Both sat close together in front of me, shoulders low, ears down, looking small and worried like they were afraid of what I might say.
I jumped off the bed and hurried to put my pants back on, my face burning and my hands shaking.
When I looked at them again, everything felt unreal.
Buneary wasn't small anymore, she was taller, slim, with smooth brown fur and long soft ears that hung almost to the bed.
Sprigatito had changed too, her legs were longer, her tail thicker and fluffier, and the small leaf-bud on her chest had become a sharp, petal-like leaf that rested like a collar.
They both sat close together, ears low, eyes lifted toward me like they were scared of my reaction.
My throat felt tight.
"W-What happened to you two…?" I whispered. "And… when did you evolve?"
Floragato gave a tiny shrug, her tail flicking once like she was saying she had no idea what happened.
Lopunny pointed to herself, then to Floragato, then toward the bed. She repeated the motion a few times, adding a hopeful gesture with her paws, so I could understand.
I watched them for a moment, slowly understanding what she was trying to say.
"…So you just woke up like this?" I asked softly.
Both of them gave a small nod.
I rubbed my face, trying to clear my thoughts and pushed the idea aside. Something far more important needed my attention right now.
I took a deep breath and looked at them again, my cheeks still red.
"Why... why would you do something so... so inappropriate?"
"Nya…?"
Floragato tilted her head, pink eyes wide and confused.
"Lopuu…?"
Lopunny's long ears flopped to the sides, looking just as lost.
They really didn't understand.
I swallowed hard, face burning, heart racing. Do they really not know what was wrong with what they did?
I took a deep breath. My face got even hotter as I forced the words out.
"Humans and Pokémon… we're not supposed to do that," I said softly, pointing down at my pants with a shaky finger. "Never touch or lick there again, okay? It's… wrong."
My voice was low. The room still smelled sweet, and my cheeks burned like crazy.
"That kind of thing is only done by two people who love each other, who want to marry and maybe have kids together one day."
Lopunny's ears drooped low. She let out a sad little "P-Punny…?" and traced a small heart in the air with her fluffy paws. She pressed it to her chest, then pointed at me, her paw soft and warm against my shirt.
Floragato's pink eyes got big. "Nyaa…?" She hugged her arms like she was holding a tiny baby, swaying gently. Then she clasped her paws together like holding hands forever. She looked at me, then at Lopunny, then back at me.
Seeing their gestures, I understood what they were saying: they loved me, they wanted to marry me, and they even dreamed of having a family together.
I shook my head hard, my hair flopping into my eyes, the motion making my head spin a little more. "No. I'm not a Pokémon. I'm human. We can't be in a relationship like that. Ever."
My harsh words hung in the air like a slap.
For a second, everything was dead quiet.
Floragato's pink eyes filled with tears. She stared at me like I'd just crushed her heart.
"Ny… Nyaa…!"
The words "We can't be in a relationship, ever" kept ringing in her head. A hurt, angry cry tore out of her. She spun around, jumped straight out the open window.
Before I could even move, Lopunny's long ears started trembling. Big tears rolled down her cream cheeks.
"Pun… Pun…!" she whimpered, voice small and cracking. She looked at me one last time, eyes full of hurt, like I'd just told her she wasn't wanted anymore, then turned and bolted out the bedroom door.
…Did I say something wrong?
Was I the one who was wrong?
Their faces kept flashing in my head: Sprigatito curled up on my pillow every night, her tiny purrs vibrating against my neck.
Buneary wrapping her soft hands around me like a blanket after a bad dream.
The three of us laughing while chasing each other through the tall grass, sharing sweet berries under the big tree, falling asleep together on the couch with the TV still glowing.
All those little moments, completely happy, completely innocent, felt like they were slipping away.
My chest hurt so much I couldn't breathe right. My legs felt like rocks, but my heart was screaming louder than anything: Go after them!
What have I done…?
Will they hate me now…?
Will the world ever accept how we feel about each other…?
I love them… I really do… I want to be with them that way too… but is it right…?
What am I even thinking…?
I shook my head hard, trying to stop the questions spinning in my brain.
I ran out of the house without shoes. The ground was cold and rough under my feet, little stones digging in, but I didn't care. I had to find them. I had to tell them how I really felt… because if I didn't, I feel like I might never see them again.
Mom poked her head out of the kitchen, spatula still in hand.
"Ryan? Honey, where are you going? It's Sunday, I thought you'd sleep in and rest!"
I didn't even turn around. I just kept running.
First I checked the backyard, voice already cracking:
"Floragato! Sprigatito! Where are you?!"
"Lopunny! Buneary! Please come back!"
Then I climbed the ladder to the roof, voice shaking:
"Floragato! Lopunny! I'm sorry!"
I ran to the park, yelling louder:
"Sprigatito! Buneary! Don't leave me!"
"Floragato! Lopunny! I didn't mean it!"
My throat was dry, but I kept calling both of them names, because I didn't know which ones they wanted to hear anymore.
The quiet alley behind the school was empty too.
Every place we used to laugh together just echoed back.
Nothing.
My heart felt like it was going to burst.
Then it hit me: our secret place…