Amourshipping : One Day Off

Chapter 9

"Come on Hawlucha, on three. One, two, three!" Ash helped Hawlucha sit up against a tree after being propelled into a window by one of Clemont's inventions exploded... Again. 

Having helped his injured Pokèmon, Ash debated on what he should do. Curiosity of what Serena had been about to say made him want to go back to her, but he'd feel guilty if he just left Hawlucha after that ordeal. But he felt guilty enough leaving Serena like that, but she would have to admit, it was a special circumstance. Ash sighed. He decided he should stick by Hawlucha, at least for a while. 

"Hawlucha, cha ha. " Hawlucha said to Ash, indicating its thanks. 

Ash smiled at his Pokèmon. "No problem, Hawlucha." 

Clemont, whom was scratching his head and walking up towards Ash nervously, tried to avoid Hawlucha's gaze. Veins appeared on Hawlucha's head, and he was obviously annoyed with Clemont. 

"Hey, uh, I just wanted to say sorry for... Earlier, Hawlucha, that was my fault." Clemont said, bowing, something he always seemed to do either out of apology or gratitude. 

Hawlucha closed its eyes and looked away. Hawlucha had a strong sense of personal pride, and whenever it felt like it was damaged, even remotely, it took a while for those wounds to heal. While Hawlucha was still very clearly annoyed with Clemont, he had decided to tolerate the action. It had been an accident after all, but then again, that didn't exactly help mend Hawlucha's pride. 

"If Hawlucha was really mad, I think we'd know. You remember the fight with Froakie before it evolved, Clemont?" Ash said, sweat dropping at Hawlucha's current actions, and smiling at the memory, which at the time had been bitter, but was now something they could laugh about. "Having said that, maybe you should put the tools away for a few days. You haven't exactly been having a lot of luck this week especially." 

Of course, that much was a given. Clemont had basically been third - wheeling for both Ash and Serena for the past few days, and while it had been out of his own volition, it was amazing how much stress keeping a few secrets could be. Clemont wasn't used to keeping secrets, he never had been, but now he had to lie to his friends faces on a daily basis to keep the promise to the other. 

"Yeah, yeah, you're right. Maybe I should start making a plan for these inventions of mine. Like Blueprints and things like that. I usually just throw whatever together with what I have." Clemont admitted sheepishly. 

"Yeah, maybe." Ash said with a chuckle in his voice, before he brought the tone down. "I did want to ask you to stop trying to invent things for a while for a more personal reason too." 

"Do you honestly have such little faith in my inventing abilities that you felt the need to ask me to stop inventing things so you could go about your business? Just because my inventions may ... Occasionally... Blow up, you automatically assume they'll blow up again?" Clemont said with both a sigh and a hint of sarcasm. 

"Since that dance machine in Shalor City, I've been a bit more weary, if you noticed." Ash said with some laughter. 

"So, what's this personal reason of yours?" Clemont asked on a more serious note, switching the topic back to Ash. 

Ash dragged Clemont over to the side, away from Hawlucha and the rest of his Pokèmon, and from any other prying ears. 

"I... I can't keep this a secret anymore. Serena deserves to know how I feel about her. I owe her that much. She's been there for me since we were kids, and I've been there for her. I have to be honest with her." Ash said, in a much more serious note than usual. "And the thing is, even If I could keep it a secret... I wouldn't want to anymore."