P--P
She was drifting, floating, content in a sea of darkness, every thought a mere flicker escaping her grasp. She was simply existing, and fine with it. Misty had no emotion, knew nothing outside of her state of being.
But something kept intruding, a tug every once in a while, as if she was being poked by something small. Presently the poke became more like a push, the she felt cool water on her forehead and could make out someone's voice, faint but there.
"Oh, god, Mist, wake up. Please. I swear, if you die on me, I'll go to heaven myself and drag your ass back down here. "
With every second, she became more aware of her surrounding, of someone pressing a wet cloth against her neck then forehead, aware of a trilling noise from above her, and aware of paws resting on her ankles.
"Misty... ? Can you hear me? "
"...water... "
Presently, the mouth of a water bottle was pressed against her lips, then water, sweet water, cold water trickled into her mouth, and she drank greedily.
"Easy there, Red, or you'll make yourself sick. Drink it slowly, hold the water in your mouth for a while before swallowing. There we go. "
She struggled to sit upright, being helped by a hand on her back, then opened her eyes to see Togetic hovering above her, fanning her gently with a Metronome'd Gust from her thin wings, Umbreon at her feet, front paws propped up on her ankles as he held a wet cloth in his jaws, and Gary sitting beside her, holding her gently upright.
Her first thought was on the welcome wind. Then, "I thought you said no fans? "
"...I had to make an exception, or Togetic would have eaten me. " As he spoke, a paper drifted gently down to rest on one reddish brown lock of hair. "Feeling better? "
"Yeah. I guess- wait... were you... worried? "
Gary turned his attention onto the papers that were floating around him, his sunburned cheeks seeming to darken. "Of course not. I just didn't want to have to deal with your dead body. "
"Garret Dominic Oak has a soft spot, " Misty taunted, before realizing the fullness of that statement. Garret Dominic Oak has a soft spot... for... me...
"I- " Gary stopped, mind frantically searching for a comeback. His search came back blank. He growled, and started picking up papers. "Whatever. "
Despite her victory being tainted with the unnerving possibly of Gary like-liking her, Misty got up unsteadily, then slipped on a paper, falling backwards but being caught quickly.
"Easy there, Red. " She sensed him smirk suddenly, and tensed up with misgivings that moments later, were proven right as Gary picked her up easily, flopping her over his shoulder like a bag of grain.
"oooooo... " She hissed. "You are so freaking DEAD when I get better! You hear me?! I'm going to hunt you down, rip off both your arms, and beat you with them! AUUUUGH! "
"My, my, quite the temper we have. And here I was just trying to be a gentleman. After all, I do seem to have a soft spot for you. "
Misty gave a shriek of fury, then sagging in his arms as the pain returned and her world spun. "...damn males... " Absently she noted that his tattoo was a very detailed one, and looked very familiar.
"...your tattoo... is that.. lance's gyrados? "
"Heheh... forgot about that. Lost a bet couple years ago. Gramps still doesn't know... "
"tell me more about this bet... " Misty groaned quietly, curiosity and weakness overcoming her fury for the moment at least.
"Well, it was a really hot day at the Lake of Rage, and Lance bet he could swim across the lake faster than me. I took him on, on the condition that the loser had to get the other's pokemon of choice tattoo'd on their back. I chose Umbreon, " at this the black evolved Eevee growled appreciatively, " and Lance chose his Gyradoes. Guess who won. "
"I see... " Misty sighed as Gary set her down on a previously unseen couch.
"Why do you want to know, anyway? "
Misty's face flushed slightly as Gary handed her a water bottle. "..It's a water pokemon. And I'm a water-type gym leader. "
Realization dawned on Gary's face, lighting it up and leaving behind a smirk the size of his ego. That's very big. "You like it. "
"Wha- Oh, I so do NOT. "
"You think it's hot. "
Misty glared at him. "No, I don't. Tattoo's are stupid. "
Gary sniggered evilly. "Actions speak louder than words, Misty-Mist, and your face is a red as my tattoo. "
"Shut up! "
"You have a soft spot, too, and I found it " He gloated, face the picture of mischief.
"I'm warning you... "
"Oooo, Misty's going to eat me! " Gary gasped between laughs, and the redhead growled. "You bet I will. But you look tough. I need to tenderize you first. "
Drawing out her mallet, she whacked Gary as hard as she could, but not even that shut him up. "Hahahahahahah! You know- " he gasped for breath, eyes sparkling with some idea, " -that's not a very effective way of tenderizing someone. "
Before she could even move, he had caught her arm, pulled her in to him, and kissed her on the lips.
Quickly it was over, and she was struck so utterly speechless all she could do was breathe, and even that came hard. She felt as if she should be furious at him for stealing a kiss, but she was too dang gob smacked to THINK. Gary was smirking, one eyebrow raised, but Misty though she could sense fear and anticipation radiating from him. "Well, am I right? "
Behind them, there was a white light as Togetic struggled to evolve, ripping the human's attention from each other to look hopefully at the little pokemon. After a second, the light faded, and she had not changed. The researcher's shoulder sagged in disappointment. "So close, girl, so close. Back to work I suppose, " he finished, rubbing Togetic under her chin as Misty shook her head fiercely, still in a slight dazed shock.
It's the heat.. it's getting to me...
P--P
Since the argument-ending-with-a-kiss, Misty noticed a change in Gary's attitude. He seemed tense, covering it up for the most part by concentrating on the research. Which was fine with her. She just really wanted to forget about it. But every once in a while, they would brush up against each other and she though she felt a spark.
Togetic keened in protest as Gary inspected her carefully for anything that might have triggered her evolution attempt. After a second he sighed and released her.
"This just doesn't make sense! It's...it's... " With a aggravated moan, the researcher's slammed his head against the desk. Misty smirked slightly, then her face fell. Gary noticed this.
"What's wrong? "
"It's nothing... " Gary raised one eyebrow at this statement. Misty looked down, and added quietly, "it's just...you looked a lot like Ash there for a second... and... "
The brunette teenager blinked. "Oh... I'm sorry. God knows I didn't mean to. Besides, " he added, scowling slightly, "you deserve a lot better than he's been giving you. "
Misty froze, and looked at him in surprise, not noticing the faintest blush creep into her face. "Really? Th-thanks. "
It was Gary's turn to look away, fidgeting with his necklace. "To be fair, no one deserves what you go through. " The redhead's eyes narrowed slightly, debating how to reply. In the end, she decided to just take it as a compliment, and she let her lips twist up in a slight smile as Gary concentrated quite deeply on his green and gold amulet on a chain.
After another slightly awkward moment (A/N. UST!!), Gary cleared his throat and turned back around to lean over his laptop, bringing up the file of Togetic's DNA, lips moving as he read the data code.
Misty was leaning over his shoulder, more out of curiosity than an ability to make head or tails of jumble of letters and symbols. Gary ran his fingers through his slick sable locks, sighing again.
"I've been over this so many times, but I always end up right back where I started. The potential is there, RIGHT THERE, " here he flicked the screen for emphasis, " but it just slips through my fingers. With the right push- " a noise behind them caused Gary to turn around suddenly, and come (quite abruptly) face to face him Misty.
For once in his life, Garret Dominic Oak was struck entirely dumb; his chocolate eyes wide and bouncing back and forth between Misty's turquoise ones, their noses practically brushing up against one anothers as his heartbeat raced with the gorgeous gym leader's.
Suddenly, their lips met, and both threw old bad feelings to the wind as Misty felt her back against the wall, welcoming the tingling pressure on her lips and tracing the tattoo on his back. Behind Gary's back, she could hear faint noises but they were quickly forgotten as passion flowed through both of their veins like wildfire. Despite this, Gary was still so gentle and affectionate it made Misty's head spin.
His tongue smoothing over her lips causing her tremors to run through her whole body, she moaned as she let him deepen the kiss, pushing back on his tongue and giving as good as she got as his hands skimmed along her side to wrap around her lower and pull her even closer.
Misty's hands seemed to roam up to his hair with almost a mind of their own, playing with the silky spikes that were always styled with such careless abandon (which she had used to scorn) now only made him seem even more appealing. He was so bad, and yet so good.
The red-head let her hands slip down to his shoulders again, pulling slightly at the fabric. Oh, if only she could-
Sudden light brought both teenagers to earth from their hormonal highs, accompanied by the very last voice they expected and wished to hear.
"GARRET DOMINIC OAK!! " The venerable researcher's voice almost broke with fatherly rage and shock. Gary swiftly pushed himself away from the girl her had pinned against the wall, the mother of all shocked and embarrassed looks on his face.
"Gramps, I- "
"WHEN DID YOU GET A TATTOO?? "
The side of Gary's face twisted up, speaking clearer than if he had said it out loud, three words. 'What-the-hell? ' He, however, wasn't looking at his grandfather. In fact, no one was.
Seated on the table was a portly, content looking pokemon, white as snow, with a friendly broad head perched on the shoulders of thick wide triangle shaped wings that gave her a kite-like shape, complete with blue and white flecks, dainty feet, and a three colored, three feathered crest.
"Kiss! Kiss! Togekiss! "
Umbreon looked smug, and Gary noticed the Shiny Stone missing from the pile as Misty and Professor Oak embraced the new pokemon.
"My grandson- Gary- You did it! "
For a second, the brunette looked utterly lost, then he coughed slightly. "WE did it. Togeti- Togekiss, Umbreon, Me... " here he cast his gaze at Misty, regaining his composure, "...and Misty. I think she evolved when, ah... she was surrounded by happiness and that Shiny Stone just, um... pushed her over the edge...? "
Truly the absent minded professor, Oak nodded in agreement of Gary's hypothesis, then cooed at Togekiss. "I wish I knew where her name came from..."
An odd noise came from Umbreon as the black pokemon's tail and nose twitched, closing his ruby eyes and shaking slightly. He was laughing.
P--P
Long time coming, sorry for the wait, blah blah blah, just review, please! I neeeeed theeeeeem!! I live off of them!!