61.
chapter sixty-one
cookies for three

I woke up to the warmth of sunlight on my face and the possessive grip of my boyfriend around my midriff. It didn’t take a moment longer for my face to break into a little smile.

Oh, how I wish I could wake up to a new day this way every day.

I tried stretching, but Ash mumbled in his sleep and rested his head against my shoulder.

A list of teases incoming for the boy when he woke up, I mused, admiring the little band of naughty silver resting on my hand. It didn’t seem out of place—more like something that had always been there.

“Ash,” I huffed, turning around in his arms with great difficulty. When he made no move to wake up, I pressed my lips to his collarbone. His homely scent set my insides on fire. “Wake up.”

“Blem, I can’t eat anymoreee,” he mumbled, smacking his lips. Obviously, he would be dreaming about eating. “Serena, laaa eat more.”

I reached for his cheek, pressing forward so that our foreheads and noses touched. “Wake up, you idiot. I’m not eating anything, nor am I feeding you anything.”

His sleep-dazed brown eyes fluttered open. He opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish, still half-lidded when he spoke. “Your eyes are beautiful.”

I blinked, jerking back a little. Warmth rose to my cheeks, and I swatted at his chest. “G-good morning. That’s what you say when you wake up!”

He shrugged, turning over on his back. His arm was, however, still in place. “Excuse me.” The tone was soft, almost a whisper—a sleepy and husky whisper. “But that was the first thing I saw when I, ah, woke up.”

Ash yawned, blinking rapidly as if some dust particle had entered his eye. He then turned to me, a goofy grin adorning his face. The sunlight caught the brown of his eyes aglow, like a fire on a snowy beach. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

“Today’s my last exam,” I diverted in a hushed tone. I didn’t exactly trust my voice at this point. “And your penultimate. We need to get there on time.”

“Yeah.” He closed his eyes, clearly enjoying the unfolding moment. Not that I was complaining. “But it’s not like we have a car, right?”

I quirked an eyebrow. “But you do.”

The corners of his lips tugged up in a sharp smirk. Without any warning—and surprising movements for someone who just woke up—he dipped his head to caress my nose. “Which means we get to stay in bed for a while longer!”

A laugh bubbled in my throat. “Ash Ketchum, are you trying to sabotage my last exam?”

“Not sabotage,” he reaffirmed, his grip tightening as if I would slip from his grasp any moment like molten cheese. “Just prioritizing the last of our morning cuddles until we get married.”

My breath caught in my throat, and I leaned against his shoulder, warmth shooting up through my veins. How did Ash even do this? His nonchalant words had a way of making my heart dance without actually putting any effort into them.

“Fine,” I sighed, leaning back despite my internal protests. “But if we get late, it’s on you.”

“Deal.” He grinned, nuzzling my nose. “But if we ace our exams, I get another morning like this whenever Mom-in-law’s out of station.”

I smiled despite myself, cupping his jaw one last time before slipping away from his embrace and heading towards the bathroom. His goofy grin was the last thing I saw before I hid my racing pulse in the hot showers.

— xoxo —

“So that was a, eh? I literally circled a, then scratched it and circled c!” May balled her fists, lightly hitting her head in exasperation.

“That happens to me all the time,” Dawn groaned, patting the bubble of the girl. “Don’t worry!”

“Yeah.” She turned to Misty, then exchanged a glance with us. The usually bubbly girl now wore a distant look and was glancing at a group of boys. “Misty. Do you want to join Gary and his friends?”

The girl’s eyes widened. Sweat broke across her forehead. “No!” She flailed her hands, voice pitched. “Of course not!”

I chuckled, May and Dawn joining in. She was so obvious that I could only hope my plan worked.

“That’s okay,” I reassured, giving her a bright smile. “I understand, Misty. We do.”

The girls nodded, effectively trapping the blushing tomboy. “It’s not what you think!”

“Doesn’t matter,” Dawn finger-gunned, winking. She tossed her bag up, catching it. “We’re done with exams anyway! We can relax now! What are you girls planning to do for the vacation?”

“Dad’s planning a road trip!” May chimed, clapping her hands to her cheeks. “They want to get to know Drew better! His family is coming too!”

“That’s amazing!” we said in unison, squealing in happiness for our friend.

“Mom and I are going back to Sinnoh for a bit.” Dawn shrugged. “To visit Dad.”

“It’s been a year, hasn’t it?” Misty asked, voice softening. The bluette nodded enthusiastically, her hair bouncing in reciprocation of her emotions. “I’m just going to stick around. Visit some roulettes, fields. Who knows?”

May nodded, her eyes meeting mine. “What about you, Serena?”

My step faltered. Aside from waiting for Mom to get back and spending time with her and Ash, I really had no plans. “Um, maybe bake?”

“I’d want to taste them when I get back then,” May winked. Misty nodded, while Dawn chimed in, clapping her hands.

“Me too! Me too!”

“Then it’s a me ‘three’ for me.”

My eyes widened at the familiar voice. Wheeling around, I found his lips pressed into a very thin smile. His green eyes bore a strange, evocative emotion I had seen a few times before.

“Gladion?”

“Hello, Serena,” he greeted, running a hand through his hair. “Mind if I have a word with you?”

— 🫧 —

Ahh, I'm so sorry!
I know I didn't
update this for
a long time! ><
I don't really
have any excuse
except for life
and how I
don't wanna be
in this account
for a while.

This act ends,
another begins —
one filled with
drama and the start
of the next plot.
so stay tuned
and bear with
me!

Thank you for reading!

Miyoko x