To Steal the Heart of a Thief {Pokemon Ranger Fanfiction} (Pokemon Watty Awards 2015)

Chapter 18: The Friendship Bracelet

(Rena's POV)

"I CAUGHT FIVE!"

"I CAUGHT SIX!"

"DAMMIT, RENA!"

"HAH! IN YOUR FACE, PRINCE CHARMING!"

Keith sulked at the fact that I kicked his ass in our latest capture challenge, pouting a little. He then perked up and smiled as I released all of my befriended Pokemon. "Hey. You know...you're not so bad. Your capturing skill is improving." He smirked at me as he crossed his arms, sizing me up with his eyes.

I just rolled my eyes at him. "Yeah, okay. Sure." I didn't believe him at all or take his compliment seriously.

"Blue Eyes, I'm serious." Keith's expression hardened, and he stepped closer to me. "You really have gotten much better since you first came here four months ago."

I found myself suddenly scrunching up my nose as Keith obnoxiously ruffled my hair. "Thanks, I think---STOP MESSING UP MY HAIR!" I laughed through my frustration, grabbing his hand and jerking it off of my head.

"Oh yeah?" Keith arrogantly laughed at my annoyance. "What are you going to do about it?"

I just froze for a second, then smirked evilly when I got an idea.

Keith just sweatdropped. "Rena, please don't do what I think you're about to do---OH SHIT!"

BAM!

"GODDAMMIT!"

I just laughed after I tackled Keith to the ground in Ascension Square, pinning him to the grassy floor. "Hah! I'd like to see you try and mess with me now!"

"Oh yeah?" Keith raised an eyebrow, flashing me a seductive smirk. "Challenge accepted!"

In one swift movement, Keith gripped my arms and flipped me onto my back, pinning me to the floor.

"Keith...!" I laughed, trying to squirm out of his grip. "Get off of me!"

"Hmm, let me think about that... Yeah, no." Keith smirked, still holding me to the ground. "Don't start something you can't finish."

I just scoffed. "Is that a challenge?" I dropped my jaw, laughing a little in surprise.

"Maybe, maybe not." Keith shrugged his shoulders, being pretty casual about the situation we were in.

My face slightly flushed a little once I noticed how close we were, which didn't go unnoticed by Keith. I think he was just about to make fun of me for it before we were suddenly interrupted by someone coming down the stairs to Ascension Square.

"Rena, where are you---oh." Rhythimi awkwardly froze at the bottom of the stairs, noticing Keith pinning me to the ground. "Uh, am I interrupting something?" She wore an all-knowing smirk, flashing me a glance I knew meant that we would be talking about this later.

"No!" I quickly answered her, getting on the defensive. My blush only deepened from here.

"Yes, actually." Keith lied to her. "Clearly, we're in the middle of something very---"

"Keith, shut up!" I laughed, shoving his muscular arm a little. I turned my head back to look at Rhythimi. "Don't listen to him, he's a liar."

"Oh-kay then...?" Rhythimi laughed. She was holding Eevee in one hand and a small box in the other. Eevee leapt out of her arms and frolicked over to the shady tree where both Mightyena and Buizel were soundly napping under, and he curled up next to Mightyena before drifting off to sleep. "Well. Keith, if you don't mind leaving us for a bit, I have something I want to talk to Rena about."