Prize for "Ryuunoko" who won 1st place in the April Challange for the spanish forum "Dex Holders del Prof. Oak."

This is also part of my table "TIME" for the LJ community: 10iloveyou.

#05. Never.

Summary: Five situations in which Gold "say" never and one time he realized never was a lie.

I

There was this weird conception about Crystal that made everyone hold her in high regard. Gold could understand why, he wasn't blind nor stupid to not realize how diligent, responsible and good samaritan Crys was. She was always helping Prof. Oak and Elm around with their studies and let's not forget, that so far she was the only one with enough determination and discipline to actually complete the pokedex.

She was kind of super serious after all. It was meant to be like that, isn't it?.

"Any special reason?" he asked once.

"For what?" was her replied while writing some notes about who-knows-what. Both of them where at Prof. Elm's lab.

"You know, being super serious, responsible and all. It's kind of weird."

The girl sighed, turned around to see him. A bored expression on her face.

"Normally I don't mind your comments regarding my personality traits but asking about it is weird, specially coming from you. May I know why are you asking this all of sudden?"

Gold shrugged, before lying completely on the sofa placed solely because he asked professor Elm for it.

"Dunno, got curious. Most girl your age do other kind of stuff to have fun."

Crys arched an eyebrow slightly, then returned to her work.

"Well, I don't know either. Is just how I am, I think. I have always been like this and it's not like I woke up one day in the morning and said 'oh yes! today will be the day when I'll be a decent and capable human being'." She looked back at him, over her shoulder, with a sly smile on her. "It's not that bad you know. You could try it."

"I don't think so. Being super serious will never be my thing you know."

"Whatever you say, Gold."

Crys kept working, but Gold couldn't stop staring at her. Her words still on his mind.

He could try, though. But, the most important question, the one he ought to be asking himself was "why he was so interested in her all of sudden"? Unfortunately for him, his attention span was short enough to make him forget about the latter and focus on the former thought.

II

Once, twice and probably thrice or more. The times that Gold had let her down were too many. Crys requests were simple, really. Just a series of "could you's" that he always answered with a yes, because he is always willing to help her, because it's Crys and she only ask for very small favors from him —she has always been aware of his responsibility problem—, but he cannot help it. Something always happen.

Either he forgot, got distracted with other matters (girls, tv, movies, his pokemon), or he simply was really late.

Fortunately Crys didn't expect much from him, so, in a sense, she didn't felt disappoint, but, she kept trying anyway.

Then again, he wondered why. And when he asked, he was surprised.

"Well, you are my friend. It's normal for me to try to get you to do something with your life. As small as it might be."

"So, you are kind of 'saving me' with work and favors?" he asked, curious about her logic.

"Not saving you, more that trying to actually get you to spend some time with us."

Gold smirked.

"I didn't know you were into me, super serious girl"

His answer was a book thrown directly at him, one that he barely dodged.

"I said 'us', Gold. Plural," she said frowning "are you ever going to be serious about something?"

"Probably...," Crys looked up at him "never."

The girl pursed her lips, still frowning, before turning to her chores at the lab. "Then get out I have stuff to do."

"Didn't you want me to help you?"

"Not anymore".

III

Contrary to popular belief, Gold was not foreign to the concept to help another human being. At least not in the selfish and egoistic sense that Emerald tends to associate him with every time he can. The little blond was not fond of the boy and didn't try to hide it at all, that was pretty much clear. But one thing was to say it out loud in front of Gold and another thing was to say it in front of the kids at the orphanage.

As a "once in a lifetime" thing, Gold managed to make time on his busy schedule to accompany them to the orphanage (actually he was almost hit by Crystal's mom on their way to the place so he was dragged with them). However, Emerald was also with them and that made everything a little bit more complicated for him. It was not secret that he didn't think the best of him.

"What's your problem, shorty?" Gold asked him after he finished showing his pokemon to the kids. Emerald and him were alone.

"You"

Gold stared at him. That was pretty straightforward.

"What for? I have never done anything—"

"Exactly." Emerald interrupt him. Gold frowned, not liking the kid attitude. "With your laziness you only drag people with you. You are such nuisance."

"What!?" he yelled, angry at him. Who did this kid think he was? He had no right to talk to him like that, for Arceus! He was his superior!"Now you little..."

"Stop it you two!"

Both look away, staring at Crys who was with her arms crossed over her chest and not very happy.

"Emerald, go and help my mom"

The boy didn't protest, he was fine with whatever Crys ordered him to do. Something that Gold found too annoying. When Emerald was out of sight and any hearing distance, Crystal turned to Gold, still frowning.

"Were you about to discuss with Emerald?"

"...he started it."

"He is a kid, Gold"

"Of course not! He saved an entire region, Red and the others. Doing that kind of stuff make you an adu— ouch! Crys! For Arceus sake!"

The girl had hit him on his head.

"Emerald just wanted to annoy you, Gold." she explained. "He is angry because you didn't help me at the lab."

"Well," he started, looking at her. His hand still on the spot where she hit him. "that doesn't gave him the right to annoy me and calling me a lazy bastard who doesn't work."

"He didn't."

"I know how to read between lines, thank you very much."

Crys smiled.

"Well he didn't lie, did he?"

"I'm not lazy".

"But you haven never work aside from our adventures, right?"

Crystal left before he could answer to her. He didn't mind. He didn't have a positive answer after all.

IV

Weird stuff: they all were in a party. Weirder stuff: they were drinking. Even weirder: Crys was too drunk.

It was Blue's idea. She loves party and loves them even more when her friends were invited so she made sure that Silver, Crys and Gold went to that party in Viridian City. Obviously they accepted because it was Blue's invitation afterall but they didn't expect a wild-college-like party.

Silver was the first time to tried to leave, but Blue's iron grip on him prevented him from doing so. Instead she took his little brother by the arm and stayed with him all night. Red and Yellow were busy, not dancing nor talking. Since someone gave the champion a cup of vodka with only arceus-knows-what, he started acting all clumsy, almost falling with every step he took and talking nonsense while Yellow took care of him with all the distress she felt showing on her face. And for Green... he was smart enough to even show his face in that place.

That left Gold and Crystal by themselves, in the middle of the living room where a dangerous amount of teenagers (and underage teenagers) were gathered and drinking alcohol, while dancing and some of them making out.

And even with all that, Gold managed to hear Crystal above all the noise.

"Ok, I'll go now"

He turned towards her immediately, seeing her back while she walked away. Without even thinking he took a step closer to her and grabbed her hand. Crystal look at him, surprised or scare he wouldn't know, but it was a new type of expression to see on her face.

"Gold?"

"Come on, super serious girl!" he complained, "you are always on the lab or working, this is a party, let's have some fun!"

It was not simply that, Gold realize sometime later that night. Because after he convinced Crys to stay, she just needed a cup full of the exact same think that Red consumed to be the drunkest she would ever be in her life. And as drunk as she was, her serious-self was gone and she enjoyed her time so much more that she even danced... with someone else, who obviously wasn't him.

Gold swore to himself, to never again give alcohol to Crys.

At least not that much if more than one guy (him) was around.

V

"So, how's Crystal?" Blue asked him.

All the dex holders from Jotho stayed the night at her house, since the situation at the party went a little bit overboard with Crystal and Silver passing out. Gold for everyone's surprise was the most sober since he took upon him the responsibility to take care of Crys.

"She will do." he answered, sitting beside the brunette. "She is just tired and hung over. Needs to rest"

"So..." Gold looked curious at Blue who was smirking at him. "Tell me, how was last night?".

He shrugged.

"Not big deal. I've been at better parties."

"Bullshit"

"er? what are you talking about?" he questioned dumbfounded, not expecting that kind of reply from her.

Blue just kept smiling, looking malicious and like if she knew something he didn't.

"I saw you."

"And...?"

"The way you were looking at Crys while she was dancing that cute guy at the party"

The boy looked at her, his eyes wide open.

"I'm still wondering, how did you manage to not kill that guy, because based on the look you were giving him..."

"I don't know..."

"Bullshit, again!" she exclaimed, getting closer to him, looking straight at his eyes "You know too damn well, what I'm talking about. You were so jealous yesterday that you couldn't even dare to drink or dance with anyone else just to prevent Crys from having fun with another guy."

"I was taking care of her!" he exclaimed.

"No you didn't. When are you gonna admit that you like her, a lot?

"Never", he said firmly, frowning. "Because I don't."

Blue just laughed at him.

[...]

There was this thing about saying never that everyone talks about. Poeple say "never say never" because sooner or later whatever made you say it will happen anyway. Gold knew it but he ignored it everytime he happened to say "never". After all, never was just an expression not an actual promise.

So, next monday, Gold woke up early, before 8 a.m. he took a shower and went to the lab. Professor Elm was surprised and intrigued for having him so early. Gold didn't pay any attention to him. Around 9 a.m. Crys arrived, surprised by the pressence of her friend, but didn't mind it one bit. However it was strange.

"Gold, what are you doing here?"

"Helping you, like I'm suppose to, since you know... you are my friend."

Crys blinked at him, surprised.

"Is this as a way to lessen your guilt for what happen at the party? Because it wasn't your fault, I decided to stay and drink."

Gold took a step closer towards her, put a hand on her shoulder and then moved on.

"Don't think to much about it, ok? I just want to help you. Weren't you the one who said that we should hang out more?"

Crystal blinked again, but this time she smiled at him. Gold didn't say anything just went on with his minor shores at the lab forgetting about everything said and done the last weeks.

Whoever said "never say never" was right.

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon.

Any mistake, which I know I must have, let me know. English is not my first language.