Uhhh... have fun reading about these two adorable children!

Focus: Specialshipping.

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokéspe.

As Red was running through the dark forest, he could see dozens of glowing red eyes eying him from above. The hoothoot of Viridian Forest were so curious that they chose to stop their hunting just to watch a young boy rushing through the forest while probably questioning themselves—what in the world a human being could be doing here at the moment.

Red didn't know how late it was, he just knew that it was very late. But he needed to see Yellow.

...

A moment later, Red arrived at Yellow's house. There was still light in the house, which meant she could still be awake. He stopped at the door, panting slightly and knocked.

One minute passed and no one answered the door yet.

Red patiently knocked on the wooden door again, this time more loudly. And he was glad when he heard some footsteps inside the house.

"W-who is it?" came a familiar female voice from behind the door.

"It's Red."

He heard the knob being turned and the door was slightly opened just enough for Yellow to show her head from the edge of the door.

"RED! You almost creeped me out, you know that? And what are you doing here? Do you know how late—"

Yellow paused the exact moment she saw what Red was holding very carefully in his arms, and this was what made him like the girl a lot. Though it seemed that she was clearly disturbed, the way she expressed it was still so gentle and somewhat timid. Plus, she was very sensitive by nature and always caring for others' safety. Red smiled hopefully, knowing that this was the only circumstance she would let him see her at the very end of the day, even though it may only last for a brief instant.

"What's wrong with him?" she asked.

"Well," Red said, "I found this dude lying on the ground in Viridian Forest. I think his wing is wounded. Maybe you could… do something?"

The pidgey made a weak begging cry. Yellow looked at the poor creature with a mixed expression on her face. She showed deep compassion for the bird pokémon but at the same time, she was confused about what she should do.

After a short moment, she said,

"Red… the Pokémon Center exists for a reason, and it opens 24 hours a day. That's where you're supposed to be right now, not here."

"I'm sorry, but it's pretty late now," she added when she spotted slight disappointment on Red's face, but his smile quickly returned as he said,

"No, I'm the one who should say sorry. It's stupid of me to disturb you this late. I… uh… I'm sorry for all the trouble."

"It's fine," she slowly said. "You don't have to say sorry for anything."

"..."

There was a short silence between them before Red finally broke it.

"So… I guess I should be taking him to the Pokémon Center now. Uh… Good night!"

And Red didn't even wait for her response, he walked away, feeling dumber than ever. Before coming here, he only wanted to see Yellow, he didn't think it through at all when he assumed she wouldn't have more than one option. Now, all his effort of giving Yellow some good impression in the past few months might have gone up in smoke.

Or at least Red thought so, before he heard his name being called back almost immediately.

"Red, wait!"

He turned back to see Yellow still standing where she was, but now she was visibly blushing because of her own bold move.

"Ok, I-I'll help," she sighed.

Red almost yelled yes with excitement but simultaneously had to hide a secret sigh with relief. He went back to her and gently passed the injured bird pokémon.

"Thanks. I know I can always trust you," he said with a big grin.

"You're very welcome."

The two of them looked at each other in another awkward silence. Red, again, was the one who broke it.

"Well… that's it, I think. You really save me there. I… uh… I will come back in the morning to see how he is and maybe return him to the forest. So… uh… goodbye and good night!"

"You don't come in?"

She suddenly asked, and Red unconsciously adjusted his hat as he was astonished at what he just heard. Come in… now?

"What?"

"Come in," she repeated.

"Uh… is it ok?" His voice trembled a little but he was speaking quite fast. "How about your uncle? Isn't he sleeping inside now?"

"Oh, Red," Yellow chuckled, "so that's what you're worried about? It's ok, he's not home tonight. And I need your help, too. Come in."

It took him a few seconds to absorb what she just said. The offer was strange already, not to mention what kind of help she would expect from him. Wasn't this healing thing what she, the healer, was famous for? What else could he do to help beside just being there and watching? But, why should he even bother?

…

The moment Yellow opened the door and let him in, Red started to question himself even more—how strange this whole thing tonight had been so far. Especially when he saw what she was wearing. This Yellow in front of him was not the Yellow he was so used to seeing every day. Certainly the straw-hat-girl could not be wearing her signature straw hat, but he never expected to see her in such a lovely dress. Red began to feel hard to breathe properly as he realized under normal circumstances, he was not supposed to look at a girl in her night dress. He just couldn't keep his eyes off her. Fortunately, the living room was dark enough so she couldn't see him blushing crimson every time he was peeking at her.

Yellow carefully placed the pidgey on a table and went to get her first aid kit. Red took this chance to shake his head violently to get rid of the image. He then sat down on the couch and yawned lazily. The couch was comfortable enough for him to fall into a dead sleep in the blink of an eye.

"Now, may I know, what in the world were you doing in the forest, Sir?" she asked while examining the pidgey's wings. She just came back with the kit and some fresh berries.

Red sat up straight again immediately upon hearing she called him Sir. It wasn't because he disliked being addressed like that. In fact, she once told him she would keep calling him (and Gold) Sir every now and then until he eventually learned how to stop being so reckless and hurting himself so often, which made her worried a lot.

"Well -" He scratched his nose. "- Green won an eevee in a lottery and he wanted me to help it evolve into an umbreon."

The pidgey made a small angry sound when Yellow touched his wings, but he finally agreed to let her see the wound after she fed him an oran berry. It seemed to be just a flesh wound.

"So, you guys just kind of… battle against each other?"

"Uh… not really," he explained, knowing that she disliked pokémon battles. "I-I mean, it was just a friendly battle. We didn't want to wake everyone up or cause any harm so we went to the forest."

Suddenly, the pidgey stood up and made the angriest cry ever. Regardless of Yellow's effort to hold him still, he tried to jump towards Red for a surprise attack but ended up falling almost instantly.

"Woah woah! Chill! Did I say something wrong?" Red looked very surprised at how fierce the pokémon suddenly became. Yellow placed a hand on the pidgey to help calm him down. Her hand glowed faintly as she attempted to read his thought.

"He's trying to say, it was you who attacked him when he was sleeping on a tree."

Red's mouth fell open when he heard what she said because he couldn't think of a thing to say to her right off. He buried his face into his hands trying to find an explanation for the bird's accusation. He remembered sending Pika to challenge Green's eevee, but he never ordered him to attack anything else.

"I-it was clearly a misunderstanding. I… uh… it must have been… Pika! That's it! You know Pika is from Viridian Forest, right?" He clapped his hands once as he started to understand the reason for that. "I guess he was happy to be back, so he might have hit too hard. That attack must have been a stray bullet."

Red was talking way faster than usual, as if he was afraid she would look down on him if he did not. "Please believe me, I never mean to hurt any pokémon for no good reason."

Yellow had calmed the bird pokémon with another oran berry and he agreed to let her continue checking the wound. When she heard Red's last sentence, she paused to look up and said with a reassuring smile,

"Of course I believe you, Red. Have I ever disbelieved you? I know you're a good person."

Red placed a hand on his heart and breathed a sigh of relief. He knew Yellow was not the type that got suspicious easily. Convincing her was not very hard and he was not even a liar. That was how he had earned her trust ever since the day they first met each other. He, though, still found it somewhat scary when it came to things she disliked.

"Thank you for believing me."

"Why, you don't need to thank me for that."

"Hehe, you're just way too kind, Yellow!" He said, smiling broadly.

"You just need to apologize to him."

She said, pointing at the bird pokémon.

"Apologize to… him?" he slowly repeated her words. "HIM?"

"Yes, him. I know you didn't mean to do it, but you did hurt him. You should at least apologize properly."

He was about to rest his back against the couch again, but was made to stand up and approach the table. If it weren't Yellow, he would suppose that person was joking and he would be laughing at it right now. He found her reason, though weird, pure and adorable in its own way. It was not usual for Red to do this but he wouldn't mind doing what she said just to make her happy.

"Come on, Pika! Come out and say sor—"

"I meant you."

"Haha, I'm just kidding. Alright—"

Red bent down so that he was now on the same eye level with the bird pokémon. He took a deep breath and said,

"Buddy, I'm so sorry for hurting you. I swear I didn't mean to; it was just an accident. How about we shake hands like what men always do, and you will forgive me for what I did?"

Red was not sure whether the pidgey understood everything he said but he still offered his hand. After a moment of ignoring the gesture, the pokémon slightly moved his head towards Red and agreed to let him stroke his crest. His eyes closed while he enjoyed it, a sign that the apology had been accepted. It was much easier than Red expected and he was trying to savor this special moment which he had never experienced before.

"I'm so glad you guys can finally make up," Yellow said after she had observed the whole pleasant conversation. "See, Red, even though he's so mad at you, he's still willing to give you a second chance if you can prove that you're really sincere. Pokémon are born kind, and if we take care of them with all our heart, they'll always be our friends."

Her words literally stunned him as he had no idea Yellow could ever talk like that. It was like she had been prepared for this moment a long time ago and she just finished it perfectly. Red gave the girl a surprised and admiring look, and she just answered him with a calm tone,

"That's what you taught me on the day we first met. I will never forget it."

...

"You haven't told me what you need me for."

Red went back to the couch and sat down, trying to hide a big yawn. She just went to put the kit away. Red spent the whole time watching the girl examine the pokémon and wondered why he was even needed. There seemed to be absolutely nothing for him to do, but knowing Yellow, there had to be something he didn't know yet.

"I was afraid his wing is broken but it's not, so we don't have to worry very much. And we don't need to use bandages if I just heal it now."

He took her point without hesitation, still trying to figure out if he missed anything.

"You don't usually let me see you use your power, do you?" Red grinned, looking very eager.

He imagined seeing her hand stop moving for a split second but he quickly brushed the thought aside.

"Most of the time, I use my power when I'm in the forest. That's why you don't usually see it."

"Makes sense to me."

"And that's why I'm going to need your help now."

Finally, I'm useful, he thought and threw out his chest. He had been waiting for this and soon she would give him the answer for his question. Red rubbed his hands together and proudly said,

"Then how can I help you?"

In the dim light of the living room, Red could still see her cheeks slowly glowing. He wondered if it was the answer for his question that made the girl nervous or it was quite normal for her to get flustered easily like that, or even both. But then, she came up with a question for him.

"Do you know why I often use my power when I'm in the forest?" she asked.

"Hmmm… because you love spending your time in the forest collecting herbs or… fishing, maybe?" Red scratched the back of his hat, grinning.

"Indeed, I do. And that's where I happen to see injured pokémon here and there, so I just heal them… without being seen."

"... The forest is like my home. I owe my power to it, so I vow to use my power to help any pokémon that need my help."

"... You know, I'm always most comfortable when I'm in there. I feel like I'm… protected. I can just sit against a tree and nap whenever I want."

Red sat still and listened to the girl intently. It wasn't common for her to talk about herself like this, which Red found strange but at the same time, he was cherishing it a lot. He loved to learn more about her, about her kind nature and her routine alike. What actually happened to Yellow in the forest still sometimes made him curious and now was a good time to know more about it.

"I feel safe there, Red. Even if helping those pokémon drains all of my energy, I can just close my eyes and let the forest heal me until I'm fully recovered. I never fear that someone might see me sleeping or even attack me when I am."

Red always knew Yellow loved Viridian Forest with her whole being; she was the chosen one to receive the forest's special power after all. It wouldn't be an exaggeration for him to call her the dear child of the forest. Therefore, he could see why she wanted to protect the creatures in the forest; she wanted to repay her debt of gratitude for all those times she felt safe and secure under its protection. He remembered that one time she got really angry (and scary) when someone dared to hurt the forest.

A pure and untouchable soul, that was how he had slowly lost his heart to her.

Still, Red had no idea why she was telling him these things.

"The thing is, if I use my power now, it's very likely that I will fall asleep right away. And I don't want to sleep in the living room all night—"

"—so I will need you to carry me to my room before you leave." Yellow finished her sentence after a short pause. She was blushing a little but her eyes told him that she knew what she was saying. The girl now stood straight and looked at Red while waiting for his answer.

"Wh-wha…" Red could only managed to stutter a question as a reply. "Wha… w-wait… y-you want me to… carry you?"

"Yes. And that's the only thing I ask of you."

Red suddenly found himself struggling to give her an answer. It was not just about yes and no or I will and are you serious? Now he started to understand why she told him all those things. Red knew and had already seen Yellow fall asleep almost instantly after using her power. It was true she wanted to express her love for the forest but more importantly, she wanted him to know—unless it was really necessary, she only did so when she felt safe enough because she was most vulnerable when sleeping.

"Are you sure?"

Yellow, now no longer blushing, smiled warmly at Red as she gave him her answer.

"Of course I am."

"But… I don't understand. Why… why me, of all people? Do you really trust me that much?"

She walked to Red and sat down next to him, the pidgey now sleeping on her arm. She put a hand on his wing, closing her eyes as she was ready to use her power. She softly said, more like whispering to herself,

"Always."

...

It first started with her hand, then her whole body also glowed magically. Red felt as if time just froze everything, only his mind was functioning properly. Yellow was radiating a pleasant aura that made every inch of his body yearn to bathe itself in the aura forever. He could sense the pure energy of life and regeneration, also the fresh scent of jasmine and cyclamen filling the air which he later realized was the scent of her hair blowing in a gentle wind that just entered through the window.

She gave her energy and happiness away but she didn't ask for anything in return. She was like a guardian angel to all creatures who knew her.

And Red wanted to be her guardian; he wanted to be there for her when she needed him most.

…

Yellow opened her eyes, a smile curving on her lips. It took her a second to look around for Red, only to find him sitting at the same place. Red smiled back at the girl. The wound had healed beautifully.

"Could you take him to Rat-chan's bed?" she said.

Red held the pidgey in his arms and found Yellow's raticate sleeping in his own basket in the corner of the room.

"Hi, Rat-chan!"

The rodent pokémon slightly shook his whiskers as a reply. Then he moved up a bit to make room for his new friend. Red carefully placed the bird pokémon down next to Rat-chan.

"Good night! I'll see you in the morning," he whispered to both pokemon. And at the same time, he heard a small yawn from behind. Red didn't need to look back to know what just happened.

…

The house was so quiet, and so was everything out there.

Red moved his eyes from the pokemon back to the girl. She was fast asleep and had curled into a ball while using her hands as a pillow.

I guess it's time, Red thought to himself and smiled. He still had one last thing to do before leaving.

He approached the girl and picked her up as gently as he could. Then he slowly proceeded upstairs.

Her head was now leaning on his shoulder. Red could hear her breathing steadily.

If only she could know that, just a little bit down there, his heart was beating like crazy though she didn't need to see his face turning completely red.

…

The door to her room was only half-closed. Red had no difficulty nudging it open with his elbow and went in. He then looked around the room; the only source of light was from a small lamp on her desk but it was still enough for him to find the bed.

He carefully placed her down and covered her body with a blanket. And just like that, he sat down on the floor and gazed at the sleeping girl.

The night was always so peaceful and beautiful. And only those who were able to stay up late could see its beauty.

Red loved seeing Yellow doing whatever she loved. But this moment was special.

He knew this was such sheer bliss that she would not give anyone else. The fact that she felt safe in his presence meant the world to him.

But would it be alright if he just sat there looking at the sleeping girl all night?

Time to go, Red thought and stood up. He was about to leave her room until he saw something on her desk.

It was her sketchbook. And from a distance, he could see some figures and words on those pages. Yellow must have used her sketchbook as her diary for quite some time now.

And Red was curious. He wanted to see them all; he wanted to know whether it was about him.

Red took one step towards the desk, his hand already stretching out…

…

Always…

Her word echoed in his head, and Red stopped where he was. Again, he smiled, realizing how much of a creature of instinct he had always been.

"Thanks for trusting me!"

He whispered, before closing the door behind and going home.

…

I can't wait to see you again.

Thank you my dear friend HNg for the inspiration to complete this story.

Again, thank you everyone so much for reading! Have a nice day!