Description: Pikachu comes to the rescue for Ash, just like always.
Pikachu liked to think that he was a patient pokemon.
He had all the time and love in the world for those he cared about. He wouldn't hesitate to jump in the line of fire if he needed to, or turn away anyone who required his help. But more often than not he's found himself in one situation or another involving two of the three people that meant the most to him.
"Ash, I'm going to kill you."
There's one now.
"C'mon, Misty, I m sure it's around here somewhere."
And there was the other.
"You do this all the time, I don't even know why I'm surprised this happened!"
He sighed. There was his master, leaning his back into the counter in the kitchen with a very scared and remorseful expression. His face reddened under nervous pressure while his eyes remained wide open and alert. Some of the objects and appliances that rested on the countertop had been shifted aside from their previous positions as well, scattered about and out of place.
And there was Misty, standing about two feet away from him with two clenched fists at her sides. Pikachu couldn't see her face, but he was careful to note that just by what he could see with her back turned that she was in no mood to be trifled with. Pikachu had been in the other room when he heard the shouting, and came scampering over to see what the commotion was about. He also noticed that pieces of her hair were sticking out and drooping out of her ponytail. The pokemon took this as another sign of stress from the problem at hand.
"I didn't mean to, okay?" Ash raised up his hands in surrender. "I swear. And I promise I'll find it."
Misty puffed out an irritated breath and stormed away. The redness seemed to be in her face as well once it came into view, and Pikachu didn't waste another second before jumping out of the way. The angry female could then be heard mumbling under her breath about how "thickheaded" and "utterly scatterbrained" his master was. The tone of her voice wasn't one to be taken in alarm, however. Not to Pikachu. This was almost normal for what he was used to.
Then he heard Ash whistle softly for his attention. The pokemon bounded over to him, ears up and attention casted ahead of him. Ash smiled and stroked his fur. He seemed calmed if only for a moment, then glanced up ahead of him once before back to his friend.
"Do you have it?" he whispered. "I need it soon before she blows the roof off."
Instant relief washed over Pikachu. He had a feeling this might happen. But he nodded, pointing toward the area that lead out of the kitchen. Ash seemed relieved by this as well and glanced back at the same entrance.
"Okay," he whispered again. "Go on and bring it over to me."
Misty could be heard muttering angrily from the other room again as he spoke, and Ash paled considerably. He swallowed.
"And hurry."
Pikachu didn't need a telling twice before he disappeared from sight. Meanwhile, Ash turned back around and began to open the cabinets and move some other things around. He tried to make it look as busy as he possibly could in the short amount of time he had. But it passed impossibly fast, and his nerves shortened by the second.
"Well?" Misty's voice suddenly came from behind him. She was back in the kitchen sooner than he expected, and he almost jumped out of his skin.
"Ah!" Ash exclaimed, nearly bumping into a stack of plates and knocking them over. Misty looked at him wide eyed and stared at him.
"What is wrong with you today?!"
"I-I m sorry, you just startled me. I ll clean it up, okay? I ll clean up everything." he started frantically, then noticed Pikachu was hovering near the kitchen with both paws behind his back.
"I'll- whoa, what s that outside?!" Ash pointed a finger toward the sliding glass door that lead into the backyard.
Misty hadn't noticed this. But she almost looked frightened by his behavior and turned around on instinct at his words. She backed up and placed one hand on the handle of the door and peered out of the glass to find whatever it was that Ash apparently witnessed. Except for the fact that there was nothing she could find.
"What's what? I don t see anything." now Misty opened the door and went as far as to peek outside, putting up her hand to her eyes for better visage. This was when Pikachu silently edged his way into the kitchen and over to Ash, passing him the small item that he requested. He immediately accepted it with a wink, and the pokemon took a step back to give them some space.
"Okay, there's nothing out there." Misty was back inside and closed the door as she spoke. "Seriously, Ash, have you lost your-"
"Hey." he interrupted. She turned around to find him suspiciously at ease now, and holding something up in his hand. Her eyes dropped to it and then back up to his face. She was more confused than ever, but accepted the object that he pressed into her hand with a questionable look on her face. Pikachu was watching with a growing smile on his own face and then chose that moment to exit the kitchen entirely.
"Ash what are you-"
"Open it." he was smiling.
Misty eyed him. Her anger was ebbing away as she glanced down at what she was holding, then flipped open the lid and shrieked in happiness.
"Ash, you found it! You found my wedding ring! Where on earth was it? And why... why is it in a box?"
Ash barked a laugh while she held up the silver band in one hand and the box in the other. If he didn't know any better, he'd swear his obliviousness was rubbing off on her.
"It was never lost, Mist."
She glanced at him in more bewilderment. "What?"
"I had it engraved for our anniversary. If you look inside of it, it says both of our names and the year we got married."
"Wh-what?" this time she asked the question more to herself than to him as she hastily set the box aside and held it up in the light for a better view. And just as he said, their names were written side by side with the year they made it official underneath it. She let out a blissful sigh, placing it back on her ring finger as her eyes became bright.
"Oh Ash..."
He briefly raised his left hand. "I got mine done, too. I asked Pikachu to hold onto it for me until our anniversary. Which is technically tomorrow, but it's okay. I just didn't think you d go this nuts-"
His words were cut off by the rapid movement of Misty bursting forth with an appreciative and loving kiss. Ash stumbled backward slightly in surprise, but caught his footing and deeply chuckled against her lips as he returned the gesture.
Both of his hands were on her waist as they pulled back.
"You idiot, you stupid idiot. I was going crazy. I have half a mind to knock your block off, you know that?" Misty sniffled, smiling through her teary eyes. She had both arms around his neck and admired the ring from over his shoulder.
"I love you, too, Mist." he grinned back at her. He couldn't help but feel the craziness that lead up to this moment was completely worth it.
Misty then laughed quietly before removing herself from him. "I love you, Ash. You know I love you. And I love my ring, it s just beautiful. Thank you."
Ash watched her with all the fondness in the world as she raised a single finger to her eyes to remove the moisture forming there. But it was proving to be more than she could literally banish singlehandedly, glancing around for a tissue that wasn't nearby.
"Let me go take care of this. I'll be right back." she smiled in slight embarrassment and squeezed his hand, then departed after Ash gave a nod.
He whistled again after a moment of her absence. Pikachu came scurrying into the kitchen once again, happy that everything turned out okay.
Ash knelt down to his friend. "Thanks alot, pal. You really helped me out with this. I probably would've lost it for real if I was the one to hide it."
He reached out a hand and stroked his fur. Pikachu chattered in affection and purred. Of course, he was happy to do it. He'd help Ash with anything he needed. And Misty, too. Both of them meant the world to him. It always made him happy to see them happy. Anything but fighting, as normal as it was. But they always ended in the same way. And he would do anything he could to make sure that they did, no matter what that meant. He would always be there for them.
Ash smiled softly while these thoughts just happened to be going through his pokemon's mind.
"I can always count on you."
A/N: This story and the next one were both submissions of mine on Tumblr for Pokeshipping Week of last year, and I'm just now getting around to posting them. Hope you guys like 'em!
