Eva smiled at the Torterra bellowed a friendly greeting, “It’s nice to meet you too, Atlas!” she patted the grass-type gently on the side as he passed by to walk in front of them. Simone walked alongside her and they made their way into the Petalburg Woods.

High above them the dragon’s call echoed through the night sky, warning whatever predators dare come near were in for a fight. Eva glanced up fondly, ”Mehira is new, I’m getting into Dragon Racing,” a devilish grin spread across her lips as she glanced over to Simone. He hadn’t had a chance really to see the dangerous side of Eva yet. It would probably scare him silly so it was most likely for the best, but it was a part of her she couldn’t ignore and if he stuck around would no doubt be privy to. Dragon Racing was a dangerous sport: fast, furious, and certainly adrenal clenching. Just how Eva liked it, “I rode her here today, she’s quite fast!” the added boost from her Agility attack didn’t hurt either.

“It’s wonderful you’ve been reunited with Atlas,” she mused out loud while they walked, should she dare ask where the pokemon had been? She decided not to and instead motioned towards the picnic basket, “Looks like we’ll have plenty to eat!” she should have known Simone would bring something that would probably outshine her store bought goodies. Eva didn’t mind, to each their own and cooking was not her talent.

@simone

Eva opened her mouth and gawked at Simone, “Really?! Never?!” sometimes she forgot how daring she could be. Lots of people could ride flying type though, “We’ll have to get you up there on Mehira then . . . I’ll make sure she goes slow for ya,” she teased, nudging him softly to emphasize it was a joke.

The forest became darker and darker with every passing moment. It was getting hard to follow the path but the silhouette of the Torterra provided a bit of guidance. At least they wouldn’t run into anything big with him leading the way!

Eva laughed and shrugged her shoulders lightly, “Not nearly as good as homemade tuna sandwiches but… I do have some chocolate for dessert!” at least that would probably be good with the champagne. Eva spotted the Ledian too as it fluttered in towards the large tree, “Oooo this way!” she said in a hushed, excited voice. Eva hopped in front of Simone and weaved her way through some trees to bring them to a fairly open grove in the forest where a large, regal tree stood high above the rest. The shadow of insect pokemon fluttered around the tree accompanied by the soft buss of their wings.

“We should get a great view here,” she nodded, opening the blanket she brought and spreading it across the lush grass of the grove. Eva sat down facing the tree and patted the open spot beside her to encourage Simone to come sit as well.

With the darkness settled and the stars sparkling above, the first signs of the glittering pink dust began to sparkle around the tree.

@simone

The view was absolutely stunning, even more beautiful than Eva imagined it would be. She had seen pictures of the spawning, learned the anatomy, physiology, behavior, and ecology but it was something else entirely to see it in person. She watched in awe, her eyes widening as the dust began to lift from the tree, shimmering over the edges and onto the surface of the small lake. The water sparkled like a stary night.

Eva glanced over as Simone sat down beside her. His hand moved gently to meet hers. Eva smiled and felt her cheeks flush with a soft heat. She subtly moved just a bit closer to him. It was just enough to comfortably spin her hand around and lace her fingers between his. They fit perfectly. The action sent a calming wave over her. There was something about being with him that felt right. They were so different, but so similar on many levels. Perhaps it was the way his calm demeanor complimented her eccentric nature or the passion and joy he found for the small things in life while she was always seeking the next big adrenaline rush. There was a simplicity about him and his life that a part of her longed for; to settle down in a quaint, peaceful town free of the burden of violent war and suffering where the only lives she had to save were from everyday accidents, not vicious attacks with malicious intent.

Eva laughed quietly and turned towards him, “Thank you for what? I didn’t do anything,” the sparkling dust and their eyes adjusting to the darkness made it a bit easier for her to see the gentle smile. The way he looked at her made her heart jump. What he liked about her she couldn’t possible guess. She wasn’t kind, gentle, and compassionate in the way Simone was. Eva was loud, rough, reckless and unpredictable to a fault. She was a hurricane; he was a peaceful seaside town. What was there to possibly love about a hurricane?

@simone

Eva laughed along with Simone. He really was too sweet for her, “Well, thank you for coming with me. I was going to do this alone,” she looked back out into the shimmering night, “This is much better,” she gently squeezed Simone’s hand to add emphasis to the statement while she looked back towards him.

There was a subtle shift in his posture as a hand rose to gently meet her cheek. She was surprised by the gesture, but she leaned into his warm touch, tilting her head slightly to match the curve of his palm. It was a gentle, comforting touch that she could get lost in. But his words brought her back.

“Oh,” she laughed nervously, not quite sure what to say except, “Thank you,” which came out as a soft whisper. Although 30, Eva had very limited experience in the relationship department. It was never really a priority in her life. Between veterinary school and fighting wars there wasn’t a lot of time to entertain the idea of a suitor. She’d been on only a handful of dates over the years which usually ended with awkward goodbyes to never speak again. Most were intimidated by her lifestyle or rambunctious personality.

The doctor’s gaze momentarily flashed down to his lips. She knew what she wanted to do but the unfamiliar bite of nervousness made it hard to move. Eva fought on front lines, dove the depths of the sea, performed lifesaving surgeries, dove off cliffs, and in this moment she was more nervous than she had ever been in her life. The nerves manifested as a slight tremble against Simone’s touch. Her stomach swelled with Butterfree as she leaned in just a little closer.

@simone

Fortunately for Eva, Simone finished what she was trying to build up the courage to start. Her heart beat faster and thrummed in her ears with every passing centimeter they moved closer to each other. Simone closed the distance, keeping a gentle hand laced within her blonde locks. Their lips met softly, and Eva leaned into it. Eva was initially surprised at the feeling despite seeing it coming. It was the intimacy of the touch and the spark she felt when it happened that surprised her. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt an intimate touch like this. Perhaps sometime before the war in Kanto? Certainly not one it started or any time since.

Long story short, it had been a long time.

The Butterfree in her stomach disappeared and their tickle was replaced by growing warmth. She couldn’t wipe the wide smile off her face when they pulled away from each other even though she tried to soften it a bit. “Wow,” she whispered, still relishing in the moment of the kiss. Looking back, it felt so easy, so right. She leaned into his touch, a small giggle escaping her, “I don’t know why I was so nervous,” she joked.

@simone

Eva was so relieved to learn Simone was nervous as well. It gave her a sense of normality and that it wasn’t just her being utterly ridiculous. She felt so silly now when she looked back on it. Why on earth was she a nervous wreck?! “Well, I guess there’s no reason to be nervous about it anymore then, huh?” her lips flicked into a small grin. There would be more where that came from if she had anything to say about it.

She laughed when Simone reached for the food, “I completely forgot about that too!” guess they were both a little distracted by each other. Eva thanked him for the sandwich with a nod and took a few bites, “Wow this is so good! she took another bite, “You’re quite the cook, Simone,” she complimented. Eva shifted to face towards the brilliant display of mating dances through the sparkling dust. The powder stirred and swirled with every movement the pokemon made as if they were dancing through the stars. It really was quite something to watch.

@simone