Shipping's Challenge 1! Yeah…it's Advanceshipping! I hate writing oneshots without songs, I really do, but oh well it can't be helped. And there will be small hints of Belleshipping and Egoshipping.

In this one, Esmerald will be here. Okay, on I go!

Esmerald looked with a mixture of disgust and pity at the coward known as Ash Ketchum. Why was he a coward to her status? Pretty much only one reason.

He.

Was.

Afraid.

To.

Speak.

His.

Feelings.

Duh. Sure, he loved to battle and battled nearly mercilessly to his Pokémon except he loved them all, especially his Pikachu. Sure, he faced the world and saved it like a million times. But he was afraid of one thing. Something people would usually think is easy until you tried or experienced it yourself. Ash was afraid that a girl would reject him. He loved this girl, you see?

"Ash, just tell May you like her!" Dawn exclaimed in frustration.

"No way!" Ash interjected. "I can't!"

"She likes you back, you know," Esmerald cut in.

"So?" Ash said sullenly. "I can't."

"You've gotta!"

"No!"

"Do it!" Esmerald sighed. Dawn and Ash would go at it forever. Ash and Dawn were both stubborn and would argue for hours for one little subject.

"May's coming!" Esmerald hissed. Ash looked around wildly while Dawn and Esmerald giggled.

"Hey, Ash!" May giggled. She looked sadly at him, and all May saw was an oblivious, cute boy who was too dense to realize how she liked him.

Do you know, that I love you?

Do you know, that I want you?

Do you, oh, do you know?

"Hey, May," Ash said, trying as hard as he could to suppress the feelings he had for his best friend. Why do I feel this way? he raged silently to himself. I never felt this way about Misty or Dawn!

"Oh." May couldn't hide her disappointment that he didn't catch her subtle hint.

Will you ever realize?

Do you know, that I love you?

Do you know, that I want you?

Do you, oh, do you know?

"Hey, Ash, May!" Misty called from behind them. They stopped and saw Misty with Gary at her side. Then they saw Drew, who was looking for Dawn.

"Hey, Misty!" Dawn said cheerfully, emerging from the trees ahead of them and waving at Drew happily, who grinned at her.

"Did you tell him yet?" Misty hissed into May's ear. May shook her head.

"Tell him!" Drew ordered May. Dawn had taken her spot beside him and had sighed at May.

Are you that dense?

Do you know, that I love you?

Do you know, that I want you?

Do you, oh, do you know?

I want you,

Do you, oh, do you know?

No hints that will reach you,

No kisses to help you,

No hugs to cheer you up,

No ideas of my love for you,

Oh do you know?

"Ashy-boy, didn't you say you were going to tell me something?" Gary asked slyly. Ash shook his head.

"No, what?" he asked. Gary sighed and Misty slammed Ash's head with her mallet.

"Could you get anymore dense?" May screeched, finally fed up with everything. Dawn and Drew slinked off ahead of them with Misty and Gary, while Esmerald looked at the two.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked her curiously. May gave a growl of frustration.

Do you know, that I love you?

Do you know, that I want you?

Do you, oh, do you know?

"I like you, you idiot!" May shrieked.

I told you, and you don't seem to get it.

I said I loved you, and you don't know.

Do you, oh, do you know?

"Of course you like me," Ash said densely. "You are one of my best friends." May gaped at him with shock.

Do you know, that I love you?

Do you know, that I want you?

Do you, oh, do you know?

"NO!" May cried, tears filling her pretty blue eyes. "I love you, curse it all!" Ash gaped at her, May never cursed like that before. Then he realized what she said.

"You love me?" he repeated, not getting it. Tears suddenly slipped down May's cheeks as she realized that Ash didn't get what she was saying.

"Just…just forget it," May murmured, turning away, her heart now broken. What she didn't expect were two hands on her shoulders that whirled her around for a kiss. May was at first shocked, the kissed back.

You did know I loved you,

You did know I wanted you,

You did, oh, yes you did.

Do you know, that I love you?

Do you know, that I want you?

Do you, oh, do you know?