A/N: I was playing Pokemon Colosseum, and I came up with this. Why, I don't know. Hope you enjoy it.

I wrote this a LONG time ago, and I had to post some sort of fluffy story for the Hallmark Holiday today, so when you read this and think 'Wow, she's way off the mark with this story...' keep in mind that it's old.

I only own plot.

"Wes!" shouts a voice from behind me, high and shrill. I pinch the bridge of my nose and take a few calming breaths. Hopefully, the nuisance will go away.

"Wes! Wait up!" it calls again, not the least bit perturbed.

3...2...1...

"OOF!" The breath is knocked out of me as the said annoyance tackles me from behind in a glomp. I try my hardest not to fall over, swinging my arms in wide circles while she whoops and grins as if this is a game. I'm not having fun.

"Rui, get off!" I demand as harsh as I can. She giggles, but does let go.

"Okay Wessie!" she says, and giggles again. If giggles were weapons of mass destruction, this girl could be dictator of the world in a heartbeat.

Of course, she would then make me her first man...Or husband. And Celebi only knows I don't want that.

"Don't call me Wessie." I grumble in vain. I know she'll just start it up again the next time this happens. And, there will be a next time. I can't shake this girl! She just keeps following me around! I don't even remember what for anymore, only that is has to do with the one time I saved her. I should never have done that. This is what I get for being nice.

"So where'r we off to next, Wes?" she asks, bouncing along in step with me. I heave a sigh and don't look at her. I usually don't.

"We're going back to Agate Village." I tell her. "I have some more pokemon to purify."

"Yay!" she squeals and jumps for joy. "I get to see grandpa and grandma again!"

"Because that was my whole main goal for the trip." I grumble. "Anyways, it's a long ride, so go do your thing before we leave."

"Alright, but don't leave without me!" she winks and bounces off towards the ladies' room in the outskirt stand. As much as I want to ride off without her, she'd find me again, but in a bad mood. Not that I prefer ADD-ridden Rui, I just prefer it to I'll-kill-you-in-your-sleep-emo Rui. I grumble and slump down into a chair nearest the door.

"Lucky girl." says the man behind the counter, wiping a glass with a cloth. "Traveling around with a guy who can protect her from those bad guys-"

"Not my choice." I interrupt quietly. He doesn't notice.

"A terrific trainer," he continues.

"And good-looking to boot!" says a lady sitting at the bar. She turns around and winks at me. I roll my eyes and cross my arms and rest one ankle on my knee. The bartender rolls his eyes at me, too, and goes back to wiping the glass.

"Whatever, boy." he says. "But one day, you're going to realize what a catch she really is to you, and your mind is going to be boggled."

"My mind doesn't boggle, nor does any other part of me." I inform him. The woman who complemented my looks seems to deflate and turns back to the counter in a depressed state.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, woman!" cries the bartender, looking ready to chuck the glass and rag at her. "You've got to be almost 20 years older than he is!"

"I know, but I was hoping-"

"Wes! I'm back!" Rui cries, making her appearance from the bathroom, thankfully cutting that woman off so we don't have to hear what shewas going to say. I stand and grab her wrist quickly, dragging her out of the stand. She giggles again and follows willingly. Not like she wouldn't, anyway...

"What's going on, Wes?" she asks. I grumble and mutter incoherent things for a moment before answering.

"Creepy woman. Felt violated." I try to leave out as much detail as I possibly can so she catches no drift. She giggles again.

"Wes, you've gone up against Mirror B, Dakim, Venus, and Celebi knows what else, and it hasn't fazed you, yet a mere woman makes you run away like you've got no pride." she laughs aloud.

No, I'm serious. Not a giggle, an actual laugh.

And it makes me stop dead in my tracks.

"Wes, I didn't mean it." she says softly, scuffing the toe of her shoe in the dirt, her hands behind her back. My hard look softens when I see her. She thought I had gotten irritated at her for her crack about my running away!

That was better than the truth, I suppose...

"It's, uh..." I pause, looking for the right words. "It's okay." I pat her shoulder cautiously, just waiting for her to pounce and smother me with hugs and kisses. Instead, she looks up at me with confusion in her eyes.

In her immensely beautiful blue eyes...

I shake my head a few times to clear it of thoughts like this, and quickly pull my hand away from her shoulder.

"Now, let's go." I say quickly. "We want to cover as much distance as we can before nightfall."

"Um, yeah." Rui agrees, following me to my bike and sitting down in the side car that I had used before to transport my Umbreon and Espeon. I walk around to the other side and swing one leg over the seat and rev the engine. Rui is startled and jumps, as she does every time I do this. I smirk in her direction and she folds her arms into a pout before we take off.

The only thing I love more than battling is riding my bike. The wind blowing across my face and through my hair. It's actually quite relaxing, and I can feel a light smile play across my face as I ride.

Instinctively, I glance over at Rui, who is holding her hair back with one hand and holding on to the seat with the other. Her simple, trademark smile is on her face the whole while, and suddenly, I find myself idly noticing how pretty she looks with the wind whipping her hair around her face, her blue eyes sparkling in the sunlight...

Rui catches me looking. I'm staring at her, in all her beauty, oggling on the inside, and she catches me.

I quickly snap my head to the open stretch of desert in front of me, (and all around me,) and I try not to look her way again. Even so, I can still feel her gaze boring into the side of my head; It's questioning and curious, and also flattered. I think she's blushing.

An hour into the ride, and it happens again! I have no idea what is going on with me; I never do this kind of thing! Especially not with Rui around. She's the LAST person on earth I would even consider staring at! Those teachers I battle? So much hotter. And they wear spandex!

"But one day, you're going to realize what a catch she really is to you, and your mind is going to be boggled."

A shudder creeps through my whole body, and I suddenly get an heavy chill, despite the hot sun pounding every inch of me and making me want to just remove my jacket and go topless. But then, that would give Rui yet another chance to glomp me or smother me with affection, something I do.not.want.

I cannot stress it enough.

I do not like, nor have I ever liked Rui.

...Don't I?

Thoughts consume what little concentration isn't focused on my riding and driving, and last me until well-past dark.

Xxxx

"Wes, it's getting kind of late, don't you think?" Rui calls over the roar of the engine. I glance over at her, and see that she's about to collapse from exhaustion. I take pity on her and slow down the bike, pulling it off to the side, near a small crop of large rocks to help shield us in the openness.

Rui chills in her seat while I set up what little supplies for a camp we have, and I get a fire going. Nothing too big, mind you, because I don't want to attract unwanted attention from any of our enemies. Glancing over at her, I realize that she's shivering. My heart, very unnecessarily, pangs, and I take pity on her. I walk over, help her out, and sit her on the ground near the fire to warm her.

"Mmmm... Thanks, Wes." she says, half asleep. I shake my head at my stupidness for even considering my actions and take off my jacket, settling it around her shoulders. She smiles gently and suddenly totters over, her head resting on my shoulder.

I freeze and, looking down at her, notice that, for once, she isn't doing it on purpose. She's out like a candle.

I relax to the point of tiredness myself, but remind myself that someone has to stay up to watch over us. I'll wake Rui when I'm falling asleep where I stand.

...Er, sit.

I rethink the events of the day, and I confuse myself. Rui has never made that much of an impact on my thoughts before. And I guarantee that I've never even considered liking her before.

Never.

Yet, I can't help but notice her, sleeping there on my shoulder. Her soft features, the way she breathes so gently when she's asleep, and her adorable little button nose that I've never noticed until now.

"But one day, you're going to realize what a catch she really is to you, and your mind is going to be boggled."

It's that bartender's fault, I realize! He's the one who messed with my mind! He's created my mind to work this way!

I would stand abruptly and go speak to him immediately, but there are three problems with my plan.

1- I would never make it back to our camp before morning.

2- Rui is asleep on my shoulder.

3- I don't want her to move.

...Minus number three. That was never there.

I sigh heavily and look over at her. She doesn't notice a thing, I'm sure. How can she, asleep like that?

My eyelids start to feel heavy, my mind wanders, and before I know what's overcome me, I'm snoozing like a baby, my head rested on Rui's.

Xxxx

I wake to a very homey, delicious smell. My head is resting on my jacket, which is on the dusty ground. Waking, I find Rui over a pan of some sort of breakfast food that makes my stomach try to eat its way out to get to the food she's making. She turns, sees me stretching and yawning, and giggles.

What a way to start the day.

"Good morning, sleepyhead!" she smiled. "I made breakfast!"

"Better not be drugged." I mutter. I wouldn't suspect Rui of drugging an food or drink anyway; she's not like that. Still, it's something I say without thinking.

"No, of course not, silly!" she giggles again. "Can't have you driving around without a full stomach, can we?" she sets a plate of food in front of me, and my nose has no idea what just hit it. I wolf down the food without actually realizing what I'm eating and before she's done, I'm ready to go. So, while she's eating, I pack up the things we don't need onto the bike.

And suddenly, I remember last night, and everything that happened.

My mind reels at what she must have thought, waking up with my head resting on hers. Or was it even there at all when she woke up? Maybe it fell off in the night and that's why I was on the ground.

I peek around my shoulder at her, sitting there quietly and eating her breakfast. It's hard to imagine that such a pain in the neck could make my mind whirl like it is. And it's very bothersome.

Her head jerks up and we lock eyes, and she gives me a curious look when I turn my head away again, hiding the bright red that I can feel creeping up my face. I grit my teeth and work faster, only blushing harder at the fact that I know she's still looking at me.

"Wes?" she asks. There's a few scuffling sounds around behind me, and I know she just stood up.

"We're leaving now. Get your stuff." I growl, not intending to sound as mean as I do. I wince afterwards, knowing she'll be in EmoRui mode as we ride. I don't like EmoRui. It kind of makes you depressed.

As the dry, barren landscape passes us, it makes me want to get to Agate faster. I'd rather be in a village with old people than have the sun beat down on my neck like it is. It would also give me a chance to relax without Rui, who'll be catching up with her grandparents. Celebi knows I need a chance to clear my thought.

And speak of the devil, behind the next hill is the bright green sight of said town I was thinking about. Rui brightens when she sees it, a nice change from the EmoRui that she was when we were riding. A few more minutes, and I've parked the bike and we jump off and head out into the village. I make a right, but Rui grabs my jacket sleeve.

"Wes, I'm coming with you." she says. "Watching you purify your pokemon always brightens my day, knowing that you've opened one more heart."

"I thought you wanted to go see your grandparents." I say, not letting on that I really don't mind. I don't know why I don't mind, though. Usually, having Rui follow me is like getting a tooth yanked without the numbing. I keep walking, acting slightly pissed off like I usually am.

"Yeah, but I can see them afterwards. You don't purify too many pokemon these days." I sigh heavily and grumble. We just entered the little tunnel that leads us to the little clearing. I whirl around and face her. She's taken aback, and stumbles back a step.

"Rui, why do you keep following me?" I ask. A small tinge of pink makes itself visible on her cheeks, and I notice that she looks very cute.

"Because I like you." she says in a small voice. This, I knew.

"I know you do! Yes, I saved your life, but that doesn't give you the excuse to follow me around like a sick puppy!"

"No, I mean I really like you, Wes." she says, her voice smaller. This time, I'm shocked. Somehow I knew it, just because she's followed me to hell and back, no complaints, but it's different to hear it coming from her.

A knot in my stomach snaps, and I take a step forward, towards her. She steps back again, and I see the slight shock on her face when she feels the tunnel wall against her back.

"Rui, what do you want from me? A hug? A kiss? What?!" I ask, my mind whirling with every thought and feeling from yesterday. Her blush turns brighter.

"I've hugged you before, Wes..." she trails off. This takes time to register, but when it does, I'm darn near speechless. My brain, however, speaks for me.

"Then shut up for a moment." it says. I feel my hand grab her waist, feel the other brace myself against the tunnel wall, and then lean over and kiss her.

I'm shocked at myself. Appalled, if you will. I can't see, my eyelids are closed, but I know that Rui's eyes are wider than pokeballs, and that she's frozen on the spot.

Slowly I stop, and remove my hand from her waist, and look at her. My face is hot, and I feel her heartbeat, somehow. She's bright red.

"Um, Wes–"

"Right. Well, better get going." I cough and turn around, hoping she doesn't catch on to the meaning of my red face.

"You're blushing!"

I'm not rewarded with even that. My dignity is shattered.

"I am not!"

"You are so!"

A/N: I didn't know where to end it. Also, it's totally rushed. Sorry about that...

Okay, so I grew sick of this story, so I stopped maybe ¾ of the way through and left it in my filespace. So I needed something to post up today, since this is so much of a shipping day it would even tire a fangirl, so I had to find something to post. Since this was the most decent, unfinished thing in my files that I didn't have to rewrite, I finished this and posted.

I know, it's bad.

Happy Valentine's Day, FF!

(Also, S.A.D. and mono day.)