The Night's Something
It had been a long day for our Pokemon Trainers – a few battles, one Team Rocket attack, and bad luck with orientation skills, while walking through the forest. Of course they got lost again – when did they not? After Ash and May won a few battles, Team Rocket tried to snatch Pikachu again. When they had failed and got send flying again, it was Iris this time that got the group lost.
Which is why Misty, who was something like a queen for everyone in the group because they were afraid of her wrath, asked them to stop and prepare for the night. After they had eaten and talked about the day, they soon fell asleep.
That is, everyone except for Ash.
He was still awake, sitting under a huge tree, wrapped into his blanket. The strong light from his Pokedex that he was staring at illuminated his face. He went through the data about the newest Pokemon he saw or caught.
His friends were scattered lying in their sleeping bags all around him or a little further away. It did become quite a large group of travellers. There were Iris and Cilan right next to the small fire; Max, May and Drew a little further away; Dawn and Paul under a tree opposite Ash, Brock on Ash's left side, a few meters away; and Misty on his right side, right next to him. Like she always was.
One the one hand, Ash had been very happy that she decided to travel with him again, but on the other hand, he could not get used to the fact that Misty was like a mother for his friends. Or better said, like a queen that reigned over them. Sometimes he had a feeling that everything they did was because Misty either wanted it or persuaded someone else to want it.
Because she was the oldest girl, the others respected her more than anyone else; and as a girl – she represented the devil no one wanted to make angry. Which they did not. Ash did. Because he could. And because he was not scared of her. More or less.
But he could get really annoyed at her, when she did something unreasonable, like right now.
''Ash, could you please go to sleep? I'm dead tired and that light...'' Misty mumbled sleepily, her voice thick and her eyes half closed, while she lied on her side, facing Ash. He rolled his eyes thinking by himself that she could easily just turn away or go lie somewhere else, but turned his Pokedex off anyway. He put it back into his bag and leaned his back on the tree. He looked at Misty from the side.
Misty smiled to herself and moved around in her sleeping bag, sighing tiredly. She whispered a good night, almost unheard, but got a soft good night from Ash back.
The night was warm and silent. There was something fresh in the air that made Ash breathe in as if it was the last time. He felt strange; warm, not only on his skin, but also inside – like it were warm in his chest. There was a strange rush making his heart beat a little faster, not extremely, but hard enough so he could feel and hear it clearly. He felt as if he were floating on a cloud; as if he breathed the freshest air ever; as if he had no worries in the world.
Misty.
He thought about Misty a lot these days. These months, actually. He thought that he was just being happy about her return to his group, but… She was there. In his mind, in his dreams and in his daily musings, when he should be concentrating on his training. He thought about her long orange hair that felt silky to the touch. He thought about her greenish-blue eyes that were able to look at him with fire. He thought about her rosy lips that were moving the whole day, talking or screaming at him.
He thought about her hands and fingers, legs and feet. He thought about her skin; the piece of her skin that touched his hand or shoulder. And then he thought about her scent that rose to his nose and made his mind float in the sky and his legs wobble like a leaf on water. She smelled so strange. It was nice to the nose, but intoxicating for his brain.
And she was always there. Near him. Talking to him. Arguing with him. Cheering for him. She was always reminding him why he was doing what he was doing and helped him do all this the right way. She kicked him out of his misery if something went wrong and he decided to mop around instead of doing it right. She pushed him on and forward towards his goal and she never – she never asked for anything in return.
She never asked for anything in return.
Even though there were billions of possibilities that he could do to make her happy.
Misty…
Sleeping soundly in her sleeping bag, her long hair was in a loose plait and a few of her curls fell over her face, tickling her nose. Her cheeks were slightly rosy and her breathing was even. She was beautiful. She was so very beautiful.
Ash sighed, the warmth and the rush spreading all over his chest, making him a little frustrated. He rubbed his hand over his chest as if it was able to ease the strange feeling, but it did not go away. He looked up into the sky filled with stars and breathed in the wonderful air.
He felt so strange. Content. Calm.
He tried to recognize the constellations, but he was not an expert. Instead, he simply admired the wonderful view he had from under the widely open branches of the tree. He listened for any sound, but he heard none. The world was sleeping.
Then he suddenly heard the sound of a slow movement near him. He looked down to the side and noticed Misty scratching her nose in her sleep. The curls, fallen from her plait must have itched her skin too much. He thought she would put her hand down again and continue to sleep, but she slowly opened her eyes and caught his eye.
He blinked in surprise but soon realized that she was still not really seeing him, as sleep kept pulling her eyes closed. Finally, she blinked a few times and saw him look at her. She smiled at him lazily, an expression Ash would not mind to see more often, and whispered.
''Can't sleep?'' she asked and watched him with tired eyes.
Ash smiled back and shook his head. ''Not really. You go back to sleep. No worries.'' He whispered back.
Misty hummed and closed her eyes for a moment, but then she looked back up at him. ''What are you thinking of?''
You. Was his immediate reply in his mind. He did not say it out loud. He hoped at least. The silence lasted s little longer than he wanted, but Misty was patient.
''Just… About everything.'' Was his short reply as he stared at her.
Misty stared right back at him, her eyes clear now. She did not avert her eyes and it seemed like she read his mind. I hope she doesn't.
''Don't think about things too much. Just let them happen.'' She suddenly spoke, softly and slowly, but he heard her clearly. He should let it happen? Just like that?
''I hope you're not reading minds.'' He joked gently, smiling at her.
''Why? Is there something you're hiding?'' she joked back.
He gazed at her warmly. He was sure that if it were a day, she would notice the strange state he was in. ''There is.'' He told her.
Misty did not move, but she became more focused, more attentive. ''What are you hiding?''
It seemed the night made him light-headed. He looked up into the sky again, gazed at the stars and then back at her. She was so close. He could simply reach for her hand and touch it. He could simply reach for her curls and move them away from her face. He could simply reach for her and… do something.
She did not say anything, simply waited for him to answer. She gave him time to reconsider his answer.
''I think… You were right about a few things.'' He told her finally.
Misty kept watching him. ''Things…?''
''Yeah… Things you said a long time ago.'' He smiled, closing his eyes.
''Of course I was right, Ash. I always am.'' She joked again, leaning more comfortably on her side.
Ash said nothing for a few moments, letting Misty watch him. ''Ash…''
''Yeah… I-'' he looked at her. She was so beautiful. She was so very beautiful. ''You are beautiful, Misty.'' He suddenly told her, making her blink in surprise. He was sure she blushed too, but it was too dark to tell. Her eyes seemed brighter now, her lips slightly open. Ash felt his heart tighten for a moment, but at the same time, he felt relaxed – as if he needed to say at least that to her.
''Th-thank you.'' She stuttered a little and tried to say more, but no words came out. Then finally. ''I think you're beautiful too, Ash.'' She whispered, lifting herself up and leaned on one hand. Ash followed her with his eyes and suddenly they were on the same eye level. Misty did not smile anymore; she wore a strange expression. Hopeful, maybe a little confused. Ash looked the same.
''Yeah? You do?'' he made sure, his heart beating faster. He straightened up a little and faced her with his upper body. Misty nodded.
She sat up properly and gazed at him, waited. Ash leaned a little forward, reached for those curls on her face, and moved them behind her ear. With his fingers, he grazed her cheeks and another rush went through his as he felt the warmth of her skin. Then he reached for her hands. He took them in his own hands and looked down on them. Her hands were warm and soft and once she squeezed back, he could feel her slightly shaking. He looked up into her eyes. She was nervous. She was very nervous. Her hands were shaking.
Her eyes were shining and he could feel her rapid heartbeat. She was breathing faster. He leaned in slowly and realized that she leaned in too. Their lips touched and nobody moved for a second, waiting for the other to move back. But they did not move back, so Ash decided to go for it and pressed his lips firmly on hers. She pressed right back and he could feel the softness and warmth radiating from her.
They pecked at each other's lips a few times, not really sure about what they were doing. Then they pulled away. Now, Ash could see clearly how flustered her face was. And he knew she could see the same on his face.
''We can repeat that if you want.'' Misty smiled and made him a little crazier about her.
''Yeah…'' his grip on her became a little stronger. ''I'd like that very much.'' He whispered and leaned in again.