Falling For You -- Marissonshipping Fanfiction

Of Icy Lands, Of Icy Eyes

"It's t-too cold..." Mairin muttered, wrapping her coat around her tighter. "Why'd we have to come all the way up here?"

"Lake Acuity is said to be home to a legendary Pokemon," Alain said, holding out a gloved hand to Mairin. She grunted, accepting it, and he helped her up the snowy ledge. "This should be exciting!"

"I've seen enough legendaries in my life..." Mairin whispered, shivering at unvoiced memories. Kade, who was currently bundled up in her coat with her, peered his head out. The Flareon tilted his head, before giving his 'mother' a lick on the nose.

Alain was now up ahead on the snowy path, looking at a map. With his thick gloves on it was hard to hold the thin paper map, but anything electronic couldn't get a signal this far north. He examined the map for a moment, glancing up the trail.

"We shouldn't be too far– let's hurry!" Alain said excitedly, and Mairin blinked at him. Usually she was childish one wanting to race ahead. Mairin uncertainly trailed after him, exhausted from their winter hike up here.

Professor Sycamore had come to Sinnoh to visit his old teacher, Professor Rowan. Sycamore had asked Alain and Mairin if they wanted to come with him, perhaps take some time to explore some of the Sinnoh region. They had both gladly accepted, deciding to treat the trip as more as a chance to study rather than a vacation. Alain had officially become a professor only a month before– though Sycamore still held the title of regional professor– while Mairin... had been trudging along.

She was eighteen– officially an adult– she had the whole world at her fingertips... but nothing felt that different. She had been working under Professor Sycamore for the last few years as an assistant, and while she enjoying being with him and Alain, she knew it just wasn't the place for her. Any field work was amazing, but the moment paperwork of any kind popped up, she crumbled. She was an adventurous soul, she loved to learn, but the way things were 'officially' done just wasn't her way of doing things.

But a chance to look for signs of mega evolution in Sinnoh was too good to pass up.

Mairin glanced at Alain for a moment, hesitating. Things had been... strange between them. Not any tension per se, but things were most certainly different from when they were younger. Mairin had often noticed Alain watching while she worked, only for him to turn away once she looked up. He had become less condescending when working with her, their conversations slowly steering away from the topics they had loved as children. She had seen the way he had often hesitated when they parted ways or greeted each other. His hands tended to linger on her when he'd catch her mid-trip, but he had never said a word about it.

She had changed around him as well. Her teenage crush was no longer there, not to say that she no longer admired him, but her emotions weren't jumping out of control every time he had looked at her. It was like they had evolved into something else, her heart simply content when she was near him. He was still quite handsome, though Mairin tried not to focus on this, and a gentleman around her.

Mairin wanted something more between them– but she was afraid to make the first step. Sure, their age difference didn't seem quite as drastic now as compared to when they were younger, but that didn't mean that he wanted their relationship to change like she did.

None of his romantic relationships had lasted long with other girls (much to Mairin's relief), and at times she felt like he was treating her like her brother often had. Friendship might be all he wanted from her, and there was no way Mairin was going to make things awkward and lose that bond. She could barely carry around a Pokedex without dropping it– who knew how her trying to juggle a romantic relationship would end up.

But still, the thought of Alain helping her up the ledge made her fingertips tingle.

"Can't we just fly on Charizard the rest of the way?" Mairin grumbled, pointing up to the lizard as she flew overhead. She was carrying all of their camping supplies they'd need to spend a night up at the lake, though the lizard didn't seem to mind the burden.