Notes: Chapter features- Pokemon battle! Small breakdowns! Trashy late night tv shows and chips!

Chapter 11

The morning started with Misty bursting into Ash's room at 10am, and with Ash checking he'd got his pants on and trying to look like he'd been awake for a little longer than two minutes.

"I didn't want to start the fight, seriously, I didn't-" he started to tell her.

"Don't worry, your mom told me everything," Misty bent close to his face, so that he could see the shades of her eye colour, and then she tilted his cheek up. "Looks painful."

"It's not that bad," Ash pushed her hand away. "like I said, I didn't mean to start it."

Misty looked at Ash as if observing a small child, maybe a Brocklet, who had just told a fantastical story about unicorns sprouting out of peoples rears and vomiting rainbows over the pure of heart. She didn't believe him.

"I do believe you," she said anyway, her face sympathetic, "But maybe it'd be best if you two just stay away from each other for a little while. Like, really far away, and for a really long while."

Ash raised a brow. "This is my house, Misty."

"I mean, it might save your mom's sanity, who knows?"

Ash looked guiltily down at his bed sheets, then remembered it was 10am and he hoped Misty was not starting to make a weird habit of having these morning talks with him about Gary and also how not to react to massive jerks called Gary.

He didn't need a morning reminder that Misty maybe liked Gary now.

"Besides, you've got your battle with Richie today," Misty said, and patted him on the head. "it's not like Gary's gonna come along for that."

Ash sunk a bit further back into bed. Why were his days turning into a sequence of nightmares, jumping from the frying pan into the ever waiting fire? And then the fire always happened to involve Gary eventually calling him a loser and making Ash feel like the worst human being in the universe.

"You'll be fine," Misty told him, then an afterthought; "er. Sorry I woke you. You coming down for breakfast?"

"I can't go down there. He'll probably kill me."

"Don't be stupid."

Misty grabbed his arm but Ash resisted, throwing the covers back over himself. He could feel Pikachu somewhere at the bottom of the bed, nibbling his toes.

"Listen, Gary's not mad. I promise."

"I think your fingers are crossed."

Misty coughed awkwardly, and Ash felt the bed move as she stood up.

"I'll leave some food out for you anyway."

Ash listened as the door clipped shut and then breathed out a slow and sad sigh. He peeked out the covers like a reluctant Squirtle out of it's shell, and found Pikachu nosing his face playfully.

"Hah. Well I've still got you on my side, right?" he tickled Pikachu's belly absently. "why can't people be more like you and just be happy with a tummy tickle?...Um, actually I guess that'd be kinda weird."

He closed his eyes, more than tempted to sleep once again, when there was another tap at the door.

"Urgh. I really don't care about breakfast, please, Mi-"

"It's me,"

Ash sat up automatically, his stomach tossing and everything around him feeling sharper.

Gary's voice was quiet, almost like he could be sorry.

"There's toast downstairs. Just letting you know," there was a pause. "though I suppose I should warn you, Tracey made it, and it looks more like a charcoal slab to be honest. Maybe not on the same level as Brock's dad's atrocity...but still...um, pretty bad."

Ash waited for something else, although he had no idea what it was. It wasn't that he expected Gary to come in. If that was going to happen it would have probably been with a machete and a manic face, but still Ash was sort of disappointed when the footsteps started to fade away from the door.

He blinked down at Pikachu, who seemed to share his confused face.

"Gary!"

Ash tripped over a tangle of bedsheets, almost falling through the door onto the landing.

Gary was already at the stairway, and he looked back at Ash with a questioning face.

"Nice pants."

"I, ah..." Ash blinked down, and realised he was actually wearing the Pikachu pyjamas Gary had the most fun mocking. Even now, Ash could see a sneer trembling on the other boy's face.

Somehow, Ash was not bothered by it this time.

"Listen, I'm..I didn't mean what happened last night. It was the last thing I wanted to happen."

His throat closed up. He couldn't quite say sorry. Something prevented him; the adamant flash in Gary's eyes, the way he seemed like he wanted to stare Ash down, until he might crumble and break into a sobbing mess. Or perhaps it was just because it was Gary. Gary could have been saving his life right now and it wouldn't matter.

"Well, it happened," Gary shrugged.

Ash watched him walk (or more limp) the rest of the way downstairs, feeling not so much annoyed as he did empty, like Gary had pulled the guts out of him, numbing him to everything.

He may as well have come in the room with that machete.

The want to go back to bed was incredible, but Brock came wandering out of the toilet, and dragged him downstairs before Ash could even consider that he was still wearing the Pikachu pyjamas.

Sometimes Ash thought he just wanted to die of humiliation. It would have been easier than living through it.

Luckily most people were interested in whatever was on the TV; something about two Rhydons that had been rescued and taken to a reserve. Misty was cooing at Togepi, in between feeding it questionable lumps of food, whilst Gary stretched on the sofa, pulling a face at something not related to the tv.

Ash sat down on the floor, trying not to notice the way Gary glanced at him.

"Tracey your toast is terrible, you need to make more."

"It's fine, it's all under control, I promise," smoke was creeping inconspicuously from the kitchen, and then Tracey appeared, looking hot and bothered, plates balanced precariously in his hands. "see...this is good practice, for when I get my own place and all that..."

"Are you sure you don't need any help?" Brock asked, looking nervous as a plate fell on the floor.

"He's fine," Gary waved a hand dismissively. "he's Tracey. Also my man servant."

"Shut up," Misty said to him. He smirked lazily at her, and stuck his tongue out at Togepi.

"Here you go, Ash," Tracy fell back into the room, dropping a mess on Ash's lap.

Gary was right; it did look like a slab of charcoal.

He noticed Gary grinning eagerly at him, and not in a friendly way.

"So, today's the big day," Brock said, looking at Ash.

"Yes, today is today," Ash agreed, not knowing what he was talking about. He poked suspiciously at his toast.

"That is true," Gary said sagely, and moved to the table.

It was odd. Yesterday Ash had thought maybe he and Gary might kill each other. And now Gary was leaning over the table and drawing an angry face with ketchup all over his burnt toast.

"That's you," he told Ash.

Ash blinked between the toast and Gary.

"Because your name, and you're angry." Gary explained, as if it were very obvious. "I think I'm a secret artist. Just haven't realised my full potential yet."

Tracey grabbed Gary round the waist and pulled him back over his shoulder with an easy laugh.

"Don't torment Ash. It's too early for that."

Ash wanted to agree, but found himself watching the way Tracey plonked Gary back on the couch, and then how Gary grinned up at him and said something about "learning from the best".

Ash looked back down at his toast. The angry ketchup face might as well have been a mirror.

"...did you poison his toast, Tracey?" Misty said.

"More likely he's having a mental blackout. He'd good at those,"

Ash glared back up at Gary.

"He's battling Richie today," said Misty quickly, as if in explanation. She smiled at Ash. "it is a big day, right?"

Ash nodded, but wasn't really sure he wanted to go through with it anymore.

Battling made him think of Charizard, and everything that had gone wrong. He was never going to get over it.

"Ah. Makes sense now," Gary said. "the face of a guy who knows he's about to lose very badly. I can't wait."

Misty whacked him upside the head.

"Ow. Will you stop with that? This is turning into an abusive relationship, you know."

Misty shirked; "'relationship'? You're so deluded it hurts."

"I know you only do it because you love me."

"You're deluded and crazy."

Ash looked at Gary unhappily. "You're coming too, then?"

"Why not? I like seeing you lose stuff."

Misty jabbed him in the side, and this time she seemed to mean it.

Ash crunched on his angry toast, and it made him cough and his eyes water.

"Never mind, the toast might kill him before he leaves the house," Gary's voice tailed off as Delia came into the room, and then his eyes averted to the tv, his shoulders seeming to shrink.

"Boys," Delia smiled like she was being coaxed into it. She patted Ash on the head. "be good, okay?"

"We're always good, Mrs. Ketchum," Gary said breezily. "Except when we're killing each other," it was then that his eyes locked with Ash's, and Ash wasn't sure, but he thought he could see something softer there.

"Yeah, mom. Don't worry."

Delia rolled her eyes, "'don't worry', he says." she looked at Tracey. "Just bring them back in one piece. Preferably with no more broken limbs, okay?"

"I will strive not to let a single one of their limbs be broken, Mrs. Ketchum," Tracey saluted her. "by each other or by other members of the group. Or anything else, actually," he added as an afterthought.

"Well. Please try," Delia didn't sound convinced.

8

She didn't look convinced either as she waved the group off from the house. Ash thought she had good reason, since Gary was currently listing off all the times he'd defeated Ash and all the times Ash had shown what an incompetent trainer he was.

Ash was very tempted to knock Gary's crutch from under him, but Tracey did that for him instead.

"Hey-!"

"Shut up, you brat," Tracey caught him in his arms. "Can't you see your kinda killing his morale?"

"It's called tough love," Gary insisted, and didn't struggle very much against Tracey. He was mostly just laughing. Ash hated that the sight made him feel like he might forgive Gary. "I'm just toughening Ash up. You can't tell me he doesn't need it?"

Tracey pushed Gary back up and prodded him into moving again. "Maybe he could use some actual genuine support? You know, that stuff friends do?"

Gary pulled a face. "...what is this 'friends' word you speak of? Doesn't ring a bell with me, I'm afraid," He glanced at Ash. "do you have any idea what it means?"

"Well, I dunno," was all Ash could think to say, because it was common knowledge at this point that Ash would never ever have a single witty comeback when it came to Gary Oak, ever.

He still had little idea why Gary was even coming along. Well actually he did, he just didn't like to think too much about it. He could already picture his rival's face, jeering and full of spite, ready to rub it in whenever Ash slipped up. Oh yes, he was going to.

It wasn't fair. Ash couldn't win when Gary was watching.

"You are useless," Gary reaffirmed his thoughts as if he'd read them, just because he was always right.

Ash couldn't muster up the energy to glare at him.

For now, his stomach was tossing a bunch of Butterfrees, and he thought he might throw up.

"You look kinda green." Tracey said, unhelpfully. "are you sure about this battle with Richie?"

"I thought I was."

At that moment, Ash thought he would have been happier swimming in a pool of angry Tentacruels. Such was his life.

88

Richie had arranged to meet just on the outskirts of Viridian Forest, where a ramshackle little Pokecentre lived. Ash remembered it easily from childhood, and the whole area conjured up more nostalgic feelings than he didn't want to deal with right now.

Like he and Gary hunting for bugs, and the time Ash had been stung by a Weedle, and Gary had laughed at him until Ash had turned an odd shade of purple.

Ash only remembered bits of that journey home, and the hand far too tight on his wrist, and Gary telling him how stupid he was.

"Watch out for Weedles, Ashy," Gary was leaning against a tree, watching him.

Of course Gary would remember too.

"Ha-ha," Ash turned away, and was grateful when he saw Richie's kind face.

"You been here long?" Richie asked, smiling between them all.

"Nope, just got here."

"Well then, you ready?"

"He's never ready," Gary said, and Ash wondered about the chances of a Weedle coming up to the human embodiment of torture, and stinging him, maybe. See how he liked it.

"Shut up," Tracey nudged Gary, but his eyes were on Ash. "Good luck."

"Yeah, good luck," Misty said, and her arms were suddenly round him in an unexpected embrace. It lasted only a couple of seconds, but when she stepped back her cheeks were pink.

"Okay. He's not off to fight in a war, or die," Gary reminded them.

For some reason, as Ash walked the short distance away to prepare for the battle, it kind of felt like that. Only worse. Death was always preferable to suffering another humiliation in front of Gary Oak.

Misty was waving at him; she looked too far away. So did Brock and Tracey. Gary was still leaning against the tree, his crutch propped to the side, and his arms folded. He was watching Ash with a neutral face, and yet he still managed to look rude about it.

The stretch of grass between Ash and Richie felt too vast, and Ash suddenly felt out of his depth before the battle had even started. His hand wavered absently across his belt, touching each pokeball he had on hand. He lingered over the last one, and wondered why he'd even brought it with him.

"Alright," Richie started, throwing his pokeball out onto the field.

In a spiral of blinding light and then a shadow that hung over Ash like a recent nightmare, Richie's Charizard came into being. It's roar echoed, sending nearby Pidgey into flight, and other pokemon peeking out from the grass, curious about it's huge presence.

Ash took a step back, gritting his teeth.

"Zippo...he evolved?"

"Yeah," Richie was beaming. "It took a while, but we got there!"

Ash tried to smile. In reality, he thought he might throw up.

Again his hand hovered over his pokeballs, and resting on the last for just a second. He glanced to his right, somehow drawn to the boy who was the root of all his recent problems.

Gary wasn't leaning against the tree anymore. He'd stepped forward and was looking at Ash as if he knew exactly what he might be thinking, which was impossible but somehow Ash could've believed it.

He noticed Gary shake his head slightly.

Ash jerked his hand away from his belt.

"Ash, pick your pokemon!"

Misty's incredulous voice reminded him that time was still moving, no matter how many traumatic flashbacks he might be having. He snapped his head back to Richie and tried to focus.

"Okay,"

Pikachu was at his feet, in a stubborn battle stance, ready if Ash confirmed it. Of course Ash knew Pikachu was strong, but when it came to Charizard...

He shook his head. "No, Pikachu," then tossed out another pokeball.

Squirtle came into being, and shrunk back a bit at the enourmous Charizard.

"Don't worry, Squirtle..." Ash murmured, not sure he believed himself. "You can do this."

"Zippo, flamethrower!" Richie commanded.

The huge lizard roared with a flourish, and then brilliant red flames spewed from it's mouth.

Ash tried to yell at Squirtle to dodge it, before thick smoke clouded the air, and singed the grass all around them.

Coughing and spluttering through it all, he squinted to find Squirtle dazed at his feet.

"Good try, Squirtle," Ash said, returning the Pokemon.

"Pika!" Pikachu nudged at Ash's feet, demanding it's chance to battle.

Reluctantly, Ash nodded, and the electric mouse leapt immediately on the attack, unleashng a rapid thunderbolt.

Charaizard backed up, hit but not especially fazed by the attack.

"Alright, Zippo. Give him a fire spin!" Richie called.

The fire spiralled from the Charizard's mouth this time, and Ash could only watch on, feeling helpless, as it surrounded Pikachu, who was fast but also ineffective and trapped within the attack.

"Pikachu, get out of there!" Ash cried.

The mouse tried to jump and dodge, but only seemed to burn itself even more. After a while it teetered about and yet was as determined as Ash himself to stay standing.

"Ash! You have to stop!"

Ash turned his head, and noticed Gary was stepping forward, even with Tracey's protesting arm on his shoulder.

"Huh?"
"Pikachu can't handle that attack, you idiot!" Gary yanked away from Tracey's hold. "either call the match quits or change Pokemon!"

"I'm not-" Ash started to argue, but Pikachu's cry suddenly became more pained, piercing into his ears like a wake-up call. Ash watched as the Pokemon collapsed in the middle of the firespin. "Pikachu!"

"Zippo, return,"

It was Richie who ended the match, so abruptly. His gaze anxious on both Pikachu and Ash.

"Hey, I'm sorry, is it... is it alright?"

Ash knelt down, gathering Pikachu in his arms. He could see the shadows of people hanging around him, and Misty's voice close, her hand soft on his shoulder.

"Ash, it's okay."

He briefly wondered why she sounded so pitying, as if he was crying or something stupid, then he realised he actually was. He clutched Pikachu closer to his chest and shook his head.

"It's fine." he rubbed an arm roughly over his face and lifted his head.

He tried to smile at Richie, and nodded when Brock suggested he take Pikachu to the Poke-centre. Really, it felt like a disorienting bad dream. Ash didn't want anyone's pity, or sympathetic faces, or anything like that.

He tilted his head as he stood up, and noticed Gary was the only one who'd not moved from his spot by the tree. His arms were folded and he was looking at the ground, face obscured by shadow.

He lifted his head then, as if he knew Ash was looking at him.

"What?" Ash heard himself snap. "So you got to see me lose. Fantastic."

"Ash-" Misty's voice. "Don't-"

Ash didn't wait for the rest.

88

"You okay, hon? You look like you're waiting for your own funeral."

Nurse Joy handed Ash his Pokeballs and flicked off a few notes on a clipboard.

"I'm okay," he took Pikachu off the side table. It stirred a little but was still drowsy from the healing potion."Thanks."

"Quite a battle, huh?"

"Yeah. I guess it was."

"Better luck next time."

"Right," Ash looked bleakly out the window, where it was getting dark. He knew he owed everyone an apology. Maybe even Gary. Well, maybe not.

It was more infuriating that Gary had not taunted or teased him or done anything. Like he wasn't even worth his time. For some reason, that was even worse.

Reluctantly, he opened the Pokecentre door and stepped outside.

Of all the things he expected to be waiting for him, it was certainly not Gary.

He was standing a few meters away with an irritated face, occasionally stomping his crutch on the grass. When he noticed Ash he waved impatiently.

"Hey."

Ash paused at the doorway.

"Hey," he said warily, then walked to the other like he might be dangerous.

Gary didn't seem to notice. He was watching Pikachu, still in Ash's arms. "Is it gonna be okay?"

"Yeah."

"Are you okay?" the words weren't concerned, more like he was curious about an answer.

Still Ash was kind of surprised. "Yeah, sure."

"Okay," Gary looked sideways, as if there might be someone prompting him to talk. "Um. Good."

"Good?" Ash repeated the word, as if it was foreign. "you think so? You really think that?"

Gary blinked at him. "well, yeah," he shrugged, and then tilted his head to the side again. "C'mon. They're waiting for you."

At any other time Ash would have wondered; why was Gary even waiting here for him? Why was he not accompanied by his Dear Loyal Tracey, number one lackey, or any other myriad of fans? Why was he asking if things were Okay, and being so uncharacteristically awkward about it?

All these things quickly crossed Ash's mind, but he couldn't bring himself to dwell on them for once. Pikachu was still sleeping in his arms, and Richie had a Charizard that listened to him.

"I'm such a loser," he decided.

"No."

Hands clamped on Ash's shoulders; hard and firm, halting him completely in his tracks. Gary's voice was vehement;

"No," he repeated. "That's my line. I tell you you're a loser, and you're supposed to try and kill me with your bare hands, remember?"

Ash stared at the other boy, wanting to recall the usual rage he felt whenever Gary wound him up like that. All he really noticed was the dark bruising around his lip, where Ash had managed to land a good punch the other night.

"I...I don't want to."

What a revelation.

He realised he really didn't. And Gary's hands were a strange comfort, digging into him like that, like they meant it.

"You don't want to?" Gary raised a brow. "you're full of weird surprises today."

"..sorry," Ash said, because he really didn't know what else there was to say.

All it did was make Gary's frown even harder.

"Listen, I know it doesn't make much difference coming from me...but you're seriously acting like a loser. A proper loser. Where's the Ash I know? At least he was...he was the likeable kind of loser."

"Likeable?" Ash wondered sceptically.

"Yeah, the one who never gives up after a battle. Who keeps saying he'll come back and kick my ass next time. What happened to that guy?" Gary tapped Ash's head. "Hello? Are you in there, likeable loser?"

"Ow," Ash pushed his hand away. "Okay, fine. I'm all here. I'm...I'm still that loser. The, er...the good one," he wasn't sure if he'd just accepted a weird compliment disguised as an insult from Gary, or vice versa. Whatever, he'd take what he could get, and Gary was smirking at him.

"Good to know. I did actually kinda miss him," there was a note in the other boy's words, almost like affection, but Ash wasn't sure. "Now can we just hurry up and go home? My leg might be dying again."

Ash looked down, to see Gary was doing an impressive sort of balancing act, with both hands pulling away from Ash's shoulders, and his crutch placed neatly at the side of his leg. Only a brief grimace gave away how uncomfortable he was.

Not thinking on it, Ash grabbed Gary's arm. "I'm sorry. Jeez, I forgot about that."

"Charming," but Gary waved away his hands, like it didn't matter. "Just remember to tell gramps we were very clever and took the trip home on my Arcanine."

"Why don't we do that?"

Gary rolled his eyes, turning into step at Ash's side. Ash walked closer than he really needed to, and slowed down just a bit.

"Because I can't be a genius all the time. And sometimes I forget stuff. Like Arcanine."

"Oh," Ash smiled, and at the same time felt Pikachu starting to stir in his arms. The electric mouse stretched out and yawned widely, before casting a bewildered and sleepy look between both Ash and Gary. It must've been weird; seeing the two trainers together and smiling.

"It's looking better," Gary observed.

"Yeah," Ash found he was still smiling when he looked back up at Gary.

"I still think you're a massive loser, by the way."

"When did you ever stop?"

"Good point," Gary was still smiling too.

88

"Look that that. They made it, and not a scratch on them," said Tracey, and immediately offered Gary his arm.

Gary took it without hesitation; "Yeah, we're best friends now."

"How's Pikachu, Ash?" Misty said, and leaned close, petting it gently on the head.

"Better..." Ash looked around. "Has Richie gone? I wanted to explain-"

"Don't worry about that," said Brock. "He's gonna be around for the fete anyway. Actually, he was wondering if you'd like a rematch then."

In his mind, Ash shook his head and cried protests, the very idea of it making his stomach twist. Outwardly, all he could do was nod dumbly.

Gary nudged his side. "Yay. I get to see you lose again!"

"Shut up," Misty scolded, but her attention was still on Ash. "Are you okay? I mean, after what happened..." she trailed off, and looking inexplicably upset. Ash couldn't quite figure it out.

Gary laughed. "Ashy's fine. He just likes the attention."

Misty pouted at him. "stop projecting."

"Hey, I'm not-" Gary started to argue, but a glare from Tracey seemed to stop him.

Ash wouldn't have minded if he'd carried on. Actually, hearing Gary be nasty was the only thing which made him feel vaguely normal in that moment. Something familiar to cling on to.

At least Gary could be relied upon for that, even if everything else seemed like it was falling apart.

"You did good out there, Ash. Don't be hard on yourself," Brock said kindly.

"Thanks."

The sky had dimmed to dark blue by the time they'd reached the edge of Virdian Forest, and it was then that Misty hugged Ash tight, and told him she was going back to Cerulean City for a couple of days. Brock was accompanying her.

"Uh, okay," Ash looked between his two friends, trying to process the consequences.

It was no big deal, really. Ash would just be back in Pallet town alone as he usually was. Only now there was Gary in his house too.

"Be good," Misty said quietly, as though she'd read his mind. "No fights."

"Don't worry. I'll look after them," Tracey assured.

"You couldn't look after a dead plant, though," Gary said.

"Yeah, but you two aren't dead plants, so there."

Gary huffed, then looked at Misty with a playful face; "I'll miss you so much. And your egg. Especially your weird egg."

Misty held Togepi out to him, reluctantly amused. "Say goodbye, then."

Gary petted it. "Bye sweet weird egg. Don't get stuck in any frying pans."

"Break another leg for me," Misty stuck her tongue out at him, and Gary just smirked as if she'd said it a thousand times before. She probably had.

Ash rubbed his arms, feeling cold even though the air was summery.

"C'mon. I'm hungry," another hand grabbed his arm then, and Gary was dragging him away, as if it were normal. "also your mom is gonna think we killed each other again."

88

"Look, I know I gave you a hard time about it, but being mortally wounded does have it's advantages."

"Mortally wounded?" Ash blinked at the boy stretched out on the couch, eating chips and watching some trashy late night tv show about a woman hoarding too many Persians in her house. Eevee was curled on the floor, chewing on some kind of cookie treat. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Well, I'm mortal and I'm wounded. It makes sense," Gary threw a chip at Ash's head. "shouldn't you be in bed?"

"I heard the tv," Ash rubbed his eyes.

In truth, he just couldn't sleep.

The battle with Richie had been playing over and over in his head, like some kind of broken video tape, only really confirming everything he'd feared would happen. All that was missing was a gloating commentary track, probably done by Gary himself, of course.

"You couldn't sleep," Gary said.

"How's your leg?" Ash hesitated, and then sat on the edge of the couch, careful not to nudge the cast. He could see all sorts of scrawling doodles on it. A lot of them were by Tracey.

"It's great," Gary said, and Ash wondered if he was just really terrible at being sarcastic. "Like I said, being mortally wounded is full of advantages. Like Tracey being my man servant. That sort of stuff. You should try it some time."

Ash pulled a face. "Getting injured?"

"Yeah. Break a leg, or an arm. I'm always happy to help a pal out-"

"That's okay," Ash interrupted, and spoke to the leg cast. "I'm just glad you're okay, then."

"What happened to your arm?" Gary asked, apparently ignoring Ash's attempt at sentiment. Maybe that was for the best.

"Charizard happened to it, remember."

"Well. That's what happens to suicidal morons who act like suicidal morons."

"I wasn't-" Ash realised he really was tired of this. Tired of arguing, and just tired of being angry at Gary.

As it was, Gary was more smiling than smirking. He shook his head.

"Don't worry about it. So you made a stupid mistake. That's what you do, right?"

"Um.." Ash wasn't sure whether to be insulted or not. Yet again Gary had managed to smooth things over with something that came secretly packaged with an insult.

"I know, you can sign my cast," Gary said brightly. "Everyone else in the world has."

Ash looked at the cast again and thought maybe Gary was right. "Is there any room?" he said doubtfully.

"Of course," Gary shifted on the couch, swinging his leg completely onto Ash's lap. He tossed him a pen.

Ash felt heat creep onto his cheeks; the weight on his legs making him feel strange, somehow.

"Hey, do you frequently suffer huge brain freezes? Or do you require head-slaps on a regular basis to keep you alive?"

"Oh, uh," Ash almost dropped the pen, and realised Gary was watching him as if he might be in actual need of medical attention. "Okay, I'll sign it," he found, amongst the doodles, a little space. "What shall I write?"

Gary rolled his eyes. "I dunno. How about...'pity it wasn't your face. Signed Ash.'"

"Not funny,"

Ash scanned the cast again, noticing a few of the more detailed messages.

Tracey's was the longest; it contained rambling and jokes that were obviously private, and a doodle that included a Charizard and a very crude version of Gary.

"Oh, he thought he was being real funny," Gary said. "He has a really poor sense of humour though."

"He's got you down pretty perfectly," Ash felt himself properly smiling.

"What? My ears do not stick out like that!"
"Maybe not quite so much."

"That's just mean. I had no idea you could be so mean, Ash."

Ash grinned, enjoying the melodramatic torture that played on the other boy's face. "We all have our faults. Your's just happen to be the ears...no biggie...well, kinda biggie."

"Hah," Gary snorted. "I should destroy you with chips," and he threw some at Ash again.

Ash caught some and chucked them back, laughing. He laughed even as he spoke;

"They don't stick out. I told you. You're good looking."

As soon as he'd said it, he wanted be enveloped up into oblivion. Or just die, perhaps.

Gary had stopped throwing chips, and his eyes had widened just a fraction. The lack of any sort of response was enough to make Ash look at him, and he thought he saw something like a blush crossing the other boy's cheeks.

It was like an out of body experience, even daring to say it;

"Well. You're not ugly, are you?"

"Um, I don't know," the unusual uncertainty on Gary's face was strangely endearing, and Ash wondered how it happened that his cocky rival might not realise that he actually was good looking.

Stupid. That wasn't even possible.

Ash huffed to himself. He wasn't going to feed that ego anymore, at any rate.

He experimentally pressed the pen on the leg cast, not really concentrating on what he was going to write at all.

"Anyway, it was Misty who said you were good looking," he added. "It's not me," as if it was important.

Gary's leg shook with his laughter; "Are you joking? She can't stand me."

"That doesn't have anything to do with it."

"...I guess," Gary seemed to consider. "You don't think she actually likes me, do you?"

Ash shrugged. "How should I know?" the idea of Misty liking Gary was irritation enough in his head, never mind the thought of it actually being a reality.

"I really don't think she does, Ash."

Ash blinked back up to look at Gary, who looked very certain and was watching him with some amusement, for whatever reason.

"How'd you figure that?"
Gary stretched his arms out behind his head, and closed his eyes. "I just feel like she might fancy someone else, that's all."

Ash prickled, reluctantly curious. He leaned forward, perhaps unconsciously, and his free hand fluttered close to Gary's chest, but not quite bold enough to touch it.

"C'mon, tell me. You know, don't you?"

Gary opened an eye, his mouth moving into a lazy grin; "I dunno what you're talking about, Ashy."

"Yeah you do, I know it," Ash budged up some more, not entirely sure why he was so eager to know things which hadn't seemed so important barely a couple of minutes ago. But here it was. "Did Misty tell you? Why couldn't she tell me?"

At this, Gary fell into a fit of laughter, to a point where it actually looked kind of painful. He clutched his sides and had to turn away to regain his composure.

Ash stared at him, silently furious.

"What?! What's so funny about it?"

"N-nothing...It's nothing!"

Ash tossed the pen he'd be holding in a death grip on the floor, and folded his arms sharply.

"Well, not all of us our experts on girls, you know."

Gary blinked at him through teary eyes, and then proceeded to laugh even harder.

"Wow, Ash...I swear, if you don't kill me with your Charizard, you're gonna kill me with laughter..."

Ash struggled half-heartedly to leave the couch, since Gary's leg was still anchored over his lap, whether intentional or not. It didn't work, so all he could do was settle for glaring, which was hard to do when Gary was just laughing like that.

He didn't look spiteful, the way Ash always painted him in his mind. He just looked normal, and it was a startling revelation.

Ash felt the corners of his own mouth trying to lift for whatever reason.

"Boys?"

The door creaked open, and Delia's worried face peered in. Mr Mime stood at her side, forever curious.

"Oh, thank heavens, you're both alive. I heard loud noises and thought the worst," She petted Ash's head. "And there's no bloodshed. I'm so proud of you both."

Gary choked back his laughter (finally), and offered her a winning grin.

"You should be, Mrs. Ketchum. Ash only tried to kill me with chips. It was almost like he didn't really want to kill me this time."
Delia laughed; "Okay. But how about bed, now? You two can carry on not killing each other tomorrow, alright?"

"Sure. We can do that," and Gary nudged Ash easily in the side, a smile playing his lips which invited Ash to do the same.

Somehow it worked, and for the first time in a long time, it was like they were friends again.

"Alright. Sleep well, boys," Delia disappeared back up the stairs.

Ash watched the door clip shut, and then felt a startling warmth touch his arm, light, but enough to make his back straighten and his senses sharpen. He turned slowly to Gary, who was looking at him with an amused but almost resigned face.

"I need to apologise," he said.

"What?" Ash was amazed at the prospect. Gary and apologies?

"Yeah. Look, I'm sorry...I'm sorry but I don't actually know everything in the universe."

Ash stared, not sure if he was joking or not.

Gary's solemn expression didn't falter. "I know, it's hard to believe, isn't it? Take a second to let it sink in."

"You are one big swaggering ego," Ash realised, and also realised he wanted to laugh again.

Gary's grin seemed to grow with his own.

"I'm glad we agree on something. But seriously, I haven't spoken to Misty about who she likes. I'm pretty sure I'd be the last person she'd tell, anyway."

"Then why're you so certain she doesn't like you?"

"My big swaggering ego?" Gary suggested, but seemed ironically uncertain about it."Look. I'm no good at reading girls. Actually anything resembling a human being, to be honest. Maybe you should just ignore me, like usual."

His hand had moved away from Ash's arm, and he looked down at his leg cast, his face oddly forlorn in the moment. It was a rare sight, and Ash was taken by it.

"Look, I...I didn't mean to presume stuff about that."

Gary shrugged. "It figures you'd be mad. Misty's your friend, not mine."

The words hit Ash harder than he'd expected. All this time he'd been worrying and envying Gary's natural charm with all of his friends, believing that they'd abandon him for Gary. And yet Gary didn't seem to think any of them were actually his friends anyway. At least he seemed to think Misty disliked him.

Ash looked down at the leg cast which was still heavy on his lap, but not quite so heavy as the guilt that had reached his stomach, making it ache and wonder about so many things he' couldn't quite bring himself to ask. Things that felt forbidden or taboo.

"Gary?"

"Hm?" he was looking at the tv again.

"Are you...is everything okay with you?"

Gary's eyes faltered on the screen, but he didn't turn away.

"Besides a broken leg and a friend with some serious anger issues, I'm great."

Ash stared at the tv screen, not really looking at it. "I mean...I was just wondering. And my mom said-"
Gary turned to look at him, but he didn't look half so confrontational as Ash had expected. Some flicker of hope, like those Butterfrees that had invaded Ash's stomach earlier, lurched within, only this time they were far more pleasant.

Gary opened his mouth, but then his brow furrowed.

"You took Charizard with you today, didn't you? For your battle with Richie."

The Butterfrees departed Ash's stomach, and he found himself unable to speak for just a few seconds. His throat felt dry.

"It looked like you were gonna pick it," Gary carried on. "I mean, from where I was standing."

Ash stared at the floor, noticing Pikachu and Eevee were snuggled together there, fast asleep.

"I don't know why I took it. It was stupid, I know," there was no point denying it. Gary knew, and Ash was alright with that. He glanced back up and Gary was watching him carefully, as if he was a puzzle. "You think I'm so stupid, don't you?"

Gary seemed to flinch with the words.

"I don't...I don't think you're stupid, Ash. Not the way you think, anyway," he sighed, and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. He smiled in a way that looked like he was remembering something that Ash was supposed to remember too.

"Gary-"

"I'm tired. It's tiring watching you lose," Gary rubbed his eyes, and looked at Ash again. "Maybe we should do like your mom said, and actually go to bed now."

Ash nodded. "Okay."

He carefully moved Gary's leg so that he could stand up, and he held out a hand to him. Gary looked at it and wrinkled his nose in some disgust.

"Please. I'm fine, Ash."

Ash felt himself burn up. "Oh, right," he scooped Pikachu off the floor, and half ran to the door. "Well. Goodnight."

Gary waved at him. "Yeah. Night, loser."

Ash snorted, but it didn't feel or even sound like much of an insult anymore.

88

Ash sank into bed, and listened to uneven footsteps padding up the stairway a few minutes later. It was only when the neighbouring door shut that he found he could close his eyes again.

The last thought which lingered in his sleepy mind was that he hadn't gotten round to signing Gary's cast.

Maybe tomorrow.

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A/N: firstly so so many thanks for all the amazing reviews! You have no idea, each kind word has been like a beautiful stab in my heart, as I remember how much i MUST finish this story. And so handily, here is the second point: I'm SO sorry it's been so long. If anyone's still reading it would be lovely if you could let me know! I never fell out of love with these boys, but I guess I have fallen out of love with writing for a while. Let me know if this is still working for you, and I can at least guarantee to you all that this story is not dead :)