There are butterflies in her stomach, tangles in her hair and flowers in her hands as she goes to collect her date.

Her date.

Her date.

It' surreal. Bianca is unattainable; she's a jewel locked up in a glass case, kept out on taunting display. She doesn't date (her father's shotgun is taunting enough to keep suitors away), nor has she ever shown that dating could be a priority for her.

And yet, when Touko had asked this precious jewel of a girl out to dinner, she'd accepted as if it were nothing.

They were crazy, stupid teenagers who did crazy, stupid things. They'd spent a year chasing each-other around Unova, trying to conquer gyms, Team Plasma, and their own insecurities.

They'd only succeeded with two.

Her knees wobble as she steps up to the door. She hasn't felt this way since Touya.

Touya. The name still brings about a pang in her stomach. They were friends, they were comrades, and, for a while, they were in love.

It had all ended in an earth-shattering flood of tears and regret and guilt and whydidIsaythat. They are on better terms now than they were, but it's still not fixed, and it hurts. Deeply.

Bianca looks beautiful. She always does, of course, but in a pencil skirt and button-down shirt she is stunning. Her smile glows and her laugh twinkles as she puts the flowers in a vase/ Her hand is warm and small and entirely breakable in Touko's as they walk down Route 1 to Accumula.

Over the course of the evening, Touko laughs too loud, trips over her own tongue, and spills a glass of water all over the table. Bianca takes it all with incredible grace and patience, laughing and smiling and flirting badly.

Touko gains a sudden urge to hold her breath and pinch herself, because she must be dreaming.

The moon comes up, reflecting on the river that connects Route 1 to the sea.

Two crazy, stupid teenage girls sit on the bank, not currently occupied with being crazy or stupid, and watch the water's ebb and flow.

Hushed, Bianca rests her head on Touko's shoulder and shuts her eyes. Touko is so startled that she nearly jumps out of her jeans, but shakily manages to put her arm around Bianca's waist. She hears the gentle hum of a sigh by her ear and smiles.

She can only hope that this scene will repeat itself over and over again for years to come.