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So far, the day's been quiet; no journeys or research missions to go on, the only thing to worry about is losing my page in the book I’m reading.
It wouldn't really matter, since I’ve read this book from front to back many times already, but I like rereading it every once in a while.
I was distracted though.. Everything today is normal, just not everyone.
Ash had woken up at 7 AM this morning. It was so weird.
We got up around the same time in the morning, me naturally and Ash to an alarm. Once he woke up, I was sure he’d throw a fit, maybe even put his alarm on snooze, but he didn’t-he actually got up and started getting ready for the day.
“Uh, Ash? Y’know, we don’t have a mission or anything today.. Right?”
He made me start to think I had forgotten something.
“Huh? Oh yeah, I’m just going out to town today.”
“What? Where?” I remember my eyebrows furrowing when I asked.
“Oh, just Saffron City, not too far- I’ll be back soon.”
I stare at him, confused, but before I can fully register what he’s said, he’s gotten his shoes on, and with Pikachu jumping on his shoulder, he’s heading towards the front door.
I was-I guess still kinda am-upset he didn’t ask me to come with. They're still Kanto Pokémon I need to catch there! It’s the reason we went there just last week!
Which is another part of it that doesn’t make sense to me. Why is Ash going back there if we were just in that city last week?
Maybe he’s battling the gym leader there? He did tell me he’s lost to her before.. But knowing Ash, he would've wanted mine-or someone's support during battle, so he wouldn't go alone..
Yamper began to bark as the front door to the laboratory slowly creaked open, startling me and causing my book to slam shut in my lap.
“I’m back!” Ash exclaimed, dragging out the end of his sentence.
Looking over the one-person chair I was sitting in, I saw Ash at the entrance of the laboratory, holding a small white bag in his hands.
Pikachu hopped off his shoulder, running to where it's normally fed.
“Haha, I know, buddy, me too,” Ash replied to Pikachu’s cries by going to fill its food bowl.
“You didn’t stop to get food while you were out? That's surprising.” I teased and got up to join him in feeding the indoor Pokémon.
“Goh! I didn’t see you, hehe.” He hides the bag behind his back, and with his other hand, characteristically rubs under his nose.
I continue to break up the Pokémon cookie in my hands instead of answering.
“I thought about it- getting food, but I wanted to be back before it was too dark.” He sets the Poke Mart bag down on the table and brushes his hands off.
“Why did you go to Saffron?” I ask him, getting up to wash my hands instead of using Ash’s ‘brush off method.’
“Oh well.. There was something I wanted to buy.”
I turned on the sink, enjoying the feeling of cold water on my hands.
“Yeah, but why’d you go all the way to Saffron to go to a Poke Center? They're practically all the same.” I had to raise my voice over the running water.
“Yeah, well..wanted to...something..” Of course, Ash being Ash didn’t understand I couldn't hear him over the running water.
I finish scrubbing the last bit of soap off my hands before turning off the sink. My eyes darted around for a towel.
“What? I couldn’t hear you.” I tell Ash, while also finding a towel to dry my hands with.
“I said I wanted to buy you something, and it had to be at that specific Poke Mart!” He laughed while going to sit down at the table with the bag on it.
I felt my cheeks lightly burn. “W-What?”
I walked around the counter to where Ash and the bag were.
“Why the one in Saffron?” I ask him, trying to figure out what might be in the bag.
“Well, last week, when we went there to get some medicine after Farfetch’d been downed in battle, I noticed something there caught your eye.”
I sat down next to him at the table, and I might've been going crazy, but his cheeks were lightly flushed too.
“And I mean- You helped me pay for the medicine too, so I thought I’d go back and get this for you.” He picked the bag up from its spot on the table and handed it to me, sealing the top so I couldn’t peek inside yet.
“I know how much it means to you.” He was rambling at this point it seemed, trying to justify his reasons for going all the way to Saffron just to go to a store that's quite literally everywhere.
It was cute though, and I was excited to see what he got me.
He let me take the bag into my own hands, and I opened it.
Inside were quite a few Poké Balls, but something shiny and pink was sticking out from underneath all the spheres.
“I figured you could use some extra Poké Balls too.”
It seemed surprisingly more likely that he probably got nervous when picking out the other gift for me, so he decided to get something safe too.
But maybe I was imagining all that, I mean- A nervous Ash Ketchum does sound pretty weird..
Pulling out what was underneath all the pokeballs, my eyes began to glow.
Last week, while Ash and I were in Saffron, I was looking at a Mew keychain near the register while Ash got the medicine he needed. I had already offered to help Ash pay, and I really didn’t mind doing so; it was for his Pokémon after all.
He came up behind me while I was fidgeting with the small star beads attached to the keychain. He spooked me and laughed when I jumped, but then asked if I was ready to pay.
I realize now why he did a double-take at the keychain while opening his wallet at the register.
I clutch the keychain in my hands tightly. “Thank you so much!”
I can’t believe I was even a little upset at the fact that he’d left without me this morning. I blush in embarrassment at the thought now.
Ash just rubs at the back of his head, his blush getting brighter. “Of course! I know how much you like Mew.”
The fact that I liked Mew was very obvious. My Mew-themed pajamas and abandoned Mew research book helped prove that fact. Once I see something with Mew on it, I have to have it.
“When we came back from Saffron, I checked the Poke Mart in Vermilion, but they didn’t have the same Mew keychain. They had different colored ones with different beads, but I knew you’d like the one with the red clasp and stars the best, so I went back.”
He put so much thought into this.. Who would’ve known Ash could do something so... Obviously romantic?
I had a strong urge to hug him, but no confidence to do so; all I could manage was scooting a little closer.
“That's.. Really sweet Ash.” I couldn't bring myself to look at him while I said it.
He finally wrapped his arms around me. “Anything for you!” He giggled.
I hugged back until the rumble of his stomach interrupted us.
“Ha, ha..” He rubbed under his nose while slowly pulling away from me.
“Well, how about I treat you to the Vermilion Cafe? It’s only fair since you got me this.” I dangle the keychain in front of his face. We're still so close to each other.
“If you do that, we will be in a loop of repaying each other forever, I think!” He laughs but still stands up to get ready to go to the cafe, and I follow.
“I suggest you change out of those.” He snickers, gesturing at my Mew pjs.
I just shove him while my face turns red. “Shut up.”