Note: I've decided to make thoughts italic. It's easier that way. Also any thoughts will be by Ash and no one else.
"GO UMBREON!" Gary's Umbreon was released from it's pokeball. Gary turned around and grabbed the shorter boy behind him. "Use Flash!" Gary shut his eyes quickly as he used his hand to cover Ash's eyes. "Umbreon!" Gary's Umbreon called. The Auburned hair boy took of running pulling Ash by his hand. The wild Pokemon were blinded and unable to move until the stinging in their eyes subsided. Umbreon Followed the footsteps of his trainer as they echoed along the cave walls.
"Huff….huff…..huff….huff…. we should.. huff...be okay...huff...for a little...huff...bit." Gary said between breaths. Not that it mattered, Ash wasn't listening anyway. "Ashy?" "I…..I-" Ash could feel the wetness building up in his eyes. The tears began to flow.
Don't look at me…
"Ash, are you hurt?"
Don't look at me!.. Ash pulled away from Gary and leaned against the cave wall. He could feel his body involuntarily shake. The more he tried to stop the tears the more he shed.
I'm so pathetic. Look at me...I'm sure he's having a great laugh at me right now. Ash felt a hand grab on to his shoulder and the tug to get him away from the wall.
"Look at me" Ash didn't move. "Fucking look at me, Ash."
Why should I? I won't give you the satisfacti- Ash felt Gary's hand cup his cheek closest to the wall. Unable to fight against Gary's guiding hand he once again was face to face with his greatest rival.
"Ashy….We're in this together. We are both trapped in here under the same circumstances. We aren't enemies and to be frank I don't want to be. Not even after we escape from here. We will escape and we'll do so together."
"You don't understand" Ash said as he tried to once again pull away from Gary.
"How could I if you don't talk to me?" Ash stopped trying to escape from Gary's grasp. He was silent as the tears fell from his face. "Ash….it's-" Ash narrowed his eyes as he stared directly into the other boys eyes. Smacking Gary's hand away he began to speak.
"Do you know what it feels like to lose yourself?"
"What are you-"
"I'm scared….I'm so fucking terrified that just thinking about pokemon sends shivers down my spine." At this Gary's eyes softened.
"...I see.."
"Do you? Do you really? All of my dreams, all of my goals in my life that made me who I am, are now impossible!"
"Ash"
"Everything that I've ever worked for, everything that I've aspired to become is now worthless."
"Ash!"
"All because of one incident with a wild Onix! I can never be who I once was. The very thing that I loved has now become something that I fear so much that I become paralyzed when I even see a pokemon."
"Ash, would you just listen to me?"
Lowering his head Ash softly stated, "There's no point in my life anymore. I've lost my reason to get up everyday." At this Gary grabbed Ash's arm and pulled him with so much force that the dark haired boy was unable to stop it. Landing into his chest Ash felt the warmth from Gary's arms wrap around him tightly.
"Ashy, your goals and dreams don't make you who you are. It's just a passion that you get and just because you might lose this passion doesn't mean that there is nothing else. Even if it was a big part of your life. You had... have.. this passion because of who you are. You're a great person, you're a caring person, you're good hearted and you're a hero." Ash felt Gary's arms hold him tighter. "You've saved many people, not because it had anything to do with your dreams but because of who you are. I should know….I'm one of them."
"I'm one of them." What does that mean?
"I was in a dark place, Ash. Even though I was surrounded by people it was always cold and I felt alone. The only thing...the only person to keep me going was you."
Where are these water drops coming from?
"You inspired me to always do my best. You kept me going." The black eyed boy pressed their bodies together as much as he could.
Is he….is he crying? Ash, in turn wrapped his arms around the taller young man and they stayed like that in silence neither of them attempting to break the contact.
"Ashy, being a Pokemon trainer doesn't make you an amazing person. You're just amazing because of the person you are." For the first time since they had pressed their bodies together, Ash looked up and found that Gary was looking down at him.
His eyes are so deep, I feel like I'll be sucked in. I've never felt more calm and safe. At this thought he blushed lightly. Losing himself in the gaze of the taller boy he forgot all about where and why they were there. Forgetting also what had lead them to be in such close proximity in the first place.
The tears were still streaking down Gary's face, Ash reached up and lightly brushed them off with his fingers.
"Thank you, Gary…..for everything."
"No, it's me who should be thanking you, Ashy"
Ashy? When did he start calling me that? "Why are you calling me that?" The taller boy didn't say anything for a moment.
"Call you what?"
"You just called me Ashy...Why? Are you making fun of me?"
"Wha- no...it's just..-"
"Good, I kind of like it." Smiling, face to face with the one he thought he hated, wrapped in each other's arms, only a few inches between them, something that he never would've imagined. The outside world no longer existed. Only their world, the one born in this moment, in this dimly lit cave, nothing else mattered. The dark haired boy could see the taller adolescent's cheeks grow red and in turn he could feel his own face burning up. The auburn haired boy's hand reached up and cupped the cheek of the smaller young man. "Ashy" Gary whispered as he started to close his eyes and lower his face to Ash's. Ash's heart began to race.
"Ga-Gary…" Ash tried to back away but Gary just pulled him closer and used his hand to guide Ash's face to his.
What am I...What's… He couldn't think straight. He felt his eyes close as he slowly moved his head forward.