Saffron Sweet Saffron
It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas
Jenn was sleeping really deeply, and really well. She was so exhausted by everything that had occurred with the avalanche that she slept like a Komala.
She was vaguely aware of things from time to time; lightly roused by Steve's country music on the radio, by Eevee or Vulpix moving around, or Mige shifting. She was lying against him, mostly on his shoulder. She never stayed awake long; just enough to register something happening before she shifted in her sleep, sort of nuzzled into Mige's shoulder or his arm, and fell back to sleep.
"Hey! Hey, now, rise and shine bud! We're just about inside of Saffron! But not in a kinky way! Hahahaha!"
Steve was standing by them and had nudged Mige's shoulder with his meaty hand to wake him up. His booming laughter was what got Jenn. She blinked awake, her eyes a bit bleary and heavy. Her head hurt. Her legs hurt. Her lower back hurt. Her everything hurt, pretty much. She sat upright and glanced over at Mige, who didn't seem to be doing much better.
"Where are we?" he asked.
"Expressway." Steve said.
"Wh--why are you back here, then?" Mige asked and Steve laughed.
"We're just waitin' in line for the toll booth," Steve said, pointing toward the windshield with his thumb, "Figured I'd come grab a cola and wake you sleepy heads up."
"Oh. Thanks." said Mige. Jenn mumbled her thanks and rubbed her eyes.
"You guys can grab a cola if'n you want to." Steve said as he stepped back up toward the driver's seat. Jenn sort of winced. Soda in the morning? She politely declined.
“How did you sleep?” Jenn asked. Mige shrugged.
“I slept okay.” Mige said, “You?”
“Same,” she said, "I'm still pretty sore, but I'm weirdly rested? Not anything I’m not used to at this point.” Jenn said and smiled a little. She ran a hand through her hair and frowned. "Ugh. My hair's a mess." she said. She didn't make any effort to try to fix it at the immediate moment, but it bugged her.
"So what's the plan when we get into the city?" she asked.
"Well, we're staying at Bill's penthouse,” Mige explained, "But he said it might be a few days before he gets here. It’s cool though; it’s close to downtown so there’s stuff to do."
"Oh, so--wait, really? So it'll just be you and me then?" she asked. Maybe a little hopeful.
Mige shook his head. "I was gonna invite Tim and Zoey over, too. I'm not sure where they're staying right now, but if they're still in the loft above Duplica's shop they'll probably appreciate a change of scenery."
"Oh, yeah. That's a good idea." Jenn said, and she couldn’t help but smile warmly at her friend. Mige was so thoughtful and nice. She found herself just sort of gazing at him again and looked away to Vulpix who was still snoring by her side. She pet her a little bit.
"So what are we doing first?" she asked.
"Might as well go see if Tim and Zoey are at the cafe." Mige suggested. Jenn nodded in agreement; it was a good plan. Jenn called out to Steve, asking if he could drop them off at McAbrams Park.
"'Course I can! I'll have ya' there in three shakes of a Mareep's tail!" he shouted out.
The RV finally cleared the toll road. Mige offered to pay him back the toll, or at least part of it, but Steve wouldn't have it. "Consider this my Christmas present to you!" the hiker said with a big, dopey grin. Jenn giggled a little. He was kind of a weird guy, but Jenn had to admit that he was also a little sweet.
Jenn and Mige spent the rest of the ride into the city getting their things together, giving their Pokemon some snacks to tide them over until they could make time for a proper meal, and so on. It took about forty-some minutes or so to get from the toll road to the park. It was quite a long time given that downtown Saffron wasn't even that far from the expressway, though that was more or less just a result of the traffic.
They thanked Steve for everything and as they stepped off of the RV, Steve called out to them. "Happy holidays! Don't be a stranger, boy!" Steve said, "You two have a great time out there! Be safe!"
"Okay. Bye, Steve." Mige replied. Jenn waved with a smile as the RV rumbled off. Adjusting her bag, the two began to cross through MacAbrams Park.
Saffron City was cold—far colder than Mulberry Town had been. The snow didn't seem to have stuck here, though, at least not much of it; it was mostly frost, ice, and small patches of hardened, dirty snow here and there. Despite the gloomy weather, though, the city was cheerful and bright. Everything seemed to be decorated with ribbons, garland, and blinking holiday lights. Bells rang every few blocks as charities collected donations. Jenn donated to several of them.
Things just seemed peaceful and nice, despite the bustling sidewalks and crowded roads. They walked about eight blocks from the park to the Copy Cat Cafe. It, too, was decorated for the holidays, albeit not overly so. Jenn was quite pleased to see that it seemed pretty busy.
Stepping inside, the heat and humidity inside was almost jarring. She adjusted after a few seconds--just in time to see a tall, black haired, plaid patterned-shape running toward her. "JENN!" Zoey called out as she threw arms around her. Jenn happily laughed and returned the hug, letting out a happy giggle as Zoey picked her up and spun her around.
"What the fuck are you doin' here?"
"Oh, we--Christmas!" Jenn said, "Wait, did Mige not call ahead?" Jenn glanced at Mige, who was busy greeting Tim with their secret handshake. Jenn smiled softly and chuckled. "That tracks, actually. "
Zoey just laughed and pulled Jenn into another big hug. "Missed ya', Jenny."
"Missed you, too, Zee." Jenn said with a huge grin.
Jenn and Mige followed their friends to a booth near the back of the cafe; the same one they sat at most of the time they were here last. It was near the back door, which led out to a deck. "Hey, Duplica! Jenn and Mige are back!" Zoey called out.
Duplica craned her neck to spot them. "Oh! Holy shit! Hey guys! Welcome back!" Duplica called out with a wave and a big grin.
"Get 'em whatever they want, okay? It's on me!" Zoey said, and then added, "I insist."
"I’ve learned not to argue with you." Jenn giggled. She and Mige went to the counter to procure their drinks; Jenn got something that was closer to hot chocolate than coffee.
Duplica decided to take her break to hang out and catch up with them. When they got back to the booth, they found a new face sitting with Tim and Zoey. He was tall, fairly handsome, and definitely well-dressed. He had a dark-complexion and well-kept black hair. "Ah. You must be Mige." said the man, with a definite Hoenn accent, "I see that you have a secret handshake with Tim."
"Uh...yeah." Mige said. The man smirked.
"Hrmm. A secret handshake. A sign of a strong friendship." he said, "But are you close enough that you've solved mysteries together?"
Mige blinked, very confused by this strange person. He glanced to Jenn as if she'd know what to say. Jenn shrugged helplessly.
"I'm Armand." said the man, who added, "I'm Tim's best friend."
"Uh...okay?" Mige replied, taking a seat at the booth. Jenn sat beside him.
"Armand, stop being annoying." Duplica said with a frown, sitting at a small two-person table across from the booth. Armand's demeanor changed almost immediately; his eyes got big with an adoring expression on his face.
"Why Duplica, what a pleasant surprise!" Armand said dreamily, immediately moving from the space next to Tim to the table with Duplica, "Just when I thought my day couldn't possibly get any better, we are unexpectedly graced by the presence of our dearest Duplica."
"...I said don't be annoying." Duplica said and Tim guffawed.
Time passed, with the early afternoon turning to early evening. Jenn was elated of course, and she couldn't help but notice that Mige seemed happier than he had in a long time; Jenn wasn't sure she had ever seen him smile or laugh that much. It made her all warm and fuzzy to see. She didn't see him smile like that too often, but she really liked when she did see it. In part because it was just nice to know that he was happy.
They all talked and caught up, regaling one another with stories of each other's exploits and shenanigans. Some of it was really interesting, like Tim and Armand ridding an apartment of a Poltergeist. On the other hand, some stories she wished Mige would have just forgotten.
"And then Ryu leaps out of the lake and just starts screaming about Jenn being the 'Queen of Beauty'," Mige said to a round of uproarious laughter from the others (while Jenn sank down in her seat, beet-read from the embarrassment), "And so he challenges me to a battle for 'Jenn's Heart'."
"No way!" Tim chortled.
"He did not!" Duplica managed to say through the giggles. Mige chuckled and nodded.
"He did. I beat him and he just screamed that he was gonna get bagdes for Jenn's honor or something. It was really uncomfortable."
"That's funny shit!" Tim said.
"So have you and Ryu set a date, then?" Zoey teased at Jenn.
"This would be a good time to learn how to spontaneously combust..." Jenn groaned, which got a giggle out of Zoey.
"Man. I can't believe you guys are back." Tim said with a grin, "I didn't expect to see you guys again for awhile."
"Yeah, well, Bill seemed to really want me here, so I came." Mige said.
"We're gonna be staying at Bill's penthouse," Jenn said, "You guys are all totally welcome to stay with us or hang out or...you know, whatever you want to do."
"Really? That's awesome." Zoey said and turned to Tim, "You wanna crash with Mige and Jenny for a few days?"
"Hell yeah!" Tim said and the two high-fived, “I’m pumped!”
"I'm just pumped to finally take an actual shower." Jenn said, her fingers absently moving through her hair, "Like, a real shower. Not an RV shower."
"RV shower?" Zoey asked. Jenn chuckled a bit awkwardly.
"It's a long story." she said. The girls started to get ready to go, but as they all got to their feet, Mige turned to Tim with a twinkle in his eye.
"You know, Tim, I almost forgot: we do have a battle to get to now that I'm back, don't we?" Mige said. Tim's expression suddenly mirrored Mige's own.
"That we do, bud." Tim said, clearly pumped. Jenn and Zoey both sighed and groaned, and Zoey tried to interject.
"Tim, I know that fighting's fuckin' rad as hell, but Mige and Jenn like, literally just got back and--"
"Yo Duplica, can we fight on your deck out there?" Tim asked. Duplica shrugged; she didn't care. Zoey sighed and rolled her eyes.
"And I'm talking into the void apparently. Hello? Is this thing on?" Zoey muttered as she and Jenn followed the boys outside to the back deck.
Normally the back deck was extra seating space, but since it was winter now, nobody had any reason to go out there. All of the chairs and tables were pushed to one side, covered by a canvas tarp. Duplica insisted that it was sturdy enough for their purposed.
"So, how many are we doing? Three on three?" Tim asked. Mige shrugged; that was fine with him.
At the same time, Armand and Duplica both claimed that they'd be referee.
"Jynx!" Duplica called out. Armand grinned and slid in closer to her.
"Jynx, hmm? Then I suppose we should use sweet kiss." he said with a sly grin. Rolling her eyes, Duplica shoved him, which caused him to slide along the ice before landing with a loud ‘THUNK!’ in a deck chair.
Duplica stepped up to be ref and the battle started. While it started off pretty fine, things quickly turned south for Tim. Jenn couldn't quite articulate it, but the battle seemed to show a much larger gap between Mige and Tim that she'd seen; Mige easily defeated Tim's Pokemon and won the battle without much resistance. It was kind of hard to watch. Tim's demeanor seemed to shift; he seemed annoyed and snappy. Mige seemed almost apologetic for his victory.
"That was quick." Duplica said, surprised. Tim frowned at her.
"Uh...sorry..." Mige said. Tim shrugged.
"Whatever." he said quickly, "Don't worry about it. You won fair and square."
"Oh…okay..." Mige replied. Jenn looked between the two boys, feeling a bit of weird tension. Zoey felt it, too, and walked over to Tim. She took his hand, softly told him that he did great, and kissed the back of his hand. That seemed to get Tim to smile a little in return, offering her a surprisingly gentle smile in return.
Jenn blinked in surprise at the gesture, looking between Tim and Zoey rapidly as the puzzle pieces settled into place. Tim and Zoey were dating! Jenn had definitely noticed that they'd seemed, you know, close. But they were officially dating! There was kissing of hands! Meaningful glances exchanged! Unspoken but firm affections! Jenn felt very happy for them, but didn't say anything because she felt that it'd be kind of weird to say something about that? But she was happy for them.
With that, Mige, Jenn, Zoey, Tim, and Armand left the Copycat Cafe. Duplica needed to work until closing, but promised that she'd drop by the next day. The five of them stepped out into the freezing night. Tim walked a little ahead of the group, Zoey keeping stride with him while holding his hand. Jenn walked close to Mige, with Armand walking a few paces behind them.
Jenn glanced at Mige, her eyes flicking down toward his hands (which were in his pockets), and then back to him. That familiar warmth flitted through her. She imagined, briefly, taking his hand or him looking at her the way Tim and Zoey looked at each other. She cleared her throat and shook her head, her focus once more on the walk.
"It's so beautiful out here." Jenn said with a dreamy sort of smile, taking in the decorations now that it was dark. Zoey nodded.
"Yeah man, Saffron goes all out." Zoey said, "Though if you like this, just wait 'till it gets closer to the holiday. There's even a parade and shit."
"Really? We should go!" Jenn said and turned to Mige, "Do you wanna go?"
"Uh...maybe." Mige said with a noncommittal shrug. Jenn giggled.
"It sounds fun to me." She said with a grin.
"Eh. It's alright." Zoey replied.
The Penthouse
"Bill got a penthouse in Baxter Tower? Damn." Zoey remarked. Mige just nodded. It didn’t seem too special to him; it was always just the 'Saffron Apartment' to him. That took Jenn by surprised. She supposed she'd never really thought about how wealthy her best friends were. Zoey was an heiress to the Silph Corporation and Mige was the ward of one of the most influential and wealthiest men in the world, let alone Kanto. She felt a nagging sort of feeling, suddenly feeling very small and very aware of the poverty she'd grown up. So, yippee; a whole new round of insecurities! Just what she needed.
The penthouse itself was on the top floor--more than forty floors up. Even the elevators seemed fancy and expensive. Jenn was afraid to touch anything, even the buttons in the elevator. The elevator ride felt like it took a really long time. Mige and Zoey were nonplussed. Jenn shot Tim a glance that sort of said 'can you believe how long this is taking?' and Tim just grinned and nodded in return. Jenn quietly giggled. Tim got it.
Once they actually stepped into the penthouse, though, Jenn was speechless; if she thought the lobby and the elevator were swanky then the penthouse was on a different level entirely. It wasn't overly lavish or elaborate, but it was spacious and comfortable. You know; it was still a penthouse.
The space was divided into two levels; the first floor had the living room with a very large television, and a large kitchen with more appliances than Jenn knew even existed. The coffee machine alone had enough dials and knobs that Jenn wouldn't be surprised if it could go to space.
There was also a big piano on this floor, and some hallways led to a study, an office, a BIG bathroom that was not the biggest bathroom in the penthouse, and a couple guest rooms. The second floor was at the top of a winding staircase; the stairs led to a balcony that overlooked the main living room with a sitting space that included bookshelves and even a billiard table.
There were four main bedrooms on the second floor, including the Master Bedroom and Mige's own room. Mige showed them around and directed them to just grab any room they wanted. Jenn took a room across the hall from Mige's. Armand took the other upstairs room, which was Jenn's neighbor. That was all fine with Tim and Zoey, who decided to share a room on the first floor.
They ordered takeout for dinner that night. They each let out their Pokemon and lounged around the living room, half-watching a series of shitty movies while they talked and ate cheap pizza and a dozen other kinds of foods and desserts. Jenn skipped right to the desserts, actually, having enough cake that she felt like she'd burst!
Armand ended up falling asleep on the couch, and Tim eventually fell asleep on Zoey's shoulder. Zoey gently woke him up and the two made their way to bed themselves, leaving Jenn and Mige as the only ones still awake in the living room. They didn't talk for awhile, just watching through the end of the movie. Though, if she were being honest, Jenn found herself paying more attention to Mige watching the movie more than anything; she found a lot of small joy in his reactions and expressions.
"This has been nice." Jenn said quietly after a while, "Like, a really good day."
"Yeah. It's been pretty sweet." Mige replied.
"Thanks for inviting me here. It...it means a lot." Jenn said.
"You don't have to thank me."
"Sure, maybe. Still. It really does mean a lot to me. I can't remember the last time that I felt this...happy." she said, smiling warmly at Mige. "I've been really, um...you know, happy since I started traveling with you."
"I'm glad." Mige said, "It's nice having you around."
"Thanks." Jenn said, and her heart skipped a beat. She couldn't even look at Mige in that moment; her cheeks were a deep red. She toyed with her hair for a second. "I, um...I should probably get to bed. I don't know what we're doing tomorrow but, um, you know. I'm super tired still. Especially with all the...the walking around town."
"Yeah, for sure." Mige, "Let me know if you need anything."
"I will. Thanks." she said with a small smile. She left her Pokemon keep sleeping and snuggling with their other Poke-Friends, except for Pikachu; she carried Pikachu in her arms up the staircase. When Jenn reached the top, she stopped. She turned and looked over the bannister. Mige had Eevee in his lap now, watching what looked like an infomercial.
"Hey, Mige?" she called down. Mige looked up to her. She opened her mouth to say something, but instead said, "You should get some sleep, soon, too."
"Maybe." Mige said before turning back to the TV. Jenn went to her room and sat on the edge of the bed for a moment. She pet Pikachu and smiled a little, just thinking over the day. It had been such a good, special day. Her cheeks hurt from smiling so much.
She changed into her pajamas and laid down on top of the blankets. It was the softest bed she'd ever been in. And it was so big! Her feet didn't even reach the bottom! As she settled in, Jenn's mind began to wander; she thought about Mige and the apple orchards of Mulberry Town, and the lake that had been so beautiful until Ryu leapt out of it. She thought about the day she'd had. She thought about falling asleep on Mige's shoulder. She thought about Mige.
Jenn quickly drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face.
Girl's Club
"Goooooood morning!" Zoey laughed as she rolled off of Jenn so that she was lying on her side beside her, "Sleep well, Jenny-Darling?"
"I was, yeah." Jenn said, coughing a bit as she shifted to a sitting position, "What's happening right now?"
"Great question!" Zoey said, "You and me and Duplica are going out to do some mother-fuckin'-Christmas-Shopping!"
"Christmas shopping?" Jenn groaned and glanced at the bedside alarm clock, "Dude, it's not even nine in the morning."
"Exactly. Gotta hit the streets early if we're gonna beat the mobs." Zoey said, sitting up and sliding off the bed in one smooth movement, "Now get that cute hinder of yours into gear and let's go!"
"My hinder is tired." Jenn protested and let herself drop back down, "Can we go later?"
Zoey scoffed, reaching down and pulling the blankets away and tossing them unceremoniously to the ground. Jenn groaned.
"Up and at 'em! The early bird gets the worm!" Zoey insisted.
With a frown, Jenn blinked at her friend. "I don't have a choice, do I?" she asked. Zoey shook her head.
"Nope. Not really. Now up!" Jenn inched her way to sitting on the edge of her bed, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes with a groan. She was tried and a little grumpy, but at least she didn't feel like she got body slammed by a Snorlax anymore.
Jenn took a few minutes to shower and get ready, and by the time she joined Zoey down in the main living room area, she saw Duplica was already there. Armand was awake and in the kitchen, talking to Tim and making coffee. Jenn looked around but didn't see Mige. Or Staryu for that matter.
Jenn recalled everyone (but Staryu, she guessed) and asked Tim to let Mige know she'd left with Zoey. Time gave a thumbs-up in response and the girls left, taking the elevator down, down, down to the lobby.
"That penthouse is nice as hell, man." Duplica commented. Zoey chortled.
"Right? Tim almost got lost trying to find the bathroom last night." Zoey said with a chuckle. Jenn giggled a bit and leaned against the back wall.
"So where are we going shopping?" she asked.
"Patience, child." Zoey said, "Things will become clear in time."
"Patience." Duplica echoed. Jenn raised her eyebrows and shrugged. Leave it to Zoey to make Christmas shopping into a theatrical spectacular.
"I wonder how long it'll take before they burn the apartment down." Jenn teased.
"I'll be surprised if there's not smoke billowing out of the window by the time we get outside." Duplica said with a grin and they all had a good chuckle. Leaving the elevator and crossing the lobby, Jenn was surprised to see Will Darrow; the psychic from the Marsh gym.
"Hey. Will, right? Hi! Do you live here?" she asked. Will shook his head.
"No."
"Oh. So...what are you up to this morning?" Jenn asked. Will didn’t stop moving, or even glance in Jenn’s direction as he answered.
"I don't know." he said, his tone resigned. Will vanished inside of the elevator. Jenn and the other girls exchanged confused glances before they just shrugged and made their way out into the frosty winter morning.
They walked a few blocks to the elevated train platform. Duplica commented that she hoped they'd have a real snowfall before Christmas. Zoey assured her that they would. She just felt it in her bones.
"I believe it." Jenn remarked.
The train brought them to the east side of town; a part of town with a lot of retail options and middle-class neighborhoods. Jenn rather liked it, imagining what it would be like to live in one of the apartments or brownstones that they passed. Granted, she also imagined living in one that wasn't so close to the train, but still.
The North Saffron Shopping Center was decked out for the holidays; it was a blur of festive decor and packed to the brim with shoppers. Overplayed holiday music was barely audible over the din of the crowd--just enough to get the songs stuck in her head. The girls wandered around the mall for awhile. They didn't even do much actual shopping right away; they just did some light window browsing, admiring the various outfits, decorations, or other displayed goods while they engaged in idle chit-chat.
Duplica complained about Armand.
"Don't get me wrong, he's always on my nerves," she said with an exasperated sigh, "But it was kinda...quiet at the shop last night without him there. It was weird."
"Awww. You missed him!" Zoey said, teasing.
"No. Absolutely not." Duplica insisted, but Zoey cut her off before she could say anything else.
"I should shoot him a text and tell him how you longed for him last night. Did you sniff his pillow?" Zoey asked.
"Oh fuck off!" Duplica laughed, giving Zoey a light shove. Jenn giggled along with them a bit.
"Armand seems nice." Jenn said.
"He is." Zoey was quick to say, "He's got his...quirks. But he's a nice guy with a good heart."
"A 'good heart'?" Duplica snickered, "Why don't you date him, then, if you’re such a big fan of his bold and beautiful heart?"
"'Cause I'm already shacked up with Tim. He’s enough of a handful as it is." Zoey chuckled, and the very idea of Tim seemed to bring a big, dumb grin to her face.
"Yeah, so how long has that been a thing?" Jenn asked.
Zoey's face got all screwy as she thought about it, counting on her fingers. "Weeeell...I guess it sorta depends on what you mean, but, uh...officially? About a month, give or take." Zoey said.
"It took you guys long enough." Jenn teased, "I'm happy for you guys."
"Thanks, Jenny." Zoey said, nudging her with her elbow, "Speeeaking of which--we've gotta address the Copperajah in the parlor."
Jenn's eyes narrowed suspiciously, her expression wordlessly bidding Zoey to elaborate. The punk girl groaned. "The 'Mige Situation'!" Zoey said, and both she and Duplica gave the phrase air quotes. Jenn's cheeks flushed and her stomach somersaulted.
"The--what? No, there's not any kind of, you know, 'Mige Situation' or whatever." Jenn said, also giving the phrase air quotes.
Zoey gave Jenn a skeptical look. "Uh-huh. Tell me another."
"I'm serious! We're, you know--we're just friends. That's all." Jenn said.
"Dude! Dude." Zoey said, putting an arm around Jenn's shoulders, "Be real, Jenny-Poo. A fuckin' Zubat could see the way you look at him. You've got it bad.” Jenn flushed, suddenly flustered. “C’mon, I don't...there's not...I'm not, like..." Jenn stammered before she let out a resigned sigh, "Am I that obvious?"
"Yeah." Duplica confirmed.
Jenn cleared her throat. "Now that we got that cleared up, who wants pretzels? I think I saw a--"
"Don't change the subject with delicious, fluffy baked treats." said Zoey, "You're one of my best friends, J-Dog. I want you to be happy, you know? And if that weird little indy boy would make you happy, well, then--"
"But I am happy." Jenn said, though her tone wasn't entirely convincing, "Yeah, you know, like...so I have a crush on Mige. But...you know, it's not like that could ever lead to anything. Right? So it's not a big deal. I'm honestly happy just traveling with him and...yeah. It's fine. It’s fine. I’m fine."
"Why?" Duplica interjected, "Why wouldn't your feelings ever lead to anything? Is he gay?"
"I don't--wait is he?" Zoey asked.
Jenn's eyes widened and she shook her head. "No, I--I don't think so. I'm pretty sure he isn't. Maker, I hope not..." Jenn muttered, scratching her chin.
"Okay, well, if he's not gay then you have a chance." Duplica said, “I mean look at you; you’re pretty hot.”
"I don't—no, I—I don’t think it's that easy." Jenn replied.
"Why not?" asked Zoey, "It doesn't have to be as complicated as you're making it."
"So what am I just supposed to do, then? Just, you know, walk up to him, drape myself across him and just start making out?" Jenn asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm, "Because that would go over soooo well."
"Obviously not." Zoey said with a frown, though Duplica giggled.
"I mean, it'd work with some people." she said.
"Well, be that as it may,” Zoey said, “You know that's not what I'm saying. I just mean...you know, bein' a little more assertive isn’t a bad thing. Mige isn't the most...observant guy in the world. So, if you want a chance with him, you're probably gonna have to make the first move."
"Yeah, that—assertiveness and 'making the first move' aren't exactly my 'thing', per se?" Jenn said, "Plus, like...I mean, you guys know him; he can be hard to read. Like, sometimes it seems like...maybe there's something between us? But other times, like...he seems kind of distant?" Jenn frowned, "Or maybe he's not that hard to read and he's just not into me and he's too nice to say anything about it and he's just hoping that I never say anything because then it'd be--"
"Whooooa there, okay, let's pump the brakes on the Anxiety Express." Zoey said.
"Zoey, there are no brakes on the Anxiety Express!" Jenn said, wide-eyed, "This baby's going full barrel down the tracks and there's no stopping it!"
Abruptly, Duplica slapped her. Jenn let out a startled exclamation, grabbing at her cheek. "What the hell was that for?!?" she demanded.
"I dunno. I've seen people do it in movies." said Duplica.
"Well it didn't help!"
"Maybe, maybe not," Duplica shrugged, "But you're not freaking out about Mige anymore, are you?"
"Let’s try to focus here, huh?” said Zoey, "Okay, so you're not really the type to take initiative. That's fine; we can work with that. You just gotta...you know, find other ways to catch his attention. Make him notice you."
"Make him notice me?"
"Yeah. You know, sit a little closer to him than you normally would," Zoey suggested, "Touch his arm or hand when you laugh or whatever."
"You could dress sexier," Duplica added, "You know, something kinda low-cut up top, maybe? You’ve got it; you might as well flaunt it."
Jenn shifted a little uncomfortably at the suggestion, tugging up on the collar of her sweater. "I'm pretty sure Mige wouldn't be into the whole...touching thing. He likes his personal space." Jenn said.
"Well, they're just suggestions." Zoey said, "In the end, though, you know him better than any of us. You'll figure it out if you really want to."
"That's the thing, though, like...what if I say something to him and he just...laughs at me? Or it's awkward because he sees me like a sister? Or--or--"
"You can play the ‘what if’ game all day long, but you'll never know if you don't try." Zoey said.
"But if I don't say anything, we can just keep being friends and I don't have to potentially ruin our friendship." Jenn countered.
"Or maybe one day you'll run out of excuses and have to split ways with him. Then you'll regret not saying something when you had the chance." said Zoey.
"I’m pretty sure I'd also regret saying something and making things weird." said Jenn. Zoey sighed.
"I guess you've just gotta decide which of the two outcomes you're more willing to live with." said Zoey.
Jenn sighed. Her anxiety was getting really loud. Yeah, she was head over heels in love with Mige. But she was scared to death of ruining what they had. Then again...what if Zoey was right? She would regret losing the chance to be with him, however small that chance may be, right? But on the other OTHER hand...there's no way Mige would ever feel the same way about her. Why would he? She wasn't anything special.
"I appreciate the help, guys. I do." Jenn said, "But...I'm just gonna…take things my own way."
"That's totally fine." said Zoey, "We were just trying to--"
"I get it. Thanks." Jenn said quickly. After a few beats, she cleared her throat. "So, are we ever gonna do any actual shopping or what?"
Zoey nodded; she got the message. "Totally. Now we've got a surprisingly long list..."
The three of them spent the rest of the day out. Not just at the mall; they bounced between a few different places and by nightfall they ended up back at the penthouse where Zoey and Tim had been staying.
"Why are we here, again?" asked Duplica.
"Well, one, this is the better place to store presents until we wrap 'em." said Zoey, "But also, Tim let me know they're having a Boy's Club or whatever the fuck over there. So I figured we might as well have a night of our own over here."
"Not a bad idea." said Jenn. She was secretly grateful they weren't going back to Bill's penthouse. After her conversation with Zoey about Mige, she'd been really struggling with those intrusive thoughts and honestly she wouldn't be able to face him.
After stuffing the presents into a closet in one of the guest rooms (wrapping them was Future Zoey’s problem), Zoey pulled out a few bottles of whiskey from the liquor cabinet. Jenn was grateful for the distraction; they did shots while watching weird old TV shows. They laughed and talked for hours, well into the night. They all got really drunk really fast.
Duplica was passed the fuck out, curled up in a ball on the floor. Jenn laid on the couch, looking up the ceiling and making 'instrument noises' with her mouth while Zoey sort of just sort of drunkenly danced and jumped around to it. Some of the dance moves made Jenn burst out into laughter, which made Zoey laugh, and they’d laugh until Jenn was able to start making noises again, and Zoey started to bounce and wiggle around, and that started the cycle over again.
Eventually Zoey plopped down next to Jenn and let out a happy sigh. Jenn looked over at Zoey, resting her feet across Zoey’s lap.
"This has been fun." Jenn said with a smile.
"Couldn't agree more, Jenn m'girl, couldn't agree more." Zoey chuckled. After a few moments she continued, "You know, I'm sorry 'bout earlier. The Mige thing."
"You don't hafta--"
"No no no no no. No." Zoey said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean ta' make ya' feel uncomfy."
"Hey. C’mon now. I know that. I know. I know."
"But I did make you uncomfy! I wasn't tryna be pushy, Jenny. I wasn't, promise. Hand to heart. I was tryin' to help but I know I didn't."
"It's okay." said Jenn, "You know, maybe you're right. I'm in love with Mige. I am, like, totally in love with him. It's so weird. Like, I see him and I just, like…I fuckin'---I start to sweat! Like, what do I even do with my hands? He makes me dizzy and, like, warm. He’s so great! He’s just so nice. I love how nice he is. He’s soooo nice."
"That's sweet as fuck." said Zoey.
"But like--I dunno! I love him and the idea of losin' him is just so...fuckin' scary, Zee. I wanna tell him how I feel but...he doesn't feel the same way 'bout me. I know he doesn't."
"You don't though!" Zoey slurred.
Jenn shook her head. "He just doesn't! And that's okay! Because I love him and I just...I don't need him to love me back. I just...I'd rather be in his life as his friend than not have 'im in my life at all."
Zoey smiled sadly at Jenn and laid her head against her shoulder. "I ship it, for what it's worth." Zoey said.
"It's worth a hundred diamonds!" Jenn replied and the two suddenly burst out laughing. They laughed, and laughed, and laughed, and then Jenn had to throw up a little and then she cried a little and threw up a little more, and then she passed out in the hallway.
O Tannenbaum
The next few days were busy.
People were darting in and out of the penthouse; they were shopping or getting decorations or sight-seeing, or even attending the Christmas parade Zoey had mentioned (it was just okay).
Tim just kept bringing in boxes of Christmas lights every time he came back to the penthouse. Jenn wondered where he was getting all of those lights. She nearly asked him once, but felt that maybe it was better that she didn't know?
For her part, Jenn spent most of her time getting the penthouse ready for the holidays by spearheading the decorating efforts. Christmas had never been Jenn's thing before, but she still had an eye for color, design, and decorations in general. With Christmas Eve so close, she enlisted Tim and Armand to help.
On the day that Mige and Zoey were out fighting over who got to give Tim the perfect present (see IC061), Jenn and the boys were busy decorating. Jenn was grateful for their help, even if they were getting distracted and goofing around. Despite how anxious and stressed out she was getting, she tried her best not to let that transform into frustration. They were having fun, it was Christmas.
"Alright, we're almost done with the tree." Jenn said, "Tim, do you and Armand want to finish getting the garland up while I grab the Jirachi for the top?"
"Sure thing." Tim said with a thumbs-up. As Jenn left the room, Tim turned to Armand and said, "I'll race ya' to see who gets more up faster."
"I accept your challenge," Armand said, "Prepare to be humbled."
"Bah, humbug!" Tim replied. The boys laughed and began to quickly twirl the garland around the tree....very fast and very haphazard. Jenn wasn't sure how it happened but due to their race, they both ended up getting caught in the garland, and Tim fell right into the tree. They both hit the ground with a clatter, and most of the ornaments were smashed.
Jenn hurried back into the room and saw that not only was the tree ruined, but they had somehow knocked over a candle display and pulled down many of the lights that had been hanging up. Her eyes widened and she just...took it all in.
"Uh...heh...sorry 'bout that..." said Tim. Jenn just looked at Tim with a look of anger, anxiety, and...she was hurt. Her feelings were hurt. How could Tim and Armand do something like this?
"What the hell Tim?" she asked, her voice squeaking a bit from how upset she was, "I worked really hard on all of this and...and you just...how could you two be so careless? I don't even..." she didn't finish the sentence, and instead she just started crying.
Tim and Armand looked at each other, and quickly got to trying to untangle themselves from the garland.
"Hey, Jenn, it’s fine, you don’t have to--" Tim started but Jenn snapped.
"No. Just—don't, Tim. Please. I can’t right now." she said, trying to stop sobbing, "I need to go."
"Go? Where are you go--" Armand began, but Jenn snapped and interrupted him.
"Now not, Armand!" Jenn growled, and she stormed out of the penthouse without even putting on her jacket.
She got into the elevator and wrapped her arms around her, quietly crying the whole way down. She'd worked so hard and now, the night before Bill and the rest of Mige’s family was supposed to get there, they just...destroyed it. She wanted so badly to make the holiday perfect and special and now...everyone would just see that she fucked it up. Like she always did...with everything.
The winter air was sobering, especially in the waning light of the afternoon. Less than a block from Baxter Tower, she was already feeling extremely guilty and embarrassed about how she'd reacted. Her chest was in a knot. God, she was such a bitch. She needed to make it better. She walked a few blocks to a coffee shop, where she ordered three hot cocoas before heading back to the penthouse. On the elevator ride up, she rehearsed everything she was going to say to them. But when she returned, she found that…Tim and Armand were both gone. No sign of them at all. Even the tree and the decorations and the lights were still scattered across the living room floor.
That hurt her feelings, but more than anything it intensified her guilt. She'd been so awful that the boys just left her to clean up her own mess. She deserved it, she supposed. She set the drinks down and grabbed the broom. She started trying to sweep up the broken ornaments by herself, but the sound of the shards scraping across the floor was too much.
She dropped the broom and sat on the couch, her knees pulled up to her chest and face buried in her hands. She cried quietly for awhile. Then, she jumped as the door burst open! She could see the tip of a tree--a new Christmas tree!--coming through the door. At the front was Tim, wearing a Santa Hat.
"HAPPY HOLIDAYS!" Tim called out. Armand was carrying the other end, wearing an Christmas elf hat. Behind them, carrying several bags of ornaments and lights was Ace of all people!
"Ho, ho, ho." Ace said, wagging his eyebrows. Jenn blinked, looking between them with a look of shock.
"What? Tim? Armand? Ace? What are you guys--"
"We’re sorry." Tim said, "I'm an asshole sometimes. I didn't think about how hard you were workin' on this stuff or how stressed you were about it. So…sorry we fucked it up."
"I apologize, too.” Armand said with a genuine smile and a polite bow, “I hope that you can forgive us."
"I didn't do shit." Ace chimed in. Jenn just smiled ear to ear, touched beyond belief, with teary eyes. She started crying happy tears now, and she pulled Tim into a huge hug.
"Thank you." she said.
Tim returned the hug. "No problem, Jenn." he replied, "Now let's stop standin' around like a couple of fucked up candy canes and get this tree set up, huh?"
Jenn giggled and nodded in agreement. The four of them moved the old tree and started setting up the new one, and Jenn took a moment to admire it.
"This is such a beautiful tree, you guys. Where did you get it?" she asked, " I didn't think any of the lots would be open this time of year."
"Yeah,” Ace replied with a mischievous grin and a leading tone, “Where'd you get it?"
Tim and Armand looked at each other and nodded.
"From a lot. As she said." Armand said.
"Yep. Just a normal tree from a normal lot. Acquired normally." Tim replied.
Jenn perked an eyebrow, looked to the tree and back to Tim, before just laughed. "You know what, I’m not even gonna complain about this one." Jenn giggled. She took a moment to appreciate her friends and turned to grab her hot cocoa from the table.
"By the way, guys, I bought some…um…it was right here…Ace, did you drink my hot chocolate?" Jenn asked.
"Sorry. It was just there." said Ace.
"Did...did you also drink my hot chocolate?" Armand asked.
"Sorry. It was just there, man."
"Wait, there's hot chocolate?" asked Tim.
"There was..." said Ace with a grin. Jen facepalmed, and then she started laughing.
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
As the sun rose on Christmas Eve, Saffron City was covered with a fresh blanket of snow; it was coming down hard even as Jenn woke up around 9 in the morning. She could smell something cooking and, figuring Mige or Armand must be cooking something (it didn't smell like smoke or fire, so that ruled out Zoey or Tim cooking), she threw on a sweater and made her way down to the kitchen. To her surprise, she didn't see either Mige or Armand, but Bill! And he was making pancakes!
"Bill? Hey! I didn't realize you were going to be here so early!" Jenn said.
"Hiya Jenn; good morning!" Bill said to her with a smile, "Yeah, I flew in a couple hours ago. Want some pancakes?"
"Um, yeah! Thanks." Jenn said. She looked around to the empty living room. "Am I the first one up?"
"Looks like it." said Bill, "I take it Mige is hibernating?"
"I'm…not really sure?" Jenn admitted, "Do you want me to wake him?"
"Nah; if he's actually sleeping, I say let him sleep." Bill said with a casual shrug. "You do coffee, right Jenn?"
"I've been known to indulge on occasion." Jenn said, taking a seat at the island table. Bill poured two cups of coffee, as the door to one of the back guest rooms opened. Ace emerged not long after.
"Hey." he said, yawning as he walked to the refrigerator to grab some orange juice. Bill, who was likely expecting Tim or Zoey, saw Ace and let out a long, annoyed sigh.
"Ace. You're here." said Bill, his tone flat and a little irritated.
Ace nodded. "You cooking pancakes?" he asked.
"Actually, you know what, I didn't realize you were here so I don't think I made enough for you. Sorry, Ace." Bill said, though he didn't seem particularly apologetic.
Ace shrugged. "Well, I'll be back then. Gonna grab some breakfast. You wanna come?" Ace asked Jenn. Jenn sort of blinked, flustered at being put on the spot, and a little surprised to have even been invited. She looked between Bill and Ace. Bill gave her a nod like that was fine with him, and Jenn nodded.
"Uh, you know what, sure. If that's cool." she replied.
"No, it's not cool. That's why invited you." Ace said straight-faced, "I'm gonna grab my coat."
He left the room and Jenn turned back to Bill as she stood up. "Um, thank you anyway." she said. Bill just gave her a thumbs up and she left to go get ready. Within 10 minutes, Jenn was all bundled up and went out into the morning cold with Ace.
She was impressed how clear the sidewalks seemed already. Ace must have noticed her expression.
"Sidewalks are heated." he said, "It's Rich-Fuck Town here, remember?"
"Oh. Right, yeah." Jenn said feeling a little embarrassed. They walked in silence together for a block or so. There was hardly anybody out that morning; probably a combination of the holiday and the time of day. Likewise, the streets were almost empty of cars.
"So you're from Viridian too, eh?" Ace asked abruptly. Jenn nodded.
"Yeah. Grew up on the east side." she said, "I left last spring. Or...would it be this spring? The most recent spring." Ace just nodded.
They waited at a crosswalk. It was taking forever for the crosswalk to light up, considering how empty it all was. Maybe they were on a timer.
"So…you went to Evergreen Secondary, right?" Jenn asked Ace after a few quiet seconds. Ace nodded and Jenn smiled. "I knew it! I've been trying to figure out why you looked so familiar. I think you were...what a year ahead of me?"
"I guess." Ace shrugged. It was clear he didn't remember her, but that made sense. She never felt like she was particularly memorable.
"So you're a friend of Mige's, huh?" Ace asked.
Jenn nodded. "Yeah. He's, like, my best friend." she said, doing her best not to get all flustered about it. She was just gonna be cool. Regular girl having a normal conversation about a mutual friend.
"He's a good guy." said Ace, "Weird as shit. But that ain't a bad thing."
"No, definitely not. Most of the best people are kinda weird, right?" Jenn said. Ace lit a cigarette but didn't otherwise say anything. Okay. Cool cool cool. The crosswalk finally flashed, allowing them to cross.
"It's nice you were able to come out and visit." Jenn said, "I'm actually kind of surprised Mige remembered to tell you."
"He didn't." said Ace, "Tim did."
"Oh. Okay. Still, it's nice to have you here, Ace. Mige seems to think pretty highly of you."
"Of course he does." Ace said with a grin and a wink. Jenn chuckled. The two arrived at a small deli not long after. It was more of a cafe than anything else; it sold black coffee, breakfast pastries, soups, and some basic sandwiches. They also apparently sold a hefty breakfast burrito, which Ace ordered. "And whatever she wants." Ace said.
"Oh, you don't have to--"
"Okay. Just me, then." Ace shrugged and paid for his coffee and burrito. Jenn couldn't help but find that kind of funny. What was the old saying; there's two types of Viridian kids, right? Jenn just ordered a croissant and a coffee and sat with Ace. They just sat in silence for a few minutes.
"So, how's Tommy dealing with the cold?" asked Jenn.
"He's fine. Tommy's a tough little fucker." said Ace.
"Seems like it. Mige said that Tommy once beat a Cacnea by itself? That's pretty impressive."
"Yeah. That's when Mige and I met." Ace said, sipping his coffee, "Wanna know the best part? The Cacnea belonged to fuckin' Rodney."
"No--Rodney?!? As in Rodney Bleecher?" Jenn asked and Ace nodded with a grin.
"So you remember that chode?"
"Yeah; he was always an asshole to me." Jenn said, rolling her eyes.
“Rodney’s an asshole to everyone.” Ace snickered. Jenn couldn’t help but grin a little bit.
"So you actually beat him in a battle, huh?"
"Yep. Pretty easy, too.” Ace said.
“Did he talk a lot of shit beforehand?” Jenn asked, restraining a laugh. Ace just leaned back in his chair with a shit-eating grin.
“Of course he did. Rodney's a little bitch." said Ace and Jenn giggled, eventually having to hide her face in her hands as she snorted and laughed. The two talked shit about Rodney over breakfast, bonding over their shared hatred of that guy.
Man, Rodney sucked.
The two got back to the penthouse about an hour or so after they left, and by then everyone was awake. Mige and Tim were hanging out with Bill and playing some kind of card game. Zoey was playing a home version of Center City Dance with Armand and Duplica. As she slipped off her jacket and her boots, Jenn smiled a little as she observed the laid back festivities. It felt good. Like she a part of an actual family.
Duplica called out to Jenn and Ace to join them. Jenn declined but said she'd watch. Of course, Zoey eventually convinced her to do it. Jenn was actually pretty good at the rhythm game; she had been dancing since she was a kid, after all, and had surprisingly decent rhythm. That isn't to say she was better than anyone else--especially not Armand or Duplica, who both rocked it.
In the mid-afternoon, Bill and Mige left to go pick up the rest of their family who were flying in from the airport. Jenn stayed behind with the others, wrapping gifts in Jenn's room while watching cheesy old holiday specials on TV. Mige's family seemed really nice. It was Bill's grandfather, Grandpa Herbert, as well as his sister Mallory and her family; her husband Bernard and their daughter Tiffany, who was just about to turn eleven in January.
Mallory and Bernard seemed a bit more straight-laced than Bill, who was apparently the eccentric in the family. Tiffany was incredibly sweet and she seemed to adore Mige's Eevee and especially Jenn's Pikachu. The little girl followed Jenn around, and she seemed delighted by Duplica and her Ditto, who kept transforming and making Tiffany laugh!
They all spent the night hanging out in the penthouse. Hot cocoa and sweets aplenty. They watched a Christmas movie as a group. It was one Jenn had seen a million times on TV, but it felt a little different now, watching it with her friends. Mige seemed to absolutely hate the movie, but he was putting up with it, most like for Bill’s sake; Bill seemed really enthusiastic and excited about getting everyone together. Jenn wondered if it was because Bill missed Mige.
She sat next beside Mige on the main couch and Tiffany sat with her, and eventually the little girl fell asleep on Jenn's lap. After the movie, Jenn and Ace volunteered to help clean up a little as Mallory put Tiffany to bed. Jenn chuckled a little as she could hear Armand trying to get Duplica to stand under the mistletoe with him.
When Jenn turned in for the night, she did so feeling really, really happy despite the anxiety that seemed to constantly hover at the back of her head. This had been one of the best holidays ever. No, it was definitely the best holiday ever.
Christmas morning was equal parts charming and chaotic. With twelve people (and several Pokemon) getting gifts, things were definitely hectic! Jenn spent a lot of her time fetching people drinks when she wasn't opening gifts. She was actually kind of touched to see that Ryan the Bugcatcher had sent her gift, as did Conner.
Tim got a gift from "The Primeapes". Bill got a gift from Erika Flowers, the Celadon City gym leader, which struck Jenn as a little random. Mige got gifts not only from Ryan and Conner, but also one from Steve the Hiker, one from Ami, and one from Trevor Pearl. Mige gave out some pretty great gifts, including a Torkoal for Tim (!) and a baby Happiny for Tiffany! Jenn’s heart melted at that.
After presents, everyone went to play in the snow at MacAdams Park. While Jenn volunteered to help Bill and Mallory with dinner, Bill insisted that Jenn go and have fun with everyone else. Jenn gave Bill a grateful smile and hurried off to get bundled up. Given that Bill and Mallory would be at the penthouse, Grandpa Herbert and Bernard were the "adults in charge", at least where Tiffany was concerned.
The park was a veritable winter wonderland. Many other families seemed to have the same idea, but Tiffany didn't want to play with the other kids; she wanted to play with Jenn and her new friend Happiny! Jenn was more than happy to play with her.
Most everyone's Pokemon played and scampered in the snow. Mige's Squirtle, Tim’s Poliwhirl, Jenn’s Pikachu, and Tommy started a snowball fight with Tim's Mankey, Tim's Farfetch'd, Armand's Sandshrew (or one of them anyway), Ron the Raichu, Zoey's Charmeleon, and Jenn’s Gloom. Jenn noticed Vaporeon scampering around with her little brother and their parents, and Staryu just…kind of staring at Mige, as usual.
Jenn, Mige’s Ivysaur, and Tiffany worked on making a snowman, while Mige played with the Pokemon. A snowball fight broke out between the humans; Tim and Zoey against Ace, Duplica, and Armand. Zoey called Jenn over for reinforcements. Jenn hesitated for only a moment and then charged over with Tiffany to help! Happiny toddled along after then, and Ivysaur picked up the baby and carried her with his vines.
The snowball fight was super fun, though Armand managed to beam Jenn right in the face with a snowball on three separate occasions, with Zoey swearing to avenge her each time. Things got a little heated as Zoey and Ace quickly grew more competitive with each other, to the point that Tim and Mige had to step in and call things early. Still, Zoey and Ace didn't seem to actually be pissed off at one another.
Tim and Zoey did take a little time to themselves at one point, walking off to grab a hot drink from a guy passing by with a cart. Even Armand and Duplica were sort of giggling together over some private joke. Jenn shot a glance over to Mige. She felt that same warmth in her stomach before she heard Tiffany calling her over to look at the "igloo" she'd created. It was actually just a big snowball-thing, but still, Jenn was supportive.
They got back to the penthouse just as the table was being set for dinner. It was delicious and enjoyed by all. After dinner, everybody sort of just radiated through the penthouse to relax. Ace, Tim, Armand, and Zoey went off to play billiards. Mige and Bill were talking about an adventure Bill had over Thanksgiving.
"You expect me to believe that you not only fought a legendary Pokemon, but you also smoked a cigar?" Mige asked incredulously.
"It happened! You can ask anybody who was there! I can call Lt. Surge right now." Bill said. Mige seemed skeptical.
Grandpa Herbert was fast asleep in a recliner, while Mallory and Bernard (tipsy from all the mulled wine), were happily laughing and dancing to Christmas music on the radio. Jenn sat with Tiffany for awhile, as Tiffany showed Jenn each of her presents, one by one. Happiny happily cooed and while she clearly had no idea what was going on, cheered whenever Tiffany showed anything new. As usually, Jenn was also enthusiastic and supportive of the talkative young girl.
The evening turned to night; the penthouse was illuminated only by the soft lights that were strung up along the walls. She felt exhausted in the best way. Tiffany was put to bed, and things were winding down. Bill was talking on the phone to Erika--who was apparently his girlfriend. Bill's voice sounded soft and affectionate; different than she was used to. Different in a good way.
With their daughter fast asleep, Mallory and Bernard were sitting together at the dining room table, talking over cheesecake. Jenn could see in Mallory's eyes that she was crazy about her husband. As it should be, of course, but it wasn't something Jenn ever really experienced or saw growing up with her own parents.
Zoey and Tim say together for awhile; Zoey sat on Tim's lap and they talked to each other in hushed voices until they got up to head off to their room. Jenn smiled and bid them goodnight, but Zoey didn't seem to even notice. Even Armand and Duplica were together; they had fallen asleep on the couch, with Duplica resting against Armand as they snoozed and snored peacefully. They had been covered up by the same blanket, making them look like a really cute burrito.
Jenn sat by herself on the floor in front of the couch, petting Bill's Leafeon who was sleeping beside her. She had been having a lot of fun, and she was so incredibly happy, but...she couldn't shake the growing, gnawing feeling in her chest; that knot that Mige had unknowingly put there. Maybe it was the wine she'd snuck throughout the evening. Maybe she was feeling a little jealous of Zoey and Duplica.
Zoey's words at the mall were still running laps around her head. Jenn had meant it when she told Zoey that she didn't need Mige to love her back. She was being honest when she said she'd rather have him in her life as a friend than not at all. But...she'd also be lying if she said she hadn't been thinking about it more and more: one day, Jenn would run out of excuses and then they'd part ways. Then she'd lose him forever. That thought was awful, but realistically she knew that it would eventually have to happen if she didn’t tell him how she felt. But if she did tell him, then she might just lose him anyway. Was it really a lose/lose?
"I guess you've just gotta decide which of the two outcomes you're more willing to live with."
Which outcome was she more willing to live with? To stay friends and love him quietly until they eventually drifted apart, without ever knowing one way or the other what might have happened? Or to take that chance, however small, and put her feelings out there, tell him everything, and…possibly get rejected and lose him anyway?
Her heart ached; she felt so confused and conflicted. That wine had gone to her head. Maybe she should go lie down. Yeah. That’s a good idea. She got to her feet, took a moment to orient herself, and began walking to the stairs. When she reached the bottom, she glanced over toward the balcony and saw Mige standing out there by himself, looking out over the glittering city lights. She stopped and just watched him for a moment. Was it really even remotely possible that Mige might be feeling the same way? Her brain told her that there wasn't a chance in Hell, but...what if Zoey and Duplica were right? What if there was a chance?
No. Just stop. He'd never look at you like that. Just forget it.
She sighed and went up to her room, shuffling more than walking. She changed into her pajamas, her mind still conflicted and mulling over her dilemma. Jenn laid down and grabbed her phone, scrolling for a while as she tried to get her brain to focus on anything else. It didn't work. She set her phone down and rolled onto her side.
Just stop.
Jenn sighed and rolled around in bed a little bit. She could still hear Zoey's words.
"I guess you've just gotta decide which of the two outcomes you're more willing to live with."
Her stomach was in knots. She rolled over. She rolled over again. She rolled onto her stomach. She sighed; she wasn't falling asleep. Jenn sat up and turned on the lamp beside her bed. In the soft glow of the light, she noticed the present Mige had gotten her, gently placed on the desk in the room. It was a simple and thoughtful gift. For whatever reason, it made her feel very emotional and she choked up a little.
That seemed to decide something in her brain. She got out of bed and without even bothering to put on a sweater, she left her room, went downstairs, and stepped out onto the balcony where Mige still was.
"Hey." she said with a small, nervous smile. The butterflies were like a storm in her stomach.
"Hey." Mige replied, "Aren't you cold?"
"Not really." Jenn lied, "I, um...I dunno. I've just been...you know, I've been, like...thinking, I guess, and I wanted to come talk to you."
"About what?" Mige asked, leaning against the railing. Jenn gazed over at Mige for a moment. Yeah, Jenn, about what? She bit her lip, drawing her arms around herself as she looked out over the city.
"Just...you know. It's been a really nice day. I've never really been that into Christmas, but...this was really nice." she said, not able to bring herself to say what she had come out to say in that moment.
"Yeah. Bill seems happy." he said, "It's been great seeing everyone."
"It has been. I've missed everyone." Jenn said, "Though, you know, I...I also like when it's just…you know...just us, too."
Mige nodded, though he didn't respond to that. Jenn focused on not shivering. It was fucking freezing thanks to the wind. "You sure you're not cold?" Mige asked.
Jenn nodded. "Yeah, yeah. Fine. Totally fine. We're good. A-OK on my end. Ten-four good buddy." Jenn said and forced herself to stop rambling.
"Okay. Let me know if you get cold; I can give you my jacket if you want."
"That's okay. Thank you, though. You...you're so sweet." she said with a sheepish smile. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but nothing came out. She took a small step closer to him. "So. I guess we're gonna head out soon, then?" she asked.
"Yeah, though probably not until after Bill leaves." Mige said.
Jenn absently nodded, nervously toying with her hair. "Cool. Cool cool. Cooool." Jenn said. She again turned to glance at Mige, whose attention was back on the city below them.
"It's beautiful. Everything looks so peaceful from up here." Jenn said after a minute or so of silence.
Mige nodded in agreement. "Yeah. It's nice. I used to come out here a lot when I was little."
"I don't blame you. I would have, too, probably." Jenn said. After a beat she turned to him, "Mige...are you, like...are you happy?"
Mige didn't answer right away. "Yeah, I guess so."
"I don't mean just right now. I mean, like, are you happy with....I dunno, life? Like, in general?"
"I guess so, yeah. Why?"
"No reason, I just...I don't know. I want you to be happy, Mige. It's...something that's really important to me. Because...." she gulped, "You know...y-you, uh...I m-mean to say that y-you're...you're important to me, too."
"Thanks." Mige said after a beat, though she couldn't really read his expression or guess at his reaction thanks to her growing nerves. He followed that by saying that, "Yeah. I'm happy."
"Good. That makes me happy, too." Jenn said gently. She smiled at him, and very nearly reached out for his hand, but stopped herself and instead just started toying with her hair again. Maybe this was a bad idea. "I, um...that's all I wanted to say, I think." Jenn said.
Mige nodded. “Okay. Cool.”
"I'll, um...I'm gonna head up to bed. But I'll, um...I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah. Not like I'm going anywhere." said Mige.
Jenn let out a nervous chuckle. "Good point. Yeah, you—right. Obviously. Duh. Anyway...yeah. I guess, uh...good night, Mige. And...Happy Christmas."
"You too." Mige said and he gave her a small smile. Jenn loved that smile, and the second she saw it, it was like all of the nerves and anxiety sort of melted away, replaced by the overwhelming feelings of affection. It all burst out at once: without thinking, without any kind of planning, she walked right over to Mige and she pulled him into a kiss. She had to lean up on her toes, but her lips met his and she felt a jolt of something like electricity shoot through her.
It wasn't just a peck; she kissed him, soft but passionate. A hand cupped his cheek. It was like everything she hadn't been able to say before, her true feelings for this boy, were suddenly being shouted out loud and clear.
It was only a few seconds but it felt much longer; like time had stopped. She sheepishly pulled away from him, searching his face for any reaction or clue as to what he was thinking. He seemed surprised, that was obvious. A few silent seconds passed on the balcony, but he didn’t seem to really be able to respond. She let go of him and stepped back, her eyes now a little wide with growing anxiety as she waited for Mige to say anything at all. He seemed to be at a loss for words, maybe even confused. Well that isn’t ideal.
Panic quickly set in. Oh, Maker, what just happened? What the hell was that?!? Jenn cleared her throat, unable to look at Mige now. It sounded like he was trying to formulate something to say, but she wasn't really paying attention by that point. What did she do? Why did she do that? She couldn't breathe. She felt sick. Why did she do that? Oh, Maker....
"I--I--" Jenn started, but instead of finishing what she was going to say, she just turned and hurried inside, leaving Mige out on the balcony by himself.
Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit SHIT. SHIT!
She hurried up the twisty stairs, already sniffling and fighting back tears as she got to the upstairs bathroom. She felt like she was going to throw up. She didn't, thankfully, but still. She kissed him. She kissed him! Why would she think that was a good idea?!? She fucking kissed Mige and now...oh, she didn't even want to know what Mige was thinking. He probably thought she was so cringey. What a damn idiot she was.
She went into her bedroom, locked the door, and cranked up the radio. The room was filled with bouncy, happy Christmas music that was able to drown out the sounds of her crying into her pillow. Time passed and she couldn't sleep. The kiss, that whole scenario, it just kept replaying over and over and over in her head. How could be so stupid? She kissed Mige. Was that his first kiss? She kind of hoped that his first kiss wasn't that awkward nightmare.
She tossed and turned, lost in a spiral of anxiety and beating herself up. It's like she couldn't stop the instant replays, analyzing and over-analyzing every detail. Zoey was wrong, she supposed: she definitely regretted this quite a bit. So she stayed in her room, desperately hoping that Mige didn't come try to talk to her. She couldn't face him. She just couldn't.
New Year, New Problems
The next few days sort of blended together. She spent a lot of time in her room. A part of her wanted to talk to Mige, maybe try to apologize, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. He probably thought she was so weird and pathetic, and there was no way he wanted to see her right then. So she avoided him, even when she did leave her room to eat, shower, and so on. Mige did kind of seem like he wanted to say something to her once or twice, but she was quick to make an excuse; she was feeling sick, she hadn't slept well, her 'lady time' was hitting pretty hard.
Before long, it seemed like Mige was spending most of his time out of the apartment as well, going on walks through the city either with Tim or by himself. Great. She'd made things so awkward that he didn't even want to stay in the apartment. Everybody probably knew that Jenn had made a huge idiot of herself. She wished she could just disappear. How embarrassing…
On New Year's Eve, while Mige and Tim were out early in the day, Zoey did try to get Jenn to grab drinks with her, to which Jenn politely declined. Zoey tried to do her normal 'thing', but Jenn declined again, this time not so politely.
"Just stop, please. I'm not in the mood to go do anything, Zoey." she snapped.
"Just tryin' to help, Jenny." Zoey said.
"Thanks, but I don't need help. So whatever."
"Holy shit, what the fuck happened?" Zoey asked, exasperated.
Jenn sighed, frustrated. "Not sure if you genuinely can't tell or if you're just clueless or something but I don't really want to talk about it right now."
"Jenn--"
"Please leave me alone." Jenn said and that ended that.
Of course, Jenn felt horrible about it. Now Zoey thought she was a total bitch. Awesome. Great. So she'd lose two friends because of all this. Well, three, more than likely; Tim would definitely take Zoey and Mige's side. It's not like Jenn ever really belonged in that group anyway. She was the...well, the fourth wheel didn't really make sense. She was a third wheel, but on a....ugh. She couldn't even make a metaphor right.
Maybe she should just leave, she thought to herself. She totally ruined things here with everyone else. Nobody really wanted her around; she was burden on them, and they just put up with her because they were nice. If she left, would any of them notice?
'Has anybody seen Jenn?'
'Not for a few weeks now.'
'Oh. Huh. Anyway...'
Maybe her mom and Sammy were right; she wasn't cut out for this. She was completely useless and apparently was just a huge idiot who kept going around kissing people and yelling and ruining the few good things she had in her life. Maybe she could go back to Pallet Town; at least Professor Oak might still give Jenn her old job back. Unless...maybe he'd be disappointed in her. He gave her a Pokemon and a PokeDex, and he had put so much trust in her. And she failed him. She groaned and rubbed her eyes. Was there anything she couldn't ruin?
A knock at her door roused her from her flurry of thoughts. She called out that she wasn't feeling well.
"Mige isn't here." Bill said through the door, "Can we talk for a minute?"
Jenn just laid on the bed, quiet. She rolled onto her side. She didn't answer, but she could tell that Bill was still there.
"I've just noticed that you've been out of it for the past few days. I thought you might like some ice cream or something." Bill said again.
After a minute or so, Jenn opened the door. "Ice cream?"
"Yeah. But it's not here. Ace ate it all."
"He's been gone for a few days hasn't he?"
"Whatever. Either way, there's a place down the street that slings some pretty good cream of the iced variety. I felt like grabbing some, and since Mige and Zoey both tell me you've got a sweet tooth I figured you might like some, too."
Jenn was hesitant. But after a moment she nodded. She threw on a sweater and an oversized hat to cover her awful Rattata’s nest of hair before she was ready to head out with Bill. It was a little awkward, going to get ice cream with Mige’s foster father. She wondered if Bill was going to tell her to leave. Her eyes welled up a little at that possibility.
As early as it was (only around one in the afternoon), the city was busy and she could already hear firecrackers going off as some people were starting to celebrate the New Year early. Jenn didn’t talk and Bill didn’t force her to. They just walked to the ice cream parlor and, ultimately, got some ice cream. Bill got classic chocolate and Jenn got the fudgiest, richest ice cream they had. They sat a long bar-like table that ran along the window, looking out at the street.
“So I know what happened the other night.” Bill said, and for clarification Jenn didn’t really need, he added, “On the balcony.”
Jenn’s cheeks flushed and she felt that same sick feeling in her stomach. “Oh. So he…he told you about that?”
“Yeah. He seemed…a little confused about it. Which, you know, makes sense. Mige has never really had anybody show him that kind of affection before.” Bill said.
“What do you mean?” asked Jenn.
Bill took a second to decide how he wanted to phrase things. “Let me say something about Mige. He has had…a pretty rough go of things. I won’t get into the details there; that’s not my place. But because of all of that, he’s not a very open person. Hell, there’s things about him that even I don’t know. But I can say that…he’s never had a lot of friends. But you’re his friend. I can’t tell you if he feels the same way that you do, but I do that you’re very important to him. Whatever happens, you’re his friend and for him, that means a lot.”
Jenn listened to what he said. It may have seemed like she wasn’t listening, her attention instead on the crowds of people walking by outside. But she was listening intently.
“He means a lot to me, too.” Jenn said quietly.
“I know he does.” Bill said. “Maybe just…give it time. Mige is new to all of this. Just be patient with him.”
“It’s not him that I’m frustrated with…” Jenn mumbled. Bill grinned and shrugged.
“Well, you should be patient with yourself, too.” he said, “We’re all just trying out best. Give yourself the slack you’d give literally anyone else.”
Jenn looked to Bill and for the first time in what felt like forever, she smiled a little. “Okay. Yeah. I’ll…I’ll think about that.”
“Good. Now there’s something else I want to talk to you about. It’s nothing bad,” he added quickly when her saw her rapidly-terrified expression, “I just wanted to invite you along on a trip we’re all taking.”
“A trip? What kind of trip?” she asked.
“I’ve gotta fly out to Sinnoh for a week or two. Lots of Storage System issues going on; it’s complicated. But I invited Mige and the others to go, too. Armand’s busy I guess, but Mige, Tim, and Zoey all want to go.”
Jenn laid her head down flat on the counter. “I don’t know…I don’t even know if I can look at Mige right now without fear-vomitting…”
“I think it’ll do you good to get out, see some different sights in a new place.” Bill said, “You don’t have to, but I think it’d mean a lot to everyone if you came along. Your friends care about you, even if you feel like you embarrassed yourself.”
Jenn didn’t reply right away. She thought about it and could feel her anxiety rapidly rushing back in.
“I’ll go.” Jenn said, her answer more out of impulse and defiance of her own anxiety and stress than anything else. Bill smiled.
“That’s great to hear. I’ll make the arrangements.” he said.
“When do we leave?” asked Jenn.
“In a few days. For now, just try to relax and enjoy the holiday. New Year, new start, right?” Bill said with an encouraging smile. Jenn nodded, but she wasn’t so sure about that. Still, maybe she should at least….try to be a little more positive.
The two went back to the penthouse and Jenn went straight upstairs, grabbing a change of clothes and showering. She took a long shower, and found herself thinking about not only the trip—which was equal parts exciting and terrifying—but she also thought about Bill’s words.
”Give it time. Mige is pretty new to all of this. Just be patient with him.”
Jenn wasn’t lying when she said that she’d rather be Mige’s friend than not have him in her life at all. She supposed what she was most scared of was that her stupid impulses had chased him away. That idea made her heart ache all over again. She didn’t want to lose him over her stupid mistake….
Against her better judgement, Jenn came down from her room after a few hours. She found Tim and Zoey watching The Swift and the Savage, with Armand typing away at his laptop. Zoey gave Jenn what seemed to be a cautious wave and that broke Jenn’s heart a little. She offered a faltering smile and a wave, before turning to get something from the kitchen.
Jenn rummaged through the contents before she was suddenly pulled into a hug by Zoey. Jenn returned it and managed not to cry.
“We good?” Zoey asked.
Jenn nodded and sniffled. “I’m sorry…”
“Don’t worry about it.” Zoey said, and Jenn could tell she was genuine, “We can talk about it or not, but either way, I’m here for ya’, okay? You ain’t alone.”
That struck Jenn as so incredibly sweet and she hugged Zoey tighter. She still managed not to sob, but she came pretty close.
Jenn sat with the others and watched the movie. It was awful. Jenn asked if Mige were around, and Tim explained that Mige was still out; they had split up awhile ago and Tim just came back to the penthouse. He didn’t seem particularly worried. Obviously not; Mige was fine. But still, she was a natural worry-wart, even without the heightened emotional state she’d been in lately.
Tim and Armand made a big thing of nachos, which seemed to delight Bill. They had drinks (mostly soda, though Bill and Armand each had a beer). Zoey and Tim both seemed pumped that Jenn would be going to Sinnoh with them; Tim hadn’t been sure if she was going due to, you know, the fact that he hadn’t actually seen her all week. Zoey gave Tim a frown when he said that.
As the evening went on, Tim put on some music, followed by Bill playing some tunes, then Zoey and finally Armand. It was a lot of fun to just chill, listen to music, talk, and occasionally dance around a bit with Zoey. and all in all everyone had a good time despite Jenn still worrying about Mige, especially as it got later and later.
In the last half hour before the turn of the new year, the sky was lit up with the pops, bangs, bursts, and flashes of fireworks. The streets were crowded with drunk and cheerful people. Duplica arrived, Ditto on her shoulder. Jenn bit her lip, looking out the window with a small frown. She hoped Mige was okay out there…New Year’s Eve was, statistically speaking, one of the most dangerous holidays of the year, after all, and—
“Hey. Sorry I’m late.” Mige said as he came back inside. Jenn felt a wave of relief wash over her when she saw him come inside. And her heart still did a little leap when she saw him. Damn it, Jenn.
Perhaps surprisingly, Mige wasn’t alone. He had Erika with him. She had a few days off and wanted to come and visit Bill for the holiday. Bill was definitely surprised, and pleasantly so! As the two of them caught up, Mige noticed Jenn standing with the others. He seemed a bit unsure at first, but he walked over and gave everyone a node in greeting.
Discreetly, Mige showed them the Rainbow Badge he’d just won. Jenn and Tim exchanged surprised glances and looked back to Mige.
“Whoa…seriously? When did—” Tim began to ask but Mige dismissed the question with a wave of his hand, and he tucked the badge back into his pocket.
“I’ll tell you later.” Mige said, though he couldn’t hide the pride that shone through in his eyes. Jenn was proud of him, too. She turned and went to grab another drink.
“Happy New year!”
That was the resounding cheer as the clock struck midnight. Zoey pulled Tim in for a kiss, Bill kissed Erika, and even Duplica gave Armand a peck. Mige and Jenn very pointedly didn’t look at one another. Music and drinks and conversation flowed again, though Jenn just sat by herself on the couch with Pikachu. Mige’s Eevee trotted over to see her, evidently glad to see her again. She pet him for a few moments.
“Hey.” Mige said, “Happy New Year.”
“Um…yeah.” Jenn gulped and avoided looking directly at him, “You, too. H-happy, um…yeah. New Year. woo….”
“So you’re going to Sinnoh with us?” Mige asked, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Uh-huh. Bill, um…he invited me this morning.” Jenn said.
“Well, cool. It should be fun.” replied Mige. Jenn gave him a thumb’s up.
A few moments pass. Jenn clears her throat. “Congratulations on getting your Rainbow Badge. That’s so cool.”
“Heh…thanks. But it was really more my Pokemon than me; I didn’t really do anything.”
“Being a trainer’s a partnership, isn’t it? You all…you know. You w-work together. Or…something like that…”
“Yeah. Maybe.” Mige said. Jenn glanced up at him, met his eyes and sharply looked away as her stomach somersaulted again.
“I think I should head to bed. I’m…pretty tired. And a little drunk. I slipped some wine. Well…cooking sherry.” Jenn said, bringing a finger to her lips in a ‘sssh’ sort of gesture. With a sort of playful stage whisper, she added, “Don’t tell Bill.”
“I won’t.” Mige said, and he might have smiled a little. Jenn’s heart ached and she found it suddenly hard to breathe again. She stood up and Mige asked if she needed any help getting up the stairs of whatever.
“No. No, I’m good. I promise.” she said, “G-goodnight, Mige. Sweet dreams.”
“You, too,” Mige said as Jenn made her way back to the stairs and up to her room. She did stop to take one last look around the penthouse. Mige was talking with Tim and that made her smile. Mige seemed happy. They had an actual conversation and she didn’t cry or throw up once. That would have to be good enough.
Jenn plopped down on her bed, just looking up at the ceiling. Pikachu snuggled in next to her, and she held him close. She cried until she finally fell asleep.
