The Date (Marissonshipping One Shot)

The Date

"Alain!" The voice echoed through the lab, a squeal of excitement filling the air. "Alain!"

"I'm in the greenhouse!" Alain called back, and his call was answered by the excited thumping of someone running through the upstairs of the lab. Alain sighed, setting down his latest research notes, knowing that he was about to be bombarded with whatever had Mairin hyper.

Not that the break wouldn't be welcomed– he hadn't been able to see Mairin as much ever since she had decided to go back to school. She had made this decision when Alain had put his traveling on hold to do more in-lab research for Professor Sycamore. Both of them agreed to pick up on their adventures together once summer rolled around, but currently spent most of their time together here at the lab.

"Guess what, Alain!" Mairin cried as she burst into the greenhouse, causing all of the Pokemon gathered around Alain to scatter. The Pokemon loved Mairin to bits– but had learned the hard way to move when she came running towards them. "Guess what happ– agh!"

Alain barely reacted to her cry, simply stepping forward to catch Mairin as she tripped over an empty food dish. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, preventing the sixteen year-old from crashing face-first into the ground. Mairin let out an uncertain giggle as she attempted to regain her balance, Alain not letting go of her until he was sure she was stable.

"You need to watch where you're walking," Alain said, a small smile on his face.

"Well– you need to stop leaving the Pokemon's food out like that!" Mairin huffed, face flushed slightly with embarrassment. She use to not even care about her clumsy side, but ever since she had returned to school Alain had noticed she had reacted much differently to even her slightest of stumbles.

"The dishes have always been there– you need to learn your way around the lab better," Alain said, but he leaned down to move the food dish. "I mean, you are working for the professor as well now. And living at the lab too."

Mairin bounced up and down on her heels excitedly. "That doesn't matter right now– you'll never believe what happened at school today!"

"Hmm... did they actually managed to serve an editable lunch?" Alain asked with a slight smirk, his mind wandering back to when he was in school, and the so-called 'food' they offered at lunch.

"Come on Alain, I'm serious!" Mairin grumbled, crossing her arms. "Something absolutely amazing happened– and it did not involve school lunch. I know for a fact that it will never taste good!" She smiled up at him. "So guess what happened!"

Alain looked down at her for a moment, there was a bright gleam in her amber eyes, an excitement Alain had not seen since Chespie had evolved. Whatever had happened had truly made Mairin's day, and it clearly meant a lot to her. Alain paused, not quite sure what would happen at a school to make her this happy. Mairin had never cared much for her grades, though she still did try her best.

"Did you win a match in your battle class?" Alain asked, and she shook her head, still smiling. "Um... Did one of your Pokemon evolve? Did you catch a new Pokemon?"

"Nope and nope!" She said happily, her smile growing.

"...I have nothing. What happened?" Alain asked, and Mairin let out a happy squeal. "Mairin?"

"Connor asked me out!" Mairin cried happily, letting out another squeal, grinning ear from ear. Alain stared at her for a moment, blinking.

"...What?" Alain asked, sounding slightly stunned.

Mairin playfully shoved him. "I said Connor asked me out! Ooo– I can't believe it, he asked me out! He really asked me out!"

"'Asked you out' as in hanging out, or asked as in... asking you out?"