A/N: This is a bit of an experimental oneshot! Both in tone and execution, so bare with me!
This short story was originally drafted up as a back-and-forth with a friend who's more Serena-minded than I am, so to avoid losing the rhythm of the original, Ash and Serena's perspectives will shift back and forth; labeled with each switch. There's also a lot of font formatting for fun and flavor.
It's a bit more "real" compared to my usual works, that try a little harder to cling to the tone and age rating of the canon product, in order to explore two young adults and how they'd communicate. But, it doesn't really go any further than that. I like the authenticity of it and I feel like it adds to both of their characters.
I hope that readers feel the same!
๐.
He'd (๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ต) Serena when he was a kid. After a couple days of catch-up, they recalled the brief friendship they'd kindled at ๐๐๐ '๐จ ๐๐ช๐ข๐ข๐๐ง ๐พ๐๐ข๐ฅ.
All wasn't lost to time.
Then why did Ash, sometimes, feel like he didn't quite know ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ too well, yet? It wasn't as if she was short of ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ผ๐๐๐๐. Sassy, but not quite mean โ it was more of a deadpanning habit than someone who truly wanted to put anyone แตแตสทโฟ.
Prone to ไธ แดแแIแดฦณIแวค fantasies and fears.
No, she was ๐ฏ๐พ๐ท! But, she just felt like... maybe... หขสฐแต สทแตหข สฐโฑแตโฑโฟแต หขแตแตแตแตสฐโฑโฟแต.
"...Come again?"
Ash blinked, staring at the honey blonde. He'd heard something pass her lips with such ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ, it almost sounded vulgar.
"What was that, just now, Serena?"
๐.
๐๐ญ๐ญ might not have been lost to time, but ๐ฒ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต sure had been. At least, that's what it felt like!
Did she even really (ฤธษดow? ฤธษดow? ฤธษดow?) anything about Ash?
It stressed her out โ well, a lot was stressing her out, truth be told, more than just him. Like the fact that she just ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ of her mother's grip. She'd never been so ๐๐๐๐, and yet she felt suffocated by choice.
Just who the hell was she!?
It only made sense that a little, teensy weensy, oh so tiny แถแตหขหข escaped her at some point. A spiteful little whisper half growled, half groaned came off of her lips.
" ๐๐พ๐ฝ๐ช๐ฒ๐ท ๐ญ๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐ฑ๐ช๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฎ !"
.. that was relieving to say; like a bit of ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด๐ถ๐ณ๐ฆ was just let off her shoulders!
At least until she realized Ash just asked her what she said. What she ๐๐๐๐?
What she said couldn't have been any more ๐๐๐๐๐๐ if she tried. This was แOแฦฎ๊แดฦณ๊แแ.
"You must be, uh, hearing things, Ash. I haven't said anything in a few minutes."
๐.
๐๐ญ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฌ, ๐ฃ๐ญ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฌ.
No, he'd definitely heard ๐จ๐ค๐ข๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ๐.
"I just heard you, though! It was, like... Poutine? Do they have that in Kalos? We could find somewhere to eat and grab some, though; you don't have to wait to ask 'till you're hangry over it!"
He said all of that ๐จ๐ค ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ฎ. ๐๐ค ๐ค๐๐๐ก๐ฎ, ๐๐๐๐ง๐ข๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐ช๐ข๐.
...It was almost a bit ๐๐๐ clumsy for his ordinarily heroic, hot-blooded, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ self.
Not that he couldn't be a bit dim-witted, but . . .
๐.
She stared at him, half stunned at how downright ๐จ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ง๐บ he was. Poutine? He said it so much ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ.
How could he be so wrong while being SO ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐?
It ๐ธ๐ข๐ด pretty charming.. and endearing.. at least until he implied that she was ๐๐๐๐๐๐. She didn't EVER get ๐ฏ๐จ๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐.
"I didn't even say anything ๐ค๐ญ๐ฐ๐ด๐ฆ to poutine, Ash."
.. blink, blink.
Well, fuck. Double fuck, even. She just admitted that she definitely did say.. Something!
๐.
Judging by the look on Serena's face, she certainly ๐๐๐๐ฃ'๐ฉ said what he thought she had. She outright denied that, even.
๐๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ด.
" I'll bite. What ๐๐๐ you say then? " He glanced left and right. Clemont and Bonnie were at a distance. Serena seemed so... ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.
In yet another subversion of expectations. The ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ he'd always set. He leaned in, raising a hand past his mouth to shush the conversation.
๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ญ๐ฐ๐๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐ฐ๐จ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฆ.
" C'mon. I won't tell anyone. " Was this... Secrecy? From Ash!?
๐.
Secrecy. ๐๐ฌ๐ค๐ง๐ฃ ๐จ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ฎ at that. Sworn secrecy from ๐ผ๐จ๐ of all people. It was unheard of. The moon was going to fall next, she was sure of it.
"You're not gonna let this go, are you?"
Her voice was an equally quiet ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ช๐ด๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ, but the faintest hint of irritation was hidden under her ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐๐. Even Serena had to break down her facade every once in a while, but that ๐ธ๐ข๐ด what got her in trouble...
Maybe she had to rethink her strategy.
"I said."
A ๐ป๐๐ blush ripped across her cheeks. She leaned over to whisper in Ash's ear.
๐.
" Not unless it's super-duper important to you that I don't. " For her hint of bitterness, a touch of his mischief.
He'd ultimately respect it, if she ๐ง๐๐๐ก๐ก๐ฎ didn'tโ
. . . Woah.
It wasn't the worst in the world that could've slipped past Serena's lips. But, it was certainly the last he expected. Brows raised high, and a touch of red even dusted Ash's cheeks. It was more than he bargained for, especially in the seemingly ๐ง๐ค๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ and ๐๐ก๐๐จ๐จ๐ฎ Kalos region.
Ash wasn't sure what to make of it. A hushed swear of frustration, over something. Ash's better nature wanted to ask what it was.
His worse nature clung to her vulgarity like a stubborn Cradily. Was this a new โ or rather, the real ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐!?
He had so, so many questions. But none of them made it through... well. Bunched up lips. A snort. His hand rushing to cover his mouth to muffle break-out ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.
This was WAY too funny.
He laughed out a thoughtfully hushed expletive, so only she could hear him.
" ๐๐ค๐ก๐ฎ ๐จ๐๐๐ฉ, Serena. "
So, she wasn't the only vulgar one, here! No. Not at all.
" Sorry! Sorry. Just, ah... Aha! That was the ๐ก๐๐จ๐ฉ thing I expected. You're, uh... real full of surprises, huh? "
Perhaps it'd spare her fretting and insecurity, but the blooming smile on Ash's face was absolutely genuine.
Why was that so funny to him? Why did it make him ๐๐ผ๐๐๐?
He really couldn't tell you if he tried.
๐.
While he processed what she'd said, her blush crept up from her cheeks and tinted the tips of her ears. What was he going to think of her? She felt exposed โ like every little flaw and imperfection was under an X-ray, for the whole world to see.
'The whole world,' of course, being Ash. Was there even a meaningful difference, after spending upwards of a ๐๐๐๐๐๐, idly and innocently speculating what it'd be like to see that boy, again? That boy, now a man, witnessing her for who she was?
All of her social decorum was gone. The prim and proper Serena she presented to the world โ to him, and Bonnie and Clemont especially โ was nothing more than a coy fake meant for polite society.
.. did he just โ ? Did he just ๐ด๐ธ๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ right back at her?
She looked up from her hands in bewilderment.
"Ash โ ?"
Now she had her own questions to ask him, but they too fell short at her ๐ท๐ถ๐ญ๐จ๐ข๐ณ lips. All she could do was snort.
"Full of them," she confirmed, half-seriously, "but any more tonight might kill you."
.. wait. She didn't catch the implications soon enough.
"That isn't what I meant."
๐.
He ๐๐๐ to guess that her utterance of his name was aimed right at his own swearing. Or, was it just pure shock that he'd been so . . . ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฒ ?
Okay, maybe he wasn't really sure.
Snort and all, she was confirming a whole hidden persona. Luckily, against all her worst fears, they didn't make him think less of her.
And she went on to confirm there were even ๐ข๐ค๐ง๐ surprises! Likewise, he was eager to ask andโ
There went another faux pas. One even ๐ก๐ didn't catch onto, until Serena clarified that it wasn't what she'd meant.
Once more, it was his turn for a flare to overtake his face. A turn in the pit of his stomach; pure discomfort.
๐๐๐. ๐๐ค ๐ฌ๐๐ฎ. He shook his head.
She'd just had a comical slip-up. He chose to bank on nervous laughter, shaking his head.
" ๐๐จ๐ฎ'๐ซ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐จ๐! You're good. I know what you meant. "
Rubbing his neck nervously, he did his best to smooth the situation over. Back to the excitement from moments prior!
"That's... ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ก๐ฎ pretty cool! Mew knows I haven't let anything like that slip since Bonnie's been around, y'know? And I met her and Clemont on my first day, here. "
It wasn't really a ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ to watch your behavior around a seven-year-old, was it?
Just responsible.
๐.
Just responsible, right.
Yes.
Of course.
``After you climbed to the top of Prism Tower, or before? I never asked.``
She smacked his chest twice, two solid thump-thumps. A jeering snicker escaped her.
``I'm secretly vulgar and you're openly insane. Clemont is too smart for his own good and Bonnie makes him look dumb. Welcome to Kalos!``
She gave her best pizazz hands, glowing in the moment.
๐.
Ash laughed at the thumps on his chest. Naturally, they didn't hurt, but they were a sure show of ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฒ.
And, to her summary of their little Kalos crew, he laughed harder. Somehow, '๐ช๐ฏ๐ด๐ข๐ฏ๐ฆ' didn't have the same mean undertone that other jabs he'd gotten had.
Though it didn't hurt that, for one, she was right, and two, she took herself down with him in the process.
" Gotta love it! " Ash threw his hands out wide, as if to bask in the insanity they'd quickly made their mobile home.
" And, I thought things were crazy back home... "
He smiled, shaking his head. He liked this. None of them made him ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐ค๐ค ๐๐๐ง๐. No rival to make him feel on the defensive. No real, meaningful spats to smooth over.
" ...Oh! I never did answer your question. Before. But, it was ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ง I tried to challenge the Gym with no badges on me, and Clembot kicked me out. " He shook his head. What a disaster.
" So, ๐๐-๐๐ ! " He waved his hands, stealing Serena's catchphrase. " I fell off Prism Tower ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ข๐๐ in one day. If that ain't my fuckin' luck, I don't know what is. "
He looked back over his shoulder. Clemont and Bonnie would probably notice they were lagging behind, soon... " Feels like it's always something, " he laughed. He'd take just this ๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ค๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ to bear some truth to someone he felt he could trust with it.
๐.
Serena giggled. Oh, so Ash was a kidder. She hadn't expected ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ of him, somehow. In hindsight, though, he'd been a bombastic and snappy little sprout, back at the Summer Camp. Perhaps, it was because he'd been so genuine with her. Perhaps her rose-tintedโ
" ๐๐. ๐๐, ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช'๐ง๐ ๐จ๐๐ง๐๐ค๐ช๐จ. " Widened eyes blinked, and Serena felt a pang in her chest. Why did he make two near-death falls sound soโฆ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ง๐ข๐๐ก? That wasn't right.
"๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผโ๐ผ๐๐. ๐๐๐๐๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ." A shrill, juvenile voice called from up ahead. Bonnie peered back around the corner of the block they'd been dawdling down at a comically slow pace โ a ๐ซ๐ช๐ต๐ต๐ช๐ญ on a self-conscious level, from both of them, to prolong their ฬถSฬถEฬถCฬถRฬถEฬถTฬถ ฬถMฬถEฬถEฬถTฬถIฬถNฬถGฬถ.ฬถ/ฬถ The small blonde stomped her feet incessantly. "Come onnn! Speed it up!"
Clemont offered an apologetic smile to the two. "It's getting late. She's feeling cranky."
It had, indeed, gotten dark. The moon cast its glow over the Kalosian night skies, while the stars had mostly สษชแด แด แดษด, from the light pollution that arrived before they'd touched Earth.
"Weโฆ should probably get going," Serena coughed into her hand. She'd just sprung off the heel of her boot, though, before quickly stumbling to a halt. She retraced her steps, stopping by Ash to hold up a hand to guard their conversation, once more.
"๐ซ๐๐๐๐พ๐๐ ๐๐๐'๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ธ๐๐๐?"
๐.
He felt a tightness in his chest again. That same old familiar pressure โ of the ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ knowing his many perils. Of the harsh scolding. The admonishment for tempting fate โ ฬถfฬถoฬถrฬถ ฬถfฬถaฬถtฬถeฬถ ฬถtฬถeฬถmฬถpฬถtฬถiฬถnฬถgฬถ ฬถhฬถiฬถmฬถ.
Luckily, the shrill pleas of the group's youngest saved him from having to open up.
Then again . . . he had opened up plenty to Serena already, hadn't he?
He grinned at her query, and held his index finger up to his lips. Like they were seven, again, at Oak's Summer Campโฆ Or, not quite. But, that same rebellious, youthful exuberance uplifted him, again. He appreciated that. "๐'๐ก๐ก ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช๐ง๐จ, ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐."
A pause.
"Oh, and. Teach me to talk like that in Kalosian. I wanna do that."
His grin stretched to the corners of his cheeks, tugging at the curious, peach-toned ๐๐๐๐ running up his jawline. That one that he never brought up. Arceus willing, never asked about.
Whether Serena agreed to those terms, or didn't, he ran ahead, chest puffing up with laughter.
๐.
She still wondered. Did she (ฤธษดow? ฤธษดow? ฤธษดow?) anything about Ash?
She knew a little more, now. Paradoxically, she had even more questions.
But, in exchange for tearing ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐๐ฌ bare and null, she'd earned a little bit of his trust.
He'd earned hers.
Her pale skin dusted red, and she too, smiled giddily, much like she did, the many sparse moments over the years, conjuring up idyllic portraits of what knowing Ash again would be like.
"You have yourself a ๐๐๐๐, Mister." That was all she got out, before her ๐๐๐๐ took off, once more.
She was at his back. She suppressed one more mischievous giggle, and took off after him.
Who was she, even?
She had time to figure that out.