Alola, amour!

Chapter 9 ~ Why you kissed me?

Serena was right. Not just the next day, but the whole following week was very interesting.

Mallow didn't seem to get enough of Serena's teasing, and she did it almost all the time. As they were in the classroom, Mallow secretly made hearts with her hands and silently made the word "amour" with her lips, which made Lana and Lillie chuckled, Kiawe and Sophocles very confused and Serena blush red. The only one who hardly noticed the whole thing was Ash.

From Serena's point of view, the situation was "aggravated" by the fact that she was placed beside Ash. Mallow had of course ripped off all the joy after one school day, and when Serena had come home that day in bright red, Professor Kukui had looked at her in wonder and Ash had been immediately worried about her and wondered if she might have a fever or something. Of course, his care had made Serena blush more and that made Ash care more.

In the end, Serena had had enough of Mallow's teasing and asked her to stop. She had said it a little too loud, because everyone had turned to look. Kiawe had turned to look at her strangely, and finally, Ash had begun to ask what Mallow had been doing as Serena had to yell at her like that. There Serena muttered something vague and blushed spectacularly. Mallow grinned at her and silently made up the word "amour" before turning away, leaving the blushed Serena to sit dumb as Ash asked her what it was about.

                              ****
Serena walked towards Alola's home beside Braixen and Sylveon. (Pancham and Skitty were in their Pokeballs) Sylveon had wrapped her feelers around Serena's arms and walked beside her. "You know, I'm really enjoying my time here," Serena said to her Pokémon, and they nodded in understanding.

Then Serena sighed and said, "But one thing bothers me and that thing is called Ash. I don't know what to do with him. I thought that kiss would tell all my feelings for him, but he didn't seem to even realize the whole thing. And now I don't know if I have the courage to tell him a second time"

Pokémon listened to her speech but said nothing. They walked in the silence for the rest of the journey and Serena was in her thoughts.

How would she dare to tell Ash her feelings? Should she kiss his a second time, or would it be better to just talk? Serena thought the kiss at the airport had been easy as she didn't have to wait to see the consequences. A coward, she was blaming herself. Why do you have to be so damn shy!

                              ****
They reached Professor Kukui's house and instead of going inside, Serena decided to go to a nearby beach to ventilate her thoughts. Ash wasn't home, he had gone somewhere with Kiawe, obviously to train again. Serena sighed. Sometimes it felt like there was nothing else that could fit in that boy's head.

Serena spent the rest of the day sitting on the beach in the warm sand, watching her Pokémon play on the beach and staring at the beautiful blue sea. She felt the salty sea breeze blowing from the sea from time to time, and she lifted her face towards it and let it take away all her worries and sorrows. She saw a flock of Wingulls flying in the sky and waved to them. Of course, they didn't respond to her wave, but for Serena, it seemed like a nice idea.

Serena left the beach when the sun began to set on the horizon. She grabbed her bag and called her Pokémon, who had been playing along the water's edge with a few wild water Pokémon. They waved water Pokémons and ran to Serena and they walked towards Professor Kukui's house.

Serena arrived just as Kukui was covering the table for food. Ash lay on the couch watching something on TV with his Pokémon and Rotomdex. Noticing Serena's arrival, he smiled broadly at her. Serena smiled back at him, though not as wide, and decided to go to help Professor Kukui cover the table. Ash frowned. Did Serena have something bad, or why did she look something sad?

They ate and Ash felt that Serena really wasn't all right now. She was no ordinary cheerful self, but somehow seemed absent-minded. She ate quicker than usual and then closed her room, which she couldn't leave all night. Ash looked at Professor Kukui in amazement, but couldn't quite say what the look on the professor's face was. Ash sighed. He should talk to Serena and ask was she okay.

                               ****
Serena lay on her bed and tried to fall asleep. However, sleep refused to come and Serena finally got up and decided to go out for a moment.

She carefully opened the door of her room, careful not to wake the Pokémon sleeping on the other side of her bed, and headed toward the front door in the dark house. She tried to walk as quietly as she could, not to wake Ash or Professor Kukui and when she got to the door, she opened it and went out quietly.

Serena leaned against Professor Kukui's house railing and watched the stars twinkle in Alola's night sky. The sky looked somehow beautiful today and Serena noticed that the moon was also full. The night was suitably cool even though Alola was almost blazing hot during the day.

Serena listened to the different sounds of the darkness. Some were probably the sounds of nocturnal Pokémon but some sound made by the human. She closed her eyes and listened for a moment to the night sounds. That's why she was having a heart attack when a voice behind her said, "Serena?"

Serena quickly turned around only to notice Ash standing by the door, his face confused and slightly worried. Serena turned back and looked back at the starry sky. She could see from her eyelids how Ash came next to her and leaned against the railing.

"Beautiful night, huh?" Ash said and Serena nodded. "Yes it is," she said, and for a while neither said anything. Then Ash spoke: "Listen, Serena, I'm worried about you."

Serena turned to look at him. Ash wore his nightwear, blue shorts and a sleeveless top, and his hair was even more messy than usual, presumably after sleeping. "What?" Serena asked him and Ash replied, "Well, you've been somehow absent tonight and you look kind of sad. Serena, are you bothered?"

Serena bite her lips. It was true, she was bothered by one thing. But she couldn't quite tell Ash that, no, because it would reveal too much. Too many feelings for you, she thought. She sighed and said, "I really don't want to talk about it"

Ash looked at her and said, "Serena, you can talk to me about anything, you know that?" Serena nodded. Yes, she knew it. But... this wasn't the kind of thing she'd like to discuss.

Ash looked at Serena, waiting for her to say something, but when nothing was heard, he turned to look at the starry sky again. Then he said something that surprised Serena completely: "Serena, why you kissed me?"

Serena blushed. Completely. She had not expected such a question. "Well.. um... I... um.. I.. I wanted you to... remember me," she muttered and Ash turned to look at her. "But I would have remembered you anyway," he said, and Serena mumbled, "Yeah, but if you even met the prettier girls on your new journeys, you would still remember me."

Ash stared at her and Serena felt her red grow deep. Well, that was part of the truth, she thought, and she was staring at the starry sky at not having to face Ash's gaze. Then she heard Ash say, "But I think you're pretty"

Serena blushed even more. "T-thank you, Ash," she said confused and looked at Ash only to find that he was also blushing slightly. "You're not bad looking either"

They stood in silence again and looked at the starry sky. Ash glanced at Serena. He didn't get the moment when she had lightly pressed her lips against his lips at the airport, out of his head. Ash knew that people kissed each other when they liked each other very much, he wasn't that stupid. So could it be that Serena...

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt something on his shoulder. He turned his head and noticed Serena falling asleep against his shoulder. Ash thought Serena looked calm and... cute when she was asleep. Too bad she couldn't really sleep here, the veranda of the house was probably not the best place to sleep.

Without any thought, Ash lifted the sleeping Serena in his lap in a bridal style and carried her inside and into her bed. He covered Serena and was constantly alert not to wake her or the Pokémon sleeping on the other side of the bed. He left the room quietly and went to his own bed to sleep.

Who would have thought Ash would carry the girl in her bed in a bridal style (A/N: Okay, that sounded wrong, and if anyone is wondering how he was able to carry Serena, let's assume Serena is pretty slim and doesn't press too much.)