Sorry for the cliffhanger last time.
My loyal readers will notice that things have changed a bit.
I decided I didn't like it the way the story was written so I rewrote the whole thing, and I decided to work a little harder on something as important as the confession.
This is in no way meant to cut down my workload, I just don't want to disappoint you guys.
Thanks for the appreciation!
2:00 AM
The digital clock contrasted against the cool blue darkness of the moonlight. Ash lay awake in Clemont's room, watching the dust pass in the beams of light from Clemont's window. In just a few hours, his Kalos adventure was over. While he'd lost the League once again, Ash somehow knew that it didn't matter. He'd lost many times before, but his defeat to Alan was something he hadn't expected at all. Not in that it was a loss, but the match itself. In fact, he didn't even view it as a match.
Something special about Ash is that while he may not be the strongest, brightest or most talented in everything he does, he is always the most invested. No matter what, Ash always puts 100% of his effort on whatever it may be he's doing: From battling the region champion to dancing at a ball. His emotional capacity is beyond that of anyone else one could meet, and this is where his true strength lies.
Ash still remembers it, clear as day in his mind. Ash versus Alan, a battle to finish it all. Bursting with determination, confidence and enthusiasm, Ash's mind and body are nearly perfectly attuned to that of Greninja. They feel every breath, every motion, every hit, together. In a similar fashion, he could sense the bond between Alan and his Charizard burning intensely, only further proven through Charizard's Mega Evolution coming into play. It was a test of skill, devotion and wit but even more so, a battle of heart.
But as Ash lay staring at the ceiling, blankly harkening back to this battle, he was feeling overwhelmed with a similar emotion when his thoughts concluded him to the end of his seventh official journey. I'll always think of Clemont and Bonnie like siblings, they really do deserve everything they've worked for - Clemont in becoming a better inventor and gym leader, and Bonnie for really maturing and being so independent.
Eventually, his thoughts drifted to Serena. She really was not like any girl I've traveled with before. Misty, May, Dawn and Iris were all sort of...off when it comes to our relationship, but with Serena, she's always so polite, charming and sweet. She's never been overly competitive or rude. Ash began to feel his throat swell and his eyes water at the thought of leaving her to simply meet another girl who'd take her place. Ash suddenly knew, with absolute certainty, that was the furthest thing from what he wanted. He sat up, trying to work out some logic to his reactions. What the hell is this? This feeling... ? I've gotten sad leaving friends before, but it feels like my chest is…
Abruptly, Ash gets up and heads to the bathroom in the hall. He closes the door and tries to calm himself down in the mirror, washing his face and slowing his breathing like the ninja had taught him way back when he'd first started exploring Kalos. Suddenly, he hears a door creak open nearby. That sounded like that came from Bonnie and Serena's room, he thought to himself. He pressed his eye to the keyhole to see what was happening, only to find Serena pulling her hair back as she trot down the stairs at the end of the hall. Immediately, every thought that had just been plaguing him was pushed behind a clear, new image he'd be thinking about for a very long time - Serena in a sports bra he'd never seen her wear before. Holy. Shit. Her body is so...is she wearing anything under those sweats...what would happen if I...Ash's young male mind raced with a newfound sense of passion for Serena he'd only experienced glimpses of during his time with other girls. He had never felt this level of motivation to ever speak to a girl more than right now. He couldn't help himself. He tiptoed back to his room, quickly changed to something more decent and raced out the door - only to find no sign of Serena anywhere.
"SERENAaaa, where are you?!" Ash called out to a lit up but strangely unpopulated street. Upon hearing his voice echo off the Kalosian architecture, he decided that yelling out someone's name in the middle of a night in one of world's the biggest cities wouldn't do much good for either him or Serena.
Feeling defeated, he walked up to a bench viewing Lumiose Tower and pondered tonight's events. Why did I get so intense back there? What is it about Serena that's driving me crazy? The more Serena's name came up in his head, the more powerful the heat in his chest became. Ash sat himself down angrily, and forced himself to think it all out, figure out what the hell was happening to him.
Ash grunted in frustration, before standing and letting out a frustrated shout. Then, he laughed. "Everybody knows I'm no good at thinking about stuff with my head anyway, except me apparently."
He started walking off back to the apartment, hoping to find Serena there, when he saw someone staring at the tower exactly opposite the side he was.
It was none other than Serena herself.
Serena stammered. "W-what are you doing here?"
Ash opened his mouth to explain but all words escaped him. What the HELL was I even going to say? That I liked her bra?!
"Well, umm….I just….saw you left and wanted to make sure you were okay!" Ash hurriedly exclaimed. "You seemed a bit off, are you okay?"
Serena had been too busy trying to come up with an excuse herself to pay any mind to Ash's frantic reaction. "I just...needed some air, that's all." She replied hastily. "A lot of pressure being put on me - I mean all of us really!"
Ash agreed. "Yeah, I actually think it was good for me to step out, too. A lot on my mind...right now…"
Serena struggled not to get lost in Ash's features, but eventually gave in to the glittering lights reflecting off of his eyes. She noticed some minor blemishes on his skin that she hadn't noticed before. Are those...tears?
But just as she was about to ask Ash what he meant, he suddenly turned to her and grabbed her arms - firmly and swiftly. Her small gasp was inaudible to him, but Serena knew it wasn't out of fear but rather some form of pleasure.
"Serena, I need to tell you something."
She'd never heard him speak so affirmatively to her before. It was, kinda hot.
"I know you know I've traveled with plenty of other companions and friends before I got here to Kalos - like Misty, Dawn and all of them - but I couldn't help but feel like this goodbye would hurt the most."
Serena's face was practically lit on fire at this point but still, she said nothing.
"Every time I'm around you, I get this crazy feeling where I'm happy and sad at the same time, and I'll get the chills but I'm still sweating like crazy even if I'm doing nothing…but the point is…"
Serena's eyes widened with anticipation as she stared into his own, their bodies slowly closing the gap between them.
"I..I-I think, I like you? Or you know, uh, something like that..."
Serena nearly burst out laughing. Good enough, ya dork. She leaned in.
And they kissed, the two of them surrounded by the Lumiose air of romance.
Much better, if I do say so myself.
Thanks for reading! Feedback is always appreciated too!
