Don't own the characters, just their thoughts…
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"What's wrong James?"
Jessie held a look of concern as she faced her partner over the soft glow of a campfire. Meowth stirred in his sleep, but didn't wake up.
"I, it was nothing," replied James. "I had a nightmare, that's all. I'm sorry for disturbing you."
Jessie knew he was lying, but didn't press it. She shrugged her shoulders and lay back down to try and earn a few more hours of shut eye. James imitated her, but did not close his eyes. He couldn't; the thoughts in his head were too rampant to let him get any rest.
It was true, he had had a nightmare. But for a nightmare, this was one of the most beautiful that had ever existed. Not only was the nightmare pleasurable in places, it fulfilled one of his deepest and most secret desires, save the point where it became a nightmare. He couldn't tell Jessie the whole truth because of her intimate involvement in the nightmare. He valued his friendship with her more than she could ever know, and he didn't want to jeopardize that by scaring her away with his nightmare, or worse, the dream that had become a nightmare.
Yes, it had started out as a dream. There she was, like a goddess, all dressed up in a long blue gown to match her eyes, her hair done up in a bun atop her head, her face beaming, and her entire being more gorgeous than ever. She was more beautiful than the Goddess of Love, Venus herself, and in this dream there was only one man in the world that she was interested in. They were perfect for each other, Jessie and James, and James couldn't have been happier. He went to greet her and she took his arm. They made their way out to a dance floor where music played out of nowhere for only them, and no one else was anywhere in sight. They danced. They laughed. They kissed. Eventually they made their way to a first class hotel room that overlooked a bay. They sat down on the bed, and he told her how much he loved her. She loved him too.
Slowly he unzipped her dress and she let down her hair. What a gorgeous mane of crimson, he ran his fingers through it. She helped him with his shirt and then they kissed again. Revealing himself to her felt like the most natural thing in the world, and her perfect body put him in awe. They made love, and it was clear to James that no other harmony in the universe could compete with theirs. It was sensual. It was passionate. It was everything James had ever dreamed of – until he realized they were both still wearing their Rocket gloves.
The nightmare began. It disturbed him because it was so impersonal. He couldn't really touch her, nor she him. Why were they still wearing their gloves like it was any other day and they were ready to perform their roles as Team Rocket members, not lovers? Were they not meant for each other? Could he not touch her, even in his dreams? Would she never desire to touch him as more than teammate?
He tried to pry the gloves from his fingers. He coaxed her into attempting to remove them from her own hands. Neither could rid themselves of the horrid barriers that separated each from the other's skin. He kissed her in one last desperate effort to regain the perfect dream, and convince the both of them that they were truly meant for each other, but she started to slip away. She was leaving. Her face was fading. Tears stained her eyes as she turned around and ran into the newly existing darkness. Had he hurt her? Did he betray her trust? Why did it all go wrong? Was he never to be happy?
Jessie! Wait! Come back! I wasn't lying when I said I loved you! Everything, from the moment I saw you tonight, to the dance, to the bed, up to the moment where all went wrong and the gloves stayed on our hands, all of that I did because of how much I care about you… I wanted to show my devotion to you… my deep affection for you… how much you mean to me… don't leave me…
"Don't leave… please don't leave me… Jessie, I love you…" James mumbled as he tossed and turned.
Jessie stared in his direction. He was twitching and shuddering in his sleep. She had heard him and had woken up. She had heard his words…
"James?" she whispered. "James? Is everything alright?" she voiced a little louder and sat up.
James awoke with a start. It took him a few seconds to orient himself. Right, the woods, camping out, Jessie and Meowth. Jessie was looking at him from across the fire.
"What's wrong James?"
"I, it was nothing. I had a nightmare, that's all. I'm sorry for disturbing you."
They both lay back down and pretended to go to sleep. As James relived his dream and sadly, reluctantly reinforced in his mind a self-created rule to keep his relationship with Jessie on a strictly platonic level so as to not destroy their bond of friendship (while also staring angrily at the gloves on his hands), Jessie contemplated the possibilities of the nightmare James had just had.
James, I don't know what horrors that nightmare held, she thought to herself, but I hope you can rest comfortably now. I will always be by your side. I may not say it often, but I truly appreciate you and everything you do. I am restrained by the defense mechanisms of my own lack of confidence, which in itself I would never admit, and I feel burdened with my own self-censored fears that don't allow me to be open with you. I wish I could have your courage for admitting feelings, but that's not the way I am.
Jessie tilted her head to glance at the stars. If only my thoughts could travel to you now and wipe away any traces of that nightmare of yours… I won't ever leave you, I couldn't ever leave you… James, I love you too…
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