A/N: First egoshipping fic! The usual, R&R please!
Disclaimer: Don't own anything!
Caught In The Rain
"Ash, this isn't funny anymore, come out! You know I don't like being on my own, there could be bugs in here! Please come out?"
Misty sighed and threw her bag on the ground, flopping down beside it. This was great. Just great. Here she was, stuck in the middle of a huge forest, with Ash and Brock nowhere to be found. The three of them were meant to be travelling to the next city together, but they had split up to look for wood and supplies, and somehow, Misty had gotten lost.
Just then, Misty heard rustling coming from the trees across the clearing. She gasped and jumped to her feet.
'I swear to God, if that's a bug, I'll scream so loud... Ash and Brock will be sure to find me then...'
Misty picked up a thick stick lying nearby and braced herself, slowly moving towards the trees opposite her. There was another rustling, louder this time. Closing her eyes and hoping for the best, Misty jumped towards the trees and brought the stick down, feeling it hit something hard.
"Ow! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
Misty had opened her eyes and straight away, she recognized the brown spikes.
"Gary?! Wait, why are you here?! Shouldn't you be off with your so-called 'fan club'?"
"Haha, funny," sneered Gary, "I'm capable of travelling on my own you know, unlike some people I could mention. Oh Ashy, Ashy, please come out, you know I don't like being on my own!"
Gary laughed as he mocked her. He brought his hand up to his forehead and gingerly felt the lump that was slowly forming on his forehead.
"Way to go, Red. You practically knocked me out, what's that all about?"
"I - I thought you were something else..."
Misty turned around and went back to where her bag was, dropping the stick on the way. She picked up her bag, slung it on her back, and started walking off.
"Whoa, hold on! You're obviously lost, so where are you going?!" exclaimed Gary.
"It's none of your business Gary, now get outta my face. Goodbye."
"I'd take that back if I were you... You see, a storm is due any minute now, just look at the clouds. You don't have supplies. I do. Get what I'm saying?"
Misty sighed.
"Look Oak, I'd rather be burned alive than spend time with you. I can manage just fine on my own and besides, this so called storm probably won't even happen!"
No sooner than she had said it, the heavens opened, and rain poured down from the sky.
"Don't speak too soon," said Gary, smirking.
"Hmph!" muttered Misty, stomping off, soaking.
Gary decided to do the smart thing, and follow her because he just knew she'd fall back on him.
An hour had passed, and the rain hadn't eased. Misty was still walking, slipping occasionally in her soaked shoes. She pushed her hair out of her eyes, and made her way through the trees, not seeing the abandoned stick lying in the middle of her path. Misty slipped and landed on her back, and didn't move. She started to sob and was surprised when someone lifted her up by her waist. She turned around, greeted by the face of Gary Oak.
"You know," he said, "My offer still stands. We can set up the tent here, 'cos this rain obviously isn't going to be stopping for a while."
Misty sighed and tried to think of any excuse to refuse his offer. She got nothing.
"Fine, I'll set up the stupid tent until the stupid rain eases off. But then, as soon as the rain stops, I'm done, outta here, got it?"
Gary smiled and pulled the tent out of his rucksack.
After a half hour of putting everything in the wrong place, the pair finally set up the tent, which was huge inside. They sat inside, Gary preoccupied with making food on the portable stove, Misty munching on biscuits she had found in her bag.
"So," she mumbled, biscuit in her mouth, "Why are you travelling alone? Surely, you can afford to even pay someone to travel with you, being rich and all."
"Yeah, but money can't make me happy. Ever since I was little, money was just handed to me. I was thrilled at first... Then I realised it was just to keep me occupied while my parents were away... To keep me distracted..."
Gary stopped stirring the pot and looked down at the ground for a few seconds. Misty thought he was crying, and suddenly felt bad for some reason. She reached for her bag, and pulled out her first-aid kit.
"Here," she said, dabbing antiseptic on the bump she'd caused earlier, "I don't want this to get infected."
As she dabbed around the bump, sealing it with a plaster, Gary stared at her. Sure, she was still the scrawny, egotistic redhead she'd always been, but on her own, quiet, she was almost... cute. Gary shook the thought out of his head as quickly as he could. Once Misty had finished cleaning him up, she caught him staring at her.
"What?!" she giggled.
He had to kiss her. He just had to, he couldn't resist. He leaned in slowly, and to his surprise, Misty leaned in too, closing her eyes. Just as their lips were about to meet, there was a rustling in the tent. Misty screamed and jumped up, making Gary jump too. She pointed to the corner, and when Gary looked, it was nothing but a Weedle.
"Scared of a Weedle? Wimp or what!" laughed Gary, as he picked up the small Pokémon and put it outside the tent. He turned back around and faced Misty, keeping quiet.
"Um," said Misty, "I'm gonna go to s-sleep for a while, if that's ok... I'm really tired..."
By this time, it was past eleven, and with the rain still pouring down outside, Misty lay in the sleeping bag provided by Gary, and closed her eyes. Little did she know, Gary was watching her, wishing with all his heart that he had made his move just ten seconds earlier.
Morning came, and the rain had stopped. When Misty woke up, she was surprised to find Gary outside, serving up breakfast. The pair ate together, not saying anything, and agreed to make their way out of the woods together, then go their separate ways.
After an hour of two of walking, they reached the edge of the forest, where they found Ash and Brock waiting.
"Misty!" shouted Ash, jumping up.
"Hey Ash! It's okay, I made it out!"
"But..." said Ash, looking confused, "Why are you with him?!"
"Oh, we just ran into each other, and thought it would be easier to just... find our way out together."
"Um, ok... Well, lets get going, the next gym awaits me! Come on Mist!"
"Okay! See ya Gary!"
Misty jogged off, catching up with Ash and Brock who were already walking away.
"Aww come on," exclaimed Gary, "I cater for you all night, and I don't even get a thank you?!"
Misty smirked and ran back to Gary, hugging him. She gave him a peck on the cheek before turning away and running to catch up with her friends.
Gary touched the space where Misty had kissed him, watching her walk into the distance with her friends. To his surprise, she stopped, turned around, and ran back to Gary once more.
"What's wrong? Did you forget something?"
"No..." smiled Misty, "You didn't think that was my real thank you did you?!"
With that, she wrapped her arms around Gary and pressed her lips against his, making up for the kiss that was meant to happen back in the forest, when they were caught in the rain.
