Chapter 7: Adrift
I sighed softly, yanking my jacket tighter. It was snowing out, making it a little difficult to walk. It was only about a foot deep though. I was turning 22 tomorrow. I bit my lip anxiously, I stopped walking, and I gazed down at the ground. Crystal and Eusine had started dating; she'd moved out and moved to Goldenrod to live with him. They traveled a lot though, so she did field work for Elm all over Kanto and Johto, even in Hoenn and Sinnoh at times.
Gold still lived beside me, but he was in a relationship with Whitney currently, the Gym Leader of Goldenrod, so we didn't really get to spend much time together anymore. He spent all his free time with her. He still worked under Elm as well, though I was Elm's only remaining full time employee. It got so lonely at the lab… It didn't help that Elm and I were both such quiet people, or that I'd caused the professor so much trouble at first by stealing Feraligatr when he was still a totodile …
I gasped in surprise as I felt Lance's arms wrap around me. How long had I just been standing here? I pulled away to look up at him and he smiled at me tenderly before he pulled me close once more. He had on a thick warm jacket. I clutched tightly to him, suddenly. Lance was very in tune with pokemon's moods, and he was even very skilled at reading people. He'd probably been feeling my recent loneliness. It seemed like he was all I had left now. But… I was alright with that. I guessed…
I watched in confusion as he draped another, thicker jacket over me and zipped it up to my chin. I knew better than to bother questioning Lance of all people. He wasn't as odd as Gold, but he could be pretty odd at times. He also tied another scarf around my neck. He called out Dragonite. I reached out, touching the pokemon. Dragonite hated the cold… what was Lance doing?
He picked me up in his arms (I was too stunned to protest) and got on his most trusted pokemon. His first pokemon. Their bond was amazing, enough to make even Weavile and me jealous. "Let's go," he commanded, and Dragonite blasted off the ground. I think the dragon thought he was a spaceship.
"What are you doing?" I asked softly, trying to keep my teeth from chattering. My voice was so easily lost in the snow that it sounded like I was whispering. The wind ripping past us made me almost inaudible.
Lance didn't answer me. He just kept his gaze ahead, a pair of goggles on the keep the cold wind and snow from his eyes. He put a pair on me too and held me close to help shield me from the wind. We were getting higher and higher really fast. I should have known what he was up to, but at the time my mind was blank.
Blue and Green were both married now, and Red's and Yellow's wedding had happened right in the middle of fall before things got too chilly. Apparently some of the other pokedex holders had married as well, though they were much too young in my opinion.
Mount Silver.
Dragonite swooped down to it. It was freezing. Once we had landed, Lance quickly returned the pokemon. He took me to the edge of the peak, but the clouds blanketed the world below from our view. He sent out three other Dragonites and commanded them to sweep away the clouds with defog.
It was amazing how they quickly swept the clouds away, revealing a snow covered Johto. I looked up at Lance curiously. Then suddenly I was looking down at him as he fell to one knee, his head bowed to me. I just gazed down at him in amazement, surprised it was happening now. I almost couldn't process it. There hadn't even been any hints! We'd just been moving along at a slow, usual pace.
"Silver," he said my name with such reverence that I shivered, "please, would you do me the honor of being my wife—of marrying me?"
He pulled out the most beautiful ring I'd even seen. I squeezed my eyes closed tightly, feeling tears of… what? I wasn't sure. Fright? Embarrassment? Joy? Sadness? Whatever it was, I couldn't stand crying. It made me feel so weak.
Lance looked up at me. He reached up, stroking my cheek. The ring wasn't the traditional gold, or even white gold. It was simple silver. Not cheap silver, though. It was the highest quality of silver ever made according to Lance (I think he was pulling my leg). That's why it'd taken so long for him to ask me, because my rings had to be made, apparently. In the middle was a large, square cut diamond that sparkled amazingly. To either side were two triangular blue topazes, the stone of my birth month. The ring itself had a simple design engraved into the metal, making it look very elegant.
"I love you so much, Lance," I choked out, and fear lit through his eyes. I realized that's what a lot of people probably began with to decline. I quickly decided to put his mind to ease, "Of course I'll marry you."
He stood, yanked me close, and kissed me passionately, all the while slipping the ring on my finger. I wove my fingers through his red hair, and we kissed passionately in the snow. I love him. I love him so much.
"I have to get you back home, out of this cold," he panted as he pulled away, sending out Dragonite again.
We were back at home rather quickly. He set me down on the couch and made us some hot chocolate. I was curled up on the couch, gazing down at my ring, absently tracing the stones and design. A knock came from the door though, disturbing our romantic moment.
"Gold," I uttered in surprise as I opened the door.
"You two are crazy," he groaned, "I saw you taking off on Lance's dragonite. What were you doing?"
I swallowed nervously and held up my ring hand. Gold gazed at me in confusion, and then his eyes focused on my ring. He gasped, grabbing my hand, gazing at my ring with huge eyes. Then he looked at Lance in shock and back down at my hand. "So," he choked out, "you're really choosing him and his girly ring. You're getting hitched."
I nodded, confused as to why he was so shaken. Gold smiled nervously. "I know it's so stupid, but, the other week I was talking to Crystal, and she said you were debating whether to confess to me or Lance, and then on the day I completely betrayed you by hurting you and revealing your secrets, you were able to pick. You picked Lance. I just… I've been thinking of how stupid everything turned out. Just maybe I was too stupid to see how much I loved you, Silver. And, I know I apologized back then, but… I have to apologize again. You're happy, aren't you?"
I swallowed nervously, my heart racing, so fast. I nodded. I was happy with Lance, but I missed my friends so badly as they drifted away to the four corners of the earth.
Gold grinned and yanked me close. "You wouldn't be this happy if you were with me, Silver. So, I'm sorry for not punching you sooner," he laughed weakly. "Silver, you're always my best bud. I love you, man. I'm sorry I haven't been around much. I can tell you miss me and Crys. But, are we at least invited to your wedding?"
I clutched tightly to Gold, silently crying, again. The tears in my eyes actually caught me by surprise. Why did it feel like this? Why was I crying? Gold was happy for me! Gold was telling me how much I meant to him! No, they weren't tears of sadness; they were tears of joy, the joy of knowing how strong my bond with my friends was—which is completely stupid because tears should be saved for extreme sadness only. Maybe I was just hormonal that day. "Of course. Thank you, Gold," I choked out through my tears.
"So, how will it work? He's obviously the dude. Are they going to stick you in a dress? I'm sure you'd look great and all, but I'd rather see Lance in a puffy white wedding dress—you carrying him bridal style."
I heard Lance nearly choking in the background. Hopefully he didn't want to kill Gold right now. I was holding in laughter.
"We'll just wear tuxes and I'll play the bride part, Lance the groom. Blue and I have sort of playfully talked it over. I don't really have a time yet, though."
Gold nodded. "Let me help you guys out."
Lance stood, walking over to us. My back was to him, but I'm good at sensing things. I glanced back to see Lance gazing at Gold intently. Oh no. There wasn't going to be an argument was there? "Since credit goes to you for bringing Silver and me together, I'd like you to be my best man, for Silver, please."
Gold gasped. I looked up at Lance again with wide, amazed eyes. I jumped up to my toes and excitedly threw my arms around him like an excited teenage girl. "I love you, Lance," I cried out happily, squishing our faces together. Lance chuckled nervously and ran his hand nervously up and down my back. I think I was high on love~!
"It's okay, Silver. Calm down."
I kissed him softly on the cheek and let him go before I squeezed the life out of him. "I have to call, Blue!" I yelled, marching off to Lance's and my room.
I guess Gold left to give Lance and me some alone time, or because he didn't want to hear me squealing over the phone to Blue. "Here it goes," Lance groaned, collapsing into the bad, gazing at the ceiling.
"Hey Silver," Blue greeted me causally.
"Blue!" I yelled.
"Ow, okay, what'd I do?"
I look a quick breath and threw a look over to my fiancé. "Lance purposed to me."
"Oh my gosh! You said yes, right?"
"Oh course!"
"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! When's the wedding then?" I was laughing because we joking around acting like this.
"We don't know yet. It just happened less than an hour ago."
"Where did he propose then?"
"On top of Mount Silver."
"Oooh, freezing up there."
"My mind wasn't really on the cold," I admitted.
"Well, you need to come see me. I'll take your measurements again, and we'll get started on the most beautiful dress in the history of dresses. Only the best for you… Sister."
Blush flickered across my face as Blue hung up. I gazed at Lance curiously, his arms folded across his chest, his eyes closed. I leaned over and boldly kissed him on the lips. He lashed out, grabbing me in a hug and yanking me on top of him.
"Silver. I forgot to mention a major part of getting married. I know you already agreed, but if you want to change your mind, it's okay."
I gazed at him curiously.
"I was hoping…" he looked up at me anxiously, "that maybe we could have children, Silver."
"O-oh," I choked out nervously. Oh Arceus… Oh Arceus… I looked at Lance nervously, who wouldn't look me in the eyes.
I didn't really have the maternal instinct. I didn't think babies were cute. I did not want one coming out of me. But… Lance's and my child. My heart rate quickened at the thought. Our child… Something we created together, that meant the world to us.
"I want to, too," I uttered softly. For Lance. Only for him. Damn he was lucky…
But unlike most, I wasn't looking forward to consecrating our marriage. I could deal with carrying our child, maybe even giving birth, but not the making it part. Oh no… what had I gotten into?
XxXx
Aw, stop whining Silver. Pft. Most people used their Spring Break to do progressive things like update their stories. I swindled mine away playing Pokemon Black. Sorry about that, but I did finish the game in about five days. Not really a record, because most of my friends beat it in two or three while attending school. However, unlike my friends I completely murdered the elite four and all those other trainers (no spoilers for you) at the end without losing a single pokemon. My pokemon are beasts. Although I tried to update the story the past few days and I kept getting some error when I tried to edit to upload the new chapter. Pft. I'm good at getting around things though (just took me two days...). So, you guys get an update on my 4 year anniversary with my boyfriend, hahah.
Actually related to the story: Silver was a bit OOC from his reserved self and I really hated it. I tried to throw in his awesome sarcasm, but I don't think the end result is as satisfactory as it should be. Fortunately, I'm hoping I can be forgiven since he kind of got purposed to. Every time I tried to tone him down it just seemed so… forced? I really enjoyed writing the beginning with him walking through the snow, though. So Sliver-ish. There are three chapters and an epilogue left! At least I think. The epilogue is crap, so I'll consider it.
Oh, and I love Asmie as usual. She makes such amazing art. She's like one of the only people in existence who've made any Mastershipping art, so definitely check out her gallery and give her your love (She even has art specific to my various stories, how awesome is that?):
http:/ /aosuka. deviantart .com/
