WARNING: This is AAML FLUFF with some fun along the way to it. If you do not like it do not read it.

I apologies in advance if Dawn and May are OC. All I know about them is what you lovely people. When Misty left, I sadly could not bring myself to watch anymore. But I still I will try my best and hope that you enjoy the story regardless!

For the record, I do not own Pokemon, if I did, they would be allowed to grow up, Misty would have only left for enough time for Ash to realise he was an idiot and chance after her admitting his undying love and affection for the girl (as they were growing up it wouldn't seem so OC) and by this point they would probably be at least a proposal in the works. But we all know how that's going. I also don't own Rascal Flatts "The Man In Love With You" which gave me the idea for the story in a way. Now to the Story

The Man In Love with You

"Let's play a game!" 22 year old Misty Waterflower exclaimed sitting next to her best friend of 12 years, the one and only Ash Ketchum. Ash and friends were taking a short break before Ash had to leave for the Indigo Platu in hopes of finally receiving the title of Pokemon Master. He was leaving two days latter and really should be training, but Misty insisted that everyone (her, Ash, Brock, May, and Dawn) got together at the gym and had a little fun for once. Ash agreed, and left all of his pokemon at the pokemon center for a rest after some light training earlier that day. Ash, for some reason he had a hard time saying no to Misty.

"Ewwwww! I got one!" an 18 year-old Dawn said jumping up and down. "Okay what is it?" Misty asked back. "It's kind of like a truth game! It's a great getting at bringing people together!" Dawn winked at Misty who flushed slightly. "Dawn, where's the fun in that?" Ash asked, not sure what to think of this game. "Ash! It gives us a change to ask some great question and use are imaginations and maybe, just maybe get to know each other better then we already do." the blue haired girl squealed. "Well, I'm game!" Brock said siting down in between Dawn and May. "Oooh! I have a question! Misty..." May giggle looking at the redhead on the other couch, "if you could go on a date with anyone in the entire world, who would it be?" she asked in a sing-songy voice knowing very well what Misty's answer was. "I don't want to play anymore!" Misty said blushing. There was no way a confession would be coming out of her tonight because of stupid game.

"Oh come on Mist. A game was your idea, and besides, if I'm playing you're playing." Ash smirked seeing the redhead's face turn the color of her hair. "Why do you even care Ketchum." "Well, like Dawn said it's getting to know each other differently right? And after all these years of being with you, I have no idea who your ideal date would be." Ash said honestly. Brock couldn't help laughing at this. "Yeah Misty, who is your ideal man?" the breeder mocked earning him a death glare from Misty. "Come on Misty you have to answer the question!" Dawn squalled. "What question?" Misty asked trying to stall. "If you could go on a date with anyone in the entire world, who would it be." May repeated smirking. "hmmmm... Honestly, if I could go out with anyone... I would want to go out with a guy that I love." Misty smiled finding her loop hole. "WHO IS IT?" everyone else screamed. "You never asked for a name. I didn't know it had to be specific." she lied. "Misty when someone gives you the option of anyone in the entire world to go out with, we expect a name!" Ash, of all people explained making Misty grin. "Well Ashy-boy why do I need a name? If I'm going to go on a date with my 'ideal man' as you put it, well that's a man that I love. That's all that matters. I wouldn't go out with some hot shot celebrity just because they are talented or extremely attractive if he wouldn't care about me!" Misty said with a little edge in her voice. "I want a name!" "WHY?" "BECAUSE I DO!" "WHY?" "BECAUSE IT"S... IT"S PART OF THE GAME!" This answer made Misty stop fighting and look at him strange. Knowing Ash for as long she knew that he wasn't going to say it's part of the game. But what was he going to say?

"Okay guys...uhhh... I think we should move on to another question. Misty you found your loop hole this time but don't think we won't be more specific next time!" May said. Brock and Dawn were both fighting back laughter at the fight they just occurred. "Okay, I have a question for Ash!" Brock giggled in a very manly fashion. "I don't want you to ask me a question!" "What happened to if I have to play you have to play?" Misty asked her best friend. "I don't mind playing I just mind Brock!" This made May and Dawn giggle and Brock looked completely shocked. "Just for that, I'm going to ask you anyway!" Brock started, "Do you have a romantic interest in a particular female?" "What kind of question is that?" Ash asked shocked. Brock KNEW HE DID! "It's a simple yes or no question. Like you said before you have no idea what Misty's ideal guy is and do any know about your ideal mate?" the breeder asked emphasising the word mate making Ash blush. "Can you not use that word?" "What word?" "Mate...it makes us seem like...I don't know, pokemon or something. Like...it means less." Ash explained blushing, putting his arm behind is head in a very Ash-like fashion. "Awwww that's so sweet Ash!" May squealed thinking how odd it was to see a sensitive side of Ash. "Uhhhh... thanks!" He replied blushing, if possible even more. "Well, answer the question!" Dawn piped up, very interested in his answer. "Brock, yes I have a romantic interest in a particular female. You know that I have an interest in said female, you even know who said female is which is why I asked what kind of question that was!"

"Who is it?" Misty asked quietly. "Huh?" Ash asked. "Who is "said female" that you have a "romantic interest" in?" Misty explained herself. "Ummmm...it's not important. There is no way she would even give me a second look anyway." he blushed even harder unknowingly breaking the redheads heart, though of course she would do her best not to show it.

"So Brock, here's a question back at you" Ash said smugly figuring it was his turn to be embarrassed. "We all have seen you flirt with hundreds, maybe thousands of girls over the past 12 years, but if you are serious about finding someone, why haven't you?" "Oooooh good question!" Dawn said her eyes widening. Brock was turning beat red and Misty was looking at him sympathetically. Like his question to Ash, the answer was already known to one of the members in the group, but surprisingly, it wasn't Ash who knew the answer, it was Misty. Ash thought he was just going to make Brock fess up to not being as good with the ladies as he claims to be, but he was wrong.

"I have my reasons." "Brock you need to answer the question." May said very interested in the answer. "Well you see...it's because of what happened on the Orange Islands." Brock gave in placing his head in his hands. Ash's eyes widened "What happened?" "She (Prof. Ivy in case you do not know)...she dumped me okay! I told her I loved her and a week later she dumped me!" Brock said trying not cry. "I just didn't want to be hurt like that again. That's why." May and Dawn (who were still on either side of him) tried to comfort their older friend. Neither one would have though that all of Brock's ridiculous flirting was because he was protecting himself. Ash looked at his friend concerned. "I'm really sorry Brock! Why didn't you tell anyone?" "Ummm...he did." Misty said avoiding Ash's eyes. "Wait... WHAT? Why did you tell her and not me? No offence Mist." Ash added quickly. "Ash, Misty is...err...ummm... was going through something similar. It was just easier knowing that she was just as afraid of rejection too." Brock explained his voice becoming a little more steady then before. "Someone rejected YOU?" Ash exclaimed. Misty gave a sad smile, "No, not really, he just never has seen me as anything other then a really good friend. He has never shown any interest in me romantically." "Well then he's an idiot." Ash blurted out and then turned red after realising he said it out loud. Misty looked stunned and Dawn and May giggled.

After an odd moment of silence, Misty looked at May and smiled. "So May, here is a question for you, what is going on between you and Drew. Suddenly you have a collection of red roses. Ash told me before that Drew gave them to your pokemon at contests but now it seems that YOU have been the one at the receiving end. At least one day for the last month you have been here." Misty looked at the younger girl with a knowing smile. "Oh yeah and you have been drying them out too! They really are beautiful. She even got a bouquet of them last Saturday!" Dawns eyes lit up in excitement. This game was getting really fun for her because she was getting to see the truth about her friends love lives. Now if only hers would pick up a bit!

"Well...umm...you see Drew and I have been...well...I guess it's time to tell everyone" the brunette girl sighed. "Drew and I have been going out for about a month now! The bouquet was a gift for our one month anaversery!" she squealed. "I KNEW IT!" cried Dawn happily. "Awww that's so romantic!" Misty said dreamily wishing that her Prince Charming would wise up. "I did not see that coming!" Brock exclaimed bringing the girls giggle to a halt. "How did you not see that coming? I saw that coming!" Ash exclaimed. "WHAT?" the entire room cried in shock. "I saw that coming. It was obvious anyway, all the flirting through fighting and the roses. It was actually kind of cute." Ash smirked. "Flirting through fighting? Now why does that sound familiar?" Brock chuckled Ash and Misty both turned slightly red. "Wow Ash, I can't believe you know anything about flirting let alone being able to spot true love." Misty joked shoving Ash playfully. "Well, you may not realise this Misty, but I've matured a lot over the years, and though I may not be as experienced as lets say... Brock, but I've come to understand a thing or two about a thing or two." he said looking at her tenderly. Making Misty for once think maybe she did have a chance.

"Okay so Dawn," May said breaking the moment Ash and Misty were having. "If you could have anything in the entire world what would it be?" "Hmmmmm..." the young girl though for a moment. "That's easy actually. Love! True, romantic, goofy, unpredictable love!" she swooned at the thought of her own personal Prince Charming sweeping her off her feet and into their own version of happily ever after. "You know Dawn, I would say the same thing." Misty smiled at her younger friend giving her a smile. "You would?" Ash asked amazed. "Yeah, why?" Misty blushed. "Well, I just thought, you know, if you could have anything in the world, if you could have something you only ever dreamed about, it would be to be the worlds greatest Water Pokemon Master." Ash answered seriously. Misty locked eyes with him again and shook her head. "No, I mean, that would be nice, and yes it is my dream, but if the guy I loved loved me back, that would be the best dream come true I could ask for." she smiled wondering if her dense best friend may actually understand what she means. The girls and Brock were watching this exchange on the edge of their seats like the climax of some really good romantic comedy. For the first time they could all see their two friends maybe having the love connection they have been fighting for at least ten years!

"I never knew that!" Ash smiled. "Yeah well, you wouldn't would you? All you're concerned with is pokemon training. Everyone here knows what you would be or have if you could have anything. 'The Worlds Greatest Pokemon Master!'" Misty said in a serious yet joking manner. Ash leaned in a little towards her and smiled. "You don't know that. I thought your answer would be different, maybe mine is too. Ask me the question. It is part of the game right." Ash couldn't believe what he just said. He was about to do something that could be considered very VERY stupid if he had been misreading Misty all night. But he had to try, it was now or never. Misty was nervous too but she asked the question, hoping her voice didn't quiver. "Okay ummm... Ash, if you could be, anything you wished that you could be, if you could do all the things that you only dreamed that you could do, what would you have? What would you be?" "That's easy Mist. I'd be what I've always been!" he smiled moving closer. "What is that exactly?" "The man in love with you!" he smiled and the gently kissed her, and to his relief, he kissed her back!

"If I could be anything I wished that I could be, oh baby
If I could rule over kingdoms maybe even sail the seven seas
If I could do all the things that I only dreamed that I could do
I'd still be the man in love with you" - The Man in Love With You by the Rascal Flatts

Fin.

Thank you for reading. This may not be a masterpiece but it was fun to write and took my brain off of research papers for the first time all semester. And if one person likes it, well than I am glad that I posted it! This is my first pokemon fanfiction posted though I do have more written. If you like it and want more let me know and maybe I'll actually post them. Have a wonderful day!