Won: K. So. New story. It is finished. But not all of it will be posted immediately. If you like this, review. I will only post two chapters at first. If you like it, then review and I'll see if I feel like putting up the rest. Capeesh? Then enjoy!

Disclaimer: Ash, Gary, Misty, Brock, the Cheerleaders, and Pokemon in general does not belong to me. If it did, this would be an episode.

In My Shoes

A Wonnykins Production

"Good night, Gary!"

Gary Oak smiled faintly. "Night, girls! See you in the morning." He closed his hotel room's door. Time for some sleep.

He had been traveling to this town for quite some time. Even though he had taken a car, he was exhausted.

The Pallet Town trainer was just buttoning up his night shirt when a shrill ringing sounded. Someone was calling.

Expecting it to be his grandfather, Gary ran to it, picking up the receiver.

"Hello?"

To his surprise, outward disgust, and inward satisfaction, the face on the screen was Ash Ketchem's.

"Oh. It's you. What do you want, Ashy-boy?" Gary sneered.

Ash rolled his eyes. "Well, one, stop calling me Ashy-boy."

"Uh-huh. No."

"Very funny. Look, I need to talk to you, before a certain red-head blabs in front of you." Ash glared somewhere off screen and Gary heard a girl faintly growl, "What?"

"Fine. But make it quick, Ketchem. I have to get some beauty sleep before I win against you tomorrow."

Ash cringed. "Gee, thanks for the moral support." He glared off screen again and covered the mouth piece of the phone. "Anyway...you remember yesterday?"

"Unless I'm drunk, yes. Why? Lose something?"

Ash shook his head. "Em, no, but do you remember asking me about something?"

Gary frowned. "Look, Ketchem, spit it out or I'm hanging up. I'm tired and I don't have time for your little guessing games."

"Okay, okay! Fine..." Ash sighed, "Just don't hang up. Misty's dying to tell you herself, but Brock thinks I should."

Gary drummed his fingers on the screen. "Any day now would be lovely." He huffed.

"About that conversation about having a crush on someone..."

Gary smirked. "Oh, that. And how I called you queer? Let me guess, you and Waterflower over there are dating, huh?"

Ash cleared his throat. "Um, no, actually." He blushed, "...You were...right..."

Gary blinked. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"Yeah, I heard you, but are you joking?"

Ash bit his lip. "Um, no."

Gary sighed. "Well, err, I'm sorry if I offended you or anything. Because I honestly didn't know. But, tell me," He cocked his head, "When you said you liked someone I knew, who was it?"

"...I was really hoping you weren't going to ask me that..." Ash said softly.

Gary waved it away. "Hey, can't be any worse then coming out of the closet, right? But I seriously doubt you just called me up to tell me I was right about you liking dudes."

He watched Ash close his eyes and sigh. "No, you're right. I didn't. I just thought if you heard it from me you wouldn't make such a big deal out of it." He kept his eyes closed.

"So...? Who is it? Wait, is it Brock?"

Ash's eyes flew open. "Wha-No! No way!" He made a face, "Yuck!"

Gary snickered. "Okay, then Tracy."

Ash stared at him blankly. "...no...never..."

"Uh...Snap?"

"Eh..." Ash waved his hand, "Not the one, though."

"Wait, I got it! It's my granddad, isn't it?"

Ash turned bright red. "You are sick. Very, very sick."

Gary laughed. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Um..." He frowned, "That's all the one's I can think of. Except James, but he's more of a cross-dresser then a gay guy..."

"Who said the guy I like is gay?"

Gary shrugged. "Oh, I have reasons, but Brock might kill me, so I won't list them." He sighed, "Okay, spill it. Who is it that I know but just can't think of?"

Ash worried his bottom lip. "You sure you want to know?"

Gary rolled his eyes. "Might as well tell me, now, since you've let the slip."

Ash closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"You."

Gary frowned. "What?"

"I like...you..." Ash opened his eyes, looking very ashamed, "...sorry..."

Gary fell silent.

"Um, are you all right?"

Gary glared. "No. Why would I be?"

Ash was stung by the venom in his voice. "I-Um..."

Gary snorted, smirking. "You're an even bigger loser then I thought. No wonder you're always following me around and vowing to be better then me. This explains it. You're a queer stalker."

Ash looked very hurt. "That's not true..."

"Uh-huh, yeah, sure. Admit it, Ashy-boy. You just pulled this whole 'I'm gonna be a master' thing so that you could be near me. Admit it."

The other boy looked down. "That's not true. I just..."

"Am a loser. Say no more, Ashy-boy. Oh, wait, now that just sounds like a pet name. I bet you like hearing me call you that, huh? Dear little Ashy-boy." Gary sneered.

Ash stayed silent.

"Aw, what? Did your feelings get hurt? Boo-hoo. Cry me a river. Now, why don't you let me sleep so I can kick your queer little butt tomorrow. Sleep tight, sweetie."

Ash looked up, and Gary's smirk slid right off his face.

"Why did I even bother to tell you?" The younger boy asked himself aloud, "Forget it. I'm not going to the match tomorrow. I might as well just go home. That's what you want right? I'm the 'stalker', right?"

Gary knew that he had finally crossed the line. "Uh, Ash, I didn't mean it like that..."

Ash looked away. "Yeah, sure you didn't...Good-night..." He hung up.

Gary waited for a moment. Then, setting the phone back down, he climbed into his bed. Turning off the light, he put his hands behind his head. He couldn't help but worry that he had hurt Ash a little more then he meant to.

'...He'll be okay. He always is...' Gary thought to himself. He yawned, drifting off into a peaceful sleep...