A/N: Another meme fill. I can feel you judging me from here. Stop it.

Anyway, this gets shippier later on, I promise. The rating may go up in later chapters, as well, although it may only go to a strong T/PG-13 (or a light R, depending on the rating system you're using).

Disclaimer: If you recognise it, I'm willing to bet a lot of money that it doesn't belong to me. The plot bunny does, however.

Prologue: Of Trust and Crushes

by Naranne

The first time she confided in him, Misty was thirteen.

Brock was eighteen, and at that point had known both Misty and Ash for quite a while. He had travelled with them all over, seeing them through thick and thin. Quietly, he had observed from the sidelines as they grew up and entered their teenage years, their fights taking on a slightly new edge as emotion other than anger broke into the scene.

That night, after they had chosen a site to rest, Ash left on Brock's orders (issued around a fond smile and a roll of the eyes) to collect firewood, Pikachu bouncing along beside him despite the trainer's mild grumblings. Brock chuckled, and began setting out both ingredients and pans for the night's meal, as the air turned cooler and the light dimmed. Misty and Ash had fought earlier that day; it had been a particularly heated fight, even for them. When Brock and Pikachu had forced them to quiet down, Misty had the sheen of tears in her eyes, and Ash's cheeks had flushed red with anger. A wary truce had been reached, but tension had crackled in the air until Ash had left, Misty lying belly down on the grass, entertaining Togepi with light hearted games.

The easy smile that graced her features was reassuring for Brock to see, but he could tell that even so, she was hurting underneath.

Tentatively, he had set aside his preparations, and settled himself on the ground beside her. Ash had been gone a while, and Brock privately thought that he would be a while longer. Concern for his friend battled with extreme wariness of her fiery temper, and for a moment Brock simply watched Togepi's antics, unable to help small bursts of laughter at the baby pokémon's adorable nature. The silence was comfortable, easy, and relaxing, and Brock had the fleeting thought that he'd never really spent much time with Misty – there was always Ash around – and he resolved to rectify this.

When she broke the silence with a sigh, he braced himself for the possible onslaught, and asked cautiously, "Everything alright, Misty?"

"I'm fine!" she snapped almost immediately. Brock nodded, wincing slightly, and stood up to leave the girl to her thoughts. Togepi trilled worriedly, and Brock smiled at the pokémon, hoping to project calmness. As he took a step back toward his bags, however, Misty sighed again, and mumbled, "Sorry. Didn't mean to snap."

Brock paused. "It's alright," he said reassuringly. "Do you want to talk about it? The fight, I mean." Not what usually happened, he knew, but if he were perfectly honest with himself, he was sick to death of their bickering. If he could help ease the way towards a calmer atmosphere, he certainly would.

"He's just so frustrating!" Misty snarled, and Brock took that as a cue to sit back down beside her.

Misty needed no prompting – it poured out in a fiery torrent, all the things he did to irritate her, how stupid, how dense, how idiotic, how uncaring (Brock thought that one was a little unfair – he was sure that Ash did care about her, even though they fought), how blatantly ignorant he was, how he didn't understand her. Halfway through her rant, Brock was positive they were no longer talking about the fight, but about something which underlay all of it, and perhaps fuelled it.

She trailed off, maybe realising she'd said too much, and tugged at her ponytail irritably, idly gathering Togepi close to her with the other hand. A vibrant blush stained her cheeks. "You're only young, both of you," Brock ventured gently. Misty made a face and stuck her tongue out at him. He laughed, despite himself. "Very mature."

Misty giggled, and then sobered. She looked at the ground, suddenly finding the grass very interesting. "He'll never notice me," she mumbled. "Scrawny, tomboy, angry, right? Those aren't the things that guys like."

"Hey," Brock objected, feeling that this was highly unfair. "Not all guys are like that."

"Hypocrite," Misty shot back, laughing. Brock grinned sheepishly.

"I don't know those girls," he pointed out. "If I did, it wouldn't matter what they looked like. And I don't think you're scrawny." Misty looked highly sceptical. "I see it with my sisters," he explained. "You're still only thirteen, so you've still got somewhat of a kid physique – don't look at me like that, it's true. You do a lot of exercise; you've got a fast metabolism and a slim build, so you won't be anything but really skinny. You're comparing yourself to your sisters, who are older and whose bodies have matured."

Very quietly, Misty murmured, "Doesn't change what Ash feels."

"It doesn't," Brock agreed. Misty sighed and rested her cheek on one hand. "Ash is an idiot if he refuses to see what he's got right in front of him, though."

She brightened. "You really think so?"

Brock smiled, and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I know so. Don't try and grow up too fast, Misty."

Misty gave him a small smile in return, and looked reassured, if a little jibed by all the age related comments. "Thanks, Brock," she said softly.

"No problem." Brock squeezed her shoulder once before standing up, happy that Misty evidently trusted him enough to confide so much to him.

Ash returned shortly after, but by then, Brock was waiting idly for him to return so he could start cooking, and Misty had resumed playing with Togepi.

Despite himself, Brock found it hard to stifle a snort at the way Misty quickly assumed her "I am angry and annoyed and if you come any closer it will be the death of you" expression the moment she saw the other trainer. Brock started the fire, and shortly after the smell of the evening meal had wafted towards him, Ash's stomach gave a loud growl, eliciting a quickly disguised laugh from Misty. Ash grinned sheepishly, covering his stomach with both hands.

And then, due to Brock's inattention, the stew caught on fire, and both Ash and Misty howled with laughter.

A/N: I have a growing love for this ship. Not quite sure why, given I'm usually a staunch Ash & Misty shipper.

Naranne