Misty Williams was putting the sauce on her spaghetti dish when she heard the slam of her apartment's door. She knew exactly who her guest was so she didn't bother getting her attention away from her dinner.

"Anything to eat?"

Ash Ketchum was a very good and old friend of Misty. Having been to the same university, they've also lived together for a few years before Ash got his own apartment three months ago because this one was hours away from his new workplace.

Though, he hasn't given the key back to Misty yet. "I really need that key, Ash."

"Is there some left for me?" He gestured to the pot on the stove.

"No. I wasn't expecting you." Misty crossed her arms over her chest. "Didn't you say you had a date tonight?"

"Yes." Ash stood against the counter. He was wearing a marine blue suit he wears to work.

"And how was it?"

"She didn't show up."

"What?" Misty sounded surprised.

"Yeah. I waited for two hours. I don't care if she's there right now."

"I don't think she's there, honey." Misty sighed. She put her hands on her hips. "She could have called! What an idiot."

"I wasn't that interested anyway." Ash shrugged. He opened the first button of his shirt and loosened it a bit. "I guess I was only trying to find something to do tonight."

"Weren't you trying to find a girlfriend, by any chance?" Ash has been single for more than three years now. He's never had a steady girlfriend before. Misty wasn't sure if it was him or the girls he's been with.

The longest he's been with a woman was five months, and that one particular woman has dumped him because, back then, he 'lived with a woman' (Hint: Misty). Ash didn't seem to be bothered by it. He shrugged it off, moved on.

"Yeah." Ash sat on the kitchen table. "Well, tell me how."

"Huh?" Misty turned around.

"Tell me how to get a girlfriend." Ash smiled. "Rudy was with you for five years. What did he do to make you stay with him for five years?"

"Rudy cheated on me, Ash."

"Yeah, but he's done things the right way for five years before he decided to be stupid and cheat on you with a woman who isn't even as half good as you."

Misty was taking this very seriously. She put her spaghetti dish aside. "Who said he never cheated before I caught him?"

Ash took out his phone and started typing. "First tip; once a cheater, always a cheater."

"I'm serious."

"I'm too." He showed her the screen of his phone. "Next tip?"

"Rudy took me for granted!"

"Don't get too comfortable, don't let yourself go, don't take her for granted." Ash typed on his phone again.

"I'm not saying you shouldn't be comfortable-"

"Be comfortable but not too comfortable." Ash typed again. He looked at Misty. "What else?"

"Ash, please." Misty ran her hand through her hair. "I really don't want to talk about Rudy."

"No talking about ex-boyfriends." Ash typed quickly. "Heh, as if I'd talk to my date about her ex! I knew this tip already. I'm a genius."

Misty couldn't help but chuckle. "Do you really want to play this game?"

"Don't play games with her while she's trying recipes she's learned at cooking class." Ash typed on his phone.

"You're hyper tonight..."

"Don't be hyper."

"Well, you should be hyper sometimes." Misty crossed her arms over her chest. She smiled.

Ash started typing, "Hyper is for the bed."

"That's not what I meant but anyway, If you really want my advice..."

Ash looked his best friend in the eye, smiling. "Yes?"

"I think you're a wonderful, handsome and respectful guy, Ash." She pulled close to him and put her hands on his thighs.

"I wish I recorded this. It'd have made mom so proud."

Misty giggled. She and Ash were looking at each other. "Maybe you haven't found the one yet, that's all. You just need to give it more time. I think you're doing well."

"Am I?" Ash got off the table. "I was thinking I've been pushing The One away from me. I might have done something wrong-or maybe I'm repulsive."

Misty gasped. "Do you love someone?"

"No, I meant, in general-you know?" Ash chuckled nervously. "Just..."

"Just?"

"I'm getting tired of waiting." He grabbed Misty's hands. "Tell me what to do."

"Well, first of all, you don't go on a date wearing your work clothes, Ash. You need fresh clothes."

"But how would the girl know they're my work clothes?" Ash laughed. "It's a suit!"

"Listen to me!" Misty slapped his arm. "Second, you don't take her to fast food places and ask if she's not finishing her burger so you can eat it!"

"I did that once, Misty! Once!" He defended. "It was the end of the month and I didn't have enough money-and you know I don't like wasting food I'm paying for!"

"Men think women want to be taken to fancy restaurants all the time!" Misty sighed. "We just want to have a great time, even if it's on a couch, in front of the TV."

"We had a great time at that fast food place." Ash nodded.

"Ash, you spit sauce on the girl's chest and kept feeling her boob while trying to wipe the sauce off." Misty smiled. "And, she slapped you and left."

"Well, I had a great time before the slapping part." Ash shrugged.

Misty laughed. She said, "And you don't ask her to have sex with you on the first week."

"Got that a long time ago." The two laughed again.

"You just..." Misty stood beside Ash. The two were standing against the kitchen table. "You tell her how beautiful she is, you surprise her with a rose, and you take her to the park on Sunday... it's all just little, sweet gestures." She looked at Ash. "Show her how much you love her and want to be with her."

"You're very beautiful, Misty."

"Yes, Ash! Like that." Misty giggled again. She was taken aback when Ash pulled close to her and brushed her hair behind her ear.

"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever known." Ash spoke in a lower voice, his tone gentle.

"A-Ash?"

"I won't wear sweaty clothes to our dates," He said. "I won't eat your food or touch you without your consent."

"..."

"I won't ask you to have sex if you're not comfortable about it." Ash shook his head. "It's when you're ready, I'm ready."

"Are you practicing?" Misty sounded very nervous. Her voice was shaking. "You are, aren't you?"

Ash shook his head. "No."

"..."

"I asked for tips on how to get a girlfriend. I got them." He smiled and cupped her cheeks with his hands. "Now, I'm using them to ask you to be my girlfriend."

Misty's breathing hardened. "I-I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything." He spoke quickly. "I've been in love with you for so many years. I thought about telling you all the time, but I kept chickening out until Rudy popped out of nowhere and made you his."

"..."

"The day you got home sobbing after you caught Rudy with that bitch..." Ash shook his head. "I felt my heart rip, Mist. I felt like I could have protected you from him. I felt like it could have been avoided."

Misty was only staring back at Ash.

"And I felt worse when you said you were with him because you just didn't want to be alone." Ash frowned. "You were wasting your time with this asshole! And look what he's done to you!"

"But Rudy isn't what we're talking about now, is he?"

Ash closed his eyes for a moment. He pulled close to Misty. "No."

"You just asked me out."

"I'm not rushing you, Mist." Ash smiled weakly. "But if you could give me a chance... I guess you'd like me with time."

Misty laughed.

"What?"

"Like you with time?" Misty stopped laughing. "We've been inseparable since the age of eighteen and we're hitting thirty next year! Don't you think I've had enough time to develop feelings and fall in love with you?"

Ash felt his heart race. "I-I..."

"You didn't have a date tonight, did you?"

"No." Ash licked his lips. "I thought the suit would charm you."

Misty smiled to herself.

"And..." Ash avoided eye contact, feeling very uncomfortable right now. "Do you remember my ex Anabel?"

"The one who broke up with you because you live with me and see my underwear?"

He laughed and said, "That's not exactly why we broke up. She said it was obvious I liked you."

Misty cleared her throat. "Ash?"

"Can we not speak right now? I just won't shut up." He chuckled. "It's eleven years. We can't talk about eleven years in one night. I'm thinking about so many things at once!"

"I agree." Misty pulled closer to Ash and kissed him on the lips. She pulled away. "Let's not talk."

Ash smiled and leaned forward her again. The kiss was longer and deeper this time.

"Thank for the tips, Mist. They worked like a charm."

"You're welcome."

"And, uh, are you eating that dinner?"

-

I had no inspiration for New Year's but I made up for that now c: