AUTHOR'S NOTE

Here you go, guys. Just a short and sweet intro this time. I have a feeling you've all been waiting for this one.

CHAPTER 22
A Night To Remember!

Ash had been so enthusiastic about Clemont's unusual display of confidence that it completely slipped his mind until the next day that he had not gotten a chance to ask him how his conversation with Meyer had gone.

"Hey, Clemont?" he asked him questioningly, the next time they were alone together. "You didn't tell me how yesterday went."

"Yesterday?" Clemont asked, tilting his head in confusion. Yesterday was spent in a whirlwind of kisses and touches, and he did not remember much beyond that.

"You spoke with Meyer, right?" Ash asked, now sounding a little concerned. It was not often his memory was better than Clemont's.

"Oh! Yes," Clemont told him, remembering suddenly that he had not filled his boyfriend in on that. "He had me worried for a moment, but he seems to approve. You're a catch. His words, not mind," he insisted, as Ash began to chuckle.

"So...is that all the people we needed to tell?" At the question, Clemont mentally ran through their list. Their parents were already aware, as was Bonnie. Serena knew as well, having been at the dance where they finally confessed their feelings for each other. His circle of friends was fairly small, so he could think of no one else on his side that would need to know. Ash, on the other hand, had many friends - but none of them were a close enough part of their lives at this point that they would be offended if they were not among the first told.

"I think so," Clemont told him. "Unless you can think of anyone else?"

Ash shook his head, no longer sure how he felt about calling up all his friends and telling them one by one. While he did keep in touch with some of them, the experience with his mother had made him reluctant to reach out to them simply to risk alienating them. While it was something he would do eventually, he did not see any need to fill them in, not when it would hold up the process they had decided on to inform Kalos. "No. Everyone else that cares can find out from our public announcement."

In the end, the public announcement they settled on was to tack it onto the end of their respective interviews, which still had yet to be published. Todd had been more than happy to work with them on it, convincing the magazine's editors to run double-feature interviews for them, something they were pleased to do when they realized how much credibility they would generate by being the first ones to run the story.

The impact of their decision hit Ash first, who saw a sharp increase of people calling him for appointments. Most of them were people who had seen his interview and been impressed by his experience, but there were a few who called to congratulate him on his newly-taken relationship status, and others still who simply giggled once he picked up the phone and then hung up. Those people he soon learned to ignore, but he found it a bit harder to ignore the cancellations that also were coming in.

"I don't get it," he complained to Clemont after a long-time client of his called to cancel all of their scheduled sessions. "Why does it bother some people so much?"

"Because it just does," Clemont had told him softly, holding his hand. He hated seeing his boyfriend upset. "But you can't get upset over them. The loss of your clients might hurt, but if they don't accept you for who you are, they aren't worth your time. Tune them out, and move on with your life."

"Does that help?" he asked, and Clemont looked at him thoughtfully.

"Sometimes. Most of these people weren't a constant in your life anyway, and while their opinions might be hurtful, they should only bother you as much as you let them. They prefer to leave you alone, and it's really better that way. Not everyone is quite as harmless, though." His eyes narrowed as he recalled some of his fears about the experiences he might face one day. "Those are the ones that you need to leave alone."

Ash was not the only one who had seen a range of reactions to their published interviews. Gym Leaders, in general, saw their share of rambunctious individuals, who flew into battle without much training or thought given beforehand. He was pleased to note, though, that he had received no backlash more negative than flat expressions and lack of banter. Since trainers wishing to eventually compete in the Kalos League the next time it occurred had no alternatives to his Gym for one of their badges, they would come anyway, regardless of how they felt about him.

"It's really the scientific community who I was targeting with my interview," Clemont confessed when Ash questioned him about why his work seemed to not be impacted as much. "I assume most of them didn't read the entire interview. It's entirely possible my words inspired them to get back to their own inventions!" This seemed to mean quite a lot to Clemont, who beamed proudly at the thought. "My number one goal right now is to get my inventions recognized and accepted by the scientific community, and that takes time. But I know I took a step in the right direction." He smiled at Ash. "I know we took a step in the right direction."

Ash had a much, much different goal in mind than Clemont. It had taken him some time, but he had finally come to understand what Clemont meant about wanting things to be real between them; and now, with both of them comfortable with their relationship status and having shared it with the general public, things certainly felt more real than they did before. Their relationship was not some illusion that was going to fade away; it was something tangible they could hold onto and revel in. With such powerful emotions between them now, he had once more found his mind becoming filled with images of him and Clemont together in intimate ways, especially after seeing on multiple occasions how receptive Clemont was to those ways now.

He knew he could not simply come onto Clemont as he had in the past. While he had gotten some excellent results, particularly during one very memorable evening when Clemont had come hard into Ash's hand as he lamented in sensual tones how much he regretted not having enough time to explore him with every inch of his body, he knew he would need to plan things out a bit more if he really wanted to go all the way with him. He had already been working on something that he hoped might sway his boyfriend; something that he had a very good feeling would work. Now, he just needed to pick the perfect day.

The house was quiet. Too quiet. It was not that Clemont was uncomfortable with silence; in fact, he preferred it. But he was used to the sound of clattering pans in the kitchen as Serena was baking, shouted commands from Ash at his Pokemon as he trained them for battle, and an array of noises he could not usually identify as Bonnie helped both of them out. He knew at least that Ash was home, because he had specifically told him that he would be today, and to come find him if he was feeling bored or lonely. At the moment, he was feeling a little of both.

He made his way downstairs, wondering what exactly Ash had in store for him. He was rather transparent about the whole thing, really, and Clemont now understood why he had felt it necessary to leave the house so often when he had first developed feelings for him. He must have been worried that he would give it away somehow. If only he had realized sooner how receptive he would have been, Clemont thought with a smile.

The first place he checked was the bedroom. Some nights it was beyond awkward sharing a room with his boyfriend, continually looking across at him, but not touching him for fear of having to brave the cold air after leaving warm blankets behind. Other nights, it was nice to have someone to talk to - or make out with - when neither of them could sleep. Today, though, the room was empty, and Clemont frowned a little as he made his way down to the living room.

It was there that Clemont finally located Ash, lounging on the couch with a pencil stuck behind his ear, surveying a notebook that he was holding out in front of him. He bounced what looked like a small remote in his free hand, and though his eyes flickered towards Clemont, he pretended not to see him, instead shaking his notebook slightly and squinting at its pages.

"What are you working on?" Clemont asked, curious. He was no stranger to studying and taking notes on small electronic devices, but it was not something he would have expected to see Ash doing, especially on a day he had seemingly set aside for him.

"Oh, hi," Ash said absentmindedly - or at least, he hoped that was how he sounded. His heart was pounding from nerves, and his stomach felt like it was in knots. "Just reviewing this." He brandished the remote at Clemont, who leaned forward to peer at it. "It's a universal remote," he explained, though Clemont had guessed this by now. "They can be used to turn on and off different things around the apartment."

"I had no idea you were interested in the whole 'smart home' concept, Ash." Clemont adjusted his glasses, smiling fondly at his boyfriend. He knew enough to wire their home for it, of course, had he felt like it, but there was a certain sense of satisfaction that came with doing something manually. It was just as much effort in his opinion to walk across the room and turn off the lights as it was to find a remote to do it for you - but, he was not about to discourage Ash from any technical thing he was showing interest in. "You didn't have to go out and buy something, you know. I'm sure I could have rigged something up for you."

"Oh, I didn't buy anything." Ash grinned, ignoring the way his stomach lurched with nerves as he stood up from his spot on the couch. "I made this." His voice held a note of pride as he held up the device. He really had made it himself - or at least, he made it look cool. Bonnie had helped him pick out the system when he told her he wanted to impress Clemont, and she had also helped him with some of the more complex settings that actually made the remote work inside their home. The remote had looked less than impressive, though, and so Ash had raided Clemont's workshop to find a better case for it and outfit it with better looking buttons. This, he felt capable of doing without accidentally blowing a fuse or otherwise taking their power out in a way that might require Clemont's help to fix, and he really was proud of the end result.

"You...you made that?" Clemont exclaimed, shocked. After a moment, something clicked in his mind, and his eyes widened. "So that's where my spare parts have been disappearing to!"

"Sorry!" Ash ducked his head in embarrassment. The things he had taken looked like discarded pieces of equipment - he did not think Clemont would miss them, or even realize they were gone. "I can take this apart and put them back..."

"No need!" Clemont waved his hands slightly, shaking his head. "Please. I'm glad you put them to good use. It may have been years before I got to them again!"

Ash smiled, glad that his blunder had not caused the entire idea to crash and burn. A mistake of that nature was something he had fully been expecting to happen, and knowing that he was past the worst part gave him enough confidence to carry out the rest of his plan. "You said you knew something about smart homes?" he reminded Clemont, getting up off the couch and standing in front of him.

"I know many things about many things," he boasted, not even caring how repetitive the statement sounded. His vast scientific knowledge seemed to be one of the things Ash liked most about him, and he could not resist the chance to show off.

"That's good," he said slowly. "See...I think I might need your help with something." He was suddenly aware of just how sweaty his palms were, and hurriedly wiped them off on his pants. Thankfully, Clemont did not seem to notice, enraptured by the remote now that Ash was going to need his assistance with it. "I programmed it to do a couple things already," he continued, pleased with how Clemont's eyes followed the remote as he held it up to him. "This button," he said, sidling closer to Clemont, "activates the shutters around all the windows."

He pressed the button, and Clemont immediately looked up to see the metallic shutters that shielded them during bad thunderstorms and strong winds activating over the windows, blocking their view from the inside and any natural light from getting in. "That's actually quite useful," he mused, and Ash took advantage of his distraction to take another step towards him.

"And this one," he said, leaning forward to whisper in Clemont's ear, "controls the lights. It can turn them off..." He pressed the button, and the room went dark. "It can turn them on..." he pressed the button again, and the lights flared on, making them blink for a moment. "And it can change the...intensity." He pressed and held the button until the room was lit with only a faint glow, and then took Clemont's hand in his, locking their fingers together.

"Ash..." Clemont breathed out a breath he did not know he had been holding, feeling almost dizzy. Knowing that Ash had worked on an invention of his own, one that actually did have useful applications in their home, was a positively intoxicating thought, and he felt that if Ash continued, he might not be able to control himself much longer.

"Of course, that was the easy part," Ash said, watching the way Clemont's eyes now darted between him and the remote, and how his tongue flicked out over his lower lip in eager anticipation of what he must have guessed by now was Ash's plan all along. "I just needed to install the appropriate receiver for each button in the right place. It's nice," he said, lifting up the remote and tracing the side of Clemont's face with it gently, "that all the systems in Prism Tower are connected in a central location."

"You...said you needed help?" Clemont reminded him, inhaling the sweet berry scent of Ash's hair as he leaned in to cover his neck in slow, soft kisses. For once, he did not feel confident in his ability to contribute to a technical project, and found himself fervently hoping Ash would rather have his assistance with something else.

"Oh, right," Ash said, pulling away wistfully. "You see...this button doesn't do anything." He pressed the third button, demonstrating it's non-functionality. "I really wanted it to connect to the fireplace," he said, gesturing over towards the electric fireplace they only turned on in the winter. "And I just couldn't figure out how. You're so much smarter than me, Clemont," he said, his lips only a hair away from his boyfriend's now. "I know if anyone can make this work, it's you." Clemont leaned forward, but Ash pulled back, not giving into the kiss yet as much as he wanted to. "Maybe it's better it doesn't work right now though. We don't need the fireplace on. It's already starting to get hot in here." He discarded the remote on the couch behind him, wrapping his arms around Clemont's waist and pressing their bodies firmly together, grinning at the feel of Clemont's erection pressed into his thigh. "Or maybe," he said in a playful tone, "that's just you." He didn't avoid his lips this time, and he eagerly gave into the forceful prodding of Clemont's tongue.

Clemont could feel the parts of his brain that normally helped him make informed decisions shut down one by one, losing himself in the rough and raw feel of Ash pressed against him and the sound of fabric rubbing between them. The deeper their kiss got, the more he knew what he wanted, and he grabbed onto Ash's wrist as he drew back slightly.

"Bedroom," he said in low growl. It was not a question, but Ash nodded anyway, allowing himself to be led upstairs. No sooner had they made it into the room than Ash found himself being pushed roughly up against the wall, Clemont grabbing at him with a desperation that seemed to perfectly match his desire, and he eagerly ran his hands up and down his back, wondering how much of him he would get to experience tonight.

"We won't be interrupted," Ash gasped as Clemont pulled away from him abruptly for just long enough to lock their door. "I made sure of that."

Clemont regarded him with a soft smile, so different from the forceful nature he had displayed thus far, and swept him up in an unexpected hug. "You make me feel so loved," he whispered, and the sound sent shivers down Ash's spine. "I can't wait to give myself to you tonight."

"You are loved," Ash affirmed, and he found that his breaths were coming out in shallow waves as he processed what else Clemont had just said to him. "And I can't wait to show you just how much."

It was unlike any previous time they had been intimate together. Clemont's hands probed him with a bold nature he had never displayed before, and Ash gave into the vocalizations he typically restrained, which seemed only to push Clemont further to the edge. Curious fingers edged their way underneath fabric, and the sound of desperate moaning filled their bedroom.

"Take off your pants," Clemont commanded after several minutes, and Ash stared at him in shock for a moment before complying. He had become accustomed to Clemont giving orders on the battlefield, but had not expected such a demeanor to appear when they were in the bedroom. "Your boxers, too," he said thoughtfully.

"That isn't fair," Ash protested. "You haven't taken anything off!"

"I guess it isn't," Clemont admitted. "Would you like to fix that?" His hands curled around the hem of his shirt, lifting it slightly: an offer for Ash to remove it or anything else he would like.

Clemont did not think he would ever tire of the way Ash touched him, even as he frantically tugged at his clothing so hard he thought his shirt might rip and his belt might break. Everything felt so right, and so natural. He just wanted to give back to Ash in the way that he had already given him several times. "Your turn," he said, as he undressed him the rest of the way.

There was no gentle stroking or even hard pumps to his member as Ash had been expecting. Clemont simply fell to his knees and took him into his mouth, his tongue swirling over him and leaving him feeling better than anything Ash could have ever imagined. He reached down, his hands holding onto Clemont as he worked his way further and further up. He let out a low tone as he felt the excitement building up. It was overwhelming and amazing all at the same time, and he never wanted it to stop.

Hearing and feeling his boyfriend's exhilaration, Clemont pulled back, discreetly wiping his mouth as he looked up at him. "Careful now," he said in as sultry a tone as he could manage. "I wouldn't want you to get too excited. At least not yet."

Ash was very glad they had taken the time to discuss their thoughts and preferences when it came to further activities before they had gotten to this point. He remembered it as a rather embarrassing conversation, filled with lots of awkward pauses and coaxing on both sides, but it was all worth it to not have to pause and figure things out as they laid down together, whispering words of encouragement to each other as he watched his best friend and lover's face contort briefly into pain at what he felt was only a gentle prod from his fingers. "That's good," Clemont gasped at last. "I'm ready."

It was not the first time Ash had found himself faced with Clemont's backside, but it was the first time he had been able to admire it without something over it, and he was already losing himself in excitement even before he worked his way in, the warmth and tightness leaving him completely euphoric.

"You feel really good," he murmured, and Clemont made a non-commital noise as he grit his teeth together. No matter how many times he had done this to himself with inventions that he had been too ashamed of to even give names, the pain always came first, and the pleasure came later. But there was a difference between those and having the person he loved filling him, and as he kept going he found himself just as lost in their love as Ash was.

"Right...there," Clemont hissed in pleasure as Ash thrust deeply into him. "Oh, Ash..." This was when he regretted not being able to see his lover's face the most. "Don't stop, please, don't stop." Ash quickened his pace slightly, reaching his hand around to grasp and pull at Clemont, their bodies rocking together in the pleasure they both felt coursing through them.

It did not take long for Clemont to give in to the ecstasy that was bubbling up inside of him, crying out Ash's name as he did so. Even as Ash moved his hands back to his hips, his thrusts now coming in sharp bursts, he knew he was not far behind. His breathing was growing ragged; his movements becoming faster and more fragmented. His hands, so gentle before, now gripped into Clemont's hips with a sharp ferocity, his fingernails leaving stinging marks in him wherever they touched.

"Clemont," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I...I think..." His entire body shook as the sensation that had been slowly building came to a head, and his brain ceased to string a coherent sentence together as the sensation exploded from him. He felt a wave of exhaustion come over him, and he fell forward onto Clemont, recovering from the breathtaking feeling that had just hit him.

They both rolled over on their sides, both too exhausted to do any more than hold out their hands, smiling as their fingers locked together. "That was amazing," Clemont said, the words mumbled partially into his pillow. "I love you so much, Ash."

"I love you too, Clemont," Ash told him. He was already fighting the urge to simply fall asleep, not wanting to miss even a second of gazing into his lover's face. "You really are perfect."

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Well. Um. That was really hard to write. Sorry for how short a chapter it was, but, I didn't really want to pair anything else with this big moment for our favorite couple. I'm pretty sure I only have one, possibly two chapters left in this story, so next time will be our big finale.

Stay tuned for Chapter 23, and thank you for reading / following / favoriting / reviewing!