Author's Not: Hey…sorry about the long wait ^.^; I know, I know, I'm a horrible person for leaving this story like I had. It's been a while, huh? Well, in my defense, I didn't think this would end up being so popular – especially with all the grammar and spelling mistakes. Yeesh, it's kind of scary to see what I wrote and passed off as decent Fanfiction in my younger days…*daydreams* Oops, sorry about that lol Well, I've decided to re-write the chapters and change some things and maybe that will give me the inspiration I need to actually create something from these ashes. Sorry to those who had to wait so long! And sorry if anyone was looking for a short, sweet, PWP or simple smut story. With what I have in mind, it'll be a lot longer than that. Hopefully deeper and well developed emotionally and plot-wise. It's been a few years so I wonder how different my writing has become – hopefully better ;D

Disclaimer: If I owned Pokémon, Ash would've won AT LEAST the damn Hoenn League. And, he and Gary would be doing the down and dirty, the bump and grind, knockin' boots, just all out GETTING SOME with each other. Unfortunately, I don't have any rights to Pokémon whatsoever *sad face*

Warning: this is YAOI! If you don't like GUY ON GUY ACTION, then DON'T READ! If I see ANY flames for Ash and Gary getting it on, I'm reporting you and you will be torn apart by other reviewers – they can be viscous if they want to be! ANGST, slight AU, YAOI, lemons maybe, and some INNAPROPRIATE STUFF! Also, there might be some swearing since they're TEENAGERS, duh!

Rated: M

Summary: Heroes never got a break, especially one Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town. Saving the world was one thing – crushing on your rival was another. Ash didn't know the what, when, who, where, why, or even the how– but it was the best and worst thing that ever happened to him.

Word Count: 2919 (w/o things listed in bold)

xxx

He could feel the familiar burn in his legs and the achiness in his muscles as he continued to run, now suddenly thankful for all those crazy adventures that involved so much exercise. His stamina was the only thing keeping him away from bodily harm.

The angry buzzing seemed to grow louder and more menacing in his ears and, despite the exertion, Ash couldn't help but feel the blush of embarrassment burning his cheeks.

He was the new Sinnoh Champ for Aceus' sake and yet here he was, caught unprepared for a lengthy chase by a huge swarm of Beedrill. With his luck he really should've expected something to go wrong but really? It was strangely reminiscent of the first few adventures he'd had.

All he wanted was to visit his mom after winning the Sinnoh League – was that really too much to ask?

He jumped over a thorny bush and came out with a rather large tear in his jacket, a few cuts littering his arms and his right cheek, and another tear in his jeans. Mom wasn't gonna be happy and Misty, May, and Dawn were probably going to lecture him extensively while Max and Brock and maybe even Tracey snickered at his misfortune in the background.

The thought made him want to smile and grimace at the same time.

Ash ducked behind a bush after faking a right and crouched down by the base of a large tree, willing his breathing and heart rate to go down. When the buzzing passed, he relaxed against the tree, wondering if his mom and friends were looking for him.

xxx

It started as a nice day after he'd lost the persistent reporters, news cameras, and crazed fans – he shuddered at the memory. He had gotten home fairly early with Brock and Dawn by his side, the rather heavy trophy safely tucked away in his backpack, when he was surprised with a huge party to celebrate his victory.

Ash was happy to see Misty and her three sisters, May and Max, a few rival-turned-friends, and a lot of people he'd met on his journey there – including the really big adventures like with Lugia and Jirachi and…a lot more. His cheeks hurt from just smiling so much; it was one of the happiest days he could remember besides getting Pikachu on the first day of his journey.

He would never admit he felt a little hurt that Gary of all people had mostly ignored him – the thought that the brunette had reverted back into his younger, angrier years had terrified Ash more than he would have liked. Just a curt 'congratulations' was all the greeting he'd gotten and it was kind of irritating.

Anyways, a few hours later, a freak storm had come rumbling through but was over in less than an hour – more than enough time for everyone's collective Pokémon to freak out and run off the Professors land.

It was 'gotta catch 'em all' again and it was kind of fun to see who could get all their Pokémon back first.

Apparently, Ash – with all his confidence and supposed knowledge of the surrounding area, being a native and all – had ventured deeper than he'd intended. Misty would have a field day with just that. At least he was able to find several of his friends Pokémon and send them back to the Professors lab.

But it wasn't just that.

Ash couldn't exactly remember why he had walked so deeply into an area he didn't recall that clearly – there was just this pull that brought him closer to…somewhere. The feeling reminded him of the strange draw he'd felt towards Lucario and the Tree of Beginning because of the strange bond through their aura.

Now, the pull was gone but he was still deeper in the forest than he'd wanted.

xxx

And thus, he was here in a disturbingly similar situation he had found himself in far too many times before.

Quickly assessing his situation like any other Pokémon battle, Ash concluded that he was sort of screwed. All of his poke balls were back at Professor's Oak lab and Pikachu was more than likely drowning himself in ketchup. His friends were probably searching for the rest of the escaped Pokémon, too busy to wonder where their new Sinnoh Champ ran off to, and his mom was probably cooking up another huge feast for the evening celebration.

Nice.

With a sigh, Ash stood and stretched, loosening his already cramping muscles. Thankfully, it was cool outside so he didn't have to worry about heat stroke and didn't sweat as much as usual; he wasn't a big fan of the sticky feeling even after all these years. He hunched his shoulders slightly, subconsciously hoping that he'd make himself look smaller by doing so, and took a cautious step forward.

SNAP!

Ash cringed when the twig beneath his foot made a whip-like crack. Seriously, did he spill salt or break a mirror or something? Talk about crap luck, especially after winning a freaking League.

He took off running in the opposite direction of the renewed angry buzzing.

Five minutes later…

Ash was seriously wondering what Pokémon he had pissed off this time. And how big was this freaking forest? He didn't remember the expanse of trees being quite so…vast. Or maybe he was running in circles. Judging by his aching muscles, headache, and slight disorientation, it was safe to assume that he may have been running around – literally – for the past half hour. If he weren't so tired, he would have been really irritated at the thought.

His pace slowed to a steady jog, his breath coming out in puffs as he tried to listen for any signs of angry Beedrill. None so far. That was hopefully a good sign…right? Maybe his luck was finally turning around…

A hand shot out from the shadows of the trees he was jogging by, catching him off guard with enough shock to thoroughly paralyze him to allow the stranger to drag him into the shadow of the trees as well. Ash swore his heart was either beating too fast for him to count or it had stopped completely. The only thing he was thankful for was that he was too out of breath to scream like a little girl.

He didn't know how many seconds, minutes, hours passed before he could slow his heart rate but when he did, he still couldn't really feel his fingers or his legs. However, he was very aware of the fact that the person holding him captive was pressing his back to their chest, one hand covering his mouth and the other secured around both his arms and waist.

Yup. This was it. His adventures were over. He was going to go missing – kidnapped by some weirdo hiding in the trees – and his friends and family would never find him again.

Screw that! He wasn't going to go out without at least fighting! Ash suddenly started to struggle, twisting and turning in an attempt to get out of the now iron grasp he was held in. The person didn't seem all that surprised but growled lowly nonetheless, "Stop squirming. The Beedrill are still hunting and have attracted a lot more aggressive Pokémon." They didn't relinquish their hold on him.

That gave the new Sinnoh Champion pause; either from the hot breath on his neck or his kidnapper's – yes, the person was deemed a kidnapper until proven otherwise – words.

Deciding that the strange person wasn't an immediate threat, Ash took to downtime to actually let his muscles relax and recoup after all the running he'd down not minutes earlier. He wasn't happy to find his hands trembling and knees shaking from the adrenaline rush.

Ash was suddenly very acutely aware of every movement his captor was making, how their heartbeat seemed to increase almost drastically when he either breathed or squirmed, how their breath ghosted over the nape of his neck. He wasn't as creeped out as he thought he would be, but it was still creepy.

Finally, after what seemed like forever with a few Beedrill and other Pokémon scouting the area, Ash's captor deemed it safe enough to let go of the raven-haired teen.

Almost immediately, Ash jumped out of the person's hold, turning and opening his mouth to demand answers until he saw whom it was.

Spiky brunette, almost red, hair. Mischievous yet wise emerald eyes. Perpetually knowing and amused smirk. Altogether intelligent and self-confident bordering on arrogant demeanor.

"Gary?"

Said scientist smirked in that 'I know you know my name, don't wear it out' kind of way that still kind of irked Ash. "In the flesh. Still getting into trouble there, huh Ashy-boy?" he taunted, his eyes glittering in amusement as he stepped out of the shadows.

Ash didn't blow up like either of them expected and instead frowned a bit, feeling unsure when he heard the hidden but still present maliciousness in the other teen's words.

"Don't call me that." was all he said.

He didn't know where he stood anymore with Gary: his childhood friend, then rival (read: bully), then friend again, then…mutually respectful acquaintances? They'd drifted too far apart to really be called anything but distant friends anymore.

And, for some reason, it didn't feel right hearing Gary call him that horrid nickname, not with the simmering anger and frustration and spite hidden beneath the others' casual demeanor. There was no teasing smile, no friendly banter, no joking tone; it was just…demeaning.

Gary's smirk fell, obviously displeased with the lack of response from his once usually lively prey but wasn't discouraged in the least. "Why not? I've called you Ashy-boy for years, why stop now?" Curiosity laced his words but to Ash, it sounded like a demand for answers.

Ash crossed his arms, a defensive position he'd never used against Gary – it was always, always offensive, always forward – and kept the frown on his face. He'd grown up over the years and learned to tame his temper somewhat.

But Gary wouldn't know that because they weren't really anything more than associates, not best friends anymore – not even rivals.

"I've never liked that nickname. Not when we were kids and not now."

Gary shrugged carelessly, but he seemed to notice the air was less than happy. It felt more like an awkward and hostile meeting between two people in a bad relationship than a nice reunion between friends. Then again, he was anything but happy.

"Still getting into trouble though. Too bad some things don't change, huh, Mr. Sinnoh Champ?" He felt satisfaction bubble in his chest when the raven-haired teen's eyes narrowed but it was bittersweet.

"Sometimes, but some things are better off when they haven't changed, especially for the worse." Ash bit back, clearly referring to Gary's strange and off-balancing attitude. He wasn't sure if his old friend, rival, whatever caught the reference.

Gary's smirk only widened, "Oh really? Like what? From what I see, the only things that have changed are your friends and your popularity."

This conversation was making him dizzy and he didn't really know what they were talking about anymore. Only after Ash detected the strange tone of voice – was that jealousy he heard? – did he realize that Gary had actually taken a few steps forward and was much closer than he remembered a few moments ago. He could almost see the flecks of gold in the other's emerald eyes and remembered a long time ago – when they were happier and younger and close – noticing it before but not really noticing.

"What are you doing here, Gary?" he asked, feeling more tired than he had in a long time.

The brunette didn't seem surprised at the question but wasn't exactly expecting it to pop up, "Looking for the missing Pokémon. Like you were doing until you made some Beedrill angry. Again." He cracked a small, real smile and Ash couldn't help but smile back.

"Heh. Yeah, my luck hasn't really changed either." They both chuckled at that and the air suddenly seemed lighter from the nostalgia but there was still that feeling of unease and…anticipation lingering.

Ash was suddenly extremely aware of the fact that his back was pressed against the rough bark of another tree with the brunette very much in his personal space bubble, staring up with surprise into Gary's predatory eyes. "That's not the only thing that hasn't changed."

Then everything blurred and all Ash could feel was heat – from his flushing face, Gary's body pressed against his, the blood rushing through his body, Gary's hand on his cheek and on other places that they normally shouldn't be.

For a moment, he wondered why his lungs ached and he remembered it was because Gary was kissing him, long and hard and had his tongue in his mouth, doing wicked things that left him feeling weak in the knees – as girly as that sounded.

Ash was trying desperately to ground himself, remind himself that this was Gary of all people but it only made his head feel that much lighter. His only saving grace was the grip he had on Gary's shirt but even that wasn't enough to quell the sudden burning desire and pleasure he felt light his body.

His only consolation was that Gary was feeling the effects of their kiss as well but it only spurred the scientist on. There was a groan and a moan and a gasp but Ash wasn't sure which one of them was making the noises that made this all the more embarrassing as well as arousing.

His breath hitched when Gary's lips left his and moved downward, brushing against his cheek then his jaw until they latched onto his neck and- oh.

Ash's grip on the slightly taller teens' shoulders tightened, unsettled that he had to use the tree for support but uncaring as Gary continued to kiss and bite and press closer. Somewhere between the kiss – or kisses? – and the hickeys, the brunette had thoroughly trapped Ash against another tree, a knee between the others legs and pressing his body flush against him. And- oh God, there was friction and more heat and more pleasure.

It should've bothered him, it really should. He didn't like being trapped, forced into a corner with no way out. He didn't like being limited, restricted, because it was just another way to say he couldn't do something and he was kind of a rebel since he fought his bonds, fought back cause that meant he said he could.

This was no different even though he wasn't necessarily trapped but he couldn't just sit – or stand, pressed into a tree by another body, by Gary, being kissed senseless – idly. He was a man of action and many could attest to that.

So, he fought back in this battle he had no real experience in, even with the fire heating up his body and the blood leaving his brain. When Gary's lips met his with fervor again, and his tongue – God, his tongue – was sliding against his, he kissed back and was met with resistance and another battle ensued, one that was so different than the verbal assaults and the Pokémon fights and the pride wars.

At some point, his hand was in Gary's surprisingly soft hair and he wasn't sure if he was trying to pull the brunette away or crush him closer – no, definitely closer.

There was another gasp, another moan, a whimper – Ash really hoped that wasn't him – and then they were apart, gasping and breathing and cold. Their faces were flushed and their chests rose and fell with every pant and reality suddenly came back with crushing realization.

He'd just kissed – made out with, received hickeys from, was ravaged against a tree by – Gary. The person he didn't know his relationship with anymore, and suddenly got a lot more complicated. Or clearer, he wasn't sure since his brain had short-circuited a while ago.

Gary wasn't in a much better condition though he looked satisfied if not surprised.

Ash knew his eyes shone with confusion and bewilderment and asked, "What was that?" breathlessly. He was still leaning against the tree, his hands shaking slightly by his sides and this time he couldn't blame an adrenaline rush.

Gary, for once, seemed unsure what to answer. His eyes flashed with satisfaction, need, regret, sorrow, and enough desire to make Ash's face burn again. Distantly, Ash noticed it was darker outside and the wind was colder. The sky had turned into a mix of yellow and bright orange, a sign the sun would soon fall behind the mountains.

The brunette opened his mouth to say something, anything, but another voice cut through the haze, their private and unfinished moment, "Ash? Ash, where are you? It's time to go back, all the Pokémon were recovered! And it's almost time for the fireworks!"

Ash recognized the person as Misty. He turned to where her voice came from but stopped himself from calling out to her as well.

They couldn't leave it like this.

In a weird way it felt like if he answered Misty he would be turning his back to his first real friend – cause back then, they really were real friends – and would be choosing her, and that would be kind of awkward since a distant part of his mind had already decided he didn't want her, he wanted...he turned back to face Gary and actually say something but he couldn't.

Gary was gone.

xxx

Author's Note: There you have it! Two chapters in one! Sorry for any grammar or spelling mistakes, no beta-reader :P Also, if the second half of the chapter seems rambly, its supposed to cause these are kind of how my thoughts run together and since this is mainly Ash's point of view I figured, why not? lol Sorry if they seem a little awkward right now, they're still trying to find out what exactly they mean to each other – and there may be some…LOVE TRIANGLES! Mwuahahahaha!

I hope it was a lot better, I'm planning on drawing their relationship out this time as well as having an actual plot lol How was it? Continue like this or just keep the old story up? I know this is a lot more detailed and I hope you all enjoyed – thanks for reading! :D

Constructive criticism is appreciated, ideas are welcomed, flamers are haters ;D