Note: I don't own Pokemon
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Key
Bold text = Location in chapter/Pokedex entries/Pokemon moves
Italic text = Flashbacks / Emphasis
'Italic text' = Thoughts
"Italic text" = Telepathy
***** = Curse word (insert whatever) (though if it has a letter before the * then there's already a curse word in place)
"(text)." = Meowth translates Pokespeech
Ash took a breath as it seemed forever since he saw any buildings and establishments.
Paul walks solemnly behind him, just trying to wake up since it was nearly six by the time they got here.
While Paul was used to waking up early, he was up late last night dealing with...honestly he's surprised Ash is acting as if nothing happened the night before, despite both of them flustered and red through it.
Last Night
Paul laid asleep in his sleeping bag, his mind trying to wash away the anger he felt of that Iris girl from before, and instead just trying to listen to his and Ash's Pokemon sleeping in the field.
Suddenly though all that went away, as Paul heard a scream in the night.
He got up, looking among his Pokemon, as they too were on edge and ready in case of an attack.
Ash's Pokemon was a mix of on edge, and to Paul's surprise fear, looking towards what now Paul could see the source of...Ash.
Pikachu and Meowth were the closest to the teen('Are they together together? They seemed comfortable sleeping next to each other, a bit too close.' He thought) trying their best to hold down Ash's arms.
Paul was frozen, his eyes widen as he could see faint scratch marks on the teen's neck. He saw old ones, alongside the ones in blood due to being recent.
Paul knew of scars, as he had some himself from his journeys, but never had he had ones as large as Ash.
He first thought when he first saw them, back when they first meet, that it was from a scuffle with Pikachu or some other Pokemon. Later, thinking it was Chimchar, as he did see the monkey bite the boy in the shoulder.
Now he wished it were so, as he carefully took out his first aid kit from his backpack, and gently cleaned up (thanks to Gastrodon's water gun), and bandaged up.
Paul didn't know how he did it, and not just cause he only had some medical knowledge due to his older brother teaching him. He didn't know how he stayed so close to Ash, let alone to his disbelief, sit on top of the boy, gently shaking him to wake up.
"Ketchum...Ash!"
The boy awoke in a gasp, his throat probably sore from the endless screaming(Paul lost count of the time). His eyes looking nearly bloodshot, as his pupils returned from widen to normal size.
Paul could see the sweat drop on the teen's face, his black hair glistened in the night.
Then both boys realized the closeness between them, Paul's lips only an inch from Ash's...they quickly pulled away.
"I-I..." Ash's voice was quiet, "I'm sorry for waking you all."
Meowth pats the boy's shoulder with a smug grin, "Relax twerp, Pikachu was snoring away so I was awake."
The cat smirks as he dodges a weak Thunderbolt, chasing Pikachu back to the small spot under an oak tree they were sleeping at amusement.
Paul turned to his Pokemon, his heart beating still fast as he tried to look away but the boy he nearly...
His Pokemon, to his surprise were just as amuse looked as Meowth and Pikachu, going back to sleep with Ash's Pokemon like nothing happened. Paul could see faintly Ash's new Teddiursa cuddling in his Ursaring, smirking softly as the bear looked like he was going to push the cub off, but knew at heart he won't do it. Though he had a strange feeling that someone, mainly Croagunk, was watching from the shadows.
"P-Paul?"
The purple haired teen turns to Ash, his smirk gone as he becomes flustered again as Ash crawls over to him.
The world just stopped, Paul's eyes on Ash's as he sees the teen's hand faintly touch his shoulder, leaning in...
"Um...thanks for being there and all..."
Paul couldn't move, not till he realized Ash went back to his sleeping bag to sleep, did he release a breath he hadn't know he was holding.
He sighs, going back to his own sleeping bag, now trying to put away the memories of just what happened, but unlike before, no avail.
It got worst though, as Paul felt a weight put on him on his left side, which when he turned to see, couldn't hold the neutral look he'd been trying to hold as he felt his cheeks flare up.
Ash was snuggled on his side, his arms wrapped around the teen as he mumbled in his sleep, "I got to stop them...I got to stop the fighting..."
Paul, still flustered, looked around to see if any Pokemon were watching, mainly the Kanto pair, glad to see them all asleep. He slowly, and somewhat hesitantly, wraps his lengthy arms around Ash, his heartbeat and his beating in one it seemed, making Paul slowly lean into the boy, his face nuzzled in the ever growing black hair.
He didn't realize till morning, that Ash never spoke of just what he dream of, let alone that he called the teen by his first name for the first time.
Paul luckily awoken earlier then Ash(though seeing the fatigue he had from the nightmare, he didn't blame him), and was just glad no one spoke of it, at least Meowth wise.
Ash seemed to forgotten last night though, as he acted his usual self, which Paul wasn't sure to his confusion, if he was grateful for that.
Making their way to the Pokemon Center, they left their Pokemon with Nurse Joy as Ash decided they take a walk around the city.
Paul shrugged, too engrossed in his thoughts to argue, leading the teen to grab his hand and walk steadily around the markets and stores around.
An hour or two later, they returned to the center to pick up their Pokemon, before heading to the gym...or so they thought till they were whisked into what looked inside to be a fancy restaurant.
Paul's eyes grew wide, "Uh..."
Ash looked the same, "We're looking for the gym."
The green, blue, and red haired waiters seem to not of heard Ash, as they seemly just ushered food on the table they sat them at, "Do try our soup of the day! An exquisite taste!"
The green haired teen waiter went over to Ash's side, a little to close Paul presumed in disdain, "How about a salad? With fortuitous taste that will glisten you like water over stone!"
The blue teen however, came over to Paul's side and whispered to him, "Don't worry, my brother won't flirt with your boyfriend."
Paul didn't even copy, as his eyes stared coldly still at the green haired waiter.
Ash on the other hand, tried to talk to the red haired teen, "Wait a minute...we can't afford all this...and we really are just here to..."
The green haired teen jumps in excitement, "Oh no need! It's on the house no charge!"
Paul paled a bit, "Uh..."
Ash finally turns to him, his eyes shining brightly, "Paul...you don't say 'no' to free food."
With that, the black haired teen gorges in, Pikachu and Meowth following.
Paul sighs, knowing he won't win when it came between Ash and food, digs in the to good food(not he'd admit that, as the green haired teen still was too close to Ash).
After a nice meal, Pikachu and Meowth smiling softly at each other as they rubbed their round, full bellies.
Ash on the other hand(after a quick desert, which Paul tried to hide his blush as the teen looked adorable), turned to the green haired teen for the first time, backing up a bit as he stood up, "Um thank you for the meal...but Paul and I need to get going, as we..."
The red haired waiter gasp and smiles, "Oh of course! Can't escape the love in the air hm?"
Paul was getting more red by the second, his anger now reaching a high as he glared at said waiter.
The other two waiters on the other hand, pushed up to Ash with what seem brochures.
"Try the aquarium! Lovely way to pass the tide in romance!"
"Or what about a nice stroll through Striaton Park? Got some private scenery you can..."
Ash now was getting mad, so much, Pikachu swore he saw a angry mark appear on the boy's head.
"FOR THE LAST ***** TIME! WE WANT TO KNOW WHERE THE STRIATON GYM IS!"
Paul was either too flustered, or too angry at that green haired waiter, to smirk in profoundness as Ash finally cursed.
Why the teen hadn't before was beyond him, as he knew his jerkiness had to have lit a fire in Ash to curse out of him sometime, yet never happened.
The restaurant turned silent, and then to Paul's annoyance lit up in fangirl screams.
"Yay! Another gym battle!"
"Ooh more of Cress, no Cilan, no Chili!"
'Well someone picked a bad name...Chili.' Paul couldn't help but chuckle a little.
Ash looked around confused, until the lights went out and a spotlight was put on the three waiters from before, whom bowed at them.
"Welcome you two! I am Cress, my specialty is water types." The blue one spoke as he pulled out from his apron a pokeball.
"Love is truly firing this place up! My name is Chili, and I specialize in fire types." Well Paul now saw what gave him the name, as his red hair did look like a fire.
"And I am Cilan, my specialty is the variety that is grass types!" Paul just deadpanned looked at the salad head, yep...guess this runs in the family.
"Wait...do we have to pay for the food if we lose?!" Ash shouts as he worriedly looks at the pile of dishes some random waiters are ushering away.
Paul glared at the trio coldly, he hoped not(he remembered hearing of a restaurant/battle place in Sinnoh doing such a thing).
After looking away from the glare, Cilan nervously pats the boy's shoulder, ignoring best he could the faint growl from the other challenger.
"Nonsense! Please, come with us to the battlefield!"
With that, the back of the restaurant seem to disillusioned, as the walls spread apart to revel a hidden battlefield all set up.
Ash smiles slightly, "Wow, cool hidden gym!"
Paul rolls his eyes and mutters, "Basic is more like it...this is probably the first gym here for trainers."
Cress glances at Paul, hearing such and comes over to his left side as Cilan and Chili lead Ash to the challenger box.
"I can tell your not impressed, but do know that yes we are the first for many gym challengers here in Unova."
Paul glares at the two other triplets, before turning to Cress, "Well Ketchum and I aren't newbies, so unless you have a advanced team ready to go, we'll head to another gym."
Cress backs up a bit, spooked by the what he assumes jealous boyfriend of the other teen, "W-we do, if you give myself and my brothers a moment."
With that, the blue haired teen rushes to his brothers and brings them aside to the gym leader box to discuss.
Meanwhile Paul goes over to Ash, whom was speaking to Meowth and Pikachu before glancing up at the teen.
"Hey Paul! For my gym battle, can you take care of these two?"
Paul looks at the two Pokemon, kind of surprised Pikachu at least wasn't doing this gym, as he had in Roark's.
"Relax twerp, the twerp already explained we'd have more of a challenge later, besides he wants to try some of his newer team members."
Paul nods solely at the cat before turning to Pikachu who nods in agreement.
"Excuse me!"
Paul and Ash turn to the three gym leaders, all whom seemed to go back to the proper, gentlemen like they held as they looked on them.
"You two are powerful enough to take on our advance team you taken, but be warned our Pokemon aren't to be underestimated."
With that, Cilan takes over for his water type gym leader brother, "Now which of us would you two like to battle against? It'll be three-on-three for any of us."
Ash frowns, "Can't we just have a double or triple battle?"
Paul nods, "Seems the best opinion, unless you can't take the challenge."
Ash softly smirks, before quickly rummaging through his backpack to hand Paul a familiar item.
Paul turned from the gym leaders and was shocked to see in Ash's hand, the two Soothe bells they won awhile back.
"Thought it be good for this occasion, since it is a double battle." Ash cheekily smiles, his cheeks slightly pink as Paul's turns pink as well.
Cress smiles, "Very well, a double battle it is, though which two would you like to face?"
Paul glares at the gym leader whom softly gasp, way to ruin the moment basically.
Meanwhile Ash has his eyes still on Paul, whom slowly takes the other bell and they both are wrapping them on their opposite wrist(Ash right, his left).
"So who do you want to face?"
Paul looks at the gym leaders, then back at Ash and whispers, "Well I want to have my chance to beat the salad head gym leader, so who else you think we should go for?"
Ash chuckles at the nickname, "Okay okay...hm..." Ash looks to the gym leaders, then back at Paul with determined eyes, "I'd say Cress, as this might be a good chance to show Oshawott some new tricks."
Paul nods, "Alright, lets do this then."
With that the two trainers turn to the gym leaders, both with fire in their eyes, and determined light in their souls, their soothe bells softly clinging as they each take out a pokeball.
"We challenge salad head and boat head!"
Ash chuckles slightly, before letting out Oshawott softly and having him join Meowth and Pikachu on his and Paul's side in the box, to learn.
Chili chuckles as well, muttering a "nice", before hurrying to the referee spot.
Cilan and Cress then take their positions, meanwhile the fangirls in the rows above the gym on the right side grumble at the challengers, but be at awe with said gym leaders.
"This is a gym battle between the challengers Ash of Pallet Town and Paul of Veilstone City, against Cilan and Cress, the gym leaders of Striaton City!"
The fangirls start to cheer loudly as Chili shout once more, "This is a three-on-three battle. The winner will be determined when all six Pokemon, three per trainer, is unable to battle."
With that the pokeballs were flung, and the atmosphere turned the volume by eleven.
"Battle stance Buizel!"
"Weavile, stand by for battle!"
"Maractus, it's time for a battle!"
"Come out Seismitoad, it's time to make a splash!"