Red was traveling back to Pallet Town after finally leaving Mt. Silver, per Green's years old request, he had never asked after the first time but it was obvious he wanted Red to come back. Green's Gym was closed so Red just assumed that Green would be here. If he wasn't, Red could always pay his respects to his father and stop by to visit his mother.

He looked in the windows of his house, Green's, and Prof. Oak's lab, no one in any of them. Odd. He turned to go to the area where his father was buried, not stopping to think too hard on the fact that appeared Pallet Town to be vacant.

He froze for a moment when he saw everyone at the grave site. Why would they all be there? And Green still wasn't there. Red walked over to them, "Hey, what's" The words died in his throat as he looked at the fresh grave they were all around. He was wrong, Green was there. In the worst way. Red stared at the engraving on the headstone in disbelief

Green Oak
A great friend and strong fighter.
He couldn't fight death off,
Not for any friend.

Red sank to his knees and dug his fingers into the soft earth underneath them. He felt the warm tears flow freely from his tears. He couldn't tear his eyes from the words. The name. His name. Why? How? When? Why?

"He was found this morning," Daisy whispered, kneeling beside Red and placing a soothing hand on his back, "He never stopped talking about you," Her voice was tight. She was fighting back tears.

"Red, baby, I know it hurts. I'm so sorry, baby," His mother knelt down as well and wrapped her arms around him

Red looked at Prof. Oak, he hadn't said a word. His eyes were full of sadness and regret, "I was so caught up with you, Red. Seeing how Pikachu helped you heal after losing your father. Seeing how strong and loving you were as a trainer..." a tear escaped his eye, "That I never gave Green enough love. I'm afraid he died hating me."

Red shook his head. Green didn't hate the professor. Sure he was envious of the attention Red received, but the professor was his family.

It took a very long time for any of the four people at the grave to leave the site. When Red finally did, he ran away again. He ran back to the Indigo Plateau and right to Lance.

"I don't care what I have to do, just have me do something to keep my mind off of him," Red said quickly.

"Off who?" Lance asked.

"Green, you idiot!" Red cried, knotting his hands in his hair under his cap, feeling the tears coming back, "He died this morning!" there was silence, "I didn't even get to say goodbye. Or hello. Or see him work his Gym."

Lance didn't move to calm Red, "The Champion doesn't generally do much. They find that they have a lot of free time."

"I can't have free time! I'll think of him! Goddammit, Lance, can't you see that his death is my fault!" Red was yelling, trainers around were beginning to stop and stare.

"Red you're being childish. Now go and play with your pokemon elsewhere until we need you to fight a challenger," Lance said, looking down on the distressed teenage champion.

Red looked up at Lance. His red eyes were almost glowing with rage and his jaw was tightly clenched. He pulled his hands from his hair and balled them at his sides, "Why did I even come to you. You're heartless, and you don't understand what it's like to lose someone important to you," Red lifted up one fist and pulled it back. He punched Lance right the jaw and ran away again.

Since he had nothing to keep him occupied outside the few challengers that made it to, and were ultimately defeated by the champion, Red simply wandered around Kanto and Johto, careful to avoid Viridian City and the graves by Pallet Town. No matter how much time passed, the wound left by Green's untimely death never seemed to heal. Red had a fleeting idea why. He loved Green, with all his heart. Green was the most important person to him.

Three years passed like this, three years where, once again, Red did not speak a word. The members of the Elite Four one day told Red that maybe the best course of action would be for him to temporarily leave the two sister regions.

"We'll figure out a way to deal with trainers who beat the four of us," Bruno told him.

Red nodded and left Indigo Plateau, headed home to pack. Where would he go first? Would this really help him at all? Red didn't know the answers at the time, but he didn't let them stop him from packing essentials to go to a new region.

Unova. That's where he chose to go. Out of all the regions, it was probably the least like home, the mostly likely to get his mind to finally stop trailing back to Green.

He wandered around with no point or purpose. He didn't collect any badges, or even really converse with the Gym Leaders. He did stop and give the younger trainers a few tips though. They didn't find a dull eyed young adult scary at all. They could only be in awe of his strength and how helpful his tips really were. They didn't even seem to realize who he was. He was glad for that.

It was in Castelia City that Red met the other dull young man that would change his life. He was just walking around the large city, thinking he could maybe get a Castelia cone while he was here, when a young man with long green hair bumped into him. He held out his hands and muttered, "Sorry."

The other man looked at him apologetically, "No, it was my fault. Hey, aren't you-?"

"Red? Yeah," He was about to continue on. His fame was another thing that he had the habit of running from, he only got it because of Green.

"You aren't like the other Champions I've met," He continued, "Your pokemon really love you. I can hear them talking. They're also in pain. You're in pain."

Red nodded, "My pokemon, I prefer to call them my friends, they're pretty much all I have left. I never had much to begin with, but I did have a best friend. A best friend I fell in love with. I lost him though. Three years ago. It still haunts me. I feel like its all my fault."

"I don't know if it will make you feel any better, but there's an amusement park in Nimbasa City. It could offer a little bit of relief. Especially if you go with someone," The young man said. By his voice, Red could tell that the someone he was to go with was meant to be this odd man he was talking to.

"You don't seem to be very used to talking to people," Red commented. Even though he was a little awkward, there was something about him that made Red feel better.

The other man smiled, "I'm not. I was raised in a secluded house with mostly abused pokemon around. My name's N by the way."

"Well, N, since you brought it up, wanna go to the amusement park?" Red asked.

N nodded and guided Red to Nimbasa City.

Red and N's friendship grew from that point. They spent a lot of time to together. Though Green was still constantly on his mind, Red was beginning to feel happy again.

Two years have gone by now, and Red and N are best friends and have decided to get an apartment in Goldenrod. N makes Red very happy and Red helps N take care of pokemon and teaches him some social etiquette.

One day N asked out of the blue, "Red, do you want to go on a date sometime?"

Red blushed, "Wh-what?"

"Well, I really like you. W-was that too abrupt?" N laughed awkwardly.

"You did take me by surprise," Red smiled at his friend, "It couldn't hurt to go out."

"I saw an ad for this place that looked like it had some really good food and the cinema isn't too far from here," N said and sat on the chair beside Red.

Red smiled, "So I guess our little date is tonight?"

N nodded.

Red's phone buzzed, a text from Bruno. He picked up the phone and checked it, "There's a challenger waiting for me. I'll be back in time for our date."

Red grabbed his pokemon, hugged N goodbye and left for the Indigo Plateau. The battle didn't take long and Red saw it fit to go home and spend time with his mom a little before the date. He flew of Charizard back to Pallet Town. Not much had changed, a few more people had moved in, but the grave site was not disturbed. Red filled his mother in on all that had happened since the last time they spoke. She smiled at the fact that Red was so happy, so much like he was before he went on his journey and grew up too fast. She rushed him out at the sound of him having a date tonight. He was about to fly away when Daisy leaving the grave of her brother caught his eye. It had been a while since he had paid respect to his dad, and he had never paid any to Green. He walked over slowly, picking some flowers from his mother's garden, which he knew she wouldn't mind, he always got the flowers his his father's grave from the garden.

He laid some on both graves and sat between them, "Green, I know you like aren't actually able to hear me but, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry for running away when I probably should have comforted you. I'm sorry I ran away without paying my respects. I'm sorry I tore so much away from you on our journey. You deserved some credit too. I'm just selfish." Red sat in silence for a moment, "I met someone. His name is N. He's not like you at all, but he makes me happy. It's kind of like how Pikachu made me happy after my dad died." Red smiled, he hadn't really compared the two events before but they were very similar, "Anyway, I just want to say that you were my first love and I'll always carry that around and I'll always have you in my heart, but I really like N a whole lot. You aren't mad, right?" Red laughed at himself, he had started this off with knowing Green can't hear him, but now he's asking if Green is mad. He really does miss Green, "Bye, Green," Red pushed himself up and walked to his waiting Charizard. He flew back to Goldenrod and walked to his apartment.

N smiled when Red walked in the door, "I'll take it that you didn't just battle."

Red playfully shoved N, "You know too much," They shared light hearted laughs, "You're right, though. I went and saw my mom. I also payed my long overdue respects to Green."

N pulled Red to sit by him, "Are you okay? I mean, emotionally?"

Red nodded, "I feel like everything's been settled somehow."

N hugged Red, "That's great to hear Red."

An hour later the lights were turned off in their apartment and the door was closed. The pair left for their date.

Another three years pass by quickly. Red and N are pretty much inseparable. And today is their wedding, so the never have to be separated. They never thought up a good place to go on a honeymoon, but Red knows a place he wants to go.

The pair lands in Pallet Town, many of its residents are comfortably inside their homes with their families by now. Red takes N's hand and guides his new husband to the site of his father and Green's graves, Red stopping to pick a few flowers to lay by the graves.

"Hey again, Green," Red smiles softly and lays down some flowers, "This is N. He and I just got married. I really love him but, of course, I haven't forgotten you, like I said I wouldn't," Red nudges N, silently tell him to say something.

"Hello, Green. I never met you, but I heard a lot about you. Not just from TV, which I know lies often, but from Red. He praises you all the time, it's obvious that he loves you. I'll be certain to protect him, for you, and because I love him," N says. He then hugs Red tight and kisses his his cheek.

Red lays down the rest of the flowers on his father's grave then turns to N and smiles, "Come on. I think Hoenn may have somewhere nice to honeymoon."

N nods, "I think we could just stay home, but and it would be great. Because it's us. Together."

Red gently shoves N, "You're so corny."

FIN