Like Sparkling Snowflakes

Written by SkittleBoxx

Rated K-plus for subtle mention of child abuse.

This takes place five-six after the SM anime and five-six years before Something More. Knowledge of Something More is not required to understand and fully enjoy this fic.

Ash and Lillie are both 16 years old.

The cold nipped at the exposed skin, and every hot airy breath transitioned to freezing mist. Delicate snowflakes that built upon each other crunched under the well-padded snowboot while other snowflakes continued their descent from the dark clouds to the freezing ground.

Compared to the rest of Kalos, Snowbelle City stuck out like a sore thumb. Most cities in the region were popular among tourists for the unique Pokemon the different environments attracted and the modest weather, but Snowbelle City was nothing like the other cities. It was cold and not many Pokemon were drawn towards the plummeting temperatures as any warm-blooded creatures approached the city limits.

However, Snowbelle City attracted a different crowd of warm-blooded creatures: the hot-headed Trainers that could stave off the cold via their burning passion for earning a Gym Badge necessary to enter the Lumiose Conference. With the League competition approaching and the days of the calendar dwindling, the city was packed to burst with Trainers who were seeking the key to entering by battling for their last Badge.

It was nighttime, so compared to the huge hustle and bustle when the sun warmed the jacketed backs of travelers, it was a barren landscape apart from the residents cozied up in their houses with warm smoke billowing into the air. People who found themselves caught up in nighttime's grasp were running not only to keep the warm blood pumping, but to find the Pokemon Center for a warm bed and the free hot chocolate the staff handed out for the shivering Trainers.

Near the city limits, two young teenagers had their jacketed arms linked as they sprinted into the city. Their heavy breaths from the exhaustion floated into the air as mere wisps of white, and their boots kicked up a tiny cloud of snow wherever their feet landed and scuffed against the flakes already packed and nailed into the ground due to the Trainers before them entering the city.

"Ash...!" the girl pushed out of her lungs burning with a mixture of long-distance running and the cold air that encased them. She tried her best to keep with her companion's rapid pace, but her feet never complied as both slowed to a halt. "Ash... I think we're here! We don't need to run anymore!" In her body's protest, she crouched down, only a knee supporting the heavily-breathing girl.

The boy took a few paces forward, a noticeable shine of what looked like nostalgia in his fine brown eyes. "...yes. We're here." He walked back to the girl and used a thumb and index finger to bring her chin up. "Sorry about bringing you here so fast, Lillie. I remember when I came here years ago, and I'll never forget that cold that bit me and my friends I traveled with at the time."

Ash held a tanned hand to the Alolan girl, where her own hand took his. Lillie felt a wave of much-needed warmth and nostalgia hit her when she noted and compared their two distinct skin tones. Her hand was no longer as pale as it was years ago.

After the two kids graduated the Alola Pokemon School, all the students went their own ways, most becoming Trial Captains to survey and conduct Island Trials in the tropical getaway region. However, while Lillie fumbled over what to do next, Ash had made the at the time ludicrous suggestion of a journey: he and Lillie, traveling together as the girl would collect Gym Badges and enter League Conferences with her newfound Pokemon knowledge.

At first, Lillie objected. She slammed herself down, saying that a girl who had less than a year's experience of training Pokemon would flounder like a Magikarp out of water. It was only until Ash showed Lillie all of his Badges, ranging from dulled and dirty to pristine and clean that Lillie started to consider the idea at all. And when Ash started throwing in the tales of his own journeys that sounded like fantasy did Lillie smile at the thought of her doing just that.

Together, the two went off. First it was Sinnoh. Then it was Unova. Lillie pleasantly surprised herself in each region, actually making the deadline to enter each League Conference. Despite placing at the preliminary rounds and one round after respectively, for a girl who never believed in herself and her abilities, it was a well-needed pick-me-up.

Ash helped haul Lillie to her feet. Back upright, Lillie dusted off her thick pale blue jacket and stuffed her gloved hands into the fluffy inside. "So... do you remember where the Pokemon Center is? I'm about to turn into a Vanillite it's so cold..."

"Hmm..." He took those few steps forward again and pointed. "Aha! Right there," he answered, one gloved finger pointing to a cozy-looking cabin building down the hill. Even Pikachu, who was still on Ash's shoulder, was pointing.

Lillie grabbed his outstretched hand, a red tinge dusting her skin. "Well, let's go!"

As they sprinted down the hill, Lillie felt the warmth surge through her from more than one source. The warm blood was racing through every vein she had, but the other source of heat was the one that occupied her mind: the contact her hand was making with her companion's.

What was it about Ash that made her so happy? What was it about Ash that made her so giddy and happy? Why did it feel like that with Ash, no one else mattered?

No, Lillie told herself. Ash was her friend. Friends always made each other happy. Case closed.

The two kept up their pace through the city. Their tired feet were basically dragging against the white-dusted bricks that made up the walkways, but they were still moving towards the Pokemon Center.

It wasn't long before the two stumbled upon the wooden structure with the notable Pokemon Center logo that boasted itself on the roof. Ash hopped up the stairs ahead of Lillie and twisted the doorknob, then stepped aside and held the door open for her. Once Lillie was safe in the comfortable warmth, he closed the door behind him.

"Oh!" A Nurse Joy ran over to them with a silver tray used to collected Pokeballs for healing, but the dips in the tray instead held plastic cups with steaming wafing off of the mystery liquid inside. "Welcome to the Pokemon Center! You came here awfully late, didn't you?"

Lillie took her coat off, which revealed her current fashion: a white and pale blue long-sleeve shirt with silver elegant patterns near the bottom left complete with blue jeans. "Yeah." She set her coat onto the ottoman near the plush couch and eyed the cups. "Are... are those for us?"

Nurse Joy offered her smile. "Yep! Help yourselves, a nice cup of hot chocolate will surely warm you up!"

Ash took a cup into his hand and bowed his head down. "Thanks." He also plucked one up for Lillie and rounded to the couch.

The girl plopped down into the soft, comfortable furniture and grasped the warm cup Ash handed to her. In a hurry, she brought her freezing lips to the edge of the cup and took a big gulp of the hot liquid. Already, she could feel the warmth sparking a fire inside her and her fingers regaining some of their feeling that was lost outside.

Lillie placed the cup on the glass table in front of the couch and took her pale green messenger bag off. Inside, her hand shuffled around and her fingers closed around something the size of a marble. She pulled her hand out of the bag and expanded the size of the Pokeball she had grabbed.

It broke open, and the plasma took the shape of a fox Pokemon. Its white fur would blend in perfectly outside, if not for its bright blue eyes.

"Shiron!" Lillie cried as her Pokemon tackled her into an embrace. She bent forward and showed her Pokemon the cup. "Do you want some hot chocolate, Shiron?"

Next to her, she heard Ash chuckle. "Y'know, I feel like you'll do just fine in the Lumiose Conference."

"Huh?" Lillie stopped tilting the cup to her Pokemon who was lapping the hot chocolate up. "Why say that, Ash? I mean, I'm still no good at being a Pokemon Trainer, and I only have seven out of my eight Kalos League Badges. There's still that little chance of failure still..."

Ash scooted closer to her and reached into her bag. Soon, he had a slim box with a clear cover displaying many things that reflected off of the interior lights.

The lid popped open, and inside the black velvet was seven Gym Badges.

"If this doesn't prove anything... I don't know what will."

Lillie stopped admirring her Gym Badges to focus on the face holding her Badge Case.

Ash was giving that soft, sincere smile. Although his raven hair almost obstructed his eyes, Lillie felt that unusual heat burn on her cheeks again.

"And you're so kind to Pokemon," he continued. "If there's one thing that every Pokemon Trainer knows, it's that a good Pokemon Trainer is a person who truly loves and believes in their Pokemon."

As the words sank in, Lillie felt another source of warmth: tiny tears burning the corners of her green eyes. She took another shaky sip of her sweet beverage. "But..." She twisted her head away. "But... what if I'm not a good Pokemon Trainer? What if I fail to impress the people I love?"

She felt the cushion under her shift to accommodate Ash's weight. "You? Being a bad Pokemon Trainer? Lillie, don't think this way..." He set an arm around her. "You've earned a total of twenty-three Gym Badges, and I know that'll be twenty-four soon. You've entered two League Conferences and have won countless battles against rivals! And you say you're a bad Trainer?"

Lillie bit her lower lip, only stopping the pain to gulp down what was remaining in the plastic cup. She gave no answer.

"Lillie, don't be this way. I know that compared to me, you're still not there yet. But I see myself in you right now: a blooming, coming-of-age Trainer that'll never stop impressing people with their newfound battle skills that they learn." He kicked back, his arm still embracing his companion on one side. "Besides, your family probably watches you battle on TV whenever they get the chance. They're probably cheerin' for ya right now. I know my mom is back in Pallet Town and wherever my father may be."

Any other girl would've been reassured and thanked Ash for the comforting words. But in this case, Lillie was not any other girl.

Instead, she quickly stood up, grabbed her coat, and stifled a sob. "W-what do you know about my family and if they're cheering for me?" A single tear dropped from her cheek as she jammed her arms through the sleeves of the coat. "You probably know nothing!"

Ash also stood up and set a hand on her shoulder. "Lillie, what's wrong? Did I say something-"

"Forget it!" she rebutted. "You don't need to know!" She zipped up her jacket and never twisted her head back to see anyone watch her run to the Pokemon Center door, throw it open, and rocket outside while a trail of fresh hot tears followed her into the bitter cold.

The boy ran forward to the door. "Lillie, wait! You're going to get sick it's so cold!" After a minute of no response, Ash went back to the couch and slipped his jacket on. "Stay here, Pikachu. Don't want you getting sick, either," he commanded as he followed Lillie's footsteps outside.

It was like the run to Snowbelle City all over again. Her lungs burned with how her breath hitched due to her sobbing and the cold air being drawn into her body and exhaled. She had almost stumbled over the packed snow and silver brick sidewalks of the city. To make matters worse, the cloud cover had drowned out the soft glow of the moon, so it was dark. Lillie had payed no mind to the elements that had created the perfect storm, though. Her tears kept rolling down her face, like she was. She didn't know where she was running, all she knew was that she was running.

She eventually stopped on a long suspension bridge to catch her breath. Lillie bent down, her hands on her knees. A fit of coughing after the torture she had subjected her body to. The warm blood stopping surging through her veins, so in an instant she felt the cold enclose her again. She pulled her pale blue jacket closer to her shivering form, hopefully to ward off the cold. Her legs than gave out on her, so she simply sat on the bridge, curling up and sobbing quietly.

Ash was probably worried about her. About how she lashed out back at the Pokemon Center and how she was lost in the cold.

She had never meant to run away. She never expected to hear Ash bring up the delicate topic of her family.

Just thinking of Ash, risking his life to find her after she was such a fool, brought new tears to life. The warms drops of liquid slid down their pre-defined paths on her face trailed out by previous tears. She also felt her heart flutter about again: something that happened whenever Ash entered her mind.

Lillie looked up to the sky. The cloud cover had grown darker and angrier. She bit her lower lip to both curb her worry and stop it from quivering. What if a huge snowstorm came by while she was still outside crying her eyes out?

The thought of falling asleep in the cold due to her exhaustion struck a new worry in her, so she grabbed onto the thick ropes of the bridge and stumbled back onto her feet. As she did, one single snowflake drifted downwards and landed on her nose. She rubbed her nose and her eyes as she slowly shuffled across the wooden planks. However, she stopped.

Right in front of her was a figure that caused her heart to skip a beat.

"Lillie! What are you doing out here, it's freezing!" he called out.

Lillie turned her head away. "I could ask that to you, too! Why did you follow me?"

Ash ran forward, also stumbling onto the bridge. "I was worried about you! It's so cold out here, I didn't want you to get lost during this weather!"

The girl stayed silent at first, then took a few shaky steps towards Ash. "I'm sorry about this... I just... didn't know what to do..."

"...must've been something I said, huh?" Likewise, he took a few steps towards Lillie. "If I said anything that caused you trouble, I'm sorry."

Lillie bit her lower lip. Her eyes burned with the sting of a new round of tears. "...I suppose now... I have to let you know..."

Quietly, Ash met Lillie where she was standing and looked into her emerald eyes. "Let me know?"

"About my family..." She took a deep breath, but that was interrupted by a sob. "They're not cheering for me. My father... he's been gone for years following an experiment gone wrong. And..." One lone tear slipped down her cheek. "In turn, my mother was distraught. She then... she then started hurting me. My brother's been out and about and I've been unable to reach him, so I don't know if he knows all the great things I've done!" She lunged forward and wrapped her arms around Ash's neck. "They're not cheering for me! They never will!"

Ash moved one hand to hold the back of Lillie's head, and the other went around her back. He placed her head on his shoulder as he hushed, "shh, it's okay... let it all out..."

Lillie quietly sobbed and buried her face into Ash's jacket. "Nobody's ever gonna know all things I've done and will do..."

"Someone does."

The girl removed her face from Ash's now tear-stained jacket. She felt her eyes being drawn towards his brown ones, shrouded by the snowflakes. "H-huh?"

Ash cupped one gloved hand on Lillie's blotched cheek and gave her a soft smile. "Yeah. I know one person who'll always be rooting for you no matter what."

Silence.

"I believe in you, Lillie," Ash replied softly, "and I always will. You're a great Pokemon Trainer, and everyone you've met knows it too. Even if your family doesn't know what you're doing, I know that you're doing what you were born to do: going out there and training Pokemon because you love Pokemon. And no matter what... I believe in you. I don't ever want you to forget that."

Lillie felt herself grab onto Ash's hand that was on her cheek. Her beat was beating louder than a bass drum and faster than a Pokemon's Quick Attack. Something about this moment, both of them surrounded by the gently falling snowflakes...

"Ash... I..." She shut her eyes and expelled a frosty breath. When she opened her eyes, she found herself staring into those handsome brown eyes.

And then she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his in a move her mind hardly registered.

In less than a second, Lillie felt the cold melt away from her. Replaced by tender warmth, a rush of adrenaline shot down her spine as she felt Ash wrap his arms around her back, bringing them closer together. Despite the snowflakes landing in their hair, they stayed close together. Lillie carefully placed a hand on Ash's warm chest. Why would anyone want to leave this moment?

They parted about a minute later. Lillie, with her blush almost as bright as it was when her skin was pale, looked down and rocked back and forth on her heels. "...sorry about that," she quietly broke the silence with.

"Sorry?" Ash chuckled quietly and also diverted his eyes to the ground. "I... actually enjoyed that. Way different than my first kiss..."

Lillie stepped a bit closer to Ash. "First kiss? You mean... this isn't new?"

Ash rubbed the back of his neck. "Ehehehe... kinda. You see, the last time I was at Kalos, one of my old friends kissed me as she was leaving for Hoenn. However... I didn't feel like she did about it. However..." He grabbed both of Lillie's hands. "This time, it felt different. I felt something. I guess..."

All Lillie could hear was the blood pounding against her ears. Was this really happening?

"After traveling with you through all these regions and cities, watching you win Badges, and just being with you... I think I can finally make a conclusion." He drew a deep breath in. "Lillie... I really like you. Like, like like. I guess I can say it... Lillie, I love you."

Lillie felt her heart flutter about and her face burn even hotter. She felt the tears inch their way to her eyes, but they weren't of sadness. "I... I love you too, Ash." She stepped closer and hugged him. "I... I really do. You've been my comfort when my family hasn't taken notice of me, and my inspiration. I guess it was impossible to start feeling this for you... and I wouldn't have it any other way."

The girl then felt a warm hand rub against her back. "I guess you stole the words out of my mouth." He looked up to the snowflakes swirling around them. "Lillie... isn't the snow beautiful?"

She turned her attention to the view past them. The sky was filled with twinkling snowflakes, almost like a diamond had been turned to dust and the remains of it was what fell from the clouds. She reached a gloved hand out and giggled. "They are." She lay her head on Ash's shoulder as she continued to savor the view. "Although it's cold... can we stay like this? Just a bit longer?"

Ash replayed softly with, "I don't see why not. But we shouldn't stay outside any longer after this."

"Then I'll remember each moment. In fact, I'll remember each snowflake. Anything to remind me of this time with you..." She snuggled up closer to Ash. "Thank you, Ash. Without you, I don't know where I would be..."

The boy gently gave Lillie a peck on the cheek, sending a surge of warmth through both. "Me too. Definitely not here with you, that's for sure."

Together, the two stayed close in their embrace and watched the snowflakes drift down. Despite their red-speckled faces due to the cold, they both had soft smiles on their faces.

Lillie set her eyes on one snowflake. It swayed side to side, the lights from the city reflecting off of it each time.

If Ash did believe in her, then she would get her last Kalos Gym Badge and enter the Lumiose Conference. It was what she was born to do.

And she would shine, just like that one sparkling snowflake.

A/N: ahhhhh this is terribly rushed but whatever I hope you enjoyed

In case you were wondering about the AureliaShipping one-shots, this is what my shipping attention has been diverted towards. Hopefully I'll have the one-shots and drabbles back up at a constant pace soon.