Life was good. He didn't have anything to complain about. So why did he still feel like complete and utter shit?

He had a roof over his head, family and friends that loved him. He ate three meals a day. He was healthy. He had clothes. He had a bed. He didn't want to get out of it.

It was nearly noon. Pulling the covers over his head to block out the light filtering into his room through the closed blinds, he squeezed his eyes shut. But why? He wasn't tired. He had slept nearly nine hours already. He just didn't want to get up. He had no motivation.

He'd felt like this for the past week or so. Every day was so routine. He would get up, make breakfast, eat breakfast, go run the gym, eat lunch, go back to the gym. Go back home, make and eat dinner. Go to bed. It was old. But he couldn't do anything about it. He had to do it, but he didn't want to.

He'd been blowing off mornings and having Clembot run the gym, while he moped around, laying hours on end, no urge to get up. Nothing compelling him to get his ass out of bed and be a productive person. But what was productive about running a gym? Fighting battles, giving out badges. Even battles were getting boring. They weren't too easy. They weren't too hard. They just weren't exciting anymore.

Nothing was really exciting anymore. He didn't have much to look forward to, especially now that Ash had moved on, off in a new region, with new friends, new Pokémon. He was old, Kalos was old and after returning to his old life, pre-Ash, it got old. Fast.

Ok, not that fast. Three years. Three years was a long time. Three years ago...

Why the hell was he crying? Did he feel sorry for himself? Sorry that he was only seventeen, and felt like a ninety year old man, with nothing to look forward to, other than death? Seventy three more years of the same routine and he probably wouldn't live to ninety.

A buzz from his phone.

He'd been sure that he had turned it off but apparently not. Snatching it off of his nightstand and squinting at the bright screen, he read the words on the screen. Several times.

+81 05 58 59 18 71 maintenant

clemont? its ash. standing outside of th prism tower where r u ?

Répondre (faites glisser)

Ash was here? But why? It's nearly been three years since they'd last spoken, and he decides to show up, now of all times?

Throwing the covers off of himself, Clemont busied himself with getting dressed. He splashed water on his face, brushing his teeth and grabbing a croissant off of the counter before running off in the direction of the Prism Tower.

As he ran, he couldn't help but think, what if it's just a prank? What if he's not actually there? His pace slowed, and he came to a stop, staring off in the direction of the Prism Tower. Was it really Ash, or someone just pulling his leg?

Pushing thoughts aside, he continued on, this time at a slower pace. He didn't want to go charging towards the Prism Tower, only to find that Ash was not there. He didn't want to look too desperate, desperate for something to be excited for.

Rounding the corner, he saw him. It was really him, the same old Ash, even after all of these years. Amber and sky blue eyes met.

For a minute they just stood and stared. Ash was dressed up, with a nice grey sweater over a dark blue button up shirt. He wore no jacket, unprepared for the cooler Kalos winters. His jeans were black, without holes or rips. He looked older, features sharper without losing their boyish charm. Overall he looked great, but uncomfortable. This wasn't what Ash would have usually picked to wear.

Clemont had long ago (okay, last year) abandoned his notorious jumpsuit for something more Kalosian. Slim-cut jeans, a dark grey wool jacket over a light blue button up shirt, a light grey knit scarf wrapped around his neck. He probably looked older too, but he felt younger now, seeing Ash again after all of these years.

They walked towards each other, stopping half a meter apart. Waiting for someone to say something, anything.

"Hey," Ash said simply, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets. "How've you been?"

A shrug. "Ok."

Why was this so awkward? They were best friends. Three years ago they would be going on and on about random topics, laughing and smiling and just enjoying each other's presence. Three years later, all Clemont wanted to do was go back home and curl up in bed again. They could barely start a conversation. It's like they were strangers. It's like the months they'd spent travelling with each other had never happened.

"How's the gym?-"

"Why are you here?"

He hadn't meant for it to come out so rudely. A slight frown tugged at the corners of Ash's lips with the question. Clemont gulped, feeling his Adam's apple brush against his scarf.

"I wanted to see you-"

"It's been three years."

"I know."

Another silence. If Clemont hadn't been so focused on Ash, he'd look around and notice that it was Valentine's Day.

"I missed you, Clemont."

"Three years is a long time."

"I know, I should've talked to you sooner... I'm sorry."

Part of him didn't forgive Ash. Part of him wanted to scream and cry and tell him to go away. But he couldn't go back to living the way he had been before. The only way to prevent that was to forgive him.

"I-I... I forgive you."

There was more silence. Tension filled the air as the two stared each other down again. Then there was a blur, and the next thing Clemont knew, Ash had him in a headlock, just like old times.

He couldn't help but laugh. Laugh, and smile, and feel fourteen again. It was a nice feeling, and he didn't want it to ever end.

After a few minutes, Ash released him, and pulled Clemont into a hug.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Clemont."

lol I didn't plan on this being fluff or valentines day related at all i was taking out my angst and then said "what the hell" and made it cute diode shit. wow im trash

and also idk if you did the math but im that person that feels like clemont isn't 10 and is like 14 and refuses to think that ash is still 10 and is convinced he's like 15 in kalos.

and the title means "I miss you" in French and the other couple French words r "now" and "respond (slide)" like an iphone would say if u got a text. im sort of a huge francophone kalos enthusiast.