EDITED

Huh. Yes. Another re-write but this is for 'I Can See Past Your Terrible Acting, May.' I'm not sure whether I like this one better or not because the ending has changed; I know for sure I didn't like the previous ending, so I wanted to redo it… still not fond of it though. Hmmm.

Anyway! Yes. Hope you like it. There's more to it. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

YOU DON'T NEED TO TRY

"Congratulations, Drew. You won again," May complimented, though one look could tell she wasn't putting heart and soul into it. She lost to him yet again and though she wasn't exactly a sore loser, it did disappoint her to an extent. "It was a great battle."

She watched emerald-eyed co-ordinator for any reaction and soon got one when he flicked his hair and faced her with a smirk.

He casually looked at his nails as he spoke. "It wasn't that hard really. Especially since I was battling you," he snidely remarked, sighing, as though it was a waste of his time. Even though he countered was an insult, the compliment was noted.

May was angered and she clenched her fists by her side. "Take that back! I'm not that bad ya know! After all! I got your life points lower than half way, didn't I?" she all but shouted before crossing her arms snappily and letting him get a view of a her back.

Drew blinked, now that she wasn't looking. It was always the same thing. The constant counterattacks over a small unnoticeable joke—which was hidden under an insult. May should have been used to it but no… she acted the same way every time.

It was getting old and…

…suspicious.

The green haired co-ordination smiled slyly. "May."

She half turned to him but kept her nose high to indicate that wasn't going to take anymore insults. "Hmm?" She opened her sapphire eyes to look into his green ones, and noticed a sort of playfulness behind them.

There was no smile on his face—since he had erased it before she turned—and his hair hung over his forehead so the tips touched his nose. She raised an eyebrow. Normally he'd flick it out of the way but his hand did not stray from his side.

"Stop acting," he stated firmly; his speech didn't betray the look in his eyes.

May gave him a confused expression. "'Stop… acting?'" Acting? She wasn't acting. She didn't think she was. Was she? She narrowed her eyes, slight irritation flashing across her eyes but not progressing any further. "I'm not acting, Drew."

He huffed. "It's been almost a year, May, since we first met."

"Yeah? And?"

"You always react in the same way every time I 'insult' you," the way he spoke made the brunette understand that all the insults was just some sort of foreplay. "Shouldn't you be used to it by now?"

May was silent. He had a point. But how was she supposed to cover it? It seemed more like he was stating a fact and was not expecting an answer but…

She stared at his face and saw the expectant look in his eye—the playfulness was oblivion. He wanted a response. But anyway that she did respond would possibly lead to more bickering. And that was something she wanted to avoid.

When she didn't reply for several minutes, Drew smiled. "Are you hiding something?"

The brunette scowled. "Of course not!" She clenched her fists for the nth time that day and sent a glare in his direction.

There she went again. She was angry—but was it real anger?

Drew chuckled. "Well. I would have thought you enjoy my taunting remarks." This time he got rid of the locks shading his face by tossing his head to the side.

The arrogant Drew returned.

"That's stupid!" May growled. "Who would enjoy being insulted?" She stamped a foot forward and shoved her face into his, causing him to recoil back in surprise.

He regained his posture swiftly before replying smoothly. "Simple. You want my attention."

This stopped May in tracks. The nerve.

She huffed again and crossed her arms as well, closing her eyes to try and fight back the blush on her cheeks. "So what if I do?"

Shoot! she thought. She had to say something that would give him loads of opportunities to tease her. She really wanted to take back her comment and bury it somewhere in the ground—preferably in the middle of the ocean—but it was too late and Drew was already smiling like a maniac.

She did not trust him.

Go on. Just say it. Give me a snide remark. Jerk.

To her surprise, he didn't.

"May?"

It was in a relaxed tone. It made her open her eyes to see what was going on. "Wha?!" She jumped back in surprise when the first thing she saw was something red pushed right under her eyes—it made her go cross eyed.

It was another rose.

Just like all the other ones, it was clearly tended for—and she briefly wondered where he got all of the pristine flowers. It looked so innocent in the moonlight.

She sighed to herself. She didn't know why she was so surprised. It as the normal deal: she'd congratulate the jerk, be insulted by said jerk and then the jerk would hand her another rose, saying it was for her Beautifly.

At least… that was she expected again but… this time… it turned out different.

"You don't need to try."

She was stoked and not even bothering to hide the blush on her cheeks.

Drew chuckled as he took one of May's hands and placed the firm stem into her palm, closing her fingers over the top of it for her. His hands was pressed against her own for a brief second longer before he pulled a way, a smile on his face.

"W-What?" May eventually breathed. Her vision was blurred, not by tears or anything, but by staring in one place for too long—it was out of focus—and all she saw was the fuzzy outline of her rival.

He was still standing there, his hands in his pant pockets and his green fringe shading his face.

"Hard of hearing?"

She shook her head when she heard his voice and her vision returned to normal. She didn't say anything, just stared.

Drew's lips slightly twitched at the ends. "Hmph." Without another word, he pivoted and began walking away, leaving behind an embarrassed May.

That was… unexpected.

Rational thoughts began to plague her mind as soon as he was out of sight and the entire conversation rained down on her in an instant. "He knows," she whispered, the tips of her fingers pressing against the fine, thorn-less stem.

"He knows."