I know Ash's birthday is tomorrow, but I'm not gonna have internet access all weekend, so I've got to upload this one early. Although, it's probably May 22 in other parts of the world, so if you're reading from somewhere where that's the case, then just ignore me ;)
Young at Heart
"Okay, I finished my homework! Now we can start planning your birthday party!"
Ash looked up from the bowl of ice cream he'd been scarfing down, locking eyes with his bemused daughter as he swallowed his latest mouthful. "Are you talking to me?"
"Yeah I'm talking to you!" Elizabeth cried, throwing her notebook closed. "Who else is in the kitchen?"
"Pikachu," Ash easily replied, nodding towards his partner Pokémon. The mouse was indeed sitting atop the table nearby, enjoying his own little bowl of ice cream.
"Okay, fine, but his birthday is in November," Elizabeth sighed.
"It is?" Ash asked, looking over at an equally confused Pikachu.
"I don't know, I made it up," Elizabeth supplied, shrugging her shoulders. "I asked Pikachu when his birthday was, and he said he didn't know, so I gave him one! And I made it six months after your birthday cause I thought that was cute."
"Huh," Ash breathed before wondering aloud, "how come I never knew that?"
"I thought I told you, but I guess I forgot," Elizabeth chirped, leading her father to smack a hand against his face and Pikachu to sigh. His youngest daughter was really quite intelligent, but she still had a bad habit of getting scatterbrained from time-to-time. Of course, it was difficult for him to get too frustrated when he was the exact same way. "But that doesn't matter right now! Because it's your birthday that's coming up, and we have to plan you a super fun party!"
Ash twisted his mouth. "I don't know, Lizzie. Don't you think I'm a little old to be having a birthday party?"
The girl gasped dramatically. "No way! You're never too old to have a birthday party! How old are you turning anyway?"
Ash slumped down even further in his seat. "You don't know?!"
"Ummm…40?" Elizabeth lamely guessed. That was enough to get Ash fully sprawled out on the table, to which Elizabeth nervously giggled. "Is that wrong?"
Reluctantly picking his head up, Ash answered, "I'm turning 37."
"Oh," Elizabeth sheepishly squeaked. "Come on, I was close!"
"You made me older than I am!" Ash protested.
"Only by a little," Elizabeth scoffed. "Anyway, party planning time!"
Ash sighed as Elizabeth whipped out another notebook, this one different than the one she'd just been using for her homework. "You've never not been persistent, have you?"
"Nope!" Elizabeth cheerfully confirmed. "But you already knew that, Daddy!"
Chuckling, Ash agreed, "that's true!"
"So, what colors do you want your party to be?" Elizabeth asked. "Red and blue are your favorites, right?"
"They are," Ash hesitantly confirmed, "but Lizzie, I really don't know if throwing me a birthday party is such a good idea."
Elizabeth looked up from her notebook with a pout. "Why not?"
"I told you, I think I'm a little too old."
"And I already told you you're not!" Elizabeth cried. "Come on, Daddy. I leave for my Pokémon journey in a couple months, and I want us to have lots of fun before I go!"
Ash's next argument died in his throat. He absolutely hated the thought of his baby girl leaving. Of course, he was proud of her for following in his and Misty's footsteps just like her older siblings had and becoming a trainer, but it was still really hard to think about the fact she wouldn't be home all the time anymore. So, whenever Elizabeth brought it up, it really hit home for Ash.
"Alright," Ash relented, earning a victorious grin from his daughter. "Blue and red sounds good to me!"
"Yay!" Elizabeth cheered, scribbling that note down. "I'm going to make sure I get you lots and lots of balloons!"
Smirking, Ash requested, "if you're gonna get me lots of balloons, could you make sure you get some of those big, shiny ones?"
"Of course!" Elizabeth gasped, shocked that her father could ever think otherwise. "Those are the best kind!"
As Elizabeth continued to take notes, the front door opened up with Vaporeon striding in, Misty following close behind. She was visibly tired, but as soon as she saw Ash and Elizabeth sitting at the kitchen table, she was quick to perk up and giggle.
"What are you guys up to?" She asked curiously, gaining their attention.
"Planning Daddy's birthday party!" Elizabeth enthusiastically replied, going back to her notebook as Misty leaned over to give her a kiss atop her head.
"Ooh, really?" Misty marveled, smirking at a sheepish Ash. "Who's idea was this?"
"Mine," Elizabeth quickly responded.
"Do you even have to ask?" Ash quipped, getting up from his seat.
"Aw, come on, I'm sure it'll be fun!" Misty giggled, moving towards Ash instead. "Birthday parties always are. And if Elizabeth is planning it, then it'll be amazing! She's practically a professional party planner at this point."
"That she is!" Ash chuckled, pulling Misty in for a hug. "How was it at the gym today?"
"Ugh, exhausting," Misty groaned, slumping her head against his chest. "So many challengers came in! I literally had to push some off until tomorrow because there was no way I could take them all on in one day. My Pokémon are completely beat. It's also why I came home so late. Sorry about that."
"No need to apologize!" Ash crowed. "Lizzie and I have been having a great time together. Right, pumpkin?"
"Mmmhm," Elizabeth hummed, still busy scribbling away in her notebook.
Laughing, Ash informed his wife, "she's very focused on her work."
"I can see that," Misty replied with an equal amount of amusement before switching her gaze back to their daughter. "I hope she was that focused on her homework!"
Finally looking up from her notebook, Elizabeth cried, "I finished my homework! Daddy said I had to before I started planning his birthday party."
"Ooh, I see," Misty breathed before grinning at Ash. "Nice one!"
"Thanks, I learned from the best!" Ash chirped, winking at her.
"Mommy, do you want to help me plan Daddy's birthday party?"
Misty raised an eyebrow. "You sure you want my help? I'm nowhere near as good at planning these kinds of things as you are!"
"You're really good at it!" Elizabeth argued. "I think you learned more from Aunt Daisy, Aunt Violet, and Aunt Lily than you like to admit! And…I I'd also really like it if you helped me."
"Oh, alright, if you insist," Misty sighed, pulling her daughter in for a side hug. "I'll help you after we have dinner."
"Aw, man, seriously?" Elizabeth groaned. "But Daddy just ate a whole bowl of ice cream!"
Misty shot her husband a sharp glare. "Ash, seriously?!"
"I was hungry!" Ash cried. "Besides, it doesn't really matter. I'm still hungry."
"Of course you are," Misty grumbled. "Oh well, at least you didn't ruin your appetite, I guess. But don't be sneaking any more snacks before dinner!"
"I won't, promise," Ash swore, holding up his hands to show that none of his fingers were crossed.
Huffing, Elizabeth looked up at her mother and quipped, "we're gonna need lots of food for Daddy's party, aren't we?"
"Oh yes," Misty confirmed. "Lots of food."
XXX
After a bit of party planning as promised once dinner was eaten, Elizabeth went upstairs to shower before bed, leaving her parents alone downstairs. Misty was content enough with watching a TV show, but abandoned it as soon as Ash asked, "do you think it's silly for me to have a birthday party?"
"No," Misty easily replied, turning away from the screen. "Birthday parties are fun! I think everyone should have them if they want to."
Ash hummed and shifted his eyes away, causing Misty to furrow her brow. "I do think it's weird that you're so worried about it. Since when does Ash Ketchum concern himself with whether or not doing something might be considered childish?"
"Usually never," Ash shamelessly admitted. "But…I don't know. I guess knowing that soon it'll just be me and you in this house is bugging me a lot more than I thought it would. I mean, we're gonna be left on our own with no kids around, and they're kinda my excuse for continuing to goof off as much as I do."
Misty smirked. "Ash, you don't need any kind of excuse to act like yourself."
Frowning, Ash challenged, "are you calling me a goof?"
"I am," Misty confirmed, leaning against Ash's shoulder. "But in the best possible way! Being young at heart is a good thing."
Ash raised an eyebrow. "Now I feel like you're calling me old!"
"I'm not," Misty calmly argued. "Honestly, you're the one who kind of keeps calling himself old."
Ash instantly opened his mouth to retort, but just as quickly closed it. "Yeah, you're right."
Giggling, Misty slumped deeper into her husband. "Besides, don't act like you getting super excited when Elizabeth suggested 'pin the tail on the Pikachu' was just a front to appease her."
That reminder got Ash to laugh quite heartily. "No, that was so awesome! Lizzie is really creative, and she always knows exactly what other people will love. I think that's a game we're gonna keep playing even after the party is over."
Grinning, Misty prodded, "so you are looking forward to the party?"
"Of course I'm looking forward to the party!" Ash cried, no longer seeing the use in playing coy about it. "You know I always love a good party."
"Ah ha!"
Ash and Misty both whipped their heads towards the stairs, where they found Elizabeth hanging over the railing. "I knew you were lying about being too old for a birthday party!"
"Elizabeth, you're supposed to be in bed!" Misty scolded. "It's a school night!"
With a mischievous look on her face, Elizabeth purred, "you were just being silly, weren't you, Daddy?"
Chuckling, Ash replied, "yep, you got me, baby girl!"
Elizabeth giggled and inclined her head. "I always do!"
Sighing dramatically, Misty declared, "alright, that's enough out of you two partners in crime. Good night, sweetheart!"
Taking that as her cue to head back upstairs, Elizabeth chirped, "night!" before ascending the steps and once again leaving her parents to their own devices.
Misty turned back towards Ash, a playfully devious grin displayed on her face that led to him pulling back. "Don't say it."
"Our nine-year-old saw right through you."
"I told you not to say it!"
Ash likes to think he can trick his kids but honestly he's such an open, easy to read guy that he really can't. Especially as they get older, they can totally call his bluffs.
Also, everyone in the world knows Ash would never actually turn down a birthday party.
