Returning to the river where they first met

Nerves were nothing new for Ash. He had them for all his major battles, whether it be at a Gym, League Conference, or anything of the like. Yes, he had been nervous before. But not like he was at the moment. Hell, he wasn't this nervous since he first asked his girlfriend out on a date. And that nearly made him pass out from the stress.

"Are you alright, Ash?" Misty asked. "You've been jittery all day? Should I be worried?"

"No!" he blurted out. "I'm not…I'm not breaking up with you!"

"I never thought you were," Misty swiftly replied. "As much as you are a goof and mess things up sometimes, even you wouldn't break up with me on our anniversary."

"You're never gonna let me forget that are you," Ash grumbled, sourly. "It was one time!"

"You needed Pikachu to remind you of our 1 year anniversary," the Water-type master smirked. "I'm holding that over you forever."

Ash rolled his eyes with a grin. It wasn't exactly his fault. Having to run the Battle Castle, as well as the paperwork that came with being Johto Frontier Head was already a massive strain on the young trainer. Coupled with interviews and the like, it was a pretty hectic week when Pikachu reminded him of what he was nearly forgetting. He recovered well enough, with a holiday in the Orange Islands, but Misty knew. She always knew.

"And don't think I don't know that you're up to something," Misty warned. "I'm not that blind."

"Oh yeah?" Ash raised an eyebrow. "And how do you figure that?"

"Ten years, Ash," Misty reminded him. "I know you better than most. Apart from Delia and Pikachu."

Ash snorted in amusement. "You have quite the high opinion of yourself," he teased.

"I'm a Waterflower, it comes with the name," Misty joked.

'Not for much longer, I hope,' he thought.

"All things considered, though," Misty continued. "This isn't a bad effort. A picnic at the place we first met. You clearly put some effort into this."

"Give me some credit, Mist," Ash groused. "I can pull off a romantic gesture. I'm not Brock."

That made Misty laugh. "No, you most certainly are not. Still, it's nice to come back here. Where it all began."

"Yeah…" Ash's mind wandered back to the day he first set out on his journey. From Gary's taunts to Pikachu's initial stubbornness, and to being pulled out from the river, where which they were currently sat by, thanks to Misty. "I don't think I ever thanked you for pulling me out when you did," he added. "Being eaten by a Gyarados was not how I planned on dying."

"A Gyarados? Really?" Misty asked, sceptically. "You probably imagined it. A Gyarados? In this tiny stream?"

"I did!" Ash insisted.

Misty merely rolled her eyes, before munching on a sandwich. Ash mumbled under his breath about not lying before taking a deep breath to steady himself. This was it. He couldn't back down now. And it was only right he asked the question at the place where it all began.

"Hey Mist," he began, causing Misty to look up at him. "I, er…There's something I want to…No, something I need to ask you."

Misty looks patiently at Ash, as he bit his lip thoughtfully. "Yes?" she encouraged.

Ash took another deep breath. "I…I…Okay, y'know what, let's start this simply. I love you."

"I love you, too," Misty giggled, and Ash was inwardly cursing himself for getting tongue-tied. "Ash?" his girlfriend pressed, frowning ever so slightly.

"I love you," he repeated. "Um…And you love me. And…Well, y'know how we've been together for so long?"

"Yeah…I just said that a minute ago." Misty was starting to get worried, and Ash knew he had to speed this along.

"From the moment you fished me out of this stream," Ash continued, smiling ever so slightly as he did, "you've done so much for me. Supported my dreams, deflated my ego, and just stand by me even when things went beyond crazy. From the day my journey began, you've been with me, and you've never asked for anything in return…Well, apart from a bike. Which I paid back with interest! A car ain't cheap!"

Once again, Misty giggled, but still looked a tad bemused by Ash's sudden speech. Not that Ash could blame her; he was starting to ramble.

"Isn't that how love works?" Misty asked, lightly. "Standing by your partner, through thick and thin?"

Ash's grin widened. "I'll spend the rest of my life proving myself worthy of your love, freely given or not. But…To help with that, there's something I need from you."

Misty's head tilted to the side. "Yes, Ash?"

And just like that, Ash's brain lost the function of speech. "Misty…I…"

"Yes?" Misty spurred, eyes sparkling with curiosity and love.

"Misty…" Ash swallowed.

"Ash."

The moment had come, set up perfectly. All Ash had to to was ask. Of course, that's when things went wrong. With a crack of thunder, the clouds sundered and the heavens poured down upon them. Within moments, they were both soaked to the skin, hair plastered against their faces. With a squawk of surprise, Misty stood up and rushed to pack up the ruined picnic gear, but Ash was rooted to the spot, dumbfounded by how things were suddenly ruined.

"Wow." Misty shielded her eyes from the torrential rain, while glaring at Ash. "Are you just going to stand there! Help me get everything!"

"I…" Ash was still in shock as Misty grasped his cold hand.

"Ash! Whatever you wanted to ask me, it can wait until we get home!" Misty shouted over the noise of the thunder. "Come on Ash! We'll get sick if we stay here any longer!"

"…No," Ash mumbled.

"What?" Misty yelled, over the muted roar of the rain.

Ash shook his head, blinking rapidly to clear his eyes of the water. "No!" he said louder.

"No?" Misty parroted, getting a little angry. "Ash! Now is not the time to be a stubborn moron!"

"Damn it, no!" Ash shouted, frustrated, snatching his hand from Misty and furiously pushing the hair from his face. Only to snarl when it simply slaps back, unwilling to allow him any respite. "Mist, I can't wait! I-Ah, what was it they said about plans?!"

"I have no clue what you're on about, but make it quick!" Misty yelled, rubbing her chest to fight off the cold. "You said you wanted to ask me something!"

"Right!" Ash nodded, eyes burning with full of determination. "Misty, I don't want it! I need it! I need you!"

"I still don't know what you're talking abo-" Misty gasped in surprise, cutting off her own words when Ash pulled her into a hard and demanding kiss, one which she responded to with equal ferocity. Ash eventually pulled back, before taking a few steps backwards.

"I want your heart. And in exchange, despite not being the same, I'll give you my last name," Ash declared, getting down on a knee and pulling out a small box from his pocket. "Misty Waterflower will you marry me and make me the happiest man in the world?"

It was Misty's turn to stand rooted to the ground, utterly breathless from the kiss and then blindsided by Ash's question. "Seriously?" she uttered.

"Yes, seriously!" Ash nodded vigorously.

Misty's mouth opened and closed for a few moments before she found her words. "Yes! I-Yes, of course! YES!" she screamed, over the continuing storm.

"Seriously?" Ash faintly asked.

Misty grinned, "Yes, you goof! Now put the ring on my finger!"

Ash did so, placing the silver-coloured band on Misty's finger. At its apex was a stylised shell, which opened to an emerald sphere.

Misty stared at the ring for a moment before pulling Ash into a kiss that was just as demanding as before. Elated, Ash couldn't contain himself, as he lifted Misty into the air and spun her around, both of them laughing in sheer joy.

"We're getting married!" he yelled to the heavens, both of them completely unconcerned by the weather. Ten years to the day since he knew Misty Waterflower. For the next ten and beyond, it was Misty Ketchum he would get to share this spot.

Author's note: I swear I get super sappy whenever I right shippy stuff. I wonder if that's a bad thing? Eh...Proposal oneshot is as proposal oneshot does.