Thirteen Minutes
By AnimeDutchess
A/N: My peeps in the Bulbagarden Forums (you know who you are…) suggested that each of us write a ShiShi Halloween one-shot. Well, I honestly don't have any ideas, but I'm gonna damn well try!
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Disclaimer: Geez, do you really think I own Pokemon? You must be mad. XD
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This is dedicated to everyone in the Palletshipping forum in Bulbagarden: Disco, Lyssakid, af-chan, pixie stix, and anyone I might've forgotten. Let the good times roll, and the ficcy commence!
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"…Hey, Misty?"
"Yeah, Ash?"
"…I'm going to fucking kill you." Ash frowned as the red-haired girl laughed at his statement. "I mean it, yah know." She batted her eyelashes teasingly at him.
"Oh, Ash, whatever for?" She asked. The black-haired boy let out an aggravated sigh.
"You know what for." He gestured around at the empty hotel suite they were standing in. "For convincing my mom to help you with…this…"
The 'this' he was referring to was the huge Halloween party which was to take place in the hotel sweet in only about a half-hour. Every single room of the suite (save for the bedrooms) was decorated in orange-and-black streamers, pumpkins, spiders, and other such Halloween paraphernalia. There was at least one bowl of candy on every flat surface, and the suite's stereo system was set to play CD after CD of the latest hits…half of which Ash hated anyway, because there's only so many times you can listen to different songs before they all seem to sound like the same band is singing them. Misty laughed again, her blue eyes twinkling mischievously.
"Oh, but it's going to be so much fun!" She shook her head. "Honestly, Ash, you need to loosen up. It's just gonna be people we know, like, Brock, and Richie, and Tracey, and May, and Dawn, and that Kenny guy-" She was cut of by Ash, who went off into a list of his own.
"And Drew, and Zoey, and freakin' Paul! You didn't even know them…and why Paul, he's a dick!" He sighed. "At least you didn't invite Harley, or Team Rocket…I think you'd need to have your head examined if you did…" The redhead "hmph"-ed, crossing her arms in front of her still rather flat chest.
"Well, they wouldn't let us use the suite unless we had three more people coming!" She argued. "Besides, you're not taking it as badly as I thought you would…" Ash raised an eyebrow at her comment.
"…Why would I take it worse?" He thought about it for a minute, then groaned. "Oh God, Misty, who else? Who else did you invite?" His mind's eye went through image after image of all the people he'd met on his journeys, trying to figure out which one Misty had sent the invite to…
"Well, I know you two are friends again, so I decided to…invite Gary."
Boy, he was not expecting that.
"…Gary?" He murmured, his heart skipping a beat. Misty nodded.
"Yeah, well…I figured, why not…" Ash couldn't hear Misty anymore; that one name was echoing in his head. Gary. Gary was coming.
"…Misty…"
"Hm?"
"…If Gary's coming, I…need your help with something."
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Gary Oak looked back and forth from the invitation in his hand to the number on the door leading to a suite, the music audible even from out in the hallway. He could feel the sound reverberating through the floor, through the walls…would anyone even hear him if he knocked?
He sighed, looking down at himself, and smirked slightly. Baggy black jeans completely hid the many buckles of his black boots from view, and the black, sleeveless collared shirt coupled with his leather jacket really pulled off the punk look he was going for. All the clothes had a beaten-up look to them, as if they had been worn and re-washed many times over, but they were gems he'd picked up at a thrift store just for this costume, so he wasn't complaining. When he smirked, the white tip of a fake vampire fang appeared over his bottom lip. Oh yeah, he was looking good.
But…that wouldn't matter if he didn't get into the party! Letting out another sigh, Gary went to open the door…
…When the doorknob turned, and the door swung open, revealing a laughing Misty in an elegant Goldeen costume. The music immediately rose to a new level of loud, and Gary winced, wondering in the back of his mind how anyone could stand the sheer volume of the sound. The red-haired girl stared at him for a moment before smiling.
"Hey, Gary!" She shouted over the din, "You're late! What kept you?" The auburn-haired boy could barely hear her voice.
"Aaah…I got a little lost!" He responded. She nodded.
"Oooh, okay!" She nodded in understanding. "Well, come on in, you haven't missed anything big yet!" Before he could protest, she grabbed his arm and pulled him into the dimmed lights of the party, which seemed to be in full swing. A few people were dancing, some awkwardly, others with moves that music video dancers would envy. A couple were situated by the punch bowl, actually having conversations despite the music pounding in their ears. Glancing around, Gary bit his tongue. He didn't see him anywhere…
"Hey, Misty!" Gary yelled over the music. She turned to face him, letting go of his arm. "Where's Ash?"
"What?" She yelled, cupping a hand to her ear. Gary huffed in annoyance.
"WHERE. IS. ASH?" He asked, much louder this time, pausing after every word in order to punctuate the importance. Misty's eyes widened in recognition and nodded, and she turned around and pointed towards one of the suite's large windows.
"He's over there!" She exclaimed. Gary followed the direction of her pointed finger until his eyes rested on the silhouette of the younger boy, framed by the night sky outside. He nodded in thanks and made his way towards Ash, each step letting him get a better look at his once-rival. He stopped when he was just a few feet away, his eyes large and swirling with confusion and awe, but mostly awe.
Ash had never been one to try to shock people with his Halloween costumes, but this instance really went against that. Somehow, someway, someone had convinced him that a boy dressing up as a gothic Lolita was acceptable on Halloween (not to say that it was wrong to…). The boots were leather, and reached about mid-calf, the little criss-crossing buckles ending in crosses. The skirt was made of numerous tufts of black fishnets and stopped just above his knees, and the bodice was tied tight around his chest, so tight that Gary could visibly see every breath that Ash took; they were normal, even breaths, so it seemed like he wasn't restricted or in pain. It was sleeveless, and had a mandarin collar with a cross decoration on it. Elbow-length, fingerless gloves completed the outfit spectacularly, and even in the dim lighting, Gary could tell that, thank God, Ash wasn't wearing a trace of make-up.
He doesn't need all that crap on his face to look amazing, anyway, A little voice in the back of Gary's head whispered. He blushed, embarrassed, and licked his lips nervously. Could this gorgeous creature really be Ashy-boy? He wished he could ask Misty, but she probably had already disappeared back into the party. He could always just turn around; Ash hadn't spotted him yet…
"Gary?" The older boy flinched; now he'd been spotted. Ash was looking at him with those wide, brown eyes of his. "Hey, you made it!" A grin broke out on his face. "I thought that…I mean, ah…you look great!" Gary raised an eyebrow, but didn't inquire. He was sure he'd be able to talk to Ash more later…
Suddenly, the music stopped, and the silence made most of the guests jump as it rang in their ears. Surprised, Gary turned around, seeing Misty over by the stereo system as she turned the thing off. "We're gonna be playing a game now, everyone!" She said, looking excited. Those on the dance floor groaned in disappointment, and Gary chuckled. Of course, when things were just starting to get interesting, they'd be interrupted. How utterly cliché.
"What game?" Someone asked. Misty grinned.
"Oh, a little twist on an old favorite…" She said. "It's called, 'Thirteen Minutes in Heaven'." She motioned with her hands for everyone to gather around her, and they did. Gary noticed Ash slip to her side as she explained. "It's the same as the seven minutes version, only the time's extended to thirteen minutes." She held out Ash's League cap, the hat filled with folded up papers. "You draw a name out of the hat, and whoever you get, you and that person are locked in a closet for thirteen whole minutes. You can do whatever you want in there, but when time's up, time's up…" Her grin turned almost feral. "Of course, you can always go to a bedroom if you wanna continue…and no matter who it is you draw, you're stuck with them. No take-backsies. Now…get in line, hurry up!"
Everyone scurried to get themselves in line, and somehow, Gary ended up all the way at the end. He didn't mind really, but he wasn't expecting Misty to come up to him first, shaking the hat full of paper right under his nose.
"Alright, I'm picking, I'm picking!" He said, grumbling as he reached into the cap and fished around for a name. Hesitantly, he pulled one out and unfolded it, staring at the letters on the paper. …Oh, you've gotta be kidding me…
"Well, who'd you get?" Misty asked, leaning over to read the name backwards. Gary swallowed nervously.
"I, ah, I got…" He felt his face heat up. "I got Ash."
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ME?!? He…he got me Ash was thankful for the dim lights, for they disguised the blush that had started when he caught sight of Gary and was steadily deepening. The auburn-haired boy met his gaze, his eyes showing confusion, and something he couldn't quite place…he would've thought about it more, but…
"Okay, you two, it's closet time!" Misty grabbed his and Gary's upper arms and dragged them over to the closet.
"Waagh! Misty, wait a minute!" Ash exclaimed, trying to pull himself away, "We can walk, yah know!"
"Yeah, what Ashy-Boy said!" Gary threw in. The dark-haired boy bristled at the nickname, his cheeks turning redder by the second.
"D-Don't call me- oof!" Misty had flung them unceremoniously into the suite's closet, locking the door and plunging them into total darkness. Ash was pressed up against the back wall, and Gary's elbow was poking his side…"Aah, Gary?"
"…What, Ash?" Gary sounded muffled, like his face was pressed up against the hung-up coats or the door.
"Er, you're, ah…poking me."
"Oh. Sorry." The older boy shifted so that his back was leaning against the door, his elbow no longer assaulting Ash's side. "That better?"
"Ah…yeah, thanks…"Ash leaned his back against the back wall and tugged at his collar. Man, this thing was itchy…how'd Misty convince him to wear it again?
"…Hey, Ash?"
"Hm?"
"Can we just…" Ash's eyes must've been getting used to the lack of light, for he could make out Gary's outline as the older boy scratched the back of his neck nervously. "I dunno…just talk about stuff? Since we're gonna be stuck in here, anyway…"
"Ah…" Ash bit his lip. "Sure, Gary…what didja wanna talk about?" He heard the older boy let out an exasperated breath.
"Well, for starters…why the hell are you dressed like that?" Ash flinched at the question.
"Er, well…it's Halloween, isn't it?"
"Yeah, but you've never worn something so…so…" He could imagine Gary licking his lips as he thought; it was this quirky, nervous reflex he'd had since they were just kids. "…Feminine." Ash snorted; he couldn't help it.
"Yeah, I know…" He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Was it alright to let a little bit of his reasoning slip? He might as well try… "I just really wanted to…impress someone tonight."
"…Well?"
"Well what?"
"Did you impress them?"
"…I…" Ash bit his lip again; he was feeling rather bold tonight. Maybe it had something to do with the close proximity he and Gary shared, or the fact that it was Halloween. Either way, he knew he had to say it. "I dunno, Gary. You tell me."
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"…Wha?" Ash's words startled the older boy; what did he mean, 'you tell me'? Was he implying…no, no way, there's just no way he could mean that! Gary swallowed audibly. "W-What are you…Ash, what are you talking about?"
Silence.
"…Ash, please explain yourself."
Still nothing. Gary sighed; Ash was giving him the silent treatment, something he often did when he was embarrassed.
"Come on, Ash, please talk to me. We're in here for, what, ten more minutes?" He nudged the younger boy's foot with his own playfully.
"…" Ash nudged back and grinned. They went back and forth like that for a while, nudging each other's feet until Ash ended up collapsing into giggles.
"Y-Y-You're so…i-immature…" Ash gasped, smiling. Gary grinned, rolling his eyes.
"There we go…that always gets you to talk." He reached over slowly and ruffled the younger boy's hair, unconsciously tacking notice of how strangely soft Ash's hair was. "And if you were wondering, yeah, I was really impressed." He heard the dark haired boy take a sharp breath, and continued. "I mean, who wouldn't? I honestly didn't think you could pull off the Lolita look…" Slowly, he leaned in, until his and Ash's noses were touching.
"Aah…Gary…"
"Sshhh…" Their lips were only a hair's width apart. "Don't ruin the moment…" And with that, they kissed.
Later, when Misty freed them from the confines of the closet, they looked to each other and knew, without even talking, what to do.
Let's just say the party got louder…without having the music on.
The End
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A/N: XDDDD Heh, sorry, that was really rushed and a tiny bit kinky…a total PWP…but who cares? Gary's a sexy vampire, Ash's a hot Lolita, and they hook up in a closet. That's what matters here.
Anyway…review! It makes me happier than coconut candies! And have a Happy Halloween!