Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon... Still. I know it's been a while but I haven't acquired the franchise. Tear.
- / - / - / -
Dawn awoke as suddenly and completely as though someone had hit her in the face. She glanced to her left, where she expected to see Paul lying asleep. He wasn't there. She listened, and could hear the shower on. Closing her eyes and snuggling back under the covers, Dawn tried to drift back to sleep. Out of habit, she glanced at the clock beside the bed. It was only ten-thirty. She lay there for a few moments, listening to the water pounding in the other room. Then her eyes flew open. Ten-thirty?
"Shit!" Dawn leaped out of bed and ran across the room. She wrenched the doors of her closet open. "Of all the days to oversleep... I have to be at my Contest in an hour!"
Dawn rifled through the various Contest dresses that she'd gathered throughout the years. She wanted to emphasize Togekiss' beautiful Safeguard-Aura Sphere move , so she knew she was looking for a greenish-blue dress. She pushed the rejects further along the closet bar, with a specific dress in mind. She couldn't remember where she'd hung it, though... In some other part of her brain, she vaguely registered that Paul had turned off the water in the bathroom.
Dress after dress was pushed out of the way. Dawn was starting to think she'd have to choose a different dress when she found it. Halter neckline, fitted under the bust, secured with a blue brooch, fell in pleats to just past her knees. The dark blue-green looked good on her, and there was a slash of bright turquoise near the bottom. She smiled and hung the dress in a bag. She would change there, as always.
Satisfied with the dress, Dawn pulled a pair of simple black shoes with a low heel off of her shoe rack. She carried the bagged dress and shoes to the bed and laid them there.
"Paul!" she called, turning to the still closed bathroom door. She received no answer. Dawn knew she wouldn't have time to shower, but she was going to put on make-up and do her hair for damn sure. She'd walk right into that bathroom, whether Paul was naked or not. "Get your ass out, I need to get ready!"
Dawn still received no answer from the door. She narrowed her eyes in annoyance. Grumbling to herself, she marched up to the door and pushed it open. Paul stood on the other side, towel (fortunately) wrapped securely around his waist. He heard the door bang against the wall, and turned and glared at her. Dawn crossed her arms at his look.
"Don't you knock?"
"No."
Paul rolled his eyes, and Dawn's mouth twitched.
"You know, you don't look that fearsome when you do that," Dawn informed him, walking around him. She tried hard not to 'accidentally' touch him as she brushed past him. She failed; her upper arm brushed his chest. Paul raised his eyebrows – the touch had not escaped his attention.
"Why are you in here?" Paul asked her, making no move to exit the little room. "I thought we were supposed to be being civil. Walking in on someone while they're in the shower does not fall under that category, as far as I am aware."
"You weren't in the shower when I came in," Dawn said slyly. "And I have to get ready."
"For?"
"My Contest," Dawn answered, opening her make-up box. She pulled out her mascara, dark green eyeliner, and shimmery green eyeshadow. "Speaking of," Dawn continued, her tone changing to be more polite. "Would you mind giving me a ride?"
"What?" Paul said blankly. Dawn glanced at him, halfway through rummaging through the box, looking for something else.
"Can you please, pretty please, give me a ride to Emeragrove Town in about a half-hour? I need to be there for my Contest," Dawn asked. "Please? I have no other way of getting there."
This wasn't technically true; Zoey had offered to take her. But that was before their argument. Dawn still hadn't answered her calls, and had ignored her when Zoey had come to her apartment. She wasn't ready to talk to her yet – so she had no plans to let Zoey take her today.
"When?" Paul asked grudgingly. Dawn smiled radiantly at him. Paul blinked.
"I have to be there around 11:30, 'cause the appeals round starts at noon," Dawn said quickly, still grinning at him. "You can stay for the Contest – it shouldn't take more than two hours."
Paul wrinkled his nose. He didn't like Contests. Although, he admitted to himself, you did think her battle style was interesting – and you are going to use her Swift strategy against Cynthia. "Okay," he said, after a long pause. If he'd thought her smile couldn't get any wider, he was wrong.
"Thank you thank you!" Dawn said in a sing-song voice. "Now, get out, I need to get ready so we can leave at eleven."
And with that, she pushed him out of the bathroom and closed the door in his face.
- / - / - / -
Forty minutes later, Dawn bounced out of the bedroom, her hair and make-up done, clad in a light pink dress. She clutched her bagged dress; she was wearing the shoes already. She grabbed her bag that contained her Pokéballs, and skipped to Paul's side, who was surveying her over the rim of his coffee mug.
"You seem overly excited for this," he noted. She shrugged and poured some coffee into a travel cup.
"C'mon, don't want to be late," Dawn said, pushing the front door open. She waited for Paul to get his keys and exit ahead of her before pulling the door shut.
They walked to the car in silence – Dawn, lost in thoughts and nerves about her Contest; Paul, dreading the appeals round.
"You know where Emeragrove is, right?"
"Yeah," Paul answered. Dawn took a sip of coffee and settled against the comfortable leather seat, preparing for the thirty minute drive to pass in silence. But Paul surprised her by continuing, "I know someone that lives there."
"Do you?" Dawn said, surprised. "Emeragrove's a tiny little town. I wouldn't have thought anyone would know anyone from there."
"I do," Paul said, and his expression was one of slight discomfort. "Or I used to."
Dawn frowned slightly. Paul stared determinedly at the road as he merged onto the freeway, heading away from Hearthome. "What do you mean by that?"
"We haven't spoken in a long time. They might have moved," Paul said. Dawn didn't believe him for a second, and Paul seemed to gather this from her expression. "It's been a long time. They probably don't even remember me."
"If you say so," Dawn said dubiously, taking another gulp of coffee. She could tell he didn't want to talk about it, and seemed to regret bringing it up. "I wonder who'll be at this Contest? Kenny's not back from his tour in Hoenn yet –"
"Who?" Paul asked.
"Kenny. We've been friends since we were little," Dawn explained. "We both grew up in Twinleaf, both started our journeys around the same time, both chose Piplup as our starter – even both decided to go for Contests. He recently went over to Hoenn to try his luck in Contests there. He won his five ribbons, but the Grand Festival isn't for another few months, so he was coming home."
"Ah."
Dawn chattered away the whole drive there, and rather than being annoyed, Paul found himself listening to her. He wouldn't say he was interested in what she was saying, exactly, but he wasn't tuning her out. The drive passed quickly with very few comments on Paul's side.
"We're almost there, I think," Dawn said, peering out the window. "I remember it being in the middle of the city, not a very big building, but – there, that's it!"
She was pointing at a large brick hall. Over the double doors, there was a sign that read "Emeragrove Contest – Today!"
"What gives you that idea?" Paul muttered under his breath. Dawn pretended not to hear him.
"Just find somewhere to park – don't be negative," Dawn chastised.
"What, I can't just drop you off?" Paul asked, disgruntled.
"Nope, you have to come in with me."
"What?" Paul exclaimed. "Why?"
"Someone has to hold my stuff when I register. Why do you think I brought you?" Dawn said seriously. Paul stared at her incredulously for a minute before Dawn started laughing. "Kidding. But come with me anyway, won't you?"
"Fine."
They found a parking space about a block and a half away. Dawn complained that it was far away, and Paul reminded her that he'd offered to let her off at the building. Though this didn't stop her complaints, they lessened slightly. They walked together to the Contest Hall, trying to ignore the whispers and pointing directed at them. Paul was uncomfortable – the last time people had been whispering and pointing about him, it was because he was a favorite to defeat the Champion; though that had not changed, he knew they were staring now because of the woman on his left. Dawn seemed to take it in her stride; she seemed unfazed by the attention.
"Do you think we should- y'know, act different?" Paul murmured. Dawn glanced at him.
"No, not really. Why bother? They know we're together," Dawn said quietly. "If you want, we can hold hands or something, but I don't think it matters either way."
"Okay," Paul said, relieved. They were walking up the steps of the Contest Hall. Paul pulled the door open and let Dawn enter before him. The lobby of the Contest Hall was busy, with Pokémon and people milling around. Dawn walked purposefully to the front desk, Paul trailing behind her. She turned and dumped her purse and dress into Paul's arms and began filling out the usual paperwork. Annoyed, Paul scanned the room. He watched a younger girl chase her Spoink around the lobby, trying to make it obey her; an elderly couple that was reading a program of the day's events; a pigtailed woman with curly hair was putting her Pokéball into a ball capsule while the man beside her stared around listlessly; a boy in the corner was saying the different moves of his Pokémon so quickly Paul couldn't make out a single one.
After a few minutes of this, Dawn straightened up, thanked the woman behind the counter, and walked away. Paul followed her, irritated that she hadn't taken her things back. She made her way into the back rooms, and found a changing room.
"Thanks for holding my stuff," Dawn said, smiling. She took the bag and dress back, and placed them on the counter. She looked at him expectantly. He looked blankly back. "Can you... Leave? So I can change?"
"Right," Paul said, turning and exiting the dressing room. He leaned against the opposite wall, not sure why he was waiting for her to come back out. He could easily leave and find a seat. Or... Well, as he'd said, the person he knew that lived in Emeragrove had probably moved. No sense in going to visit.
Dawn dressed quickly and did a spin to get the full effect. She wished one of her friends could be there to tell her she looked good; she knew Paul wouldn't say anything. She stored her things in her locker and skipped out, holding only Togekiss' Pokéball and a ball capsule. Paul stood waiting for her on the other side of the door. Her eyes widened in surprise, but she said nothing.
Paul looked up at her. She was wearing a dark dress – maybe green? – that was tied behind her neck and fell to her knees. His eyes were immediately drawn to the sparkly brooch. His eyes trailed up a few inches, so that he was staring at her cleavage. When he realized what was doing, he coughed and looked away. Dawn smiled slightly.
"So, shall we go?" Dawn asked pointedly. Paul shrugged, still determinedly looking away from her. He walked a half-step behind her further down the hall and into a big, couch-filled room. The were four televisions mounted in the center of the room, which the awaiting contestants would presumably watch the Contest. "It's nice, isn't it?"
"I guess," Paul shrugged. "Where am I supposed to go? I can't stay here."
"Sure you can."
"Perhaps I should have been clear. I don't want to."
Dawn made a face at him. "You know, you shouldn't –"
"Oh my gosh, is that Dawn?" They heard a carrying stage whisper from somewhere to their left. They turned to face the voice, and saw the woman Paul had seen in the lobby – the one that had been putting her Pokéball in a ball capsule. She had changed into a long-sleeved black dress that had red stones around the neckline and wrists that glittered when she moved. Her hair was held in two high pigtails, and fell in curls to her shoulders. The man that had been standing with her in the lobby was beside her, a cruel smile carved into his face.
"C-c'mon, Paul, I'll show you were to sit," Paul glanced at Dawn, whose voice was quivering.
"Oh, leaving already, Dee-Dee?" the woman asked sweetly. "We haven't even had the chance to chat."
"Yes, Ursula," Dawn said stiffly, studying her shoes. "I daresay I'll see you during the Contest."
"Do you really think you're good enough?" Ursula said innocently. "To even make it past the appeals?"
Paul looked between the woman Ursula and Dawn. He couldn't see Dawn's face, but her shoulders were shaking with fury.
"I mean, really, Dee-Dee, you can't even hold on to a boyfriend," Ursula purred, stroking what Paul assumed to be her boyfriend's chest. He was tall, with light brown hair and flat, black eyes. "You've really lost it."
"I'm engaged," Dawn mumbled to her feet.
"What was that, Dee-Dee?" Ursula asked, cupping a hand around her ear. The man with her made a move forward.
"Long time, no see, Delicious," he said in a low voice. Dawn, who had barely been moving before, froze.
"Get away from me," Dawn said shakily. The man kept moving towards her.
"Why? You love it when I touch you, Dawn..."
"Get – away –" Dawn murmured jerkily, still staring at the ground, not moving away from him.
The man was only two steps from Dawn when Paul stepped in front of her.
"What's your problem?" the man asked angrily.
"Step the fuck back," Paul said. The man was taken aback, but wasn't startled enough – he was clearly ready to fight with Paul.
"Don't get involved in things you don't understand with, boy –"
"I understand perfectly. And I don't like to repeat myself. But for you, I'll make a special exception – Step the fuck back," Paul said in a steely voice. He felt Dawn's forehead touch his back; she must be leaning her head against him. He could feel her shaking.
The confrontation was starting to draw the attention of the other contestants. Ursula was watching Paul with her arms folded, a sour look on her face.
"She's not even worth it," the man scoffed, turning back to Ursula. "Let's go."
Ursula stared at Paul for another few moments before turning to follow him. Paul watched them go, looking disgusted. He knew Dawn was still leaning into his back, so he didn't dare move.
"Let's go back to that dressing room," Paul said quietly. Dawn nodded into his back, and he felt the pressure leave. He took hold of her wrist and pulled her out of the room and down the hall. She obeyed his pressure without thinking.
He pushed her onto the bench in the dressing room – she hadn't even realized they'd gotten there – and shut the door. She heard a soft click and knew he'd locked it.
"Are you alright?" he asked quietly. She thought idly that she never thought she'd seek comfort from Paul, ever – much less that he'd ask about her well being.
She nodded, and hiccupped back a sob. He stood by the door, not knowing what to do – he had always avoided crying girls, and therefore had no idea how to deal with them. He watched Dawn's shoulders shaking as she struggled to hold her emotions in.
"It's – er – okay," Paul said awkwardly. He walked to her and clumsily patted her shoulder; he wasn't expecting her reaction: she leaned into his hand, and he didn't have the heart to push her away.
"So," Dawn said, with a tremendous effort to keep her voice steady, "lucky you – you've met Kevin."
This name meant nothing to Paul, he'd never heard it before.
"He's my ex-fiancée," Dawn murmured. "Well, ex-almost-fiancée. We dated for about two years, two years ago. I was visiting him at his apartment, and I was looking for something in the bathroom and found a box. With an engagement ring in it. I guess it was in the bathroom 'cause he thought I'd never look there," she said dully.
Paul said nothing, knowing she couldn't stop now she'd started.
"I was so excited. I loved Kevin so much. Wanted to marry him, wanted to spend my life with him. What a fucking joke," she choked out. "I told all my friends, started planning in secret... But I found out about him, barely three days later," Dawn sighed heavily. "Walked in on him, in my own apartment. Fucking Ursula on my couch."
"He didn't even try to apologize, or explain. Just said, 'well, it was only a matter of time. Can't believe it took you a year and a half to figure it out,'" Dawn said in a monotone. "He'd been sleeping with her since right after we started dating. But I was more famous than she was – richer. So he dated me to the public. He just wanted what I had, what I could give him. Not me. Never me."
Paul watched her, and he felt an emotion creep into him that he'd never known before. He couldn't place it, but he did know that he wanted to turn around and teach that guy not to screw with anyone – especially Dawn. Wanted to hurt him.
"I've only told two people that, you know," Dawn said in a small voice. "That part of the story. Just May... and you."
"I thought I was over it," Dawn said. "What he did to me."
"It isn't your fault," Paul murmured. "It's not."
"Are you sure?"
"How could you know?" Paul pointed out. "How could you have protected yourself from that? It can't be your fault."
"I could've –"
"Look," Paul said firmly. "It's not your fault. It's him, and that bitch girlfriend of his. You shouldn't be in here crying, Dawn. You should get out there and kick her ass in this Contest. Show her you don't give a flying fuck in a bucket that she 'got' him. He'll do it to her, too. Show her that you're better than her. You just can't sit in here, weak and pathetic – you're better than that. So prove it."
"That's the first time you've called me by my name..."
"That's all that got through to you? Of everything I said – that's what you paid attention to?" Paul said exasperatedly. Dawn gave a small smile.
"No," Dawn said, standing up. She looked him full in the face. She looked better than she had when they'd arrived. The tears clung to her eye lashes and made her look... "You're right, Paul. I'm gonna go kick some ass."
She marched past him, and at the door, turned back. "Thank you."
She left before giving him a chance to respond, though admittedly, he could think of nothing to say.
- / - / - / -
"And now, for our last Contestant of the day – it's Dawn!"
"Now, Togekiss – Spotlight!" Dawn flew out onto the stage, and threw Togekiss' Pokéball high into the air. Green stars erupted from the ball, concealing the enormous flying-type. "Start it all off with your Aura Sphere!"
Togekiss fired six blue energy balls towards the ceiling. "Air Slash!"
The Aura Spheres shattered, and began to fall in glittering specks back towards the ground.
"Now, Safeguard!" Dawn cried, twirling on the spot. The familiar eerie green glow surrounded her Pokémon, and the sparkling pieces of the Aura Sphere joined, giving Togekiss a beautiful dazzling glow. Dawn could hear Marion shouting something to the audience, but she didn't care – it was time to wrap this up. "Finish it all off with your Last Resort!"
Togekiss spun rapidly on the spot before plunging, silvery stars streaming behind, and shot them at the stage, where they shattered to tremendous applause. Dawn and Togekiss took a bow, and left the stage.
Dawn waited backstage for the judges' results, nervous that she and Togekiss wouldn't get through. She chewed on her thumbnail impatiently.
"There's no need to worry – right Dawn?" came a familiar voice from behind her. Dawn rolled her eyes.
"What do you want?" she asked flatly, not turning.
"Look, Dawn, I'm sorry for what I said," Zoey said, sitting down beside her. "I'm so so sorry. But I was mad, and hurt, and I felt betrayed. It's no excuse for what I said. I was awful to you. But please... I need you to forgive me."
"Why should I bother?" Dawn asked coldly. Ha, I'm starting to sound like Paul, she thought.
"Because we've been friends since we were ten years old, Dawn, and I love you."
"I'm still mad at you," Dawn informed the girl.
"I know you are," Zoey said solemnly. "But... you will forgive me, right?"
"Eventually," Dawn said, her eyes glued to the television, waiting for the judges' results. Zoey hugged her around the stomach, and Dawn smiled and patted her head. "Here it is!"
"Sorry for the wait, here are the eight talented coordinators moving on the the final round!" Marion shouted.
Dawn's picture was the first to appear on the screen. Ursula's was the last.
"Here we go," Dawn sighed. "Time to kick some ass."
"I like your thinking, girl. Good luck."
Marion presented the match-ups for the first round of the battle stage; she was battling a younger girl. She didn't bother looking for who Ursula was battling. They would meet, or they wouldn't.
In her first battle, Dawn sent out Piplup against her opponent's Spoink. Dawn and Piplup won by knockout in the third minute. She glanced up at the score board and saw the curly pigtails of her next opponent. Dawn smiled as she left the stage; she was dreading this next match. Ursula was never a fun battling partner – even before the whole affair with Kevin.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, I give you the second round of the battle stage! On my right, it's Dawn! And on my left, Ursula!" Marion called. "Five minutes on the clock – begin!"
"Go, Piplup!" Dawn yelled, throwing Piplup's Pokéball into the air, which burst open in a shower of blue bubbles. "Spotlight!"
"Go, Garchomp!" Ursula snarled. Garchomp appeared in a large pink heart. Dawn wrinkled her nose; that ball seal had never worked well for Ursula's Garchomp, in her opinion. Ursula's bad attitude shone through her Garchomp.
"Now, Garchomp, use Stone Edge!"
"Spin and dodge it, Piplup – then use Bubblebeam!"
Piplup spun gracefully out of the way of the attack and landed a direct hit to Garchomp, who growled in discomfort. Ursula's points dipped due to Piplup's evasion and the attack connecting with Garchomp.
"What's up, Dee-Dee? That all you got?" Ursula taunted. "Garchomp barely felt that!"
"Whirlpool, Piplup!" Dawn cried, ignoring Ursula. Garchomp was trapped in the vortex, and Ursula gave it no commands other than to scream 'get out of there' as her points dwindled to less than half.
"Finish this off now, Piplup!" Dawn commanded. "Use your Ice Beam!"
"No!" Ursula yelled, denial etched in her frown lines. "That Piplup doesn't know that attack –"
Piplup shot a beam of solid ice from his beak directly at the Whirlpool that trapped Garchomp. He steadily froze the Whirlpool, drawing closer and closer to Garchomp's struggling figure every second. Ursula's points drained; she had barley a quarter left.
"Guess you're wrong about more than you thought, Ursula!" Dawn called. "Piplup and I worked hard to learn this move! Now, Piplup!"
Piplup turned up the intensity of his Ice Beam as it connected with Garchomp. The now-frozen Whirlpool glittered, Garchomp frozen solid in the center. Ursula's points emptied to nothing.
"And the winner of this match – is Dawn!" Marion cried. "Dawn and Piplup will be advancing to the final stage!"
Dawn took a bow and shot a vindictive look at Ursula, who stood rooted to the spot. Her face was blotchy and red from anger.
Dawn's final match was against a teenaged boy that used a Tyranitar. She and Piplup pulled off a win, by a tiny margin of points at the end of the five minutes. Dawn and Piplup stood center stage, as Mr. Contesta presented her with the Emeragrove ribbon. It had a golden, diamond-shaped center and the silky ribbons were the same color as her dress.
"Congratulations, Dawn," Mr. Contesta said softly, for her ears alone. "You've improved yours and your Pokémon's skills so very much. I'm proud to see your passion has only intensified over the years."
"Thank you, sir," Dawn beamed. She held the ribbon triumphantly over her head to show the audience, who screamed and applauded.
Backstage, Dawn changed back into her pink dress, and carefully put the green one back into its protective covering. She heard the door open behind her, but paid it no mind until she heard, "Well, well, well, Delicious. You've still got it."
"What do you want?" Dawn asked bravely, not turning to face him for fear she would burst into tears. He chuckled darkly.
"What I've been missing," he murmured greasily into her ear. She hadn't realized he was right behind her, but she was paralyzed by her emotions. "It's been so long, Delicious."
"Don't call me that," Dawn whispered.
"But you like it," Kevin said, stroking her neck. She flinched away from his touch. "And it doesn't matter that you beat Ursula today. I knew you would – you're so very talented. I wish I'd gotten to know what other talents you have, Delicious. You never let me find out..."
"Stop it. Get away from me," Dawn said, and, realizing she could move, she stumbled away from him.
"But I don't want to," Kevin said, advancing on her. "You made me wait two years. I was patient. But I'm done waiting –"
"N-no – st-stop it –"
He was almost to her; Dawn's eyes were wide and fearful, and she could see nothing but him –
But then he was being pulled away by something – or someone. Dawn heard something heavy slam against the lockers, and was suddenly being pulled away from Kevin by the wrist. She followed blindly, her thoughts still fixed on what he had been saying to her..
"What the hell is wrong with you? Why didn't you run? Yell? Something?" she recognized Paul's voice, and was surprised. "You just stood there – are you crazy? Don't you know what he could have done? What he would have done?"
"Yes," Dawn said in a small voice, blinking in the bright sunlight. They'd just left the Contest Hall.
"Are you just stupid, then?" Paul demanded. Dawn shook her head feebly, but he didn't see.
"I don't get you. You hate him. And you were just going to let him –"
"I was scared!" Dawn defended. "You don't know what it's like, having to live with how he hurt me every day. Of course I knew what could have happened, Paul, I'm not an idiot. But I didn't know what to do! He knows me better than anyone – knows how to scare me, how to make me do what he wants. You try getting in a situation like that – see how you deal with it!"
"Just get in the car," Paul growled. Dawn did so, slamming the door with all her strength when she sat down. "And don't maim my car."
"Go to hell," Dawn spat. Paul said nothing as he turned the car on, or as he pulled out of the parking spot. Dawn was angry when he stayed silent as he drove through the small town towards the freeway. She wanted a fight, wanted to yell and rage and storm at somebody, but Paul wouldn't give her that satisfaction.
When the reached their building twenty minutes later, Dawn leaped out and stomped up to her apartment. She threw her bag and her carefully wrapped dress onto the bed and stormed into the bathroom to take a long, hot shower.
The steaming water calmed her. She stood, breathing in the scent, letting the water pound into her back. She washed the make-up off of her face, scrubbed the careful curls out of her hair. When she stood to let the water drain the soap from her hair, she heard something from the main room. It sounded vaguely familiar. She listened hard until she knew her hair was soap-free before turning the water off. She pulled a towel around herself and stepped out of the shower.
She still couldn't recognize the sound, exactly. She dried herself quickly and ran to the closet and pulled on a pair of pink sweatpants and a black tank top. She dropped the towel and opened her bedroom door.
Paul was sitting, his back to her, at the piano, playing a slow, sad song, his fingers dancing expertly across the keys. She stared in wonderment; she loved the piano, and had always wanted to learn to play, though she'd never succeeded. And here... Paul was certainly full of surprises, as if she didn't know that already. She walked cautiously to him, afraid he would stop if he knew she was listening.
She finally reached him, and he looked up from the keys at her, though he didn't stop playing. He tilted his head at the space beside him on the piano bench. She sat, watching his fingers.
They sat together, their content silence broken only by Paul's piano playing, for severa minutes.
"Her name was Diana," Paul offered. Dawn didn't look up; she knew who he meant. "I met her three years ago, in Emeragrove Town."
He fell silent, continuing the melancholy song.
"I stayed with her for a few months," Paul continued. "Four months, I think. Almost five. And she... Well... After that, I left."
"Why?" Dawn asked after a time, when it seemed clear he wasn't going to continue. He glanced at her.
"I was... afraid," Paul said, shame clear in his tone. "Afraid of her. Afraid... Well, afraid to love her. I left one night and never went back."
"Are you sorry?"
"Every day."
The song ended, and Paul dropped his hands into his lap, as though he didn't know what to do with them.
"I'm sorry," Dawn whispered sincerely. Paul nodded.
"I am, too."
Paul's fingers rose again to the keys, and he began a different song. This one, too, was slow and sad. Dawn listened for a few moments before the words came tumbling out of her mouth.
"Don't you know any happy songs?"
She gasped and covered her mouth, horrified that she'd just said that. Paul rolled his eyes, but he looked like he was almost smiling. His fingers darted across the keys as he transitioned into Mozart's Turkish March. "Does this qualify?"
"It does," Dawn smiled, staring up at him.
"Good."
She watched him play until he couldn't any more, and she laid a hand on his arm.
"It's okay," she mumbled. "We're both okay. And if... Well, maybe you should call Diana? See if you can make up with her?"
"No," Paul said flatly. "I can't."
They lapsed into a silence, both with a new understanding of the other trapped inside them.
- / - / - / - / - / -
A/N: Oh, shenanigans. It's been way too long. My excuse is that I moved to college and it's been crazy. Which I think is semi-valid. But yeah. I hope you like this chapter... It's kind of more ikarishipping-y. I kinda rushed through the Contest, because I didn't want to write three Contest battles, and it got late and I wanted to get through it. Sorry.
Thank you thank you thank you to all of my beloved reviewers – let my know what you think about this!
Coming next... Plans for the wedding get under way, and Paul gets in touch with the Pokémon League.