A/N: You know, I've always thought that Delia's hair was sea green. I don't know why, I just do. o.e

Anyway. Thank-yous to The Shiny Gengar, beastmode953, raidersfan777, Speedy-Fox-IV, allknowing12 and z shadow619!
I'm really grateful for your support.

And now, I present to thee, the fourth and final chapter to Fall Leaves and Shopping Sprees!
I hope you enjoy. :)

Chapter Four

"You're not hungry?"

From the shocked and horrified and appalled expression on Max's face any sane person would've thought May just announced the arrival of the apocalypse.

He stared at her hard, his whole body unmoving, as she closed her eyes and exhaled deeply through her nose.

"For the last time, Max," the coordinator enunciated slowly, with the air of a long-suffering sister, "I said no, I'm not."

Max threw up his arms, minding not to hit the china. "I don't believe it! The world's ending!"

Ignoring her brother, May turned to Mrs. Olive— who was watching the sibling interaction from her seat with something akin to amusement— and told her, "I'll be in the guest room if you need me."

The elderly woman nodded assent and May proceeded to shuffle dishearteningly towards the stairs.

"She's acting strange," Max murmured over his bowl of stew as soon as his sister's back disappeared from his line of sight. "'Not hungry?' That's blasphemy!"

Olive chuckled at her guest's words as she reached for the spoon to the stew. "You care a lot for your sister," she noted. "Do you want more rice, Max?"

"Yes, please. And thank you." The young boy held up his plate and Olive gave him two more scoops. He resumed his attack on his plate. "You should see May when she eats. She eats waaaaay more than I do.. Um, normally. I don't know what's up with her right now. She doesn't usually turn down food."

"Is that so?"

"Mm-hm." Max swallowed and reached for his glass. "She's probably upset about something. Though I wonder what it is this time."

"This happened before?"

"Uh-huh. Only once, though. When Ash couldn't come to her birthday party last time. She got really sulky. She wouldn't even look at the noodles Mom cooked her. And she loves noodles!"

"Ash!"

The black-haired teen jumped three feet in the air at the suddenness of his mother's voice. No matter how many times he'd heard his name called out like that, he STILL gave a start. Geez. Some things never do really change. "Uh, yeah, Mom?"

"Where's your mug?" his mom's voice came loud and clear from downstairs. Oh, the indefinite power of maternal vocal chords. "I can't seem to find it in the cupboard, or anywhere, for that matter. You haven't thrown it away, have you?"

Ash glanced sheepishly at his hand, which clasped the handle of the mug in question firmly. Smuggling in hot chocolate was starting to seem like a bad idea. "It's with me, Mom."

"What? Why?"

"Uh, because I'm using it?"

Suddenly and without warning, his mom was in his room. "What for?"

"Gah!" Ash gave another massive start. Recovering, he shot Delia a slightly resentful look. "Sheesh, mom. You're going to give me a heart attack if you keep doing that! And since when did you get ninja skills?"

Delia only smiled, settling down on the chair Ash usually threw his clothes on. (Thank goodness he actually decided to use his laundry basket today.)

"So, uh, what are you doing here?" he asked, for the lack of something better to say. Also, having someone look at you while you try to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate (and an illegal one at that) somehow sapped out the comfort.

"I'm finished with the dishes, and I was wondering how my son was doing," Ash's mom answered, subconsciously smoothing out her skirt. She gave him a smile but then frowned. "Is that hot chocolate in your mug?"

Busted.

Ash let out a nervous laugh, his thumb fiddling with the handle. "Um, yeah.. I mean, yes. It is."

Delia's frown didn't let up.

"Ehh." Ash scratched his neck— it was starting to become a habit of his— and glanced uncertainly at his mother. "I like hot chocolate?"

Finally, finally his mom decided not to look so threatening.

"Oh, Ash," she said, sighing. "You really have grown, haven't you?"

...

.. Huh? What? Ash blinked, staring at his mother, a little confused. That's.. that's all? No sermon? No 'I'm grounding you for a week, young man'?

Delia tilted her to the side, a nostalgic look appearing on her face. It was kind of scary seeing her like that; she seemed like she was in some kind of daze. "And here I was, thinking that you were going to use your mug to draw pokéballs again. You like them to be perfectly circular, you know.. Who would've thought you were actually going to use it to sneak something into your room?"

Ash turned red. "M-mom! You're making me sound like a criminal," he huffed, crossing his arms (but not after putting his mug on the desk— spillage was not an option if Delia was around) and generally looking childish. ".. And I stopped doing that two years ago, remember?"

"So you've mastered the art of drawing perfect circles without tracing already?"

".. Mom! You know what I mean!"

Delia laughed, looking genuinely amused. "Do I really?"

Ash pouted in as manly a way as possible. It was a considerable feat. "Mom!"

"I'm joking, I'm joking," she assured him, smile still intact. "But I'm serious when I say this, Ash.." Her smile was still there, but she now adapted a more serious expression. "You're really all grown up now."

.. What are you supposed to say to THAT? "Uh. Thanks... mom. I guess."

Emotional moment now over, Delia resumed her cheery look. "All right! Now, tell me, how was your date with May?"

"Wh-what?" the teen immediately sputtered, face once again the color of tomatoes. It seemed that Delia was bent on bombarding him with socially awkward questions tonight. "M-mom! It wasn't a date!"

Delia raised a brow. "But didn't you just go out with her?"

"Um, well yeah, but—"

"And spent about four hours together?"

"I guess, but—"

"Just the two of you, alone, without anyone else?"

"..."

"Answer me, Ash."

"Pikachu was with us, too.."

"And so I was right!" she exclaimed triumphantly, giggling a little. "See, it was a date! And no, Pokémon don't count as 'people'," she added, before Ash could rebut.

"But mooooom," he instead complained, "It really wasn't a date! It was just a.. an outing! Yeah, that's what it was. That works. Honest, mom, it wasn't anything else!"

Delia still looked unconvinced.

"And we don't like each other that way.." he mumbled, trailing off.

"You sound unsure," she laughingly pointed out, much to Ash's embarrassment.

He grumbled incoherently in response, pulling his cap over his eyes. But there was no mistaking the still-there tint of pink on his cheeks.

"Oh, Ash," she remarked after a bit of silence, shaking her head a little. "I hope you're not ignoring the obvious so much.." Delia stood up and smoothed her skirt— again— and headed to the door. "I'll be turning in for the night now, Ash. Sweet dreams."

With a soft creak, the door shut close.

"But it really wasn't a date," the teen huffed moodily to nothing in particular as soon as his mother's foot steps receded. He twirled around in his swivel chair aimlessly for a bit, stopping when his eye caught sight of his mug. Wrapping his fingers around the ceramic handle, Ash pressed the rim to his lips and downed everything in a few gulps.

After a while, the black-haired teen laid on his bed, his eyes trained on the ceiling. He'd go to sleep— drinking hot chocolate always made him a little drowsy afterward— but he found that he couldn't. It wasn't that he wasn't tired (great Arceus, he WAS— going shopping always, always made him extremely exhausted afterward). He just..

What did mom mean when she told me that she hoped I wasn't ignoring the obvious?

It bothered him. Ash wasn't one to have anything get to him, really, but truth be told.. it bothered him. And he didn't know why.

It feels like I'm supposed to know something. He rolled over to his side, now facing the open window; he'd forgotten to close it earlier before going to bed. The chilly night air blew through it, and his curtains swayed to the movement. He could see the stars twinkle from where he was. Does it.. have anything to do with May?

Ash ran his hands through his unruly black locks and thought about the possibility for a moment. It sort of makes sense. Mom was talking about May before she suddenly decided to go sagely, after all. Just.. what is she trying to tell me? He shook his head. Ugh, no use. I'm so bad at this. Can't figure it out. Not now, anyway. And I won't be able to sleep if I keep bothering myself like this. Better think of something else..

Almost unconsciously, the teen found himself mulling over how his day went: Waking up to the radio playing, taking a shower, eating lunch with his mom and Pikachu (he woke up later than expected), getting asked to rake the dead leaves in the garden. And then the most horrifying part: the shopping at the bazaar May had dragged him to. Ash sighed as rolled back onto his back and folded his arms behind his head. It was nothing short of miraculous how he managed to survive for that long (though he had a few battle scars here and there).

And the part where May started having those mood swings, Ash thought, as his eyes started to drift close. Totally terrifying. She got upset a few times. First was at the flower stand. The second— it was still at the flower stand, right? Weird. She was happy that time at the tea shop, though..

Ash yawned, starting to drift into unconsciousness. At the same time, his mind began to replay random moments from earlier, weaving happenings from different times together as he was nodding off.

Ash. The flowers are so pretty.

.. catching the sunlight and sparkling in your hair.

Y-you think so?

Oh, Ash. You really have grown, haven't you?

.. buy something for someone?

Ash suddenly bolted upright, eyes wide and exhaustion momentarily forgotten as little by little, a clearer, bigger picture started to form.

M-mom! It wasn't a date!

Any particular stall you might want to revisit?

Like flowers, perhaps?

"It can't.. she can't possibly—" Ash muttered as dread and coldness crept over his entire person and reality hit him in the face.

.. we don't like each other that way.

I hope you're not ignoring the obvious..

Smile for me? Please?

"Oh no," he whispered, just as the flashbacks were beginning to cease and fade away. "May— oh god, no.."

.. just go, Ash.

.. Sweet dreams.

I was too late.

He was so very screwed.

"May?"

The female coordinator turned to glance at the door from her place by the window. Max was peeking from behind the door, a clearly concerned expression plastered on his face.

"Um.. can I come in?" he asked timidly. His body was blocked by the wood, but May could see that he was fidgeting. She motioned him inside, and he immediately complied, shutting the door behind him and walking over to sit on her bed.

For the first time in years, silence enveloped the siblings.

Max kept shooting worried looks at his sister, and he was sitting at the very end of the bed, anxious about something.

May turned back to the window to avoid his gaze. "Oh, it's drizzling," she mumbled, feeling the beginnings of rain on her arm. She reached out and slid the glass panel close.

"Um.. May?" Max's voice was quiet. "Are you going to eat dinner? Mrs. Olive wants to know if she should leave anything on the table for you."

She shook her head.

"Oh. Well, I guess I should.. go tell her then," he half-mumbled. He stood up and made his way to the door slowly. Halfway there, he turned and gave May one last concerned look. "Are you sure you're okay?"

May gave him a single nod.

Her brother pursed his lips; he probably didn't believe her. "Really? You're not.. hurt or anything?"

She looked up at this. Without even knowing it, she stretched her lips into a thin, bland smile. "No. Not feeling anything," she told him. Except numb. Really numb.

A flash of hurt raced through Max's eyes. "Okay. Just.. I'll be in the next room if you need me. After I go down and tell Mrs. Olive, I mean. Um. Bye."

Without sparing another look, he covered the remaining distance and slipped behind the door.

I better go to sleep, May told herself after doing nothing except sit for a while. She got up from the window seat and flopped onto the bed. She was just about to close her eyes when a flash from outside lit up her room for a millisecond and the following thunder roared across the sky. A couple of seconds later, torrents of rain came down and drenched everything outside.

Good thing I closed the window, she thought idly, reaching out for the blankets. She wrapped them around her, resuming her attempt to fall asleep.

And then the door banged open.

"May! May, wake up! Look!"

Max's voice.

May sat up and pushed the blankets away from her, turning her head to see what was the matter. For a moment the only thing she saw was her little brother holding her door open, staring off into the hallway. He had a curiously excited look on his face.

"Max." She stared at him in mixed incredulity and confusion. "What's going on? Why did you slam my door—" Her sentence ended in a loud gasp as one very out-of-breath and dripping wet trainer moved into her line of sight.

"Ash is here!" her brother exclaimed excitedly as he squished up against the door to let the aforementioned pass.

May didn't realize her mouth was hanging open. "What— Why are you.. ?" she babbled incomprehensibly as her eyes stayed glued to the black-haired teen. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

Ash pushed away the wet hair covering his eyes and gave her a sheepish smile. "Um, uh, hi."

They stood staring at each other awkwardly for a few moments before the sound of water hitting the floorboards jarred May back to attention.

The female coordinator leapt up from the bed and immediately went to the drawer, rummaging through it until she found a towel and tossed it to Ash.

"You're soaked!" she remarked, hurriedly looking for another towel when she saw that one wasn't enough. "And you're dripping all over the floor. What do you think you were doing, running around when it's perfectly obvious it's raining?" She paused. ".. What's that?"

Ash raised his eyebrows before realizing that May was referring to the item he had in his hand. "Oh, this?" He held it up, drawing everyone's attention to it with the crinkling of plastic. "It's.. it's for you."

May stared at him hard. "A-are those.. ?"

"Uh, yeah.. They are. Flowers, I mean. From the shop at the bazaar," he confirmed, glancing around uncertainly at everything that wasn't May. "They're a little soaked, but.."

May hesitantly accepted the wet bouquet. It consisted of three light pink blossoms wrapped with a sheet of transparent plastic, and tied with a single ribbon. The petals of the flowers were tinged with droplets: evidence that it had gone through the downpour.

"They're gerberas," Ash said, causing her to look up from the present. "I.. I wanted to give you a hyacinth, but they ran out of those."

May was aware that Max was listening in on their conversation and she was slightly embarrassed about that, but she couldn't help but ask. ".. Why hyacinth?"

"I— uh." The black-haired trainer wrung his hands nervously and kept shifting his weight from foot to foot. He was taking so long to speak that May was starting to consider just telling him to spit it out. Finally, he took a deep breath and opened his mouth. "The attendant told me that hyacinth was the best flower for apologizing, and I.. I wanted to say I'm sorry. For— for ignoring the obvious.

"It's.. I should have paid more attention. You tried to tell me," he went on before anyone could interrupt, "I just didn't realize it that time.. You kept trying to make me see, and I've been too stupid." He pursed his lips and turned his eyes to the floor. "I should've gotten the hint, May. I shouldn't have been so.. one-tracked . I'm sorry I hurt your feelings. I've been so ignorant. I'm— I'm sorry."

He looked into her eyes and May couldn't help but notice that although she had locked gazes with Ash a thousand times before, she never saw him look so.. sad. Regretful. Guilty.

He was waiting for some sort of response from her, and she knew it. Never one to make people wait, May stepped forward, closing the space between them. Her free hand gravitated toward his face in its own accord, and in one swift movement..

She slapped Ash hard in the cheek.

"O-ow!" Ash exclaimed, cradling the hurt flesh and looking thoroughly resentful. "What was that for? That hurt!"

Max winced from his side of the room.

"That," May said, putting her hands on her hips, "was for being an idiot."

"But I said sorry already!" Ash ghosted his fingers over the reddened flesh and grimaced. "Ooh, it stings."

"Now come here."

"W-what?" The black-haired teen glanced skeptically at May. "Why?"

"Just listen to me, okay?"

He took a few hesitant steps. "Do you promise not to slap me again?"

"Ugh, you are so stubborn. Get over here!" she grabbed Ash's wrist and pulled him over roughly.

Ash flinched, readying himself for the next blow, but it never came. Instead, he found May's arms going around his neck.

Max could be heard clearing his throat awkwardly. "I'll go ask Mrs. Olive if she has any spare clothing.. Excuse me." He hurriedly left the room.

"You're such an idiot," the coordinator murmured after she heard the door click, burying her face into his collar.

"I— I know." Ash didn't even need a mirror to tell that he was heating up. Arceus, he felt like a Christmas light. "Um.. May? I'm soaked, remember? You're going to get your clothes wet, too."

"... R-right." She withdrew from him and tried to hide her blush by busying herself with looking for a place to put the flowers. "Um, Ash? I have a question."

"Yeah?"

"How'd you manage to get the flowers?"

Ash scratched his neck self-consciously. "Right.. that."

"E-excuse me!"

A light-haired lady dressed in something Ash couldn't quite put a name to turned around, surprised. "Yes?"

"Are you— do you happen to.. to own the flower stand at the bazaar?" Ash was breathing so heavily that it was a wonder he could get words out.

She nodded yes, though still taken by shock. "Do you need something from me?" She glanced at him from head to toe. "Something dry to wear, maybe? You look like you've been caught in the rain."

He hurriedly shook his head. "No, no, not that. I'm okay! I just.. wanted to ask if you still have some flowers?"

"Yes, I still do some. Others I ran out of.. Why?"

"Could I— is it too late to for me to buy from you?"

The lady cocked her head to one side. "Actually, we've closed the shop a few hours ago. You should've bought at the bazaar earlier. It's a one-day thing, you know."

"Is there really no other way? Can't I buy some now?" he asked desperately, already half-dreading the answer.

She offered him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry.. They're really strict about selling here. I need an authorized permit to do business— mine expired a few hours ago, when the bazaar closed."

Ash felt like someone just ripped his soul into two. "Oh," he muttered quietly. "I.. I guess I'll be leaving now, then. I'm sorry if I disturbed you."

He made for the door, but stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Wait!" It was the lady. "Don't leave yet! There is a way. I could sell you some, but—" her voice fell into a whisper, "— you have to promise to keep quiet about this. I might get arrested!"

He couldn't help but let a massive grin onto his face. "I-I promise! I won't tell anyone! No one will hear a thing from me!"

"Shh!" She clamped her hand down his mouth in alarm. "Not so loud!"

".. Sorry."

May looked absolutely surprised. "So you went out when you supposed to be in bed to go around asking people where the flower lady was staying? And then you got her to illegally sell you some flowers, braved a downpour without an umbrella, and ran all the way to my place so you could apologize to me?" she summarized.

".. That's about it, yes." Ash was sitting on Mrs. Olive's couch, (another) hot drink in hand. He had changed out of his drenched clothes and into the dry ones Max handed to him.

"Goodness. How could you do something so idiotic?" May exclaimed. "And now you're going to catch a cold!"

"I'm fine!" he insisted. Then sneezed. "Uh. Anyway. I couldn't just not do anything about.. you know."

May sighed, another blush quickly settling on her cheeks. "I-I suppose."

Silence.

"May, do you really.. like me that way?"

The coordinator looked up to see an equally beet red Ash looking at her, waiting for her answer.

It's now or never, May.

"Y-yes," she got out. Oh, lord, she sounded so squeaky. "I like you, Ash."

"O-oh." He blushed an even deeper shade of red. "I guess.. I like you, too, May."

"R-really?" Someone pinch me, I must be dreaming.

"Yes. You're.. an awesome friend."

...

"What," she bit out so icily that Ash swore he felt the room temperature drop. "What did you say."

"I was kidding! I was kidding!" Ash yelled, hands raised in surrender. "I swear, honest, I was kidding! Oh, god, I was just joking to keep the mood light!"

May stopped advancing toward him, but face still deadly and fists still clenched. "That wasn't funny, Ash. Not funny at all."

"S-sorry! I'm so bad at this! I really don't know what to do!"

May sighed dramatically, anger dissipating. "I guess you're right. You are the most dense boy ever, after all."

"H-hey! I'm not dense! I'm just.. inexperienced at things like this!" he protested.

May giggled and sank down the couch, beside Ash. "Dense," she teased. "Ash is dense."

He made a childishly sulky face. "Am not!"

The coordinator just giggled some more cuddled up next to the teen. "Just admit it. You're dense... but I still love you."

Good grief. Will blood ever stop rushing to his face? He struggled to let his mouth speak. "I.. I love you, too, May."

A contented smile slowly etched onto her face. She snuggled even closer to Ash, liking how warm he felt.

How long have I waited for this? she mused inwardly, feeling Ash's arm wrap around her waist. It feels so nice to finally have him understand..

A few moments passed in blissful silence. May felt so relaxed, she began to nod off.

...

Until Ash suddenly sat up so fast he almost knocked May off the couch.

"What's wrong?" May blinked, seeing the distressed look on the black-haired teen's face and his stiffening body. "Ash, what's wrong?"

He paled and sputtered, "I forgot to tell mom I was going out of the house for a moment!"

.

THE END.

A/N: That.. was the longest thing I've ever written. O.o

.. Well anyway, I apologize. For Ash's lame apology-speech. And for the lack of fluff. I just realized how horrible I am at writing those. Oh well. XD

I'm happy that I've finally finished this thing. NOW I AM FREE~! LOL.

Please and thank you.