"Stop pacing," Lily ordered.

"I can't help it," I shrieked. "I'm freaking out here!"

"It's just a date," Lily replied obnoxiously.

I tilted my head at her in disbelief. "Exactly. No pressure!" I sarcastically exclaimed.

"Right, no pressure!" Lily said, sounding sincere. "Rose, calm down. You like him. He likes you. This is just going to be the two of you hanging out alone. You've done that plenty."

"Yeah, but this time is different. I don't know what to do or say. I can't do this."

Lily sighed. "You're worrying too much. Like I said, you're just hanging out. The only difference is that this time, you'll look hot." Lily grinned as she said it, and she held up two necklaces. Both hung on simple silver chains, but where one had a ruby pendant, the other was amethyst.

"Which one?" Lily asked, holding them both up in turn.

"Um, uh... Ah, I don't know!"

I groaned and flopped onto my bed, burying my face in the pillow. Lily sighed and I could practically hear her rolling her eyes.

A quiet knock came at the door.

"Yef?" I groaned through the pillow.

The door creaked open and Dad stepped in. He looked at Lily and she just shrugged.

Dad chuckled. "That bad, huh?"

Lily nodded gravely.

Dad shook his head and grabbed my shoulders, easily sitting me up. He looked me in the eye and smiled. "Did I ever tell you about my first date with your Mother?"

"No," I replied quietly.

"Well, back in the day, I was about as nervous as you are now. We'd been friends a long time and she got sick of waiting. So, she asked me on a date. I panicked, said no and she was not happy about it. Seriously, she was so mad, she wouldn't talk to me for a week. When she did talk to me again, I asked her out, and just to spite me, she said no. So, in the end, we never had an official date, but after all that time we spent together, we knew loved each other. We settled down, and then you showed up not long after."

I looked at him confused. "So, what you're saying is... don't go on a date?"

"Pff," Dad huffed. "No. Go on a date, but don't think of it as anything other than spending time with the one you love."

"Damn, Rose, your Dad is chill," Lily said. "My Dad wouldn't let me on a date unless I had a security detail."

Lucario stood and grinned, puffing out his chest. "I am pretty great, aren't I?"

I sighed. "Alright... let's do this thing."

Lily grinned. "Finally!"

******

"Where are you taking me?" I asked, laughing slightly.

Fable grinned and continued walking the forest path. I didn't recognise anything and had no clue as to where we were going, but he was obviously excited.

He'd come by my house in the early evening. I'd been wearing a ruby necklace and a red scarf. I thought I looked pretty good, but he didn't me tell so. Well, he did smile bigger than normal, but I really wish he'd said it.

Anyways, from there, he'd led me through town, to a forest path I didn't know. It was a pretty walk and had led to a hilltop where you could see the whole town. We stayed a little while, but then kept walking. Apparently, that wasn't our destination, just a pit-stop.

Fable suddenly sped up a little, dashing ahead and waiting by a rock. I raised a brow in question, following his lead. He smiled as I rounded the rock and saw a beautiful sight before me. It was the same lagoon we'd swam at long ago. We'd come here a few times now, but he took me a different way this time, and it looked different from before.

Light bounced off the spring and flowers bloomed everywhere. The small waterfall cascaded down in a gentle rainbow of colours and the rocks were thick with dark green moss. Beside the water was a red and green picnic blanket. Breads and cheeses were set out, along with some drinks and fruit. The forest smelt fresh and alive, happy even. The scene looked like it came straight from a fairy-tale.

"Whoa," I whispered in quiet surprise.

Fable walked past and sat on the blanket. He patted a spot beside him. I smiled and nodded, joining him around the picnic. I started by eating some bread and cheese. Both were really good, and I had to wonder if the company somehow made them taste better.

We sat there awhile, enjoying the food and scenery. Though, I quickly grew bored.

"So... what now?" I asked tentatively.

Fable shrugged. He gestured at the spring, but I shook my head; I didn't feel like swimming. Fable frowned and tilted his head. He shrugged and a moment later little wisps of purple fire began trailing around the spring. The fire would spiral upwards before plummeting down and disappearing, only to reappear in a different colour.

I smiled softly and watched the display for a while, but my mind was elsewhere.

"Fable, what am I to you?" I asked quietly, surprising myself.

The fire trailed out and disappeared. Fable didn't move for several moments and his face was stone. Then, he smiled gently, stood up and trotted over towards the pond. He gestured at me and I joined him by the water's edge.

My head tilted in curiosity and I peered into the water, but I didn't see anything. I frowned and looked at Fable, but he just laughed noiselessly. He shook his head and pointed at the water. I looked again and this time saw my reflection. There was nothing special about it; just me.

I turned to Fable, and he was staring at me with a beaming smile. The look on his face, the way his tail wagged gently, it was as if he was screaming 'I love you, and I just want you, nothing more.'

I felt my whole body relax and tears welled in my eyes. I fell to my knees and hugged him tightly. I hugged him so tightly that it was impossible to tell where one of us started and the other began, but it wasn't for happiness that I held him so near. No, the truth is... I was trying to hide the pang in my heart. I was trying to smother it with my love for him, but it refused to be buried. It was so loud that I swear Fable heard it, but he gave no hints at the truth. Though, I suppose he is the master of illusion, Silent Fable.