Pokemon One-Shots and Headcanons

Proposal

There weren't a lot of things that could make Ash Ketchum nervous. He could stare Mewtwo straight in the eye without flinching. He could take on three legendary Pokemon and Team Rocket to boot to protect Unova. He could jump off the top of Prism Tower to save Pikachu. He could even battle Diantha for the title of Kalos champion without feeling like his nerves were going to cause him to faint or vomit, whichever came first.
All of that bravado went away, however, when he was faced with the task of proposing to his girlfriend of two years, Serena Yvonne.
"Come on, Ash, when are you going to propose to her? I mean, it's been two years! And you've even bought the ring, so just go for it!" Bonnie whined. Over the past few months, she had started urging him to propose to Serena. At first it was just her, but then Clemont, Sawyer, Alain, and Ash's friends from his other journeys had started to chime in.
"I'll do it when I'm ready, Bonnie," Ash said as patiently as he could. It was the same answer he'd given ever since she started pressuring him.
Ash Ketchum and Serena Yvonne, also known as the Golden Couple. Many people couldn't believe that the notoriously dense boy had a girlfriend. How had Serena managed to get through to him? A lot of them had been convinced that their relationship wouldn't last. Yet here they were, two years into their relationship and still going strong, much to the disappointment of several fangirls and even some desperate guys who desperately wanted a chance with the Kalos Queen.
"But when will that be?" Clemont asked carefully, studying his friend's expression. He didn't want to put too much pressure on Ash, but he felt he had to know the seriousness of the situation. "I overheard some girls the other day plotting ways to get you to dump Serena. One of them even said, 'He clearly doesn't like her,'."
Ash spun around to face him. "What?! Who said that? I swear, when I find them, I'll-" he started to rant before Brock cut him off.
"We're not telling you all this so you'll go get Pikachu to Thunderbolt someone, Ash. We're telling you because you need to get moving," the Pokemon doctor said seriously.
Dawn was next to add her support. "Yeah, I thought you were going to propose after Serena won the Master Class, but you didn't. I mean, you do want to marry her, right?"
"Of course I want to! I'm just not ready for marriage yet. I mean, we're only eighteen," Ash defended himself.
But that was a lie and everyone knew it. The truth was, Ash had been ready for marriage for over a year now and Serena even longer, if it was true that she had been in love with him as long as she insisted. He had even started to have dreams of Serena walking down the aisle in a beautiful wedding dress and getting to say the words "I do,". But the dreams always ended before Serena could say them back. And that was the problem. He was afraid. He was afraid that Serena would finally realize she was too good for him and reject him. She was the most perfect woman in the world; why would she ever lower herself to marry him?
"That's not true and you know it," Brock said sternly. "Ash, I know what you're worried about and trust me when I say there's no chance of it happening."
"Yeah, no need to worry!" Dawn piped up, smiling reassuringly at him.
Ash exhaled quietly and looked at his friends. "All right, all right. I'll do it tonight," he said finally. "Just...do me a favor, will you? Keep my Pokemon busy."

That night, Ash took Serena out to a starlit picnic on the beach. He had packed sandwiches, a pitcher of lemonade, cookies, mini cakes, and chips. Of course, he had made sure to remember to bring plates and utensils as well. As they were looking up at the stars together, Serena's head resting on his shoulder, a Luvdisc suddenly leaped out of the water.
"Ash, a Luvdisc!" Serena gasped.
"I know, pretty isn't it?" Ash agreed.
"Did you know that if a couple sees a Luvdisc, it means they're destined to have happiness in their relationship for the rest of their lives?" the honey-blond girl asked.
"Really? I had no idea," Ash mused. He took a deep breath and felt the ring in his pocket. The time had finally come. Now if he could just get through his speech without dying of embarrassment.
He stood up and faced Serena, who had a look of confusion on her face. Doing his best to calm his nerves, Ash did a silent count to ten in his head. He considered starting his speech standing up, then decided that the traditional "get down on one knee" would be better, considering his legs felt as though they were going to buckle at any moment anyway.
"Serena Yvonne," Ash began, cursing himself inwardly for sounding so uncertain. "I know I'm not very good when it comes to romantic stuff, but I like-no, no, I love you. You've been my best friend for three years and my girlfriend for the past two years, and they've all been the best years of my life. And I can't think of any woman I'd rather spend the rest of my life with. Serena Yvonne, will you marry me?"
When he finished, Serena had tears in her eyes and for a moment he was afraid he'd upset her. But then she exclaimed, "Oh, Ash! Whoever said you weren't a romantic? That was the most beautiful thing anyone's ever said to me. Of course I will marry you."
And this was the part where Ash was supposed to slip the ring onto Serena's finger and kiss her or do whatever couples did after they got engaged, except for that moment a loud roar sounded from behind them. A roar that sounded suspiciously like...
....a stampede of Pokemon.
Ash and Serena barely had time to react before they were jumped on by all their Pokemon. In the excitement, the Pokemon master received a Thunderbolt from Pikachu, a Tackle from Bayleef, and a Karate Chop to the head from Hawlucha. Even with his uncanny ability to understand Pokemon, he wasn't entirely sure if the last gesture had been congratulatory or not. A moment later, Brock came running after them, breathless.
"Greninja figured out where you were and they all went running," he told Ash. "I told you, Ash, no matter where you do the asking, they're going to be there."