Hello :P It is Wednesday and I am back with a new chapter. A story like this has been on my mind for a really long time. It feels like it's been a while since I wrote about James and Lynne and this story is inspired by the movie "Ed Wood". But after reading through it, parts of it remind me of the movie "Enchanted" also - especially when in the film they're walking together and talking! I hope you enjoy. This takes place in the hospital during Ash's darkness saga/Misty's unconsciousness. But it's more of a light-hearted one!
Disclaimer: I own the story and the OCs mentioned :3
The lavender haired male sat with his spine pressed against the back of the hospital chair and one of his legs crossed over the other one. He perched with great posture. His chin was jutted outwards just a fraction and his gaze was focused on a wall but he probably wasn't really paying attention to it. And seemingly, he was almost laughing. While his back pressed further against the block of plastic behind him and supporting him, he had a bit of a smirk. He was shaking his head too. It took me a little while to understand but after blinking to myself, fortunately I did so.
It was bad and difficult enough that Misty was in the hospital since Ash had run away and even though she was improving day by day and seeing the light even with her husband not by her side, it definitely wasn't the best situation to be in. That was hard enough. But then at the exact same time as Misty's hospital stay and James living there to be her number one support, his grandfather had fallen ill too.
It was just a simple cold that had gone to his chest and he was doing much better and on the verge of going home. He was okay. Noah was going to be okay. But still. James just couldn't believe the situation or situations that had befallen our group. And most important and for once, he just couldn't believe the chaos that had befallen him.
If it wasn't bad enough that he had to live in a hospital with his best friend and her daughter rather than at home with his wife and his own family, over the last few days he had the added stress of a duty of care towards his grandfather. But he had taken it in his stride. After a few grumps and a few tears too, he thought, why not? Why shouldn't it happen to him? He was pretty capable. And he counted himself lucky compared to things that other people had to go through.
So despite the potentially heart aching and head swirling situations that James was dealing with as he sat in the hospital chair, he had a rare and slightly admirable positive attitude. He found himself continuing to chuckle lightly and shake his head. And he thought to himself; what else could go wrong?
And after my initial blinking and uncertain reaction towards James' seemingly out of place smirks and chuckles, I soon found myself nodding my head and smiling slightly along with him. Yes, what else could go wrong? What else would we have to come up against? We would soon find out. But first, a little bit of positivity came waltzing by. In fact, it was a breeze of refreshment that surpassed even James' brave acceptance. It was Lynne.
The orange haired female had returned yet again from being at the Ketchum home with the children to pay her daughter a visit along with her Jordan. The yellow haired male was already in there with her and had been for a good few hours. At least, that's why I thought that she was visiting. It was a very good assumption and extremely plausible. But after I observed the woman from 'up there' checking herself in with one of the nurses and airily writing her signature, she turned around on her heel and locked eyes on the lavender haired male.
I was certain that she hadn't been aware of our presence when she walked in but at that moment, I got the feeling that she could very much sense us both. And she could most definitely feel the company of her daughter's lavender haired best friend. So with that, after checking herself in formally with a bunch of the nurses and turning on her heel in a way that caused her pretty dress to swirl around her ankles, she made a beeline and glided towards James. She had a smile for him.
"Hello again." She greeted the lavender haired male and as soon as he stopped focusing distractedly on the wall and looked up at her face instead, she didn't hesitate to plonk herself right next to him. It was a double seated hospital visiting chair but she sat right up close to him. She continued smiling. Her calm yet resilient energy was contagious. "You look beat."
While I listened to my best friend's angel mother in law from sitting at a single chair closer to the window, I noted to myself how some people would have gotten offended with her words. Not James. All he had to do was look into her eyes and take notice of her smile for just one second and he knew. He knew that her words were said with concern but most importantly, kindness. He smiled back at her and didn't stop himself from shaking his head. He pushed his hair from his eyes.
"No, no I'm fine. I'm okay actually." He told her and he didn't look away from her eyes so she would believe his words right away. She did. She nodded her head to prove this even though she didn't need to. She remained close to her daughter's best friend while she lifted her handbag onto the seat alongside her and James. "How are you?"
Once again but this time from the lavender haired male, words that would've led to lots of different reactions to lots of different people. The general response would be an answer to how they were feeling. But Lynne wasn't general. Needless to say, Lynne wasn't like most people! Lynne always had very lovely eyes; I had noticed that very quickly upon meeting her. They were youthful and they were pure.
But upon hearing James' words – how he asked her how she was when some would argue that he needed to be asked the most - her expression softened all the more. She didn't say anything. She didn't need to. She just tilted her head softly on one side. And she stopped playing with the zip on her handbag.
"Fine, fine." She responded in a quick way but it was certainly not in a rude or dismissive way. She simply wanted to get onto things that she thought were more important. So she did exactly that. "How are you, James? And how is your Noah?"
One thing that I had been noticing over the past week if that was how much in a little bubble I was in with Misty and Rey and James too. That little bubble made it sometimes easy for me to see things through rose tinted spectacles. It had been so very long since I had properly been outside and engaged in the real world, outside of the hospital. It had been so long since I had heard words that weren't about our little situation. But despite that and despite my occasional misjudgements, I knew that when I looked at James and Lynne, I could read them very well. And I knew that I was right.
I had watched them a lot while in that hospital. Jordan and Lynne had come down from 'up there' about a week after Misty initially fell unconscious. James had been so used to it being just him with Misty and Rey as far as human people went and Delia often too.
So when Lynne came down and she was occasionally allowed to spend the night with her daughter too, it made the lavender haired male feel like a weight was being lifted off his shoulders. Of course, at that point, those spells didn't often last for very long. But still. At least it was a respite. A momentary respite. And it was one that was greatly needed.
He needed Lynne around and he enjoyed having Lynne around. When they weren't worrying over Misty and the dilemma together, they could often be found talking. Just simply talking. But that was everything to them. It made them focus on something other than the hardships. It made them focus on each other. And needless to say, they quickly began to very much look forward to their brief but affecting chats together. They quickly began falling closer together, too.
"My… My Noah is doing okay, thanks for asking." The lavender haired male found himself stammering slightly but he was smiling between it. He briefly looked away from Lynne but then he looked over at her again. He found himself feeling better when he looked at her and not in the smirking/chuckling way as when he was alone. He truly felt a bit stronger. He liked how she had worded what she wanted to say. "He's sleeping now. But he's going to be okay."
"Well…" Lynne responded to James quickly and because of this, after he momentarily looked down at his lap again, he was encouraged to look at her all over again. His eyes flickered with curiosity as he took note of her change of actions as she rummaged in her bag. She soon pulled something out of her belongings. She explained, even more of a smile on her face. "I made him some socks for when he wakes up. They're dark green, to match his suspenders."
And there they were. Out of Lynne's rather large and beloved bag, she produced some socks that she had knitted herself. She had clearly worked long and hard on them judging by how neatly the little rows looked. James didn't know what to say. James really didn't know what to say. Like he had found himself stammering just a fraction previously, in that moment, he had no words. He had no words of gratitude and love to say to Lynne so he just showed it with his face instead. He did well.
The lavender haired male smiled over at Lynne appreciatively and his eyes flickered all over her face. After she uttered words of 'you're welcome' in response to his no worded gratitude and beamed ever more at him and handed the special dark green socks over to him, James' eyes flickered more. But they were interrupted by me joining their little duo. I didn't time it very well!
I couldn't help myself. I hopped down from my own plastic chair and trotted over to Lynne's legs as they dangled off her and James' seat and I rubbed against them. Straight away, she had a smile just for me and strokes for me too. And after she uttered some more words - ones that told me that of course she'd make some socks for me too - James finally felt that it was time for him to speak.
He held his grandfather's new knitted socks in his hands and continued looking over at them for a good few minutes. He too noticed how neat and made with care that they were. His eyes smiled more so, though his mouth didn't move. That was until he spoke. Lynne listened while stroking my fur.
"He's going to really like these, Lynne. They do look very generous though, have you seen the size of his little legs?" James couldn't help but wonder out loud to her humorously and the corner of his mouth didn't hesitate to quirk up all over again. He looked very playful indeed. He scrunched his nose up at the same time that Lynne did. And then she responded. She shrugged airily.
"Well I'm sure he'd be okay with them being over the knee socks." She responded in a way that was so truthful and innocent at the same time that you could tell she was being serious. I found myself smiling fondly at the same exact time that James did. He shook his head too for good measure while the orange haired female budged even closer to him and gave me one final pat on the side to end our affection session. I was disappointed when it stopped but I understood that someone needed it more. Lynne reached out to put her hand on James' leg instead. "You look like you've been sat here for a while. Do you want to go grab some food? Or go for a walk?"
It amused me ever so slightly how much James looked into Lynne's eyes while she was talking. She had that effect on people that drew them in and made them feel at ease yet strong at the same time. And she was definitely doing that to the lavender haired male!
He found himself smiling and automatically nodding his head at her words before he snapped out of it and had to shake his head. Already, Lynne looked innocently disappointed at his seemingly adamant 'no'.
"I'd love to, I really would." He told her to contrast his rollercoaster of reactions and he briefly put his hand on hers while it was still on his legs. His eyes met hers again. He wanted her to know that he was telling the truth. He had far too much respect to fib to her. "But I can't. I should… I should…"
Lynne leaned back in her chair and understood the way that James gestured his hand towards the corridor that Noah's hospital room was residing down. He leaned his own spine back towards the back of the chair and he breathed out. He pushed his hair from his eyes. He wanted to go with her, he really did. But he had a duty. He had a duty of care not only to Noah but to Misty too. He couldn't just go off whenever he felt like it. Or could he? My best friend's mother in law certainly made him see a different side.
"You said that your grandfather is sleeping, James." Lynne reminded him and if the lavender haired male wasn't disappointed with how she hadn't called him 'your Noah' that time, I secretly was! I had found it very sweet. She pulled her hand away from his leg but her eyes seemed to reach out to him instead. And at the same time that that happened, she tilted her head on one side and had almost the mischievous smile for him. "And I care for him very much and I know the man. I know that he's taught his pickle to never disappoint a woman. So why are you doing so?"
At first, James ducked his head and blushed shyly at the way that she had used his Pop Pop's nickname for him in their conversation and then his eyes widened in slight confusion at her words. Since when was he disappointing a woman? He felt like he hadn't done that in a very long time. He openly furrowed his brow in confusion so Lynne knew that she had to explain herself. She laughed softly and reached her hand out to squeeze his for just a moment. She tilted her head at him even more.
"Come walk with me." She encouraged him with words and then all of a sudden, she stood up out of their joint seat and tugged on his hand, persuading him to do the same. She really wanted him to go with her. Not only because she enjoyed his company but because he needed a change of scenery too. We both did.
The lavender haired male bit his lip and tilted his head back down towards the corridor where Noah was for just a moment longer but then he gave in. He gave in to his orange haired best friend's mother and he gave in to her charms. He just laughed slightly and nodded his head and with that, she held onto his hand properly and led him outside to the hospital grounds.
I thought about giving them some time alone for their usual heart to heart chats but after a few seconds consideration, I found myself shrugging and trotting after them. I wanted a bit of fresh air myself. And besides, I made a mental note to be a good few paces behind them to give them the perfect combination of space and company. And in the end, it benefited us both. I was able to observe them even better.
The orange haired female didn't let go of her daughter's loyal best friend's hand even after they were outside and in the cold air of the December afternoon. She kept holding onto him and walked with him, her breezy and gliding pace somehow matching his laid back and long strides. They really were pretty interesting together and they were unique to look at too. They went together probably a little better than they should have. But it was easy to see why.
I had gotten to know Lynne as a calm and dreamy and independent woman and I knew that James was exactly the same way but in his own way. They both certainly seemed to compliment one and other well. During dark moments in that hospital when hope was seemingly threatening to be lost, the combination of those two always helped the rest of us be determined to see better days - Lynne with her innocent strength and James with his quiet solidarity. They weren't just highly beneficial to each other when they were together. They were incredibly influential on everybody else too.
Lynne continued almost twirling by James' side as she held onto his hand and after she had finished waving at a good few elderly people who were being taken on slow paced walks by their nurses, her eyes moved to look at the lavender haired male. She smiled curiously at him.
"So I was right about Mr Noah teaching you things like not to disappoint a lady?" she asked him and her neck craned towards him and when her other hand wasn't being used to wave in a friendly manner to other people, her fingers started to run through her own locks. James opened his mouth to respond straight away but she had more to wonder. "What other life lessons has he told you? He seems very wise."
At first, the green orbed male's mouth was hanging open from getting ready to respond to his best friend's mother but soon enough, it softened to a smile instead. Rather than answering there and then and fulfilling the orange haired female's curiosities, he took a moment to think to himself about how much he had always liked that not only had she taken an interest in him, but she also always wanted to hear about his family and beyond too. And it wasn't in a trying to score brownie points way either - it was a true pure and genuine desire of hers.
So because of this and combined with her slightly hopeful smile, he didn't hesitate to give her exactly what he wanted. One of his hands went into his pockets but his other one held onto her fingers tighter.
"Oh, let's see. That's pretty hard because my Pops has taught me so many things." He told her and right away, Lynne smiled even more. She scrunched her nose up and nodded her head. I had a similar reaction. I had been lucky enough to get to know the kindness of Noah and his wife, Josie, long before Ash and I had stopped journeying to pursue other dreams. "One thing that's always stuck by me is that he told me that family is the only real wealth. I can agree with that. Even though I got caught up chasing the other kind of wealth a long time ago. But you learn in the end, don't you?"
Lynne nodded her head as she waltzed by James' side with me three or four paces behind him. She had more smiles for him and her eyes sparkled with the insight coming from the grey haired moustached male through his grandson. But then she stopped in the middle of the hospital grounds path and blinked. James caught on right away. He didn't let go of her hand but he blinked back, tilting his own head on one side. The orange haired female then shook her head before explaining herself.
"He didn't like what you used to do, did he?" Lynne questioned James while she continued slowly walking again and he didn't hesitate to slowly but honestly shake his head. The ocean blue orbed female twirled a few more paces before she stopped again, looking at the lavender haired male for even more answers. "I bet he was worried.
"I think he was disappointed." James informed Lynne with yet another truthful action; a shrug. The orange haired female's brow became creased with a frown and her eyes flickered with just a little bit of sadness. The lavender haired male was somewhat matter of fact but on top of that, he was being honest. He really liked talking to her, you could tell. "I can't say I blame him. I can't say I blame him for fazing me out briefly for the mistakes that I made. But do you know that it's like to feel rejected by your parents and then one of the people who also feels like a parent?"
At that point, Lynne had already stopped in the hospital path to truly listen to the lavender haired male but somehow, it was like she paused even more so. I knew that her heart sunk, I could feel it. I could feel it while I almost bumped into both their legs while they stopped walking.
James' own heart had a reaction of its own as he let a little bit of vulnerability slide. He shook his head to dismiss it after he said it but at the same time, he didn't regret it. It was true. It was the truth in the way that he felt it. He started walking over again and it took Lynne a few seconds to get over her empathy and catch up to his side. But when she did, she reached for his hand all over. And James started speaking again - all over.
"I don't hold it against him though. Not really. He's done far too much for me to do that. Besides, he really tried to accept and forgive my Team Rocket days. My Nanny seemed to in a heartbeat. My Pops took a little while longer and understandably so. But maybe that's what made it so meaningful when he finally did."
And with that, Lynne found herself smiling all over again. Though it would still linger for a little while longer in her head and in her heart, on her face, she got over the feeling of sadness that she experienced a little bit before. She nodded her head and squeezed James' hand. In her eyes, that was a little bit of a happy ending. And it was one that James deserved.
Following that, they walked in silence for a little while. But Lynne didn't go back to waving at all the other people that she saw walking her own path. Her mind was still on what James said. To tell you the truth, I knew that it was focused on things that the lavender haired male had said just then and months and even years before that. And because of that, Lynne had more words for him. She began swinging his hand ever so slightly while they walked together. James didn't resist his heart from skipping a slight bit.
"I'd like to hear more about your 'Team Rocket' days, you know? I mean, if you're okay with talking about it and stuff." Lynne admitted to the lavender haired male and the way that she worded that sentence reminded him very much of her orange haired daughter and I felt the same way. The orange haired woman then found herself laughing a little. "If you want to tell me about it."
"Of course I do." The lavender haired male found himself responding to her quickly and even though he had felt that way about her for a good few months, it was still new to him. It was brand new feeling like he could tell her everything about him and she couldn't properly judge him. No matter how regretful or illegal it was. James smiled over at her and it was quite the elated smile. "What do you want to know?"
Once again, Lynne stopped on the path with James and I got ready to hear little anecdotes about the good old Team Rocket days that I knew about or at the very least had suspected. But that was yet another thing that I had learned to do while in the company of both James and Lynne. I should always expect the unexpected. The orange haired female had a bit of a different question for him.
"Do you regret it?" was all the angel lady from above asked the lavender haired male and naturally, he stopped walking alongside her as well. And on top of that, he turned to face her. He turned his whole body towards her as if he really was about to bear all to her. In a way, he was. He had a long hard think and I could almost imagine all of the imagery and memories that were flashing through his brain. I looked up at him from perching my bottom on the cold, wet grass. And before he even opened his mouth, I knew what his answer was going to be.
"No… No I don't." James told Lynne and absentmindedly his fingers began to trail down from the crease in her arm and graze down towards her wrist. And when the pads of his fingers were on her palm, he took hold of her hand all over again. Lynne almost held her breath. But she listened. James went back to walking but his full attention was being honest with the orange haired woman. "I don't think I ever could, you know? That path might have been wrong and that organisation was definitely a complicated one. But it gave me a family. Not just the children I gave with Jess but it gave me her too. I can't regret anything. I can't regret anything that led me to her and I cannot wish to take back anything that put me on the path to walking here with you right now."
And with that, James found himself pressing a light kiss to the top of Lynne's hand and he smiled against her before he pulled away, that smile continuing. He let go of her hand and took some longer strides to walk ahead. Needless to say, Lynne softened tremendously upon hearing his words but as soon as she noticed that he was no longer in her hold, she furrowed her brow. Then, she sought out to rectify that!
She almost dashed after him in a clumsy way and put her hand on his shoulder from behind before taking hold of his hand all over again. She liked walking with him. She liked talking to him. She wanted to do both. The lavender haired male looked at Lynne right away when she joined his side but he knew right away from taking in the expressions on her face that she didn't want to talk. She didn't need to talk.
That moment right there, she was just content on walking. She was just content on thinking. She was just content on thinking about everything that they had spoken about that walk and what they had opened up to each other weeks and months prior to that. They had certainly confided in one and other in a way that felt new and fresh and safe too. They were firm friends. They loved each other very much. But of course, it was different than just that.
Lynne reflected even more on the admirable words that James had said about his magenta haired wife and because of that, she found herself smiling to herself even more. She found herself humming as well as her eyes flickered from the path ahead to the lavender haired male at her side. She had always loved how he spoke about the people that he loved. She had never really heard anybody speak the way that he did. She found him so unique and enigmatic and charming. She reminded him of Jordan but it wasn't just that. She liked him for everything that he was. She liked him for everything that he had been.
I caught on straight away when something else crossed over the orange haired female's mind and I felt reassured that I did know how to recognise reality despite the fact that I had been in a bit of a bubble. I noticed the way that Lynne smiled all the more and her eyes seemed to dance. Something curious was in her mind and she wanted to find out more. She squeezed James' fingers and this got his attention right away. She had a question on her mind and then that question was out loud.
"You know… Your wife has showed me a fair few photos of when you were in your 'Team Rocket days'." Lynne began telling James and once again, I knew the lavender haired male and I had the same mind-set of finding it endearing how she used the quotation marks. She made everything seem so innocent and safe. She continued as if it wasn't weird at all - just intriguing. "And in some of them… You were dressed up as a woman? Did you like doing that?"
Naturally, James Morgan had been asked many questions in his life and he had been questioned on many things from the orange haired woman ranging from deeply personal to light-hearted. But that question right then, he certainly was not expecting!
His eyes widened but not dramatically so. They seemed to widen fraction by fraction as seconds past until, eventually, the whites around them were very visible. He didn't know what to say. He just turned to look at her. She was just smiling and continuing to walk by his side, not dreaming of letting go of his hand once.
"I thought it was very good. You and Jessie were certainly dedicated. And it takes quite the dedicated man if you made that dress by yourself."
And upon hearing that, James just knew that he had to stop walking. I didn't hesitate to give them their space when, once again, James' full body turned towards Lynne. Her expression was barely giving anything away at all other than she was just looking forward to hearing his honest answer. And that's what made it feel so wonderfully open for James.
In that moment, he knew that he had never met anybody like Lynne and never would ever again in his life. The way she spoke so complimentary and acceptingly made him realise that he just had to tell her. And he would be okay with telling her.
After a few sheepish laughs escaped his lips and he pushed his hair from his eyes while continuing to stroke her hand with his thumb as it was entwined with his, James locked his eyes on Lynne. He bit his lip momentarily but then just cracked on with it. He knew that she could accept his honesty.
"Lynne… I'm about to tell you something that I've never really talked to anyone about before. But I think that it's important that you know… because I know you'll think it's okay." The lavender haired male began talking to Lynne and she reached out to brush his hair off his cheek when it blew in the way while continuing to look at him with curiously accepting eyes. James knew that he'd never get a moment or a person better than that one. "I liked dressing in women's clothes. I really liked it. It started off being for disguise purposes but then I ended up quite enjoying it. I found it easier. I've worn it all. You name it. And I liked it."
Needless to say, Lynne still needed a moment to take all of this in. But as soon as she met James' eyes and once again was reminded why she felt so fondly about this eccentric and unique yet kind and accepting male, all she had back for him was a smile. All she had back for him was a smile and a nod of the head. That was, until she had just one more question for him. But she squeezed his hand all the while.
"Does that mean… you didn't like dressing up and disguising as a man?" Lynne asked as if they were having the most normal conversation in the world. And in my mind, they were. It was a conversation of honesty. And nothing about that could be judged. I certainly couldn't judge! It was something that I had pieced together myself and besides, I had dressed up as a girl Pikachu before myself.
And right away, like Lynne had done to James before him, the lavender haired male reached out to brush her hair from her face though he didn't really need to. He just wanted to be nearer to her. His whole body was still facing her. He was very much revealing all of himself to her. He shook his head and told her with even more honesty-filled eyes, though he didn't smile.
"No, I love dressing up as a man. I love dressing up and having disguised games in whatever way. I just like girl's clothes too." James told Lynne truthfully and with that, there was no more really that could be said or done. Well, except for the thing that the orange haired woman did next.
My best friend's mother in law simply leaned forward and pressed a kiss to James' forehead and she uttered one simple word. And that word was 'okay'. She said okay with a smile on her face. He told him that it was okay – it was okay with her – and he knew that it was.
At that point, his cheekbones became decorated with a rosy blush but that was okay too. He ducked his head shyly but soon heard words coming from his guardian angel's mouth while her lips were still close to his face.
"Maybe I'll have to make some knitted over the knee socks for you too, then." She told him and with that, she planted a quick and brief kiss on his cheek before pulling away from him and letting go of his hands. Their fingers left one and others slowly. Lynne moved away and she informed the lavender haired male that she was heading back inside to get something to eat before seeing Misty at last.
And like she very often did, she did exactly what she said. She turned and twirled and waltzed off and left James but only after she had touched his earlobe softly before she went. And so, the lavender haired male was left standing on the hospital garden path without his guardian angel by his side but he knew he had to be okay with it. And soon enough, he was okay with it.
He smiled in a way that I hadn't seen from him in a very long time. His eyes sparkled with love and acceptance while he felt loved and accepted. His fingers felt each other and the touch that Lynne had left before he felt her touch that lingering on his cheek too. And then at last, he felt the sensation on his ear. And he laughed. Out loud.
Once again, he didn't have to verbally express what that chuckle meant to him. I figured it out for myself. And I agreed. That man was in trouble. James was in trouble. But not only was it the kind that he was prepared for, but he was ready to embrace, too.
The End.
There you go! Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed :3 I'm guessing that this takes place just a little bit before James and Lynne actually get intimate together and I write about that in "The One With James' Angel". It was fun to go back to this pairing. You'll notice that Pikachu is pretty positive in this one and that's down to - like he notices himself - he's been in that hospital bubble with Misty, Rey and James. In a clearer headspace/better circumstances, he'd probably be a bit suspicious of James and Lynne's bond! But they are pure. They're good together. And not only does Jordan know about this ever-growing companionship, but he supports it also :3 I've always wanted to tackle the subject of James' cross-dressing. In my mind - like he expresses - it's just that he likes dressing up as a character regardless of the gender. And it's important that that subject didn't dominate the story. While it's a part of James, it's certainly not all of him :P Thanks again and I will be back next Wednesday so see you then!
AmyBieberKetchum signing out :3