AUTHOR'S NOTE

This one has me a bit nervous to post. I did mention we would be having some challenges ahead, and here they are. I'm not sure I've done a great job expressing what I'm trying to, so...keep me honest. If I've made an insulting depiction here, please know it wasn't intentional, and please call me out on it. I might not always know how to go back and fix things, but it does make me more aware moving forward.

CHAPTER 21
Wake Up Call!

Ash was more troubled than he cared to admit by what Clemont had told him. I don't want to just be an experiment for you. He loved Clemont, but in a way their relationship could be seen as an experiment for him, and he could not escape that uncomfortable truth. He had spent enough time reading science fiction that he knew anything done for the first time was an experiment in and of itself, and this was his first relationship.

Then there was the fact of Clemont's open confession about being gay. Ash was not quite as sure of his feelings in that department. He certainly liked Clemont, but had never been attracted to other men before. But then, he was not overly attracted to women, either. He was drawn to Clemont because of how kind he was to everyone and how hard he worked on his inventions to make the world a better place. He also liked how Clemont had always gone out of his way to make him feel special, and to support him in all his endeavors. But he had not become attracted to him in a romantic sense until he stopped and gave that notion the consideration it deserved. He still stood by his decision to not label himself, but if he were to find a fitting one due to this relationship, then this too ran the risk of making Clemont an experiment.

Though it made him worry, he did not really think it was the fact that more traditional labels of gay or bi didn't fit him, or that this was his first relationship, that caused Clemont such anxiety. Rather, asking to keep their relationship a secret was more likely to blame. It was something Clemont had not wanted to do in the first place, though he saw the logic of it as a temporary measure. Ash was not sure at which point temporary had turned into permanent, but keeping that secret seemed to just become a part of their lives, and at this point it was doing more harm than good.

Ash knew Clemont would be pleased if he told him he had changed his mind. After all, he was not upset when Ash had confessed to him Todd had found out accidentally, and he seemed less stressed now that Bonnie was in on the secret as well. She had surprisingly kept quiet so far, agreeing that they should tell people themselves, but just like her careful manipulation of Clemont when she was waiting for him to come out to Ash on his own, they both knew there was a clock ticking down somewhere to when she would no longer be able to contain herself.

As much as Ash wanted to beat Bonnie's countdown timer; more than anything, he wanted to show Clemont that he most certainly did not consider him to be an experiment. Telling him he loved him just wasn't sufficient enough - actions, after all, spoke louder than words. The best action he could take, he decided, would be to share their love with the world. But there were complications with that. He could not in good conscience tell Meyer about them; that was something Clemont should do himself. And he certainly couldn't announce it to anyone they knew in Kalos, or to the general public. Those were decisions they would need to make together. But he could take the first step. Surely, if he were to tell someone about them, it would show Clemont how serious he was about him. Unfortunately, there was only a select group of people that he could tell independently about his boyfriend, and coming to a split-second decision, he picked up the phone to dial one of them right away.

"Hi, Mom," he said, as his mother's face popped up on the screen. Today was a day he was very grateful for their difference in time - while most sane Kalosians were laying in bed, his early riser of a mother was up at the crack of dawn in Kanto, which fit quite well with his irregular sleep schedule.

"Ash!" she said, surprised but pleased, smiling into the camera. "I wasn't expecting you for another day. How are you? And Pikachu?"

"We're both fine, Mom." Hearing his name, Pikachu bounded onto his shoulder, greeting Delia in his own way. "I just called because I have some great news!" While some people might dance around the subject when choosing to tell their parents about their partners, he liked plunging into everything head-on, and this was no exception.

"You're coming to see me again?" she guessed with just a hint of a smile. She knew this could not be the reason for his phone call - flights were expensive, and as far as visits to other regions went, they really had seen each other quite recently.

"Uh..." The question caught him a bit off-guard, and he wondered for a moment if this was news better told in person. But considering the distance between them, it was really not possible should he want to tell her anytime soon, so he shook off the worry. "Nope! Better." He realized a moment too late that his mother would likely not consider this to be better news than him visiting, but it was too late to take the words back.

"Just tell me, Ash," she said, knowing that when Ash got excited he often missed the point completely in trying to relay things to her. "I can't wait to hear!"

"Clemont and I are dating!" he declared proudly into the phone. There was no point in trying to hide it wrapped in some other news or dancing around the subject. When he told Clemont about this phone call, he wanted to honestly be able to say he came right out and told his mom, with no fear of judgement.

His mother, though, did not quite seem like she was ready for such an announcement. "Dating?" she echoed, sounding confused. "Like Clemont is your...your..."

"Boyfriend!" Ash supplied, since she seemed to be having trouble with the word. "Well? Isn't it great news?"

"Uh," his mom replied, seemingly at a loss for words, and Ash frowned.

"Don't you think it's good news?" he asked, not expecting this less-than-pleased reaction. His mom was always so sweet, with enough room in her home and heart for anyone he had ever mentioned to her before. And it was not like she did not get along with Clemont - though they had never met in person, they had interacted over the phone several times, and she had always seemed to approve of him as a friend.

"I suppose," she said unconvincingly. "Just...aren't you a little young for a...a..."

"Boyfriend," Ash supplied yet again, though with less excitement this time. "And I'm 19, Mom. The same age you were when you had me."

The pushback from her son seemed to surprise her even more than his news, and Delia pulled on a strict parental face that Ash had only seen her use with him a handful of times. "Young man," she said, her voice quavering slightly. "If I say you're too young, then you're too young! What would your father think about this?"

"My father?" Ash asked, making a face. He could count the number of times in his life he had thought about the man who walked out on them on one hand, and none of them were favorable. "Why would I care what that man thinks?"

"Ash Ketchum," she scolded him, and he leaned back in shock. "Your father loves you very much! But I don't think he would much like the idea of you giving up on your dream for some...some..."

"Some guy?" Ash was starting to get angry now, an emotion he had not experienced much with his mother. "Clemont isn't just some guy, Mom. I love him." His mother gasped, which he ignored. "Why can't you just be happy for me?"

"Oh, sweetie," Delia said, wiping away a tear. "I am, just..." She could not bring herself to say she did not want her son to make the same mistakes she had in her life, settling down with someone and ending up with obligations that changed the course of her life. But the damage had already been done. Ash was seeing his mother through new eyes, and for once, he did not like what he saw.

"Goodbye, Mom." He hung up the phone, lifting Pikachu down from his shoulder and burying his face in his smooth fur to hide his own tears. "Maybe I was right the first time, buddy," he said as Pikachu awkwardly tried to pat Ash on the head. "Maybe this should have stayed a secret."

Clemont shuffled along South Boulevard, rehearsing his speech in his mind as he slowly made his way towards his childhood home. The thrill he had felt when Ash told him he was ready for their relationship to become public knowledge had been quickly replaced with fear when he found out how disastrous the conversation between Ash and Delia had gone. If Ash's mother, who he always thought would be open and accepting, could be so disapproving, then what would his own father think?

Still, it was a hurdle he would have to get over before anyone else found out, and so he had called his dad earlier that same day and asked if he had a few minutes to discuss something important, in person. Always willing to spend time with his son, Meyer had eagerly said yes, and he was on his way there, hoping he would not face the same estrangement that Ash was.

"What, no Bonnie today?" Meyer asked when he answered the door, reaching out to ruffle his son's hair the same way he had when he was twelve.

"No sir," Clemont said, somewhat nervously. "Just me." If Meyer was surprised by Clemont's unusually short answer or tense demeanor, he did not address it, and simply gestured towards the kitchen table, which had served as the setting for other important conversations in the past, like when Clemont had decided to go to school, or when he told his father he was moving into Prism Tower.

Clemont sat across from his father at the overly-crowded kitchen table, pushing aside a box full of gears and screws to have a clear view of him. This was one of the reasons Clemont had finally left home; his father never had the same drive to clean and organize the way he did. The way his mother had. The house had fallen into a state of disrepair over the years, Meyer's projects laying around haphazardly to form a carefully laid walking path throughout the house. While he normally would have offered to help his father clear out some of the more obvious junk, today he had other things on his mind, and hardly even noticed when his dad leaned across the table, giving him a wide smile.

"You said you wanted to talk to me," Meyer reminded him. "Must be about something important, huh?"

"Pretty important, yeah," Clemont mumbled, looking down at the table. Ash had offered to come with him, so he did not have to face the situation alone, but he decided it was something he needed to do by himself. It was a truth he should have told him years ago, but never had the courage to do.

"You know you can tell me anything," he said with a grin, and Clemont fought down a wave of anxiety. For better or for worse, he was about to find out if that was true.

'Dad," he said quietly, still not daring to look up. "I wanted to let you know, I..." This didn't feel right at all. He knew he would be inundated with questions the moment the words left his mouth, and so to buy himself some time, he decided to go a slightly different route. "I've met someone...really special to me. I-I mean, I met them a while ago, and they've b-been special to me for a bit, but I've only recently become special to them." He forgot about his tendency to simultaneously stutter and ramble when he got nervous, a fairly embarrassing combination. Drawing back a little bit, he chanced a glance up at his dad to see his reaction, and found Meyer positively beaming at him.

"Good for you, Clemont!" he roared in pride, bursting with delight. "I always knew you could find yourself a girlfriend!" Clemont's heart sank, though truthfully he hadn't expected anything different. "I bet it's that pretty Serena girl, she's -"

"No." It took all of Clemont's strength to correct him, especially when he knew how much was at stake. For all he knew, this could be the last time he saw his dad proud of him. "It isn't Serena, Dad. It...it isn't a girl at all." He swallowed hard, finally looking up properly at him, but his expression was unreadable. "Dad, I...I probably should have told you this a long t-time ago, but...I'm gay."

His words were met with silence and the slight twitch of a frown on his father's face, and he closed his eyes as the familiar sting of pain ran through him. His father's approval had always meant more to him than he cared to admit, and to think he would not have it anymore was heartbreaking. Taking a deep breath, he slowly got up from the table, keeping his eyes downcast. It was best to leave now, he decided. Better to do it on his own terms than be thrown out of his childhood home. But as he walked towards the door, he bumped into something, and looked up to find it was Meyer.

"Son," he said, and his voice was very solemn. This was it. He was not going to let him leave without telling him exactly what he thought about him. Clemont clenched his hands into fists, but then noticed the smile slowly stretching out across Meyer's face, and loosened his grip slightly. "I'm so proud of you!" He dove forward, catching Clemont in a hug, and he felt tears come to his eyes as he wrapped his arms around him. "Tell me everything, and I mean everything! Who is this mystery boy? Is he treating you right? Are you treating him right?"

"Dad, slow down!" Clemont said, laughing slightly. He was completely overjoyed by this surprising reaction, and for the first time he could remember, he felt his anxiety fully melt away. "It's Ash. We've been together for around a month now."

"Ash?" Meyer whistled in surprise. "The same Ash I know?"

"Yes," Clemont said, grinning. "I hope you still like him now." His father had always been fond of Ash, and with Ash's own father out of the picture he knew he looked up to Meyer as well.

Meyer stroked his beard thoughtfully, in mock consideration. "Hmm...as long as he makes you happy, then yes," he said with a wink, and Clemont smiled. Everything was going to be okay.

Clemont could not wait for Ash to return home that night. For the first time in his life, he was not hiding who he was, and he wanted to take advantage of that feeling before the stress of everyday life hit him once more and rendered him nearly as much a tense and anxious individual as he had been before. That was not to say he was not nervous about what he was going to do - thoughts and worries of Ash pushing him away in disgust still ran rampant in his mind - but he was just as equally excited.

It was more hours than Clemont had expected before Ash walked into their bedroom, immediately leaning against the wall and groaning. "I'm so tired," he complained, closing his eyes for a moment. "Trainers' aims get worse every day." He was used to being an unintended punching bag for his clients from time to time, but having three new trainers in a row was rough even for him.

It figured that a day Clemont had spent working up his courage would be the one day Ash might not be interested in anything more than going to bed. His timelines were always so different than those of the people around him, and he wondered if it had anything to do with his night owl tendencies and ability to lose himself in his inventions, hours passing by like minutes.

Still, he was not above tempting Ash, not when Ash had made a point of reminding him every day just how into him he was. Besides, he was sure any sore muscles might appreciate attention, as long as Ash hadn't sustained any bruises or injuries. "Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked, coming to stand next to him and rubbing his shoulder.

"You're doing it," Ash told him, leaning back into Clemont, and within moments he had turned around, wrapping his arms around Clemont and pulling him in for a kiss. "Your hands are amazing," he murmured.

"If you think this is good, wait until you see what else they can do," Clemont said, brushing his hands down Ash's chest suggestively. He hoped the words sounded significantly less stupid to Ash than they did to him, though right now he was unsure, since Ash had blinked in surprise and leaned back slightly.

"Are you...?" he asked uncertainly, not daring to believe his luck. For the most part, he was the one making the first moves in the relationship, and while Clemont had become a more willing participant lately he had yet to initiate anything on his own.

"Is that what you want?" It was difficult to gauge what his reaction would be when he was not entirely sure what Ash found attractive in him in the first place.

"As long as it's what you..." he trailed off as he noticed the slight changes to the room. He had become so used to half the room being a pile of spare parts and half-completed inventions that he barely even looked in that direction anymore, but now the floor was clean, leaving him plenty of space to walk around in should he want to. "Wow, Clemont," Ash said in wonder. "It looks great!"

"I just wanted to tidy up a bit," Clemont said, feeling a little embarrassed. "A clean room makes for a sound mind."

It was a statement that normally would have made Ash laugh, but he did not want to make Clemont feel any more self-conscious than he probably already was, and so settled for smiling at him. "It's perfect," he said, and he gazed at him, loving the way his lips were twitching into a matching smile. "You're perfect."

Their kisses started off slow and gentle, Ash holding Clemont loosely around the waist even as Clemont wound his fingers through his hair, making soft murmuring noises of approval at the way Ash traced patterns on his lower back. They were not sure which one of them first began moving towards Ash's bed, which was the closest one to them, but they fell onto it with a soft thump and adjusted themselves until they were laying side by side, staring at each other tenderly.

"I love you," Clemont whispered to him, wrapping him in a tight hug. Ash was all he had ever dreamed of, and he could hardly believe he was with him now. He ran his hands over him just as much to assure himself that Ash was really there, that this moment between them was real, as he did to explore his body.

"I love you too," Ash told him, and then one hand was behind his neck and the other on his chest, and they were kissing again with such passion that Clemont felt almost dizzy. Ash lifted his shirt up slightly and he could feel his skin tingling wherever he touched, and he reached for somewhere, anywhere, that he thought might make Ash feel the same way.

Clemont was not sure whether Ash had first felt the chain around his neck or simply discovered the touch of cold metal when he slipped his hand under Clemont's shirt, but within moments he was pulling out the necklace containing the small silver key that belonged to his secret desk drawer. "I didn't know you had this! What is it for?"

Perhaps if Clemont had been thinking clearly, he would have removed the chain and put it someplace safe, but up until right now the safest and most secure place for it had been around his neck. "It's...um...well..." He could feel himself blushing furiously, wondering if maybe it was just time to tell Ash about his collection. "It's the key to my heart."

"To your heart?" Ash asked, and he looked rather stricken. "Clemont, if you're about to tell me you're some sort of human-cyborg hybrid..."

"No!" Clemont exclaimed, looking equally as horror-struck at Ash's assumption. "It's not a literal key to my heart...just...it's...I-I guess I'll just show you," he said timidly.

He felt like a spotlight was on him as he walked over to his desk, and Ash trailed behind him curiously, hovering behind him as he bent over and unlocked the middle drawer on the left, yanking it open. "This is...it's..." He could not finish the sentence, feeling overcome with shame about his somewhat stalkerish habits where his boyfriend was concerned, but Ash was already reaching into the drawer.

"Pictures of me?" he asked curiously, peering at them in the dim light. "You kept these?"

"Yes," Clemont said, hanging his head.

"Why?" Ash asked, looking utterly perplexed.

"B-because you're...really hot," Clemont mumbled, his face absolutely burning now. "I...I look at them when you're not around."

"Oh." He blinked in surprise. He could tell that Clemont was nervous about him looking in the drawer, but he found the whole ordeal oddly flattering, and immediately found himself curious about everything else that was in there. Aside from the pictures, there seemed to be a small wooden box that he figured he would ask about later, and a few crumpled pieces of paper. Amid the crumpled notes, he found one that appeared to have simply been folded into a very tiny square, and pulled it out.

"That...um...it's for you," Clemont said, gesturing at the small piece of paper in his hand. It didn't matter if Ash read it now - it was certainly no more embarrassing than anything he had said in person at this point.

It was actually nice to see Ash's face as he read through the note he had written what felt like so long ago now, his smile growing wider and wider as he made his way down the page. He finally looked up, his eyes sparkling with joy. "You're amazing, Clemont," he whispered, and for once the words were not in reference to his latest science project. He put the paper back down in the drawer gently, and then he pulled Clemont into a hug.

"N-not really," Clemont stuttered in surprise, but Ash had pulled back and was giving him a very serious look.

"Yes, really." His tone was sterner than he had ever remembered hearing before, but Ash did not look angry; rather his eyes were filled with desire, and it was not long before they were back on the bed, Ash laying on top of him and exploring every inch of his body with his hands and tongue. Their shirts lay discarded on the floor, and from the way Ash was fiddling with his belt, it seemed like their pants would soon be joining them.

"Allow me," Clemont said, pushing Ash off only for long enough to remove his own pants and undo the belt and zipper on Ash's in turn, and Ash grinned at him, reaching down with a greedy hand and grabbing Clemont through his boxers. Clemont gasped, and Ash frowned slightly.

"Everything okay?"

"Yes," he replied. "Just...surprised," he said, not having a good way to explain how it felt to have the man he had been in love with for so long showing this level of interest in him.

"Good surprised?" Ash asked, seeming worried. "Or...?"

"Good," Clemont told him, and then Ash was stroking him, his pace increasing at every noise Clemont made as he peppered his neck and jawline with gentle kisses, sucking at his skin only lightly before moving to the next spot. He kissed his way down until he reached Clemont's boxers, which he pulled down to openly admire him.

"A-Ash..." Clemont spluttered in surprise as he felt his boyfriend's warm mouth and wet tongue on him. He had been intending tonight to show Ash that he was ready to take the next step, but instead it was Ash proving to him how committed he was to them, taking every step first so that Clemont did not have to. He threw his head back in ecstasy as he ran his fingers through Ash's hair, resisting the urge to push himself further into him.

"You mean the world to me," Ash told him lovingly when he finally came up for air, but Clemont could hear the discomfort in his voice. He had practiced such things before, to ensure that should he ever find himself in a relationship he could be the best lover possible, but he was sure Ash had not.

"Ash, you didn't have to..." he said uncomfortably, trying to let him know that he would not pressure him for any more; that his touch was good enough, even that just being so close to him was more than he ever thought he would get, but Ash only grinned at him, pressing his forehead against his.

"I wanted to," he said, and he seemed wistfully disappointed, like he was still worried that he was somehow upsetting Clemont if he did not continue. "I still want to."

"Then take a break," Clemont suggested coyly, distracting him by tugging at the rim of his boxers. He loved the way Ash's breath hitched as he took him into his hand, running his palm repeatedly down Ash's length. If Ash took notice of how Clemont's hands were trembling slightly, or how each kiss he gave him was now more hesitant than before, he said nothing, something for which Clemont was grateful. It took all his courage to do this, and if he was met with a negative word he was not sure he would be able to continue.

In the end, it was not a negative word that made him pause, but the sound of a door slamming in the distance that made him draw back from Ash, listening hard for other noises.

"Why'd you stop?" Ash asked breathlessly, already missing his lover's touch.

"Shh," Clemont silenced him, pushing Ash back slightly as he got up. "I thought I heard something." He had unusually good hearing, enough that he was usually aware of what was going on in other parts of the apartment, and if he was not mistaken, their roommates had just come home.

"It's probably just Serena," Ash told him hopefully, knowing that she would not be looking for them and would be glad to ignore any sounds coming from their room. His body was already aching from missing Clemont's closeness, and he just wanted him to come back to bed so he could lose himself in their love.

"Serena and Bonnie," Clemont replied dryly. "They went shopping, remember?"

Almost as if on cue, he heard the sound of someone running up the stairs, and Bonnie was calling for him. "Clemont!" she shouted, and he put a finger to his lips to indicate to Ash they should be silent. As long as they did not make any noise, she would likely assume they were up in Clemont's workshop. "Are you home?"

She passed by their door, and Clemont let out a sigh of relief as he heard her climbing the next set of stairs. "That was close," he whispered, and Ash nodded at him, the thrill of their evening together being replaced with relief they had not been caught. "Next time, we'll have to take some precautions."

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I really wanted to explore the challenges that so many people have to go through with their families, because I think it's sad they exist in the first place. I was worried about portraying either parent as less than accepting, but I feel Delia would be most prone to be that way because Ash is an only child. As an only child myself, I can tell you that parents often have a very specific path they want or expect the child to follow, and if they stray off it, they simply can't be happy for them - until they step back, remove themselves from the equation, and realize how happy their child is.

As for the last part of this chapter...don't worry, there will be more! It came out fairly abstract, which is something I'll aim to correct next time around. This is not my first attempt at writing a scene like this, but it is my first time publishing one, and it really does make a difference in how bold you feel like being. I just need to try and write like no one is watching.

Stay tuned for Chapter 22, and thank you for reading / following / favoriting / reviewing!