Wow this is the first oneshot I wrote in a while… and ever since the Steven x Cynthia one I wrote a while ago, this one is the fastest I've written.
I mostly wrote this because I'm testing to see which Morty pairing I want to start writing, especially for my longer stories. I've seen a bunch of them, usually Whitney and Jasmine, and one or two with Sabrina and Clair. After writing this, I might just stay with this pairing. I apologize in advance for anyone OOC.
Being late, Morty didn't expect any challengers. He began to lock up when there was a soft knock on the door.
Whitney stood there, soaked from the rain. She breathed out and smiled, "Hi."
"What are you doing out there?" he brought her in.
She took interest in everything but him, for a few seconds starting at a recently patched hole in the ceiling, "I was visiting the city today and then it started to rain, and your Gym was so much closer than the Pokemon Center and hotel..."
Even though it had been raining all day?
"You need to get into drier clothes."
"I'm fine," she said, forcing a smile, despite her shivering and the water dripping from her jacket creating a puddle around her feet. "Really."
"You're going to get sick," he turned to his Gengar, who was coming out of the floor, "Can you get a change of clothes for her?" The Pokemon nodded and disappeared. He turned back to her, "Just until your clothes dry." He led her to the Gym's living quarters and to the bathroom. A big fluffy towel, a sweatshirt and sweatpants were waiting for her.
Whitney gave him a weak smile, "Thank you."
After she changed into the clothes -which were a little too big for her- and dried her hair, she came out, looking around. She could see the living room and Morty's office from where she was, and he wasn't in either of those rooms. "Morty…?"
Lightning flashed, followed by a boom of thunder. The lights flickered out. A thunk followed by a soft "ow!" came from somewhere down the hall. A Misdreavus appeared in front of Whitney, the gems around its neck glowed softly. It led her to the kitchen.
Morty rubbed his head with one hand, the other holding a large canister.
"Are you okay?" Whitney walked up to the other side of the counter-top.
"I will be," he set the canister down and opened it. Misdreavus scowled and stayed away from it.
"What are you making?"
"Hot cocoa," he pushed a mug and the canister towards her, "Put in as much as you want."
Whitney poured in two scoops ans stirred as she watched Morty pour in three overflowing scoops into his mug, which she noticed was smaller than hers. He paused, pressing his lips together.
"You put in the usual amount in a smaller mug?"
"Yes..."
"Do you want to switch?"
"It's fine," he got a third mug, one shaped like a Gengar. He began scooping the powder into it. Gengar appeared next to him, watching, eyes wide.
Whitney sipped her drink. Mmm, peppermint. She looked around. The lights were still out. "Your Gym doesn't have a backup generator?"
He shrugged, "I never got around to it." He stirred the contents of Gengar's mug, the mixture so thick it could have been melted chocolate. He gave the mug to his Pokemon. Gengar floated away, smiling widely, slowly spinning. Misdreavus rolled its eyes and sighed.
"It's very picky about its hot cocoa, isn't it?"
"If it gets any less it would throw a tantrum," he offered Misdreavus a treat of some kind.
Whitney laughed, "Just like my Clefairy."
"You didn't bring her today?" he sipped his drink.
"I wasn't expecting to stay so late."
"When did you come?"
"Noon, I think."
"Any particular reason why?"
She looked away, "...I just felt like it?"
"You don't have to tell me the reason. Are you warmer?"
She smiled and nodded, "Much." She looked up at the clock and cringed, "It's going to be late by the time I get back…"
"You can stay here for tonight if you'd like. It's why you're sipping so slowly, isn't it?"
Whitney blinked at him, "How do you- I mean, I can stay at a hotel, or something when the rain stops."
"The guest room isn't being used and I'll feel better knowing you're-" his voice trailed off as distant thunder rumbled. He became much more interested in the contents of his mug, "If all the rooms are taken you would have to come back, anyway."
"True..." she finished her drink.
A soft thud came from the living room. Whitney looked over.
"Gengar," Morty said, setting his mug down. Whitney followed him there. Gengar lied face-first in a recliner near the window, snoring. Its mug lied sideways on the table.
"Does this happen often?"
"Every night."
"Do you recall it back to its Pokeball?"
"Not after the first time this happened," he straightened the mug.
Whitney looked over at the couch. A big blanket had been piled on one end of it.
"Gengar gets annoyed when I fall asleep watching television without a blanket."
Whitney looked between the blanket and Gengar, "This is its passive-aggressive way of taking care of you, isn't it?"
"That's how I learned not to skip meals," he started folding the blanket.
"Can we stay up and talk for a little while longer?"
He stopped folding, "...All right." He sat on one end of the couch.
Whitney took the middle spot. She pulled the blanket closer. So soft… She the occasional flash of lightning as the storm moved past. "What would you have done tonight if I didn't come?"
"Fallen asleep watching television. And you?"
"Probably the same thing. Have you had any interesting Gym battles lately?"
"The other day someone had a Miltank with the Scrappy ability and it could use Giga Impact," he said, "Although after Miltank fainted she insisted on having her Furret use Tackle."
Whitney nodded, "I think I fought her. She kept trying to have her Abra use Shadow Ball. She got a lucky win when her Furret got Focus Blast from using Assist."
"That's how she lost to me and put a hole in the roof."
They continued to trade battle stories. Whitney didn't realize she had fallen asleep until she woke the next morning. The blanket was pulled over her, her head resting against Morty's shoulder. His arm lied flopped over her.
Whitney lifted her head, "Morty?"
He stirred and turned his head, giving her a tired smile, "Good morning."
Whitney poked his face and breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Have you been having those nightmares where I disappear again?"
Her face turned red, "Yes… no..." she looked away, "...Maybe..."
He poked her cheek, "I don't plan on disappearing."
She sat up, "...I'm sorry if this was just a waste of time..."
"It wasn't," he moved his arm back.
Whitney watched as he winced. "Did your arm fall asleep?"
"I didn't want to wake you up," he feebly shook feeling back into it.
"If you don't want me to come late at night again I understand."
"I don't mind," he gave her another smile, "Just call first so I can be here for you."
Originally it was going to be noted that Gengar caused the blackout in the Gym. I wasn't even going to write this short story, and it didn't have a name, until the last line. Then I had to write it.
One thing I want to note: While I'm sure that Gym Leaders do have their own houses, I kind of feel like the Ecruteak Gym would have an apartment or something attached to it. It does kind of look that way in the anime, at least.
I'm also trying to figure out who I want to pair with Eusine with, which at the time of writing this isn't going so well… (I'd really like suggestions for any ideas. So far the only idea I have is to create an OC. I want to start getting away from that -basically, pairing every canon character with an OC- and use a canon character instead).