AUTHOR'S NOTE

**For any of you who were opting to not read until all three parts of this chapter were out, this is the last one in the set, so you should be safe to go back and read Chapters 16, 17, and 18. I know I said I would post it Friday, and it's only Thursday night, but I finished early and was so excited to share this with everyone I didn't want to wait! Enjoy!**

Story origins time...Intoxicated was named for the content of this chapter. This is a remnant of an early idea I had, and I've been struggling with it immensely as the story has grown. I've thought about moving the scene around in the story; I've even considered cutting it entirely. But in the end, I decided it could be an important character development scene with the proper editing. Now all I can hope is that I've managed to give it that perspective. So without further ado...

Obligatory Disclaimer: This chapter contains Drunk!Clemont. The legal drinking age in France / Kalos is 18; Clemont is 19 in this story. Please remember to drink responsibly and legally! Alcohol affects everyone differently, so don't try this at home, okay?

CHAPTER 18
Third Time's The Charm! (Part Three)

Clemont sat alone at a table for two in Cafe Soleil, trying to stare somewhere, anywhere, but the clock on the wall opposite him. This would have been easier had there been more interesting things to look at, or conversations he could listen to, but luck was not on his side. He would have expected a well-known cafe such as this one to do excellent business on a Friday night, but the dining room was abnormally quiet, and it left him feeling exceptionally alone.

"Are you ready to order, sir?" This was the second time the overly-attentive waiter had visited him, offering him a refill on his glass of water and a sympathetic smile, and again Clemont could do no more than look up and shake his head at the question.

"Thank you, but I'll wait just a little while longer." He hadn't expected Ash to be on time, really, especially when he hadn't even been home when Clemont was preparing to leave - and he knew it wasn't because Ash had left for the cafe before him. One of the many things he was going to have to learn to be okay with if tonight went the way he was hoping was that Ash always running anywhere from five to thirty minutes late, if not longer. Though it was approaching the half hour mark, he was content to wait. He was sure there was a good reason for the delay, after all.

He had felt like he was on an emotional roller coaster all week leading up to his date. He would go from happy and excited one moment to worried and nervous the next, and every time he laid eyes on Ash he would debate whether to tell him how much he was looking forward to their date or not. But in the end he decided silence was the way to go. After all, if he kept babbling about it, he might end up scaring him off.

Despite that worry, as another fifteen minutes passed he was beginning to wonder if he should have at least said something, because he was not entirely sure Ash remembered. What if he had gotten caught up with his last client of the day, and lost track of time? What if he had gotten his days mixed up, and thought they were meeting up tomorrow? Or worse...what if he had simply decided not to come at all, even if he had remembered? He was just beginning to panic when the waiter came over for the third time.

"Forgive me for saying so sir, but you've been sitting here for the better part of an hour. Do you know if your expected party is on their way?"

He smiled wryly. At this rate, he would assume that Ash wasn't coming at all - though he glanced at the door, hoping that he would come bursting through it and apologize for being late, so they could get on with their evening. But no such thing happened, and he returned his gaze to the waiter. "I think it would be for the best if I went home. Can you please just bring me the check?" Cafe Soleil wasn't exactly hurting for tables right now, but they still would probably prefer to give his to a customer who would order more than water.

One more awkward exchange and sympathetic smile later, he had exited the building, his confidence and hope having faded with every tick of the second hand. Why had he thought tonight would be special? Why had he thought anything would ever change? He didn't even know what he would say when he arrived at Prism Tower. He could feel a gnawing sadness in his chest, one that he had not felt before, and he suddenly wished for something, anything, that would take away the pain.

Had he not been so absorbed in his sorrow, dragging his feet with every step as he kept his eyes firmly fixed on the ground, he might have noticed the absence of the talking and laughter that typically lined the streets of Lumiose City. People were huddled together in small groups, their whispers barely extending past their own ears. It could have been something to do with the flashing light show overhead, made all the more visible by Prism Tower not being lit, but Clemont was aware of neither of those. He saw only the cobblestones he stepped on, and heard only his own thoughts berating him for how hopeful he had allowed himself to become.

It was harder to stay so unaware once he reached the base of Prism Tower, mainly because the warm glow of the overhead lights that typically greeted him as he stepped into the lobby was gone. Frowning, he hit the button for the elevator, noticing that it also did not light up, and he jabbed at it a couple more times before taking a seat on a nearby bench. Maybe that was why Ash hadn't shown up - because the elevator was broken. But no, Ash would probably have just taken the stairs. Clemont, with his asthma and having left his inhaler at home, had no hope of climbing the sixty plus flights of stairs to get back there.

"Clemont!" he heard someone call, and he looked towards the door to see a figure running towards him. He blinked in surprise. It was Ash, and he came to a stop in front of him, leaning down and taking him by the shoulders. "Boy, did you miss an epic fight! Team Rocket was here, and..."

"What?" Clemont asked, jumping to his feet. "Team Rocket? Where?"

"It's okay, they're gone," Ash told him. "Bonnie saved us! It was pretty incredible, actually. You would have been so proud of her!"

"Ash. Stop. What happened?" The sick feeling he had been experiencing was traded for another altogether as he realized that Ash had been in danger, and he was not there to protect him.

"Uh, it's kind of a long story," he said, chuckling nervously. "Why don't you come outside with the rest of us? We can fill you in while we wait for the power to come back on."

"The rest of us?" Clemont asked, but before he could even process what Ash said he felt his hand grab onto his and, smiling at their proximity, let Ash pull him outside the building to see Bonnie, Todd, Serena, and someone else who seemed vaguely familiar. After a moment, he recognized him as Calem, one of his challengers from a few weeks ago.

"Clemont!" Bonnie squealed, coming forward to give him a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay! Team Rocket tried to take the gym from us, but I uncovered their plan, and then everyone else showed up, and we beat them!"

"So I hear," he said, smiling down at his sister and letting go of Ash so he could return her hug. "Why don't you tell me all about it?"

It did not really take that long for the group to tell Clemont what happened, from the way Team Rocket tried to lure Bonnie away from Prism Tower, to how Ash had nearly fallen to his death from the activation of the auto-ejection system after he caught them wreaking havoc in the gym, and how Serena and Calem had met up with him right before Bonnie and Todd showed up, all of them having saving Prism Tower before anything worse than a power outage happened.

"I tricked Team Rocket into thinking they had stolen machine parts from us!" Bonnie proclaimed loudly.

"I sent Clembot down to the mainframe to protect the...infrastructure," Ash said, just as excited over his participation as he was about remembering the terminology Clembot had shared with him.

"We set off the fireworks!" Serena and Calem said together, smiling shyly at each other.

"And I...was there," Todd said. Clemont shot him a look of sympathy, and it was met with a nod. With no Pokemon of his own, and not living in Prism Tower with the rest of them, Todd could not help out in the way the others could.

"But where were you, big brother?" Bonnie asked with an air of innocence he had difficulty believing, and he was stumbling around for an answer that did not make him seem like a loser when suddenly the lights came back on in Prism Tower. A cheer went up from the group, but rather than head back inside, they continued to stand and look at Clemont expectantly, waiting for his answer.

"I was...uh..." he fumbled, looking over at Ash with a hopeless expression on his face.

"Oh!" Ash said, snapping his fingers. "Right. We were supposed to meet up. Gee, I'm sorry about that, Clemont." He patted his shoulder in a friendly manner. "We can hang out another night, right?"

"...of course," Clemont managed to say after a short pause, fighting down the wave of emotion that rode through him. To him, this night had been a big deal. Seeing that it hadn't had the same impact on Ash was heartbreaking in a way he was unable to describe. He kept a false smile on his face until the attention had faded away from him, and then let it drop, gazing up at the sky.

He was not sure how much longer he stood there, listening to the scene unfold in front of him. He could hear Ash and Bonnie talking excitedly about tonight's events as Todd showed them pictures on his camera, and he could even catch small snippets of conversation as Serena and Calem talked quietly amongst themselves. Things could have been so different tonight. Even if Ash hadn't been able to make it to the cafe, if only he had found him here by himself, maybe the two of them could have been starting their relationship under the surprisingly romantic forced fireworks display atop the tower.

"Excuse me," he said, turning and walking into the building, getting on the now-working elevator up to their apartment before anyone even had time to acknowledge that he was leaving. He could not stay there any longer, pretending that everything was okay. Not when all his hopes and dreams seemed to be crashing around him.

He hadn't realized he was crying until the tears hit his hand, coming out in small, frequent drops. He removed his glasses, rubbing at his eyes to dry his tears. It had not taken him very long to come to terms with the full extent of his feelings. He had known instantly upon meeting Ash that he was someone special, and their time together had shown him that they were meant to be. But while their friendship seemed far deeper and much more meaningful than the average one, their relationship had never naturally escalated to being more. Their bond was not something that Ash seemed aware of - but Clemont, whose life was mainly occupied by whatever Ash was doing at the time, had noticed. And so while their friendship did not change, his feelings did. He found himself thinking of Ash constantly, keeping him forefront in his mind and heart as he doodled out schematics for new inventions. He loved him so much it hurt. But it had always been a pain he could tolerate; one he even came to like. But today, knowing he had lost what felt like his only opportunity to tell Ash, it was too much to handle.

It was unfortunate, really, that his mind-numbing traversal through the apartment brought him to the kitchen. While he enjoyed cooking, it was not a room he spent too much time in otherwise - sensitive electronics did not do well near stoves or sinks. There were other dangers in the kitchen too, not just in equipment but in ingredients, and he sighed as his eyes traveled over them. Everything was so disorganized. How could he have let this happen? There was a proper place for these ingredients; there was a proper place for his feelings. They shouldn't be spilling out into his life as frequently as they were, and the ingredients shouldn't just be laying all over the place.

He was not sure how long he had been cleaning the kitchen and organizing the pantry for, but he had just finished moving all the baking ingredients to a single basket and had begun gathering glass bottles to move them to the bottom shelf when one bottle in particular caught his eye.

He turned the bottle over and over in his hand, eyeing the liquid inside with some curiosity. It was a rosé wine, and whether it was the name or the unusual pinkish color that had driven him to pick it up in the first place, he was not sure. This wine, like all the others in his pantry, were used exclusively for cooking. Clemont was not, by nature, a drinker, though he had reached the legal age in Kalos over a year ago. Under normal circumstances, he would never have entertained the thought of using the wine for anything else. But these were not normal circumstances, and with a sigh, he set the bottle down on the counter.

Liquid courage, he had heard alcohol called on several occasions. People were under the impression that a single drink would make them brave. But after putting so much time and research into his own attempt at bravery, and being aware of the science behind alcohol consumption, he knew this was not true. His own limited experience told him that his lack of judgement would increase with every glass, and that a headache would be waiting for him in the morning should he try drinking. But somehow, tonight he did not think he would mind those side effects. He wasn't sure if it was truly possible to drink away the pain, but he was tempted to try.

Opening a nearby cabinet, he pulled out a small, rarely-used glass from the back of the shelf, wiping it gently with a dishrag as he set it upright in front of him. Though it had been slightly out of reach, it had at least been easy to find, unlike the corkscrew. He finally located it, tucked underneath a pile of papers and spare change in their junk drawer, and undid the seal on the bottle with shaking hands. So he was actually going to do this. He was certain he was going to hate himself for this - just not as much as he hated himself for ever thinking anything would change between him and Ash.

Cradling the now-open bottle against him, he looked from it to the glass, wondering just how much he should pour for himself. It shouldn't have been science, really. But to him, everything was science. So when he filled the glass right to the top, letting some of the drink spill out over the sides as he lifted it to his mouth, he told himself it was all in the name of research.

Though he took only the smallest of sips to start with, the wine burned his throat as it went down, making him choke as fresh tears welled in his eyes. The drink was not bitter, exactly, but it did not have the same sweetness it typically imparted to his dishes, and he had trouble believing people would actually down multiple glasses for fun. He took another gulp, wincing at the flavor.

He had only meant to drink a single glass. Just one, to see if it helped at all - and then he would put the bottle away and go up to his workshop, where he would not have to face Ash for the rest of the evening. But one glass turned into two when he had detected no change in his emotions, and two glasses became three when from somewhere in his clouded mind he remembered that he liked odd numbers better than even numbers. By the time he had finished, he could do no more than sit down on the kitchen floor and ponder his choices. Maybe he would just be sad forever. Maybe he would never be able to tell Ash how he felt about him. Maybe things were better that way.

It had not taken Ash long to notice that Clemont was no longer standing beside him, but he didn't find anything to be particularly unusual about that. After all, the power outage had technically interrupted him on his way home, and it only made sense that he would want to go inside. Still feeling the adrenaline from the evening's unexpected turn coursing through his body, he did not feel like going back in himself. Instead, he stood outside, enjoying the cold chill of the air against his skin and talking until the others also noticed his absence.

"Wasn't Clemont just standing there?" Serena asked, pointing to the space beside Ash.

"Oh, he went inside a bit ago," Ash told her, glancing back at the building. "Just after the power came back on, I think."

Bonnie's eyes widened, and she looked at Ash thoughtfully. Clemont hadn't said a single thing to her about tonight, but it was obvious that he thought he was going on a date with Ash - and it was just as obvious Ash had not considered it to be one. His disappearance was likely due to the depression Bonnie knew he harbored over what he was convinced were unrequited feelings, and she was sure he was throwing himself into an invention - or worse - to try and forget about everything. "You should go check on him," she said, gesturing towards the building.

"Why?" Ash looked somewhat bewildered. "He's okay, right? I mean, nothing bad happened to Prism Tower, and we're all fine..."

"Just go look for him," Bonnie hissed at him from between clenched teeth. She would go herself, but she was sure the only person Clemont would want to see was Ash. Maybe if he found him, alone, the night that he had been looking forward to could be saved. "And leave Pikachu with me," she added thoughtfully, holding out her arms for the Mouse Pokemon.

And so, confused, Ash had gone inside, sure that Clemont was just up in his workshop, or perhaps in their bedroom. When he failed to find him on the upper levels of their apartment, however, he went back downstairs to check the more common living areas.

It was easy to see how he had missed the kitchen at first. The lights were on, as they were in all the rooms since the power had come back on, and there was nothing that indicated someone had been there simply by looking through the doorway. But then he became aware of somewhat irregular breathing coming from further in the room, and he walked in to find Clemont.

He was asleep, he surmised, or at least he could not think of any other reason Clemont would be sitting on the floor, his head slumped forward even as he leaned back against their cabinets. "Clemont?" he whispered, looking down with concern.

Slowly Clemont stirred, looking up at Ash with an expression of such sorrow and confusion that it nearly made his heart stop. Something was definitely wrong - something that he had somehow missed in their previous exchange that evening. "Ash," he replied, his voice sounding dry and cracked. He blinked a few times, looking confused. "I'm afraid I've misplaced my glasses."

"You're wearing them," Ash told him, holding out his hand to help Clemont up. "Are you feeling okay?"

Clemont did not say anything, but took his hand, staring at it curiously before finally lurching to his feet, stumbling forward and nearly falling back over in the process. The reason for the blurred vision became apparent as soon as Ash got a good look at him - Clemont had obviously been crying, and even now there were tears still in his eyes.

"What happened?" he asked sharply.

Still, Clemont did not speak, though he did reach up and feel for his glasses, looking rather surprised as he discovered that they were, indeed, still on his face. "Remarkable," he said at last. "I didn't expect this side effect."

"What side effect?" Ash asked him, feeling more lost and confused than ever. "Clemont, are you...oh no," he whispered, spying the open bottle of alcohol and a glass still containing a small amount of liquid next to it. "Have you been drinking? How many of those have you had?" He had never seen Clemont drink before, and now didn't seem like a good night for him to start.

It took Clemont a moment to process the question, but once he did, his eyes grew wide, the action causing a few more teardrops to stream down his cheeks. "Apparently not enough," he murmured, and spun around and grabbed the counter with both hands, willing his stomach to not spiral out of control along with the rest of him. He was quickly gaining clarity into the situation he had gotten himself into. He had done this to forget about Ash, not to be found by him. "Please, Ash. Just...go."

"No." Ash reached out and touched his shoulder, undeterred by Clemont's unwillingness to speak with him or now to even look at him. "Clemont, I'm worried about you."

He laughed then, an almost broken sound, and shook his head. That seemed like such a rich comment coming from him. He had spent his entire night wondering where Ash was; worried about him and why he hadn't shown up. And now that he had found out Ash didn't even consider this night to be anything special, he said he was worried about him?

"Please tell me what's wrong," Ash begged him. "Is it the power outage? I already spoke with Clembot...you might need to close the Gym for a few days, but everything is repairable..."

"You think," Clemont replied, astounded. "That I'm upset...about the power outage?" His tone sounded dangerous, and Ash backed away in surprise. This was the most unstable behavior he had ever witnessed from Clemont, and he made a mental note to not let him near alcohol again anytime soon.

"Aren't you?" he asked, and Clemont laughed again. He turned around to face him, letting go of his grip on the counter as he did so, and Ash stepped closer so he would be ready to catch him if need be.

"Can't you just...leave me alone." He leaned to the side a bit, and though he was sure he would have caught himself, Ash was there already, his half-embrace making him want to cry. Why did being in his arms have to feel so right?

"You know I can't," Ash said, and he held onto Clemont gently, trying to catch his eye - a feat made difficult by how Clemont kept turning his head, trying not to look at him. "I'm not going to leave you alone in this condition."

"You're not even supposed to be here," Clemont complained, shaking his head.

Ash loosened his grip for a fraction of a second, not quite sure what Clemont meant by that. "I'm not going anywhere," he repeated stubbornly. "Now, please," he stressed, feeling sick with worry. "Tell me what's wrong."

"Fine," Clemont heard himself say after a moment, and he swallowed hard, still feeling the burn of the alcohol inside him as he did so. "It's...you said...you...you think we can just…'hang out another night,'" he explained, throwing Ash's words back at him. Hearing the words spoken made him start sobbing, and he frantically wiped at his eyes with his sleeve. "Tonight...it was supposed to be special," he said numbly. He did not know why he kept talking, even as the words were tumbling out of his mouth, but he could not seem to stop them from coming out. "I...this was my only chance to...to tell you…" He caught himself only just in time, falling silent. He didn't want Ash to find out this way.

"Tell me what?" Ash asked, his heart racing. He wrapped Clemont in a tight hug; the blond instinctively curling his head down and holding back just as tight. The cold metal frame of his glasses dug into his collarbone, but he could care less about the discomfort, stroking Clemont's hair gently as he cried into his shirt.

"I...I can't," Clemont said, his words coming out garbled.

"Yes, you can," Ash said in what he hoped was a soothing tone of voice. "Clemont, you know you can tell me anything."

"I can't stand the pain anymore," he sobbed. Why did he have to drink so much? Being intoxicated was making him say such stupid things. "Being...being your friend...it hurts too much…"

"You...you don't want to be my friend anymore?" Something seemed to break within him, and he felt tears spring up in his own eyes. His world was crumbling around him, and his arms slipped from around Clemont as he took a step backwards.

"No," Clemont said, wrapping his arms around himself and twisting uncomfortably from side to side. He didn't want to let the next words out, but he didn't have a choice. Would Ash even want to see him again, as a friend or otherwise, after he had seen how pathetic he really was? "I...I want...to be your boyfriend."

Every thought that had been racing through Ash's mind just stopped, and he stared at Clemont, his eyes growing wide and his jaw dropping. Everything suddenly made sense. Tonight was supposed to have been a date. Clemont had been going to tell him how he felt. And he...he had ruined it all, by not showing up, and then acting like it was no big deal. He cast his thoughts towards a hazy what if, what if he had been able to make it, and Clemont had confessed feelings for him then, the way he had obviously meant to. He could fix this somehow. He had to.

"You don't have to say anything," Clemont said, his voice shaking. "I know you don't feel that way." His eyes were closed and his head was angled towards the ground; his entire body tense as he waited for the sound of Ash's disgust to reach him or at the very least, footsteps as he walked away. But he heard nothing, and finally he lifted his head to see Ash staring at him, a very curious expression on his face.

"But Clemont..." he said, his voice filled with longing. "I do feel that that way. I have for a while now." And then he was in his arms again, his head tilted as he moved in slowly for a kiss. Time felt like it was standing still. He closed his eyes, feeling Clemont's breath mingle with his own, and let the smell of alcohol wash over him. For a moment he stood there, reveling in the feeling of being this close to him, and then, with a pained sigh, he pulled back.

He had wanted this so badly, for so long now. But not like this. Not when Clemont was so far gone in drink that he might not even remember this in the morning. It would have been so easy to kiss him; to work his hands underneath the fabric of his clothing; to lose himself in the bliss of being with the person he loved - and that was exactly why he couldn't do it.

"What's wrong...?" Clemont asked, his hands holding and tugging at him in ways that made his knees feel weak. "Is...is it me?" He dipped his head down to rest on Ash's shoulder, and he shuddered in pleasure as Clemont's lips grazed against his neck with every word. "I thought you said you felt this way too."

Stay strong, Ash told himself. Focus. He needs help more than you need...this. "You're perfect," he replied, licking his lips. The sight of Clemont before him, wanting his touch; his love, was so tempting. He turned his head away, not wanting to see the disappointment in his eyes. "But we can't do this. Not tonight. Come on. Let's get you to bed."

Clemont woke up the following morning, his head feeling rather like a cotton ball. He groaned as the sharp pain of a headache hit him. What had happened last night? He remembered waiting in the cafe...walking home...drinking wine. He shuddered. So this was what a hangover felt like.

He sat up, or tried to at least. His stomach lurched in response to the sudden movement, threatening to spill its contents over himself and his bed, but he held himself together, taking a deep breath.

"Chespin, ches ches!" He looked down in surprise at the Spiny Nut Pokemon, who seemed delighted that his trainer had finally woken up. "Pin?" he inquired, trying and failing to climb onto the bed.

"I'll be okay, Chespin." With a smile, he scooped up his Pokemon partner and placed him on the bed. While his stomach seemed more at ease, his head still felt heavy with pain, and even Chespin's quiet voice was grating on his ears. "I'm sorry to have worried you."

"You had all of us worried." Clemont covered his ears at the unexpected voice, which was much louder than Chespin's. He looked over at the door to see Ash leaning against the frame, Pikachu sitting on his shoulder. Both of them wore concerned expressions as they looked at him. "I hope you don't mind I let Chespin out. Well - actually he let himself out. I just didn't make him go back in his Pokeball."

Clemont nodded at him numbly, embarrassed to be caught in such a situation. He blinked, trying to sort through his memories of last night. He somehow seemed to remember Ash finding him in the kitchen, and was sure they had talked about something, but he couldn't for the life of him remember what.

"Drink that," Ash said, pointing at a glass on his nightstand that was filled with a thick purple liquid. "It will make you feel better."

He picked up the strange concoction, sniffing at it suspiciously. It smelled sweet and fresh, like it had been made with items one could only find growing in the forest.

"It's made from Pecha and Oran berries," Ash supplied helpfully. "The lady at the market told me it's the best cure for hangovers. Go on, give it a try!" Clemont suppressed a groan as he raised the glass to his mouth. So Ash knew that he had been drinking. And he had shared the information at the local farmer's market, that came into the city once a week to sell fresh produce. This day just kept getting better and better.

"Well?" Ash asked, watching the purple mixture disappear from its container. "How do you feel?"

"It's really too early to tell," Clemont said with a smile and a laugh. In truth, the berries had started working from the moment they touched his tongue, filling him with warmth and renewed strength. He fell silent, watching as Ash walked over and sat down on his bed, his heart nearly stopping as he reached out and took his hand.

"You seem better," he commented. "I've...never seen you drink before," he said carefully. He wasn't sure if he remembered what happened or not. He had to know if that was really how Clemont felt, or if he was repeating nothing more than a drunken desire. But right now, while he was in bed and still recovering, was not the proper time to ask.

"Last night was...a kind of strange night," Clemont muttered, looking down at the bed and blushing. "I really appreciate you taking care of me...but I just...need to be alone right now." His emotions felt as if they were going haywire. He knew that Ash had gone out of his way to make sure he would be okay when he woke up this morning, and likely was the person that helped him to bed in the first place...but it was also because of him that he was in this situation to begin with. "Can we talk later?"

"Of course," Ash said, giving him a quick kiss on the forehead before standing up, much to Clemont's surprise. "We can talk anytime you're ready."

As it happened, later turned out to be that afternoon, when Ash found Clemont sitting on the couch, wrapped in a blanket and sipping at a mug of hot chocolate. For once, he was not working on an invention, or doing research, or really doing anything. He looked rather melancholy, and without even stopping to think if Clemont would want him intruding on this moment, he sat down next to him.

"Feeling better?" he asked, twisting to the side and leaning against the back of the couch.

"Not really." He had been doing a lot of thinking since he woke up. The events of last night had been a sort of wake up call to him. For him to experience such strong emotions; such disappointment and resentment; it was not something he wanted to go through again. Those emotions were not ones that he wanted to define him, and he did not like that he had let them influence him so heavily last night.

"Do you need me to get you anything?" Ash asked, suddenly sitting up attentively. "If the berries didn't work, maybe I can find you some pain medication..."

Clemont held up his hand to silence him. "That won't be necessary," he said with a sad smile. "I meant more emotionally."

"Oh." He fell back against the couch once more, feeling only slightly relieved. "Do you want to talk about it?" he offered, hoping he would say yes.

"I'm not quite sure," he replied honestly. "I guess it depends. Did I...say anything to you? Or do anything?" He had started to remember bits and pieces, most of which involved holding Ash tightly and crying in front of him, which made him very nervous about the rest of the night's events.

Ash nodded, casting his eyes down. So he did not remember what had transpired between them; the confession of their feelings and their almost-kiss. "Yeah," he said softly.

Clemont felt as if he couldn't breathe; shame weighing heavily on him as he wondered what he possibly could have done that made Ash look so sad. "I'm s-so sorry," he said at last. "I...I'm sure I didn't mean it, whatever it was."

Ash stared up at him again, taking a deep breath and leaning in close. "I hope you meant it," he said softly, looking into Clemont's eyes. "And I hope you're not sorry." He would have said more, except that Clemont had clearly meant to reveal his feelings in a more romantic setting, and the more he thought about it and the implications of their would-be date last night, the more he realized he would need to recreate the evening if he wanted to do the same.

"You...hope I meant it?" Clemont questioned, his face now very red. "What did I..."

"We can talk about that later," Ash said, cutting him off by holding his finger up to his lips, loving the cross-eyed stare Clemont gave him as he tried to look down at his hand. "Clemont, I know why you were so upset. It's all my fault. I missed our date last night."

"And saved Prism Tower and the Lumiose Gym in the process," Clemont pointed out once Ash had removed his hand, ignoring the way his heart had skipped a beat at the word date. "I could never be upset with you for that. In fact I'm more grateful than I even know how to express."

"Still." He reached into his pocket, his hand closing around two slightly creased pieces of thick cardstock. "Please say you'll give me another chance. Please say you'll give us another chance." He pulled out the tickets from his pocket and handed them to Clemont, who looked down at them wordlessly. "I was sort of volunteered for this," he said with a slight chuckle. "Dancing isn't really my thing. But...I would really like it if you came with me."

"As...your friend?" Clemont clarified, looking confused. He could not believe anything that was happening was real; and was tempted to pinch himself and make sure that he had not, in fact, fallen asleep on the couch. He had been so sure, for so long, that Ash could never see him as anything more - but this was the second time this week that he had begun to have doubts about that assumption.

Ash smiled, and plucked a single ticket from his hand, leaning in close as he did so. "As my date," he whispered. "It's actually tonight," he said in a more normal tone of voice, straightening up. "Sorry for the short notice. Just let me know in a couple hours if you want to go or not, alright?" And with that, he got up and walked away, leaving Clemont staring in shock at his retreating figure.

He was not quite sure what he had expected when he and Ash arrived at the Battle Chateau together later that evening, but this was not the picture he had in his head when he agreed to this. The last party-esque event they had attended together was aimed more at girls who were looking to earn Princess Keys, while this one was focused more heavily on trainers. While he saw a few familiar faces, most of the people surrounding him were strangers, and he retreated to a corner of the room to watch friendly rivalries and slightly more-than-friendly dances while Ash went to speak with the hosts of the party.

"Are you doing okay, Clemont?" The question came from Serena, who had come over to speak with him while Calem was hitting up other trainers for advice on the Gym Leaders he had yet to face.

"Of course," he said, though he was honestly feeling a little lonely.

"So...Ash invited you." Her voice held only a hint of regret, and though he shot her a worried look, she smiled gently at him and her expression held no malice. "I think things worked out for the best," she confessed, settling against the wall beside him. "I'm really happy with Calem. And besides - I'm only just starting my journey. Ash has already gone through his. It never would have worked between us, being at different points in our lives. Besides," she said with a grin. "Anyone can see how much he cares about you."

Clemont blushed, and looked at the ground. "I hope you're right. I'm...I'm going to try and tell him tonight," he said firmly, his determination shining through.

If Serena was surprised Clemont had not confessed his feelings yet, she said nothing, and instead gave him a quick thumbs up as Calem motioned at her from across the room. "Good luck," she said, and then tilted her head towards the side. "He's headed your way now, and ooh, is that one of the hosts with him? I guess I'll leave you to it!" With a wink, she had disappeared into the crowd, leaving Clemont to quickly adjust his clothing so he looked his best for Ash.

"...tell me you know of someone," the girl beside him was saying as they approached Clemont. "I don't just want to release her, but..."

"You're doing the right thing," Ash replied. "I think she needs a trainer who isn't so determined to battle. Someone who can be more of a true partner for her. Clemont!" he exclaimed, as if he had only just spotted him. "Do you know of anyone who might be looking for a new Pokemon partner?"

"Is this the Clemont?" The girl cut him off before he even had a chance to respond, and eyed him in a way that made him feel rather uncomfortable, but all the same he bowed gracefully, remembering that Serena had said she was one of the hosts.

"How do you do," he asked politely as he shook her hand.

She did not answer, but looked at him thoughtfully, turning to face Ash. "Interesting choice," she said, her expression deceptively bland. He gave her a sour look, and then remembering his manners, begin introductions.

"Clemont, I would like you to meet Sable. Her parents are the hosts of this dance. And Sable, this is Clemont. He..."

"...invented that flying machine," she finished for him. "I remember."

"Oh!" Clemont exclaimed, the name finally helping with the connection. "Of course, Sable! Ash has mentioned you before. It's wonderful to finally meet you."

"Likewise," she replied, already sounding bored. "Tell me, are you enjoying the dance?"

"Uh…" he said rather lamely, fumbling for an answer. Enjoy was not the word he would have used.

"Good!" she said, surprising him. "Maybe if it's unpopular enough, my parents will stop hosting these stupid things."

Clemont did not know how to respond to such an honest statement, and he glanced around the room uncomfortably until Ash snapped his fingers, looking like he had just come up with the world's greatest idea. "I know! Clemont, how about you and Sable dance together? It can't be any fun for you just standing around."

"You want me to dance with...with her?" Clemont stuttered, his eyes growing wide as he took a better look at Sable. She looked very impressive in her party dress, as beautiful and regal as one might expect from the daughter of two of the most prestigious Pokemon Trainers and business owners in Kalos.

She tossed her hair over her shoulder, glaring at him with a more hateful expression than he would have thought possible. "Excuse me?" she demanded angrily, putting her hands on her hips and leaning towards him.

"N-n-no, I didn't mean that in a bad way!" Clemont waved his hands in front of his face as he turned bright red, trying to explain his reaction. "I just...I...you..." he sighed, realizing he was digging himself into a deeper hole.

"I see." She stood upright once more, crossing her arms. As a Gym Leader, dressed in his own finery, Clemont was every inch her equal, even if he couldn't see it. Taking a deep breath, she gripped his arm firmly, steering him towards the dance floor.

They danced in silence for a minute, listening to the melody floating through the dance floor. They were both moderately talented dancers, and they moved smoothly together, even though Clemont's hands were shaking and Sable held herself farther away from him than one typically would.

"Just relax," Sable hissed at him, and embarrassed, he began stuttering out an apology only to have her cut him off again. "When this song is over, why don't you just ask him?"

"A-ask who...what?" Clemont did not know quite what to make of this no-nonsense trainer, whom he knew had given Ash a fair bit of trouble in their lessons.

"Ask Ash to dance," she said slowly, in disbelief she needed to explain that to him. "He invited you here, didn't he? You should at least get one dance out of it."

"H-he doesn't dance," he mumbled, though he wished that he did. He would have loved an excuse to be so close to him.

"He told me the same thing." Sable sounded annoyed, and scoffed. "Ask him anyway. If he's really that terrible, at least it will give me something to laugh at besides these gaudy decorations. And remember - I'll be watching."

Overall, he found Sable to be a rather intimidating individual, and the challenging look she gave him when they parted ways shook him slightly. So it was with some trepidation that he approached Ash again, glancing around and trying to see if Sable truly was keeping an eye on them.

"Ah, I see you enjoyed your dance," Ash told him, laughing at the expression on Clemont's face. "Looks like my work here is done, then!"

"Not so fast," Clemont said, gathering up courage for what he was about to do. "Since you saw it fit to pick a dance partner for me, it's only fair that I pick one for you."

Ash burst out laughing, covering the fit of worry he felt. There was only one person he would have even considered gracing with his painful attempt at dancing, and they were standing in front of him, about to tell him to dance with someone else. "No girl here will want to dance with me, trust me." He gave an experimental side-step, almost immediately knocking into a table. "See?"

Clemont wrung his hands together, staring down at the floor. "I...I didn't say you had to dance with a girl," he said softly. At the silence, he glanced up to see Ash's reaction, and was met with a somewhat blank stare. "I, uh..."

He had forgotten just how oblivious Ash could be. He looked at him, his expression almost pleading, hoping that something would click in his head, saving Clemont from having to ask him directly. But luck was not on his side, and after a moment, he mumbled. "I meant...I want to dance with you."

"Oh!" Ash chuckled, not phased in the slightest. "Are you sure? There are much more efficient ways for me to injure you if that's what you're after."

"I'm sure," Clemont said resolutely. "Let's do this."

Training with him was much nicer than dancing with him, Clemont had to admit. On the battlefield, he moved as if by magic, every action made with purpose and the absolute knowledge that everything would work out. Dancing didn't seem to come quite as naturally to him - he hesitated at every step, moving in the wrong direction and out of time with the music. Still, this seemed to be somewhat of an improvement over the last time he had seen him dance.

"You're a good dancer," Ash told him honestly, more surprised than he should have been. Every time he almost fell, Clemont's hand reached out to catch him, guiding him back in the right direction. And he never complained when Ash stepped on his foot - which he knew he had done more than once.

"Thank you," Clemont told him. "My mom taught me." He gave Ash a sad smile, and pulled him in a bit closer to avoid moving into another dancing couple. "She always told me dancing was easy, as long as you have the right partner."

"I think she was right," Ash said, bravely reaching out to place a hand on Clemont's cheek. "This is the easiest dancing has ever been for me."

"Do...do you really mean that?" Clemont asked in surprise, stopping in surprise as he gazed up at Ash. His heart skipped a beat at Ash's expression, a look of admiration mixed with a touch of curiosity. It was a look he had never seen before, and without thinking about it he angled his face closer to Ash's in response.

"Yes," Ash murmured, the proximity to Clemont and the soft music in the background slowly making him lose grip on his self-control. "Everything is easier...everything is better...when I'm with you." Slowly, carefully, he leaned forward and touched his lips to Clemont's.

Neither realized that they had stopped moving; though the music seemed almost to pause for them as the fanfares in their minds overwhelmed them. They wanted nothing more than to feel their lips pressed together in that gentle kiss forever, and so when Ash finally pulled away, trembling, he whispered: "Is there someplace we could go to be alone?"

Clemont nodded somewhat numbly, not even sure he could believe what had just happened; and then he slid his hand from Ash's shoulder to his wrist and muttered "Follow me," as he guided him past small crowds and dancing couples.

It did not take long to locate the small balcony he had noticed on their first trip to the Battle Chateau, and once there he walked to the edge, leaning against the rail that protected them from a fall to the ground below. There was a slight breeze in the air, and the moonlight bathed the battleground beneath them with a pale glow that gave the night a calming feeling.

They said nothing for the longest time, simply standing there and listening to the melodies of Kricketunes float through the air and mix with the distant sound of music from the dance they had left behind. It was finally Clemont who broke their shared silence, asking a question he was almost too afraid to hear the answer to. "Is...is this real?"

There was no answer for a moment, and Clemont held his breath as he waited, until he felt Ash reach over and hold his hand. "Do you want it to be?" he asked, and Clemont turned around, stunned. He did not know how to respond; after all, hadn't he asked first? "Here's the thing," Ash continued, sounding nervous. "Something sort of...happened, last night. Or could have, I mean. You...told me you wanted us to be a couple. But I've been wondering since then if you really meant it, or..."

"I...I said that?" Clemont asked, in shock. Though he was still feeling a high from his and Ash's first kiss, he could not help the momentary pang of sadness that hit him as he wished he remembered their earlier conversation.

"Yes," Ash told him, and then he took him by the chin, drawing their faces level with each other. "Clemont...is that true?"

Clemont blushed then; a rosy tinge appearing on his cheeks as he contemplated his answer. He had meant it with every fiber of his being, and though his breath was now coming out in short, shaky bursts, he knew that there would be no repercussions if he said how he felt; for if Ash didn't feel the same, he would not be gazing at him as he was now.

"It's the truest feeling I've ever experienced," Clemont said at last, his voice trembling. "You're so...amazing. So perfect. I just...want to be with you. I really, really, like you, Ash. Will you...will you be my boyfriend?"

"I thought you'd never ask," Ash replied, and with that, he pulled Clemont in close for another kiss, hoping he would never have to break apart from him again.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

This is honestly the longest chapter I've ever written, for anything, and it's really hard to express just how proud I am that I was able to get it out! I was working on this one basically right up until I posted it, making minor tweaks here and there, and it makes me so glad I decided not to just release all three chapters on the same day because this one just wouldn't have been ready any earlier. Unlike other stories along these lines, I don't plan to end it as soon as the main couple gets together (obviously). So there will be several more chapters at least for you to watch the progression of their relationship!

At this time, I should mention that I'm officially on semi-hiatus. I don't even know where to begin with my schedule. August was unexpected family and friend visits, health issues, and a very important interview. September / October is devoted to 9 family birthdays and Halloween. Somewhere in there, I need to squeeze in wedding planning. I also do freelancing in addition to full-time work, which I've been putting in an extra 20 hours+ per week for lately. Thank you all for understanding!~ :)

Stay tuned for Chapter 19, and thank you for reading / following / favoriting / reviewing!