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"Seriously, can't they ask about anything else?" Dot sighs as she plops into her chair. Her Nidothing outfit unzipped, letting her breathe while still hanging off of her.
Ever since helping out Yuno at Pigton Town, asks had been geared more towards romance. It was fine, at first. There was just a small group who wanted her help to play matchmaker, but it seems to have escalated over time. Sure, it was nice to help someone out romantically, but that was never her intention. Nidothing's focus is Pokemon, not romance.
It didn't help that in her latest livestream, one that ended a few minutes ago, they began to question her about her love life. The question caught her off guard, and she fumbled a bit before stating that her heart is saved for her own Pokemon. It sounded kinda lame, but she knew better than to give her fans false hope, especially when it concerns that topic.
Besides, Dot didn't do romance. Or love. Or anything revolving around it. She's never been a people person, never went out of her way to interact with others unless it's necessary. Chatting to people is easier behind a screen anyway. It's easier to type out what she means, go back and edit it before actually replying. It's not like she needed to go out and talk to people face-to-face.
...Is what she would have believed a couple of months ago.
Lately, she's been going out of her room on the Brave Olivine. Willingly. And not just for food. She had IRL friends now, people she could hang around and talk to. Even if they were annoying at times, Roy and Liko are good friends to her.
Especially Liko.
Dot feels something funny in her chest when she thinks of her. The girl shakes her head as if to shake away that funny feeling.
"Nope! That didn't happen!" She says.
Meanwhile, Quaxly tilts its head at her. She catches the Pokemon's curious gaze and looks away. The last thing she wants is her Pokemon learning about her totally not real love life.
Unfortunately, Quaxly has always looked out for her, even before they became official partners. It hops onto her bed, attempting to be closer to her and offer some sort of comfort.
"Quaxly!" It holds out a wing after brushing back its feathers. Dot lets out another sigh. If she could talk to anyone (that isn't a human), it would be Quaxly.
"It's nothing, really..." She turns her head away from it, looking back at her computer screen instead. She lets her hair down before playing with the zipper of her Nidothing outfit.
"It'd be kinda dumb to have a crush on Liko, wouldn't it?"
"Dot!"
"Gah!"
Dot lets out a yelp as her knee hits her desk. Her hands immediately go to it as she holds back a whine. Of all the people who had to be at the door, did it really have to be her?!
"Wh-What is it? I'm busy!" Dot moves back from her desk. Panic sets in as she worries if Liko overheard her admit that to Quaxly. Surely she didn't, right? Right?!
For now, she starts to finally get out of her Nidothing outfit. Even though Liko knows her secret, she always gets awestruck whenever she's in it.
"Oh, sorry! I just saw that your livestream was done and thought you were free..." Liko responds from behind the door.
Dot doesn't reply. She's busy tossing her outfit to the side of the room. She hesitates on answering the door, but it didn't seem like Liko heard what she said.
Maybe her secret is still safe.
"Oh, hey!" Liko gives her a bright smile when she finally opens the door.
"What did you want again?" Dot asks, trying not to sound annoyed, but sometimes her normal tone just sounds exasperated. Thankfully, Liko already knows this. If anything, she's just tired from her Nidothing persona.
"Can I come in?"
Dot nods and allows her inside.
As soon as she enters, Liko's eyes drift over to the Nidothing outfit. She takes in a breath, and Dot hopes that she isn't going to gush over it, especially with Quaxly sitting on it like some sort of nest. Although seeing her struggle to hold back is kinda cute.
Or not.
Dot is not going to let her mind wander while Liko is in her room.
The two girls sit on Dot's bed. There's a space in-between them, but it's nothing unusual. It's not like they had to sit side by side. Dot's heart couldn't handle that.
"Is it okay to ask," Liko starts, hesitating for a moment. "Why is everyone asking about Nidothing being in love?"
Dot is grateful she doesn't have juice or any type of drink, or else she'd be a choking mess right now. Yeah, of course, Liko, one of her fans, would ask about that. Sometimes she forgets that Liko watches her livestreams despite being in the same ship.
"Th-They're just going off about whatever they want," Dot replies while looking away from her. She can feel her cheeks going red. "Remember when we helped out at Pigton? Some people are misinterpreting me helping Yuno out for... non-Pokemon related reasons. Ever since then, I get the occasional message asking me to play cupid," she lets out a long sigh and slumps forward a bit.
"Then it shifts into asking me, or Nidothing, about who they're interested in. Don't they know I'm not that kind of streamer? I just wanted to help out a fan and her Pokemon! Just because romance was involved doesn't mean I have to deal with it now..."
Liko nods along, recalling their time in Pigton. She had initially thought it was the usual rivalry between trainers, while there was a one-sided attraction for their Pokemon. In the end, the trainers and Pokemon had come together, even if the trainers didn't want to admit it.
"I guess that makes sense! Sorry that you have to deal with that now, though. I do wonder how they're doing..." Liko adds quietly.
"Oh, Yuno and Renta are doing fine. That's why I've been getting those asks more frequently, I guess."
"Wait, really?!" Liko's eyes sparkle. "I'm glad to hear that!"
"Yeah, yeah, they're happy, so I guess that's what matters."
Dot isn't interested in prying into their love life. That's more private and nothing she needs to delve into. She'd rather focus on how Yuno's Pokemon is doing.
"Hey, Dot...do you really not have anyone you like?"
"Huh?"
"S-Sorry!" Liko apologizes, blushing and turning her head while scratching at her cheek. "I didn't mean to be like those viewers. You don't have to answer it."
Dot feels her own cheeks burning. She wants to just curl up into her bed and hide. Why did she have to ask her that?
"I...I don't really know," Dot admits. She takes in a deep breath yet refuses to look at Liko. "Love is such a weird thing. I don't really get it. It makes you feel funny and do weird things. Even if I did like someone...I'm not sure if I would be able to tell."
"Why is that?" The question is innocent with a hint of curiosity. Dot feels like she should stop. If it were anyone else, she probably would have.
"W-Well, I just don't know if I'd like anyone?" Dot struggles to answer. "You pretty much know all the people I know, so...even if I did, my options are so limited. N-Not that it's a bad thing!"
Dot doesn't want to admit that she likes Liko. In her small world, she had been the one to always reach out to her. It's easier to brush this off as her being enamored or infatuated with her first real friend. It can't be love, can it?
She has no experience with love. Doesn't know what it feels like, doesn't know what it would do to her. She does have this funny feeling in her chest and likes being around Liko, but is it really love?
Even if it is love or whatever, she doubts Liko would like her as more than a friend anyway. Maybe she could be proven wrong, but she isn't going to dare ask her anything about romance. The last thing she wants is to have the possibility of being rejected tormenting her and ruining their friendship.
"I...don't think a lot of people know when they're really in love. But I also don't think you need to worry about being in love either."
"What...?"
"It's fine to not like anyone, right? There are a lot of people who don't have a significant other, and they're okay with that! And knowing when you're in love," Liko pauses, her brows furrowing slightly. "I think you'll know it when it happens! Err, is that the right way to say it? Oh...I don't know how to explain it properly, but when the time is right, in your heart, you'll know that it's love."
Dot puts a hand over her chest, feeling her heart beat against her chest. She looks over at Liko, seeing her doing her best to put her own thoughts into words. She struggles, but still gets the point across. Her confident look makes her really want to believe it.
"In your heart, you'll know that it's love..."
"Yeah! And whoever you love, I'll support you along the way!"
"Even if it's you?" Dot asks, voice barely above a whisper.
"Huh? What was that?"
"I-I said I'll do the same for you!" Dot quickly and loudly responds. She gets to her feet, panic kicking in once again. Did she really say that to her face?! Sure, it was a whisper, but it was something that was not supposed to be said!
"A-Anyway, enough of this lovey dovey stuff, why don't we uhhh go get some food! Quaxly is starving, and I'm sure it wants to go and play with Sprigatito!"
Quaxly perks up from its spot on Nidothing's outfit. It tilts its head at the sudden inclusion, but it won't decline the chance to get its trainer out of her room. Dot definitely feels her Pokemon giving her a look, but ignores it for now. Maybe she could bribe it with a berry to forget about what she said to it earlier.
"Oh, sure!" Liko nods. She seems slightly confused about the sudden shift in conversation, but thankfully, she doesn't seem to mind it. "I'll go and get Sprigatito and meet you in the kitchen."
Liko takes her leave first. Dot remains standing, heart still pounding in her chest even as the door shuts behind her. Finally, she lets out a breath and falls back onto her bed. She hides her face in her pillow.
"This is why offline experiences are so dangerous!" She whines out. "I swear it's going to slip one day, and then I'm going to be doomed!"
"Quax Quaxly." Her Pokemon had come from its spot on Nidothing over to her. It hops on the bed, patting her head.
She looks up slightly and lets out a breath. Maybe she is overreacting. It's not like Liko knows. Yet.
"Thanks, Quaxly," Dot says as she slowly moves to sit up. The duck Pokemon hops into her lap. "At least I know you'll have my back no matter what."
Dot looks to the door. She gulps, knowing she can't stay in here after promising to go meet her in the kitchen. Thankfully, she can play it cool around Liko.
"I should give it some time anyway..." Dot mumbles to herself. "I...I'd rather know if my feelings are actually real or not first..."
Dot thinks about Liko, again, making her cheeks burn. A small crush could wither away or fully blossom. She would rather give it time before jumping to conclusions.
And ban any more questions about romance for her livestreams.