I had a lot fun writing for this pairing. Thank you for those of you who stuck around for 6 chapters, I'm not the greatest writer but I wanted to add something to this small pairing (you guys don't have a lot of content to consume tbh).
There's a chance I'll write for this pairing the future, but for now I'm going into hiding again. Peace!
Nervous wouldn't begin to describe the state of anxiety he found himself in. Clemont knew this was something to celebrate. After years of testing and prototyping they were ready to release the Rotom Dex internationally. It would forever change information available to trainers in terms of Pokémon care, travelling guides, and sources about new regions and terrains.
The award ceremony for all the engineers and designers behind the project was scheduled for the next morning in front of Prism Tower. His palms grew clammy just at the mere thought of walking onto that podium with hundreds of specialists in the crowd to acknowledge his work.
Bonnie and Max came all the way back home to see the ceremony, and, much to his surprise, Serena and Ash also returned to cheer him on. Everyone was going to be there to see his big accomplishment.
He felt like he was going to throw up.
He turned to the digital clock beside his bed and met with the numbers 2:03. Sleep was clearly going to be a futile task.
With a groan he pulled his covers off and put on his glasses. If sleep was going to elude him then he might as well make himself productive.
He was grateful that they decided to sleep in the tower tonight, that meant he could have easy access to his workshop and didn't have to worry about waking anyone up.
Before he delved into his work, however, he needed to make a big enough batch of tea to last till sunrise. If he was lucky the tea would lull him to a deep sleep and maybe he wouldn't look like a mess for tomorrow's ceremony. With that in mind he made a beeline for the elevator and chose the ground floor.
When he stepped out into the hall the first thing he noticed was the strong smell of roses trailing from the kitchen. The second thing he noticed was Serena's soft hums breaking the deafening silence.
It wasn't usual for her to be waiting for him like this, normally he'd be the one to greet her with a cup of tea. A part of him hoped this was a sign of significant change in their relationship but he quickly dismissed those thoughts.
It was pointless to get himself overly excited about something that was never meant to be.
Even if she wasn't pining over Ash anymore he couldn't imagine her wanting to be with an introverted guy like him.
He took a deep breath before walking into the kitchen. She was in the middle of pouring boiling tea into one of two cups set up on the kitchen counter, but what left him breathless was the baggy hoodie she borrowed from him to sleep in.
She claimed it was softer than anything she had on hand and demanded he let her borrow it for the night—he couldn't turn her down even if he tried. He just never realized how cute she looked in his clothes.
He felt his heart quicken when she looked up at him. Even when strands of her bobbed hair were sticking out haphazardly she was still beautiful.
How Ash never saw her as more than a friend will forever be a mystery to him.
"Hey, you come here often?" She greeted him with a wink.
"W-well you know…" he sheepishly looked down on the ground. He rarely had a good comeback to her flirtatious teasing.
She laughed," I think this is the first time I've been the one to serve you tea."
"There's a first time for everything." He slid into his seat at the small dining table as she placed his rose-scented cup down in front of him.
Somehow, the fact that she was the one who made him the drink made the scent so much sweeter.
"I'm guessing you're pretty nervous about tomorrow." She said, sitting down across from him.
"Nervous doesn't even begin to describe it." He took a careful sip from the hot drink. The familiar taste calmed him somewhat, but there was still a tight knot in his stomach.
"Don't worry, all you're doing is walking on stage to receive a medal."
"But what if I trip? W-what if I accidentally walk off the edge? E-everyone that'll be there is from a scientific background, if I m-make a fool out of myself in front of them—"
"Relax," he felt the world stop spinning when her hand clasped on top of his—his heart was in overdrive at this point. "You're overthinking again. Just remember all the hard work you put in for this project."
He held back a frown when her hand left his. He wondered if she'd mind if he held onto it.
"I-I don't know how you do it. Always performing up on stage and all."
"It just takes some getting used to." Serena chimed. "I'm sure if you performed with me a few times you'd get used to it too."
"I'm getting sick just thinking about it…" he said genuinely. If they had asked him to make a speech for the ceremony he'd be an anxious mess by now.
"Okay, okay, we'll stop talking about going on stage and move on to something else." She giggled. "Like...oh! How many times do you usually stay overnight at the tower now? I know you used to complain about going back and forth for tools."
"It depends on how busy I am. I'm lucky that my gym is big enough to act as a secondary home for me."
Recently, though, he hasn't been able to step foot into his actual house due to finalizing and debugging the Rotom Dex. Without Bonnie around it was all too easy for him to spend days at a time locked in the tower.
"I guess that explains why you have so many cleaning robots. But doesn't it get a little lonely?"
"Sometimes. While I'm definitely more focused now, I do miss having Bonnie barge in my workshop at random." He chuckled softly at the old memories. It felt like only yesterday that she learned how to walk, now she was travelling all across Hoenn with Max.
"In that case I should visit you more often. We wouldn't want you turning into a complete hermit."
"Isn't that going to be difficult when you're heading out to Sinnoh again?"
"Nope! I'm planning on returning to Kalos for the next performance season! There's so many new moves I want to try out on stage!"
If her contests were anything to go by, he was certain she'd win this time.
"Care to spoil a bit of your plans?" He asked.
"Now where's the fun in that? A performance is so much more fun to watch when you don't know what to expect."
"I'm sure whatever you have will leave the crowd speechless." If not the crowd then him at the very least. "It's been a while since you've been back in Kalos. Do you think it'll be just as fun as travelling through Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Alola?"
"Definitely not as fun as Alola." She said in a heartbeat. "You can't beat the nice sandy beaches and food there! If their fashion scene was on par with Kalos I might consider moving there!"
He knew he shouldn't have felt happy when she said she wasn't planning to move away from Kalos. As her friend he should support whatever decision made her happy—even if it meant she'd leave their region forever.
"We should all visit Alola one day! I think it's the perfect vacationing spot, and you could use a break at some point." She suggested.
"A vacation does sound nice." He mused out loud. "If all goes well with your performances this year, perhaps we can go once you're all done here."
"Hmm...that does sound nice…" she rubbed the back of her neck shyly. "But I was also wondering if you'd be able to travel with me through Kalos again."
Her request nearly made him choke on his drink. For a moment he thought he'd misheard her. Afterall, why would she want to travel with him when she's made so many amazing friends over the past few years?
"I-it's just been so long since we've been able to spend time together. I thought maybe it'd be nice to travel again, but I understand if you're busy." She quickly added.
She looked down at her lap with pink tinting her cheeks. Clemont felt his heart melt into a puddle.
"I-it's a bit sudden but I don't see why not. I just have to make a few adjustments to Clembot before we head out, though."
Her eyes locked onto his with pure excitement. For a second he forgot to breathe," really, Clemont?! You'll really come along with me?"
"Of course. It's been far too long since I've left the city."
She squealed and clapped her hands together in excitement. He wondered how it was possible someone could be so cute.
"This will be like my first journey except with just the two of us!"
"J-just the two of us?" He gawked. He expected her to already have invited Ash along, and if he was coming then there was a chance May would join them as well.
"Ash and May want to travel the region at their pace and Bonnie wants to support Max's gym battles in Hoenn." She explained. "Umm...if you're not comfortable with just the two of us—"
"N-no, I am! It just kind of took me by surprise."
Never in his wildest dreams did he expect to travel alone with Serena of all people. Suddenly the anxiety he felt towards the award ceremony quickly turned to impatience.
"Okay, good! I already planned for you to come along so it'd be really awkward if you'd said no."
"I didn't know you wanted to spend time with me so badly."
"What can I say? I miss spending time with my dork." She said with a yawn.
Her new nickname for him left his head spinning.
"M-Maybe you should head back to bed." He suggested, trying to ignore the jitters in his stomach. "It's going to be an early morning tomorrow."
"That depends on whether you're actually going to sleep tonight." She glared at him accusingly.
"Hey, in my defence I'm not used to being in front of crowds."
"So you're just going to sit here all night and sulk?"
"I'm actually going to sulk in my workshop but close enough."
"Then as your best friend I'm obligated to stay up with you. I'm not going to let you overthink for the entire night." She crossed her arms stubbornly. "I hope you at least find something to entertain us with to pass the time."
Clemont wasn't really sure how he should answer her. He knew she wouldn't want to sit around in his workshop to watch him work, and Pokémon training was definitely out of the question at this time of night. He could put on a movie for them to watch, but he wasn't sure if she'd be interested in any of the films he had.
Besides, he didn't want to spend his night with Serena doing something as trivial as watching a movie. He wanted to do something memorable—something exciting for them to experience together.
"Actually, I have a great idea!" He exclaimed. She looked at him curiously when he shot up from his seat. "I think I still owe you a late night view of Lumiose City."
That's how they found themselves at the very top of the tower, each with a hot cup of tea to ward them from the night's chill.
Serena's eyes were as bright as the city's lights when she gazed at the landscape below them. He felt strangely proud to elicit such a beautiful reaction from her, not even Ash was able to make her react in such a way back then.
"Clemont, this looks amazing!" She gasped.
"Yeah." He couldn't stop looking at her—at how the golden light of his tower seemed to hug the sides of her face and gave the illusion that she was glowing.
He lost count of the times he imagined himself up here with her. He wanted so badly to grab her hand, hold her close and never let go. He was hoping time and distance would've tamed his unrequited feelings for her, yet here he was. Standing in the very position he often longed to be in.
When she looked back at him he quickly turned his eyes to the city below.
"I-it looks even better when it's snowing." He decided to explain. "I love spending Christmas Eve alone up here. There's something fantastical about the city during that time."
"Why alone? Christmas is always better with friends and family." He picked up the hint of worry in her voice.
"It's just nice. Quiet." He elaborated. "Dad and Bonnie get a bit...rambunctious during all the holiday festivities, so I need a place to recollect my thoughts. It helps that the view is stunning."
She seemed relieved at his answer. It made him happy to know she worried about him so much—especially when it came to his difficulty connecting with new people.
"If I promise not to be super loud and hyper will you take me with you next time?" She asked gently.
"Hmm you drive a hard bargain." He pretended to mull over her offer.
"What if I bring a few homemade snacks for us to enjoy?"
"Alright, but you and only you are allowed to join me."
"It'll be our secret." She playfully bumped his elbow with hers.
His cheeks warmed almost instantly at her words. Sometimes he wondered if she knew just how much of an effect she had on him.
"I still can't believe you've been keeping this all to yourself for so long." She added, gesturing to the golden cityscape.
"It's just one of the perks of being the Lumiose City gym leader. I get exclusive access to the best building in all of Kalos."
"Now that's a bold statement to make."
"One of the first things people think of when they come to Kalos is my gym. If you think of it that way I'm rather popular."
"Mmm, he's smart, popular, and has a great taste in architecture. You're quite an appealing bachelor if I do say so myself." She winked. "If you put yourself out there more the ladies wouldn't stand a chance."
Normally he'd lose himself in his anxiety and splutter something incoherent in response, but standing in the one place that made him untouchable, he worked up every ounce of courage to look her straight in the eye and respond.
"Maybe so, but the only bachelorette that could ever catch my eyes is standing in front of me."
He quickly looked away and pretended to take keen interest in the clear, night sky. His face felt warmer than the rose-scented tea in his cup, and his heart was practically pounding out of his chest.
He wasn't sure if he'd gone a bit overboard with his response. Neither of them had ever crossed the lines of bringing their own feelings into their banter, but a part of him was glad to finally get it off his chest. How they'd proceed afterwards would be up to her.
"Are you just teasing or…?" She spoke up so softly he almost missed it.
"I'm being honest." He tightened his hold around his cup. "Y-you're in no obligation to return my feelings. I just wanted you to know."
He expected her to leave, maybe even take back her offer to travel together. It wouldn't be the most ideal outcome, but it'd at least give him some closure after so long. So when she pressed her arm against his he felt his anxiety and excitement skyrocket to completely new levels.
"Did I ever tell you how charming you can be sometimes?"
"Erm...t-there was that one time you were drunk." He stammered, his courage from earlier now completely shriveled up.
She laughed, he wasn't sure if it was at him or the story.
"They say your true self comes out when you're intoxicated. I guess they have a point." She rested her head on his shoulder. The scent of roses only seemed to grow stronger, he felt his head swimming from the fragrance.
"W-what do you mean?"
"I guess you could say I was aware of how charming you were as a person back then. I just didn't think much of it since I was preoccupied with someone else."
He could barely think straight. Her words swam around his head like a foreign language. He wasn't sure what he should interpret from her—he was too scared to try and end up with a wrong conclusion.
"Clemont, can you at least look at me?" She huffed with annoyance.
Swallowing, he sheepishly turned his head to face her. With her chin resting against his shoulder, he had to tilt his head back slightly to avoid touching her lips. He could practically smell her warm, rose-scented breath brushing against his skin.
"I'm trying to say that I like you, you big dork." Her smile was as bright as the Prism Tower itself.
It was a smile he'd seen on her before, back when they were first travelling together. It was a smile only reserved to Ash at the time. Not even the strongest, most talented trainers elicited such a reaction to her.
And now it was directed at him.
He closed the distance between them—he felt like he could fly when she gently kissed him back. She tasted like roses, and her touch was electrifying. The kiss was short and sweet, it left him yearning for more but he held back.
They reluctantly broke the kiss to catch their breath, both resting their foreheads against each other.
"Well. That's not something I expected to do tonight—not that I'm complaining." She gently pecked his cheek. "I never took you for such a romantic"
"I-I wouldn't say I'm a romantic…"
"Well you certainly know how to sweep a girl off her feet."
"I-I guess it comes naturally when it comes to you."
He didn't miss the pink tint colouring her cheeks. "Umm...a-after the ceremony tomorrow would you like to go a-and grab something to eat?" He whispered.
"I'd love to." She pecked him on the lips once more before laying her head back on his shoulder.
He shyly snaked one arm around her waist, when she didn't recoil from his touch he boldly pulled her closer to his side. With how close she was to him, he wondered if she heard his heartbeat as loudly as he did.
"So should you break the news to Bonnie or should I?" She giggled.
"Maybe we should keep it between us for a few days. I don't want her to start proposing to you every other day." While he didn't think Serena would mind his sister's antics, he also wanted to ensure it wouldn't unintentionally pressure Serena into progressing their relationship too quickly.
"Fair enough. I'd say our new journey together will give us plenty of alone time until then." She reminded him gently.
"And we could have as many cups of tea as we want without worrying about waking the others."
"That's not to mention all the dances I could teach you along the way."
"If you still want some more alone time, we could extend our secret to Alola as well."
"As much as I love romantic cliches, I don't want to keep it from everyone for too long. It wouldn't be fair."
"I suppose we can work out the details later. For now…"
"For now what?" She tilted her head curiously.
He closed the distance between them once more, losing himself in the sweet aroma of fresh, blooming roses.