Things continued much the same over the next week and a half the couples each wandering off to take care of their own business, Ash getting ready for the upcoming tournament and helping Dawn with her pokemon.
Three days before the competition was to start Ash gently shook Dawn awake "Dawn get up, Dawn." He whispered in her ear.
"Hmmm." She hummed in reply opening her eyes slightly to look at him.
"I have a surprise for you, get dressed." He told her grabbing her hand and gently pulling her out of bed.
"What time's it?" she asked her words slurred slightly.
Ash smiled "An hour before dawn." He said chuckling as she groaned in protest "Come on, get dressed and I'll carry you the rest of the way." He told her
Dawn grudgingly did as he asked muttering curse words under her breath as she quickly got dressed, Ash silently chuckling the entire time as she stumbled around the room throwing her clothes on. The last thing she did was pull Ash's hoodie on before he scooped her up bridle style and carried her out of the hotel.
Dawn snuggled into his chest enjoying his warmth as he carried her to the clearing. When they arrived he called out Charizard and still holding Dawn climbed onto his back, before he took off toward their destination.
The sun had just risen when Charizard landed in Eterna Forest. "What are we doing here?" Dawn asked as he helped her down.
"I think it's time Eevee evolved." He told her as he returned Charizard and began to lead her through the forest.
"Really, but she's still so young."
"Yes but she's strong, and she's worked hard over the last few days. I have no doubts she is ready." He told her, she thought about it for a second and realized he was right she was ready.
They spent the next few hours walking through the forest looking for the moss rock that would allow Eevee to evolve into Leafeon. They finally found it nestled in a small grove of trees. Dawn released Eevee and crouched down as she looked around confused.
"Hey Eevee, you ready to evolve?" she asked her quietly and Eevee jumped up with a call of her name. "Alright well just touch that rock and you will." She said gesturing to moss rock. Eevee leaned up and licked her cheek before slowly walking over to the rock. She hesitated before gently placing her paw on it and almost immediately her body glowed white.
When it was over Eevee had grown taller her fur a golden brown, her paws a darker brown. Her tail grew long and thin looking almost like a leaf her ears taking on a similar form the fur slowly turning green. A green curl formed between her ears and other smaller ones grew on her neck and legs. Her eyes turned a warm chocolate-brown. "Leafeon." She called happily.
Dawn smiled at her new pokemon before picking her up "Welcome to the team Leafeon." She said happily as Leafeon licked her cheek lightly, making her giggle.
They stayed there for about another hour testing Leafeon's new skill, before a storm started to blow in. Dawn quickly returned Leafeon as she and Ash quickly headed to a little cottage they found not too far from there.
The cottage was just coming into view when he rain started to come down in sheets, drenching them completely in seconds. Ash closed the door quickly when they were safely inside before releasing Infernape so they could see. It was a simple one room cottage a fireplace in the middle with a couch and a chair in front of it a bed off the side.
Ash had Infernape light the fireplace before returning him. He turned to find Dawn shivering beside him. "I'm sorry if I had known it was going to rain I would have instead we left sooner." He told her pulling her into his arms to try to warm her up.
"It's ok." She said between shivers "I don't mind it just gives me more time alone with you." She said pulling him toward the bed.
She gently pushed him down, so he was sitting on the edge of the bed, before pulling both hoodies over their heads tossing them to the floor. She then lightly pulled his rain-soaked shirt over his head as well letting it slip through her finger tips before climbing into his lap straddling his hips. She lightly kissed his neck her hands trailing down his chest to undo his jeans.
Ash's hands moved up her sides to slip her vest off before pulling her tank top and throwing it to the floor. He then pulled her head up to his kissing her lips as he fell back onto the bed pulling her with him. One of his hands slipped up her back to undo her bra which she quickly threw off leaving her chest bare.
Dawn then slid off his pants and boxers leaving him bare before her as he quickly did the same to her. as they were doth kissing Dawn slid one hand down his chest to his member gently grasping it in her small soft hand, making Ash groan in pleasure, before positioning it at her entrance.
Dawn slowly slid herself down onto his member making them both hiss in pleasure, before she slowly started to rock back and forth setting a slow even pace, Ash had his hands on her hips helping her move. As Dawn began to grow tiered Ash flipped them over so he was on top before continuing the same slow pace.
They both wanted this to last as long as possible. So it wasn't till a long while latter that they both came there yells of each other's names drowned out by the thunder.
They laid there Ash's arms around her waist as he stared up at the ceiling, Dawn's head on his chest as she traced images on it with her finger. Ash had thrown his boxers back on and Dawn taking his shirt. Ash knew Dawn was hesitating to ask something, but knew she would ask in her own time. "Why did you leave?" she asked finally.
"You know why." He said avoiding the question
"No I don't." she insisted pushing herself up to look into his eyes.
"Can we please just drop it?" he asked sitting up as well.
"No we can't, I've asked myself for 7 years now why you would leave and I just can't come up with an answer." She said her anger rising.
"I don't want to talk about it Dawn. It's over I left but I'm back now so just drop it." He said his anger rising as well.
"No." she said firmly.
"Well I'm not about to tell you, so stop bugging me about it." He said angry now as he stood up walking to the fireplace.
"I won't accept that!" She said standing up as well "I deserve to know why you left me not knowing if I would ever see you again!" she yelled at him tears springing to her eyes. She couldn't understand why he wouldn't just tell her.
He turned to her trying to ignore the tears in her eyes tears he had created "Dawn I'm not going to tell you not now not ever, so just stop!" he yelled at her his anger bubbling over. Dawn flinched as if he slapped her tears falling from her eyes. She turned away from him wrapping her arms around herself.
Ash immediately regretted his words as he saw the hurt flash through her eyes. "Dawn I'm sorry I didn't mean that." He said stepping toward her moving to place his hands on her shoulders.
"Don't." she said her voice tight and her muscles tense.
Ash stopped and let his arms fall back to his side. They stood there for a second neither of them saying a word "I'll sleep on the floor tonight." He said finally but Dawn didn't say anything she just stood there tears silently falling from her eyes.
Ash looked at her fleetingly for a few more seconds before silently turning away grabbing a blanket and pillow from the couch laying down in front of the fireplace. Dawn stood there for a second more before numbly walking over to the bed and laying down curling up into a ball under the blankets. She silently cried herself to sleep as Ash lay awake for hours until he fell into a restless sleep.