I've never been so on and off with a story before. I started out excited to write this, then went into a slump, then started again, then all but dropped it due to being stuck at one part, and then finally found the inspiration to finish it. I'm really hoping you all enjoy this!
Dedication: I'll dedicate this fic to oxygen, because without it, we wouldn't be here.
Take Two
"You guys, I really don't think this is a good idea."
Brock waved his hand dismissively, that annoying grin he'd worn for the past half hour still plastered on his face. "You're worrying too much, Ash. What's the worst that could happen?"
"Getting sent flying from here all the way to the other side of Kanto?"
Tracey reached across the table to place a hand on Ash's shoulder, his face much more relaxed and friendly but no doubt hiding the same level of mischief as the breeder next to him. "Trust me, I think this is gonna go great."
"I'm sure you think so, since you're not the one who has to..." His tongue turned to knots as he failed to complete his sentence, though the blooming shade of pink on his cheeks spoke on his behalf. "Why do I even have to do this?"
Brock's smirk grew in amusement, however impossible that seemed. "Well, you're the one who said-"
"I know what I said," Ash interrupted, irritation melding with his fluster, "and I'm starting to regret it."
"If it makes you feel any better, Ash, I called this back when we were traveling together." Tracey's voice seemed filled with a genuine sense of care, despite not having objected to this idea at all.
"I'm feeling better already," Ash replied with a roll of his eyes before turning to look out the window of the Pokémon Center. At the behest of his two older friends, the group had all decided to come to Cerulean City to meet up with a certain redhead Ash was more than fond of. "Besides, I didn't even really know back then, so how could you?"
"Call it a watcher's intuition." Tracey added a thumbs up to emphasize his point, though Ash was less than impressed at the boy's enthusiasm.
"Next you'll tell me that everyone else knew, too." Crossing his arms, Ash glanced out the window momentarily before turning back to his friends. The two boys looked at each other, exchanging a nervous chuckle. Ash raised an eyebrow before realization slowly kicked in, a blend of horror and humiliation forming on his face. "Y...You two are the only ones who know, right?"
"W-well, we're pretty sure that she definitely doesn't know, and as far as we can tell, we're the only ones you told," Brock responded, suddenly avoiding eye contact.
"But beyond that, well...let's just say there's a good chance that I'm not the only one who, well, called it," Tracey finished, also finding his gaze drawn to something other than Ash.
The boy in question placed his face into his hands, processing his friends' admissions. It was true that people over the years had egged him on about his romantic status with her, but he'd always just dismissed it as harmless teasing. The idea that these other people had actually noticed, that he'd been that obvious, was more than he wanted to believe.
The scariest part, however, was that she was a smart girl. "I'm sensitive to others' feelings." That's what she'd said back during their first battle when he was trying to win the Cascade Badge. If everyone else could see it, there was no way she couldn't see it, right? For all he knew, despite what Brock had said, she was fully aware of how he felt.
But he hadn't known how he felt, at least not right away. Something about the possibility of Misty recognizing his feelings before him made his head spin. It wasn't as if things ever became awkward between them because of some potential romance, nor had he gotten any vibes that he'd made her feel uncomfortable in any real way. Maybe she knew, but she was able to continue their best friendship going in spite of that; it wasn't as if he'd ever treated her differently. Or, maybe she actually didn't know and he was just overthinking all of this.
He shook his head, taking a breath to try and calm himself down. He couldn't believe he was really about to-
"I think I see Misty!"
Tracey's voice broke him from his trance, his gaze snapping to the window. He caught sight of a blaze of red hair making its way towards the center. The gears in his brain went into overdrive, his body buzzing as he watched her viridian eyes slowly coming into focus. Under any other circumstances, he would feel elated to see her, but all he could focus on was the tension in his chest.
I guess this is it.
The glass doors of the Pokémon Center slid open as Misty made her way inside. She looked around for a moment before her eyes eventually landed on the group, a bubbly glee immediately growing on her face. "Hey, you guys!"
"Hi, Misty!" Brock and Tracey replied in unison.
Satisfied at the other two's greetings, Misty turned to Ash, a playful grin etching itself onto her lips. "What's wrong, Ash, aren't you gonna say hi, too?"
"Uh…" The gravity of his situation pulled at his stomach, his mouth dry as his brain tried to recover from hearing her voice in person again. "H-hey, Misty, what's up?"
Her eyes slowly narrowed suspiciously, leaning towards him. "Is something the matter, Ash?"
Images of what he was supposed to do flashed through his mind, and her face being so close made them much clearer than he wanted them to be. His racing thoughts and rapidly shrinking throat, combined with the sudden increase in temperature, shattered his remaining composure. Without a word he passed Misty and grabbed hold of Brock's wrist, pulling the boy to the other side of the Pokémon Center.
"Ash, what are you-" Brock started, having managed to pry his hand away, but Ash interrupted him before he could finish.
"Brock, I don't think I can do this after all."
A look of confusion grew on Brock's face, and Ash was grateful it wasn't the jestful one the breeder had worn before. "Why not?"
"Because she's so…" He glanced back over at a clearly confused and ever-so-slightly agitated Misty, seemingly trying to force answers out of a distraught Tracey. A fresh coat of pink tinted his cheeks as he stared at her for a few extra moments before turning back to Brock. "...she's so different now."
"Different?" Brock took a glance at the girl as well, wincing as Misty took a menacing step towards the watcher. His face relaxed for a moment before that annoying grin returned. "Oh, you mean she's pretty? Are you absolutely smitten by her, Ash?"
"Brock!" Ash fought to keep his voice hushed, too embarrassed by Brock's words to even give him the satisfaction of looking back in Misty's direction.
"Ash, it's totally fine to think your crush is pretty. In fact, you can tell her you think so after you-"
"I told you, I don't wanna do this anymore!"
"Do what anymore?"
Ash suddenly found himself practically cheek to cheek with Misty, who'd wrapped her arms around the pair's shoulders while aiming a leery gaze at him. "What exactly is going on?"
Ash tried to invoke an answer from his chest, but all that came out was silence, his mouth hanging open as he tried to keep calm at Misty's proximity. Annoyed with his lack of a response, Misty turned to Brock, who flinched before holding a hand up.
"Trust me, I'm not up to anything. It's all Ash this time."
Traitor.
Misty once again directed her attention to Ash, who backed away enough to remove her arm from around him. "You're always up to something, aren't you, Ash?"
"No, I'm not, and trust me, you'd know if I was!" There was a moment of bliss as he was able to articulate something to her, but that vanished just as quickly when Misty put her hands on her hips expectantly. Brock's presence as a third wheel seemingly clicked in his head as he discreetly made his way back over to Tracey. Suddenly alone with Misty and irritated at Brock's retreat, Ash's gaze went to the floor, along with any semblance of confidence he had. He pursed his lips, working past the lump in his throat. "I was just…I just wanted to…"
He waited for Misty's usual interrogation tactics, but she didn't move, didn't utter a word. Sneaking a look at her face, he found not annoyance but confusion. "What did you want, Ash?"
The softness of her voice coursed through his mind and down into his heart. He stood motionless, realizing that all his daydreaming and planning hadn't truly prepared him for this. It seemed so easy in every mental replay and imagining of this moment, but now he could only falter as Misty stood before him with that trademark pout on her face. He bit his lip, trying with all his might for his body to allow him to just speak to her. "I mean, I...I was just…"
Misty leaned in until she was less than a foot away. "Ash, are you okay? You look kinda red."
He was, of course, not okay. Ash knew that if they continued to talk, he'd only make a bigger fool of himself, not to mention risk annoying Misty with his barrage of syllables rather than actual words. He decided to do what he'd always done in the past, which was to rely on his gut. He just wished it wasn't telling him to do this.
Ignoring the stares of the two boys in the background, the confused gaze of the girl in his foreground, and the overcharged beating of his heart, Ash removed his hat, closed his eyes, and gently pressed his mouth to hers.
He'd been given enough kisses from his mom and various girls throughout his journeys, so he thought he had an idea of how to give one himself, but the sensation of her lips on his threw any expectations he had out the window. His body's need to breathe was at odds with his desire to not move a muscle and he wasn't sure which side he wanted to take. The only thing keeping him grounded in reality was the miniscule sensation of her lips shivering against his, though he wasn't sure what to make of it.
With the faintest smacking sound he eased away from her. Misty had a temper whenever he did anything stupid, and this was certainly a contender for one of the dumbest things he'd ever done. He bit his lip, still able to recall the way hers had felt on his. She made a noise, like a small gasp, and that was enough to give him the fortitude to meet her gaze.
Utter shock.
He'd expected many different emotions, planned for every potential visit to the emergency room, but the expression she wore now meant that this turn of events wasn't one she expected. He stood ready for Misty to scream at him, hit him, or any other ideas she could concoct to make him pay for what he'd done.
It was a surprise to him, then, when she suddenly turned on her heel and bolted out of the Pokémon Center.
"M-Misty, wait!" He called, but the glass doors had already started to close. A wave of guilt crashed over him, his blood running cold as he watched her back moving further away. He stood motionless for a moment before a flicker of determination coursed through him, clenching his hands into fists.
I knew this was a bad idea.
"Ash, you should-"
Before Brock could finish Ash had already raced through the front doors, willing his feet to move as fast as they could carry him. She had a decent lead on him, as she was just barely staying within his sight as he chased her, but even if he lost her he had a good feeling about where she was going.
The roads of Cerulean eventually revealed the gym, and Ash caught a glimpse of Misty entering it before the doors closed. Making his way to the entrance he slowed to a halt, resting his hands on his knees as he caught his breath. He wiped his forehead and glanced at the doors, thinking that Misty was inside, the same Misty that he'd kissed. His lips contorted meekly, standing up fully and taking one last breath. Hopefully he could find her and make her understand what he felt.
Making his way inside he glanced around, hoping to find some trace of her. Unsurprised at not seeing her anywhere, he began scouring the halls, pondering where she could be. If she were trying to hide from him, she'd probably find one of the various rooms within the gym to hide in. However, given the look on her face before she'd fled, it was more likely that she was trying to find somewhere for comfort, and if that was the case, there was one place in the gym he was sure she'd be.
It took less than a minute to find the door to the gym's pool. Standing before the entrance Ash rested his hand on his overcharged heart. In a voice almost too quiet to hear, something was telling him that once he entered the pool area, everything would be different between them. He could only hope it would be for the better.
Easing his way inside, he immediately saw the Cerulean City mermaid sitting along the edge of the pool, her legs submerged beneath the water. The noise caught her attention, her cheeks turning a shade of red he could make out from the entrance. She just as soon turned her gaze back downwards, though made no attempt to escape. His internal dictionary was going haywire, trying to find the right words to put together as he made his way towards her.
Standing by her side he shoved his hands into his jacket pockets, suddenly finding the same fascination for the pool water she seemed to have. "H-hey, Misty."
Her silence only heightened the buzzing in his mind as he desperately tried to replace the memory of his lips on hers with ways to get a conversation going. He cleared his throat, considering that maybe she hadn't heard him, despite the quiet of the large room. "So I, uh…"
His voice seemed to get her attention, as her head tilted in his direction. He could just barely make out her eyes gazing at him, though the red sear across her face was more than visible. Hers was an expression of confusion and vulnerability, and it sent another guilty shock through him. "Misty, I-"
"Why?"
It echoed through the room and reverberated into Ash's chest. He watched the corner of her jaw clench and relax, recognizing it as how she'd hold her tongue from saying something she'd rather not. He wanted to hear what she had to say, reigning in his explanation in favor of awaiting her reply.
She turned her head away, hiding her gaze from his. "Why did…why did you kiss me?"
Hope and hesitation permeated her words. Though her eyes were hidden from him, the way her fingers jittered in her folded hands said more than enough to him how she must be feeling. She let out a shaky exhale and Ash suddenly found himself scrambling to find an answer for her. "Misty, I kissed you because...I, the reason I kissed you-"
"ASH!"
He'd been the recipient of her screams many times throughout the years, but the look of seething venom dripping from her face was wholly new to him. She appeared to be just barely controlling her words, her knuckles white as she gripped the edge of the pool. She let out another exhale, her voice dropping hauntingly low. "Why did you kiss me?"
Deciding that his fear wasn't worth the potential trip to an emergency room, Ash clenched his fists, closing his eyes so he wouldn't have to think about it. "Because Brock and Tracey said it would be a good idea!"
Ash was worried that her response would be a terrifying one. In reality, it was the silence that followed that gripped at his heart. With his eyes closed, he could only hear the gentle hum of the air conditioner up along the ceiling. However, next came the sound of something leaving the water, though uncertainty kept his eyes closed.
It was the sudden slap to his cheek that forced them open.
Misty looked as if she were on the verge of a mental explosion. Her face was flushed, the bashful pink she'd worn in the Pokémon Center having morphed into a wrathful red that absolutely terrified him. With every passing second he grew more and more regretful, along with swearing off ever listening to his two closest male friends again. All the same, Misty's assault jolted Ash's familiar flare. "What did you do that for?"
"You mean to tell me you kissed me because they said it was- why would it possibly be a good idea, Ash?!"
"Because they said I was better with my actions than my words!"
He'd spoken before he'd had the chance to think about what to say to her, which he felt only solidified their point. All the same, he expected that his remark would only anger her further, so he was pleasantly surprised when some of her irritation seemed to dissipate and be replaced by suspicion.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Though her voice was still low and tinted with irritation, the fire in her irises had lessened the smallest bit. Words swam through his head as he pondered what he could say to even answer that correctly. The most obvious was the truth, but even attempting to form the syllables was enough to make his vocal chords seemingly vanish. However, he grinned in exasperation; maybe that wasn't the answer. If his actions worked better than his words, then maybe going down that route would suit him better.
He took a step forward, closing the gap to less than a foot between each other. Her body tensed up, but she remained in place. Thankful for her inaction, he extended his hand forward, curling his fingers around hers. His thumb ran along her knuckles, unbidden glee rising in his chest as he savored the softness against his skin. He'd held her hand before, but this was more intimate than any other time. In spite of the hesitation written all over her face, she seemed to agree, her grip tightening as a reflex before loosening.
The atmosphere cleared the fog in his brain, and words which were previously scrambled now seemed to form into something coherent. Staring into her eyes, he swallowed his fears and took a breath. "Well, when you kiss someone, it's 'cause, I mean, you know…" If Misty was the smart girl he thought her to be, she'd be able to finish the statement on her own.
At this point the fire had dwindled to a flicker, but his words seemed to restore the soft oceanic waves in her irises. All of his prior apprehension and fear gave way to relief and excitement. The fact that she wasn't immediately dismissing him or acting awkward told him that his earlier concept of an alternative option was no longer just a possibility, but a certainty.
Misty inhaled a shaky breath, her eyes darting back and forth between his. "So...you mean, you…"
Ash nodded, a giddiness bubbling within him as that redness in her face went soft again. She also appeared to be at a loss of words, likely processing that this was really happening between them. She turned away slightly, clearing her throat. "W-well, kissing me out of the blue like that was still a dumb idea, Ash."
He shrugged and nodded somberly, a tint of remorse blemishing his previous elation. "I know, but after I told Brock and Tracey, they sort of insisted."
Misty rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I'll have to have a talk with them later, but more importantly, Ash…" At this some of her former flare returned, though it had lost all its malice. "That was my first kiss you took without thinking."
Her first kiss.
In all his excitement and anxiety he hadn't even given the notion any thought. Guilt permeated his every thought and he immediately scrambled for a way to fix the damage. "I-I didn't mean to! I was just, I only wanted…" He put his hands in front of him, lowering his head. "I'm sorry, Misty, I'll do anything to make it up to you!"
She didn't respond right away, her arms crossed as her gaze went sideways. Her mouth fidgeted as she bit the inside of her bottom lip. Ash watched her fingers piano on her arm as her eyes flickered to him, then to the water, back and forth in rapid succession. He waited with bated breath, anxious at whatever could be going through her mind.
"One condition."
Misty's voice was almost too quiet to hear, and Ash probably wouldn't have heard her if not for the hollow pool room. She was looking back at him now, anxiety showcasing itself all over her face. Ash slowly raised his head back up, his hands falling to his side.
"I'll forgive you under one condition."
"S-sure, okay."
Her hands clasped together, once again tensing and relaxing against each other. She took a deep breath, surprising Ash as her blush somehow grew to match her hair. "So...I'll pretend that...that the first one didn't count, but...you have to…"
Hesitation filled her eyes as she stared into his. There was something she really wanted, he could tell, but she was afraid to say it. "It's okay, Misty. I'll do whatever you ask. Y'know, as long as you don't make me give up Pokémon training or something." He chuckled in spite of himself, somehow thinking that maybe a joke would lighten the mood.
He couldn't tell if she found it funny, but something about what he'd said softened the tension on her face. She clasped her hands behind her back, closing her eyes with a shake of her head. When they opened, he found a newfound relief in them, as if something had clicked in her that had eliminated whatever was worrying her.
"Ash, I want you to give me a first kiss that does count."
The cheery sweetness that so blatantly belied her previous nervousness was enough to paint a stroke of ruby across Ash's cheeks. Confidence that he'd seen in Misty multiple times before had returned, and though the sudden switch in their emotional states caught him off guard, the familiarity of this side of Misty brought with it more of the reason why he'd fallen for her in the first place.
"So, you mean that…"
Misty nodded, her lips pursing bashfully. "It's like you said, Ash, you only kiss someone you, y'know…" The return of that familiar smirk of hers was enough to send a flutter through his stomach.
He grinned cheekily, reaching up and removing his hat. "So I know I kissed you already, but to be honest, I don't really know what I'm doin' as far as kissing goes."
Misty rolled her eyes playfully. "I'm not surprised. All your kissing experience comes from random girls and possibly a Pokémon, and none of those were on the mouth." She pointed at her lips for emphasis, which only served to remind Ash of how they'd felt against his and how he'd be savoring that sensation again shortly.
"At least it's still more experience than you."
"I'm sure I could've gotten kissed if I really wanted to!"
"Maybe in your dreams, Misty!"
"I mean it! Plenty of guys would have been happy to kiss me! I was just saving my first one for-" Her retort came to a screeching halt as she processed what it was she was about to say. The implication alone was enough to light up their faces, though Misty was quick to look away, scratching at her cheek. "I-I mean, y'know…" She fiddled with a strand of her hair for a moment before she looked back at him, nervous elation flooding her eyes. "I guess I've kinda, sorta thought about this for a while now."
Part of Ash was happy that she still seemed to have a semblance of awkwardness around this situation to match his own. He'd known for a good while that he felt something for her, but her words implied that she'd probably felt the same about him for the same length of time, perhaps longer. All those long walks between cities he'd spent daydreaming of hugging her, holding her hand, kissing her...if she was being truthful with him, she'd done the same as well.
With a breath that didn't seem to carry enough oxygen, he held his hand out to her. If her request was a first kiss that truly counted, he was going to do everything in his power to deliver. She placed her fingertips in his palm, anticipation in her eyes. Even if he was more sure of how she felt now than he was with the first kiss, the expectation of this second one made it feel just as difficult.
"Should I...should we close our eyes?"
The question sounded dumber aloud than in his head, and for a brief moment Misty seemed to feel the same. To her credit she resisted her desire to retort, smiling with a shake of her head. "Ash, you already kissed me, so you should know what to do, right?"
Ash pouted, ducking his head slightly. "Well, I just kind of...did it. I didn't have much of an idea of what I was doing." He grinned sheepishly, grateful that Misty didn't look too annoyed. "But you want this kiss to count, and I do, too; I want to make sure it's perfect."
Misty's eyes went wide, a new flush rising to her cheeks. She was frozen for a moment before her gaze danced about. An awkward smile grew on her lips, her fingers twirling a loose strand of her hair. "I'm not used to you being this sweet."
Ash chuckled. "And I'm not used to you not being that mad at me for something."
Misty rolled her eyes. "I wasn't that mad."
He pointed at his cheek. "That slap says otherwise."
Misty's eyes clouded over for a moment, and Ash swore he saw regret somewhere in there. In an instant, though, her expression relaxed once more, and she appeared as though an idea sparked in her mind. Without a word she leaned forward, pressing her lips to the spot she'd smacked. Ash froze, wondering if the sudden smell of chlorine was from the water or Misty. After a moment she moved back, a sheepish grin decorating her face.
"Better?"
Ash pressed his fingers to where her lips had been, his heart still replaying how soft it had felt. It had only been twice that Misty's mouth had been on him, but he could tell it was an addiction he now had to live with. His face was on fire and he suddenly found the pool to look especially appealing. Clearing his throat he returned her grin. "Better."
She returned her hands behind her back, looking especially pleased with herself. "So, are you gonna kiss me or not?"
Despite his elation, a bundle of nerves still took residence in his stomach. He'd thought about this for ages now, but the reality was scarier than he'd anticipated. This rapid heart beat wasn't new to him; he'd felt it numerous times over his journeys, but it was always something related to some goal he had. This time the girl he liked was involved, and the quiet of the room seemed to make the fear in his head louder. This wasn't like a battle where he could train to prepare for-
A light bulb lit up in his head and he grinned to himself. Maybe if he warmed himself up, it would go much smoother. He placed his hands on her shoulders, feeling her momentarily go tense before relaxing. Her breathing was shaky, that tender shade of pink cradling her eyes. If nothing else, he was happy to see she was as nervous as he was. He nibbled at his bottom lip, letting out a small exhale.
Here goes nothing.
Leaning forward he planted his lips on her cheek, his mind racing to process how soft it was. He allowed himself to remain there, savoring her smell and the way he could feel her blush against his mouth. His mind kept reminding him that he was kissing Misty and it was all he could do to keep his composure.
Fighting against his nerves, he finally moved away, taking a glance at Misty's face. Glimpses of bliss shone in her eyes, but confusion muddled her expression. Slowly she smiled a bit meekly.
"Ash, that was nice, but that's not where you're supposed to be kissing."
He nodded. "I know. I'm just kinda nervous, so I thought I would practice."
Misty cocked her head gently to the side. "Practice?"
Ash nodded, his tongue tying as he knew what would come next. Calling upon the bravery that had aided him for years, he placed another kiss on her cheek, this time just above where the last one was. With each passing second he placed one after another on her, slowly moving from her cheek to her temple, and then to her forehead. Between kisses he could hear his mind reminding him that this was Misty, that he was really doing this with her. None of his previous daydreams prepared him for this, but the adrenaline coursing through him was doing well enough to keep him going.
He eventually placed a kiss on the tip of her nose, at which she finally reacted with a soft giggle. The sound sent a flutter through his stomach, moving back to look her in the eyes. "Ticklish?"
She shook her head, her lips quivering. "Just happy, and still not believing this is really happening." Her voice was tight, as if she were doing everything in her power to keep her composure from breaking. The cusp of tears hung along the bottom of her eyes and it was enough to tug at Ash's heart.
He reflexively pulled her into his arms, one hand wrapped around her waist and the other rubbing her back. She returned the hug, leaning into him and nuzzling her face into the nape of his neck. The sensation of her exhales on his skin sent shivers down his spine. "I just want your first real kiss to be special."
Misty hummed into him, pulling him closer. "Ash, my first real kiss is all yours. I'm sure it will be."
Her offered ownership sent a thrill through his body, pulling away to look into her eyes. In all the years he'd known her, he'd never seen the expression she wore now. Hope and affection permeated every fiber of her gaze and he found himself being slowly drawn in. And yet, he held his place, serenely content with the view. This was the side of Misty he'd been wanting to see for as long as he could remember, and the fact that she was here showing him meant more than any words he could come up with. He settled for softly smiling to himself, an act which invoked a puzzled look on Misty.
"What is it, Ash?"
Watching her mouth create words was hypnotizing, though he was able to pull himself out of the trance. "I was just thinking that I can't believe I get to kiss you."
Misty grinned bashfully, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Well, you kind of owe me one anyway, so…"
There it was, that smart sass of hers that had pulled him in and never let him go. There was always something between them, some argument or contest that stirred up a confrontation, no matter how harmless. It always thrilled him, kept things exciting. She both pushed and tested him, always encouraging him to be better than he was. The fantasy of always having this girl by his side gave him that familiar flutter inside, the kind that spurred him on to be brave against whatever odds were in front of him.
"Mist, I'm not doing this just because I owe you."
He pulled her closer to him, watching the way her eyes dilated from being less than a foot away from his. He heard the faintest gasp escape her lips before they curved upwards, quickly gaining a sheen as Misty ran her tongue along them. She moved even closer until her mouth was mere inches away from his.
"Then hurry up and kiss me, Ash."
Her whisper was intoxicating and inviting, and any semblance of apprehension Ash had left evaporated. As if on instinct, his hands moved to her face, running his thumbs over her cheeks for support and his own satiation. For a moment he found himself frozen in place, once more mesmerized by the color in her eyes. The growing excitement in his stomach pushed through his paralysis, pulling her mouth towards his. He started drawing in a breath to control his heart, but before he could finish he'd already pressed his lips to hers.
The first time he'd kissed her, it had been to confess, a way to convey how he felt about her. Second-guessing thoughts had whirred in his brain, and he hadn't been able to savor it in the mutually loving way he'd hoped for. As Misty exhaled the tiniest bit, her mouth gently opening before closing around his bottom lip, a warm rush surged through him and it took all of his self-control to keep from grinning like an idiot.
Misty apparently lacked that willpower as he felt her warming cheeks pull upwards in his palms. She leaned further into him with a hum, the hold on his neck tightening as she brought him closer. Their lips had scarcely moved, but it was enough of a sensation to send his heart flying across his chest in random directions. His body couldn't decide between staying in hesitation or succumbing to its impulses, but the way her mouth nudged his gave him his answer.
He pulled away slightly, taking in another breath before pressing back into the kiss. Her arms relaxed around him, and if he didn't know any better the way she began to slouch against him was almost like she was melting. Releasing his hold on her face his hands found her hips, his fingertips resting on the fabric of her shorts as his thumb grazed her skin. She arched towards him, her sudden inhale becoming his new favorite sound.
Like a light going off in his head, Misty suddenly felt too far away, and he craved her closeness in a way that was novel to him. A moment of exploration later and he'd found the belt loops of her shorts, hooking his fingers inside them and pulling her against him. This earned him a gasp, another addition to the reactions he was evoking out of her, reactions that were becoming more and more addicting. That smirk that had been nagging at him finally broke through his overthinking, elation and excitement bubbling away inside him.
It wasn't until Misty finally eased back that he realized how out of breath he was. Their foreheads rested against each other as they gasped for air, their exhales echoing through the room. As his heart rate began to slow, Ash opened his eyes to the sight of Misty's staring back at him. Every syllable of giddy pumped through his veins, staving off the sudden urge to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.
"So...was that a good first kiss?"
Her smile went a mile wide, her giggle making his heart flutter. "I don't think I'll ever forget it."
He chuckled in response, running his hand along the back of his neck. "I'm glad."
"But you know…"
Her lingering voice hinted at any number of the possibilities he'd imagined in his head over the years, and the expression she wore was all of those feelings made tangible. "Yeah?"
"I want the second kiss to be special, too. And the third, and the fourth, and all the other ones after that."
It was amazing how her sass could even find its way into their moments of sweetness, but it only emboldened the joy speeding through him. A heavy degree of self-control was the only reason he hadn't devolved into a fit of laughter at the surrealness of it all, but he was willing to match her banter with his own. "What if I lose count, then?"
She pecked him on the cheek, clearly sharing in his jubilation. "Then you'll have to start over, including making the first one extra special."
He brought his hands back up to her face, absorbed in the warm softness of her cheeks and the glistening of her eyes. This was it. It was her, and he always wanted it to be. He pressed his lips to hers once more, savoring how soft they were and how tenderly she returned the kiss. Taking action had gotten him to this point, but maybe a few choice words wouldn't hurt the intimacy. Easing away he knew she'd catch his sheepish smirk, but in his bliss he wasn't inclined to care.
"Sorry, I've already lost count."
Fun fact: the original idea for this story was for Misty to be the one to randomly kiss Ash. However, the more I kept developing and thinking about this story, the more sense it made for it to be Ash who did the kissing. In fact, once I reached the halfway point, the story went in a very different direction than I first imagined, but I decided to roll with it. This ended up having a bit more depth than the original, cutesy idea I had for it, but hopefully you enjoyed it all the same.