them run at the mere sight of her Charizard, which makes her giggle a few times. Lazily dragging her feet behind her in the dirt, she tries to enjoy the scenery; the decent way the sunset casts outlines of the trees' leaves on the forest floor. She doesn't seem herself, and she's pretty sure she knows the reason...But she isn't quite ready to admit it to herself.

That's when a sliver of spiky hair catches her eye in a small clearing in the distance. The moment she acknowledges who it is, all her emotions shoot straight towards her head, making her heart race furiously. She mentally smacks herself, but she can't help but be eager to run up to him and challenge him, just like old times. "Oi, Blue! What're you doing out here by yourself? Don't tell me the mighty Blue doesn't have anything important to do!"

There. That's sounds a little bit like her old self at least. He looks over his shoulder at the sound of her voice and says quietly, "Oh. It's you."

A typical thing for him to say, had he said it in a snide tone. But this time, his shoulders are slumped and his voice sounds scratchy. She meets his eyes only for a brief moment, and the only thing she is greeted with are empty voids, as if he hadn't really noticed she was there. Had he been just another trainer, perhaps she wouldn't have noted this. Maybe she would have shrugged it off as some super self-absorbed kid who apparently didn't have the time for her. That isn't the case, however, seeing as she had known Blue practically all her life.

Leaf had planned on challenging him to a battle, but something about the way he's holding himself stops her. She slows to a stop a few feet away from him, unable to get the traditional "I challenge you to a Pokemon battle!" past her lips. His back is still facing her, and he's just staring at the ground like she isn't there.

"...Blue, is something...wrong?" she asks him, hesitantly. She even works up the nerve to place a hand on his shoulder, but then quickly takes it back because her emotions aren't strong enough to handle the tension.

His voice is quiet, and she almost can't hear him over the chirps and coos of the bug Pokemon in the forest. He mumbles that he is glad that she's there, and she freezes on the inside. She never though she would meet the day that her rival said that to her, and she can't say she isn't happy. She nods, and he continues, never meeting her eyes again.

"You know my mother, right? She was already forty when she had me, you know...She...Passed away of a heart attack a few nights ago..."

She sucks in a sharp breath of air at his confession, "Oh...Blue, I'm..."

"I should have visited her more. I was always so obsessed with being the greatest trainer ever, and I never even payed attention to her needs. At the beginning, she would call almost every day, but we never talked for more than a few minutes, because I always told her that I had something to do. I-If I had just been by her side more, may she wou-"

And then he's cute off by her embrace, because she can't stand seeing someone she cares for so much so helpless. She wraps her arms around him, and she's positive that he'll be able to tell how incredibly fast her heart is racing; she keeps her head in his chest so he doesn't see the flush of blood rising up to her cheeks. He stammers a bit at first, but then quiets himself again. Somewhere along the line of actions, her hat must have fallen off, because she can feel his chin resting on the crown of her head.

Then, very faintly, spots of wetness. With a quite realization and a pang to her heart... "Blue...Are you crying?"

He sniffs but doesn't say anything, and she can he's breaking down, right there in front of her. Everything about the scene makes her sad, almost like she wants to cry herself. Seeing him so upset kills her; it's tearing her apart. Most of all, it's pissing her off. One of the greatest Pokemon trainers alive (though she'd never tell him that) crying like a baby. Sure, maybe she's being harsh because it is his mother, but come on. She takes a step back, and before she even knows what she's doing, she finds her hand running swiftly across his face with a loud smack.

"What's wrong with you, you idiot?! Get a hold of yourself! I didn't know your mother very well, but I do know she seemed like a lovely woman, and I'm sure she wouldn't want to see you acting like this! She would want you to move one, and take the experience as an opportunity to grow stronger. She would be happy to see you become the greatest Pokemon Champion, and yet here you are sitting on your ass doing nothing!"

He stares with wide eyes and a shocked expression at Leaf's sudden outburst.

And then he laughs.

He laughs until he's almost choking because there's only one person in the world who would slap him in a attempt to make him feel better. He laughs because he's so grateful to have a rival and friend like Leaf.

"What? The hell is your problem? Why are you laughing?" she asks him, aghast.

Still chuckling, he wipes more tears away from his eyes, only this time they're from his outburst. With a sigh, he grins at her while running a hand through her hair.

And she blushes.

A/N: Hi!~ It's my first time writing for Pokemon-No, that's a lie. It's my first time writing for gameverse Pokemon. I...Haven't really read the manga any, so...Hence why this is gameverse. I've played FireRed about 4 times now, ahaha~ Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this and thanks a bunch for reading.

Yeah, whatever, I know Blue was probably OOC (as well as Leaf) but what can I say? I guess losing someone close to you messes with your feels. Anyways. I ship OldRival so hard, you guys don't even know how much it hurts (maybe you do). Uh, reviews are always nice!~ This will remain a one-shot, so please don't ask me to make more. If you've ever read any multi-chaps of mine, you'll know that I only get as far as a few chapters, and then leave the story sitting on the shelf to collect dust.

And I have a habit of making obnoxiously long A/Ns, so I'm...gonna leave now.

Okie-dokie then. Good bye. Thanks~

Burning~