Sparks Fly (reupload)

Let it Burn

A/N: How convenient that a pandemic gives me more than enough free time to write about Ash being sick.

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"Soup's on!" Bonnie called from the kitchen. "Get it while it's hot!"

Clemont, who had been patiently waiting in the living room, entered the kitchen, where his sister was pouring a bowl of soup. He put on a pair of oven mitts similar to the ones she had on. He smiled nostalgically at the Magcargo print. 'How long has it been since Dad used these?'

"For your Prince Charming, dear brother," she teased, faking a foreign accent she couldn't decide on. Clemont determined that it vaguely sounded like it was from Galar.

He rolled his eyes and took the bowl from her hands, grateful about wearing the gloves. "Bonnie," he said warningly.

"Sorry, I just can't help it!" she giggled. "My big brother's finally getting himself a keeper!"

"You know that this is real life and not another one of your stories, right?" he grumbled.

Bonnie pretended not to hear him. "If you don't make your move now, you'll  break both of our hearts! How dare you shatter the dreams of a child, you monster!" she said dramatically.

"But we're both ch-" he began, but decided that it would just lead to more teasing, and left the kitchen.

Clemont entered his room, bowl in hand, and cleared his throat. "Ash? You awake?" he asked softly.

"Yeah," came Ash's voice from Clemont's bed. He sounded exhausted.

A pile of used tissues laid on the floor next to the bed. Well, most of them, anyways. Some barely made it off of the bed.

"Oh, dhe dissues? Sorry aboud dhad."

Clemont shook his head. "It's okay, Ash."

Ash looked at Clemont. "Really? I feel like I'm bodhering you guys by being sick." Clemont couldn't tell if Ash was sighing or exhaling from his mouth since that was the only way he could breathe.

"It's not a bother at all. Besides, you've done a lot for us. This is the least we can do for you in return," the blonde explained. "W-We all get sick."

'And some people get LOVESIIIIIIIIIICK~' Bonnie's voice erupted in his mind. Clemont shook his head desperately.

The ravenette raised his eyebrows in alarm. "Hey, Clemond, are you okay?"

Clemont froze. Even if he left out the giant crush factor, it'd be awkward to explain that it was as though Bonnie was invading his thoughts. "Sorry. One of Bonnie's songs has been stuck in my head for a while now, and I can't get it out."

Ash nodded, buying it. "I hade id when dhad happens."

"Who doesn't?" Clemont chuckled. "Anyways, uh, are you feeling any better?"

"I dunno. Maybe eading would help." A rumble emitted from the bed. "You doo, Pikachu?"

The Pokémon, who refused to leave Ash's side, groaned. "Pika..." he agreed.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, Pikachu! I'll grab something for you in the kitchen, I promise!"

Clemont quickly set the bowl of soup on his nightstand and rushed to the kitchen.

"So, does he like it?" Bonnie asked. She was seated at the kitchen table, having a go at her own bowl of soup.

"He hasn't had it yet, I think," Clemont replied, scrambling to find anything that Pikachu would like.

Especially now that Ash was sick, his visit had to be enjoyable as possible. That included taking care of Pikachu when he couldn't. And Clemont was determined to not mess that up.

He spotted a bag of Pokémon food in the cabinet and grabbed it. Clemont took out a bowl, poured the food, and quickly shoved the bag back into the cabinet.

"Well, somebody's in a rush," Bonnie commented.

Clemont ignored her and ran back to his room, bowl in tow.

"Sorry about that! I got the-"

The blonde lost his balance, rammed into the nightstand, and fell onto his back.

Ash and Pikachu screamed out in alarm.

Clemont screamed out in pain.

His legs, arms, head and everything in between were in intense pain from the tumble.

And his chest burned from the hot soup that was spilled onto it.

Bonnie rushed into the room, and immediately went pale. "C-Clemont!" she gasped, her eyes tearing up.

"Call an ambulance!" Ash panicked.

Bonnie nodded, and ran out as fast as she could.

Clemont was also tearing up. Though mostly out of sheer pain, he was also embarrassed. Mere moments ago, everything was nearly perfect. And somehow this was the end result of him trying to keep things that way.

Then Ash did something Clemont did not expect.

He began taking Clemont's shirt off.

"Ash- nngh, what are you doing?!" Then Clemont noticed the spray bottle in Ash's hand.

"Led's hope dis works," Ash mumbled.

There was so much for Clemont to take in at once. Ash being sick. Bonnie trying to set them up. Clemont trying to help Ash, only to hurt himself. Everyone in a panic. Bonnie talking to the operator on the other end of the screen in the living room. Ash about to spray Clemont with what he could only assume was a Burn Heal.

Clemont being shirtless.

The blonde passed out, with the last thing he could hear being Bonnie breaking down sobbing in the living room.