Chapter 60

Sitting in an exquisite restaurant in the heart of Pueltown, May sent Steven a brief, nervous smile. As usual, no expense had been spared, and they'd driven to this exclusive restaurant in the height of luxury. Everywhere she looked were chairs with covers on them, the table cloth was equally exquisite. Patrons around the expansive room were all dressed up and May was glad she'd put so much effort into getting ready.

This lifestyle was something May hadn't missed, even if she knew other women would consider her crazy for thinking it. Sure, she'd enjoyed being pampered once every so often, but it did draw a lot of unwanted attention, something she'd never really wanted.

'You look as stunning as ever,' Steven smiled, his blue eyes drawing in her simple black dress.

'Thank you,' May blushed, her heart pounding in her chest.

How did he still have this effect on her after all these years?

In response, he sent her a small smile. It was one of those rare, genuine ones that he only let her see when no one else was around, his eyes sparkling like gemstones down at her.

'Well, you told me it was official,' May muttered nervously as she saw other residents of Almia glance at her in clear curiousity, not helped by the joy she felt at Steven's compliment. The man had always had a way of making her feel good, and it always left her unsure of what she should say back.

They sat in silence, in a corner of the restaurant which was furthest away from the windows, offering them some privacy from the other patrons. Of course, with Steven's status, there was no way of them ever receiving any privacy in public, but it was the thought that counted.

Glancing around the room, the walls were decorated with an elegant and intricate wallpaper, the kind that screamed luxury, and not just because of the intricate, gold foil pattern, May tried to hide the disappointment at the décor.

This was precisely the life she didn't want to join. It was luxurious, but May knew first hand that, other than Steven and Wallace, none of it had brought her a shred of joy. Keeping up with appearances, pretending to care about high fashion, gossip and the like… that wasn't something she'd ever been interested in.

A waiter walked past their table, his gaze flickering from Steven to May, evidently wondering as to the connection between them both. Other than both residing in Hoenn and May having had a brief stint as a gym leader, nothing should really have connected the two of them. Even May's tentative connection to Wallace shouldn't have been enough to warrant this meeting.

'It was. If you're going to fulfil our verbal contract, I need to know what you're doing,' Steven responded once the waiter was out of earshot, his eyes unusually serious.

'What do you mean?' May questioned as the waiter returned, offering them the menu and glasses, which he filled with sparkling water which had pinap berries floating inside it. Forcing a smile on her lips, May did her best to look mildly confused, though she had a distinctive sense of dread settle in her gut and didn't quite know how to handle it.

'What would you like to dine on today?' The waiter asked, surprising May by appearing just from behind her.

Taking a glance at the menu, May said, 'I'll have a glass of rosé and the crawdaunt special with frittés please.'

'For me, I'll choose your recommended white wine with the charcoal roasted kingler,' Steven responded with that professional smile he always used before handing the menu to the waiter, his expression not at all indicating the serious tone of their conversation.

The waiter nodded before walking away with their orders.

'I'd like to consider you to be one of my closest friends, May, especially after all this time. And, I didn't think I had to explain this, but I still care deeply for you, even if we're no longer in a committed relationship together. However, I've been monitoring your behaviour and you're stringing both Gary and Drew along. We're not in Hoenn, so Wallace and I don't have the connections we did back home. I suggest you pick one, or no one will ever take you seriously when you do take over,' Steven warned in a quiet voice, his tone unusually sharp as he sent her a firm look.

Glancing at the empty space before her, May tried to suppress her grimace. Steven Stone had never been one to chastise her, and it left her feeling extremely guilty, her stomach twisting painfully in a knot. She knew she was keeping the man in the dark about her ties to Gary, but she didn't want him to get the wrong end of the stick.

Even then, lying to Steven felt wrong.

'W-what? I'm not stringing Gary on, nor would I even think of doing that to Drew!' May squeaked in disbelief as she struggled to fight down a blush. She'd never before had someone insinuate that she was behaving inappropriately with anyone, least of all her family. The thought alone made her feel mortified, as well as a little sick.

Considering her interactions with Gary, May had no idea why people thought that Gary and herself were behaving in a less than friendly manner, especially since they were simply joking around. If even Steven considered their interactions to be more than platonic, then maybe there was some merit to the suspicions of strangers, though she had no idea why or how.

After all, didn't she treat Gary as she did Brendan? Did people have misconceptions about how she treated her childhood friend too? Even after all these years of them vehemently reminding everyone they'd been friends since they were in diapers?

'Then what are you doing with Gary? Look at these images from my BuzzNav and tell me that your relationship is purely platonic,' Steven frowned as he slid his Xtransceiver to her, his expression perfectly impassive.

Any who knew the champion would have found this action completely unlike him, as he rarely trusted even Wallace to touch the device which had access to not just championship documents, but also data from Devon Corporation.

However, rather than focus on this, May ignored the flutter in her heart as she picked up the device. The screen was unlocked on the BuzzNav screen, and May read the article on the news application from her home.

Breaking News:

Is our darling Princess of Hoenn seeking love in another region?

The rumours of her disappearance from Petalburg Gym had led to her controversial seclusion in Sootopolis City, and what caused her seemingly self-imposed isolation is still uncertain. The circumstances which not only led to her seclusion but also brought her out of it remain unknown to this day.

Now, though, after tasting the freedom another journey and another region have to offer, is our Princess finally letting her guard down and hair loose? Below, we have images of her getting a little too intimate with one of the most sought-after eligible bachelors from Kanto—Gary Oak. Their strong bond is evident in the images, with Gary even comforting our beloved gym leader when she was feeling down.

It begs the question, how will Drew from LaRousse react to this? She was nearly in tears at the Wallace Cup after giving a speech about how much the man meant to her, and now she's run into the arms of the notorious playboy.

All I can say is, if Drew meant that much to her, why isn't she by his side?

Her face flushed, May shakily passed the device back to the man, unsure of what to say or do. Sure, Gary had comforted her when she was feeling down, but he was her cousin! She had no idea how people could get the wrong end of the stick as they had, and she hadn't thought that the paparazzi would be keeping eyes on her in Almia. It made her glance frantically at the others around her, wondering if they would be spreading rumours about herself and Steven too.

'I'm amazed they haven't mentioned my presence here, but I suppose Wallace has the public relations under control. He's always had more patience for such things than me. If I had any sway over my father, I'd tell him that Wallace would be a far better fit to inherit Devon Corp. That aside, you must see why I'm concerned, May. What's going on? You're not like this normally, crying or being so affectionate towards others in public,' Steven frowned at her, his eyes ever so subtly strained.

Considering the man sitting before her, as well as his obvious concern, May knew that she needed to keep the secret from any unwanted ears. If ever anyone would listen in on her conversations, it would most definitely be when she was with Steven. However, she also knew that she needed to advise Steven if she wanted to maintain their relationship. Since being reunited with him in Hoenn, she'd come to rely on the man an incredible amount, to the point where she didn't know what she would do without him being there. Whilst the man hadn't always been honest with her, she knew that she needed his support. He wasn't just her friend, but also one of the most logical and thoughtful people she knew, and she couldn't deny her continued affections for him.

Glancing around them, May licked her lips apprehensively, uncertain what she should say with the people around them. However, Steven needed answers, and she knew she had to think of a way to express how she felt that would leave the others around them in the dark. She considered her next statement slightly before responding in a cautious voice, 'remember that time the meteor shower was cancelled and the events which followed it?'

'Yes,' Steven responded smoothly, leaning forward as his brows knitted ever so subtly together.

'Well, it's not as important as that, nor anywhere near as dangerous in the slightest, but it feels like it is, for me,' May explained as her sapphire eyes watched the waiter return with their glasses of liquor.

'Your food will be out shortly,' the man with black hair smiled as he placed a glass before each of them and poured the wines with an extravagant flourish that May knew came with the territory, though she personally felt it was completely unnecessary.

Once he was gone, Steven muttered, 'so, I'd imagine I'd better be as discreet about this as I have been about that. Am I right?'

Feeling her face flush, May nodded slightly as she took a sip of her rosé. Once she'd collected her thoughts, she murmured, 'I'm not as effective as you or Wallace with the PR control, and I doubt Gary has the time for it.'

'Please tell me I'm not going to regret asking,' Steven frowned as he leaned forward, casually resting his head on his hand, pinching the bridge of his nose in the tell-tale sign of stress.

Feeling her breath hitch in her throat, May found herself wanting to touch his hair out of habit to appease his stress. However, she knew that that would lead her down a path she didn't want to go, not with her emotions for Drew and Cynthia's… complicated interest in her and Steven. Adding that to the confusion the paparazzi were stirring around her relationship with Gary and May knew that she'd be the eye of the media storm—something she definitely didn't want.

'No, my relationship with Gary is deeper than I can say. First, I must admit that I definitely didn't like him, but that was just a poor introduction on his part. Since he's explained a few things to me, I can't help but love him. I'm not in love with him, but I do love him, like one loves an old friend. Like… say, Brendan, who's practically family to me,' May explained, willing the man to understand. She was nowhere near as subtle as he was, but she hoped she could convey her emotions with her expression alone.

Seeing him blink, May smiled as his eyes roamed away from hers and towards the others in the room. Yes, she knew he understood the complex emotions she felt towards the Kanto man, even if he could not fathom the reasoning behind them.

'I see, that does explain some things,' Steven frowned as he leaned back in his seat.

'Yes, I hope you can forgive me for not telling you more,' May mumbled as she saw the man blink again.

'There is nothing to forgive, though I would appreciate you telling me if anything changes with regard to your emotional attachment to the man. Now, are you going to stay with Drew and postpone your journey, or are you going to get those ribbons so you can fulfil your duties to Hoenn?' Steven questioned, causing May to pout subtly. She hated talking about business.

'I… I don't know, he woke earlier. Did Wallace tell you how well that went?' May mumbled as she fought the flush from her face. Why was she discussing her feelings for her childhood crush with her ex, who she still harboured feelings for?

With a chuckle, Steven said, 'he may have mentioned that you left Drew more flustered and frustrated than usual. Why is no relationship with you ever smooth?'

'I don't know, why don't you tell me how you and Cynthia are going?' May retorted angrily as the waiter returned with their food, his eyes widening in surprise.

Clearing his throat, the man put a pause on their conversation. Almost instantly, the two diners pulled away, both fighting slight flushes.

'We're not going anywhere, that's simple,' Steven responded smoothly, his voice carrying slightly so the waiter heard the statement.

As soon as he was out of earshot, May giggled, 'oops.'

'Honestly, what am I going to do with you when you take office? I doubt even Wallace can keep up with your PR blunders,' Steven grinned back, chuckling when the woman poked out her tongue at him.

'Keep that up and everyone's going to think I kissed your lipstick off,' Steven muttered as he took his fork and knife in his hands, sending her a warning glance that made May squeak in surprise.

'Excuse you!' May giggled at the man her eye widened in disbelief, her cheeks struggling to contain an unseemly blush.

In response, the man repeated it in a mocking manner, 'you're excused.'

Seeing his eyes flicker from her to the door and back again, an amused smile playing on his lips, May huffed.

'Hey, don't be mean! I'm not leaving until I've sampled this food! Have you heard the ratings about this place? How did you get them to take you in?' May retorted before she tucked into her food.

'May, I'm champion. I can skip any queue I want, even in other regions. If you were in my shoes you would have understood that by now. Besides, I knew your affection for trying different cuisines would out weigh your hatred for seafood, and after your match I thought you might need some cheering up,' the man responded with a chuckle, sending her a warm smile that made feel a little better about everything.

'Yeah, Red sure was strong,' May mumbled as she glanced up at the man.

'And you'll overcome him. You've got your eye on two goals. Get your ribbons and get training in the morning, coordinator,' Steven responded as he placed his cutlery down to look at her.

Hearing him call her by that title, May beamed up at him, whispering, 'you called me coordinator!'

'I was watching you in the Cup. Of course I'd encourage you in this. You're talented, May, in more ways than one. Just don't forget your head like you did today,' Steven mused as he took a sip of his wine, keeping an eye on May as he did so.

With an eager smile, May didn't notice the paparazzi as they took a snap of the couple eating. Instead, she whispered, 'I just hope Drew doesn't hear my speech. If he sees it, I don't know what I'll do. He already has so much stuff to tease me about.'

'Sorry, May, but I'm sure Lisia will have shown him by now. If it's any consolation, he'll be kicking himself for whatever he did to get you in that foul mood. Just give him space until he's ready to talk to you, I'm sure it'll work out,' Steven mused, surprising the woman by his words. He'd always done his best to support her, but he'd never expressed any sentiment like this before.

For him to voice his opinion on Drew, May felt a wave of happiness that he supported her.

'How did you know something happened between us?' May frowned at the man in disbelief as she pushed her food around her plate. She hated being as transparent as she was.

'May, I know you weren't planning on seeing Gary that day. I saw you running to Drew, and Wallace confirmed he woke up. I'm not a fool, I can deduce what happened, especially with how down you looked in those first pictures,' Steven chuckled as May stuck her tongue out at him. She hated when he was right, and the man was almost always right.

Hearing both their Xtransceivers vibrate, May quickly grabbed hers to open the BuzzNav feature. Seeing an image of herself with Steven in the restaurant, May felt the blood drain from her face as she instinctively glanced outside as Steven scowled.

'Can't two friends ever eat in peace?' Steven growled as he read the title 'May—princess or smoochum? Just after her date with none other than Gary Oak, May from Petalburg, Princess of Hoenn, is seen getting cosey with Steven Stone in one of Almia's top restaurants! What will any of the men in her life think when they see this? More importantly, who is next?'

Feeling an embarrassed flush fill her cheeks, May didn't notice Steven grab for his wallet before he left a wad of cash on the table. After all of her experience in the limelight, she'd never once had anyone insinuate that her relations with any of her acquaintances were more than platonic. For them to make such assumptions now, when she was finally trying to get back up on her feet, it left her head reeling.

Without uttering a sound, she just registered Steven wrap his arm around her, pulling her out of her seat and onto her unsteady feet. She saw him meet her gaze once, his expression filled with concern before she sent him a shaky smile. That was all the communication they needed before he paced her out of the restaurant, not uttering a single word.

A/N:

Poor May is really going through it, isn't she?

Let me know what you think and if you've got any characters you want to see, as always, let me know :)