Just Another Love Story - Unova Diaries of Cilan and Iris

Chapter 3- Family

[Back to Iris' perspective]

Night falls. By now, everybody is asleep. The night sky was pitch black, but glittering stars shined, standing out in the dark sky. I felt like staying up a bit more, so I went to a pond nearby. I looked at my reflection on the water and I couldn't help but notice the stars behind me. There were so many stars in the sky that a thousand constellations could be made in the sky.

I lied down on the soft grass and stared at the shimmering sky. I thought of the weird feelings that kept hitting me in the chest. Is it because of his arrogance? His looks? His personality? His... Pecha Berry pies? They do pack a punch... Nah. Maybe it's...

"Iris?"

I got up and turned to see Cilan in his light green pyjamas. Judging from his face, he looks worried. There is definetly no tired in those eyes, just kindness and arrogance.

"Cilan... What are you doing here?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing!"

He laughed after replying to my question. Why is he laughing? It wasn't that funny... Geez what a weird guy.

"Well I couldn't sleep so I went here... To think..."

"Think about what?"
Now what should I say... I thought. I lied down and heaved. Would I rather be vague or be specific?

"... Stuff..."
Vague it is.

He sighed and lied down beside me. His sage green hair brushed my purple hair. We looked at the stars together, side by side, in silence. There was not a lot of space between us. Inches more and we could be holding hands. The thought of that made me blush. Argh!!! Those weird feelings are hitting me again! What is wrong with me?!

After a few minutes, he asked me, "Hey Iris, what is your family like?"

"Huh? My family?"

"Yeah. I mean your blood family, of course."

"So my Pokémon family when I was little doesn't count as my blood family?"

He laughed and answered, "No, I meant your human blood family. Your mother, father, even the Village Elder. What were they like?"

I thought about it for a minute. Half of my childhood, I was with my Pokémon family. Drilbur is part of that family, and so is Axew. The fellow Deerling and Patrat were my siblings. The Minccino were like my parents, always brushing my hair and face with their tails and giving me warm hugs whenever I was down. I nearly forgot what my parents were like... But I remembered again.

"My mother and father both lived in the village ever since they were little. We all lived together, but..."

I stopped to take a quick breath and told him the heavy part.

"By the time I was 5 years old, my mother got very sick. Weeks after my 6th birthday, she died. A month after her death, my father had set off on an adventure and left me in the care of the Village Elder. When I asked why he left, the Elder told me it was because he needed 'to clear his mind.' A year later, he returned. He apologized to me and I forgave him. He came back and I was happy. The last few years before I set off on my own journey, he took care of me. As much as the place reminded him of my mother's death, he stayed in the Village just for me. I remembered sometimes he cried in his bed because of Mom and I would try my best to cheer him up... But we both knew only Mom could do that..."

My face felt wet. I was crying. I stopped telling my story and turned my back towards him. I didn't want him to see me sad. I don't want him to feel symphathy for me, otherwise I would feel guilty about it.

I felt a hand touch my arm. The hand turned me back around and Cilan embraced me. It surprised me, but it would be horrible of me if I pushed him back. On impulse, I buried my face in his chest and I hugged him back.

I cried and cried... I couldn't stop thinking about those days when I would sit out on the porch of Elder's home all day, waiting for my father to come back. It wasn't a daily thing but every Friday I would wait outside the house. I kept on telling myself that he would come back, but he never did until that day. And even when he came back, it was never the same without Mom. Her happiness always gave us joy...

"Hey sweetie, what's the matter?"
"The other children in the village don't like me... Am I bad, Mommy?"
"Of course not. You're the sweetest child in the world, my little flower. It's okay if they don't like you at first. When you don't win the first time, try and try again. You will make friends, I'm sure of it!"

Cilan hugged me tighter as my cries got louder. His hug started to feel warm and safe, almost like Mom's hugs. I felt his warmth in my body and my cries grew softer. He kept on brushing my hair and patting my back, comforting me.

"I'm sorry Iris... I'm sorry... I shouldn't have asked..."

"It's okay Cilan. Don't worry about it..."

We stayed close together for a long time. I don't know why, but something in Cilan's warmth makes me feel safe. It feels so good...
Wait a second...

We're lying down and hugging... And cuddling... Isn't this a couple thing?!

"Ummm... Cilan?"

"Yes?"

"We're too close..."

We parted away. We held a look for a second and I turned around in embarrassment. What the hell just happened?! We were so close! Ugh... The image of the hug made me blush beet red. I kind of like him, but I don't know if I do! But the hug... It felt so right. Of course, it could have been just for sympathy. But he kept on tightening his hug... What was that?

Tension grew and Cilan started speaking.

"Sorry about that..."

I turned around and saw his back, his hands hugging himself. I guess he felt embarrassed about it too.

"It's okay, Cilan. Thanks for comforting me though."

He turns around with a pouty look that I have never seen him do before (which made it almost impossible for me not to laugh). He looked at me dead in the eye and said, "Don't tell Ash, promise me this okay?"

"Okay fine... Though I can't make any promises. The words might just spill themselves! Or maybe if I tell Pikachu... "

"Seriously Iris!"

He made a cute angry face and I finally gave in.

"Fine..."

I asked him after a minute of laughing, "What about you... What was your family like?"

He started off his story. "Well..."

[TBC in Chapter 4]