An Amorous Story
"Ash?" she trailed off, "are you okay? It must hurt you..." She finished quietly and blushed heavily, then realizing she might have upset him over his Kalos League Finals loss, she quickly added, "I'm sorry," and blushed even deeper red.
Ash looked at her with genuine appreciation. "Serena, what are you apologizing for?" He asked with a small smile that made her insides twist to pretzels.
"I...I just was wondering...if you're okay...because I...I care about you...and I hate seeing you upset...but I know after all that work and intensive training you have done...that it must hurt..." She choked out the last few sentences, tears welling in her eyes.
Ash stood up and gazed into her eyes. "Serena, I'm okay. Yes it always hurts to lose. But I'll just...(he faltered,) get stronger from here..." But he didn't say those words with any conviction. It was clear he was hurting. Serena knew he was hurt and hurt badly at losing yet again in his life. She could no longer watch him weary eyed and struggling as he was to assure her that he was okay, when she knew it to be a lie.
She also genuinely felt bad that despite all her cheering and support, that he had still lost. She felt it was because of herself, why he had lost. He had come so far and had all the encouragement in the world. He had wanted so badly to win, and yet here was yet again. He had lost.
"Ash I want to say sorry to you," Serena said, almost choking on her words as she held back the waterworks. He turned, stunned at her words. "Huh?" was the only response he could muster. He was genuinely confused at why Serena was apologizing. She had done everything, "no, more than everything," he chided himself, "to support me." She snapped him back to reality.
"I couldn't give you enough support...enough cheers of encouragement...enough lo...luck..." She stopped herself, realizing what she was about to say, and both mentally thanked and cursed herself for not being able to tell him her true feelings for him.
Tears suddenly broke out and poured down her cheeks. Ash was genuinely touched and astonished too. He quickly stood back up from a kneeling position, and rummaged around for something in his bag for a minute, before pulling out a folded, neatly kept, embroidered handkerchief. Serena recognized it instantly and gasped.
"Ash, is that..." She questioned him in a whisper. "Shhh..." He responded, nodding. "No tears now, Serena. You did everything you possibly could...and...more...for me. It wasn't your fault." He whispered as he brushed away her tears with the handkerchief he had once lent her back in summer camp, all those years ago. She smiled, blushing, tears still welling down the sides of her face. She found it odd that he was the one comforting her, when she had come out here to do just the same to him.
"Ash..." She quietly whispered. "I'm supposed to be making sure you're okay...not the other way around..." She was joking with him a little, that was true, but only slightly. The only thing she wanted was for him was to be okay, but she knew he wasn't.
"Serena, I lost the league." he said dejectedly. "Yeah it sucks, but I'll be okay. I'll keep learning, keep getting stronger, keep traveling and become a Pokemon Master!" He fist pumped, before his eyes dropped again, downcast towards his sneakers. He knew that meant he would have to go back home, again, and empty handed. He shook with pain from the battle. He was trying not to show her how hurt he really was. It was, evidently, not working. Not in front of her it wasn't.
"I'm no champion." He said dejectedly, tears now forming on his own face, not just from this conversation, but from exhaustion, and pain, both mental and physical he had been feeling. That was it. She had had it. She was going to tell him right now how she felt and she wouldn't care what his reaction was. She was ready, and he had presented her the opportunity with which to do so.
She finally spoke, slowly and carefully formulating the right words. "Ash, you may not be a Pokemon League champion," she paused, hoping he'd listen further; which he was at present doing, with an interested glint in his eyes. She loved his caramel colored eyes. They soothed her when he looked at her. She took a hasty breath. 'Oh fab Serena. Try not to drool on yourself.' she scorned herself inwardly. "But..." she spoke aloud, "that doesn't matter to me." Ash slowly shook his head, as if to say 'great. Why?' sarcastically. She continued aloud, "because...no matter what, you'll always be a champion...to me." She immediately tossed her hair nervously with her fingers, blushed and turned away from him slightly, then beamed straight at him, red faced and cheeks a glow.
Ash turned to her, half stunned and half marveling at her words. "Thanks Serena." He smiled and she did too, while she closed her eyes. She felt a pair of arms not of her own body's entangling her. She opened her eyes and found Ash hugging her, his arms around her midsection. She blushed heavily. His head was nestled up to her stomach, not wanting his Pokemon to see him cry.
"Serena?" He sniffled.
"What is it, Ash?" She asked sweetly.
"Thank you." He said quietly.
She blushed. "For what?"
"For always being there for me, for always helping me, for always caring about me, for "taking care of me…" He smiled, thinking of Bonnie's mischievous phrase. He said it quietly to her, like the two were sharing a secret. Her cheeks flushed full on ruby red. "Uh...umm...uh...thank you too Ash!" She said, nervously.
"Um, Ash?" She blushed nervously again. "Hm?" He murmured, still nuzzling her stomach area with his face. "Can I tell you something and have your promise not to laugh?" She suddenly had an urge to ruffle his jet-black hair, but thought otherwise. "Control yourself, Serena. In time..." her mind spoke to her. "Why would I ever laugh at you?" He giggled before asking kindly, giving her a thumbs up with that cute two-bit smile of his. He smiled brightly with that goofy smile of his, taking her to her day dreams again. "Sure, Serena. You can tell me anything," he replied with a fist in the air, his own personal Ash conviction.
She blushed, but her lip, and turned away. She felt Ash grab her hand. Even worse...she thought to herself in regards to her feelings. "Ash I...Don't take this the wrong way...and I understand if you don't feel the same...but I...I...I like you." She finished, exhaling.
Ash stared at her blankly. "I like you too, Serena!" She blushed. "You do?" She asked. "Well sure! I like all of my friends!" he responded. She looked devastated. "Ash...I...that's not what I meant." she choked out. "I...li...lu...like like...you. I admire uh...I...care about you...uh...I believe in you...because...I...love...you..." She replied with shaky breaths and then turned away quickly from his stare.
Then that blank stare turned into one of shock, longing, amazement, hurt, confusion and happiness, all at once. She worried. He grabbed her hand again. "Serena, I...I...," Ash stammered. She looked away uncertainly for a moment and took a deep breath before feeling Ash's hand suddenly on top of hers, coercising her to look at him again. "You know I have to go back home and I'm going empty handed." At this, she tried to take her hand from his, but he only tightened his grip in response. "But I…I don't want to leave you. I...I've come to understand...I...I like you too." Serena's eyes shot open again. She was not expecting a full blown confession. Her heart rate started elevating and her cheeks glowed as widely as her smile was beginning to. "And I want you to come home with me. Please." He looked directly into her eyes, blue as the ocean deep, and squeezed her hand, and spoke slowly but with all the intent he could muster, "so that I AM a champion." He paused. She blushed hard. "And," he chided boldly, winking at her in the process, "I never have to go home empty handed again." He smiled at her and squeezed her hand tightly.
She gasped with happiness. Was this real? He leaned in and kissed her. Her heart fluttered, and for a second, time stopped. It was the sweetest kiss. She had longed for this. "Serena..." He whispered. "I love you..." he whispered. Is this real? She wanted to scream. Serena blushed hard and then nodded. "Ash...I love you too." There. She had finally said it. His reaction was now anticipated. "Serena..." he paused, "thank you." He told her, squeezing her hand, and he kissed her again.