Like a Boss [Pokemon Fanfic, 2015 PKMNWatties]

Winter Wonderland

Anistar City was one pretty place, she didn't mind saying. It had a sophisticated air to it in the daytime, but at night it seemed otherworldly. Mostly due to the large Sundial that wasn't hard to see, even from the balcony of the hotel she and Giovanni were staying at.

At the moment, Ash was gazing at it in awe and appreciation. Even at night, it glowed golden bright and was an amazing sight to see.

"You're still up?" Giovanni asked, rubbing his hair dry with a towel and having just gotten out of the shower.

"Mmhm," Ash answered. "Can't sleep."

"Excited for tomorrow's gym battle?" he asked as he tossed the towel behind at the bed, and she nodded in answer. But the look on her face made him prompt her. "But that's not all."

Ash smiled slightly. "No. I can't believe it's my last badge already. And then there's that I kind of feel like we're pretty much almost cornered and done with Team Flare. We're just waiting for their last desperate attempt and the go ahead from Looker, and then we're taking them out for good."

"That does all seem to be a lot to think about," he mused, bringing a chair closer to her and sitting down on it. But a glance at her made him think that there was even more to her melancholy than that. He reached over and grabbed her hand, caressing her knuckles with his thumb. "What is it, Ash? Really."

She frowned and looked down, before looking back up into his face.

"It's kind of funny," her lips twitched, but the slight smile tinged sadly. "Not too long ago you were my enemy and I was convinced that you were a despicable jerk that deserved to get his just desserts. And yet here you are and you can read me better than anyone in my life before you, and it's ironic that you probably always had, even when you were just an enemy. It's...it's been really nice, you know? Going on a journey and traveling with you...I kind of...I kind of really, really like you, Giovanni..."

To her embarrassment, tears had sprung up in her eyes and she'd started to sniffle slightly. She tried blinking them away, but they kept coming. Alarmed, Giovanni moved forward quickly and took her into his arms.

"Are we...since I've almost got all my badges and Team Flare's going to be gone soon...are we going to part ways already?" she started sniffling more and stupidly crying into his neck. "Are we going to get divorced because we don't need to be married anymore? Are we -"

Giovanni cut her off with a kiss, holding her face in his hands and keeping her still. When he pulled away, he gave her an exasperated, but still very tender smile.

"I'm an asshole. I've always been. But I'm yours and you also kind of make me less of an asshole. And you know...I mean it when I say I love you. And to be honest, I don't think I've ever had any plans of parting from you, even after we finished all our goals here in Kalos. Hell, it's been almost more of an excuse to come find you and talk to you, after I found out I'd been de-aged."

She blinked up at him in astonishment, cheeks reddening a little. He laughed lightly and kissed her softly again.

"Plus, if we're really Bonnie and Clyde, it's ride or die, isn't it? So there's no parting ever for us. And if we go down, it's supposed to be together and in a blaze of glory," he told her, smirking slightly at her.

She started to laugh a bit at that as well, shaking her head. He pulled her up from her chair and pulled her close, swaying slightly. She instinctively moved into the slow dance, affectionately rubbing her face against his chest.

"So don't be silly," he murmured against her head. "We're fine. Damn it all if we go on the fast track on everything, from getting married, to getting your badges, to taking out Team Flare in a hurry...but it is nice to slow it down and have moments like this, right? So why don't we slow it down a bit and just take our time in Anistar."