WARNING: This might possibly be one of the LONGEST Pokémon one-shots you'll ever read! It is also quite possibly my greatest fic to date! I'm still goin' nuts over how amazing this story got, and so quickly, too! I know you'll enjoy it, so read on!

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon, but I do own a copy of Star Ocean: The Last Hope, and if you're a gamer (specifically an RPG gamer) and don't have this game, as soon as you're done reading (and hopefully reviewing) this fic, get a copy, foo! XD

Dedication: Seeing as this is my best fic to date, I spent a LOT of time thinking about who I could dedicate this to. Then, I decided. This fic goes out to anyone who's helped me get this far as a writer. Special shout-outs include my former Creative Writing teacher (for being awesome), Chaos-Paladin (for bein' an awesome guy to talk to and always helping me out), all of my reviewers who have motivated me, inspired me, and given me constructive criticism, and a special thank you goes out to Soft Flame Matthias. He gave me awesome words of encouragement when I published my first fic here, and those words helped me to keep going. Thank you, everyone!

Hand In Hand

A rosy pink flush burned Ash's face, his gaze downcast and shy. His fingers, which rested on her waist, squeezed gently, pressing deeper into her skin. Her arms curled around his neck, and the intimacy made him uncomfortable. His body felt abnormally warm, and his pounding heart constricted his chest. He swallowed hard, breathing in and out to keep himself from shaking. Despite his crazed symptoms, an aroma calmed his body. It emanated from her hair, a lovely scent of vanilla and jasmine.

His ears rang with her words, those syllables that had turned his stomach into knots and left a vacuous spot in his brain. Her statement hadn't been a question; nonetheless, it demanded a response. And he had one, but he was still gathering the remnants of his scattered thoughts, hoping to form a sentence that wouldn't destroy the moment.

"I like you too, M-Misty…" His heart clenched, leaving a squeaky stutter in his voice as he murmured his confession. The redhead's hold on his neck tightened, making Ash's breathing predicament all the more difficult. Her arms shook gently, almost shivering, as a small noise of delight purred from her throat.

The raven-haired boy closed his eyes, clenching his teeth as a nauseating dizziness coursed through him. The transition from best friends to something more was a first for him, and his body was in shock. He needed somewhere to sit, as he was quickly losing control of his legs. He gave Misty a gentle shake, causing her to look up at him with curious eyes.

"Uh…how about we head back to the Pokémon Center?" His question was answered with a warm smile and a soft giggle. In the back of his mind, he had the feeling that she was laughing at his nervousness.

"Sure." A rare tone of affection rested in her voice, moving so she stood on his right side. She rested her head on his shoulder, her right hand moving to grasp his arm. Her left hand moved down to his, grasping it. Embarrassed and humbled, Ash scratched the back of his head before he headed to the center, Misty at his side.

The trip down the dusty dirt road leading to Goldenrod City felt far too long for Ash, despite it only being a fairly short walk. He had no reason to get so worked up over their closeness. Misty had slept on his shoulder on the occasion of a random Jigglypuff song. She grabbed his arm when she was angry with him, or when she was taking him somewhere forcefully. She held his hand when he was being led along, or she was helping him get to higher ground. But now that they had confessed to one another, there was something different about the action. Especially holding hands, he noted, as his fingers intertwined with hers. He gave them a small squeeze, drawing Misty's attention to him.

"Is something up, Ash?" She asked, concern evident in her voice.

"N-nothing, I'm fine. It's just, uh…" His eyes bashfully traveled from their hands, to her eyes, and then to the ground in front of him. "This feels a little weird, y'know? I never really thought I'd be holding your hand like this. I haven't done anything like this before, so…I don't know what I should be doing…" The corner of his mouth twisted uncomfortably, gently biting the skin inside the side of his lips. He turned to see her expression, finding her face to be filled with happiness and relief, not disappointment. With a caring squeeze of his hand and a kiss on the cheek that set his face ablaze, she smiled adoringly.

"If it makes you feel better, I don't really know a lot, either." Her smile grew timid as she blushed, before returning her head to his shoulder.

Her words comforted Ash, but did very little to quell his feelings of intimidation. Thankfully, the twosome had just passed through the golden-colored gates of Goldenrod City, so the Pokémon Center wasn't too far. Even so, the walk there strangely felt like an eternity. To add to his mental load, he suddenly thought about Brock and Pikachu. What would they say about him and Misty?

"ASH! MISTY!"

The sound of an extremely elated and bubbly voice caught the attention of the two teens, turning their puzzled expressions to the source of the announcement of their names. Fortunately, they found the source easily, as it was quickly approaching them in the form of red clothes, brown hair, and blue eyes.

Unfortunately, they found the source plowing into them in a huge hug, nearly sending all three to the hard concrete.

"M-May?" The new couple was too shocked to respond in any other way.

"You guys are dating? You two look SO cute together!" The brunette girl's extreme cooing earned two major sweatdrops from Ash and Misty.

"May, what in the world are you doing?" A cool, relaxed, and amused tone drifted into the trio's ears, turning to see a teen boy with spiky white hair and exuberant ruby eyes.

"Brendan, these are two of my friends!" In a flash, May dashed over to the boy, pulling him along as she returned to her friends. "Brendan, this is Ash and Misty."

"Hi, how's it going?" Ash greeted cheerfully, grateful for a moment of reprieve from such a weird situation.

"Nice to meet you." Misty smiled.

"I'm Brendan Birch. I'm a trainer." The boy flashed a thumbs up.

"And he's ALSO my boyfriend!" May exclaimed gleefully, grabbing Brendan around the chest from his side.

"Really?" Ash and Misty cried, startled.

"Um, yeah." The two held lovely blushes in their cheeks as they hugged.

"That's great, you guys! Now we can go on a double date!" Ash's new girlfriend had stars in her eyes at the prospect.

"That's a great idea, Misty! It'll be SO fun!" May's grin grew to massive proportions, and with that, the two females engaged in a no-holds-barred conversation about the four hanging out together.

Ash's sweatdrop couldn't be any bigger, exasperated at how into the idea the girls were getting. He turned to Brendan, who smiled reassuringly.

"You'll get used to it." Brendan mouthed the words over to Ash, so the girls were completely unaware of the message.

Ash nodded insecurely, before his eyes wandered south, noticing something. He wasn't sure exactly when it happened, but Brendan now held May's hand in his. He cocked his head slightly sideways, studying the sight. The hold was secure, and it looked comfortable. He looked to Brendan, who was busy pretending to listen to May's conversation. It was so obvious that he didn't care to listen to the girls chatter about dates, but the girls were too absorbed to notice. He didn't look like he felt awkward, nor did he seem anxious. To the contrary, he looked perfectly content.

In his out-of-character analysis, he was oblivious to everything around him. This trance broke, however, when he felt a feather-soft kiss hit his cheek. Blinking, he looked to see May and Misty waving at them as they ran off, with Brendan sheepishly grinning and waving back. "Uh, what happened?"

"Well, my friend, it seems like we're going on a double date tonight, so the girls went to get new clothes." Brendan answered casually, sliding his hands into his pockets.

"Oh." Ash murmured, having not fully registered what exactly Brendan had said. Three seconds later, that changed. "WHA?!"

Brendan laughed heartily, as if knowing Ash would be startled. "Don't worry, I doubt it'll be that bad. The girls will probably just talk to each other all night." Though his expression remained amused, a touch of seriousness graced his facial features. "By the way…you're really new at relationships, aren't you?"

"Yeah, but how did you-" Out of nowhere, Brendan shoved Ash against the wall, placing his face dangerously close to Ash's. Fear, confusion, and uncertainly rooted the brown-eyed trainer to the spot, exhaling sharply. Strangely, Brendan inhaled at the same time, almost as if breathing in Ash's former air. Then, as suddenly as he had pinned Ash, Brendan backed away.

"Sorry 'bout that." Brendan chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Uh…s-sure…" Ash replied shakily, still in shock at the sudden and unexplained attack.

Brendan then closed his eyes and crossed his arms, as if thinking. He remained that way for several seconds, unmoving. Ash looked around, feeling slightly awkward. What exactly was he doing, he wondered, confused by the other trainer's actions. Then, quickly, Brendan's eyes opened, looking highly surprised. "So you've liked her for a few years, but you barely started dating today?"

Ash's mouth dropped, completely taken aback. "How'd you know?!" It was truly a surprise that Brendan had figured that out, considering that the two had just met today.

Brendan shrugged. "Call it luck." Despite Ash's suspicious glare, he then played a friendly hand on Ash's shoulder. "But you gotta relax some, dude. If you've known her for so long, why are you nervous?"

Ash was still unclear about how Brendan knew exactly how he felt, but regardless, he felt safe talking to the white-haired boy. "Well, I guess it's like Misty isn't Misty anymore. We're always arguing, but she's nice, too. I guess it's weird to see her acting so girly." Ash shrugged, apprehensive at what might happen if Misty continued to change. "And…" Ash's gazed plummeted, his mouth pouting. "I feel kinda awkward when I hold her hand. I don't know why I do, but I feel guilty about it." He frowned. He'd never been a boyfriend before, but if this was what it was like, he wasn't so sure he would be very good at it.

In response, Brendan laughed playfully, wrapping his arm around Ash's shoulder in a friendly manner. "Dude, you just got nerves. They'll go away soon, trust me. And about the holding hands thing…" At this, Brendan pulled at Ash's neck as he started walking, with Ash stumbling to regain his balance. "If you really like this girl, don't just hold her hand for the sake of holding hands. You gotta mean something behind it, y'know?"

Ash, who finally managed to resume walking normally, blinked curiously. "Whaddya mean?"

"You know, pick a special reason for holding hands. Don't do it just because you're dating. Lots of people date. Nothing too special. Find a good reason for it. Like me and May, for example. I hold her hand because I like having her close, and I want to protect her. I don't wanna see anyone hurt her." His face was solemn for a moment, before he grinned sheepishly. "Haha, talk about cheesy." He smiled with a thumbs up. "But hopefully you get it. This girl is special, right? So make everything you do special."

Ash's gaze was locked with the ground as he walked, absorbing everything Brendan was saying. It sounded REALLY cheesy, true, but it made sense to him. He nodded his head, grinning with a determined spirit. "Alright, I'll do it!"

"Atta boy!" Brendan slapped his back encouragingly. He then tilted his head back, coming to a halt. "Well, here we are."

"Huh?" Ash, through the whole conversation, had never taken notice of where exactly they were walking. Before him was a large clothing store. "Wait, why are we here?"

"Well, the girls are getting new clothes, right? So why can't we?" While Ash wasn't accustomed to going to these lengths for meeting someone, Brendan's grin not only persuaded him otherwise, it compelled him to believe it would be a common practice.

"Do we HAVE to?" Ash wondered curiously, still oblivious to the reasoning.

"Of course! You gotta look good on a date, especially your first! Besides, how would you feel if Misty got all dolled up for you, and you just looked normal?" Before Ash could respond, Brendan gripped him and pulled him towards the doors.

The thought of Misty actually dressing up nice, just for him, sent heated embarrassment to his cheeks, and a bashful grin to his face. He couldn't help but agree with Brendan's words. He felt a new sense of confidence build within him, and although he wasn't too sure about how their relationship would go, he wanted to do his best to make sure they were both happy.

- - - - -

"Hurry up in there!"

"I'm almost done!"

A cross-armed Brendan stood outside the men's dressing room, cracking his neck impatiently. His back came next, followed by his fingers. He sighed as the bone crunching ceased, glaring at the curtain irritably. Before Ash had walked into the dressing room, all Brendan had seen him with was what looked like a different jacket and a different hat. Surely it didn't take five whole minutes to change, did it? He groaned to himself as he pressed his palm against his head. He'd only known Ash for a short time, but he could already tell Ash didn't pick up on anything that was subtly implied. Simply put, he was dense. Leave it to him to barely change anything at all. Well, hopefully whatever he'd picked was decent, at best.

"Alright, I'm done."

Gently shaking out of his miniature trance, Brendan turned to see Ash pull away the curtains. The trainer had kept his jeans, but his feet were donned with new shoes, ones which were predominantly black with shades of white and red. He still wore black fingerless gloves, but the wrist fabric was blue rather than green. His shirt was plain white, while the jacket above was black, opened so that the white shirt was visible. The sleeves were white, the collar was yellow, and on the right side, the top half of a red Pokéball was designed in. Atop his raven hair was a red hat, with a white front and a black Pokéball symbol.

With one hand on his waist and the other cupping his chin, Brendan nodded approvingly. "Not too different from your last outfit, but it looks pretty good on ya."

"You think so?" Ash asked plainly, twisting his body to examine himself.

"Yep. Now if you'll excuse me, it's my turn!" With a firm but friendly push, Brendan brushed past Ash, heading into the changing room. As Brendan tried on his new threads, Ash examined his clothes, mildly interested and amused. In a small, weird way, he felt kind of good with a new look. Looking into a mirror hanging on the wall, he admired his outfit as he struck different poses. It was strange, but he was having some fun doing this.

"Don't hurt yourself now."

Ash froze, quickly jumping into a neutral stance with his hands behinds his back. "Haha, um, I was just looking at my outfit, honest!" Ash defended.

"Right, right." Brendan laughed. The boy now wore a red long sleeve sweater with two pockets, a small hood hanging down the back. His jet black pants hung loosely around his legs, and it seemed he'd kept his original red and black shoes. Around his forehead was a red headband.

Ash blinked. "Is that it?" He asked in a wonderingly unimpressed tone.

"Well, it's not MY first date, so I don't HAVE to dress up. But this outfit is pretty awesome, right?" Brendan posed victoriously, earning a sweatdrop from Ash, who hung his head despairingly.

"If you say so." He groaned quietly, feeling embarrassed for the boy.

"Well, now, let's pay for these things and get outta here. Looks like we'll have a few hours to burn before the date." Brendan glanced at the watch on his wrist, tapping at it to make sure the time was correct.

Poor, poor Ash, still naïve to the world, cocked his head, clueless. "Aren't we going now?"

Brendan quickly facepalmed, before remembering that it was Ash. He wouldn't know about these things. "Ash, rule one about going out to places with girls: they take FOREVER to get ready. Their clothes have to be just right, their make-up has to be perfect, and Ho-oh forbid they find a split end." His response only perplexed Ash even further, telling Brendan that explaining further was futile. He simply ran a rough hand through his white hair. "Look, let's just go find some stuff to do to kill some time."

"Alright, then." Ash replied, leading the way back to the register.

Brendan sighed. This guy was hopeless. He grinned, though. He could tell that he really cared about this girl, and vice-versa. Ash just needed a little encouragement and a push to set him in the right direction. And he had just the idea to do it.

- - - - -

The early rays of sunset cast a beautiful bronze over the city, the colors bouncing off the many windows of the large buildings. A few small clouds drifted over the city, painted in splashes of orange, pink, and a small shade of red. A small gust blew past, before the air was still once more.

Ash and Brendan waited outside the Pokémon Center, donned in their new outfits. Brendan leaned against the wall coolly, his hands in his pockets as he admired the sky. Ash found himself in thought about what he was feeling, as well as what Brendan had told him. "Find a special reason for how I treat her…" It was easier said than done, though. Misty was his best friend. Was there supposed to be a more special reason than that?

Brendan glanced at his watch, then turned to his side and grinned. "Looks like they're here."

Ash wakened from his reverie to see the two girls approaching them. May wore a strapless purple dress shirt that flowed down to her thighs. Denim blue jeans hugged her legs tightly, and purple high heels covered her feet. Her hair, which was absent of its usual bandanna, was brushed straight down, so all of it flowed down her back.

This earned an approvingly joyful smile from Brendan, but as for Ash, he was breathless. In his eyes, May didn't hold a candle to how Misty looked. The redhead wore a halter top that was also a dress, flowing down gently to just below her knees. A small white line moved across the dress horizontally, right below her chest. Above the line, the dress was blue. Below the line was a lighter shade of blue. The boots she wore were light blue as well, and fit her quite beautifully. But most of all, Ash noticed her hair. No longer restricted with a hair band, her orange tresses framed her face lovingly.

The boys were in awe as the girls approached, earning them delighted giggles. "Are you guys just gonna stare or what?" May asked, her hands on her hips.

"Well, what do you think?" Misty asked, twirling in a complete circle.

His eyes staying on May, Brendan lightly smacked Ash behind to head to knock the black-haired trainer back to his senses. "You look AMAZING, May." He motioned forward towards the girl, placing his hands on her shoulders and kissing her forehead lightly. The brunette giggled, wrapping her arms around the boy. The two then looked to Ash.

The boy was slightly surprised, unsure at all of what to do. The two were smiling at him, and the look in Brendan's eyes sent a clear message to Ash: "Tell her how she looks already!" May simply winked at him, and he shyly turned to Misty once again. Leaning her weight on one leg so her body tilted gracefully to the side, her hands were clasped behind her back. Her head tilted to the side slightly as she smiled cutely. Ash's face burned once again, gulping as he began forcing the words out. "Y-you look r-really p-pretty, Misty."

The redhead's eyes closed in a bigger smile, causing Ash to smile sheepishly. Looked like he hadn't done anything wrong. His blush darkened when Misty approached him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Instantly, a soft aroma drifted into his nose, one of cherry blossoms. It was light, and made his legs shaky. Was Misty wearing perfume?

She kissed his cheek once again, but unlike before, this was MUCH closer to his mouth; the corners of their lips touched, making the breath in Ash's body freeze up. "You look really nice too, Ash." Her voice was barely above a whisper, leaving Ash to rub his head sheepishly.

"Well, now that we're good to go, let's get goin'." Brendan smiled.

"Alright, where to?" Ash asked, as Misty wrapped her arms around his arm.

"See that building over there?" Brendan pointed to a building that was about a three minute walk away. It was fairly tall, with large windows on the sides. "That's a restaurant. That's where we're going."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" In his excitement at the prospect of a large restaurant, Ash motioned to make his way rapidly to the building. However, something stopped him, as he felt Misty's grip on his arm tightened, her glaring expression sending a small shiver down his back.

"Ash, this is supposed to be a date. You can't just run off when you want to." She let go of his arm when she was sure he wouldn't move, putting her fists on her hips.

"I wasn't gonna run off. I was going to the restaurant like Brendan told me to!" Ash argued back, completely forgetting about everything the white-haired trainer had told him.

"Well, if you're on a date, you need to stay with the girl. That means ME!" Misty glared even more, but Ash refused to back down.

"How was I supposed to know that?"

"Isn't it obvious, Ash?"

"Maybe for you, but I didn't know that!"

"Well, maybe if you cared more about it, you would have asked Brendan!"

"I didn't even KNOW I was supposed to-"

"ASH! MISTY!"

The two froze, nearly jumping out of their new clothes in fright. Shakily, the turned to see disappointed looks on Brendan and May's faces. "Come on, you guys. How can you be arguing on your first date?" May asked somberly.

The two looked down guiltily, before looking at each other. "Well…"

Brendan took two small steps over to Ash, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Remember what I said about making everything special?"

His head still down, a surprised look flourished on Ash's face. He looked up to see Brendan smiling at him, and then moving back to May. "We'll go on ahead a bit. You catch up." Against May's objections, the couple headed down the street, with May asking what Brendan had said.

Feeling cool and collected, Ash turned to Misty, who still looked glum. He stepped over to her and rested his hands on her shoulders, giving them an affectionate squeeze. "Misty, try not to feel so bad, okay?"

"I just don't want us arguing on our first date…" Misty replied quietly, her lips pouting.

Ash chuckled, pulling Misty into a hug. The redhead gasped in surprise, momentarily remaining motionless, before wrapping her arms around Ash's midsection. "Misty, we argue about stuff all the time. I don't think it would change just like that in one day." His hand moved up and down her back comfortingly.

"I know. I just don't want us to argue today. I want today to be…special…" Misty sighed, pushing closer into Ash's embrace.

Even Ash could understand Misty in that moment. It wasn't just a girl thing, either; he wanted the night to be special, too. And thus he backed away slightly so he could look into her eyes. He smiled; more than anything, he adored the color of her eyes. That clear cerulean, a soft mix of green and blue. It made his heart swell. He cleared his throat. He'd thought about how he could say this in the sweetest way possible. "Well…Misty, I…I don't argue with anyone else like I do with you. So…when we argue…it's special to me…" He knew the blush on his cheeks must have been maddening, and he knew it would get worse in the next few seconds. Closing his eyes, he leaned forward and planted a tender kiss on her forehead. Misty visibly jumped, though Ash could only feel it. The small smack sound of Ash's lips leaving her forehead was the only sound they heard. He moved away once again, feeling embarrassed. With eyes shaking in humility, he looked to his girlfriend. Small droplets shivered at the edge of her eyes, a sparkling smile lighting up her face.

"Ash…that was so sweet…" Her voice cracked just a tiny bit as she pulled him in close once again, drying her small tears on his shirt. It wasn't crying; just baby soft sobs. Ash didn't mean to make her cry, but he could at least cheer her up. He rubbed her back once more for a minute, allowing her to recollect her emotions.

"Come on, let's get back to that date." Ash whispered calmly. The girl nodded in his chest, backing away and rubbing at her eyes. Ash extended his arm to her, and Misty, smiling brightly, wrapped her arms around his arm, taking his hand in hers.

This time, Ash only felt a little anxious. The other half of his heart felt content. He'd found the first special thing in their relationship: their arguing. And it would always be settled with a kiss on the forehead.

- - - - -

"Wow, this place is great!"

"It's so big in here!"

"Brendan, are we REALLY gonna eat here?"

"Only the best, right?"

Brendan chuckled sheepishly as May pulled him into a very affectionate hug, kissing his cheek lovingly. Ash and Misty, however, were too preoccupied with the scale of the restaurant. Oddly, they hadn't been able to see just HOW large it was until they got inside. A velvety shade of red paint coated the walls, with golden curtains framing the windows. Round tables covered with maroon table sheets were stationed all over, each with a small candle in the center. A few ceiling fans spun slowly, lighting the room dimly. A small number of waiters and waitresses could be seen taking and delivering orders throughout.

The foursome admired the inside, loving the relaxed feel of the place. As if on cue, a waitress approached them, holding four menus in hand. "Hello, and welcome to the Goldenrod Café. Is it just you four, or will there be others?"

"Nah, just us." Brendan replied.

"Alright, now if you'll just follow me, I believe we have might have a spare table some-" Before she could finish, Brendan leaned in closer, placing his lips near her ear. He whispered something into her ear, after which she turned, her eyes scanning the restaurant. A few awkward moments of searching led to a satisfied smile. "It seems we do. Please follow me."

A confused look morphed May's face, increasing her pace to keep up with her boyfriend as she walked besides him. "What did you say?" Her relatively calm voice belied the suspicious tone hidden within.

"Don't worry, I was just asking if we could get a table near a window." Brendan assured her, securely placing his arms over her shoulders.

The brunette pouted, crossing her arms. "It's not like I was jealous our anything."

Brendan just chuckled, leaning down to her face and kissing her cheek softly. He then pressed his cheek on the spot he'd just kissed, snuggling her playfully. She giggled in response, grabbing firmer onto him.

Meanwhile, Ash and Misty looked on at the two. Being such a new and inexperienced couple, they could help but look on in awe at how Brendan and May acted. They turned to look at each other, their faces turning a heavy shade of red. Misty's gaze fell southward, her eyes locked on her fingers as she twiddled them together. Ash's eyes drifted upward, his hand holding the back of his head sheepishly. Both had nervous expressions, and the short walk to the table was mildly awkward.

Just before reaching the table, Brendan discreetly pulled Ash aside, intending to whisper in the boy's ear. "Follow my lead." Ash watched as Brendan moved to the chair next to the window, pulling the chair back. May gracefully posted her posterior onto it, upon which Brendan pushed her in. He conspicuously gestured to Ash, who looked at the chair, then glanced at Misty. His mind clicked, and he moved to the chair and pulled it back. Brendan couldn't help but grin as Misty thanked him sweetly upon resting in her seat. Although polite, Ash wasn't known for his grace, as he accidentally pushed Misty a little too far into the table. Thankfully, the redhead wasn't surprised in the least, completely understanding of Ash's lack of proper table etiquette as she moved her chair back a few inches.

Brendan shot Ash an approving grin as the boys sat down. Ash returned the gesture proudly.

"So May, how long have you and Brendan been dating?" Misty asked as she propped up her elbows on the table, cradling her chin in her hands.

"Two years." May replied gleefully, leaning over to rest her head on his shoulder.

"Aw, that's so sweet." Misty cooed, tilting her head sideways dreamily.

"So, how did you guys meet each other?" Ash asked.

May's expression took on a reddish hue, suddenly looking awkward. "Er, yeah, about that…"

"I was lying down in the road, and she thought I was in trouble. So she ended up giving me CPR." Brendan replied simply.

Ash sweatdropped, Misty sweatdropped, May blushed harder, and Brendan looked like he didn't have a care in the world. "Brendan, why'd you tell them that?" May hoped her scolding was silent enough to be unnoticed by Ash and Misty, but such luck wasn't on her side, as the pair was completely aware of her small comment.

"Well, they asked, so I told them." Brendan replied coolly, supporting his head with his hands as he leaned back in his chair.

"Yeah, but…" May's gaze turned to Ash and Misty, quickly plummeting in humiliation.

"Eh…M-May, that's not so bad…" Misty replied sheepishly. Truth be told, that situation was fairly odd, but what was stranger was what could have happened after such an incident that would lead to them dating. "So, what happened after that?"

"Well, after that whole incident, she ran off before I could tell her that I was…sick, and that by, y'know…giving me CPR, that she would probably get sick, too." As Brendan conveyed this story, Ash and Misty couldn't help but notice the severe blush on May's face. Surely she couldn't be THAT embarrassed about an accidental connection of lips, could she? "So, I used my Gardevoir to find out where she was going. It turned out she was going to Olivine City, so I had my Gardevoir teleport me there. I looked around for her for a while, but I couldn't find her. I checked restaurants, some of the stores, even the little ice cream parlor near the port." Ash and Misty dismissed those locations as normal, but had they known that those were all some of May's favorite locations, they'd have questioned how he would even know to look at those spots before he'd gotten to know her. "Then I was walking by the Coordinator stadium, and figured I might as well look there. I started searching through the crowds, when I heard the names of two of the coordinators competing. I looked down and saw her. I decided to watch the competition, to see how good she was." Brendan grinned proudly as he wrapped an arm around May's shoulders. "She tore up the competition. But I was still scared she was sick, so I headed back to the contestant area, and I saw her sitting on a bench."

Just then, the waitress returned with a tray holding four glasses of water. "Would you like to order now?" She asked as she placed the cups on the table one by one.

"No, we're still looking." Misty replied politely.

"Alright, I'll be back as soon as you're ready." With a kind smile, the girl returned to attending to other customers.

The gang's attention turned back to Brendan. "So what happened next?" Misty inquired.

"Oh, right. Well, I saw her at the bench, and I was gonna talk to her, but I was nervous. I didn't know if she'd be freaked out by seeing me again. Plus I didn't wanna get her all worked up right before her competition. Then the announcer called her name, and she stood up, but then get all wobbly and stuff. So I ran over and caught her before she hit the floor. After that, I took her to her room and watched her until she woke up." Brendan finished his story with a grin.

Ash, meanwhile, had a slightly suspicious expression plastered on his face. He had plenty of questions to ask, such as how he knew which room was hers, or what kind of sickness she'd caught from him. However, he decided against asking right now. He'd ask Brendan in private one of these days. "And after that…you guys just started dating?"

"Well, not yet, anyways." Brendan smiled warmly as he turned to May, as though enticing her to continue the story.

The brunette blushed slightly, but composed herself. Brendan had told the hard parts, so the rest was fairly simple. "After that, we decided to hang out for a while. The contest was postponed, but I can't remember why, so we hung out for a few days. After a while, I started to like him more, and he was really sweet and kind. He even helped me relax and prepare for my contest. After I won, I asked if we could travel around for a while, and then…I asked if we could do it as a couple…and he said yes." May hugged Brendan tighter, leaving Brendan to laugh sheepishly as his body was pulled to the side.

"That's so cute, you guys." Misty said adoringly.

May then turned to the raven-haired trainer, wearing an amused grin. "So, how about you, Ash?"

The targeted boy blinked, confused. "What about me?"

The girl scoffed lightly. "If I remember correctly, when we traveled together, you didn't know one single thing about love. So I wanna know when you first started liking Misty."

The inquiry raised a curiosity in Misty. After all, she knew that Ash liked her, but she had yet to discover when someone like him first made contact with the more affectionate emotion.

Ash, meanwhile, found himself thinking back. "It was maybe a year ago, I think. I remember me, Misty, and Brock were heading for a city, and we were camping out in Viridian Forest. I couldn't sleep because I was thinking of Misty." He found himself blushing at his admitting such a thing. "I kept thinking about her, and I didn't know why. I looked at her, and she was moving in her sleep. I rubbed her head to make her feel better, but she woke up and got mad at me. After that, I went for a walk, and I found a lake. Misty followed me, and we talked for a bit." As Ash continued the story, Misty couldn't help but find this story strangely familiar. "After a while, she fell asleep, and I carried her back to the camp. When we got there, she hit me with her mallet in her sleep." Ash knocked at his head playfully, remembering the spot where the hammer had connected. "So we fell over and she landed on my arm. Not only that but…we were hugging REALLY close to each other." Ash's blush increased tenfold, emphasizing that the two were physically VERY close in that situation. His eyes wandered to Misty's chest bashfully, remembering the feeling of them pressing against him. The thought reminded him of a certain incident that had happened a few hours prior to him and Misty admitting their feelings for each other, but he shook his head dismissively, returning to the story. "I would have woke her up, but I was scared she'd hit me again. So I tried moving away, but she just held on tighter. I just gave up and decided to go to sleep." The new blush on Ash's face put the previous one to shame, and the trio was amused. Misty and May especially, considering that they'd never seen him so flustered before. However, Ash's embarrassment was shared only by Misty, whose heart pounded at how she was involved in this. "I was about to fall asleep, but I heard Misty say…something…" His face felt heated, taking a breath to attempt to cool off.

"Really. And what did she say?" Brendan inquired curiously.

"Well…she said…" Ash gulped, recalling the incident as he conveyed the message…

Feeling sleepiness crawl upon him again, he decided to follow Misty's example. After all, if Misty was gonna yell at him, he wanted to be awake to argue back. Wrapping his arm around her, he nestled himself down, shifting his head so that it sat comfortably on her head. Before nodding off to sleep, he heard Misty say something, so quiet, that he had to strain to hear what she said.

"I love you, Ash."

Immediately, Ash's eyes snapped open. His heart skipped a beat, before it started beating radically. It felt like his face was pale, yet it was even redder than before.

Misty emitted a small noise of embarrassment, covering her face with her hands. Ash rubbed the back of his head nervously, his gaze finding an interest in his shoes. It wasn't that the situation wasn't completely awkward, but the physical burn of pink in his cheeks filled his pounding heart with anxiety. Fighting through the emotions, he cleared his throat and continued the story. "After she said that, I started thinking about all the years we've been best friends, and…I guess if I had to pick a time, it was then that I figured out how I felt." He turned to Misty, seeing a shaky cerulean eye looking at him though a small gap in her fingers. He smiled, letting his gaze drop as he knew this next part would through her for a loop or two. "After that, I looked at her, and her face was moving closer to mine. Before I knew it…"

Her mouth came closer, until he could feel her breath on his own mouth. He could feel his heart start to beat even faster than before. He thought about backing away again, but in his current position, he couldn't do that. Maybe he could tilt his head up, or maybe he could try to wake her up, or maybe-

However, in a second, none of those thoughts mattered. At that moment, he felt his lips on hers for the first time.

He didn't know how to feel. He never thought about his first kiss. However…he enjoyed it. The feel of their lips together; the feeling he got in the pit of his stomach from being this close to her; he liked it.

"I'll be right back." A completely flustered Misty pushed herself out of her seat, retreating to the bathroom. Ash's lingering gaze upon Misty grew worrisome as the restroom door closed behind her.

Brendan leaned closer to May. "Go make sure she's okay." With a nod, the brunette took after the redhead, hoping to calm the girl down.

That left the two boys alone to sit and look at each other plainly. Both were thinking different things, but ultimately, both had a similar idea in mind. "Talk about embarrassment overload." Brendan chimed in, resting his cheek in his palm.

"Well, I didn't think she would be THAT embarrassed." Ash replied solemnly, guilt coursing through him.

"Don't sweat it too much. After a story like that, I'm not surprised she'd be feeling a bit overwhelmed." Brendan waved his free hand dismissively. "At any rate, so that's how you found out you liked her. How'd you guys hook up in the first place?"

Thankfully, this story was still fresh in his mind, and with Misty taking a small break, he was free to convey the tale without feeling any tension or awkwardness.

- - - - -

Back in the bathroom, Misty was splashing cold water on her face, but it did little to quell the burn in her face. That night sounded familiar, and right as Ash was nearing the end of the story, the memory returned to her. Due to her sleepy state that night, she remembered very little, but enough to cause a blush on her cheeks. Had that REALLY been the night Ash had finally fallen for her? It was a bit much to take in. And to think, even if it was in her sleep, that she'd actually…

Looking into the mirror, she frowned sadly; her heavy blush and disheveled facial condition was less than pleasant to look at. A whole hour of preparing, only to have it all stripped away in a fit of humiliation. She sighed, placing her hands on the green marble counter to support her body. The cool, smooth surface felt nice. With one hand, she grabbed a brown paper towel, gently patting her face. She crumpled and discarded the used towel into the trash, staring back at her reflection as she placed a hand on her face. Even after a dousing of cold water, she could still feel the blood pumping strongly through her face. And with Ash's words still ringing in her ears, she wasn't sure that her ruby face would be diminished any time soon.

With an echoing creak, the bathroom door swung open, granting May access to her friend. "Misty, are you okay?"

"Huh? Y-yeah, I'm fine." Misty was somewhat surprised to find the girl here, rather than back at the table with Ash and Brendan. Still, fellow female companionship helped at the moment, as Misty exhaled deeply. "I'm just a little surprised at what Ash said. I never knew he liked me all this time."

May blinked. "What do you mean? You didn't know Ash liked you for a whole year?"

"Um…well, we just started dating today, so he never really-"

"Wait a second!" May interrupted her, shock in her voice. "You mean you guys JUST started dating? Like, TODAY?"

"Y-yeah." Misty replied shakily, her heart sinking the way it does when you feel like you've done something bad.

"So, tell me what happened!" May asked excitedly, sitting up on the counter and patting the spot next to her.

A startled Misty blinked in mild confusion as she sat atop the counter, smoothening out her dress. "What, about how we started dating?"

"Duh! I wanna hear the whole story!" May smiled gleefully, leaning forward in interest.

Misty grabbed her arm shyly, thankfully feeling her blush begin to diminish as she recollected on the day's events. "Well, what happened was…"

"Make sure you guys get back soon!"

"Alright! Hurry up, Ash!"

"Okay, okay, I'm coming!"

A blissful, playful Misty pulled Ash along by the hand out of the Pokémon Center as Brock waved them off. The late morning rays of the sun warmed their skin and left a gentle gorgeous golden shade over the city. For some strange reason that our favorite raven-haired trainer couldn't figure out, the redhead had insisted on spending the day together. He acted as if he was okay with it, but he secretly enjoyed it more than he let on. Of course, he wasn't about to tell Misty that, so he simply allowed himself to be dragged along. At the least, however, he deserved to know where their destination was. "So where are we going?"

Misty slowed to a stop, slightly catching her breath before answering him. "Well, we could just go around the city together. Y'know…just hang out…" Oddly, Misty seemed a little bashful, a very rare emotion seen in the girl. He preferred this over her common ferocity, so he decided against aggravating the beast.

"Sure, that sounds fun." Ash smiled, his hold on her hand tightening unconsciously.

Misty smiled coyly, gripping harder as she pulled him along. In her mind, this was a "date" with Ash. To the rest of the world, she was "hanging out with just Ash, with no plans on anyone else joining them." Yep, that was her story, and she was sticking to it.

A few minutes of Misty leading the way, her hold never leaving Ash's hand, led them to the entrance of a large shopping center. Before they could enter, Ash rooted himself to the spot, feeling uneasy. Misty turned to him, a half irritated, half confused expression locked on the trainer. "Ash, what's up?"

"Why are we going here?" Ash blinked, staring up at the tall building.

"I kind of wanted to look around, to see if there was anything good here." Misty tugged harder at him, but he kept his weight on the same spot.

"How long are we gonna be here?" If Misty wasn't hearing things, she could swear he sounded nervous, even scared.

"Come on, Ash, it's been AGES since I could shop around. I wanna do something girly for a change!" Misty's pouting earned her a few glances from strangers, to which she neither noticed nor cared about.

Ash, on the other hand, chose not to start any sort of scene, so he moved to put his hands on her shoulders. "Okay, okay, we can go inside. But-"

"Well, what are we waiting for?" With renewed spirit, Misty took hold of Ash, darting inside the building in record speed.

Up at one of the floors, Ash waited outside the girl's changing room, as the redhead had wanted to try on new clothing. In total honesty, Ash was surprised at Misty's interest in their current activity, but not by much. True, she was a girl, and girls liked these kinds of things. But she'd never shown enough interest in it to actually want to drag Ash along with her. If anything, she would go by herself, coming back with outfits of different shapes, sizes, and colors. Not that he minded hanging out with Misty like this, however; in a tiny part of his brain, being the only guy here to see her try out new clothes sent a strange tingle through his stomach. Even stranger was that he liked it.

"Ash?"

Blinking, the boy turned to see his favorite redhead emerge from the dressing room. She wore a simple sundress, yellow in color. She gave a small twirl, silently asking for Ash's approval. The trainer could only smile. "It looks good on you Misty."

"You think so?" Misty asked ecstatically. Before Ash could respond, however, the girl disappeared back to change once again. He sighed, wondering if all girls were like this.

"Is that your girlfriend?"

An inquisitive voice spoke up from behind him, making him jump a little. Turning, one of the employees glanced at him curiously. He was fairly young, with brown hair and equally brown eyes. "Jake" was inscribed on his name plate.

"Oh, not at all. She's just my friend." Ash responded, the thought forcing a tint of pink onto his cheeks.

The boy's lips pouted, rolling his eyes. "Well, whatever you say. But if you're with her, you're gonna be a while. Girls take forever in there." He simply shrugged, walking off to return to work.

Ash paled slightly, hoping the boy had been joking. He turned back to the curtain, eyeing it cautiously. He suddenly felt the urge to sit down, as his legs felt shaky. Would Misty really take that long looking at dresses? Sliding down against the wall, he landed softly on his bosom, with one leg propped up. His arms lay at his side, unmoving. He sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Ash, is something wrong?"

Looking up, Ash found his friend's head sticking out from behind the curtain, a worrisome gaze in her eyes. "Oh, it's nothing. But, um…" Ash scratched his head nervously, praying his next choice of words wouldn't get him hurt. "H-how long are we gonna be here?"

The girl blinked, before smiling. Despite what Ash might've thought, she had heard the little comment that the employee had made. "Don't worry, Ash, I'm almost done. I'm just gonna try on some different dresses and I'll be finished, okay?"

A wave of relief washed over him, letting out a breath of air that held his anxiety.

Back inside the room, Misty took off the dress, leaving her in only her panties. She reached for her bra, but found one of the hooks had gotten folded into her jeans. Slightly frustrated, she twisted and turned it, hoping to get it loose. Alas, somehow the hook had firmly engrained itself into her shorts.

Outside, Ash had heard her slightly grunts and groans, spurring him to stand once again and slowly move to the edge. "Misty, is everything okay?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine! Don't come in!" The moment the words slipped her mouth, two things happened. First, she mentally smacked herself. It was ASH of all people. He was too modest to enter a room when a girl was changing.

The second thing that happened was that Misty had pulled excruciatingly hard on the bra. And just like that, the undergarment separated itself from her shorts. Unfortunately, she wasn't prepared for the ease at which it would come apart, the momentum tossing her towards the edge of the room.

Towards the curtain, and Ash outside it.

Instinctively, she grabbed at the curtain, hoping to catch herself before she fell. Sadly, it would be her undoing.

Meanwhile, Ash was just about to turn around when the curtains opened, and Misty came flying out. It happened so suddenly that he didn't see anything but an ivory-skinned blur, but he did feel the pound of his back colliding with the floor. He grunted, exhaling sharply as Misty's body landed on his. His head throbbed as it slammed into the ground, sending a sharp pain through his skull. He gritted his teeth, wincing terribly.

Both had their eyes closed, recoiling from the impact. Slowly, however, they opened, silently gasping at their predicament. A scantily clad Misty was atop Ash, her arms extending out on either side of his head, with both of her elbows resting on his shoulders. Since she was only wearing panties, his eyes had easy access to the top of her chest, a sight he couldn't help but sample. He hadn't noticed before, but Misty was definitely blossoming into a fine young woman. The bulgy press against his chest confirmed it.

Misty, watching his wandering eyes, was about to remove herself and tell him off when a person approached.

"Is something going-" In an agonizingly slow manner, like in a nightmare, the employee from earlier turned the corner, his eyes landing on the pair. His expression was blank, as if he saw nothing. Realizing that Misty was stark naked from the waist up, Ash instinctively wrapped his arms around her, hiding as much skin from him as he could. Otherwise, the pair was speechless, and the word embarrassing would never do enough justice to the situation.

The employee simply closed his eyes, smiling knowingly. He waved his hand dismissively, turning back to where he'd come.

"Jake, what happened?" A female voice rang through, airy and curious.

"Nothin', Kaleal. A clothes rack just fell over." The boy responded carelessly. "Don't worry, I picked it back up."

"Alright. Now go organize the men's shirts again!"

As the employee and employer wrapped up their conversation, Ash and Misty's gaze turned back to each other. With Misty in such an intriguing position, and his hands feeling the bare skin of her back, he found his mind dizzy and muddled. Misty, on the other hand, was quiet, careful not to move, lest her chest be exposed to Ash. However, a revelation was quickly forcing both a HEAVY blush on her cheeks and the thought of getting up in her mind. Ash was a guy, obviously. And she knew enough to know that when guys are with girls in a certain way…their bodies change in certain ways. Misty was feeling this reaction on the inside of her leg, and her face was horrifyingly red due to it. "A-Ash, could you close your eyes? So I can get up?"

"Huh?" His response wasn't really an answer, more like an automatic statement, as he couldn't think of anything else to say. His mind clicked back to normal, as he registered what Misty had asked. "S-sure." His eyes remained opened for a few more moments as he stared into hers, before he nodded softly and closed them.

Making sure no one was around to see her, Misty quickly jumped up, grabbed her bra, and darted back into the changing room. Her flush expression was accompanied with tears, not of sadness, but of embarrassment she'd never felt before. Her hand moved down to the spot on her leg where she'd felt Ash's…she shook her head, not allowing herself to finish the thought. She quickly redressed herself, gathering the yellow dress yet leaving the other ones she'd picked out. "I'm done."

Ash stood quiet as she walked past him. The air was tense, and it constricted his head and chest. He waited a few seconds, before following her. He needed time for the two to calm down, mentally AND physically.

Brendan covered his face with his hands, laughing himself insane. Ash sat there sipping at his water, hoping his tiny glare would send the message of being quiet to his friend. Unfortunately, the message took another full minute before reaching Brendan, as he wiped the tears out of his eyes. "Ash, I gotta tell you, that's just priceless!"

"Well, I couldn't help it! I'd never seen her without her clothes before…" Ash slouched back, wanting to shy away from the discussion.

"What happened after that?" Brendan chuckled, earning him another irate look from Ash.

"We just went to see more stuff, like the Radio Tower, and we ate lunch together. It was just us hanging out, and it was fun." Ash grinned.

"Boring, boring, get to the good part." Brendan waved his hand as if to disregard everything else Ash had done that day. The action prodded at Ash, but if the confession was what Brendan wanted to hear about, then so be it.

"Hey, Ash?"

The trainer turned to Misty, his hands behind his head. "Yeah?"

"Do you wanna take a walk together? Outside the city, I mean." Misty asked, her hands clasped behind her back cutely.

Ash smiled. This was easily the one thing they'd done that day, besides lunch, that he felt mostly comfortable doing. "Sure."

Misty smiled, standing at his side as the two made their way out of Goldenrod. The late afternoon sun still left the sky blue, but it wouldn't be long before shades of orange and pink would show up. Ten minutes into the walk, Misty linked her arm with his, moving closer to him. He wasn't sure how to respond, so he did nothing, keeping his gaze straight. Their thoughts consisted of the intimacy shared that day, of each other, and if everything would come together somehow on this walk. It was a big thought, and the silence was the stimulant that made the thought expand to insane proportions. Misty, especially, felt as though her heart would burst out of her chest. She knew what she'd planned, but was busy building the courage to say it.

In silence, the pair eventually reached a small clearing, a small river passing through. "It's time." Misty thought to herself, steering Ash towards the edge of the running water. A few Pidgey flew by as they stood side by side, Misty slowly unlinking their arms and opting to clasp her fingers together behind her back. "Thanks for today, Ash. It was fun."

"Sure, Misty." Ash grinned, placing his hands in his pockets.

Another small quietness settled in, slightly awkward but not by much. Ash tapped the ground with the tip of his shoe. He could feel it in his gut; something was telling him Misty wanted to say something. Looking for answers, the boy turned to her, finding that she, too, has shifted to meet his gaze. She smiled, before her eyes drifted back to the river. "Hey, Ash? Have you ever, y'know…liked someone?"

Ash blinked, cocking his head sideways. "What do you mean?"

"Well, y'know…like…" Misty stammered heavily, clenching her fingers together in an attempt to make her confession. She's decided that today would be the day; no more prolonging it. She turned to face him. "What I mean is, I…" She gazed into his eyes, hoping that they, like many times before, would fill her with strength. Indeed, that shade of chocolate brown eased her heart, but made the words harder to say. Nonetheless, she opened her mouth, finally saying the words she'd dreamt of saying for the past few years of her life. "Ash, I…like you."

A small gust blew past them as they gazed into each other's eyes. A sweet blush graced the redhead's cheeks, her mouth trembling as she forced a smile. Ash could only blink, his mind blazing in an attempt to find a way to respond. Surely she was saying it was something friends say to each other, right? "Well, I like you too, Misty." The girl's lips pouted for a moment, before they grinned with a teasing laugh, one that seemed to mock him, but he knew it wasn't the case, not in this moment.

Misty felt herself relax inside. It was this kind of density and innocence that she adored about him. To have it move into action in this moment calmed her down. It reminded her why she liked him so much, and it gave her strength she didn't know she had. She moved towards him, gently wrapping her arms around him. Very little space remained between them as they embraced. "No, I mean like you, like you. As in…more than a friend."

"After that, he told me he liked me, too. I can't tell you how happy I was." A tiny smile graced Misty's lips, her heart pounding rapidly. "We hugged for a while, then Ash said we should go back to the Pokémon Center. That's when we ran into you guys."

"Aw, that is SO cute!" May, back on her feet once more, swayed left and right in her adoration.

Misty smiled, her blush now barely visible. "To be honest, I was pretty scared today. I didn't think I would actually tell him."

"But you did, and that's what counts!" May cheered, giving her friend a huge hug out of excitement.

Misty chuckled sheepishly, her mind a whirlpool of thoughts and emotions. True, the both of them had confessed their feelings, and they'd been slightly intimate with the kissing on the cheek and forehead, but did that really mean they were a couple yet? Brendan and May seemed like they had their act together, but with Ash…she felt something was missing. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something not quite right. Maybe she was just overthinking it, or maybe she wasn't considering enough. She didn't know, and she decided she'd rather not try to figure it out in the bathroom of a restaurant. "Well, let's head back. I'm sure Ash and Brendan are waiting for us."

"Hold on first!" May took hold of the redhead's face and directed it towards the mirror. "It looks like you could use a little touching up, don't you?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Misty mumbled, twirling with a small strand of her hair.

"Alright, just gimme a quick second." May reached into her purse and pulled out a small brush. Within minutes, Misty's orange tresses were as graceful as before, leaving the girl to question just how May had managed to pull off such a feat in the small span of time.

"Well, let's do this." May added to give Misty a confidence boost.

"Right." Misty smiled, opening the door.

…and then the sweatdrops began.

Walking towards their table, they noticed Ash and Brendan taking place in what looked like an arm wrestling match. Their teeth were grit tight, and their eyes locked, but something else was going on that they couldn't notice at first.

"Is this what you were doing while waiting for us?" Misty asked, crossing her arms.

"Yep." The boys replied, their gazes never shifting an inch.

"Well, has the waitress come back yet?" May asked, taking her seat next to Brendan.

"Nope." The white-haired boy replied, his ruby eyes shaking furiously.

The girls could tell that something else was going on besides an arm wrestling match. The momentum repeatedly changed, from Ash winning to Brendan winning and back and forth. The girls watched them, figuring out what was so weird.

Eventually, Ash blinked.

"HAHA!" Brendan released his hold on Ash's hand, pumping his fists in the air in victory.

"Dang it!" Ash growled, rubbing his eyes.

"…wait, what exactly happened just now?" Misty asked, completely confused as to what took place before her eyes.

"Arm wrestling staring contest." Brendan replied, his eyes closed as he allowed them to recuperate from staying open.

"Wait, what?" May asked, unsure of what exactly Brendan had just proposed.

Brendan opened his eyes, wincing gently as he closed them again. "It's an arm wrestling match AND a staring contest at the same time. Totally hardcore."

The girls laughed sheepishly. Their boyfriends could be so weird sometimes. Even still, they were extremely lovable, as May congratulated the victor with a kiss on the cheek. Ash found himself with a snuggling Misty wrapping her arms around him, rewarding him for his effort. The boys smiled goofily as their female companions showered them with affection, but Brendan quickly turned to see the waitress approaching them, ready to take their orders.

- - - - -

"Man, that was awesome."

A wholly stuffed Brendan sat back in his chair, patting his stomach gingerly. Ash was the same, as he took a napkin to his mouth. The girls stared blandly at them, both supporting their chins in their hands, their arms propped up on the table.

"I almost forgot how much Ash could eat." May laughed dryly, using her free hand to wipe Brendan's face with a napkin.

"Well, THAT much hasn't changed about him." Misty grinned, her eyes sliding sideways at her boyfriend.

Ash's lips pouted sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. Glancing over at her, he noticed a small crumb at the corner of her mouth. His eyes darted over to where May had just finished cleaning off Brendan's mouth, earning the brunette girl a loving smile from the white-haired trainer. His gaze turned back to Misty, who was also watching the cute interaction between the other couple. The redhead glanced over at Ash, blinking momentarily before smiling happily. Ash grinned in return, his hand twitching gently. More out of a spur than anything, he took a small napkin in hand. Shifting closer to Misty, he placed a hand on her neck to steady her.

"Ash, what are-" Before the girl could respond, Ash took the napkin and gently wiped the crumb away. His heart hammered in his throat at the action, leaving a ruby shade on his cheeks as he backed away. Misty's hand jerked to her cheek, feeling the spot where Ash had cleaned her face. Her head lowered as she raised her fist to her mouth, attempting to hide her coy smile and blush.

Brendan and May watched with pleasure at the couple's small interaction. May, especially, found herself wanting to coo at seeing Ash being romantic for the first time. She kept her form, however, and snuggled up to her man, the sight before her sending a romantic tingle through her veins.

As if finally aware of the situation, Brendan's mind clicked. "Hey, you guys, I'll be right back. Gimme a sec." With a small peck on May's cheek, Brendan rose from his seat and headed towards the front counter. The trio watched curiously as he discussed something with the clerk. The woman glanced downwards, before smiling and nodding her head. Brendan conversed with her for some more time, and handed the woman something, before receiving something from her. With a final nod, Brendan began walking back to his table, a satisfied smirk on his face.

"What was that about?" May inquired upon his return to the table.

The boy did nothing more than flash her another one of his handsome smiles, taking his seat before answering her question. "Did you guys know that this place is ALSO a hotel, as well as a restaurant?"

"Really?" Ash asked, his head cocking sideways.

"Yep. And I figured, we've already eaten here, so why not stay here, too?" Brendan was met with three ecstatic smiles, and a large hug from May.

Ash laughed happily, excited at the idea, when a sudden thought came to his head. "Wait, what about Brock and Pikachu?"

"Oh, right. We still haven't told them what we've been doing all day." Misty chimed in, a contemplative expression on her face.

"Brock's here, too?" May asked, smiling gently.

"He's at the Pokémon Center, but we haven't talked to him since we left." Misty replied quietly.

"Well, me and May are headed over in that direction for some stuff, anyway. Want us to leave a message?" Brendan asked.

For May, however, this was the first she'd heard about heading to the Pokémon Center again. "Wait, since when are-" A finger to her lips and a kiss to the cheek silenced the girl. Brendan reached into his pocket, pulling out one of the keys and tossing it over at Ash. "The room number's on the key. You and Misty get one room, me and May get another." With that, Brendan stood up, bring May with him. Against May's confused and irritated refusals, he led May out of the building.

Ash and Misty stared at the door, before turning to each other, then to the key in Ash's hand, with 501 on the key. "So…I guess we should head upstairs, then?"

"Yeah, alright." Misty replied quietly. In silence, the two stood up and headed towards the back of the room, where a pair of steps led upwards.

- - - - -

Outside, May was vehemently interrogating Brendan. "What was that about? Why'd you make us leave?"

"Well, how else were we gonna leave them alone together?" Brendan smiled with a wink.

Taken aback, May blinked in surprise. "Wait, what do you mean?"

"You couldn't tell that they were still a little uncomfortable as a couple?" Brendan asked, placing one of his hands in his pockets as he began walking towards the center.

"Not really." May replied honestly, taking his free hand in hers. At times like this, when she was confused about romance, she felt small and unaware. Holding his hand always made her feel better. After all, despite his laid back personality, Brendan made it very apparent that he knew lots about love and relationships.

"Well, I've only known him for one day, but Ash never was much of a love guy, right?" Brendan asked, squeezing her fingers affectionately.

"You got that right." May rolled her eyes, smirking playfully.

"So, let's say you and me were friends for a long time, and I never was really romantic. Then, suddenly, we start dating. How would we be acting?" Brendan asked wisely.

The brunette took a moment to consider his words. True, when they'd first started dating, they'd been somewhat shy, but they'd gotten over that quickly. However, had the circumstances been similar to Ash and Misty's situation, she wasn't so sure their relationship would have gotten so comfortable so rapidly. And thus, May grew slightly more sympathetic of Misty's feelings.

Smiling, the boy squeezed May's hand gently, before releasing his hold and wrapping his arms around her shoulders lovingly. "Maybe if they're somewhere alone, they can find a way to be more comfortable." Suddenly, there was a sneaky grin on Brendan's face. "Considering our room's arrangements, hopefully that won't be a problem."

May raised a suspicious eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Rather than answer her question, Brendan slowly came to a stop, moving in front of her so they stood face to face. Holding her chin between his thumb and index finger, he lifted up her face so she looked into his eyes. The girl blushed, and Brendan smiled, loving how gorgeous she looked. He leaned down and planted a feather-soft kiss on her lips. The action made May's heart bounce, her eyes wide in shock. Slowly, however, they closed, loving how Brendan kissed butterflies into her stomach.

The meeting of lips passed for a good twenty seconds, before Brendan slowly backed away with one final lingering kiss. May's eyes remained closed, and her lips puckered. Grinning humorously, he rubbed her chin with his thumb, snapping the girl out of her little trance. She opened her eyes, blinking dazedly. For a split second, she couldn't even remember her own name. It wasn't terribly often that Brendan kissed her the way he just did, and when it did happen, she completely blanked out. She blushed cutely, smiling humbly.

Brendan beamed. "C'mon, let's go deliver Ash's message, then get back to the hotel. Hopefully Ash and Misty will have figured things out by then."

"Okay, but before we go…" May crossed her arms, staring at him suspiciously. "What's weird about the way the rooms are?"

Brendan sweatdropped, laughing sheepishly. In honesty, he'd hoped that kissing her would make her forget about that, but it seemed it was no use. "Well…the rooms I asked for only have one bed."

May's face erupted into a furnace of red. "W-what?"

"Well, I doubt that those two will do anything to each other. And sleeping together might help them get more comfortable." Brendan defended, hoping his girlfriend wouldn't be mad.

To the contrary, the girl suddenly stepped forward, embracing him lightly. "Thank you for helping my friends out."

Brendan smiled, wrapping his hands around her waist. "Sure thing. Anything to make you happy."

He heard the girl make noise of contentment. Then, suddenly, Brendan's heart began pounding. He had no idea why, but he suddenly got a strange vibe from May. As if reading his mind, the brunette girl stood on her toes, so her lips were next to his ear. "You can move your hands lower, if you want."

Her voice was sensual, and it suddenly made Brendan VERY aware of where his hands were resting. They held the dip in her back. Going lower would mean…"M-May?"

Her head was still resting on his shoulder, so she couldn't make out her expression. However, he didn't need his eyes for this next part. The brunette grabbed his hands and lowered them for him. Brendan's heart skipped a beat, as his hands had never ventured any further than her waist. The feeling was new, and his heart race quickened. Upon making sure his hands were firmly on her posterior, he placed her hands on the side of his arms, rubbing his biceps with her thumbs. "You said there was only one bed in our room, right?"

Brendan gulped. Where was May going with this…? "Um, yeah, but what does that have to do-" The boy's statement was cut off as he shivered. May's tongue gently glided across his neck, stopping at the nape. It was there that she kissed him.

"You've been so good to me and my friends…" Her hot breath on his neck made Brendan squirm, and this, too, was furthered when May pressed herself against him harder. "Maybe tonight, I can repay you…" Slowly and teasingly, May kissed her way across his neck, moving up to his chin. And in that moment, one of the rarest circumstances in their relationship came to pass: Brendan found himself blushing harder than May was. Eventually, his eyes came into contact with hers, but not for long as she kissed him fervently. In those sapphire eyes was a hot spark he'd never seen before, and it excited him. One of her arms wrapped itself around his torso, pushing her chest harder into his. The other began an exploration southward, eventually finding a treasure of its own. Brendan jumped at the touch, feeling so close to passing out at how hot his body felt. Her tongue led a wild and elegant dance with his as she slammed it into his mouth, toying with him sexually.

Moments later, May backed away. As if her previous attitude was never there, she smiled joyfully, clasping her hands behind her back. "Well, come on! Let's hurry up to the Pokémon Center!" Her chipper voice stunned Brendan, leaving him thoroughly confused. Hadn't May just become lustful in the past few minutes? Being so stunned, he found himself speechless, which startled May. "Brendan, come on! I wanna tell Brock and get back to the hotel!" She grabbed his hand, and Brendan became aware of a small, sudden difference in her grip. "I'm kinda feelin' tired, and I wanna go to bed early…" It was VERY quick, but there was no mistaking the small flash of uninhibited lust in her eyes. The idea sent a gawky smile to his lips.

"S-sure!" With that, the two love birds darted off to the Pokémon Center, their minds swirling with many vivid ideas.

- - - - -

Back at the hotel, Ash and Misty stood in their doorway, still in a state of bewilderment upon discovering their room only housed one bed. It built an awkward air around them, but they were quick to overcome it when they stepped outside onto the balcony. Misty stared out into the sky, amazed at the sight of the sun right before it bid farewell to them for the night. Her hands rested over the railing, smiling blissfully as the evening wind stroked her hair.

Ash, on the other hand, focused his gaze on the redhead. For the first time since they had gotten together, they were alone. He gulped, unsure of what he should do or say. If only Brendan were here to help him. Taking a shaky breath, he walked forward, joining her at her side. The girl looked at him out of the corner of her eye, Ash did the same, and they smiled at each other. The redhead motioned closer to him, leaving against him softly. "Today was fun, Ash."

"Yeah, it was great." Ash smiled. Misty rested herself onto Ash further, placing her hand next to his on the railing. Now seemed like the perfect time to make this moment special, just like Brendan had advised him to. He just needed to build the courage. Thankfully, that bravery came to him in shades of cerulean as the girl tilted her head to look at him. Clenching one of his fists shakily, he took a small moment to firmly collect his thoughts, silently clearing his throat. "M-Misty?"

The redhead turned to completely face him, puzzlement and worry etched in her eyes. "Yeah?"

"Um…there's kinda something I wanna talk to you about." Ash admitted, placing his free hand in his pocket.

"About what? Is anything wrong?" Hoping to put Ash at ease, Misty placed her hand on his. She was disappointingly startled when Ash's hand jerked back lightly, almost as if the touch had hurt. The same kind of hurt glazed over her eyes as she stared into his, confused.

"Misty, I really do like you. But…I'm still getting used to this whole liking each other thing." His hand moved out of his pocket and rubbed his head nervously. "I guess…whenever I hold your hand, it's…still weird to me."

Misty's gaze turned downcast, her heart clenching painfully. "So you don't like it…?"

Misty's somber expression struck at Ash, making him wave his hands defensively. "Wait, it's not like that! I like it, I really do!" The girl's face slowly rose up to meet his once more, and he could see her eyes shaking emotionally. He wished he could find the words to comfort her, but none came to mind. Instead, he pulled Misty into a gentle hug, one which she returned halfheartedly. They remained like that for a full minute, as Ash closed his eyes in an attempt to regain control of the situation. He pulled away, gripping Misty's shoulders affectionately. In that instant, a feeling of renewed sense coursed through him. He suddenly felt tranquility flow through his veins, quelling the tension just a bit. "I just don't want things to change so much. At least, not this fast."

The redhead frowned, readjusting her hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry, Ash."

The boy's mouth twitched uncomfortably. Misty never usually apologized to him before, and had it been another person, he'd have accepted the apology and thought nothing more of it. But this was Misty! Apologizing just seemed so…abnormal for her. "Misty." This next part was important, so he wanted her looking at him when he said it, not his chest. The girl's expression rose painfully slow, and Ash closed his eyes for a moment, collecting his thoughts together. "Brendan told me that everything we do should be special. But we're best friends, so I already think everything is special. I know this whole liking each other thing is supposed to be special, too, but in a different way. And I guess…I want it to be that way someday. So…" Ignoring the pounding in his head and throat, Ash gently lifted his hand off her shoulder and placed it on hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. He furiously wracked at his brain, thinking of the best possible way to say what he was about to say. His gaze met hers, and magically, the words seemed to drift from her eyes, giving him courage and a clear voice. "Let's do our best to be a good boyfriend and girlfriend. But…not by forcing anything or rushing, okay?"

Misty was still for a moment, taking in his words. Ash stood nervously, hoping he hadn't hurt Misty any more. Thankfully, this didn't appear to be the case. Misty turned her hand over so their palms were touching, and slipped her fingers in between his. The hold was soft, but secure. This time, Ash no longer felt any shakes or uncomfortable shivers. It was gentle and caring, and it touched his heart pleasantly. He raised their hands up so they were between their chests. "Slow and steady?" He asked.

"Slow and steady." Misty replied. Ash smiled, then blushed as Misty released his hand and wrapped her arms around his neck. "And we'll always be friends, too. Right?" She looked up at him, grinning.

"Yeah, forever." Ash nodded with a smiled.

Misty's grin grew. "And we gotta make that promise special, too. Don't we?"

"Well, yeah…but how are we gonna do that?" Ash asked, perplexed.

Misty giggled. No matter how dense Ash was, it was also cute. "Well, first I could have my arms like this." She gestured to her arms wrapped snuggly around his neck. "Then, you could hold me close around my waist." The suggestion made the boy's face turn red, but he replied with a nod, snaking his arms around her waist, pulling her against him. "Then, we could…kiss."

Ash's redness grew tenfold, as Misty bashfully wet her lips. She slowly stood on her toes, leaning her head back. Her puckered lips and slowly closing eyes sent a shudder through Ash, instinctively holding her closer. "Yeah…okay…" His words came out as whispers as his face leaned towards hers, feeling her shivering breath on his mouth. His mind went blank, his heart felt at peace, and his stomach soared as he felt his lips softly press against hers.

It's a strange sensation, it is, to be kissing your girlfriend who's also been your best friend for years. It's weird, but in a good way. You suddenly start seeing them in a new light, one that was never possible before. A strange emotion and aroma consume you, and all you can think about is the feeling of your mouth against hers. Ash and Misty leaned into their sweet kisses, the tips of their tongues touching gingerly. A fire in Ash's stomach grew hotter with every loving touch. Their embrace tightened, as Misty played with his hair blissfully. Her lips were soft, so warm. The feeling of their noses caressing each other shot intimacy through Ash's being. She felt small in his arms, and he loved it. This was what she wanted; to be adored and cherished by him. And with each magical, electric touch of the lips, he granted her wish.

With the need for air soon becoming an issue, the two soon parted slowly. Ash was sure his smile was both goofy and pink in color, and Misty herself was silent, basking in the warmth of the moment. Eventually, Ash mustered the courage to speak. "Friends always?"

Misty smiled bashfully, looking into his eyes. "Yeah, always." Her answer and grin sent a surge of love through Ash, and he felt his body tingle in delight. Placing his hand on her cheek, he leaned forward and kissed her once more. She returned the affection, and the two were left alone with none but a navy blue sky and a fresh star sparkling high above.

xxxxx

CAMEOS FTW! LOL You get a cookie if you can the three special appearances from other fics. (Two are obvious, but the third one's pretty tricky. XD)

NO COMPLAINING ABOUT OOCness! They're older! Plus, it's a fanfic, and I can do whatever I want. XD

Yesh, I know I skipped the dinner scene, but who wants to read about that? LOML (LOML is the new LOL, by the way. XD) I can confidently say that, at the time of writing, this is my favorite story of mine! =D PLEASE review! I'd appreciate it a ton, and it won't take terribly long, right?