Mistletoe- Leagueshipping

Ash was sat by the window, staring blankly out into space, knees pulled up to his chest to make himself as small as possible. Pikachu was sleeping peacefully in the space next to him, the electric mouse Pokemon's tail resting gently on his thigh. Off in his own little world, he didn't hear the front door opening and Richie calling out to him.

"Hey, Ash. You listening to me?" Richie asked, finally snapping Ash out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, sorry," Ash mumbled, embarrassed at nearly being caught by his boyfriend.

"Oh, you were listening? What did I just say then?" Richie asked. Ash just stared at him blankly for a moment before looking away.

"I thought so. Ash, are you okay?" Richie asked, concern creeping into his voice.

"Wha - yeah, of course I am!" Ash exclaimed, untucking his legs and trying to force himself into a more relaxed posistion, plastering a wide but unconvincing smile on his face and hoping that Richie would be tired enough to believe him.

"Ash Ketchum...Don't you DARE lie to me," Richie scolded his partner, knowing Ash wasn't okay but that he wouldn't be forced into talking, even to him. He'd have to just wait for Ash to talk own his own, which he always did in the end. Ash avoided eye contact with Richie for as long as he could, all while he could feel Richie looking over at him with a concerned look on his face. Ash's face contorted in anger and annoyance.

"Richie, just leave me alone for a while," Ash snapped, knowing full well that this wasn't Richie's fault and he didn't deserve to be snapped at, but these feelings were still very raw for Ash.

"Ash..." Richie, who was now used to Ash's mood swings, opened his mouth to try and reply but was cut off as Ash jumped up and ran past him and out of the door.

Ash ran and ran until he found himself just outside of Pallet Town at the cemetery. He stopped for a moment to catch his breath, wishing he'd brought a coat as the bitter winter wind chilled him to the bone. He shivered as he walked through the gates and navigated his way to the grave he needed to visit.

"Hi, Mom," Ash whispered, sitting down opposite the headstone. "I know you probably know this but it's December now, nearly Christmas. And tomorrow is a year since you..." Ash couldn't get the last word out as he began to cry, tears freezing against his cheeks.

"Why? Why did you have to go? I needed you. I still need you!" Ash sobbed, not knowing how to feel. He didn't know if he was angry, hurt, upset, relieved or just numb.

"It wasn't her fault," a familiar voice told him, coming from behind him. Ash was about to turn around to see who it was, but the other person planted himself next to Ash and offered him the jacket he was carrying.

"You look freezing, put this on," Ash was told.

"Gary? What are you doing here?" Ash asked.

"I'm not in Pallet tomorrow so I came to pay my respects tonight - now take the jacket before you make yourself sick," Gary ordered Ash gently. Ash took the jacket and put it on, warming up instantly.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," Gary whispered, allowing the two old friends to sit there in silence, both deep in thought and remembrance. Gary placed a hand gently on Ash's shoulder.

"Ash...I know how you feel. I've been here before so if you ever need to talk... I'm here for you."

"I know it's not her fault...It's mine," Ash confessed. "I was away in Sinnoh. I knew she wasn't well. I should have been at home," he admitted, feelings of guilt running through his mind.

"Ash...No...That's the last thing your mom would have wanted. She was never happier than when you went off and travelled around. It made her so happy knowing you were out there living your life and making your dreams come true. She was always so proud of you and she knew that you loved her and would always come home," Gary explained. Ash turned to face him, tears staining his cheeks.

"It just hurts so much. I can't stand it."

"I know, I wish there was a way to stop it hurting, but it never does, nobody ever stops hurting. We just learn to live with it." Gary pulled Ash into a tight hug, letting Ash rest his head on Gary's shoulder.

Ash and Gary spent the next hour sat by Delia's grave, talking about their memories of her while they grew up, while they were out on their Pokemon journies and all the years since then.

"Hey, Gary...Thank you," Ash smiled gratefully.

"Any time."

Ash took a deep breath as he stood outside his front door, wondering if he'd walk in to find Richie mad at him. He wouldn't blame him if he was - he'd been absolutely impossible to deal with at times and even he didn't know how Richie was managing to put up with him. He let out the breath he was holding and opened the door, greeted by his and Richie's Pikachus.

"Ash? Is that you?" Richie called out from the kitchen.

"Yeah," Ash replied, walking through the kitchen, mentally preparing his apology. As he entered the room he could smell that Richie had started cooking.

"Richie..." Ash began. Richie turned around to face him and, reading Ash's face, walked over to him and wrapped his arms around him.

"It's okay, you don't have to explain," Richie whispered.

"I'm still sorry."

"Shhh, baby, it's okay. I know this is the first Christmas without her. I understand. I just wish you'd talk to me instead of shutting me out."

"I know, I'm sorry."

"Me too."

Richie let go of Ash to return to cooking, while Ash laid out the table. The pair of them sat down to eat shortly after.

Richie turned to Ash, and realising that he'd never really got to know Ash's mom, he began to ask him about her and what the pair of them used to do for Christmas. Ash's face lit up at the first memory that popped into his mind, the oldest memory he had. A tradition he and Delia had for years, ever since Ash was three years old.

"We did have one tradition. Every Christmas mornning when I was little, like very little, mom would pick me up from my bed and carry me down to the living room where she'd hang mistletoe above the door. She'd stop and kiss both of my cheeks and forehead before putting on my favourite Christmas carols and songs while we both sang along to them. As I got older, she'd still kiss my cheeks and forehead, but then we'd always share a mother and son Christmas dance," Ash recalled.

"Aw, that sounds lovely," Richie smiled, picturing the scene in his mind.

On Christmas morning, Ash rolled over and lazily placed a gentle kiss on Richie's lips.

"Merry Christmas. I love you," Ash yawned, trying to wake himself up.

"I love you too, now I've got a surprise for you," Richie whispered back. The pair of them got up and while both still half asleep made their way downstairs. Richie stopped Ash at the bottom of the stairs.

"Close your eyes," Richie ordered. Ash obeyed, allowing Richie to take his hands and lead him. Richie stopped him after a few short steps. Richie then gently pressed his lips to both of Ash's cheeks before pressing them against his lips.

"You can open them again," Richie whispered. Ash opened his eyes to find Richie smiling at him.

"Look up." Ash did and saw that he and Richie were stood under mistletoe, Ash felt a tear come to his eye as he looked back at Richie.

"Thank you," Ash whispered gently, kissing Richie again.