Hello… For those of you who've forgotten about this story… previously, Ash got attacked by some psycho at the place he worked at. Gary offered to take him away to somewhere safe….
Chapter 11: Sayda Island
Everything became a blur.
Intoxicated, Ash could only recall flashes of Gary's worried eyes, and his voice a faraway sound.
"Ash!"
"Are you okay?"
"Ash, don't grab your hand so tight."
"Don't worry, we're almost there."
"Ash?"
Ash's memory lapsed. Next thing, Gary was hugging him steadily in the elevator. A deep anxiety settled into Ash's chest, his heart beat furious. He feared something would leap at them every time they crossed a corner, or entered the dark rooms of Gary's apartment.
Once in his bedroom, Gary forced the catatonic Ash to sit on the bed, who stared blankly ahead, still grasping his hand. Gary went into his closet, before coming back and grabbing the sides of his shirt.
"Take it off." Gary ordered.
"...Now?" Ash's voice was small, his eyes portraying his confusion. Gary couldn't possibly think that this would the time for that kind of interaction...
Gary's emerald eyes were as clear as day. "Ash, you're covered in blood."
Ash blinked a few times before obeying. Gary handed him a simple cotton t-shirt of his and strode off again….
Unable to remember what happened next, Ash recalled being in the car again, slumped against the passenger seat door. Gary was speaking quickly, but not to him… Into his phone…
The curves of the road were making Ash dizzy. Even though he closed his eyes, the swaying didn't stop, it kept going, and going….
It was still early when Ash awoke, the car still moving. The daylight was overwhelming, and despite keeping his eyes closed and staying in the same position he awoke in, sleep wouldn't come back.
He yawned, stretched and rubbed his eyes, finally letting go of the notion of sleep.
"Morning." Gary smiled at him.
Gary was a somewhat of a comical sight, with his hair disheveled and grey bags under his wide green eyes, accompanied by genuine smile plastered upon his face.
"Hey." Ash croaked, eyes squinting. Beyond the Gary's window, he could see a blue, infinite coastline. "Where are we?"
"We're somewhere close to Fuchsia City!" Gary chirped, sipping from a disposable mug. His eyes were wider than usual.
"Gary…" Ash coughed, his throat dry. "…Have you been driving all night?"
"Yes!" Gary said with a laugh that made Ash wince. "But don't worry, I stopped for some coffee at one of those open 24/7 shops, I got you some water too! I think this is my third coffee, but I was going to fall asleep if I didn't get any caffeine."
"Maybe too much caffeine…" Ash muttered. He took the bottle water from the cup holder, hoping it would soothe his headache.
"…Thanks, Gary. I don't know what I would've done without you." Ash added, his head cast downwards.
"Hey, we're here!" Gary parked the car into a nearby garage. Once outside, Gary took a ticket from the man and led the way towards a harbor across the street.
The smell of the ocean air somehow numbed Ash to the events of the night before, which were lingering the back of his head. He remained close to Gary, wishing to hold onto him for support. Instead, he stayed two steps behind as Gary bought two ferry tickets from the stand.
The ferry was docked, a relatively small and empty boat. As if reading Ash's mind, Gary turned back at him and smiled. He rested his arm around Ash's shoulders, while Ash brought his arm around Gary's waist. Together they boarded the boat, picked a shaded, isolated corner, and remained like that, in silence.
Finally, the boat departed. A huge yawn escaped Gary. Ash could feel his body tense as he yawned before slumping back down.
"Aren't you tired?" Ash asked faintly, looking up to meet Gary's eyes. His emerald gaze made something twinge in Ash's chest as they looked back, heavy with sleep. Gary was smiling softly.
"I'm okay. How are you?"
Ash looked away and shrugged. Suddenly the dull pulsing of his hand was brought to his attention once more.
Gary rubbed Ash's arm in an attempt to comfort him, his eyes sliding closed. Eventually, his arm slipped from Ash's shoulders, and he leaned back into his seat. The sound of the waves lulled Gary to sleep.
Two hours later, the sound of the ferry's horn brought Gary back from his nap. He had fallen asleep on his seat, his body complaining from the terrible position. Standing up to stretch, Gary spotted Ash on the other side of the boat; seated at the edge, his elbow propped up on the rail, chin on his hand.
Gary felt his heart swell. A heavy air of melancholy surrounded the raven-haired boy. He was staring out towards the sea, a hint of grief in his eyes. He sat there, alone, looking so sad, as if a grey cloud had settled upon him, yet so beautiful with the cerulean blue behind him, the ocean breeze bristling his hair.
"Hey." Gary settled next to him, offering a smile.
Ash suddenly straightened, the clouded look in his eyes disappearing almost immediately. He hadn't noticed Gary coming. "H-hey! You're awake!"
"Yeah…" Gary scratched the back of his head. "…Sorry about that. I guess I was tired."
"It's ok." Ash assured, smiling softly before looking out into the sea. An island in the distance was growing closer. "Anyways, where exactly are you taking me?"
Turning to look at the island, Gary smiled widely. "That, over there, is Sayda Island."
Soon enough, they arrived to the heavily forested island. It was very hot and humid, the air tasted salty. Ash couldn't help but smile.
"This is great, Gary!" Ash chirped, momentarily forgetting his gloom. He beamed at Gary. "I've never been here before. In fact, I haven't been to the orange islands since I was ten!"
"I did some research here back in day. Most of the island is a natural reserve, but there' a small resort of the other side." Gary grinned, appreciating Ash's wide eyes as the ship disembarked upon Sayda Island's shore.
Upon their arrival, a teenaged blue haired girl waved furiously from the back of an open jeep.
"Gary! Gary!" With an agile jump, she descended the jeep and sprinted towards them, just before tackling Gary into a tight embrace.
"Gary! I'm so happy to see you!" She squealed, rubbing her face into his chest. Gary ruffled her hair.
"Crystal! You've grown!" Gary smiled fondly at the girl once she released him.
"Well, it's been a long time! I thought you were never coming back!" She complained, her voice high-pitched. She turned to look at Ash just before a furious blush began creeping up her face and shooting her hand out. "I'm very, very glad to meet you! My name's Crystal."
"Heh, nice to meet you, too! I'm Ash." Ash gave her an awkward handshake with his left hand, his right hand stuffed in his sweater's pocket.
"Gary!" Another blue haired woman with a white lab coat waved from the jeep's driver seat. "Come on!"
Crystal's older sister, Dora, greeted them happily and proceeded to drive them to the resort.
They arrived quickly, but the sway from passing through long, curved roads was making Ash dizzy
"You okay?" Gary rubbed Ash's back as they arrived to a central pool area that sprawled out, towards the sea.
"I just… need something… Some aspirin or something." Ash mumbled.
"I know exactly what you need, young man!" Ash jumped at an old man who barged into the group. "I have the perfect solution."
"Uh…" Ash blinked, unsure what to say.
"Grampa!" Crystal ran to embrace the elderly man. Ash suddenly saw the resemblance between them, their brown warm eyes and their straight blue hair…
"It's true, Ash, grampa can make a remedy for anything! Go with him and he'll make you a home-made herbal medicine, something made of herbs and fruits!" Crystal urged him.
"Um, I don't know." Ash turned to look at Gary, unsure.
"The truth is that the old man once gave me a potion when I came down with the flu, and I had never felt better quicker." Gary said, shrugging.
"Go ahead!" Crystal gave Ash a little push in the back. "Me and Dora will take Gary to leave his stuff in the room."
Ash gave Gary another look that pleaded for him to not go, but Crystal took Gary's bag and proceeded to run off, while Dora grabbed Gary's arm and led him away. Ash had no choice but to follow the old man.
"Sit down, sit down." The old man ushered Ash into a hut with a palms hatchings roof, just at the edge of the sandy coastline.
Ash seated himself in a chair tucked away in a corner. The hut was a small workspace, the walls lined with shelves and shelves of jars and boxes, each with handwritten labels. Ash felt unsure.
"My name is Walter. I'm a healer." The old man said as he reached for a few jars from the shelves. "I can tell just by looking at you that you aren't very well at all."
Ash huffed. "Anybody can tell that."
"Oh?" The man's eyebrows rose. "I don't speak of the scar on your neck. That looks well healed. I think what you need is something for that hangover of yours."
Ash wished he could become tiny and disappear. "Maybe."
Walter spread out a few herbs on a cutting board and began chopping them with a knife.
"A vacation here is the cure you need. You'll be feeling better in no time." He offered Ash a warm smile. "I just hope you remember that drinking is never the solution for the problems of the mind."
Ash's eyes widened. "Wha—No, I don't—"
A long look from the old man silenced Ash. He stopped chopping for a moment, his gaze traveling downwards.
"Show me your hand, Ash." Walter reached for him.
Ash didn't argue. This man seemed to know everything. He pulled his hand out of his pocket and held it out for Walter to inspect.
"What happened?"
Ash squirmed, uncomfortable. "Uh, just a really bad cut. I had to get stiches last night."
"Hmm…" Water hummed, moving back towards his workspace. "Are you taking anything for the pain or against infection?"
"The doctor might have mentioned some pills but… I didn't buy them or anything." Ash mumbled, putting his hand back into his pocket.
"Well, don't worry too much. Your potion just needs a few modifications." Walter smiled at him, his eyes tiny and squinty. "I do sincerely believe that the whole of the body is connected. Your wound, though small, will be festering and transferring negative energies to the once quiet and peaceful mind, giving it over to strange and unproductive thinking."
As if on cue, Walter emptied the contexts of his board into a blender.
"Gary, I never thought you'd bring him to Sayda Island." Dora placed Gary's bag near the bed of the room. It was a nice and expansive room in one of the higher floors of the hotel, with a beautiful view framed by white, silky curtains.
Gary sat on a recliner chair, sighing. "It wasn't under the best of circumstances."
Dora closed the door behind herself.
"Okay, Gary, now that I got Crystal to leave you have to tell me what's going on! What happened to Ash? Is he hurt?" Concern was heavy in her voice.
Gary cast himself forwards, burying his face on his hands. "Dora, it's such a long story…"
Dora sat, crossed legged before him. "Last time I heard from you, you never mentioned that the boy you were in love with had that scar on his neck! And now you call me, in the middle of the night after six years, telling me you need a place to lay low for a while? Gary, I deserve an explanation!"
Gary leaned back into his chair, a pained look on his face.
"Dora, you can't understand. I'll tell you what's wrong, because you deserve to know why we're here. But you can't tell anybody that I'm telling you this. Especially Ash. He would hate me for it. But you deserve to know so you can choose to kick us out."
"Gary! I would never tell my father to kick you guys out!" Dora sounded hurt. "I just, I need to know, and maybe I can help!"
Gary sighed once more, rubbing his eyes. "You can't tell this to anyone, Dora. Promise me."
"Trust me, Gary." She assured, her eyes wide and honest.
A silence stretched over a long moment, before Gary sighed one last time.
"Alright. Ash and me, we've been kind of together for about a month now… I don't know, I don't even know if he's my boyfriend or not."
Dora nodded, silent and listening.
"But, around four years ago, something bad happened. It was the beginning of summer and one night, Ash and me went out to a bar. We got wasted, we fought over something stupid and we went home our separate ways. I went to apologize to him the next day, but he wasn't at his house. He wasn't there the next day or the next. He disappeared for a week."
"What? Disappeared? You mean, he left Pallet town?" Dora frowned, confused.
Gary shook his head, regretful. "No. His mother called the police. Ash wouldn't of left without a goodbye. We tried calling, but he wouldn't answer, we looked everywhere, but we couldn't find him."
Dora looked horrified. "What happened?"
"A week later, a group of Pokémon trainers found him with his neck slashed, bleeding out in the Viridian forest. They saved him. Gramps told me, that if they had found him any later, he probably wouldn't have made it. It was a lucky break."
"What?" It was as if Dora didn't quite believe what he was telling her. "Just like that? What happened? A week gone and then they find him like that?"
Gary became fretful. "Dora, please don't tell this to anybody. Ash would kill me."
Dora nodded, silent once more.
"The police didn't find anything. Ash had to undergo surgery right anyway, so he couldn't tell anybody what had happened. After Ash was stable enough, the detectives managed to talk to him. He said…" Gary hesitated before continuing.
"He said had been kidnapped, he and three other trainers. He said a man killed the three other trainers in some kind of cult ritual. Ash got away, but they only found the barn where he was kept prisoner a day later, burning down with three bodies in it."
"What the… What the hell? Are you serious? What do you mean?" Dora asked anxiously, looking deeply shocked. "They never found the guy?"
Gary shook his head slowly. "That's why I'm here, Dora. Somebody tried to attack Ash, and we think it might've had to do with what happened back then. I brought him here because he wasn't going to be safe in Saffron."
Gary allowed for the information sink in to the shocked looking researcher before him. She had one hand over her mouth, wide eyes looking at Gary.
"Gary… Oh my God, Gary…" Dora couldn't find the words to say.
Gary stood and walked over to the window that looked out towards the sea, feeling slightly guilty for telling somebody else Ash's story, but it was necessary. "Dora, this hotel belongs to your family. If you feel that we're putting you in danger… Just say the word."
Ash had to admit… The old grandpa prepared a delicious smoothie. Free of his shoes, Ash treaded the shore, allowing the sand and water to sweep past his feet. He was sipping at the concoction Walter had made from a paper straw, the icy beverage feeling good in the hot weather. Somehow, he felt calm, his headache was gone and the ocean air was nice to his lungs.
"Hey! Ash!" Gary waved at him from the stairs that lead to the beach. Ash couldn't help but smile back and wave enthusiastically.
Gary was zoomed past the stairs and was running towards Ash. He halted just before Ash.
With a bursting sensation, Gary caught Ash off-guard into a sudden hug, hiding his face into his neck.
"Gary!" Ash laughed more out of surprise, leaning back from Gary's weight. He hugged Gary back with one arm, the smoothie in his other hand.
"Gary?" Ash whispered after several moments had passed and Gary hadn't parted from the embrace. His voice was soft. "What's wrong?"
Gary breathed deeply, truly unsettled.
He wanted to tell Ash so many things; Gary felt like his chest was going to burst. He wanted to tell Ash that all his scars would never changed who he was, tell Ash just how perfect he was in Gary's eyes, to say that he would never leave Ash out of fear, and that nothing else truly mattered as long as Ash was well and by his side; He wanted to promise Ash that he would always protect him and be there for him no matter what, because in the end, Gary had never loved anybody else the way Gary loved him.
I love you.
Gary pulled away from Ash, giving a halfhearted laugh.
"Nothing, Ashy boy. I thought you might need a hug after Walter's psycho analysis."
Ash's face grew red. "You knew?! Then why did you make me go with him?!"
Gary placed one arm around his shoulders, chuckling. "Come on, I bet it wasn't that bad."
Ash shook his head, looking slightly disdained. "Hmpt. Who said it was bad? Besides, I got this smoothie out of it."
Ash looked up at Gary, who sighed deeply as they walked down the beach.
"…So, how long are we staying here?" Ash asked tentatively, trying to figure out Gary's unreadable look.
Gary looked down at him and offered a smile. "As long as we need to."
Gary couldn't help but laugh when Ash ran into the sea like a madman as soon as he had his bathing suit on, his face full of glee.
"Common!" Ash urged him to follow, the waves parting as their rolled pasted him.
Gary followed behind cautiously, not particularly fond of the cold water. That didn't matter though, as Ash splashed water at him without mercy.
After a decent splashing war that resulted with salt water in their eyes, they swam for a while before heading back towards the shore.
They settled into one of the shaded, comfy beach beds near the resort, where the waiter brought them an order of rum and coke. After Ash's suggestion, they took advantage of a canteen to empty out their drinks into it to take along a walk down the beach.
Gary suggested a tour of the island. They walked, keeping close to the shore, sipping out of the canteen, talking, laughing and joking around. Gary took Ash to a cliff and dared Ash to jump off to the sea below. He took the challenge, unfazed, jumping off with a cry full of glee, only to be followed behind by Gary.
Gary hoped to spot the Aerodactly that inhabited the island, but no such apparition happened by the time sun was low in the sky. They decided to head back, sandy and tried.
They took the elevator upstairs. Slightly buzzed from the rum, Ash's face was flushed and his eyes were half lidded.
"Mmm, Gary." Ash pulled Gary in close by his waist, planting a slow kiss on his lips. Gary welcomed it, but he couldn't help but notice how Ash's discreetness lowered as his alcohol intake increased.
At first, Ash grew nervous at grasping Gary's hand gingerly, afraid of being sighted, and now, several ounces of rum later, Ash gave Gary a full fledged kiss, oblivious of the fact that the elevator might open at any moment.
Bing! They arrived to their floor, but nobody was there, thankfully. Ash peeled himself off of Gary and waited for him to lead the way to the bedroom.
"Wow!" Ash exclaimed once inside the suite, departing from Gary as he ran towards the balcony. The sky had changed during the short time they went up the elevator and into the room. The sky was blazing orange at the horizon, which faded into the navy blue night; the sea was pitch black as it sparkled with the movement of the calm water surface.
Ash looked ahead in awe. "Look at that sunset!"
Gary just had reached him just as Ash turned away to look at the rest of the room.
"This room! It's so big!" Ash exclaimed. He ran across and reached for the door that led to the bedroom.
"Oh! This bed! I can't wait to sleep on this bed!" Ash's eyes grew particularly wide when the king bed was spotted, white and fluffy with feather covers. He didn't hesitate to collapse upon it, as if trying to hug it.
"So soft… I could fall asleep already…." Ash mumbled, his eyes falling closed.
When Gary stepped into the room, Ash had already fallen asleep.
Ash awoke, slightly confused and dazed. A lamp near the bed dimly lighted the room, and blues music was softly playing from the other side of the door.
Ash sat himself up slowly, coming to realize he had fallen asleep. The day at the beach had been quite tiring, and what remained now of the alcohol buzz was a dull feeling in his head, but nothing he couldn't handle.
He considered falling back asleep, God this bed was so comfortable, this bed…
This bed!
Ash sat up abruptly! This was the bed of the hotel room Gary had gotten for them, where they were probably going to sleep tonight, that's if they didn't do anything more…
Ash could practically feel himself go red, suddenly feeling self-conscious. He wondered if he was all salty from the seawater, or if his hair felt stiff like it always did after a day in the beach.
Foregoing the idea of staying in bed, Ash took the opportunity to sneak into the shower, since the room's door was closed and Gary wouldn't notice him up.
The shower was quick, but Ash washed himself thoroughly. He dressed himself with a baggy black shirt and grey sweatpants he found in the suitcase, and discreetly tried to dry his hair with a towel before giving up.
He stood before the door, his heart thumping in his chest. He shouldn't be this nervous, but he couldn't help but thinking of Gary in the other room; what was he doing, what was he thinking?
Swallowing thickly, Ash opened the door and stepped into the other room. The music flooded in, smooth blues, but Gary was nowhere to be seen. Ash eyes spotted an open and iced champagne bottle, and resisted the urge to take a swing from it. Maybe if he got drunk again, things wouldn't be so difficult…
Gary was in the balcony, leaning cooling on the railing and looking out towards the sea, a glass in his hand.
Gary had been thinking. He kept pondering about everything that had happened, what it meant. In his endless pacing, he decided that a bottle of champagne would calm his nerves and probably make Ash happy once he awoke.
He was feeling buzzed several glasses later, but his thoughts were the same. He kept thinking of Ritchie kissing Ash, only to get pushed away. He felt a swelling pride and joy, remembering how Ash had seemed so afraid that Gary would be angry with him, angry because another guy had kissed him. That had to mean something.
He wondered how Ritchie had felt, realizing that he had just gone through one of Gary's worst fears: Ash's rejection. He wondered if it had hurt Ritchie like it would've hurt Gary. He wondered how serious their previous relationship had been or how far they had gone.
Then his thoughts would take a dark turn, and he'd think about what had happened the night before at Slackline. Gary thought back on how the sudden commotion broke out behind him as he had turned away to join Misty once more.
It was painful to remember Ash's face, frozen with shock and unreactive. With goose bumps upon his arms, Gary realized how it could've been much worse. What if Ash hadn't pushed that teenager away? What if the scalpel the teenager had been carrying had inflicted worse damage, much worse…
An image of Ash, with the same shell-shocked expression, appeared in Gary's head, only he wasn't clutching his hand… He was clutching his abdomen, and his shirt was pooling with blood…
Gary shook the image away. He resisted the urge to burst over to the room and check on Ash, shake him awake to see if he was alive. What a ridiculous thought!
Taking a deep breath and a big gulp from his glass, Gary calmed himself down. They were safe here, they were safe here…
But was Ash going to be safe back to Saffron? Only now Gary was beginning to understand why Ash was so paranoid. Gary had shaken it off before, rolling his eyes or thinking Ash was kind of cute when he was being so paranoid… but this was serious. There was a dangerous man out there and Ash was his target.
What were they going to do? Had this kind of thing happened before? How many times? Had Ash been hurt before?
The Pikachu in Ash's apartment… It didn't make sense! Why wouldn't he just kill Ash when he had the chance? What kind of psychopath were they dealing with? This man didn't go in for the kill, he was picking at Ash's brain!
The thought of a man lurking around in Ash's apartment, as he lay asleep and unaware made Gary's blood boil. His fists balled up until his knuckles were turning white. There was another man obsessed with Ash, but in a much more twisted and darker way!
Gary knew there were sick and depraved people in the world, but he had never dealt with them directly, unless he counted his sister. But somehow, Gary didn't blame her; rather the horror of their upbringing had somehow twisted her mind.
How horrible in must have been… The week Ash disappeared. What had he witnessed? What had he gone through? A week was so much time! He wished Ash hadn't seen the knife that would slash his throat coming, because he couldn't imagine the level of fear Ash must've felt if he had. Gary dearly hoped he hadn't suffered too much, but then again how hadn't he, when every night Ash tossed back and forth in his sleep, disturbed.
Gary tried to calm himself down… He shouldn't be thinking of these things... They were too dark and the night sky was too beautiful to be pondering about blood and death. The stars above were so clear here; they shined brightly without the pollution of the city.
Life is beautiful, Gary told himself, the blues music he had put on playing in the background.
Indeed… Wasn't he supposed to be happy? Gary had always known he would return to Sayda Island someday… but how would he have known he would return with Ash by his side? That they would be staying in this hotel room, or even that they would be in some kind of relationship… right?
"Hey." Ash appeared from behind him, leaning onto the railing besides Gary. He offered Gary a small smile.
Gary felt his eyes soften. He reached out and placed his hand over Ash's on the rail, almost as if to check if he was real. "Ash."
Their eyes locked for one inexplicable moment, and neither said a word.
They stepped in closer, meeting a slow kiss. Arms around each other, they held the kiss for one last moment before pulling apart. They remained close, their foreheads together. Gary looked down at Ash with an affectionate gaze, who kept his eyes closed with a smile upon his lips.
"You taste like champagne." Ash laughed. Gary couldn't help but smile.
"You want some?"
Gary led them towards the living room, and sat on the couch before the coffee table and the TV set. He served Ash a glass and leaned back, propping his elbow on the armchair and tilting his head onto his hand to watch Ash.
Ash seemed nervous. It was cute.
"I'm sorry I fell asleep. What did you do while I was sleeping?" Ash kept his gaze low, looking at the bubbles of the champagne.
Gary didn't want to get into the details of his previous thoughts. "Hmm, I just hanged out over here. Took a shower… Opened up this bottle… Waited for you to wake up."
With that he brought himself forwards to lean his head on Ash's shoulder, reaching up one hand up to caress Ash's hair. Ash smelled fresh and clean. His hair was still wet.
Ash allowed himself to fall back into the couch. "Well, I'm sorry I kept you waiting…"
"Don't be…" Gary nuzzled into Ash's neck. He pulled softly at the V-neck of Ash's shirt before kissing his exposed collarbone.
Ash's breath hitched and involuntarily brought his hand up to the side of Gary's face.
Smiling, Gary brought himself face to face with Ash, who looked at him with wide eyes. Their lips were less than an inch apart, their eyelashes brushing.
Suddenly, Gary's façade faltered. He caught Ash's lips in a short desperate kiss before pulling away.
"Ash, I need to tell you something." Gary's eyes had a hint of pain, blurting out his words before he could change his mind.
Ash sat himself upright, concerned by the sudden change in Gary. "What's wrong?"
"I want you to know…" Gary grasped Ash's hand, momentarily unable to face him. "That I really care for you. Ever since we were kids, you were my best friend. And even when we were rivals, I know I acted like a hated you, but… I always thought of you as my best friend."
He finally looked up at Ash, catching his eye. Ash was looking at him expectantly.
"When we fell apart as kids it was painful, and losing you once again four years ago was even more painful. I want you to know that's over, that I won't lose you again unless you want me out of your life, Ash, because I really want you in my life."
Gary was marveled at himself, at how calmly he managed to say everything, his voice not breaking once.
"Last night, after what happened, I was so worried and you looked so hurt, I couldn't bear it. I don't want anybody to ever hurt you again. I'm never going to hurt you again. I want you to know that, Ash. I want you to know that I'm never going to let that happen again if I can, whatever it takes Ash, I promise you."
With that, Gary closed in on Ash with a hug, unsure of what to do next.
"Um, wow, Gary…" Ash looked stunned as Gary pulled back. "I don't know what to say, I mean… Last night was messed for sure but… If you hadn't been there, I don't know what I would of done. I'm always so paranoid but when something actually happens I'm like a dearling before the headlights. I froze and you were there to take me out of there. I don't know what would've happened without you. I'd probably wrap my hand in a towel and take the next train out of town, go to some city and get black-out drunk."
Ash sounded sincere as he met Gary's eye. "Thanks for telling me all this… It really means a lot to me, Gary."
They laid down, stretching out sideways on the couch, nestled together. Gary's head was leaning on Ash's shoulder, and their fingers intertwined in silence, both in deep thought.
Gary sighed, before breaking out in small laugh.
Ash threw him a sideways glance, curious.
"You smell nice." Gary said, noting the smell of fresh soap. "It's kind of sexy."
Ash's cheeks were turning red. He wondered furiously why it was so easy for him to blush. "What are you saying? That I don't always smell nice and sexy?"
Gary laughed, before straddling Ash and leaning forwards to be inches away from his face. "Oh, stop it."
Just when Ash thought Gary was going to kiss him, Gary kissed his cheek. Then his forehead, then his jaw, his other cheek…
"What are you doing?" Ash nearly squeaked, still red, grabbing Gary's wrists. Gary stopped in his tracks and looked at Ash innocently.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean… uh…" Ash blinked under Gary's gaze. "…Why won't you kiss me?"
Gary leaned forwards, his lips brushing with Ash. He hands searched for Ash's sides, his grip turning firm.
"…You want me to kiss you?"
Ash didn't answer. Instead, he caught Gary's face in his hands and reached up to kiss him. Unable to turn away, Gary laughed into the kiss.
Ash fell back into the couch, eyes wide and a small smile upon his lips. He looked like he had just done something forbidden but didn't regret it.
Gary beamed at Ash. He was just so cute. Gary could feel his affection grow.
This time, Gary sunk down to meet Ash in another kiss, but in a slower passionate kiss. Ash made a cooing sound of approval, allowing his eyelids to slide close and his hands to caress Gary's back.
Ash… For Gary to see him like this, to feel his soft, lingering touch on his back, Gary couldn't help the heat growing inside him. With a roll of his hips, he pressed their groins together, wishing to take this further.
"Ash…" Gary's voice was husky in Ash's ear. His hands were roaming; his touch was firm and strong like always. "I want to make you feel good… I want you… I want to make it up to you."
It was getting hard for Ash to breath normally. Flushed, he didn't know quite what to say.
"Ha… What do you mean?" Ash was breathing heavy, unable to release Gary.
Gary caught Ash into another infuriating kiss, almost as if intentionally torturing with kisses, keeping him in the dark. He pulled back, sporting a devilish grin.
Taking Ash's hand, he stood from the couch. "Common on, let's go."
Ash followed without hesitation. Gary was leading them into the bedroom, Ash realized with a strange mix of emotions, somewhere between excitement and nervous. He stopped at the doorway, sudden remembering the glass of champagne had had barely sipped.
Throwing a glance behind his shoulder, Ash considered retrieving it from the coffee table to down it in one gulp, but Gary tugged at his hand and Ash thought otherwise.
Gary followed up with slow tantalizing caresses. The way his hands were so strong and sure of what their were doing made Ash feel like putty in his hands. It's like Gary knew exactly what to do with him.
They had fallen back on the bed. Gary's kisses brushed over Ash's lips, over his cheeks, jawline and neck. He'd stroke Ash's hair before sliding his palm underneath Ash's shirt, grasping at his sides.
Ash gasped. Normally he'd feel ticklish, but now, Gary's touch brought on a burning sensation all his skin, his ears ringed with anticipation as Gary spilt off the shirt with ease. The feeling of the soft fabric was replaced completely now by Gary's roaming hands and his lingering kisses... Ash was barely thinking as he drew Gary in closer, trying to weave their bodies together.
Gary took a moment to look at Ash. His eyes rested on the vertical scar upon his chest, not having seen it since that night after they went to Slackline. Ash looked back between Gary and his chest, unsure what to do or say. He wasn't drunk like the last time, and attacking Gary then had been so much easier.
Gary traced the scar with the tip of a finger, before sliding his hand to the right, over his nipple, sinking down to lavish Ash's neck with kisses at the same time.
Ash writhed, grasping at Gary's arms. This closeness only aroused Ash further; the ache for Gary within him grew. He pulled at Gary's shirt, wanting this think layer of separation between them gone. He'd roll his hips into Gary's, the friction between the hard groins sending sparks shooting up Ash's spine.
His mind was racing with so many thoughts and insecurities, but all the same it was impossible to think straight. Was Gary enjoying himself as much as he was? What did Gary think of him, what did this mean? These thoughts were put to halt when Gary pulled away, green eyes clouded with lust as he towered over Ash.
With an easy movement, Gary discarded his shirt.
"This is okay… right?" Gary voice was husky and smooth, a voice Ash only witness when Gary was turned on. His hair swept over his tilted face, Ash could only admire Gary's shirtless display as he played with the hem of Ash's pants. As if to encourage Ash to break out of his stupor, Gary stroked Ash's hardness through the fabric of his pants.
"Y-yes, Gary…" Ash said with groan. Gary lowered Ash's track pants, liberating his erection from underneath. He was wearing no underwear. Gary chuckled.
Ash felt his face blaze with a blush, only now realizing that Gary had him completely naked. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been in a similar situation. The dim light from the lamp at the night table allowed a clear view of everything, Ash's flaws, Ash's scars to Gary who sat just before him, Ash's pants in his hands.
"G-gary, I—" Ash didn't even know what he was going to say, but the words died out once Gary lowered himself to effulge Ash's cock into his mouth without hesitation. A deep groaned escaped Ash, punctuating his inability to talk.
Pleasure swept through Ash like a fire. Gary's hand sure knew how to touch Ash the right way, but his mouth… Gary had always been a good kisser, from the very start but this... This was a whole other level.
Ash was gasping and hissing, enraptured by Gary's treatment. The wet, gliding sensation of Gary's mouth tormented Ash as his body twisted, clutching at the mattress, arching his back, eyes fluttering opened and closed. Logical thoughts were thrown aside as Ash finally gave into the pleasure.
"Ngh… Gary… I'm going to come…" Ash struggled, trying to warn Gary. He tried to push Gary away, palms against Gary's shoulders, but Gary didn't part, each of his hands finding a handful of Ash's buttocks, pressing Ash closer to him. Ash's cock slid completely within Gary, hot, wet and deep—
Ash came, his waist twisting, his whole body clenching. His hands burst to catch Gary's wrists, which somehow supported Ash from tumbling away.
Gary remained as he was, eyes closed and his mouth wrapped around Ash's length. Only when Ash's body fell limp underneath his grasp, did his slowly pull away, looking at Ash from underneath his eyelashes. Ash panted heavily, his head spinning and his whole body trembling from the lingering ecstasy.
Climbing up, Gary draped himself on top of Ash. Ash's arms flew around Gary's neck, pulling him into a desperate kiss – It didn't matter that Gary's lips glistened with saliva and that he had just swallowed a mouthful of Ash's cum, Ash pulled him in all the same, relishing in Gary's soft lips, their tongues preforming a dance together.
Gary pulled away, gasping slightly. He slipped his arms underneath Ash's shoulders and pressed himself into Ash, hiding his face into Ash's neck. He breathed in heavily.
A strange ache affected Ash deeply. All of the sudden, it was like a damn in his chest had burst open, and if it weren't for Gary pressing into him, all of these emotions would surge out of him uncontrollably. Ash sudden felt very vulnerable, but all the same he wanted to pull Gary in closer.
The way their thighs snuggled between each other's, the electrifying sensation of Gary's nipples brushing against his own… Ash's hands dragged over his back, needy of Gary's steadying weight over him.
"Ash…" Gary's hot and heavy voice tickled Ash ear. "I want you… I want to… be inside of you."
Ash gasped, unable to control him. Why this had caught him by surprise was ridiculous. Here they were, being intimate with each other… And in Ash's desperate need to be closer to Gary, the answer was clear.
"Hah…Yes, Gary, I want this t-too." Ash struggled to say, distracted by Gary's body pulling away in a sensuous, slow, gliding motion. Gary sat up, one hand sliding over Ash's abdomen and the over fumbling to open his own pants. Ash reached out to help.
"Have you ever done this before?" Gary asked once he had slipped off his pants and underwear and discarded them on the floor.
Ash couldn't help to look at Gary's cock, thick and throbbing right next to his own. Without even thinking, Ash pressed them together with one hand, stroking them in a firm grasp.
Gary lowered himself back down onto Ash with a groan. He began reaching over towards the nightstand, going through the cabinet.
"Yeah… I've down this before." Ash said, breathless, searching for Gary's face. Gary seemed unaffected and smiled, finding what he had been looking for.
They joined into a heated kiss once more, before Ash spotted what Gary had in his hand. A pair of condoms and a tube of lubricant. A strange panic surged through Ash as he released their two members and firmly grasped Gary's waist. Nervous, his breath hitched in his chest. He hoped this would go unnoticed by Gary.
Gary looked at him but said nothing. He stroked Ash's hair before putting some of the lube onto his fingers.
"It's going to fine." Gary hid his face into Ash's neck, catching a particularly sensitive piece of skin with his lips. His lubricated hand joined their lengths together once more, eliciting surges of pleasure that traveled up Ash's spine.
"Hah… I know…" Ash once more wrapped his arms around Gary, wishing he wouldn't pull away again. This vulnerable feeling was beginning to bubble once again as the level of pleasure increased.
Gary's bought himself up, changing the motion of his hands. Traveling downwards, his hand began massaging right behind his groin and balls, that patch of skin extremely sensitive. Ash's body tensed.
"Relax…" Gary cooed, admiring Ash's naked body. He was sitting up right between Ash's legs, had him completely spread open before him.
"Heh, easy for you to say—" Ash gasped, cutting off his words. Gary massaging finger had slipped inside him with relative ease, but it still took him by surprise.
Gary lowered himself to face Ash, who had flung aside his head and screwed his eyes closed.
"I think you're ready." Gary whispered, his finger dragging along his inner walls, a strange sensation.
Ash opened his eyes to look at Gary, glaring at him. This was tortuous and slightly humiliating. Ash tried to focus on what Gary had told him earlier, how he truly did care about Ash and that this wasn't happening just for the sex.
"J-just do it already." Ash shook his head, trying to free himself of doubt. It was frustrating as Gary pulled away once more, breaking open a condom to put it on.
Gary convinced Ash to put a pillow under his butt. He lowered himself back down so they were chest-to-chest and inhaled deeply.
"Ash…" Gary sounded insecure, a strange tone since he had held the reins of the whole situation until this far. Ash turning to face him, finding only Gary's vivid green eyes, perhaps the bright gold starburst around his pupil evident since the were so close.
The air seemed tangible between them as the stared into each other's eyes. It was like Gary was searching inside Ash, searching for anything that could ruin this moment or tear them apart. Ash shook his head, forgetting his insecurities and pressed his lips into Gary's, trying to reassure him.
"I want you, Gary…." Ash breathed unsteadily. "P-please…"
Gary kissed him fervently one last time, before reaching down to guide himself into Ash.
Ash inhaled sharply. His hands grasped at Gary's arms tightly. Gary was a big boy, how in the world would Ash stretch that much to have Gary fit inside him?
Gary trudged on slowly, making hushing sounds into Ash's ear. "Relax… Shh… loosen your legs…"
Ash nodded and swallowed, unable to form words. He forced his breathing to steady, but he couldn't stop his back from arching or cause his grip on Gary to loosen.
This stretching sensation, accompanied by the gliding burning sensation soothed by the lubricant… It didn't hurt but then again Gary was barely moving! A surge of panic swallowed Ash up. He imagined Gary thrashing into him, a stabbing pain from within tearing him inside—
"Ah! Gary! Gary!" Fear surged through Ash, but he couldn't bring himself to tell Gary to stop. Ash hugged Gary tightly into his chest, leaving him unable to move any longer.
Ash was panting, and the trace of fear was evident in his eyes. Gary could tell.
"Ash…" Gary's voice was unsteady too, as he had sheathed himself completely into Ash. "Let me… take care of you… Hah…. I won't hurt you…."
He stroked Ash's hair out of his face and gliding his hand up and down Ash's side, trying to comfort him, ignoring his own urge to further explore Ash's body, find the angle that felt best and that made Ash moan uncontrollably as he'd thrust madly.
Ash swallowed heavily. He needed to get a grip. He had to trust Gary… He didn't want to mess this up.
Ash's legs relaxed, allowing Gary to sink in further. Gary groaned, grasping at Ash tightly.
Gary began with a slow, yet deep thrusting motion. He couldn't help himself from emitting soft groans within his throat.
Ash inhaled slowly and unsteadily, allowing himself to fall back. It wasn't painful at all, the stretching burn and friction felt good, the whole sensation spreading like ripples through his body. Gary's motion was highly sensual, the way he moved against Ash, the way they were so close to each other, it was unbelievable…
"Ah… Gary, mmm…" Ash himself was unaware of the sounds he was making. This along with the slow pace was driving Gary crazy. Gary's hands gripped At Ash's shoulder tightly, the other one grasping his hip firmly.
A sudden roll of Gary's hip and a tidal wave of pleasure crashed into Ash, hitting to right spot. With a gasp, Ash couldn't control it when he found himself grasping Gary's upper arms, which were firm and strong; they knew exactly what they were doing, rendering Ash completely helpless to him.
"Ah, yes… right there…ngh…" Ash's words pushed Gary further, quickening the pace. Gary relished in watching Ash's body contort and twist underneath him, ravaged by pleasure.
Gary attacked Ash with hungry kisses, over his neck, chest, collarbone, lips. He had always imagined this moment in his head, but then again this was completely different. He gripped at Ash's knees and pushed them down, allowing himself further access, his thrust unrelenting.
Ash cried out, no longer holding back. His hands grasped at the sheets beneath them, he threw his head back only to get his neck lavished by Gary's mouth. All Logical thought was fleeing as he surrendered completely over to Gary.
Gary's hand caught Ash's own, intertwining and pressing them down against the mattress. Each time Gary's hips move outwards, it was like a force beyond Gary was pulling him back in, like an elastic chord being stretched only to rebound back. It was like every time Gary had attempted to forget Ash, forget the heartbreak, they were pushed back together, always destined to meet and culminate into this one moment, So close together they could hear their heartbeats against their chests, a mad rhythm that was bound to burst.
A guttural sound escaped Ash and he bit his lips, almost struggling underneath Gary's weight as he squirmed and cringed.
"G-Gary, hah… I'm going to come… Hah…" Ash managed to say in-between heavy pants, his arms wrapping around Gary's neck. His eyes were screwed closed, and his face was contorted in ecstasy.
Gary growled, very close himself. Determined, he grasped Ash's member and began stroking in sync with his own thrusts. He allowed all the thoughts about possibly hurting Ash go, and allowed himself to go as deep as he could.
A scream of pleasure, escaped Ash and his grip on Gary's shoulders would've been painful hadn't he been so lost in the moment. Once again, Ash's hips twisted and his legs clamped around Gary's waist as he came. Gary groaned deeply as Ash's insides tightened drastically around him. Gary was coming close too, he could feel it.
Wrapping his arms around Ash in a desperate motion, Gary held on tightly as he finally came, still deeply enveloped inside of Ash. The former was panting and speaking unintelligibly, hiding his face into Gary's neck. Gary continued thrusting, until it was over, until nothing was left inside to come out. He felt himself collapse onto Ash, but his mind was a blank page from the ecstasy. His heart was beating furiously, he was breathing heavily and everything felt amazing and right.
It took Gary several moments to recompose himself and finally pull out of Ash. As he moved away, the gliding friction tempted Gary to thrust back in once more, and do it allover again, but Ash was still a hot mess underneath him and had barely recomposed himself.
Gary discarded the condom and fell back next to Ash, still panting. He turned to look at the flushed Ash besides him, who was staring at the wall, unbelieving. Gary laughed.
Ash didn't turn to look at him, but smiled.
"What?" He said, slightly out of breath.
"You… You were amazing." Gary curled himself against Ash, allowing one arm to rest upon Ash's chest. Gary propped himself up onto one elbow, looking down at Ash. "That was amazing. Wow…"
Ash laughed, rolling onto his side to rest his head on Gary's shoulder. "Man, I freaked out, thought it was going to really hurt, but that didn't hurt at all."
"I would never hurt you." Gary played with strands of Ash's hair, pushing them back.
Ash rolled his eyes, but the smile remained.
"I can't believe I've been in love with you for ten years and only now I got into you're pants."
"What?" Ash's voice was high pitched as he moved away from Gary, disdained. "Into my pants? That's how you look at this?"
Gary laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Okay! I didn't mean it like that, but don't you think you're missing the most important part of what I just said?"
Ash crossed his arms over his chest as Gary stood form the bed and retrieved some pants boxers from the suitcase. Even as he stood, giving his back to Ash, Ash couldn't help but admire his well-toned body naked body before the boxers came on.
"You just said you gotten into my pants…" Ash reached over as Gary passed him his pants from the floor and returned to the bed. "…After ten years of being in love with me?! Gary!"
Ash could feel himself going red, cursing himself. After everything they had just gone through, why was he still blushing? Furious, he put on his pants and drew the covers over him, cold from the absence of Gary's warm skin over him.
Gary wrapped his arms around Ash's waist from behind, catching him by surprise.
"I'm not afraid to say it anymore. I'm in love with you." Gary laughed, his chin on Ash's shoulder.
"Stop it. This is the after-sex endorphins talking, Gary. Ten years? Don't be ridiculous; you haven't been in love with me since I was ten! You treated me like crap when I was ten!" Ash struggled slightly, but allowed himself to fall back onto the mattress in Gary's arms. It felt nice to be close.
"Mmm, I was an idiot kid in love but didn't know how to show it." Gary nuzzled Ash's neck, brimming with happiness. "Ever heard that kids always mistreat the one they like? Common, forgive me, I was ten."
Ash laughed, Gary's nose tickling him. He grasped Gary's face and looked intently into his eyes.
"You're kidding right?" Ash asked rather innocently.
Gary kissed him quickly before shaking his head. "Nop. Why can't you just accept my declaration of love? Isn't this the moment for cuddling and telling the truth? How about you? Have you been in love with me for ten years?"
Ash bit his lip. "Um, Didn't even know I liked guys until a few years ago. But do you want to hear something that will make you feel better?"
"Hmm…" Gary put on an offended face, but was only playing. "What could make me feel better after that?"
Ash hesitated, looking away and blushing. "I lied."
"You lied? About what?" Gary's head tilted, looking incredibly cute. This only made Ash feel worst about lying.
He covered his face with the palm of his hands and blurted it out. "OkayIliedabout doingthisbefore."
"Huh?"
Ash took a steady breath. "When you asked me if I had done this before, I said yes. I have… But never with a guy. I mean, gone all the way. You were the first, Gary."
Ash dared to look at Gary, his face red. Gary grinned and pulled Ash into a sudden hug.
"I knew it! Hah, you're right, this does make me feel kind of special! I was Ashy-boy's first."
"Hey! Don't call me that!" Ash squirmed, before finally relaxing into Gary's arms.
"Okay. You're not lying about this to make me feel special right? I mean, what about Ritchie?"
"Ritchie?!" Ash was caught off guard. "How do you know about Ritchie? Did Misty tell you that I had sex with him?!"
Gary backed away, finding Ash's outburst cute but deadly at the same time. "No! She said you guys had a history! But if you did have sex with him, I'd still be in love with you—ompf!"
A pillow flew in Gary's face. Ash was pouting with crossed arms. "Here I am trying to make you feel special and you doubt me."
Gary allowed himself to laugh. Cautious, he rested his head on Ash's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, of course I believe you." Gary allowed his hand to draw shapes across Ash's chest. "Honestly, I was extra careful with you. You kind of freaked out back there."
Ash's face softened. "Yeah, you're right about that. I'm sorry about that, by the way, that was embarrassing."
Gary shook his head. "It was adorable."
They said nothing for a long time, until Ash remember the bottle of champagne waiting for them in the living room. Taking the bed cover with them and remaining close together, they moved to the balcony, the ocean view and the stars before them. Ash decided to take the bottle and forgo glasses.
"So… you didn't do it in a field underneath fireworks with Ritchie, right?" Gary asked once more, only to get Ash to roll his eyes.
They were cuddled together, shirtless beneath the bed covers, outside listening to waves. Ash took a swing from the bottle, which was glistening with transpiration.
"How do you know all this? I was seventeen back then! It was a long time ago, in a different country, when we weren't even taking. Either Paul or Misty told you."
"Paul was with you?"
Ash laughed, as if fondly remembering. "Oh, Paul. I kind of had crush on him back then, but I knew he'd never be with me."
"Oh?" Gary tightened his grip on Ash's waist, feeling slightly intrigued yet possessive.
"Yeah, I was too weak for him. Or took much of a guy. He's into girls, or rather, too focused on training to even notice that stuff, maybe."
"Kind of sounds like you. When did you get into other people, rather than just being into Pokémon? You just were too focused and impossibly dense."
"I wasn't dense!" Ash cried out, sending Gary a short glare. "I was just… very innocent."
Ash allowed himself to laugh. "Okay, I was dense. I guess after I got out of the hospital and gave up on training I began to notice that stuff."
"So no past boyfriends or crazy ex's I should know about?" Gary teased.
"Hah! No, I told you were the first." Ash snuggled in closer to Gary, drinking out from the bottle."
"The first to go all the way with…" Gary couldn't stop himself. He wanted to know everything. "What did you do with Ritchie? Or was it someone else?"
Ash couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes again. "What is it with you and Ritchie? Okay, fine. Ritchie and me made out all night in field at a festival. There. Got it? Girls had only kissed me until then, so I guess he was the first guy I ever did anything with. I was drunk, sad, I missed my friends, I was traveling with Paul who was being a douchebag, everything just culminated in a stupid make out session, Alright? Will you let it go? I know he kissed me the other day, but I swear, didn't want to do anything with him-"
"Okay, okay, I trust you Ash." Gary reassured, stroking Ash's upper arm to calm him down. "I'm sorry, I'm just curious. You can ask me about anything you want, too."
Ash sighed deeply, drinking and thinking of what to ask. "Hmm… What about you? Any crazy Ex's I should know about? And I know you've had more experience in the dating world than I've had, so tell me."
"Hm…" Gary thought back, scratching his chin. "I had that boyfriend back in Sinnoh. The one my grandfather caught me with. I never heard from him again. After that I went kind of crazy, moved in with an older guy who taught me a lot of things."
Ash blushed. "An older guy? What did the professor say about that?"
"Well, he didn't know, of course. But it was weird, an open relationship kind of thing. I slept around a lot, to be honest. I didn't know what to do with myself, back then. I was confused and angry at the world."
"So you slept around a lot." Ash concluded.
"Yeah, but you don't have to worry about that. I only want you right now." Gary assured with a kiss on Ash's neck. Ash swallowed thickly from the bottle. It was more than half way gone.
"I bet you could've gotten who ever you wanted. I bet all the guys were after you." Ash said, looking back at Gary, almost shaking his head. "You've got this way. You're arrogant but sexy at the same time."
"I'll take that as a compliment, I guess." Gary laughed.
"I kind of had a one night stand once, but it was embarrassing." Ash covered his face with the palms of his hands.
"What, with a girl?" Gary sounded amused.
"Well, with a girl, once… But there was this guy I met at a party once. Oh my god, it was so embarrassing."
"Why? Was he really ugly?"
Ash laughed. "No! I was really drunk! It was so embarrassing. It was this gym leader guy in Castelia city. He was one of those guys, really pretty that like to really take care of themselves, you know. Finally we ended up in a bathroom…"
Ash turned to look at Gary, was if wondering if he wanted the story to go on. Gary looked at him with wide expecting eyes.
Ash took a deep breath. "Well, He began to go down on me. Oh my god, this is so embarrassing. When he finished, I think he was expecting me to do the same. I got on my knees; I was going to do it… But as soon as I began, I couldn't control the urge to vomit. I threw up, all over his shoes, his pants, and wow that guy was freaking out."
Gary howled out in laughter, picturing the scenario. Somebody about the get a blowjob from Ash, but only to get barfed on his shoes, pants and dick instead.
"No, tell me your kidding." Gary said in between laughs.
"I wish I was. I got up, apologized and ran out of there. Man, I hadn't felt that bad about something in a long time. I found Paul and got him to take me out of there."
"Please don't ever throw up on me." Gary joked, only to get Ash to shake him head in shame and drink from the bottle.
"I didn't know how to handle my liquor back then." Ash said, but at the same time his face was acquiring that familiar flush upon his cheeks after several drinks.
"Yeah, right. Can you handle it now?"
Ash looked pensive, before looking up at Gary with narrow eyes and small smile. "Hmm, If I can handle you, I think I can handle anything."
"Handle me? Excuse me, but I think I'm not the only crazy one here."
Ash laughed, ignoring Gary's pouting face and planting a kiss upon his lips. Ash finished the bottle and placed it on the ground, before curling up his legs underneath him and snuggling against Gary with a sigh of content.
His mind slushed with the alcohol, but his intentions true, Ash said, "I'm really into you Gary. I think I might be in love with you."
"Might? I remember the other day you saying you were."
"Me? Hmm, I can't remember that. But do really like you. Do you like me?" Ash sounded like a small kid, excited and silly.
"Hmm, gee, Ash, I've been in love with you since I was ten, but that doesn't say much." Gary said, but there was no resentment in his voice. He stroked Ash's hair; relished in the embrace Ash had formed around his torso, his head leaning on Gary's shoulder, eyes closed.
"I guess Misty was right…" Ash mumbled, his eyelids heavy, his body felt tired.
"Misty?" Gary questioned unsure what she had to do with anything.
"Misty said… You've been in love with since we were kids. I didn't believe her."
Gary clicked his tongue, deep in thought. Had it always been obvious?
"Gary… I think I'm in love with you… I've never felt this way before…" Ash's voice was barely a whisper about to slip away in the darkness.
"I know." Gary held him close, the sound of the sea waves crashing in the distance.
The next few days were easy. Something in the way Ash looked at Gary had changed. His eyes followed Gary wherever he went, smiling when Gary looked back at him. They spent days near the shore, bathing in the sun or searching for the Aerodactly on the island with no luck. Sometimes, Walter would take Ash out on a long walk, and Ash would return, deep in thought and slightly out of it.
"What did Walter tell you today?" Gary would ask, as they lay on the couch outside in the balcony at night.
"He just likes to talk about healing and stuff. Says he runs a clinic, just for people that need to recover from trauma. He asks me how I recovered, you know, from all my injuries and stuff…"
"Hmm…" Gary thought about the older man, how he'd always s be philosophizing about one thing or the other. Gary thought about asking those things to Ash, but they had spent their time together in Sayda Island so happy, Gary didn't want to damper the mood with the sensitive subject.
They spent Christmas with Crystal's family. New Years came and went, fireworks blowing upon the sea's horizon. Gary didn't care about Crystal friends or the hotel staff; he grabbed Ash and planted a passionate kiss on his lips once the clock struck twelve, leaving Ash blushing madly in front of everyone.
Eventually though, their time on Sayda Island was coming to an end. January rolled up on them, and Gary sat looking out on the beach, regretting as the time to go back to school and work was just around the corner.
One day, Gary found Ash packing up the suitcase they shared.
"I know you got to go back, Gary." Ash told him. "I wish we could stay here forever, but it just doesn't work that way, does it?"
Two days later they were saying goodbye to Crystal and Dora, waving from the ferry that would take them back to the outskirts of Fuchsia City. Having drunk a lot the night before at the goodbye party Dora had thrown them, Ash fell asleep the whole ride back until the arrival horn sounded.
The car was still waiting for them at the garage they had left it. The sun was setting as they began driving back to Saffron, listening to the music Ash switched on the radio, but neither said a word.
Gary stopped the car at the side of the highway, overcome with heavy emotion.
"Gary, What's wrong? Why did we stop?" Ash looked worried, rubbing Gary's shoulder.
"Ash, what are you going to do? You've been avoiding this question for a long time, but I need you tell me now. What happens now? After the whole incident at Slackline, I mean?"
Ash pulled back, looking away and crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"I don't know. I didn't really want to think of it. You what this means, right? He found me, found out where I live, where I work. I don't think I'm safe here anymore."
Misty's words ringed in Gary's ears. He's going to slip away. Before we know it he's going to leave this city, and go hide somewhere else.
"But you don't need to leave, Ash. You could quit your job at Slackline. You could move into a different apartment."
Ash shook his head, sadness in his eyes. "I don't know what to do. I can barely afford rent without my job at Slackline. I've been living with Misty ever since the Pikachu thing, but I can't burden her any further. Saffron… It's a big city but somehow he found me. What am I supposed to do? If I stay here, he'll link something back to me and find me again. What if something more drastic happens? What if somebody besides me gets hurt? I don't want to put Paul, or Misty in danger just by living with them…"
"Ash, what if you change everything? You quit your job, and come live with me. Misty and Paul are pretty famous in this area, so people could find out about you, but nobody knows me outside of work and school."
The car was heavy with silence, as the words sunk in. Gary hadn't meant to be so blunt.
"…Come and live with you?" Ash's eyes widened, unsure. "Gary, what are you saying?"
Gary took Ash's hand into his own. "Ash, you heard me… I want you to come and live with me. I don't want to loose you again. You'd be safe there; there are security guards and cameras… I have enough space for the both of us and I don't want you to go, Ash, I know this is kind of fast and all, but I'm serious about this, Ash, this could really work…"
Gary started up the car, a heavy feeling in his throat. "I want you to think about it. Please, Ash, really consider it because, I don't want to loose you again…"
AHHH! Hello! Fellow fanfiction readers, I've missed you! I can't believe it took me so damn long to write this stupid chapter, a whole semester? Neon, you took it too far! Anyways, I'm sorry for the lateness, it's just this chapter was so difficult to write and I hated it, rewrote it, hated it some more and the finally had time to get my shit together once the semester had ended and WOW that took me a long time and I'm really sorry.
A big shout out to Liz492, You wrote me a lovely, long review! I hadn't gotten any reviews in a long time and then you come along and motivate me to write even though I was in the middle of finals. I'm sorry I didn't answer! But thanks to you, this chapter got written (slightly) faster and I hope you liked it! I hope all of you liked it.
ATTENTION REVIEWERS: some people who reviewed the first chapters have disappeared form my inbox. If you've been reading this story for a long time now, but stopped reviewing, I'd like to know if you're still on board! This has taken me a long time to write and I shouldn't leave my readers hanging so long, but I'd like to know whose still on board and reading! Wink wink thanks guys!
Thanks for the favorites, follows, and ESPECIALLY the reviews…. I love the all…. Ill stop rambling now! Expect the next chapter soon, my loves!