"What do you think?"

"Hummm..."

Reese put her head on her palm and crossed her legs. She and Ash were sitting outside in the porch of her vacation house in Saffron city, and both were watching Misty who was playing with three years old Tyler.

"Do I tell her?"

"I don't think I know Misty better than you do."

"But you know how it works in a girl's head, no?"

Reese smiled. "Misty is your real girlfriend; she isn't the protagonist of my novel."

Ash glared. He turned to look at Misty and then at his sister. "I'll tell her."

"Good luck."

"I will."

"I know you will."

"We've spent enough years-I mean, she knows me well now and I know her well." Ash nodded. It's like he was trying to convince himself. "It's been almost four years now."

"You have to keep in mind that any decision you make that is about you and Misty doesn't only involve you and her; it involves everyone around you."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm just saying."

"Do you think mom and dad would mind?"

Reese shrugged and turned to look at her son. "Think wisely before you blurt out anything."

"I just think..." Ash leaned back on his chair. "It's a waste now."

"For you, it is; for others, it's not really a waste."

"Whose side are you on?"

"I know you love Misty, Ash-I mean, it's all over your face, but this isn't like the stuff you read, really. If you don't study your moves very wisely before you make them, you may end up ruining everything. This is your second year in Celadon University, things are going great and you and Misty are happy with each other. But, with this... I don't know. It's really something only you can know. You know Misty better than everyone else."

Ash pushed his chair to the back. "Thanks for the help."

Reese watched Ash join Misty; catching her off guard and hugging her from behind. She giggled loudly when he picked her up and kissed her neck. Tyler hid her eyes with his hands and made disgusted voices.

Reese watched the scene, smiling to herself.

"We'll see what she's going to say."

"And what do you think of this one? This one or this one?"

Ash blinked. "Euuh, aren't they the same?"

Misty gasped. "No!" she gestured to the dress on the left. "This dress is orange!" She grabbed the dress on the right. "This one is coral."

"Heeh?"

"I'm just going to try both!" Misty grabbed the two dressed and stuffed them in her cart. "There are just too many choices in Saffron city... "

"I like dresses on you. They fit you well because you're thin."

Misty blushed, all flattered. She grabbed another dress.

"You really are easy to manipulate, Misty." Maybe this was the right time to ask her? She's in a good mood.

"Manipulate? I like dresses! They're more comfortable to wear than pants."

"But you instantly picked up the other dress when I said-"

"Aaaash! We don't have the whole day and I'd like to visit all boutiques in the mall."

"Fine?" Ash gulped. "But Misty, can I... "

Misty rushed to the changing rooms. "I need to find an empty changing room!" She rushed back to Ash, grabbed him by the arm and whispered, "There aren't cameras so we can do nasty things together!"

Everyone in the boutique stared when Misty pulled Ash inside the changing room with her.

Ash sat on the couch cross-legged reading a book. For the first time, his concentration wasn't fully on the book; he was really distracted by Misty who was on the floor fixing a puzzle game with Tyler.

"Over there! It's the small piece we looked for earlier!"

"Really? Oh, it fits! You're right!"

"This one is over here!"

"What about this one?"

Ash felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around. Reese was behind the sofa. "Did you tell her?"

Ash shook his head. The circumstances in the mall didn't help. Misty was too excited about the clothes and the make-up (she thought the prices were the cheapest she's ever seen), so Ash just couldn't tell her something which is completely... not related to shopping.

Reese walked over to where Misty and Tyler were and pulled her son up by the hand. "Sweetie, you've played a lot outside so you need to take a bath."

"I don't wanna!" Tyler snapped without even thinking. He was playing with Auntie Misty and he didn't want to go anywhere away from her. He wants to marry her when he grows up. She's very pretty too and she smells like candy.

"We'll have cookies and milk after the bath."

"I don't wanna!"

"It's going to be quick, sweetie. Misty is going to like it because you'll be all clean." Reese looked at Misty. "Right?"

"Of course." Misty giggled.

"Okaay..."

"Okay?"

"Okaaaay..."

Ash put his book aside and got off the sofa when Reese picked up her son.

Misty remained in her spot when Ash came to sit facing her on the floor.

"Aren't you going to play with me instead?"

"The puzzle?"

"The adult puzzle." Ash chuckled. He leaned over and kissed Misty on the lips. She didn't hesitate to kiss back.

The two pulled away from each other slowly.

"Now that I got you all soft..."

Misty giggled. "What is it?"

"Spring break is ending soon..." Ash has never felt as nervous before.

Misty shook her head slowly. "Forget about Goldenrod, Ashton Garcia. We only have four days left and I honestly don't have enough money to spend on Goldenrod."

"Uh, no, we aren't going anywhere."

"What is it, then?"

"You know I'll give you money if you need it!"

"Is this the subject?"

"No..."

Misty smiled. "What it is?"

"Like I said, spring break is going to end soon, so, uh..." Ash looked around, avoiding eye contact with Misty. "I want to ask you something before it ends."

"Ask ahead."

"... so, we can..."

Misty rolled her eyes and smiled-

"Would you like to move in with me?"

Misty's smile ceased.

"I mean, if you want!" Ash looked down. The puzzle pieces were very interesting! "If you move in you won't have to pay for anything-I was thinking it's just a waste of money for you to pay for the dorm room and it's not even that big or comfortable-I mean you don't even spend much time there!"

Ash looked Misty finally in the eye. "You always come to my apartment."

"Well, I do..." Misty let a chuckle. She brushed her hair to the back. "I really don't know..."

"You can..." Ash blushed slightly. "You can have the guestroom for yourself."

"Your bedroom is big."

"Then have it! I'll move to the guestroom."

"..."

"If you want?"

Misty chuckled again. "What if we break up?"

"I..."

"I like the offer." Misty ran her hand over the new coral dress she was wearing. She looked at Ash. "You know I was only joking about the breaking up part, right?"

"I won't break up with you."

"As if I'd let you." Misty giggled. She blushed. "I bet you've been thinking about this for months."

"Thinking and eating. The subject is heavy, you know."

The two chuckled and pulled close to each other even more.

"You know..." Ash stroked Misty's hand. "Since you don't have a lot of stuff in your room, maybe we can move everything the next four days-right before the break ends, get everything fixed..."

Misty continued, "... so we start next classes in the same house."

Ash smiled.

"Alright, Ash. You're the guy in this relationship." Misty let a giggle. "I can't refuse you a request."

"Yeah, of course you can't."

"By the way." Misty got up. "The guestroom is too small for you because you have a lot of books. You don't need to move there. Plus, the room you're in now is big enough."

Ash froze.

What?

The redhead put her hair in a ponytail. "I'll go see if Tyler is playing hard or not." She looked at Ash. "He told me he wants to marry me when he grows up. He's such a cutie." Misty walked away, giggling.

"Big enough..."

The flashes of Misty changing her clothes in the changing room of the boutique of earlier came suddenly in Ash's mind, not sure why.

"Oh sh*t."

It wasn't a 'I screwed things up' oh sh*t, but 'damn it I DID it' oh sh*t.

THE END of Paired Up 2

DID YOU SEE THAT COMING? DID YOU?

I'd like to thank everyone who took time to read this pokeshiptrash. All the silents readers too (I c u)

For the third part... WELL I DON'T KNOOOOOOOOOOOW

Also, I have a little project of a short story going on. Pokeship trash like always.

So yeah

Until next time

Peace