AN: Alright, I have finally made my glorious, triumphant return to fanfiction! Muahahaha! Ahem. Anyway. This is Ka-Squiggle, working with PBN on this fic. We'll be alternating chapters, but we'll always specify which one is who. Anyway, enjoy! Reviews are greatly appreciated!

It was a lazy summer afternoon in Pallet Town, a beautiful day without a cloud in the sky. A small garden of the most gorgeous red flowers swayed in the gentle breeze, though the two boys, Ash and Gary, took no notice of their splendor. They were too busy arguing over who got to carry the picnic basket up to the hill, the highest point in Pallet Town, where they planned to eat lunch.

"Ash, just give me the basket," Gary said. "It's a long way up there, and I'm much stronger anyway."

Ash sighed, annoyed at the other boy's arrogant tone. "No, I have it, and I'm carrying up there. So there."

Gary rolled his eyes. "Fine, be stubborn. See if I care. You are so frustrating at times." Ash glanced over at Gary and couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face when he saw the boy's lip stuck out in a pout. He slipped his hand into Gary's.

"And you love me anyway."

Gary paused a moment, then finally gave him a little smile. "I guess so." They grinned, and went on, hand in hand, up the hill, their arms swinging together as they climbed.

It took only a moment to spread out the blanket and get comfortable. Gary laid back, propping himself on his elbows next to his boyfriend, and stared up at the sky, watching a flock of Pidgeys as they drifted above them. He found himself relaxed, happy, feeling completely agreeable and calm. That is, until Ash opened the basket.

"Ummm, Gary?"

"What?"

"There's no food in here."

Gary sat up completely. "What do you mean, there's no food?"

"I mean that there is no food." Ash smiled apologetically. "I thought you were going to put the food in the basket."

"No, I told you I'd carry it," he said crossly. His stomach rumbled. He had put off eating on Ash's requests— a fact he hadn't let the other boy forget— and now he was wishing he hadn't. "I can't believe we walked all the way up here and now we don't have anything to eat."

"Hey, I really thought you said you'd pack it."

"I just made the sandwiches. I would think that, since the sandwiches were right next to the chips we were bringing, you'd have grabbed it all at once." Ash's face turned a few shades pinker, but before he could spit back a sharp retort, a figure came running toward them up the hill.

"Boys! I have your lunch right here." Ash's mother appeared, lugging an identical basket. "Sorry about that, I left my basket I found while spring cleaning on the table next to yours. You must have picked it up, and, with the weight of the things I put in it... Well, I'm sure you don't want to listen to me babble on about my spring cleaning. Here's your food." Gary sat up and took the basket eagerly.

"Thanks, Mrs. K," he said. He already had the basket open and was pulling out food. Ash watched, amused, before returning the other basket.

"Thanks, Mom. Sorry about how you had to come all the way out here."

"Oh, it's no trouble at all. Have fun, you two. Just be home before dark." She turned to leave, but stopped. "Oh! That reminds me, I found an old book you two might want to look through." She rummaged around in the basket for a moment before pulling out a dark, leather-bound book. She turned and handed it to Ash, since Gary was already halfway through his first sandwich and unaware that Delia was still there.

"Thanks, Mom, we'll look at it." His mother nodded, smiled, and walked back down the hill, heading home. Ash turned the book over to the front. Pikachu stirred, waking up from his nap, and Ash could feel him peeking over his shoulder, curious.

It was a photo album, and a very nice one at that. The material was soft, worn from many years. Ash flipped it open, then grinned. In the neat, curly letters that he knew to be Professor Oak's handwriting was "Ash and Gary," with the year of their birth to the year they turned ten written beneath.

"Hey, Gary, you might want to check this out. It's an old album from when we were little. Let's look through it."

Gary swallowed the last bite of the sandwich he had just inhaled and brushed the crumbs off his face. "No."

"What? Why not?"

"It's just a bunch of old photos. Who wants to look at that when you have me to look at?" He grinned when Ash rolled his eyes. "Besides, I have a much better idea of what we could do."

Ash quirked an eyebrow, and before he could react Gary had pulled him into his lap, his knees resting on the blanket on either side of Gary's hips. Pikachu grumbled an indignant, "Piiika..." before hopping free from Ash's pack. Gary pulled the boy close, their chests pressed close together. Gary could feel Ash's heart rate picked up from its usual gentle pace to a trot, and he knew that soon it'd be galloping.

"I guess I have an idea of what you're thinking," Ash said, wrapping his arms around Gary's neck. He felt Gary's hands settle firmly on his hips, and he blushed lightly once more.

Gary didn't say anything, just leaned forward and captured Ash's lips, one hand detaching from his boyfriend's hip and tangling itself in Ash's soft black hair. He sighed as Gary's lips worked their magic against his own, the teeth they hid nipping occasionally and pulling, sending Ash gasping. He wrapped his arms tightly around Gary and turned his head the slightest bit to the right. Gary's left-hand fingers dug into his hipbone, trying to control himself. He ran his tongue gently along Ash's lips, looking for permission to enter, and Ash slowly opened his mouth.

Gary pounced on the opporunity, and soon he had snaked his tongue into Ash's mouth. Ash moaned softly, squirming, but Gary had a firm hold on him. He took the lead as their tongues danced against each other, just as he always did. Ash didn't mind Gary's forcefulness, though, just relaxed against the other boy as tingles of pleasure ran up and down his spine. He slowly came to awareness that the book was still sandwiched between them, and suddenly he had an idea.

He pulled away from Gary, turned his head so that he couldn't be pulled into another kiss, and put one hand over Gary's mouth when he tried. "No more kissing until we look through the book. Then we can kiss all you want. Deal?"

Gary rolled his eyes and muttered something. Ash moved his hand. "Fine, but can we finish eating first? I'm still starving."