Author's Note: Okay, so, when you're reading this, if you don't guess already, it's based on the song Jolene by Dolly Parton 8D God damn, I love that song. Anyway, this fic was a little harsh to Dawn. I'M SORRY, DAWN FANS. But we all know Ash and Misty are meant for eachother ;D
Ash's nose was glued to the window. Through the condensation-covered glass, a young, seventeen year old woman with flaming red hair was visible, dancing around with her pokemon. At the table, Dawn sat, staring into the cup of hot chocolate her hands cradled. Occasionally, a small tear would fall from her jawline into the mug. Once again, her teary eyes flickered up to the man she had been dating for the past few months. It had been the best few months of her life, in fact. They had been happy. Her mind reeled back to how she got here.
"Dawn, there you are! Man, does it take that long to shove a few clothes in a bag?" Ash said, wrinkling his nose impatiently.
"Patience is a virtue, Ash," Dawn said in a sing-song voice.
Ash's face reflected his distaste, for this was a phrase he had heard often from all the women in his life. He loaded the five bags Dawn had brought with her into the backseat of his car. Dawn linked her arms around his waist and kissed his cheek.
"So Ashy, can you tell me where we're going yet?" she said, smiling into the back of his jacket.
"Well..." he turned to face her and gave her a quick peck on the lips. "I suppose so. We're going to Pallet!"
"...Pallet? I thought we were going to PARIS!" she said, shock laced with disappointment evident on her face.
"Oh, cheer up! I only said it begins with 'P'!" he said merrily, getting into the driver's side of the car. Huffing, she got in the passenger's side and slammed the door a lot harder than necessary as Ash winced for his car. The rest of the journey was spent in silence.
A few hours later, Dawn was gently roused from sleep by Ash.
"DAWN! DAWN, WAKE UP, WE'RE HERE!" he said, flicking her nose repeatedly. She had to remind herself that she loved him to prevent herself from snatching the hat from his head and slapping him upside the head with it. Groaning, she rubbed her eyes, stepped out of the car and strolled up the sunny pathway to Ash's house as he struggled with her bags a few feet behind.
"Oh Dawn, I didn't know you were coming! Where's Ash?" Delia called from the kitchen.
"Here, mom." Ash puffed from the doorway, hands on his knees.
"Oh Ash, you'll never guess who's here!" she trilled, clapping her hands and she pulled Ash out to the garden.
"Starmie, come on, you need a bath!" the redheaded girl on his lawn giggled. The pokemon strugged against her grip. "This is ridiculous, you're a WATER POKEMON!" she said, the laughter finally taking over as she fell on her back, exhausted. Ash barrelled full speed ahead to her, fell to his knees, pulled her into a sitting position by her shoulders and hugged her tight, winding her in the process. She panted weakly against his shoulder.
"Whoops, sorry," Ash chuckled nervously. He let her go abruptly and she fell again onto her back. "Oh God, sorry again, Misty!" he said, hurrying to lift into sitting again. She laughed again.
"Hi, Ash," she said, hitting her chest with her fist as she coughed.
"When did you get here? Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"
"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you first," she giggled. "I've been here for a few days no - oh, is that Dawn?" Misty said, pointing over Ash's shoulder to the kitchen window. He tore his gaze away from her eyes (had they always been that...sparkly?) to look at his seething girlfriend.
After an awkward meet and greet between the two young girls, Misty had sat down at the table with a cup of hot chocolate of her own. The slightly yellowish light from the old bulbs cast a beautiful light over her ivory skin, it almost seemed to glow, dulling the shining surfaces around them in comparison. Her emerald and sapphire eyes glittered under the odd lighting. She glanced around the kitchen awkwardly, trying to make conversation. After catching Dawn glaring at her, then disguising it with an almost indecipherable smile. Misty flicked her eyes over to Ash, who was staring at her almost wistfully.
With incredible force, she stood from the table and said to all present, "Well, I should head back outside, I need to, um, finish giving Staryu a bath."
"Weren't you giving Starmie a bath?" Dawn said bitterly. Misty shook her head confusedly, then nodded once and left. Dawn scoffed and went to the bathroom to calm down. The second she left, Ash darted from his chair to the window.
Later that night, Delia had set up a mattress in Ash's room for Dawn to spend the next few nights on, whilst she let out the spare room to Misty. A gentle knock on the door caused Ash to bold upright in his bed, clear his throat and call croakily,
"Yes?" He cursed himself for letting his voice crack.
The door creaked open and Misty winced in the doorway.
"Hi Ash, Dawn. I found one of your pokeballs in my room."
Ash didn't answer, only gawped at Misty. Admittedly, she wasn't wearing anything spectacular, only a tank top and shorts for bed, but she still looked stunning, endless inches of ivory skin bared to his eyes, and his only. Dawn coughed loudly.
"Of course it's not mine."
Ash shook his head and answered, "It might be mine, what is it?"
Misty looked at the pokeball in her hand. "I don't know," she said, throwing it into the middle of the room. "Oh, that's so cute! You have a Piplup, Ash?" she squealed, bending down to stroke the top of its head.
"NO, it's mine. May I please have it?" Dawn said, irked that her faithful pokemon was friendly with her oblivious adversary. The Piplup wandered over to Dawn and curled up in her arms.
Misty silently put the now empty pokeball on the dresser and closed the door. Instantly after she left, Ash turned on his side and fell asleep.
Dawn, however, couldn't sleep. Why, you ask? Because her cursed boyfriend kept muttering in his sleep.
"Misty, I..."
The instant her name broke the almost-silence of the room, Dawn started helplessly sobbing, covering her mouth with her hand to muffle the noise.
The next morning, Ash woke to the melodious sound of Misty's laugh mingled with his mother's. Her voice was soft, like summer rain. Smiling to himself, he ambled downstairs, not even noticing that his girlfriend was missing. As he walked through the kitchen door, Dawn, sitting tensely at the kitchen table, rose quickly.
"Misty, would you mind taking a walk with me?" Dawn said tightly.
Shocked, Misty stuttered, "W-well, yes, of course,"
The pair of young women strolled into the backyard, which was now bright with morning sun. Dawn took a deep breath of the fresh air, turning to Misty. She winced inwardly as she realised that even Misty's smile was beautiful, like a breath of spring. Clenching her fists, she closed her eyes and said,
"Misty. I'm going to be honest, do you mind?"
"No?"
Dawn sighed, took another deep breath, and kept her eyes shut tight.
"Please, please, don't take Ash away from me," Tears fell from her closed eyes, dripping from her lashes to the grass below.
"D-Dawn? I'm n-"
"Misty, I said we were being honest, didn't I? Please, I'm begging of you. You could have any man you could ever want, but please, understand that I could never love again."
"Dawn, please-"
"Please, Misty, please don't take him just to prove a point, or just because you can. I had to talk to you about this. My happiness depends on whatever you decide to do, Misty," she was sobbing on her knees in the yard now. Misty was standing over her, feeling awkward and oddly intimidating. She knelt to the floor below, tears dropping from her own eyes too. She never wanted to cause this kind of hurt to anyone, and it was evident that Dawn had torn herself apart agonizingly over this. But on the other hand, she loved Ash, she had done since she was a little girl, and, ironically, her happiness depended on whatever Dawn decided to do too. She realised that it was like they were both leaning on eachother for support, praying the other wouldn't pull away and leave them to crash to the ground.
Ash, spying from the kitchen window, saw both girls sobbing in his backyard and decided to take action.
"What's going on out here?"
Upon hearing his voice, Misty stiffened and stood.
"Ash. I have to leave," she said, glancing at the younger girl beside her, who was still painfully wrenching her heart out on the ground.
"No, Misty, don't go!" he cried desperately. Each girl's heart twisted painfully at his cry. She turned to face him. "Please. Dawn, I'm sorry. You know that, right?"
"But you don't love me," Dawn said. Her tears dried, and now her agony was replaced by bitterness.
"Please, Ash, don't do this," Misty whispered, watching the painful scene before her unfold her. Knowing that she had caused this harmless girl so much pain.
"I think I have to go, Ash," Dawn stood and walked back to the kitchen with no further explanation. Ash simply nodded, and turned back to Misty, who looked torn apart. He walked towards her possesively.
"No, Ash, please..."
He didn't listen. She backed up. He moved closer, faster. Her back hit the garden fence.
"Ash, no..."
A tear dropped onto her lower lip, and he couldn't take it anymore. Pushing her harder into the fence, he planted his hands either side of her ribcage, trapping her where she was. He then dipped his face to hers, covering her lips with lips. His tongue darted out to remove the tear from her lip as she kissed him back harder, the tears on her cheeks transferring to his face.
"I love you, Misty."
"I love you too, Ash."