Sweet Dreams

Slowly, he opened his eyes, awakened from his slumber. He gingerly rubbed his eyes as he sat up, trying to focus his vision so he could see around the small room he inhabited for the night. A cool breeze blew through the sliding glass doorway that lead to the outdoor balcony, the white curtains gently waving around. He shook his head rapidly, blinking several times to remove the sleep from his eyes. The draft had awakened him, it seemed, and it didn't look like it was going to help him fall back asleep.

Stifling a yawn, he gazed at the digital clock on the dresser next to the bed, hazily making out the blurry red numbers. 11:59. He grinned, knowing all he had to do was wait one more minute. Ironically, the minute felt like an hour, as the ruby glow of the clock seemed to hypnotize him. His eyes were half-closed, partly due to being still asleep somewhat, and with a lack of sleep came a lack of brain activity. This left him in a slightly spaced out demeanor. He was so entranced, in fact, that he failed to remember the body lying next to him on the bed. It would've been hard in the dark, anyway, since a pillow was in between them.

Eventually, the clock changed to 12:00. Midnight.

"Happy Birthday to me." A weary smile grew across his lips, squeezing his eyes tightly to waken himself as he began to gradually recount the day's events.

- - - - -

"Haha, finally, we're here!"

Eighteen year old Ash Ketchum, one day away from being nineteen, stepped off the large boat and onto the docks of Seafoam Island. Once having been a small, uninhabited island, in the years, it had been changed into a resort, as explorers had discovered many hidden hot springs scattered throughout the island.

"Haha, don't be in such a hurry, Ash! We're here for two weeks, so take it easy for once!"

Ash turned his head around and grinned happily. "Aw, come on, Brock! I wanna enjoy myself this whole time!"

As Ash began looking around, the certified breeder shook his head amusingly. Besides a bit of maturity, Ash's personality hadn't changed at all in the past few years. He was still as hyperactive and stubborn as before, and his stomach could still put a garbage disposal to shame. The young man's jet black hair was still as messy as ever, despite spending less time with his League hat on. Guess spending all those years wearing it make it naturally untidy.

A young woman slowly made her way off the boat, holding her elbows in her hands. Her hair, which reached down to her shoulder blades, fell to her shoulders as she tilted her head sideways. "What's Ash going loopy about this time?" She asked, sounding almost surprised that the boy was starting any kind of ruckus.

Brock simply chuckled. "You know him, always excited to go off and do this own thing."

The girl frowned irritably, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Ash, we have to get to our rooms first. We can have fun later."

The comment sparked an agitated look from Ash, as he turned to face the girl. "I know, Misty. Can't I at least look around first?"

"Knowing you, you'll probably end up seeing something and rush to go see it before we get to our rooms!" The girl huffed.

"Misty, it's gonna be my birthday! Can't I relax a little?" Ash complained, resting his hands behind his head.

"It's not your birthday yet, so grab a bag and help us get to our room!" Misty scolded fiercely.

Ash was about to respond, when he was interrupted by Brock. "Come on, Ash, let's just take this stuff to our room. It won't take that long, and I'll unpack for you so you can check out the island."

The raven-haired boy crossed his arms, an irritably contemplative look on his face. It was thanks to Brock that they were even here, since he was the one who had planned the whole thing out. He was grateful for his friend's generous act, and didn't want to be rude. Defeated, he sighed. "Okay, fine." He crossed his arms huffily. Misty and Brock smiled at him, and the trio collected their belongings and headed off to their hotel.

- - - - -

Waking himself completely, his eyes finally focused to the point where he could see throughout the room. He yawned, stretching his arms out in the air. One hand fell to his side, with the other landing on the back of his head, rubbing it sleepily. His stomach grumbled, demanding to be filled. He was never one to say no to his appetite, so he sat up, hoping to grab a midnight snack. However, he found himself pinned in from all four directions. To his right and behind were walls; in front of him was a dresser in the way of the bed; and to his left…

He sighed quietly, blinking in confusion. A pillow was standing on its side, almost like a separation of the bed. He grabbed it, but instead of moving, it stayed put where it was. He tried once more, but like before, it remained in its position. He pulled it harder, but was surprised when it moved on its own.

It was then that he noticed the hand holding onto it.

- - - - -

Upon arriving at their destination, the three were instantly impressed at the building they would be saying in. The white building seemed to gleam as the sunlight was reflected in its many windows. Since it was fairly close to the ocean, the smell of salt water hung in the air in a breeze, causing the leaves of the many tropical trees to shuffle around lightly. As the trio headed towards the glass doors, a pair ran out the door, almost colliding with them.

"Oh, sorry." The first person, a boy with white hair and red eyes, said in a hurry.

"Didn't mean to." Another boy, with silver hair and golden eyes, added, trailing after the other boy. It was quick, but Brock noticed small badges on the front of their shirts, with the letters P and C intertwined together.

"Hey, you guys are with the Pokémon Center, right?" This caught the pair's attention, as they halted in their tracks and turned to the breeder, nodding their heads in affirmation. "What are you in a hurry for? Is something wrong?

"Well, a bunch of water Pokémon washed up on the shore, looking really beaten up. They probably got hurt in the storm a couple of days ago. We've been busy helping all of them out." The red-eyed boy explained.

"So if you don't mind, we're in somewhat of a hurry." The yellow-eyed boy crossed his arms tightly.

"Well, maybe I can help. I'm a certified breeder." Ash and Misty sweatdropped somewhat, detecting the prideful and boastful tone in Brock's voice.

"Really." The two of them crossed their arms, contemplative expressions on their face. Then, they smiled. "Sure, we can use all the help we can get. Although, you might be there overnight…" They added with a touch of uncertainty.

"Ah, I see…well, it's only for one night…" The breeder held his fingers to his chin, thinking about the situation. Uncertainly, he turned to his two friends, who flashed him smiles approval.

"Go ahead, Brock. I'll unpack our stuff for you." Ash gave him a thumbs up.

"Just make sure those water Pokémon are okay!" Misty added, a playfully threatening tone in her voice.

Brock smiled. "Alright, then. Thanks!" With that the three boys headed off to the Pokémon Center. The pair could hear Brock ask their names, and "Wes" and "Brendan" were the faint responses.

The two of them sighed, feeling the small inconvenience of the situation. "Well, let's take our stuff up to our room, I guess." Misty said.

"Alright." Ash picked up his bag, and Misty picked up Brock's bag and tossed it at Ash, who almost dropped it. "Hey, how come I gotta carry it?" He cried incredulously.

Misty looked at him with a calm expression. "You don't expect me to carry more than you, do you? And don't give me that 'it's your birthday' excuse. It's not your birthday yet." The raven-haired boy shot her an irritably somber look, almost as if he felt like she was purposely being extra mean to him because of the occasion. The redhead smiled warmly, winking at him. "Don't worry, though; tomorrow WILL be your birthday, and I'll make it extra special, okay?" She said with a giggle, her sweet voice causing Ash to blush lightly and nod. The two of them entered the hotel, neither of them realizing to what extent she would make his birthday special.

- - - - -

Curious and nervous at the same time, he leaned his head over the top of the pillow, where he was met with a tuff of red hair. His gaze was uncontrollably locked as he subconsciously admired her features. The moonlight seeped through the glass doorway, spilling over her already ivory skin, giving it an almost heavenly glow. Her rosy lips opened and closed as she slept away. A few years ago, her red tresses, being so short, gave her a girly look. Now, as they cascaded over her shoulders, they gave her a more womanly look. He smiled, finally taking in how much his best friend had blossomed over the years.

Realizing how much detail he was observing, he blushed slightly. There really wasn't really any point in observing her beauty, he thought, somewhat pessimistically. It wasn't as if anything would ever happen between them. Returning from his reverie, he slowly reached out and grabbed the pillow, slowly pulling it from her grasp. He held his breath, not wanting to wake her as the pillow slipped from her hands. He breathed a silent sigh of relief, placing the pillow behind him. Now, he just had to find a way around her…for a few minutes, he looked around and over her body, trying to find away to move over her without disturbing her sleep. Sadly, because of the walls behind him and to his side, and the dresser sitting at the foot of the bed, he was blocked. He sighed, lying back down. His arm that was closer to her lay against his side, while his other was behind his head, supporting him as he lay there confused. He stomach rumbled again, and he groaned. He desperately wanted to get something to fill his stomach…

Suddenly, he froze, the hairs on his body standing as his eyes widened. He felt a small, warm object land on his arm, and it took all of his strength to not shiver. The object was soft and smooth, and made his stomach tighten. Glancing down, he saw her hand had landed on him. With no pillow in the way, his body was exposed to hers, and the thought made him shudder. Her hand gripped his arm tighter, and he drew in a breath, exhaling shakily. Almost as if she knew that he was in her grasp, the redhead, lying on her side, scooted closer to him, releasing her hand's hold on him. He sighed, but blushed when her arms wrapped around his, resting her head on his shoulder.

He gulped. What was he going to do now?

- - - - -

While Ash struggled to hold all three of the bags of luggage, Misty unlocked the door to their room. Because of the occasion, Brock had somehow managed to secure them a fairly good room, though they would ask him the next day how he had managed to afford such a lavish room. A blue, expensive-looking carpet was sprawled along the floor, which was covered with a crème-colored rug. A small wooden table was pushed up against the wall, with a painting of Mt. Silver hanging above it. A door leading to a nice bathroom was to their right, and a large sliding glass door, leading to the balcony, was opposite them, covered by a ruffled white curtain. Ash immediately strutted over to the bed, which was stationed in the corner of the room, a mirror hanging just above the head of it. The bed had a red and green comforter on it, while it had one long red pillow that reached both sides of the bed, and a small, green one lying on top of it. Sitting at the foot of the bed was a large dresser, which, remaining unnoticed by the two, made the side of the bed the only easy way of getting on and off of it.

The balcony doorway was the first thing that Misty laid eyes on. She squealed, forgetting about Ash and the load he carried and strutted over to it, opening it almost immediately. She gasped happily, waltzing outside. "Ash, come out here! The view is amazing!"

The raven-haired boy deposited their belongings onto the bed, before he made his way outside to join Misty. A salty breeze passed by them, as they gazed amazingly at the ocean. "It's beautiful…" Misty whispered joyously, placing her hands on the railings.

Ash, however, wasn't paying as much attention to the ocean. His gaze was on the young woman in front of him. With the wind blowing her hair gingerly, and the sun shining down on her, she was a breathtaking sight. Ash could feel the warmth crawling up his cheeks, and he walked back into the room, fearful that Misty would see his glowing face. Pushing the bags aside, he jumped on the bed, grinning happily at how comfortable it felt. "Ah, this bed feels great!"

Hearing his voice, Misty re-entered the room, watching Ash lying eagle spread on the bed, grinning happily. She smiled to herself, then looked around. It was then that she finally noticed. "…huh." She huffed calmly, resting her hands on her hips.

Ash looked up, confused at Misty's behavior. "What's wrong, Misty?"

"There's only one bed. I thought Brock reserved a room with more."

"Huh?" Ash finally took the time to look around. True, the room was very nice, and had plenty of amenities, but there really was only one bed. "Yeah, you're right."

Misty groaned, annoyed. "Ah, now what are we gonna do?"

"Well, how about we go ask the lady downstairs? Maybe she'll know something." Ash suggested. Misty agreed, and the two of them made their way back down to the lobby. As they approached the front desk, a woman had just hung up on the phone, and smiled as she saw the pair approach.

"Yes, may I help you?" She asked politely.

"Yeah, my friend reserved a room here, but the one we got only has one bed." Misty informed her. After asking for their room number and their reservation order, the clerk typed at her computer, and scanned through the information.

"Oh, dear. It appears we made a small mistake in the reservation." Ash and Misty sweatdropped.

"Well, do you have any spare rooms available?" Misty asked. The clerk typed on her computer a few times, before donning a mildly worried expression.

"Well, tomorrow we'll have another one-bed room for sure, and we might have a two-bed room, but I can't make any promises." She told them, wearing an uneasy expression.

"Oh, okay. Well, thanks a lot." Ash thanked her with a smile. Misty did the same, and the two of them headed back up to their room.

- - - - -

He shuddered, taking a small breath. He just needed to relax. All he had to do was move his arm out of the way, crawl over her, and he'd be fine. His rumbling stomach only encouraged his idea, as he slowly began wiggling his arm out of her grasp. Seconds felt like hours as his arm gently retreated from her grasp, taking small breaths out of nervousness. Her fingers gingerly pressed against his arm as he pulled it away, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end. His breath and voice both were caught in his throat as, after what felt like a century, his arm finally came free from her grip. Still shaken, he laid his arm by his side, allowing himself a moment to recuperate. In her sleep, she scooted closer to him, holding her right arm to her chest. In doing so, she pinned his arm to his side.

Before he could make a move, he found himself blushing. Her other arm had extended out and landed on his chest, softly holding onto him. Her head nestled itself onto the side of his chest as well, making her very close to him. Gulping, his free landed on her waist, and it was at this moment that he realized what she was wearing. Well, he couldn't see all that well, since the blanket was covering both of them. However, he could feel it, due to the fact that not only could he feel her bare legs against his, but all his hand felt was skin. Whatever it was, it seemed like it only covered her up just enough, but modestly. He felt his face burning, and his first instinct told him to remove his hand if he knew what was good for him. Even so…another instinct told him to keep his hand where it was. Feeling her smooth skin against him…it drove him dizzy.

His head tilted downwards, and his nose softly collided with the top of her head. Startled, he froze, and his light breathing caught on to the scent of her shampoo. His heart rate sped up, and he had to stave off the urge to completely immerse himself in it. Absentmindedly, his hand began to stroke her waist, loving how her skin felt against his palm.

She smiled to herself. Of all the dreams she'd ever had, this one was her favorite. It wasn't the first time, either. She'd had this dream plenty of times, and she enjoyed it every single time. It was a warm, comforting peace that drew her in and didn't let go. It was the honey, and she was the craving bee. This time, the warmth felt closer than ever before, and she didn't plan on letting go, either. She placed her arm forward, hoping to grab onto the source, not wanting it to leave. As she secured it to herself, she felt something press against her waist. Soon, it began moving, and she giggled very slightly. It tickled, yet it felt good. She snuggled closer to it, hoping to relish in the feeling for as long as she could.

As he felt her move closer to him, one thought came to his mind: why did he want to get out of bed again?

- - - - -

The sun was barely beginning to set as Ash and Misty entered their room. Their eyes immediately shot to the bed, their expressions both turning awkward. Ash walked over to it, sitting down with his arms resting on his legs, his head hung. Misty stood by the balcony doorway, sheepishly poking the ground with the tip of her shoe. An uncomfortable silence hung in the air, as neither of them wanted to bring up the subject of their sleeping conditions. However, the subject had to come up eventually, and it was Ash who would break the silence.

"So, um…do you want to get the bed?" Ash whispered quietly.

"Yeah!...wait, no, I mean…" Despite the fact that she naturally wanted the bed for herself, she couldn't bring herself to take it from him. "I mean…it's your birthday, right? You should get it." Misty finished with a hush.

"Well, yeah, but it's not my birthday yet." Ash's head tilted up to look into Misty's eyes, and the redhead felt a twinge of pain in her heart as she gazed upon his expression. He wore a small smile, yet his eyes held sadness. His words stung at her, as they were the exact words she'd been saying the whole day. Hearing them herself, they did sound somewhat mean. She frowned to herself. Ash, on the other hand, stood up from the bed and headed towards the door.

"Ash, where are you going?" Misty took a step forward, reaching her hand out.

"Get my sleeping bag. I packed it just in case." Ash said with his back to her, his hand on the doorknob. "If there was a couch or something, I'd sleep there. Besides, I'm used to sleeping on the ground." He turned his head to shoot Misty a small grin.

Even if what Ash said was true, Misty still felt somewhat guilty. Perhaps her words were a little more painful to Ash than she had intended them to be. She didn't want Ash to act like a spoiled brat on his birthday, true. However, maybe she could have scolded him less. After all, thinking back on the day, she had said that Ash couldn't do a lot of things since it wasn't his birthday yet. Her guilt trip came to a quick halt as she heard the door open, and Ash took a step out into the hall.

"Ash, wait!" Misty dashed towards Ash, grabbing onto his arm as he glanced back at her, confusion in his eyes. The girl held onto his arm firmly, her eyes closed shakily.

"Misty?" Ash wondered.

"It's okay, Ash. You don't have to get your sleeping bag." She looked into his eyes, determination shining in them. Even brighter, however, was the shade of pink on her cheeks, thinking of the idea she had formulated quickly.

"But, where am I gonna sleep? If you're gonna get the bed-"

"We'll share it." Misty squeaked out, her fingers fidgeting on his arm. Her gaze never left his, so she could clearly see the sudden surprise in his eyes, as well as the reddening of his cheeks.

"M-Misty…are you sure?" Ash asked, his voice quiet.

"Um…yeah." Misty responded. Quickly, however, she stood up straight, holding her hands to her sides. "But if you try anything funny, I'll hit you with my mallet from here all the way to Hoenn!" Her voice, while mostly stern, held the smallest hint of playfulness.

Ash simply laughed. "Alright, alright, fine. It's gonna be my birthday, and all you can think about is threatening me."

Misty was about to comment on Ash talking about his birthday, when she suddenly thought better of it. Instead, she smiled. "Hey, how about we take a small walk around? Check out the place? Maybe even visit one of the hot springs…" Ambiguity was in her voice as she walked out the door, her hand gliding across Ash's arm as she gazed at him sweetly. As he watched her leave the room, Ash felt his face grow extremely warm, as Misty, before leaving his line of sight, winked at him. Shaking away his nervousness, he trailed behind her, calling her name as they started towards the hotel exit.

- - - - -

Stop it, stop it…he couldn't be doing this. Not to her.

At this point, he'd forgotten all about his hunger. At the moment, all he craved was her. This intimacy, the warmth, the smell of her hair, the feeling of her skin; he was intoxicated by it all, and most of his sense of logic was tossed out the balcony. He could hear her quiet breathing, and for reasons he couldn't explain, it made him feel even more comfortable. However, there was still the small voice in his head saying he should just put the pillow back where it was and go back to sleep. It was clear to see that he wasn't listening to it, nor did he have plans to. His hand was still caressing her waist, almost automatically, as he wondered what he was going to do.

Still absorbed in her dream, she was content as she held onto the warmth. It felt so blissful, so joyous, and she took a deep breath because of it. She wanted more; to be closer to it than she already was. She moved herself once more, her arms finding something and wrapping themselves around it. She laid her head down once more, and her body had shifted so she could feel the warmth even more. It felt so stable, so secure, but she was still nervous. Every time she'd opened her eyes, the warmth went away. Fearful of this, she simply enjoyed it while it was here, with her. Moving her head up slightly, she felt herself come in contact with what felt like the source of the warmth, and kissed it.

He couldn't have faked the blush on his face if he tried. Without any warning, she had suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, placing her body atop his. One of her legs was in-between his, and her head had settled right above his heart. As if the situation wasn't weird enough, she suddenly moved her head up so that her face was in his neck, and kissed him. Chills coursed through his entire body as he began to wonder if she was really asleep. With the shifting of her body, the blanket had moved as well, and he was finally able to see what she was wearing. He was surprised to see yellow cloth. It was the shirt she'd worn so many years ago. Seeing it seemed to bring back memories, as well as feelings of affection. Despite how much she had blossomed, it appeared that the shirt was still fairly loose around her body. Without the suspenders, he suddenly realized how easy it would be to slip a hand inside…

- - - - -

The night sky was filled with stars as the two returned from their walk around the island. They had an especially peachy hue to their skin, having spent some time in the hot springs. Misty, sadly, wasn't as fortunate as Ash. On the way back to their room, Misty had decided to take a walk on the beach with Ash. It had been fairly romantic; she had even been able to wrap her arms around his arm, and lay her head on his shoulder. He never complained about it, but instead Misty had seen a small smile on his lips. It was perfect for them, until they had passed the area where all the water Pokémon were washed up. Many people from the Pokémon Center were scattered throughout the area, helping to transport the injured Pokémon to the center. As they passed a person carrying a Tentacool, it suddenly began shaking, and ink squirted out of it. Unfortunately for Misty, she was in the Tentacool's line of fire. It had taken much of Ash's willpower to hold in his laughter, as Misty was covered in black ink.

The redhead quickly made her way to the bathroom, and Ash could hear the shower beginning to run. He smiled, hearing Misty mumbling about all of the ink that was in her hair. He then heard slight splashing sounds, mostly which sounded like they were coming from the sink, rather than the shower. Curious and somewhat worried, he knocked. "Misty? What are you doing in there?"

"Taking a shower! What do you think?" Even though the door was between them, Ash could hear Misty's tone that suggested the question was both obvious and dumb.

"Well, I heard the sink running, so…" The faucet promptly came to a stop.

"I was getting the ink out of my hair!" Misty retorted, her voice quietly echoing in the bathroom.

Ash winced. "Sorry, jeez." He muttered, mostly to himself. He then yawned, stretching his arms up into the air. "Misty, I'm gonna go to bed now. I'm pretty tired." He called to her in the bathroom.

"Already?" Ash could definitely hear Misty in the shower now. "It's only about 8." She added, having glanced at the digital clock on the dresser next to the bed before getting in.

"I'm just tired." Ash answered simply. It was true; a soak in the hot spring, while relaxing, has caused him to grow weary.

"Hmm…" Ash heard Misty grunt somewhat to herself. "Alright, then. You get the wall side of the bed, though!" The redhead added quickly.

Ash simply grumbled to himself carelessly. He felt too sleepy to argue. He stripped down into his boxers and a white shirt, and clambered into the bed, enjoying the feeling of the sheets against his skin. As he closed his eyes, he heard a moan come from the bathroom. His eyes perked open, his cheeks automatically turning a shade of red. A few seconds later, another moan followed, and Ash had to take deep breaths to prevent his mind from wandering. Curiosity eventually overtook him, and he rose out of the bed and walked to the shower door. Another moan escaped from the bathroom, and Ash, whose face was beet red, had to take an EXTREMELY deep breath, before cautiously knocking on the door.

"What is it now, Ash?" Misty called through the door.

"Um…what are you doing?" The raven-haired boy was surprised that his voice hadn't cracked yet.

"Um…taking a shower, duh!" Misty replied, her voice beginning to sound irritable.

"I know, but…what exactly are you doing?" Ash quickly regretted asking such a question.

"ASH! WHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT? YOU DON'T ASK A GIRL THAT WHEN SHE'S IN THE SHOWER! WHY DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?" Misty's voice screeched through the wooden door, and Ash had to cover his hears to prevent his eardrums from shattering into a million pieces.

"Wait, Misty, it's not like that. I just wanted to ask you something…" Ash's voice squeaked a little, feeling humiliated at having put himself in such a predicament.

"Ugh…" Misty's grunt caused Ash to swing his body side to side uncomfortably. "I'm washing my hair. Now what do you want?"

"Oh, okay, well…" Strangely, he could feel her gaze through the door, causing his eyes to drop and look at his feet, shifting them nervously. "How come you were making sounds in the shower? It sounded like you were moaning…"

The only thing Ash could hear was the sound of the running water. Misty didn't reply for a full 30 seconds. He began to grow worried, as he didn't hear any kind of motion. "Misty, are you okay?"

"W-what are you talking about, Ash? I-I didn't moan!" Misty's voice stuttered quite badly, and Ash, for a fleeting moment, could imagine Misty's face redder than her hair.

"Yeah, I heard you. It sounded like…" And Ash replicated the noise Misty made, though his imitation wasn't as accurate. However, it still got the job done, and Ash almost heard Misty make a noise out of embarrassment.

"A-Ash…" Misty stammered. "J-Just…go to bed!"

Ash was still confused. "But why were you-"

"I SAID GO TO BED!" Misty snapped sharply.

Ash crossed his arms gruffly. "Fine! Sheesh, you don't gotta get so mad about it!" He walked back to the bed, sliding between the sheets as he turned on his side. For a few minutes, the moans no longer emitted from the bathroom. Then, another sound came from the bathroom; this sound, however, was more of a groan. Ash, once again, turned his head towards the bathroom door. He started at it, only for a moment, before adjusting himself to get out of the bed once more. However, before he could do so, the door opened, and Misty walked out of the bathroom, clad in only a white towel. Ash sat frozen as Misty walked over to her bag, opening it up and digging inside. She pulled out some clothes and proceeded back to the bathroom, but not without noticing Ash. It was somewhat dim in the room, but Ash could still see the small hint of pink on her face.

"What are you looking at?" Her voice was quiet, as though embarrassed, yet there was a certain gruffness in it as well.

"Oh, nothing." Ash replied sheepishly, rubbing his hand behind his head sheepishly. Truth be told, he couldn't help but stare at her. Her still wet hair clung to her skin, the sheen of the shower water still glistening on her skin from the room light. And since she was mostly wet, the towel hugged her body, displaying the curves she had developed over the years…Ash mentally slapped himself, not wanting to think of Misty in such a way.

Misty merely glared at him for a moment, before heading back into the shower. Ash, not feeling up for any more craziness that might happen, tucked himself into the sheets, finally allowing himself to drift off into sleep. He lay on his left side so that his back was facing the wall, closing his eyes and letting his mind shut down…

Eventually, the shower turned off, and Misty, with the towel wrapped around her body, stuck her head out of the door. Ash appeared to be asleep, so she took that as her cue to finish getting ready for bed. Drying herself off, she slipped on a pair of shorts and a small top that she used for pajamas. Grabbing a brush from her bag, she sat on the bed and began to run it through her hair, as was her nightly custom. Her gaze eventually landed on Ash, watching him sleep soundly. She let out a soft sigh; despite having grown a few years, the boy was still as dense and clueless as ever. He hadn't picked up on one single hint of hers. Moving her hand along his arm; winking at him; holding his arm as they walked along the beach together; you'd think those would be obvious hints, right? But of course, leave it to Ash to not even know what the definition of a hint was. Having finished combing her hair, she took a breath, before walking towards the balcony door. It felt somewhat stuffy in the room, so she opened the door slightly, to allow the night air to seep in. Officially prepared for bed, she walked to the bed, but stopped short, gazing down at it.

This was something she'd wanted for years; to be able to sleep in the same bed as Ash. However, there weren't any signs of romantic interest from Ash, from what she had noticed. The boy was already asleep, and to top it off, she had to put a pillow between them! She sighed, hoping someday that something would get through to his dense head. Lying on her right side, she faced Ash, watching as he slept. Reluctantly, she set the smaller pillow on its side between them, blocking their view of each other. She closed her eyes sorrowfully. To be lying in the same bed together…this was something she wanted; she'd give anything for Ash to want it, too…

It was later that night that Ash would be awakened by the waft from the window.

- - - - -

That was most of what he could remember before passing out.

His conscience was screaming to cease everything that he was doing, but the rest of him was ignoring it. One arm was wrapped around her, pulling her close, while his other hand has gone underneath her shirt, feeling her bare back. Her body was firm and soft, signs of an athletic swimmer, and he was loving it. He found that his breathing was shaky, as her body pressed against his, so he could clearly feel her heartbeat. He became embarrassed, but that didn't stop him from what he was doing. For years, he'd thought about a moment like this, and now, it was here. He wasn't going to pass up such an opportunity when it was available, even if it wasn't complete. True, she was asleep, but she was still holding on to him. It may not be completely under the circumstances that he'd like, but that still didn't destroy the fact that he was enjoying being so close to her immensely. Her head had returned to his chest, right above his heart. He turned to gaze at her, realizing how close their faces were…

Her smile had grown tenfold. Despite all of her previous uncertainties, she was confident now that this warmth wouldn't leave her. Not this time. She could feel the warmth surround her body, and felt it moving and holding her close. She sighed happily, the actions bringing her courage. As she slowly began to open her eyes, her hold on the object increased. It felt so real, and she was nervous that if it left again, it would devastate her. However, many moments passed, and it was still there, holding her. Her sense of confidence returned, and her eyes continued to open, revealing what she was holding onto. Her vision was still hazy, and the many emotions coursing through her made it that much harder to see. Even so, through half-open eyes, she could see his eyes were closed, a joyful smile plastered on his face. Just as she had imagined, she wasn't disappointed. Gently lifting herself up so as not to alert him, she leaned in closer, her lips touching his, but not entirely.

"Ash, I thought I told you not to try anything funny." She whispered.

Immediately, his eyes snapped open, and he felt his heart stop. Yeah, she was definitely awake now. He lay there, frozen, waiting for her reaction, as he stared into her half-closed eyes. The expression on her face, however, was not one of contempt or discomfort. Instead, she seemed to be amused by their interaction. His cheeks went ruby for a second, but then he realized that she was enjoying this as well. She obviously wanted more, he obviously wanted more; so there was only one thing to do. The raven-haired boy smirked, inching slightly closer, so they were almost fully kissing.

"If I was trying anything funny, I'd be laughing." He whispered, feeling her lips with each syllable he spoke. "Besides, you started it, Misty."

The redhead raised an eyebrow in amusement, her eyes narrowing even more. She then closed her eyes, giggling softly. "Okay…" She sleepily whispered in a happy, gentle voice, allowing herself to melt into his embrace as her lips finally pressed against his completely. The young boy she had fallen in love with all those years ago was finally hers, and she didn't want to ever let him go.

Ash, too, enjoyed the emotions coursing through him. He's always known that kissing her would be magical, but he'd never known to what extent how soft her lips would be, or how tight his stomach would feel upon contact. He simply allowed it to happen, and pulled her closer, beginning to realize how much he truly cared for this girl. He'd forgotten about his hunger, or the open window, or the pillow. All he could see, feel, touch, taste, hear, know, think…was her.

He'd dreamt of this moment for years, but the reality was much sweeter than any dream.