Norman has sent Ruby his travel itinerary as expected. First class seat to Hoenn. He had kind of started packing his bag. He still wasn't leaving for another few days.

His mother looked at him from across the dining table. "What do you want for your birthday?"

"Nothing."

"But you'll be eighteen."

"So?"

She sighed. "If there is something you want please tell me. I am stumped on what to get you."

"Don't worry about it."

"Please don't complain if you get nothing."

"I wouldn't dare."

She smiled. "Good."

He finished eating.

"Just so you know, I am disappointed that you didn't come to the department store with me."

Ruby rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry. What more do you want me to say?"

"I just wanted you to know that I would have liked your company."

He nodded. "I understand."

"Do you?"

"Yes."

"Sometimes I don't think you do."

He sighed. "Whatever." He walked upstairs when the doorbell rang. He looked down from the stairs to see someone he didn't expect.

"Ruby, Gold is here to see you."

"I'm busy."

"Since when?"

He could hear Gold chuckle. "I'll go up and see him.

"No worries."

Ruby looked down the stairs at him, frowning. "What are you doing here?"

"Visiting you. Uh... how have you been? Haven't seen you around for a while."

"I don't want to talk to you. Why did you even come by?"

"Just wanted to say hi. I remembered that your birthday is in two days and I am in town so-"

"Okay, well, you said hi, so now you can leave." He started walking up the stairs when Gold's hand made it's way to his lower back. "What-?" he felt outraged. He slapped Gold's hand away. "Hey!"

"I haven't said it. Not properly. And I wanted to talk to you about-"

"I don't want to talk about it. Can you go?"

Gold sighed. "Ruby, I am sorry for what I did, okay? I am. And I want you to know that. I feel awful, but I knew you wouldn't want to see me so I just didn't come around."

"Gold, its been two years. Why now? Really, two years is a long time to wait for an apology."

"I didn't think you'd accept it."

"I'm still not going to."

He groaned. "Ruby, please -"

"Are you still seeing her?"

"Huh?"

"Crys."

Gold nodded. "Yeah, I am."

"Good. You two are good together."

He held Ruby's hand. "Its just important that... you know that I care about you."

Ruby rolled his eyes.

"And I know what I did was a dumb mistake."

"It was really stupid. It hurt, you know."

"Yeah... I do. And that is why I wanted to say sorry. I hope you can forgive me."

Ruby felt like saying yes just to get rid of Gold, but he knew he would be mad at the older teen for as long as it took him to get over him. "Why did you do it?" he asked instead.

"I don't know. I know that sounds stupid, but... I wish... that it turned out different. I hoped that we could still be friends. And I still want that. I have wanted to talk to you before. I walked past your house more times than I could count... but I... I did stop by once. Your mom told me you went to Design School."

Ruby nodded.

"How is it?"

"I dropped out."

"Why?"

"None of your business."

"Sorry. Look, I'm sorry I screwed up our relationship. I am. Okay? I wish I could take it all back, but I can't. And I'm so sorry."

Ruby looked away. Gold was pissing him off.

"I get it, it was a bad time. You were in school, I was travelling around Johto... but don't get me wrong I loved you."

"Then why did you cheat on me and humiliate me? I don't even want to look at you."

"Ruby!" he groaned, exasperated. "The moment I saw you in the diner down the road... I thought you were so beautiful. I really did. Then when I spoke to you my heart was beating crazy fast because I thought you were the most beautiful person in the world. Well, besides me" he added, half joking.

"And Crys" Ruby sneered. "Just leave."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you that me and Crys were an item."

"And that you arranged a date with her for the same time and place that you had arranged with me. Really fucking classy. I really hate you. I'm sorry. I feel sick just looking at you. I can't believe I slept with you." He shuddered. "I can't believe I loved you. I am so glad I am going away in a couple of days."

"Wh-where are you going?" Gold asked, seemingly hurt by Ruby's words.

"None of your business."

Gold nodded. "I understand."

"I would really like it if you didn't come by again. I don't even want to look at you." He pulled his hand from Gold's, unaware it was still there, and walked upstairs.

A few minutes later his mom walked in. "Ruby?" She said softly.

"Mm?"

"Can we talk?"

He nodded.

"I... I heard what you and Gold were taking about."

He groaned.

"I didn't realise that he was the one who broke your heart. I also didn't know that you had..." she paused.

Ruby looked at her and saw she was blushing.

"I didn't realise you had sex with him."

Ruby blushed. "Oh... right..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Maybe not embarrass me by bringing that up?"

"Sorry. But now I understand why you were so sad."

He sighed. "It's stupid, isn't it?"

"No."

He sighed. "I think it is."

"Well, at least you know going away will be good for you. Get away from Johto for a while."

He nodded. "Can we... maybe go out for lunch for my birthday? I don't want any presents."

She nodded. "Of course we can do that."

"Thanks mom."

...

Ruby didn't feel any different once he turned eighteen. He was awoken by Kiki chasing her tail on the bed as usual. He walked downstairs, almost tripping over Rara in his sleep-like state and had Nana beg for his toast, which he obliged.

"Good morning" his mom smiled. "Happy birthday!"she hugged him and kissed him.

"Thanks mom" he smiled.

She held his face in her hands and stood back to look at him. "I am so proud of you. You're eighteen and you will be going overseas and... I just know you will do so much. I love you Ruby."

He smiled. "I love you too mom."

"And I know you said you didn't want anything, but... well, I just couldn't help myself." She passed him a wrapped box.

"Mom, you shouldn't have."

She waved her hand dismissingly. "It's fine."

He smiled and unwrapped the present.

"I had your passport updated from the time you didn't go to Hoenn and your travel papers organised."

He smiled. "Thank you so much!" He hugged her. "Thank you."

She smiled. "You're welcome. Also this too." She passed him another small box.

He opened it and looked at the nice red leather bag identification tag and small matching toiletries bag. "Its really nice" he breathed, admiring the perfect stitching and craftsmanship. Thank you."

She smiled."That's okay. Seeing that you like it so much makes this worth it."

"It's perfect. Thank you." He hugged her. "Its perfect."

She smiled. "I am so glad. I guess the real question is where do you want to go for lunch?"

He smiled. "I haven't thought about it. Everywhere here serves nice food."

She nodded. "True. How about we head to the café you used to like? The newer one down from the Pokémon Center."

He nodded. "Sounds great."

...

Ruby was happy to be out of the house again. It was nice, but he still felt overly cautious that someone would know about his embarrassing relationship with Gold. He remembered how he had been laughed at and made fun of when he had turned up that day at the diner to find Gold and Crystal together. He still considered it the worst moment of his life. Silver, one of Gold's friend, had actually taken pity on him and walked him home. He hadn't known who Silver was, even though he and Gold had been together for almost six months by that point, he hadn't remembered Gold mention him. Apparently they were close though.

Ruby looked around Goldenrod, realising how different it looked. Things had definitely changed for the better. The City seemed brighter and cleaner than he remembered. Even the air felt cleaner, crisper. He breathed in deeply and exhaled, his mother chuckling at him.

"I told you that you should go outside" she chuckled.

He nodded, definitely feeling refreshed. He hadn't even remembered much about what life was like outside. "I think I want to get back into training" he said softly.

His mother smiled. "You can achieve anything you want. All you have to do is start somewhere."

He smiled. "That is true" he agreed.

Ruby chose to sit outside at the café, it was such a beautiful day, and he was glad he was outside to feel it, not just look through a window and see it.

In fact, he was so happy that he couldn't get the stupid grin off his face. "Mom, I'm having the best day" he admitted. "This is... great. I doubt know what to say. Thank you."

She smiled. "You're most welcome. I am glad that the day before you leave is going so well. It makes me so happy."

He smiled. "I can't believe tomorrow I go to Hoenn. I have never been overseas... I mean, Kanto isn't really counted, right? I mean, it's literally next door."

She chuckled. "I think you're right about that."

Soon meals were ordered and arrived out at the table. They sat in silence throughout the meal, and eventually returned home.

Ruby lay in his bed, feeling like he may be slipping into a food coma, surrounded by his Pokémon who knew today was a lazy day. Nana rested her head on his arm, Kiki curled up on his left side and Rara lay on the pillow above Nana.

He wasn't going to lie. He was truly happy for the first time in months, perhaps even years.