Reassurance

08:10 AM - What are you wearing?

Another train entered the big station of Cerulean city center, sending a big wave of air into the people standing near the platform.

Misty Waterflower was standing behind, holding her phone in her hands. As people started to get outside, she looked around, trying to catch sight of the familiar face of her old friend. She looked down when she received a text.

I'm here!

"What? Where?" Misty looked left and right. During this time, this station was rather crowded. She personally didn't take trains or the subway because she preferred walking or even jogging to her workplace, but her childhood friend was coming from another region to see her.

I can't find you. What are you wearing?

Don't get Misty wrong; Ash Ketchum was like her brother. He wasn't, but he was like a brother, okay? Asking her what she was wearing didn't make her feel weird at all. See? She wasn't feeling weird and she wasn't flushing – not at all. She should totally not take that out of context, should she? This isn't sexting; this is her childhood friend trying to find where she is.

She was a twenty-two years old adult young woman meeting her childhood friend. The fact that she had a crush on a thirteen years old Ash Ketchum is no longer relevant. That same year, Ash moved to Sinnoh to go live with his father, and she never saw him again. They texted, but this was the first time in nine years she was going to see him, and she can't deny how excited she is.

She even hated herself for being this excited because it was all for the wrong reasons.

Misty brushed her long orange hair to the back. She looked around again. For some reason, she couldn't reply to that text. She felt a bit-

"Hey."

Misty felt her heart skip a beat. She quickly turned around, her hair moving along with her.

"I don't give away my phone number to strangers. Sorry." Misty ignored the guy and looked away. What a waste. She thought-

Wait... those eyes...

"Uh, what? Mist! It's me!"

Misty's shot wide open when he showed stood in front of her. She gasped louder. "OH MY GOD!" The redhead hid her mouth with her hands. "ASH!"

"I can't believe you didn't recognize me!" Ash Ketchum was standing right in front of her, a lot taller than her now. She even had to look up to make eye contact. His skin looked a lot tanner and his body a lot stronger and bigger.

Misty was still proceeding when Ash brought her closer to him in a tight hug and lifted her from the ground, making her let a loud squeal. "You're so thin!" She could feel his bulging biceps squishing against her face.

"It's so good to see you!" Ash seemed oblivious to his muscles suffocating her. He let go of her. "It's been ages!"

"Y-yeah..." Misty breathed heavily. She smiled through the small pain in her chest caused by Ash's arms. She couldn't believe he looked the way he did. He was a short middle schooler the last time she saw him!

"Are you alright?" Ash frowned. "Did you wait too long?"

"No, no, I just got here." She took a day off her internship to come here. Can she tell Ash that? No.

"Okay!" Ash smiled. He swung his arm over Misty's shoulders and brought the redhead close to him again. "I missed you so much, Mist!"

Misty's face was completely flushing as her cheek pressed against Ash's bicep.