Xxxxx

Leaving the gift shop with bags in hand sometime after Lunch, Ash and Wally returned to their room. Ash opened a small black jewelry box, inspecting the piece that lay within. A silver-plated metal necklace with a Blastoiste engraved pendant stared back at him. Wally came up next to him, looking between the necklace and Ash.

"You're so anxious..."

"Is it that bad?"

"Mhm."

Ash closed the box and Wally kissed his arm.

"You'll see him, tomorrow. Why don't we rent something to watch and eat some of that candy I bought?"

Getting comfortable together, Wally laid alongside Ash. He opened a bag of water Pokémon shaped gummies and held one up to Ash's mouth. Ash took it with a meek "Thank you". They made it through the bag, watching the television screen in silence. The movie came to an end and Wally leaned off the bed to throw away the empty bag.

"Those were good, I'll buy more before we call for a taxi tomorrow."

Ash was unsettling quiet and didn't say anything in response. Turning back to Ash, Wally touched his face gently.

"You okay?"

"Gary hasn't messaged me...he probably realized how much better off he is without me now that I'm not there."

"Ash, that isn't true at all."

Feeling guilty because technically he and Brenden were to blame for the misunderstanding, Brendan having taken Gary's Dex, Wally grimaced a bit. The effort they'd made to prevent Gary from stressing Ash out was backfiring. Sniffling, Ash wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand as Wally coo'ed at him with empathy.

"Don't cry. You poor thing...we're just a day away from going back." Wally promised him. "One more day and that's it."

Trying to comfort Ash, Wally cuddled up to him and stoked his hair affectionately. Ash didn't push him away and relaxed at the human contact. Wally's flirtatious ways aside, he was a sweet person with an incredibly comforting touch. Which is exactly what Ash needed.

"I'm ruining our trip, I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry, Ash. You're not ruining anything. Just relax, I've got you."

Comfortable enough with Wally to be vulnerable, Ash let the tears flow. Wally's heart broke when he heard Ash's sniffles worsen.

"I think you're lonely." Wally consoled him. "Lonely, and scared."

Having Gary around after having been alone for so long, he didn't realize how lonely he was until that attention was gone. He nodded in to Wally, confirming he was right. Ash was so lonely he didn't know what to do with himself.

"I miss him so bad...I miss his touch."

"I know how that feels."

Wally kissed Ash's damp cheek with understanding. He caressed down his chest softly over his shirt, rubbing where he felt Ash's heart racing anxiously. The two men stayed close, both hoping for the best on their trip back. Ash wanted to see Gary...but little did Ash know how much Gary wanted to see him. Especially now.

xxxxx

Back at the resort, Brendan was grinding his teeth as Gary couldn't sit still to save his life. He would get up and pace the room, move things around. He pulled out drawers and organized them. Just to do it all over again. He dumped out his bags and did the same with its contents.

"This isn't helping you." Brendan pinched the bridge of his nose, biting back and annoyed tone after having already tried getting Gary to relax countless times. "Stop it."

"I need something to do or I'm going to lose my mind."

"Going to? Um, you already have. You're acting neurotic."

Cramming everything back in his bag, Gary chucked it off his bed and sat where it'd been. Rubbing at his own hair in aggravation, Gary grumbled to himself.

"Hey...just try and relax, Man. Everything's cool. You're not in here alone, you know?" Brendan tried consoling him from Ash's bed.

"You could be putting yourself in danger hanging out with me. This woman is fucking obsessed."

"I'm not scared of some batty chick. Let's go for a walk outside or something. Maybe the fresh air will help you."

"I'm not leaving."

Not even willing to try and persuade Gary, Brendan went quiet. He looked around idly, trying to think of a way to coax Gary out of the room. Nothing in sight sparked any ideas.

"Alright...we'll just stay here then." Brendan relented.

"Go out if you want. I don't care."

"I care, Asshole."

"...people call me Asshole more than they call me Gary."

Brendan found that to be funny, the tense moment easing up a notch. Gary turned to glare at him from over his shoulder.

"Really?" He deadpanned.

"Listen, Dude. Not my fault you have a stick up your ass all the time."

"Yeah? Well this time I can't help it."

Brendan was suddenly intrigued.

"So, you're admitting you're a dick by choice?"

"Most of the time."

"Interesting."

Turning away again, Gary shut down that conversation and asked to borrow Brendan's dex to call in for delivery.

"You don't have to bring me up a plate of food tonight, I'm calling in for pizza." he changed the topic. "I can only eat half of one by myself. You interested?"

"This a date?"

"Quit fucking around. I don't want the other half to go to waste."

Gary chucked a box of tissues from the nightstand at Brendan. Finding the number for a nearby pizza joint, he ordered a delivery to their room. Gary gave Brendan the money, along with his dex back, sending him to answer the door.

"Thanks a bunch, have a good night." Brendan shut the door as the delivery person left. "Gary, get the lock. My hands are full."

On top of the pizza box were paper plates and napkins, along with a bag with two cans of soda. Brendan put the box down on Ash's bed, setting up to eat. Gary grabbed a plate, retreating to his own bed. As they ate, Brendan couldn't help but wonder why Gary hadn't asked to borrow his dex to contact Ash.

Testing his luck, he asked.

"He's coming back tomorrow. Figured I'd just wait to talk to him. Easier to explain shit in person, anyways. Still wish I knew where my dex went."

"It's bound to show up."

If Gary wasn't planning on telling Ash anything until he returned, Brendan didn't see the point in hiding his dex any longer. After Dinner, Gary came back from his shower to find his dex was on his bed waiting for him.

"...you found it?" A little bewildered, Gary stared at it.

"It was under your bed...up by the headboard." Brendan lied through his teeth. "You must have knocked it off your nightstand."

Brendan explained he found it when on the floor looking for something he dropped, spotting it when he was eye-level with the ground. Picking the device up, Gary began pressing buttons. Brendan's stomach dropped, assuming that Gary changed his mind about contacting Ash.

"Thanks for finding it. Now I can tell him goodnight."

Not only relieved, Brendan was also impressed. So Gary did have a sweet side. Thinking back on Wally recounting Ash's paranoia, Brendan rightfully assumed Ash would sleep a lot easier after hearing from his boyfriend. As Gary typed back and forth, his body language relaxed. Only a little, but it was something. The man was walking on eggshells the whole weekend.

"I didn't think anything was going to undo that knot in your ass." More relieved than he was impressed, Brendan stared at him contently type away. "Sheesh."

"Shut up, Brendan." The insult didn't have any actual heat behind it.

With the dex back Gary paid even less attention to Brendan.

"Bored of me, already?"

"Can't be bored if you're annoyed."

Taking Gary's forced banter as a cue to back off, Brendan excused himself to take his shower for the night. When he came back, it was in just a pair of pajama bottoms. Toweling off his hair, he spotted Gary still typing back and forth with Ash. He must have missed him a lot because Gary never cared to pay his dex that much time.

"How is he?"

"He's better now that he heard from me." Gary didn't look up, still typing.

"I'm sure."

Although he didn't say it aloud, Brendan had a creeping suspicion that Gary's anticipation for Ash to come back wasn't all love and cuddles. The guy was taking longer showers since Ash left... that was a hard give away.

Back turned to Gary, Brendan bent at the waist to rifle through his bag for deodorant. Gary's typing ceased for a second. Brendan would have thought nothing of it had Gary not resumed typing as soon he got back up.

"Like what you see?" Fighting back a satisfied grin, Brendan piped up.

"Don't flatter yourself."

"Don't have to. Plenty of guys do it for me."

Swiping deodorant under each arm, Brendan capped it off. Gary wouldn't admit it, but the sight wasn't bad at all. It still wasn't Ash though.

"Yeah?" Gary challenged. "Good for them. I'm not interested."

"Mhm. Sure."

"Fuck off, Brendan. Either shut up or go to your room."

Thinking over his options, Brendan's blue eyes shimmered mischievously. Gary would just love to have the room all to himself again, wouldn't he? Lots of privacy to do whatever.

"Didn't get enough in the shower, huh? If I leave are you going to jack off?"

"Wouldn't be to you." Ignoring that Brendan correctly assumed what he did during his showers in Ash's absence, Gary droned on with his bored, snarky tone.

"You're missing out you know." Brendan boasted. "I'm just as good a bottom as I am a top."

"Doubt it. Wasn't impressed with your first performance."

Almost offended, Brendan scoffed.

"You got your dick sucked to it." he shot back. "I didn't see you have any trouble shooting your load that night."

Using Ash's drunken threesome as ammunition, Brendan strode towards Gary's bed. With his eyes down at his dex, Gary didn't see him coming. He felt the sudden weight shift in the mattress and shoved his foot in to Brendan defensively.

"Come any closer and I will cram my fist so far down your throat that my fingers will be in your ass."

"I say we cut out the middle man."

"You'd like that wouldn't you?"

"I'm down for anything. You can put your fingers in my ass...or something else."

Gary pointed a stern finger at Ash's bed.

"Get off my bed."

"C'mon, it's harmless fun." Crawling forward bravely, Brendan dared to lay a hand on Gary's thigh. "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours."

"Unfortunately for you, I'm not that desperate."

"You'd have to be desperate to consider it? Ouch. You're so cold."

Feigning hurt, Brendan trailed his hand up towards the waist band of Gary's pajama bottoms.

"Everyone's gotten close 'cept for us." he pressed. "Why is that?"

"Ever stop and think that not every guy would jump at the chance to have you?"

"I'm hot shit, I never have trouble getting a guy."

"And people call me arrogant..."

"I'm willing to bet this is because of Ash...I almost had him. And you aren't over it."

The mood in the room changed instantly. Placing his dex down with a passive aggressive slam, a dark aura enveloped Gary.

"If you're looking to start a fight this is a sure-fire way to do it." he warned venomously; green eyes narrowed in to slits. "That what you want? Because Ash won't be your human shield this time."

"Relax." Smooth and at ease, Brendan coaxed him. "He's yours. I ain't taking him from you. We have a truce. Remember?"

"Then why bring it up?"

"To make a point. You don't hate me, you hate that Ash didn't hate me."

Bringing his face right before the seething brunette before him, Brendan smirked. There was something so satisfying getting under the great Gary Oak's skin.

"Ash thinks I'm sexy. It chaps your ass so bad." He almost laughed right in Gary's face. "The only thing that pisses you off more is that you think so, too."

Holding back his tempter on account of his pride, Gary took a calming breath. The last thing he needed was to give Brendan any more of a reaction. The instigator got off on pissing him off.

"Are you going to shut the fuck up?" Were Gary's only words.

Creeping his fingers up, Brendan grazed between Gary's legs with a curled finger. His lips grazed Gary's with his next uttered words.

"Make me, Gary."

Brendan wanted to play it like that? Fine. Grabbing his throat just hard enough to get a grip on him, Gary's voice came in low. Through his teeth he nearly hissed. Brendan didn't even flinch.

"You like pissing me off?" Gary squeezed a little, feeling Brendan's Adam's apple under his palm. "Because, I feel like you do."

"You don't pay me any attention, otherwise. What else am I supposed to do?"

Grasping at the hand around his neck, Brendan freed himself from Gary's grip. Less concerned with the bitter green eyes glaring at him, his own blue gaze dipped. Dropping to Gary's lap, he helped himself to the contents of the brunette's tented pants.

"You miss him so bad." Brendan teased at Gary's flesh with just the skin of his lips.

"...if you're going to suck me off get on with it."

At half mast, Gary's cock met Brendan's mouth. Layering the warm, wet orifice over it brought the erection to full potential. Brendan sucked at him lightly, pulling off to lick up and down the shaft. Tracing the vein there, he used the tip up his tongue, going up from the base to the sensitive ridge of his cockhead.

Stopping his ministrations for a moment, Brendan couldn't help but wrap his fingers around him. A few pumps over his shaft and Gary was hit full force with his sexual frustration. He craved touch...even if it wasn't Ash's. Feeling Gary tense at his grasp pleased Brendan far too much.

"That feel good? Me playing with your cock."

"I still hate you." Gary groaned, failing to suppress the raw desire in his voice.

"Hate me enough to give it to me hard?"

Sucking the tip for good measure, Brendan dove down to take the whole length down his throat. Gary's hips rose up off the bed instinctively. The brunette in his lap had far more control over his touch-starved body than he was willing to acknowledge.

"If you want it hard, I'll give it to you hard."

"Fuck yeah, Man."

Brendan left his pants on the floor in a heap. Laying back for Gary to come in, he didn't anticipate being roughly flipped over on to his stomach. Brendan reared up on his hands and knees, adjusting the position.

"Don't want to see my face?" He taunted.

Slipping out of his own pants, Gary slicked himself down. Brendan's ass was a modest, but pert, handful. It wasn't Ash's bubble butt...still, it wasn't bad. Prying Brendan's ass open, Gary unceremoniously pressed in. Gripping at the sheets, Brendan took a clipped breath.

"S-Shit. You know, normally people start with fingers." he forced out, shuddering as Gary's slippery flesh began breaching him. "You're too big to just dive in like that..."

"Thought you were down for anything."

Holding back from penetrating Brendan in one fowl swoop, Gary sheathed himself within him slowly enough not to actually hurt him. Brenden squirmed, feeling his intimate ring of muscle stretch to accommodate Gary's girth. It was almost too much.

"Nng...Gary-holy shit."

Buried inside him, Gary set a relaxed pace. Thrusting against the tight vice Brendan's ass had on him, he gave him no choice but to open up. Each thrust was punctuated with a low grunt from Brendan. His head hung low. Twining his fingers in Brendan's hair, Gary pulled his head back.

"Careful what you wish for." It was Gary's turn to taunt. "You want it hard? That's exactly what you're getting."

"Give it to me, then. You're not the first to play rough with me."

Shoving Brendan down with a cemented grip, Gary pinned the side of his face down to the mattress. Hard, full thrusts beat in to him. Gary watched his length disappear, wishing the pale cheeks he had his dick buried in were the tan pair he missed so badly.

Brendan didn't have much more to say to Gary as he fucked him. He groaned in to the sheets and relaxed his muscles the best that he could manage. For the first time since meeting Brendan, Gary almost liked him. Almost being used VERY lightly.

"You're actually pretty hot when you're not running your mouth like a fucking retard." In his own twisted way, Gary praised the man under him.

"Knew you thought so." Brendan snorted.

That was all he could get in. Gary reached around him, grabbing him by the cock and squeezing. Hard.

"Woah, hey-"

"Don't run your mouth and ruin it." he scolded Brendan, already pissed at the sound of his shit-eating voice. "I can't finish if you're pissing me off."

Stroking Brendan mostly to shut him up, Gary began rolling his hips between thrusts. Brendan felt him graze the sensitive patch within him. He pressed his ass in hard to Gary, holding on to that sensation he loved so much.

"Fuck me just like that and I'm cumming for you." he promised, holding his breath for a moment as Gary gave his ass a few short, precise thrusts. "Gary...damn, that's it."

Leaning his weight down on his shoulder, Brendan reached underneath himself and took over stroking. Gary dragged Brendan's hips higher with both hands, driving himself in to him. White imprints of his fingers were left along Brendan's straight, lithe hips. Brendan moaned, perilously close to climax with the diligent friction to his prostate in combination with nursing his erection.

"You really do play both roles." Turned on at the sight of Brendan melting in to the sheets submissively, Gary felt himself getting close. "You're gonna blow."

"It won't take much longer." Brendan moaned affirmatively, egging Gary on. "Give it to me. My ass can take it."

The sound of fleshing slapping escalated, in competition with Brendan's pleasured sounds. Eyes raking down Brendan's long back, Gary grit his teeth at the sight. Brendan stroked himself rapidly, one ragged cry being the only warning he was about to lose it.

His release shot from his body, which Brendan deftly caught in his hand. Gary felt his ass clamp down on him, Brendan pulling him down in to the throughs of orgasm with him. His thrusts changed, lasting a few more strokes before he exploded inside hot, tight hole sucking him in.

"Ah...that's it." Gary grunted, hips paused to savor the much needed relief. "Fuck, yeah."

"Mm, that was awesome."

"Wouldn't go that far."

Coming down from the peak, both men parted. Brendan dropped on to his side, Gary plopped back and sat. Blind-sided by the rush of dopamine, he stared at Ash's bed without much thought. The sweet glow dimmed.

"...Damn it."

"Huh?"

Lifting his head to get a look at Gary, Brendan saw the angst blossoming within him. It took over his face. The longer he stared at Ash's bed, the more morose he appeared.

"Dude, we're all sleeping together. Don't sweat it."

"Ash wasn't here to give me permission...Shit, what if this comes back to bite me?"

"I really don't think it's a big deal. If I thought this would fuck things up, I wouldn't have propositioned you to begin with. Um, hello? Last thing I want is another beef with you over Ash. That shit is over."

With some thought, Gary nodded in agreement. It was Brendan, it hadn't been some random guy he went and picked up. Everyone was on the same page, right? Deep down his gut still twisted guiltily. He'd seen first-hand how jealous Ash could be... and it wasn't the same kid of jealousy Gary housed. When Gary was jealous, it was anger. When Ash was jealous...it was hurt.

Xxxxx

Arriving back in Hoenn was by no means a glamourous morning. A taxi ride to the bus station, a bus ride to the ship, and a cruise back to the resort proved to be a long, tedious endeavor. Starting the morning at the crack of Dawn, they checked out of the waterpark just shy of six in the morning. By the time they made it off the ship it was past Noon.

"Is it me, or was the trip longer the second time?"

"We were more excited the first time, that's why. And, we're tired."

With their stuff, Ash and Wally hailed another taxi to get back to the resort. At that time of day it was anyone's guess where Brendan and Gary could be. Or, that would have been the case if Gary wasn't glued to the room.

"...oh, you're here." Ash observed, a little shocked to find Gary lounging about when he unlocked the door.

"Where should I be?"

"Iunno. Normally you're doing something at this time."

Brendan was absent from the room, having taken his leave after Lunch. In the next room Wally could be heard squealing, a clear indicator Brendan had made it inside. Ash and Gary eyed the wall with a knowing look. Gary didn't say anything. Idly putting his stuff away, Ash cleared his throat.

"...you aren't happy to see me?"

"Of course, I'm happy to see you. The hell is that about?"

"You've got this look about you...it isn't happy."

Keeping his eyes down, Ash brought his backpack to the foot of his bed and began sifting around in it. Gary came in from behind and wrapped his arms around him. He buried his nose in Ash's hair

"I missed you so much."

"Then why do you look so disgruntled?"

"...an issue came up while you were gone."

Immediately assuming said issue was Gary evaluating their relationship, Ash paled.

"Did I do something?"

"Ash-"

"Whatever I did, I'm sorry."

"This isn't about you."

"What is this about?"

Peering over Ash's shoulder, Gary saw he was fiddling with something in his bag. Ash hesitated to take it out.

"...what is that?"

"It's a souvenir." He answered. "For you."

"You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to...I was sad you couldn't be there with me. This made me think of you."

Pulling the box out, Ash handed it back to Gary from over his shoulder. With one arm still around Ash, Gary flipped the box open with the other. He beheld the necklace's pendant with endearment, pressing a kiss to Ash's cheek.

"You thought of me."

"I couldn't stop thinking of you...I was so scared when you weren't messaging me."

"I lost my dex. I told you, remember?" Putting the necklace down so he could get both arms around Ash again, Gary mumbled in to the back of his neck apologetically.

"Mhm. So, what's the problem?"

Coming out with the problem at hand, Gary revealed his situation with the stalker. Ash whipped around in Gary's hold, eyes terrified.

"The stalker's back? Oh, no. Are you in danger?"

"I could be. The woman is out of her mind...she's never done anything violent, though."

"Well, did you call the police? What are you doing about it?"

"Security was notified. I'm laying low."

Trying to soothe Ash, Gary urged him to calm down. Ash couldn't fathom it. How was he supposed to calm down?

"Calm down?" He parroted back. "Some crazy person is stalking you again and you want me to calm down?"

"I don't want you getting yourself worked up. I'm gonna handle this."

"How?"

"All I can do is lay low, Ash. They're keeping an eye out for her. She's probably going to slip under their radar until she does something-"

That only made things worse. Ash stared up at Gary in disbelief, like he couldn't believe how calm he was being with the whole ordeal. It was a rude. Inside, Gary was just as nervous as he was. He had to keep cool for Ash's sake. If he panicked, they'd both panic.

"And when she does do something?" Ash challenged. "What if it's too late?"

Holding his hands up, Gary kept his eyes on Ash's. The brown irises were puddling up and genuinely petrified. The panic was setting in.

"You're preaching to the choir, Ash." Gary assured him, having the same pit of dread in his stomach. "This is our only option right now."

"How are you supposed to lay low when you're scheduled to battle soon? Your face is going to be plastered all over the big screen-"

"You think I haven't already thought about that? I'm trying to figure this out!"

Reeling in his emotions, Gary urged Ash in close. Ash grasped at the front of the brunette's shirt, thoughts racing. Gary felt him tremble.

"You can't battle." Ash whimpered. "We need to go back home."

"I've come this far. I can't just drop out now. Are you out of your mind?"

"Are you? You're taking a chance going out there. What's more important, Gary? This match, or us?"

Caught at a cross roads, Gary agonized the ultimatum. He trained so hard to get where he was... his competitive nature wasn't easily dissuaded. It was the core of who he was as a person, and trainer.

"You can't compare the two." Gary said, hating that he couldn't give Ash the answer that he wanted.

Ash opened his mouth to say something. His lips came back together with a defeated grimace.

"We'll take this a day at a time. I handled her for years, I have this under control."

xxxxx