Ever since that fateful night I opened my heart to Erika, I have found myself constantly seeing her in a different light, be it how pretty she looked or how sweet of a person she really is. Never in my 10 years of existence would I ever thought of a girl that way, it was new and strangely confusing to me. It was mystifying to me that Erika's presence alone managed to sooth my never ending amount of worries and gave me a sense of reassurance that everything would be alright as long as we are together. No one ever had that effect one me before and in all honesty I was very happy that a wonderful person such as Erika herself is on board on our journey, sharing her wisdom and strength with the group. She was soft spoken at times but she could give a heck of a confidence boost when the situation calls for it. Having a serene and gentle smile that lift your spirits up instantly is also a plus. I, Ash Ketchum had slowly found myself attracted towards her beauty and grace, it dawned to this dense mind of mine that life isn't just about pokemon but of girls and happiness, or something cheesy along those lines.
I must admit that I have it bad for her even without realizing it, looking back at it now, I see no reason not to. Due to my determination of being a good G-men as well as trying to achieve the seemingly impossible goal of becoming a Pokemon Master, I painstakingly wake up early in the morning to engage in my daily routine of training my pokemon. You name it, stamina, endurance, offense and improving at what my pokemon excel the most. However that (ambitious) idea didn't last very long when I realized that my pokemon needed more sleep than I ever did and were too exhausted and mentally drained (plain laziness) to wake up five in the morning just to train their lungs out. I didn't blame them and frankly training in the afternoon or between travels seemed more convenient for both parties. However having to wake up early in the morning, I was greeted with the familiar presence of Erika who is very fond of morning walks. We always have a short chat before and between our training session, so naturally my routine of training my pokemon slowly turned into one of taking morning walks with Erika. Somehow with the pokemon out of the way and when it is just the two of us, waking up early just to talk to her required next to no effort, in fact it was something I looked forward to every morning. Nowadays we wake up before dawn and have nice strolls outside when the others are sleeping, the sight of the rising sun and the morning cries of pidgeys had become all too familiar for us. We didn't tell each other to wake up early and hangout together but we just did, it was like an unspoken pact or agreement for the both of us. Pikachu always joined us for our morning walks along with Erika's bellossom who seemed to be infatuated with my lovable starter. Our daily conversation ranged from pokemon related to the latest fashion trends (yes I know, shut up) to our own personal life and experience. Erika and I never really kept secrets among ourselves, so I was pleasantly surprised when she asked me (boldly if I may add) about my very interesting love life.
It was startling as she had asked me before, but my answers had always been either a half-hearted shrug or a cheerful "I don't have a girlfriend" to which I say.
I must have look like a fricking idiot.
But today of all days, I didn't answered her straight away, I was just staring at her with a pondering expression on my face. It was as if I was wrapping my head around the age old question of "What is the meaning of life?" or something philosophical and deep that questions your morals and your perspective of things while in reality I was actually lost for words. I couldn't answer her question straight away and for a moment I knew exactly why! I was actually giving some serious thought into her question for once! Between the rosy red cheeks and the shy yet sweet smile plastered on her face that I adore, I think I managed to choke my words out and sounded like I was gasping for air when I answered her back. To which I say.
I must have look like a fricking idiot.
"I never gave much thought about it, is it that important to have a love life?" I knew that I sounded like a fool, but I couldn't help but to ask that. You can't blame me for being oblivious to the opposite sex as so far the only person who gave me love related advice was Brock, and for a guy like me who had just reached the fundamental stage of "puberty", I wasn't exactly interested in exploring the exotic and vast world of the female private parts... yet.
I need to start somewhere close to home, some place more wholesome and what better way than to ask a girl about it. Erika stared at me with an unreadable expression on her face, she had stopped walking, an action which cause me to do so too. Her lips began to curl up and she whispered something inaudible to herself, I wasn't sure what to make of this but I knew something good could come out of it. I mean it's Erika, the most benevolent and sweetest girl I have ever met. Just don't ever insult her perfume and you would be fine.
"It is Ash, I think it's very important for everyone to have a love life. To have someone who cherish you as much as you cherish them, to grow old with them and share life's joys and sorrows. Have you really never thought about that Ash?" Every-time-she-says-my-name-man! Sends shivers down my spine! The amount of warmth and softness behind her voice were melting my ears, she was approaching this in a serious yet delicate manner. I wasn't as dumb as people say I am, (I mean it) the thought of having a girlfriend seemed like something fun and exciting? It was something all the cool kids in Pallet often boast about, you know having a girlfriend and having the latest tech toys and whatnot. As much as I hate to say this, Gary would make the perfect example for it. Anyway, I never dwell on the matter too long as I have other things in life that take much priority such as food, achieving my dreams and being spoiled by my mother. However I didn't want to give Erika a disappointing answer and looked like an incompetent dimwit, so I thought long and hard about it and actually found the thought of sharing your rest of your life with someone you love to be quite sweet. You know to have someone you love that looks after you and vice versa, it was something humbling and beautiful.
"Not until now, but I mean, we are still young right? There's no need to hurry and look for a girlfriend or a boyfriend in your case!" Erika forced a smile as we stumbled upon the local paddy fields that gave us a clear view of Kanto's countryside with the widespread of glistening crops for us to see. The local farmers were diligently tending to the crops while bearing a tired yet happy smiles on their faces. It was a sight to behold as I was reminded again that my pokemon journey isn't just about winning badges and defeating my seemingly stronger opponents, but also about the people I meet and the places I have yet to explore. Such majestic view oddly filled me with healthy amounts of sentiments and nostalgia. It reminded me a lot of the rice fields we had back in Pallet Town with local windmill towering over our little town. I could never get enough of the sight despite the scarecrow in Pallet scared the living heck out of me when I was a kid. I supposed that's the price you pay for wandering around with no sense of direction whatsoever at dusk.
"Yes but we are reaching an age where we would consider to have one right? I was wondering do you have someone in particular you like as a girlfriend?" Erika's gaze was fixated on the paddy fields, I couldn't see her expression but I could tell she put in much thought and sincerity when she said that. Bellossom and Pikachu already made their merry way towards the local farmers who were surprised by our starter's presence, one of the elderly farmer with a straw hat beamed in joy when our two starters offered to help out, despite knowing nothing about harvesting. Their antics were adorable and seeing them helping the group of elderly farmers harvesting the yields was heartwarming.
"I don't know, I mean who would like me as her boyfriend Erika?" I ended it with a chuckle but seeing Erika turning to me so suddenly with a serious expression on her face, I had stopped that. It was a firm and hardened look but it instantly melted into the friendly and genuine smile that I grew to know and liked.
"Don't ever say that Ash, you are a wonderful person. Any girl would be lucky to have you as her significant other." She closed the distance between us and smiled warmly at me. I was slowly but surely picking up the hints she was dropping, what did she meant by that? Would a girl be really happy to have someone like me as her boyfriend? I stood there puzzled and flattered, an unusual shy smile crept onto my face caused her to chuckle.
"Thanks Erika but I- How about you? Who would you want as your boyfriend?" I was quick to change the subject, the embarrassment caught up on me and I didn't know how to answer her without stuttering my words out. My gaze shifted from Erika to my Pikachu who was having the time of his life, his action of helping the farmers collecting the yield has now become of eating homemade rice balls with Bellossom, courtesy of the generous farmers. I grinned to myself knowing my starter had it bad for food and I couldn't help but to feel envious, those rice balls do look yummy. The elderly farmer who mistaken my tender gaze towards the pokemon (while in reality it was towards the rice balls) called me over with hearty voice. I waved my hand up to him to show my respect and greetings with Erika doing the same, we wordlessly walked towards him and the group of farmers who were taking a break seeing as they were actually having a picnic with a basket of food and floor mat all set. Erika courteously bow to the farmers, showing her thanks for offering us breakfast. The elderly group of farmers remarked on how polite Erika was and started to assume our relationship right away. An action that I expected but got embarrassed nonetheless.
"It's good to see youths coming down here, much less a couple!" We politely told them of our relationship, but considering they were rolling their eyes with smirks on their faces that screamed sarcasm, I'm guessing they are not buying it. Nevertheless they complimented on our good looks and ushered us to join them for breakfast, to which we happily accept. We sat on the picnic mat and felt the pleasant breeze of wind passed by us, Pikachu and I were eagerly devouring the food while Erika was having a conversation with the local farmers with a cup of tea in her hand with Bellossom doing a little twirl to entertain us. Sounds just like the way you imagine us isn't it?
I slowed down my eating pace when the farmers left us and continued their work, we had offered our aid but they politely declined and told us to enjoy the meal they provided us as that would be the greatest satisfaction for them. It was such a humbling experience that I felt a fuzzy wuzzy feeling inside of me, that sort of warmth you get from the act of kindness itself. I was amazed by the farmer's generosity and kindness that was lacking in the cities, the countryside folks were always kinder compared to the people in the city. I yelped when Pikachu seizing the opportunity, curled up on my lap. I scratched his back and sighed when he purred in content, Bellossom pouted at the display and did the same with Erika, not wanting to be outdone by my adorable starter. Erika and I exchanged gazes and they weren't short of kindness and tenderness, the mood was right with the temperature suitable for outdoor activities. There was sunlight but there was also the pleasant breeze of the wind that brushed against our cheeks.
"You still haven't answer my question you know?" Erika laughed lightly when I broke the otherwise relaxing and peaceful mood, she smiled and shuffled closer towards me to which I happily accepted. It was fairly cold and having the warmth of Erika combined with the scent of her bearable perfume made it all the more relaxing. The morning rays of sunlight had coated the entire paddy field with shimmering light, it was as if the entire land was covered by gold itself. In the distance, I saw an old bicycle right under the shade of a large tree from whence we came. The sound of tea pouring into a cup had brought my attention back to Erika as she had poured some tea into my cup, served with a smile too! Her kimono combined with her etiquette really brings out the traditional Kanto feeling, a feeling that I had lost in touch with a long time ago.
"I do have someone in mind Ash." My eyes were raised to her eye level and for a moment I felt jealousy coursing through my body. My mind was filled with several negative thoughts about the guy who she liked, the image of a wealthy, famous, snobby and having-a-body-of-a-girl type of guy came into my mind instantly. I didn't know why such imagery popped up in my mind, but all I know is that I don't like it. I suppressed the bitter thoughts of Erika being hugged by said imaginary pretty boy that could give a girl a run for her money and paid more attention to her seeing that she was about to say something.
"He is sweet but doesn't know he is, strong but never takes credit for his strength, worrying selfless to the point it is annoying and protective over his love ones because he knows that they give him the strength to live. He is also really cute and mature for his age despite not realizing it." Erika spoke with so much passion and tenderness (as well as a little bit of fangirling) that I have never seen before, my jealousy rapidly turned into one of depression when I realized how wonderful the person she is describing. To me it seems that he is the real deal, the type of guy who would treat someone right. I really wanted to tell Erika in good faith to go for it but some part of me didn't like Erika being swept off her feet by some other guy. I was honestly both impressed and depressed.
Impressed that such a guy exist.
Depressed because I would never be that guy.
Wait be that guy? Wha- I don't like Erika that way right? It was an internally struggle that I had tried to win over for quite some time now, the conflicted thoughts and emotions that toyed me around of my attraction towards her. I was constantly denying my feelings towards her for quite sometime now, feelings that I considered naive at such a young age. However with this newfound revelation of Erika's crush, I was actually beginning to accept my infatuation towards Erika. As jealousy is a sign of love, or so they say anyway. The mere thought of me being that guy erupted my mind. The image of us laughing and bonding together caused to smile unconsciously, my heart started to beat faster at the thought of us sharing a passionate kiss. The past image of us sleeping together in the same bed, dancing together under the moonlight and clutching onto one another for our dear lives when we escapes the crumbling ruins of Team Rocket's base came to mind. A small red hue formed on my cheeks when I remembered Erika wiping the blood off my cheek with her sleeves and when she massage my body with her delicate hands when I got injured due to the battle with Koga. The image of us hugging together underneath a giant tree oddly enough, became a background image for my mind. So now with all those thoughts in my mind, the question right now is-
How do I approach this?
"He sounds great." I cringed at the amount of bitterness and disdain in my voice, I didn't want to start things off like this! The tone of hatred and jealousy in my voice was obvious and frankly I didn't want Erika to pick up on that. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on who you ask) Erika did picked up on it. She grinned, in a cheeky manner if I may add and sat closer towards me. The teasing smile on her face and her sudden closeness to me caused me to be uncomfortable, but not in the way you think.
"Are you jealous Ash?" Me jealous? Hah! Ash Ketchum is not capable of being jealous!
"A little." The heck did I just say? I was supposed to say something snarky and cynical, not to be honest! I was sweating profusely, mainly because the temperature has rise with the sunlight beating down at us. Erika giggled adorably at my naive honesty, she leaned towards my shoulder with her body pinned to my arm. The soft fabric of her kimono and the softness of her skin was pressed onto to my arm, I was certainly not expecting this.
"Really?" She was whispering at my ear and my body was shivering at an unprecedented rate, it was like a magnitude 10 or something. I would have backed off and pry her off me but I found myself helpless to her advances. At this rate, I was starting to realize the severe effects of having an attractive female pinning onto your body. Still I didn't gave in and act flustered. With the revelation that I might had liked Erika in a more than friendly manner, I stared at her and nodded slowly. I was doing this to see where would this lead as I felt denying my feelings towards her would yield nothing. I know for a fact that I feel things for her that I never felt for any other girls, I see her more differently than others and I treated her more different too. We grew close and I found myself admiring her more than ever, more than anyone else could. She had constantly gave me support and helped me through tough times and yet... were they good enough reasons for falling for her? I tried to justified my own thoughts of liking her to make sure those reasons weren't in any way shallow, I didn't want to be a prick who only fell for her just because of her gorgeous look and her (concerning) developed body at a young age. My thoughts of liking her came down to my admiration towards her and how at ease I feel around her, yet here I am justifying the reason why I had a "thing" for her to my own self.
"Y-Yeah." Erika brushed her fingers across my cheek, the look in her eyes might as well screamed... love. She boldly straddled on top of my lap and cupped my cheeks, I was drowning in the heat of the moment and felt the act of breathing to be difficult. At that very moment I knew that the guy she was gushing on about was me, of all the people in this forsaken world, she chose me. One part of me refuse to believe that this was the case, that there is no way a girl of Erika's position and stature would choose someone as bland and normal as me. I was indeed astounded that she thought so highly of me, I mean I'm Ash Ketchum! Erika herself is brought up in a highly respected and wealthy family! How could I ever be good enough for her? Just imagine her parent's reaction when they found out about my family background! There was a voice back in my head, mocking me, telling me to give up on her. Yet those thoughts were quickly snubbed out like candles in the dark, I quickly reminded myself that it is up to Erika to see whether I'm good enough for her and not for me to judge myself. I KNOW I had proved myself worthy of her love, I had protected her through thick and thin and had risked my life to save her and the pokemon she held dear to her heart. I don't want to start doubting myself whether I am good enough for her, not today, nor any day.
"Erika I-" I managed to choke my words out, words that couldn't describe the roller coaster of emotions I was feeling at the moment. I was certain on one thing though, Erika never looked so enchanting and captivating before. Between her radiant smile and her emerald green eyes that pierce through my own hazel ones, I could safely say she wad indeed beautiful. My hands naturally made their way towards her slender hips, holding them close to me. I had trouble looking directly at her eyes that screamed affection, the shyness within me caught up to me too rapidly.
"Shh, it's okay Ash." I leaned backwards, seeing her face gradually getting closer to mine. My heart was pounding at the thought of what might happen next, her scent smelled delightful and the feeling of having her on my lap felt like I have transcended into heaven.
Okay not that dramatic but it felt right!
Pikachu and Bellossom watched in awe as their trainers were looking at each other lovingly, fortunately for them, the duo had got out of the way between Erika and I. The atmosphere was tensed and I felt myself drawn into this, the innocent morning walk we had prior had now turned into something romantic and fantastic. I braced myself for the various of emotions that flooded through me as well as the fact Erika's warmth and touch felt amazing. It all happened so fast, did weeks of travelling together lead up to this? Since when did she felt something for me? I'm no expert on love but I'm positive that her feelings for me are real and are not on a whim. She must have these feelings for quite some time now right? She didn't seem to be the type who toys people around for her own personal gain or date "just for fun".
"Erika, do you really like me?" She wordless nodded with her forehead pinned against mine, her front locks of her hair tickled my forehead. I -wait hold on, before I elaborate how stunningly beautiful Erika is at that moment or describe at how happy I was, need I remind you that we are in the middle of the paddy field with a group of elderly farmers potentially seeing us in this improper manner? Just imagine the farmers faces when they see a girl straddling on top of a boy's lap! Ruining the mood aside to elevate the indescribable moment that made me very embarrassed and jittery, I had moved my hands to Erika's arms, holding them close to me. I had sat upright and finally pulled her for an embrace, a loving embrace that I desired so long, one without knowing I needed it. Hugging her so suddenly shocked her but it was well received, we held each other tenderly. Her face was buried by the crook of my neck, the tingling sensation of her breath against my neck sent a jolt down my spine. My mind was spinning with emotions, it all happened so fast yet through this bizarre adventure, (not a JoJo's reference) I had managed to convince myself that Erika is the girl I was looking for to be my partner. The constant thoughts of her during my journeys resulted into one of infatuation and admiration. The Team Rocket fiasco had bonded as together and I knew I won't have it any other way.
From that day on, the dense mind of Ash Ketchum was no longer there, and a smack to the face it was when I realized all those time where Erika did all those nice things to me and only to me, were of admiration, respect and quite possibly, love.
Ash was cycling back to the local town in a casual pace, the bright smile plastered on his face couldn't be more evident with Erika hugging his waist from behind. Pikachu being the vice captain of the "ship" eagerly shout his name in joy to every passerby that smile back to the adorable electric mouse pokemon. In a few days time they would be in Saffron city, the capital city of Kanto as well as the busiest city of the nation. A far cry away from the countryside they were in now, it was something they hope they could get adjusted to as the crowds of people in the city could often feel overwhelming at times.
"The farmers were really nice weren't they Erika?" Erika nodded with her head laid on top of Ash's back, feeling her head bobbing up and down at his back, Ash couldn't help but to smile at that. Shortly after their hugging session, the two were to head back to the Pokemon Center when the local farmers advised them to explore around the countryside to see it's gorgeous scenery. They even offered Ash the old bike underneath the large tree to tour around to which Ash gladly and humbly accepts it. Although judging from their faces, Ash could tell they have seen him and Erika hugging each other tenderly in the middle of the fricking paddy field.
"Is there a place you have in mind Erika?" Ash slowed down his cycling pace, eye catching the breathtaking view of the mountains at the horizon. The cloak of mist shrouding the mountains gave off a sense of adventure and peacefulness. The thought of hiking up the mountain with his friends and Erika seemed to be an amazing idea. Conquering a tall mountain with you standing on the peak of it, looking down the gorgeous scenery that you had climbed all the way through. It gave off a sense of self worth and it empowers you to do great things in life. That you can do anything in life as long as you believe in it. Ash beamed a smile at the thought of the motivational documentaries he watched when he was younger, ordinary people conquering the tallest of the mountains and traversing the most hostile environment to step out of their comfort zone. It empowers people to achieve great things in life, spreading both positivity and joy without being cringy.
Erika pondered for a moment on Ash's question, she smiled to herself and leaned her face closer towards Ash's ears. She clutched onto his shoulders tightly and whispered softly.
"Anywhere is fine as long it is with you." Now that! That! That, was a super effective attack that cause Ash to blush in a furious manner. He wasn't expecting something so corny and cheesy from Erika but it sure did it's job, especially with the amount of sincerity and love laced behind her melodious voice. Pikachu grinned when Ash almost lost control of the bike, they almost ran into a well placed street light by the roadside. Thus this shows how much of an influence Erika has over Ash, it was a lot apparently.
"A-Alright then." Ash continued to cycle forward while enjoying the soft sensation of having Erika hugging him from behind, his eyes were fixated on an upcoming village in the distance that seemed to be buzzing with activity. It was no doubt that the village was a tourist destination catered to foreigners and local city folks who want to escape the busy and hectic city life. Ash smiled at the cozy looking village and made his way towards the it. He was surprised at how decorated and beautiful the place was with various traditional Kanto style decorations that was reminiscent to ancient times. The stairs and tiles were made of smooth stone while the home stay houses themselves were made of high quality oak wood that provided basic amenities. Every corner of the village you would see people snapping pictures of their love ones, themselves or even their pokemon along with the happy and friendly looking locals.
"Apparently this place is famous for it's local onsen (hot spring)." Erika who was reading a brochure, was fascinated by the illustrations of the village's onsen. The onsen itself was by the riverbank and provided a nice clear view of the natural surroundings. She could imagine herself enjoying the lukewarm waters while listening to the gushing river flowing by with Ash holding her, whispering sweet nothings to her. A thought that caused her to blush considerably well.
"Really? I never been to one before. I heard it's really nice." Ash caught wind of Erika's blushing red face, a curious thought ran across his mind on why is that the case. He smiled when Erika walked towards him while pointing at the onsen brochure with great enthusiasm.
'Erika looks so adorable when she is excited.' He gazed at the brochure and found himself thinking at the various scenarios that could happen while they are in the onsen alone, very interesting thoughts they were. Ash double checked the prize and found it to be quite cheap considering what they offer, he gingerly turned to Erika who smiled at him.
"Well I guess we should experience it if it's that famous." Erika smirked internally at how nonchalant Ash sounded, but she knows that he was excited as she was at the thought of sharing a hot spring together. I mean c'mon, Ash is only human.
"Let's go then!" Erika held Ash's hand, making Ash laughed as she pulled him towards the local hot spring. Their starters chased after their enigmatic trainers and found themselves grinning at how adorable their trainers looked together. It was out of character for Erika to do that but considering that she often shows her more relaxed side with Ash, it was to be expected. Every corner of the village were filled with different surprises waiting for them, it was amazing to see the wide array of food, flowers and souvenirs being presented nicely and sold at a cheap price.
"Here it is!" Ash and Erika marveled at the size of the building, it was huge and spacious enough to host at least 100 rooms. They entered the building swiftly and was immediately greeted by the receptionist at the front. She wore a white sundress that matches her gray eyes and her pale skin.
"Hello and welcome to the Miyazaki Onsen, are you two by any chance staying for the night?" The pretty white haired receptionist smiled at the couple, she was young but looked like she was experienced in her line of work. In the corner of Ash's eyes, he saw a picture of the receptionist hugging someone who seems like her brother considering he resembles her so much.
'Must be the co-owner of the Onsen, the two siblings seems to be close.' Ash smiled at the picture, it was adorable.
"Thank you for having us, but we are not staying for the night. I was wondering is the local onsen near the riverbed available at the moment? My b-boyfriend and I would love to experience it." Ash felt his face heat up considerably well when Erika mention him as her boyfriend. It was something Ash would like to get used to since she would most likely refer him as her partner and significant other when she introduce him to the others. He gulped at the thought of meeting Erika's parents, scary thought I know.
"Ah I see, well you would be delighted to know that the onsen is indeed available for your use and is currently unoccupied by other customers. So you two could have it all by yourselves." Erika and Ash both smiled at that and looked at each other with adoring blushes on their faces. They thanked the kind receptionist and hastily paid the fee with their starters following them from behind. They were awed by the interior design of the hallway with vibrant coloring of the wooden floor and the smooth stone pebbles by the walkway. They awkwardly stared at each other when they reached the entrance of the outdoor onsen with the Kanji word for "mix bath" labeled in front of them. They wordlessly entered their respective changing rooms, their starter were clueless to the lack of conversation between their trainers and tilted their heads to aside. It wasn't long for the both of them when they emerged (simultaneously) from their changing rooms, clad in their fluffy towels. They quickly avoided each other's gaze, it was especially difficult for Ash since this is the first time he seen Erika being half naked. As for Erika, she had seen enough times of Ash being shirtless.
That didn't help much of the situation though.
"I uh." Erika giggled at Ash's bashfulness, she let the air of awkwardness sink in and smiled. She wasn't as shy and as passive as Ash was, she knew that Ash was being a gentleman, though it certainly won't hurt if he peeked at her. She took charge of the situation and led Ash to the outdoor Onsen that provided a peace of mind. Their respective starters squeal at the sight of the lukewarm hot spring and didn't hesitate to jump right into the waters, splashing each other with bright smiles on their faces. Erika smiled at the pokemon's antics and walked closer towards the edge of the hot spring, she held the top of her towel tight while dipping her toe into the lukewarm waters. Her smile became much brighter when she felt the spell of the lukewarm waters against her toes. Ash grinned at the adorable sight of Erika testing the waters, as it caused his heart to pound rapidly and his sugar level to increase drastically. She looked over towards Ash and found him to avoid his gaze towards her, she pouted slightly and walked towards him with a teasing smile on her face. Oh and she even leaned her body slightly forward just to tease him even more.
"You know Ash, there is no need to be shy around me." Ash dumbly nodded, completely helpless under her charm. He closed his eyes shut at the sound of Erika removing her towel, creating very complicated and advanced strategies for pokemon battles to get rid of the impure thoughts of Erika in his mind. As soon as he heard the sound of water splashing, he slowly opened his eyes and found himself blushing at the sight of Erika being half naked in the hot spring with her pale white skin exposed to him.
"Ash~ I'm waiting." Arceus damn it, why did she had to do the singsong voice? Ash gave out a reluctant sigh and meekly asked Erika to turn the other way. She of course complied and turn to the pokemon who swam towards her way with their stubby limbs. She yelped in surprise when Bellossom splashed some water at her direction. With the help of the pokemon's distraction, Ash managed undress and submerge himself into the waters. He leaned his back against the edge of the hot spring. He sighed in relief with his gaze fixated at the cleverly crafted wooden ceiling and ignored the thought of having a beautiful girl who was half naked next to him.
It was very hard.
"Ash you don't need to be so shy, come closer." Despite his best efforts to not appear flustered, Ash was doing a miserable job at it. He complied to Erika's "demanding" request and move closer towards her, his body freeze instantly when his body touched Erika's. Was he a dead man? Probably not considering Erika's respond to that was placing her head on his shoulder with a bashful smile on her face. Was this the level of trust Erika have in Ash? Did being her boyfriend was in a way being her husband? Ash didn't want to question it, he was just glad that Erika trust him so much and felt that comfortable around him.
"This is nice." Other than stating the obvious, Ash's voice was filled with warmth and affection that made Erika sigh. She felt the glistening sweat on her forehead slowly drip to her chin, her skin was flushed with Ash's damp hair touching her own. Pikachu who found himself the lid of a wooden bucket tried to use it as a raft, he tossed it onto the onsen and jumped on top of it, the wooden lid successfully floated on top of the waters while managing to support Pikachu's weight. He flopped on top of the lid like a staryu and floated on top of the waters with Bellossom giggling at how cute he looked. Then there was silence, not the eerie type but the type that makes you reflective and sentimental. The two pokemon took note that their trainers had not said a thing for the past few minutes, they took it as a sign to do the same as well. Pikachu was especially preoccupied by the swaying leaves of the trees above them.
Ash was starting to feel drowsy with Erika's body next to him, he held her closer towards him with his arm wrapped around her shoulder and leaned back his head while listening to the gushing river by the side of the onsen. He smiled internally when Erika leaned her head on top of his chest and stared at the still waters, the calming and quiet atmosphere was perfect for the newly found couple. They stayed at that position for minutes, with Ash occasionally playing Erika's damp locks. He didn't ignore the softness of Erika's skin and how good her hair smell, it made the experience much more better.
'I never thought we would be doing something like this together, it almost feels unreal yet here I am, holding Erika close to me. It feels magical and right, just right for the both of us.' He closed his eye briefly, wondering how things could have turned out like this. His train of thought didn't last very long when he felt Erika moving her body to check on her pokedex, why she brought it to the hot spring in the first place was a mystery. The sudden jerk from her movements made Ash sighed in disappointment, great now he addicted to her warmth.
"Ash I think we should head back now, it's already past eight and I'm sure Brock and Misty are awake now." Ash stared at Erika's emerald eyes he grew to love and nodded, he kissed the side of her cheek, an action which caused her to lower her head in embarrassment considering it was out of character for Ash to do that. Maybe Ash is more romantic that she gave him credit for?
"Alright." The two hastily got out of the hot spring with Pikachu sighing in despair, he looked back at the wooden lid and whispered goodbye to his new friend, it was fun while it lasted. The two trainers made their way back to the changing rooms, both of them thinking of the experience that felt just now. It was too short for their liking and they wished they had more time. Erika in particular blame herself for bringing up the time, why did she did it in the first place anyway? She sighed and remembered that she and Ash might had progress a little too far, still it wasn't a bad thing since she wholeheartedly trust Ash. Besides, he was too innocent towards the opposite sex, a little exposure won't hurt.
"Ah hello! Did you two enjoy your stay?" Erika smiled and nodded, she turned to Ash who remained quiet and embarrassed. He wasn't as open as her about their relationship together but considering this was Ash's first time dating, (as well as her's) it was to be expected. The two engage into idle chatter with the receptionist before they held hands and made their way towards their bike, hoping to take one last stroll around the countryside.
"Erika do you think we should tell Misty and Brock about us?" Erika leaned her head towards Ash's ears, massaging his shoulders gently in the process. She was fine on letting people know that they were dating, she didn't care for the opinion of others and was ready to accept the harsh criticism they would face for dating at such a young and tender age. She wouldn't imagine that it would be easy for the both of them, but with all of the experience they have been through, Erika knew that Ash and herself are mature enough to handle the complicated works of dating.
"Of course, they are our friends Ash and it's not like we are doing something guilty or sinful. Love is a beautiful thing and I see no reason why we should hide ours from others." Ash sighed and berated himself for worrying over something so trivial, he nodded and sat upright more straightly.
"Yeah you're right." The journey of them cycling back to the local paddy fields was smooth due to the absence of traffic, it made the ride even more enjoyable for Ash with Erika's occasional humming. She sighed and relaxed her head against Ash's back, smiling when leaves and flowers from the trees started to fall down gracefully. It was almost magical seeing every different colored flowers being carried off by the wind.
'We should definitely do this more often, rewind and relax with Erika.' Ash thought about their future together, would they stay at Celadon or at Pallet? Maybe they move to the countryside? He shook his head, they were still too young to think of that.
'Enjoy what you have now Ash, just enjoy. Life is about enjoying after all.' A quiet yawn escaped Erika's lips, tired of what they did today. She peered over Ash's shoulders and saw the familiar sight of the local paddy fields, the place where she confessed her love to Ash.
"Back already huh? You kids have fun?" Ash nodded with Erika's hands linked with his, the elderly farmer who was drenched in sweat grinned and took a swing of his water bottle. He took the worm out bike from Ash (Ash's hands were busy) and bid the two farewell on their journey, to which they happily returned. They waved good bye to the rest of the farmers on the fields and made their way back to the pokemon center slowly.
"Erika..." Ash started slowly with his head lowered.
"Hmm?" Erika stopped walking and placed her hands on his shoulders upon hearing the uncertainty in his voice.
"I wish- I wish we could stay together, like this." She smiled and rubbed his shoulders soothingly, an action which caused him to smile.
"We will Ash, always." She kissed his cheek softly, while giving him a loving gaze that mirrored a loving wife. Ash held the former Celadon gym leader close to him, hugging her softly with his nose buried at the crook of her neck.
'I don't want to lose her.' That was the only thought Ash had.