disclaimer: i don't own anything!

warning: drinking. characters are of legal age!

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"laugh until we think we'll die,

barefoot on a summer night"

The trainers leave Pikachu downstairs, laughing at how the cute little face can simultaneously look judgmental and sleepy.

Ash steps over his dirty clothes on the way to his bedroom window, a bottle of whiskey in hand. Misty scrunches her nose at his patterned boxers thrown on the floor by the door.

"Gross."

He looks over his shoulder. "Don't judge me."

With one hand, Ash opens the window panels. "After you," he says.

Misty carefully pushes herself through the window, holding onto Ash's hand for support as she steadies herself on the roof tile. Ash follows right after, holding onto her shoulder for support.

They crawl up higher on the roof, finding a stable spot to sit.

The trainers take a moment to breathe. There's a humming in the restless summer air and for a moment Misty worries if it's a horde of beedril hiding in the treetops around the residence.

"How messed up would it be if a horde of beedril just flies right at us right now?"

"Yeah, you'd sacrifice me in a heartbeat," Ash points out with certainty as he twists the top of the whiskey.

"Damn straight I would," she replies, watching Ash wince at the swig he takes from the bottle. Ash's eyes almost pop out of his head, face twisted and eyes watering but he still maintains a grasp on the neck of the bottle.

It looked like the shot was electricity traveling down his spine. Ash coughed dramatically, sticking his tongue out at Misty. "It burnssss."

Misty snorts at him, reaching for the whiskey. She takes her own shot, knocking it back for the liquor to travel straight down her throat and settling warm and pleasant in her stomach. She is careful not to let it sit on her tongue for so long but that doesn't stop the tingle. Lily, the most experienced drinker of the Sensational Sisters, taught her how to take a shot quick and painless. The first couple of tries had Misty coughing up a storm and spewing vodka from her nose.

"Does is it not taste like a burnt tire to you?" he asks, wiping his mouth with the back of his gloves. "Because I kind of hate how easy you took that."

"Practice, I guess," she says with a shrug.

"I don't know why but I have the urge to bow down to you and praise…"

"Honestly, I wouldn't mind it," Misty laughs, nudging her shoulder against his. "As cool and beautiful as I am, as Master of Shots, I think there are way more important things worthy of praise."

Ash stretches his arms towards the sky and cracks his bones. "Things like what?"

"Like the stars," Misty replies like it's the most obvious thing in the world. The galaxy above them held her attention, twinkles of starlight shining in the reflection of her eyes.

Ash's head jerks upwards, a curious look on his face. He finds the moon against a blanket of darkness, decorated with dots of never-ending light. Pallet Town was blessed with a garden of stars while cities like Cerulean or Viridian had a few bright soldiers guarding the night.

"They are pretty," Ash says, words slurring slightly.

Misty admires the stars for their role in the universe and how they illuminate the night sky, making it seem like less of a void and more of a special dream-like place you want to wish on. She wonders what the stars see from their point of view, the worlds and stories they ponder in on. She wonders if the stars know about Ash and her, their friendship and how long she waited for a rare moment like this (after all, they've spent many nights out under the stars). She hopes that they aren't disappointed in them for drinking and messing around. She fears that they see past her skin and straight into her soul if they know her true feelings and insecurities and secrets.

"It's hard to see the stars in Cerulean," Misty tells him, counting the specks of light. "You know I sometimes go out by the cape at night for Staryu and Starmie. Believe it or not but I feel like they can communicate with the cosmos or something, like their own language."

He gives her a shit-eating grin. "No way! Do you really believe that?"

"Crazier stuff happens. It's almost like they talk to the universe."

Ash's face turns serious. "I'd give my left nut to talk to the universe."

With a burst of laughter, she chokes at his tone of voice. "Ash, I hate you for saying that but honestly, I feel the same way," Misty says, pointing to her lower regions. "Even though I have no nut to give."

"That's a shame." He shakes his head, craning his neck to look up at the sky.

With all her insecurities and doubts, moments of peace and laughter and comfort make up for it all. Even if the cosmos were against her.

Now she felt slightly exposed—only her and him and the night sky. She reflects on the number of times she has looked towards the sky at night and thinks of him, wondering if he is on the other side of the world thinking of her too. Flashes of sharing sleeping bags, the heat of the jungle and collecting firewood cross her memory. It made her almost want to scream his name and her heart out into the nothingness.

Instead, Misty takes a swig of whiskey and prays to the cosmos that her wallows drown in the amber-colored liquor. She feels her face grow hot and hands the bottle to Ash.

He whistles lowly.

"Damn, dude—this stuff hits harder than anything I ever tried." Ash winces at how the baby shot burned his tongue. "Like I've had wines and stuff from Kalos but this is something that can melt paint from a sports car."

Misty blinks, loo a bit taken back. Ash and Kalosian wine?

"Ash Ketchum," she sings his name, poking his cheek. "You didn't tell me you were a wine connoisseur."

"I am a man of culture," he retorts jokingly, a little too prideful.

"I mean, Cilan technically introduced me to wine. He was really into the red stuff but Serena liked rosé so once in a while I would have a glass with her."

Misty grins at the thought of Ash sniffing a glass of wine at a restaurant in the middle of Lumiose City. She imagines candlelight and Serena, beautiful and golden Serena, smiling into her blush colored glass.

Her stomach flips.

"So," she begins, "tell me about me more about Kalos."

Ash takes a moment to collect his thoughts, scratching at his cheek.

"Well, I met the most amazing pokémon. I'll introduce them to you soon! You would die if you met my greninja but uh, I released him."

Misty pictures the fight scene between the water pokémon and a black Charizard in her head. She remembers how Tracey, Brock and her gasped at the strength of such strong attacks go back and forth between Ash and his opponent Alain. Tracey almost broke the flat screen.

Ash and his greninja were an amazing team she would love to see in action in person. There was always something about Ash and his relationship water pokémon that made Misty giddy. Not that her pride would ever let that small fact be known to the public.

"I'd love to meet him someday, but I might be tempted to steal him away from you," she teases, giving Ash a dopey kind of smile she gets on her face when talking about water pokémon.

"Like some Team Rocket grunt," he fires back with a playful huff, eyes narrowed. "I dare you to try."

"Ketchum, I'm a gym leader," Misty replies. "I take challenges pretty seriously."

Ash lets out a big laugh. "Boy, do I know it."

"Okay but seriously, I can't wait to meet him. He battles like a ninja—it's amazing to see. You trained him well, Ash. You should be proud."

He stares at Misty for a few seconds, processing her praise and blinking slowly. "Thanks," he says, slightly slurring. "My team really got us far this round." Ash falls silent, leaning his arm on his knee, wearing a contemplative expression and a thin smile.

She chews on her bottom lip, eyebrows furrowing with concern over the lapse of quiet, and questions what exactly were the spiral of thoughts circling Ash's mind. And if there was anything she can do to ease them.

"You know," she began, "I wonder what Clemont, Bonnie and Serena would think of Kanto."

Ash grins. "I think they'd love it. Clemont would get a kick out of the cities and all the weird technology we got. Bonnie we'd probably have to keep him on a leash from all her excitement."

"It's funny but Serena's actually been to Kanto before—she was sent to Pallet when she was little and that's when we met." He rubs the back of his neck, looking up at the sky with a pensive look on his face.

Ash never mentioned that detail.

Misty tilts her head to the side. "No way," spills out of her mouth in a slur. "You've met Serena before?"

Ash pauses, wearing a slither of a smile. "Years ago, at Oak's camp. Her mom sent her and she hated it. I don't remember our meeting but Serena told me that she hurt herself and I was there to patch her up. She said I wrapped a handkerchief around her scraped knee and led her out of the forest."

He turns and meets her eyes. "The handkerchief—she returned it to me after all those years. I felt bad that I didn't remember but soon enough we became friends and it all felt right."

Misty thinks of her own sunset handkerchief, given to Ash the day they separated, and their lives changed forever. All of her young heart sewn into the silk tied around Brock's homemade lunch put into Ash's hands.

Misty knows what that cloth meant to her, in all it's pinks and reds and yellows. She wonders what Ash's meant to Serena.

"You must have been important to her," she says quietly, an edge of sympathy hanging from her tongue.

"She matters to me, too."

He goes quiet. The energy between them grew slightly heavier.

She looks at the bottle of hard liquor and wonders if he would prefer light wine.

"Misty, can I ask you a personal question?"

The redhead blinks, a little anxious about the seriousness of his tone.

"Yeah, I mean as long as it isn't gross," she tells him, trying to sound lighthearted.

Ash leans in closely. "Have you—have you ever been kissed before?"

Misty blinks again and feels a rush of blood through her skin. Her attention flickers from his lips to his eyes and back and forth till her mind twirls into a tizzy.

"Yeah…a few times," she musters, swallowing her nerves.

A boy comes to mind. Deep yet bright sky-blue eyes shutting close, his hands quivering on her neck as he softly leaned into her till he misdirected and knocked his forehead around hers. She chuckled and he looked like he wanted to die but for that moment, it was perfectly imperfect and made her feel special. The first kiss was so soft that she barely remembers what it was like to press her lips against his but she remembers the way he melted. She remembers how he told her how amazing she was, how beautiful and strong and lucky he was to even know her. How she had to shut his stuttering up with another kiss before her face turned permanently red and flushed.

Ash leans closer into her, watching her carefully. "Were they fans of yours?"

Seafoam eyes widening, Misty gapes at him. "No! You're crazy!"

"Why so defensive?"

Misty sucks her teeth, heat rising to her cheeks. "It was mostly just one guy."

All Ash does is blink at her.

"….My friend Georgio," she manages her face as pink as a Pecha berry. "What makes you think I go around kissing fans?"

He scratches the back of his neck, looking immature as he fumbles with his words. "I don't know! You and your sisters always have weird guys trying to sniff your feet and stuff."

"Ash," Misty deadpans, "I hate you."

She doesn't mean it but hearing Ash talk about things he has no clue about offends her. He doesn't know about the unwanted attention she receives from fans or the strange comments regarding her sisters. As a gym leader, she is a public figure and representative of Cerulean City. It's not only about men wanting to sniff feet, but it's also about what it means to be developing into a woman with a whole city and region watching you. The expectation of letting go of your younger body and mind, leaving those feelings behind.

He doesn't know that he's part of those feelings. He doesn't know that she's been holding onto him for a long time.

"I'm sorry. I just—I don't know how to approach the subject, okay?"

"Well, then why the question?" she asked with a tint of annoyance, registering the twitch in his fingers. The uneasiness in his facial expression had her eyeing him carefully.

"….Serena kissed me," Ash rasps, looking down at the roof tile under him. "Before she left for Hoenn."

The words spill out and she can't help but notice how he slightly slurs the S in Serena, something in his tone showing that it left him feeling some type of way.

Misty blinks in confusion, her eyebrows knitting together. She doesn't know how to react but she resists the negative emotions arising, that twist in the stomach at the thought of Ash being kissed. Her memories search for Melody and Bianca and the pecks to the cheek that had her stunned. She is taken back by the fact that Ash is talking about it with such tension caught in his throat.

"…Was it consensual?" She asks first.

Ash is taken aback. "No! Don't get it twisted, I was caught off-guard yeah but not in a way… that I was against it."

"Oh."

"Yeah, um. It was short."

"How…." She bit her lip, stroking her arm as she looked at anything but Ash. "How did it make you feel?" Misty manages to ask, nervousness seeping into her like spilled wine on a silk blouse.

"Like a kid," he replies, brows furrowed. "All I could do was give her a smile as she left with no explanation. I didn't follow her, I didn't do anything. I don't even know if I was supposed to. I—I'm confused."

Misty finally looks at him again. The vulnerability, his honesty brought her to a decision: her feelings for him could wait.

Ash didn't need a declaration of love right now. He needs a friend.

"It's okay to be confused," she tells him truthfully. "It's okay to feel the way you do. Stuff like that isn't…easy."

She thinks of Georgio looking at her like she puts stars in the sky but with such a solemn weep in his eyes, watery because their end was inevitable. Misty thinks of how cruel she must've been reaching for his hand, kissing his throat and laughing at his lame baseball puns.

With the tilt of her head, she awkwardly takes a baby sip from the bottle as she catches Ash suck in his teeth.

"But part of me wants to know why she didn't say something?" Ash admits, clenching his fists. "I would have given her a proper answer."

"Well, you really don't know what she would've said," Misty points out, gripping the bottle.

"She could have started with her feelings," Ash explains with slight frustration, pressing a fist to the palm of his hand and cracking his knuckles.

She swallows the heavy lump in her throat, her saliva mixed with the earthy taste of the liquor. It wasn't directed at her but the comment made her feel vulnerable and reminded her of the countless words of advice given to her from Brock or Daisy or Tracey or whoever thought they had a right to direct her emotions. Words, full of good intentions, yet lacking a sense of what it is to love someone so far away from you. Even when Ash is near, even when he is right in front of her, she knows it is only temporary. She wonders how Serena felt when she realizes that the adventure that was being with Ash Ketchum was momentary, cut to a halt by the next dirt path that would take him on another journey.

Misty doesn't know Serena. She knows she doesn't have a right to feel connected to her and yet, in some way, she empathizes with her. Misty thinks of the golden girl from the photos, her joyful expression. Thinking about Ash and Serena sharing a kiss for a slither of a moment, Misty wonders about Serena's intentions then immediately forces her mind to come to a hazy blank.

Picturing the kiss or trying to dissect how either Serena or Ash felt intrusive. Misty doesn't know their friendship. Misty clings on to the Ash she knows with a firm grip, her memories and postcards keeping her very much full of love for him and yet there are parts of him she doesn't recognize. Serena, Bonnie, and Clemont have seen sides of Ash that Misty is just now meeting and it's more than the height and muscle gain; it's his acknowledgment of his feelings. The rasp of frustration in his voice when vocalizing his confusion over a good-bye kiss from a friend.

Ash wants to know why Serena left him in the dark but Misty knows enough to understand how complicated matters of the heart are when it revolves around Ash Ketchum.

"That's asking a lot of someone, Ash. Maybe Serena wasn't ready or she is okay with what you are now."

"If she does have any sort of feelings for me, then how can she just be okay with just being friends?" he asks, his voice sounding strange and foreign and full of husk that she isn't accustomed to just quite yet.

"Maybe it's enough for her."

Most of the time, she thinks to herself, it's enough for me.

Ash snaps his head and makes eye contact with Misty, his dark eyes fierce and emotional. "Well, what if it isn't for me?!"

With that, Misty chokes. She twitches awkwardly, feeling a tipsy warmth spread across her skin. "What?"

She secretly hopes that only the stars notice her reaction. The cool air hits her burning cheeks as mixed emotions tangle within her. Misty fights herself from taking another sip of liquor with fear that if she continues, she won't stop until she is vomiting off of Delia Ketchum's roof with hot tears pouring out of her face.

Ash blinks, realization slowly approaching him. His cheeks grow pinker as he crosses his arms over his chest defensively. "I mean, she didn't even give me a chance to talk about it with her. We're friends, we should be able to open to each other but…"

Misty senses she stares for a little too long. He looks off to the side. "Whatever."

Disbelief overcomes her as she heats up. What does that even mean? Misty internally questions, eyebrows furrowing. Ash isn't going to go on to admit something in front of her then just shrug it off as if she wasn't hanging off to his words.

Misty is struck with something bordering infuriated and strong as she collects herself. "No," she insists, ignoring the unsettling feeling pooling in her gut to tighten her voice. "Not whatever. Ash, be honest, do you like Serena?"

Ash reluctantly drags his eyes over to her until his find hers. The question dangles in the air delicately, stagnant between them as Misty waits for something to come out of him.

Misty impatiently smacks the roof tile with a flat, hard hand in the space between them causing Ash to wince.

"Misty! My mom will notice if one of her tiles are broken."

"She will not, and you need to realize something before you continue on demanding things you aren't entirely sure you want."

Ash frowns. "What happened to 'it's asking a lot of someone', huh?"

Unapologetically, Misty stands a bit straighter, eyeing him like she didn't understand a word he was implying with a slight shake of her head. "I don't recall."

"That's just like you, Misty! You go on being so self-righteous and changing your views when it suits you!"

Now, if she truly felt any fury, she would've dangled him by his ankles off his mother's roof. Misty settles on flaring her nostrils, cracking her fingers as she lessens the heat of her glower.

They have called each other far worse through their years of friendship but she would be lying if she wasn't insecure about her pride and habit of condescension.

A younger Misty would have him gripping the edge of the roof in fear and calling her name till she decided it was time to pull him back up but it would be too easy. It is far more difficult to face your issues than to dangle off a high ledge. At least it is from her perspective, given how she has internalized and swallowed most of her romantic feelings for anyone.

"Oh, that's rich," Misty says, biting each word and rolling her hazy eyes. "Sorry for believing you should figure out your own feelings before you go around demanding to know the other person's."

Ash doesn't shrink or squirm at the tone of her voice.

"It's not like that! I don't expect anything from Serena but it's confusing and new and I really have no clue how to go about this.

She huffs hot air from her nostrils, bits of anger subsiding. "Just be honest with yourself. You don't have to answer me or say it out loud but the least you can do is be honest with yourself, Ash."

He looks like he fell victim to an electric attack or a pin missile. Stung by weight of the conversation, Ash's jaw clamps shut.

Seconds feel like minutes as her words hang in the air.

Looking slightly shaken, Ash clutches his hand over his chest. "…I don't know how I feel about Serena yet," is his reply.

The sincerity dripping from his expression melts the residing scowl on her face into a neutral, accepting curl of the lip. "Are you okay with not knowing?" she wonders aloud.

Ash lets his hand fall, and admits with a hint of realization, "For now, yeah."

"Then, for now, it's okay," is her response. "I hope when you know how you feel, that you're happy."

I want nothing but for you to be happy, she wishes to herself, tucking away the sound of her heartstrings strumming every time even thinks of him. Letting her gaze cast towards the sky then to Ash, Misty's redlined eyes go wide with surprise when she realizes how carefully he is watching her.

"You good?" Misty croaks, attempting to clear her throat but only managing to taste the residual whiskey on her tongue.

"I'm fine but—" Ash pauses, reaching over to grab the bottle from Misty. "I'm just thinking of how thoughtful you are."

Her heartstrings reemerge and rumble with a loud pang at the softness of his tone. Biting her bottom lip, Misty reminds herself of her standards and that she is aware of thoughtful she can be so hearing it from Ash isn't that big of a deal.

"Wow, thanks for noticing," she manages with an awkward grunt/chuckle.

He playfully knocks his shoulder into hers before bringing the bottle to his lips. "Mist, you know what I mean—" he begins, tilting the liquor to his mouth and down his throat in a satisfying hiss. "—You actually share your thoughts instead of just telling me what I want to hear. You've always told me what I needed to hear even if I'm not always listening."

She doesn't admit it but there are some words that he needs to hear from her. Words that will take more than a few shots of whiskey to pour out of her.

An explanation that their not-so-ordinary friendship always came before her heart, how her heart never stops asking for just something more. The feeling that it was no mere coincidence, that they were inseparable yet constantly separated by refracting roads. Admitting that no matter where he is or who he is with, she truly, completely loves Ash Ketchum.

Her words are protective, not always truthful so Misty settles for saying, "You listening? It's not as crazy as it sounds."

He makes an amused snort before rolling his shoulder into hers once more. "…Sorry I called you self-righteous," Ash apologizes, stretching his legs out in effort to get more comfortable.

"Ash?" she calls his name with a slight smile.

"Hm?

"I have to tell you something, come closer,"

He listens to Misty, sliding closer to her side.

Sitting close, she quickly puts his ear between her fingers, giving it a tug and pull.

"Ow!" He yelps, his mouth wide open.

Letting go, Misty grins with a giggly chirp and crosses her arms over her knees. "Now we're even," she says, forgiving him.

Rubbing his ear, Ash exaggerates a painful pout.

"Can I ask you something?"

He looks up at the question and gives Misty a raised eyebrow. "Yeah, sure."

On a slow exhale of breath, she asks, "Why are you staying in Kanto?"

"What do you mean?" he asks, wearing a curious look.

"Well," she begins, "you rarely stay here longer than a week so when you wrote that you would be coming back for some type of break, I was curious."

She pauses.

"What changed?" Misty asked.

Craning his neck up towards the night sky, Ash's slack jaw shifts into a faulty, uneasy grin. "I guess I do have the habit from jumping from region to region," he says, quieter than before. "Remember how I told you I was feeling pretty homesick?"

"I have to admit, I did a double take," she says, remembering the cheerfulness of his letter and reflecting how he looked before her in the moment. "I never expected you to admit something like that when all you really focus on is the next battle."

He throws her a look. She searches for the emotion behind it but her fogged mind blurs her sense of detection. Ash is usually transparent, his soul made of glass. See through and honest but age seemed to morph parts of him to an individual she couldn't pick apart and digest. A scary, exciting feeling to look at her old friend and discover he has changed beyond his height and weight.

To hear the voice of a man, not the cheer of a child.

"To be honest, I've been realizing that because battling is my life that there is this sort of…imbalance. My dream is far from over but on the way, I've forgotten what it means to be there for mom's birthday. What it feels like to walk through a town where everyone knows your name. To spend more than just a few days with my pokémon and friends. Before, just visiting was enough but then I noticed during a video call that Prof. Oak's hair was not even gray anymore, it's white."

He takes in a deep breath, his shoulders shaking.

"I was so close this time, Misty. I'm proud of my team for getting us so far and I know my people are proud of me but it still stung. It was in this dark place that I started questioning if it's me that's the problem."

"Ash," she calls out his name firmly, clutching her nails into her palm. "You are not a problem."

"With all my losses, it sure can feel that way."

"Like you said, your dream is far from over. What's meant to be, will be and we both know what you're meant for, Ash. Not because it's your destiny but because you've worked for it. Countless losses, sure whatever but how dare you discredit your victories?"

"They can only mean so much unless I know what it's all good for," he tells her. "And I don't know if I can just…jump to the next stage of my journey without some grasp on why some parts of my life aren't enough and what needs to change."

Misty wants to disagree, wants to tell him that his victories don't need to be engraved in gold for the world to see to mean something, but she respects him and the validity of his feelings of doubt.

She bites her tongue, takes a sharp breath through her nostrils. "Well, it is only natural for you to take a break."

"Which is why I want to be in Kanto. I can see my pokemon on the daily and train more strategically. Spending time with mom can be so much easier, or I can even out Professor Oak and Trace down at the lab and learn a few things. Hell, I want to even go out to a college party with Brock and try new different sort of drinks that don't taste like rubbing alcohol."

"….Brock would be delighted to hear you say that."

"Yeah and I can have a chance to visit May or Max or Dawn or Cilan or Iris! They can even visit Kanto again."

Smiling softly at Ash, Misty's heart flutters at his vulnerability. She catches that boy she's loved for years in this Ash's growing excitement.

"And you know, I just miss everyone."

"They miss you too. I know that even when you're halfway around the world, they think of you. They all just want you to be happy."

Misty, feeling slightly embarrassed, shifts her head to the side. "…We just want you to be happy."

Ash looks like he is about to say something, his dark eyes soft with a daze. "To be honest," she drawls, "I mostly just want you to be more concerned with your hygiene."

"I brush my teeth twice a day!"

She snorts at the defensive look on his sour face. Laughter escapes her chest and sends liquor induced tingles across her body. Noticing how her loose her limbs feel, she begins to sway slightly back and forth. Eyes fluttering shut, Misty settles the beating of her faulty heart and lets herself bask in the warmth of a summer night.

She spreads her fingers against the tile underneath, leaning her head back and breathing in the fresh air.

Misty's head snaps back to reality at Ash's brushing his fingers against hers. Ocean eyes dip down to the tan, strong hands next touching hers, then back to his face.

Their gazes snag and her heart beats on.

She wants to tell him that it's getting late and that they should really call it a night, but it does make it past her lips as Ash's hand presses down on Misty's. Startled from the contact, she blinks at him in hesitant confusion.

Ash, stardust and moonlight reflected in his deep eyes, looks at her.

"Misty."

She feels her chest ache.

"I missed you," he tells her, voice soft and warm.

It's then that it sinks in that Ash is not across the world running down an unknown road; Ash is here, and real, and with her.

There aren't days when she mopes by the window sighing, looking out for him like some wife waiting for her soldier to return from war. She works, she trains, she lives on her days. But at the thought of him, the place he holds in her life is very much alive and the feeling of missing him burns through Misty like alcohol. She carries that torch for him like a protected flame close to her, often kept away from peering eyes. Some nights she looks at it, smiles and envelops herself around the desire for warmth. Other nights, she faces away from it as tears drip at the memories of the stories they once experienced together. Journeying through moats and boats and waterfalls, running down hazy city streets in the rain as giggles bubbled out from their childish cheeks. Brock and Tracey often shaking their heads at pay phone prank call to whatever random number dialed. The adventure that was their time spent together.

She missed it. She missed him. And tonight, she faces the flame.

Conflicted, drunk and full of heat, Misty takes her breath to the bottom of her lungs and holds it there before a shaky exhale.

"Yeah—" Misty says after a moment, voice just as soft. "Me too."

"…Are you okay?"

"Huh?"

"You seem shaky—" Ash replies with a gesture, gently flexes his thumb over her knuckles. "Your face looks red."

Ash moves closer in an attempt to touch her face and suddenly fear takes hold of her. At that, Misty yanks her hand from under Ash's and scoots away from him in a rapid jolt. The whiskey bottle falls from her side, sliding down in a rhythmic roll to the bottom row of roof shingles. The bottle gets caught in a pocket of the rain gutter.

Fuck, she curses to herself, slight tears pooling as the realization that she went on and ruined whatever that was. She feels Ash staring at her and imagining the look on his face is enough for her to hyper fixate on getting away.

"I'll get it." In a rapid motion, Misty lifts her shaky body and takes an uneasy stand. Slightly crouching and stepping down at a diagonal, she reaches towards the bottle.

Before she could even hear the beginning of Ash's warning, two shingles slip from under her feet so fast she could barely let out a scream as she skids down the roof in a single motion.

She falls, the back of her hand scrapping the edge of the roof, and right into Delia Ketchum's prized rose bush with a loud thud. Thorns dig into her flushed skin and she hisses sharply, a long groan escaping her lips as pain takes over her senses. Her eyes catch a glimpse of the night sky, high above, before closing shut.

Ash's screaming is nothing but static as Misty slips away, then everything around her fades out, slowly.

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notes: okay, so update took forever! but i've thought about ash and misty and this story a lot. my friend honey of hoenn (apple of my eye) was such a great help for focusing and feedback, please check out her work it's brilliant! anyway, misty is found ded in pallet. please share your thoughts! much love. xoxox