This one was requested on AO3, and I have to say, I never shipped AlphaFemale until just now. So thank you, requester. You've successfully made my life even more hellish.

No need to delay. Let's get rolling.

AlphaFemaleShipping: "I think I'm in love with you and I'm terrified."

It wasn't often—or, well, ever—that Courtney spoke colloquially. She was a proud user of long words and long words only, whether or not the people around her had any idea what she was saying. At first, Shelly had just assumed she only acted like that around Team Aqua to spite them, but she'd quickly learned otherwise when the two got very close.

So when she casually called up her former enemy and proposed a coffee run, her first clue that something was wrong was that Courtney responded with "Yeah, sure."

Not "Yes, that seems enjoyable." Not "I see no valid reason to decline." Not even "Certainly, I would not mind this manner of brief excursion in the slightest, my vaguely reliable temporary companion." Just "Yeah, sure."

The point was only further driven home when she arrived at their arranged meeting point and found that Courtney was not in her Magma Admin uniform. She wasn't even wearing the red clothing she wore when her uniforms were all in the wash. Instead, she's in a surprisingly fashionable combo of a loose red shirt, a black hooded vest, and black jeans. Shelly unashamedly takes a moment to appreciate the view before stepping up with a casual "Hey, nerd."

Even with how strange Courtney had been acting until then, Shelly still hadn't been expecting the lilac-haired girl to jump—actually jump, as if she was capable of being on edge. When Courtney turned around, her face was a strange sort of pinkish violet. "H-hello, Shelly," Courtney said, and that was what crossed the line.

Shelly's brow furrowed and she frowned, uncharacteristically serious. "Alright. That's it."

Courtney immediately froze like a Stantler in the headlights. "...What?"

"You're acting weird,' Shelly accused, pointing emphatically with a blue-gloved hand.

"...I haven't the slightest notion to what you are referring," Courtney murmured feebly in reply, face only darkening.

At that, Shelly relaxed somewhat, although there was definitely still something wrong. "Sure you don't. First, you talk like an actual person, then you wear actual person clothes? I mean, I ain't complainin', but what brought the humanness on all of a sudden?"

The teasing didn't really lighten the mood like she'd meant it to. Courtney's face just went from magenta to a bright red that almost matched her shirt as she looked away bashfully. "Ahem. ...On one of our excursions, you… implied that you... thought I might look less a… 'prude'... in this." Teeth worrying her lip, fingers messing with the hem of her shirt—she was the picture of anxiety. Shelly's eyebrows skyrocketed.

"Since when have you cared what I—?"

Rather suddenly, as if unable to hold it in any longer, Courtney screwed her eyes shut and yelled "I think I'm in love with you and I'm terrified!"

Silence.

After a few tense seconds, she knew. This was it. Despite all the signs that, logically, said otherwise; despite Tabitha's insistence; despite even Maxie's awkward encouragement, clearly Shelly did not return her feelings. Still, knowing that she would have to face the music eventually, she slowly opened one eye.

All she saw was dark brown and sea blue as Shelly kissed her.

Courtney froze.

"Y'know, you coulda just said so," Shelly muttered against her cheek. "And, as great as my fashion advice is, you look better when you're wearing what you actually wanna wear, you adorable prude."

"I... will attempt to log that into my database," was all Courtney could manage before she was pulled into another kiss.

Suddenly I have a new OTP. Greeeeaaat. Cause I tooootally needed more of those.

Once again, feel free to drop a request in the comments box or in my PM box. Gimme a pairing and a prompt, or, if you can't think of a prompt or want to leave it up to chance, just a pairing and a number 1 through 50 will do. I also do a few other fandoms; they're listed in my profile.