kissing

This was the first time Fennel truly noticed Colress.

For four or five years, they had been simply neighbors in Striaton City and more importantly, fierce cello rivals. Fennel hated everything about the instrument and its association with recitals - its bulky figure, its heavy bow, its constant threatening of squishing the girl's toes. She would much rather take the foul thing apart or doze off on its massive self than spend long hours practicing on it. But her relatives demanded that she do something more prestigious with her time than sit around and bury her head in encyclopedias all day, and she didn't want to upset her parents. They tried so hard to help her with her visions, and she didn't want to appear selfish.

One day she cracked. After falling over her cello, busting her lip, she finally collapsed over the instrument and refused to get back up to play in the recital. The crushing weight that was on her shoulders was finally released when her parents pulled her away from backstage, consoling her by telling her what a wonderful child they had. If their dearest Edith didn't want to play the cello anymore, that was fine. If her aunts and uncles wanted to scorn her, so be it. There was no reason to place their relatives' happiness over their daughter's.

At least she could leave the musical scene as a dignified young lady, though. Sitting on her father's lap, Fennel decided to watch the rest of the recital. It was then that she noticed Colress, as a distant rival to hate but as a beautiful boy to adore. His pasty, bespectacled face stood focused as he glided the bow back and forth on the cello. It was a bittersweet tune, so melancholy yet so inviting. When Fennel shut her eyes, her tears were swept away as she imagined herself and the boy in a world of dreams. It was obvious that he hated playing as much as she did, and so Fennel also imagined that this tune was dedicated to them both. She was the Pidove that broke from its cage; he was the Pidove that remained trapped. Such a tragedy.

Since her final competition, Fennel wanted to hear Colress play again. She could never directly go to his house and ask him if she could watch, since the boy's parents were highly-ranked scientists that viewed Fennel as a lesser competitor and a plain accountant's girl, so every day the twelve-year-old sneaked in through an open window after school, hiding behind the curtains, wishing to hear even a half-hour's worth of cello practicing. Some would warn her that she was breaking and entering, but she digressed, knowing she wasn't breaking and entering because the window was open and she wasn't stealing anything besides a free show. Luckily Colress's parents never noticed she was in the house, though Fennel had a feeling Colress noticed. Sometimes he played tunes that weren't usual of his routine, tunes that vaguely resembled Mario or Legend of Zelda themes. But whatever he played, it was certainly a treat.

One day, however, something was wrong. When Fennel wiggled her way into the room where Colress practiced, she saw that the cello was without its owner. This room felt much emptier, but Fennel could hear voices in the parlor in the room next to it. Risking a chance to peep, the girl gasped at what she saw beyond the doorway. Besides Colress's parents there were three other men. She didn't recognize the two older men that stood on either side of the couch, but she recognized the man sitting on the couch, or at the very least his lineage. The pale, green-haired man in the gray suit belonged to one of the most influential families in the Unova region. Harmonica, she believed the name was. He was as handsome as the other Harmonicas, and he was smiling, but there was something menacing about him. Perhaps it was the eyepatch. It looked just like the kind of eyepatch that could fire lasers, and Fennel was very tempted to run up to him and touch it. But he didn't look very friendly, and she didn't want to lose her cello listening privileges.

Suddenly the parlor door creaked and Fennel squeaked, fearful of someone finding her. There was no time to go out the window without being nosy, so she had to hide. But where? There wasn't much in the room besides the cello and furniture, and the curtains wouldn't help this time, but there was a closet where she could hide. Yes, that was brilliant. Fennel wasted no time in putting her idea into action as she shuffled into the closet, stifling her coughs when she shut the door behind her. There were thick robes hung by her, and they smelled strongly of lavender and other old man cologne. They made her nose itch. But all she had to do was focus, and- and was there somebody else in there with her?

She was about to scream when a hand clamped over her mouth and a dim light flickered on above her. It was Colress. Slowly he released his hand, staring blankly at the girl. "Hey, you're that girl that ushed to play cello. You like watching me play," he whispered, lisping. "Who are you hiding from?"

He did know. Fennel tugged on her glasses, slightly embarrassed. "Everybody. Your parents. Those old men. Especially that Mr. Harmonica. He looks like he uses that laser eyepatch for evil."

"Mr. Harmonia, you mean? Yeah. He likesh pinching me when my parentsh aren't looking." Colress pulled back a sleeve to reveal several bruises and scratch marks. Some were faded, but most were recent. "I already checked hish eyepatch, though. That red thing ish a ruby, not a lasher. It'sh too bad, really. It would've shuited him better."

"Ahaha…"

"Heh. I know. Um. I don't think we've achtually introduched ourselves to each other. My name ish Edward Colressh. Um…please don't call me Edward. And you're Edith Fennel, right?"

But Edith wasn't listening. All she could focus on were the shiny braces that lined Colress's teeth. She never noticed he had braces before this, but they were absolutely magnificent. Delighted in the boy, she put a finger against either side of his mouth and began tugging. This either amused Colress or annoyed him, and he began moaning, making Fennel giggle. "Yes! I hope we can be friends and play Nintendo someday! My mom could also let us play with the blender, and my dad could let us play with the power drill outside, and I could play doctor on your braces!"

"I annah kissh yuh eethfor we geth caughth."

"Huh? Colress, honey, you can't speak if I'm playing doctor."

"I annah kisssshh yuh."

"I-I-I don't understand, Colress- oh, crap, we're falling."

The closet door swung open, and Colress fell on Fennel, his lips crushing against hers. Fennel's face flustered for a few seconds before she felt bile in her mouth. Pushing the boy off of her, she was relieved for a few more seconds before the Harmonia man kicked her in the ribs with his big, shiny boot. "Edward, this one looks broken," he snarled. "You need to lock that thing back in the basement-"

"BLECHHH!"

"FUCKING BITCH!"

And vomiting all over Ghetsis's big, shiny boots, making almost everyone in the room fume with disgust and hatred, this was the moment that began a beautiful friendship between Fennel and Colress.


"Who was your first kiss?"

Fennel looked at her roommate, curious of the answer. For two years now she shared a room with the pretty, big-haired Aurea Juniper, but it was only for the last few months that they grew closer. While they both shared a passion for science and research, Juniper was much quieter and much more focused on her work than Fennel was. She performed 'normal' college things in the autumn, such as playing volleyball and participating in clubs, but as the winter set in, she became more distant and kept cooped up in the room. It was a nice change for Fennel, who valued her company and was happy that she could spend some quality girl time instead of tearing things apart with Colress.

But she hoped she didn't make Juniper uncomfortable again. It was the day before Valentine's Day, and both of them were still single. Juniper didn't look comfortable, though, just slightly confused as to how someone could want to know so much about her. She scratched her head, sticking a pencil behind her ear. "Well, once Dad and I were on a research expedition in the Kanto region when I was seventeen. We stood in a college campus in Pewter City, and one day when I was buying groceries, I met this guy. He had squinty eyes." The brunette shrugged, trying to act nonchalant, but her scrunched up nose suggested otherwise. "He said he was a ladies man. I believed him for a few seconds and we kissed, and then Dad decked him. What about you?"

"Colress and I kissed in his closet. We were twelve. It was kicky. I threw up all over his parents' boss's shoes, his parents kicked me out, and they sent him to a boarding school for two years. When he got back, though, we had a Nintendo and robot marathon all week."

"Ah. You guys are really close."

It was a statement, not a question. Fennel almost felt offended that Juniper would be so blunt, but she spoke the truth. When Colress had returned from two grueling years at boarding school, the two became almost inseparable, despite his parents' objections. Throughout high school they spent many hours between Fennel's room and the woodshop at school, tinkering with every mechanical or scientific thing they could find. They ate together, slept together, and learned together. They even dated in a "nonromantic, nonkissing, mutual benefit" manner for a few years, going as far as going to their senior prom with each other and being voted "most awkward" couple. Everyone besides Fennel's parents hated the relationship, stating it was going absolutely nowhere, but Fennel never saw how it could go anywhere. She saw Colress as a brother and a best friend, even in college, and nothing more than that.

But judging from Juniper's tone of voice, it appeared that something was indeed wrong. "Aurea, you're not…jealous, are you?"

It was the wrong thing to say. Juniper hopped off her bed and stomped over to the closet, Fennel close at her heels. She was always upsetting the brunette yet never knowing the reason why. Vague answers or answers along the lines of, 'Don't worry about it' were always given to her. Juniper tended to bottle up her emotions and thoughts, which was one of the main reasons why it was rough for Fennel to get closer to her. She was constantly doing this, but it was frustrating, and in her frustration Fennel pulled on the other woman's shirt as Juniper threw clothes into a backpack. "Aurea!" she cried, holding back her tears. "Aurea, I'm sorry, but you can't keep doing this to me, either! I don't want you to be jealous. I want you to open up with me and like me like I like you- mmmph!"

She was elbowed in the face. As she stood hunched over, cradling her bleeding lip, she saw Juniper's face tense up with concern and regret before it was quickly masked by fury. "'Like me like I like you'?" she repeated angrily. "Edith, how could you even say something like that?! Everyone on the campus says that if we had co-ed dorms, you'd be bunk buddies right now with that pretentious geek! If you're not with me, you're with him, and when you're not with him, you talk about him all the time! How can I take you seriously hen I'm thinking you two are still…are still fucking with each other?!"

"We're not doing anything!" Fennel snapped. She felt herself screaming now. It was an unfamiliar feeling, as she never screamed. "There's no fucking, fornicating, kitty- licking, anything! We're just friends! He's still a virgin!"

"And why should I believe you?"

Fennel didn't know. She stood there silently, nursing her lip, watching Juniper continue packing her backpack as tears trickled down her face. The dark-haired woman wasn't used to confrontation. Even worse, she wasn't used to not being trusted. There was never any reason or motive to be dishonest or deceitful with Juniper. Every time they talked, Fennel made sure she was always so cordial and genuine to her roommate. All she wanted was for Juniper to grow closer to her, even if the brunette just took little steps at a time, and she never meant to push her or anger her. Yet there the woman was, packing all her essentials in the backpack, looking as distant as ever, and when their eyes finally met, her green ones remained cold. "I'm going to stay with Lenora for the night to blow some steam. If I'm not back by tomorrow, then happy Valentine's Day. Enjoy it with whatever you want to call him. Good night."

"Aurea…trust me…"

Juniper headed towards the door, ignoring her dark-haired roommate sobbing on the floor as she slammed the door behind her. It felt to Fennel like it had been hours afterwards, not even realizing that she had called Colress until he lifted her and carried her to her bedroom. But as her head cradled in his lap, not even the perky blond could truly console her, for he had a devastating blow of his own. Just tonight he came to the decision that he wouldn't pursue his doctorate with her. He received a very generous offer from that Harmonia, the same crotchety one with the nonlaser eyepatch, to work in his ranks as a researcher with few restrictions. Ghetsis was a terrible man, a very terrible man, but the opportunities outweighed the boss.

"Besides," he told her in a gentle voice, "I think me leaving will benefit you in the end, too, Edith. You can't expand your boundaries if I'm always right up your tush. Aurea is a smart girl and probably notices this, too. She's much more likely to open up to you if I'm not around."

"But I love you!" Fennel sobbed, clawing her nails into his pants. "And I love Aurea, but we both know I don't like you like that. We're just friends! Why can't she understand that you and I are just friends?!"

Her voice was hoarse from screaming again, but she didn't care. For the first time in so long, she wanted to feel selfish. She wanted to puncture her nails through Colress's pants and his skin, making him bleed, making him the slightest bit more sympathetic towards her so he wouldn't ever have to leave. But the blond kept his cool, though he did pull Fennel into a rare hug. "Listen, Edith, let's put you into bed. You're getting tired. You need to clear your head."

"I DON'T WANT TO GO TO BED!"

She kicked him and fell off of his lap, screaming against the carpet. It felt like another few hours had passed by instead of only a few minutes as she wrestled with Colress, kicking him, scratching him, spitting on him. But Colress finally won, lifting her into the bed again. He held her by the wrists as she continued kicking and screaming, knocking the bedsheets to the floor, and it was apparent that his patience was thinning. "Edith, listen to me! Edith, please listen! Listen-listen-listen-listen-LISTEN! LISTEN!"

SLAP!

There was silence. Fennel felt tears welling up again as her anger suddenly subsided. There was a burning sensation in one of her cheeks, but it looked like Colress suffered the worse end of it. His pasty cheeks were flushed, scratched, and his own eyes began to water. Before Fennel could apologize, the man kissed her on the forehead, pressing his forehead against her own as he chuckled. "Look at what you did. Ol' Laser Eye's going to think I got mauled by a Beartic or something," he murmured. "But Edith, I want you to listen. I love you. I love you like you love Aurea. I'll always love you like that, even when you two are married and I somehow become your sperm donating sugar daddy.

"But I won't get in the way. One day you'll grow up. So will she. And when that time comes, I wish you the best in the bedroom. Heh. But you know it'll take time. For now let her blow steam off at your friend's, and let you celebrate tomorrow as a beautiful, socially awkward genius. You two can be sappy when you're old ladies in rocking chairs."

"Edward…"

"Ack, anything but that! Say thank you or something, not that name! Gosh, foolish Edith…"

For hours after that, Fennel laid in bed, thinking. She preferred to be in the Dream World, but she couldn't think hard in her dreams. One day they'd spend Valentine's Day together, as more than friends. One day she'd take Juniper's heart into her hands and give it the love and affection it deserved. Juniper didn't even have to like Colress, as far as she was concerned. All she wanted was for the brunette to like and accept her, in a way that was more than platonic. But Fennel knew it would not be tonight, or tomorrow, or even any time in the near-future, as she drifted off into the worst, dreamless sleep she experienced in years.


(Original notes: *rambling about depressing* , not so much as scientificshipping as a flashback chapter to relate as to how our favorite science ladies live now...one of two parts.)

Originally written February 13th, 2014 on tumblr for femslash february. Dramatic and stuff, ye.