Sparks Fly (reupload)

A Brother's Trust

"It's not much, but I hope you like it." Clemont carefully placed a pot full of stew onto the kitchen table.

Ash laughed. "Clemont, I'll always eat whatever you give me. No exceptions."

Clemont laughed shyly. "Yeah, you're right."

Bonnie sat next to Ash, smiling. "And it's always good. There's no way you can screw it up!"

Her words started an internal panic. 'What if the vegetables weren't thoroughly prepared? Was the water boiled enough? Is it overcooked? Undercooked? How-'

"This is amazing!" Ash complimented as he slurped down his bowl of stew. "Don't be so hard on yourself, I love it!"

Clemont blushed. "Thank you."

Bonnie glanced at Clemont for a second, shrugged, and began eating her stew. Clemont got a bowl for himself and sat as close to Ash as he could get. "So, is it as good as Mallow's cooking?" Clemont teased.

Ash stopped to think. "Hmm, hard to say. You're both great cooks. And Brock. And Cilan. And my mom. Oh, and Professor Kukui." He sighed. "Man, that's a lot."

"You can take as much as you like, you know," Clemont told Ash, noticing his empty bowl.

Ash smiled. "You know me so well." The ravenette scooped himself a second bowl of stew and began to devour it. Something about Ash being enthusiastic about his cooking warmed Clemont's heart.

After three bowls of stew, Ash declared he wasn't able to eat anymore. Luckily for them, they barely had enough left to fill another bowl.

"I'm gonna be in your room to change, okay Clemont?" Ash asked.

"Yeah, that's fine," Clemont replied casually, trying to hide that he felt anything but.

Clemont and Bonnie watched Ash walk down the hall and disappear into Clemont's room, closing the door behind him. "Something's up with you," Bonnie whispered to Clemont.

"What? Nothing's up," Clemont replied, trying to keep his casual manner intact.

"Then why are you blushing so much around Ash?"

Clemont's body froze. 'She could see that?'

"It's from the cold," he lied. "It is supposed to snow sometime soon, you know."

"Big brother, I'm a kid, not an idiot. I saw you making goo goo eyes at him while he was eating." Bonnie cupped her hands around her eyes and stretched them slightly, widening her eyes to emphasize her point. "Like this."

Clemont cringed. "Not like that."

"Ha! So you admit it, then!"

"Admit what?"

Bonnie's voice dropped to a whisper again. "You like Ash."

Clemont was silent.

The girl patted his arm reassuringly. "It's okay to feel that way, Clemont."

He sighed, fully admitting his feelings. There was no dancing around it. He liked Ash. "Sorry to let down your hopes and dreams of me having a wife."

"Who said there were hopes of you being straight?"

Clemont looked at Bonnie in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I know why you rejected all those keepers! They were girls!"

Well it wasn't just that. They were practically shoved in his face out of nowhere at random. "Please, don't tell anyone. And I mean anyone."

"I promise," Bonnie vowed. "I love you!" She hugged Clemont's side tightly.

"I love you too, Bonnie," he sighed in relief. Hopefully she wouldn't tell anyone. Hopefully.

Clemont's bedroom door opened. "Sorry if I took so long," Ash apologized. "I forgot to give these to you guys."

Ash stepped in front of them and held out his hands. In each was a fancy-looking phone. "The professor wanted me to give these to you guys so that we can stay in touch no matter where we are."

"Really?" Bonnie gasped. "These must have been expensive!"

"He and I both insist," Ash smiled.

Clemont and Bonnie took the phones from Ash's hands. "Thanks," they said, meaning it.

"I already added my contact information to both of them," Ash told them. "Ah man, this is awesome! Now we can talk to each other whenever we want to!"

Clemont nodded. "Yeah, but let's do something fun first. I don't think you came all this way to eat and talk, right?"

Ash laughed at Clemont's joke. "Of course. What do you want to do?"

"How about a movie?" Bonnie suggested.

"That works," Ash grinned.

Bonnie nudged Clemont. "Ash, you stay here while we'll get the movies, okay?" she asked.

Ash nodded. "Don't get lost, okay?" he joked.

Once the siblings were out of Ash's earshot, Bonnie whispered to Clemont, "Don't kiss him tonight."

"What?"

"In case you were planning on it, don't. This relationship's gotta build up!" Bonnie advised. "Just act casual. Besides, I'll do whatever I can so that you can sit right next to him, no problem."

"Thank you," he sighed. "I think."

"Now, let's go get these movies," Bonnie grinned.