Things I will apologize now:

-Amount of Megabondshipping

-Amount of AUs (this is that AU you know I do where the Pokemon Regions are a part of America and Ash is from somewhere in Asia? Yeah, sorry if you don't like it)

-My grammar 

Things I won't apologize now:

-Exposing Serena

Enjoy! :) (Rated PG for slurs, language and theme)

A party was being thrown to celebrate the defeat of Lysandre and Team Flare and the rebuilding of Lumiose City. Everyone Ash had met throughout his journey in Kalos was there. Even Alain, which, though he wouldn't admit it openly, he was very happy about. Since it was a huge party, and Alain was going to be there, Ash decided to wear one of his many hanfu-style clothing for the occasion. There were even a few Chinese hairpins in his tied-up hair, which his friends were quite surprised to see. They weren't used to seeing Ash so elegant and traditional, but now that they'd seen it, they quite liked it.

"Hey, Ash", Alain called out to his friend as he approached him.

As soon as the younger boy realized, he started panicking as a blush spread across his face. What should he do? What if he messes up and makes himself look stupid to Alain? He tried his best to collect himself and faced him.

"H-Hey, Alain", he greeted back, forcing a smile.

"I just wanted to tell you, you look really good today"

All he could see was Ash beaming massively. But little did he know that he was squealing on the inside. Alain just gave him a compliment!

"T-Thank you, Alain Xiansheng...", Ash thanked before cringing at his own words.

Why did he refer to Alain as 'Mister'? Was he so nervous that he did it in Chinese?

"I was hoping to talk to you, actually..."

"Really...?"

"Yes, I wanted to tell you that-"

Poor Alain was interrupted when Serena appeared from behind Ash and grabbed his hand, dragging him to someplace else.

"A-Ah, Serena? Where are you taking me?"

Serena didn't answer as they arrived in a secluded spot. There was no one around. 

Soon, Ash came back to Alain. The man grinned as he saw him, finally able to tell him what he wanted to say for months now.

"Ash, you're back! Now, I have something to tell you"

"What is it, Alain?"

Alain paused for a moment. The way Ash talked sounded different. Sure, he was smiling and looked happy, but he was clenching his own shaking hands so tightly, he could see him trembling. He thought nothing of it.

"I wanted to tell you that...well...I like you"

Ash was silent for a moment, keeping his head down. Alain looked at him closely. Was that a tear just rolled down his face? Ash wiped it away before replying.

"B-Baoqian, uh, I mean, sorry, Alain. But I cannot return your feelings. I like Serena. We are in fact dating now"

Alain's eyes widened. He was very upset that Ash couldn't return his feelings, more so that that stupid girl Serena captured his heart. But what concerned him was how quickly Ash had said it, despite how much he stuttered. He was acting like someone was pointing a gun at him.

"Ash..."

"Don't speak to me", Ash snapped, looking up so Alain could see his cold eyes, "I never want to see you again"

Ash turned his back on him and walked away, covering his mouth with his long sleeve as he did so. 

-1 year later-

Alain stared blankly at the happy crowds of Lumiose City. It had been a year since the defeat of Lysandre, and since it was a pretty big thing as the world had been saved, the anniversary of it was celebrated each year from then on, and that was the first anniversary. But for Alain, it reminded him of the day his heart was broken. Since then, time passed so quickly he couldn't feel it, and he didn't care. He isolated himself from everyone; that one day was all he could remember.

He froze as he caught a glimpse of Ash and Serena walking through the streets, holding hands. Ash was wearing a modern Chinese dress similar to the one he'd worn that day, but it showed his knees, only the sleeves were long. For some reason, he seemed to have lost a concerning amount of weight, despite already being underweight, to the point where Alain could see his bones. On top of that, there were purple and blue bruises all over the small part of his legs he could see, as he was wearing thigh-high socks, also wounds and deep cuts. He felt a little concerned, but didn't bother to do something. Ash didn't want to see him. What was the point?

He walked over to the tower, where he went inside, climbed the stairs to the top and entered the roof. Ash noticed immediately and, noticing Serena was distracted, raced to the door to follow him. 

"Alain!", he yelled as he reached the roof, seeing Alain nearing the edge, "What are you doing?"

Alain turned around, allowing Ash to see the tears on his face.

"What do you care? You don't want to see me, right?! No one does!"

Ash was close to tearing up, but held himself together.

"Alain, if you take one step closer-"

He stopped talking as Alain stepped slightly closer to the edge. He wasn't actually planning to go over the edge, but just wanted to show Ash how much he'd hurt him. How much he still loved him.

Ash begun to panic and immediately began to sprint over to Alain. Alain didn't want to see him desperately sad like this, but it also looked like he was limping. Suddenly, Ash stopped and collapsed to his side. Alain gasped and immediately rushed to kneel down next to him. The other grabbed him by the shirt.

"P-P-Please, d-don't j-j-jump...", Ash stammered as he shivered violently from the cold, clutching on to Alain like his life depended on it. 

He slightly sat up and, with his other hand, took out his phone. He tapped and swiped a few time before giving to Alain. He was horrified. Text messages. From Serena.

'WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!'

'YOU'RE GETTING PUNISHED FOR THIS WHEN YOU GET HOME'

'IF YOU TELL ANYONE, I'LL KILL HIM'

Ash's grip tightened as tears streamed down his face.

"S-She...on that day, Alain...she...", he sobbed uncontrollably, "She threatened me. Told me that I was hers, and if I refused, she'd kill my friends and family. I don't know why I ever thought she could do anything, but as soon as she mentioned you name...I...I didn't know what to do. She forced me to lie. For months, she tortured me. I came home so she could start hitting me with saws and knives. I couldn't tell...I didn't want you to get hurt"

Alain couldn't believe it. All this time, he thought he himself was a victim in this situation.

"A-And it hurt...", Ash continued, "It hurt, Alain...to have to look you in the eye and lie to you...and see your face when I did...I just loved you so much that I had to hurt you so I could protect you...I couldn't lose you..."

His voice, already full of pain, got louder and made Alain want to cry.

"B-But now I almost j-just lost you! P-P-Please, Alain, don't jump, please, please, please..."

He immediately felt very guilty as Ash clung onto his shirt. He watched tearfully as Ash pulled down his stocking and sleeves to reveal bruises, wounds, cuts, and how deprived of food he'd been.

"Ash, it's alright. I was never going to jump", he reassured, "I just...I just wanted to show you how hurt I was..."

"I'm sorry, Alain. I'm so, so, sorry. I was scared. H-How could you scare me like that?! Idiot!", Ash scolded while hitting him lightly, "I went through all this so I wouldn't lose you, and then you try to take yourself from me?!"

"I know...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that"

Alain took Ash's phone and began to call 911. Ash was about to protest, but instead, was so exhausted that he fell asleep in Alain's arms before he could say anything. After the call was made and they were informed how long it would take for them to arrive, Alain heard an echoing of footsteps.

"Ash! Ash, where are you? I know you're up here! You're getting a beating after we go home!"

Alain carefully placed Ash down in a comfortable position, leaving Pikachu there to take care of him. He walked to the staircase just as Serena arrived to the top.

"Oh, hi, Alain!", Serena faked a smile, "Do you know where Ash is? He's been missing for hours and I'm worri-"

He put Ash's phone to her face where he showed her the texts. She immediately pulled out a knife from her pocket, ready to swing at him. She almost stabbed him when a hand grabbed the knife by the sharp end, making it cut into the hand and drawing blood.

"Ash..."

"Don't you dare..."

"How dare you disobey me?! You belong to me! You always will!"

He took the knife from her and kept it in his hand. He'd always been afraid of that girl, but as soon as she threatened Alain's life right in front of him, fear was nonexistent. 

"You can hurt me...", he whispered loud enough for everyone to hear, "You can beat me, stab me, punch me, starve me, torture me, make me bleed until I die. I don't care. But don't you dare hurt Alain..."

Alain felt tears of happiness flooding from his eyes. Ash just proved how much he cared about him. No wonder he hurt his feelings so much just to protect him.

"Oh, just you wait...", Serena yelled at the top of her lungs with a psychotic expression, getting closer to him, "I'm gonna make you wish you were never bo-"

A gunshot was heard as she flinched and fell to her knees, clenching her arm. Ash and Alain turned to see a policeman holding a gun in his hands. He ran up to the screaming girl, cuffed her and took her away.

"No! You can't do this to me! Fucking ching! You're mine! You hear that, you stupid tofu-head?!"

The two couldn't help but laugh at her pathetic insults as she was driven away.

"Alain..."

"Yes?"

"I just want you to know that...there are some things I can't do now because of her"

"What do you mean?"

"Her Pokemon were involved in hurting me as well, so, I can't really touch Pokemon now, except Pikachu"

Alain grabbed his waist, taking him by surprise, and lifted him up and kissed him.

"I don't care. I don't need any of that from you anymore. I just need you"

Hope you enjoyed!

Again, very sorry for the bad grammar. I spent Christmas with family and friends back in my home country, so I kinda forgot how to speak English...but I guess I'll have to get it back together when I go back to school. I don't want to go back to school.

I'll probably rewrite this when I remember how to talk.

Requests always open, thanks for reading and have a good day!