N gently guides Rosa's body into her bed, happy to finally see her in a quiet and safe place. The poor girl moans slightly as her mother tucks the blankets around her. Soon enough, she lays silent and still with sleep. Releasing a sigh of relief, Rosa's mother shoots the teens a look of appreciation.

"Thank you so much, all of you. For keeping an eye on my little girl..." Her voice quavers with unsheltered grief at the thought. "I had no idea she was undertaking such a dangerous task. She never told me anything about it. I've always tried to confront her whenever it popped up on the media, but she simply refused to talk about it." She shakes her head for a moment before continuing.

"There was only so much I could do through our phone calls. And I always knew she was capable of taking care of herself. So all I could do was hope for the best."

"She's... certainly remarkable, that's for sure," N acknowledges softly, staring at her now-peaceful figure.

"Ms. Mei, you know I'm always happy to keep her in check," Hugh comments, filling N with a vague sense of relief (as he finally has a name to call her by). "She's my best friend, after all, my partner in crime. I don't know what I would've done if Plasma..." He trails off with a snarl on his face. But it isn't necessary for him to fill in the blanks. It's all too easy for their minds to come up with the dreadful conclusion: Rosa trapped within an icy tomb.

A brief moment of silence follows. Darkness has fallen at last, but a street light from outside shed some of its golden rays inside.

"Well, all of you are certainly welcome at any time, especially since Rosa invited you. I plan on letting her rest as long as possible. Where are all of you going to stay? At the Pokémon Center, perhaps?" Ms. Mei inquires of them.

"Well, my house is right down the road, obviously. I'll sleep there for the nights, but I'll be sure to come back every day," Hugh says, plopping himself onto Rosa's beanbag chair. "I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind letting one of you crash." He turns to N. "Probably you, to be honest. The folks would have a lot of questions if I brought any girl home, let alone the former Champion."

"Um... That's kind of you to offer, but I'm going to have to decline," he apologizes sheepishly. "You see, I... also want to keep an eye on Rosa."

I'm worried about her. These are the words he wants so badly to say, but with the look of anguish delivered to him by Hilda, N can't bring himself to do it. Yet, she also seems to fixate her attention on Hugh, for some reason.

"Well N, I do have a couch you can sleep on, if you'd like," Ms. Mei chimes in. "But I'm afraid I can't take you as well, Hilda. Our house is rather small, and it isn't really fit for more than three people at a time. I guess you'll have to go with Hugh, if that's all right with his parents."

"Are you sure it's fine, Hugh? Especially with our reputation, and with what happened tonight?" Hilda speaks up tentatively. "I-I could stay at a Pokémon Center to avoid any trouble." But her voice seems to convey the opposite message of her words, carrying an undertone of... desperation?

"Don't bother asking. Their rooms ask for a pretty price. And what about your protection? I don't care that Plasma has been apprehended, I can see something happening to you so easily," Hugh replies tersely. "And as for my parents... I'm pretty good at convincing them to do what I want. We'll be fine." An utter look of relief blossoms on Hilda's face, almost as if she wanted this all along. Is N just imagining it, or is something going on between those two...?

"Thank you so much, Hugh. I appreciate it." She pauses for the briefest of moments before her next words simply spill out of her. "But even if I was to stay alone, without almost all of my Pokémon, I would be able to take care of myself just fine."

She says this last part with an almost expertly hidden undertone of venom present within her voice. Nonetheless, it does not escape N's detection. Still, that confuses him. It's not like they are insulting her ability to be independent— far from it.

"Hilda, we know that," N murmurs. "Are you... are you implying Rosa can't? It's not her fault what Ghetsis chose to do to her." A look of alarm and confusion dawned on the face of Ms. Mei at the mention of Rosa's alluded accident. The others barely notice, however. Hilda herself looks ready to snap, jumping on her feet as her mouth opens. But at the last moment, she hesitates, her accusing finger falling to her side as she pulls back. In the end, she resigns herself to a half-masked glare.

"Never mind, before I say something I regret," she growls, turning away. N simply frowns at her strange behavior, though it does wound him to see her so bitter.

"Now, now," Ms. Mei intervenes with an all-too-cheery voice, stepping between them. "This day has been hard on all of us. The last thing we need to do is blow things out of proportion. And besides, it doesn't matter what happened. She's safe now, and that's all that counts. Plus, it's getting late. I'm sure all of you must be tired."

"Fair enough," Hugh huffs with a sigh, taking his hands and gently spinning Hilda back around. She raises her eyebrows at such a sudden action, but her face also glitters with amusement.

"You two can both come back in the morning, if you'd like," Rosa's mother continued. "How does ten o'clock sound to you?"

"Fine. Thank you, ma'am," Hilda agrees. "Guess we should get going, Hugh. You do all the talking to your parents, because I'm beat." She begins to shuffle her way to the door, muttering goodnight to the others.

"Now c'mon, Hilda," Hugh practically whines. "I'm tired too, but it's only a block to my house. We gotta pick up the pace if we wanna be there by morning." The teen then proceeds to grab her by the wrist and drag her along.

"Is he always like this?!" Hilda exclaims, her words directed at Rosa's mother as she disappears through the doorway. She simply laughs before the room grows quiet once more.

"He's... interesting," N finally says, a puzzled expression on his face.

"That's Hugh for you," she replies with a chuckle.

*                      *                    *

N, naturally, just couldn't fall asleep.

Tossing and turning, tossing and turning. This inexorable sequence continued for hours, long after Rosa's mother had gone to bed. And it isn't because the couch is too small. On the contrary; it feels rather comfortable.

Finally, the living room clock strikes once more, signaling the turnover onto a new day. N takes this as his sign to just give up the idea of any meaningful rest. His mind just refuses to stop ricocheting within his head. Between what Plasma had almost gotten away with, the return of his father, and his conflicting feelings towards Hilda and Rosa...

He's not sure what, exactly, is compelling him. Slowly, he rises, tiptoeing across the wooden floors. He fears the presence of any groaning creaks from the hardwood. He sneaks down the hallway, thankful Rosa's room is the closest. Carefully, N grips the doorknob, gently pushing the door open. As he pulls it shut, he silently prays that she's a deep sleeper.

He hadn't really gotten a good look at her abode when they first arrived. While his eyes adjust to the darkness, N takes the time to observe his surroundings. He couldn't help but feel curious. After all, these are the elements that speak volumes about Rosa as a person. These are the elements that have raised her since birth, and dressed her into the lovely person she is today.

Though somewhat small, her room looks comfortable enough. N currently stands to the right of the bed, her trash can next to his feet. Across the bed is a desk with a laptop, and a blue bean bag chair. There's also a light green floor lamp in the right upper corner of the room. To the left of said lamp is a table decorated with Pokémon plushies, and a long dresser. To N's surprise, most of her furniture is white, only accented by the occasional touch of beige. He half expected to see at least some pink. That seems to be her favorite color, anyways.

Rosa's covers were thrown astray, evidence of her fitful slumber. Currently, she lay curled up on her left side, facing N's general direction. He watches what he could see of her chest gently rise and fall, her shoulders ever so slightly imitating the movement. Her breaths appear deep, even, and slow. That serves as an encouraging sign for N. It means she is sleeping well— at least, for the moment.

N closes the gap between himself and the bed, taking great care to remain quiet. After a moment of contemplation, he decides not to risk occupying the empty space near her head, lest the shift might wake her. Instead, he crouches down onto his knees and examines her face.

...Her sad, war torn, and yet beautiful face. Perhaps it's the bruises and dust that made her all the more alluring. With relief, N notes the absence of blood, especially around her forehead where she had been hit. Rosa's neutral expression is that of a sleeper... but is that a tinge of distress upon her face?

N, without thinking about his actions, slowly lifts his hand and runs his fingers gently through one of her locks of brown hair, lying unkempt on the sheets. Back when he saved her from Plasma (and wow, did that feel like an eternity ago), he never, ever would have imagined falling in love with her. Had he been completely unaware of her existence a mere twenty four hours ago? He feels like he has known her all of his life. Or is that only because she seems so much like Hilda...?

Perhaps, but he really doesn't want to think of her in that way, as much as his immediate mind tries to. Rosa herself is a unique and incredible individual, with her own shining personality traits. Her soul, to him, seems to sparkle like almost no other, the depths of her heart and determination deeper than any valley in the world...

How could he fall in love with this girl in just one day? Is something like that even possible?

Probably not. His logic, mathematical mind tells him that the love isn't real. That these feelings are ultimately superficial, and that "falling in love" is different than actually "being in love."

Then why does this feel so right and so real for him?

And yet, he could also see Hilda shaking her head in sadness. What about her? Is he betraying her by feeling this way? But didn't he determine how he regards her long ago?

Why does this have to be so hard and complicated?

Suddenly, a haunting scream jolts him from his thoughts. It's a cry without words, riddled with pure, animalistic fear. Its unexpected and jarring noise, combined with the terror that composes it, makes him startle.

"No, please! I hate him! He can't get away with this!!" With a sinking sensation in his chest, N realizes the voice belongs to her. She's screaming out in her sleep. Is this a habit she always had? Or is it new, brought about by what had happened? He highly doubts the former.

"Sh, sh, shhh..." N coos, placing an arm over her shoulder in an attempt at comfort. "Don't fret. You're safe."

Even though she still appears asleep, his touch seems to calm her down. She whimpers once, but then all became still once more.

Arceus, how could they? How could they do this to her? It's as bad Pokémon abuse... no, actually, it's worse. She had been such a beautiful and untainted soul before her deadly encounter, filled with a fiery spirit of empathy and justice. This he knows for certain, back when they first met. But now that part of her has shattered into a million pieces; and even if all of those shards could rearrange themselves back together again, the cracks would never truly go away. They would be a part of her and her subsequent pain, always. N wants more than anything to permanently wash her heartache and agony away. Because her pain only made his own heart feel the same way.

But as untainted as her spirit had been, N still believes she is still just as beautiful now. Nothing would change her values and her morals, and what she believes to be right. He just wishes that she hadn't gone through all of that suffering.

All he knows for certain is that he needs to watch over her. She needs him. No, actually, he needs her. He needs to make sure she would get through this... He needs to stay by her side.

And soon... very soon... He would need to organize this love mess with Hilda. He tries to keep that thought out of his general conscience, though. After all, he has to take things one step at a time.

Right now, all he wants to focus on is Rosa's gentle breathing, and how it brings him a great sense of great joy and happiness to be there for her. With a sense of irony, he remembers his own thoughts towards humanity itself as he debated stepping in to help her earlier today. And now here he is, he steely terraces around his heart melted into liquid. Old habits, indeed.

He leans forward and gently kisses her forehead, savoring the warmth of the body underneath him.

"I love you,"  N whispers gently. It's only the second time he has spoken these words out loud to another human— and both times, Rosa has been the recipient.

He swears that he sees a hint of a smile on her face.

*                      *                    *

Did I dream? I'm not sure. But I was vaguely aware of three, small facts.

I remember the dull sensation of pain that ebbed and flowed within me like the ocean's tide.

I remember the overwhelming sense of fear and terror that threatened to crush my rib cage and suffocate me.

And I remember ice. Layer upon layer of those thick sheets, adorned only with snowflake-like crystal patterns and massive, arching cracks.

I hate to think that whenever I see ice now, it will remind me of my near death experience. Will it be hard for me to even look at an Ice or Dragon type now, without feeling a sense of fear that utterly constricts and chokes my heart?

I wake up to hands touching me, and the sensation brings me a flutter of panic as I snap open my eyes. Only once I realize it's my mom kissing my forehead can I calm down, trying to steady my breaths. Warm rays of sunlight filter through the window, bathing her in light. She's holding a tray that carries a glass of water and some hot Hoenn Ramen: one of my favorite comfort foods. Hugh and N are here too. I soon notice, on the other side of my bed, a gentle look of concern upon their faces. But Hilda is nowhere to be seen.

My clock displays some pink numbers. It's midday, some time after noon. I've been out for a long time. And yet, I still feel utterly exhausted.

"Honey, I'm sorry to wake you up, but I figured you must be starving. I thought I'd fix you something. Do you still feel cold?" She temporarily pawns the tray off to Hugh as she put the back of her hand to my forehead— probably to get a feel for my temperature. I don't think I feel cold anymore; it isn't terribly noticeable, anyways.

"Your temperature feels normal to me... That's good. Hopefully, your case of frostbite was minor," she says, giving me a thin smile as she took the tray back. "Thanks, Hugh."

I open my mouth to say something, but instead release a giant yawn as I sit up. I also can't help but notice that my sheets are all over the place, tangled carelessly about. Mom gently sets the tray down on my lap and warns me to be careful, as the soup is hot and she doesn't want it spilling on my lap. For the first time, I detect a small, white pill next to the glass of water.

"Ibuprofen," my mother says briskly, in what I like to call her "down-to-business" Pokémon Center voice. "Just in case your head still hurts. I want you to take it easy." Grateful, I take the pill and wash it down with the water. The temperature of the liquid is frigid, just the way I like it. In my mild excitement, I end up gulping it all down in one sitting.

"Careful now, not too fast. We still need you around, ya know," Hugh jokes with a devilish grin, crossing his arms.

"Oh, it's not like I'll drown. Besides, I haven't anything to drink in almost two days. My body will absorb it like a sponge," I retort, void of humor. I start hungrily devouring the ramen, remembering, for the first time in a while, the giant pit that gnaws at my stomach.

"So what did you guys do while I was asleep?" I ask in between spoonfuls, the warm noodles soothing my throat.

N speaks up, "Not much. We just wanted to put you to bed so you could rest. I asked your mom if I could stay here for a while, while you're recovering. And she restored your Pokémon for you."

"Merci, Mother," I thank her with a small smile. At least my team would feel in tip-top shape, even if I didn't. I could always leave it to her to heal them up when they need it. My mom, in response, raises an eyebrow for some reason.

"You're welcome, Rosa. But N seems very concerned about you. Especially since you just met yesterday, according to Hugh. Do I need to know anything?"

"No," I reply a little too quickly, my gaze immediately shifting away from hers. I could only hope she doesn't notice the urgency in my voice that I try so hard to hide.

We talk for a while more about trivial matters, and I finish my ramen far too soon. Mom eventually grabs the tray, saying that I should rest a bit more, or maybe take a hot, steamy shower or bath.

"I was looking over you last night," she elaborates with a tinge of worry. "You're battered up pretty good, you poor thing, between all of the scratches and bruises. Your clothes are also a dirty mess. They really need to be washed." I look down and see that what she's saying is true. My poor clothes haven't ever escaped any ravages from my time as a Trainer, but their present condition looks worse than ever!

So a shower would definitely serve dual purposes here: cleansing and relaxation. I have my own bathroom, too, which is a plus. That way, I don't have to walk around the house in a robe or a towel. (Wow, that would have been awkward... especially around N. Yikes! I'm blushing just thinking about it.)

With her motherly duties fulfilled, she retreats out of my doorway. Hugh soon follows, but not before giving me gave me a strong and sturdy hug. As always, I'm impressed by the strength and grip of his arms around me.

"Now listen, Rosa. You do not have my permission to die on me now. If you do, I'll never be able to forgive you." I respond with a soft laugh, knowing that this is just another one of his banters. At my door, he gives me the "I'm watching you" hand signal with slanted eyes before he vanishes. Once we're finally alone, N takes a seat next to me on my bed and gives me a thoughtful look.

"So," I speak up, unsure of what I want to say. So much has happened. Where am I to even begin?

"I... I watched over you last night," he splutters suddenly, evaporating my need for a conversation starter. I raise a startled and questioning eyebrow.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he laughs embarrassed, once he realizes what he said. "I probably sound like some kind of creep..."

"No, no, that's fine. I think I understand," I respond, my cheeks flushing. I can feel my pulse skipping faster. He watched over me? If it was anyone else, I would consider that strange... but it's also very sweet of him.

"I... you... screamed out. In your sleep last night. Do you always do that?"

"W-what? No... You mean I yelled in my sleep?" I turn my head away in embarrassment. Well, this is a new habit. I'm willing to bet all of my accumulated prize money as a Trainer on its origins, too.

"Yes. Don't worry about it... I mean, it didn't disturb me at all," he clarifies with a sigh. "I'm just worried about you, that's all."

"You're worried about me?" I whisper. It's a stupid question, considering what he's put himself through to save me. But I'm not used to such unwavering compassion over my wellbeing. I offer my hand, and, to my joy, he takes it.

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be? You are a wonderful person, Rosa, and I mean that." My cheeks grow warm in appreciation, and he gives me a bit of a goofy grin in response.

"Thank you, N... That means a lot, coming from someone like you. I-I mean, from someone who says he doesn't like humans all that much." I'm stuttering over my words now, making a fool of myself. I give an awkward laugh. "Sorry. I mean..."

"I think I know what you mean," he replies with a smile. Our faces are pretty close to each other at this point.

"May I...?" I murmur abashed, my heart exploding in my chest.

"Well, I've done it to you, haven't I?" N chuckles. So I lean forward and offer him the softest of kisses. He returns it gently, causing my heart to soar with delight. I almost want to keep going, too, but then he pulls back shyly.

"Forgive me, I'm not used to this type of thing," he chokes out.

"Me either," I reply understandingly. "No one has ever valued me like this before. And I understand completely."

He smiles gratefully. "How are you feeling? Can I get you anything?"

"At the moment? I feel wonderful," I murmur. "And I don't need anything right now, thanks." Except you.

"That's good to hear. I want you to know that, no matter how you feel, you are strong. One of the strongest people I know. It will take time to recover from this, but you can do it." He's beaming, which makes my world feel little brighter. I want these feelings to last forever.

But of course, my stupid brain decides to ruin everything.

"Do you know where Hilda is?" I immediately realize it's the wrong thing to say. He seems to droop at the mention of her name, and the sight elicits silent curses directed at myself.

"Oh. Well, she came over earlier, but then she mumbled something about needing some time by herself before she left. She's probably at Hugh's place," he informs me with a sigh. "She's... upset. For a lot of reasons."

"Shit, I'm sorry for mentioning it," I mutter with a tone of regret. "Is one of those reasons... me? Us...?"

"Don't worry about it too much. It's a natural inquiry," N assures me. He pauses after that, and doesn't answer my question at first. I hope the silence doesn't mean anything too bad.

"Yes...I think so," he answers finally.

I knew it, I thought with remorse, wanting to slap myself upside the head.

"Were you two... in love or something? What happened?" I couldn't help but ask.

"It's, uh, complicated," he stutters. "I thought maybe once you were better, we could discuss it. You know, if you want to..."

"Of course. I've brought it up prematurely. It can wait," I comply, trying to hide my inner despair. I'm not gonna lie; I'm scared to think of what could happen with that conversation. Ultimately, if he still feels something for Hilda, he would have to decide on one of us. Who would he choose, and why? One of our hearts would be broken, shrouded by the dark and gloomy clouds of betrayal and sadness...

"We'll figure that out soon enough. What's important right now is your health and wellbeing," he continues with another smile. I have to give him props for his optimism; that alone is enough to make me feel better. Having nothing more to say, he rises, crushing my hopes for another kiss.

Oh well. Maybe later.

"N?"

"Yes?"

"You're staying here, right? You'll keep seeing me?"

"Of course, Rosa. I'm not leaving for a long time. I... I care about you."

"Oh, N... Thank you. Because otherwise, I'd miss you too much."

He releases a warm laugh as his eyes sparkle, and my cheeks flush once more. "Me too. But you probably want that hot shower of yours."

"I do like my hot showers."

He chuckles again and leans in to give me a strong hug. I hold on for everything I'm worth. It's only made better by his soft and gentle kiss on my cheek.

"I think... I think I love you." Hearing those words makes my heart beat faster than before. As much as I'm falling for him, I never dreamed that I'd hear those words aloud, coming from his lips.

"M-me too, N. You're an incredible person, and I'm blessed to have met you." Here my cheeks flush warmly with appreciation. "Just don't tell my mom how you feel, or she'll never let it go."

"Don't worry, it's our own little secret," he promises as he walked to the door, before waving and closing it behind him.

I strip off my sweaty, filthy clothes one by one and enter my bathroom, closing the door behind me. The cold tile only urges my hands to crank the handles of the tub. Soon enough, hot streams of water are flowing from the shower head. Stepping into it is like entering the steamy sauna of heaven.

All I can do for the longest time is stand there as the water flows over me, and daydream about a wonderful future that involves the boy and his breathtaking green hair.

—————————————————————————————————————

If this wasn't my absolute favorite shipping, I probably would have low-key died writing this. I usually don't care for romance in literature, like, at all (surprising, I know). But seeing these two together just warms up my soul💖

Forgive me if this section in general lame or not well written, as it's my first time writing romance. And now that the action-related climax has come and gone, that will become a major focus of this story. In other words... THE SHIPPING INTENSIFIES!! Sorry, but not sorry 😂

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this (sweet?) chapter!
~Rosa950