Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon

Summary: Paul realizes that there is more to life than training and winning. Against.

Paul: 16 Zoey: 15 1/2

"Speech"

'Thoughts' and emphasis on a word.

Paul Sameuls returns his five Pokemon after training for hours on end.

The troubled teen had been losing battles he should not have been losing.

He sighed and shoved clenched fists into his pockets. His mind wandered from training to something else.

Someone else.

A girl.

To be even more specific, Zoey Bruno.

That girl was different. In a special, good way.

She didn't care if Pokemon were weak. She'd train them to get better. She would catch a Magikarp and train it, all while loving it without ceasing.

That was left Paul so dumbfounded about her.

She was a Co-Ordinator, yet she didn't mind if she lost.

To him, losing was the worst thing that could happen to someone.

Paul looks up at the sky. It was a light blue with puffy white clouds floating across the sky. He felt the wind against his face. He felt content for the first time in a while...

Until,

"Hey, Paul."

He groaned to himself.

"Hi, Zoey." he said blandly, turning his head to the left to get a good glance at the scarlet haired teen standing a few feet away from him. She was smiling brightly.

"What are ya doin'?" Zoey asked walking over to him. Her hands were behind her back.

'How does she manage to be so stubborn and troublesome, yet look so innocent?' Paul thought.

"I was training."

"Oh did I interuppt?"

"No, I was... I was done for the day."

"Oh... Have- Have you ever thought about doing something other than training?"

Paul eyed her curiously.

"Like what?"

"I dunno," she blushed furiously and looked at the ground as she went on, "Maybe, uhm, spending time with friends?"

"What friends?" he answered coldy looking away from her. His usual scowl returned to his face.

"What do you mean, what friends? I'm your friend, aren't I?"

"You are?"

"Of course I am. And when I said that, I-I meant like, maybe a... d-d-date?" her blush worsened, if it was even possible.

"What are you leading up?" Paul questioned looking at her.

Zoey gulped and muttered something that was barely audible. Whatever it was turned her entire face bright red.

"Repeat?" he said.

"Willyougoonadatewithme?" Zoey asked quickly as she looked up at him. She bit her bottom lip.

"Why do you ask?"

"I-I dunno. I guess that I wanted to spend more time with you. I... I kinda... like you..."

He looked her top to bottom for a moment. Their eyes locked.

((A/N I bet I know what you're thinking! I bet you're thinking Paul is gonna accept!!))

"No. I don't like you." Paul said blatantly.

"O-Oh. O-Okay. I'll see you 'round. B-Bye Paul." her voice was trembling and she was having a hard time holding in her inner hurt from him as she turned around and walked off, a little too quickly.

Paul immediatly regretted his answer.

When Zoey got back to her room in the Floroma Pokemon Center, she shut the door behind her and leaned on it. She slid down into a sitting position.

She couldn't help but have tears fall down her face.

"I should've known." she mumbled.

There was a knock on the door.

"Yes?" she called through the door.

"Its me, Dawn!"

"Dawn can... can you come back later?"

"Why?"

"I just wanna be alone right now."

"Zoey, what's wrong?"

"...Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course!"

Zoey stood up and wiped the tears from her eyes with her burgundy long sleeve shirt. Then she opened the door.

Dawn's mouth dropped when she saw Zoey's red eyes and nose.

"Were you crying?!" she asked as Zoey let her in.

"N-No, I just- I just had an allergy." Zoey lied walking in. Dawn sat on an armchair as Zoey sat on the edge of her bed.

"So, what's wrong?" Dawn asked.

"Well, y-you know how I like Paul, right?"

Dawn nodded.

"I found him training as usual and I went over to talk to him. I asked him if he ever thought about doing something other than training and he said like what and I said maybe like a date and he asked me what I was leading up to and I asked him if he would go out with me."

Dawn listened surprised.

"And then he said why do I ask and I said that when I had said something other, that it meant spending time with me and I added that I kinda liked him. He- He just, flat out said, 'No, I don't like you.'"

"He should have at least let you down easily!!" Dawn yelled.

"Gee thanks." Zoey mumbled.

"I mean he should have said it-"

There was another knock on the door.

"Yeah?" Zoey yelled.

"Zoey, its Paul."

Dawn stood up and stormed the door. The enraged Co-Ordinator flung it open.

"You know what?! Scram! Go away!!" she yelled.

"Whoa, take it easy, bluenette. Just let me talk to Zoey." Paul said calmly.

"Dawn let him in already." Zoey added. Paul looked at her. She swallowed hard when their eyes locked again.

Dawn grumbled under her breath but let him in.

Zoey stood up.

"Look, Zoey, I-"

"She doesn't wanna hear it!" Dawn said.

"Leave, Dawn." Zoey growled.

Dawn did as she said, much to her dislike. She did not like the thought of him with her alone.

"Look Zoey. I shouldn't have said it the way I did. I'm sorry," the teen said monotone.

"Its okay. I just... I just don't get why battling and winning is so important to you. Its like the only thing you think about is strategy and-" Paul walked up to her and silenced her by putting a finger over her lips.

"T-To tell you the truth, its not the only thing I think about. I've had... uhm, something else on my mind lately. And I think I made a huge mistake about 10 minutes ago.

"I had lied when I said I didn't like you. I do, really and honsetly. I said no because I've always thought that dating was kind of a waste of time.

"But, maybe if you forgive me, we could go out later or somethin'?"

Zoey was left shocked and in loss of words as he went on,

"You know, when I heard your voice after I said what I did, it made me realize that there is more to life than what I thought it was. There's other things to live for. People to live for." he put his hand on her cheek and carressed it lovingly.

"Paul..." she leaned into his palm. His soft touch relaxed her.

This was a whole side of him she'd never seen before.

"Zoey, I... I don't just like you. I," he paused for a long couple of seconds before continueing, "I love you."

Zoey's eyes shot open.

"R-Really?"

"Yeah. I always have." he put his hands on her arms and pulled her into a loving embrace, which she more than gladly returned. "You've known it."

"But-" she started looking up at him. But he silenced her again.

"No. Don't say anything."

She nodded.

"I know you love me back, so you don't have to say it. And you've known I've always loved you."

Zoey glanced at him.

"How?" she asked.

Paul parted from her and put one hand on her cheek and the other on her neck.

"You should have known by the way I would ignore you so often." he smirked.

"I guess you always did that because you thought I was a nuisence."

"No, you are a nuisence."

Zoey opened her mouth to say something but Paul silenced her by gently pecking her lips.

"But you're my nuisence." he whispered. Zoey put both her hands on the sides of his face and pulled him into her. She kissed him deeply. Paul kissed her back. Their eyes were closed. But Zoey's shot open when she felt him tilt his head and lick her upper lip. As she shut her eyes again, she tilted her head to the oppisite side and opened her mouth, giving him entrance. His tongue ran across hers numerously before he searched every dent in her teeth and every corner of her mouth.

They finally parted when someone opened the door and said, "Okay, its way too qui-"

It was Dawn.

They looked at her. Zoey couldn't help but turn bright red, and feel herself getting red. Neither pulled their hands back.

"Uh.............................................." was all Dawn could manage to say.

Paul rolled his eyes and said, "Can we finish?"

Zoey blushed worse as Dawn cocked her eyebrow.

"Uhm, sh-sure." she said as she closed the door.

She shuddered at the thought of the two of them making out.

'That was... disturbing...' she thought as she walked down the hallway.

FIN

Me: okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay... that was sooooooooooo pointless
Paul: it was...
Zoey: true that...
Me: Paul, tell them to review.
Paul: no.
Me: Zoey, you tell them 2 review.
Zoey: you do it.
Me: (teasing voice to Zoey) I'll make a fanfic where Paul doesn't have a shirt on...
Zoey: REVIEW!
Paul: (sweatdrop)