Disclaimer: Pokémon is the property of Game Freak, Satoshi Tajiri, and Nintendo.

This is my very first lemon, so please do try not to be too critical.

This story takes place sometime in the future. By this point in time, Ash and Richie have been a couple for a while and are living together.

Ash's Christmas Present

It was Christmas Eve and Ash Ketchum was lying in bed, unable to sleep. He had drifted off for a little bit when he first got into bed, but the lack of a certain presence somehow prevented him from falling asleep. He looked over at the empty spot beside him and sighed. "What's keeping him?" he whispered to himself as he turned around and looked at his alarm clock. It was past eleven forty-five; Richie should have come to bed by then. Ash shifted over and rested his head on his boyfriend's pillow. He pressed his face against it as he inhaled deeply, Richie's scent deeply infused with the soft object.

He thought back to all those years ago when he first met him. Things could have turned out so different had Professor Oak not held the elevator that fateful day. Ash, Misty, Brock, Professor Oak, Pikachu, and Togepi had just finished the most amazing lunch his mother, Delia Ketchum, had ever cooked. As they were about to go down the elevator, a boy in a green jumpsuit called to them. No sooner had he joined them, he and Pikachu bonded instantaneously. At that moment, something inside Ash clicked. He had no idea what it was at the time. His thoughts were quickly cut off when the power to the elevator failed. Thankfully, the boy had a brilliant idea that restored the power. Ash was happy he was able to learn his name before they parted ways.

It was only a few hours later when Ash met Richie again. Like all the other League participants, they had been called for a "Poke Ball inspection" which turned out to be another scam by Team Rocket. Ash thought he could cut off their escape route by running down the mountain. He remembered how angry he felt when Richie stopped him. But thinking about it now, he was glad he had done so. He felt a little bad about hitting him when all he was doing was looking out for him.

Ash turned over in bed as he continued to reminisce about the past. His thoughts drifted to that first night they had spent together. It was getting dark and Richie had suggested they camp out for the night. He remembered how he couldn't stop worrying about Pikachu, but then Richie was able to comfort him. They ate their dinner in silence, but Ash couldn't stop thinking about the other boy. He kept glancing over at him and turned away whenever Richie looked in his direction. They remained pretty silent for the remainder of the evening until they began stargazing. It was right then that Ash had felt a spark inside him. There was just something about Richie he was drawn to.

The following morning the two of them resumed their mission and succeeded in saving the Pokémon from Team Rocket. They didn't know it then, but right in the heat of battle something most definitely clicked. Ash and Richie were completely in sync with each other. The two acted as a unit and together they had successfully rescued the Pokémon. Ash remembered then that was also when he and Richie first touched excluding that moment when the latter had tackled him to save him from falling off a cliff. The moment their hands touched, he had felt a surge of electricity run through him. Not the sort of electricity from Pikachu he had become come to know, though. This one didn't feel painful at all. In fact, it felt nice and his mind continued to drift toward that nice feeling for the rest of the day.

Which was why he felt completely devastated when he found out his next opponent was going to be Richie. He just stared at the other boy in shock and awe. And he knew somehow that Richie felt the same way. The rest of the evening had been spent moping over it. But after getting a chance to talk to Richie, Ash started to feel better about it and even looked forward to his match. However, as luck would have it, Team Rocket kidnapped him right before his match. He thought for sure that he would have lost by forfeit. But as it turned out, Richie had waited for him. The look of happiness he saw on his face really dug into his heart.

Their match went off without a hitch. In the first round he had sent out Squirtle against Richie's Butterfree Happy. The two Pokémon were evenly matched in strength. However, the latter was able to claim victory after putting the former to sleep with a spray of Sleep Powder. Happy's victory would be short-lived, however, as Pikachu took the stage. With his advantage over Flying Pokémon, the electric mouse was able to make short work of Happy. But it didn't stop there. Richie then brought out his powerhouse: his Charmander, Zippo. Zippo's Flamethrower proved to be a deadly weapon that Pikachu found himself continually trying to avoid. Doing so, however, greatly depleted what little stamina he already had left after that entire Team Rocket fiasco and he was forced to withdraw. Ash's next move was a risky one. He knew there was a good chance it wouldn't work, but he was left with no other choice and so sent out Charizard. It was a short match as the final evolution made quick work of its lower form. But victory for Ash was not to come when Charizard decided to nap when Richie sent out Sparky.

Ash's heart sank that night. He entered the Indigo League to win and his own Pokémon's pride had done him in. He dejectedly recalled Charizard and Richie walked across the field to him. Ash fought back the tears and forced a smile on his face. He wished Richie the best and they shook hands. Somehow, Ash felt a little better after feeling the other boy's touch.

The next day Ash put his entire heart into cheering for Richie. They met in the locker room prior to the match where he wished him luck. The battle was intense as Richie and his opponent seemed to match each other perfectly. In the end, it was ultimately Ivysaur who won. Sparky was not injured, but he was worn out. As Ash watched Richie walk off the field, he felt disappointed. Sure he lost his own match, but he had hoped Richie would have made it farther in the finals.

He met up with him a couple of hours later on the lake. Pikachu and Sparky had been left to play while the two of them sat by the water's edge. Ash learned much that afternoon and a lot of it was about himself. He knew then that he still had much more to do. And yet, somehow, something told him that Richie would always be there to help him. He couldn't help but glance over at him every so often. The lake was beautiful, but it seemed so dull compared to the boy that sat beside him. Ash tried to shake the thoughts out of his head. Why was he having thoughts like this? And about another boy? Ash had never really given it much thought before. But in the year he had spent travelling all over Kanto battling trainers and collecting Gym Badges had given him a chance to grow up and now here, at the Pokémon League at the top of Indigo Plateau, he felt he had also learned something about himself.

Their thoughts were broken by the simultaneous cries of their two Pikachu. They ran over and instantly fell into a pit, the signature trap of none other than Team Rocket. The troublesome trio was making yet another attempt to kidnap Pikachu, but Ash and Richie were able to work together and save their Pokémon.

At the closing ceremonies that night, Ash and Richie stood together amongst the trainers who had not yet left the premise. They each went up on the stage to receive their commemorative participating badges for making the Top Sixteen. Following that, they stood with their heads held high as the Flame of Moltres was extinguished in its cauldron and the sky suddenly came to life with fireworks. Meanwhile, nobody was aware that Team Rocket was making one final attempt to steal all the Pokémon by digging under the stadium. However, their underground excavation only landed them in a pile of explosives which sent them rocketing into the sky with the rest of the fireworks.

As they stood there celebrating in victory, Ash felt something touching his fingers. He looked down and saw Richie grabbing his hand. As if on instinct, he reached out in response and grabbed hold. The boys interlaced their fingers and stood, hand-in-hand, watching the fireworks. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest and he turned and looked over at Richie. Their eyes met in the low light of the flashes of the fireworks. Richie made a quick look around. Nobody was watching; their eyes were all fixed toward the sky. Very quickly, the boy with the auburn hair leaned closer and placed a light kiss on the other boy's cheek.

Ash felt his face grow warm. He had just been kissed by another boy! As Richie pulled away, he smiled. Ash, on the other hand, didn't seem so confident. His earlier thoughts came back to him in that moment, racing through his head. Richie had kissed him. Richie, another boy. And yet, it didn't bother him one bit. In fact, Ash rather liked it. His thoughts had changed. They were no longer questions. Rather, they had become affirmations. He wasn't one hundred percent sure yet, but Ash knew this much: he and Richie shared a very special bond.

The following morning, the two of them had gotten early for one last walk around the league village together. The stores had all been closed down. The restaurants were being cleared of all leftover food. The Pokémon Centers and police station, once abuzz with activity with Officer Jennies and Nurse Joys, were now completely quiet. The Water Field and Ice Field had been drained and covered up. The Grass Field sat empty, ready for another year of growth to build up. The wind swept past the empty Rock Field. The stadium was void of any and all life. Ash and Richie climbed the steps and sat down among the seats staring at the center of the massive complex. Just a few short days ago, the two of them had entered this building for the first time.

Ash was almost sad to have to leave. He had had an amazing time competing in the League competition. He battled some very strong opponents. He had surprised everybody in his first match on the Water Field. His opponent, the Astounding Mandi, a magician, was a crowd favorite and was considered a shoo-in for a first round victory. But the tables were turned around drastically when Ash defeated all three of his Pokémon using only Krabby, who evolved into Kingler after defeating the man's Exeggcutor. In his second match on the Rock Field, Ash and his opponent had whittled each other down to their last Pokémon each. But thanks to Squirtle he was able to defeat his Nidorino. His third match on the Ice Field turned into a real shocker as well when his opponent, Pete Pebbleman, unleashed the fiery wrath of his Arcanine to melt the entire field which only served to accomplish his defeat from the power of Pikachu's Thunderbolt. Then there was Jeanette Fisher, another crowd favorite, whom he battled on the Grass Field. It seemed like it would be a sure victory after one-shotting her Beedrill and Scyther with Bulbasaur, but her Bellsprout proved to be an incredible challenge. But thanks to Muk, Ash was just able to claim his fourth victory.

Ash's thoughts were broken when Richie spoke. Pikachu and Sparky ran in soon afterwards. That was when Ash truly felt sad. The battles, the excitement, the thrill; missing all that could not compare to how he felt as he said goodbye to Richie. He was going miss him greatly and he knew that Richie felt the same way. It was almost painful when he saw him walk off and disappear around the corner.

For several months following the Indigo League championship tournament, Ash felt like a part of him was missing. Throughout his adventures in the Orange Islands and Johto, he felt a little empty inside. He focused on his journeys, but it failed to do much to fill that void. However, things looked up when he, Misty, and Brock travelled the Whirl Islands and came across a familiar Pikachu with a scruff of fur on its head. Ash's eyes widened and his heart beat faster when he heard that oh so familiar voice calling for it and his lips broke out into a genuine smile when he saw the boy he had met at the Pokémon League once again. Richie.

For the next couple of hours, the four of them sat around catching up. Ash was really happy to see Richie again and he could tell that Richie felt the same way. Their reunion continued on as they explored the island in search of the Lugia that was rumored to live in the area. It did not take them long to find the boy Oliver and the baby Lugia, Silver, he had befriended. It wasn't long before Silver's mother came for him, enraged by the fact that he was in the company of strangers. However, it did not take long for them to convince her that they meant no harm and so she left them be.

It was then that Ash, in his excitement at seeing Lugia, suggested they all go scuba diving. The owner of the boat, Luka, gave them all their wetsuits and provided them with rooms inside her boat to change. Misty was allowed the bathroom while Brock used one of the cabins. Due to lack of space, Ash and Richie had to share a cabin. As they changed, Ash couldn't take his eyes off Richie. From the moment he began to undress, he couldn't help but stare. Richie's well-toned chest and abs showed as he unzipped his jumpsuit. Ash could feel his face going red as he stood there dumbfounded with his T-shirt off his chest but his arms still in his sleeves. Richie noticed this and stopped midway, asking Ash if he was okay. Ash was snapped out of his daze and affirmed that everything was alright. Richie just shrugged and then let his jumpsuit fall to the floor. Once again, Ash found himself staring. Richie, who was now wearing only a pair of light blue boxers, searched his bag for his swimming trunks and pulled them out. He knew deep down what was about to happen and that would include what he was about to see. He could feel the blood continuing to rush to his face, but that wasn't the only place he could feel it rushing to. Ash could feel his jeans tightening with every passing second. His breath quickened and his mouth grew dry as Richie reached for his waistband and pulled down his boxers.

There Richie stood, in his full naked glory, before Ash, who couldn't take his eyes off him. Richie's body was absolutely beautiful. It was obvious he had been doing some extra work during his travels because his muscles were quite well defined in his chest and stomach area. His skin looked so soft and smooth. As Ash's eyes travelled down Richie's body, his pace started to slow down and came to a stop between his legs.

"Ash? Ash?" Ash snapped out of his daze and looked to find Richie looking at him. "You okay?"

"Umm, yeah. I'm okay." Ash was frightened. Did Richie catch him staring? He couldn't imagine what would happen if he had been caught. However, it seemed Richie hadn't noticed because he just pulled his swim trunks on, tied the drawstring, and then slipped into his wetsuit and went out on deck. Ash was alone now. He relaxed a little and finally unbuckled his belt. His jeans fell to the floor and he stepped out of them. There was a clear visible tent in his underwear now. He pulled them off and found his penis rock hard. He tried to put Richie out of his mind as he grabbed his swimming trunks from his backpack, but his erection just refused to go down. He growled to himself. This was a disaster. If Richie saw him the way he was now...

Ash tried to calm himself with a few deep breaths. He looked at the time and then at his erection. He hoped the others wouldn't get suspicious. He put his trunks down on the bed in the cabin and slowly wrapped his fingers around his shaft. This hadn't been the first time Ash had masturbated, but it was the first time he was doing it while thinking about someone. His hand moved up and down his length as he worked himself onto the bed and sat down. He had to make this one a quickie. If he took too long, the other would begin to wonder what was up and investigate. The last thing he needed was for Richie to walk in on him masturbating.

Ash worked his shaft as fast and as hard as he could, keeping his mind on Richie's naked body. Within a few minutes, he finally felt it. Ecstacy filled his entire body as he orgasmed. He fell backward onto the bed panting. Even though his erection was still at full mast, he could feel it slowly softening. He spent the next thirty seconds catching his breath before sitting back up. His penis was finally back down to a managable size and he grabbed his swim trunks. Ash was glad he hadn't hit puberty yet, so there was no mess to clean up. He quickly pulled his shorts up and secured the drawstring before slipping on his wetsuit and going up onto the deck. He ran into Misty on hie way up, she appearing to have just gotten suited up herself.

Upon arriving on deck, Luka had already set out scuba gear for everybody. She helped everyone strap on their tanks and double checked the gauges. Ash found himself sitting next to Richie as they put on their flippers. When they were all ready to go, everybody pulled down their masks and put their breathers into their mouths. Ash looked over beside him while holding Pikachu and Richie gave him the okay hand sign while using his other hand to hold onto Sparky. Ash nodded back and the two of them rolled over backwards and landed in the water simultaneously.

Once in the water, Ash let his weight belt carry him down and then released Pikachu to allow him to swim freely about. He looked around for the others and saw Richie right next to him with Sparky flying just next to his head. Misty, Brock, and Oliver joined up with them and they swam down. There they witnessed Lugia as she fed Silver. The mother and son combo was just absolutely beautiful.

However, disaster was just around the corner. Shortly after everyone returned to the boat, Dr. Namba of Team Rocket deployed a Lugia decoy and successfully captured Silver. This greatly upset his mother and she went out on a rampage. It took everything to calm her down and allow them to help her find her missing child. After a fruitless search on land for the Team Rocket hideout, it was decided that they should search underwater. So it was back into the wetsuits for everyone. Even though Ash found himself changing with Richie once again, he did not find himself staring at him this time. However, since they were in an emergency situation it did make sense that he wouldn't be able to take the time to absorb the other body's beauty.

Underwater, the search proved near-pointless until they saw the all-too-familiar Magikarp submarine. They followed it and it led them straight to the hideout that they were seeking, but as soon as they arrived the massive mechanical building started to surface. Richie, Ash, and the others watched from the sea as Team Rocket deployed Silver, locked in a cage, as bait to lure in his mother. The group tried to stop her, but were intercepted by Butch and Cassidy. Ash and Richie put up a fight, but their Pokémon were quickly overpowered by the Rocket pair's Hitmontop and Houndour. It wasn't long before the mother Lugia was caught and the team was captured.

Ash remembered he was the first one to come to only to find him and the others locked inside a cage within the Team Rocket base. When the others finally woke, he tried to explain things to them as best as he could. During that time, they were entertained by Dr. Namba who explained to them the basis behind his newest invention, the rage amplifier. Horrified, Ash and Richie watched as the mad scientist attempted to use Pikachu and Sparky as part of his demonstation.

The pair of Pikachu were saved from a horrible fate when Oliver suddenly burst in and opened the cage. In a surprising display of physical strength, Ash broke off one of the mechanical arms that was about to implant a rage amplifier on his Pikachu and used it to smash the controls, thus freeing the two electric mice. Cassidy and Butch were called in to contain them, but together Ash and Richie worked in perfect unison and used their Pokémon's Thunderbolt to destroy the rage amplifiers on the heads of Houndour and Hitmontop. Once they were done with, they ran off to find Silver.

Little did they know that Jessie and James managed to free the mother Pokémon in their own battle against Cassidy and Butch. In the meantime, hordes of Rocket Grunts came running which were swiftly dealt with by Ash's Totodile and Richie's Pupitar, Cruise. They soon found the room in which Silver was kept captive only to meet Dr. Namba once again armed with an Electabuzz equipped with a rage amplifier of its own. A grueling battle ensued with neither side giving in, but it wasn't long before Electabuzz overpowered the two smaller Electric Pokémon. However, in yet another display of perfectly synchronized teamwork, Ash and Richie succeeded in destroying the control box Dr. Namba was using to control the rage amplifier and Sparky and Pikachu dealt the finishing blow with a powerful double Thunder.

With Silver now safe, the group carried him out to look for his mother only to find her destroying the base. It took some time but finally they succeeded and they escaped with the mother Lugia protecting them from the falling debris.

With Team Rocket defeated and the family reunited once more, Lugia and Silver bid the humans farewell and swam off. The next morning, the team decided to head out too. Ash wanted Richie to come along, but was greatly disappointed when the other boy declined, saying that he was going to stay on the Whirl Islands for a while longer. Ash felt his heart sink, but then managed to say that they'd see each other again. His disappointment did not go unnoticed. Moments before their departure, Richie took Ash aside and gave him a slip of paper.

"What's this?" the boy in the red cap inquired as he looked at it.

"My E-mail and number," answered Richie. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a PokeNav. It was obvious that he had upgraded his gear prior to coming to Johto. Ash couldn't help but smile. He was suddenly taken by surprise when Richie put his arms around him and pulled him into a warm hug. Ash was dumbfounded, but then found himself bringing his arms around the other boy. When they pulled away and looked into each other's eyes, Ash found himself doing something he never thought he'd do. He reached over and kissed Richie on the cheek.

That was the last time they saw each other for a long time. Ash stayed in touch with Richie through the remainder of his journey through Johto. Every night when they stopped at a Pokémon Center, he would use one of the public computer terminals to check his email. Whenever he saw a new letter from Richie, his face lit up and he would take his time reading through out, taking in every word as it Richie himself was speaking to him and then following it with a reply that seemed equally long.

Ash's journey through Johto soon ended and he was back at home. It wasn't long before he would find himself preparing for another journey, this time for the distant land of Hoenn. But then he thought about Richie. Hoenn was an ocean away. This would be the first time he would be so far away from the other boy. Ash made a decision then and there. Before leaving on his journey, he did something he promised himself he'd never do.

The next morning before leaving for the seaport, Ash left his house with a box under his arm and made his way to the post office in Viridian City. A few days later, a package arrived at Richie's doorstep. When he opened it, he couldn't believe his eyes. Inside the box was Ash's beloved and precious official Pokémon League cap. Accompanying it was a letter in Ash's handwriting. Richie took out and read it. In it, Ash explained that he was on his way to Hoenn to embark on a new journey, but he did not want to feel like he was leaving Richie behind while he was off in a faraway land. So he decided to give him something before he left. His most prized possession. As Richie neared the end of the letter, he noticed a postscript at the end.

P.S.: I'm coming back for my hat, Richie. ;)

Richie could feel tears welling up in his eyes. He was sad that Ash was leaving for another country so far away. But at the same time, he couldn't help but smile. He took the hat out of the box and held it close to his face. He could smell Ash's hair on its fabric and he knew, somehow, that Ash would be back.

After all, he had promised he'd return for his hat.

Time passed. Richie went on his own journeys while Ash went on his. The two of them continued to stay in touch through e-mails and occasionally phone calls. Whenever they talked on the phone, Ash would spend hours occupying the courtesy phone, much to the annoyance of other Trainers who wished to use it. One time he ended up staying up all night, which rather annoyed Iris when she had to use the bathroom and then couldn't go back to sleep afterwards because she could still hear Ash's voice talking down the hall. She just muttered her usual "He's such a child", but then smiled inward to herself. No child could have had the same feelings Ash had for Richie.

Many many journeys later, Ash returned to Pallet Town once again. Knowing the way he was, he was most likely going to go on another journey again. Upon entering his house, however, he found a most shocking surprise there. His mother wa there, of course, as was Mr. Mime, but there were others there too. Misty, Brock, Dawn, May, Max, Iris, Cilan, and the many other friends he had made along his travels had all come across the globe to his tiny little house in Pallet Town. A fantastic feast had been cooked up by Brock, Cilan, and Ash's mother and there were gifts piled in a corner. At first Ash thought they were going a little too far for a welcome home party, but then he saw the banner above the doorway into the dining room. In big colorful letters, it said three words.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ASH

He checked the calendar. It was indeed the twenty-second of May. Ash had forgotten about his own birthday! And yet here was everyone ready to celebrate his very special day. And then he saw him. Richie was there too. He was standing with all the others smiling warmly. Ash could feel the warm fuzziness in his heart and he smiled too. As the party went on, the two boys found themselves retreating to Ash's room. Ash climbed the ladder up to his lofted bed and Richie followed. They sat with their legs hanging off the side and spent almost the entire night talking. After what had seemed like eternity when it had only been a few hours, Richie took something out. It was a box wrapped in paper and topped with a bow. Ash opened it slowly and gasped. It was his hat! The same hat he had mailed to Richie to long ago. He looked over at the other boy, who only smiled and said, "You said you'd come back for it."

Ash was speechless. As Richie shifted himself closer, he placed his hand on Ash's and looked deeply into his eyes. Ash leaned his head on the other boy's shoulder and they sat there, happily in each other's company. For several minutes, they didn't talk. Then Ash felt Richie lift his head, he raised his own and found himself looking straight into the other boy's eyes. They stared into each other for a while. Then Richie did something Ash did not see coming. He closed the gap between them and gently pressed his lips against his. Ash felt his body tense up, but then he relaxed. His eyes closed and he started to kiss back. It was then and there that Ash finally came to two realizations about himself: he was gay and he was in love with Richie.

They soon pulled away, but the heat of their kiss lingered between them. Ash could still taste the other boy on his lips as he looked at him, he heard Richie say five words that made him melt, "I love you, Ash Ketchum..."

Ash's eyes began to well up with tears of joy and he finally managed to say back, "I love you too, Richie Williams..." And they kissed again. When they finally broke off again, Ash laid back on his bed while Richie laid down beside him. He put his arm over him and pulled him closer. Ash loved feeling of being so close to his best friend.

No, not his best friend. They were past that point now. Richie was his boyfriend. And Ash knew, from then on, that things would get better.

Ash's next journey started him and Richie off together. As soon as they were out of sight of Pallet Town, the auburn-haired boy offered out his hand and Ash took it without hesitation. It was time for a brand new journey with a brand new set of clothes and a brand new set of companions. But somehow, Ash knew that he wouldn't be making this journey with just a new set of friends. He would be making this journey with his newfound lover.

The new journey took them through the uncharted regions of Kaneta. Ash himself sported a pair of black and white runners with black pants that could be unzipped into a pair of shorts, a blue short-sleeved shirt with a hood with white sleeves, a pair of fingerless red gloves, and his original red cap. Richie himself had also come out wearing something new with brand new blue runners with yellow lightning bolts on the sides, a pair of comfortable blue jeans, a viridian sweater vest over a white short-sleeved shirt, a pair of navy-blue wristbands, his hat he had worn when he first met Ash and, for some reason, a yellow tie. He was also sporting a brand new messenger bag while Ash carried his belongings in yet another green backpack. Upon their arrival, they went straight to Sodium Town where they met the local Pokémon Professor, Professor Maple. There he allowed the boys a choice of their starters for the region. Ash found himself drawn to the tiny little Fire Pokémon, Firex, who resembled an adorable baby Tyrannosaurus Rex. Richie chose the Water type Spinaq, which looked like a baby Spinosaurus, whom he nicknamed Spiney. The last one, Stegrass was chosen by a girl named Miranda with whom Ash struck up a friendly rivalry.

As the pair of boys began their journey through the new unexplored world, they met an aspiring female Coordinator around their age named Jaycee in the next town over. She insisted on accompanying them, but Ash and Richie were unsure. A couple made up of a girl and a boy would have been normal to the regular bystander, but they were two boys. They were nervous. What if she didn't approve of gays? As it turned out, Jaycee absolutely adored them, much to their relief and together they continued onward.

Their first stop was in Magnesium City where they encountered their first Gym. The Gym Leader, Ethan, battled Ash and Richie one after the other and was beaten by them both, thus earning them each a Fossil Badge for completing his challenge in his Ground-type Gym. No sooner had they left, Ethan asked to join with them. Once again, Ash and Richie found themselves in the same situation they had been in when they first met Jaycee, but were much relieved to find out that Ethan was fine with their relationship too. From there, things got much easier. Richie and Ash caught many new Pokémon and travelled through Kaneta together with their new friends. Every night they stopped to camp out, the boys would zip their sleeping bags together and fall asleep in each other's arms.

Upon arriving in the next city, Sulfur City, Jaycee insisted that Richie and Ash go out on their first official date. At first Ash argued saying that they spent all their time together anyway, but then changed his mind when Richie pointed out that while it was true they were always together, it wouldn't be often they could have that much one-on-one time together. And so that night, before their Gym matches, Richie took Ash out to dinner. Following that, they went out to see a movie that Ash had been dying to see. They returned to the Pokémon Center happy and fell asleep instantly, Ash snugly wrapped in Richie's arms.

The following day, Richie was the first one to battle the local Gym Leader, Flora, and her Grass Pokémon. In order to accommodate them both, she challenged him fist a three-on-three match using half her team and then battled Ash using the three remaining Pokémon she possessed. In the end, she awarded them both with a Root Badge.

Their travels continued onto the third city, Argon City, with a quick stop in Copper Town along the way, where they battled the next Gym Leader, Jeanna, and her Bug Pokémon. Ironically, she, like Misty, had a fear of Bug Pokémon, but she overcame this by having her team filled with butterfly and moth themed Pokémon. It was not long before Ash and Richie finished their matches and earned their respective Coccoon Badges. After that, the boys went for a walk in the city's beautiful botanical gardens for which it was famous for.

The fourth Gym was located in a bustling city called Florine City, where they meet the teen pop sensation Dustin Skylar. To their great surprise, he was the Gym Leader of this town, using his own little team of Flying Pokémon. Once again, the two boys found themselves each in a three-on-three match, but it was Ash who found himself against Dustin's favorite Pokémon, his own pet Chatot Sammy. Defeating the teenage singer earned each of them the Gust Badge. By this time, Ash's Firex evolved into Burnrex while Spiney evolved into Spyndro. The evolution of their Pokémon caused the boys to smile. What was more, Dustin gave them four tickets to his concert that evening, which gave Richie and Ash an opportunity for another date.

Mercury City was their next stop and home of the fifth Pokémon Gym. Mizuki was the Gym Leader there and his team of Water Pokémon proved most formidable. Apparently she had heard of Ash and was very excited to find out that he was dating Richie. Two matches later, she happily awarded them her Tsunami Badge.

The sixth Gym in Titanium City played well to Ash's and Richie's strengths as it was run by twin Gym Leaders, Ren and Ling. Their special double battle combination with their Electric Pokémon proved to be an even match against Pikachu and Sparky. However, even perfect synchronization proved to have its flaws. After losing their first match, Richie and Ash returned and overcame the twins in their rematch, earning them their Voltage Badges.

However, that wasn't all. Titanium City was where Richie and Ash had spent their first Christmas together. Jaycee and Ethan had gone out to do some shopping, leaving the two of them alone. Richie walked the streets with Ash hand-in-hand looking at all the colorful lights, the brilliant decorations, and the wonderful Christmas displays. As they stood before the big tree in the middle of the downtown square, Richie reached into his pocket and produced a wrapped box. When Ash opened it, he gasped. Inside was a handmade bracelet. He looked at Richie who was smiling at him. Ash then took out his gift and watched with anticipation as his boyfriend opened it. What he saw inside caused his smile to fade, replaced with what could only be described as tears of joy. Inside was a glass figure of him and Ash holding Sparky and Pikachu in their arms as they stood close to one another enjoying each other's company. Richie wrapped the gift up carefully and placed it back in the box before bringing Ash close and kissing him passionately. Ash held nothing back as he kissed back.

Chlorine City, home of the seventh Gym, was also the base of operations for Kaneta's local terrorist group, Team Atom. But together, Ash, Richie, Jaycee, Ethan, and Miranda who had shown up, were able to defeat them before proceeding to the Gym where Gym Leader, Noelle battled them elegantly with her team of Ice Pokémon. She was defeated and presented Ash, Richie, and Miranda with their well-earned Blizzard Badges.

Their final stop was in Plutonium City where the final gym was fixed inside the local haunted mansion, which the Gym Leader Wu had created into some kind of fear test using a hallucinogen pumped through the building's vent system. The boys had to return there twice, as Wu insisted in a five-on-five match each time. Richie went first and then Ash on the following day. In the end, the group of friends left Plutonium City with the two boys holding their Fear Badges with pride.

From that point, it was time to head to Gold Mountain, where the Kaneta Pokémon League was placed. But unlike past competitions, it was no ordinary tournament. A very select few were allowed to participate and Richie and Ash were both lucky to have gotten in. Throughout the competition, everybody could see the Kaneta Elite Four watching over them, making notes and choosing who would be worthy of battling them. Blanche, a school teacher and a user of Normal Pokémon. Stone, a mechanical engineer and a user of Steel Pokémon. Ian, an emo boy who used Dark Pokémon. Dominic, a man who used Psychic Pokémon. Sitting on a throne above them at the top of a flight of stairs sat the Kaneta region's champion Byakuran, a Dragon trainer.

Ash and Richie battled hard and made the qualifications to enter the finals and defeat the Elite Four. Ash's Burnrex had, by this point, evolved into its final form Pyrannosaur while Spiney had become a Splinos. Even more impressive was that the latter had caught the region's local pseudo-legendary, much to Ash's jealousy. However, a romantic dinner was more than enough for an apology. Miranda had also qualified to battle the Elite Four, her Stegrass having evolved past its second form as Pikroot and into its final form as Flostaurus.

However, their winning streak came to an end on that final day. Byakuran wasn't the Kaneta champion for no reason. He somehow managed to collect for himself a team of Legendary Dragon Pokémon and easily dominated the battles. Ash had only managed to bring the man's first Pokémon, Rayquaza, down to critical stamina before his final Pokémon gave out. Richie, on the other hand, managed to succeed in defeating the massive green dragon, but found Sparky quickly wiped out by Byakuran's next Pokémon. The two boys felt pretty down afterwards, but the Kaneta champion walked up to them smiling and simply told them to be proud of themselves. Richie and Ash looked up at him and then at each other. They smiled and then walked, hand-in-hand, down the stairs back into the crowd.

That was the last Pokémon journey the two of them had. After their adventures in Kaneta, the boys decided to take a break from training and focus their attention on other things. Mainly, their relationship. They had spent almost two years in Kaneta together and they felt that it was time. Pallet Town was their first stop and Ash was genuinely very frightened. He stood at the stairs visibly nervous. He could hear his mother in the kitchen humming softly as she baked cookies. Richie stood behind him on the next step and put his hand on his shoulder. "You know you don't have to do this if you're not ready," he whispered quietly.

"I'm ready, Richie. I'm just..." Ash took a deep breath. "Well, here it goes." He stepped into the kitchen. "Um, mom?"

"Oh, Ash! Oh, and Richie! Spending the day together again?" Delia looked genuinely happy. Ash, however, was the exact opposite.

"Mom, there's...something I need to tell you." Delia stopped what she was doing and turned to look at her son. Ash took in a deep breath. "Mom... Ummm... This... This isn't... This isn't easy for me to say." He looked over to Richie, who just nodded.

"Mom... The truth is..." Ash could feel himself faltering again. He suddenly felt something brush his hand. He looked down and saw Richie's hand right by his. Ash looked up and saw his boyfriend's smiling face. He smiled back and took his hand before turning once more to his mother. "Mom, the truth is...I'm gay."

There was a moment of silence in the house. Finally Delia spoke. "Ash... You're..." Ash looked down. It was what he had been dreading. But then suddenly he felt his mother's arms around her. He looked up to see her crying, but they weren't tears of sadness.

"M-mom?"

"You're my little boy, Ash. I'll always love you."

Ash relaxed and hugged his mother back. "Thanks mom." Several minutes passed before they broke apart and Delia took a few steps back.

"So Ash... Does that mean that Richie is...?"

Ash smiled and nodded. "Yeah... Richie's my boyfriend." Delia smiled and the boy knew, then and there, that she approved.

"Feel better now?" Richie asked as they left the kitchen still holding hands.

"Way better," Ash answered, "I feel like a huge weight's been lifted off me." They entered the living room and sat down on the couch.

"Say my name," Richie said with a smirk.

"Richie."

"Now say, 'I love you, Richie.'"

Ash giggled. "I love you, Richie."

Richie giggled too and then looked at Ash once again. "Now close your eyes and count to three."

"Why? What are you...?" Ash never finished because at that moment his words were cut off when Richie pressed his lips against his. Ash, taken by surprise, fell back on the couch and pulled Richie down with him. He closed his eyes and felt the kiss deepen as his boyfriend reached up and pulled his red hat off, throwing it to the side. He could feel Richie's fingers running through his hair and he moaned. Before long, the other boy's hat joined the first as the two of them continued making out. In the kitchen, Delia smiled. Her son was happy and that was all she could ask for.

With Ash having finally come out of the closet, it was now Richie's turn. He was not so fortunate, however. His mother looked sympathetic and his older sister, of whom Richie had never mentioned to Ash, seemed shocked. The worst, however, was his father. Richie was almost immediately thrown out of his home. By the end of the day, Ash and Richie left the latter's house with two suitcases, four large cardboard boxes, and a garbage bag. The moment they arrived in Pallet Town, Delia came out and hugged Richie. Ash had phoned ahead to tell her about the situation. They moved his belongings into the guest room and allowed him to settle in.

However, Richie was anything but settled. Ash could hear him from his room and decided to investigate. He found Richie sitting on his bed crying while holding a family photo in his hands. Ash sat down beside him and put his arms around his boyfriend in an attempt to comfort him. Richie looked at him. He knew that coming out was risky and that it could have gone either way. But he also knew that at least he still had Ash.

The boys spent the next few years living under the same roof. At one point, the two of them went off on a camping trip together. Ash and Richie were laying on the ground outside their tent one night staring up at the stars. They had brought their sleeping bags out with them, having planned to spend that particular night under the stars. Just as they had done on their first night together, they connected the stars together to form images. It was a warm night, so the couple had opted to just wear some light clothing. As they cuddled under the moonlight, Richie leaned over and kissed Ash. His boyfriend smiled and returned the kiss. Then they kissed again and again, each kiss lasting longer than the last. Before long the boys were exploring each other's mouths with their tongues, taking in tastes that they had come to know for a long time. Explorations went further. Eventually, Ash gave the affirming nod and Richie went in. The boys made love for the first time that night and it was an experience neither of them would ever forget.

When they were finally old enough, it was decided that it was finally time for them to live under their own roof. There was some discussion regarding whether they should buy a house or rent an apartment. But luckily, Professor Oak offered to help them fund the purchase of a house. A few months later, a moving truck was parked outside the Ketchum household being packed with personal possessions and furniture, both old and new. Even though Richie had his driver's license by this point he still lacked a vehicle and so was forced to borrow Professor Oak's. Brock had come down from Pewter City to help with the move and Tracey was accompanied them from the lab. With the last of their stuff loaded, they headed up the short path to Viridian City.

It did not too long for them to arrive. When they got out of the car, Ash looked up at their new home. It was a basic two-story house with a kitchen, living room, basement, and two bedrooms one of which had an attached bathroom. They proceeded to unload the truck. Ash and Richie worked to move their belongings in together while Brock and Tracey carried in some of the significantly heavier items. Delia helped Ash carry the pots, pans, and dishes into the kitchen while Richie started with bringing in the suitcases upstairs. Dressers, beds, desks, the refrigerator, and the couch were Brock's and Tracey's department. As Ash went back out to grab more boxes, he found one rather hard to lift up. He was about to call for help when he suddenly felt another pair of hands grab the bottom.

"Need a hand, hon?" Richie asked. Ash smiled and the boys lifted together. Working together, the five of them finished moving everything into the house in just three hours. However, it felt like it had taken all day. Ash and Richie exhausted, so Brock and Delia offered to make dinner which the young couple gracefully accepted. The five of them ate together and then Tracey and Delia returned to Pallet Town while Brock headed back to Pewter City, leaving Ash and Richie alone in their new house. The happy couple decided to unpack and organize the house the next day and went to bed early.

That was where they lived now. Ash and Richie had been living in that house together happily for two years now. Pikachu and Sparky had their own little space in the second bedroom, which they shared comfortably. As for their Trainers, everything the boys did they did together. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, dishwashing, movies, games, everything. They shared all the responsibilities and all the pleasures. They were inseparable. During days they spent together, Ash felt safe. Richie treated him right and spared no expense in showing him just how much he loved him.

Except tonight. It was Christmas Eve. Ash wondered what was taking Richie so long. He had decided to go to bed at ten that night so he could get up nice and early in the morning to open presents. He had only managed to drift off briefly before opening his eyes and finding that his boyfriend still had not come to bed. He could understand Richie wanting to stay up a bit longer, but it was taking much too long.

Ash couldn't take it another moment longer. The clock was now reading eleven fifty-eight. Almost midnight. He threw the covers aside and stepped into his slippers. He had to see what was keeping Richie. As he left the bedroom, he grabbed his bathrobe off from the hook behind the door and wrapped it around himself. It was unusual for his boyfriend to come to bed so late; they usually went to bed at around the same time so they could cuddle before they slept, sometimes more. As he walked down the hallway, he noticed a light coming from the living room downstairs. It was not a bright light, just the flicker of flame coming from the fireplace. "Richie?" He walked downstairs and entered the living room. He could see the Christmas tree was lit and there was a fire going in the fireplace. "Richie, do you have any idea what time it..." He stopped right in his tracks. Richie was lying on the rug in front of the fireplace. He looked up at Ash and smiled as he shifted the Santa hat on his head, his only piece of clothing. The rest of his body was wrapped in vibrant green ribbon with a large bow cover his groin.

"Merry Christmas, Ash." Ash was speechless. All he could do was slowly make his way closer to his boyfriend. Richie sat up and took his hand, bringing Ash down to sit on his ankles.

"Richie. What are you...?" Before he could finish, Richie placed a finger over Ash's lips and silenced him.

"Ash, what time is it?" Ash glanced over at the clock on the wall. Both the minute hand and the hour hand were pointing right at twelve. Midnight. That meant...

"I wanted to wait until this very moment to give you something special," Richie continued. As he slowly removed his finger, Ash couldn't keep himself from gazing at his boyfriend's smooth body. The way the light of the fire danced on his soft skin not only made it more erotic, but also more romantic. Richie slowly closed the gap between them and captured Ash's lips in his own. The black-haired man melted in the kiss and his legs went weak. Richie eased him down onto the carpet and climbed on top of him without breaking the kiss. While doing so, he undid the belt of his boyfriend's bathrobe and let it fall to his sides as he slid his hand under Ash's pyjama top. Ash shivered as he felt his boyfriend's cold fingers run along his skin. Richie must have been waiting a while. Even though there was a fire going in the fireplace, the air was still cold further from it.

Richie finally broke the kiss, leaving Ash panting. He got up and then helped him up into a sitting position. "You look great in this light, Ash," he said quietly. Ash blushed at the compliment. But then he felt something touch his head. He reached up to touch it and felt something fuzzy. He looked over at Richie. He had taken off his hat. Ash felt again and realized that his boyfriend had put his Santa hat on his head. Richie reached out and slowly began to unbutton Ash's top. Five buttons. When the last one was done, Ash let his shirt and his bathrobe fall.

Richie kissed his boyfriend again, gripping lightly onto his bare shoulders. They lowered themselves back down onto the carpet. Now they laid on their sides in each other's arms. Something poked the auburn-haired boy's leg and he knew immediately what it was. Releasing one arm from the embrace, he brought his hand down and found what he was looking for. He rubbed his hand against his boyfriend's pants and heard him moan through the kiss. Pulling away once more, Richie started kissing along Ash's jawline before moving down to his neck. He could hear his boyfriend's pleasurable moans as he made his way down slowly. He stopped at his nipples and quickly ran his tongue over one. Ash let out a gasp and Richie continued. He sucked gently. More moans escaped Ash's lips and Richie smiled inwardly to himself. He knew all the ways to pleasure his boyfriend and he was ready to use them all.

He continued downward, trailing kisses along his body. He moved down to Ash's navel and then his hips, eventually reaching the waistband of his pyjama bottom. He looked up to see Ash watching him and he smiled. Without a moment's hesitation, he pulled down his boyfriend's only remaining piece of clothing. He slid them down his legs and then pulled them off. Sitting up, Richie looked down at Ash. His entire body lay out before him, exposed. The way the flickering light of the fire danced on his skin was entrancing. He couldn't have looked anymore beautiful.

Slowly, Richie ran his hands up Ash's smooth legs, rubbing gently in circular motions until he had reached his erection. He played with it in his hands for a moment, eliciting more moans from his boyfriend. He placed kisses along its length beginning at the base and working up. He could see the head poking out slightly and he pulled back to foreskin to expose it completely. He worked his tongue around it, licking every cranny he could reach. Ash's moans intensified.

"R-Richie..." he managed to get out. Richie knew what he wanted. Well, it was Christmas. So instead of teasing him like he normally did, he gave him exactly what he wanted. Richie took Ash's erection and placed his mouth over it. Another gasp escaped the other boy's lips. Very slowly, Richie began to suck, gripping onto the shaft with his lips. At the same time, he ran his tongue along its entire five-inch length, doubling the pleasure. He could hear Ash's moans and knew that he was enjoying it. Everything was perfect. His lips' grip, the pacing, it was all the way Ash liked it. Every twitch, every convulsion, Richie knew it all. And he knew right when to stop. It wasn't long before he could feel Ash beginning to thrust into his mouth and he knew he was ready to cum. That was when he pulled away.

Ash lay on the floor panting. All the pleasure suddenly just vanished and he had every urge to reach down with his hand and finish up. "Why'd you stop?" he asked with a pouty look on his face.

"We're only just getting started," Richie answered. He saw the look on the other boy's face and couldn't help but giggle. It was just too cute for him. But then it was time to switch. Richie sat up with his arms propping him up as Ash lowered himself and removed the bow. Richie's penis was standing at full attention and he knew right then and there that it was time for some payback. He brought himself down lower and began with his testicles. He started off licking his scrotum. Now it was Richie's turn to moan. He laid on his back and put his hands behind his head as he felt Ash give him everything he had. Ash's mouth was like magic. He could do almost anything that would make Richie's knees go weak. He suddenly felt warmth over on of his balls and he knew, right then and there, that his boyfriend had taken it into his mouth. Ash played around with it, moving it around with his tongue, alternating between pulling it tight against the sides of Richie's sack and then giving it some slack. He repeated the actions on his other testicle before proceeding to his erection.

Ash took a moment to admire the beauty of Richie's rock hard cock and then placed his mouth over it. Immediately, Richie could feel waves of ecstasy washing over him. Even though he was good at giving blowjobs, Ash had always been much better at it. After letting him suck on him for a few minutes, Richie shifted himself around. Without pulling out of Ash's mouth, he re-positioned himself on his back and turned until he was right under him with the other boy's dick right over his face. Richie brought it toward him and placed it in his mouth. Ash knew then that the challenge had been issued.

Since the beginning of their more sexually active lives, the young couple had turned every sixty-nine session into a competition. Whoever could make his partner cum first would win. And that was exactly what was happening now. This was often not a fair competition. Ash had the advantage of being able to take all six inches of Richie. But at the same time, Richie had brought Ash nearly to the point of ejaculation earlier so at this point it was anybody's game. Nonetheless, both boys went at it. It wasn't bound to last long. Already, each of them could feel himself reaching his climax. Richie knew he had to step up his game. He could fondle Ash's balls with his hand, but Ash could do the same to him. He had just one other option. Without so much as breaking contact with his boyfriend's throbbing hard-on, Richie brought his hand up and grasped Ash's ass. Immediately, the boy on top knew exactly what he was going to do. He could feel his boyfriend's hand moving closer to his hole and then moaned as he felt a finger go in. Richie slid in and out as he kept sucking and it wasn't long before Ash's body gave a twitch and warm semen filled his mouth. Ash collapsed, but Richie made sure to collect every last drop that came out. A little bit leaked out from his lip, but otherwise he had gotten it all. He finally pulled away, savoring the taste in his mouth before eventually swallowing.

"Looks like all that pineapple juice is working for you," he said slyly.

Ash craned his head up to look at Richie. "You were the one who suggested I start drinking it every day."

"Well it worked. Your cum does taste sweeter."

"Does it really?"

"You wanna try?"

"You know what? I think I will." Ash pushed himself into a sitting position and leaned close to Richie before licking off the bit of cum left on his mouth. "Wow, you're right."

Richie grinned. "You know we're not done yet, right?"

"Oh I know," Ash replied.

"You ready?"

"Yeah... Can you just...you know..."

"Of course, Ash..."

Ash turned over and got down on his elbows and knees. This was his favorite form of foreplay and it was often their immediate lead-up to the main event. His ass was in the air and Richie moved in closer. He parted his cheeks and slowly began licking his hole. Instantly, Ash felt waves of pleasure wash all over him. He could feel Richie's wet tongue going over the sensitive skin. Each lick sent another way of euphoric ecstasy through Ash's body.

After at least five minutes of nonstop rimming, Richie reached for the edge of the rug and picked up a condom he had brought down from the bedroom earlier that day. He tore open the packaging and eased the latex cover over his fully erect shaft. Next he grabbed the bottle of lubricant and squirted a generous amount onto his fingers. Ash shuddered as he felt the cold gel-like liquid touch his skin as Richie began to coat the area just outside his hole. He then felt his hand move away and he knew was was coming next. A single finger entered him and he moaned, his fingers gripping the rub. A second finger then entered. And then a third. They moved around trying to coat as much of Ash's inside as possible with lube.

When he was done, Richie pulled out and squirted more lube onto his fingers, which he then rubbed onto his dick. Once he was lubed up, he put the bottle aside and wiped his hand on a towel. "Ready, Ash?"

Ash got up on his hands and looked behind him. "I'm ready."

Gripping gently onto his boyfriend's hip with one hand, Richie used his other one to line up his cock and slowly pushed in. Ash instantly cried out. He was tight, as he always was upon penetration. But he remembered that Ash had been even tighter back when they made love for the first time. He also knew that every time they had sex, Ash would loosen up as they went on. Richie was now completely buried inside his boyfriend and now it was time. With both hands on the other boy's hips, Richie slowly pulled out until only the head was still inside and then pushed back in again. Ash's anus had a firm but soft grip around his cock, but it glided in and out so smoothly.

Meanwhile, Ash was doing his best to keep himself up. Every thrust Richie made he could feel was aimed at his special spot. And each time he felt him hit it, it made his body go weak. Doggy position hadn't always been his favorite, but it was how they often began. He could feel Richie's crotch hit his ass with each thrust and every time the head of his cock would hit his spot inside.

It wasn't long before Ash couldn't take it anymore and Richie could feel it. He stopped thrusting for a moment and eased him and Ash down. His boyfriend now lay stretched out on the carpet and he lay right on top of him. While this position didn't offer him much opportunity for movement, it gave Richie's boyfriend a chance to relax as well as Richie himself. He continued thrusting in this position. He could hear Ash's moans as he rested his head right beside his. Ash turned to look at his lover and Richie kissed him. Their lips opened and their tongues intertwined as the auburn-haired boy resumed penetrating the other boy. They broke the kiss moments later as Richie could feel himself reaching his climax. He quickly pulled out, much to Ash's disappointment. The black-haired boy sat up and looked lovingly into his boyfriend's eyes.

"Lie on your back," Richie instructed. Ash did was he was told and pulled his legs up to his chest. Richie positioned himself between them, allowing Ash to rest them on his shoulders. He used one hand to reposition his cock and reentered. Once again, Ash let out a moan and the love-making resumed. Now Richie was going at a faster pace. His partner's moans grew louder and he knew that he was bound to cum again. Ash bit his lip as he felt Richie pick up the pace, not noticing the hat slipping off his head. He couldn't hold it any longer and his cries filled the house. Richie's moans joined in and the young gay couple found themselves in total bliss. Ash wanted to reach down and stroke his throbbing cock, but Richie had his hands pinned down. He wanted Ash to experience true ecstasy. His pace quickened and the thrusts became harder. Ash was not a screamer, but even he could not help himself right now.

And then suddenly, the ecstasy overtook him and hot cum shot out of his cock and all over his chest and stomach. At the same time, Richie released his seed into the condom. Both boys collapsed, panting heavily. Richie looked lovingly into Ash's eyes and kissed him once again. He could feel the other boy's lips moving and he knew that Ash was returning the kiss. They pulled apart slowly. The heat of their love-making filled the living room and the heat from their kiss still lingered between them.

Richie slowly pulled out of Ash and grabbed the towel. He wiped up the cum from Ash's body and then proceeded to take off the condom. He held it in his fingers with its milky white contents inside and used his free hand to clean himself off before tying the condom shut an wrapping it inside the towel.

"Richie?"

"Yeah?"

"That...was...amazing," Ash said between pants. Richie smiled and grabbed the couch blanket and some cushions. He tossed the throw over their bodies and placed a cushion under his boyfriend's head.

"This was the best Christmas present ever..." Ash said happily.

"That's not the only present," Richie whispered.

"Hmm?" Ash looked over at his boyfriend. Richie reached for the side and grabbed something. It was a small velvet box. The moment Ash saw it, his heart started beating faster. Still lying next to him, Richie opened it to reveal a shining gold ring inside.

"Ash Ketchum, will you marry me?"

No words could describe the overwhelming emotion Ash felt that moment. He tried to fight back the tears and finally managed to utter the words he wanted.

"Yes... Yes, Richie... I will marry you!"

Richie smiled as he took Ash's hand and slid the ring onto his finger. It was a perfect fit. Ash looked down and admired his new ring; his engagement ring. He felt Richie's presence over him and he looked up again only to have his lips captured by his boyfriend's.

No, not boyfriend. They were past that now. Richie was his fiancé.

They broke away moments later and Ash snuggled his future husband happily. "Merry Christmas, Ash," Richie whispered as he wiped away the tears.

"Merry Christmas, Richie," Ash replied, "This is definitely the best Christmas ever."

"And just one of many more to come."

The newly engaged couple kissed once more and soon fell asleep in each others arms as the fire in the fireplace finally burnt out.

Well, this has been my first attempt at a lemon. Hopefully I did well because this certainly will not be my last.

Merry Christmas!