Disclaimer: I do not own neither Pokemon nor Yuki Kajiura's The Tale You Were In (Even if I only used one stanza/verse I think I should still put it under the disclaimer)
Chapter Nine: The Object Of My Affection
May didn't want the dream to end but she could feel that the morning sun had risen. She still kept her eyes closed hoping to return to the meadow of flowers and to the boy. Furthermore, she was engulfed by a scent that pleased her. She felt safe and protected.
'I guess I should just get up now,' May thought still not opening her eyes. She tried to get up but couldn't. Something was keeping her down.
'Eh?' May thought as she opened her eyes. Her eyes widen when the first thing she saw was Brendan's sleeping face. May then found herself in Brendan's arms which made May's cheeks redden.
'Wha...wha...what? But how? When...did this happen?' May said in her mind as she gently pulled away from Brendan's warm embrace without waking him. She then sat up with her back to Brendan.
'Unlike Brendan, I'm an extremely light sleeper. So how could this have happened without me sensing any of this?' May pondered hard in thought.
'Could it be that...Nah, it couldn't be. Could it?' May then thought about the boy in her dream. She remembered taking a look at his face but the only thing she remembered was his ruby eyes. May then glanced over her shoulder to Brendan.
'It couldn't be Brendan. He has brown eyes not ruby,' May reasoned with herself. She then noticed Brendan stir and then open his eyes.
'Gawh! Oh my gosh! No! It can't be! Brendan has ruby eyes?' May could only sit there in horror with her right eye twitching. Brendan on the other hand was offended by the look May was giving him.
"Well, good morning to you too. What's wrong with your face?"
"You... you have ru-ruby eyes?" May stuttered.
"Yeah, and you have sapphire eyes. What up with you?" Brendan asked raising an eyebrow.
"Nnn-nothing!" May exclaimed trying to hide her realization of her shocking discovery. "Just leave me alone!" May yelled walking down Wailulu to have a distinct physical separation from Brendan.
"Is it just me? Or is she acting weirder then she usually does?" Brendan whispered to his mudkip. Zuzu just shrugged while his nose was starting to drip.
'This can't be happening! It's just a dream! That's it! I must still be sleeping! This can't be real!' May screamed in her mind. She then slumped down to her knees. May then looked at her combusken who was in its pokeball. The combusken had a worried look on her face.
"Oh, Chaka! What am I going to do? This isn't a dream is it?" Chaka then shook her head.
"I knew it...why...why is this happening to me? How could Brendan be in my dream? Let's see... Before I went to sleep...the last person I saw was Brendan. The last person I touched was Brendan. The last person I smelled was Brendan. Gee! I wonder why I dreamt of Brendan! So that must be why. He was the last person I was with. Nothing more. What a relief," May said kidding herself. Her stomach then let out a growl.
"Eheheh... I forgot about you," May gave a nervous laugh quickly grabbing her stomach. She then took off her fanny pack and looked into it to see if she had any spare berries for breakfast.
"Huh? What's this?" May noticed a glass pendant with a white rose design.
'Wait a minute! A white rose? But in my dream... but... How did this get in my bag anyway?' May then took the pendant out in her hand. It sparkled in the sunlight.
"It's beautiful," May said out loud in awe.
Brendan had noticed May looking at the pendant. He couldn't help but blush when he overheard her say it was beautiful.
May then noticed that a scent had lingered on it. A scent so familiar. She took a quick glance at Brendan.
'It would explain a lot but did he? Why would he give such a beautiful item to me?' May thought. She decided to just ask him point blank.
"Brendan, is this yours?"
"Nope, never seen it in my life," Brendan lied.
'Odd. Then why does it smell like his cologne? Ah, why dwell on it? I guess I'll just put it on." May undid the tiny clasp and tried to close it around her neck but was having a little difficulty with the small slippery clasp.
"Here let me help you with that." Before May could object, Brendan had already stepped behind May and closed the clasp. May couldn't help but blush a bit.
Closing the clasp of a necklace wasn't new to Brendan. His mom had often asked him to help her put on necklaces when she and Brendan's father went out to someplace fancy to dance the night away. He then got a good look at May wearing the glass pendant.
"You're beautiful...," the softly spoken words slipped out of Brendan's mouth before he could stop them.
"Hm?" May wasn't sure if she heard him right.
"Oh, I said it looks good on you."
"Well that's a first."
"What is?"
"A compliment. Hey! It's Slateport! Hurry Wailulu!" May said excitedly.
---When they finally arrived at Slateport...---
"That doesn't look good," Brendan said looking at the threatening clouds above them.
"Yeah, it looks like any minute it could..." At that moment it began to...
"Rain," May finished her sentenced as the rain poured down hard.
"You just had to say it. Well we better go find a place to stay. Looks like it will rain all night," Brendan said walking off. He noticed that May wasn't following.
"Hey, May! You're getting soaked! You got to get out of this rain before you get a cold. Now come on!" Brendan said grabbing May's wrist. May was shocked by Brendan's action.
"I...woah!" May had slipped but Brendan was there to catch her when she fell.
"You alright?" Brendan asked pulling May up to her feet while putting the umbrella above their heads.
"I'm fine! I don't need your Akcho!"
"See! Now you really need to get out of this rain."
"Brendan, I'm fine! Akcho! Oh... my head."
"C'mon," Brendan said leading May to the pokemon center.
"Where are we?" May squinted adjusting her eyes under the florescent light. She had never gone to a pokemon center before.
"I'm sorry, Brendan, but there's no more rooms left and all the couches have been taken. I just phoned the inn and they have a couple of rooms left," said a woman wearing an old fashioned nurse uniform.
" Thanks, Nurse Joy," Brendan waved good-bye as he dragged May with him into the rain.
"Now where are we?" May squinted again adjusting to yet another florescent light after being dragged into the rain by Brendan.
"Two rooms or a room with two beds please," Brendan asked the man at the front desk.
"I'm sorry, sir. But we don't have either. However we have one room with one bed available."
"We'll take it," Brendan said.
"What?!" May screamed.
---Down the hallway---
"Brendan! What were you thinking?!"
"Well it's either here or the rain."
"But I'm not sleeping in the same bed as you."
"I didn't say you had to."
"What! Are you implying that I'll sleep on the floor like a dog?!"
"I didn't say you were sleeping on the floor either," Brendan said opening the door to their room.
"Then what are you saying?" May asked. She noticed that Brendan was taking a look between the mattress and the box-spring.
"Well, looks fairly brand new. Listen, you can sleep on the mattress and I'll sleep on the box-spring tonight."
"Wow! I never even thought of that! Acho!"
"You better change into dry clothes"
"Akcho!"
Ma went into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She quickly changed into dry clothes and then took a look at herself in the mirror. All this experience at the inn was all new to her which includes seeing her reflection off of the mirror. The glass pendant then caught her eye.
'It's such a beautiful necklace. I wonder if Brendan knows about the symbol of a white rose. Oh yeah, that right. He said it's not his and that he's never even seen it. But this scent. If only...what is this?... am I? ... naw. It's nothing more then puppy love. Nothing more...,' May thought sadly. She didn't notice the glass pendant sparkle.
"Oh, why do I feel so tiered and drained? And why is it so hot?" May then turned on the faucet and splashed some cold water on her face.
"Ah! Refreshing! But it's still hot," May then began to cough.
"I guess I'm coming down with something," May said walking out of the bathroom. After hearing her cough and say this as she came out of the bathroom, Brendan went up to May. He then put his hand on her forehead.
"You're right. You're burning up! You better rest," Brendan said shooing May to the bed and tucking her in who was coughing.
"Brendan, why are you helping me?"
"Why shouldn't I? Actually, you don't need a reason to help someone. You should save your strength and rest. After all, you still need to get those gym badges for our 80-day promise," Brendan reminded.
"Oh... so that's the reason," May sadly said.
"Hm?"
"Nothing," May said turning away from Brendan. She was a little bit hurt by this. "Nothing more," May whispered to herself. She then closed her eyes and went to sleep.
'Why am I helping her? It seems like whenever I'm with her something happens and she gets hurt and I'm there to take care of her. Not that I mind but... why?'
"Zuzu?" the mudkip poked his head from behind. Brendan just patted his head. "I guess there's nothing wrong being the Good Samaritan." He then remembered about how he reminded May about the 80-day pact and her sadden reaction.
"May... I just want you to do your best." Brendan then recollected his thoughts of the night they slept on Wailulu.
"It felt so right to be with her. But is her heart in the same place as mine? Does she want to be with me or the one she dreams of? Whoever he is..." He thought about this morning's incident.
"Ruby eyes? Well she did see my face. But it doesn't mean that I'm the one whom she dreams of. Does it?"
"Nugh...ungh...hnnk..." Brendan turned to see May tossing in her sleep. He went to her bedside to comfort her. He noticed that May was sweating and burning up even more so Brendan put a cool clean cloth on May's forehead.
"Poor girl. Seems like she's having a nightmare," Brendan said taking hold of May's hand which calmed her down.
"Is this what love is suppose to feel like? What am I thinking? How can I be so selfish? I don't even know if May feels the same way about me I want her to do her best and not be distracted by my affections for her. She mustn't now...yet." Brendan smirked.
---In May's dream----
"It's so hot! I have to get out of here!" May was in a scorching hot darkness.
"Nugh!" She felt the inferno increasing. She broke off into a run desperately trying to find a way of escape.
"I have to find a way out! Ungh!" May had been caught off guard that she tripped and fell.
"Hnnk... But I feel so weak..." May couldn't push herself up. She felt herself sinking into something like a black hole. She then felt like she was in a different place. It was no longer a scorching hot but cool and refreshing. It seemed like she was swimming. May looked up and saw someone above the water reaching for her. May was able to grab hold of his hand. When she surfaced she that it was...
"Brendan."
"Shh... I'm right here. Take it easy and rest," Brendan reassured sitting on a chair at May's bedside.
'Things are going to be different when she wakes up at this rate. From the looks of it, it seems like she was on a roll with her badges. But will this change when she wakes up? How can I make things stay the same as before so she's not distracted by me?"
When May awoke it was already morning. She could feel the morning coolness draping around her body. May was relieved to feel something cool and refreshing instead of something hot and suffocating. She took off the cloth on her forehead since she felt no need for it. May then turned her head to see Brendan sitting in a chair asleep. Zuzu was asleep on his lap with a snot bubble coming out of his nose.
'He looks handsome even when he's asleep." May smiled to herself. Brendan then awaken to the waking world. He then saw May staring at him. Zuzu's snot bubble popped when he woke up detecting Brendan's subtle movements.
"What's the matter?"
"Um, nothing!" May quickly turned away while a tint of pink appeared on her cheeks.
"Hey, Brendan? Sorry about taking the whole bed when the deal was to split it."
"It's ok. The chair is much more comfy then the box-spring anyway. So how are you feeling?"
"As good as new!" May replied happily.
'Only one way to find out,' Brendan thought secretly grinning.
'He's actually a nice guy,' May thought to herself.
"Well May, I had no idea that's the way you felt about me," Brendan smirked.
"What do you mean?" May asked oblivious of what Brendan was talking about.
"While you were sleeping... moaning and groaning... 'Oooh Brendan!'"
"What!"
"Uh-huh. You were tossing and turning in your sleep...sweating."
"Liar! I don't believe you!"
" Oh yeah? Let's find out right her, right now," Brendan said inching towards May.
"W-w-what?!"
"Tell me, May, who were you just dreaming of?" Brendan asked leaning in towards May with hooded eyes.
"N-n-no one!" May stuttered her face going beat red!
"Oh really? But by the way you're blushing---"
"Brendan, get away from me! Get out!" May screamed attempting to slap Brendan across the face but he was able to doge it. He headed for the door with Zuzu close behind him. Brendan opened the door but then stopped and looked back at May.
"Careful, May. Frowns don't suit such a pretty face. I take it you were having passionate dreams of me then?"
"Get out!" May screamed throwing a pillow at Brendan that only was able to hit the door.
After quickly closing the door behind him, Brendan heard the pillow hit the door on the other side. He then let out a sigh of relief from his narrow escape.
"Zuzu?" the mudkip called out to it's trainer confused on what's going on and his trainers action just awhile ago. Brendan just gave a smile.
"I think it's love actually,"
"I take it back. He's not a nice guy at all. That jerk!" May vented. Alone in the room, the corner of her lips cracked a smile.
"Koi to yobu koto ni..."
I am still hesitant...
"mada tameratte iru."
to call it love.
"Itetsuita yoru ni..."
I wonder if the closest stars...
"chikaku naru hoshi ha..."
on a frozen night...
"Kimi ga iru yume wo..."
will always be kind...
"itsumade misete kureru darou?"
and give me dreams of you?
May whispered.
Nyaaaaah! That concludes chapter nine! That was more like a follow up of what happened after chapter eight. Well, Eefi. I guess there won't be a future sight this time.
"Not necessarily. I actually saw more of that rain scene in the future. May seemed heartbroken and she was clutching onto the pendant that was shining brightly. You know it seems like they can't even see the pendant sparkle."
Ok. Well then is it possible to use insight?
"Next time on 'I Think It's Love Actually' seems to revolve around Brendan. I guess it's his solo chapter again. Since we know how Brendan feels about May, let's take a closer look at how Brendan feels about May."
I guess there is something to look forward too. Well, till we meet again. Au revoir mes amis!
