"What about this, Leilani?" Solana said as she held out a pair of low-rise bell-bottoms jeans.

Her friend turned around to look at it.

"Does Iyori seem like the kind of girl who would wear jeans?"

"Well, she's got to wear something other than that frilly burnt blue dress." She said as she looked it over. "I mean, I'd wear it."

"Girl, you're more developed than she is, from what I can tell. You're slender but you got more curves."

"I think she'd be able to fill it out."

"Call her over. See if she'll try it on?"

Solana looked around the store of Beverly's Boutique and found Iyori sitting down on one of the benches by the dress room area next to Plusle. She was watching Plusle do a little cheer for her and clapping.

"Iyori," she called.

Iyori stopped clapping and looked up. She saw Solana motioning for her to come and got up from the bench to meet her.

"Yes?"

Solana held out the pair of jeans. "What do you think? Is this something you might be interested in?"

Iyori looked at the pair of denim jeans and cringed.

"It's…not really something I would wear."

"You don't like it?"

Iyori bit her lower lip.

"I…I don't know."

Solana tried to read her facial expression but she looked more uncomfortable than anything else.

"Okay, Iyori. Well, why don't you try and see if you can find something you like?"

Iyori started scratching herself. "I…I don't really do much shopping…"

Solana quickly put the jeans back on the rack and grabbed Iyori's hands.

"Hey. No need to work yourself up. It's fine. Leilani and I will continue to try and find something for you, okay? Why don't you go back and play with Plusle?"

Nodding, Iyori walked back over to the dressing room area.

Solana sighed.

"Told you," Leilani said as she continued to sift through the clothes. "Not everyone is stuck in the 70s like you are, Sole."

Solana took back up the pair of jeans.

"Well, I'm getting them. I don't care what you say."

"Suit yourself."

Solana went back to rummaging through the pants. "That girl is more nerves than anything else? Lunick may not have been wrong to be so worried about her."

"Well, I mean, that fire was pretty horrendous, Sole. Whoever it is she's afraid of, she has every right to be. She was almost killed."

"You sound like Lunick."

"Well, you can't ignore it, Sole. I mean, you can say Lunick is being overprotective of her but you can't ignore the reality of what she's gone through."

"I'm not ignoring it. I'm actually trying to help her by buying her some new clothes."

"Yeah, but girl, I know you. You got that fire in your eyes."

Solana held up a capri pants before putting it back on the rack.

"I wouldn't call it fire. More like a Litwick's flame."

"Girl, who you foolin'? Whenever you think someone is trying to push up on your man, you go AN."

"AN?"

"Angry Nidoqueen," she clarified. "Remember that girl at the festival last year?"

"She was flirting with Lunick right in front of me."

"She was asking for his autograph and you pounced on her faster than a Persian on the hunt."

Solana scoffed.

"She was trying to get his phone number."

"Maybe, but don't you think Lunick could've handled that situation without you butting in?"

Solana took out a T-Shirt with a heart on it, then put it back.

"Of course he can. I just also gotta make sure those horny hormone-driven fangirls know who I am and that Lunick is off-the-market."

Leilani shook her head. "I'm just saying you may want to amp it down a little. You don't need to work crowd control. Lunick can handle himself. And if he really feels about you the way I saw at the shoot, then you have absolutely nothing to worry about."

"Leilani!" Solana nearly screeched.

Leilani chuckled lightly.

"Oh, come on, girl. You thought I didn't notice? I mean Lunick was wearing a tight-ass swimsuit. It's no stretch of the imagination."

Solana started to blush.

Leilani gave her a roguish grin. "Girl, you are so lucky."

"Stop. Leilani, just stop," Solana said as she covered her face with her hands.

Leilani flipped her hand. "Relax. You don't have to be embarrassed about that. In fact, Lunick shouldn't be embarrassed at all. He should be quite proud."

"My God, Leilani stop!"

"What? It's not like you're alone. I mean Freddie was getting pretty aroused himself."

Solana peeked between her fingers. "He was?"

"Of course he was. Us being so close on each other like that? All those sexual positions they had us in. That boy was about ready to burst."

"Leilani, they weren't sexual positions."

"Okay, technically they weren't but according to the boys –"

"Leil, stop it!"

Leilani shrugged.

"I don't know what you're getting so flustered about. I mean, it's a natural human –"

"Leil…Lani!"

Again Leilani shrugged. "Fine. I know grownup conversations make you anxious. I won't talk about it anymore. Besides, it's not like it's the first time I've seen Lunick like that."

Solana uncovered her face.

"What?"

Leilani nodded her head without looking up.

"Remember the Ringtown Derby?"

Solana furrowed her brow in confusion, then her hands flew to her mouth.

"Oh my God. You mean back then…you really saw…?"

Leilani smiled and nodded.

"I mean, he was butt-naked on the track, Sole. Everybody saw him."

Solana again covered her eyes. "Oh man. Lunick's going to be so mortified."

"I have no idea why. I mean, he's grown a lot more since then."

"LEILANI!"

"That's not what I was even talking about but he's grown in that department too." She went back to looking through the clothes. "Don't let his slender size fool you. He is all man."

"Leilani, if you do not stop talking about him like this, I swear –"

Leilani held up her hands. "Relax. I'm done. Lunick and his body are all yours. Besides, I already have a Lance to howl at myself."

Solana gasped. "Leilani…Do you mean…?"

Leilani's smile widened and she nodded.

Solana squealed in delight.

"Is it the glossy black and blue haired, leather-wearing, smooth talking, 'I don't care what anyone else has to say about me' Latino I think is it?"

Leilani's smile widened.

Again, Solana squealed. "Oh my gosh! Details!"

Leilani put the dress she held in her hands back on the rack and turned fully around to face Solana.

"Well, he took me out to the stadium to the World Champions Tournament in Fall City. It came down to Gary Oak and Cynthia. The Pokémon Professor may have been out of the game for a while but he held his own for a very long while. I actually thought Iris or Steven was gonna end up being in the finals, but nope. It was Professor Oak's grandson. But I guess he didn't really stand a chance against Cynthia. I mean it's Cynthia. She's always two steps ahead every competitor."

Solana rolled her eyes. "I wasn't asking for details on the tournament, Leilani."

"Oh. Right. Well, I don't really know how to explain it. We just kinda hit it off. I mean, I didn't appreciate him coming down to my job to tell me about it, but he more than made up for it when we went out. He's such a gentleman. And so romantic. After the tournament, we went for a walk in Fall City Park. We sat out by the lake. Then we went to the beach in Summerland and watched the waves roll on the shore. And get this, he says he would like to court me. Can you believe that? Who even says court anymore?"

Solana smiled. "And?"

"And…we kissed."

Solana started clapping her hands fervently like a giddy child.

Leilani's smile couldn't get any wider.

"I can't believe this is actually happening. I mean, I know we haven't known each other very long but everything just felt so…right. We just clicked in all the right places. I gotta be honest, I thought I was gonna be an old maid for some time."

"Why would you think that?"

"Not everyone is fortunate enough to date their best friend. Some of these guys out here are real jerks. And after Murph, I didn't think I'd be able to be with anyone…But Alejandro changed all that."

Solana walked you to Leilani and gave her best girlfriend a hug.

"Oh, Leilani, I'm so happy for you!"

Leilani squeezed her back. "Me too. Things are really looking up for us, Sole. No drama. No crazies. Just sweet bliss with our BFs."

Solana leaned back. "We should totally double date."

Leilani smiled weakly and went back to searching through the clothes.

"Maybe further down the line, girl. I don't wanna sound selfish, but I kinda want Alejandro for myself for a while."

Solana shook her head. "That's not selfish at all. When Lunick and I started dating, we got so wrapped up in each other, we hardly paid attention to anything else."

"Don't I know it? The other rangers were starting to think yah'll were doing a lot more than you were letting on all those late nights after work."

"Leilani! How many times do I have to tell you –"

"You're not having sex. I know. But girl, it's gonna happen. Even you guys can't resist temptation that long. I mean, come on. Remember when I said Lunick was turning into a little hottie? Well that boy is now a virile and tantalizing stallion with the equipment to back it up and I know he's about ready to jump your voluptuous behind."

"Leilani!"

Leilani put her finger to her lips.

"Oh right. Grownup conversation. I forgot."

Solana sighed heavily. "You seem like the hormone-driven libidinous one to me."

"Girl, I'm just being real. The amount of time you two spend together and all the playful teasing and pent up sexual tension between you two. It's gonna happen. I just want you to be prepared for it."

Solana also went back to searching through the clothes.

"Lunick and I have talked about this and we agreed to try and wait until our wedding night."

"Key word is 'try'. Nobody makes it to their wedding night anymore, Sole. Not unless you spend most of that time in a convent. I mean, it's not like you two don't do other stuff that would qualify as that. Oral sex is still sex."

Solana was completely flustered.

"Leilani, we're not having oral. Lunick and I haven't even gone past first base."

"Liar. I happen to know for fact you two have done some touching of the erogenous zones and breast stroking."

"What are you talking about? Lunick and I have never done that!"

"That you're aware of," Leilani countered. "You'd be surprised what your body does when you're asleep."

Solana felt like she couldn't breathe.

Leilani caught her fearful expression and quickly continued.

"No, Sole. Nothing like that. I'm just saying you two move in your sleep and your body reacts on its own. I've seen it. Look, I'll stop talking about it, okay? I see this is making you really uncomfortable and I don't want you attacking Lunick for doing things he wasn't aware he was doing. Though, he'd probably have the same reaction to knowing what you were doing as well."

Solana's mouth dropped.

"Okay, I'm sorry. Forget I mentioned it, Solana. You and Lunick haven't done anything. Just…when you guys decide to stay at the base, maybe you should sleep in a room by yourselves from now on, okay?" She held out a red microskirt. "What about this?"

"There is no way Iyori is wearing that," Solana said once she found her voice.

Leilani shook her head.

"Not for Iyori. For you."

Solana barely looked up at her. "What is wrong with you, Leilani?"

"Hey, if you don't want it, I'll take it. I like teasing."

Solana reached over to the rack and took out a baby blue peasant blouse.

"How's this?"

"For you or Iyori?"

"Iyori."

Leilani put her hand to her chin.

"Well, it's innocent-looking. Her wide eyes and side-ponytail would have her looking like a porcelain doll, that I'm sure."

Solana took out a pair of cuffed, knee-length black denim jeans and showed them to Leilani.

She shrugged. "See if she'll go for it."

Solana looked back up at Iyori who was rubbing Plusle's belly and giggling. She walked over to her.

"What do you think of these, Iyori? Are these more of your style?"

Iyori stopped playing with Plusle and looked to see what Solana was holding.

"They look okay."

"Do you wanna try them on?"

She held them out to Iyori.

Iyori tentatively took them from her.

"You try those on and see how they fit. I'm gonna try to find you some shoes, okay?"

"Okay," she said quietly as she walked into one of the dressing room stalls.

"Pla Plah!" Plusle hopped on her ranger's shoulder.

Leilani walked up to Solana.

"Hey, girl. You okay?"

Solana stared at the ring on her finger for a long while, then lightly touched the crescent moon necklace Lunick had given her.

"Leilani…" she began. "…have you ever…you know?…"

Leilani raised her eyebrows. "Who me? No. I don't just give away my cookies for free. You gotta earn that sweet treat. Why?"

Solana continued to play with her crescent moon necklace.

Leilani held up her hands. "Wait, are you seriously considering…sleeping with Lunick?"

Solana let go of her necklace.

"I…don't know."

Leilani put down her hands. "Okay, Solana. I get it. You don't like to be messed with in that way. I promise I'll stop with all the suggestive jokes."

"No, Leil," she sighed. "It has nothing to do with that. I've actually been thinking about this for some time now."

"You have?"

Solana barely nodded. "It's embarrassing, but I have thought about it…I have fantasies."

"That's normal, Sole. You and Lunick have been dating for three years now and you just made a serious commitment to each other near-equivalent to an engagement. Of course you'll have sensual thoughts about your boyfriend."

"They're not just sensual, Leil. They're lustful. They're erotic. I find myself wanting, even craving to move to that next level with Lunick. And it's seriously freaking me out."

Leilani could tell Solana was stressing out about this. She put one arm around Solana's shoulder.

"Have you two talked about this? I mean, really talked about this? Not shying away from the embarrassing feelings and conversations?"

Solana looked at the ground.

"We said we would try to wait as long as we could. You were right. I lied before. We have done more than just kissing, but we never went beyond necking and light touching. We've always stopped ourselves when we felt we were going too far. But now I'm starting to wonder if that really is too far?"

"Does this have anything to do with Iyori clinging on to Lunick?"

Solana shook her head. "It has nothing to do with her. I love Lunick. With all my heart. And he's done so much for me. I just want to show him how much he means to me."

"And you think that having sex is the best way to go about doing that?"

Solana shrugged. "I don't know."

Leilani walked directly in front of Solana.

"Solana, you two need to talk about this. I mean, I know I joke about it a lot but there's nothing funny about it. That's a big step. Emotionally and physically. I'm not saying not to do it. I'm just saying you need to be ready for it. Even if you think you are, you need to find out from Lunick if he is. He has a say in this too."

Solana hugged herself. Leilani knew she was starting to get uncomfortable.

She let go of Solana's shoulder.

"Okay, Sole. Let's not talk about this anymore. You're getting really rattled and this really is something that's just between you and Lunick. But you two really need to talk about this in further detail before you end up doing something you regret."

Solana looked up at Leilani, then looked back at her ring and necklace.

Leilani once again put her arm around her shoulder and started leading her to another section of the store.

"Come on. Let's go get Iyori some shoes to finish her outfit and we can talk about this again later, okay?"

Solana nodded. She closed her eyes and sighed once more. She didn't know what was going on with her. She just knew she found herself wanting to do more with Lunick than just go out and watching movies.


Professor Hastings adjusted his glasses as he analyzed the icy rock of claw markings Solana excavated from the Panula Cave in the upper level of the Ringtown Ranger Base.

"These red stains are most definitely blood," he remarked as he wrote his findings down in his notebook.

It was then that Murph and Slowking entered the upper level.

"Professor, you've got a phone call downstairs."

"Take a message," he replied, not looking up from his notepad.

"But it's someone from the Ranger Union?"

"Tell them I'll call them back."

Turning back around, Murph started for the elevator.

"Oh, Murph?" Professor Hastings called.

"Yes, Professor?"

"As I understand it, it was you who accompanied Solana on her mission and who pointed out these markings to her?"

"Actually, it was Slowking who found the claw markings. Even if I wasn't there, I'm pretty sure Solana would have found them."

"Still, that was quite brave of you. I know that going out on missions is not an easy feat for you."

Murph started rubbing the nape of his neck. "Well, it was a little scary and challenging but Solana's really good at what she does. She's an exceptional ranger."

"And so are you," Professor Hastings finished what he was writing and put down his notebook and pen. He took off his glasses.

"Murph, lad, I've been watching you and you've been doing an astounding job around here at the base."

Murph smiled weakly.

"Oh, thank you, Professor. But you're too kind. All I've been doing is changing light bulbs and checking on inventory."

"Don't be modest. You've been doing a great job keeping this base in order when everyone else is out on missions. In fact, you've been doing so well, I have a proposal for you."

"Oh?"

Professor Hastings nodded and put back on his glasses.

"You see, lad. The Ranger Union has been short staffed recently, and as a result, I've had a whole lot more to take up on my plate as the Union's Head. But between modifying the super suits and stylers, attending all of the Union regional conferences and meetings, and monitoring the Area Bases here in Fiore as well as continuing with my pokémon research, it's taking quite a toll on me, and quite frankly, is becoming more than too much to manage."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Professor. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Indeed there is," he said as he closed his eyes. "As the Union's Chief of Technology and inventor of the Pokémon Stylers, I need to focus more on my scientific work. As such, I will not have time to manage all the bases in Fiore and attend all the Union meetings, which are imperative. That's where you come in, lad."

"Me?"

Professor Hastings opened his eyes. "I need you to become the Pokémon Ranger Union's Representative."

Murph's eyes went wide.

"What?! Me? But I…That's a big job, Professor!"

"It is," he rested his hand on the youth's shoulder. "And you've shown me that you can handle all that responsibility. Now, I won't start you off with anything too hard. All you need to do now is listen in on the Union Conferences when we have them and take notes. That way you can get a feel for what this job will entail. You will shadow me when I visit the bases and at the end you will take the Proxy's Exam to test your knowledge, resourcefulness, and leadership skills. If you pass, you will officially be certified as the Ranger Union's Representative.

"B-But…But…"

"I know you will make me proud, lad," Professor picked back up his notebook and pen. "Now go tell whoever that is on the phone that I'll call them back after I finish this –"

Professor Hastings was cut off as his phone started to ring.

"Ooof! Confound this blasted thing!" Professor Hastings reached into his pocket and took out his cell phone, "Hello? Who is this?…Booker, what is the meaning of this?! I told you not to call me when I am working!…I know it's been a while since I visited Oblivia, but I've been very busy! You can't just expect me to drop everything and…Don't you bring mother into this!"

Murph just watched as Professor Hastings continued to argue with his older brother on the phone. He could almost see the smoke coming out of the old man's ears.

"Slowking?"

Swallowing hard, Murph turned around and struggled to walk to the base's elevator. He felt light-headed as he stepped inside.

Him? The Ranger Union Representative? This could not go well at all.


Solana rested her hand on her fist as she continued to watch Lunick write in his log book. They actually had the night shift off for a change, which usually meant spending the evening either going out to dinner and dancing, or hanging out at one of their houses watching home movies. Not this time, however. Lunick spent the time writing down his progress on the day's missions. Pizza was ordered and they were setup in her living room, spreading everything out on the coffee table.

Solana had finished her report long ago but Lunick was always slower in entering his. Something about actually writing an assignment for Spenser just lowered his ability to function as he ordinarily would. It wasn't quite test impairment level, but it was enough to overwork the gears in his brain.

Getting up, Solana scooted closer to Lunick and started rubbing his back gently in small circles. Her fingers glided easily over the light material of his insulated polyester black fitness vest. She could feel the lumps of his backbones, the wiry muscles of his back. She could feel the tension in his body. His whole back was wound up like a coiled spring. She kept up the backrub for a good half hour, amusing herself with the sight of Minun eating more than half his weight in cheese pizza (they were careful to keep the pepperoni away from the little guy. He'd eat it like it was going out of style but it tended to have…unpleasant side effects on him.

"Baby, why don't you take a break?"

"Can't, 'Lana. I gotta get this done tonight," he said as he took up a sheet of paper and eyed it like he was trying to make it poof into ashes.

"Lunick, you're not gonna get it done by banging your head on the table. Come on, lean back, close your eyes and forget about all this stuff for a moment." She lowered her hand to the small of his back, tracing the top edge of the board shorts he was wearing.

"No, Babe. I'm gonna finish this." He put the sheet of paper down and put his hands to his temples, frustrated he couldn't get his mind to work. "I don't know what's wrong with me, but I just can't get my head in the game."

"Maybe because you've been so stressed these last couple of days," she said as she took his hands down from his head and began massaging his temples. "Just sit back and relax. You don't have to turn in your report until Monday anyway."

Lunick leaned back and let his head rest on her chest.

"Monday, yeah, but I want to get this done."

"And you will. You just need to stop stressing about it. Isn't that what you're always telling me?"

Leaning in she kissed him on the back of his neck. It was a quick peck at first, followed by a tender nuzzle behind his ear before she returned to his neck, her mouth opening, and her tongue tasting him, tracing along the fine hairs. Teeth brushed against his skin just hard enough to send an electric shudder through his body but gentle enough that she wouldn't leave a mark.

Solana then crawled onto his lap and kissed him hard on the lips. She rested her hand on his thigh, giving it a light squeeze as her tongue entered his mouth.

Lunick gave into the kiss and wrapped his arms her waist, letting them hover just above the hemline of her denim shorts.

Solana's hand traveled up his thigh, dangerously close to his groin, her fingers kneading the corded muscles of his quadriceps.

Lunick pulled back. "Solana, this is nice. But I really need to get back to work."

"Why? You always said you were a master of procrastination. I want you to show me just how skilled you are at it."

She kissed him again on the lips, her fingers slipping up ever so slightly.

Lunick broke the kiss again. "Yeah, but that's not something I'm very proud of. I'm trying to break that cycle."

"Tonight? Lunick, you don't have to turn in the report until Monday. Aren't there other things you'd much rather be doing?" She walked her fingers up his chest before letting it rest back down on his thigh.

Lunick smiled uncomfortably. "Of course there are other things I'd rather be doing. But just because I want to do them, doesn't mean I should."

"What if I want to do them as well?"

She scooted closer on his lap, a very private spot on her body resting very close to his.

Lunick gently lifted Solana from his lap to beside him on her sofa. "As tempting of an offer that is, Babe, I really have to focus on finishing my report. If I don't have this ready to turn in, Spenser will bite my head off."

"You will have it ready to turn in. You just don't have to do it right now."

Lunick took up his pencil and went back to writing in his log book.

"If I don't do it now, I'm not gonna pick it up again until the very last minute."

"And?"

"And I don't want to end up rushing to get this done. Solana, you don't turn your papers in at the last minute."

"But that's me. You're you. And you do papers at the very last minute."

"Which I don't like. You're the one always telling me to knuckle down and get focused. Well, that's what I'm trying to do."

Solana took the pencil from Lunick's hand and placed it back on the coffee table. She once again hopped onto his lap and started kissing him fiercely on his lips.

Lunick once again pulled back. "Solana…I need –"

"Yes, Lunick, you need this," she said softly to him, her hand reaching under his vest, her fingers spreading out on his stomach, running up his chest. Then, she pushed him back on the couch, throwing one leg over his, all the while working on his neck. She then went back to kissing him on the lips. Lunick was valiantly trying to struggle but Solana wouldn't let up. She was much more adept at keeping her opponent pinned down when she wanted. Still, he was finally able to pull away from her in order to get a word in edgewise.

"Babe," Lunick breathed, "This is very nice, and I do like it. But I need to finish my report. You're distracting me."

"Good," she said, sitting up slightly. "I'm tired of seeing you work yourself so hard. These last couple weeks have been so stressful for you. I just want to make you feel good. Forget about all the troubles of the world and just relax."

She went back to kissing Lunick on the lips, her hands tracing the lines in his abdomen as she lifted up his undergarment.

Lunick gave into the kiss a little as she lifted the athletic vest over his head. She then went back to kissing him as she rubbed her hands on his neck and chest.

Shocked, Plusle spit out the treat she held in her mouth. She ran over to Minun, who was still wolfing down the pizza aggressively. She gave him a hard shove, causing him to fall into the open pizza box.

"MaiMai Mai!"

"Pla Plah!"

She pointed at the two humans. Minun looked at them, his eyes widening slightly, then went back to munching on the pizza slice he dropped.

"Plah Pla Pla!"

"Mai."

Growling, Plusle grabbed Minun by the foot and started dragging him out the room.

Minun flailed. "Mai MaiMai Mai! MaiMai Mai!"

Plusle let him go and demanded they leave to give their rangers some privacy.

Scowling, Minun picked up three slices of cheese pizza and waddled into another room. Plusle rolled her eyes before following behind.

Lunick's hands drifted down to Solana's backside, lightly caressing her. She purred as he gave her a light squeeze.

Lunick suddenly broke the kiss and leaned back.

"Solana, Babe. We need to stop."

"Why?" she asked, looking at him with the saddest Poochyena eyes he'd ever seen.

He let go of her and pushed her off slightly as he sat up. "This is getting a little too intense. I don't know how I'm gonna get any work done now, I can't think straight."

"Then let's continue," she said as she leaned forward again.

Lunick pushed her back. "No, Solana. I can't. I'm sorry. I have to try to get this report done. It's not the fact that it's due Monday. It's that I have a lot of missions to cover and not a lot of time to do it. We gotta get up early tomorrow and if I don't get this done now, I won't. I'm sorry. But I just can't do our usual playful antics tonight."

Solana sat up on his lap.

"Alright, Lunick. What helps you concentrate? Tell me."

"Well, I think quiet helps." He said as he put back on his black vest.

"I don't think it does. I think it actually has the reverse effect. You get really wound up when it's too quiet, like it's the loudest thing in the world to you. You panic when you think about the pressure you're up against."

"What do you mean?"

"Lunick, when you're stressed, you over-think and overanalyze everything. Maybe not on the same level as me, but you do do it. Everything becomes a distraction to you. But do you know what I noticed? When I'm around, it's not exactly the same thing. It's not that you can't think straight when I'm around. Because you're actually not thinking about me at all. You're thinking about the future. Our future and your own personal goals. You get so wrapped up in the what-ifs and the coulda-shouldas that you freeze up and stop working. When I'm here, I push you to do your very best. You get out of your own head and actually start to put forth the work necessary to complete your task. You said you can't function properly without me. I don't know if that's true, but you definitely function better when you know I'm right here supporting you."

She put her arms around his neck. "And I always will be. The same way you tell me I'm not gonna lose you, you're not ever gonna lose me. And you don't have to worry about your future. You're talented, you're skilled, and you have everything you need to succeed already on the inside of you. So yes, you need this, if for nothing else than to remind you that everything is going to work out just fine."

She moved her hands behind his head and pulled him in for another kiss. She pushed him back down on the couch once more, lowering her body over his, straddling his lap as she pulled his hands around her waist. She leaned back slightly, looking at the wistful expression on his face.

Reaching down, she grabbed the bottom of her teal tank top and pulled it up over her head. Lunick gasped and instinctively averted his eyes at the unexpected move. He never mentioned it to her, but he was usually very aware when she went without wearing a certain article of clothing, usually depending on what kind of top she was wearing. She wasn't wearing one tonight either. Well, not technically.

In all the years he'd known her, Solana only wore two kinds of bathing suits – one pieces and bikini-imitations. There was something sweet about having a best friend who happened to be a girl…a very beautiful girl who looked badical in a bathing suit.

Solana grasped the sides of his face and moved his head back to face her.

"Open your eyes," she said gently.

Warily, Lunick slowly opened his eyes.

The celeste blue bikini top was layered in ruffles and had pale pink fiesta-fashion pompoms dangling on the lining. It showed off more skin than he had ever seen her willingly show, perhaps a little more than the lilac bathing suit she wore for the photo shoot.

His expression changed from wistfulness to a goofy yet nervous grin as Solana took off his vest once more.

"Ahhh…Solana?…"

"Shhhhh," she hushed. She laid down on him, her chest melding into his. "Just enjoy it, Baby."

Solana's plan worked perfectly. By focusing his mind back to her, he was able to focus more on his assignment. In a fit of productivity, Lunick was actually able to finish writing his report that night, fully enjoying doing the work with his girlfriend in a skimpy bikini.

Solana whispered in his ear what was likely the dirtiest thing he had ever heard her say.

"I'm gonna make you study and work hard for the next month."