Love Call
"You really do know girls, don't you?" May asked her new boyfriend as they approached the front door.
"Of course I do. Now, May, let the game of Cupid begin." Ash said, then turned the handle and opened the door. They saw one female, and three boys yawning.
"Morning, Ash." Misty greeted cheerfully.
"Morning, Mist'." Ash replied as she stepped passed him. He turned to the guys.
"Morning, Ash." Max said with a yawn.
"Morning, Max. Come in, let's get you awake." Ash said as he let them inside. The four newcomers stepped into the kitchen, and May and Ash heard Delia greeting them.
"Well, Ash, how is this game supposed to work?" May asked as she tugged on his arm.
"Don't women have an ability of seeing true love? And weren't you the one to say that?" Ash wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"Oh, Ash..." she punched him lightly on the arm and giggled. Ash smiled, then opened the door.
"I'm going for a little walk. Be back in a few minutes." Ash told her.
"Okay, hurry back. I don't want the others asking about certain things." May said as her cheeks turned a light pink.
"What do you mean?" Ash arched an eyebrow.
"Well..." May rubbed her arm. "...A while back.I may have told Misty about my feelings for you...and she might have agreed to help." May said nervously, making Ash smile.
Oh, May...never could keep your mouth shut, huh?" Ash asked before quickly closing the door. May opened the door to yell at him, but saw him running down the path. She felt something hit her leg, and looked down to see Pikachu sprinting after his trainer. She giggled, then closed the door and joined the others in the kitchen.
"Pika-pi!"
"Hey, Pikachu!" Ash smiled as his best friend climbed on his shoulder.
"Pika pika, chu pi!"
" Good morning to you, too. Again." Ash laughed, then looked at Pikachu's face. His eyebrow was raised, and his lips formed a smirk.
Pika-pi, pika pika chu kachu?"
"What! No! I wouldn' do that!" Ash blushed deeply as his friend laughed.
"Pika pika pika pika! Chu pi?"
"Yes, I'm sure! She's my best friend!" Ash replied, then noticed Pikachu's cheeks sparking. "Human friend." he corrected himself, then felt Pikachu nuzzle his cheek against his. "Besides, she's even more special to me now. You know I wouldn't do anything like that." Ash told him.
"Pika-pi, chu pikachu kachupi."
"What do you mean, we need another talk?" Ash asked him. After a few minutes, the argument was over and they were back at the house. "I still say I won that conversation." Ash said as he held the doorknob.
"Pika..."
"Okay, you won!" Ash defended himself, then the mouse's cheeks stopped sparking. He opened the door, then Ash felt himself pushed in. He felt something heavy on his back, and turned around to see blue hair.
"Ash!"
He smiled, realizing what it was. He looked down to see the blue and pink skirt from the phone, then tapped her shoulder.
"Dawn, can I get up?" Ash asked, making her look up at him. She turned her head to see her body covering his, then turned a deep red. She quickly got off him and helped him up.
"Sorry, just excited to see you again." she held her hands behind her back and smiled. Ash smiled back, then noticed another woman stepping in the house. Dawn turned around and saw her mother.
"What'd she do, Ash?" Johanna asked as she noticed the red on Dawn's face.
"N-Nothing! Nothing at all!" Dawn waved her arms, making Ash and Johanna laugh.
"Hello again, Ms. Ber...Johanna." Ash corrected himself.
"You, too, Ash. We should visit more often." Johanna replied.
"Now how many times have I heard that recently?" Ash asked sarcastically, making the women giggle. He heard footsteps, then turned to see his mother in the doorway.
"Why, Johanna! And Dawn, too! Come in, make yourself comfortable!" Delia motioned them to the couch or kitchen. Johanna stepped in the kitchen, and Dawn sat quietly on the couch. Ash stepped slowly towards the door.
"So, Dawn, how's your contests?" he asked.
"Good. I'm taking a break at the moment, but I'm doing great." she replied cheerfully. Ash smiled as he began to close the door, but felt something push it back. He looked back to see a face with a small smirk.
"Change your mind?" the voice asked in a sarcastic way.
"Hey, Paul. Good to see you." Ash opened the door and let him in. Paul stepped inside, then noticed Dawn. "You invited her, too?" Paul asked him. Dawn heard this, and was slightly offended.
"Am I annoying or something to you?" Dawn crossed her arms as Paul sat on the couch beside her.
"No. I was just surprised, is all." Paul replied calmly.
"How you been, Paul?" Ash asked as he sat on the couch across from them.
"Good. Anything new happen while you missed me?" Paul smirked.
"Who said I missed you?" Ash asked him.
"Well, one, you consider me a friend. Two, I'm one of the best trainers you've fought, face it." Paul told him.
"I've battled plenty of trainers stronger than you." Ash replied. He noticed Dawn quickly looking at them as they spoke.
"May be true, may not." Paul replied. Then, a female stepped in the room.
"Did someone call me?" the brunette asked. The three looked at her, then Dawn jumped up and hugged her.
"Hi, May! It's been too long!" she said excitedly.
"Dawn? Wow! It has!" May said, returning the hug. Ash and Paul looked at each other, then Paul made a talking gesture with his hand. Ash laughed quietly and nodded. The girls parted and Dawn sat in her previous spot, while May sat beside Ash.
"May, how have you been?" Dawn asked her.
"Great." May replied, then noticed Paul beside her. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't notice you. Are you...the Paul I've heard about?" she asked as she extended her hand toward him.
"What exactly have you heard?" he glanced at Ash as he returned the handshake.
"Well, you're a strong trainer...new friend from Sinnoh...and something about mistreating pokemon..." May thought out loud.
"I've changed, Ketchum." Paul looked at Ash.
"Wel, it was around the Wallace Cup when I told her about you. That was a while ago." Ash rubbed the back of his head. Paul smirked, then looked toward Dawn. He caught a glimpse of her staring at him, then she quickly looked away. He looked over at May, who was looking at Dawn with a confused expression. Then something surprised him. He noticed May's hand was on Ash's. Paul looked at Dawn to see if she saw this, but she looked to be daydreaming. Paul sighed, then stood.
"Ash, can I talk to you about something?" he asked him.
"Sure." Ash stood, then they walked upstairs to his room.
"What do you think that's about?" Dawn asked, snapping out of her trance.
"Guy stuff. You know them." May told her.
"Actually, I don't. I've never really been close to a boy. How do you know?" Dawn asked her.
"Um...Ash and my brother, that's it." May replied, hoping she would accept it.
"...Okay!" she replied cheerfully, making the brunette sigh relievingly. Meanwhile, Ash sat on his bed and Paul stood over him.
"What's up?" he asked him.
"How cute. Little Ash got a girl." Paul smirked teasingly, making Ash go red.
"W-What? I don't know what y-you're talking a-about." Ash stuttered as he played with his thumbs.
"Even cuter. He's nervous!" Paul began laughing, surprising Ash.
"This makes you laugh?" he asked him.
"Yes! This is funny! I never would have thought of you getting a girlfriend!" he calmed his laughter.
"What made you think this?" Ash stood beside him.
"I saw your girlfriend down there put her hand on yours, and you didn't go red or move. I can't believe this." Paul chuckled as he wrapped an arm around Ash's neck.
"Oh...I'm meaning to work on that..." Ash said as Paul pulled his arm off.
"Did you seriously think I'm too stupid to realize love? Don't underestimate me." Paul told him.
"You see human love, but not pokemon love?" Ash smiled.
"Past is past. Is this a secret? Have you told anyone?" he asked him.
"Sort of and no. And I'd appreciate it if you didn't say anything, please." Ash told him.
"All right, but don't complain if I tease youevery now and then. You have to admit, this is funny." Paul began laughing as he stepped out of the room. Ash shook his head as he followed him. Ash looked over to see the girls staring confusingly at the laughing Paul. The girls walked beside Ash.
"Ash, why do I see something wrong with this picture?" Dawn whispered to him.
"No reason, Dawn." Ash replied. She nodded, then stepped into the kitchen with the others. Ash heard everyone greet her in the other room.
"Funny conversation with Paul, Ash?" Ash jumped as he realized May was still beside him.
"...To him, it was." Ash replied, then noticed May cross her arms.
"What's up? I can read you, Ash." she told him.
"...Okay...he might have discovered...us..." Ash told her, then noticed her cringe.
"How did he know?" she asked.
"Someone can't keep their hands off." Ash smirked, making her giggle nervously.
"I can't help it. I don't like keeping secrets." May replied, saw Ash wasn't looking at her. She followed his gaze and saw he was staring at Paul. She saw him, then he winked to the two, then stepped in the kitchen. "He isn't going to tease us, is he?" she sighed.
"...That might have been mentioned..." Ash scratched the back of his head. They walked upstairs and in Ash's room, closing the door behind them.
"Ash, I don't know how long I can keep this up." May said as she fell onto his bed.
"I don't know, either. Plus, we have to keep up with Paul's teasing." Ash said as he lied beside her.
"Come on, we have to think of something. We can't tell them, and we can't keep it from them. What do we do?" she asked as she looked up at him.
"...If we don't tell...and don't keep...there's one thing left. Slip of the tongue." Ash said.
"...How do we do that? Just walk in the room and accidentally say 'oh, I love being a couple'?" May asked sarcastically.
"Not in that specific way, but something like that. Maybe we can show signs and let them figure it out themselves." Ash said again.
"This is more confusing than I thought..." May sighed.
"I know. But I guess we can turn to the cupid game. We have three different missions." Ash said as May leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Please stop talking video-game." May said.
"Fine. We have three different groups we can set up, that would be compatible." Ash told her.
"Compatible? You know what, never mind. I don't want to know. Okay, so who?" May asked him.
"Well, there's-" Ash stopped as they heard the door. They looked over to see Paul leaning against the doorframe, smiling with his arms crossed.
"Just making sure you're keeping it clean. Have fun." Paul's smirk grew as he turned around.
"Shut up, Paul!" Ash shouted before the door closed.
"Wow, Ash, I didn't think he'd set you off so easily." May giggled.
"You don't know how long he can go with a topic, and he has a way of getting in my mind." Ash replied. May giggled, then leaned up and gave him a peck on the lips.
"You're cute this way." May said sweetly as she stood up. Ash stood behind her and wrapped an arm around her hip.
"Just this way?" Ash whispered in her ear.
"Not saying." May whispered as she squirmed from his grip. She turned and winked at him before leaving the room. She reached the bottom of the stairs and noticed Paul on the couch. She turned to Ash behind her, annd saw him shaking his head.
"What?" Paul asked innocently, but still wore the smirk from earlier.
"I'll get you back soon, Paul. Sooner than you think." Ash replied, then Paul's smirk disappeared. May giggled as she stepped in the kitchen. She noticed no one was there, then looked back at Paul.
"Where is everyone?" she asked him.
"Shopping. I'm here to keep you clean." Paul began laughing again. Ash frowned, then heard the door. He looked over to see Max step in.
"Hey, guys." Max greeted them.
"Max, why didn't you go shopping?" Ash asked him.
"Are you kidding me! I would have to carry most of the bags! I'm sorry I betrayed my dad, but I'm not suffering!" Max waved his arms defensively. Ash laughed as everyone took a seat, Max beside Paul and the couple on the other couch. May, again, put her hand on his without realizing.
"So, Max, what do you think?" Paul asked him. May and Ash looked at him with confusion, then Ash's eyes went wide with realization. He looked back to see Max looking at him with serious eyes.
"Paul, what did I tell you?" Ash asked him with a strict tone.
"Nothing important." Paul's smirk grew again.
"Personally, Ash, I'm happy about this." Max said, then Ash felt May's grip tighten on his hand. He looked to see her eyes gone wide. "But. I have to say take care of her. If you mistreat her or disappoint her...I think you get the point." Max crossed his arms and smiled. Ash chuckled nervously, then glanced at May and saw her expression not changed. But her grip was getting even tighter.
"May, please calm down. My hand won't survive much longer." Ash said as he tried to squirm out of her grip. She looked down to see her grip, and quickly retracted.
"I'm so sorry!" she gasped, then looked angrily at Max.
"What? I'm telling him to take care of you!" Max told her.
"I admire your concern, but I can take care of myself." May replied angrily.
"Maybe, but your younger crushes weren't so great." Max said, then bolted out of the house, quickly followed by the angry May. Ash shook his head, then faced Paul.
"Look what you've done. I told you to tell no one." Ash told him.
"Exactly. You said no one. That kid's not quite the size of one." Paul replied.
"He's smaller? That's your excuse?" Ash asked. Paul nodded, then they both began laughing.
"Admit it, I'm right." Paul said after they calmed down.
"Not saying. Come on, we better go save him." Ash stood up and walked to the door. They walked outside and noticed a boy hiding in a tree. Ash sighed, then walked over to the tree. He looked around to see May walking back to the house, kicking the dirt angrily. "Come on, Max. She gave up." Ash called into the tree.
"Liar! This is an ambush!" a oice called back to him. Ash turned to see Paul laughing.
"Come on, kid. Your sister's rage is gone...for now." Paul said.
"I knew it! You're trying to lure me out so her anger will come back when I'm down!" the voice called down.
"Paul! You're not helping!" Ash shouted, making his friend laugh more. After about an hour, the three boys walked back to the house. Ash held May back as they stepped in, then she got over it. When the others got home, the women came in with small gift bags, then the guys came with larger bags.
"Oh my god, I can't feel my arms!" Tracey complained as he put the bags on the floor.
"We'll help you. Come on, Max, Paul." Ash stood up and grabbed a few bags.
"Fine, but I get Dawn's." Max said, making the guys look at him funny. "What? The youngest gets the smallest amount of stuff. I'm not taking the mother's stuff because mothers buy most." Max stated as he lifted some bags.
"Damn, I shouldn't have told him that." Norman muttered under his breath. After the bags were lifted and put away, everyone had gone to sleep from exhaustion.
END
Ha ha! Poor Norman! I've alway thought of Paul doing stuff like this. Who will get paired first? And more importantly...who? R&R!
Clarification on the shippings; They're going to start next chapter, it will be one shipping per chapter, I will name the chapter with the shipping respectively. Have fun!