A/N: Thank you! And it's Monday again so it's a bit late, but here's still a new chapter! I hope you enjoy!
To Guest (30-09-2019): Thank you for reviewing! I hope you will continue to read this story, because things will get better, but if not, thank you for taking the time to read and review anyway :)
To Guest (01-10-2019): Thank you! We still have a lot of chapters to go and hopefully I'll be able write this to a satisfying ending.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or the picture used as cover (though I did edit it).
Days
The day Misty misses dinner
Ash
Tuesday, January 21st
"I'm really sorry, Ash," Misty's voice sounded through the phone, and Ash made no effort to disguise his sigh.
"Yeah... I understand," he said, which had become his standard reply by now. And he did. He did understand. Misty had an important job. Still…
"You should just go on your own," Misty said, a sigh in her own voice. "That's fine. We already told our family together, and Professor Oak and Gary are closer to you than to me, so you can just do it on your own."
"No, no," Ash quickly said, "You need to be there, too."
"Ash-" Misty started, sounding like she was about to argue, and then stopped. "Never mind, just do whatever, I don't mind, really."
"But-"
"I don't mind, don't worry about it," Misty said. "Please say sorry for me that I can't be there."
"Alright, I will," Ash said, resignedly. Maybe he shouldn't go, either… "Take care and good luck."
"Thanks, you, too," Misty said. "I'll see you tonight."
"See you tonight." Hopefully. It would be a long night here on his own, and then he'd still have to cook, too…
Ash sighed when he pocketed his phone again. Maybe he should go…
"Well, buddy, looks like it'll be just the two of us," he said to Pikachu, who jumped from the couch.
"Pikapi, Pikachupi?"
"Something came up at work. She said we could tell Professor Oak and Gary anyway, if we wanted to," he answered, and then rubbed his forehead. What did she mean with that? Had she been irritated because he hadn't jumped at the opportunity? Or had she wanted him to protest and insist that they should do it together?
"I suppose I'll just do it… She said so, right?"
Pikachu shrugged helplessly.
"Women," Ash muttered, and then went to grab his coat. He had already taken care of everything else here and had been ready to go; the Gym was cleaned, the Pokémon fed and even the dishes were done, and since Misty was not coming along now, there was no sense in sticking around longer.
It was not unusual for Ash and Misty to eat at Delia's, and they were usually joined by Professor Oak, and sometimes by Gary and Leaf. Lately, it was not even unusual that either Misty, Leaf or both of them would decline, with how busy things had been.
Really, Ash should've been used to it by now. Still, tonight was supposed to be different, since they'd had the intention to tell the Oaks about the pregnancy.
He zipped up his coat and gestured for Pikachu to jump on his shoulder. After Ash checked if he had locked all the doors, he told his Pokémon where he was going, and then went to the garage.
He opened the car door for Pikachu, who jumped on the shotgun seat, and Ash moved behind the wheel.
"Alright, buddy, let's go get some food," Ash said, opening the garage door with a push on a button. As it opened, it revealed the still snowy landscape, though Ash knew from experience that the roads were pretty clean.
Still, at times like this, he was very happy they had a garage (and a car! Imagine flying through this weather) so that he didn't have to wipe the snow of the car.
It was a short, familiar drive – though a bit longer now with the weather. Focusing on the road had cleared his thoughts again; he knew that the League was very busy right now, and it wasn't like any of it was Misty's fault.
Ash took a deep breath, trying to ease the tension in his shoulders.
"We'll just see how it goes, won't we, Pikachu?"
"Pi?"
"With the telling, I mean," he explained. "We'll just see if it… well, if it fits in the conversation. Maybe we're all talking about Pokémon and I completely forget about it!"
"Pika?" Pikachu seemed doubtful and Ash sighed.
"Yeah, but… I'm just not very good at it, I think. When we told Misty's sisters Sunday, Misty did it a lot better…" Ash shrugged, and Pikachu moved to pet his arm.
"So, we'll just see how things go," he said. With the vague response he'd gotten, Misty couldn't blame him whether he told them or not, he decided.
The lights of Pallet Town came into view and Ash turned in the direction of his mother's house. He parked his car and he walked over the neatly snow-free path to the front door, Pikachu following just a step behind.
Ash rung the door bell and Mimey opened the door almost immediately.
"Mime!"
"Hello, Mimey," Ash said, stepping past the Pokémon who gestured for him to come in.
"Pika!" Pikachu greeted Mimey and also entered.
"Mime, mime, mime!" Mimey said angrily, gesturing to the wet footprints both of them were leaving before dropping to the ground to scrub them away.
"Sorry, Mimey," Ash said, sweatdropping while the Pokémon continued to mutter angrily. Ash kicked off his shoes and then carefully walked past him, Pikachu tiptoeing after him.
Unsurprisingly, Ash found his mother in the kitchen, and also unsurprisingly, Professor Oak and Gary were already sitting at the kitchen table.
"Ash!" Delia hugged him tightly in greeting. "It's so good to see you!"
"I was here just Friday," Ash muttered, a bit embarrassed when he heard Gary snicker.
Delia seemed to pretend not to hear that. "Misty couldn't come?"
He shook his head. "No, she said to apologize, but something came up at work."
Delia's smile was sympathetic and she nodded. "That's too bad, but I understand, of course- Oh, Pikachu, it's good to see you, too!"
As Delia greeted Pikachu, Mimey came back into the kitchen and shooed Ash away from the kitchen counter. He quickly sat down next to Gary, not wanting to annoy Mimey further in case the Pokémon decided to punish him by burning his food.
"Misty at work, huh? Yeah, I got dumped as well," Gary said when Ash was seated. He knew Gary meant it as a joke, but it still stung to be reminded. That must have been visible, because Gary continued, "Don't worry, Ash, as soon as this is over she'll come running back to you. They always do." He ended with a wink.
Ash smiled wryly. "Yeah…"
From the other side of the table, Professor Oak joined the conversation. "Don't you worry, boys, I'm sure the League will have this fixed up real soon and you'll have your women back."
Ash smiled gratefully, and Gary changed the subject. "Say, Ash, you don't own any ghost type Pokémon, do you?"
"No, I-"
Ash was interrupted when Delia and Mimey started placing steaming pots and pans on the table.
"And a special stew for Pikachu and Mimey to share," Delia said, placing the last pan on the lower table in the corner. "Careful, it's hot," she added, when Pikachu leaned close to get a look. "Oh, and your ketchup, of course." She placed the bottle next to the pan, and Pikachu immediately grabbed it.
"This looks delicious as always, Delia," Professor Oak said when Gary lifted one of the lids to look at the contents.
"Yeah, wow, this must've cost hours," Gary said, gesturing at the various dishes.
Ash nodded in agreement; his mother always made wonderful meals, but she really outdid herself this evening.
"Oh, it's nothing," Delia waved away the compliments, blushing a bit. "I was just a in a very good mood." She beamed at Ash.
Ash grinned. "Well, I'm certainly not going to complain about that!" He turned his attention back to the meal and grabbed a spoon to scoop up some mashed potatoes when he realized that both Gary and Professor Oak were looking at him.
Suddenly realizing that he might be acting a bit rude, he held out the spoon to Professor Oak. "Do you want some potatoes, Professor?"
Professor Oak blinked and shook his head. "No, Ash- well, I mean, I would like some potatoes, but I was actually wondering…"
Ash accepted the Professor's plate and put some mashed potatoes on it. "Hm?"
"What Gramps means," Gary cut in, "is that he wants to know what's got your mother so happy and why she looked at you like you personally hung up the moon."
"Oh, dear, I'm so sorry," Delia said, now putting an unusual serious expression on her face. "It's nothing to worry about, Samuel, Gary."
Gary raised a questioning eyebrow at Ash, obviously not believing Delia's words.
Hm. Maybe Misty had foreseen this kind of situation; really, Ash himself should know how bad his mother was with keeping secrets like that.
"Uh, well…"
"Gary, if Ash has something to say to us, I'm sure he'll tell us when he's ready," Professor Oak cut in, giving Gary a reproachful look, never mind that he himself had been acting curious just a moment before.
Gary opened his mouth but then shut it again. "Alright, fine, then just give me some of those potatoes."
Ash accepted Gary's plate and put on a few spoonful's. The others filled their plates as well and for some moments the clanks and tings of spoons hitting dishes and pans were the only sounds.
Ash handed Gary his plate back and made a split-second decision. "There you go. Oh, and Misty is pregnant, by the way."
"What?" Gary's hand missed the plate and it clattered on the table, splattering mashed potatoes on the table cloth. "Oh sh- sorry, Delia." He quickly grabbed the plate again and tried to put some of the mess back on it, until Mimey pulled it out of his hand and took over.
Ash couldn't help but grin at Gary's reaction. Professor Oak beamed, and Ash was surprised to see him get a bit teary.
"Congratulations, Ash!" the older man said. "That's wonderful news!"
"Wow, Ash, you two sure didn't wait long, did you?" Gary grinned. "Congratulations!"
"Thanks," he said, while his mother got up from her chair to give him a hug again. She was followed by Professor Oak, who shook his hand and clapped him on his shoulder, and then Gary couldn't stay behind and also got up to properly congratulate him.
And as Ash smiled until his cheeks hurt he thought that perhaps telling everyone wouldn't be so bad after all.
A/N: Thank you for reading! Here we have another reveal scene! I had fun writing this one, and it's a lot longer than in my first draft. I hope you liked it and please review! And please vote in my poll!
Thank you!
Recommendation:
Star Wars: Life and What Comes After and its sequel Sometimes The Light by Ibelin. AO3. An ongoing series that is somewhat of a fix-it, about the AU in which Obi-Wan is presumed dead on a mission, but is later found with amnesia. Angsty and fluffy Anakin and Obi-Wan brotherly bonding!
If you have a story you want me to recommend, please let me know!