I figured I could put this chapter up now, since this little part has been finished for awhile, but it was originally going to be posted with the aftermath of the date, but I am yet to finish that part. Apologies for taking so long to post it, and I'll try to finish the next part soon, although I'm currently working on a couple of other fanfics at the same time. -sigh- My muse is terribly fickle.

I don't own Pokemon.


James rapped his knuckles against Gardenia's front door three times, before stopping to wait. In a few short moments, Gardenia was at the door. James awkwardly gave her the rose straight away, and Gardenia responded by thanking him confusedly.

Dinner was pleasant. They talked about the Gym, and about their grass type Pokemon. James complimented Gardenia's cooking, saying that it was the best vegan lasagna that he's ever eaten. Of course it was, seeing as Jessie couldn't cook, or at least that was what everyone assumed as she refused to do any kitchen work whatsoever. And none of the kitchen workers at James' family house would ever serve something as common as lasagna. And Meowth never served lasagna as it didn't come in a can, especially vegan lasagna. And whenever he'd been to a restaurant, if ever Team Rocket could afford to eat at one, then he always ate at the buffet, somewhere where lasagna was never served.

Technically, it was both the best and the worst vegan lasagna that he'd ever had in his life, seeing as he had never even had regular lasagna at any other time in his life. But he would never actually tell Gardenia that he'd never had lasagna in his life. Just smile, ask for a second helping, and a third one too, and maybe even the recipe afterwards.

Seeing as Meowth had told him that it was a date, James was quite surprised, as he had expected a candlelight dinner or something that one might think of as romantic. The two of them were at Gardenia's dining room table, no candle, no dimmed lighting for ambiance, just like a regular dinner, if your regular dinner is at a house.

James was actually quite relieved about the dinner not being by candlelight. He had been quite nervous about this get together, as he had never been on a date before. His parents had never allowed him to date, as he was betrothed to Jessiebelle. And when he'd run away, not only had no girl wanted to date him, but he'd been far to busy trying to find a place in which he belonged. Then, he'd joined Team Rocket. Now he was still too busy to date, usually, since the plan was always about kidnapping the Twerps' Pokemon.

Now, Meowth had set James up on this date with Gardenia. At first, James had had his doubts about this relationship, but at last he was starting to accept it. He had never noticed how pretty the grass-type gym leader was before. Now, sitting across the table from her, he noticed this.

And now he was starting to think that if angels spoke, they would sound like Gardenia. And she had a beautiful personality too. She was perfection, as far as James could see. Then, she looked at him with a very confused expression. James, started blushing, and stared at his dinner, taking a large amount of it and shoving it in his mouth. He knew why she'd given him that look. He'd been staring at her, and forgotten about everything else in the world.

"I take it you like my cooking?" Gardenia spoke up, trying to make conversation.

"I love it, you are an amazing cook!" came James' response, as he tried to disguise the fact that he was blushing a little.

"Oh, you're too kind!" Gardenia replied, her eyes sparkling with happiness. It seemed that she enjoyed being complimented, especially on something that she knew was completely true.

"She's got a beautiful smile..." James thought to himself, taking another bite of Gardenia's wonderful cooking.


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