Lillie and I continue nibbling at each other's lips for minutes. Admittedly, I don't feel like I have the energy in me to further the intensity in the way I kiss her, but honestly, I'm just happy with this.

Our lips gradually pull away at last, our grips on each other loosening, though Lillie leans back into me to peck my lips a couple of times before we really put the kiss to an end. The comfort of my bed embraces me as Lillie returns to her former position, wiggling herself out from under the covers and instead sitting on the side of the bed. Although my eyelids remain closed, I feel Lillie looking at me inquisitively. She watches me laying face-up beneath the covers of the bed, the expression on my face showing something between peace and exhaustion.
"Hey," she pipes up softly.
There's a pause before I respond. Seems like I'm too tired to keep up.
"Huh? I'm awake," I insist, though my motionless body, sprawled out arms and closed eyes might suggest otherwise. Lillie giggles, leaning slightly closer.
"I love you," she says.
The corners of my lips perk up into a light smile. "I love you too," I mumble.

I sense the shift in tension within the mattress as Lillie stands up again. Hearing the soft tapping of her footsteps against the wooden floor, I sleepily open one eye.
"Hey, I wasn't asking you to leave," I complain huskily.
Lillie stops. "Oh, I thought you were ready to fall asleep," she replies. "You really should rest..."
She crouches down beside me, her folded arms sitting on the bed and her head resting upon her arms. Her peaceful eyes gaze across at mine.
"I mean, it's still early..." I mumble as my eyelids drift closed again. I don't know why I have such a hard time simply admitting that I'm tired. Really... tired. Fortunately however, Lillie seems to see right through me. I'm glad she knows my limits, because I sure don't.
"Nope. You're tired and you need to rest, Sun."
She's right, and we both know it. Lillie holds my hand as my eyes open slightly to meet her firm look. "I can take care of things this evening," she adds confidently. As she says that, my dusk-form Lycanroc, Delta, prowls in again curiously to check up on me. He nuzzles his head affectionately against Lillie's side, a gesture that prompts Lillie to rub the wolf's fur in response. "Besides, I've got all our Pokémon with me."
I squeeze her hand lightly, relaxing against my warm bed. "Alright, if you insist... then I guess I'll take it easy for a while," I say. I try to speak at the usual volume, but the words come out quiet.
Lillie smiles, stroking a few fingers through my hair soothingly. "Good boy," she says playfully.

I grin back at her. "What about you, though? Are you staying here for the rest of the evening, or...?"
Lillie sighs, her eyes shifting to the side slightly. "Well, I want to go back to Hau and the Professor, because I just think I should update them on what exactly happened to you. I just..." she pauses, looking back into my eyes apprehensively. "I just don't want to leave your side. Even for a short while."
I rub my thumb gently over the side of her hand. "It's okay, really. My Pokémon are here to keep an eye on me anyway, right?"
"Hmmm..." Lillie considers. "I guess they are."
She reluctantly lets go of my hand, our fingers sliding off of each other's gradually until they're separated again. My arm drops limply onto the bed as Lillie stands back up. "But I have my phone with me, okay? So if you need anything at all, just let me know and I'll come right back," she smiles sweetly. "Okay?"
My heart skips a beat when I see that stunning smile of hers.
"Okay. Thanks, Lil."

As I turn over and get myself into a slightly comfier position, Delta lets out a short whimper and scrambles up onto the end of the bed, where he promptly curls up and makes himself comfortable on the duvet.
"Well, it seems Delta will keep you company until I'm back," Lillie giggles. "I won't be long. Sleep well, Sun."
On that note, Lillie carefully leans over and lays a loving kiss on my forehead. Without saying anything, I smile comfortably in response to the feeling of her soft lips against me as a noticeable blush creeps onto my cheeks. My whole body is wrapped in a pleasant warmth now, and the crisp bedsheets and pillows cushion my body in just the right way. I feel that rare pinnacle of calmness, the kind of overpowering bliss that I see in my memories sometimes; where I'm laying on the lonely, serene shores of Poni Island, the sunlight washing over me like ocean waves over the sand. Every breath I take seems to bring those memories closer. Every moment that goes by makes the sunlight feel warmer, and the distant sounds of gentle, crashing waves seem clearer.

—————

(Lillie's POV)

The adorable, blushing smile that covers Sun's face after I pull my lips away from his forehead makes my heart miss a beat. His eyes are closed peacefully and he looks to be comfortable. Delta does too - the orange Lycanroc being curled up on the end of the bed with Sun makes for a particularly cute scene, and I can't help but cover my hand over the smile that trickles onto my face as I look at them together.

Sun's Rotom Dex hovers alongside me as I step quietly towards the door.
"Should I leave this door open?" I ask gently. There's no reply from Sun. "Su-?"
I pause as I turn to look back at my boyfriend - he's definitely asleep. His head is tilted to the side ever so slightly, one of his hands laying loosely next to it. For a moment, I just appreciate the feeling of my heart fluttering while I'm lost in watching his shoulders rise and fall steadily with each untroubled breath that he takes. I smile to myself as Rotom wanders past me and out of the room.
"I'll keep it closed," I whisper, tiptoeing out of the room and closing the door silently behind me.

Feathers approaches me as I walk into the main room again, tilting his head and chirping inquisitively.
"He's okay. He's asleep right now," I explain reassuringly to the Decidueye, gently patting his head. Rotom buzzes from beside me while I put my white, pink and baby-blue sneakers back on.
"Hey Lillie, zzt. Did you know that I can analyse human medical statuses as well as Pokemon's?"
I glance at the Rotom curiously. "No, I didn't," I answer. "So you can see information about Sun?"
"That'zzz right," Rotom hums.
My blonde ponytails flops over my shoulder, and I nervously twiddle my hair in reaction to the worries that still linger on the surface of my mind. "And... he's okay, right? Do you think we'll need to get him to a hospital?"
"From what I can tell, he'zzz okay for now. Much better than earlier, zzt..." the Rotom mumbles electrically. "But the Profezzzor will know more than I do."
I hold the straps of my bag and tug on them firmly. "And that's exactly where I'm going. Though I feel guilty for leaving his side..." I gloomily admit.
"Zzrt, you shouldn't feel guilty. You're only doing it for his zzsake anyway, right?"
I nod, my spirits restored a little.
"That's true. Well, I won't be long," I look from Rotom to Feathers, and then back again. "Just keep an eye on him while I'm gone, okay?"
Feathers eagerly hops forwards, the tone of his chirp suggesting that he has great confidence in his ability to handle the task.
"Zzt, will do, Lillie!" Rotom adds. Upon rummaging hastily through my bag in order to check that my items and Pokémon are where they should be, I quietly open the front door and step back outside into the warm dusk.

I know that the Professor told me not to worry earlier, and he was probably right... but he's still unaware of quite how bad Sun's situation was. He was lucky to survive being that close to drowning, and that sort of damage coupled with the effects of an Ice Beam leaves me uncertain of what could potentially happen to him. A big part of my conscience has been bugging me to call a doctor of course, but Sun is resolute in that it wouldn't be necessary.
Still, Professor Kukui and Hau should know about the state that Sun is in. As I saunter through the darkness back to the laboratory on the beach, I begin to wonder when Sun's parents will be back. I'm not sure how I'll explain all of this to them...

Once again, I hop over the ledge and onto the soft sand of the beach. I can see the Professor's lab ahead, mostly thanks to the lights from inside that shine through it's windows. The night is almost full now - the only interruption in the darkness blanketing the sky being the small amount of leftover orange light from the sunset, let through by gaps between the clouds far out in the distance over the ocean - sitting there like cracks in the sky. I approach the door to the lab; quiet, splashing waves and the sounds of wild bug Pokémon filling the ambience around me all the while. Upon stepping up the wooden stairs, I tap my knuckles four times against the door before opening it.

Although the Professor is nowhere to be found as I step inside the familiar building, Hau, fortunately, is still here. He quickly looks up from the sofa and offers a friendly smile as he recognises me.
"Lillie! Alola, what brings you back here?" he asks. I wave half-heartedly and approach him, but don't sit down.
"Hi Hau. I don't know, I just came to... I don't know," I sigh, running my hands slowly down the sides of my face. "I came to talk to the Professor about Sun. I was hoping you were still here too, though... I'm sorry we were gone by the time you got back."
Hau gestures forgivingly with his hand. "Naaah, don't worry about that, it's alright. Oh yeah, about Sun though... Kukui told me about what happened. Gah, Ice Beam... must've been nasty," he replies, shifting his eyes away from me and toward the ground awkwardly. A hint of life returns to his saddened expression when he looks up again.
"But he's okay, right? The Professor said he'll be okay..."
I nod. "He seems... he seems to be okay for now. It's just, um..." I pause. "Hey, where's the Professor?"
I'm not sure how to explain the situation in full without sounding like I'm overthinking it... which maybe I am, after all.
Hau puts his malasada down on the table in front of him, springing up to his feet. "He's downstairs again, went to go work on something, or write something or whatever. I'll go get him," he says with his usual loud volume and jolly tone. "Oh, and you got here at a good time too. I was almost ready to head back home, right after finishing that malasada," he explains while prancing over to the staircase leading to the lab's basement. Honestly, there's no other person on Earth quite like Hau - every movement he makes has so much energy to it, it's astounding. My old friend's positive attitude in life, even in times of distress, has always been inspiring. Despite my worry about Sun, I manage to crack a small, reassured smile.

"Hey science man, Lillie's here!" Hau shouts from atop the staircase.
"Oh? I'll be right there," comes Kukui's voice from the basement. An assortment of sounds follow, including a rustling of paper, a heavy box dropping to the floor and lastly, some quickened footsteps.
"Hey, and what's the deal with the nickname, Hau? I don't go around calling you Malasada Boy," Kukui chuckles as he ascends the stairs.
Hau slings his arms behind his head and raises an eyebrow at him. "Err... yes you do, actually," he promptly responds, grinning.
"Oh, yeah... well, on occasion. Fine, we'll call it even," the Professor shrugs with a smile. He turns his attention to me, offering an Alolan wave in greeting.
"Hey there Lillie. Everything alright?"
"Ah well, uhm... I think so, yeah. But that's why I came," I reply clumsily. My ponytail flows down over my shoulder, so I play with my hair while I think about what to say.

Sighing, I turn away slightly to gaze out of the window. "I'm just worried," I mutter.
"We understand," Hau replies. "It's just... you seem, uh... did something happen?"
I shake my head lightly. "Sorry. Well, Sun explained what happened to him in greater detail," I say, pulling myself together. "He... almost died. Again."
"Huh?! It was that bad?" Hau exclaims, shocked. The expression on the Professor's face matches the same look of dismay on Hau's. The three of us walk over to the sofas and sit down to talk, my two friends watching me in anticipation as I explain.

It takes a couple of minutes to tell them about everything. I explain how Sun almost drowned and was rescued by Feathers, about how he was pursuing Team Skull and that he seems to be okay for the time being, at least. They listen to me intently while I tell them about my worries.
"So... I know you told me not to worry about him too much, Professor, but... well, after learning how bad it was for him..."
Kukui nods calmly, understandingly. "I get you, Lillie. Just remember, yeah, Sun's as tough as they come. If he was able to get home from that, then there's no doubt in my mind that he'll be feeling better again in no time."
"Yeah. Besides, you guys recovered from that one time in Ultra Space. That's gotta prove something, right?" Hau adds. I glance down at my hand, turning it over to see my palm. Just thinking of the memory makes me half-expect to see it covered with blood again. There's a pause while I blink and shake my head, dismissing the image from my mind.
"That was different, Hau. I mean... well, it was worse, you're right."
"Yeah... you see what I mean, right?" Hau replies rather awkwardly. He scratches behind his dark hair. "Sorry, I shouldn't have brought that memory back up."
I shake my head and smile politely. "It's okay."

I turn to Professor Kukui again. "I suppose I just came for advice, really. He says he's certain he doesn't need to go to a hospital, but I'm not so sure. Do you still think he'll just... you know, recover by himself?"
The Professor nods. "I think so, yeah. Like I said before, keep an eye on his temperature. If he has trouble with breathing or keeps having muscle pains, yeah, then we should probably get him to a doctor," he explains cooly. "Like I said, I'm no doctor. But I know enough about what Pokemon's moves can do to people."
I glance down at the coffee table in front of me, folding my arms while exploring my thoughts briefly. Hau continues to munch on his malasada as the TV in front of us keeps blaring out something about a show that none of us are paying any attention to.

I guess there isn't much else that can be done for Sun for now... there's no medicine that can help, no methods of helping him recover besides sleep and warmth. So for now, it seems there's nothing for it but to continue looking after him - I will have to hope for the best, and hope that he doesn't develop any more serious illnesses or injuries. Nonetheless, I have no regrets in discussing this with Hau and Professor Kukui.
"There's one more thing I keep thinking about," I say at last. "Team Skull. What if... what if Team Skull do something while Sun isn't able to fight them?"
Hau and Kukui glance at eachother. Hau answers first, his expression perking up all of a sudden.
"It'll be no problem, right? His Dad is here too, he's one of the strongest trainers in the world!"
"And..." the Professor adds cooly, chuckling and giving Hau a look in an amused response to the boy's enthusiasm. "We've got tons of trainers and Pokémon, yeah, besides Sun and his dad. Me, Hau, the Captains and Kahunas... and of course yourself, Lillie. If things get bad, then we'll just cover for Sun," he continues with a reassuring laugh. He turns his glance back to Hau, smirking. "Besides, 'Malasada Boy'... Sun's dad is here on a vacation, I doubt he visited with the intention of protecting a foreign region from a bunch of thugs."
"That's true, but... well, it seems he has a lot of fun with it," I chuckle. I nod at the Professor, with a smile. "And you're right, I guess I shouldn't be so worried. Thanks for your advice, Professor."
Maintaining his relaxed position on the sofa, he returns the nod, his arms resting up on the cushions at either side of him. "Anytime, Lillie. Do you need anything else while you're here? I can get you a drink or something."
I shake my head. "I would stay, but I should get back to Sun now. I feel bad leaving him for this long as it is," I reply sheepishly.
"Right! And I should head home in a minute too," Hau adds, his mouth half-full with malasada. I get up to my feet again, adjusting the straps of my backpack and running a hand through my hair.
"Right then, I'll get back to work soon," says the Professor. "Thanks for stopping by, Lillie. Take good care of Sun, yeah?"
"Of course. I'll do my best," I say confidently, waving to both of my friends and stepping towards the door.
Hau waves back, as energetically as ever. "See ya Lillie!"
I give one last wave, before opening the door to the lab and stepping outside again.

Although the sun has gone down, it's still pleasantly warm outside. It's just as quiet as it was before I entered the lab, as though nothing at all has changed. The peaceful quietness of Melemele island causes the sound of each gentle breath that I take to stand out as I wander across the beach in the direction of Sun's house. For no particular reason, I decide to put up my hood while I walk. The small white hood on my hoodie is one that I rarely use, though Sun never fails to point out how cute it looks on me when I wear my hood up. My long, blonde ponytail flops forward and over my shoulder, and the pace of my footsteps quicken slightly with each passing second. Gradually, my leisurely walk transforms into a jog; my jog becomes a run, and my run becomes a sprint. I smile to myself as I race through the tall grass, all the way back to Sun's house.

The door handle clicks as I push it down, and I recover my breath as I come to a stop at the house. I pull down my hood and push open the door quietly - Feathers, (as well as various other Pokémon of mine and Sun's), occupy the main room, though it looks like Sun's parents aren't back yet. Sun's partner Decidueye chirps gleefully and hops forward in greeting while I close the door behind me.
"Hey Feathers," I whisper, smiling and delicately petting the Pokemon's head. He chirrups again, making his way to the door to the balcony and pointing at it with his wing - indicating that he wants to go outside, I think.
I nod. "Okay. Thanks for taking care of things while I was out," I add. Feathers nods back politely, proceeding to step out onto the balcony and fly upwards to a tree next to the house.

Next, to check on my boyfriend. I quietly walk over to the bedroom and open the door, slowly, so that it doesn't creak. Little by little, I peak my head around the corner and, sure enough, Sun is still asleep in more or less the same position as he was earlier, Delta curled up peacefully on the end of the bed with his head laying between his paws on the duvet. I smile at the sight, carefully closing the door again and leaning against it gently when it clicks shut. He's so cute.
Slowly walking to the centre of the room, I look around aimlessly for something to do to pass the time. Maybe there's something I can do to be helpful? I could get started on cooking something for dinner... hmm, but Sun might not wake up any time soon, and Sun's parents may already have eaten while they've been out. I glance at the kitchen. Looks like everything is tidy and put away. Out of ideas, I decide to just make myself comfortable on the sofa and continue reading the book that I've been reading recently.

—————

Not more than around half an hour passes before I hear the front door open. I sit up suddenly and close my book as Sun's mom and dad enter the room, and we exchange a