Random, crackish AAML oneshot. I wrote this a while ago late at night instead of doing homework. Which probably explains why it's so weird :) Beware some OOCness.

And this was actually inspired by eggplantdance and the random, after midnight conversations we've had. To us, "everything's funnier after midnight" ;D

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon...unless you count the imaginary ninetales that used to sleep at the end of my bed when I was six...

~:After Midnight:~

"I like you."

The girl opposite the black haired boy on the couch stared him down with her deep, sea green eyes. A look of utmost seriousness and sincerity was upon her face. Her legs were tucked in a butterfly position and her hands were in her lap, pushing against the plush material of the sofa as she leaned forward slightly.

Ash snorted and pushed Misty backwards by tapping her forehead with a finger. "Yeah, okay," he said sarcastically. "Now tell me the truth."

"That is the truth you idiot!" Misty scowled at him and rubbed her forehead. She pushed herself back up from the pillows and gave Ash a flick of her own.

"Ow!" The boy grabbed his now red nose. "Why are you always so violent?"

"Well you started it!" Misty argued.

"You're the one who usually starts it!" Ash grumbled. "Besides, you're supposed to be the mature one. Why don't you use your words instead of your fists? That's what mom told me mature people to do."

"Aw, Ashy boy still minds his mommy does he?" Misty taunted. "Didn't she tell you not to hit girls?"

"I don't see how that applies to this situation," Ash scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oooh, that sounded complicated Ashy boy!" Misty snickered. "How long did it take you to come up with that one?" She grinned maliciously at him for a moment longer before comprehension dawned on her face."Hey, wait..."

"Now who's the slow one?" Ash cackled.

"Jerk!" Misty screeched and threw herself onto the black haired boy, nails outstretched like claws.

The two tussled on the couch for quite a while with lots of snarls, yelps, and cries of: "Hey! Tickling is not allowed!" Pillows flew in all directions as the teens fumbled this way and that, arms and legs flailing every which way. It was a wonder they didn't fall off.

"Umm, what were we talking about?" Misty lay panting across Ash's stomach, stretched out the full length of the couch.

Ash was draped across the furniture so that his feet barely cleared the top and his head brushed the floor. It wasn't too uncomfortable, so he stopped trying to wiggle his way out from under Misty when it was obvious she wasn't going to budge.

"I think," Ash began, racking his brains for what they had been discussing just minutes before, "that...uh...oh yeah! You were going to tell me your deepest, darkest secret!"

"Didn't I already?" Misty huffed out. She giggled at the strangled noise Ash made when she bounced on his stomach. Her deepest secret? Uh-oh...she didn't tell him that, did she? Darn her sleep deprived mind for not working correctly! "Wow, that was really stupid of me!"

"No you didn't! You just made up something up so you wouldn't have to tell me your real secret!" Ash protested. "Now you gotta tell me the real one! An' you promised you'd tell me yours if I told you mine! So 'fess up Mist!"

"I'm going to need more beer for this," Misty muttered darkly. After several failed attempts of trying to push herself up by using Ash as a support (his stomach wasn't firm enough, he should really lay off those burgers), Misty managed to lift her body off the couch enough to be able to grab the large bottle that was on the coffee table.

"That's not beer," Ash pointed out. "It's Mountain Dew."

"Shuddup!" Misty growled. "It's the eighteen year old's alcohol okay?" She swung the green plastic jug up to her lips and drank deeply. With a satisfied sigh, Misty put the soda back on the table and snagged a few sugar cookies before slumping back down on Ash.

"Oof! Hey, you didn't have to flop on me so hard!" Ash complained, poking her exposed belly.

Misty laughed and tugged on her baby blue tee so her skin was covered. "That sounded really dirty," she sniggered. She took a big bite out of a cookie and moaned in appreciation. "Mmmm this tastes so good!" If anything could distract Ash from asking more questions, it was food, especially when it fell into the sugar category.

"Whatever!" Ash scowled, a light blush dusting over his cheeks. "Now give me a cookie!"

"Nahh, I don't see why I should," Misty mused. "You've already eaten at least half the box. I don't think you need anymore sugar. W-e-i-r-d stuff could happen to you man!" Misty tried to make a scary face but couldn't contain the laughter that seemed to bubble up from the soda she just drank.

Ash wiped imaginary cookie crumbs off his face and stuck his tongue out at her. "I think you've had a little too much sugar Misty!" He countered. "So why don't you give the rest of your cookies to me?"

"Never!" Misty cried, holding her arms out of reach as Ash's hands tried to grab the treats from her. "These cookies have chosen me to eat them! I'm the chosen one! They're all mine!"

Ash rolled his eyes at her antics before asking, "Really, and who told you that?"

"The cookies did. They speak to me." Misty told him, dead serious.

"Well, then all the cookies in the pantry are talking to me!" Ash retorted. "And they all want me to eat them, not you!"

"Fine then." Misty licked the tips of her fingers, a smug expression on her lips. "Go get them."

Ash tried to pull himself up but was obstructed by his friend who still lay across his midsection. He glared at Misty, but all the red head did was smile wickedly across her shoulder and go back to eating her cookies.

"Get off me," Ash ordered shortly.

"I don't think I will," Misty responded in a sing-song voice. "Especially when you're being so rude. Really, talking to a lady like that! What horrid manners."

"Fine." Ash dropped back down, yelping when his head met the table with a particularly nasty thump!

Misty snickered at his misfortune. "Try not to kill any more brain cells Ashy boy. You don't know how many you've got left, and I don't think it's very many."

"Oh you're hilarious," Ash snapped. "Why did I invite you over again?"

"You need a good reason to have your best friend who you haven't seen in ages come over to hang out with you?" Misty drawled. "Well, there is the fact that your mom is away visiting her sister in Celadon for a few days ,and she didn't want to leave you here alone. You know, 'cause she actually wanted an intact-house to come home to instead of a pile of rubble."

"That's not true!" Ash argued. "She just didn't want me to be lonely! I am perfectly capable of house sitting by myself for a couple of days!"

"Sure Ash," Misty said agreeably. "I'm sure she trusts you. I bet she's also sleeping soundly tonight knowing that Professor Oak is two minutes away, Brock is coming in like...eight hours to stay with us, and I'm here." She smirked at him. "Your mom would be crazy to let a seventeen year old, much less you, house sit for two weeks!"

"I don't get why you being here suddenly makes it all better!" Ash complained, trying to cross his arms over his chest but managing only to jab Misty in the stomach. "It's not like your sisters would let you watch the gym alone!"

For a moment there was silence. Then-

"Ooooh yeahhhhhh."

"Yeah. Way to go genius." Misty reached down and tweaked his nose playfully.

"Guh, whatever. I'm tired," Ash yawned loudly. It had been a very exciting day. His mother had left to go visit relatives around twelve, about the time Ash had woken up. Misty arrived just as his mother was leaving, kindly playing the role of an alarm clock by jumping on him and screeching in his ear that if he didn't get his ass out of bed right now she'd get Pikachu to do it, courtesy of a thunderbolt.

Things had mellowed out from there as pleasantries were exchanged and small talk was made to catch each other up on their respective lives. Ash had just gotten back from the Sinnoh region when his mom decided to take her little trip. Thinking it would be nice for her boy to see his old friends, and hoping fervently that she wasn't making a drastic mistake by leaving them together and unattended, Delia called Misty and asked her over. The gym leader was happy to take a break from her duties, and leaving a semi capable Daisy in charge of the Cerulean Gym, hopped the first bus to Pallet.

A quick swim in the ocean, several mock battles, and one very interesting game of twister later (Ash swore Pikachu was making up random moves just to get Misty and him even more twisted together), the two had collapsed in front of the t.v with sweet provisions and a stack of movies. The screen didn't hold the teens' attention for very long though. The sugar from large liters of soda and copious amounts of junk food soon had them engaged in a very serious, and very deadly pillow fight. The next morning, Ash and Misty would reflect that they had been extremely lucky nothing was broken in the all out free for all. (Although one missile had struck his mother's Jynx vase...but no one liked that thing anyway.)

The sugar rush could only last so long, and after a while Ash and Misty crashed on the couch, apathetic and tired but still unwilling to go to bed and give up their freedom. Brock was going to arrive sometime in the morning, and Ash had a strange feeling that after his other friend came, things were going to be different. The trio would still have lots of fun together, but it wouldn't be just him and Misty anymore. Ash liked hanging out with just her; it was something he didn't get the chance to do very often. With him traveling and her still stuck at the gym, the times they met were few and far between. When they did see each other, it was usually in the company of whatever traveling companions Ash had picked up from the latest region. So this...alone time with her was very special.

"You've been quiet for a while." Misty interrupted his thoughts with a poke on his cheek. "Am I smushing the air out of you? I could move, but I'm actually really comfy right now, so if you're not dying or anything..."

"I've been thinking," Ash told her, absentmindedly pushing her hand away from his face. "I'm glad you decided to come visit."

"Of course!" Misty beamed at him, deciding to skip over the opportunity for a scathing comment with the opening he had made about thinking. "I never get to see you in person, and we hardly ever get the time to chat on the video phone."

"Mmm," Ash agreed. "And it's nice now that it's just...you and me. You know?" Despite the uncomfortable position, Ash was glad Misty couldn't see his face from where she lay. His blush was directed towards the still flickering t.v and not the red head on his stomach.

"Yeah." Was it just him or was there a dreamy, almost longing tone to her voice? "The last time it was just us was in the Orange Islands...and that was only for a few days. Man those were good times!" Misty sighed wistfully. "I really miss traveling with you guys."

"I miss it too," Ash whispered quietly, automatically. He didn't even have to think about before the confession flew from his mouth.

Misty didn't seem to mind, however, and didn't even comment on it. Instead she let a comfortable silence form between the two friends. Ash jerked his head up swiftly when he felt something light on the back of his hand, but let his head fall back against the bottom of the couch when he saw it was only Misty sketching random shapes on his skin. The girl wasn't looking at him, but instead staring off into space while her fingers idly twirled on his hand.

"What were we talking about before this?" Misty asked aloud, her voice soft. The last of the sugar induced craziness seemed to be gone from her system, Ash noted, turning her back into the sane, quiet Mist she always was. Well, not silent exactly...

"Uh, I don't really remember" Ash confessed. "I think we were playing 'Never Have I Ever,' and then we started talking about other stuff...and...oh yeah! You were just about to tell me your deepest, darkest secret!" Ash was revitalized somewhat at the thought. He had already told her his, and he was extremely curious to know what hers was. He faintly remembered her saying something along the lines of "I like you" the first time he asked, but Ash's brain couldn't really comprehend the exact meaning of that. Not that he was trying too hard to anyways. It had probably just been the cookies talking.

Misty's face fell, and she shot the empty bottle of mountain dew a withering look as if it was its fault that Ash hadn't believed her the first time.

"Mmmpf, do I really have to?" Misty's voice was muffled from the pillow she had buried her face in. "I already told you anyways..."

"Yes, you really have to," Ash chimed at her, not hearing the last part. "I told you mine!"

"But yours isn't embarrassing!" Misty said exasperatedly. "It's....it's....nobel!"

"Really?" Ash asked, straining his neck up so he could see his friend.

"Yeah! The fact the your secret is that you're worried you might fail the world sometime and hurt thousands of innocents-"

"And my friends," Ash added quickly.

"And your friends," Misty repeated, flashing him a shy smile, "is really, well, sweet of you Ash! And totally irrational. You're always the hero. How, I dunno, but I'm not going to mess with fate."

"Thanks Mist." It was Ash's turn to smile back. "But, I always had help you know."

"And you always will. If you need me, just call. I'll come whenever and wherever." She caught Ash's gaze and held it, making sure he knew how serious she was.

Ash nodded, feeling his heart pounding as the depth of Misty's words reached him. "Thanks, and same for you, okay?"

"Alright Ash...thank you."

"Maybe...Maybe he has changed," Misty thought to herself. "Was I too quick to assume...?"

"Wahhh! How do you keep doing that?!" Ash raged, breaking Misty's inner contemplation.

"Keep doing what?" Misty asked innocently. Too innocently.

"Changing the subject!" Ash pouted. "I've tried to get you to tell me your secret three times already, and each time you find some way to distract me!"

"Oh, so I distract you Ashy boy?" Misty purred coyly, winking at him.

Ash felt his mouth drop open slightly as he stared at the red head lying on him. "Yes, no, yes, arg! Not what I meant to say Misty!" He sputtered furiously as she giggled at him. "Just tell me!"

"No! I already told you the first time Ash Ketchum, and I'm not going to tell you again!" Misty raged, a blush spreading across her face. She remembered how easily Ash had passed off her confession as a joke, a lie. If he wasn't going to take her seriously, then he obviously didn't feel the same way she did.

"Come on Misty!" Ash whined. "I barely even remember what you said! Can't you just tell me again? Please?"

"No Ash! If you don't have the decency to accept what I said the first time as the truth, much less remember it, then I don't see why I have to tell you!" She was shouting at him, trying to cover up her embarrassment like always.

Ash growled, frustrated, and began poking her stomach in sharp, quick jabs. "Just tell me Misty! I-wanna-know!" Each word was emphasized with a nudge. "I won't stop poking you 'til you tell me!"

Poke.

Poke.

-

"Fine! I'll tell you, you jerk!" Misty smacked his hands away. "Stupid brat, how does he get under my skin so easily? I guess I was gonna have to tell him sooner or later. Those cookies must have rotted my brain or something because never in my right mind would I ever tell him this! I guess it's too late now and I should just say it all and-"

"I really like you and I have for a while like since we last traveled together and I miss you a lot when you're gone and I like hanging out like this and I've always wanted to tell you but have always been too shy and I didn't know if you felt the same way and didn't want to stop being friends but I really really like you in a more than just friends way!" That being said, or rather yelled, Misty turned her head and buried it once more into a pillow. The girl wasn't sure how much Ash might have understood in that long winded explanation, but she was pretty sure he must have heard the words 'I' 'like' and 'you' at least a couple of times. Even if he was still as dense as the ten year old he used to be, Misty assumed Ash would figure out the gist of what she had been saying.

"Oh. So, then before you..."

"I was telling the truth."

"So that means that-"

"Yes, I do."

"For-"

"A while."

"Oh. Well, um-"

"Yeah," Misty sighed into the pillow, refusing to meet Ash's eyes. "We should have gone to bed a loooooong time ago. I know that my brain shuts off after midnight."

There was silence in the Ketchum's living room. Unlike last time, this one weighed more heavily upon the two piled together on the couch. Misty was mentally beating herself up and preparing to do damage control while Ash was quietly absorbing what his best human friend had just confessed. So Misty liked him? As in, like in more than friends-like way? That was...interesting. And it explained a lot. A nasally voice flitted through his head. "You're one lucky guy Ash Ketchum, someday you'll understand."

"Why is that your deepest darkest secret?"

"Huh?" Misty turned her head slightly, just enough so she could see the tip of Ash's hair from where he was thrown over the front of the couch.

"I thought these secrets were supposed to be bad or something." She couldn't see his face, but Misty heard a slight lilt of amusement in his tone.

Misty paused, trying to understand what he was saying. "Well, yours wasn't exactly terrible either," she pointed out cautiously.

Ash laughed softly. "True."

There was more silence. Then-

"So, does this mean, you, um, like my secret?"

Ash wiggled. His head was finally beginning to hurt after lying upside down for so long. "Uh, yeah, I mean, I guess so. Can I get up?"

"Oh! Oh- okay. Sorry." Misty scrambled to get off Ash's chest as the boy pushed himself up and onto the sofa, wincing as the blood rushed back into the rest of his body.

"Guh, I feel dizzy." Ash pressed his palm into his forehead, trying to somehow stop the room from tilting.

"Here, lie back." Ash felt arms gently pull at his shoulders until he was propped up against the back of the couch and resting against something soft and warm. The boy sighed, and let his head drop onto Misty's shoulder.

Misty froze at Ash's move. She hadn't intended to pull him so close, but now that Ash was voluntarily --dare she think it-- snuggling closer, her uneasiness was put to rest. Misty smiled and settled back into the pillows, bringing Ash with her so the two would be more comfy.

"So."

"Yeah."

Thousands of words rose and died on Misty's lips. There was so many things she wanted to ask, to confirm, but uncertainty held her back. Ash hadn't exactly said that he liked her, just that he liked her secret. Whatever that meant.

"I think I like you too."

Oh. That was what he meant.

"Oh."

"Yep. Is that okay?" A warm, tentative hand crept into her own and played with her fingers.

Misty snorted. "Ash, you're so weird. That was the least romantic confession I have ever heard."

"Yours wasn't much better. You practically confessed to a pillow."

"Ungrateful jerk."

"Moody tomboy."

"Dense idiot."

"Loud baby."

"Little twerp," Misty muttered affectionately, butting her head lightly against his.

The clock flashed 1:03 am. The t.v was still on, a commercial for a new type of pokeball dancing across the screen. A wasteland of soda bottles, candy wrappers, and microwave popcorn bags was lit up by the flickering glow. At the epicenter of the pile of cartons was the couch, on which two teens lay with hands clasped, heads together, and identical smiles on their faces.

Crazy stuff happens after midnight.

The ending is...flat because I couldn't think of a better way to wrap it up. Thanks for reading!