Warning: If you are disgusted by *coughs* seggs or if even a slight description of it is triggering, then there is a bit of description ahead. Not anything too direct or too dirty, just some implications. So, feel free to skip those parts if you aren't into it.
And this chapter is gonna be unnecessarily sweet. Like quite literally just fluff, but can you stop me? No. Because what's the point of writing fanfiction if I can't make the characters smooch however much I want to?
YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.
I said, "No one has to know what we do"
His hands are in my hair, his clothes are in my room
Chapter 8: Wildest Dreams
I tightly clutched the messy bedspread beneath me as I lay on my back. His professed inexperience seemed implausible when, though a bit clumsy and careful, I was overwhelmed by the sensations he made me feel. He gripped my thigh and I grasped his hair as some spikey strands tickled the skin on my inner thigh. But when he reached the right spot, my mind stopped working. I breathed heavily, trying not to make a sound, but even after trying my best, a moan escaped my mouth.
He suddenly stopped, and when I managed to sit up and look down at him, he was staring back at me.
"Was that okay?" he asked, looking concerned. Maybe worried that he had done something wrong, and the gentleness made me want him even more.
"Quite the opposite," I replied before falling back on the bed. "Whatever you're doing, please don't stop."
My eyes snapped open, I abruptly sat up and gasped for air. This way of waking up—heart racing with anxiety and lungs void of air— wasn't new to me. What was new was this head pounding, sitting up so fast my head spun. I licked my lips, my throat so dry that I felt sick, as if I'd barely slept all night, or ran a marathon.
I looked around, trying to figure out why I was so tired. The room felt so cozy, I could smell the humid soil even from the closed windows, and I could hear the sharp drops of water hitting the window. This was exactly the kind of day where I would love to sleep in.
I rubbed my eyes and yawned. But an image of Ash's face close to mine flashed before my eyes like a thunderbolt.
Was that a dream?
No, it didn't feel like a dream, it felt like a memory. I quickly glanced beside me, where I caught sight of Ash's messy black locks sprawled across the pillow. His bare back rose and fell gently with each breath, half of his body clinging to the mattress and the other half ready to fall off the bed.
I looked underneath the blanket I was wrapped in, just to find myself in a questionable state of undress. More accurately, no clothing at all.
"No." I shook my head, chuckling in disbelief.
"I love you," Ash had said, his voice barely more than a whisper as we lay silently beside each other, wrapped in a blanket, and weirdly, I felt safe in the blanket. The room was still, the kind of quiet that felt alive. It was way past midnight, and though my body should've been heavy with sleep, his words jolted me like a lightning strike, making my heart race in a way that felt both exhilarating and terrifying.
I stared at the ceiling, my mind caught in a chaotic loop of possibilities. Say it back? Stay silent? Leave? Not because I didn't love him—God, I did—but because everything about tonight already felt monumental. Too much for my little heart to process. And now this. His words were like a match to dry kindling, setting a fire I wasn't sure I could control.
I turned to look at him. His face was soft in the dim light, his eyes searching mine, unguarded and honest in a way that made me ache. My throat felt dry. I opened my mouth, but the words tangled somewhere between my mind and my lips. Instead, I reached for his hand, weaving my fingers through his, letting the warmth of his skin ground me.
"I—" I started, my voice catching. "Ash... you don't know what you're doing to me right now."
He smiled faintly, his thumb brushing against the back of my hand. "I think I do," he said, his voice steady. He wrapped his arm around my waist and slid closer to me. "And it's okay if you're not ready to say it. I just needed you to know."
Coming back to the present, I carefully threw the blanket away and silently climbed out of bed. I locked myself in the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. My hair was down, my beloved pink hair-tie nowhere in sight, and my tangled hair–hard from the chlorine water— a complete mess. I sighed, rubbing my neck where I spotted something unusual.
Holy Arceus.
I stepped closer to the mirror and pushed my hair away from t my neck to look more closely.
This can't be happening.
The hickey was very evident and clear. It was in a place where no collar of any shirt, no scarf, and no jacket could hide it.
I rushed back towards the bed and considered waking Ash up, but even thinking about having any kind of interaction with him felt so awkward. My breaths grew heavier, the pounding on my head so loud it was as if there was a heart in place of my brain. I was reminded of every argument I had with myself against this.
I took deep breaths to calm myself– the idea that felt so right yesterday now left me feeling guilty. I paced around the room while clutching my hair tightly. I grabbed the pillow lying on the floor and bit it hard. Then I screamed in the pillow. I didn't know what the hell was wrong with me. I threw the pillow on the floor with all the power I had and kicked it.
What had we done? This wasn't right, this shouldn't have happened. I fell on my knees and squeezed my face in my hands.
What have I done? Didn't I decide this was wrong? I could feel a scream building up in my throat. I wanted to punch something.
I bolted back towards the bathroom, clutching the pillow tightly. With a surge of emotion, I pinned the pillow against the wall and unleashed a barrage of punches until my knuckles throbbed with pain. I rubbed my knuckles where they hurt and wailed silently. Then one single reasonable thought crossed my mind and I realized that lashing out with physical rage wasn't the solution.
"Okay," I exhaled. "Not the right time for this mental breakdown."
I calmly walked out of the bathroom, fixed the pillow on the bed where it belonged, and folded my blanket.
What if I ran away?
What if I got out of the gym before anyone, not even Ash, caught sight of me in this state? I could easily spend my life like a witch in a small cottage in a deep forest. I would take my pokemon with me, I'd eat berries, and drink water from the river so I'dnever have to face Ash ever again.
It was only nine in the morning, so I could still make a quiet exit. Maybe not to a forest river, but I could definitely benefit from some swimming in my pool. I looked around for my swimsuit that we probably tossed somewhere in here, but froze when I picked up the upper part of the poor suit.
It was still a little sodden and had a pungent smell of chlorine. The hook was so badly torn, and the realization sent tickles in my stomach. Rest in peace, sexy bikini, you were wonderful.
I took deep, silent breaths to calm myself, but they weren't working anymore. I wasn't even sure what I was feeling. I wished someone were here to guide me out of this, someone older, wiser, trusting. It was so unfair I had to find my own way all the time while Lily and Violet always had Daisy. Maybe I could ask Daisy this one time?
The idea wasn't too bad, especially when I couldn't seem to think of anyone else. I could certainly try to ask her about this, couldn't I? Of course I could, she was my sister.
I punched in her number on my phone's messenger app, I didn't want to face her in person yet, my lip caught between my teeth in anticipation. Was she still sleeping? My thumbs did a little dance over the keyboard, before sending her a casual, "You up?"
I threw my phone beside my pillow as if it was a ticking bomb which would blast any moment and instead of smoke and fire, I'd have to face all the questions Daisy would inevitably ask. Opening up to her like this was completely uncharted territory for me. I knew she would be surprised if I bluntly asked her something like, "Hey, so I hooked up with my bestfriend because he said he loved me. And I think I do too, but now that I'm not horny anymore, I think this relationship is doomed from the start because I am neither capable or worthy of having a relationship with Ash Ketchum."
Nah, she would explode.
This was a side of me I'd never shown her before. Daisy would either coddle me like a baby or criticize everything I did, there was no in-between. Violet would just make fun of me and Lily simply wouldn't relate to the cons of being attracted to men since she's not into them. In the past, I'd usually ranted about my troubles to Ash, May, Brock, or even Tracey if it wasn't too serious. Sometimes Lana, Sakura, or even Casey might hear about my guy troubles. But revealing these things to my sisters? I'd rather spend a night with a caterpie.
My phone buzzed, yanking me out of my spiral. I grabbed it and saw Daisy's reply.
Daisy: Finally awake?
Misty: You making breakfast? It's your turn this Sunday.
Her response came quicker than expected.
Daisy: Already done. Oh, and since you had a guest over, I fed your Pokémon and got them warmed up in the pool. Figured you'd want them set for the day.
Well, that was…weirdly thoughtful of her.
Misty: Thanks. That's really sweet of you.
Daisy: Why don't you just come downstairs?
Misty: Haven't brushed my teeth yet.
I typed back immediately, hoping she wouldn't pry.
A moment later, the three little dots appeared on her side. I braced myself for some long-winded sisterly critique on dental hygiene, but her next message was direct.
Daisy: Did you want to ask me something?
Panic flickered. I hovered over the keyboard, typing and deleting so many drafts I almost forgot what I wanted to say.
It's guy trouble? Too juvenile.
It's about Ash? Sounds like I ran him over with a Tauros.
I need to talk. That'd make her think I was pregnant or something.
Another buzz.
Daisy: ?
I sighed, fingers tightening around my phone. Fine. Evasive maneuvers it is.
Misty: What's for breakfast?
Her reply didn't come right away. The dots didn't even show up this time, which only made the silence heavier. A moment later, the dots appeared—finally, she was typing.
Daisy: …
For longer than expected. What is she even typing? A novel? A lecture? Then her message came through:
Daisy: That's it?
What? That's all? After such a dramatic pause? Anyways, I had to double down, keep the act going.
Misty: What else would it be?
Cool. Calm. Deflect. If she was fishing for more, she wasn't getting it—not yet.
Daisy: Right… pancakes. It's Sunday, after all.
Misty: Great.
Misty: Cool.
Misty: See you soon then.
I hit send and immediately closed the app, slumping back against my pillow. The phone buzzed again, but I ignored it this time. If Daisy was suspicious, I'd deal with it later. For now, I needed to figure out how to untangle the chaos in my head—preferably before pancakes got cold.
"Well that was stressful," I whispered to myself.
What if I texted someone else? Someone who'd understand me and help me without being judgemental. It couldn't be Brock— definitely not Brock. He'd unalive me for not taking his warnings seriously. He had already warned us about this as a joke way too many times, but I knew he was dead serious about it and he was right, this was weird. May was in a different timezone, so was Lana. I didn't wanna talk about this with Tracey. And the only person I wanted to talk to was sleeping like a snorlax in my bed.
I let myself collapse onto the bed beside Ash, who was still sound asleep. He had turned towards me, and as I gazed at his peaceful face, tears welled up in my eyes, silently rolling down my cheeks.
I couldn't even understand why I was crying. Ash had evoked sensations in me I hadn't even known were possible. Under his touch, I felt beautiful, and I craved his scent and the feel of his skin beneath my fingers. Last night had been enchanting and whimsical, a dreamlike experience I had never felt before. A dream I never wanted to wake up from, but reality was knocking at the door, and it was dressed in the form of a torn swimsuit and a hickey that was screaming for attention.
What if Ash regretted it? Did I regret this?
I mean… I'd like to kiss him whenever I want. I'd like to hold his hand freely, to look at him without the fear of getting caught and I'd very much like to talk to him without having to look for an excuse to talk to him. But a relationship wasn't just about kissing and holding hands. Was I truly prepared for the complexities of a relationship, especially with someone as significant as Ash? He was the one who stood by me through my grandma's passing and helped me rebuild my reputation in the league. His role in my life was invaluable. I couldn't imagine a life where Ash wasn't a best friend of mine. I was aware of my inability to cherish an actual relationship, and words couldn't fully capture his importance in my life. So I was just terrified that I'd most likely fuck this up too, like my previous attempts of relationships.
I turned away from him and clutched my Starmie plush. I was so overjoyed last night, but was this going to work out?
I lay there for what felt like an eternity before I heard Ash groan softly. Pushing myself up on my elbow, I turned to see him sit up and stretch, his movements casual as he shuffled his hair and rubbed his eyes.
Realizing I wasn't exactly in any shape for him to see me, I scanned the room and spotted his shirt at the foot of the bed. I hurriedly slipped it on before he fully came to consciousness. The shirt was big on me, only reaching my upper thigh. But at least it covered something up.
"Misty?" His voice was heavy.
I adjusted the shirt, pulling it down as far as it would go.
He turned towards me, still sitting on the bed. "Um…hey," he said. "Good mornin'."
I smiled. "Hi…what's up?"
He looked around awkwardly. "All good. Did you, umm…" He scratched his cheek. "Did you sleep well?"
I cleared my throat. "I was comfortable, yes."
"Cool, cool, cool." He rubbed his chin.
Oh boy. That was definitely a look of detest on his face. He totally wanted to run away from me.
Now would be a perfect time for Pikachu to barge into the room, but when have the legendaries ever listened to me? Pikachu was probably still asleep.
"I…We…Are we, like…you and me, you know…" Ash said, as lost for words as I was. After fumbling around for the right words, he finally gave up, sighing in defeat. "Now what?"
I blinked. "Now what? What do you mean 'now what'? You tell me now what?!"
He pouted. "But I'm asking you. You're the expert when it comes to things like this. I figured you would know how to handle this, you'd know what comes next. I mean, you're the one who initiated things," he said, hesitating. A blush crept up on his cheeks. "You know, when you kissed me last night?"
I blushed, remembering the feel of Ash's lips on mine. That first kiss had been soft, testing—like he was giving me the chance to pull away if I wanted. But I hadn't. Instead, I'd leaned into it, and the second kiss… oh, the second kiss. Wait a minute, did he just say, When you kissed me? "I…wait, what? How is this my fault?!"
"You kissed me first," he replied.
"Oh yeah? And what about you declaring your everlasting love and then shoving your tongue down my throat, Mr Pokemon Master?"
He smirked victoriously. "You didn't have any problems with it last night."
"Ugh, well, that was last night. This is now," I pushed back.
He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Really? That's how you react to the guy who told you he loves you?"
I couldn't think of anything to say. All It wanted was to kiss him again. He loved me. Loved me. Love.
I was brought back to earth with Ash's giggles. "I'm not that handsome, Misty," he joked. I realized I was staring at him, so I looked away, trying to hide my smile.
I threw the pillow at him, and he caught it just before it hit him in the face. He laughed, though a large yawn interrupted his amusement. Stretching, he stood up, prompting me to quickly look away. I only glanced back when he slipped into his pants. As he scanned the room, it was clear he was searching for something.
"Hey, where's my—" He paused, noticing me in his shirt as he walked around the bed to face me. "You're wearing my shirt."
"I grabbed the first thing I—"
"You look beautiful in it," he interrupted me.
My face heated up. "Seriously?"
"Mhmm…" he hummed, leaning closer to my face and planting a soft peck on my lips. I blinked multiple times, then shook my head.
Did this mean he didn't regret what had happened? He just kissed me— why would he kiss me if he regretted it? So we could just kiss each other whenever we wanted to? But we couldn't date, right? What were we doing? "Ash, what are we doing?" I asked.
He sat beside me and took a deep breath. "I don't know, Misty." He held my hand. "Last night was amazing."
I exhaled, relaxing my clenched jaw. Wow, that's relieving. I would deal with whatever happened next because now I knew he didn't hate me.
"And you totally like me," he added, making me smile. "So you tell me, what are we gonna do?"
The room grew quiet as we mulled over Ash's question.
I bit my lip. "We need to think first. Whatever happened, shouldn't have happened, right? If we're going by the rules? We've talked about this, and Brock even warned us many times. And you, better than anyone, know this doesn't end well."
"But what if it does end well?" he asked, carefully watching my face for a reaction. "Not every friendship turned into a relationship ends up in a bad breakup, Misty. What if everything works out?"
I sighed. "What if it doesn't?"
The silence that followed was deafening.
"Look, Misty," Ash finally said. "I know last night was..."
"Yeah," I cut him off. "Honestly, I'm still processing it all. I've never discussed this kinda stuff with any of my one-night stands. Not that I've had any."
The corner of his lips dropped.
"If that's what this was," I immediately added. I shouldn't have been so callous in calling it a one-night stand.
"Okay," he said. "We don't have to make a big deal out of it. But for what it's worth, I meant what I said. It wasn't just a fling to me. It meant something"
My heart sank and I shifted closer to him. "Ash, you have no idea how happy that confession made me. I'm so sorry if I made you feel otherwise."
"Look, I'm ready to give it all in. But are you?" he asked.
I looked up at him, "What are you saying?"
He took my hand in his. "All I'm saying is that if you want to explore this, I'm all in. But if you're having second thoughts all of a sudden, we can just pretend it never happened."
The clock ticked away the seconds as I sat there, trying to process what he'd just said. Was he proposing we keep this…casual?
"I don't know," I replied.
He shifted closer, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. "Look, I get it. This is a lot to deal with. We should talk about it, maybe not right this second, but soon. I know I'm not the best at this kind of thing, but I don't want to make things awkward or uncomfortable."
I appreciated his sensitivity. He claimed he wasn't good at this, but he just kept surprising me with his emotional intelligence. I never knew him capable of something like this. If anything, I was way behind him. "Yeah, I think we should just take it slow. We don't need to rush into any big decisions or talks. Let's just see how things go and figure it out as we go along."
Ash nodded, looking relieved. "Sounds good to me. I don't want to mess up what we have, and I definitely don't want to make you feel uncomfortable."
I managed a small smile. "Thanks, Ash. It means a lot. And I'm sorry if I've been...well, a bit all over the place. Also, thanks for not making a bigger deal out of everything"
"No worries."
He was so understanding about this even though I could just tell he was all ready for a proper relationship with me. It was me who was the problem. And he was ready to go at my pace too.
You keep making me like you more and more, Ash Ketchum.
"I mean…we totally don't like each other like that." I teased, hoping to distract him from any more of that serious talk.
He slid his hand on my thigh. "Totally. It's not like I ever fantasized about it."
I smirked. "Yeah, me neither."
"And," he gently caressed my thigh, sliding his hand upwards, "this will never happen again, even though you're rocking my shirt."
"Yeah, and—oh boy. Are you turned on by this?" I quipped, gesturing to his shirt that I was wearing.
Turning his face away, he yanked his hand away from my thigh, grabbed the pillow nearby, and placed it on his lap. "How can you accuse me of something like that?" he complained, his face red.
I giggled. "How is this appealing to you?"
"You're wearing my clothes and you're looking amazing. It's always been appealing to me. I just hid it very well."
"The peak of narcissism," I teased, but seeing his face so red and him admitting something so intimate made me smile. I shifted closer to him and cupped his cheek. I kissed him on his lips. He closed his eyes and accepted the gesture happily. "But that's sweet, thank you."
Ash nodded, beaming. "Now, time for a shower.
"Don't miss me too much," he teased stepping in the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist.
"Don't use up all the hot water!" I replied, chuckling. "I'm hungry, but I also need to take a shower."
He smirked. "Burned too many calories last night?"
I rolled my eyes. "You're enjoying this a lot, aren't you?"
As I sat on the bed, listening to the soothing sound of the shower running, my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions.
Was I really ready for a relationship with him?
If diving into a relationship was the wrong move, we still had the chance to retreat and go back to being just friends—what we were only twelve hours ago.
The weight of the decision felt immense. I didn't want to hurt him in any way.
Hearing the water stop, I glanced at the bathroom door, my heart pounding. The choice I made now would shape everything. I heard the shower door squeak open. I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself while pretending to be engrossed in my phone. Ash emerged with a towel wrapped around his waist, his hair still damp.
"Your turn," he called. I watched him, still in a daze. Everything about him—the way he moved, the way he spoke—felt familiar but also charged with a new, unspoken tension. As I watched him dress, I knew I was craving him more. "Misty? If you're gonna stare, you could have saved us both some time and we could've both just show-"
Before he could finish, I grabbed a towel, hurrying to the bathroom. My brain was too stressed and food-deprived to process something like that.
After I was fresh and clean, we headed downstairs to the kitchen, where the sweet scent of pancakes filled the air. Daisy looked up from the stove, her eyes widening slightly when she saw us. She stared at me for a second longer than needed, but surprisingly remained silent. I knew she sensed something was up, but I was thankful she wasn't looking that much into it right now.
Ash sat down at the table with his plate, and I joined him. Daisy placed a jug of maple syrup and a bowl of fresh berries on the table and excused herself when she heard the doorbell ring. Either way, I was grateful.
I picked up my fork, playing with my food. "What about the others?" I asked. "What about Brock and everyone else?"
Ash looked up. "What about them?"
"Are we gonna tell people?"
"We'll figure it out," he said with a shrug. "We always do."
He leaned in and kissed me again, the sweet taste of syrup and berries mixing with his lips. I used to think his smile or his eyes were my weakness. Looks like they weren't even close with the feeling they gave me compared to what his kisses did to me.
I pulled back and looked into his eyes. "Okay," I whispered.
"Are we gonna rehearse again?" Ash asked, as if he didn't just kiss me and made my stomach tickle.
I nodded, chewing. "Of course. You need to practice more without me or you'll make a fool of yourself."
He nodded. "Would you come to the shoot with me tomorrow?" He looked at me hopefully. Again, with those eyes. Those damn eyes.
I rolled my eyes. "You know what you're doing; of course, I can't refuse now."
He tilted his head. "Huh? I'm not doing anything."
"Yes you are! You make that annoying face with puppy eyes. It's so annoying."
Ash smirked. "You mean my normal face?"
"No." I leaned closer to him and touched his cheek, then pushed the corner of his lips down with my fingers. His face flushed at my touch. I smiled and squished his cheeks between my hands. "This is the face you make, you dork."
"I still don't kno' what're yew talkin'bout," he managed to say with his cheeks squished between my fingers.
I released his cheeks and leaned back when I saw Daisy return, another woman following her. Ash and I silently ate our food, watching the women settle into the seat across from us.
She smiled at me. "Good morning, Misty!"
I smiled. "Morning, Elisha!"
Not that I disliked Elisha; she was amazing—her taste in fashion was similar to mine, and she had amazing abs. How could a girl get cooler than that, right? But I wasn't in the mood for Sunday-morning-small-talk, and I couldn't help but wonder why she was here when Lily was still on her tour.
Daisy put a plate of pancakes in front of Elisha before taking the empty seat beside her. "Here ya go! Help yourself to any toppings, El."
Ash stared at the beautiful, dark-skinned woman with a confused expression. Then he looked at me. Right, they didn't know each other. I cleared my throat. "Ash, this is Elisha, Lily's girlfriend."
"Hey there!" She did a friendly finger-gun.
"And, Elisha, this is Ash," I said, not feeling elated to say the next words, "my friend."
"Wait, what's your full name?" Elisha asked curiously.
He looked at me for a fraction of a second, and that was enough for me to nod at him. I understood his concern, needing to protect his privacy these days. The news outlets would literally buy pictures of his personal life for extra bucks. But Elisha was almost family now, so I hoped she wouldn't sell us to the paparazzi. "Ketchum," Ash replied. "Ash Ketchum."
Her eyes widened. "You're the Pokémon Master?!"
Ash chuckled. "That's me."
"That's—" she paused, almost star-struck. "Amazing! I knew Misty knew you, but damn…" She looked at Daisy. "Pokémon Master is sitting at your table in his PJs. Misty, great connections you've got there."
Daisy laughed. "You should've seen him when he was little. When I first saw him, he was a head shorter than Misty, a cute ten year old kid Misty used to follow around."
I groaned. "I was not following him around…"
Ash smirked at me and I rolled my eyes at him, ignoring the heat rise on my cheeks. "Yeah, more like stalking."
"And what about you, bike ruiner?" I asked.
"Damn," Elisha marveled. "So y'all are childhood friends?"
"Well…" I smirked at the memory of our first meeting. "We weren't exactly friends at first, were we Ash?"
Ash snorted. "Arceus, no. We were more of…"
"Bike thief. You were a bike thief."
"Destroying three bikes doesn't make you a bike thief," he retorted.
I looked at Elisha and said, "because four is the magic number." Elisha laughed at my comment.
"You know, Elisha," Ash jumped in, "you should listen to the story of when your beloved Cerulean City Gym Leader sent her Goldeen to battle in a place with no water."
"Speak for yourself," I pushed back. "At least I didn't try to fight Team Rocket with my bare hands like a feral animal."
Elisha smiled at us. "So… how long have you been dating?"
We stared at her.
She looked at Ash and me, then her eyes flicked towards my neck before averting back to us. "I just thought…"
I looked down and realized she noticed the hickey. I quickly pulled my collar up, my cheeks burning.
"Oh…" Elisha sat up straight, then awkwardly fiddled with her food. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" She cleared her throat. "You know, assume."
Daisy, who was still taking in the information, finally said, "Misty."
"Yes?"
"What did you, like, do last night?"
"Rehearsal," I replied with my best poker face.
She rested her chin on her palm, an evil smile spread on her face. "What kind?"
I cleared my throat. "For Ash's campaign. Pokémon stuff."
"And, like, after that?"
"We went for a swim."
She smirked. "Okay…But, like, what kind of other activities did you do?"
I rubbed my forehead and mumbled, "Screw you, Daisy…"
Her head perked up. "Like, what was that?"
"Nothing you'd want to hear."
Daisy leaned back, grinning. "Oh, I think I do want to hear. Especially if it leads to a certain someone getting a hickey."
"A hickey?" Ash asked, sounding more excited than he needed to be. I tried to silence him with a look, but he leaned towards me, and, in a dramatic manner said, "how did you get that, Misty?"
Daisy snorted. "You know I'm, like, a drama teacher, Ash, right? I can smell bad acting from a mile away."
Ash gasped. "You think I'm acting? How could you?!"
"We were just hanging out," I said through my gritted teeth. "Then maybe we did some swimming with our Pokemon. You could even say I was training them."
"Totally believable," Elisha muttered.
"Did you guys practice any… special moves?" Daisy asked, earning a laugh from Elisha.
"I'm sorry," Elisha apologized, clearing her throat.
I rolled my eyes. "That was a clever line for you, Dais. Use it carefully or you'll be out of wit for today."
Daisy shook her head. "Sweet as a lime, baby sister."
Before I could retort, Elisha cut in, "Guys." Her tone was smooth yet firm as she fidgeted with something in the pocket of her jeans. One more reason I loved her—dating a Sensational Sister made her an expert at diffusing tension before it exploded into a full-blown show. She had stepped in to douse our sibling spats more times than I cared to count, and I wasn't about to complain. "Lily sent something for you too, Misty," she said, pulling whatever it was from her pocket, her gaze flicking between me and Daisy.
"Lily sent us gifts?" I asked.
"Yup," she said, handing me a tiny box. "She sent everything to my address; it was more convenient. That's why I'm here today."
I looked at Daisy. "What did she give you and Violet?"
Daisy hesitated. "Nothing much. A necklace for both of us…similar to what she bought for herself."
I curiously opened my box, and I wasn't surprised. Disappointed, but not surprised. I picked the seashell and held it out for everyone to see.
"A shell?" Ash asked.
She sent me the first thing she found lying in the dirt.
"It's cute," Daisy squeaked.
Elisha nodded. "Very."
I stood up. "Ash, you can meet me back in the room. I'm done with my breakfast." I stood up, leaving Elisha and Daisy in the kitchen, hoping Ash would follow me. And he did. When I didn't stop, he grabbed my wrist, forcing me to stop. I looked at the shimmering pool water under warm sun-light, wondering if this was the right time for a swim.
"You're upset," he said.
I nodded, turning to face him. "Yes, I am."
"It's the seashell?"
It was a lot more than a stupid seashell, but currently, it was the seashell, I nodded, feeling the frustration bubble up. "She gets everyone else these thoughtful gifts and I got a seashell. But you know what? I don't care."
He smiled. "And you're so upset because you don't care?"
"Ash, please."
Ash squeezed my wrist gently. "Misty."
"It's so annoying, you know?" I sighed, pulling my wrist away and sitting on one of the lounge chairs by the pool. "I thought we were past this, I thought we were all grown ups now, but it's just… it's like I'm still invisible to them. Like I'm still not important, I'm just a– just a laughing stock that they can mock, like my life is just funny, whatever I do is just amusing and they are the embodiment of ideal women."
Pikachu, who had been playing with my Pokémon on the other side of the pool, noticed us and hopped in our direction, with Psyduck and Marill following.
Ash sat beside me, his shoulder brushing against mine. "That's bullshit. You are very important. If it wasn't for you I would've died. I don't see how anyone can top that."
I looked at him, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Thanks, Ash. Let's forget about the seashell for now."
He grinned, leaning in a little closer. "Do you wanna do something fun?"
I smirked. "Like what?"
He glanced at the pool, then back at me, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
I snickered. "You pervert."
He punched my arm. "I was talking about that swim you were thinking about earlier."
I giggled. "So was I! What did you think I was talking about? I wasn't thinking about anything else!"
Ash snorted, his head falling back. "Yes you were."
"You can read people's minds now?"
"Nah, just good at reading you."
I planted a kiss on his cheek. "I can't go swimming, because someone tore my favorite bikini."
Ash smirked, kissing me on the lips. "And that someone does not regret it."
I laughed, hitting him on his arm. "Idiot."
He giggled. "So, about earlier—were you serious? Will you come to the shoot with me?"
I tapped my chin. "Should I? There'll be cameras everywhere."
"There were times I'd been out with May, or Dawn, or any of the other girls I'm friends with, and maybe once we made it into a cheap tabloid. Some nonsense about a 'secret relationship. It's always fine."
I smirked. "So, you're saying I'm just another female friend?"
He grinned. "Well, if the shoe fits…"
"So if I'm just another friend, you won't mind if I maintain my distance with you, right?"
"Huh?"
I snickered. "You don't just kiss your other friends, Ash. And you definitely don't… you know, do things with them. Face it, you wouldn't be able to keep your hands off me."
He gave a mock scoff, flexing his arm like he was making some kind of point. "Oh, come on. I get it. You're beautiful, smart, cute, all of the above." He paused, catching my eye. "But look at me."
I raised an eyebrow, feeling the smile tug at the corners of my lips. "I am."
"It is you who won't be able to keep your hands away."
"Is that a challenge?" I asked.
He flashed that signature grin, the one that made my stomach flip. I had a love-hate relationship with it. Love, because seeing him smile felt like a little win for me. Hate, because it only ever showed up when he was feeling obnoxiously proud of himself. "Yup," he said. "I bet you won't stand a chance against my irresistible charm."
"Oh, a bet? Should I be scared?" I crossed my arms, feigning indifference, but my pulse had other ideas. "Alright, Ketchum. What are we playing for?"
He looked at me, yet again, with that stupid grin of his, like he already knew where this was going. "What do you want, Misty?"
I tapped my chin, pretending to think it over. "Hmm... if I win, I get your old hat."
His grin faltered for a split second. "Whoa, crossing the line there." He leaned in, close enough that I could feel his breath. "Okay. But if I win... you'll go on a date with me."
It took a beat for his words to sink in, and then a laugh bubbled out of me before I could stop it—a soft, girlish giggle that I'd never live down. "Wow, Ash, really pulling out the big guns with romance."
He shrugged, unbothered. "A bet's a bet."
"Okay, then." I smiled. "Jokes aside, you're a hundred percent sure I can come to the shoot with you?"
"Don't worry about it. The paparazzi can't make something out of nothing if we don't give them anything." He reached out and took my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Plus, you being there would make it a lot more fun."
"Fun, huh?" I raised an eyebrow. "What's in it for me?"
He leaned in closer, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Free snacks from the craft services table?"
I laughed. "Oh, wow, you really know how to sweeten the deal."
"And," he continued, "I'll let you throw a Poké Ball at my head if I mess up any of my lines."
I pretended to consider it. "Tempting offer."
"You know you want to see me make a fool of myself on set."
I sighed, unable to resist his infectious enthusiasm. "Fine, I'll come. But only because I want to see Pikachu steal the show."
"Pika pika!" Pikachu agreed, earning a chuckle from both of us.
Ash grinned triumphantly. "See, it's settled." He held out his hand for me.
"Are we doing a spit handshake or?" I joked.
"I've had enough of your spit," he quipped with a grin.
I snorted, shaking my head. "Shut up!" I said, but shook his hand anyway.
He leaned back, looking pleased with himself. "Now, about that seashell…"
I groaned. "Can we not talk about it?"
"Sure, but just so you know, I think it's a pretty cool gift."
I looked at him skeptically. "You do?"
"Yeah," he said earnestly. "It's unique and one of a kind, just like you. I don't think anyone else could pull it off the way you do."
I felt my cheeks flush.
He leaned in, close enough that I could feel his warm breath on my face, but just far enough that his lips did not touch mine. "Are you about to lose the bet?" He whispered; I could tell he was trying to sound husky.
I broke into a laugh. It was nice to laugh out loud again —really laugh, not just smile or chuckle out of politeness. I realized the only times I'd had an honest, carefree laugh were when I was with him. Ash had this incredible way of pulling me out of my own head, making me forget the little things that usually weighed me down, and helping me focus on what really mattered—being here, with him, and enjoying the simplicity of just being us.
"Ready for round two of rehearsal?" he asked, standing up and offering me his hand.
I took it, letting him pull me to my feet. "Let's rock that stupid script!"
We walked back to my room, the morning sun casting a warm glow over everything. And for the first time in a while, I felt truly at ease.
All I knew this morning when I woke
Is I know something now
Know something now I didn't before
And all I've seen since 18 hours ago
Is brown eyes and freckles and your smile
In the back of my mind, making me feel like
I just wanna know you better.
All I know is a simple name
And everything has changed
Bonus Epilogue
"Misty, sit here." Daisy said sternly.
It wasn't hard to guess what this was all about. Why else would Daisy and Violet sit so sincerely on the couch and make me sit on the chair across the coffee table? Like some kind of mock interview. The thing that gave it away was the small card-board box labeled: protection kit.
"Misty," Violet said. "You know when two people like each other a lot, they want to get closer. And sometimes–"
"Guys, I'm twenty one," I noted. "I know what sex is."
They looked at each other, then back at me.
This time, Daisy spoke. "Good to know you're aware of that. Now, we know you and Ash–"
"Oh my Arceus, please don't!" I said, pressing my palms against my ears. "I don't need to hear it from you."
"Her and Ash what?" Violet asked, suddenly realizing what Daisy meant.
We stared at her.
"Oh, like, you didn't know?" Daisy asked, as if it was public information available on the league website.
I was expecting Violet to whine about it, given she was all over Ash when he visited. But she started laughing. "Holy goddess of banging, finally!"
"What do you mean by finally?" I demanded.
She looked at me like I asked stupid question. "Yeah, right. Like playing dumb has ever done anyone any favor. You've always had hots for him."
"I did not!"
"Misty," Daisy rolled her eyes. "I just want you to be safe."
"You know this wasn't my first time, right?" I asked.
"Wait, really?" Violet asked. "Surfer guy?"
I shook my head, "No. Georgio. Second month of dating," I whispered. This was so uncomfortable. "Guys can we not talk about this? Why do you suddenly care so much?" First the sea-shell, now this. Next thing I know I was adopted.
"So you've been sleeping around?" Daisy asked.
I gasped. "Wha–"
Daisy slapped Violet on her arm. "It's your fault. She takes after you."
Violet rubbed her arm where Daisy hit her, "I never slept around. I just dated a lot."
"Guys!" I yelled. "I don't need to know how much you've slept around. And I have only partially done it once before, with Georgio. Only because I liked him, okay?" I asked, looking at both of them.
"How does someone partially do it–"
"Violet!"
Announcement for chapter 9's update: The next chapter could take a bit longer than usual because I'm gonna travel a lot this month and I don't have anything solid written up. So I apologize for that in advance.
A little request: Guys, not to be the one who's hungry for attention and comments or anything, but you know how disappointing is it when I get a notification for a comment or a message and I excitedly open it because I like to talk about writing and Pokemon, and then I find out someone is just promoting their art? Because, I don't know if you all know this, but I'm an artist myself. And an animator. So, I request the artists out there, please do not comment about art commissions. You can do that direct message thing, if you'd like. I know this sounds very arrogant, but I want this space to be just about these characters and Pokeshipping. Is that really too much to ask for?
