Chapter 1

(Ash)

Authors Note:

Warning: Palletshipping Gary/Ash. Now unlike most yaoi fanfics on here, I intend to write this differently, instead of rushing right into the sex scene (which always seems to happen in the blink of an eye) I'll write it more romantic and humorous. Giving readers a chance to actually ENJOY the story before they have a nosebleed and possibly pass out from yaoi. (Ahem) Ok done ranting, review and enjoy (Just not in that order since that won't make sense).

"Hey Ash, wake up!"

Ash groaned as he sat up in his bed, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Misty and Brock were staring at him. He yelped in surprise.

"AAHH!"

Brock smirked, his slanted eyes seemed to narrow even more, "Nice to see you too." Misty huffed, "Really Ash, it would be nice if you said a simple good morning instead of screaming your head off."

Brock and Misty looked just like how he remembered them the last time they were together. Misty with her yellow tank top and red shorts, short orange hair pulled into a small ponytail. And Brock, still spiky haired like a porcupine with his brown khakis and green and black shirt.

Ash just stared at them for a moment . . . then he leaped off his bed and hugged them both, the three friends laughed together.

"I've missed you two so much!"

"Well we ARE gym leaders you know?"

"We need to catch up!"

Brock nodded but scrunched his face, "Uh . . . mind taking care of that morning breath first? It's enough to knock out a Tauros."

Ash frowned, "Well it IS your guy's fault for barging in on me when I was only half awake."

Misty coughed and waved a hand in front of her face, "Phoo, we'll meet up with you later, ok? Get all dressed and find some mouthwash."

"I'm sixteen you know?"

Brock chuckled, "Yet still as stupid as a twelve year old . . ."

-Twenty minutes later-

Ash had pulled on some fresh clothes and had freshened his breath before walking outside. His mom, Delia, was watering her garden with the help of Mr. Mime. She looked up to smile at her son.

"Oh, Ash honey, you're awake!"

"Heh, yeah."

Delia smiled, "Oh that reminds me . . ." She pulled out a thin envelope and handed it to him. Ash frowned as he looked at it, "What is it?"

"Gary came over and dropped it off, he's inviting you to come visit him at the spot you two used to play at when you were little."

Ash's expression turned dark, "Oh . . .Gary, I see. I don't think I'll go." His mother gave him a cross look, "Ash, I know you and Gary have some . . . unresolved differences." Ash cut in, "A rivalry."

"Yes, a rivalry, but maybe he just wants to talk?"

Ash scoffed, "I'd rather spend time with Misty and Brock today, you know I go to the Unova region next month anyway."

His mother frowned, a sad and distant expression on her face. "All the more reason to reconcile your differences with each other before it's too late."

"Mom . . ."

"Please dear?"

Ash sighed, he hated seeing his mother so upset. "Fine, fine." His mother beamed a smile at him, "Good! And don't forget to pick up Pikachu at six."

"Yeah I know."

-Two hours later-

Ash crumpled up the note and threw it in a wastebasket on the side of the road. The road to the lake was simple enough, besides he already knew the place. The pidgey's sung in the trees and Caterpie crossed his path once or twice as he made his way to the lake. 'I wonder what Gary want's . . .' He thought.

He soon came to the large expanse of lake, a glistening surface with soft tufts of grass growing around it. Ash smiled, 'Heh, this brings back good memories.'

"Hey Ashy boy, you made it. Guess you're not as slow as you were when you were a brat."

Ash scowled and turned around.

Gary sauntered up to him, a smug expression on his face. His brown hair was trimmed in the exact same style as always, with his bangs long and pointed slightly, emerald eyes stared straight at him. He wore a deep purple shirt and tight black pants. Feelings of resentment bubbled inside of Ash at one look at his rival.

"Hello Gary."

Gary sneered and stopped within a few feet of Ash. "Hey now, what's with the attitude? You don't seem very happy to see me."

"Considering that we're rivals you shouldn't seem surprised."

Gary laughed nervously, "About that Ash . . .I want to put this rivalry at an end." Ash just stared blankly at him, "You want to what?"

Gary jerked his thumb towards the lake, "Come on, it's better if we talk near the spot where the two of us used to fish and play." Ash narrowed his eyes, 'You mean before you hated my guts because I finally beat the Pokemon League and outmatched you at last?' He kept the thought to himself and followed.

Gary flopped down on a patch of grass overlooking the lake, Ash stood a few feet away.

Gary rolled his eyes and patted the spot next to him. "Sit over here, I won't bite." Ash walked over warily and sat down slowly, watching for any signs of trickery.

Gary stared off into the distance, "You know . . . I never hated you."

That statement left Ash stunned and unable to speak.

They sat in silence for a while, both of them staring out at the lake, refusing to make eye contact with the other. Ash cleared his throat to clear the awkwardness.

"So . . . why do you want to end the rivalry between us?"

Gary's eyes sparkled as he looked at Ash, "Well for one thing, I'm tired of this, bored of it really. Hating each other's guts just because we're trying to outdo each other, always at each other's throats. Besides, I'm not interested in battles anymore, I still love pokemon, but I'd rather study them instead and follow in Grandpa's footsteps."

Ash nodded, "That's kind of cool I guess."

Gary smiled slightly and laid a hand on Ash's. Ash frowned and looked at Gary's hand in confusion. 'What the hell is he doing?'

"You really think so?"

"Yeah, I mean, you always did say you wanted to learn more about pokemon and here you are, striving to do just that." Ash replied with a shrug of his shoulders. Gary still made no move to remove his hand from Ash's.

It kind of made him feel weird . . . warm even.

Ash blinked slowly, "So rivalry over then?" Gary nodded happily, "Yeah, now we can be friends again, right?"

Ash laughed happily, his brown eyes glistened.

"Yeah, just like old times."

"Yeah . . ." Gary murmured, his hold on Ash's hand tightened, making Ash involuntarily blush.

Ash looked at the sun beginning to set behind the mountains, it was almost five. He scrambled up, "Whoa, time flew kind of fast. I have to pick up Pikachu, thanks for today Gary, see ya." Ash began to jog away.

"Wait Ash!"

He stopped in mid stride and turned around. Gary was standing up, his face was beet red. Ash blinked in surprise. "Gary?"

His old rival composed himself, "I . . . I wanted to tell you something else."

"Um, ok . . ."

"Ash, I . . .I . . ." Gary stuttered, trying to find the right words. Ash walked forward, till he was right in front of him. Gary looked down at him with a glazed expression, Ash noticed that Gary was half a head taller than him.

"Gary, are you ok?"

Gary swallowed hard and reached out and hugged Ash hard. The raven haired boy didn't know how to respond. Gary's face was buried in Ash's shoulder, his arms wrapped around him protectively.

"H-Huh?" Ash said shakily, his face heating up. "G-Gary, w-what are you d-doing?"

Gary pulled back and looked Ash in the eye, emerald green orbs stared into dark brown. Gary gritted his teeth and looked Ash in the face.

"I like you, Ashy boy."

"Um . . .I like you too I guess."

Gary shook his head, his long bangs swished to from side to side. "No you idiot, not like frickin friends. I mean that I have a crush on you." He growled slightly.

Ash's eyes widened and he mustered all of his strength in weak attempts at pushing the boy away, but for someone who seemed so lean, Gary was surprisingly strong.

"WHAT?"

"Yeah . . . you heard me right, Ashy boy." Gary murmured as he leaned close to Ash, their foreheads touching, "You feel the same for me . . . don't you? I can feel it." Gary's warm breath caressed over Ash's lips driving him wild.

"You want it . . . you want me."

"N-No, I don't."

Gary chuckled, "Oh really? So you won't mind if I do this?" Gary shifted his face till his lips rested near Ash's ear. The raven haired boy stiffened, "W-What are you doing?"

Gary didn't respond, he simply opened his mouth and snaked out his tongue, licking the soft shell of Ash's earlobe. Ash screwed his eyes shut and shivered under Gary's touch. "Haah . . . What . . .?" Gary's tongue continued to lap the outer part of Ash's ear, until it slipped inside and moistened the entire ear, Gary seemed to growl from time to time. Ash clutched Gary's shirt, barely clinging onto his chest, which was rock hard by now.

Ash was blushing, "S-Stop that . . .Nnngh . . ." He found himself enjoying it as Gary's tongue caressed his ear, almost gently even, it made him yearn for more.

'No . . . no I can't."

He finally found the strength to push him away. Gary stumbled and looked at Ash in shock, the brunette took a step towards him, but Ash backed away, covering up the ear Gary licked.

"Did I go too fast?"

"No Gary. But, this . . . this thing you have for me, just forget it, ok? I don't want you."

Gary shook his head slowly, "But . . .but why? I always see you with that stupid look of yearning on your face whenever we see each other, and yes you do because I can tell that you try and mask that emotion with hate. I thought . . .I thought you felt the same way I've been feeling all these years."

"It's Misty." Ash blurted.

A look of hurt masked Gary's features. "What?" He whispered hoarsely. 'Shit, shit, shit! Why did I say that? I KNOW Misty's going out with Brock and I bet Gary knows too, ****! Think fast, think fast.'

"Um . . . y-yeah, I kind of like her. You know . . . she's kind of hot and she's a gym leader and . . . we have a history together . . . yeah." Ash lied.

Gary's face hardened, "You're lying through your teeth Ash." Ash shook his head and turned away, but Gary closed the distance and clamped a hand on Ash's shoulder. Gary leaned close to Ash's other ear.

"Why? Why won't you accept me Ashy boy?"

Anger filled Ash at the sound of his old nickname being called. He shoved Gary away from him, "THAT'S WHY!"

"Huh?"

Ash flailed his arms, "YOU, you're . . . you're attitude! You're a playboy god dammit, you think I don't know what you did to those old girlfriends? And what? You suddenly go from hating my guts to wanting to **** with me? You treat everything like a joke, how do I know you won't treat this as a joke?"

Gary sunk to his knees, a sad and lost expression in his gaze, "Ash, please . . .give me a chance."

Ash shook his head in disgust, "No. I don't care that you said that you want to be friends, and maybe it's true that I harbor feelings for you . . ."

Gary's eyes shined with a faint ray of hope.

"But I will NEVER admit that I do. Because everything to you is a big ass joke!" Ash screeched. Gary stood and walked closer to him, he leaned closer, hot breath cascading on the other boy's cheek.

"Joke? No Ashy boy . . . I stopped joking when I fell in love with you."

Ash frowned as tears stung his eyes, he forced himself to stumble away from Gary. A tear escaped and he bit his lip.

"No, I refuse to fall for you."

And with that, Ash ran away from the lake, his old rival, and headed towards the pokemon lab where his REAL best friend was waiting.

-Twenty minutes later-

"Pika pi!"

Pikachu leaped from the table and into Ash's arms. "Chaaa~!" Ash smiled and stroked his Pikachu behind the ears. "Hi buddy. Did you have a good time revisiting your friends?"

"Pi, Pikachu!"

Professor Oak chuckled, "Pikachu has grown considerably since I last saw him, in strength and power."

"Thanks Professor."

"Ash, I'm getting old, could you help me move a few boxes?"

Ash frowned, "Why don't you ask Gary?" Professor Oak sighed with a shrug. "Gary has been . . .distracted lately, it's very uncharacteristic of him. Like a Bayleaf when it goes into a volcano against its trainers orders."

Ash stared at the professor blankly, "In English not poetry form please."

"Basically, Gary has a lot of things on his mind as of late and he hasn't been paying attention." Professor Oak said.

"Oh. Well I guess I can let Pikachu go home by herself." Ash muttered.

-Ten minutes later-

After Ash moved the last large cardboard box out of the way, he uncovered a journal. He frowned and scooped it up.

It was an old looking thing, with a rusty lock that no longer worked and old yellow paper that was still in surprisingly good form. He held it out to the Professor. "Is this yours? I found it under this box of Pokemon food."

Professor Oak shook his head after he wiped his hands on his pants, "Oh, no that's Gary's old diary, he stopped writing in it last month. You're more than welcome to take it if you want."

"Are you sure?"

The professor shooed him away, "Yes, yes, now go on. I need to tend to the pokemon in the back."

-At Ash's house-

Ash flopped down on his mattress and flipped through the diary. 'Hmm . . . mostly childhood memories . . .hey this is one about me!'

Dear Diary,

Ash is leaving again to see the new region with a new set of friends again. Why them? Why never me? I know the two of us have gone through a lot, most of it terrible, but don't I deserve a shot? Somehow . . .I know Ash will end up with one of his female traveling companions eventually. I need to tell him, I need to tell him how I feel. He might reject me, but I'll keep trying, and even if Ash still doesn't get it . . . I'll always love him, and I will be happy to just stay by his side, my feelings muted and held back. Ash . . . feel the same, please tell me that those shared glances and secret seductive smiles mean something. Anything.

-Gary O.

Ash closed the diary with a snap as tears filled his eyes, his teardrops dripped on the cover of the diary. "Gary . . . "