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“Ash, you’re gonna get a stomach ache if you keep eating like that, you know,” Dawn chided, watching as Ash shoved a third Octillery-shaped sausage link into his mouth.
Ash blinked, taking a moment to chew and swallow the food before flashing her a grin. “C’mon, Dawn. I eat like this all the time!” he assured, his expression turning smug as he gave the Pikachu sitting on his shoulder a light scratch beneath the chin. “No need to worry. Right, Pikachu?”
“Chu!” the Mouse Pokemon chirped, lifting his head to happily accept the gentle scratches.
Dawn deadpanned at her own catchphrase being used against her. She hated it when he did that. “Well, don’t come crying to me when you’re puking it all up tomorrow.”
“It’s a promise.”
The normally quiet streets of Twinleaf Town were lined with food vendors and games, people merrily bouncing between them and chatting with one another excitedly. The annual festival was always a big tourist attraction, but on that particular night it almost felt as if all of Sinnoh had piled itself into the sleepy mountainside town to get in on the fun.
It had been years since Dawn had gotten to properly attend—having had spent so much time traveling to compete in contests across other regions. However, this year there was something in her that urged her to go home and enjoy her hometown’s biggest tradition for a few days. And there was something stronger and weirder in her that urged her to invite Ash Ketchum, of all people, to join her.
“Stomachaches aside, I’m really glad you could make it,” Dawn commented, offering him a smile. She reached into her purse, pulling out a handkerchief and using it to wipe some stray crumbs from Ash’s face. “I know how busy you’ve been with traveling lately. So it means a lot that you came.”
Her hand paused as she realized how far she needed to reach up to touch his cheek. Wait. When had he gotten so tall? How hadn’t she noticed that sooner?
“Hey, I wouldn’t pass up the Twinleaf Festival for anything!” Ash beamed, pulling Dawn out of her thoughts. “Not only is the food great, but I’ll finally get the chance to have my rematch with Palmer tomorrow, too!”
Shaking the thought away, Dawn laughed, slipping the cloth back into her bag. “Leave it to you to travel halfway across the world for food and Pokemon battles.”
“Seeing you is an added bonus, too.”
Dawn huffed with a roll of her eyes. “Oh, so I’m a footnote, then?”
“No, more like a handnote!”
“A…” Dawn squinted, wondering if she misheard, “what?”
“Well, you’re the main reason I came.” Ash shrugged, and Pikachu nodded in agreement. “And, like, footnotes are at the bottom, right? So a handnote would be at the top!”
Dawn scrunched her face in confusion, but Ash merely continued to beam at her with that big, goofy smile of his. Feeling a heat begin to creep its way up her neck, Dawn cleared her throat and turned her head away. “...Ash, you really have a way with words, you know that?”
“I try!”
A loud crack and a flash of bright light bursted in the sky. Dawn’s brows shot up as her mouth formed into an ‘o’ shape. Spinning on her heel, she lifted her head to look up at the night sky. “The fireworks are starting!” she noted, her voice bubbling with excitement. She turned her head back to look at Ash. “C’mon. I know a good spot!”
Grabbing his hand, she pulled him along until they reached a hill on the edge of town. A few other people sat scattered along the grass that overlooked Lake Verity, and Dawn led Ash to an open spot where the pair could take their seat.
“Hey, this is great!” Ash grinned, plopping down onto the grass. “Guess you know your stuff!”
“Of course I do!” Dawn boasted, turning her nose up as she sat down beside him. “My mom and I used to watch the fireworks from here all the time when I was a kid.”
Another firework painted the Twinleaf sky bright green, and Ash’s attention was pulled away to marvel at it—Pikachu doing the same. A smile crept onto Dawn’s face as she watched them, shifting her own gaze to focus on the fireworks as well.
The two sat in comfortable silence as the fireworks continued to crack and make the night sky glow in a fantastic array of colors. Dawn wasn’t sure how many minutes had passed, but after a while she could feel a set of brown eyes focused on her.
The heat that was attempting to crawl its way up her neck before returned when she met Ash’s gaze. His eyes were soft, and the gentle smile on his face made Dawn’s heart skip a beat.
A blush dusted her cheeks. “What?” she asked, shifting in the grass. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Ash paused, his eyes widening as if being caught doing something he shouldn’t. “Uh. Sorry,” he coughed, looking away as he scratched at his cheek. Maybe it was just the light of the fireworks, but Dawn could have sworn she saw a blush on his face. “I was just thinking you look kind of pretty. I’ve never seen you in a yukata before tonight. It’s nice.”
She wasn’t sure if it was the compliment, the way Ash had been looking at her, or the fact that she was only just now realizing that she still had her fingers intertwined with his after pulling him to this spot, but Dawn was sure her face must have turned 12 different shades of red in that moment.
“I…” she squeaked, suddenly realizing how uncomfortably sweaty her fingers must have been. “Thank you.”
Pikachu snickered as Ash let out an awkward laugh, his face illuminated by the blue firework that bursted in the sky. Why was that making Dawn’s heart race? Why did her face feel so hot? Why were her hands wetter than Piplup taking a bath?
But when Ash gave Dawn’s hand a gentle squeeze, and flashed her his signature grin it was as if all of the pieces came together.
...Oh.
“Seriously, Dawn,” he started, scooting closer so their shoulders were touching, “I’m glad you invited me.” Another firework cracked, and Ash seemed to glow under its light. “Maybe… we could do it again next year?”
Dawn’s throat went dry. Her head spun as her heart pounded in her chest like a drum.
Oh dear.
She really, really, liked this boy.
End.