Pokémon The Things that Count

**Hi everyone! I know I said I'd only be publishing one fanfiction on this account...but I just couldn't resist! This is one of my favorite pairings of all time... :3 Recently I've rediscovered my love for Contestshipping and I guess this was kind of an impulsive thing. May or may not decide to rewrite in the future xP but we'll see how this goes! I _tried _to retain the characters' original personalities.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

* * *

"_But you won…and that's all that counts._"

May thought back to that afternoon, the time that she finally beat Drew in a battle. The words that he had said to her. The fact that he finally acknowledged her skills.

A faint smile graced her lips as she relived that fleeting moment of bliss, before she was practically pummeled by Solidad in the next round. A bitter taste filled her mouth, and May remembered the utter shame and disappointment that flooded her when she lost by such a long shot.

But not anymore. May no longer grieved over past losses, nor did she let past victories lift her ego into the clouds. Through her experiences in Hoenn, Kanto, the Wallace Cup, and now Johto, she's seen many surprising wins and many more surprising losses. But even when a famous Coordinator lost a match, May found that the loss never took away from her respect towards that person.

After all, it was never about winning or losing anyways.

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"And the winner of this year's Ribbon Cup is…Robert, from the Silver Rock Isle!" the announcer, Sharian, grinned at everyone through millions of TV screens as she held Robert's hand up, declaring him a Top Coordinator once again. The crowd cheered and roared its approval for Robert as he bowed modestly with his Milotic, although May noticed that his eyes shined with pride.

May smiled, knowing that he must have worked very hard to earn this Cup once again. He was a respectable Coordinator and person, and it was obvious that he was an expert with Pokemon. However, as she turned her gaze to the other side of the battlefield where the runner-up quietly returned his Pokemon to their respective Pokeballs and left the stadium without a word, something seemed to tug at her heart on the inside.

"Drew…" she murmured with a concerned frown on her face.

* * *

She found him sitting on a bench with his Roserade, head bowed and fingers laced with his elbows resting on his thighs. He looked sad, of course, but it was perhaps the first time that May saw him looking this defeated and worn out. Roserade simply gazed at him worriedly, reaching out with her left arm to touch his shoulder gently.

As May came closer, she could faintly catch their conversation.

"Rose…" Roserade's frown deepened.

Surprisingly, Drew offered a small smile to his closest Pokemon. "It's all right, you don't have to worry. I think that you and Masquerain did great today, and it wasn't your fault that we lost."

_He's changed… _May realized, thinking back to the time when Drew yelled at his Absol.

The small green Pokemon's voice only rose as she protested, "Roserade, rose roserade! Ro-"

But she was only cut off as Drew shook his head. "No, I don't blame myself either. I'm not mad at you, or Robert, or myself, or anything…"

"But you're upset. Isn't that right, Drew?" before May realized it, she had already slipped up behind the two of them. The words spilled out of her unconsciously like little drops of water.

"What makes you think that?" his voice was guarded as he fixed his gaze on her. Drew's eyes suddenly looked older, sadder, and just a little bit…empty.

May sat down on the bench, eyes looking out into the distance as she answered softly, "Because you're lacking your usual confidence."

He laughed, but it sounded slightly bitter as he flipped his hair almost mockingly and offered her a red rose. "How about now, May?"

She shook her head, and a silence fell over them again as he tossed the flower carelessly over his shoulder.

"You know, you once told me something."

"I think I've told you many things," he retorted sarcastically.

Ignoring his hostile manner, May asked, "Remember when I first beat you in the Hoenn Grand Festival?"

When the green-haired boy gave no response, she continued, "You said that I won, and that was all that counted. But you're wrong, Drew."

He sighed and crossed his legs, leaning back to focus his attention on her. "Oh really?"

May nodded. "Winning isn't everything. You don't have to beat yourself up over it," she paused to glare at him when he scoffed and crossed his arms, "You're not angry, I know. You're confused. Because you spent all this time and effort training your Pokemon as well as your own skills to be the very best, and you've already lost against Robert before, and yet you ended up losing to him a second time despite the fact that you gave it your all."

"Well, there's always going to be someone better," he shrugged nonchalantly, throwing in another line that he once said a year or two back, but May wouldn't have it.

"Right, and yet you're still sitting here, sulking."

Drew said nothing, only letting out a small huff as he turned away from her.

May scooted closer to him, and her voice softened as she admitted, "Fine. Maybe I don't know what you're thinking right now," her fists clenched as she stared at him with a new intensity in her blue eyes, "But I just came here to say that your loss means nothing to me. I haven't lost respect for you just because you didn't get the title of 'Top Coordinator'. Winning…isn't what matters. I saw you out there with Roserade and Masquerain, and you guys gave it your all…" she flushed a slight pink as her voice lowered, "…and I thought that was pretty amazing."

"Roseee!" Roserade agreed with a happy expression, before retrieving the fallen rose and handing it back to Drew with a determined expression on her face.

Drew let out a chuckle, but this time there was no sarcasm in the sound. Taking the flower from Roserade, he offered it to May with a small but genuine smile. "Here…I guess you deserve this, after that long emotional speech."

The old Drew was back. As May took the rose from him, for a brief moment their hands touched, sending a spark through her nerves and causing her heart to beat faster. May blushed again, and asked, "So are you coming to the celebration party tonight?"

"You know parties and dancing aren't my thing, May," he shook his head almost regretfully.

"Oh, right, you usually train instead…to get better," May's smile faltered a little despite her covering it up, the rose clutched so tightly in her hand that the thorns dug into her skin.

* * *

May could barely suppress a sense of anticipation as she, Solidad, and the other female Coordinators descended the stairway to the ballroom where the party was held. She hadn't brought along any formal clothing, but Solidad had kindly lent her a flowing red dress with a white sash tied around the waist. May let out a small giggle; tt's been forever since she's had this kind of fun!

After about halfway down, May realized something: all the other Coordinators had partners to spend the night with. Even Solidad was forced to spend the evening with Harley, who had practically used all forms of coaxing and flattery in order to urge her into saying yes. Solidad had invited May to come hang out with her, but May politely declined, knowing that Harley would probably get his Cacturne to use Needle Arm on her if she had the nerve to tag along as a third wheel.

_Well, that's just great…_ she thought. _Guess my date's the food, then! _May was always psyched about tasting all the delicacies in new regions and cities.

As she searched fruitlessly for the dessert table, May felt as if she was lost among the crowd, laughter, and dancing. A pang of loneliness struck her, and May found her smile slipping away as she wished for someone who would be her companion.

However, just then she thought she saw a familiar face at the doorway. The green hair, purple and black outfit…it was Drew! But why had he come? What happened to all the training that he had probably planned?

May couldn't believe her eyes. Her face lit up with delight and relief as she made her way through the crowd to him. "Hi Drew!"

"Hey," he offered her a small smile.

May opened her mouth, about to ask him all of the questions and doubts that were swimming through her mind, but found herself just standing there and smiling back at him instead. Suddenly, nothing seemed all that important anymore as May stepped outside into the chilly night air with the boy who was once her biggest rival. _He gave up his time to come and keep me company, and that's what really matters, _May thought to herself contentedly as the two teens chatted casually, not realizing how quickly she's forgotten about all the parfaits and cream puffs that were supposedly Johto's best.

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**So...please give me your feedback! Follow/Favorite/Review? 3 **

****On another note: yes, I am finally picking up my Kate/Keith fanfiction again! Hopefully I can get the next part up soon. (:**

**With much appreciation,**

**Rainii **


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Pokémon, Hurt-Comfort, Romance