Amber.

Two Weeks Later.

"No, HELL NO. You can not limit me on my milkshakes. This is cruelty!"

"It's not healthy to drink three chocolate milkshakes a day, Astro! Stop making Dee sneak you some!"

"I'm a telepathic Lucario, what the hell do I care about health? I was in captivity for five months! I DESTROYED AN ENTIRE GODDAMN BUILDING, FOR CHRIST'S SAKES, GIMME BACK THAT TO-GO CUP!"

After being holed up and bedridden in the Pokemon Center for almost two weeks, Astro was getting just a bit bratty. Momma wouldn't even let Max come visit, he was so irritable.

Astro had been moved into Riley's room so that we could see them at the same time, and Riley had been allowed crutches so he could hobble to and from the bathroom. So, at least things were looking up.

Not to mention, Flint and Volkner were on their way to see Riley. After getting their badges, they had gone home to Sunyshore until they had to go to the Lily of the Valley conference.

I handed Astro's third chocolate shake of the day to Riley; it was only noon, mind you.

"I'm not gonna let you just drink chocolate all day!" I reaffirmed. "Riley, drink that! Astro, you can only have one a day!"

"...Okay?" Riley brought the straw to his mouth and took a tentative sip.

Astro glared at us. "So you'll give your boyfriend one, but not your goddamned Lucario?"

"He's not my...shut up, you brat!" At least we weren't being sentimental and cheesy. My face must've been red from shouting. "God, I really do spoil you."

"Not enough, because I want that goddamned milkshake!"

Astro had definitely been a brat before, but not this bad. He was acting worse than Max, an actual spoiled 8 year old child.

[Hey! I was not spoiled!]

[Amber, I actually was about eight years old when I evolved, stop portraying me as an overly priviledged brat.]

You still are an overly priviledged brat, Azzy. Don't even argue with me.

I sighed. Astro sat back against the pillows on his bed, huffing angrily and crossing his skinny arms.

"I need a soda," I announced. I didn't drink a lot of soda, but Astro was just being so difficult. And I understood that he had recently been through a lot of trauma, and all that psychological bullshit, but I was thirteen and just wanted him to take a nap or something.

When I picked my wallet up off of a chair, Riley set the milkshake down and grabbed one of his crutches. "Hey, I'll go with you." With his broken wrist, he'd gotten in the habit of only using one crutch to walk so that he wouldn't risk hurting it more.

We left the big furry baby behind, and headed down the hall to the Pokemon Center lobby. It was a little weird to see Riley hobbling off in front of me, wearing pajamas at 12 in the afternoon.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Yeah. Little tired, though. Astro sure loves to complain..." Riley glanced over his shoulder, and I could see bags forming under his eyes. With his dark hair and ghastly pale skin, Riley was starting to look almost as ragged as Lee always did...

I shrugged. "I'm really sorry about Astro...I have no idea what's gotten into him. I just hope he stops acting like such a priss pretty soon."

"I don't know, I mean...when I found him at your dad's office, Astro seemed pretty...desperate." Riley sounded sorry for Astro. "He was screaming, threatening Mr. Cyrus-understandable, but it just...didn't seem right. That attack he did, he-I honestly thought Astro was gonna kill himself trying to kill Cyrus. I told him he always backfires when he charges a Force Palm, but he didn't listen, or even care. It was scary, and Astro doesn't really scare me much. Maybe, you oughta let him have that milkshake..."

I shrugged. That was pretty deep, what Riley said. "I just...I hope it's not a permanent attitude change. I want my sweet little Azzy bear back..."

We were almost to the lobby, with the soda machines. The twins had run off a while earlier to go pick up something for lunch, so they should've been back soon. Astro would probably be calmed down by the time we came back...

"Want one, Riley?" In front of the machine, I pulled out a wrinkly dollar. "Momma gave me a couple bucks."

He nodded, shaggy bangs swishing. "Sure. I didn't really want that milkshake, anyway, he likes them too sweet for me."

I bought two cokes, and gave Riley his after opening it for him. He nodded. "Thanks."

Behind Riley, I heard something like skidding tennis shoes, and someone shouting. "FLINT! THAT'S RI-!"

Something smashed into Riley from behind, and his head had been down and mine had been tilted up because we'd been talking, and Riley toppled over on his one crutch, dropping his soda and crushing me into the machine.

When Riley fell, he'd been about to say something, and his mouth was open, and our mouths just sorta...smooshed together. It was a total accident and I'm pretty sure our teeth clanked together hard enough to hurt, but neither of us made a move to correct the situation(besides me holding Riley up from tripping to the ground), and...

Sweet baby Lord in heaven, is this a !?kiss?! It was beautiful and magical and just pretty great.

"Oh, shit, dude, I'm sorry!" It took both Flint and Volkner to get Riley standing upright again, and behind them, Tess and Dee ran off to go find something to clean up Riley's spilled soda.

"Augh..." Riley held his side with his cast arm, taking in a pained breath. "Christ, you idiots, I have three broken ribs!"

Volkner held his hands up defensively. "Hey, Flint did it!" He defended himself. "I told him not to run."

"Sorry..." Flint scratched the back of his head. "But, hey, what's the blush for? And where's Astro?!"

Blush? Holy crap, I was blushing. I held my hands to my mouth, squeaking in embarrassment. Riley raised his eyebrows, and blushed a little, too.

Flint gasped. "Ohmygod. Did I just make you-?"

"You definitely did," Volkner answered. Smugly, I might ask. I squeaked again.

"Y-You assholes!" I shrieked. "You did that on purpose!"

Flint laughed. "Ha! I knew it! You so totally like Riley, Amber, you're redder than our hair!"

"Huh?!" Riley, the dopey sweetheart, he was lost.

Beneath my fingers, my cheeks were burning hot. The twins returned with towels, to wipe up the mess. Dee glanced between the four of us.

"What's so funny, Red?" She asked Flint.

"My blowout made Riley kiss Amber!" Flint cackled. "Hahaha!"

Tess, already kneeling and mopping up soda, gasped and nearly squealed. "Oh my GOD, did they really?!"

"I know, right?! Finally, it only took 96-!"

"Stop talking like we're not even here!" Riley was blushing, too, and practically muttering. "Jesus, that's not..ugh, you idiot, my ribs hurt!"

It was really cute to see Riley so shy about it. Just-ugh. That kiss really took too much time to happen.

[It doesn't even sound like a kiss, you guys, you were freaking out over nothing.]

Max, shut up. Not everybody is growing up in a generation where shoving your tongue down a girl's throat is considered regular for 14 year olds.

We made Flint buy Riley another soda, and headed back to Riley and Astro's room as a group so the others could eek and fangirl over us.

The others ended up walking in front of us, while Riley and I ended up behind the group. Riley stopped every few steps, and took a sip from the can in his hand. His hand shook just a little, and he nervously glanced at me every once in a while.

When we were finally back in the hallway, I stopped him. "Riley?"

"Huh?"

In probably my boldest move since running away from home, I stretched up on my tiptoes and pecked his cheek. Riley blushed, again.

"You don't have to be so shy, you big dork."

Swear to God, I heard a small squeak escape Riley's throat.