A/N: Okay, early update because YAY I could get out of my writer's block (Holy molly I hope I didn't just jinx myself), and because I'm going away for a few days, so here's the update a little sooner. But not that much really. xD I'll be back in like 4 days. xD
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Chapter 4: "Remembrance and mischief"
"I'm sorry"
Misty giggled, light-heartedly, and blinked for a moment. "Gary, stop apologizing, nothing bad happened, it was just a little awkward, come on, it was to be expected, after all, I wasn't used to the Meet the Parents dinner, so I was a bit fidgety" She explained, as she leaned back into the lawn. They were in one of the hills of the backyard of the Mansion, where hoards of pokemon ran wildly through the place. Gary smirked, moved a bit further away from her, and leaned back, resting his head in her stomach. Misty's head snapped upwards with concern in her eyes. "Oh god, it showed, didn't it? I was too nervous!" bringing her palms to her face, she hid behind them, scolding her own transparency.
Gary rolled his eyes. "Yes, in fact, they don't know you as Misty, they know you as Nervy" he joked around, earning a rightful slap in the head from Misty.
"Hey!" She pouted childishly. "I'm currently your pillow, and beware" her childish voice turned deeper. "Pillows can be used as murder weapons" she said menacingly. But instead of fear, Gary chuckled, earning himself another slap in the head. He sat up, releasing Misty's stomach from it's pillow chores.
His blue eyes turned towards her, brightening. "Hey, wanna get out of this place?"
Her eyes shifted, suspiciously. "And go where?"
Gary crawled a little closer to her. "Remember that coffee house I took you a while ago, against your will?"
Misty glared at him, submerged in remembrance. "No. My psychiatrist advised me to suppress that memory". Gary stared at her, glaring, and raised an eyebrow, playfully. "Very well then" he said standing up, and straightening his shirt. For a second he remained silent, looking forward, making Misty raise a cautious eyebrow. He was up to something.
Gary suddenly looked down, to her startled face, and bent down picking her up princess like. "I don't mind kidnapping you again, you know... just to make you remember" Misty kicked the air freely trying to get out from his grip. "Quit squirming, you spaz!" He said trying to maintain his balance "You'll make us both roll down"
Misty, remembering they were in fact in a hill, panicked and started to squirm more. "GAH! Gary, are you insane, we're gonna die!" She said, clinging to his neck as if her very life depended on it.
Not that having Misty breathing down his neck was unpleasant, but the serious lack of oxygen her dearth grip on his neck was provoking could have been better thought out. "...aaair...!" he gasped, trying to breathe again.
"Letme down letme down letme dowwwn!" Misty started kicking again, tightening the grip around his neck.
Trying to hold her, walk properly, not lose his balance, and all of this without a proper oxygen supply was difficult enough, the kicking and squirming was only making it worse. Gary stumbled forward, and his eyes widened as he stumbled into a rock, making him completely lose his balance and fall forward.
THUD.
Misty opened her eyes, utterly silent, feeling another rock stab constantly her shoulder. She looked at Gary, falling almost completely in top of her, their bodies crossing at their stomach. Gary groaned, sitting up, and looked at Misty in the ground, dumbfolded. He tried to suppress a snicker, but failed. "Hey, you are a pillow!"
Her death glare was something to be noted. And feared, so receiving it, Gary stood up and took a step backwards, as he saw her do the same. "Uh... " Gary started, sheepishly. "Remembered yet?"
Misty clenched her fists, still glaring. "Oh boy, did I ever" She seethed, making Gary smile childishly.
The brunette coughed into his hand briefly. "Er, I suggest we get out of this place?"
Misty's rage seemed to subside for a brief second, and sighed, noticing the hint of desperation behind his request. She almost winced at how uncomfortable at his own home he was, because of his parents. She smiled again, rolling her eyes, deciding that there were plenty of occasions she could use to unleash her rage on him, so missing one didn't hurt. She locked her arm with his, and dragged him towards the front lawn, where the jeep was parked. "Fine" She agreed. "But next time, I'm picking the TV channel to watch" she smiled evilly.
Gary's triumphant smile wavered.
Just when he thought he had freed himself from that mid afternoon cheesy soap opera. He rolled his eyes, eying her and wrapping his arm around her waist. Oh well...
It some a price worth paying.
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Delicate fingers were opening the curtain that covered the window that faced to the backyard. Marie sighed, rolling her blonde hair behind her ear. "She's a gold-digger, you know?" She informed, nonchalantly.
Stephen, sitting in the leather chair, didn't acknowledge this phrase as he continued to read the newspaper. Good grief, that woman was a royal pain. He rolled his eyes; sure, they had been an arranged marriage, but the two families had different wealth, and even though Marie had not been in any way, poor, her family company had been going through trouble at the moment. Stephen faintly recalled his own mother calling her gold digger behind her back. He let out a breath; those matters really didn't interest him.
Marie watched the couple storm off to the front lawn after what seemed like wrestling, and scrunched up her nose in disgust. "Stephen!" She complained. "Are you listening to me? I think he's very serious about this girl!"
The man rolled his eyes. "Good grief, Marie, he's..." His eyes wavered, trying to recall Gary's age. "A grown man! He knows better than that"
Marie huffed, with irate blue eyes that pierced her husband's scalp. Laying her hands on her hip, she looked away, giving him the cold shoulder. "I'm going to do something to save this family's good name, as you clearly never do" She accused. Stephen raised his eyes from the newspaper, eying her with mischief, a retort was stinging his tongue, he looked at Marie evilly, recalling their wedding, faintly; no... He had certainly not looked after the family's good name, had he?
"Do as you will, Marie, just leave me out of it"
Marie smiled, triumphal, as she walked towards the videophone. Dialling delicately, she awaited as the phone begun to ring in the other side.
A familiar face appeared on the other side. The man seemed surprised.
"Hello William" Marie greeted.
The blonde in the other side of the conversation shifted, surprised. "Marie Oak? It's been a bloody long time since you last rang, ma'am" a heavy British accent responded. Marie laughed, decorously.
"Yes... Will" her blue eyes shifted menacingly. "How has your father been, William? Still unemployed? No, right? Not after the stellar job we offered him"
William's brown eyes shifted a shade darker, raising an eyebrow. He shifted, uncomfortable. "Well... uh, of course, Marie, you've been an angel... is there" he paused "is there something I can do for you?"
Marie smiled, a glint of mischief in her eyes as she looked at the young man in the videophone. "Well Yes, William, as the matter of fact, there is".
William raised an eyebrow, letting concern wash over his sculptured features. His brown eyes squinted as he slightly slumped his shoulders, and turned serious.
Yes, he knew Marie Oak, not as well as he knew her son, Gary Oak, but he knew immediately, this was not going to be a fair play.
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"Oh my god" Misty winced. "There should be a screening before letting anyone get up on the stage in open mic night" she laughed, as the singer sang along Whitney Houston and didn't get a single note right. The red head ducked and sipped her cappuccino that had a tower of cream on top, getting some cream on her chin.
Gary yawned, and rubbed his eyes, feeling the slumber kick in, as the night had already settled outside. He was going to need another coffee. Looking around for the waitress his eyes settled on Misty, and he suppressed his laughter, as he saw Misty was looking at the singing girl with half her chin covered in cream. "Hey, Santa, you have..." he said picking up a napkin and leaning forward to clean her chin, Misty, not quite sure what he wanted, backed away and started to avoid the napkin at all cost. Gary laughed at the absurdity of the scene they were making. "Stop moving, silly!"
Misty stuck her tongue out at him, and tucked her hair behind her ear. Some of it got caught on the cream, and her eyes widened as her hand flew to her chin, and came out white. How long had she been that way? She looked at Gary, who was leaning his head against the table, chuckling amusedly, and emitted a short high pitched squeak, blushing fiercely. Snatching the napkin from his hand, she brought it to wipe her chin, embarrassed and sinking into her chair.
Gary looked up, still laughing softly to himself, but as his blue eyes settled on her, all the amusement in him came to a halt. His eyes shifted as he looked at her; blushing intently, looking paranoid, all around her, her cerulean eyes darting around the room, as she sank into her seat, embarrassed.
He sat back straight, leaning fully into the chair, studying her, his heart caught on his throat, as suddenly the awful girl singing on the stage was almost a whisper to him. It was how he couldn't stop looking at the red head in front of him, or how his mind blocked out everything that wasn't her, but for a second he was a hundred percent focused on his tangerine companion.
He let out a shaky breath as a realization came on crushing down on him.
Sweet lords in heaven...
He was in love.
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Author's note: To those who forgot, the word love was actually never mentioned by either Gary nor Misty in The flame and the ember. Seemed obvious, since they had only started a relationship, and had not actually met much longer before that. Sigh. How mushy. And eeeeevil.
Thoughts? Please drop em into a review:D
Midnight Mist