Chapter Text
Serena adjusted the strap of her backpack on her shoulder as she left the café where she worked as a barista. It was almost eight o'clock at night, her feet ached inside her worn-out sneakers, and the smell of coffee and hot milk still clung to her clothes. At eighteen, she already knew that adult life wasn't like in the movies. There were no princes, no magical adventures. Just bills to pay, a tiny apartment on the third floor of an old building, and the exhaustion that accumulated day after day.
Since moving to Lumiose on her own, her routine had remained the same: waking up early, studying remotely at night, working the afternoon shift at the café, and sometimes doing overtime as a delivery driver when the rent was tight.
A light rain was falling as she crossed the street toward the bus stop. Her light coat barely protected her from the cold. She sighed, glancing at her phone: the battery was almost dead and the bus was late, as always.
"Hey, are you okay?", asked a male voice behind her.
Serena turned around, surprised. A boy about her age, with black hair tousled by the dampness and a dark red coat, was watching her with genuine concern. His brown eyes seemed warm even under the yellowish light of the lamppost.
"Ah... yes, just waiting for the bus," she replied, forcing a polite smile.
"He'll be late today. I saw on the app that there's construction on the line," He scratched the back of his neck, a gesture that seemed habitual. "My name is Ash. I work at the bike shop on the corner. I've seen you leaving the café almost every day this week."
Serena blinked, a little suspicious. Lumiose was large, but the neighborhood where she lived was relatively quiet. Still, a stranger approaching at night…
"Serena," she said, tightening her grip on the backpack. "Don't worry, I'll manage."
Ash smiled slightly, a wide and uncomplicated smile.
"I don't doubt it. But it's raining and you look exhausted. If you want, I can give you a ride. I have an electric bike at the shop; it's fast and safe. I won't charge anything, I swear. I just don't like seeing someone waiting in this weather."
She hesitated. Part of her wanted to refuse; she had learned early on that free help almost always came at a price. But another part, the one with heavy shoulders and cold fingers, wanted to believe that someone could simply be kind.
"Why would you do that?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ash shrugged.
"Because I can. I live in the opposite direction, but I don't mind making a detour. Besides… you always seem to be carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders when you leave the café. Nobody deserves to go home like that every day."
His words were simple, but they touched something inside her. Serena looked at the intensifying rain and the empty bus stop.
"Okay... but only up to my building. And I'll pay the equivalent of a bus ticket."
Ash chuckled softly.
"Okay. Wait here, I'll get the bike."
Two minutes later he returned, riding a black electric bicycle with an extra helmet in his hand. Serena climbed on behind him, holding on lightly to the back of the seat. The cold wind whipped against her face as they cut through the lit streets of Lumiose. The lights from the buildings and shops created a colorful blur in the light rain.
During the short ride, Ash chatted about lighthearted things: how he had recently moved to the city looking for work, how he dreamed of traveling the world someday, but for now he fixed bicycles and helped his uncle at the shop. He didn't ask intrusive questions about her, which Serena appreciated.
When they stopped in front of her old building, Serena got out and returned the helmet.
"Thank you, Ash. Seriously. You didn't have to."
He smiled, his wet hair stuck to his forehead.
"It was a pleasure. If you need a ride again, or just someone to talk to after work... I'm around here almost every day. Feel free to call me."
Serena felt a strange warmth rise up her face. She wasn't used to this, to someone simply offering help without any apparent ulterior motives.
"I'll think about it," she replied, smiling genuinely for the first time in days. "Good night."
"Good evening, Serena"
As she climbed the narrow stairs to her apartment, the tiredness was still there, but it felt a little lighter. She closed the door, turned on the dim light in the living room, and leaned against the wall for a moment.
Perhaps, just perhaps, Lumiose had something good in store for her besides bills and exhausting nights.
And the name of that good thing, for now, was Ash.