I began the shameful walk back to the ranger base that was the end result of an unsuccessful capture; those Swellows are mighty wild Pokemon, their fast flight attacks make captures hard, yet the assistance they gave during other captures was more than helpful. I stopped at the threshold to Ringtown momentarily and pulled the broken styler out of my pocket. Remorse and embarrassment washed over me. I was a successful ranger, I had capture legendary Pokemon like Entei, and Groudon. . . How could I let a Swellow get the best of me? Spenser always insisted I shouldn't beat myself up too much over a failed capture as every ranger experiences it, yet for some reason it still bothered me to return back to him with my broken styler to ask for yet another one. Angered with myself, I shoved the styler back into my pocket. I don't know how much longer I could deny everything, everything I felt; everything he could possibly feel.

My heart did jump each and every time he spoke my name; it soared when he praised my work. But the sad truth of everything was our rankings. Spenser was my Ranger leader, dating him would be inappropriate. Workspace relationships never really work anyways, right?

"Bowie? Are you okay?"

Murph's innocent voice broke through my trance. He stood a few feet away with his trusty Slowpoke by his side.

"Yeah, yeah. . . I am fine."

I shook my head to clear any more of the possible distraction out of my head, if possible.

"Are you sure. . .? You were standing there staring off into the town for a while."

"Yeah, I was just thinking. Other than a broken Styler, I am fine."

"Another one? That is your second styler this week. Bowie. . . Are you sure you are okay? I mean seriously, maybe you need to take a vacation or something?"

"I am fine Murph, I have just been a little distracted by some inner conflict."

"Okay then. Well I have a mission to get to. Spenser actually gave me a real mission for once! I am so excited!"

"I am glad for you! Good luck on your mission!"

I feigned a smile to him.

"Thank you! See you around Bowie!"

"Yeah."

I watched Murph walk into Lyra Forest before I continued on my way back to the Ranger Base.

Spenser wasn't in the main lobby of the Base, so I walked to the elevator and pressed the button for the 3rd level hoping that he was in his office. As I rode the elevator up I glanced down at my always cheerful Plusle.

"What a lovely day."

I sighed half to myself. Plusle let out a cheerful 'Plaa-aaah' and just looked at me, swaying back and forth happily. I couldn't help the small grin that it brought to my face; Plusle was such an adorable creature when it was happy. The elevator dinged to alert me of the arrival at my level. The doors swiveled open to an empty hallway with a few doors. I stepped out and took a deep breath, time for a stomach full of butterflies. I walked down the hall to his door that was cracked open slightly, he must've heard me coming down the hallway.

"Come on in Bowie."

How had he known it was me merely by my footsteps? Did he really pay enough attention to me to distinguish my footfalls from another rangers? No, that was crazy thinking. He just paid attention to all of his rangers to keep up with everyone. He would never pay that much attention to me.

I pushed open his door and walked in. An open laptop was before him on the desk, but he was relaxed back in his chair. Once again I pulled the broken styler out of my pocket and laid it on his desk.

"I know, it's bad. I broke another one."

I sighed, looking away so he wouldn't catch my eye contact.

"Bowie, you know what I have told you." He paused, "Please stop beating yourself up over it, it's not a big deal. I still break stylers to this day."

"I know, but it still doesn't make it feel any less shitty. And you probably break stylers on legendary Pokemon, not Swellows."

"Come closer for a minute, I want to tell you a story."

I walked forward and leaned on his desk, my legs were so close to brushing up against his. The heat of a blush took to my cheeks. A knowing smile spread across his lips.

"How about you come sit in my lap?"

I hoped I didn't seem too eager, but I suppose it played out as shock.

"I am sorry, that's inappropriate for me to ask of you." He shook his head,

"No… it's alright. I was just. . . Shocked." I pushed myself to be confident, now probably eager. I moved forward and took a seat on his lap. He now looked shocked, but not in a bad way. He wrapped an arm around my waist to hold me up.

"This actually happened a few weeks ago." Spenser looked up at me, smiling a beautiful smile.

"Oh really?" I smiled back.

"Yes." He took a breathe, "I was on patrol around town, because as you know it makes the citizens feel slightly better to see the leader patrolling every once in a while. Anyways, a woman was having a hard time with her Skitty, so I decided to wrangle it down for her and calm it. And you know how Skitty's are generally easy to catch? Well my styler was low on energy but I felt I could take it, I guess not. It broke my styler right in front of her, and her Skitty ended up getting away." He laughed. "It was definitely embarrassing."

"A Skitty?" I giggled. "I don't think I can say a Skitty has ever gotten the best of me."

"I told you, rangers all have their down moments. It's part of our job. Do you feel better now?"

"I do, I really do."

I looked at him and didn't avoid his eye contact. Our faces were so close, I glanced down at his lips then looked back up hoping he didn't notice. It soon became evident that he did notice. Spenser leaned in slightly and closed the gap that had been in between our lips. They are as soft as I had imagined.