Unrevealed Affection

Ash's POV:

"So, Lyra, why don't you tell Khoury?" I ask.

"Are you crazy? He doesn't love me back! Anyway, he'd probably freak out," Lyra says.

"I'm pretty sure he does love you. I mean, I can tell because he doesn't get nervous around Dawn and he doesn't try to show her his skills," I say. Lyra shrugs.

"Maybe. So, why don't you tell Dawn?" she asks. I look away, tears stinging my eyes.

"It's so obvious that she'll end up with Paul or Barry," I shake my head sadly.

"I think you guys will end up together!" Lyra says. "You just have to make the first move! Girls never make the first move. Give her a necklace or something,"

"I'll think about it,"

"So, why do you think Dawn and Khoury went to get wood together?" Lyra asks.

"I have no idea,"

Khoury's POV:

"Come on! Just admit you like Lyra!" Dawn protests for the millionth time.

"Okay, fine, I do," I say reluctantly. "I don't just like her, I love her! I've always wanted to tell her but I never had the courage!"

"Well, Ash and Lyra seem to be hiding something from us. How about we eavesdrop on them tonight?" Dawn suggests, grinning.

"That's a great idea!" I say, as a few branches fall out of my hands. I groan.

"No need to worry! I'll take half!" Dawn says, picking up the ones on the floor and then taking some of the twigs and branches in my hands, lessening the amount of weight being put on my arms.

"Thanks," I smile.

Dawn's POV:

"Khoury! Come on!" I whisper, tiptoeing to Ash's tent. Khoury follows, struggling to keep up.

"It's not easy to avoid being heard!" Khoury hisses.

"Then how come I'm so good at it?" I smirk. Khoury looks defeated and picks up the pace.

"Just pretend I'm Khoury and tell me!" Ash says. My eyebrows perk up.

"Okay... fine! Hi, Khoury! Wow, your hair looks really nice! Hey, listen... I need to tell you something... I... I... l-l..." I put a hand over Khoury's mouth, sensing what's coming. "I love you!" Lyra blurts. Khoury has a silent party.

"So, shall we run through that again?" Ash asks.

"No, I think I've got it. Thanks, Ash!"

"Now, get ready because... I've planned this night out to the minute for you guys. Hurry!" Ash says.

Khoury and I run to my tent as we hear Lyra getting up. We watch as she hurries into her tent. A few minutes later, she emerges looking absolutely amazing.

Khoury's POV:

She... loves me! I watch as she stands in the moonlight, her dress twinkling. Wow... could she look anymore... beautiful? Pah! More like breathtaking! Dawn pulls me into the tent and looks at me, smiling.

"You're going to have your happily ever after!" Dawn gives me a pat on the back. I blush.

"Yeah... but... what about you, Dawn?" I ask.

"No need to worry about me! Just enjoy yourself!" Dawn says.

"Dawn?! Have you seen Khoury?" Ash yells from outside.

"In here!" Dawn says.

Ash comes in, smiling at Dawn before looking over at me.

"So, Khoury. There's a dance coming up in Jubilife City soon and I was wondering if you'd try on this suit to see how you look," Ash says.

"Um... okay?" I say, pretending to be totally clueless. I take the suit from Ash's hands and go to my tent to change.

Dawn's POV:

I can feel my cheeks burning as Ash sits down next to me. My heart skips a beat when he starts talking.

"I'm going to set those two up," Ash says, vaguely.

"Well what do you have planned, Matchmaker?" I say, jokingly.

"It's pretty simple. Down by a lake near here, there are loads of fireflies so, they should help make everything prettier. Anyway, I got Brock to play some romantic music on a violin in the trees so they can dance together and eventually confess their undying love for one another!" Ash looks at me, grinning.

"Are we going to watch this?" I ask.

"Of course! We need to see how it goes. Obviously from a distance!" Ash stands up. "Come on!" He grabs my wrist and pulls me up. We run over to Khoury's tent.

"Khoury, are you ready?" Ash says. Khoury walks out looking great in that suit.

"Okay, now, come. We need you to practice dancing!" Ash says, dragging him along. I follow closely behind. Ash takes him to the lake. The fireflies cast a warm glow on the lake and the moon's reflection causes it to sparkle. I smile. This should be perfect.

"Just go out there and enjoy yourself! Take in the scenery and start dancing!" I say, winking at Khoury. He goes and stares at the lake. Ash and I hide in the bushes and watch. Minutes later, Lyra comes.

"Did Ash tell you that you had to practice dancing for a dance in Jubilife City?" Lyra asks. Khoury nods.

"You want to practice with me?" Khoury asks, his voice shaking slightly. Lyra's face lights up.

"Sure," she beams, putting her arms around his neck. Khoury puts his arms around her waist and they start dancing to the melodious tune that Brock is playing.

"I never knew Brock could play the violin," I say quietly to Ash.

"He can't," Ash says. I laugh. "I had to get him to practice and practice!"

"So, you've been planning this for some time?"

"Yeah, way before we met Lyra and Khoury,"

"Then, how did you know that we were going to meet them?" I ask, thinking he can tell the future.

"I didn't," Ash laughs. "I was... planning it for two other people," I smile at Ash.

"Wow, they look great together, don't they?" I say.

"Yeah. Um, Dawn, listen," I turn to Ash.

"Yeah?"

"Dawn... I... I-" Ash is stopped by the sound of fireworks. Our heads snap around and see fireworks in the sky, above the lake. "I should have mentioned that there were fireworks," Ash laughs.

Ash's POV:

Gah! I had her! Right there! I had her full attention and I was ready to tell her but those god damn fireworks that I totally forgot about had to explode at that time! Oh, well, at least I saved it so it didn't seem like I was hiding anything. But, still! I had this night planned out to the minute! We were supposed to be kissing under the fireworks, not stopped by them!

Khoury's POV:

Now, now is the time to kiss her and tell her. My heart is thudding like a thousand elephants on a stampede even though we both know we've been set up.

"Lyra... I..." I struggle to get the words out. "I..." Lyra puts a finger to my lips.

"Khoury, I should have told you this before, but... I love you," Lyra says before removing her finger and pressing her lips to mine. Without any second thoughts, I kiss her back.

When we break apart, we're breathless.

"I-I was going to say... I love you too," I say, trying to catch my breath. Lyra laughs.

"You know, Ash set us up,"

"Yeah, Dawn had the idea of eavesdropping so, I knew. It was still hard to tell you though,"

"I guess we owe it all to them," Lyra smiles.

"Yeah," I look into her beautiful, chocolate brown eyes, smiling.

We finally told each other. Today is probably the best day of my life.