Chapter 7: Do I Wanna Know?

Pikachu felt his muscles relax as the hot water continually ran through his fur. He closed his eyes in content as the much-needed warmth spread throughout his body and relaxed his muscles. He wasn't too sure which he was more thankful for: the hot water or no longer wearing that ridiculous outfit. Still, despite feeling relaxed, his mind was elsewhere. Pikachu furrowed his brow as he began to recall that strangely intense feeling he had when walking with Buneary. The strangest part about it...was that it was starting to not feel so strange anymore. The double-battle, the mansion, the Master of Song karaoke and now this.

Groaning, Pikachu tried to push those thoughts away and take in the comfort of the hot shower but try as he might, he just couldn't. After giving himself a good shampooing and washing his fur, he turned off the shower and stepped out of the tub to shake himself off. After, he grabbed a towel and buried his face in it. He jumped onto the bathroom counter and wiped away some of the condensation off the mirror. When he managed to see his reflection, he began to dry himself off. As he did, he couldn't help but think about her again.

Tsk, it wasn't like it means anything right? Sure she gave him encouragement and helped him through a horribly embarrassing bet but she would've done that for anybody.

...

Then again, there was that comment about not saying no to his "proposal". Would she really say something like that to any of the others? Not to mention that there were comments like that from before, the nicknames, the cheering, the hugging and nuzzling...

...Most of the others seemed convinced that she had a crush on him. Dawn and Brock certainly did, Aipom and Piplup often were the ones making teasing remarks and the others...well...they never objected to any of it.

Pikachu suddenly realized that he had stopped drying himself and instead had been staring at himself in the mirror for the past minute with a totally blank expression. He blinked upon realization and quickly shook his head, feeling his cheeks burning. He buried his face in the towel again.

No, n-no way...she was just an affectionate Pokémon! That's all. Yeah. She was...um...she...sh-sh-she...was...

Pikachu lowered the towel and closed his eyes and finally let out a long, drawn-out sigh.

Oh who was he kidding? Why keep denying it? He was a lot of things in this world:

A good battler? Yup.

Easily embarrassed? Oh yeah.

Completely clueless about romance? Guilty.

A complete idiot? No.

Sure he could be a little dense but too stupid to see the bevy of signs pointing towards one simple answer? Even he had to admit that the more he got to know Buneary, the more it looked like she did have feelings for him that were beyond just friendship. At this point, the planets and stars would have to align all at once for it to be a coincidence.

Pikachu draped the towel around his body. Funnily enough, it acted as a sort of security blanket. He continued to stare at himself in the mirror, deep in contemplation.

Okay, it's looking like Buneary does actually like him. Alright...now what? What could he do? What should he do? He couldn't help but admit that he definitely liked her, he thought she was cool and every time he was with her, they always had fun. It was also undeniable that she was pretty clever both in and out of battling.

...

Plus he had to admit that she was rather cute.

Pikachu once began to feel his cheeks beginning to warm upon having that thought. He reached to touch his face and felt that it was hotter than the shower he just took. He briefly smirked as his mind raced.

So if she liked him...would he consider dating her? He blinked upon thinking that. Dating? Gosh, of all the things he expected to encounter in this new region: new Pokémon, a rival, Team Rocket...of all the things he expected, dating was certainly not one of them! He didn't even know what to expect, he'd never dated anyone before! Had she?!

Pikachu picked up a comb and began to run it through his fur, trying his best to not make it look matted from the moisture. Still, if they were to date, would it be so bad? Is this something he even wants to go through with? Does he even want to know the answers to these questions?

And what was the downside to dating her? Well, if it doesn't work out – or worse, he majorly screwed up – then not only would they no longer date, they might not even be friends anymore! It would certainly be pretty awkward to be around her after that. And more importantly, what if she was hurt in some way? What if she cried?

His mind recalled the first day they met, the day when he snapped at her and she started bawling her eyes out. Oh Zapdos above, if he saw her cry like that – because of him again – it would just kill him! She didn't deserve to go through that, someone as sweet, caring, funny and wonderful as her-

He paused as he caught himself in the middle of those thoughts. Heart skipping a beat, he smiled. Heh, well if she was all those things, all the more reason to consider it then huh? Besides, she wasn't the kind to hold things like that against him or make everyone's lives miserable.

As he finished drying himself off and combing his fur, Pikachu couldn't help but frown. Regardless of all the signs, he wanted a second opinion. But who could he talk to?

Pikachu grimaced as he went through the list.

Ash? Oooh boy, the mouse loved him and all but Ash was more clueless about this stuff than he was!

Dawn? Well she might a be a slightly better option, but he didn't know her well enough to confide in something so personal, plus he wasn't sure if she was very knowledgeable about romance in the first place.

Brock? Pikachu felt a shiver go up his spine. No way. If there was anybody he shouldn't ask about this, it was him! Not unless Pikachu wanted to be more experienced in getting Poison Jabbed and dragged off to parts unknown.

As for everyone else, Pikachu didn't know if any of them were very knowledgeable about this stuff either. Plus, he didn't really know some of them long enough to ask about something like this anyway. The only ones that might be the exception were Piplup and Aipom. Huh.

Come to think of it, out of everyone in the group – aside from Ash – Piplup was probably the one he talked to the most, at least before he started hanging out with Buneary more. As for Aipom, she knew him longer than anyone, well aside from Sudowoodoo but he was a bonsly back then so that probably doesn't count. And despite all the teasing, Aipom really was a good friend and she knew when to be sincere when the time called for it. If he confided in her, he was sure that she would respect the seriousness of it.

Plus, Piplup was Buneary's teammate and Aipom talked to her quite a lot. In fact, they might know Buneary better than he did!

Pikachu looked up at stared at himself at the mirror, checking to see if he looked ready. Satisfied, he gave himself a determined smile. Yeah, his friends – no matter how quirky – were good to him and he could definitely ask them for advice. If anything, he didn't want to rush into this. He didn't want to ruin anything. For her, he wanted to be sure.

"(So overall, I definitely think I could pull off a cheerleading dress!)" Piplup said to Aipom as they sat on the living room couch, both wrapped in blankets and drinking cups of hot cider.

"(Yeah...you sure though? I mean, wouldn't people get confused?)" Aipom asked a little incredulously, raising an eyebrow.

"(Hmm? About what?)"

"(Er, never mind.)"

"(Hey guys!)" Pikachu shouted as he entered the room, catching both Pokémon's attention.

"(Oh hey! Enjoyed the hot shower?)" Aipom happily replied.

"(Yeah, I definitely needed it.)" Pikachu chuckled before a curious look came over his face. He glanced around the room and noticed that nobody was around. "(Um, where is everybody?)"

"(Getting hot cider in the kitchen. Dawn also wanted to go over outfits so Buneary's in the bedroom.)" Aipom quipped before taking a sip of the aforementioned drink.

Taking note that Aipom specifically mentioned Buneary's whereabouts, Pikachu felt his stomach drop in sheer nervousness. Well at least they were together so he didn't have to go looking for them.

Pikachu quickly took in a deep breath before he faced them. "(Actually, can I talk to the two of you? In private?)" He asked, motioning towards the sunporch.

"(Huh?)" The two of them muttered in unison as they quickly looked at each other and then back at Pikachu.

"(Please? It's kind of important.)" Pikachu said somewhat seriously.

"(Erm, sure.)" Aipom finally said, a questioning look in her eyes. She slipped the blanket off her shoulders and put her drink on the table.

"(You got it man.)" Piplup followed before too shedding off his blanket and putting his cider away. The two of them got off from the couch and followed Pikachu into the next room.

The three Pokémon walked into the sunporch which was adorned with only a small couch and a cushy rocking chair in the corner. Pikachu noted that the snow had started to come down pretty heavily since they got back. The sky was a solid slate gray as the snow gently accumulated outside, making the world seem oddly bright white. Strangely, it didn't feel too cold in the room. It all felt so serene which helped calm Pikachu's nerves as he walked into the middle of the sunporch. He continued to stare out into the snowy world as he heard his friends walk up behind him.

"(Alright, so what's up?)" Aipom asked as she walked up to him, placing her paws on her hips.

"(Yeah, something the matter?)" Piplup remarked as he stood next to her.

Pikachu lowered his head and took in another deep breath as he finally turned to face his friends. His gaze locked with theirs and a moment passed, long enough for the two of them to realize that Pikachu had a rather serious look on his face.

"(Umm, everything alright buddy?)" Piplup asked, a little concerned.

Well, it was now or never he supposed.

"(Okay so...)" Pikachu started before his gaze lowered towards the floor.

Blinking, Aipom began to frown in concern. "(Is this about the bet?)" She asked, trying to put the pieces together.

"(N-No, well kinda...)" Pikachu stammered, his gaze returning to them.

Looking between them, he could feel his stomach drop again. Trying his best to push through what he was feeling, he steeled his nerves.

"(It's about Buneary.)" He managed to say, trying his best not to let his body shake.

"(Is...she okay?)" Piplup inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"(Yeah, I mean I guess so, but...but I-I...)" Pikachu muttered before he caught himself. Taking another deep breath, he looked them straight in their faces. "(Does she...you know...like me?)"

Both Piplup and Aipom looked at him with seemingly no reaction. They only seemed awfully confused by his question. Their lack of response only caused him to feel a growing sense of anxiety.

"(I mean...you know...like me?)" He reiterated, feeling even more nervous. He saw them blink a few times and then look at each other, completely confused. Unable to look them in the face, Pikachu turned his head and let his gaze settle on the snowy paradise outside. It calmed his nerves only slightly.

"(B-Because you both are always teasing me about it. A-And I'm just not entirely sure. I mean, she does sometimes act like it, but I just-huh?)" Pikachu wondered aloud as he felt something press against his forehead. He looked up and saw Aipom extending her hand-like tail to press against his face, almost like she was checking his temperature.

"(Umm, what are you doing?)" Pikachu asked, eyeing Aipom's tail.

"(Huh? Oh sorry.)" Aipom said as she retracted her tail away from his forehead. "(Just checking if you have a fever or something.)"

"(Yeah, are you feeling faint? Do you need to sit down?)" Piplup asked smarmily.

"(Uhhh...)" Pikachu muttered, perplexed beyond words.

"(Because you must have one to ask a question like that.)" Aipom said, her paws returning to her hips.

"(Sooo, is that a yes or...?)" Pikachu asked beginning to feel nervous again.

"(Uhh...)" The two of them said in unison as they looked at each other again. "(YEAH!)" They shouted together as whipped their heads to face him, causing him to nearly tumble backwards across the room.

Pikachu took a moment to let their answer sink in. Jeez, he half-expected some kind of debate or attempt at convincing but clearly they already had an answer.

Reeling from their intense response, Pikachu only looked at them in disbelief.

"(But I mean, are you sure? How do you know? Has she told you?)" He asked, trying not to stutter.

"(Are we sure...)" Piplup repeated in a monotone voice, a lack of emotion on his face. He turned to look at Aipom. "(Are we sure he said.)"

"(Pikachu, I'm not exactly sure how to tell you this...)" Aipom said, somewhat seriously. The tone in her voice caused Pikachu to feel a strange panic rising somewhere deep inside. "(But...you might just be suffering from...a serious case of denseness of the brain.)"

"(Heyyy!)" Pikachu replied with a frown.

"(Sorry, it's the only conclusion I can make.)" Aipom said shrugging, this time clearly trying to suppress a smile and laugh.

"(Quit joking around, this is serious!)" Pikachu practically yelled back, growing more annoyed.

"(Pikachu...buddy...)" Piplup said in a calm, surprisingly warm voice. Pikachu looked at him to see him giving an inviting smile. "(...Of course she likes you.)"

Pikachu's expression softened upon hearing his friend's words. Taking a moment to let his words sink in, Pikachu felt his ears droop.

"(But...how do you know?)" He somberly asked.

"(Trust us...we know.)" Aipom said with a confident smile. "(If not that, then let's just say...a girl's intuition.)"

"(Yeah! I mean, you could practically see it from space!)" Piplup shouted as he looked like he was about to do his famous flailing dance.

Cheeks warming, Pikachu couldn't exactly argue with some of what they were saying. Buneary did often talk to the two of them, sometimes more than she talked to him. If there was anyone who she confided her feelings to, it would be them.

"(Oh...)" He managed to mutter before trailing off as stared at the floor, lost in thought. Suddenly he felt something familiar touch his shoulder. He looked up and once again saw Aipom's tail tapping against his body.

"(Soooooo...?)" Aipom asked, a large smiling creeping across her face.

"(Um, so...what?)" Pikachu asked, genuinely confused.

"(Are you gonna ask her out then?)" Piplup asked, leaning forward, a strange look of hope in his eyes.

Pikachu's head jolted back slightly in response. Ask her out? He'd given thought to them dating but somehow the possibility of actually asking her out now being a reality made his heart do a backflip.

"(Um...I-I...)" He stuttered, feeling his face beginning to redden.

"(Actually let me rephrase that. Is there a possibility that you would be interested? Just a little?)" Piplup asked, this time a little more seriously, his flippers on his sides.

"(Well...I mean...)" Pikachu managed to say, his gaze turning away from them.

"(Because even if you're not sure...)" Piplup started before assuming a more confident pose. "(Trust me when I say that she's worth it.)"

Pikachu looked back at them. They both seemed pretty sure about what they were saying and there didn't seem to be any hint of sarcasm or joking around...this time anyway...

A sudden thought came to Pikachu's mind and he let out a small exhale. "(But what if it doesn't work out? What if I do something to screw things up? What if things end up changing forever?)" He nervously asked as his ears drooped again.

"(Pikachu...)" Aipom started to say as she walked up to him and placed her paws on his shoulders, causing him to look straight in her eyes. "(Life's too short to keep asking yourself 'what if'. If you keep doing that, you're gonna look back and regret not taking a chance. Sometimes, you just have to go for it!)"

Pikachu continued to stare at her, a look of bewilderment plastered on his face. Gosh, where did that come from? Looks like talking to them about this really was the right decision. They were definitely a lot more insightful than they had led on before!

He saw Piplup enter into his field of vision as he stood next to Aipom. There was a warm, happy look on his face.

"(Yeah! And just between us, Buneary would do everything in her power to make things work out.)" He said, his flippers waving in the air. "(Especially if it's with you!)"

"(R-Really?)" Pikachu asked, a little taken aback.

"(Definitely!)" Aipom said as she took her paws off his shoulders.

"(And you're sure this is something she would want? I mean, how she feels about me and all?)" Pikachu asked, a subtle glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"(Of course she does! Pikachu...)" Piplup said with a smile as he put his flippers back on his sides and maintained eye contact. "(...That girl thinks the world of you.)"

Pikachu felt a strange warmness envelope his heart. It took everything he had not to let his body shake again, though whether that was out of nervousness, the cold weather or something else, he wasn't entirely too sure.

"(W-Well...I...didn't know that.)" He managed to say as his already red face began to darken.

"(With how much she talks about you, you'd better believe it!)" Aipom giddily said. "(Seriously, that girl never shuts up about you! So if there's even a slight possibility that you're interested, I say go for it!)"

Blinking, Pikachu was slightly shocked. He looked between the two of them. "(And you're both sure about this?)" He asked only to see them both nodding in agreement.

"(So if you're not entirely sure right now, take some time to think it over. If you decide that you're even remotely interested, ask her out! Trust us, she's not gonna say no!)" Piplup confidently said as he smacked his chest with a flipper.

Well there it was. He came to them for advice and a second opinion and he most certainly got it. The only thing more insightful was if Buneary admitted it herself. Now the question was if he was really interested. They were right...he just needed a little time to think about it.

"(Alright.)" Pikachu finally said, a slight tone of confidence in his voice much to his own surprise.

"(Good man!)" Aipom said with a huge smile.

"(I know you'll make the right decision!)" Piplup confidently remarked, again nodding his head.

Satisfied, Pikachu gave a smile. "(Thanks guys. Really.)" He said sincerely.

"(No problem! And don't worry, this'll stay between us!)" Aipom said, feeling satisfied.

"(Totally! My beak is zipped shut!)" Piplup remarked as he made a motion across his mouth.

"(Heh, well I guess I'll grab some cider or something.)" Pikachu said with a smile as he started to walk towards the kitchen. If Aipom and Piplup didn't know any better, they could swear that there was a slight pep in his steps.

"(Okay, we'll be right behind you!)" Piplup said with a wave as Pikachu stepped out of the room. As soon as they were sure he was out of earshot, both of them simultaneously gave massive sighs of relief followed by equally loud squeals of delight.

"(Oh man, can you believe it?!)" Piplup exclaimed as he turned to look at Aipom.

"(I know! I know! I know!)" Aipom excitedly shouted as she jumped and twirled in place.

"(And here I was starting to think that he wasn't gonna catch on.)" Piplup said, smiling and nodding his head.

"(I'm just so excited! I can't believe it!)" Aipom nearly screamed, continuing to jump in place.

"(Yesss...good...good!)" Piplup said, his smile turning slightly evil as he rubbed his flippers together, looking in Pikachu's direction. "(Our plan is coming together perfectly!)" He remarked as Aipom finally stopped jumping.

"(It's only a matter of time now, my partner in crime.)" Aipom said, with a slightly mischievous smile of her own.

"(He made the right choice, coming to me and all.)" Piplup smugly remarked as he adopted a proud pose.

"(Excuse me, you? Clearly, he needed a woman's advice!)" Aipom confidently said, pointing towards herself.

"(Please, he wouldn't know what to do with your 'womanly advice' if you wrote it down in a book and smacked him over the head with it!)" Piplup teased.

"(Oh trust me, it's what he needed the most. More than anything that a guy can tell him anyway!)" Aipom said shrugging her shoulders as the two of them began to walk out of the room. They continued to playfully banter as they rejoined their friends, a sense of excitement never leaving them.

Later, everyone was gathered around the kitchen, enjoying warm food and hot cider. Ash was especially pumped about arriving at Oreburgh City and getting ready for his first gym battle. Everyone else was engaged in their own discussions, excitedly chatting away without a care in the world.

All the while, Pikachu couldn't help but steal a glance at Buneary. He saw that she was happily talking to Aipom about what contest outfits she and Dawn would be wearing. Seeing her beaming face caused a smile to slowly overtake his own despite his attempts to stop it.

He may have had a lot on his mind, but oddly he felt relieved. He exchanged a quick glance with Aipom and looked over to his side and did the same with Piplup. Feeling a light blush dust his face, Pikachu gave a smile to which they returned in favor.

He had to admit that in that moment, he'd never felt better!

Author's Notes:

Hi everyone, hope you had a Merry Christmas! Here's a little Christmas gift from me to you by getting this chapter out in time for the holidays!

Bet y'all are relieved that I didn't prolong the "Will Pikachu ever catch on?" trope eh? Nah, give the poor guy some credit! He isn't totally hopeless! After all, there's no better time to be honest with yourself than after doing an embarrassing dare in a maid costume.

Not much else to say other than our boy finally caught on, can't wait to see what'll happen to him next. Well I can because you know...I already wrote the story.

Also as a side note, in light of certain...news about the future of the Pokémon anime, I'm a little curious to see what direction they'll take and how this fic is gonna be affected if at all since I'm trying to follow the show as closely as I can. Will the show deviate from what I already have planned for the story or will none of it matter at all? Only time will tell...but chances are that what I have planned isn't going to be too affected. Hopefully.

Anyway, on towards the next mini arc! Until then, Carson55 signing off!