A/N) Happy reading!

-~D~-

"Dependable"

-.-

"Do you have an extra coat, or anything, Ash?" Misty's soft voice sought for comfort as a snowstorm raged on in the mountains of Kanto.

Ash looked to the fretful redhead near him. Her shivering told it's own story; Her normally lightly tanned skin was at the brim of turning a sickly purple color. The snow pounded against the bare skin her shorts and blouse lacked to cover. Her bright cerulean eyes shone through the snow and made contact with his deep brown ones. He grabbed his backpack and dug through it, his own hands shivering. But one of them made contact with something soft and... warm? He retrieved the object from his backpack and revealed a good-sized blanket, a fleece one at that.

He'd forgotten he had it on the first place. His mom must've packed it the last time he was in Pallet Town, or maybe it belonged to one of the Nurse Joys or someone else they'd come to meet while backpacking through Kanto for a second time.

"I found this." He swallowed as he managed to say. "Misty, I found this blanket."
The redhead looked as if the royal blue blanket was a gift from the heavens. "Oh, Ash. Can I use it, please?" She breathed airily, the words barely forming a question.

Ash nodded curtly. "Only if you share. This thing is more than big enough for the both of us. But first, let's move closer to the trees. The wind is probably less brutal there and at least there will be some protection from the snow." Ash stood as he spoke, trying to estimate how far away the trees were from the two at the moment.
Misty stayed on the ground, crouched in a ball, shivering. "Ash, help. Please."

The raven-haired trainer put the blanket back into the bag, zipping it carefully for security,. He then proceeded to not only lift the redhead to her feet, but pick her up bridesmaid style and began to walk her to the nearby trees.

…

They sat down in the dugout of a tree just as the stormy sky turned dark. Ash pulled out the fleece blanket he'd recently discovered and proceeded to wrap it around the both of them, in doing so bringing the girl of his dreams closer to his body.

"You're so warm, Ash." Misty managed, still shivering.

Ash ignored the comment, realizing the dampness of Misty's clothes. "Misty, you're clothes are soaking wet." (ahem, he over-exaggerated.) He ran a hand over her shorts and blouse, almost being able to wring out the articles. "Misty, you have got to get them off, you could get sick. Hypothermia, frost bite, even worse." He rambled. "Man, I wish my Pokemon were here." He regretted the choice to leave them at the nearby Pokemon center as the two went for a walk in the 'light winter snow' that soon turned into a dreaded storm.

"Ash, I can't take them off. I don't have," She paused, needing to take an elongated breath, "have anything to change into." She paused again. "I left my bag at the center."

Ash didn't have anything to offer her, either. And he knew the second he tried to give her his only shirt- the one he was wearing- she would flip out over him getting hypothermia or frost bite or worse.

The trainer thought for a moment. She can't keep the wet clothes on, that's too dangerous. She'll get sick, then I'll feel terrible, and that's something I can't live with. She hasto take them off. He knew what he had to do.

"Misty, listen to me. I know this will sound crazy, but Professor Oak told me this before. Wet clothes plus a snow storm is bad. Even worse, it's getting dark, so it's going to be hard to find us until morning, unless this storm keels over. So, just hear me out. Take off your shorts and blouse." He paused, probably at the wrong time, to see her reaction. But she didn't seem to have one as she took in what he was saying. He continued, "Misty, this is dire. Please do this. I won't look or anything. Then, we'll wrap you up in the blanket, and you'll be nice and warm. Everything will be great. And you'll get warmer. I promise." He grabbed her cold hands, staring into her warm eyes. "Do you trust me?"
She only nodded, then looked down. "Ash, it's cold. I'm scared."
"Don't be. I'm right here." He consoled. "Please, do it. It's for your health, Mist."

The redhead was shivering as she stared at him, waiting for her response to come to her lips, "You- you promise not to look?" She asked airily.

Ash nodded, "I promise."

…

Misty handed her blouse to Ash; It was her last article of clothing, save her bra and underwear. Ash stuck her clothes into his bag and waited to turn around. Misty grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around herself as much as she could, making sure she was saving some for Ash.

"Okay." She mumbled, barely audible in the raging snowstorm.

Ash turned, seeing the redhead bundled in the blanket.

"Misty," He sighed, unsure of what to say to her. He grabbed what was left of the blanket and wrapped himself into that, then leaned back on the tree.

"Ash, I'm so cold." Misty shivered.

The raven-haired teen looked to the redhead. Her normally bright face was pale and sickly, and she looked to Ash with longing eyes.

Body heat.

"Misty, do you trust me?" Ash wondered, the thought spiking in his mind.

The redhead nodded, "With all my life."
Without saying a word, Ash unwrapped Misty, her eyes widening, and brought her near him. He traced his fingers over her bare midsection, pulling her waist towards him. He wrapped the blanket around them both, making sure the blue fleece would keep them warm.

"Better?" As asked, his arms wrapped around Misty's slender waist.

She nodded. "Yeah." She blushed. "That's better."
"I'm glad you trust me." Ash smiled, then placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Misty blushed harder. She was glad that Ash couldn't see her in the darkness. "You're dependable, Ash. That's why I trust you." She told Ash. She pulled herself closer to him, letting each others body heat share the other's.

…

The two remained in the dugout for what seemed like hours as the stormed raged on. Misty had fallen asleep, her head in the crook of Ash's neck. Ash stared out into the storm, waiting for any sign that the snowstorm would end soon.

I know this storm will end soon. And I'll be dependable. Just as Misty said I am.

"Because we trust each other." He spoke aloud.

Though no one could hear him.

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A/N) Bleh. It took a while to get this one... At first I couldn't find the right word, then I kept changing it. And even though this one is relatively short, I still feel like it dragged on; Like it took a while to get to the point. But I still hope you enjoyed it, nonetheless. (Review.) Thanks for reading!