How is it that I'm not strong enough to beat him? I thought as I watched my Pokémon playing in the grass outside of Violet Town. I sighed as I thought about Falkner's and I latest match. I thought electric types beat flying types. I mused as I watched Pikachu fall asleep under a tree with Pichu sleeping next to her. I smiled again as I picked at some grass and laughed as Minun and Plusle wrestled in the grass. My Pokémon always made me feel better and I remembered how Falkner and I use to play out here before he took over the gym. Sometimes I wish that he didn't take over the gym then maybe he and I could have…I ended my chain of thought there before I caused myself to get depressed.
I looked up when Plusle and Minun raced up to me carrying something in their mouths'. "What do you have there?" I asked them and they just held it out for me to look at. It was a necklace made of leather with a small bird charm attached to it. "Oh my!" I exclaimed, "I can't believe that you two found this," I whispered and smiled.
Standing I called my Pokémon back into their pokéballs and raced into town. I ran past the mart and made a right and left turn and ran into Falkner's gym. It was spacious so that his and his friends bird Pokémon had plenty of room to fly. I ran past them to the blue haired person standing in the back. "Falk! Look what Plusle and Minun found!" I cried as I came closer.
Falkner looked over and frowned at it. "Is that what I think it is?" He asked as he gently took it out of my hand.
"Yea!" I cried out happily as I bounced on the balls of my feet.
"I haven't seen this in years," He whispered and I just smiled.
"Turn around," He ordered and I obeyed.
Falkner was the only person I trusted at my back. I wouldn't let anyone else stand behind me, nor would I allow anyone order me around. He put the leather in front of my neck to see if it still fit. Falkner had made it so that it would allow me to grow and when he fastened the necklace it ended up becoming a choker. "Wow, I'm surprised it still fits," He mused and I just smiled again.
"I need to be getting home, I'll see you later ok? I just wanted to share the good news of what Plusle and Minun did," I said and waved as I ran out of his gym.
I saw him wave as I turned around when I reached the door to his gym. I ran toward the sprout tower because my house was near it and when I entered I was greeted with Growlithe jumping up and licking my face. "Cut it out!" I cried out and Growlithe calmed down.
"So how was your day sweetie?" my mother called out from somewhere in our house.
"I lost again! I thought that electric types where the best thing against flying but for some reason I just can't beat him!" I called back as I walked down the entrance hall.
"You'll beat him someday hun!" My mother cried again and I continued my search, finding her in her study.
I was quiet. I was starting to think that I didn't want to beat him. I was getting use to not beating him and there was also that fact that if I beat him then he would go into training and I wouldn't see him for a long time. "Is something wrong?" my mother asked me and I just shook my head.
"I'm going to get something to eat then I'm heading to my room. G'Night mom." I said and left her to work.
I made myself a sandwich and went to my room. I loved my room for it's' view of Sprout Tower. The ever swaying building calming me though I don't understand why. I was gazing at the tower when a bird flew into my window. It was a Spearow and it had a message on its leg.
I about dropped my food. Falkner hadn't done this in a long time. The last time he did this was to tell me that he was taking over the gym. I took the note off the Spearow and pulled out the small bag of bird feed I had kept for whenever it happened again. The Spearow dug in and I read the note:
Jessica,
Let's meet where you always take your Pokémon to play. Come when you can.
Falkner
I couldn't help but blush. I had no clue what Falkner was planning but I was going to see him. My mother knew that I was weird and loved the night so she didn't question it when I left. Just figured that it was one of those times.
I left quickly and silently made my way through the town. When I reached the area I scanned around for Falkner. I didn't see him on the ground so I looked up. I should have known. He was up a tree, like a bird, perched on a branch. I made my way over to the tree and made my way up. "Hey, Falk, what up?" I greeted and sat down at the base of the branch. My balance wasn't all that great so I didn't go out further.
Falkner looked at me with his blue eyes. I felt a slight blush creep up my cheeks. "I just wanted to hang out with you. I don't get much of a chance since I run the gym. Why do you want to beat me so much?" Falkner asked and I felt my face flame.
"Well….it's just…" I didn't finish because I couldn't form into words how I felt.
For some reason I felt that if I couldn't beat him then I didn't deserve to have these feelings for him. All the girls in our class love Falkner and I knew that they wouldn't ever confess their feelings. "Tell me please," Falkner said and I noticed that he had moved up the branch closer to me.
"I just can't Falkner…" I whispered, using his full name though I knew that he hated it when I used it when it was just us two.
"Why?" He whispered again.
"It's personal," I answered and he sighed and pulled away.
"Alright. Let's just enjoy the time together then," He said and I faced out from him and I felt him move closer again.
He put his arm across my back so that it was next to my hip and I blushed again, thanking that we met at night, the only time he could ever really get away from everything. "Jessica, do you trust me?" Falkner whispered into the night.
"Yes, why?" I asked and he just shook his head, this frightening me. "Falkner what are you planning?" I demanded, pulling away from him.
"I'm not telling unless you tell me why you want to beat me so bad," He retorted and I growled.
I turned and climbed down the tree startling Falkner at my brashness. "I want to beat you because I feel like I don't deserve you unless I beat you," I answered and walked away, leaving Falkner in the tree with my face completely red that it would shame a tomato.
I ran to my house and up to my room, closing my door with a click. I locked my window, noting that the Spearow was gone. I closed my curtains and collapsed on my bed face down. I can't believe I told him! This is going to be awkward! I thought and released my Pokémon. They all crowed around me and I sighed. "Pikachu, Pichu will you turn out my light please?" I asked them and they did.
"Good night guys," I whispered and we all fell asleep crowded on my bed.
I awoke and looked around. My pokemon somehow managed to end up either by my feet or by my head and I sighed when I gazed upon Plusle and Minun, remind of Falkner and last night. "What am I to do guys?" I whispered, not expecting an answer.
"Well you could get ready," a voice said from the otherside of my door.
I blushed when I realized that it was Falkner. Oh, my, god...What is Falkner doing in my house! "Why are you here Falkner?" I asked as I stood up and went to my door.
"I thought that that would be obvious. I'm here to talk to you, but I'm not stupid enough to try and wake you. I remember what happened last time," He said and I could imagine him rubbing the side of his face from when I had slapped him for trying and waking me.
I don't remember doing it either.
"We could talk later Falkner. Don't you need to go to your gym?" I asked him and all I heard from the otherside was quiet.
"I closed the gym so we could talk," I barely heard and paused on my way to the closet to change.
"You closed the gym?" I asked again and I could imagine him shuffling around outside the door embarrassed.
"Yeah, I thought that we should talk about last night so I closed the gym today," Falkner said and I could hear embarrassment in his voice.
"Ok, well hang on a minute so I can change and then we can talk," I said and practically ran to my closet so that we could talk.
I heard Falkner's soft footfalls leaving and changed into jeans and a t-shirt, nothing fancy. I left and went downstairs and saw Falkner sitting at the table with my breakfast. "Mother still working?" I asked him and he nodded.
"So where would you like to talk? I have the whole day free," Falkner asked leaning over the table on his elbows a glint in his eyes.
"I don't care. Wherever you want, it's your free day," I answered and started eating.
I could see the wheels turning in his head on deciding on where to take me. "This is harder than it looks actually," He muttered.
"It doesn't have to be fancy. You know I'm not that picky," I retorted and he looked at me.
"But I want to take you somewhere nice," He muttered and I paused in my eating.
I hadn't heard him use that tone of voice in a very long time.
The tone of voice of a child having his dreams crushed.
Of someone who worked really hard being told it was worthless, saying it isn't.
He used that tone on me, talking about me, saying I was worth something and I saying I wasn't.
I was touched.
"I really don't care Falk," I said and he smirked.
"I'm so glad that you aren't calling me Falkner. When you do I feel like I did something bad," He muttered and I felt a slight blush creep up the sides of my face.
"So have you decided where we are going?" I asked, changing the topic of our desicussion.
"No, where do you want to go?" Falkner said and I sighed.
"How about the usual place?" I said, I couldn't really think of any place else.
Falkner looked at me and smiled. "That sounds good. It should make things easier to talk about."
I nodded and finished eating so that we could leave. I left mom a message though I don't think she would really worry. Growlithe didn't want to let me leave without him but I was able to slip out after Falkner.
As we walked, Falkner continuously looked at me but didn't say a word. When we passed the school I could feel the other girls glare though I couldn't see them. They all wanted Falkner, for the fact that he is the gym leader, no more than to say that they are dating the gym leader. What surprised me the most was when I shrank a little in on myself, Falkner noticed and slipped his arm through mine and leaned in close to my ear, "They are stupid."
I felt my eyes widen at that. I didn't know that Falkner knew of them. That he knew of their intentions. When what he said fully sank in I laughed. A good long and true laugh. Falkner seemed pleased with himself and stood a bit taller, if that was possible.
We left Violet town and went to sit under our tree. I watched the clouds for awhile before I felt Falkner reach and wrap an arm around my waist to pull me closer. He leaned in and kissed the base of my neck and I could feel myself flame at that. "Falk…" I started but he covered my mouth with his.
"I love you, Jessica," Falkner whispered and I felt my heart stop beating.
"B-but…."I started and he placed a finger on my mouth.
"I've loved you for a long time. Even before I gave you that necklace. You mean a lot to me, but I just could never figure out how to tell you. I enjoyed just having you by my side and then when you started fighting against me it threw me for a loop. I just didn't understand why you would want to do that to me. But I went along with it, trying to act like it didn't bother me. I just want one thing from you and that is even if everything goes wrong that we can still be friends. All I want is for you to be happy," Falkner said but I zoned out on most of it.
He loves me. That's all that matters. "I love you too Falk, never forget that," I said and he smiled.
We kissed under our favorite tree, sharing the warmth of each other, soaking up the others presence.
We love each other and that's all that matters.
A/N: Done! I love Falkner from pokemon and just had to write him a fanfic. I odn't know why but he is my favorite gym leader. R&R please. I love getting them, they make me happy.