#I wasn't too sure if I was happy with the hair and ribbon bounce on Elizabeth's sprite and tbh I'm still not sure | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ian-galagher · 1 year

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Hey Willow ! How are you? What's on your mind today?

When and how do you think Ian came out to Debbie Carl and Liam? Or maybe someone told them ? What do you think?

Happy new year!

ANON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hello I love you very much and I hope you're having a wonderful day 🧡

I still have to reply to your Christmas ask 😭 I started working out some thoughts and now I have a huge mess of notes... but it's coming!!

Here are my thoughts!

Debbie

Instinct. It hit her one day that she knew. She'd known for a while now, though she couldn't tell you when it had first started. She looked at Ian funnily all morning over breakfast.

"What?" he asked, handing her the milk but she shook her head. "Nothing." It all made sense now. Carl occasionally asked her to get a girl's number for him. Lip was more interested in lounging on a deckchair with a towel over his lap and survey his surroundings than take a dip in the pool on a hot day. Even Liam had innocent little crushes on his teacher, making drawings of her and wanting to give her flowers after school.

She'd never given it any thought that Ian wasn't like them. Or maybe he was exactly like them. She'd seen the way he'd been giving that dirty, rat faced Milkovich kid with the spiky hair massive puppy eyes lately, but she'd assumed it was some sort of weird idolization phase he was going through. It wasn't that at all.

No, Ian was heading into a full blown crush, that much she knew.

"Gross! I just hope they make full body condoms!"

The room fell silent. Heads turned in her direction. She sighed, "Never mind. Pass me a bowl?"

She didn't share his taste in men, that was for sure, but she kinda liked the idea of having a gay brother. At least gays had a taste in fashion and she could use that right now.

She held up the ribbons she'd been trying to decide over all morning. "Which one should I wear with this outfit?"

Ian paused his spoon midair, scrunching up his features. "How should I know? Go ask Fiona."

"Fiona's not here right now," Debbie said, her tone suggesting he better give her an answer. She held the ribbons to her hair. "So. White or yellow?"

"You got any blue?"

Her shoulders sacked. Maybe not all gays.

Lip started collecting empty bowls, throwing the spoons in the top bowl with a clang. "White if you want boys to notice you. Yellow if you just want to look pretty," he said, shooting her a smile on the way to the sink.

Delighted, Debbie threw the yellow ribbon down and turned in her seat to face her new best friend. "Hey Lip, what shoes do you think I should wear? Cause I was thinking my heels, but maybe the boots go better with this skirt? Except then I should probably change my socks, so maybe-"

Lip's eyes flew over the top of her head to find Ian. "Did you do that on purpose? Fuck! You set me up? You dick! Hey, come back here! I don't have time for this shit!"

Ian was out the door like a shot.

Carl

It's late one night and something boring is playing on the television. They're staring straight ahead, sharing a bag of Doritos and sipping beers. A pair of tits bounce on the screen and Carl nods. "Nice."

Ian doesn't say anything. The tits are spectacular, so Carl tears his eyes away from the screen to frown at his brother. "Not big enough for you?"

Ian shakes his head. "No, it's not that..."

"Too big?!" Carl can't believe there is such a thing. His eyes wander back to where the woman bends over to treat them to a magnificent view. They're fake of course, but who cares. "Shit, you like 'em flat?"

"No!"

"Natural?"

"No."

"So what then. Wrong hair color?"

"Not exactly."

On screen, the woman turns around.

"What about her ass?"

"She's got a great ass!"

"Oh, you're an ass guy huh?" Carl nods appreciatively, glad to have finally figured his brother out.

"Guess you could say that," Ian mumbles, taking a quick sip.

Carl cranes his neck when some dude steps into view, blocking what they can see of the woman. Sadly, he has no control over the camera, so they're stuck staring at some dude for a while.

He turns to Ian, wanting to grill him further on his taste in women when he stills. He looks at Ian, then back at the screen, and back at Ian. He's stopped breathing, the bottle of beer forgotten by his lips.

Carl frowns. He's close to something here. He may be slow, but he's not stupid, he can put one and one together. The dude's bending over, his ass tight in his jeans. The woman tilts her head the same way Ian does.

Oh.

"Bet this guy's cock's fucking fantastic, huh?" Carl comments. "Shame they don't ever show any of those on tv!"

"Right?! It's so unfair! Everything's always tits, tits, tits, all the time!"

Shit. He still doesn't have a fucking clue if Ian's not just some massive feminist or something. Better get this shit straight, so to speak.

"Hey man, are you gay or what?"

Ian brings the bottle of beer up, then pauses, his neck going a funny color. "Eh, yeah, guess I am."

"You guess? What, you don't know?"

"No, I think I know."

"So you're gay."

"Yeah."

Shit, an actual gay. Carl leans in close. He looks just like anyone else. It's a shame they got rid of those DNA samples after trying to find Liam's parents. It would've been interesting to know if it's detectable in his genes because if it's genetic, that could mean he too might be...

"Hey man, are we cool?" Ian asks, only a touch nervous.

"Yeah yeah," Carl says, unable to tear his eyes away. Would it be weird to ask for a bit of his hair for some experiments? No, never mind, he'll just take some samples later when he's asleep.

He leans in closer so he can lower his voice. "So how do you know? Is there like a test they make you take or can just anyone join?"

Ian's eyes grow large. He slams back the beer, nods once, and leaps up from the couch. "Aaaand goodnight."

"Wait," Carl calls after him. "I have more questions!"

But he's gone, already halfway up the stairs. Oh well. There's bound to be other guys he can ask the stuff he wants to know. Maybe that friend of Ian's knows some gays, the one who's been coming over for years now. His tattooed knuckles don't scare him off. Yeah, he'll ask him next time he's around.

Liam

"You're gay," Liam repeats, staring at his brother thoughtfully. Of course he is, he just said so himself. He's not sure why this is information he thought Liam needed to know, which is why he needs to analyze it meticulously. There must be something vital he's missing, yet he can't put his finger on it.

For days it's all he can think about. He'll find himself staring out a window thinking about his gay brother. Was the idea to make him question his own sexuality? Seems like an odd thing to do but then again Ian's an odd one.

The whole ordeal sees him lying wide awake at night, staring at the ceiling. Maybe Ian wanted him to set him up with someone. Except he already seemed pretty attached to that extremely dubious white boy that always hangs around.

He asks his friends at school for advice but they don't know either. One of them thinks it might've been a "coming out moment" and he should feel honored to have been chosen. He perks up at that, but disregards it later. This isn't the old days where people looked for validation. He loves Ian as he is and Ian knows that. Being gay was never going to change that.

It's a full week later when he finally walks up to Ian, having decided on a response for him. He tugs on his sleeve and announces he's ready to give his verdict on Ian being gay. Sternly he says, "That's cool man. I enjoy playing video games. "

It's a character trait, or a bit like a hobby. Ian was simply sharing something about his personality as a way for them to bond. He's proven right when Ian breaks into a wide smile and challenges to race him later. Liam opens up his arms and envelops Ian in a tight hug. That poor boy's going to lose big time and he has no idea.

Thank you Anon! This was so much fun to do! <3

#HAPPY NEW YEAR!#ask #fic #shameless #ohhh NOOOO HOW DID THIS GET SO LONG #gallavich

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latte-fairytaekwoon · 3 years

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𝑭𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝑺𝒏𝒐𝒘 (𝑪𝒉𝒐𝒊 𝑺𝒂𝒏)

Tag: @seacottons

𝑃𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔: 𝐶ℎ𝑜𝑖 𝑆𝑎𝑛 (𝐴𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑧)/ 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟 (𝐹𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑒)

𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑟𝑒: 𝐹𝑙𝑢𝑓𝑓, 𝐷𝑎𝑑! 𝐴𝑈.

𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡: 2𝐾

𝑆𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑦: 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒'𝑠 𝑎 𝑙𝑜𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑆𝑎𝑛 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑙𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑑, 𝑠𝑛𝑜𝑤𝑦 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟.......𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟, 𝑦𝑜𝑢'𝑟𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑡ℎ 𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎 𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑦 𝑏𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑗𝑜𝑦.

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~December 5th~

Y/N hurried towards her friends who were already settled at the very top of the mountain, their snowboards and skiis all lined up in a perfect row.

"Last one down pays for dinner." One of them suggested to which they all unanimously agreed to.

"3, 2, Go!"

The racers all started sloping down the snowy mountain, some going to different directions, but ultimately they were all headed south. Y/N shifted her weight to keep balance on her snowboard. Usually she'd show off and do a trick, but right now she was focused on getting down as fast as possible.

"Pick up the pace Y/N!" Her friend teased as they swooped right past her.

Y/N let out a snort as she leaned forward to get more speed and traction. She also decided to move more to the right, where she knew a shortcut that none of the others knew about. She let out a small chuckle at the thought of their faces when they saw her all the way down there.

Her smile faded fast when she saw someone step out right in front of her, a dark haired male that seemed preoccupied with taking a picture he didn't notice she was coming.

"Look out!" She shouted, finally getting his attention.

The boy froze and seemed unable to move. Y/N swerved to the left, a little too fast and ended up falling off her board, tumbling down a few feet before landing on a bed of snow. She groomed softly as she lifted her head, already feeling the aching of her muscles.

"Are you ok?!" The same man who had inadvertently caused her accident ran over and helped her sit up.

"I...think so?" She asked rather than answered.

She quickly stood up, taking off her googles and winter hat to try and inspect what damage had been done not only to her body but to her board. She dusted some of the snow off her and looked up to find the mystery man looking at her intently.

"What? Am I bleeding?" She touched her face and forehead, not a stranger to bleeding due to some of the accidents she'd been through.

"No! Not at all!! Just......"

He smiled shyly, dimples clearly shown on his cheeks as his eyes formed small crescents.

"You're really pretty..." He confessed awkwardly, leaving her baffled and speechless.

"Th-thank you....you're pretty handsome yourself..." She tucked some hair behind her ear.

"I'm San." He introduced himself, holding out a hand for her to take, which she promptly did.

"I'm Y/N."

You were sad that you had to pay for your friend's dinner because you lost, but you weren't to sad because San asked you out for a date the next day.

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~January 12, One Year Later~

"Brrr. It's freezing out there."

San shook the snow off him, placing his boots on the corner.

"I told you it was going to snow, but you don't listen." She rolled her eyes at him.

Adding marshmallows to the hot chocolate, she picked them up and set them down on the table in front of the fireplace, then proceeded to wrap one of the blankets around herself. San wasted no time in cuddling up next to her and taking one of the mugs in his hand, sipping slowly so as to not burn himself. Smiling sweetly at her, he scooted closer to her, his head resting on her shoulder.

"Remember when we met last year?" He suddenly spoke.

Y/N nearly spat her chocolate back into the mug.

"Ahhh yes. You mean when I nearly killed you?"

San laughed softly at that.

"Never in my life did I think I'd actually end up dating my almost murderer."

She rolled her eyes at that.

"You were the idiot that wasn't paying attention." She reminded him.

"I was trying to take a picture of a bunny that was nearby thank you. Which you scared off by the way."

They began reminiscing about their times after a year of dating, laughing about their first fight, their first kiss and the times they met each other's respective parents.

"You looked terrified of my dad."

"How was I supposed to be calm? Especially after he said he wanted to talk to me in private?" San defended himself.

Y/N hummed softly.

"What did he talk to you about anyway?"

San shrugged softly.

"The usual...like...if I broke your heart, he was going to break my balls."

Y/N actually slapped her knee at that one, knowing fully well her father would really be the type to say such things.

San scratched the back of his head as he wondered if he should say the next part.

"He.....also asked....... if I loved you...."

Y/N felt her heart drop at that word. Even though they had been dating for a year, they had never said the L word. She wanted to change the subject, afraid of his answer, but curiosity got the better of her and she had to ask.

"What....what did you tell him?" She fidgeted with the ends of her hoodie.

San shifted so he sat in front of her. Taking her hands in his, he confessed:

"I told him I loved you with all my heart and that.....I hoped you felt the same way..."

He looked at her with hopeful eyes, gulping slightly, afraid that his feelings weren't reciprocated. When Y/N didn't respond for a minute, he let out a defeated sigh.

"All right. I understand." He made move to get up, but Y/N made him stay in place.

"No silly. I was just shocked you actually told my father that." She explained.

"Well I wasn't going to lie. I do love you Y/N, truly I do." His voice sounded desperate at this point.

Y/N teared up and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Oh Sannie.....I love you too."

San widened his eyes at her words, he felt himself tearing up as well, but he was filled with warmth at the thought that she felt the same, it was not a one sided love. He couldn't help himself as he cupped her face and began pecking her lips repeatedly.

"I love you. I love you with all my heart."

He giggled as he intensified his kisses, turning them from small pecks into more heated and passionate lip locks that had her craving for more. San ended up pushing her onto the floor, his hands placed on either side of her face. They both looked at each other, both wanting to ask the same question but too shy to actually speak out about having their first time right then.

"Y/N.....if you don't want to, we can-"

She silenced him by pulling him on top of her and resuming their makeout session.

"I want to. Go ahead." She assured him.

San kissed her forehead.

"I love you so much."

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~December 25, 3 years later~

All of the boys gathered around the tree, already ecstatic at the thought of opening their presents.

"I'm really looking forward to Yeosang's gift for me." Mingi bounced in his seat.

"I told you. I got you socks." Yeosang repeated for the thousandth time, making everybody burst out laughing.

"You know you're just joking Sangie." Wooyoung pinched his cheek, much to Yeosang's dismay.

The clock struck midnight, signaling that it was now time to open presents. There was a lot of noises, squealing and rustling of paper heard, the latter all discarded near the floor, soon picked up by Seonghwa, who hated seeing litter scattered about.

"Perfect for you Hwa. I actually got you a broom and dustpan set." Hongjoong snickered as he held out the cleaning supplies from the house to his friend.

"Shut up." Seonghwa groaned, not at all amused by the joke.

"Calm down. I actually got you something else." Hongjoong held out the actual gift, which turned out to be Toothless slippers and bathrobe set. It made Seonghwa burst out laughing, donning his infamous awkward smile.

"Yah! What is this Kang Yeosang?!" Mingi held out a box full of assorted socks.

Yeosang merely shrugged.

"What? You all laughed and joked that I wasn't serious. Jokes on you bitches. I was dead serious." Yeosang sipped his tea as he stared Mingi down, who merely pouted.

"Look on the bright side Mingi. Yunho might stop complaining about you stealing his socks." Seonghwa patted his shoulder.

"It's not me!" Mingi retorted.

"No one else's feet but yours fit in them!" Yunho accused him.

Y/N and San just laughed and decided to just enjoy the presents they got for each other. Y/N was happy that San liked his presents, but she was saving the best for last, knowing he was going to go wild about it.

Pulling him outside, she closed the door behind them both, ignoring the chaos going on inside.

"If it's another mistletoe trick, I won't mind." San was already puckering his lips.

"No silly....there's another present I wanted to give you."

"Oh?" San tilted his head.

She pulled out a small and thin white box that had a purple ribbon wrapped around it. San shook it near his ear, trying to guess what was in it, but had no clue. He carefully unwrapped the ribbon and opened the box. He had to do a double take as he peered into the contents. He looked at his lover with wide eyes.

"Is this....?" He asked for confirmation.

She nodded and chuckled happily. San's face lit up and he picked her up, spinning her around as he kissed the side of her head.

"Oh my God! This is the best Christmas present ever my love! Thank you!"

Tears of joy started streaming down his face as he embraced the love of his life for a long time. He wasted no time in speeding back inside the house and wave the object around for everyone to see.

"Guys! We're having a baby! You're all gonna be uncles!"

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~December 5, Present Day~

San and Y/N made sure the carrier was covered fully by the long and thick blanket. After making sure it was sunny, San opened the door and allowed his sweetheart to walk out. Y/N carefully walked down the steps of the cabin they always stayed in since the day they met. San followed after her, one step behind her, ready to help if she needed anything.

They both looked at each other and smiled. Y/N put the carrier gently down on the blanket of snow as San took out his camera.

"Ready." San gave her the ok sign.

Y/N peeled back the blanket covering the carrier, revealing their tiny 4 month old baby daughter, who was now wide awake and observing her surroundings.

"Smile snowflake." San took a picture of her.

Light snow started to fall around them and the tiny baby reached her hand out to touch this new object that was foreign to her. A tiny snowflake fell on her nose and she sneezed softly when it made contact with her skin.

Her parents couldn't help but coo at how lovely and adorable she was. Picking her up along with several blankets, Y/N showed off the view to her.

"Look darling. This is the exact spot daddy and I met years ago."

San chuckled as he kept taking photos of his two most precious treasures in his life. After getting his fill, he walked up next to Y/N, poking his daughter's cheek.

"Even though you were born in summer, I'm sure you'll learn to love the winter just as much as we do."

The baby continued to be fascinated by the falling snow around her, her arms flailing into the air, trying to catch it, only to fall in confusion every time it melted in her tiny hand.

"I say she already loves it." Y/N noticed her reactions.

"I'm glad she does. I can't wait to bring her here every year to watch the first snow fall every time." San kissed her tiny head before looking back at his wife and repeating the action on her forehead.

"I love you. And I love our precious snowflake too."

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thedevilsruby · 2 years

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Love on the Set (Clierra multi chapter fic)

Sierra Rossi, or Sunset Lace, is a well known adult movie star throughout the internet. She has it all: Fans, money, fame. But her world changes when a new actor, Cliff joins her on the set.

Chapter Six: Jealousy

Sierra applied her lipstick, making sure the purple matched her tank top.

Today was a shoot with a new girl and Cliff. The girl's last name was O'Malley, that's all Arlo could tell her.

Sierra wasn't looking forward to sharing Cliff. This was the first time she would have to do so.

"Sierra!" The intern called from behind the door.

"Be there in a sec!" Sierra called back, adjusting her clothes. She sighed and took a swig from her water bottle before walking out to the set.

She saw a girl with red hair in two pigtails in green ribbons, giving her the look of a schoolgirl.

"Damn, even I can't deny she's cute." Sierra muttered. She had some competition, but like hell she was going to lose.

Instead, she smiled and walked over to the girl. "You're O'Malley, I take it?"

The girl gasped, her eyes now wide as she looked at Sierra. "Y...You're Sunset Lace." she said, quietly and nervously.

Sierra internally groaned, but smiled and nodded. "A fan, I see. What's your name?"

"I-I'm Kalysta, or Kali if you'd like!" Kali smiled, practically bouncing on her heels. "My stage name is Satin Flame! I'm so happy to meet you, Miss Lace!"

"It's Sierra." Sierra chuckled, holding her hand out for Kali to shake.

"Sierra?" Kali gasped, then grinned. "That's so pretty! I like it!"

"Thanks." Sierra replied. That's when she saw Cliff enter the room and smiled. That's when she noticed the flash of fascination in Kali's eyes.

"Wow..." Kali whispered as she eyes Cliff's muscles under his robe.

Sierra's anger suddenly rose, and she found her eye twitching.

"Kali, Sierra, get ready on set!" Don yelled at them. Both nodded and looked to each other quickly. "G-Good luck! Not that you need it." Kali smiled nervously, rubbing the back of her head.

"Thanks, you too." Sierra forced her smile.

All three sat on the couch. Sierra's hand clenched the arm rest as Kali clung to Cliff, giggling.

"And...action!" Don yelled.

Sierra's eye twitched as she watched Kali giggle and run her fingers along Cliff's muscular chest. "This is not happening." Her mind snarled as she suddenly grabbed the redhead's shoulders and French kissing her as hard as she could.

Kali let out a muffled yelp as Sierra shoved her tongue down her throat. What was she-oh wow. That actually felt pretty good...

The redhead felt shivers as she felt Sierra shove her onto her back and climb on top of her, never breaking their kiss. Kali closed her eyes and put her hands in Sierra's bun.

"That's it. Stay with me, stay away from Cliff." Sierra internally smirked.

Cliff watched with wide eyes. What were they doing? Wasn't he in on this too?

Then again, this was hot...seeing two girls make out in front of him and seeing Sierra strip Kali of her clothes.

The assistant director was about to yell at the girls, but Don held his hand up, smirking.

"I've never seen Sierra so into this kinda stuff...let them keep going." He hissed.

Kali moaned as Sierra drove her fingers in and out of her. She knew Sunset Lace was good but not this good. But what about Cliff? What was he supposed to do?

Right when Kali opened her mouth to ask Sierra about him, Sierra simply shoved her tongue into Kali's mouth, silencing her instantly.

Deciding this was better, Kali swirled her tongue around Sierra's moaning.

Kali thrusted her fingers into Sierra as well, earning a hiss of pleasure of the brunette. "Fuck, your fingers are soft."

"Thanks." Kali smirked.

Cliff decided that was his cue to leave, so he silently stepped off the set, sitting to the side.

After about 15 minutes of them kissing and fingers, they both finally climaxed, moaning.

"And cut!" Don yelled.

Sierra sat up and pulled her fingers from Kali, smirking. Kali panted and looked up at Sierra. "W...Wow..." She blushed. "That was..."

"Just the famous Sunset doing her job." Sierra shrugged innocently.

"Sierra, that was fantastic!" Don praised her as he brought a black robe for Kali and Sierra's special robe. "What came over you?"

"Well, I am one of the studio's top girls, gotta keep things interesting." Sierra grinned as she slipped her robe on.

"Well, keep it up! I liked it!" Don nodded. "You too, Kali, great take!"

"Thanks." Kali smiled as Don walked away. Kali looked at Sierra and blushed. "So um...w-would you mind working together again? I mean, that was great and..."

Sierra smiled, nodding. "I'd like that, Kali."

Kali smiled and walked off. Cliff watched with his eyebrow raised.

Keep things interesting, huh? Well then, he would see where this would take them.

Kali belongs to the wonderful @starcountesseevee! Thank you for letting me use her once again, I love ya, girl!

#pokémon #pokemon go #leader cliff #leader sierra #team go rocket leader sierra #team go rocket leader cliff #kalysta o'malley #sierra x cliff #cliff x sierra #clierra #starcountesseevee

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evanaaml · 4 years

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Trick or Treat

A little one-shot for #MistyAppreciationDay that I cooked up. Figured, with the holiday closing in, I ought to make it Halloween-themed. Hope you enjoy!

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"Ok, I think just a few more should do it, what do you think, Azurill?"

"Azu! Zu!"

Misty giggled at her little baby Pokémon as it bounced over the kitchen floor to the little table and grabbed some clementines with its tail.

Halloween was here, and at the Cerulean Gym, Misty, (with her sisters), were put in charge of hosting this year's holiday party. Every year, the Kanto Gym Leaders would take turns hosting holiday events for the league, and more importantly, the people of Kanto. The leaders would often alternate which gym would host which holiday, (with a few exceptions; Lt. Surge insisted on hosting Kanto Independence Day), and this year, the Sensational Sisters were placed in charge of Halloween.

Misty's sisters, Daisy, Lily, and Violet, preferred to host a summer event, (and Misty could hardly blame them, a part of her did, too), but they didn't complain. Any chance to dress up and socialize was a win for them.

For Misty, it was the new norm.

When she was younger, and her sisters were in charge, the league kept them out of these events. They knew they were young and inexperienced. And Misty was naive, she was traveling, looking to become a water Pokémon master, she didn't think of hosting parties or charities. She thought the gym life was just battling trainer after trainer; she thought nothing of the rules or politics that went with it.

But now that she was the primary leader, things like this were her new life. Battles, as it turns out, were a small part of the gym leader life. She had to work with the league, do a lot of paperwork, keep up-to-date on the healthcare of her Pokémon and her employees, and do plenty of personal appearances for Cerulean City.

But despite it all, the stress and the pressure and the busy lifestyle...she loved it. While it wasn't entirely what she expected when she took over the gym all those years ago, she knew that it would be difficult. And she took that challenge with her head held high. She didn't want it to be easy, she wouldn't have taken the position if she thought it would be. It would just prove to herself that she was up to the task if it worked out. And so far, it had.

Still, a little warning would have been nice.

At the moment, Misty was making snacks for the guests. Her cooking skills, while coming a long way since her childhood days on the road, were still...not up to par for mixed company.

Of course, she wouldn't admit that; of course not.

Instead, she opted to put together food already made. In this case, she was placing tiny celery stalks into clementines for a healthy pumpkin-looking treat. Her cooking may not be the best, but her craftsmanship was impressive.

Azurill hopped back to the table and with a mighty bounce, landed on top to place the clementines down. The green paper gently tied around its tail rustled. Azurill was painted (with Pokemon-friendly paint!), a dark green, and with "leaves" on its tail, made itself to be an Oddish. Misty couldn't help but smile every time she saw her adorable Pokémon in its costume.

As for her, Misty opted to go a bit more mythical. She wore a light blue and white body suit and had wired-lined white ribbon around her waist that stuck out around her body; as if flowing in waves. Attached to the back of her neck was a large hood with a light blue headpiece and long, purple hair. At the moment, it was down, but if she flipped it up, it'd stick up just above her head.

She always felt an attachment to Suicune, the Aurora Pokémon. This was of course no surprise, she felt an attachment to all Water-Pokémon. Certain ones, however, had an aura about them to that she could not help but feel drawn to in more ways than just admiration. Suicune was mist personified.

"How they comin'?" someone asked from outside the kitchen.

"Almost done!", Misty replied.

"Alright, I'm gonna show you my costume; prepared to be, like, mind-blown!" the person stated. Misty shook her head in exasperation, but giggled all the same.

"I'm waiting on baited breath", Misty replied sarcastically. Within moments, Daisy entered the room. Like Misty, she wore a body suit, but it was a much darker blue with light blue bands going down the side and around her waist and chest. She had large fins on her back that looked more like elegant Butterfree wings outside of the water. She had two sets of much smaller fins on her side and abdomen. In her hand was what looked like a flat, black baton with a pink dot on it.

"TADA! What do you think?", Daisy asked, striking a pose with one hand in the air and the other on her hip.

"A Lumineon, fitting! A shame they aren't in Kanto waters, having one in the gym would be amazing", Misty said dreamily. She imagined the glowing aura Pokémon swimming through the pool at night, its glow lighting up the water and making the pool seem almost supernatural.

"Like, don't go off daydreaming again, we need the snacks finished soon! Some guests are already here, and the doors open to the public in an hour", Daisy scolded lightly.

"Yeah, yeah", Misty said, waving her off. Misty wasn't interested in impressing the League's big-wigs, they rarely left their offices for these events anyway; instead opting to sends notices reminding her to "Keep up the standards of the Kanto Pokémon League, esq.".

Yawn.

And she wasn't concerned about making an impression with the gym leaders. Through her journey as a child, she got to know them all on a personal level. Through her new position, that level of friendship only increased; she became tight with all of them. Erika and her hung out on the regular, Misty was the first person who Sabrina opened up to, and whom she was now the closest with, Blaine continued to this day to send her riddles for her to solve, (which she never failed to do), and she became a sort of mentor to Forrest; Brock's younger brother, and the gym leader of Pewter City, (when his brother was away for studies).

Her biggest concerns came from the citizens of the city. Namely, the kids. Since becoming the gym leader, she became a role model for the kids of the city. She would host events at the gym, speak in classrooms, run charities, and of course battle any locals who wanted to test their metal before officially joining the League challenge. They were the ones she wanted to impress, to put a smile on their faces. This was for them.

She began peeling the clementines that Azurill handed her. "I have to say though, Daisy, as beautiful as the costume is, I thought you'd do a little more for the party", Misty stated. Her sisters were known for going all out for all their outfits; regardless of occasion. And while her older sister's costume was well made, it didn't seem to have that "over the top" feature that they were known for. Daisy winked.

"Oh, just watch", Daisy replied. Misty looked on as Daisy reached over to one of the fins on her side. She slid a tiny lever up, and within moments, the blue bands along her body and fins lit up in a fluorescent glow. "Like the Sensational Sisters wouldn't try to be the stars of the evening".

...Ok, she was impressed.

"Wow! That's amazing, Daisy!", Misty said.

"I know, right?", Daisy replied. She walked over towards the table to pick up a platter of the finished treats. "You know, if you weren't so stingy, we were going to add lights to your outfit, too".

"I didn't know you were going to do that, I just wanted to add my own part to the costume is all. I didn't want you three to do all the work for my own costume", Misty replied. Her stubbornness never left her. She knew her sisters were more talented at crafts like costumes than she was, but she didn't have it in her to let them do it all on their own, even if they were happy to. She had to help.

"Well, the ribbons did come out nice, so, I guess you got some of our talent after all", Daisy said. Misty glared daggers at her older sister. Did she really not think about what she said before saying it?

But she let it slide. Since her sisters returned from their trip, and she was put in charge of the gym, they had all made great strides in becoming more of a family. They had their fights and spats, but Misty felt that they were the kind of disagreements that siblings had.

So then the others have similar costumes?", Misty asked.

"You bet!", someone called out. Daisy turned around and Misty glanced over to see Lily and Violet approaching them. Violet stepped into the kitchen, walking sideways through the doorway to fit in. She had several tentacles attached to her waist from a subtle belt. Some tentacles dangled from the belt and hung just above the ground, while others had some sort of support that allowed them to stick out a small ways from her body. Two tentacles were attached to small sticks, which she held in her hand to raise and move like the real thing. She wore brown leggings and a bell-shaped costume with two large glowing plastic orbs on her shoulders, with a smaller glowing one attached to her head via a tiara. She also had a long, jagged stinger, which she currently had just dangling around her neck.

"Awww! Tentacruel! How beautiful!", Misty said.

"Well, I dunno about beautiful, but it sure is illuminating!" Violet replied, lifting two of the tentacles up in a pose with a smile. Misty was insulted at Violet's blatant disregard for one of the most beautiful sea Pokémon.

"What are you, Lily?", Misty asked, ignoring Violet for her crime...for now.

"TOO BIG TO FIT INTO THE ROOM!", Lily whined. The sisters sighed.

Lily had a large shell that hung from her waist and raised up over her head, and a pink sphere around her chest, with black leggings to finish the attire. Around her body within the shell, she had white orbs that glowed similar to her sisters. The shell was too tall and too wide to fit her through the door frame.

"It's just the shell, Lily, like, no one's gonna think you're fat", Violet stated, knowing full-well what she was worried about.

"The costume came out amazing...BUT AT WHAT COST!?", Lily asked out loud.

"The costume looks great, Lily! What did you use to keep it light and bulky like that?", Misty asked.

"DON'T SAY BULKY!", Lily replied in disgust. Violet groaned.

"EVA foam. It's in all of our outfits, including yours", Daisy answered, ignoring Lily's outburst. She used the tail in her hand to point to Misty's hood.

"Oh, really? I just thought it was cardboard", Misty replied, lifting the hood up over her head.

"As if! Like cardboard would be able to keep that form!", Daisy replied. Misty sighed. Her sisters were experts at costumes from all the ballets they put on; they really knew which materials to use and how to make them stand out. If their jobs at the gym didn't work out, Misty thought they could make a career as professional cosplayers.

"Not gonna lie, sis, I'm a little bummed that you didn't go with Lugia for your costume. I mean, like, you SAW it and everything!", Violet exclaimed, recalling her sister's incident in the Orange Islands.

"Lugia was certainly a finalist. I may go with it next year, but that costume would probably take me longer to make", Misty admitted, thinking of the struggle to make its wings and tail manageable.

"Personally, I thought you should have gone with Bruxish, I think it fits you better", Lily said with a sneer, thinking of the large, big-lipped fish. All three sisters burst into laughter at the thought. Misty growled.

"OH WHO ASKED YOU, ANYWAY!?", Misty yelled. Azurill jumped in shock at the outburst. Misty gasped, realizing her error, and rushed over to console the baby.

"Wow, way to go, Misty, scare the poor little baby why don't you?", Daisy said in jest. Misty glared, but kept her cool this time.

"So, anyway, what guests are here?", Misty asked, changing the topic. Daisy handed the platter in her hand to Violet while she grabbed another one to hand to Lily.

"None of the other gym leaders yet, but they'll be here any minute, I'm sure", Violet answered.

"The mayor's here, and some of his guests", Daisy added.

"No surprise. Any trainers?", Misty asked.

"Uhm...yeah! That Casey girl is here!", Violet answered. Misty's eyes lit up.

"That's wonderful! I was hoping she'd come around. I know she head's back to Johto during the holidays, I'm glad she could stop by before that", Misty said. She had met many trainers on her journeys over the years, plenty of whom she was still in contact with. They would make time to write her notes or video call her, some would even visit if they were in the area. It made her heart feel good that she still had so many friends from her childhood.

"Brock said he'd be over with his family soon, too. Prof. Oak said he was running late, had to pick up Mrs. Ketchum and someone else", Lily said from outside the kitchen.

"Probably Gary. Alright. Did anyone call while I was working in here?", Misty asked.

"Yes! May did. She said that she'll be here! Didn't say what time exactly, but that she can't wait to catch up!", Daisy answered. Misty smiled. May was someone who she only got to meet once or twice in her childhood, but as she got older, she got to hang out with more and more.

Any friend of his would be a friend of hers, given enough time.

She was a coordinator, a field that Misty knew she wouldn't be cut out for, but loved to see. Misty's sisters, who had an interest in coordinating before becoming co-gym leaders, quickly became some of her biggest fans. They were even one of her first sponsors when she was skilled enough to take some on.

"*Sigh* I knew she would. I can't wait to catch up, it's been far too long since we've seen her. I know Dawn can't make it, she's too far away, but she sends her regards!", Misty explained.

"Aww, how sweet!", Lily replied.

"Iris has her own League's party to deal with, Serena is in Hoenn, and...Tracy's been here all day helping set up", Misty said, thinking to herself of what friends could show up.

"Wait, aren't you missing someone?", Violet asked.

There was a pause.

"...No, I'm pretty sure that's it", Misty replied, feeling a little twitch in her chest.

"...Misty, you know you're forgetting someone", Lily replied.

Another twitch, more painful than the last.

Misty turned around to face the little snacks she was making.

"...No, I'm not. Everyone who said they were going to come, already answered", Misty retorted. The sisters looked at one another. They were all thinking the same thing. About the same person.

"Misty...what about Ash?", Daisy asked.

Twitch.

Azurill, sensing a sudden mood change in its trainer, hopped over to her side. Misty just looked at the fruit before her, her mind elsewhere.

"He...isn't coming".

The sensational sisters seemed perplexed at the statement. As if it didn't seem possible.

"Ash isn't coming? Did he say that?", Daisy asked, slightly shocked.

"He didn't say anything, I left him a message, telling him the details, and he didn't respond", Misty answered. The words came out harsher than she intended, but it felt deserved none the less.

"That doesn't seem like him. He's dense, but not rude", Violet replied.

"Yeah, like, are you sure he would just bail on you like that?", Lily asked.

"I don't know, and quite frankly, I don't care", Misty spat back. She grabbed a few clementines, stabbed celery stalks into them, and then held the platter out for one of them to grab. "Here. Done. I'll work on another treat set and then head out". The sisters all looked at one another in a mutual feeling of concern.

The sisters knew their own strengths, they knew they had beauty, charm, and a wit that would rival anyone. But they also knew their own weaknesses.

They knew that, despite all of their shared love of Water Pokémon and the gym, and the training they've put in since their time back home, that they weren't the best trainers. And though there were many, many differences between them and their youngest sister over personalities, and ideas for running the gym to its prime capabilities, that Misty always thought with the gym's best intentions.

They knew that their "runt" of a younger sister, the "not-so sensational sister", was the best the gym had to offer.

And while they had confidence that she'd get over this soon, it still pained them to see her like this. Misty was most certainly not the type to drool over men the way they used to, (or, still do in some cases), but they knew, from the moment they met him, that she had the one. And that one, right now, was hurting her.

Daisy sighed and walked over, taking the platter. She could see, albeit only from a glance, the pain in her sister's face.

"Misty, hun, listen...just, don't judge too harshly, ok? I know he didn't reply, but you don't know why yet. Maybe something came up, maybe there was bad service where he is, maybe he is, in fact, just an idiot...So please...go easy on him, ok? If, afterwards, it turns out he just ditched you, then Hell, I'll drive you to him myself so you can beat his ass", Daisy explained. Lily and Violet shuddered at the thought of her behind the wheel with their sister again. "But, until then, just...keep an open mind, ok?".

Misty clenched her hands, feeling like she was about to explode. Who were they to tell her how to feel about this situation? But...she eventually sighed, and nodded.

"Yeah...you're right", Misty replied.

And it pained her to admit it.

"Alright. Don't take too long with the next snacks, I'm sure these will last until the main course arrives. Most everyone's eating candy anyway", Daisy explained. Misty gave a half-hearted giggle.

Daisy walked away from Misty and looked to her other sisters. They both looked worried for their youngest sibling, but knew that things would be clear in due time.

Call it women's intuition.

From out of the kitchen, Lily turned towards a noise, and giggle aloud.

"Well, I don't know about Ash, but at least you can see Pikachu tonight", Lily said through laughs. Misty turned around in shock as Lily side-stepped to allow something to pass her.

Walking into the kitchen, its hands on either side of its head, was Misty's ever-so faithful companion, Psyduck. Attached to its head by a thick rubber band were long, flimsy pieces of paper, cut out awkwardly into points with black tips drawn on with crayon. Attached over its tail was a tube, which led to an equally poorly-cut Pikachu tail. To compliment the additions, red circles were sloppily painted on its cheeks.

"Psy.Duck.Psy.Duck.Psy.Duck", Psyduck said as it marched towards its trainer. It finished with a final "Psy" as it stopped on front of her.

"Ohhh, bless its little heart, it tried its best", Daisy said, both loving and horrified at Psyduck's attempt at a Pikachu costume.

"How did it struggle to paint simple circles on its cheeks, but made the brown stripes all the way over on its back almost perfect? I swear your Psyduck's like, the weirdest thing on two legs", Violet exclaimed. Psyduck tilted its head in response.

"Psyduck!"

"Oh leave it alone! I think your costume is...wonderfully you, Psyduck!", Misty stated, bending down to give her Pokémon care. The water type smiled as Misty readjusted its ears.

"Well, don't take too long, alright? Psyduck, make sure she comes out to mingle soon, ok?", Daisy said, instructing the duck Pokémon.

"Psyduck!", Psyduck exclaimed, waving its hand in the air. Daisy and Violet then left the kitchen, and, with Lily, went towards the pool area. They wanted to socialize with the elite and friends, but more still, they wanted Misty to have a moment to herself.

They knew things would turn around for her soon enough.

Misty, meanwhile, looked to her little sheet of "Halloween Snack Ideas" she "borrowed" from Serena's blog online to see what to make next. All the snacks were easy to make, and for most of them, they had the ingredients right there in the kitchen. But the more she thought, the more she got anxious. She didn't want to make anything. She didn't want to be there all of a sudden.

What was wrong with her?

She shook her head, and looked back to the sheet. They were easy ideas, Serena made them even simpler by explaining it in easy steps. But she couldn't find the urge to get started. Her mind kept wandering. Kept getting side-tracked.

She groaned.

Eventually, Misty sighed, tossed the sheet aside, and just sat on the stool at the kitchen island. Azurill bounced over and hopped into her arms while Psyduck wobbled over and leaned against her leg from the floor. They both knew what was getting to her.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you two. I don't mean to worry you. I'll be fine, I'm sure of it", Misty said, rubbing Azurill gently. She said it, but she herself didn't believe it. Misty sighed. "Who am I kidding? I don't know when I'll get over this. It's just...so unlike him. If he had told me he couldn't make it, I would have understood. He's missed more parties and events I've had than I can even keep track of. But to just...not respond to me. To just, leave me sitting here, wondering, and...hoping...it hurts".

Misty found herself clutching Azurill tighter to her chest. It wasn't just the lack of response that bothered her, it was that it came from him that really made it hurt. He just didn't do that. He was always busy, always traveling, always training. Working day in and day out to accomplish his dream; something she would never cease to admire.

But he always made time to talk to her.

Maybe she was spoiled over it. Maybe, she thought, that she expected too much from him, and that, realistically, he didn't need to answer every message that came his way from her. Maybe he was busy responding to another female friend of his?

Twitch.

She shook the idea out of her head. What made her think it was a female friend? What made her think it was even a friend he was talking to? It could have been a multitude of things. He could have gotten hung up with a gym battle. He could be traveling out in the wild with no signal. He could be somewheres out there, alone, and with no one to help him.

Twitch.

Again, she shook the thought out of her head. Why did she keep jumping to the worst conclusions? Azurill nuzzled more into her, sensing her anxiety levels rising. Misty sighed. These thoughts of hers were getting out of hand. She wanted to distract herself. She needed to distract herself.

But the motivation wasn't there. She knew what she had to do, and she knew that doing it would help. But try as she might, she couldn't will herself to start, and so she sat, with the same question running through her mind.

Why didn't Ash answer?

A commotion in the pool area startled her out of her thoughts momentarily. Misty could just make out the voice of her sisters talking to a person or persons. More guests were arriving.

It was as much motivation as she was going to get, she thought. Misty sighed, and stood up, placing Azurill down on the table in the process. Looking at the sheet momentarily once more, she decided on a snack and grabbed several bananas. She handed some to Psyduck.

"Here, peel these for me, please", Misty said. Psyduck took the bananas and began to peel the skins away with its sharp webbed claws. Misty herself peeled a banana and then cut it in half. Then, with a chocolate-filled pipping bag, began to draw the tiniest of dots on the ends of the bananas. Within seconds, a ghost face had formed. Serena's "Boo-Nanas".

With Psyduck's help, Misty managed to make a fair amount within only a couple minutes. Before she knew it, she almost had enough for a platter's worth. While it was still in the back of her mind, her concerns over Ash weren't controlling her like they did moments before.

"Ok, that's a fair amount done. Let's get a few more and we can send it out...Psyduck?", Misty asked, holding her hand out and expecting to be given a peeled banana. She turned to see that Psyduck was smelling the air. "What is it? You smell something? Wonder if the main courses arrived from the restaurant?", Misty wondered aloud. Azurill also began sniffing the air. Soon, both Pokémon recognized the scent and turned to the door. The sound of something dragging caught Misty's attention.

Entering the kitchen was a small creature, draped in some kind of old-looking sheet. Small black dots were on the lower form, while the head looked to be a misshapen form of a Pikachu. Eyes, cheeks, and a smile were drawn on with some form of crayon, as were the ear tips, not unlike Psyduck's. The head was limp, bobbing left and right and refusing to sit upright. A stick for a tail was stuck to the end of the sheet, by a means Misty could not immediately tell. The figure stood there, not saying a word.

Admittedly, Misty was creeped out, but she recognized the costume. It was a Mimikkyu, a Pokémon from the Alola region.

"Well, hello there", Misty said politely. There was no response from the Mimikkyu. "Hmm, well, I know what you're supposed to be. The question is, are you the real deal? Or are you a costume within a costume?". The figure raised up, the sides of the sheet extending out ever so slightly from the lower body, as it groaned. Misty sighed, no dark appendages.

"Ok, well you're not a real Mimikkyu. So who are you?", Misty asked. The figure darted with surprising across the kitchen floor and to the table, hoping up with ease. It crawled over to the gym leader and sat there, staring at her as the head bobbled more. Misty was creeped out, but sighed. "Ok, being stubborn huh?". She put her hand on the head, stopping it from moving. The figure shuttered, causing Misty to actually tense up. It groaned loudly as Misty held its head.

She heard of the legends surrounding the ghost type. And while she had the utmost confidence that this was nothing more than a Pokémon, dressed up as a Mimikkyu, the hesitation was still there. None the less, she gulped and lifted the head up, and the sheet with it.

"PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII....KACHU-PI!".

Her heart skipped a beat, both from relief, and shock.

"P-Pikachu!? What, how!?", Misty asked. The mouse Pokémon had raised its paws up, growling menacingly as its costume was revealed, in an attempt to be scary. But ultimately greeted its female friend with its usual smile.

"But wait, if you're here, then...", Misty said, realizing the inevitable truth. She covered her mouth and immediately began fighting tears that were suddenly forming as she turned to the doorway. Just popping into view was a man, dressed up in a store-bought Entei costume. The man lowered the mask, revealing the face.

"Hiya, Mist...been awhile".

Misty, despite the well of emotions she was feeling, both positive and negative, couldn't stop herself as the two embraced in a large hug. Ash wrapped his arms around her tight and she felt like she would melt into him. He smelled like dirt road and wild grass, with hints of dewdrops. A combination of scents she missed, and grew to love over time.

"Damn, still got an inch on me, thought for certain I'd be taller. I think we're both done growing, too", Ash joked.

"Ash...", Misty said, smiling with tears coming down her face. "...you ABSOLUTE ASSHOLE!".

Misty immediately stepped back and punched him in the arm, causing him to jump back and rub it firmly.

"Ow! Damn, still got a killer punch I see!", Ash replied. Pikachu sighed. It appeared as if little changed over the years. It hopped down from the table with Azurill to catch up with its friend Psyduck, and admire its rendition of itself.

"What the HELL were you thinking!?", Misty asked. Despite the tears and rage inside of her, she was smiling and laughing as she asked it. She was a whole mess of emotions and she didn't know which one was in control at the moment.

"I was thinking that my plan went off without a hitch", Ash replied, still rubbing his arm.

"Your plan!?", Misty asked.

"Yeah! Your sisters knew! I asked them what costume you were wearing, so that I could match it...but dang, you really had to go all-out and make me look cheap, didn't you?", Ash explained, looking over Misty's costume.

"They knew!? Argh! I'm gonna KILL THEM!", Misty growled, nearly tearing her hood off.

"Actually, they seemed pretty upset with me, too. Did you not know I was coming or something?", Ash asked.

Twitch.

There was a moment of silence. Misty turned towards the trainer. He looked genuinely perplexed. It was a look she swore was stuck to his face nine hours of the day.

"...How could I, when you DON'T ANSWER!?", Misty asked. Ash stood back from the angry response, and Misty could tell he was rearing to protect his other arm.

"Woah, woah, I did respond!", Ash exclaimed. He then fumbled in his costume pants pocket and pulled out his Poképhone. He unlocked the screen and immediately began going through his messages. "See, look, you sent me the text, asking if I would come to the party, and showing me your official invite sheet, and yadda yadda, and here I said...".

There was a pause.

Ash groaned heavily. Pikachu did the same. He tapped a button, and within a few seconds, Misty heard the sound of a water droplet. She recognized it as her custom ringtone for a text message. She grabbed her Poképhone from off the table to see, on her screen, a single message.

"Why not both? ;)"

Twitch.

"I uh...I thought I hit send...I apparently did not...", Ash said sheepishly. Pikachu slapped its forehead.

"...Ash...", Misty said.

"Y...Yes?", Ash asked.

"...You are, in fact...just an idiot", Misty exclaimed. Ash sighed.

"Oh, yeah, that I knew", Ash replied. He expected much worse.

"Why not both?", Misty asked, referring to the message.

"Uh, yeah. Your message. After you sent me the image of your paper invite you sent out to people, you asked me, "So, Trick, or Treat?". And that was my answer.

"...Both?", Misty asked.

"Yeah, the treat was that I'd be here for you. The trick...well, the trick was technically Pikachu's costume, in an attempt to scare you, but I guess this little incident is more of a trick now?", Ash replied with a nervous chuckle. Misty sighed and covered her eyes with her hands. In doing so, more tears came out. They were residual, but it was enough for Ash to notice. He rushed over and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Misty, I'm so sorry, I swear to you, I didn't intend to hurt your feelings. I wondered why you didn't respond, and I didn't think to check and see if the message sent, I figured you were just busy with preparations and talked to your sisters about me coming over. I guess they thought that you got a reply from me until tonight", Ash quickly explained. His chest hurt from seeing Misty tear up like that. Especially that it happened because of him.

"Ash...the amount of emotional pain you've briefly given me...is nothing, compared to the amount of PHYSICAL pain I'm going to put you through after the party", Misty exclaimed. Ash shuddered. "And once I tell your mom what you did, she'll probably add to it".

"...You wouldn't".

"Gyarados won't even be able to eat your remains, they'll be so pulverized".

"...Pikachu wouldn't let that happen to me".

"Piiiii", Pikachu answered.

"Once again, you've proven to be just the BEST friend I could ask for!", Ash said sarcastically.

"But for now...", Misty started. She slowly leaned into Ash and wrapped her arms around him. "...let me just...sit here a bit?" She closed her eyes, took in a wiff of his scent, and smiled. Ash smiled himself, wrapped his arms around her, and closed his eyes.

"Take as long as you need...Happy Halloween, Misty".

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I haven't stopped writing and editing this story for the last few hours, and I'm EXHAUSTED. I'm so sorry if this story isn't up to snuff; I'm out of practice. This was my contribution to Misty Appreciation Day, hope you enjoyed!

-EVAN AAML

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