Unrevealed Affection

Ash's POV:

I can hear her voice in the far distance. Not far as in a couple of feet away, far as in as distant as the stars from the Earth. That's how distant she feels. I want to see her face again. I miss her. Why did I choose to go with Lyra? Dawn and I work better and I really want to tell her how I feel.

But I can't.

She'll hate me forever. She'll stop being my best friend. She'll leave me to complete this adventure alone. Brock will probably go with her because she's a girl.

"Lyra, did you hear Dawn?" I ask. Lyra shakes her head.

"I heard Khoury though!" she smiles.

"Do you like him?" I raise my eyebrows as she blushes.

"In which way?" she asks cheekily.

"Oh, you know. More than a friend... maybe you want him to be your... boyfriend?" Lyra blushes even redder.

"Sh-shut up, Ash!" I laugh.

"Oh, come on, we all know you do! Just admit it. I won't tell him, I promise!" Lyra sighs.

"Okay, fine, I do. But what about you? You like Dawn, don't you?" Now it's my turn to blush. I look down, trying to hide my face.

"D-don't be silly! I-I don't like Dawn!" I stutter. Dawn... Even her name is beautiful. Every feature about her is perfect.

"Yes, you do! Oh my God! You guys would make an amazing couple!"

"She doesn't like me that way though!" I sigh. It's a fact. Why would she like me when there are other, better looking people? Before we can continue, I hear a noise that I recognize straight away. It's exactly like I presumed - Zubats!

"Ash! What are those things?" Lyra asks.

"Zubats!"

"What are they?!"

"Just shut up and run!" I've already began to run. Lyra screams as she runs.

After a while, I stop. I've probably lost them. I walk down the path, Pikachu by my side. All is peaceful until we hear footsteps coming towards us.

"Who's there?!" I yell. "Quick, Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!" Just as Pikachu is charging up the Thunderbolt, I catch a glimpse of the figure... it's Dawn. "Pikachu! Stop!" Pikachu doesn't hesitate to listen. He immediately stops. Dawn comes round the corner and freezes at the sight of me.

Dawn's POV:

There he is, standing in front of me. The idiot that basically betrayed me for Lyra. I have no interest in talking to him in the manner that I usually do. If he want to play this was, I can play but a hundred times worse.

"Dawn! I-" he starts.

"Shut it, you asshole!" I stop him. He looks shocked at the language I've just used.

"What did you just say?"

"I said, 'shut it, you asshole'. It's pretty self-explanatory, you should have no problem understanding what I said,"

"What the hell? Why did you call me that?!" Ash yells.

"Maybe because I have the freedom of speech!"

"Stop being a bitch, Dawn. Seriously," I laugh at this.

"I'm not being a bitch. It's called expressing my feelings. Obviously, you wouldn't know I was even capable of using such language towards you!" I can see that I'm hurting Ash, but I don't stop.

Ash's POV:

Her words hit home. I see a slight look of pity in her eyes and no matter how hard she tries to hide it, it's still there. Tears start to form in my eyes, but I can't cry. Not in front of her. I can't show how weak I am.

"Dawn, what are you angry about?" I say, soothingly. She looks at me, the rage in her eyes dying.

"T-the fact that... you left me alone with some guy I hardly know and went off flirting and God knows what else with another girl..." My eyes widen as the first tear falls down her cheek.

"We... we weren't flirting... Dawn. I mean, she was flirting with me, but I didn't flirt with her," I walk up to her. "I'm sorry," She starts crying. She looks like a baby polar bear or some other cute animal when she cries. She looks so vulnerable. I can't stop myself, so I hug her round the waist.

Dawn's POV:

My eyes widen. Did he really just hug me. My heart starts beating so fast, it threatens to shoot out of my chest. I wonder if Ash can feel it. I hug him back around the ribs. I don't want him getting the message that I like him. I close my eyes. I want to stop time so I can stay in this moment forever.

Forever. It's such a long time but I wouldn't mind spending it by Ash's side.

I feel his grip tighten. I'm not sure if it's a signal for me to let go or if doesn't want this moment to end. I'm going to go with the first.

We don't say anything. We have no words. We just stand there, hugging each other.

"D-Dawn..." Ash whispers after a while. We're still hugging.

"Mmm?"

"I... Never mind, it was nothing," Ash falters.

"Okay..." I close my eyes. This is the perfect moment.