Welcome!
I'm so happy you stumbled on my newest fic today. I have been wanting to write something for Pokeshipping week, but none of the prompts really inspired me. So rather, I simply decided to write where my heart took me! Enjoy!
Never Settle
"I do so promise to fulfill all of these obligations placed before me to the best of my abilities."
With his left hand resting atop the Pokemon Training handbook and his right hand raised stiffly in the air, Ash Ketchum is sworn in. Rightfully placed as the king of all trainers, the master of masters, he tries to hide an immature grin from his audience. It is time to grow up and put childish things aside.
A bouquet of scarlet orange hair catches his gaze. It is folded and braided like an intricate quilt. A bright grin of the woman's own stimulates his inability to contain his excitement. Grinning like a fool, he then waves to his fans.
"Ash! Ash! Ash! Ash!" They chant deafeningly.
He laughs in awe of the attention. It had been a long time since he actually believed he would receive such an honor; the childhood dream of every 10 year old.
But maybe not the only dream.
The entryway of the grand hall of the Indigo Plateau is adorned with fine marble floors and stone sculptures. Tall pillars support the ornate ceiling. As a result any sound could potentially echo throughout.
"Misty! Wait up! It's me!"
But Ash Ketchum didn't know that yet.
The other passerbys in the hall pause to glance at the man who sorely sticks out among the quiet, serious atmosphere. The woman in question freezes when she hears her name reverberating from across the foyer.
"Ash Ketchum," she hisses quietly, hushing him and turning on her heel to face him.
"Oh," his cheeks adopt a light pink blush at their sudden proximity, and he sheepishly responds, "sorry, Mist."
Her irritated gaze softens at his humility.
"What is it, Ash?" She asks, shifting her weight back and stepping away.
"I just wanted to catch up with you is all." He shrugs. "I saw you at the ceremony the other day but I didn't get a chance to chat with you."
"Right now, Ash?" Her voice strains.
"Never a better time than the present!" His boyish grin causes her heart to ache.
"I disagree." She continues on her path in the direction she had been moving before he had arrived.
"What do you mean?" Ash follows her just a step behind.
"I'm working." She states monotonously. "I have a lot of challenges to prepare for and paperwork to complete."
"Working? I thought this was your lunch time. Lance said you eat at 11:30 on the dot every day."
"Fine, yes, I'm going to grab lunch in the cafeteria, but it's going to be a quick lunch."
"Then can I join you?"
She pauses briefly, but doesn't look back at him.
"Let's not do this, Ash." She says quietly.
"Do what?" His brows furrow, wondering what he has done to warrant such a reaction.
"Pretend we're best friends still." Misty finally looks him squarely in the eyes.
She can tell that her feelings are lost on him by the confusion in his eyes. He could never understand. The man is denser than her Golduck. She is mature enough now to realize that she can't have what she wants. She won't settle for half a dream.
"Why can't we be?" Ash nearly whimpers.
"That was over a decade ago." She argues. "We have grown up. Things have changed."
"Alright, fine. Some things have changed." He smirks and continues, "But then explain your face, Misty."
"My face?" She questions.
"Yeah, that pretty smile you gave me when I was sworn in." He teases.
"What?" She gasps at his observation. Had he really just called her smile pretty?
"You didn't think I noticed? You were smiling like crazy!" he grins charmingly. "Explain why me becoming the champion makes you smile so widely if we really aren't friends anymore."
"I just," she pauses to plan her next move, "I guess I was just a little nostalgic about our adventures together. We crossed the world together chasing your dream. I'm happy for you -I really am."
"If you are happy for me it means you still care." He states pointedly, "So there's still hope for us."
"Us?" Misty chokes at his boldness.
"Yeah, we could be best friends again." Ash assures her.
Misty feels the hope drain from her body as it had many times before with this man. With the last of her strength she says, "No thank you."
"What?" Ash looks thoroughly confused. Who is this woman? She is definitely not the spunky red-orange head he had come to admire so much. She doesn't fight him with her fiery temper -not like she used to. She seems sad and defeated.
"We're coworkers now," Misty says softly, "let's keep it that way."
"Alright, I get it," his response causes her to flinch. She wonders if this is really what she wants. She was determined not to settle for friendship with the man she once loved, but was not loved by in return.
She begins to walk away; afraid she may change her mind.
"Coworkers first." He follows swiftly, grinning like the idiot he is, "We can be more later."
"Huh?" She blinks, wondering if he understands his own implications.
"You know what." He walks next to her down the hall towards the cafeteria, "My first act as your coworker is to have lunch in the cafeteria next to you -as coworkers of course."
With a sigh of defeat, Misty wonders if this is her fate -to be hopelessly in love with a man whom she can't seem to shake: a man who is a champion trainer, a prize to any single young lady, boyishly charming, not to mention dense as hell.
"There you are!" Misty flinches at the sound of Ash's voice, "I've been looking for you everywhere!"
"Do you need something?" Misty asks irritably, trying to hide a rosy blush forming on her cheeks.
"I checked your office, but you weren't there," Ash replied, "so I've been looking for you for about 25 minutes. Why are you in the library? It's so old and dusty in here."
It has been two months since Ash became the champion as well as her coworker, and he has shown up at her office almost every day of every week. Day by day, she felt herself becoming more amicable, falling into a pattern with him. He would arrive at her door some time before lunch and make a corny plea with her to join him in the cafeteria. While his visits were more enjoyable than she would admit, they would leave her flustered and questioning her resolve. On this particular day, she woke up to a hyper realistic dream in which Ash's office visit evolved from a friendly get together to a steamy get together. This had been a topic that she had tried to banish from her poor love struck brain. Of course at the sight of said man, her mind back pedals.
"Er, um," she fumbles, "I just needed a change of scenery. I guess."
Ash stares at her quizzically, "are you alright?"
"Yep," she says quickly, "I'm fine."
"You look sick," he states bluntly, "like hot and clammy."
"Uh," she says, scratching her head, "yes. I haven't been feeling the best. You probably don't want to be around me."
"Are you kidding?" He surprises her with his enthusiasm. "What are you doing here?"
"Well I-" She begins.
"No excuses. I'm taking you home." He asserts.
"Oh no no, I'm well enough," she argues, "I don't need to go home."
"Nonsense," he says, grabbing her paperwork off the table.
"Hey!" She complains, trying to grab her papers from him.
"I'm texting HR right now and letting them know I'm taking you home." Ash says while texting on his room phone.
"No!" She shouts, reaching for his phone.
"Too late," he grins, very happy with himself.
"This is so embarrassing," she says as she rubs her forehead, "alright, fine, now I have to go home and die of embarrassment. I'll see you tomorrow, Ash."
"Oh no," he shakes head, "I already told HR I would drive you home so that's what I'm going to do."
From the moment she woke up, she should have known that it wouldn't be so easy to avoid him. He is like a platonic leech.
She knows arguing with the stubborn man child would be futile, so rather than fight, she follows him to the grand hall quietly. Once outside, she leads him to her car in the far end of the lot.
"I can tell you must be really sick by how quiet you are," he concludes while ducking into the drivers side of her compact car.
She doesn't respond until he reminds her that he needs directions to get to her apartment. The rest of the ride is spent in silence.
Misty finds herself lost in thought. She thinks about the process that led her to this point. If he wanted so badly to be in her life despite her objections, then maybe it is time for him to face her truth; that she has decided to never settle. She would not settle for friendship when she wants love. She would not settle for a half beating heart. Maybe it is time for heartbreak and healing instead of this meaningless limbo that Ash unknowingly drags her into daily. Maybe it's time for decision. However, deep down Misty's biggest fear is that she will never settle for anyone other than Ash; how could she?
"I'll walk you to your door," he tells her as he pulls himself out of the car and walks around to her side to open it.
"Thank you, Ash," she whispers, contemplating her next move.
Ash puts his arm around her shoulder and gives her a side hug. The two walk up the pathway to Misty's multiplex apartment together. At the door, Misty pulls out her keys and jiggies open the lock. Without words or an invitation, Ash follows her inside where she sets down her bag at her desk and then turns to face him.
"Nice place," he nods while looking around at her decor and personal items.
"Thanks," she says weakly. Maybe I am sick. She thinks.
"Do you want me to get some soup for you? Or something else? I've been working on my cooking skills." Ash asks hoping that she would allow him to stay a little while longer.
"No," she shakes her head, "I'm not too hungry. I might just take a nap."
Misty sulks down the hallway towards her bedroom. This day just seems to be wearing her thin. She leaves Ash wondering if he should just let himself out or follow her to make sure she is alright.
"You can come in, Ash," she tells him as if she senses his confusion.
"Alright," Ash answers awkwardly, "I'll just… follow you. Into your bedroom. Where your bed is."
"Yes, Ash," she rolls her eyes, "I sleep in this room. In a bed."
"Got it," he says as he remains in the doorway.
Misty looks into her vanity mirror and begins to take off the simple jewelry that she had adorned herself with just a few hours before. She removes a simple cascade badge necklace leaving her toned clavicle bare, and then she unpins her aquamarine earrings.
Ash can't help but stare at the beautiful woman before him as her delicate hands bring attention to her neckline and the hair wisping over her ears. Ever since he watched her lips curl into the most gorgeous smile he'd ever witnessed at his swearing in ceremony, he'd felt elated in her presence. She had been his best friend for the majority of his life -even after she claimed she wasn't- but he had never looked at her this way. He always looked up to her of course; they competed with one another as friendly rivals. He had always loved her because she was important to him, but it wasn't until the ceremony that he really saw her. He definitely sees her now. He sees her strong will, her master level battling abilities, her controlled but fiery temper, her long flowing hair, her love of all Pokemon, and her slender, toned body sculpted from the constant swimming she partakes in.
He also sees her rosy cheeks that make him want to take care of her.
"Ash?" She asks softly, watching his gaze through the mirror.
"Yeah, Mist?" He responds with the same tone.
"I'm not sick," she confesses, "I don't feel ill one bit."
"You're not?" He asks, confused. "There must be something wrong. Your cheeks are not usually so rosy."
As if on cue, Misty's cheeks darken with an even deeper blush, and to her surprise Ash understands.
"Oh," he scratches his head while trying to figure out what has her so flustered. "Did something happen at work? Are you embarrassed by something?"
"Not necessarily," she replies shortly, biting her lip. She moves to sit on the edge of her bed.
"Did I embarrass you again?" He asks worriedly. "I'm so sorry if I did. That's why you were hiding in the library, wasn't it? You didn't want to see me. And then I forced you to come home and basically kidnapped you from work."
"No Ash," she stops his stammering, "I mean, yes, I was hiding from you, but not because you did anything wrong."
Ash's head tilts slightly to the side subconsciously and he responds, "what?"
"Oh Arceus," she drops her head in her hands, "I'm really in deep this time."
"You were hiding from me," he pieces together, "but you aren't mad at me."
"Listen," she sighs heavily, "there is a reason I didn't want to be friends with you again."
She struggles to find her words which just confuses and frustrates Ash more.
"I thought we were over that argument," he says dejectedly.
"Look," she cuts him off, "I am a strong and independent woman, but you make me weak."
"Weak?" he asks, thoroughly confused. "In fifteen years I have never seen you weak."
"That's because I didn't want to show you," she informs him, looking away.
Ash remains silent to wait for her explanation. He shifts in the doorway, still not knowing where he is welcome.
"I promised myself I would never settle," she finally says, catching his gaze. His eyes plead with her to share more which drives her confidence up. "I promised I would never settle for being just friends with you again. I promised myself that if you could never love me the way that I have always loved you then I would move on."
Had he heard her correctly? He blinks his eyes as if it will help him hear better.
"So when you came blazing into the grand hall that day, I wanted to tell you off." She shares. "I wanted to tell you that I never wanted to see you again just to spare my own heart. But I'm weak. I couldn't stick to my promise to myself. Your friendship was too appealing. I broke my promise to myself, but now I have to renew it. I can't be friends with you anymore, Ash."
Her gaze drops towards the floor, wishing that she had not needed to say that to him; praying that he wouldn't be offended.
After a tense moment of silence, his simple response surprises her, "okay."
Her eyelids seal together to prevent tears from shedding down her cheeks.
"Misty," his soft voice directly in front of her surprises her.
Her eyes snap open and catch his intense stare, "Ash?"
He is knelt on her carpet before her, looking at her with a fiery glint in his eyes. After standing in the doorway for so long, he knew where he needed to be.
"The problem with your logic is that you don't need to settle," he explains, placing a gentle palm under her chin. His fingers tickle her hairline.
His other hand rests on her thigh near her rear. Her breath catches in her throat at the sparks that his touch drew along her body. For a moment they stare in awe; both wondering what the other's next move would be.
Then they connect. Ash pushes himself off the ground and at the same time pulls her completely against his body. He tosses her further up towards the head of the bed and slides over hers, between her thighs, touching every surface of her body on the way towards her lips. Misty's fingers run through his hair as he moves to kiss her neck below her jawline. A very primal moan escapes Misty which snaps Ash from his trance. He backs off of her quickly, his heart beats rapidly. He puts ample space between them.
Misty can see that his face is now equally as red as her own. She had not expected him to do that. Even in her best imagined outcomes, she thought maybe he would give her a chance, not address her so passionately.
"Sorry," he mutters, rubbing the back of his neck, "I got a little carried away."
Misty has been unable to find her voice since his lips touched hers.
"I mean," he continues, "I really thought I would enjoy kissing you, but I didn't know I'd enjoy it that much."
"You've thought about kissing me before?" she asks curiously.
"Misty," he smiles softly at her and takes her hand, "I've been thinking about kissing you since my ceremony."
"So that whole time," she processes aloud, "that whole time that I was pushing you away you wanted to be with me?"
Ash laughs heartily and then kisses her deeply.
With a sincere, yet boyishly charming smile, he replies, "Good thing I never settle either"
Thanks for reading!
If you enjoy my writing style then pop onto my page and try out Heading Home and its sequel, Rise of Phoenix.
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