Sitting in his hospital room, Drew let out a shaky breath. He'd heard about it from Harley first, of all people, and felt the jealousy spurn in his gut. Almost immediately, he'd sent Roserade to fetch a few Coordinating magazines, hoping that his pokémon wasn't recognised in the process. Having leafed through them, he'd found that they all had images to corroborate the profligate man's words, not that he'd let Roserade witness his dejection. His trusty starter pokémon had been recalled into his pokéball before Drew had leafed through the books, hoping to hide his emotional distress to the best of his ability.

Considering the photographs he'd seen, he was amazed he hadn't broken something. There were images of May and Gary alone, looking happier than he'd seen either of them be in any of their other images, which were scattered throughout all of the magazines. Apparently the tabloids had been keeping an eye on both of them for a while, and they both looked distinctly happier when they were together. Drew felt his heart drop as he saw an image of May holding a Marril doll and eating an ice cream with him. Then there were images of May beaming up at Gary, sometimes with Daisy or Max or the four of them together, they always looked incredibly happy and incredibly comfortable being together. It left him wondering what she was playing at, and he'd never before pictured her to be so manipulative as to string himself and Gary on. Even Steven Stone was seen pouting at her in some images, whilst she grinned up at him with that all too innocent smile, Brendan chuckling at her antics. It seemed that the only people comfortable with the group being together were Ash, Brendan, and two people Drew hadn't encountered before, but they were labelled as Cilan and Iris, both from Unova.

Whilst Drew himself hadn't seen anything untoward in May and Gary's interractions, he couldn't help but feel a sense of loathing for the pokémon Researcher. He'd seen their sickening joy first hand, and despised the man all the more for it. Just the way his presence made May's face light up, even more so than Brendan or Steven, made the chartreuse haired man all the more bitter to the Kanto native, wondering why she didn't look up at him like that.

With a heavy sigh, the man released his partner, who May had returned to him with a sheepish expression. He hadn't even had the heart to reprimand her for being forgetful.

Appearing before him in a flash of red, Roserade crossed his arms and gave his Trainer a stern look, his red eyes flickering to the pile of magazines on Drew's bed and back to him.

Seeing his pokémon's reaction, Drew grimaced, knowing that it took more than a pokéball to fool his starter pokémon of his antics. No, Roserade knew better than most how Drew felt about May, and he clearly was not approving of Drew's current scenario.

'Don't you look at me like that, Roserade. You know I need your advice, especially with everything going on. Just take a look at these pictures and tell me she's not seeing Gary Oak,' Drew frowned at his pokémon, his tone only holding the slightest hint of a whine.

Upon hearing his voice, Drew saw Roserade smirk at him in what could only be described as a knowing manner. Before the pokémon could open his mouth and tease him, Drew rolled his eyes at his starter pokémon.

'Look, stop giving me that face. How do you expect me to compete with Gary Oak and Steven Stone? One is, or was, Champion of Hoenn, and the other is the grandson of Professor Oak and has a history of being able to attract the most beautiful of women! They both have incredibly successful futures ahead of them, and I know May could be with either of them. What am I compared to them?' Drew groaned at his pokémon, who stared at him, his expression sceptical.

Instantly, the grass and poison type prodded Drew until the man scowled at the pokémon, who deftly pulled a wallet from his bedside drawer, his rose hands capturing it in a perfect angle between his petals. In a swift movement, the pokémon flipped open the billfold style wallet to reveal a picture of Lisia, Wallace, Drew's parents and Wally, who looked extremely uncomfortable beside the others, all of them famous Coordinators.

Blinking, Drew looked at the image, which revealed the beaming faces of his family. With a reluctant sigh, he realised that his partner was trying to appease his concerns by reminding him of his own prestigious position within society.

'It's not the same, Roserade,' Drew murmured, though it was a half-hearted effort. They both knew that he was being unrealistic—he had a similar presence in Contests to what Gary held in the Research field, the only difference was that Drew had become a Top Coordinator before Gary could truly influence the world with his research. If the man was going to worry about the families of his rivals, then he should consider his own impressive ties, even if May had no clue about it.

Clearly irritated, Roserade called his name once before glaring at his Trainer. With an exasperated sigh, the pokémon stalked out of the room, hitting things as he went along before calling his name in the hallway and releasing, by the sound of it, a magical leaf.

Sighing as he leaned back into the bed, Drew knew he should scold his pokémon, though he couldn't get out of bed without assistance. Not for the first time did he find himself cursing his stiff legs, longing for the freedom he once had.

Hearing his Xtransceiver ring, Drew reached over to the table to his left and grabbed the device. He glanced at the caller ID before grimacing, 'hello?'

'Hey Drew!' May's bubbly voice called as Drew heard the distinct laugh of Gary and Iris, a stark contrast to the mood in his room.

With a bitter glare, he crunched a page of his magazine, ripping it from the book, his hands trembling with rage.

'May,' he responded curtly, his lips pressed into a tight line, suppressing images of May and Gary gazing at each other with that ridiculously happy manner they had adopted. He had no idea what had transgressed between the duo in Samiya, but whatever it was, it had altered the very core nature of their relationship.

'Oh, are you busy?' May whispered, her voice filled with a subtle hint of dejection, though Drew knew she was only feeling disappointed by the way he had been avoiding her. After all, she was clearly besotted with Gary and only considered Drew a very platonic friend—at best.

Hearing Gary call out to May, Drew felt his irritation increase exponentially. He didn't pause to reel in his jealousy before he retorted, 'yes. Go have fun with your friends, May.'

Without waiting for a response, he terminated the call, glaring at the plain wall opposite him, not even reacting as his sister tore into the room, her face flushed with anger.

'Drew from LaRousse! You will answer me—at once! Why was Roserade unleashing all of his attacks in the hallway like some wild pokémon?' Lisia scowled, stomping up to his bed in her Contest Dress, a dejected Roserade following her, probably after having received a very thorough scolding.

'No reason,' Drew retorted bitterly, sending his sister a moody glare as his pokémon mocked her pose somewhat, clearly sharing Drew's irritable mood. If he'd been in a better mood with Roserade it would have made him smile, but instead, he sent the pokémon a warning glare that it returned flatly.

'Right, and I'm Delibird handing out presents to all the children. What's happened?' Lisia retorted, slamming the door shut behind her as she placed her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowing at Roserade, as though she had seen him mock her before. Knowing Lisia, she knew what Roserade had done.

When Drew made no move to explain himself, she hissed, 'I can wait.'

'Then wait,' he responded childishly as Roserade took a seat in a corner, glaring at the duo as surely as Drew was glaring at his companions.

Honestly, he just wanted to be left alone to his own devices, being bitter and moody as he wanted to be. He could already imagine all of the 'fun' dates Gary was taking May on, and he knew her bubbly persona would make her appreciate everything far more than just any other girl. What he wouldn't give for a chance to start over with her. He should have gone to her as soon as he'd won the Grand Festival all those years ago. May had never been the kind of person to drop off the face of the planet, not without a reason. Now he might have lost her to Gary Oak, of all people. He couldn't imagine what that notorious womaniser would do to someone as pure and innocent as May.

Seeing Lisia's obstinate expression, Drew knew that his sister could stay in the room with him indefinitely. Unfortunately for him, her stubborn streak was as intense as her joyous one, and he was the lucky soul who witnessed it more than any.

'She's with Oak, isn't she?' Drew finally asked, his voice breaking slightly as he tried to hide his angered disappointment from his more emotional sibling. If she even began to gage how he was feeling, he knew that she would mirror his emotions, adopt them for herself and intensify them as only she could. He doubted that even he could pull her out of whatever disastrous storm she would inflict upon herself, then.

'What?' Lisia whispered, blinking at the man in confusion, and he could already see her analysing his emotions.

Instantly, he blocked off what he felt, hoping to shield his sister from whatever he was feeling. If Lisia even suspected what he was feeling, he doubted Wallace would be able to help her, especially with Drew being incapacitated as he was.

'You heard me. Haven't you seen the way she looks at him? It's like he's perfect and can do nothing wrong. I've never seen her look at anyone like that before,' Drew glowered as Roserade let out a scoff, crossing his arms and glaring at his Trainer. With a dark glare, he snarled, 'and what are you glaring at, Roserade?'

'Don't take your frustrations out on your pokémon, especially when he's probably got cause for his actions. You're not the only one affected by your current hospitalisation, you know? Besides, do I need to remind you that he went to Kalos with May and Gary and he seems perfectly comfortable with the idea of the two of them spending time together? If even Roserade can be comfortable with the idea of them being together, shouldn't you be too? Why don't you trust her, Drew?' Lisia scowled before jutting out her lip in a tell-tale quiver, a sign that she was internalising Drew's problems.

Feeling the familiar apprehension for his sibling fill him, Drew muttered, 'come on, Lis, you know I trust her, and you and Roserade. It's just that I can't help but think that she's forgotten me. She has all these powerful friends, and I feel like I don't belong there, with her on her pedestal.'

'Oh, Drew,' Lisia whispered, sending him such a sympathetic look that Drew felt his throat close up. He'd never wanted anyone to see his concerns, least of all his sister.

'Everything is changing so fast. One minute, we were kids and I was giving her roses, teasing her about how inept her pokémon are; the next, she's spending time with a notorious playboy and I'm stuck in a hospital bed unable to get out. I doubt I can just accept this reality,' he grimaced, knowing that he was being every bit the child he had accused May of being. He was pitying himself completely, and he knew that only his childhood sweetheart could bring him so down.

'I know you're not as confident as you pretend to be, but this is ridiculous. Isn't it obvious that she thinks so much of you? When I see you two together, I know you share a bond like no other, and I've heard as much from her friends. Have you even seen the clips I sent you?' Lisia glared at the man, taking a step forward as Roserade muttered his name angrily.

With a sheepish frown, Drew glanced guiltily at his sister. From the glance alone, he knew she was aware that he'd avoided it, rather preferring to busy himself with Contest magazines in an abysmal pretense of researching his rivals and current trends. They both knew that he was actually keeping tabs on gossip on May.

'Drew! I sent that to you because it meant a lot to May! She planned a whole appeal to support you and even gave a speech! She had Uncle Wallace help her plan parts of it, too! Watch it, or I won't be the only mad one!' Lisia snarled as she took the man's Xtransceiver and pressed a few buttons.

'Look at the appeals round and then go into the battles. It's all on there, and I think you'll find you'll be touched and pleasantly surprised,' Lisia smiled slightly before placing it before the man and storming out the door, once again slamming it shut behind her.

Rather than watch it, the man turned the device off, his face more strained than he'd ever let the public see.

Hi everyone,

I'm sorry for being absent (again). Life happened. I'm ok, but I was in a rough patch, though I'm doing a lot better now.

I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things, but I've got a lot of catching up to do haha

I'm so sorry for being absent, and as always, thank you so so much for reading my stories, it really means the world to me. If you've got any feedback, comments or requests send me a message :)

lS2l