Sunrise Confessions

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Pokemon characters.

The rays of the rising pink sun slip through the spaces between the trees and shimmer brightly into my eyes, temporarily blinding me. It figures that I have to have the bad fortune. I look around the smoldering campfire, seeing the curled-up figure of Meowth in his basket, covered in shadow, sleeping peacefully.

Oh, why couldn't that be me?

I turn my head slightly to look at the sleeping bag setting on the dew-covered ground next to mine. As always, my neck just HAS to have an annoying morning kink in it, for, as I turn my head, it makes an annoying popping sound. I must have slept wrong, as usual. And, of course, after looking at James's sleeping bag, I see that my partner is shadowed from the sun and still deep in slumber, smiling slightly. I can bet that he is smiling because he is able to sleep through the mornings, a pleasure that I can never experience. I grumble aloud and stretch while still inside the sleeping bag as I attempt to awaken my numb muscles. My formerly beautiful ruby-colored hair is a knotted mess from getting caught in the broken zipper of my sleeping bag. And James, whose hair is more than three feet shorter than mine, wouldn't even offer me the flawless sleeping bag last night! I guess I shouldn't blame him, though. I had gotten into a huge fight with him and probably didn't even mention the broken sleeping bag that I was to sleep in! I think a bit more as I lie back down on the warm pillow. I hadn't even told him about the zipper. I realize, though, that if I had told James about the zipper, even right at the peak of the argument, he would've still given me his sleeping bag. He's so… forgiving. I feel regret for treating the morning so harshly and opt to change my output on life.

I roll onto my right side to watch James as he sleeps. He is facing towards me in his sleeping bag, eyes softly closed, sleeping peacefully. The smile is still on his face, and I can swear that he is faking sleep, knowing that I'm staring at him right now. Although I think that he's awake, I cannot help to continue to look at him. His perfect face is snuggled up between the pillow and bag lining. I never have seen him frown at night.

He always seems to get the most out of any bad situation. As of now, the situation is impossible for me to stand, let alone get any enjoyment out of. The ground is muddy, the twerp's gang won again yesterday, and our Team Rocket uniforms are in charred black tatters from Ash's Charizard and his flame-thrower attack. Nevertheless, my partner smiles. Oh, I only wish I could think like he does...

"Jesse."

I immediately jerk around, so as not to be caught looking at James, as I hear Meowth say my name in a low gravelly tone. A long period of silence lingers afterwards. After my slight panic, I sit up in my sleeping bag and glance at the feline, who still appears to be sleeping. He must have been talking in his sleep! Of course, I can't be too sure about that.

Meowth is experienced with trickery and eavesdropping. I quickly insult the cat aloud as I look for any evidence of awareness, knowing that any response from him will prove that he is not asleep. Meowth does not stir or even move in any way. I then assume that he had sleep-talked. Once in a while James will do that.

I, being a very light sleeper, will awake in the dead of night to hear James mumble my name then turn over and go back to bed. Sometimes I wonder just what he is dreaming about. Is he saying my name because he needs my protection from something? Or does he want me to be with him? Well, I most definitely can't ask him that.

Knowing that Meowth is definitely asleep, I turn around again to face James. He and I would have a normal relationship if we weren't criminals. I wouldn't have to be so paranoid. James, however, has not been affected by his criminal status. He is still as vulnerable, naïve, and childlike as ever.

The lavender hair encircling his face wisps across his face in the moist breeze of the morning. I wonder when he will awake. I can see that he will most likely awaken soon if the breeze continues to blow his hair in his face, so I gingerly take a few strands of his hair in my fingers and tuck them underneath his sleeping bag lining. As I do this, I accidentally brush my hand along his face. I have touched his face so many times but have never felt the smoothness of it against my fingertips. I always strike his face. I either slap it or punch it or hit it with some object I just happen to have in my possession.

His skin is so soft and supple, I just can't help but stroke it again. I make sure to be as gentle as I can be, for as not to wake him up as I am touching him. I want to get nearer to him. It's a feeling I am scared of for a few seconds. My inhibitions wear off as I gently scrape my sleeping bag along the ground while still in it to attempt to get nearer to the heat radiating off of his body.

I know that I am in love with him, but how can I possibly tell him about it? I love James. Pure bliss is being near to him right now. I whisper gently near his face as I breathe the words onto his fair skin.

"I love you, James."

I love the way they sound, the four words I just cannot seem to say to him in waking life. I only wish that he had heard me, that he would know how I felt about him. I don't want to be the monster that I always am around him. That's not the real me, the real feelings in me. Well, at least I got practice by telling him the words that I've been so meaning to say to him for so long...

I sigh gently as I feel sleep coming on again. It is shady near his sleeping bag and yet warmth is all around me. Within a few seconds, sleep overcomes me...

James softly sighs as the once-small smile spreads across his face. Gently he glances over at the sleeping figure cuddled up beside him and whispers into her ear.

"I love you too, Jesse..."