[NEW] Eeveelution Café

[B1] Chapter 12: Amative

"Belle! You're awake!" Willow cried out in surprise as Snowbelle slowly opened her eyes. 
"Huh...?" the Glaceon rubbed her eyes. "What happened?"
"You collapsed while we were talking, and me and Lavender think you just fell asleep right then and there somehow." the Leafeon explained without putting much detail into it. 
"Oh." Snowbelle sat up and had her head in her paws. "Dang...why's my head ringing so much? I can barely see..."
"Just take your time, it'll be alright." Lavender suggested.
The room was perfectly quiet for a few moments, as Snowbelle recovered from falling asleep so abruptly.
"Yeah, I think I'm fine now..." the Glaceon got up from the bed. "Did I miss anything?"
"Eh, not really." Willow shook her head. "Well, what do we do now?"
"I wanna get a few Berries to eat," Lavender trotted to the door and turned around to smile at the sisters. "You guys want some?"
"Oh, yeah, sure!" Snowbelle nodded. 
"Can I also have some?" Willow smiled back with her sister. "Y'know..."
The Espeon nodded and left the room to go to the kitchen. 
"So, did you dream of anything?" the Leafeon turned to ask Snowbelle.
Snowbelle shook her head. "Nothing. At least, not that I can remember at the top of my head right now." 
"Eh, just a random question that appeared in my mind. You only moved a few times, and it seemed kinda stiff."
"Stiff?" Snowbelle frowned. 
"Like, the movements. Y'know what, forget it. It's fine, you're a stiff Mon in general." the Leafeon shrugged.
"HEY!" Snowbelle yelled. "WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!?"
Willow laughed before Lavender came back in the room with two large and new bags of fresh Berry snacks.

"Lavender?" Volt came up to Lavender that night, when she was trying to find something for Melody in the shelves. "I was wondering..."
"Mhm?" Lavender spun around and had the brightest smile on her face. 
"Oh...I just wanted to chill with you, if you don't mind." Volt's face went a little red with embarrassment. 
"Yeah! Sure, tell me what happened! I just need to find this for Melody first." Lavender nodded before going back to try and find something.
Volt went to the kitchen to grab something to eat, but his stomach was whirring with anxiety.
You got this one time, so don't mess it up.
Lavender got up from her crouching position and left to give Melody the thing, while Volt stepped out of the room to watch quietly. 
"Hey, wanna go chill now?" Lavender came back and instantly spotted Volt leaning against the doorframe. 
Volt nodded quietly. Lavender's face went a little red. "Where do you wanna go?"
"I've never really seen your room..." Volt remembered Moonshade's advice and took initiative. "Maybe there if you want?"
"Oh, yeah! It's a little messy..." Lavender led the Jolteon to her room. 
She opened the door and revealed a normal, expected bedroom. Volt instantly spotted the balcony and noticed the rising moon outside. 
"Hey...wanna go outside? The view from your balcony seems great." he suggested.
Lavender nodded. "Yeah, sure! It's been a while since I sat outside from here anyway!"
She slid open the door and sat down at the balcony with the low rails, looking up to watch the sparkling stars. Volt carefully sat down next to her, unaware that Moonshade and Bonfire were watching from the neighboring window.
"So, what do you wanna talk about?" Lavender turned to Volt and questioned politely.
"Right, I needed to ask you about something." Volt's heart was pounding, so he didn't turn around to look at her yet. 
Lavender immediately knew that something was going on. "Okay, go on!" 
"Well...you know what happened outside Fortune Teller?" Volt leaded, his eyes still fixed on a specific star that caught his interest just mere moments ago. 
"Where you said that you were gonna ask Willow out and that your other crush would get mad at you?" Lavender clarified. 
"Uh-huh. I got rejected."
The three words hit Lavender right in the stomach and all of the collected guilt came rushing back to her all at once again. Suddenly, she had watery eyes and the inability to blink. 
"I'm...sorry." 
"Y'know, after a few days, I realized that maybe...my other crush doesn't hate me. Maybe I took everything too serious-"
"Volt, I'm actually sorry for everything. The reason you've suffered so much...is me." The tears flowed out and dampened Lavender's paws when she tried to wipe them away. "I...Willow knew that I liked you all this time but you only had eyes for her...I promise I didn't...or wouldn't, ever sabotage any potential relationship with Willow. She genuinely didn't like you back and instead figured out a way for me to have you, but this process hurt you so much, didn't it? I love you and I just wanted you for myself, but I finally see that this isn't worth it anym-"
"Lavender, Lav!" Volt carefully wiped a tear from Lavender's face. "It's alright, okay? I already got everything out, and I knew that you would feel bad about this. I originally just took you as a good friend, but then I realized that you were actually...comfort. I could talk to you about anything and you'd react like you cared. Other than Bonfire and your brother, nobody else does. Then I realized how much I actually liked you, along with Willow. I was scared that you'd hate me because I chose Willow over you, but I won't hate either of you. It's not fair."
"I'm so sorry..." The tears didn't stop, and Volt constantly wiped her tears with patience. 
Volt smiled. "Trust me, Lav, it's fine. I never held a grudge against either of you. I also have to say that Willow is a great friend for helping you come up with this plan."
"And Snowbelle." Lavender choked. 
The Jolteon went silent for a moment before continuing. "Yeah."
The Espeon shook her head. "I'm such a horrid..." 
"No, please don't call yourself that. You've tried so hard, yet I was the one who never noticed. Well, now I do, and I would just like to ask you," Volt carefully wiped the decreasing amount of tears from Lavender's face again.
"Would you like to be my girlfriend? After everything we've been through, I promise I'll do everything I can to make you happy."

"YOO!" Moonshade and Bonfire cheered while watching in the Umbreon's room. 
"He actually did it!" the Flareon exclaimed. "I can't believe it! He got your sister before you got Melody!"
Moonshade side-eyed Bonfire. 
"Okay, sorry!" Bonfire laughed. "Well, this is great, isn't it? Lavender's dating your best friend!"
"Dude, Bon, stop." Moonshade bristled a bit. 
"Sorry, sorry! Last time, I promise." the Flareon sighed. "Y'know, I wonder if I'll ever like anybody here. Besides, how'd you even start liking Melody?"
Moonshade hopped backwards onto his bed and bounced on the mattress. "It was before we all became roommates, FYI." 
"Seems...never mind. I'd break my promise if I finished that." 
"Anyway, it was around when I first met her. Lavender loved her platonically, and I guess I loved her romantically. I still do." Moonshade's face went a bit red. 
"Aww!" Bonfire grinned. "Well, wanna keep spying on them and see if anything cute happens?"
"Like what, they kiss?" Moonshade narrowed his eyes. 
"If Volt kisses her, I'll make fun of him about that for the rest of his life." the Flareon had a half-suppressed laugh. 
"If Volt kisses her, I wouldn't know what to do." Moonshade admitted. "He can be a good boyfriend, I guess."
"Aw, alright! Well, wanna watch for any cute moments that will probably traumatize and scar you for life?" Bonfire repeated his previous question with a more odd smile. 
"Dude, what can they do right after a confession that would be traumatizing? You're actually weird..." 
"Hey!" Bonfire's smile went away in an instant.
"Well, wanna keep watching?" Moonshade got up from the bed and moved closer to the window.
"I literally just asked that!" the Flareon groaned and also shifted to the window to watch.

It feels warm. Fuzzy. Dreamy, even.
Volt held Lavender close. The Espeon still couldn't believe she managed to say the word of acceptance and agreement. After this hug ended, they would be a couple. A pair. Dating. 
Together. Finally.
Her guilt was washed away by his gentle and reassuring words. His pain from rejection only a few days ago was erased and replaced with the warmth of the hug with her. Her tears of regret were replaced with genuine happiness, while his fear were replaced with affection. 
She was going to make him happy. He was going to make her happy. 
Neither of them wanted to let go in that instant, but the fatigue hit Lavender and her eyes were soon closed. Volt felt her relax on him and knew that she was probably asleep, so he carefully carried her back inside and put her on the bed, then covered her with a blanket gently. Finally, she took one last glance at his girlfriend's room before leaving quietly, closing both doors. 
Volt stood in the hallway, still feeling the warmth on his body. Something he hasn't felt in a while. The Jolteon wondered if he should go and break the good news to his friends, but the fatigue also hit him and he decided to sleep first. 
He tucked himself in bed and stared at the ceiling, his head still whirling with different thoughts. What to do with Lavender tomorrow...what to do with Lavender the day after tomorrow...what to do with Lavender next week...next month...
Volt suddenly remembered his little sister Dewdrop's obsession with plushies that she got from Melody. What if I got an Espeon plushie?
That's it! I'll figure out sometime this week to go to Town Square and buy a Jolteon plushie for her and an Espeon plushie for me! Brilliant!
Will she even like it?...
The delusional thoughts hit him and suddenly, he was questioning if Lavender would take the gift as cringe or even hate it. Volt took a deep breath and finally let sleep take him away temporarily. 
If she doesn't like it, then I'll keep it for myself. What difference does it make?
After all, I just need to protect her. Willow and Lavender both gave me a chance, so why am I doubting myself at the last minute? Right after she said yes?
Give yourself a chance, Volt, before you won't have the opportunity to make your own decisions in the future. This might just be the last time.