Chapter 6 - Confrontations, Part III
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Ruby shot his eyes open. He placed his hands on his face and let out an exasperated sigh. Tonight was his third time waking up. Damn it. Why?!
He removed his hands in his face and turned to his left. He then took a glance at his room's wall clock which said eleven. If this would keep on happening until four in the morning, he would probably receive some eye bags. He hoped it wouldn't, for it may worry his parents and a certain wild girl.
Another infuriated sigh escaped from his lips. It was still unknown why he keeps on waking up for every two hours; he was certain nothing's troubling him. He closed his eyes and forced himself to fall asleep. Unfortunately, it only made things worse. Damn it. Not again. He let out a soft grumble and sat up in his bed. Today was definitely tiring, but how come he couldn't just sleep? He needed to clear his mind of things.
Ruby went off his bed and approached the window. He looked through it and a smile appeared on his face. Littleroot was such a small town. At eleven o'clock in the evening, the place was absolutely quiet. There were night Pokémon walking past but hardly made a sound. Indeed, it was another peaceful night. Observing the town at nighttime always made the time pass by. It sometimes helped him fall asleep as well. However, it was not one of those days. He couldn't just fall asleep.
He turned his attention at their neighboring house, who were none other than the Birches. His smile grew wider once he saw a faint light in Sapphire's room. The faint light signaled that she's asleep. He couldn't help but imagine her cute sleeping face. He had seen her sleeping form more than once during their nights together. No matter how many times he tried to remove his gaze from her, he often ended up smiling and gazing at her sleeping form. She had caught him once, though, but the harshest thing she just did was to punch his arm to make him fall asleep. He let out a chuckle at the memory. Time really does flies.
He suddenly thought about what the professor told him several hours ago. He let out a sigh at the memory. He honestly admits that he was too timid to talk about their confessions and the possible romantic relationship topic. Although, he wondered how he managed to have the guts to ask her permission to kiss her.
Was it because of their sudden confession? It must be, but it wasn't enough to conclude that it was.
Was it now the right time? The thought almost made him fall on the floor.
He was still hesitating if it was the right time. If I were going to ask her, there's a possibility that she isn't ready yet. I can't be selfish about this any longer. But... it wouldn't hurt to ask, right?
He shook his head at the thought. Should he ask her out or not? The question was starting to bug him.
So what if he was ready? He couldn't just think for his own being. He had to follow his promise to be selfless when it comes to his decisions. He couldn't just pop that topic out of nowhere. For once, he had to stop thinking about this relationship thing.
What if Sapphire wasn't ready? He didn't want to push that topic to her. It could possibly ruin their friendship. Their friendship was as important as his love for her. He couldn't just risk it without thinking it through. He slammed his head on the wall. Now he knew why he couldn't sleep properly. He knows this topic was a big deal, but it wasn't necessary to think of it for now. He still needed to wait. They both needed to be ready. "Damn it. I don't wanna lose her... Never again..."
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That afternoon on the next day, Ruby went into their secret base to have some peace of mind. He couldn't sleep peacefully in his own room since his mother might tell him to run some errands for her. On the other hand, Wallace's place was too far for him to reach and it was kind of rude to go to his master's place just so he could sleep. Therefore, the only possible place he could think of is to sleep in their secret base.
The road to get there might be a bit dirty, but it didn't mind him for now. All he wanted was to reach it and sleep in that place peacefully. He only got five hours of sleep last night thanks to his thoughts. It was still a miracle he managed to have five hours of sleep, though. Once he took a step inside the cave, he didn't expect a certain wild girl to be in there. Her presence suddenly removed all his ideas and mood to sleep in the cave. He couldn't let her know his problems; it might affect her as well. He would just simply have to tell her that he was here to avoid his mother's orders to run errands for her.
Sapphire seemed to have bought his excuse, much to his relief. He sat on the carpet beside the Snorlax beanbag she's been sitting on and let out a sigh. At least he could rest from all that hiking. He sat there for a while until Sapphire noticed something in him and decided to break the silence.
"Ya look tired."
"Eh?" Ruby met her beautiful gaze and looked into her eyes. Before he could say something else, a pair of soft, yet strong hands caressed his left cheek and his right hand. "Sapph..." Her touch somehow eliminated all of his denials and responds. He let out a sigh of defeat.
She was right.
He was tired because of what happened last night. He just couldn't stop thinking about that certain question. It kept on bugging him and he couldn't help but have a little war with himself.
"I said ya look tired," She removed her left hand on his cheek and placed it on his hat. He nodded, giving his permission to remove it. She gently removed his hat and traced her left fingers around his scar. He shivered a bit at first but later relaxed on her soft touch. It was her first time touching that scar on his head and honestly, it made him feel better.
The pain is still fresh emotionally, but he knew he was not alone to bear that pain anymore. After all, he had her. That scar separated them once, and yet, it brought them together again. Life was definitely full of surprises. He was glad to have her back in his life. It would be dull and worthless without her in it. To his astonishment, she removed her hand on his scar and planted a kiss on it. Her kiss made his heart beat faster than the usual and a slight blush crept on his cheeks. His exhaustion disappeared thanks to that kiss. She then gently placed his head on her lap and stroked his hair. She certainly had a way of making him feel better. "Ya feel better?"
Ruby's lips curved into an affectionate smile. If there was a word greater than it, then that would be his answer. "More than that. Thank you, Sapphire."
Sapphire gave him a toothy grin and stroked his sideburns. Nothing could make her happier than helping Ruby feel better. Whenever he was okay, she was okay as well. "I'm glad."
His smile grew wider. She was absolutely adorable. He never had the guts to say it out loud, but everything about her is beautiful. He gently grabbed her right hand and intertwined their fingers. The contact made the temperature on her cheeks rise. He slowly placed the back of her hand on his lips and kissed it affectionately. The blush on her cheeks turned red. She was starting to wonder when she would not blush whenever he kissed her. She often feels embarrassed about her blushing.
"Wait, what did just...?" What he did make him realized something. He removed his hand on hers and sat up on the carpet with one hand rubbing his forehead.
"Eh?" Confusion was written all over her face. What was going on? He said he was alright a few seconds ago, but how come he just stood up from her lap as if nothing happened? His problem seemed bigger than she thought. It was usually she who would break their romantic moment due to humiliation. Doing it the other way was odd and new to her. "Ruby, what—"
"I'm sorry, Sapph. I... I wasn't thinking about my actions back then," He averted his gaze at her and breathed heavily. Due to the circumstances and his opinions last night, he thought she wasn't ready to have a romantic relationship with him. It further leads him to think about his actions and gestures whenever he was around her, especially when they were *alone together, for those were mostly romantic ones.
She may feel embarrassed about it upon noticing the blush on her cheeks, but thank goodness she's still tolerating those romantic gestures. They were not yet a couple, and he must respect her despite that. He must control his romantic gestures and/or actions towards her until they're officially together. He didn't want to lose her; he's afraid to.
"W-What actions?" Sapphire asked in a confused tone. She stood up from the Snorlax beanbag and sat on the carpet a few inches away from him. She placed her hand on his shoulder in hopes to comfort him. "Y-Ya don't make any sense, Ruby! What's goin' on with ya?!"
Ruby spun around to face her. She looked absolutely confused, and... worried? No, that wasn't right. Why would she be worried? He was only respecting her privacy since she seemed uncomfortable at the earlier. It's best not to tell her his reason. It would make her more anxious, and he didn't want that to happen. "N-Nothing. I'm fine." He mentally cursed his anxious tone. He hoped she wouldn't notice it.
"Yer tone says ya aren't!" She removed her hand on his shoulder and placed it on his chest. His heartbeat was fast. Something was definitely troubling him. "What's troublin' ya? Ya know I'll do what I can to help."
Her touch made him relaxed a bit. Honestly, she didn't need to worry about him. He could take care of this problem on his own. "I told you, I'm fine."
"Yer not. Why can't ya just tell me?!" Sapphire's face was red due to anger, confusion, and anxiety. Why couldn't he tell her?! How come he was pushing her away?! How come he was shutting her out?! What's going on with him?!
"Sapph," He managed to say in spite of his trembling tone. "I told you, I'm fine."
"No yer not!"
"Yes, I am!"
"Yer lying ya idiot!"
"I-I'm not!" He backed off a few inches from her. She must know he was lying because of his rapid heartbeat. "I did make a promise not to lie right?! Therefore, I'm not lying!"
"Ya can go and deny all ya want!" Sapphire gave him a mix of worried and miserable look. She took a deep breath and told something to him out of her accent, "You are not alright!"
He averted his gaze at her and stared at the carpet. Why was she so worried? His problem was not a big deal. He could handle it on his own. "Why do you care?" His tone sounds anxious and relieved. He appreciated her concern, but it was best to not let her interfere. This was his problem.
Sapphire let out a sigh of defeat. Wasn't her reason clear enough for him? If he needed to be reminded, then she would be glad to repeat it. She clenched her fists and quickly went closer to him. There were no more spaces between them even a millimeter. She grabbed his shirt collar and forced him to look into her eyes. He could easily read its emotions—concerned, depressed and puzzled. "I care because I love you, idiot!" She spoke again out of her accent and with all the affection she could muster.
Ruby opened his mouth to respond. He planned on telling her to let him go and repeat that he was alright, but his words betrayed him again. He tried stopping himself from saying it, but he couldn't. His emotions have taken control of him. "I love you too, but I don't think you're ready for taking this relationship further. That's why I have to keep my distance. That's why I have to control my romantic gestures. I still need to act like your friend and not your boyfriend yet."
His confession made her remove her grip on his shirt collar. She gave him a puzzled look. That was his problem? Why didn't he tell her sooner? It was true what she said back then that she wasn't ready, but she would be ready when he is. After all, they couldn't force each other to make it work. She didn't want to risk their friendship if things didn't work out either. A part her hoped and prayed for it to work, but it wasn't enough to make her relieved from hesitating. "Who told ya that?"
Ruby mentally cursed himself. He was supposed to keep this one to himself! He didn't want to worry her. He let out a sigh. It looked like he has to tell the truth. There was no other option. "I... just..." He gathered all his courage and looked into her eyes. She had to know that he was telling the truth despite that she already knew he was. "I just thought you were, so I had to control myself. I have to resist the urge to hug or even kiss you. Because... I respect your privacy. I-I love and respect you, Sapphire. I don't want to make you uncomfortable. I... don't wanna risk our friendship."
Sapphire's gaze suddenly became interested in the carpet. Ruby may be selfish and often thinks of himself, but deep down she knows he was selfless. His selflessness was starting to become clearer the longer they get to know each other. But he doing all of these for her was undeniably surprising. She really appreciated it. It was enough to make her speechless. "I... I-I..."
"I... I understand if you want to be alone." Ruby stood up from his seat. He wanted to pat off the dirt on his clothes, but he felt like it was worthless. It would get dirty again on his hike home. "I... guess... I guess I'll see you later." He gave her an affectionate smile and grabbed the hat on the carpet then put it on. He walked his way out of the cave at a slow pace. He was glad that he had resisted the urge to give her a kiss. He didn't want to ruin anything after giving his word.
Sapphire stood up from her seat. She tried to tell him something, but no words came out. She mentally cursed her timidity. It ruined everything. She was supposed to ask a lot of questions regarding their possible romantic relationship, but instead of asking, she was left speechless. She bit her lip. If she weren't too timid to talk about it, then this wouldn't happen.
This is a disgrace. She clenched her fists as hard as she could until it bleeds. The pain didn't bother her. In fact, she thought she deserved it. She ran away from the cave fast. Once she stepped out of it, she jumped and grabbed a vine. She swung her way back to Littleroot town.
Ruby stopped in his tracks the second he saw her jumped and swung her way back home. His eyes widened in terror after seeing blood bleed out of her palms. "Wait, Sapphire!" His call didn't make the wild girl stop on her fast swings. It made him more anxious than before. Why was she bleeding? She often had a bad habit of hurting herself whenever she failed or felt like a disgrace. He had to know what's going on. His steps became faster every second and dashed off to catch up to her.
He picked up his pace after a few minutes of running out of the forest. In spite of his fast run, she was nowhere to be found. She was probably in her room or she flew off somewhere else with Troppy. He hoped she didn't fly away with Troppy. He didn't want to wait for days or even months to see her. It would break his heart terribly.
Ruby quickly stopped on his tracks once he saw someone blocked the way. His anxiety and purpose to help his girl suddenly disappeared at the unwanted guest's presence. Instead, it brought an irk look on his face. Out of all the people he wanted to see today, why did it have to be him?! How did that guy even manage to get here again?! Nonetheless, he was uninterested in the details. All he wanted was to see him leave. "What are you doing here?" He asked with an irked tone.
"Oh hey, Ruby. Oh man, I shouldn't have waved my hand at you. It freakishly hurts!" Zach gently dropped his left arm to ease the pain. He let out a sigh of relief and gave the lad a sheepish smile. "What's up?"
Ruby glared at him and went closer. "I told you not to ask her out! She's not interested and she will never be!" He could feel anger and jealousy burning inside of him. He didn't have time for this honestly. He already had enough emotional pain from his thoughts. He couldn't afford to have another one from him.
"Whoa," Zach cooed and backed off from him. "...calm down."
Ruby's glare on the peculiar man intensified. He knew he was here to ask her on a date. The mere thought of it made his jealousy boil more intensely than before. He wished he had the guts to ask her out as he did. "I'll be calm if you leave her alone."
Zach flinched at the lad's glare on him. His jealousy was more intense than he thought. "Okay, first of all, how long were you running in that forest? You certainly had running shoes, so why didn't you use them? Second, I will leave her alone. She came here five minutes before you came here. I did ask her to go on a date with me again, but she responded with a punch on my left arm really hard. I feel like my bone cracked. And you know what she told me? She said she already liked someone, so I have to stop there. And then I saw you running out on the forest after a mere four minutes she dumped me. Well, not really dumped, but rather rejected. I—"
Ruby's glare disappeared as Zach's second statement started. "Wait, what?" In spite of his rant, he absolutely heard everything he said. He just needs confirmation.
Zach gave him a painful yet arrogant smirk. "She is one heck of a puncher. I swear I need to go to the hospital to have my arm checked."
"No, the other one."
Zach's smirk disappeared. He hated telling this, but he had to. "She rejected my date offer again and told me that she already liked someone. I mean, if she likes someone, I respect that. There's nothing I can do. Although it hurts, I gotta accept the bitter truth."
Ruby's gaze went on the ground. He couldn't believe that Zach would now leave her alone after knowing she already liked someone. He was expecting he would stop asking her out when they were officially dating. It looked like his desire came sooner than expected. "I... I didn't expect that'll just simply stop you."
"Huh? Oh yeah. I mean, who am I to force her? She already liked someone, whoever the lucky guy is, and there's nothing I can do but to let it go and move on. I mean, there is plenty of water Pokémon in the sea, eh? Or however that saying goes."
Ruby met his gaze. He gave him a serious look and nodded. "It's nice to know that."
Zach nodded back. "Well, I guess there's no reason for you to be jealous, eh?"
Ruby folded his arms across his chest and averted his gaze at the man. He may have told Sapphire that he was jealous at Zach, but there was no way he would say it directly to him. It was for the sake of his pride after all. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Zach let out a snicker. "Man, you're still too stubborn to admit it, eh? Oh, shoot! You do get jealous to whoever that guy she likes." His snicker turned into an unpleasant groan at the thought of the guy she likes. "That damn lucky bastard. Well, whoever he is."
Ruby responded by rolling his eyes at him. He badly wants to tell Zach that he was the guy she liked. Well, more like the guy she loves, but he controlled himself not to. He didn't want to waste his time on this guy.
"Anyway," Zach took out a Poké Ball in his pocket using his right hand. He tossed it in the air and a gigantic bird-like Pokémon came out of it. It flaps its wings and soared around Littleroot several seconds it came out. After that, it approached its master with an elated look. "Hey Ben," He patted its head using his right hand while the Pokémon chirped back to its master. "Oh, by the way, this is Ben, my Braviary. As much as I love to talk more about him, we need to go to the hospital. Ben?"
"Whoa," Ruby mumbled as quiet as he could while looking at the flying type with awe. Zach definitely deserved some kudos, for it was perfectly groomed. Its feathers were dazzling to look at. It felt like it had never touched dirt in its lifetime. As much as he wanted to say that it was beautiful out loud, he prevented himself from saying it. If he complimented his Pokémon, it would make the conversation longer and he despised that.
The Braviary lowered himself a bit to let its master climb on its back. Zach managed to in spite of his aching left arm. He turned to the charmer and gave him a smile. "Anyway, I'll see you around, Ruby. Let's go, buddy! Ouch! Arm." He gently dropped his left arm and Braviary flapped its wings to leave the town. "Hey Ben, remind me not to use my left arm until it's cured."
Ruby let out a sigh once Zach left Littleroot. It looked like he got rid of him, and it was all thanks to Sapphire. He made a mental note to thank her for it. He then turned his attention at the Birch's household. If Zach saw her around Littleroot, then it was possible she must be in her room to avoid the peculiar man after that horrid punch. He let out a determined sigh. It's time to talk to her.
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"Sapphire? I need to talk to you. Sapph, I know you can hear me!" Ruby knocked the house's front door. His first three sets of knocks weren't answered which made him worry.
Did Sapphire never want to see him again? Was she mad at him?
He shook his head at the thought. Why would she be mad at him? As far as he could recall, he did absolutely nothing wrong. Well, except a few romantic gestures he did these past days and a few hours ago. He clenched his fists and teeth after another unanswered knock.
What's going on? How come she wasn't answering?
He knows she's here. Where else she could be? If she flew away with Troppy, then Zach's left arm wouldn't be aching. He was certain the peculiar guy wasn't dumb enough to punch his own arm. No one could break one's arm unless it was Sapphire's doing. He knocked on the door again, in hopes she would answer it this time. "Sapphire, please let me in!"
Several seconds passed, no one was still answering the door. He let out a sigh to ease his impatience and anxiety. It looked like he had no other option.
He shrugged off his backpack and opened it. He rummaged through the stuff in his bag looking for the Birch's main door keys. He found it after a few seconds and tightened his grip on it. Last year, Professor Birch gave him the keys in their house in case there would be an emergency. This situation was an emergency in his perspective. Therefore, he would use this key. He closed his bag and placed it around on his back. He let out a sigh.
Here goes nothing.
"Sapphire, I'm going in!" He placed the key in its keyhole and twists it clockwise. The door was unlocked much to his relief. He removed the key in the hole and put it in his pocket. He held on to the doorknob and turned it. The door opened and he peered behind it. "Sapph?" He scanned the area. Sapphire was nowhere to be found. She must be in her room.
"Sapph, I'm inside your house! I'm going into your room!" Ruby went inside the house and scampered his way upstairs. He turned his pace on the left to approach her room. He stopped on his tracks a few inches away from the room's door. He breathed.
It's time to set things right. It's time to know what's going on.
"Sapphire! I know you're in there. Please, just talk to me. I need to know what's going on. I... need to know if you're alright." His tone was full of anxiety. Whether it was a simple problem or not as long as she was involved with it, he couldn't help but put her safety above anyone else.
It explained why he pushed her into Wallace's air car before the battle begins. It explained why he strictly told everyone not to tell about the meteorite that's going to destroy this planet in a matter of days.
Despite those, she often ended up getting involved in the problem which emotionally hurts him. Why did she need to get involved and get hurt in every dire situation? He knew it was her job as a Pokédex holder to help save the world or their region, but her safety is his main concern. Her safety is the reason why he keeps on fighting. Because whenever he won every battle, he could come home and see her. He was afraid to lose her. He let out a sigh.
Those were in the past, nonetheless. It was time to take initiative to be with her to face this problem. He shouldn't be self-centered for any longer.
On the other side of the door, Sapphire was sitting on the floor with her knees on her chest, and her hands clasped together to prevent blood to spread everywhere around her room. She heard everything from the moment Ruby started knocking at their main door. She opted not to answer especially in her case. Her palms were still bleeding. She didn't have the guts to say a word to him.
Her gaze went on her door. Just like she concluded, he would not give up until she's okay. His stubbornness was partially a good and bad thing. It was true stubbornness is a negative trait, but it also helped them in dire conditions like this.
She stood up from her seat and rummaged through her pile of dirty clothes. It was time to be brave and face him. She couldn't bear this problem alone. She needed his help. She found two clean handkerchiefs on top of the drawer cabinet and grabbed it instead of the dirty clothes she planned to use. She rolled it around her right and left palms to prevent its bleeding.
"I'm going in!" Ruby opened the door scampered his way inside her room. He scanned the area to look for the wild girl. A relieved smile curved on his lips once he saw her. She's here. Thank goodness.
Although, his smile disappeared once he saw her hands covered by handkerchiefs. "Wait, what's wrong with your hands?" He frantically approached the girl. She stared at him with confusion. Her plan was to open the door to let him in, but it looked like he finished the task first. He grabbed her hands on impulse and looked at her with worry in his eyes. Her only response is to continue staring at him with confusion.
"Is it still bleeding? It's best to put bandages on it. I have a first aid kit in my bag. Hold on, I'll get it." He approached her bed and sat on it. He took off his backpack and placed it on his lap. He opened it and rummaged through the stuff in it. "Got it." He smiled in relief and took out a first aid kit. "Come on," He gestured her to sit beside him. She stared at him for a few seconds but followed his instructions. She approached and sat beside him.
"It won't hurt, I promise." He gave her a reassuring yet affectionate smile and placed his hands on hers. In spite of the handkerchiefs around her hands, she could still feel the warmth coming from him. She blushed at that. He opened the first aid kit and grabbed an antibiotic ointment and a sterile bandage.
"You've washed your hands first, right?" She responded with a nod. "Alright then. I'll just need to apply the ointment and the bandage. This'll be done soon. We just need to stop the bleeding."
He removed the handkerchief on her left hand first and applied the ointment. She winced a bit from the pain. Her clench on her fists must be too strong. The uncontrollable excess pressure she applied thanks to her sharp fingernails resulted in her palms to bleed.
After applying the ointment and bandage on her left hand, he proceeded to aid her right hand. Sapphire just kept quiet on the entire first aid procedure. She was glad he was there to help. After all, she didn't want to make her father worry as well due to these bleeding palms. "Yer done?"
"Yep," Ruby removed his hands on her right hand and placed the ointment and the bandage in the first aid kit. He returned the first aid kit in his bag and closed it. He let out a sigh of relief and held her hands gently. He managed to stop the bleeding, and he was glad he did. He wouldn't know what else to do if the bleeding continued. "I'm just glad you're alright." He brought her hands up and planted a kiss on it.
Sapphire cheeks became rosy at the kiss. It made her twice as better.
Ruby let out a disappointed groan and gently removed his hands on hers. He broke his word again. When would he learn? He averted his eyes at her. He couldn't look at her after what he'd done. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."
Sapphire let out a sigh and placed her left hand on his shoulder. She scooted closer and used her right hand to cup his cheek. Her contact brought a slight pink hue on his cheeks. "You've done nothin' wrong."
"I know, I—Wait, what?" He met her gaze with wonder. "What do you mean? I broke my word."
"Ya did, technically speakin'." She responded and removed her hand on his cheek. "But it's actually my fault fer not sayin' anythin' when we were in the cave. I should..." She bit her lip. Now was not the time to be reluctant. She had to tell him now. "I wanna say somethin' before ya leave, but no words even my voice won't come out. That's why I punished myself by clenching my fists until my palm started bleedin'. I didn't think that it'll worry you too. It's my fault. I should have said somethin'. I know ya were just respectin' me and all." It was now her turn to avert her gaze at him. She bit her lip again as her aura was being surrounded by guilt, melancholy, and anxiety.
Unbeknownst to her, he scooted closer until there were no spaces between them. He gently cupped her right cheek and turned her beautiful face to look at him. He smiled affectionately. "It's my fault as well. I shouldn't have kept this problem alone. After all, we have each other. We can take care of this problem together."
She smiled back at him. "I guess it's both our fault."
"I guess it is." He responded with a shrug.
A comfortable silence surrounds them with their rapid heartbeats and warm breaths as the only noises. Sapphire first decided to break it. "So... does this mean we're even?"
"It appears so," He placed his left arm around her waist and pulled her closer. Their faces were now a few centimeters apart. "May I?"
"Yeah," She gently nodded.
They both closed their eyes. Ruby titled his head a bit and pressed his lips on hers. Warmth spread through them as he pulled her closer to deepen the kiss. Sapphire responded by placing her arms around the back of his neck and adding the pressure to deepen their kiss further.
Several seconds later, they slowly pulled apart to gasp for air while Ruby's arm hadn't left her waist. "I guess that settles it?"
"Eh?" Sapphire was left dumbfounded. After a few seconds of staring at him, she finally got it. Does this mean...? "I..."
Ruby smiled at her adorable yet confused look. She never ceased to make him smile. He planted a kiss on her forehead and cupped her right cheek. She met his gaze. "That is if you're ready."
"I..." She bit her lip again. It was now her chance! She had to tell him! There was no turning back now! "If... If you're ready, then, I will be."
This was another one of his imaginations, right? He blinked a few times, registering what she just said.
Well, it looked like it wasn't. His smile grew wider as a blissful chuckle escaped off his lips. He couldn't believe this is happening! Honestly, he didn't know she would be ready when he was!
Did that mean their shyness was the one that's been stopping them? Whoa! This is amazing! It may not be in the perfect place like asking her to be his girlfriend after or during their first date like he fantasized, but who cares! They were finally ready to take their relationship to more than just plain friendship. She would finally be his from now on.
It felt like he can save the world again. It felt like he could conquer all the contests again just for a day! He was currently full gratitude. "I-I am! I... I am!" He removed his hand on her cheek and placed it under her knees. He scooped her up and carried her in a bridal style mode.
"Ruby! What the...?" Sapphire placed her hands around the back of his neck. His action definitely surprised her. What has gotten into him?
Ruby let out a blissful laugh and plopped on the bed with Sapphire on top of him. This results in a massive blush on her cheeks. They have spent many nights and days together, but being laid on top of his chest wasn't one of those. She couldn't even imagine sleeping with him and/or on his chest! The thought made her blush. Curse that thought! He smiled at her reaction. Why on earth she was so cute? He couldn't stop smiling at her. He brought his right hand up to cup her cheek. Her blush deepened. "Does that mean you're my girlfriend now?"
The question made her blush further deepens its color. She placed her hands on the fabric of his shirt and gripped it gently. She gave him a warm smile with one fang sticking out. "Yes, yes I would love to."
Ruby gave her another smile. Her approval made him the happiest man alive. She was his now. He still couldn't believe it. If this were a dream, he would never want to wake up from it.
He responded by hoisting himself up and placing his left arm perpendicular to the bed. He closed the gap between them and kissed her passionately. It surprised her at first, but she later melted into it. She gently gripped on his shirt collar and pulled him closer to deepen the kiss. It made their heartbeat in the same rhythm and warmth spread throughout as their kiss grew longer and more passionate. They slowly pulled apart to gasp for air. Ruby plopped into the bed once again with one arm returning around her waist.
"Words can't describe my happiness," He happily said after gasping for breath. "Thank you, Sapphire. You won't regret it, I promise. No... I assure you... You will never regret it."
Sapphire responded with another smile. "I assure ya... Ya won't regret it as well."
"I love you," He said while caressing her cheek. She was very precious to him. She was very important to him. Now that she was finally his, he could finally give her everything she deserved.
"I love you too," She spoke out of her accent and kissed the tip of his nose. It brought a slight blush on his cheeks. It looks like he wasn't used to it as well. "Anyway," She squirmed her way out of his grasp and sat on the bed. She held on to her chest to ease her rapid heartbeat. Some things just never changed.
"Oh sorry," Ruby sat up in the bed and scooted closer to her. He encircled his arms around her waist and placed his forehead on hers. "I didn't know you're uncomfortable at that."
His proximity brought back her rapid heartbeat and the blush on her cheeks. She definitely needed to get used on his romantic gestures. "I-It's okay, I'll eventually get used to it."
"Well then," A sly smirk appeared on his lips and brought her face closer to his. "lLet's get started. It won't do it by itself."
The blush on her cheeks deepened. She gave him a pouty look. "Silly."
He chuckled at her response. "I love you too," He closed the gap between them for another heated and passionate `make-out session.
…
…
…
…
The sun shone beautifully signaling another beautiful day to come.
Sapphire opened her eyes as the sun's rays reflected and refracted through her window and hit her closed eyes. She let out a soft yawn and a blush appeared on her cheeks.
Due to the circumstances yesterday, she spent the rest of the day cuddling and talking to the man she loved. As a result, they 'accidentally' slept together in her bed. There was no one but them in their house while Ruby's parents didn't even bother to go to her house and ask his whereabouts. She guessed they just trusted them enough to be alone together.
Her father, on the other hand, borrowed Troppy yesterday to meet up with Professor Rowan in Slateport City. He told her he would return today, but she didn't know what's the exact time. To make matters more uncomfortable, she woke up with Ruby's face too close to hers. His warm breath tickled her now red nose while his arms were around her in a protective hug. She just hoped her father wasn't here yet. Seeing them in this state would be absolutely humiliating.
She fidgeted her way out of his grasp which made the charmer wake up.
He gently opened his eyes and gave her an affectionate smile. "Good morning, Sapph. What's the rush?" He removed his arms around her and sat up in her bed. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"
"I'm just gonna check if dad's home," She went off the bed and stood up. "I'll be right back."
"I'm going," He too went off the bed and stood up. He stretched his arms and approached her.
"I've waken ya up. Ya can go back to sleep now."
"It's worthless without you."
His response made the temperature on her cheeks rise. She found that cute and a bit embarrassing. They just began their romantic relationship, and they have already slept together. It was not that she's against it. They did have spent a lot of nights together, but sleeping literally a few inches or centimeters away from him was partially uncomfortable. "If I did decline, ya'll just disagree."
He scooted closer to her and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Exactly," He gave her another affectionate smile and offered his hand at her. "Well then, let's go."
Sapphire let out a sigh and accepted his hand. He linked their fingers together and brought the back of her hand on his lips. He planted a kiss on it which made her blush return. Well, so much for not getting caught together in her room. "Come on."
"Lead the way."
Sapphire opened the door in her room and they went outside. They stopped at the sight of the door leading to the professor's room. She pressed her left ear on it to listen to her father's loud snore. She let out a sigh. He was not in his room, and she hoped he wasn't in the house yet.
The smell of waffles and freshly brewed coffee caught her scent. He must be downstairs preparing breakfast. The thought made shivers ran through her spine. If her father was already here, then there was a chance he might have checked her room to see if she were still sleeping. It made her heart beat fast from anxiety. She couldn't face her father if he did see them sleeping together. She had the sudden urge to get out them out of here using the window and drag Ruby to their secret base.
"Sapphire, are you okay?"
She snapped out of her thoughts when the charmer's face was too close on hers. He gently cupped her cheek to comfort her. "D-Dad might be downstairs."
"Well then, let's go see him." He responded bluntly, unaware of the circumstances.
"N-No, bad idea." She exclaimed in a quiet voice and dragged him to her room. "Dad might wonder why you're here."
"Hey," He stopped on his tracks and pulled her closer. He cupped her cheek again and pressed his lips on hers. Sapphire stared at him for a moment, still having a hard time registering what happened. He gently pulled away and kissed her forehead. "I'm sure the professor will understand. I did have his permission."
"Ya know kissin' me isn't a good time and no it'll be embarrassin'. Wait, what do ya mean his permission?" She gave him a confused look. Her father told nothing about this so-called permission after his 'manly' talk with Ruby. The professor only asked what was going on with their relationship which made her avoid the topic by immediately going into her room.
"He gave me his permission to ask you out." He responded with a shrug.
"Eh?" A slight blush appeared on her cheeks. This was totally humiliating. "W-What else did he tell ya?"
A sly smirk appeared on his lips. "It's our man talk. I can't just give away all the details."
She pouts at his response and muttered, "Idiot."
Her adorable gesture made him chuckle blissfully. "I'm kidding. I'll tell you later. Now," He gently squeezed her hand and gently dragged her downstairs. "Breakfast isn't eating itself."
"Fine," She mumbled, still pouting. She's starting to wonder why he wasn't feeling a bit embarrassed. Maybe he's hungry.
…
…
...
...
The smell of waffles, whipped cream, coffee, and fresh berries greeted them once the couple made it downstairs along with a surprise visit from someone. Their faces darkened at the person's presence.
"Well," Their senior, Blue, stopped reading the newspaper and placed it on the table. She smiled mischievously and winked at them. "If it isn't Hoenn's number one couple."
"B-Blue?" Sapphire choked out their senior's name and gave her an angry yet surprised look. They were both mentally asking the same questions. How did she know that they were already a couple in less than twenty-four hours and how did she manage to get here?
"That's right. Does the lovely couple miss me?" She spoke in a mischievous tone.
"Oh Sapphire, Ruby, glad you two are awake." Professor Birch went into the scene, holding a plate of waffles and later placed it on the table. "By the way, Ruby, your parents are coming over here for breakfast. Why don't you two take a seat? We'll talk about this later. I'm pretty sure you're both happy to see Blue here."
"Oh, I'm pretty sure they're mentally screaming that they're happy to see me, professor." Blue clasped her hands together and let out a playful laugh.
Not really. Ruby and Sapphire thought, still dumbfounded at the situation. In fact, it was getting worse every second for later, both of their parents and their senior Blue were going to ask a lot of questions about their relationship. They desperately wanted to get out of here. Ruby regretted following his hungry stomach.
"Well then, I'm glad to hear that!" The professor laughed along with Blue causing the couple to blush. "Anyway, I'll be in the kitchen if you need me." He proceeded to the kitchen leaving the couple alone with their matchmaking friend.
"This is awkward," Sapphire mumbled to Ruby and removed her hand on the lad. She approached the table and sat on the chair.
"Oh dear, it isn't at all." Blue mischievously giggled and made a comforting gesture. To the couple, it only made things worse. "Just wait until the other seniors and juniors found out about this. You know it's finally nice that you two are officially together. It's worth the wait." She took her mug of coffee and took a sip in it.
Sapphire's gaze was fixed on the plate of waffles. Her blush couldn't help but deepen its color due to embarrassment and anger. She seriously needed to talk to her senior about telling it to the other Pokédex holders, and she wasn't taking no for an answer. She took a glance at her boyfriend who just sat beside her. He too was blushing at the situation.
"Ah, can you feel the love tonight? Well, more like today." Blue let out a soft laugh after a moment of silence. "I first hooked up Red and Yellow together, then Gold and Crys, and now you guys. My shippings are definitely coming true!" She turned her attention to Ruby and a mischievous smirk appeared on her lips. "But yours was unintentional. I actually come with a plan to finally let you guys be together. That's why I'm here to make that plan work, but you did all the work for me."
"Gee, yer welcome," Sapphire responded sarcastically and took the milk carton on the table. She placed some milk in her glass and drank it all. Drinking milk often made her feel better.
"Oh, I'm definitely full of gratitude!" Blue happily exclaimed and let out a chuckle, making the atmosphere and the couple's auras tenser. "By the way, I heard you were jealous, Ruby."
Ruby let out an irked groan and folded his arms across his chest. There's no way he would tell his senior that he is jealous. Sapphire is the only one who needed to know about it. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Aww, denial much?" Blue teased the charmer while he just rolled his eyes at her. She pouted at his response. Why on earth some guys were too stubborn to admit their jealousy? If he can play it that way. She then turned her attention on the charmer's girlfriend. "Sapphire, your boyfriend is being mean."
"Eh?" Sapphire's cheeks instantly blushed at the word. She was not yet used to it that's for sure. "H-How did ya even found out we're... we're..." She bit her lip. They may be together, but she somehow couldn't say it out loud. It was very uncomfortable to say it, honestly.
"What Sapphire is trying to say," Ruby intervened and looked at his girlfriend. He gave her an affectionate smile and unfolded his arms on his chest. He held on to her left hand but made sure their senior didn't see it. His hand on hers deepened her blush further. She swore her face's color was similar to Silver's hair color. He gave their senior a serious look and spoke with a serious tone, "How did you know? We've only been together for a day. At least... in less than twenty-four hours, actually."
Blue let out a contented laugh at his question and gave them a mischievous wink. `"It's called a hustle, sweetheart."
Ruby let out an exasperated sigh at her response while Sapphire just rolled her eyes at Blue. They didn't get what she meant, but if they could be a hundred percent certain on one thing, then that would be Blue being herself.
She practically knew everything about anyone. She could easily hook up two people to be together. She could easily get what she needed [via blackmail]. It won't surprise them, though it would make them embarrassed if she found out about their relationship sooner than expected.
Today's breakfast is going to be really awkward for them. They hoped this odd nightmare would be over already.
"Oh cheer up you two. At least you love birds together now, right?" Blue gave another mischievous smile at the couple. She finds it fun to tease them. She couldn't wait to tell Silver and Green, if he was interested or would at least listen to her, about this.
Ruby let out another exasperated sigh and stared at the ceiling for a bit. He hated to admit it, but their senior was right. They have each other and that's what mattered. He looked at his girlfriend with an affectionate smile. She saw his smile which made a slight blush appearing on her cheeks. She squeezed his hand gently and smiled back with one fang sticking out. Yep. He had her now, and he would make sure that she would be his for all eternity.
Wait, what?! The thought almost made him fall from the chair. For all eternity means that one day, he would ask her hand for marriage. Was that what he really wanted? Honestly, he didn't need to hesitate. He also wanted to spend the rest of his life with and only Sapphire, his precious wild girl. His smile grew wider. I'll definitely ask her hand for marriage... when the right time comes.
Bonus Ending:
"Now smile for the camera!" Blue beamed happily and snapped a photo of them with a flash. "Aww, you two look so cute!" After taking their photo, she immediately placed the camera in her bag. She held on to her bag tightly just in case Sapphire might take it from her and destroy it.
"Eh?" The couple blinked for a few seconds. After registering everything that had happened, Sapphire glared at their senior.
"Blue, ya better delete that photo at once!" Sapphire yelled angrily with a deep blush on her face due to anger and humiliation. She stood from her seat.
"Apparently I can't dear." Blue winked and stuck her tongue out.
"Well, then I guess I'll hafta do this myself!" Sapphire approaches their senior to snatch her bag, but only to be stopped by Ruby with his arms around her waist. "Let me go ya prissy boy!"
"Sapph, as much as I want you to destroy that camera, you have to mind your manners on the table." Ruby pulled her closer and sat on his chair which made the conqueror to sit on his lap. "Let's do it after breakfast."
Sapphire puffed some air out of her nose sourly. This is going to be a long day. "Fine."
"Uh... Don't tell me you two are going to eat breakfast like that." Professor Birch said to catch their attention and pointed at the couple's positions.
Sapphire flinched herself from Ruby's grasp and stood up. How long was her father standing there?!
Her sudden move made the chair to fall down with Ruby on it. "Ow," He said painfully.
"I... uh... I'll continue making some more waffles." Professor Birch went back to the kitchen leaving the frantic couple and their giggling friend alone.
"Way to ruin the mood, Sapphire," Blue said and continued giggling mischievously with no response from the couple.
"Ruby, ya alright? I'm sorry." Sapphire helped the lad stood up and placed its chair back to its position. Ruby sat on it again and let out a sigh.
This is definitely the most awkward breakfast he had ever experienced.
`WOO! Zootopia reference! Zootopia! Zootopia! Yes, it was my plan all along to make Blue say that line. I mean come on, she's kind of like Nick Wilde when it comes to being professional con-artists.
`I'm a naive person who just realized what it meant...I am so sorry... o.o
I have to admit I had a lot fun writing this story especially Blue's part (I just really, really, really love her). I hope you all also had fun reading this. Anyway, have fun guys and thank you. *insert a smile face here*
Disclaimer: The bonus ending is written for humorous purposes. I hope it's enough.
-Updated: January 8, 2018-
I really want everyone to ignore this fic. It's a huge mess and I really don't like it, tbh. If you wanna read some quality stories then I guess Lost Fragments will do along with Perfection (too much fluff warning since I wrote that to fill the void stuff), some chapters in Randomizer like C23, C24, and the later ones after C1 (hated that, lol). Also, some few fanfics I have in mind that I will publish soon. Thank you and have a great day~
-updated: December 15, 2018-
Hey, I also have other franticshipping that I think is better than this. It's Incomplete so go check it out dhfsdj