A/N: I live! Sorta. This is Aris back with another (horrible) contestshipping one-shot. I worked on this for a while, so I think it's my worst, because I tend to lose concentration if I spend too much time over it. That's why I can't finish writing long stories. Anyway, enjoy this (crappy) contestshipping one-shot.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Pokemon belongs to some brilliant guy who beat me to the punch.
Being Sick has its Advantages
"Brrr! It's freezing!" a familiar Coordinator cried, hugging her arms around her. Her light pouty lips were nearly blue as her sapphire eyes, and she shook in her thin clothes. "No one told me that Johto was going to be so cold!" she complained to the nearest person beside her, an elderly man who stared at her oddly and quickly shuffled away. Maybelle Sapphire Birch blushed, her cheeks flaring even more so because she was so cold. I should stop doing that. I forgot that the people from Johto aren't as talkative as the people from Hoenn. May felt a sharp pang in her stomach from homesickness, but she dismissed it as indigestion.
"Maybe I should just go inside," she mused to herself. "But then I won't be able to train while there's still daylight! I knew I shouldn't have stayed up all night talking to Brendan!" But all the complaints in the world couldn't give her back the time that she had spent in front of the video phone. "And Squirtle and Beautifly need training!"
"I don't see why though. It's not like they'll really stand a chance against me and Roselia."
May jumped in fright and turned around, her teeth chattering. It seemed that while she was talking to herself, her voice had risen. "W-well, I-I'm sorry Drew, but I don't think that I was talking to you!" she protested, though the effect was ruined by her stammering from her shivering. The chartreuse-haired Coordinator smirked, his eyes closed as he leaned against a nearby tree in the middle of the darkening forest. He didn't need to see her to hear her voice.
"I didn't know you had a crush on me May," Drew said self-confidently. May let out a sharp squeal, and immediately clapped her hands over her mouth. He knows? The cold wind blew once again, and May let her hands drop to be wrapped around herself again.
"I-I don't k-know what you're talking about!" she protested feebly, her cheeks flushing. "W-who would have a cr-crush on you?!"
"Then why are you st-stuttering?" Drew imitated her stammering, stepping out into the light. May, despite her flushing cheeks, laughed, and Drew looked at her, raising one eyebrow. "What? What's so funny?" May giggled and pointed at him.
"You look like a doll!" she shrieked in laughter.
Drew looked miffed and pulled his coat closer together in an effort to seem a bit more mature. But because of the many layers he wore, it only served to fuel May's laughter. For a moment, May just stood there, laughing, her eyes closed as she clutched her stomach. Drew looked on, an emotionless expression on his face. Jeez, who knew May's laugh was so annoying. Then, as the sun drifted below the horizon, May's laughter wound down, and soon, May was back to her shivering state.
"Whatever," Drew muttered. He cast her a withering glance, but sympathy battled with his normal aloofness. "At least I'm not the one shivering my guts out." He strode over to her, and May glanced at him warily. For once, Drew's eyes weren't teasing her. "What were you thinking huh?" he snapped at her, taking off one of his outer layers, though still leaving him comfortably warm, and handing it to her, turning away, trying to hide the faint blush on his face.
"What's this for?" May asked, still shivering and looking at the coat on Drew's outstretched hand. She didn't seem to realize that it was a gift. Drew scoffed, still looking away, and shook the coat.
"You're cold right? Well, take it."
May looked at Drew questioningly and, with shaking fingers only partly from the cold, took the thick coat and quickly put it on. Suddenly, warmth spread from her fingers to her toes, and she looked down at shoes. "Th-thanks," she stammered. Why'd he give me his jacket? She asked herself frantically.
Drew waved a hand in the air and looked away. May thought he emanated coldness. Drew thought that he was acting like a school-boy with a crush. "Whatever. I just don't want my competition to be sick." May glanced at him in shock.
"You're entering the contest?"
Drew turned around, flipping his hair in that self-confident way of his. "Of course. Even though I don't need the ribbons, Roselia needs to stay on the top of her game." May grinned, remembering the Rose Pokemon that was just like her trainer.
"How is Roselia by the way?" May asked, trying to make some friendly conversation; just because Drew was acting like he had a problem didn't mean that she needed to act like that too. Drew scowled, partially because he didn't like discussing his Pokemon with rivals—even if they were cute rivals—and partially because he wanted to leave as soon as possible.
"Better than your Pokemon will ever be," Drew retorted, turning away to leave. "G'night." And Drew disappeared into the darkness again. May took a step forward, her hands still clutching together Drew's coat around her.
"Wait!" she called. "What about your coat?!" But he didn't reappear again, so May was left with his coat still on and in the dying sunlight. "Great," she muttered to herself, turning around to walk toward the Pokemon Center. "Just great. Now I have to make up the training time I lost today, and I have to go return Drew's coat!" A fierce snowy wind blew, and May shivered, pulling the coat closer to her. "Just," she muttered through gritted teeth, "great."
- - -
The next day dawned bright and early, despite the cold. May, knowing the chill from the window she had opened the night before and forgot to close, bundled up in her thickest clothes. Her signature bandana had been traded for a thick beanie, and her biker shorts and mini skirt had been traded for longer cargo pants. "Okay!" she declared to her reflection, swiping the red scarf over her shoulder with a flourish. "I'm ready for the cold!" Hurrying herself and her bag out the door, she glanced around at the other similarly dressed people. Drew's coat was draped over her arm and her Pokeballs were hooked on her hip.
"Alright," she murmured, glancing around, straining to remember what Drew's outfit looked like. "I'm going to Drew first so that I don't forget to give this coat to him later. And, ergh,"—May groaned—"I don't remember what he looked like!" She stamped her foot to the ground, leaving a petite footprint in the mud. The people around her stopped what they were doing, and stared at her. May flushed and waved to them. "Sorry! Um, just, er, looking for something…." May looked around desperately for someone she recognized. Drew happened to turn by the corner.
"Like my boyfriend!" she blurted out running toward him. The crowd moved as one, turning their heads toward a bewildered Drew.
May quickly reached him and wound her arm around his, her face, if possible, becoming redder and redder. "So, eh heh, back to business everyone!" she cried, tears threatening to leak from her sapphire eyes if they stared any longer. For a moment, there was silence, and May held her breath, hoping they wouldn't break out laughing. Luckily for her, they simply turned back to their own things, and soon, the regular clamor began again. May blew a sigh of relief.
"That was close," she muttered to herself. "I should stop talking to myself."
"Well, they do say that it's the first step toward insanity," Drew snapped irritably at his rival hanging onto his arm. "Now, please, get off of me and tell me why the hell you ran up to me." A small smirk curved his lips. "Unless this was your way of telling me you like me." He glanced at everyone minding their own business, though a few curious glances were shot toward their direction. "May, you didn't have to go all out. But I'll give you your props, you looked like you were seriously about to cry."
May felt her cheeks burn, and embarrassment made her reckless. "Whaddya mean? Who in the world would like you?!" she cried, releasing his arm, and propping her hands on her hips. "You're mean to me and you were to Ash too back in Hoenn, and you're cocky, and arrogant, and"—May jabbed an index finger at Drew who was staring impassively back at her—"and even being the hot person that you are, that gives you no right to say or do anything to me!" May finished with a triumphant grin and crossed her arms. "And that's that."
Drew leaned in closer to her, and May's breath caught in her throat. Oh my god, am I choking on air? She thought, her breathing becoming more ragged as she fought for breath. Breathe May breathe! She told herself frantically. Her cheeks were red as Drew came in closer. He paused right before his lips brushed hers and said, "So you think I'm hot?"
May at first felt frozen in shock, but, as Drew pulled away, flipping his hair arrogantly, she felt the movement return to her bones. "What?!" she shrieked, covering her cheeks with her hands in a futile attempt to cool them down. "No! How did you—? Why did you—? What did you—?" she stammered, unable to finish any of her sentences. Drew smirked.
"So you think I'm hot. I have to say May,"—May crinkled her nose at his emphasis on her name—"I'm not surprised. I mean, have you seen me?"
Yes. It was on the tip of her tongue to say it, but she clamped her mouth shut for fear of blurting it out. Instead, she simply wagged her head side to side fiercely. As she opened her mouth to speak again, May was relieved to see that she could speak coherently. "Of course I haven't seen you!" she said haughtily, though Drew smirked at her blush. "This is the first time we've met in Johto!"
"Hmm, your blush says otherwise."
"Well… maybe you need to get your eyes checked!" May retorted, though she had to think about it for a while. Her tone held a bit of an immature tone in it. "I…I'm not blushing!" Even to her it sounded false.
"Mm, sure, whatever," Drew said carelessly, flipping his hair while turning around. "See you around May." He strode off, his hands in his pockets to protect them from the cold, and soon disappeared around the corner from where he entered. May stood there, her cheeks slowly losing their blush, fuming.
"Drew's so stupid!" she muttered, turning around to storm away, keeping her eyes down. "I can't believe that he thinks I like him! What's there to like?! I mean, besides the fact he has those… great green eyes." May paused for a moment to look up at the sky. "Wait. 'Great green eyes'?" May shook her head, looking down again. "I must've heard myself wrong. Maybe I said 'Jade green eyes'? Yeah, that's it." She looked forward, and immediately flushed as she saw a few people staring at her. I need to stop talking to myself, she thought as she lowered her arms. Her hand brushed against the falling coat, and she jumped.
Oh no! She cried in her mind. I forgot to give Drew his coat back! Now I have to go see that arrogant, cocky, good for nothing Drew again! She sighed loudly, draping the coat on a branch of a nearby tree so that she didn't have to worry about it when she was training. "Oh well," she murmured, after glancing around to make sure no one heard her. "I guess I'll have to find him again today. I just hope I don't embarrass myself again." She unhooked her Pokeballs and, with a flourish that was a reminder of her many contest entries. "Let's go Beautifly. It's time to train!"
- - -
"Alright Squirtle," May panted, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. Despite the cold air around her as the sun slowly sank under the horizon, she was sweating. "Good job." The blue turtle grinned at its trainer and promptly hugged itself around her legs in reply. May, despite her sweaty, tired state, grinned at the small Pokemon, and she bent down to stroke its head.
"Now, I gotta go to the Pokemon Center to get some rest, and you should too," she said to her Pokemon, holding out its Pokeball. "Return Squirtle." The small turtle poked a finger into the air in a triumphant position before disappearing into the small round ball. May laughed, stowing in Squirtle's Pokeball. The practice had gone splendidly, and May couldn't have been happier, so she skipped off happily, humming to herself. The coat that she had so long ago slung on the branch blew slightly as the wind picked up, and dark storm clouds began to roll in.
May ran for the Pokemon Center, trying to shield her head from the icy rain soaking through her many layers of clothing. As she dashed in the sliding door, she breathed a sigh of relief, quickly throwing back her soaked hair. "Whew! I thought I wouldn't make it!" she said cheerfully, shedding her many clothes by the fire that had been built into the Pokemon Center. Many other trainers were lounging by the fire, making murmuring conversations that blended into the background as May relaxed on the couches, warming her soaked feet.
"Ah, that feels good," she murmured, closing her eyes in bliss as the warmth spread quickly. "Nothing like a comforting fire after a long day of training." She felt drowsy; suddenly, her eyes seemed quite heavy, and she wanted nothing more to just fall asleep by the crackling fire. But a sudden compression of weight beside her made May murmur something about being busy and made her force open her sleepy eyes. "Whaddya want," she grunted, blinking her sapphire eyes blearily at the person sitting beside her.
"I didn't know you were so mean May," came the jolting reply in a familiar voice. May's eyes flew wide open, though the force made her wince slightly.
"Drew?!" she cried, rubbing her tired eyes to get into the swing of things again. "Ugh, why are you here?" she complained tiredly, gaping her mouth in a huge yawn. "Haven't you tortured me enough today?" She was so tired, she didn't notice that her head dropped to the side so that it rested on Drew's shoulder. She also didn't see that a slight blush crossed Drew's face. All May knew was that, suddenly, she felt more comfortable than when she was leaning against the back of the chair, and her eyes closed again.
"What are you talking about?" he scoffed, turning his head away, though he didn't move his shoulder. "I just want my coat back."
May's eyes snapped open, and she pushed herself up to a more straight sitting position. "Your what?" she asked worriedly, twisting her damp gloves in her bare hands.
"My coat. You know, that I lent to you yesterday?" Drew began to thread his fingers through his chartreuse hair but stopped when he saw May's worried face. "You lost it didn't you?"
May jumped at his comment. "Wh-what makes you say that?" she protested, but the expression on her face betrayed her.
"Oh nothing," Drew said, smirking. "Just that you're redder than a Tamato Berry." May squeaked and clapped her hands over her cheeks to stop her flushing.
"It's nothing!" she squeaked. May coughed to return her voice to normal. "I mean, it's nothing," she said calmly, or at least, calmer than before. "It's just… just the fire is all."
Drew smirked. "So where's my coat?"
"Uh… well… I kinda… um…" May squirmed slightly under Drew's piercing emerald stare. "Never mind," she squeaked. I'll be okay. I'll just need to go back to the tree and get it back. Drew will never have to know. "It's um… in my room."
Drew looked expectantly at her. "So, go get it, 'kay May?" May squeaked yet again and gulped, nodding.
"R-right Drew," she lied. "I'll… I'll be right back." And she hurriedly stood up and dashed out of the warm Pokemon Center into the pouring rain.
"Crap!" she cried, the icy rain chilling her bare skin; she had forgotten to put on her coat. But knowing that Drew would make endless fun of her if she stepped into the Pokemon Center soaked and without his coat, May steeled her body for the cold chill, and dashed toward her training place. When she had searched for a perfect place to train, she had been delighted to find an empty meadow surrounded by trees, though it was a bit far from the Pokemon Center. Now, as she ran along the beaten path, the pouring soaking her skin to the bone, she cursed the clearing and its length from the Pokemon Center.
"Ergh!" she cried, diving under the branches of a tall pine tree. The branches provided some sort of reprieve from the rain, but occasionally, raindrops fell onto May's already soaking skin. Great, May thought, her teeth beginning to chatter. I'm never going to get there. But, sighing as she quickly squeezed the water out of her brunette hair, May quickly dashed out again into the rain.
Slowly, May began to see, despite the darkness, the opening to the clearing. She cried out in relief and doubled her efforts to reach there. And finally, there she was, standing in the opening of the meadow. "Thank god," she murmured her breathing ragged and heavy. "Okay, now where did I leave that coat?" She jogged in place a bit, feeling the cold set in, and her legs begin to numb. "Um… I think… right there?" She dashed toward it, and found a spot where she could rest for a moment.
"Nope, not… not here." May felt tired. She'd just run from the Pokemon Center to her training clearing, a feat that she never would have tried before. Her eyes drooped, partially from her tiredness and partially from the cold. "Maybe I should just take a nap here…."
"May?!"
Oh, no. It's that voice again. May mumbled in her daze, turning around while curling into a fetal position. "Aw, can't you leave me alone?" she mumbled, curling together while the rain slowly dripped through the thick branches. It touched her skin, and she shivered slightly. "Mom, turn up the heat please." She was in near delirium, when the branches rustled, and a dark figure pushed through.
"Sorry May, no heat here," Drew said, his waterproof coat shedding raindrops on May as he bent down to rouse her. "Hey May. Wake up." May groaned and turned over. He bent down to feel her arm. "May!" His voice was sharp. "You're too cold to go to sleep! Get up!" May groaned and turned over to crack open an eye.
"Drew? Is that you?" She giggled to herself, the cold affecting her brain. "Gee, Drew, why're you in my bedroom?" May flushed in the dark and flailed her arms at him. "Get away you perv!" she half-giggled, half-yelled.
Drew sighed exasperatedly. "You've got to be kidding me. She's crazy," he muttered to himself. "That's it," he said louder. "C'mere May." Quickly taking off his coat and draping it over May to keep her warm and dry, he stooped down and picked her up bridal style, though he winced slightly at the flailing of her arms. "Stay still!" he muttered and dashed out of the hiding place, grunting slightly as the branches whipped at his cheeks.
"Drewie!" May giggled hugging her arms around his neck. Drew shivered as her cold hands wrapped around his warm neck. "You're so cute! I'm not surprised that I'm so totally head over heels!" Drew snorted as he quickly walked toward the Pokemon Center.
"May, you're so crazy," he said, though a faint blush crossed his wet face. "You don't know what you're talking about."
"Sure I do!" May said, giggling as she hugged herself closer to him. "I love the roses that you gave to Beautifly! They're beautiful!" Drew sighed, adjusting his grip so that she didn't slip through his grasp. Well, at least she wouldn't remember this in the morning.
"They weren't for Beautifly, May," he said impatiently, walking quicker. The rain was freezing, and May needed medical attention. "They were for you. You don't honestly think I love Beautifly, do you?"
May giggled. "Aw, Drewie, that's so nice!" she cried, leaning up and giving him a kiss on his cheek. Drew blushed, but covered it up with his usual aloofness.
"You're so going to feel this tomorrow," he muttered as he broke into a sprint to the Pokemon Center. How are people going to react when they see the famous Drew Rosalind coming in carrying a wet, delirious girl? Drew chuckled. Not very well.
- - -
"So how's May doing?"
Nurse Joy smiled at the green-haired boy who had been sitting outside the room for the entire night. It showed, though. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his mouth was pressed firmly into a worried smirk. Nurse Joy wondered how he did it.
"She's doing fine Drew," she said smiling placidly. "It's a good thing you got her in when you did, though. A few more minutes in exposure, and she would've gotten hypothermia." Drew sighed in relief and slumped against the wall. Nurse Joy's amused expression caught his green eye, and he immediately straightened, crossing his arms coldly.
"I just didn't want someone to get hurt if I could save 'em," Drew said coldly, turning his face away. "That's all."
Nurse Joy smiled gently and laid a hand on the young Coordinator's shoulder. "Of course. I think you can go in now." She gestured to the door. "She'll be awake now, and I'm sure she'd love to see you."
Drew still looked a little uncertain. "What if… what if she's still, you know?" He made a small gesture with his hands. Nurse Joy laughed.
"Oh no, her delirium has passed. She's sane now."
Drew looked relieved, and nodded, flicking back his green hair without a trace of his usual arrogance. "Okay. Thanks," he said, pushing the doors open and walking into the clean, white facility.
It was a simple room, with a bed and some basic machines in the corner. There were flowers that were in every room on the open windowsill, arranged tastefully by Nurse Joy. But Drew didn't see all that. He only saw the pale figure recumbent under the blankets, and he strode over to her side.
May's sapphire eyes fluttered open, and when she saw him, she cracked a small grin. "Hey Drew." Her voice was small and squeaky, and it sounded as though she had just been through a large coughing fit. "How was your night?"
"Better than yours it looks like," Drew replied tartly. May glanced down at her hands and blushed, thought it was barely discernable beneath her fevered face. Drew felt a twinge sympathy for the sick girl, and he pulled up a nearby chair and straddled it, his arms resting on the back. "Hey, don't look that down, May," he said. "Look, now you have more time to train Beautifly for the next contest. You're going to need it."
May glanced up at him. "What do you mean Drew?" she asked sharply. "I'm going to be fine enough for the contest coming up!" She tried to prove her point by sitting up, but couldn't make it past her elbows, and flopped back onto her pillows, holding her head in her hands. "Yikes, I really shouldn't have done that," she moaned. Drew smirked.
"Another reason why I should doubt your intelligence," he retorted. Despite her ragged appearance, May bristled, her sapphire eyes sparkling angrily.
"I haven't given you one reason Drew Rosalind, to doubt my intelligence!" she shouted, the blood rushing to her face. "Ugh. On second thought, maybe I have." She slumped back on her pillow.
Drew bent forward, feeling her forehead. "Now I know something's wrong with you," he smirked. "You don't usually cave this easily."
May glared up at him. "Well, I'm sorry for being tired and sick. Besides, I don't even remember what happened. I just remember running out into the cold and trying to find your coat." She looked at him expectantly, as if waiting for him to tie up the loose ends, but Drew simply turned away.
"Yeah, well, you didn't have to," Drew said gruffly, an odd tone for him. "That coat only cost a few Pokedollars." May pushed herself up slowly to prevent the blood from rushing to her head and glared at him with intensive hatred.
"So, you mean to tell me that I ran out into a storm in the middle of winter to get a coat that only cost a few Pokedollars?!"
Drew nodded, threading and flicking his hair in one smooth movement. "Yep."
May struggled to sit up and her sapphire eyes burned brightly at him, dark against her flushed cheeks. "I'm going to kill you Drew!" she muttered, fixing him with her best death glare, which wasn't at all good. "When I get better, I swear, I'll hunt you down and kill you!" She made an obscene gesture with her hands, and Drew smirked.
"Tsk, tsk, is that how a lady should act?" he asked.
May growled, but it was effectively diminished by her sickly face. But after a while of silent glaring on May's part, and arrogant smirks on Drew's part, May slumped back in bed, her energy drained. "Aw, whatever. I'm too tired to play your games Drew," she sighed, closing her eyes. "I think I'll just go back to sleep."
But Drew wasn't ready for May to go back to sleep yet.
"What games?" he purred, leaning in closer to the recumbent May, who simply sighed, though a muscle twitched in her eyelid as though she was forcing to keep them shut.
"Leave me alone."
"Aw, I'm hurt May," Drew murmured, only an inch from her face. "Don'tcha like me? I thought you did yesterday."
At this, May's eyes snapped open, and she immediately gasped and blushed at Drew's closeness. "Wh-what do you mean?" she asked, crossing her eyes in order to look directly at Drew. "I didn't say anything!"
Drew cocked his head, and May felt her lips go dry. "Really? I thought I heard you correctly when you said that you were 'head over heels in love' with me?" May blushed, her embarrassment as good as a confession.
"I don't know what you're talking about Drew! I was crazy! I probably thought you were Lance or something," May blurted in reply, avoiding his emerald gaze.
"I don't think you'd call Lance 'Drewie' May."
"Well… maybe… his middle name is Drew!" May improvised quickly, proud that even in her sick state, she was able to think of a probable reason. "Yeah! And that's what boyfriend and girlfriend do! They call each other by their… middle names," she finished lamely, and in her mind, kicked herself. What an idiot!
Oddly enough, Drew was thinking the same thing.
"Really? So, you won't mind if I, oh let's say, brought you a bouquet of flowers?"
May flushed. "You brought me a bouquet of flowers?" she asked.
"Nah. Why would I waste perfectly good money on a coordinator who can't even go to the contest?"
A pillow quickly smacked Drew in the face, despite the trembling arms which held it. "Get out of here!"
- - -
"Ah, that feels good," May commented as she slurped up the last of ramen. She was sitting upright in her bed, the third day she'd been in the room, and most of the color had returned to her face. She reclined on the pillow, feeling the noodles warm her stomach. She gave a small smile to Nurse Joy who was checking her temperature. "Thanks for the ramen Nurse Joy," she said politely.
"It's no trouble," Nurse Joy said, smiling gently. "Besides, I didn't really know that ramen was your favorite until Mr. Rosalind told me."
May felt her mouth frown and she turned to place the bowl on the bed counter. "Oh. Well… er, tell him thank you for me."
"There's no need. I'm right here." May turned her head, flushing, and Nurse Joy exited the room without any notice.
"O-oh, hi Drew," she stammered. It had been two days since his last visit. Drew was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed across his chest, smirking at her. "Wh-what are you doing here?"
"Checking on the competition, what else?" Drew asked, threading his fingers through his emerald hair and flicking it back. Emerging from the shadowy wall and walking to her side, his jade green eyes flicked to the empty ramen bowl and then back to May. "I guess you liked the ramen that I made."
If May had had water in her mouth, she would have spit it out. "You made the ramen that I ate?!" she cried. "Water! I need water!" Drew smirked, but handed her the glass of water beside her bed.
"Did you like it?" he asked innocently as May gulped down the water. As the water drained into her mouth, she thought about his question. Admitting that she liked the ramen would tell him that he was a good cook. And anything that boosted Drew's ego was like throwing water on an angry Beedrill for May.
"Of course not!" she said, looking away, hoping that Drew wouldn't see her blush. "I mean, it wasn't bad but it wasn't good either!"
"Really? Cause I heard was a pretty good cook."
May turned her head, and say Drew a few inches away from her face. He just loves putting me into these kinds of situations, huh? She thought, quickly turning away again and sliding farther away from him. "Wh-where did you hear that? Your… your mom?"
"Nah, my fangirls."
May deflated slightly. "Oh." She bit her lip. "Do you often cook for your fangirls?"
Drew smirked. "Maybe once in a while. For the ones I like." He was taking a huge risk, but he trusted that May's less-than-perfect intelligence would see him through.
"O-oh." She glanced at the bed. "S-so, how many fangirls do you like?"
"Hm." Drew pretended to count up the numbers in his head. "One."
May swallowed, wincing from the pain of her dry throat. "Uh, really?" she asked, trying to sound interested. "Wh-what's her name?"
Drew smirked. "It rhymes with day, and starts with 'M'."
May thought about, getting more into it than necessary. "Uh… is it… Monday? No… no… that's not a name. Um..." Drew sighed exasperatedly.
"Well, while you try to figure it out, I'm going to go to the contest." May looked at Drew sadly.
"Have fun," she said wistfully. "I really wish that I could go."
Drew smirked and flicked his green hair. "Well, that's not exactly my problem, now is it? If you hadn't run out of the Pokemon Center yesterday, then you would've been able to go." May sniffled slightly, trying to draw some sympathy out of her crush.
"Aw, but if you hadn't lent me your coat, then I wouldn't have gone out."
"But if I hadn't given you my coat, then you would have frozen."
May opened her mouth, trying to think of a good retort, but sighed. "Why do you always have to have a comeback?"
Drew smirked. "It's what I do." He turned around and started toward the door. "See ya later."
"Mm, I guess," May sighed, turning around to flick on the TV where they would be broadcasting the contest. Drew paused for a moment, and smiled, truly smiled, then left.
- - -
"Amazing! Drew Rosalind from LaRousse City has done it again!" The camera panned closer to the chartreuse haired Coordinator smirking at his opponent, a dark haired boy who was cradling his fainted Pokemon. "Winning easily and pulling away from the rest of the crowd, Drew Rosalind now has earned the fabulous prize of the ribbon!" The crowd cheered, mainly girls. The camera focused on the hostess as she stepped onto the stage to announce Drew's win.
"Congratulations Drew on another fantastic win!" The hostess smiled at him, and Drew smiled back.
"Thanks, but all the credit should go to Roselia." The camera switched to a view of a smug looking Roselia who promptly turned away with just the right amount of coolness. The judges seemed to like it, though, and the hostess beamed.
"Modest and brilliant on the stage, amazing combination Drew!" the hostess cried. "Now, don't tell me you're taken!" The hostess said playfully, nudging an uncomfortable looking Drew.
"Uh, I don't really like to talk about—"
"Oh, don't be shy Drew!" The hostess urged. May laughed slightly as Drew quickly frowned before replying.
"Well… there's this one girl I'm really crazy about." Several screams erupted in the crowd, but the many girls speaking at one time made it impossible to distinguish what was said. May could only guess that they were confessions of love. The hostess grinned at the camera.
"Could this be a confession from the famous Drew Rosalind?"
Drew looked faintly embarrassed, unlike him, and May leaned forward in her bed, eagerly awaiting his response.
However, much to the dismay of the fangirls in the audience and—even though she would never admit it—May, the hostess suddenly burst out, "Well, it looks like Sinnoh Now is out of time! Tune in next time!" The hostess's next words were lost as May, sighing, turned off the TV.
"Hmm, today's the last day I have to stay in this bed," May mused, drifting off into slumber. She didn't hear the door slide open as a breathless Drew stepped in, his hair a mess since he had no chance to flick his hair while running away from his fangirls.
"Sanctuary!" he muttered, threading his fingers through his hair and flicking it. Nurse Joy would make sure that no fangirls would enter May's room. A soft snore from May's bed made Drew chuckle silently and he slowly made his way to her bedside. Quickly calling out Roselia, he commanded his Pokemon to create a bouquet of roses that he laid gently on the bedside table, his gift to May. Spotting a notepad nearby, he quickly took the pen lying nearby and scribbled down a note. Finishing it with a flourish, Drew quickly slid open the window and called out Flygon. He didn't want a repeat of what had happened when he walked into the Pokemon Center. Before jumping onto his faithful Pokemon's back, Drew stopped to glance at May's blissful sleeping face, and a rare smile graced his face. "Sweet dreams."
May woke to a sinking sun, casting several shadows on her face. She yawned loudly, stretching luxuriously in her bed. "That was a good sleep," she mumbled contentedly. "I wish I could sleep like that all the time. Maybe then I wouldn't be so tired when I wake up." Her eyes fluttered for a moment, then snapped open. She was staring at a beautiful bouquet of red roses, redder even in the dying sun. What? Who? When? Why?
Nurse Joy walked into the room, her face in its usual placid smile. "Oh, you're awake! Good thing too. You must see these beautiful flowers!" She took the bouquet and put it in the vase that she brought with her. As the nurse did this, May saw a slip of paper fall from the forest of flowers.
"Wait!" she called and Nurse Joy turned around. May pointed at the paper. "Was that there before?"
Nurse Joy smiled and bent down to pick it up. When she grasped it, respecting May's privacy and not reading it, she gave it to May to read and continued on to put the roses tastefully in the room.
May smiled in thanks, and moved the paper so that it caught the light and she could read it.
Dear May,
The bouquet of roses is for you, since I know that you won't be able to figure it out yourself. Consider it an apology for making you go out into the cold.
May smiled slightly. Drew was apologizing?
I'm not apologizing to you in general. I just didn't expect that one of my rivals would get so sick she couldn't attend the contest. And I need all of my rivals to keep on the top of my game. After all, I wouldn't want to win too easily. And in case you're ever in a bind 'cause of your morals or whatever, give my PokeGear a call. Roselia told me to write that.
May snorted. Drew's normally neat handwriting was jagged there, and May could only imagine that Roselia hit him over the head.
See ya around, Drew
May smiled and touched Drew's signature lightly. Nurse Joy bent over her patient's shoulder. "Is that from Drew?" she asked. May jumped and quickly folded the note and stowed it into her bag.
"N-no!" she squeaked.
"Really? Because I could have sworn I saw Drew sneaking into your room a few hours ago…."
"N-no! Really! It was just a normal slip of paper!" Nurse Joy didn't press the matter, but May saw a small, shy smile sneak over the nurse's face. "Really!" she protested.
"Of course," Nurse Joy replied politely, turning away and leaving the room so that May could get some rest.
As May settled down for her last night in the Pokemon Center, she smiled. She would most definitely be calling a familiar chartreuse haired Coordinator when she got better.
Don't worry Drew, she thought just before she slipped into slumber, I'll see you soon.
How bad was that? No kissing scene, but enough fluff to choke on. Reviews are appreciated, but critiscm is good too!