A/N: *gasp* I'm not dead? I'm deeply sorry for not posting in well over a month. Finals completely drained me and I'm just now getting back on a writing spree. Hope you all still enjoy, and thanks for reading!

Gladion's POV

If anyone had told him five years ago that he'd be reciting poetry to Moon of all people, he wouldn't have hesitated to glare at them, perhaps challenge them to a Pokémon battle, and storm away in a huff.

This wasn't five years ago…and Gladion, as he stood on a makeshift stage in Iki Town's largest park, surrounded by the whole town, questioned how he had gotten this far. When the idea of a poetry recital was initially brought to his attention, he'd thought that it would occur in an intimate area, somewhere like Kukui's lab, or someone's apartment, not in front of the whole town. He didn't even have time to contemplate before Lusamine had pushed him on stage, thrusting a crumpled piece of paper in his hand.

"Read this and you'll be fine." Lusamine had hissed in his ear before leaving him to his fate.

Gladion took a deep breath, sighed, and turned to face the park's inhabitants.

"Good afternoon everyone." He began, his voice cracking slightly in nervousness, "My name is Gladion and –"

"Get on with it!" Lusamine yelled, her palms cupped around her mouth in an effort to amplify her voice.

As the crowd began to murmur, Gladion glared at his mother, who merely grinned and waved up at him. It suddenly dawned on Gladion that this was his mother's attempt at making him less nervous…by making him angry.

It worked.

"As I was saying." Gladion's confidence had returned, "You are all gathered here –"

"Are you having a free giveaway?" Youngster Joey cried from the middle of the crowd, "My Rattata's getting lonely and –"

"The next person who interrupts me is getting something lodged where the sun doesn't shine!" Gladion fumed, "Understood?"

The crowd was stunned into silence, except for the former Team Skull Admin, Plumeria, who wolf whistled in approval.

"As I was saying," Gladion continued in exasperation, "you are all gathered here because I have something to say. For a long time, I've been lonely, and –"

The sound of Lusamine's snort and hiss of "stick to what I wrote you" made Gladion lose all of his nerve. One glance at Lillie told him that she was feeling just as awkward as he was. A look at Moon's confused countenance only served to worsen Gladion's nerves.

"I'm just gonna read this now." Gladion proclaimed as he unfurled the piece of paper his mother wrote notes on for him, "It should explain the gist of what I'm trying to say."

At the first glance of what was written on the paper, Gladion's heart dropped into his stomach. Nevertheless, he soldiered on:

Dearest Moon

You make me swoon

I'm normally a prude

But I wanna see you nude

At the last line, Gladion's face burned bright red. He chanced a look at Moon and nearly fainted at the amused smirk that had donned her face. What made it worse was the fact that she made direct eye-contact with him, amidst the chuckling (and in Hau's case – guffaws) of the crowd, and mouthed two simple words to him…keep going.

Clearing his throat, and straightening his posture, Gladion did just that:

From the day I first met you

I knew that I would not rue

Every battle that I would lose

If I meant that I could see you

I've been alone for so long

Even though I act oh so strong

Being with me can't possibly be wrong

I'll make it worth your while, as I have a really big don…

"I am not reading that." Gladion's flush was even deeper now as he ripped the paper into shreds. He jumped down from the stage to stand in front of Moon, crossing his arms sulkily as the crowd erupted once more in laughter.

"I like you, okay?" He groaned, "That's all. And I'm emotionally incompetent so I had to resort to my mother helping me."

The only indication of Moon's understanding was the continually amused glint in her eyes.

"Say something, will you?" Gladion pleaded.

Moon's lips twitched slightly as she turned to Lillie.

"I believe it's Lillie's turn now."

Lillie's POV

To say that Lillie was nervous was the understatement of Alolan history. But as she stood in front of a now quiet crowd, Moon included, she couldn't find it in herself to care. After all, if Gladion could get through admitting his feelings, so could she…right?

With a deep breath, Lillie began to read what Hau wrote for her:

Moon,

There are many things that I want to say

But I fear that I do not have all day

Your time is precious and so is your soul

To earn your love is my true goal

You make my heart and my life so whole

I can't stop now, I'm on a roll

I'll start with a request, something very simple

Even simpler than popping a rather large pimple

Lillie refrained from gagging at that. And to think Hau was doing so well:

I need just one picture, a picture of you

So I can show Santa, all I want for Christmas is you

Please let me know when my shoelaces are loose

Because the only one I wanna fall for is you

Let me take you to dinner

I'll show you something cool

I already know what's on the menu, me-n-u

At this last line, Lillie paused. This had to be the most romantic, albeit cheesy, poem that Lillie had ever read, let alone recited. But she knew she couldn't take credit for it. By now, the crowd, which had sensed that there would be no more giggles, had dispersed, allowing Lillie to exit the makeshift stage without much fuss. She walked over to Moon and, ignoring Gladion's presence, took Moon's hand.

"As lovely as that poem was, I can't take credit for it." Lillie admitted softly before turning to Hau, "I appreciate you so much for this, but if I'm going to tell her how I feel, it has to come from me."

With that, she turned back to Moon, who was staring at her with an unidentified emotion in her eyes.

"I love you, Moon." Lillie declared firmly, squeezing the other girl's hand firmly before letting it go, "And I can't say that with someone else's words."

The silence was almost stifling before Lusamine cleared her throat.

"That was…sweet, I'll admit." Lusamine grumbled before sighing, providing the Alolan champion with her full attention, "But my question is: which one of my children will you be courting?"

Moon gave both Lillie and Gladion a soft smile.

"Allow me to take you both on a date." Moon said gently, "I'll take Gladion first, tonight, and then Lillie tomorrow. There's still something I need to know."

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving four very confused individuals behind.