Being the sentimental fool I am, I wrote this in response to daydreamer64's Valentine's post on satokasucastle, the LJ Pokeshipping community. It's dumb and short, but here you go.

Business was particularly slow today. Glancing at the calendar by the door again, Misty was reminded that people had much better things to be doing on Valentine's Day than duking it out with her. In fact, she could only think of one particular idiot who didn't. But nearly a year had passed, and though she doubted that the months between them would have brought him any change, she supposed that he could very well be doing something that didn't involve Pokemon on the day of lovers.

Romantic Ash... Really, the only way he could have picked up any amorous qualities would have to be from imitating Brock...

Ugh. Sticking her tongue out, Misty decided firmly that she'd rather not think about that.

She heard the phone ring in the reception hall and her bare feet made slapping noises against the wet tile floor as she hurried down the gym floor. Slipping only once in her haste, Misty squeaked over to the front desk and picked up the phone, placing it to her ear.

"Cerulean City gym, Misty Waterflower speaking."

"Hiya, Misty."

Think of the devil, and he'll call you up. She nearly dropped the phone. "H-hey, Ash. What's up?"

"Ah, um, nothing really. Just calling."

"Just... calling."

"Yup."

Misty held her breath for a second, waiting for him to speak. She could hear muffled voices on the other line, so she guessed that Ash and his merry band of hooligans had stopped at a Pokecenter for the time being. But other than chatty trainers in the background, the line was silent. Misty felt her first string of patience begin to sever.

"Ash. Is this a long-distance call?"

"Uh.. yes."

"You're racking up my bill. Did you have something else to tell me?" It was entirely true that she longed for the moments that Ash would call her, because as irritating little snot that he was, he was the closest person to her heart, and just hearing his voice after being deprived for so long made her happy. More than happy. Elated, even. Still, if this silent game between them stretched on, she would get angry, yell at him for a bit, slam the phone back on the receiver, and regret everything in a brooding fashion until he called again. It was a vicious cycle.

"Um, not really... oh, wait." There was a closer muffled voice on the other end, and Ash squabbled with it for a second before returning to her. "Yeah. I wanted to tell you to have a happy Valentine's day. Wish I would be there."

Being the silly, sentimental girl she was, Misty felt her heart melt. She pushed away the logical side of her brain that reminded her that Brock was the one that instructed him to offer her those wonderful words.

"Yeah. Wish you were here, too."