Last Goodbye

Clemont lay awake, staring up at his ceiling. An empty feeling settling in his stomach, tomorrow was the day he had been dreading ever since the day he first met Ash Ketchum. The day he had to say goodbye to the Kanto born boy. The Lumiose City gym leader, growing up never had many friends, preferring to spend his time in his workshop coming up with new inventions. That was until Ash made his way to Kalos. Clemont had his train of thought interrupted by a small knock on his door

"Come in"

"Hey big brother" Bonnie whispered, tiptoeing into her brother's bedroom

"You okay Bonnie?"

"Yeah, I just can't sleep" Bonnie answered

"No, nor can I" Clemont agreed, Bonnie sat down on the edge of Clemont's bed

"I don't want everyone to leave tomorrow" Bonnie sighed. Clemont sniffed as he tried to find the words to agree with his younger sister but the thought of saying goodbye to Ash and Serena became too much for him and tears began to roll down his cheeks. He was doing the one thing he never wanted to do, cry in front of his sister.

"Clemont?" Bonnie turned around to see her brother quickly wiping his eyes, trying and failing to hide his tears from her. Bonnie was stunned, she had never seen her brother crying before and she had no idea on what to do. She immediately threw her arms around him as he had done for her so many times in the past.

"I... I don't wan-wanna l-l-lose the only friends I have" Clemont confessed. acknowledging the difference between Bonnie and himself. Bonnie always loved to be the life and soul of the party and was adored by everyone she met and could make friends easily whereas Clemont was the quiet bookish kid who despite his intellect found making friends to be rather difficult

"You're not going to lose them, you're still gonna be friends even if you are far apart" Bonnie reassured him, using a line she had picked up from Ash whenever he spoke about his friends from other regions.

"When did you get to be so smart?" Clemont asked, as his little sister's words were making him feel better

"I learned it from you" Bonnie replied, seeing that her brother could not see her face, she let her smile drop, the one she had been wearing to try and cheer him up. As she was just as upset as he was to be saying goodbye. Bonnie and Clemont began to reminisce about their adventures with Ash and Serena

"Remember that time when you and Serena were dates to that party?" Bonnie asked

"Yeah, when she and Ash had to team up to battle Miette and James and her Eevee evolved into Sylveon... Or when we all tried to help Serena with her Pokevision videos?" Clemont laughed

"Or how about when you and Ash faced off in a gym battle? That was one of the coolest battles ever!" Bonnie exclaimed

"Yeah..." Clemont agreed in a more conservative tone, as the memory came back to him. He was reminded of how close he came to telling Ash the truth about his feelings for him. He just couldn't muster up the courage and in that moment he knew that he never would.

"I think I'm gonna go back to bed now, g'night big brother" Bonnie yawned

"Goodnight Bonnie"

Ash was stood in the middle of the airport lounge, his boarding gate behind him, Clemont stood in front of him. Ash placed a hand on Clemont's shoulder and pulled him into a tight hug, resting his head on Clemont's shoulder. Clemont took a deep breath, pulling Ash closer to him.

"Ash..." Clemont began

"Shh, don't say a word" Ash replied, he raised his head from the blond's shoulder and gazed at him with a sense of longing he'd never felt before. It broke his heart to be leaving Clemont so he was determined to leave him something to remember him by. Ash leant in close to Clemont and breathed quietly

"I'm going to miss you" before he gently and lovingly pressed his lips against Clemont's before he pulled away as he heard his boarding call for his flight. He let go of Clemont, picked up his bag as Pikachu jumped up on Ash's shoulder.

"Bye Bonnie" Ash bade the young girl farewell

"Pika, pika"

"Bye bye Ash" Bonnie replied, waving to the raven-haired boy

"Clemont I love you. See you soon" Ash promised as he turned around and walked away to get on his flight back to Kanto.

"ASH! I LOVE YOU TOO" Clemont called out to him, hoping that Ash would be able to hear him.

Clemont awoke to his alarm clock blaring. He sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, feeling sick as he recalled his dream. Wishing that he had half the courage of his dream self.

"Morning Clemont" Ash greeted as he burst into Clemont's room, pulling his T-shirt over his head. Clemont couldn't tear his eyes away from Ash's well-toned torso, his hand slipping into his pyjama bottoms as he watched Ash.

"Serena and Bonnie say breakfast is ready" Ash informed him as he pulled his blue jacket on and zipped it up.

"I'll be down in a minute" Clemont answered

"Okay, see you down there" Ash replied.

Clemont looked on as Ash and Alain shared a friendly embrace as they promised the other a Pokemon battle the next time they met. Alain along with Marin and Professor Sycamore were heading out to Frost Cavern to continue the research into Mega Evolution. Clemont noticing the twinkle in Ash's eyes as he watched Alain speed off in the professor's car. A tight knot forming in his stomach, wishing Ash would look at him that way.

"Clemont, you okay?" Serena asked, noticing the pained look on his face. Ash and Bonnie turned to face him at Serena's question

"Yeah. I'm fine" He lied, turning away from them

"Come on, let's finish getting all packed up" He added.

Time seemed to stand still for Clemont as Serena ran back up the escalator towards Ash. His expression changed from curiosity to shock to horror as Serena stood up on her tiptoes and kissed Ash before allowing the escalator to take her back to the floor below. Ash quickly replaced his look of shock with his trademark smile raised his hand high and waved Serena off.

"Oh wow," Bonnie exclaimed, happy that her friend finally was able to tell Ash how she felt about him. Clemont stood rooted to the spot and for the second time today he was cursing his own lack of courage.

Ash, Clemont and Bonnie were stood atop the airport roof, watching Serena's plane take off

"Bye bye" Bonnie called out

"Pika, Pika"

"Well there she goes" Clemont commented

"Serena's gotten really strong, so she'll be fine and she'll get a lot stronger in Hoeen"

"She sure will and I'll work hard to be an inventor an inventor who makes Pokemon happy"

"Yeah"

"You still have some time before your flight" Clemont pointed out

"Yeah, what should we do?" Ash asked

"There's something I'd like to ask of you, a small favour... It's something that I really wanna do" Clemont turned to face the Pokemon battle pitch. Ash nodded in understanding and agreed.

Back in the boarding lounge Pikachu and Dedenne were chasing each other in a game. Ash was absent-mindedly staring out of the window, watching all of the planes out on the runway taxi around ready to take off or land and let off all of their passengers. Bonnie was playing with her hair while humming happily and Clemont was sat down, eyes fixed firmly on the floor, shaking slightly. They all looked up in unison as a female voice over the tannoy system announced that Ash's flight was now ready to be boarded.

"Well, I guess this is it" Ash began, standing up. Bonnie ran up to him and threw her arms around his waist

"Ash, it was amazing to meet you and travel with you. Come back to Kalos soon please" Bonnie pleaded

"I will" Ash replied, placing his arms on the young girl's shoulders. Bonnie let go of him and said goodbye to Pikachu while Ash stepped forward to Clemont who was still shaking- trying to contain his emotions. Ash extended his hand for Clemont to shake. He looked up at Ash with eyes watering... He slapped Ash's hand away and like his sister, threw his arms around Ash. Ash replied by wrapping his arms around Clemont's waist.

"Clemont, thank you for everything" Ash whispered to him. Clemont couldn't hold it back anymore and began to gently sob. He knew it was now or never. Tell Ash how he felt or live to regret it.

"Ash. You were the first real friend I ever made, you're somebody I look up too and respect. You're an amazing Pokemon trainer and an even better person and I know that knowing you has made me into a better person. Travelling with you... And Serena has changed my life in so many ways. I wouldn't be who I am now without you. Ash, I owe you so much and I just wanted to tell you before you left... Ash I... I love you" Clemont explained, tears staining Ash's jacket.

"Clemont... I..." Ash was about to reply when he was cut off by a warning from the tannoy that it was now the final boarding call for Ash's flight. Clemont let go of Ash who picked his bag up before running off to the boarding gate. Calling out an apology to Clemont.

Clemont and Bonnie made their way back up to the roof and watched as Ash's plane took off, taking him back home to Kanto.

"You okay big brother?" Bonnie asked, slipping her hand into Clemont's

"Yeah, I'm fine" Clemont answered, giving Bonnie's hand a reassuring squeeze.

Later that evening as Clemont was working on his latest invention he was stopped as Clembot came in and announced that Clemont had an e-mail... From Ash. Clemont's heart skipped a beat as he opened the e-mail using Clembot's built-in computer

'Clemont. I love you too'