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Description
Summary: As always, Ash moves along after the Pokémon League, and Clemont already misses him. (Diodeshipping)

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It was the bigger things that made Clemont and Ash’s friendship stronger. When Clemont had first faced Ash in battle, he’d been able to take his first steps into getting to know the foreign trainer. Going on a journey together and growing stronger together had deepened the forming bond of friendship between the two further.

Clemont cared for Ash as a friend, but also greatly respected and admired him as both a person and a trainer. Ash carried himself with true confidence and held much courage and strength of character. He held all of these great qualities despite still being excitable and prone to stumble in his youth.

Clemont saw much hope for himself to grow in Ash. Ash had the makings of a great trainer but had never lost his joy and wonder towards Pokémon, battling or anything else he enjoyed in life. It was because of this that Clemont believed that he himself could balance his duties and hobbies, his responsibility and delight. That was what Clemont believed when he returned to his Gym after Ash had departed off to parts unknown in search of new experiences and adventures.

Clemont was strong enough to take over his Gym full time again. While Clemont still wasn’t completely filled with confidence, he did believe that he became a better Gym Leader all in all. It felt good, helping other trainers grow stronger and more capable the same way he himself had been taught, and his Pokémon took notice of his renewed delight in battling, also growing in enthusiasm.

He still invented and built things on the side, the renewing of his Gym being by far his favourite project. There were so many things he could do to help trainers take in what they’d learned and make the Gym experience more exciting in other ways. He was considering adding a quiz of some sort to his Gym.

Of course Clemont couldn’t use all of his Pokémon in Gym battles, as the new partners he’d met on his journey weren’t exactly electric types. But there was one new Pokémon he did add to his team roster to give his easily stressed out Magnemite a chance to rest.

Pikachu was the perfect partner for Ash, Clemont believed. The two didn’t only fit together due to their personalities, they also looked right whenever they were together, battling or not. Similarly Dedenne was perfect for Bonnie, since, while Clemont might never say it out loud, the two were both absolutely adorable. It had left Clemont feeling ever-so-slightly left-out at times.

Clemont had encountered Emolga on a trip to Geosenge Town, curious to find out if he could invent a device that could determine the type and origin of the strange undercurrent of energy that permeated the area. While his invention had been a resounding failure, Clemont’s meeting and subsequent capture of Emolga was not, and his new Pokémon friend became a valuable part of his Gym battle team.

There was a part of Clemont that was more honest, however, and that part knew that he had caught Emolga simply because it had reminded him of the friend who had recently left him. Clemont had tried to stay positive and Bonnie had been a great help and motivation for him on that front, but there had been times when for a moment he wouldn’t have anything taking up his attention and his thoughts would immediately drift over to Ash.

Ever since Clemont had caught Emolga, the twinges caused by Ash’s absence had lessened and Clemont’s joy was much more often completely sincere and brought on from simply being with his Pokémon and sister instead of from having something to do that would keep him happy. Much of this was due to the fact that battling with Emolga by his side made Clemont feel a bit closer to Ash, and like he could understand the other trainer even better.

Because while it had been the big things that had made Clemont see Ash as an important friend, it had been the little things that had made the blond fall in love with his friend. When they’d speak to each other softly in the dark before they’d fall asleep, how their conversations would slowly lower into secretive whispers in fear of waking up the girls in the tent over, Clemont would always feel for a moment that there was nothing else in the world but him an Ash and Pikachu’s even breathing and soft coos.

There were also the casual touches that made Clemont so very aware of not only how warm Ash was, but of how much Clemont wanted to burrow himself into that warmth and never let go again. And there were so many other things, countless moments that wouldn’t be remembered consciously but that would make Clemont fall even deeper in love in the long run. And in the end Clemont couldn’t tell when his feelings had first decisively drifted from friendship to something else, when in truth it wasn’t about a single experience or big moment, but of every single one of the little moments and small gestures that were all summed together like an equation. And the answer would always equal love.

Maybe one day Clemont will tell Ash all about these thoughts and feelings. For now, however, he still isn’t quite strong enough.

Description
Summary: As always, Ash moves along after the Pokémon League, and Clemont already misses him. (Diodeshipping)

---

It was the bigger things that made Clemont and Ash’s friendship stronger. When Clemont had first faced Ash in battle, he’d been able to take his first steps into getting to know the foreign trainer. Going on a journey together and growing stronger together had deepened the forming bond of friendship between the two further.

Clemont cared for Ash as a friend, but also greatly respected and admired him as both a person and a trainer. Ash carried himself with true confidence and held much courage and strength of character. He held all of these great qualities despite still being excitable and prone to stumble in his youth.

Clemont saw much hope for himself to grow in Ash. Ash had the makings of a great trainer but had never lost his joy and wonder towards Pokémon, battling or anything else he enjoyed in life. It was because of this that Clemont believed that he himself could balance his duties and hobbies, his responsibility and delight. That was what Clemont believed when he returned to his Gym after Ash had departed off to parts unknown in search of new experiences and adventures.

Clemont was strong enough to take over his Gym full time again. While Clemont still wasn’t completely filled with confidence, he did believe that he became a better Gym Leader all in all. It felt good, helping other trainers grow stronger and more capable the same way he himself had been taught, and his Pokémon took notice of his renewed delight in battling, also growing in enthusiasm.

He still invented and built things on the side, the renewing of his Gym being by far his favourite project. There were so many things he could do to help trainers take in what they’d learned and make the Gym experience more exciting in other ways. He was considering adding a quiz of some sort to his Gym.

Of course Clemont couldn’t use all of his Pokémon in Gym battles, as the new partners he’d met on his journey weren’t exactly electric types. But there was one new Pokémon he did add to his team roster to give his easily stressed out Magnemite a chance to rest.

Pikachu was the perfect partner for Ash, Clemont believed. The two didn’t only fit together due to their personalities, they also looked right whenever they were together, battling or not. Similarly Dedenne was perfect for Bonnie, since, while Clemont might never say it out loud, the two were both absolutely adorable. It had left Clemont feeling ever-so-slightly left-out at times.

Clemont had encountered Emolga on a trip to Geosenge Town, curious to find out if he could invent a device that could determine the type and origin of the strange undercurrent of energy that permeated the area. While his invention had been a resounding failure, Clemont’s meeting and subsequent capture of Emolga was not, and his new Pokémon friend became a valuable part of his Gym battle team.

There was a part of Clemont that was more honest, however, and that part knew that he had caught Emolga simply because it had reminded him of the friend who had recently left him. Clemont had tried to stay positive and Bonnie had been a great help and motivation for him on that front, but there had been times when for a moment he wouldn’t have anything taking up his attention and his thoughts would immediately drift over to Ash.

Ever since Clemont had caught Emolga, the twinges caused by Ash’s absence had lessened and Clemont’s joy was much more often completely sincere and brought on from simply being with his Pokémon and sister instead of from having something to do that would keep him happy. Much of this was due to the fact that battling with Emolga by his side made Clemont feel a bit closer to Ash, and like he could understand the other trainer even better.

Because while it had been the big things that had made Clemont see Ash as an important friend, it had been the little things that had made the blond fall in love with his friend. When they’d speak to each other softly in the dark before they’d fall asleep, how their conversations would slowly lower into secretive whispers in fear of waking up the girls in the tent over, Clemont would always feel for a moment that there was nothing else in the world but him an Ash and Pikachu’s even breathing and soft coos.

There were also the casual touches that made Clemont so very aware of not only how warm Ash was, but of how much Clemont wanted to burrow himself into that warmth and never let go again. And there were so many other things, countless moments that wouldn’t be remembered consciously but that would make Clemont fall even deeper in love in the long run. And in the end Clemont couldn’t tell when his feelings had first decisively drifted from friendship to something else, when in truth it wasn’t about a single experience or big moment, but of every single one of the little moments and small gestures that were all summed together like an equation. And the answer would always equal love.

Maybe one day Clemont will tell Ash all about these thoughts and feelings. For now, however, he still isn’t quite strong enough.