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18. Hugs

It's over.

Ash coughs out hoarsely, rubbing off his soot-blackened forehead and walking down the road. He limps for a moment. Team Rocket's hot-air balloon almost crashed when a flailing Ash was hanging out of the basket, yelling. They tried to capture him and Pikachu. Again.

Pikachu, equally blanketed in soot, coughs out a "piii!" faintly. They scamper from Ash's hands.

"I know, I know," Ash mutters grumpily, feeling Pikachu's tail slap his leg as if reprimanding Ash. "But we got free, didn't we—?"

"ASH!"

Misty races from the tall grass and onto the road, calling for Ash. She's followed by Brock and a former Officer Jenny — now Jennifer — and Ash stumbles backwards in alarm as Misty launches herself at him. Misty's face pinkens with relief.

Ash nearly goes pink himself. She's never hugged him tightly—

—oh

He pulls out of Misty's arms as quickly as possible.

Ash tried to never let her know. Ash wore baggy clothes to hide himself and grew out his hair shaggy and he didn't want anyone to get the wrong impression about him. He's a boy. Ash knows he is.

(Even if his chest is like Misty's and now Misty know this.)

Before Ash can panic or speak up, Misty inhales sharply. She swats him on the cheek. "Don't scare me like that again," Misty scowls, watching a gobsmacked Ash. "You're so reckless, Ash! Boys are the worst! Uuugh! You boys are the absolute worst!"

Ash takes a moment, processing this, looking her over with a soft, grateful chuckle.

The corner of Misty's mouth uplifts.

He hugs her this time, spinning Misty, yelling and flush-faced, on her toes.

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