Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. (Someone remind me why I'm even writing this in the first place?)
Warning: Fluff. Maybe some smut.
A/N:Ash and Gary are about 15.
"Ash! Come on, it's time to get up!" Mrs. Ketchum yells up the stairs.
Ask sighs sitting up in his bed, running a hand through his hair. "Okay mom, I'm up!"
Throwing off his blanket, Ash climbs out of bed and tries to find something to wear for the day.
"Ah, morning hunny. You sleep well?" Mrs. Ketchum greets her son as he sits down for breakfast.
"Nnn.. I've slept better." Ash says flatly, staring off into space.
"Oh.. well eat a good breakfast. I'm sure that will help."
"Okay mom. Thanks."
x~x~x
Ash smiles at Pikachu. "Well buddy, did you at least sleep well?"
"Chaa!" Pikachu squeeks with a smile.
"That's good. Hey, lets go see Professor Oak!"
Pikachu hops onto his shoulder excitedly.
Ash laughs, sprinting towards the Professor's Lab.
Bursting through the doors, Ash calls out to the Professor. "Professor Oak, you here?"
Rustling comes from the back room, then a voice calls back. "Is that Ash I hear?"
"Sure is Professor! Pikachu is here too!"
"Pika!"
Professor Oak walks out of the back room to greet them. "It's nice to see the both of you." He pats Pikachu on the head, then looks at Ash. "So how is your poke-dex coming along?"
Ash fumbles excitedly trying to hand his poke-dex the the professor. "I've seen 50 different types since I was last here, and I caught 35 of them!" Ash states with a huge grin on his face.
"Haha! Very good Ash!"
"Thanks Professor!"
"Hey Ash, how about letting Pikachu play with the other pokemon in the back?"
Ash looks at the electric mouse on his shoulder. "Well buddy, what do ya say?"
"Pika pi!"
"Okay buddy, you go have fun." He smiles happily as Pikachu runs off to play.
"Well Ash, I hate to ask but, I have to go to Viridian City and help Nurse Joy with a sick Shellder. I'll be back this evening. In the mean time, Gary was to come by today. If you don't mind, can you hang out with him until I return?"
Ash hesitates.
"Please Ash. It wont be more then a few hours." Professor Oak pleads.
"Okay... but only because they need you to help that sick Shellder." Ash says slowly, still hesitant about having to keep Gary company for the day.
"Thank you Ash! I owe you for this."
Ash smiles weakly. "It's no problem Professor, anytime."
"You're a good kid Ash. Thanks again."
"Yeah yeah. I'll see you later Professor." Ash waves as Professor Oak bikes off towards Viridian City.
Ash sighs. 'Well now all I have to do is wait for Gary to show up.'
Ash walks over to window overlooking the yard where his pokemon are playing. 'They look so happy. Friends from beginning to end.'
Ash watches his pokemon thoughtfully; thinking about how close he and Gary where as kids. "At least Pikachu doesn't have to worry about losing friends as time goes by."
"What are you going on about?"
Ash's eyes widened in surprise. Turning around Ash looks at the taller boy. "N-nothing Gary."
A sly, mocking grin slips onto Gary's lips. "Okay, whatever you say Ashy-boy."
Ash grits his teeth ignoring the nickname.
"Where's Gramps anyway?" Gary looks around with an aggravated expersion on his face.
"Professor Oak had to go to Viridian City to help a sick pokemon, and asked me to keep you company until he got back this evening." Ash spits back, annoyed with Gary's attitude already.
"Tch. Great, I'm stuck with you all freaking day. Just what I wanted to do while back in town for the day!" Gary says sarcastically.
Ash cliches his fist and glares at his rival. "You know what Gary? Fuck you! If you don't want me around, fine! I'll completely vanish from the world!" Tears race down his face in anger.
Gary laughs. "You don't have the guts."
"You think so bastard?" Ash grabs his pocketknife from his pocket, flicks it open, and without thinking drags its down his wrist.
Gary's laughter dies quickly as Ash's actions slowly play through his mind. Before he can even move, there's a noticeable puddle of blood on the lab floor.
Ash goes to slash his wrist again when Gary grabs his arm.
"What do you want you bastard? I thought you wanted me out of your way!" More tears race down his boy-ish face. "We used to be best friends.. I don't know what the hell happened, or what to do!" Ash starts shaking. "Just make it stop..."
Gary gives Ash a sad smile. "Give me that, and stay put while I find some butterfly stitches." Gary takes the pocketknife from Ash's trembling hand and walks away towards the cabinet with all the bandages and such Professor Oak usually uses on injured pokemon.
Locating the butterfly stitches, and a few other things he may need, Gary goes back into the main room to fix up Ash's wrist.
"Okay, hold still." Gray carefully takes hold of Ash's arm again and presses a gaze pad to the wound before putting the butterfly stitches on and putting a large bandage over them to keep them from coming off.
Ash stares at the bandage blankly, void of any emotion.
"Hey, Ashy boy, wanna know why I've been so cruel these past few year?" Gary asks after a few moments of silence.
He receives a blank stare, then a small nod.
"Okay, but you better sit down first, and promise you wont freak out when I tell you."
Ash nods again and sits on the small couch nearby.
Gary takes a deep breath before looking Ash dead in the eyes. "I fell for you when we were eight."
Ash just blinks, raising an eyebrow.
Gary sighs; Ash can be so think skulled. "As in, I fell in love with you when we were eight, but not knowing any other way to show it, I started picking on you. I never meant for this to happen..."
Ash blinks again before dropping his head and laughing hysterically.
Gary watches, his chest feeling tight.
"So that's the reason behind all the tormenting?" Ash continues laughing. "You love me?"
Gary hangs his head and nods, the tightness in his chest getting worse.
After another moment or so Ash calms down, smiling at Gray. "What's with the sulking?"
"I knew you'd think it was stupid... which is why I kept picking on you instead of just telling you.."
Ash rolls his eyes. "I beg to differ one that one."
Gary's head snaps up. "What..?"
Ash laughs a little at Gary's reaction. "I love you too, ya jerk."