There were certain times in Marie's life when she looked back upon what decisions she made and wondered why she made them. Times such as then, when she was left blinking at the fluffy creature in front of her, her singular eye taking in every single fleck of the sheep-Pokemon's fur.
She should have expected it. She should have prepared herself.
"She's you," Stein said simply, looking at her with the familiar shit-eating grin she knew and often groaned at.
"She's a Mareep," she insisted, refusing to acknowledge the fact that the poor thing's tail and horns were a direct match to the clothes she was wearing at the very moment, a black dress with gold trimmings. If this was Stein's way of telling her that he didn't like her perm, she was going to slaughter him. She closed her eye and took in a deep breath. "What did you name her?" she asked, already dreading the answer.
"Marie."
Her eye opened, her lips scrunching to the side. "You named the Mareep, Marie?" she hissed, glaring.
His grin seemed to get even wider, but he said nothing in response.
"Why am I even dating you?" she asked, looking up at her ceiling as though it could give her answers.
His voice was amused. "Not a clue," he said cheerfully, and when she glanced back at him, he was absentmindedly petting the Pokemon. It was almost as bad as the time he got her a Pichu and said nothing but "aesthetic".
And she thought the Electabuzz was overkill.
When Marie's eye met Marie's, the two of them seemingly sharing an instantaneous bond, she knew in her heart of hearts what was going to happen. And when she opened her mouth, softly shaping the words, Marie's gaze looked knowing.
"Thunder shock," Marie said, and Marie the Mareep, in return, sparked up, the wool going electric, shocking Stein. He yanked his hand away, shaking it as though it would soothe the sting, and Marie grinned, lifting a brow.
"You know what? You're right. She is me," Marie claimed, voice lilting in amusement when she walked over to where Stein was grumbling to kiss his cheek. He must not have been too mad at her, considering he hunched down to make it easier on the petite woman. "Thank you," she said, patting his cheek.
The static shock was purely unintentional.