A/N: So, this is late. This was supposed to be up about two or three days ago but technical problems and college and all that fun shit. But hey, it goes along with the theme of this one-shot, right?


Paul Shinji Zuckerman hated Valentine's Day. Why? Well, he had a few reasons:

1. It reminded him he was single. Not that he wanted a girlfriend. He didn't even want a friend. People weren't to be trusted. Respected, maybe, but not trusted. Despite that, he still hated being reminded that he was alone.

2. It was pointless. Why was there a specific day to tell your loved one you loved them? Must there be a specific day where couples go to fancy places to do whatever, may it be eating or watching a movie or...other things.

3. It made walking through cities impossible. People were walking hand-in-hand and in the process taking up two spaces on the sidewalk, running along it to get last-minute gifts, or not remembering that they have something called a room.

And all three of those activities irritated Paul, especially the third one. Usually, when he yelled out "Get a room!" to a couple making out on the street, he would get thankful glances. But on Valentine's Day, if he did that, many people would give him angry glares.

Veilstone City was like that.

And so was Goldenrod.

All he wanted to do was get his third badge. Of course, that wouldn't be happening. Whitney was off God-knows-where apparently with a boyfriend. "I'll be back tomorrow, I promise!" she had shouted as she ran off. Paul growled. He had just caught a Sneasel, and he wanted it to fight now.

"Curse Valentine's Day," he muttered under his breath.

Deciding to not waste the day sitting in front of the Gym door like a lost Growlithe, he went to the Goldenrod Department Store (unfortunately the only place to get supplies). He weaved his way through the Valentine's Day crowds, annoyed. When he finally got to the Poké Mart he was literally a volcano ready to erupt, and the clerk noticed that. He helped Paul out as quickly and as un-intruding as possible.

Thanks to him Paul cooled down a bit and, taking the clerk's advice, stayed next to the windows instead of the center. It was crowded, true, but Paul realized the center was worse.

As he walked by the stores, something caught his eye. He blinked, and then looked up. A jewelry store. But why had something in a jewelry store caught his eye? Still, he was curious, and he walked in. Through the counter glass he noticed what had drawn him in: a bracelet. It looked too plain to be in a department jewelry store. It was a simple silver chain-linked bracelet where one end had an emerald and the other had a ruby. Maybe it was because it was his birthstone was a ruby that he had been drawn to it.

"Did you find something that interests you?"

Paul looked up to find a woman with long blonde hair tied back in a ponytail. She was wearing the store uniform: a white collared long sleeve shirt with a black skirt, black leggings, and black heels.

Paul looked at the bracelet. "This...kind of interests me," he admitted.

"Is it for your girlfriend?" she asked.

The Trainer glared. "I don't have a girlfriend," he hissed.

She flinched. "I-I'm sorry," she apologized quickly. "It's just that it's Valentine's Day, so I assumed... Never mind, that was my fault." Paul scoffed. "Then who is it for?"

"It just interested me," he retorted harshly. "I have no friends to give this to. Sorry for wasting your time." He turned to leave.

"You don't trust many people, do you?" she muttered. Paul whipped his head towards her. "I could tell." She pulled up her left sleeve, and Paul's eyes grew as she revealed a long scar that just seemed to keep going and going. She only went up to her elbow, but he knew it went farther than that. "I've gone through it, too. It's hard to trust after that, isn't it?"

Paul adverted his eyes, not wanting to look at the scar anymore. "It is," he agreed. He heard her sleeve go back down, and when he looked back at her, she nodded.

"But it gets easier, if you let it happen," she added. "That's why I'm here now." She smiled and showed a charm bracelet. "And because of a belated Valentine's Day present."

"Belated?" Paul repeated.

"My best friend doesn't believe in Valentine's Day," she explained. "He says it's pointless."

"Tell him he's a smart guy," Paul stated.

The woman giggled. "I actually use to think he was crazy. My...ex-boyfriend..."

Her eyes darted to her arm, and Paul felt a rage boil in his stomach. He hated hearing stories of abusive boyfriends.

"He always said if you didn't get a present on Valentine's Day, it was worthless. It was one of...many reasons why we broke off, because I gave him a present after Valentine's Day. And then one day in March, a few weeks after... He...left, my best friend gave me this. I asked him what it was for. He said 'No reason. Besides, what's wrong with a present? Everyone loves presents, especially surprise presents'. Now I get what some people mean by Valentine's Day being pointless."

Not once did Paul stop paying attention. He took in her words, and then he looked at the bracelet again. "How much?" he asked, pointing at it.

"That's been here for three months, and since no one wants it, it's gone down to 10,000 Poké." Paul was about to walk out, but then she winked. "And I'll throw in the employee discount, because when – not if, when, I promise – you find a friend to give that to, it will be priceless."

And they'll look as happy as you did, he thought, remembering her wide smile when she showed off and talk about her bracelet. He figured this trinket would be sitting in his bag for a very, very long time, possibly never seeing the light of day again, but he decided to take it anyway. Besides, 7,000 Poké? That was practically stealing for what he thought was a very nice bracelet.

"Thank you... Um..."

"Tanya," she introduced. "And no problem."

"Paul," he responded.

She tapped her finger on the counter. "Are you from Veilstone City?" He was shocked, but nodded. "My niece has told me about you. You probably don't know her. Samantha Ortiz?" He swore he that last name before; it sounded eerily familiar, yet nothing came to mind. He shook his head. "Thought so. I know this doesn't help, but she wishes she could have done something, but her brother is...well...intimidating."

Intimidating... Ortiz... Yes, he knew who her brother was. He didn't know who had it worse when it came to him, this Samantha girl or Paul himself.

"Tell her she doesn't need to be sorry," he replied as he put the present in his bag.

"You don't know how much those words would mean to her," Tanya stated. "Well, goodbye Paul. And good luck at your Gym Battle." He raised an eyebrow. "Whitney came in here, stating she had a battle tomorrow, and that he better bring his A-game, especially since - and I'm quoting here so don't shoot the messenger - 'he was so grumpy and angry about me going on a date, and that makes me grumpy and angry, so he better be prepared'."

That meant training was called for. "Thank you," he said. He walked out.

"Have a good day," she called after him.

Paul gave off a tiny smirk at how she hadn't included 'Valentine's'.

...

It was that time of year again, and as usual Paul didn't give a Raticate's ass, so much so he forgot it was that day. Right now, he was in a Poké Mart on the side of the road. Haley was off training somewhere, and they needed supplies, so he went to get some.

Of course, trouble seemed to be magnetized to him in Sinnoh, and while he was going through the store he ran into Dawn.

"Oh, hello Paul!" she said cheerfully.

Paul huffed. "What do you want, Troublesome?" he grumbled.

"It's Dawn!" she shouted. "D-A-W-N! It's not that hard! And can't I just say hi? It's not going to kill you!"

"With your shouting, it just might."

"What was that?!"

"Look, I have things to buy, so it would be nice if you just left me alone." He walked past her.

"Are you buying Haley something for Valentine's Day?" Dawn asked.

Paul stopped and turned to her. "Why would I do that?" he stated.

"Because Valentine's Day is today," Dawn replied, rolling her eyes. It is? Paul thought. "And you like her, so I thought you would be getting her something."

Great, even she knows, Paul thought. He felt his face grow hotter and he turned his head. "I don't like her like that," he lied, hoping she would fall for it. Judging by her snort, she didn't, but he pretended like she did. "And even if I did, I don't give Valentine's Day presents."

Dawn sighed harshly. "Should have known," she mumbled.

Paul thought he wouldn't see her again, but fate wasn't so kind, because - apparently - she was done shopping around the same time he was and - unbeknownst to him - she was walking up to the register while he was paying. When he was putting his bought supplies in his bag, she tripped over her own two feet, causing them both to crash to the floor. Some of Paul's things tumbled out of his bag as they fell.

"Damn it, Troublesome," Paul swore. "Do you have two left feet or something?"

"Well, sorry, Sir Rudeness," she stated, sounding annoyed.

She watched as he picked everything up, slipped his bag on, and walked out the door. She grumbled and then scanned the floor. Her eye caught something.

Paul hadn't picked up everything.

"Um, excuse me, can you hold my seals for a bit?" she asked the cashier. "I need to return something to that Trainer." He nodded, and with a smile she ran out. "I'll be right back!" Hopefully Barry doesn't have a fit for me taking so long. "Paul, wait up!" Dawn called out.

The teen growled. "What?" he snapped.

"You forgot this," she said, unfazed, and held out a blue velvet box. The box did seem familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Troublesome, why would-" He opened it and shut up.

He remembered.

"Wow, that's a pretty bracelet!" Dawn squealed. "And you said you weren't getting her something."

"This wasn't intended for Haley specifically," he explained. "It's for whoever I feel like giving it to. And I already stated, Troublesome, that I don't give Valentine's Day presents." Dawn looked disappointed as he turned and began walking. But then he stopped and turned his head.

She was surprised to see him smirking.

"But I do give belated Valentine's Day presents."

Dawn smiled as he walked off.

...

A few days later, Paul and Haley finally made it back to Jubilife City. Haley shuddered. "If those TV producers jump me again I will kill someone," she mumbled.

Paul chuckled. "Hey, do you know what today's date is?" he asked despite knowing.

"Hold on." Haley dug through her backpack and pulled out her Pokégear. "It's... Oh no! I totally forgot!"

"What?"

"Valentine's Day was four days ago!" she whined. "I forgot to send something for Mom and Dad! I do it every year! How did I forget?" She sighed. "Maybe because for once I wasn't in a city. Hell holes on V-Day, I swear."

Paul chuckled again. "I'm sure they wouldn't mind a belated Valentine's Day present," he stated. "The fact that you sent something to them will mean a lot to them, especially if it's not on February 14th." She looked at him. "I like to think that means they're more special to you if you just send it to them randomly. Why do it because everyone else is? Why on this one specific day when it can be any day you chose?"

Haley thought about it, and then she smiled. "Yeah, I think you're right," she agreed. "Can we stay here a little while so I find something for them? Maybe even Austin, though the little devil doesn't really deserve it."

"Austin?" he repeated, a very small hint of jealousy in his voice.

"My little brother," Haley explained. Oh. Whoops. "And maybe Ray, too. Argh, brothers! Hmm… I wonder if Tyra got him something… That's his girlfriend. Maybe I should get her something, too." Then she started mumbling other names. "What about Ashley? Brendan... And Brandi, maybe... Hmm, anyone else, I wonder..."

"Sorry to cut you short," Paul piped up.

Haley snapped her head to look at him. He felt Butterfrees in his stomach, so he "coughed". Then he dug into his pocket, and pulled out the velvet box, a small smile on his face. She stared at it, as if it were a foreign object. She took it carefully and then tentatively opened it. Her mouth flew open, making Paul get a small blush on his face but have a little bit of a bigger smile.

"I got that while I was first traveling through Johto," he explained. "Someone told me to give it to a friend - if I ever got one, since that was around the time I didn't believe in friends."

Haley picked it up and held it up, studying it. "It has my birthstone on it," she said. "An emerald. It's really pretty. And I love this ruby." Paul's heart fluttered. It was all one big coincidence, and she had no way of knowing his birthstone, but it still felt nice. "Paul... This must have cost a fortune. Are you really sure you want to give it to me?"

"I do. And besides, it was only 7,000 Poké," he revealed.

"How is something this beautiful that cheap?!" she cried.

"No one wanted it," Paul answered. Haley looked at him like he was crazy. "And the lady gave me an employee discount. She and I are the same."

Now Haley looked at him sympathetically. But that look quickly disappeared as she put on the bracelet with a look of wonder.

"Paul, this is the nicest thing anyone has ever given me," she said as she studied the trinket that was around her right wrist. That made his blush even redder and his smile even wider. She was blushing a little bit as well, and then she suddenly hugged him. "I love my Valentine's Day present."

"Hey, if you call it a Valentine's Day present, I'm taking it back," he told her. She lifted her head from his chest so she could look at him.

"Uh... Oh, right." She giggled. "Well then, can I call it a belated Valentine's Day present?"

"I would prefer either a surprise present or just a present, but that works too," Paul stated.

She giggled again. "No matter. I love it, whatever it is." And she looked into his eyes with a smile on her face.

Now, if this were a cliché and perfect story, Paul knew it would end with a confession and a kiss that she would return. Of course, this isn't a cliché and perfect story, and fate still hates our purple-haired Trainer, so what happened next was someone yelling, "Get a room!"

Paul turned to see a group of kids who either had disgusted looks on their faces or were laughing. His smile transformed into a scowl but his blush grew even worse. He stormed off.

"Paul, where are you going?" Haley called after him.

"Training! Go buy your stupid presents!" he angrily replied. But as he walked away, his smile slowly grew back. He just couldn't stay mad for long.

After all, Tanya had been right; Haley's face was priceless.

And he had been right as well; a belated Valentine's Day present was better.