A/N: Now we have passed "the realization" and the "denial". Now we're onto the "third step". And I'm really abusing these quotation marks, aren't I? -.-' Well, anyway, THIRD STEP. Don't worry, I'm not high off coffee anymore. And I'm calm. I had a little bit of writer's block at first.

And I started listening to love songs. I tried to search some down and find one that would be fitting for this chapter. Naturally, I searched down some of my personal favorite groups. LOL. It was hard finding one that was fitting, but I did come out victorious. So here's the third step that you've been waiting for: Acceptance.

Yeah so, now this chapter covers over how these feelings will be accepted. There will be a lot of unexpected timeskips during the chapter, you may get lost if you don't pay close attention. Or maybe not.

Every time I see your face

My heart takes off an a high speed chase

Now don't be scared, it's only love

That we're falling in

I would never do you wrong

Or let you down or lead you on

Don't look down, it's only love

Baby, that we're falling in

- Falling In, by Lifehouse.

Disclaimer: I STILL DON'T OWN POKEMON. :|

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~Five Steps to Falling In Love~

~ Step #3: Acceptance ~

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"So it was a very hard test, but I think I passed."

"This salad is gross-looking, Dawn. Why are you eating that...?"

"I totally asked him out! He said he'd think on it, but I'm remaining positive! I KNOW he'll say yes!"

"WHO WANTS TO TRADE MEALS WITH ME?"

"Brock, you need to stop flirting with Lucy. Continue to do that between classes, and she'll probably faint next time. Geez, can't you realize she's head over heels for you secretly?"

Ash was barely even hearing all these loud conversations that were surrounding him. His mind was just racing wildly. Even more so since he had met up with Gary in the halls. It was all because of that one phrase...

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Just as Gary had made it a little distance away, he sighed and then turned his head around to look at Ash over his shoulder. Something of an attempted genuine smile was trying to sneak slyly onto his lips, yet he tried to fight it back. "Feel better, man." And he didn't wait for a response, he just started walking off to the next class as the bell begun to ring.

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It was just one stupid, generic phrase that he could have heard from anybody. He shouldn't be getting so flattered by that, Gary probably was just teasing anyway. It's not like he was genuinely concerned about him like he was trying to get him to believe. Right?

After all, they've drifted apart and barely ever were around each other. They didn't know each other as well as they had used to years ago.

"...What do you think, Ash?" Ash, suddenly surprised by the question directed at him, flinched and looked up from the food he was absentmindedly stirring.

The person whom asked this question was Misty. She was a close friend of his, and was currently sitting by him. She could sense that he was really distressed, and was merely inquiring of why he was like that. She gave him a worried look when he made eye contact with her.

"Sorry for surprising you. I was just wondering...why are you so distant and distressed today?" Misty repeated herself, she also returned back to taking a bite out of her sandwich. But it was so hard to think about eating with Ash like this.

Nobody else was sitting with them at the moment. Ash realized this and felt a little more relaxed. Maybe he could try and get some help from Misty about this sudden...problem...he's acquired recently. She was always up for providing advice after all, though it did go to her head sometimes.

"I'm okay, Misty. I just...there's..." Ash sighed. He couldn't live like this. Being so confused and feeling strange, he wasn't himself anymore. He didn't even have the appetite to eat his lunch, which to any other classmate of his could be a sign the world was ending. "Actually, I, ah, oh screw it. I need some advice about something...but there's no one else I could turn to..."

What kind of advice could he be referring to? Misty was now curious, she quickly placed her half-eaten sandwich back on the plate and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'll help you! Anything to get you back to normal, it's just so difficult seeing you this distressed!"

Oh that was great for him. Now it was apparent to others that he looked like he had several rough problems in his life. Could it get any better than this?

He just realized how hard this would be to confess to Misty. The words were on the tip of Ash's tongue, but he couldn't get them any farther than that. He couldn't voice them. Speech was becoming impossible very fast, though he had already figured that it would be hard admitting this. He was really starting to send his best girl friend mixed messages, and he knew it.

Finally, he tried to compose himself. Ash begun talking a little bit lowly so nobody else at nearby tables could hear their conversation, "Misty, please don't let anyone else find out about this."

Misty rolled her eyes. "Of course I'll keep my mouth shut, Ash. I wouldn't tell anyone that easily, even I were tortured." A warm smile crept it's way onto Misty's face and she turned around to face Ash with her big curious eyes. "Now tell me what's wrong."

But to Misty's confusion, she didn't get a response. Ash was just staring off into space, thinking. Remembering that little scene in history class that he had been a part of when he first realized that he was beginning to think of his rival a different way.

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Ash just wasn't paying attention. His mind was in a state of absolute chaos. So many emotions were taking over, and he didn't like it all. At least the other students had finally taken their eyes off of him and were either writing or actually paying attention to their teacher.

Gary, however, was still looking at Ash. He and the confused boy made eye contact and held it for approximately eleven seconds. After this, he just flashed him a cocky smirk that he gave everyone when he was either in the know of some secret that no one else wanted him to find out about, or was just trying to be charming.

It must have been the second one. And dammit, it was working. Ash usually didn't do this when he saw his usual little smirks, but he suddenly felt the tips of his ears burn, his heart pound against his ribs, and his feet to feel pretty lightweight.

"Maybe I'm just coming down with something." Ash murmured under his breath as he rested his chin on his palm once again. His eyes traveled up to the board and her tried to keep them locked there. But his mind was everywhere but the history lesson.

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He obviously didn't want to have to bring this up. Misty had been around Ash long enough to know these kind of things. And she wanted to help him. She really did. But her patience was wearing fast.

However, Ash finally worked up the nerve to bring this up. He continued by bringing up Gary, mentioning how he was very popular with the girls around school and about how they all swooned over him easily.

Misty had nodded at this, agreeing. She was very aware of that fact. And for a twist, Gary happened to be sitting not too far away at a table alone. She could see him try to eat, but these two other random girls were flocking around him and just making fools of themselves trying to talk to him. She didn't see what was so great about him like all the other girls did.

"So is this...about Gary?" Misty asked a little warily. She didn't like where this discussion was going. Not at all. Fearing that maybe Ash was getting all gloomy about the other boy beating him at something once again or arguing, or whatever. But to her surprise, Ash didn't look annoyed by her asking this. She actually saw his cheeks redden a little. "I guess it must be then. What'd he do or say this time?" Now annoyed, Misty leaned back in her seat with an irritated look. Awaiting for Ash's berserk button to be pressed any time now.

"No...it's just..." Ash abruptly stood up from his seat and grabbed Misty by the wrist, pulling her up with him. "Look, it's too embarrassing to discuss where Gary might be able to hear, Misty. Can we talk in the corner or something?"

Seeing the pleading look in Ash's big dark brown eyes, Misty couldn't say no. She now realized that this situation must be much more dramatic than what she had thought. So she gave him a silent nod in agreement, and Ash dragged her away with him to one of the corners in the lunch room which was by the wastebaskets.

Unbeknownst to them, Gary had been looking at them and could make out a little bit of what they had said from where he was sitting.

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The two stupid fangirls giggled to each other as they did as they were instructed and left Gary's table. He had told them to leave because, frankly, they were a pain in the ass and too annoying. They were too certain ones that were more...obsessive than the usual ones, so yeah...

To his dismay, he couldn't stop thinking about Ash. It wasn't in a lusty kind of way, mind you, it was because he was worried. As much as he couldn't stand to confess that. Ever since history class, he's been looking really tired and zombie-ish. And since he's given him that note telling him, Ash has been really nervous and jumpy around him. Not to mention constantly fidgeting under his gaze and turning bright red. It wasn't normal at all.

Now he's overheard that this whole thing is because of him. Great. Now Gary was too curious about this. He wanted to find out what was wrong with his rival. And how he fit into the picture.

"I could suggest he go to the nurse or something," Gary murmured thoughtfully under his breath, pushing away his now-empty food tray and standing up. "But he might take my concern the wrong way. He may think...I'm trying to be friendly."

Gary couldn't have Ash thinking he was trying to be friendly; they were supposed to be rivals. But...truthfully, it's become one-sided as Gary has realized over the years that he didn't really dislike Ash all that much. And he was still trying to recall what had made him end their friendship in the first place.

And wait, why was Ash now on his mind no matter how he tried to drop the subject? Quickly, Gary brought his cold hands to his burning cheeks. No, there's no way that...

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"Ash! Just tell me what this is all about!" Misty cried out as Ash successfully dragged her over to the corner by the wastebaskets and released her wrist that he hadn't realized he was clasping very roughly.

"I'm sorry! I just...I couldn't let him hear this..." Ash apologized, not looking at her in the eyes. Instead, he had adjusted gaze from her eyes, to her yellow sweater, to her baggy jeans, to the floor. For some reason, he was too nervous for eye contact.

"Gary?" Ash nodded. "I don't get it...why are you so distressed about him? How does he fit into all of this at all?" Misty continued, adjusting her bright orange hair in a side ponytail.

"First of all, how do you know when you...like someone who you thought you couldn't stand?" Ash quickly asked, just spitting it out and getting it over with. Now that he had brought himself to ask this, he could feel a hot blush rise up and spread to his ears.

Misty didn't answer at first. She couldn't, no matter how hard she tried, to find the right answer. Her mouth had opened and closed repeatedly, making her look almost like a fish.

"Misty~!" Ash whined in exasperation. He needed answers for this. It's not like he could just skip up to any person he barely knew and ask this question. This was how much he's come to trust the orange-haired tomboy.

"D-did you seriously just ask that question, Ash? I don't know the answer to that! Not many do!" Sputtered Misty, whom was blushing furiously at this point and waving her hands back and forth. "Besides, since when are you interested in anyone like that? I've been beginning to think you're asexual by now!"

"No...I'm definitely not asexual after what I've found out today..." Ash confessed after sighing. "But that isn't the point, I need to know. And you're probably the only person that I can get the answers from."

"What about Brock?" Misty suggested while raising an eyebrow. It would make more sense to her if Ash had directed this sudden question over to another guy. Not a girl. But her confusion was instantly shattered when Ash gestured over to a table nearby.

When Misty glanced over Ash's shoulder at the table, she understood what he was implying. She could see Brock sitting at the table in between a couple of annoyed cute girls and flirting shamelessly with them. Typical.

Ash brought his hand to his forehead. "Don't get me wrong, Brock's a good guy. But...well...you get it."

"I sure do." Misty mumbled as her eyes slanted a little. She felt really awkward for even suggesting Ash get Brock's help. "Okay, okay! I haven't ever really come up with this kind of problem...but I do know that, sometimes, your mind can tell you that you can't stand a person. You totally despise them. But your heart talks differently; eventually the real feelings will resurface. Maybe you really do like him/her, but you don't want to accept it. Denial, in other words."

Ash wasn't exactly a bright person. Especially when it came to these kind of topics. But he tried real hard to follow Misty's lecture about all of this. He could see that she really wanted the ground to frigging open up underneath her and take her away from all of this.

"...In other words. You'll know you really like someone when it's time. I don't know for sure, if this is true or not, but you can't just rush it. When you really like someone you'll be thinking about them nonstop, your mind nearly breaking down over it. Your heart will flutter in their presence. You'll be eventually dying to be with them. And you may suffer from the occasional lovesickness, which is expected!"

Ash carefully listened to all of this new information, taking it in with great interest. He had hope that Misty knew what she was talking about. As she's fallen head over heels for classmates before and ended up getting hurt in the end as well. She's had tons of experience with these kinds of emotions, obviously.

"I think I understand a little bit more. But...uh...how do you deal with denial?" Ash's tone was sounded kind of quiet and quick at this point. Like he didn't want to ask. But Misty gave him a reassuring smile and begun her explanation again.

"Ash, denial is normal. So don't feel pressured at all! You see...denial is a bitch because it will always hinder you from accepting your feelings and asking the other person how they feel back. You'll be in this mental war with yourself and you'll try desperately to convince yourself that you don't feel that strongly. And, most of the time, you can overcome it. But you'll have to do it alone and listen to what your heart," For emphasis, Misty placed her own hand on her chest, over her heart. But Ash only blinked at this. "Tells you. You know, I think denial is usually and typically rough when it comes to discovering you like someone of the same sex. Because you're all: 'oh! This makes me gay!', or 'Dammit, I am straight! It's soooo twisted and wrong to like him/her this way!', but I don't think so. I mean, as long as you truly love him/her then those kind of borders can be broken...do you get what I'm trying to tell you?"

Misty was confused for a moment when Ash became very silent. She could see him try to avoid eye contact once again, but was relieved when he gave her a little smirk. Though it didn't seem genuine at all.

"Thanks for telling me all of this, Misty. I wasn't sure what to do. Maybe...maybe this is all just denial..."

Misty moved a little closer and gave him a pat on his shoulder. "Hey, you'll overcome your annoying denial and learn to accept your feelings for...hmm...ahhhh...who is it that you're feeling this way about again? Girl or guy?"

At that last question, Ash could feel his cheeks begin to burn intensely. He avoided the question entirely by making up an excuse that he wasn't feeling well and had to leave ASAP. And he did just that. He quickly walked away and out of the lunchroom down the halls.

He didn't stop quickly walking away until he found himself by his own locker. And once realizing this, Ash glanced around to make sure nobody was passing by and he roughly hit his head against it and leaned on it tiredly.

All this information he had received...it was slowly sinking in. He realized that maybe he did like Gary. And maybe this was all just denial. Maybe all these weird and sudden feelings he's acquired over the years have been trying to tell him something but he shut them out. So...now everything's trying to come together and tell him for the last time that he really is falling for him.

But if that's the case...then this would be something hard to accept without the horrible thought of being rejected due to his questionable sexuality and Gary turning him down carelessly haunting him in the back of his mind...

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Hours came and went. Before Misty knew it, school was let out for the weekend and she was walking from the doors and down the small series of steps while other students were running down them in an overly-eager manner to get back home. As much as the last few hours were a blur, her mind was racing about why Ash had suddenly came to her with those questions.

Obviously, he must be finally seeing people in a whole different light. Finally beginning to develop romantic feelings. She had honestly been curious for a while about why he hasn't already, as puberty already hit like a long time ago.

Oh well.

Misty was sly. She would find out on her own, but when the perfect time comes. And now, Ash didn't want to talk about this subject. He's always been avoiding her for the rest of the day and hadn't even stopped to talk with Brock, May, Dawn, Ritchie, or any of his other friends. Which really meant something was wrong.

'Since it's the weekend...I should have a few chances to find out what's going on before Monday. But I can't help but be worried. It's not like Ash...to...' Misty's thoughts were interrupted as she heard someone call out to her. Puzzled, she looked around in every direction as she made it down the stairs and to the ground.

Then she looked towards the right, and noticed Gary leaning against the school building trying to get her attention. Misty was a little alarmed that he was actually trying to get her attention, as he never really seemed to give a damn about her before, but she shrugged her shoulders and strolled up to him nevertheless.

"Hi. Um...where you calling me just now?" Misty choked out. Not being able to think of anything else to say. She had to make sure that she didn't sound like she was too curious about this or eager to interact socially with him, or his rapid fangirls would be onto her in a heartbeat.

"Yeah, I was. You're, ah, Misty right?" Gary seemed to be just as confused about how to make conversation as her.

Good. Misty smiled and explained that she was, and that she was close friends with Ash. She knew that he probably wasn't too knowledgeable about this because he and Ash barely talked anymore. And the only words exchanged between them were basically during the times they were competing.

"I had overheard a little bit of your conversation at lunch today. Not to sound creepy or anything. I've been wondering what that was all about." Gary explained pretty casually. His tone didn't waver at all. Hmm, Misty noted, he really could be remarkable sometimes. "So why did Ash ask you about love and all that?"

Something clicked in Misty's brain. She merely crossed her arms and tried to look as uninterested as she could muster. Which was...hard, as she was very amused.

"Oh, I'm not real sure if I should tell you or not...but Ash doesn't really have much knowledge about romantic feelings. I had to explain it all to him because obviously, he seems to be falling for someone at long last." Misty replied. She then thought for moment. "I just don't know who it is. I hope to find out over the weekend though. Since I'm his friend, I think it's fair."

Gary really seemed like he was interested in this. Too interested if you get what we're hinting at here. Kind of like he, like Misty, wanted to know exactly who this person was that Ash was falling for. For a brief period of seconds, the tomboyish girl could even see a look of jealously flash through his eyes.

Why would he be jealous though? And why would he care in the first place? These questions were still unanswered for Misty, it was nearly killing her that she couldn't decode them. But she vowed to herself that she would find out how Gary fit into all of this.

"I wonder who this person is..."

"Why do you want to know, Gary?" Gary turned, to walk away. But Misty smirked impishly as a conclusion formed in her mind. "Are you...worried? Jealous?"

She didn't think it would happen, but it did. Gary froze in the middle of taking a step and Misty could sense that he was surprised and totally caught off guard by what she just tried to hint. He whirled around with widened eyes as his face was beginning to turn a light shade of red fast.

"Of course not! It doesn't matter to me!" Gary insisted, so caught off guard that his composed facade was shattered. He sounded truly flustered.

Of course, Misty wasn't convinced. She merely shook her head and then shifted her backpack over her shoulders, brushing past Gary to get to the path that let to her home.

"Whatever you say..." Was all Misty said, giving him a wave. She knew this wouldn't be the last time she will encounter him though. Somehow she just had the feeling.

And Gary just stood there, for once, completely caught off guard and trapped in "what the fuck?" kind of moment. He watched her walk away until she was out of his sight, before he rubbed his head and started walking off to get back to his own home.

The entire walk to his house, Gary couldn't get Ash off his mind. Or any of the stuff that his friend was implying. And so, he realized that since he couldn't stop thinking about this, he should just accept it. Little did he know, his problems were only beginning.

So were Ash's...

~ End of Chapter ~

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I don't really like the way this chapter ended. But I couldn't think of a single thing, so...I just decided to stop it at this point.

The story isn't over yet! There actually is more problems beginning! But you'll see once we move on to the next step of this story. You'll all see. *Shifty eyes*

And many apologies for the late update. I had to hold it for a few days because I've had to help a friend out after a surgery. And well, I didn't even have time to think about writing. But the next update? It should hopefully be ON TIME! I won't leave you hanging for too long!

You see that button on the bottom of the page? It's calling you to read and review~! :]