Disclaimer: The song "I Don't Want To Be" and respective lyrics is copyright to Gavin Degraw. I don't own Pokemon, Satoshi Tajiri does. The rest of this fic is original material written by me. Copyright 2005.
Chapter 2 – Can't Keep A SecretAges:
Ash – 18
Misty – 18
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After a lunch that was mostly eaten in silence, save for the exchange of a few awkward sentences, Ash flopped down onto the couch to check out if there was anything on TV worth watching. Apparently there wasn't, and after about a half hour, he was struggling to keep his eyes open. Just as the sounds which he associated with the outside world were beginning to fade away, he was snapped back to the land of the waking. Misty was shaking him gently on the shoulder. "Ash…?"
Ash opened one eye sleepily, watching the slender form of the now brunette Misty before him.
"Ash, I'm gonna go out and do a bit of shopping. I know how much you dislike it…but – would you consider coming along…?" She trailed off. His last shopping experience (one of very few) had been when Misty had somehow persuaded him to tag along. It had ended with him sprinting as quickly as he could away from the mall….he shook his head, trying to not to let himself become too re-acquainted with the memory.
"Um, I think I'll pass, if you don't mind…" He tried to sound casual and nonchalant, but he couldn't help but think he saw a glimmer of hurt in Misty's ocean eyes. He felt guilty for his answer, but he had other plans…
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Misty had quickly gotten into the swing of things once she had stepped through the doors of the poke mart. Shopping, in any form, was a way to relax, and the poke mart was no exception. She stopped to fawn over the cute pokemon plushies, which she was really tempted to buy one of.
Go for the fun, or go for the practical. Something that he would use… something he would like...something that would make him fawn over her…
She stopped at the display stand and picked one of the wooden boxes up. "Perfect" she thought. A grooming kit would be just the thing to give him. She looked at the price, and winced. It was quite costly, quite a fair amount more than she had been willing to spend. But she was sure he'd love it. Stopping at the register to pay for her find, a display case caught her attention. It was filled with exquisite little badges moulded in the shape of different pokemon. She chose a small one in the form of a sleeping pikachu, paid for her purchases, and then exited the pokemart.
Misty walked with a nervous bounce in her step. She hoped that he would like them…she had to catch his attention somehow, and this was the best thing she could come up with, for now. She fell into a daydream as she slowed her pace, gazing off into the distance…
He smiled, his head resting comfortably on his arms. As he did so, his chocolate brown eyes glimmered with a radiating happiness; he watched the scene before him; his pokemon having a moment of fun, chasing each other around, running, jumping, and laughing. Ash appeared so carefree, as if not a worry in the world could neither touch him, nor bring him down…
She wished only that he would smile at her like this…sure he smiled. Even at her sometimes. But as she had watched him that day, she saw an Ash that she was not familiar with. One that she wished would reappear.
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It was an extremely difficult task to keep a secret from Misty. She was in and out of the house, and he had to use great stealth and cunning to keep this from her. She was so stubborn, and if she found out something was up, he knew that he would have trouble not revealing it to her.
Ash had been planning this for a good few weeks, and it was this time he had alone when he would begin to bring it all together. It had been difficult trying to smuggle everything into the house, but, with a little help from pikachu as a decoy, he was able to carry it out without bringing about too much suspicion.
He pulled out the wooden frame, along with the materials he would need to use to make it. Lastly, he pulled out a small box, filled full of photos. Photos he had taken along his journey. He had sorted and sifted through all of these, and selected all the ones which he was to use. It tore him up to cut them apart, but knew that the end result would by far, be worth it.
He picked up a photo and gazed at it, taking in every shape, every colour, every detail…her auburn hair, her sapphire eyes, her innocent smile….he wondered is she was going to leave her hair that brunette shade for long. He didn't know much about hair dyeing, only that it changed your hair colour, and could do so for short or long periods of time. She looked so much more…natural… as a redhead. He wished she still looked like she had before…he missed the old Misty. Even if it was over something as trivial as her hair colour.
Removing the center from the frame, he took out the backing, and laid it flat on the floor. He slowly began to compile everything, carefully adding each photo, one by one, gluing them, and covering the cardboard backing as he went.
OoOoOoOHe had covered about three quarters if the blank backing, when he heard the door slam downstairs. He hastily shoved everything back under his bed, just as Misty stood in the doorway. She eyed him curiously. Ohhhhhhh dear. He was terrible at keeping secrets, at lying. If she asked, it'd be a job and a half to keep a straight face, and even harder to convince her.
"Hiya Ash. What ya doing?"
Ash noticed a loose photo on the ground, and mentally cursed himself for not being more thorough when packing up. Not that he had had time, but still. He couldn't let her see…it sat on the carpet in full view, and it was almost impossible not to look at it. He quickly stood up, shrugging off his jacket, and throwing it on top of where the photo lay. He hoped against hope she hadn't seen…
"You know…nothing much…"
OoOoOoO"Misty nodded, not entirely convinced. However, she didn't let on.
She came and seated herself upon the bed, next to Ash. This was leaving Ash feeling a little awkward…almost shy. Not that he minded having her in close proximity…just…it hadn't affected him like this. Until recently.
She handed him the shopping bag. "I saw these when I was out…I thought might like them…" She left the statement hanging in the air.
Ash pulled out the large box, along with the small pouch. Putting the pouch aside, he reached for the clasp on the box, and opened it carefully. Ash's eyes widened as he saw what it contained.
"Misty…how could you afford this? These grooming kits are so expensive!.."
Misty shrugged. "I had some money from pokemon battles saved up."
"Yeah…but still! You bought me this…it's not even my birthday or anything!"
Misty smiled slightly. "Maybe I just wanted to." She stated simply.
"Well…thanks…it was a nice thought…" Ash drifted into an embarrassed silence.
"You're welcome" she replied, going a faint shade of pink. She got up and walked quickly out of the room.. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she had not mentioned the little pin she had bought him. The little black pouch it was tucked in was sitting innocently on his bed. "Oh well, he'll find it soon enough." And of it she thought of it no more.
OoOoOoOAsh was ready for bed. It was verging on late, and sleep was calling out to him. Yawning, he pulled back the inviting sheets, and crawled in.
What he didn't notice was the small back pouch, lying half-hidden under his bed, having fallen off it, and been kicked aside, unnoticed…
OoOoOoODefinitely not one of my better writing moments. XD. Thanks to DreamyGal, SweetStories11, Scribblez, dbzgtfan2004, Linkin-Phoenix, kikyoreborn9295, and KCB for reviewing chapter one : ) Thanks guys!
Oh, and in case you wondering about the "song" part of song fic, well, its coming in later chapter/s.
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