Unannounced Visit

It was a peaceful afternoon in the Ketchum mansion. The quietness of the house echoed through the halls, save for the occasional chirp of a bird from outside. Ash and Misty were lazily curled up in their room, taking a well-deserved nap. Their kids, Aiden and Michelle, were napping in their own rooms, enjoying the rare moment of rest as well.

Outside, the sun was shining brightly, and the cool breeze filtered through the open windows. It was the perfect day to just relax.

Suddenly, the ringing of the doorbell echoed through the house, causing Misty to stir. She groggily rubbed her eyes before turning over to look at Ash, who was still snoring lightly.

"Ash… Ash, the door," Misty mumbled, shaking him gently.

Ash, who had been tossing and turning in his sleep, let out a frustrated groan. "Ugh, who could be at the door…?"

"You get it, you're closer," Misty replied, her voice still thick with sleep.

With a heavy sigh, Ash rolled out of bed and made his way toward the door. As he opened it, he was greeted by none other than Brock, his old friend and companion.

"Hey, Ash! What's up?" Brock greeted with a big grin.

Ash returned the smile, rubbing his eyes. "Brock! What are you doing here, man? It's so early."

"Early?" Brock chuckled. "It's afternoon, Ash."

Misty, having heard the commotion from upstairs, walked downstairs, still looking a bit disheveled. She crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing in playful suspicion. "So, what brings you here, Brock?"

Brock's eyes gleamed mischievously. "What were you two up to? Baby number three, maybe?" he teased, glancing at Misty with a smirk.

Misty's face immediately flushed, and she shot back, "NOT HAPPENING!" She paused, shaking her head with relief. "Thank goodness I made the correct decision of tying my tubes."

Ash, still half-asleep, let out an exaggerated groan. "Ugh, don't even joke about that, Brock. We're done with two kids. Thank you very much"

Brock laughed, winking at Ash. "Well, you two have your hands full with these two already. I'm just playing around."

Before the conversation could continue, the sound of footsteps came from upstairs. Aiden and Michelle, having been woken up by the noise, made their way downstairs, rubbing their eyes.

"What's going on?" Aiden asked, looking between the adults.

"Yeah, why are you guys laughing so much?" Michelle added, blinking sleepily.

Misty, sensing the need to steer the conversation in a safer direction, smiled gently. "You two go play outside for a bit, okay? It's a nice day."

As the kids ran off to the yard, Ash and Brock sat down with Misty in the living room. A tray of snacks and coffee was already prepared. Brock wasted no time jumping back into his story.

"So, Ash," Brock began, "I met this incredible girl at a bar yesterday. She was stunning, Ash. We ended up going back to a hotel together, and let me tell you, it was a… special night."

Ash's eyes twinkled with teasing mischief. "Oh? You two did something special? Did you…?" He gestured with air quotes.

Brock grinned, clearly enjoying the moment. "Hookup? YES, SIR!"

Ash hooted, a laugh escaping him, but Misty immediately shot him a disapproving look.

"BROCK! Not in front of the kids!" she scolded, though her face was a mix of exasperation and amusement.

"Sorry, sorry," both Ash and Brock said in unison, laughing sheepishly.

Aiden, still processing the conversation, blinked up at them. "What's a hookup?"

Misty quickly swooped in to save the day. "Nothing, son. Just daddy and Uncle Brock being pigs."

Aiden nodded, his expression deadpan. "Yeah, I agree."

Misty chuckled, relieved that the kids were none the wiser. "Alright, go on and play in the yard, sweethearts."

As the children scampered outside, Ash turned his attention back to Brock, who was still grinning about his night. "You know, Brock, I'm happy for you. Finally found someone, huh? When's the wedding?"

Brock raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair. "Ash, come on. It was just for fun. I didn't see that girl as someone I want to spend my life with."

"Yeah, I get it," Ash said, nodding. "You're 29 now, still wanting to live in the moment, huh?"

Brock shrugged, taking a sip of his coffee. "Exactly. I'm not looking for anything serious right now. Just having some fun."

The conversation drifted as the three friends sat in companionable silence, enjoying the warmth of the moment.

Suddenly, Michelle's voice rang out from the yard. "Daddy!"

Ash turned around. "Yeah, baby?"

Michelle came running up to him, a small bouquet of wildflowers in her hand. "Look, Daddy! I picked these for you."

Ash smiled warmly, taking the flowers. "Wow, they're beautiful, Shelly. Thank you so much!"

Brock, never one to miss an opportunity for a playful jab, leaned in. "See? You're 24 and already a father of two. And they're so cute too."

Misty rolled her eyes at Brock, though she couldn't suppress a smile. "Alright, Brock. You're having too much fun teasing us today."

Brock grinned mischievously. "What can I say? You two are the real entertainment."

Ash, still lounging lazily in his chair, smirked. "Alright, Brock, enough with the teasing. You know we're good with the two we've got."

Brock raised an eyebrow, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Oh, I get it. The Ketchum household, home to two of the youngest parents I know. I gotta say, you two really skipped the whole 'freedom' part of life, huh?"

Misty raised an eyebrow, not missing a beat. "We've been busy with other things, Brock. Like raising our kids."

Ash chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Yeah, we didn't waste time. Kids were definitely a surprise, but we're managing just fine."

Brock shook his head, still grinning. "You two had them so young. I mean, you guys got married at, what, 19? Now that's bold. Some people still can't even decide what cereal to eat at that age."

Misty shot Brock a playful glare. "Well, some of us actually know what we want."

Ash laughed, taking a sip of his coffee. "And some of us still don't know what we want, right, Brock?"

Brock grinned, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, but really—kids at 20? I'm impressed. You guys are like an old married couple already, but with the energy of, well, youthful parents."

Misty smirked. "It keeps things interesting. Besides, we're way ahead of you in that department. You've been running around, and we've been… well, settling down."

Brock chuckled. "You know, I think I'm gonna start a new trend. I'll be the cool, laid-back bachelor while you two take over the parenting world."

Ash gave Brock a teasing grin. "Yeah, yeah, just make sure you don't end up like that guy who says 'I'll settle down someday' and ends up being the 'fun uncle' to every kid in the world."

Ash leaned forward with a smirk. "I mean, May and Drew had kids at 20, and Gary and Kayla had Sam at 19. Guess we're not the only ones who skipped the 'freedom' stage, huh?"

Brock raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair. "You guys really set the bar, huh? I guess I've been taking my sweet time while everyone else is jumping into the deep end."

Ash laughed. "Guess you're just trying to beat us at the 'most carefree bachelor' award."

Misty smiled teasingly. "Well, Brock, don't take too long, or you might find yourself surrounded by diapers and playdates when you least expect it."

Brock chuckled. "I'll take my time, thank you. I don't think I'm ready for that kind of 'adventure' just yet."