Angela's OneShots

Pokeshipping: Heart and soul

This has Ash/Misty but also some mother-son moments. 

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For Delia Ketchum, cooking was who she was. All her life as a wife and a mother, she rose at six in the morning, making the pancakes from scratch, cutting the freshly baked brownies into even slices, adding the exact amount of cinnamon to the coffee - just like how he husband likes it - and making her only son his favorite banana and strawberries milk juice. By ten in the morning, lunch was planned, the oven was heating, and the dough was resting in the fridge for the pie. 

Her husband passed away a little while after their only son Ash enrolled in university. Delia cooked and put in glass containers, wrapped and shipped the boxes over to her son. She was happier to find out that he's managed to find a job in the same city as hers and will be living near her. 

Ash dropped home every week, checking on his mom, having dinner with her, checking her bills, the washing machine, the door and window locks. She'd send him off with grocery bags full of her cooking stocked in containers, settled and wrapped carefully.

And they have been on this schedule ever since.

"Aren't you hungry?"

"I'm good." Thirty years old Ash Ketchum flashed a smile. He didn't look too comfortable, sitting on his chair.

"You didn't eat outside after you left office, did you?" In Delia's mind, eating outside was a crime worthy of big punishment.

"No." Ash was quick denying it. 

"Alright."

Feeling his phone vibrate inside his pocket, Ash took it out. He licked his lips upon seeing his fiancee's text:

Misty: Dinner is getting cold... stuck in traffic?

"I was thinking of painting the kitchen in yellow - not actually the bright yellow - the soup yellow color." Delia spoke as she settled the clean dishes carefully in the cupboard. "More like, a mustard color."

"Oh." Was all Ash managed to say. He slowly got up. "Uhm, okay then. Just tell me when."

"Where are you going?" Delia was alarmed when she noticed there was still food on Ash's plate.

"I-uh, I've got to go." Ash smiled sympathetically at his mom. "I didn't tell Misty I'm here, so..."

"Call her." Delia suggested.

"And I need to go home anyway - I've got this thing I need to finish - it's work, actually." 

"You didn't bring your laptop?"

"No." His laptop was in his car. He really hated when he lied to his mother.

"Well, at least finish your dinner." 

"Uh, sure." Ash sat back on his chair slowly, picking up his fork and flashing his mom the best smile he could afford.

* * * 

Misty Waterflower hated confrontation.

Having grown up with three older sisters, she learned to make peace, obey by the rules, take the shots, and not defend herself. She hated fights, and would do anything to stop them, even if she had to get the blame for something she never did.

But now, her patience was wearing thin.

"Did you eat already?"

"Huh? Yeah."

From her spot on their bed, Misty watched Ash change his clothes in front of the closet. Honestly, she already knew the answer to that question, since Ash got home with ten food containers stuffed in groceries bags; but she was hoping things were different this time.