A/N: Sorry for the lack of uploads. I've been struggling with school, so I haven't had the time to create stories. I will satisfy your RusAmer needs soon, but for now, I'm giving you Colress/Rosa (Akuroma/Mei). Mei is slightly older in this story (a year or so has passed) and Colress has a job working for a scientific group studying the possibility of capturing the energy released in the evolution of pokemon. Oh, this is my favorite ship right now, so you may be getting more of this. Rated T for blatant references. I figure most of you can handle this, considering some of the other stories uploaded here.

Colress examined her from across the table.

No, no, no! Am I truly that disgusting?

Rosa turned around to see him staring intensely at nothing in particular. Colress was definitely odd, for a human being. Not that she didn't know her fair share of odd human beings, of course, but at least most of them had a reason or an explanation. N was raised by Ghetsis, who was abusive, and she had heard that Cyrus, leader of the Sinnoh criminal organization, was severely neglected as a child, but what was Colress's excuse? He didn't have one, at least that Rosa knew of. So most of the time she simply sighed, smiled, and listened to him lecture on whatever project he was working on, or watched him suddenly have an idea and go into almost an intellectual mania.

Rosa sighed heavily and departed from her inner dialogue only to find Colress still sitting there, same agonized look on his face. When she saw beads of sweat forming on his forehead, she decided that it might be a good time to get his attention, lest he became hysterical.

"Colress!"

"Ah! Rosa! S-Sorry, I was wondering to myself."

"Yes, I could tell."

"I suppose you could, couldn't you?"

"Is something… wrong?" Rosa could tell that Colress had something on his mind, which wouldn't be unusual, except when he was interrupted, he didn't go back to being his excited self. This worried her greatly. As strange as he was, she had come to care for him, and this behavior was not typical.

"R-Rosa, I was just thinking…"

No! You are not going to go through with this!

"Colress…?"

"Nothing, nothing, nevermind."

"Colress, what is wrong?"

"Nothing! I'm fine. So, what is this place called again?"

"Café Sonata. And that was a very poor diversion from the topic. What is wrong?"

"Just, ah, new project complications. Ever since I've been working a normal job, I've been feeling restrained. Before you can even start a trial run, you have to have all of these accommodations. That is all."

Rosa sighed. She knew he was lying, although she had no way to prove it. It wasn't long before she found Colress staring at the glass of milk, same intense look on his face. She paid the tab and shook Colress from his thoughts.

"Colress? Come on. Let's go back to your hotel."

"B-But Driftveil City is so far!"

"I don't think your boss would appreciate the hotel room that he paid so much for you to study in to remain unused. Besides, where would you stay?"

"I could stay at your house, I suppose."

"My house is in Aspertia City, which is even farther."

"Oh. That won't work, then."

"No, it won't. I'll walk back to the hotel with you-"

"Well, actually, now that I think of it-"

"Add the time we'd be waiting for the boat."

"Oh, right. Yes, it would be longer."

Colress stood up and took out his wallet. "So, what are the expenses?"

"Uhh…" Rosa didn't want to admit that she had paid the tab, knowing that Colress hated having her pay for things. Even though she had definitely matured, he still acted much like a teacher, or in some ways, an older brother. "It… was… free…"

Colress raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, and the two walked out into the night.

When they finally got inside the hotel room, it was already starting to lighten. Colress immediately removed his lab coat and reclined on the sofa. Rosa released her hair, the tips reaching mid-thigh. The bangs she had gave her a playful look, making Colress laugh to himself.

Oh Rosa, even after becoming the champion, you still keep your child-like ways…!

Suddenly, he felt a surge of heat in his abdomen as she turned around.

"Colress, what are you finding so amusing?"

"N-Nothing, Rosa. Simply my own thoughts."

The heat soon spread throughout his entire body as he gazed at her petite frame.

Am I truly this weak? First, affection, and now, arousal?

Rosa sat next to Colress and handed him a portfolio filled with information from the newest project.

"Can you explain it to me?"

"I-It's really self-explanatory."

"May I read it then?"

"Of-Of course, go ahead."

Rosa was soon leaning on Colress's shoulder, flipping through the intricate plans for experiments. Every graph, sentence, and drawing was obviously beyond what she could understand, but she seemed to be content simply looking at it.

Maybe I should teach her about the project, I'm sure she would contribute so much! She would simply need to have the mathematics explained, and I could easily do that, maybe on the weekends she could stay at my residence – wherever it is at the time – and we'd have to share a bed, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind, as a matter of fact I think she'd enjoy it as much as I would, and her mother wouldn't have to know of course not that I'd do anything bad but if she asked I couldn't say no I mean it would make her happy and we'd useprotectionandshe'soldenoughIdon'tseeaproblemofhavingasexuale ncounterifshewantedonewe'veknoweachotherforawhilenows heseemstolikemeenough – No, no, no! I am not some disgusting pervert!

Colress tried his best to ignore the thoughts, but soon his imagination ran with what he thought to be the most disgusting desires. Rosa smiled to herself, knowing what was happening. It's not like Colress was the master of subtlety. She gave him a little push, startling him out of his fantasies.

"Ah! What just-"

"Relax… It's just you and I, okay?"

"Right, right… Just you and I…"

Rosa and Colress spent a few more moments in silence, with Colress trying his best to calm his hormonal spikes.

"Colress?" Rosa asked reluctantly, breaking the still air.

"Yes, Rosa?"

"Do you… feel affectionate around me?"

"Well, ah, of course I do, you… you know that!"

"No, I mean in a romantic way."

"Ah, well, the problem with that is… ah, you know, it's highly illogical… because that type of, uh, relationship… leaves you more vulnerable to, ah, rejection, of course, so… well, and all relationships, you know, do that, but… here, well, there's a higher chance…"

"That… that is a yes, correct?"

"Uh, well, yes, but you know, you have to ignore those types of feelings…"

"No you don't."

"Rosa…"

"Why are you so scared of this? I love you. You love me back. Could it get any easier?"

"What about your mother? The professor? Hugh? Bianca? Cheren?"

"I don't think they'd really care, to be honest. My mother actually likes you. Hugh, well, is Hugh, but he'll have to deal. Bianca doesn't even know you exist, and I don't see the professor very often. Cheren may not like it, but he'll keep that to himself."

"Rosa, it's not that simple."

"It's also not near as complicated as you're making it."

Colress let out a sigh. "Love… is beyond understanding. It's dangerous."

Rosa pressed her lips against his, silencing his protests. Colress tried to react, but was soon smothered by emotion as they caressed each other, the rest of the morning passing in a blur.