First Kiss
"That was your mom," said Misty, as she set the phone back onto its receiver and made her way across the Ketchum's living room.
"What did she say?" Ash asked.
"She and Brock are still at Professor Oak's, they'll be a bit late," said the red haired girl, "something about Mr. Mime and a dirty lab…Tracey was making too much noise to hear properly."
"Oh," said Ash, "okay, I guess we're better off not knowing."
"Yeah…I suppose…" Misty said vaguely, sinking into the sofa next to Ash and resting her head on his shoulder.
Ash smiled, but inside felt somewhat restless. He and Misty had become a lot closer since her return from the Cerulean Gym, yet on this night, for the entire week at that, this closeness had become uncomfortable. Not uncomfortable, Ash corrected himself; just strange. A good feeling kind of strange that he could not understand, yet unnerving. On the stand in front of him, the television flickered through images of a Pokémon battle from the last Whirl Islands competition. The volume was still turned down low from when Misty answered the phone, low enough that Ash could almost hear Misty's breathing.
The reflection of the staircase on the screen showed a yellow shape dart upstairs, and Ash wondered what Pikachu was trying to get from the kitchen this time. His attention turned back to Misty, whose body against his was comfortably warm. He could smell the melon scented shampoo in her hair, which was resting softly against his neck, and he was finding it hard to believe he was actually thinking of her as a girl, rather than his tomboyish best friend. He decided to attempt a return to some sort of normality; he began to move his hand over to the remote and raise the volume, but then Misty spoke up.
"Hey, Ash?" she asked quietly.
"Uh…yeah?" he answered, his hand freezing, then sinking back onto his lap, his eyes darting over to his friend.
"Please don't laugh but…well…"
"What?"
"Have you ever kissed anyone?"
Ash felt his heart rate accelerate like a Rapidash on a racetrack, and his eyes darted back to the television. "Err…well, yeah – but not a kiss-kiss…just…"
"Well, I meant a kiss-kiss…" said Misty, her voice even softer than before.
"No." Ash was sure Misty could feel his heart beating now. "You?"
"No, never."
An awkward silence followed this, during which Ash wished he could think, but his brain seemed to be refusing to listen to itself. His brown eyes blankly reflected the images on the television screen, blinking every so often so as not to dry out. They strayed down to where the remote lay on the seat cushion on his right, in danger of slipping down between it and the armrest. His vision continued to stray, moving across his lap and coming to rest on Misty's leg, which was now feeling pleasantly uncomfortable resting against his. He bit lightly down on his lip, his eyes refusing to move anywhere else.
Come on, she's a girl! Of course she's going to ask you this stuff; it's what girls like to talk about! No amount of forced thinking seemed to be working though, things were simply not normal right now. Ash considered reaching for the remote again, and his fingers moved ever so slightly. He made up his mind; he was going to pick up the remote, adjust the volume and discuss some battle techniques with his best friend, just like he so often did. Nothing strange there. As soon as he lifted his hand off his lap again though, Misty slipped her own through the arm she was leaning on.
"Do you want to?" she asked, her voice quivering ever so slightly.
Once again, Ash's heart rate kicked into high gear. His face felt awfully warm, and for some reason the cool night air drafting in through the windows felt more like still summer air. He wanted to reach up and pull his collar lower down from his neck, or perhaps just brush some stray hair off his forehead. Yet, he found he could not do this.
"I mean with me," said Misty, her voice seeming to get some her usual courage in it again. "Nobody has to know or anything…I suppose I just want to know and…"
Ash tried to look at Misty, but found he could not look her in the eyes or anywhere even remotely close to there. He found himself staring at the waistband of her shorts and became highly intrigued in the weave of the denim, while the back of his mind cycled through a series of answers his mouth refused to speak. Several painfully long moments seemed to pass; the sound coming from the television seemed to indicate it cut to advertisements and back again, and some leaves rustled outside the window. A car rumbled past and pulled into a neighbouring house, its brake lights casting a reddish glow over the dimly lit surroundings outside.
"I understand," said Misty. "It's fine…it's just…don't worry about it Ash, I shouldn't have…"
"No," Ash cut in, finding his voice at last. "It's not that…I just…where to start…"
Another long silence followed this, during which Ash tried to think of a good way to finish what he was saying, piece of his mind still focusing on that weave. He wondered what Misty might be thinking, and there was the sound of blasting water and a thud from the television.
"Well…" Misty said, her voice about as soft as Ash had ever heard it, "I guess you could just…well, you know…kiss me…" Misty swallowed hard and continued, her voice quivering again. "I won't mind…"
Ash tore his eyes upwards. Misty, a timid smile on her face, moved even closer, tilting her head up slightly. Her brilliant aqua eyes locked with his in a hopeful, expectant plead. This was exactly what he had always wanted, yet never really thought about. For one daring moment, he cast his fears aside and decided to just go with what his heart felt, just as his trainer instincts always told him. He slipped his arms around Misty and he could see every detail of her smooth features; he could feel her breath on his lips.
This was it.
Author's note: I am fully aware this story is fairly out of character to the anime, especially for Ash. However, bear in mind this takes place after the show, so they are a bit older, a bit more mature, etc. Additionally, the story was never written to be in character, it's just something I thought of in boredom while wondering how an old ship of mine could possibly become reality. I am also aware of how short it is, it was never meant to be a full length story. It's pretty much just a small interchange between the two characters; no real background story or anything to it. This is the updated version to the original, just one or two small changes, may be a bit hard to find but I think it helps things flow better.
Kasagi Onaso: Thanks for the feedback! You got the main bit of the fic though; it's just meant to be a cute moment between Ash and Misty, nothing more really. :)
"That was your mom," said Misty, as she set the phone back onto its receiver and made her way across the Ketchum's living room.
"What did she say?" Ash asked.
"She and Brock are still at Professor Oak's, they'll be a bit late," said the red haired girl, "something about Mr. Mime and a dirty lab…Tracey was making too much noise to hear properly."
"Oh," said Ash, "okay, I guess we're better off not knowing."
"Yeah…I suppose…" Misty said vaguely, sinking into the sofa next to Ash and resting her head on his shoulder.
Ash smiled, but inside felt somewhat restless. He and Misty had become a lot closer since her return from the Cerulean Gym, yet on this night, for the entire week at that, this closeness had become uncomfortable. Not uncomfortable, Ash corrected himself; just strange. A good feeling kind of strange that he could not understand, yet unnerving. On the stand in front of him, the television flickered through images of a Pokémon battle from the last Whirl Islands competition. The volume was still turned down low from when Misty answered the phone, low enough that Ash could almost hear Misty's breathing.
The reflection of the staircase on the screen showed a yellow shape dart upstairs, and Ash wondered what Pikachu was trying to get from the kitchen this time. His attention turned back to Misty, whose body against his was comfortably warm. He could smell the melon scented shampoo in her hair, which was resting softly against his neck, and he was finding it hard to believe he was actually thinking of her as a girl, rather than his tomboyish best friend. He decided to attempt a return to some sort of normality; he began to move his hand over to the remote and raise the volume, but then Misty spoke up.
"Hey, Ash?" she asked quietly.
"Uh…yeah?" he answered, his hand freezing, then sinking back onto his lap, his eyes darting over to his friend.
"Please don't laugh but…well…"
"What?"
"Have you ever kissed anyone?"
Ash felt his heart rate accelerate like a Rapidash on a racetrack, and his eyes darted back to the television. "Err…well, yeah – but not a kiss-kiss…just…"
"Well, I meant a kiss-kiss…" said Misty, her voice even softer than before.
"No." Ash was sure Misty could feel his heart beating now. "You?"
"No, never."
An awkward silence followed this, during which Ash wished he could think, but his brain seemed to be refusing to listen to itself. His brown eyes blankly reflected the images on the television screen, blinking every so often so as not to dry out. They strayed down to where the remote lay on the seat cushion on his right, in danger of slipping down between it and the armrest. His vision continued to stray, moving across his lap and coming to rest on Misty's leg, which was now feeling pleasantly uncomfortable resting against his. He bit lightly down on his lip, his eyes refusing to move anywhere else.
Come on, she's a girl! Of course she's going to ask you this stuff; it's what girls like to talk about! No amount of forced thinking seemed to be working though, things were simply not normal right now. Ash considered reaching for the remote again, and his fingers moved ever so slightly. He made up his mind; he was going to pick up the remote, adjust the volume and discuss some battle techniques with his best friend, just like he so often did. Nothing strange there. As soon as he lifted his hand off his lap again though, Misty slipped her own through the arm she was leaning on.
"Do you want to?" she asked, her voice quivering ever so slightly.
Once again, Ash's heart rate kicked into high gear. His face felt awfully warm, and for some reason the cool night air drafting in through the windows felt more like still summer air. He wanted to reach up and pull his collar lower down from his neck, or perhaps just brush some stray hair off his forehead. Yet, he found he could not do this.
"I mean with me," said Misty, her voice seeming to get some her usual courage in it again. "Nobody has to know or anything…I suppose I just want to know and…"
Ash tried to look at Misty, but found he could not look her in the eyes or anywhere even remotely close to there. He found himself staring at the waistband of her shorts and became highly intrigued in the weave of the denim, while the back of his mind cycled through a series of answers his mouth refused to speak. Several painfully long moments seemed to pass; the sound coming from the television seemed to indicate it cut to advertisements and back again, and some leaves rustled outside the window. A car rumbled past and pulled into a neighbouring house, its brake lights casting a reddish glow over the dimly lit surroundings outside.
"I understand," said Misty. "It's fine…it's just…don't worry about it Ash, I shouldn't have…"
"No," Ash cut in, finding his voice at last. "It's not that…I just…where to start…"
Another long silence followed this, during which Ash tried to think of a good way to finish what he was saying, piece of his mind still focusing on that weave. He wondered what Misty might be thinking, and there was the sound of blasting water and a thud from the television.
"Well…" Misty said, her voice about as soft as Ash had ever heard it, "I guess you could just…well, you know…kiss me…" Misty swallowed hard and continued, her voice quivering again. "I won't mind…"
Ash tore his eyes upwards. Misty, a timid smile on her face, moved even closer, tilting her head up slightly. Her brilliant aqua eyes locked with his in a hopeful, expectant plead. This was exactly what he had always wanted, yet never really thought about. For one daring moment, he cast his fears aside and decided to just go with what his heart felt, just as his trainer instincts always told him. He slipped his arms around Misty and he could see every detail of her smooth features; he could feel her breath on his lips.
This was it.
Author's note: I am fully aware this story is fairly out of character to the anime, especially for Ash. However, bear in mind this takes place after the show, so they are a bit older, a bit more mature, etc. Additionally, the story was never written to be in character, it's just something I thought of in boredom while wondering how an old ship of mine could possibly become reality. I am also aware of how short it is, it was never meant to be a full length story. It's pretty much just a small interchange between the two characters; no real background story or anything to it. This is the updated version to the original, just one or two small changes, may be a bit hard to find but I think it helps things flow better.
Kasagi Onaso: Thanks for the feedback! You got the main bit of the fic though; it's just meant to be a cute moment between Ash and Misty, nothing more really. :)