why do we cry?
by – dinobot

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"So here's where you are, Ash Ketchum" Misty said walking up to the boy. Ash yawned, stretching on his sleeping bag unrolled neatly on his backyard lawn.

"Hey, Misty" he sleepily replied, resting his head on his blue pillow. Misty took her place beside him unrolling her sleeping bag next to his, joining Ash staring into the brilliant night sky.

Ash sighed. "Was there a problem with the room my mom prepared for you?" he asked her.

Misty merely shook her head. "No, she started "it's just easy to sleep out here under the stars; that's all."

"Yeah," he agreed with her. "For some reason I find I can only fall asleep under the sky," Ash shrugged.

"Me too," Misty concurred. "Maybe it's because we've spent so many nights under the stars, we're used to their presence."

Ash agreed with her without a word putting his hands under his head, staring into the night sky holding in its hands a sea of luminous stars. They winked at Ash and Misty thanking them for choosing to visit them another night. The cool breeze floating evenly among them soothed the two. Ash sighed, finally electing to break the silence.

"Misty?"

"Yes, Ash?"

"Do you think stars cry?" he asked intently.

"What?" The question caught Misty off guard. She pondered briefly before answering.

"You know," Ash repeated the question, pointing to the heavily bodies. "Stars. Do you think they cry?"

Misty shrugged. "Well, there's the morning star, does that count?" Ash laughed softly to her joke turning on his side to face her.

"No," Ash chucked. "For real."

She turned to him. "Why do you want to know?" she sincerely asked.

Ash turned back, settling his head back on his pillow. "I was thinking," he started. "You know the saying, 'Star Light Star bright, the first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight'?"

Misty smirked. "I think it's a child's nursery rhyme, Ash" she corrected him. Ash frowned in minor annoyance. He brushed it off.

"Right. Do you know it?"

Misty smiled to herself. "Yes," she warmly replied. "I sang that song every night before I went to bed when I was a little girl."

"Really? Do you still do it?"

"No," quickly dismissing his question. "I stopped wishing a long time ago," Misty sighed deeply.

"Why?"

"Forget it," Misty dismissed the subject.

"I was thinking if stars cry,"Ash paused returning to his subject. "Then they have problems just like you and I. That would make them just like us, unable to grant wishes."

"That's looking at in cynically" Misty keenly observed. "What would the stars have to be sad about?"

"Well, why do you cry, Misty?" Ash asked her.

Misty trembled softly hesitating to answer his question. She sighed deeply, looking up to the pensive stars sharing in their profound existence. Ash looked at her in the corner of his eye, after she did not answer him right away. He frowned, regretting asking Misty the question. Maybe she did not want to share that with him. But Ash remained persistent (one of the few things he was good at) asking her again.

"Misty?"

She began. "When I hurt I cry," she somberly stated.

"I got stung by a small Beedrill when I was little, I cried then," Ash said attempting to identify with her.

Misty laughed not really sure if he knew what she was talking about, trying to remember a time of pain like his.

"When I was little I tripped and fell. I cried then too," she finally said.

"What else? Why else do you cry, Misty?"

"Uhh," she stammered. "I cry when I don't feel good."

"You mean when you're sick? I did that when I was little too. Once I had a temperature of--"

"No, Ash," she stopped him. "I mean when my feelings get hurt. I cry then."

"Oh," he trailed off.

Misty looked timidly at Ash, still in his thoughts. They became deeper, full of depth and truth. She wanted to ask him the same question. How would she do it without being noticed? Misty took the direct approach.

"Do you cry when your feelings get hurt, Ash?"

Ash thought for a moment nervously rubbing the back of his head. He smiled awkwardly in response. "Uh-I-I" he sputtered. "I cried when I lost a battle once" he said rushing the last part to quickly end his time in the spot light.

Ash started again. "What makes you cry the most?" he nervously asked.

Misty ran her hand through her hair, almost agitated by his question. "Probably—my family," she finally replied.

"Yeah, I could've guessed that," Ash agreed with her.

"They've gotten better, they really have" Misty said trying to defend them. "But sometimes they still treat me like they use to. They don't give me the respect I want, the respect--"

"--You deserve?" Ash finished her.

Misty nodded. "But you can't really relate to family problems can you, Ash?" she asked almost envious of his familial conditions. His mom was such a nice person, sweet and kind. Ash did not have any siblings to scrutinize his every action and put him down. He definitely did not have to walk in anyone else's shadow but his.

Misty felt a hand touching her shoulder. It was Ash's moving closer to her putting his hand over her shoulder to comfort her sadness.

"No, that's not true," Ash protested.

"What do you mean?" Misty asked startled at his response.

"I cry about" he paused. "I sometimes cry about my father."

"Your father?" Misty exclaimed.

Ash laughed. "Yes, I do in fact have a father. Where do you think half of me came from?" he said sarcastically.

"I know you have one," Misty playfully punched him in the shoulder; "you just never talk about him."

She was right. Ash never talked about his father. In the five years traveling with Misty, Ash couldn't think of a time he brought up his father in any aspect. Ash sighed, leaning his head slightly on Misty's. Misty blushed under his cheek.

"We never talk about him," Ash started. "Mom never talks about him; I think it's too painful for her."

"What happened?" Misty asked hoping Ash didn't think her question felt like she was prying him open. She held her breath.

"Its just one of those things," Ash started. "You make a small mistake and it changes your life. I don't think he loved my Mom, because he never came back," he sobbed.

"I didn't know," Misty whispered.

"I think about what if I turn out to be like him?" Ash began. "Will I be as irresponsible and unloving when the time comes?"

"No," Misty delicately silenced him. "Ash you're the most responsible person I've ever met."

Ash found her comment remarkable. "I thought I was the densest person you've ever met?"

Misty laughed, burying her head under his neck. "Yeah, well that too," she giggled. "Ash no matter what I said in the past the truth is no matter what will happen I know you'll always do the right thing."

"Thanks," Ash said. It comforted him to be told those words; especially from Misty.

"Do you think you might end up like your sisters?" Ash tried to change the subject.

"I hope not," she quickly answered him. "Don't get me wrong I love my sisters. I just-I just…" she couldn't find the words to end the sentence.

But none was needed. Ash knew. "I know," he whispered, "I know. But you know what; if we try really hard we can break those types of things. You won't end up like your sisters and I won't end up like my father."

"I hope so," Misty replied, a small tear formed in the corner of her eye and softly fell from her face.

"You know," Ash began. "I never thought this would happen."

"What?" Misty whispered resting her head under his chin.

"Us; I never thought I could ever be with you" Ash admitted, holding her closer.

Misty smiled. She knew the feeling all to well. They were such stubborn children back then holding fast to their muted tongues and buried feelings.

"I never thought I could gather enough courage to tell you how I felt," Ash confessed.

Misty laughed. She giggled softly kissing him on the cheek. "You were so tense" she said remembering the account. "You couldn't even get your words right."

"Hey, I was nervous!" Ash replied in his defense resting his head back on Misty's red hair.

"I'm glad you did," Misty paused, "took you long enough, dummy!"

"What?" Ash shouted astoundingly. "And what about you Ms. Waterflower you exactly didn't jump at every single chance to tell me!" he protested.

"Oh, and you did?" she playfully retorted.

"Well I suppose you can think of every chance--"

"How about on Shamuti Island, Trovita, Vermillion, the Maiden Peak festival, Porta Vista, at that carnival, not to mention all the times we were at Cerulean, Saffron, or when you and Tracy were paralyzed by the stun spore, or when we were separated with Team Rocket, or in the Illusion Forest, or on Navel Island, or Volencia, or after we helped Emily and Ralph with their pokemon, or when Brock left or when I left to defend my gym or--"

"Okay, okay" Ash stopped her. He should have known better than to call her bluff. She obviously knew the subject better than he did. "You're right, I had plenty of times to tell you, happy?"

"Yes," she giggled.

Ash sighed, holding her tightly. Taking his hand he brushed the loose bangs away hanging in her face. He leaned down delicately kissing her softly on the forehead. She blushed, enjoying every second of it nestling her head on his chest sighing in contentment.

"I hope you don't think I'm perfect," he whispered breaking another brief silence.

Misty smirked looking up into his auburn eyes. "I know that, that's a no brainer," she giggled.

Ash shook his head. "I mean, I want to try to be a good person for you but I hope you don't think I can do it perfectly."

"I know that," she said honestly. "All you need to do is to try your best, and I'll try mine. That's all we can ask for."

"It's just sometimes I get so scared," Ash admitted.

"Scared of what?"

"Not being able to make this work," he said.

"Doesn't that depend of us?" she responded to his realization.

"Yeah I guess," he partly agreed with her. "Its just I'm really dense and I don't remember things very well. How am I supposed to be there for you if I don't remember the things you tell me? Or what if I become too emotionally distant?"

"We can work on that," she comforted him.

"Like I even forget stuff about pokemon," Ash started. Pokemon is Ash's life. Pokemon training is his passion and he faltered greatly in the avenue of his life. "I forget things so easily," he scolded himself. "I probably won't even remember what we talked about after we're done.

"Well," Misty started, "we can work on that. Besides I'm no prize either," she confessed.

"That's for sure."

"What! I can't believe you said that, Ash Ketchum! I'm trying to pour my soul out to you and you pull something like that!" Misty yelled. Her breathing became labored face reddened with agitation. Ash smiled at her. She looked so cute angry. Ash took his hand gently guiding her face to his lips and lovingly kissed her on the cheek to appease her, making Misty red for an entirely different reason.

She scorned herself. "Gosh, I hate it when I do that!"

"I know you don't mean it, really" Ash calmed her.

"I get angry so easily, Ash." She warned him. "I put up these barracks and I get angry when things go wrong. When I get scared, jealous or worried…"

"I know," he agreed. "I did travel the world with you for five years."

"Seriously, Ash" she knocked him playfully in the arm. "I'm afraid you won't like me because I'm so impulsive and easy to anger."

"How do you think I did it when we argued all the time?"

Misty was about to reply but stopped herself. She thought about it more intently. In the beginning of their relationship the two fought in unbearable frequency, often bickering about the most mundane things.

"I don't know," she confessed. "I thought you always thought of me as the scrawny redhead who annoyed you about my bike."

Ash paused before answering. "Well, I did" he said bluntly. "But it was you who kept me going."

"Really?" Misty asked in disbelief.

"Absolutely," he agreed with her. "You're worth it. I think we're perfect for each other, Misty. I can help you control your anger--"

"…and I can help you grow up?"

"Yeah, amongst other things," Ash said laughing at her comment.

"Thank you," the two said it at the same time.

Misty grew tired. The silver moon softened, overshadowing by the millions of bright winking stars. They danced and twirled in the moonlight, offering beauty and receiving praise. Misty held onto Ash, resting her head on his chest. Ash sighed, leaning his cheek against her soft hair waving in the cool air. Ash held onto Misty: The source of his strength.

"I want you to know," he whispered softly into her ear. "You're so precious to me; you're so special to me. I want you to know that I care about you so much—and I love you."

"Don't try to be romantic Ash, you're not good at it" she laughed "but I love you, too" she said as two small tears escaped from her eyes rolling down her cheek. Ash looked at her in astonishment.

"Misty, why are you crying?"

"I'm happy," she gigged through her tears.

"I guess we found another reason why we cry, huh?"

"Yeah," she whole heartedly agreed with him.

Ash caressed her cheek lovingly, bringing her lips closer to his. They softly kissed, expressing their affection, understanding and love to one another.

"Sweet dreams, my love" Ash bid goodnight.

"Then I'll dream of you. That's why I stopped wishing Ash; they've all come true," she whispered.

Ash closed his eyes, rocking her to sleep. She melted in his arms, comfortably attaching herself to the idol of her affection. Ash held her softly just enough to let her know he was there for her.

"Misty?"

"Hmm?" she mumbled.

"Uh—what were we talking about again?"

"ASH!"

end

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disclaimer – Haha, had to end it on a funny note. So, if you didn't notice already Ash and Misty were together prior to this story. I kept it vague in the beginning to keep you guys guessing, that was fun to do. Hold up! (checks story again) a non-angsty story from dinobot? I don't believe it! Haha, well I hope you enjoyed it, and picked up all the little symbolism and reasons why we cry, and the only reason why Ash and Misty would cry now. Reviews are always appreciated, till then…

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"don't cry my love I'll be there for you, without a reason without a scorn without perfection, but always (always!) with devotion." - dai