Their travels for the day ended, and Serena found herself wandering the corridors of the Pokémon centre they were staying at tonight aimlessly, not totally focused on where she was going, too depressed to really care. She had been like this all day during their travels, and when asked by Bonnie, she forced herself to smile and say to the younger child "I'm fine, Bonnie. Don't worry about me."

Which, of course, had been a total lie. She was anything but fine. How could she be fine?

She found herself outside her room eventually. Without any form of enthusiasm for a hot shower, a warm bed, or a good nights sleep, or much of anything at all, she fumbled around for her key, inserting it into the keyhole, and unlocked the door.

"Hey, Serena."

She turned to face down the corridor to see Ash waking towards her. He was the last person she wanted to see right now. She felt like she couldn't even face him now. Like she didn't have the right to.

"You alright? You've looked down all day." Ash asked her. His voice filled with concern. Concern, Serena thought, that he showed nearly everyone. She supposed it was nice of him to worry.

"Nothing. It's fine, really." She said, giving him a small smile.

"You're turning in already? It's still light out." Ash questioned her, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Yeah it's just... I... I'm really tired, I can't feel energy for anything right now, you know, because of the heat and everything... I think I just need a long lie-in tonight." Serena sighed, lying once again.

Ash looked at her for a few seconds. He was almost certain she was lying, but he felt it best to leave her alone. "Well... Okay then. Just make sure you get some food, okay? We've barely eaten a thing all day, you'll need to eat to keep your strength up. I don't want to see you passing out out of hunger."

Serena nodded. "I will. Thank you, Ash." And with that, she entered her room, and closed the door behind her. Once inside, she locked the door, and turned away from it, leaning against it. Across from her was a mirror, reflecting her image back at her. She could still see all the effort and work she had put into looking her best today. She walked up to the mirror until she was only a few steps away from it, and examined herself, top to bottom. Why? Why hasn't it worked? Why hasn't Ash noticed her?

She looked, constantly, searching for a fault in herself. Maybe her hair? When she had cut it, had she ruined her chances? Maybe he liked longer hair? Or her clothes? Was that something that had put him off her? Or was it her chest? Was it not big enough?

...

When in the hell did she begin to think like that? Serena fell face first into the bed, flustered at herself, and frustrated at her failure. She couldn't figure it out. Why? She had been confident her plan to charm him today would work. So why hadn't it? The fact it ended in failure was a huge blow to her confidence in general. Was she just not pretty enough to him?

Ash sighed while he walked back to the lobby of the Pokémon centre. He was worried about Serena. She hadn't been acting right all day, which was weird, seeing as she seemed so happy during the morning. Seeing her like that had put a smile on his face, but the way she had acted the rest of the day had worried him. She hadn't even smiled all day. Yes, she looked like she had, but those weren't really smiles. They were as real as three dollar bills. He scratched his head. "What's up with her?..."

He turned into the lobby. Empty, but through the glass sliding doors, he was able to see Clemont and Bonnie with all the Pokémon. Clemont was to the side, tinkering with some collection of metal, whilst Bonnie was playing a game of some sort with the Pokémon which included a large inflatable ball. Ash walked out the open door and sat opposite to Clemont, barely calling any attention to himself at all.

"Ash? Where's Serena?" Clemont asked him, looking up from his collection of metal and tools.

"She said she was tired, and wanted to sleep in late tonight. She looked fine..." Ash explained. He rested his head in one hand and looked over the Pokémon and Bonnie as they played their game, not really paying all that much attention to what was happening in the game, his mind preoccupied with more important issues.

At some point, the ball had been knocked away from the game vicinity, and Bonnie and the rest of the Pokémon left to retrieve it. This sudden rush of movement snapped Ash back into reality, just in time to hear Clemont sighing and saying, "You know Serena is depressed because of you, right? She put her heart and soul, and everything she had into looking good just for you today, wanting you to notice her, to think she looked pretty. She did all of that for you. And all you could say was that "She looks fine"? I'd have been amazed if she wasn't depressed."

Ash sat motionless for a few moments, before taking in a large gulp of air, and letting it all out in a heavy sigh. "I know, Clemont. I know it's my fault." His guilt clearly showing, his head hung low.

Clemont held his hands up, trying to motion for him to stop. "Uh, I didn't mean to..."

"it's fine, Clemont. You're not saying anything that isn't true." Ash said solemnly. He looked up at Clemont. "You know why I didn't say anything?"

Clemont shook his head, indicating that he did indeed not know.

"Because looks don't matter. Not to me at least, and they shouldn't for anyone. I don't want Serena to think she has to look pretty for me to notice her, and for me to like her. I noticed her a long time ago. Probably when she was looking her worst. But I don't mind that. I'm not like that. A lot of people are, but I'm not. You can't tell what someone is like just by their appearance." Ash sighed again, tinting red slightly. " I like her as she is. She doesn't need make up, or flashy clothes, or new hair-styles. I like her how she is now, that is to say, herself. I've never had a friend, or caught, Pokémon before simply because I thought they looked appealing. Why would I do the same for love?"

This had been the first time Ash had told anyone how he felt about Serena, especially the use of the word 'love'.

Clemont nodded in agreement. "But still... I don't think there's anything wrong with someone looking good..."

"Of course not, but people take stuff too far, and don't care about anything else other than looks." Ash said. He thought back, thinking of when he first developed these ideas. Upon reflection, it was probably while he was traveling with Brock. He'd seen the same thing happen to him nearly a thousand times, and that wasn't even an exaggeration, and each time he had gotten rejected, and gotten over it almost instantly. After a while, Ash began to find it strange, that if he 'loved' these girls as much as he claimed, that he would give up so quickly, and why he would fall in love with other girls so easily. To Ash, it didn't feel right. And after years of traveling with people, Misty, Brock, Tracey, May, Max, Dawn, Iris, Serena, everyone else, people's whose appearance simply didn't bother him, he began to get this idea in his head. The outside is irrelevant, the inside is. He felt his cheeks heat up slightly. In Serena's case, she had both, but Ash barely even focused on the outside. At least not immediately. It just seemed pointless to him, in the grand scheme of things. Once you're old, your looks will fade away, but you and your heart will not, for as long as you live.

"Still..." Clemont said, shattering Ash's though process, "Thats all very honourable and idealistic, but the problem remains that Serena's still upset over her failed efforts. You know she likes you."

Ash nodded silently. He had known about her feelings for him for a while now. And he felt the same way, yet he couldn't bring himself to tell her. He couldn't figure out when though. It was like there was something that had to be sorted before they could date one another. He had spoken about it with Clemont previously, but he didn't have the answer either.

"Maybe you should just talk to her? Get this all out in the open." Clemont suggested.

"Maybe... But honestly, what the heck am I meant to say? What am I meant to do?" Ash asked, his face having gone red. "I haven't done anything like that before."

Clemont closed his eyes. "I don't know. But Serena isn't going to get better if this carries on..."

Serena laid in bed, laid on her side, staring at the wall, not particularly in focus at all, lost in thought. In front of her, she saw Ash. But it wasn't really him. More like a memory, that played out on the wall. A bit like a movie, being played through one of those overhead projectors she had seen in Professor Oaks camp. Memories of them when they were younger, memories of when they traveled together. She felt her heart ache. She wanted him. She wanted him here, now, just sat with her. They didn't even have to talk, just as long as he was there with her, she wouldn't mind. But no. She had sent him away, and locked the door behind her. She had denied herself his companionship. She wasn't sure if that made it better or worse.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a heavy knock on the door. Ash's. She had gotten good at identifying knocks. Lights and rapid was Bonnies, heavy was Ash's, and a metallic like knock was Clemont's, using his Aipom arm to knock the door. Upon hearing Ash's knock, she felt her heart beat harder. Had she caught a break? She jumped up, called out, "Yeah, I'm coming!", dusted herself down, then ran and flung the door open. And there was Ash, holding a box.

"Hey, uh, Serena. I uh... I asked around, and everyone said you hadn't gone down to the cafeteria... So... I brought you this." He held out the box. On top of it were a set of chopsticks. "I didn't know exactly what to get you, so I bought you one of their lunch boxes. I didn't want you to go hungry."

Serena looked at Ash, then at the box he was handing her. She managed to smile faintly, and took the box into her hands. "Oh... Thank you, Ash."

Ash nodded. "Well... I'm gonna go get back to the Pokémon." Ash began, starting to walk down the corridor before he felt Serena grab ahold of his hand. She held it tightly, afraid of him leaving her alone.

Serena went red lightly, but continued, not wanting to be left all alone "Ash... Could you... Please... Stay with me, for a bit?..."

Ash felt his cheeks heat up lightly. "Huh? What for?"

"I just... Don't want to be alone."

"You could always come out and join the rest of us outside..."

Serena shook her head. "I don't want to be with the group right now... Just you..."

Ash blushed and sighed. "Okay, okay, If that'll make you feel better." He smiled at her. A smile that spoke concern and friendliness both at the same time.

The two of them sat close to one another on the bed, both looking opposite directions, not making eye contact with one another. Ash was confused as to why Serena wanted him in here in the first place. Upon reflection, Ash remembered what Clemont had said earlier. Maybe that was related?...

Serena, meanwhile, was just happy to have some company, and, best of all, it was Ash's company. There was so much she wanted to say right now, so much to ask, so much to do. But she was nervous. As much as she had longed for Ash's company, now she had it, she wasn't sure what to do with it. Neither of them had said a word since sitting down, reflecting a feeling of awkwardness between the two teens.

"Serena, are you gonna eat that?"

Ash pointed at the lunch box he had brought Serena. It currently sat between the two of them on the bed, unopened, barely even glanced at by Serena. She was hungry, but didn't really want to eat. It was difficult to explain.

Serena glanced at the lunch box, then at Ash. "Oh, um... I don't know... You could have some if you'd like..." She then began to stare right back at the wall she had been staring at before. She felt guilty for not eating the food Ash had brought her, but she didn't feel like she could stomach food right now.

Ash waited for a couple on minutes. He reluctantly sighed. He then reached for the lunchbox, and took a peek inside. He had lied when he has said he didn't know what they had out in the lunch box, he had picked everything himself, remembering his knowledge of the foods and drinks Serena enjoyed. He thought it would have been a nice surprise for her. He picked up the chopsticks that came with the the lunchbox.

"Hey, Serena?" Ash asked.

Serena turned, her eyes still lingering towards the wall. "Yes Ash, wh- mpff!"

When Serena had turned, Ash had taken a piece of food, and gently popped it into Serena's mouth. Serena was initially shocked, but quickly relaxed, blushing when she realised what was going on. Ash was feeding her! Wasn't this what couples did on dates? Ash smiled warmly, a smile that gave Serena goosebumps. She was basically at his mercy right now. The thought of that made her go Crimson.

"You have to eat, Serena." Ash said, taking the chopsticks out from her mouth.

Serena, completely forgetting her unwillingness to eat earlier, and nodded, chewing slowly. It tasted really good. She hadn't been one to feel this weak around anyone beforehand, but, she didn't know why, but right now, she felt weak. But it did t feel like a bad thing.

"Is it nice? Did I get the right things?" Ash asked.

Serena nodded. "It's delicious... Thank you..."

Ash chuckled seeing Serena like this. "C'mon, eat." He said, trying to give Serena the box. But it didnt really register to her. She couldn't stop herself from focusing on Ash. She was drunk on her love for Ash. She had never been like this before, but something inside her felt like it had awakened. She wanted to tell Ash so much it hurt her not to. "Am I gonna have to feed you this entire thing?" He said jokingly.

Serena winked. "Maybe."

Ash was puzzled slightly. She had seemed depressed not long ago, now it was like she was flirting with him... Regardless, he carried on playing the game Serena seemed to be playing. He picked up another bit of food, and fed it to Serena. For the first time in a while, Serena had a smile on her face. She felt close to Ash. That was all she wanted right now. She wasn't alone. She was with Ash. And she was happy.

At a couple of points, Serena had managed to steal the chopsticks from Ash, and had fed him some of the food, before Ash snatched them again. They remained in the room playing this game for quite some time. Ash was happy to see Serena smile and laughing again.

"Hey Ash?..." Serena said, after they had finished.

"Yeah?"

Serena sat up and hugged him tightly, resting her head on his shoulders. "Thank you... For looking after me... Even when I was super depressed... You checked on me, made sure I was fed, played that stupid, silly game with me, made me laugh... Just... Thank you so much... It just... It means so much."

Ash blushed. "I-it's fine! Don't worry about it!"

Serena smiled, and without thinking, gave Ash a peck on the cheek, and closed her eyes. Before Ash even registered what had happened, Serena was already sleeping.

"Oh Serena... You really are struggling, aren't you?" Ash sighed, resting his hand on her head, running his fingers through her hair. He smiled at Serena as she slept. She was so peaceful when she slept.

Pretty damned sappy, even for my tastes, eh? I have no idea, I think i was extraordinarily tired when I wrote this, but, I kinda like it : )

Expect only one or two more chapters on this, this is only gonna be a short story, one k did mainly to get a couple of ideas out of my system.

Hope you enjoyed it!