12.35pm. December, 14th 2002. Common Era. Pallet Town. The Oak Hill.

"I was kissed by another girl! Properly!" Ash blurted suddenly. He was careful to avoid her eyes.

The half-eaten ham and cheese sandwich that Misty had been raising to her open mouth dropped unnoticed into her lap and onto Pikachu, who shook the crumbs off his head. Misty didn't seem to notice the movement. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

On a flat-top rock a few feet away, Brock's jaw dropped.

Since Ash had emailed them a few weeks ago the exact date of his stop-over in Pallet Town, Brock and Misty had managed to arrange with him a day for the three of them to meet for a picnic on a hill overlooking Oak's laboratory. Brock, and Delia had assembled a veritable feast of sandwiches and treats – including the sandwich Misty had dropped.

"How is it," said Brock, finding his voice after several tense seconds, "that you managed to be the first of the three of us to get a proper kiss?"

"That's right," said Misty. Her face had turned red. "You! Of all people!"

Pikachu snickered. "Pikachuu!"

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!" Ash's expression went from one of embarrassment to annoyance.

Misty smirked. She had gotten over her initial shock (and a momentary flash of hurt that she would never admit to), although there was still a faint streak of colour over the bridge of her nose that she wished would go away. "I mean, you're the densest one out of all of us! And the most immature! Are you sure you even understood what was going on?"

Ash opened his mouth to answer, then hesitated. "I-I-I mean I just meant it as -!" He stopped short again before managing a "I'm plenty mature!" probably in hopes of distracting her.

Misty simply looked at him, her smirk widening. She thought that he wouldn't be too far from breaking if she just waited. On her lap and in solidarity with her, Pikachu seemed to be grinning at him too.

And…success. She always knew how to push his buttons. "I just wanted to tell you that! I-I don't know why!"

Misty's eyes widened fractionally, and the flush on her face deepened slightly in colour. Why was Ash telling her this again?

"Three of my challengers asked me on a d-date!" She finally stammered. Why did she say that? She'd meant to mock him for his immaturity and his childish lack of understanding of the significance of a kiss. To be kissed was to be changed, she was sure of it. And there went that odd pang in her chest again. Hadn't he changed? (Without her?)

(She recalled a time when Ash had asked her about a kiss between two nidoran that had triggered their evolution, and her retort that his lack of maturity would mean he wouldn't understand).

In the silence that followed that proclamation, Brock let himself fade into the background, carefully easing himself off the rock and hopefully to an escape, as he always did when it seemed like an Ash-and-Misty argument might begin. It was always best to make no sound. The two of them seemed to be completely focused on each other in any case – and he knew not to let himself get caught in any crossfire or amidst the strange tension that seemed to be rising.

Ash stiffened at the confession, eyes narrowing slightly, lips thinning, and the beginnings of ruddiness on his cheeks. Was he jealous? Pikachu, appeared to be in a similar mood, leaping off her lap and turning his little face up to look at Misty as if betrayed and a little sad. She paid them no attention, her focus completely on the would-be Pokémon master.

"Another girl asked me to a Pokémon ball as her dance partner!"

"I received love letters on Valentine's Day!"

Brock shifted and edged away from the bickering pair. "I think I have to go to…bake more cookies." He mumbled. Pikachu took the chance to scramble off Misty and onto his shoulder. Neither the boy nor the girl paid them any attention as they made their escape.

"Some girl thought Dawn was my girlfriend! Which she isn't!"

"Casey asked if I was attached to Tracy! Which I'm not!"

"Some girl's parents tried to marry me off to her!"

"I met a guy at cerulean cape and he confessed to me!"

"..."

"..."

"Why are you telling me this!" And then a few seconds later: "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You started it!" Misty shot back immediately. Her green eyes were narrowed, and to her irritation, she felt the heat rising to her face as well. Why had she told him that again? "You were the one who had a girl kiss you!"

Ash jumped to his feet and leaned forward to glare. "You continued it! B-but-." He stopped short briefly, before coming up with a stuttering response. "I just wanted to let you know because-!"

"Because what? You liked it? Is that it?" She said snappishly, her heart (so that's what it was) squeezing painfully. She scrambled to stand up to match him.

"No! I didn't, not really. I just wanted to –" Ash stopped again, his fists clenching.

"Wanted to what?" She wasn't letting up with this. Although she also wasn't sure what she kind of reaction wanted to provoke. A confession? An inner voice taunted. It sounded awfully like Daisy.

"I wanted to tell you that I -!" Ash tried, struggling. He gulped and took a breath. When had they gotten so close to one another?

Ash's breath came in short shallow puffs against the girl's cheek, but she managed to say fiercely, "Tell me what?"

The bill of Ash's cap was mashed against her forehead and she could see the freckles that were typically invisible against his tanned skin, and feel the warmth radiating from his cheeks. Had he always had so many? His eyes glared fiercely at her, and they were dark with frustration and something that made her stomach twist.

"That I -!" Unable to say whatever it was that he wanted to, Ash swept his cap off his head, and cupped her face, his calloused fingers brushing over her soft skin. Then he pressed his lips to hers for a precious few moments.

When Ash pulled away, he was blushing furiously.

"What was that for?" She couldn't believe what had just happened, except that she felt like her heart was ready to do a celebratory kick-flip out of her chest, which didn't make sense. At all. (She'd had the occasional daydream of holding hands with Ash when they had been traveling together that she promptly squashed, but this was…)

Ash slowly raised his eyes to meet hers again, dark brown to verdant green. He licked his lips nervously, and Misty's eyes involuntarily flicked down to them. It hadn't been bad, the kiss, but she thought she almost might want to see what those chapped lips felt like again.

He shifted uneasily, uncharacteristically nervous, then seemed to come to a conclusion. He squared his shoulders and said, "I think I kissed you."

"You think?" She said half-sarcastically. She felt oddly shy, even though it was only her best friend. Who had kissed her. Her sisters had been talking about first kisses a few days ago, and her mind had strangely enough, drifted to Ash. She had dismissed the thought when she went to battle yet another a challenger. Yet a few days later, Ash had kissed her. He'd kissed her. (And she'd liked it as her blushing cheeks and rapidly beating heart would attest).

Instead of responding with sarcasm, Ash took a deep breath, and Misty watched his chest rise and fall. "I think," he confessed, "I liked this kiss more."

At least this time he managed to not stutter.

End.

Ash and Misty are 14 here, and Brock is about 18/19. I headcannon Ash as a "League Rusher," who are trainers who try to gain as much league experience as possible in as short a time period. After he finishes the Indigo and Jhoto leagues completely inexperienced (in about 2 years), he then competes in Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova and Kalos over a 2 year period at breakneck pace.

Confessions still feel so odd to me, even though this is a really indirect way of confessing. Heh. His boyishness is such a big part of him, after all. And Misty might actually be scared of actual romance despite talking so much about it. I don't think either of them would fully understand their relationship until they are older and spend more time together to talk about feelings. Wahaha.

After years, I decided to join Pokéshipping Week 2016 - and I took on one of the alternative prompts. Hopefully I'll be able to get something else out soon?

Constructive criticism and reviews are very, very welcome.