I guess I'm back officially. Hi.

So this isn't one of the fanfics that I'd planned on writing, but you all know MiyaToriaka, right? AAML artist extraordinaire? Well, I saw one of Miya's tweets that was basically a fic premise, and somehow it inspired me to write a full story around it. Hopefully you all enjoy this fun little deviation from my plan.

Dedication: It's kind of a given, but shoutouts to Miya for the tweet that inspired this. If you wanna see it yourself, copy/paste this and remove the spaces: bit . ly/38K2nhG

A Traditional Farewell

"Are you sure you don't want to stay over, Misty? It wouldn't be any trouble."

Misty slung her bag over her shoulder, smiling warmly at the woman who had only ever shown her kindness since they'd met. "It's fine, Ms. Ketchum. I really should be getting back to the gym anyway."

By the time Misty's adventures with Ash had come to a close, the Ketchum household had grown from a stopping point in their journey into a second home for her. The walls that held portraits of memories, the furniture that was perpetually devoid of dust, and a fireplace that constantly invited her to curl up before it; the living room was filled with a coziness that drew her back over and over. It was rife with comfort and love, and perhaps it was responsible for the earnestness that filled the heart of the boy who was currently sending her off.

"You sure you'll be okay making it through Viridian Forest, Misty? A bug Pokémon might creep up on you." Ash made a low "oooh" sound as he wiggled his fingers eerily.

Misty rolled her eyes, that smirk she reserved for him growing on her lips. "You could always escort me home if you're so worried, Ash."

Ash rested his hands behind his head, that notoriously gleeful chuckle of his giving way to a much-too-carefree grin. "Nah, I'm sure you'll be fine as long as you don't get lost."

"You mean like how you always did?" Misty rested her hand on her hip, savoring this back and forth knowing it would have to last her for a while. Given Ash's predilection for adventure, it was likely that she probably wouldn't see him in person again for about a year, if not longer.

As was the normal Ash Ketchum reaction to being reminded of his younger self's incompetencies, his jubilance morphed into a sour pout as he looked up and away. "They were shortcuts, Misty."

Consideration of his mom's presence was likely the only reason he hadn't retorted with further vehemence. His eyes wouldn't meet hers; she knew that he knew that doing so would be a confession that he was in the wrong, and the pride of Pallet was never fond of doing so, especially to her of all people. She settled for giggling at his exasperation before turning back to Delia. "Thank you again for letting me stay here, Ms. Ketchum."

As if on cue, her immediate response was the return of that tender smile. "You're very welcome, Misty. Feel free to stop by anytime. Actually," she began turning towards the kitchen, "why don't I give you a basket of snacks for the road?"

"Oh, Ms. Ketchum, you don't have-" Her words fell on deaf ears as Delia had already made her way to prepare the amenities. "Well, Ash, your mom is as generous as ever."

"Yeah, she is."

His voice had lost some of its vigor, and Misty noted a touch of pink working its way through his cheeks. "Ash, is something wrong?"

"Nothing, I was just...thinking about saying goodbye." He glanced back at where his mom had been, as if conscious of her absence.

"But Ash, you already did."

He went quiet, his arms lowering to his sides. His gaze met hers, and in it she could seem some of that familiar sense of resolution he was known to conjure at crucial moments. Before she could say anything further he took two steps towards her and kissed her on the cheek.

Her heart rate began quickening, an Ash-induced flush rushing to her ears in a way she hadn't felt in ages. He backed up, unable to look her in the eyes as the floor suddenly seemed captivating to him. Misty took in a breath and swallowed, hoping to calm her vocal cords so they wouldn't shake as she spoke.

"Ash, what was that for?"

To his credit Ash appeared to look just as awkward as she felt, though she guessed he wasn't expecting to feel this way, as if his sudden discomfort wasn't part of whatever plan he had in mind. Regardless of what was going through his mind, however, she waited for an explanation, as his action had caused old feelings that she'd considered tucked away to ignite back into her heart once more.

"Well…" Ash started, one hand on his side and another scratching the back of his head, "when I was in Kalos, Serena kissed me on the cheek, and so I-"

"Wait." That familiar, unsettling irritation that only Ash seemed to summon settled itself in her chest. She had no business or right to feel possessive of him, especially after she'd spent years of not seeing him trying to come to terms with feelings she'd convinced herself would never come to fruition. However, in under two minutes he'd both reinstated the "I Love Ash" campaign and then immediately became its biggest opponent, and it was taking all of the patience she'd developed to control her festering outburst. "She kissed you on the cheek?"

Ash, best friend that he was, picked up on her harboring irritation, waving his hands defensively. "Well, she said that's how people from Kalos say goodbye!"

"Well, we're not FROM Kalos, are we?"

"Well, no, but…" Ash's flare gave way to an uncharacteristic silence as he nibbled at his lip, his voice lowering almost to a whisper. Forced bravery was etched all over his face as he struggled to keep his gaze on hers. "I know Serena looked up to me a lot, and I figured that's why she kissed my cheek when she left."

Shapeshifting, swirling, his eyes now shone with a softness that was clearly covering up something he wasn't able to say aloud. Of course, with Misty's years of translating Ash's mannerisms behind her, it was the embarrassment in how he shifted from foot to foot and the unconscious way he rubbed his shirt between his fingers that said everything she needed to hear. All of her old "stay calm in the presence of the Ash who makes your heart race" techniques were rusty and out of shape, so articulating the words Ash was failing to say was a challenge she wasn't ready for.

"So...is that why you kissed my cheek? Because you look up to me?"

Even with their lengthy friendship behind them, it was impossible to say if Ash looked more surprised or sheepish at her deciphering of his unconscious language, but a goofy smile began working its way onto his face all the same. "Well, sure, Misty, there's nobody I know who's a better water Pokémon trainer!"

Romantic was the last word Misty would ever use to describe Ash, but even she knew when to give credit where it was due as fresh blood rushed to her face. It was that irresistible touch of awkwardness that blemished his otherwise cheerful expression and set her heart to overdrive. It was almost frustrating how easily Ash could revive her affections for him that she had practically discarded, but this left her with the realization that she now had a choice to make. She could walk away now and try to go back to how she felt before, or she could use this chance to try doing something with her feelings once and for all.

As if there was any other option.

She cleared her throat, pleading that her voice wouldn't betray her. "You know, the people who live in Cerulean City have their own way of saying goodbye, too." This was, of course, an absolute lie, but teasing Ash was in her blood at this point.

Ash tilted his head inquisitively. "They do?"

Misty nodded, at odds with the fact that the scenario she'd daydreamed of for years was finally in front of her. She found herself thinking back to the days when she watched Ash compete for a badge, wondering if this is how he felt during those moments. No matter who he was facing or what Pokémon they used, he was always fired up and determined to win. Magically he always came out on top more often than not, and as Misty grinned at the vision of him in her memories, she decided to borrow some of that hubris of his to achieve her own goal.

It was easy, then, for her to lean forward and touch her lips to his.

The kiss was warm, and the million nerve endings in her mouth picked up on the gentle quiver of his. She didn't have the courage to open her eyes to see his reaction, but she willed herself to rest her hands on his shoulders, pressing harder into him as her heart began lodging itself into her throat. A soft hum escaped his nose, though she was unsure if it was one of contentment or discomfort. Her elation at having finally kissed him was inevitably outweighed by the pressure of not knowing what he was thinking, so with a great deal of hesitation she eased herself back, finally allowing herself to see his face.

If ruby could blush, it still wouldn't match the utter blaze that was Ash's face. In spite of his record-breaking shade of red, however, he seemed less surprised by her kiss than she anticipated. Words tried to escape him, but all that came out was something that sounded like a cough while trying to clear his throat. Ash was never one for words when stunned like this, but this was probably a new personal best for him, a thought that elicited a bubbly giggle from Misty.

Her amusement seemed to be enough to rescue Ash from his shell-shocked state, his hand moving to the back of his neck. "Misty, I mean, wasn't that just a...kiss?"

In what should have been a serious and heartfelt moment, Misty felt a sudden compulsion to continue messing with Ash, and in her heart it meant that their constant teasing was naturally ingrained into their relationship, not just with her. "Well, in Cerulean City, we see it as two waves crashing together before parting, but pieces of the waves mix and stay with each other."

"Staying with each other, huh…" Ash mumbled, processing her words before he bit the inside of his lip once again. "So do you only do that with people you look up to, like in Kalos?"

Misty looked up to the ceiling contemplatively, bringing a finger to her chin. "Mm, sort of," she replied with a shrug before winking at him. "You're only allowed to use that form of goodbye with one person."

The deeper connotation of her words was clearly not lost on him as he smiled goofily, realization dawning in his eyes. The radiant pink that had bloomed on his cheeks was her reward for her bravery, and she decided that she'd take any opportunity to inspire it out of him that she could get. "Y'know, Ash, even though you're not from Cerulean City, you…you can use that goodbye, too. I mean, if you want to." The words were heavier on her tongue than she expected, realizing that despite her constant romantic daydreams, she had little idea of what to actually do now that her affections were no longer locked away in secret.

Fortunately, Ash always seemed to know what she needed to hear. "I think I'd really like to, as long as the one person I'd be saying goodbye to is okay with it."

He had no business looking as cute as he did as he spoke, but Misty was in no position to argue otherwise as she was more focused on the gymnastics routine going on in her stomach. She was sure her ears and face were replicating her hair's color, but Ash didn't seem to mind at all. If anything, he seemed awkwardly content as he sheepishly rubbed his cheek with his finger. A swell of emotions bubbled within her and she prayed that her voice wouldn't crack as she spoke. "Well, if...if the one person happens to be me, then I'd really lo-"

"Sorry that took so long, Misty, I simply couldn't decide what you'd like to drink, so I put a few things in here."

Delia's voice obliterated any semblance of a moment the two were trying to create, sending both of them back with a jolt. The sight of Misty in all her fluster must have set off Delia's internal alarms because she immediately set the basket down, pressing her hand to the redhead's forehead. "Misty, are you okay? You don't look well."

"I-I'm fine, Ms. Ketchum. I just, uh…" Under normal circumstances Misty could have easily whipped up some excuse for her current condition, but leave it to Ash to put her in a not-so-normal circumstance. Well, it was partially her fault, too, but he was the one who kissed her cheek first, so he was more responsible. Accepting the internal victory, she racked her brain for anything she could say that would keep Delia from-

"Actually, mom, Misty decided that she's gonna stay over after all."

Two sets of eyes locked onto Ash, who looked equal parts pleased and amused. Misty glanced back and forth between the two, wondering how Delia would respond to Ash's sudden input. She was simply staring at him expectantly, and perhaps this was a custom Ash was used to because he quickly added to his response.

"She and I aren't done saying goodbye yet."

With a gentle turn of his head he shot her a sly wink, reminding her what a skipped heartbeat felt like. There was no way the clueless, dense Ash she'd traveled across numerous regions with knew how to be this charming, but she wasn't allowed another chance to ponder this further as Delia picked the basket back up, her face awash in relief and satisfaction.

"In that case, I'll go ahead and prepare the bath for you. Ash, tidy up your room for you two to sleep in."

"Sure thing, mom."

Delia headed back into the kitchen with the basket, leaving the pair standing in the entryway. With her mind still reeling from what had just transpired, Misty's fingers laced together, waiting for Ash to say or do something, anything. Everything she could have hoped for ages ago was on the cusp of becoming real, and she was suddenly too scared to ruin the perfect. Her heart and lungs were conspiring towards asphyxiation from the tension, electricity and possibility surging through her entire body.

With a glance in her direction Ash grinned before tilting his head towards the hallway. "Do you wanna help me get the room ready?"

His outward nonchalance at what felt like a monumental occasion almost sent another shot of ire through Misty, but it was the creases in the corners of his eyes that gave away his own overpowering bliss. With a nod they made their way into Ash's room, and as they stepped in a feeling of novelty overtook her. She'd just spent days here, but the Ash who'd snored away before wasn't the same one she'd be rooming with tonight, and the notion was enough to leave her frozen in glee as the boy spread his makeshift bed on the floor.

"Hey, Misty?"

His voice broke her from her reverie, coming to her senses as he was putting the finishing touches on his comforter. "Yeah, Ash?"

"I just, uh...well…" The return of his shyness strangely put her at ease, processing that he was probably just as nervous about this as she was. He turned to her, glancing upwards at her with a bashful pout. "We...in Pallet Town, we have our own way of saying hello, too. And, well, it's actually pretty similar to, y'know...how you say goodbye in Cerulean."

Implication was a skill that she didn't realize Ash had picked up in his travels, but she was more than grateful for his craftiness as she knelt beside him. The faint sound of Delia preparing the bath gave her the confidence that they'd have a few more minutes of privacy, but that's all the time she'd need. "Can you show me how to do it, Ash?"

He blinked, cocking his head to the side. "But we aren't saying hello right now, Misty."

"I know. But I want to practice so I can greet you properly the next time we do. Besides," she put her hand on top of his, curling her fingers under his palm, "you need to get better at saying goodbye, and I'm willing to show you how it's done."

Right on cue, that wonderful pink returned to his cheeks before he smiled at her. As he leaned in closer, her mind drifted to the many mixed feelings she'd had about their irregular time together. His dream wouldn't wait for her, and she had begrudgingly gotten used to entering and leaving each other's lives, but as they practiced their new routine together, just maybe, it wouldn't be as painful from now on. He was her other wave; always crashing together, always coming apart, but she knew that a piece of her would stay with him, and in her own heart, his hellos and goodbyes would always be with her until the day the waters calmed and the waves could seamlessly meld into one.

Y'know, I actually put WAY more work into this story than I initially expected I would; at the time of publishing, the story itself is 2,885 words, but I thought it'd only be under 2,000 or so. Either way, for a single week's worth of work, I'm quite happy with this piece, and I hope you enjoyed it.