Author's Note: Damn, it feels so good to actually write some ShiShi action. I wouldn't have had the chance for a while otherwise. Anyways, here we are, and for anyone following my other fic, consider this some form of an apology for my late updates. Inspiration won't come!

Disclaimer: Ash celebrating his birthday and sharing his first kiss with Gary would be my subtle way of telling you guys that I own Pokémon. Since neither event has yet happened, the math pretty much does itself.

Only You

xxx

Gary would never admit it. There was no possible way anyone would ever hear such words pass his lips, but Ash Ketchum was a thing of beauty. There were the obvious traits that proved this, such as his thick, tousled raven hair that refused to lay flat, springing out in all directions at the back, while strands at the front fell against his forehead, the tips brushing the dark lashes that framed his large, sienna eyes, which threw off bits of light whenever he blinked. And then there were the smaller details that one really had too look intently to be able to see, like how his cherry pink lips pushed themselves out in a slight pout whenever he was annoyed, or the way the bridge of his nose would crinkle as he frowned, and the faint dimples that appeared on his cheeks whenever he smiled.

All of it, everything about Ash was complete and utter perfection, and fuck, Gary couldn't bring himself to look away. He knew he should leave; Ash wouldn't be expecting him to still be here when he woke up, the same as always. Staying the whole night wasn't allowed, it wasn't part of this .. thing they'd both gotten themselves into.

Gary sighed heavily, his emerald eyes still studying every feature of the raven haired boy who lay curled up against his chest, his only movement being the soft rise and fall of his chest and shoulders, the sound of his breathing barely audible in the still silence of the room. Ash's breath ghosted over Gary's chest, cool when he inhaled, and warm when he released it, soft whimpers escaping his lips as he dreamed, gently nuzzling his face into the warmth that was Gary.

The sight was impossibly cute, and each night Gary found it that much harder to bring himself to leave. He absent mindedly brushed aside some of the loose strands of raven hair, wanting to see the face shielded under their dark curtain. It was surprisingly rare to see Ash so relaxed nowadays. Usually he was so focused on something, be it training or something otherwise uninteresting, there was always some occurance to keep his attention occupied. It was almost scary seeing Ash doing anything other than laze around or spend time with his pokémon, if it weren't for the trainer's typical mannerisms, such as his short temper or one track mind for food, Gary would have a hard time believing he was the same person.

As he ran his hand through Ash's raven hair, the locks silky smooth despite their permenently messy appearance, his gaze flickered over to the digital clock on the bedside table. He couldn't supress a sigh. It was much later than he was allowed to, or rather, it was later than he would usually let himself stay.

With utmost care, Gary gently prised Ash away, which was a task in itself as the younger tended to drape himself over Gary, clinging to him even in unconciousness, usually with a fistful of auburn spikes in his hand. But once the smaller hand had been untangled from his hair, Gary turned slightly towards him, enough so that he could lift Ash and slip out from underneath him, before lowering the boy slowly where he had been lying moments before. As with every other time this routine occured, Ash immediately snuggled into the warm patch his lover had made, curling up before sinking back into his dreams, snoring ever so softly.

Gary silently moved around the room, gathering up his clothes, having been scattered carelessly around the room several hours before. As he dressed, his gaze never left the sleeping boy on the bed, the duvet creased and the pillow bunched and flattened. His emerald eyes skimmed over every line of Ash's body, half conciously noting random details, like the slight swell of muscle on his toned arms. He knew with every fibre of his being that he could stare at Ash forever, never leave his presence, and he would still never get enough of the trainer. But every night he drank in the image of innocence before him, memorising everything he could before their time together would run out.

A while back, Gary had agreed to take some time off and return home to visit, and it wasn't until he'd arrived back at the lab he'd spent most of his childhood years that it struck him how much he missed the quaint town. After a week with his family was when Ash had arrived back in the picture, having just returned from Sinnoh, parting ways with his most recent companions. The time the two rivals had spent together had, at first, been scarce, and it was only now that Gary regretted it.

Over a month had passed, and this was the final week Gary would be spending in Pallet, after which he would return to Sinnoh, the region Ash had only recently departed. He had only a short ammount of time remaining to be with Ash before reality would come crashing down without welcome, bursting Gary's bubble of tranquility completely.

At the end of the week, Gary would go his way, and Ash another.

Only a week remained until they would be seperated, just seven days to commit Ash, and every moment they shared together into his memory. Gary so desperately wished he could stop time and relive the past month over and over, never worrying about the inevitable end, for when it finally arrived and he and Ash were once again far apart, what was he supposed to do then?

Everything about Ash made Gary's head spin. He wasn't sure when, or how, exactly, but somewhere in the middle of their pointless rivalry, between those petty arguments Gary would wind the younger up about, he'd fallen completely in love with his best friend, and he'd fallen hard. So much so, that the mere thought of never being with him again, of someone else touching Ash in such intimate ways brought agony to his heart, like it was being squeezing tightly and torn into pieces, bleeding out yet never ceasing to beat.

Pulling himself out of his depressingly foreboding thoughts, Gary pulled the scrunched up duvet over Ash's naked form, noticing the goose pimples rising on his bare skin and not wanting him to catch a chill. The younger shifted slightly, clutching the sudden warmth closer, as Gary quietly made his way over to the bedroom door.

With one hand on the door knob, he couldn't prevent his eyes from throwing one last longing at Ash, who remained oblivious to anything happening around him. Gary quietly snuck down the hall, having closed the door behind him, and swiftly avoided the second to bottom stair, which squeaked under heavy weight. He doubted it was enough to wake Delia, much less Ash, but when everything was so quiet, it made even soft breathing sound loud.

Once he was out the front door, Gary exhaled deeply, feeling his heart beat heavily, but slowly in his chest. After spending a few hours holding Ash close to him, even the warm summer's air of night brought a chill to his previously heated skin. He mentally berated himself for not bringing a jacket, but couldn't find a reason to dwell on the thought, especially since the lab was only a short distance away.

As he made his way up the path to his home, he found himself wishing for oblivion, for relief from the aching pain in his chest.

Like every other night, it never came.

xxx

It had been exactly thirty one days ago that it all started, when Gary had gone out to find the young Charmander who'd wandered too far into the forest, managing to get itself lost. Ash had come as well, having quickly become bored with the lack of liveliness back at the lab. The fact that the forest was generally swarming with Beedrill lead to Professor Oak insisting they stay together, despite their protests. In the end they'd both agreed when Daisy had been the one to point out that they were wasting time arguing, and the Charmander could be in trouble.

Ash had been the one to hold up a conversation, which mostly consisted of him talking about this thing and that, while Gary occasionally offered a few words of response. He was beginning to wonder if he could somehow slip away while Ash was going on about something Gary had never even heard of.

That thought was quickly dashed by a terrified "Chaarr!" coming from a short distance to their right. As they'd both rushed off in that direction, Pikachu was just in time to charge a powerful Thunderbolt at a particularly nasty looking Beedrill, whom had been just inches away from striking the young fire type with it's stinger.

Thankfully the Charmander was able to think clearly enough through his panic to determine the humans as a rescue team, and had quickly ran over to them, jumping into Gary's arms before the researcher recalled him into his poké ball. The Beedrill, conveniently enough, had turned out to be at a fairly low level, with most likely being newly evolved, so it didn't take long to chase them away.

On the other hand, the brief battle also alerted the attention of the nearby Spearow flock, and by the way their leader's eyes narrowed upon landing on the younger of the two humans, it was clear to see it did not like him at all, for whatever reason it had. With Pikachu rather worn out from taking care of the Beedrill, and Umbreon outnumbered greatly, it didn't seem like a battle would end well in their favour. And with an angry Fearow quickly approaching, they took the only option they had left: they ran.

As it turned out, they'd both gone deeper into the forest than they'd previously thought, and in their haste they weren't able to pick out the path back. However, with a perfectly timed Skull Bash attack to the Fearow, courtesy of Umbreon, Gary had grabbed hold of Ash pulled him inside the hollow of an oak tree, which was just big enough to fit them both in.

Pikachu and Umbreon had sought shelter in a thicket of bushes, and in the confusion, Fearow quickly lost track of all four. In one final stroke of luck, it quickly moved the search to another part of the forest, leaving the group alone.

Inside their hiding place, Ash and Gary were both panting heavily, both from their quick escape, and the fact of having to hold their breath to stay quiet. Whilst oxygen deprived, neither thought to move out into the cool air, and unintentionally remained in their close proximity, both pressed snugly against the other, able to feel each movement the other made.

A full minute passed before Gary realised the position, and his entire face heated up. He would have moved, but for some reason, his body refused to cooperate. In any case, it felt as though his mind had detatched itself from his physical form. All he was capable of doing was noticing how attractive Ash looked while his cheeks were glazed over by a pink glow.

Beads of sweat trickled down Ash's forehead, the tips of his hair slightly damp, while his chest heaved in the effort to inhale enough oxygen, and his half open eyes were glazed over in the aftermath of an adrenaline rush.

In addition to looking absolutely ravishing, in the same moment, Gary realised just how beautiful the raven haired boy was.

xxx

He'd tried to ignore it, he really did, but in the end, things just didn't work out the way he wanted them too. It would be a lie if he said he had a problem with being gay, he'd actually suspected it for a long while. Sure, he'd dated girls, slept with them, and he liked it. But there was always the feeling that something was missing. He knew he was doing things right, but something about it just seemed so wrong.

Several months before the inident with Ash was when he'd begun to suspect the possibility that he wasn't as into girls as he originally thought. At the time he was already in a relationship with a girl, whom he'd met when she'd come from Solaceon Town to deliver the three new starter pokémon. She was a pretty girl, with blonde hair and blue eyes, and they'd both made fast friends.

The trio of young pokémon still required certain care for the next few weeks, and considering how most of the aides were preoccupied with various other things, she'd ended up staying for that while to fill in. Somewhere along the line, Gary had asked her out, and she'd accepted.

After that, things went by as relationships usually went. He took her out, they kissed, slept together, but nothing could fill that empty spot Gary still felt within him. In the end, she was the one to end things, voicing the very thing Gary had suspected about himself. She suggested he try dating guys to find out for sure, but for whatever reason, Gary couldn't bring himself to go through with it, always finding someway to put it off, work being the classic excuse.

Though in the end, there was no one he was using these excuses for. Except for himself.

xxx

"Garyy ~ " Ash murmured into his lover's ear as he ran his hands through auburn spikes, his fingers flexing and scunching up periodicly as a wet warmth glided over his chest. He arched his back, biting down on his bottom lip to supress a loud moan as Gary ran his tongue over one of his nipples, gently nipping at the hardening bud.

Physically, Ash was losing control of himself; his breath came in quick, heavy pants no matter how he tried to calm himself down, his heart pounded in his chest to frantically it rang in his ears, and his arousal was so hard it was bordering on becoming painful.

He could hardly bear it, he was going insane, yet he still craved more.

A sound somewhere between a moan and a whimper passed his lips as Gary switched nipples, his teeth grazing against the hard bud and drawing out wonderous sounds from the raven haired boy beneath him. He trailed kisses up the younger's collar bone and up to the dip in his neck, nipping and sucking at the silken, tan skin, then lapping at it with his tongue when it broke, marring the smooth, unblemished skin with a deep purple mark that told the world everything Gary could not verbally say.

Ash was his. No one else's, all his.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, he growled deep in his throat, possessive feelings overcoming him as he lifted his head slightly to examine his work. The violet mark tarnished the tan skin beautifully, fully visible on his neck and impossible to hide. In hindsight, maybe it wasn't a good idea, but Gary didn't care anymore. When it came to Ash, he was breaking all the rules, and it felt so good.

He placed a kiss on the hickey, sending a shiver down Ash's spine. Both of them were aroused to the point of no return, and Ash's entire body was impatient. Gary was determined to take his time, to sample and enjoy every inch of his perfect lover. He needed it. For them, their time was running out, slowly melting away into nothing.

Six days, and he would have to leave Ash. Maybe forever.

"G - G .. Gary ~ " Ash continued to whimper, his voice alone brushing away any negative thought, and Gary welcomed it fully.

The lack of physical contact was beginning to frustrate Ash, and his legs wrapped around Gary upon their own accord. Lost in the delirium, his sienna eyes glazed and unseeing, Ash tightened his grip on his lover, holding Gary close as he grinded his hips against the older's abs, his hard arousal coated in precum, begging for release.

Gary groaned deeply at Ash's movements, the feeling of the younger's fully erect manhood pressed against his stomach was creating a burning friction, one that had him running his hands down Ash's sides, running over every dip and curve they could reach until they rested on his rear, making the younger moan and shiver as he did.

Squeezing the soft flesh, Gary groaned in unison with his raven haired lover, deeply inhaling the scent that clung to those dark locks as Ash continued to rotate his hips heatedly against Gary. A combination of flower scented shampoo and freshly mown grass filled Gary's senses, the natural scent that was Ash twirling sensually with the heavy scent of sex that filled the room, creating an exotic aroma Gary wished would never fade.

This was it, the natural perfumes, the heat, those sensual sounds falling from Ash's innocent lips, this was what Gary wanted. Everything about the moment was perfect, because all of it was Ash, and Gary was the one he chose to share it with, the one who was making him feel this way.

"Ah ~ !" The pleasured, near scream jolted Gary back to his senses. Ash threw his head back, his back arching again as his fingers tightened, tugging at the auburn spikes in their grasp.

Gary pressed his lips to the skin below Ash's ear, feeling the younger's hardness twitch against his abdomen. He knew Ash was close, but Gary wasn't going to let this end so soon. His hands trailed up Ash's arms and to his own hands, gently untangling them from the auburn spikes and pinning them together on the pillow above the younger's head.

Ash, lost too deep beneath the waves of pleasure assulting his body, either wasn't aware of the sudden development, or just didn't care. At least not until a hand pressed against his stomach, pushing gently, but firmly to lower him onto the bed. His grip on Gary was easily broken in his near orgasmic state, ending the contact between the two, and causing Ash to stare up at his emerald eyed lover through glazed eyes.

"G .. Gary, wh - what .. ?" He murmured breathily through his gaze, too consumed by passion to say anything more.

Gary smirked in a way not unlike how he would during their days as rivals, and from the way sienna eyes widened, the younger was aware of what to expect, even through his clouded mind.

"Say please, Ashy boy," Gary teased, increasing his grip on the younger's wrists when Ash tried to pull them free.

His stubborn side bubbling up, Ash fiercely shook his head, which only made Gary's smirk grow. He leaned down to kiss Ash's neck, nibbling at the rim to coax out fresh whimpers from his uke.

"Go on, Ashy," he purred, running his tongue over the rim of Ash's ear. "You want it, right?"

Almost automatically, Ash nodded, his chest still heaving.

Gary nuzzled the younger's jawline, whispering, "Then say it, say please." He nibbled the lobe of Ash's ear before the latter could protest, making him writhe against the bed, whimpering slightly.

"Garyyy .. " He whined softly, his thighs brushing against Gary's sides, but his pelvis still pinned to the bed beneath the researcher's touch. It was pure torture.

The emerald eyed teen couldn't help but chuckle at the younger's pleas, his futile attempts to regain physical contact. He knew it was cruel, but seeing the infamously stubborn Ash Ketchum helpless beneath his touch, it was a memory he wanted to last forever.

"Just say it, Ashy," Gary cooed, his lips brushed against the rim of Ash's ear as he spoke. "You want me to touch you?"

Despite his refusal to beg, Ash nodded.

"Do you want me to kiss you all over?"

Another nod. Gary couldn't hide his smirk.

"And you want me to fuck you?"

The effect was instant. Ash whined deeply from behind forcefully closed lips, his eyelids pressed together as the force of Gary's words sent shivers through him.

Yes, he wanted it. He wanted Gary so bad he felt like it would drive him insane, but there was absolutely no way Ash was going to beg to his former rival, no matter what happened.

"No!" He protested, his voice coming out as an adorable squeak. Again, he shook his head fiercely, refusing to open his eyes. "No! No, no, no, no, n - mmph!"

Sienna eyes snapped open as Gary's lips covered his own. Despite possessing a stubborn side to rival Ash's, when all came down to his raven haired lover, Gary was a complete pushover, especially in times like these. He loosened his grip on Ash's wrists, not having the heart to tease him further.

Ash's arms immediately circled Gary's neck, pulling the two closer and deepening the kiss. Gary ran his tongue over closed, plump lips, which parted slightly to allow access. As Gary's tongue met Ash's, coaxing it into a lustful dance within the warm, wet cavern, the emerald eyed teen slid his hand off the younger's stomach, reaching round to his lower back to pull him closer.

As two long legs clamped around his waist once more, Gary lowered the both of them onto the bed, his other hand entangling themselves within raven locks. Ash moaned happily through the kiss, easily dominated by Gary's tongue and unable to find the will to fight back. All he wanted was Gary to pleasure him in every way possible.

Gary, wanting the exact same thing as his uke, lowered his hand from Ash's back to rest on his butt, unable to resist squeezing it gently before his index finger brushed against Ash's entrance.

Gasping at the sudden touch, Ash gripped onto the closest thing within reach, which, once again, happened to be Gary's hair. He whimpered, shifting in slight discomfort as Gary pushed his finger inside his entrance, pulling out slightly before sliding back in, allowing Ash to adjust and get used to the feeling.

In comparison to the first time Gary did this, the feeling was expected, but impossible to get used to. When a second finger was added, Ash groaned, tugging at the handful of auburn hair. He squealed slightly as Gary wiggled his fingers, something the latter knew Ash liked.

Feeling Ash tensed up slightly, Gary was gentle when moving his fingers, buried deep within his lover. No matter how excrutiating the wait, he outright refused to cause Ash any pain. Even if it took hours until Ash was ready, then Gary would wait; under no circumstances would he ever hurt him.

Carefully scissoring Ash's entrance, Gary pressed his lips from Ash's to his jawline, trailing firm, but tender kisses down to his neck. His grip intensifed on dark locks, and Ash tilted his head, allowing Gary full access to the smooth skin.

When the third and final finger slipped into the stretched entrance, Ash bucked his hips, his erection brushing against Gary's and causing the researcher to hiss, accidently pulling hard on raven hair and causing Ash to cry out.

"Shit, sorry," Gary gasped in apology, feeling a sudden shock fan out in his chest at the thought of Ash being hurt because of him.

But Ash shook his head, looking up at Gary, sincere sienna eyes meeting worried emerald. "Mmm .. s'okay," he mumbled in response.

Nodding slightly, Gary lowered his head to place a tender kiss on Ash's lips, one hand falling from raven hair to cup the younger's cheek. At the same time, he pushed his fingers as deep as he could within his lover, having previously memorised exactly where to hit him, and the moment his fingers came into contact with Ash's prostrate, sienna eyes burst open, pinks lips parting to let out a scream of pleasure, muffled by the other pair of lips pressed against his own.

Gary smirked through this; the reactions he drew out of Ash aroused him more than he would ever admit, and the scream alone was enough to make him cum without being physically touched. His girth was throbbing almost painfully as he continued to listen to the sweet sounds that passed Ash's lips, ranging from sharp gasps to soft, drawn out moans, and finally, he withdrew his fingers, feeling his heart clench slightly at Ash's whimper of disappointment.

Instead of offering a verbal soothing, he reached down to place his hands on Ash's thight, gripping them lightly. "Ash, c .. could you .. ?" He didn't need to finish his sentence for Ash to understand the request, for a moment later Ash loosened his grip around Gary, allowing the emerald eyed boy to spread his legs, exposing his prepared entrance.

"You .. you ready?" Gary whispered, panting softly, and eager to pleasure Ash, but only if the younger was willing.

The raven haired boy nodded, and Gary stroked his cheek, brushing strands of dark hair away from those lust filled features, emerald eyes gazing deep into sienna.

As many times as Gary thought so, even when he knew it was true, it still astounded him just how beautiful the raven haired boy was. His slim arms still rested in auburn hair, holding Gary in a loose embrace.

"Ash, I .. " Gary started, his lips moving, but no words being formed.

Ash, curious as to what Gary wanted to say, tilted his head slightly. "Y .. you wha .. ?" Was all he could manage.

"I .. " He wanted to tell him, absorbed deep within the moment, Gary wanted Ash to know exactly how ravishing he looked right now, how beautiful, and utterly perfect was in every possible way. "I .. Ash, I .. "

His sentence would never be finished, and Ash knew this, pulling Gary close and leaning up to make their lips meet. In his delirium, the first few attempts were sloppy, resulting in him placing mismatched kissed against Gary's cheeks and jawline, before Gary cupped his chin with one hand, angling the younger's face appropriately to make their lips touch.

Ash hummed happily past Gary's tongue, having slid his own through the researcher's parted lips. He felt the head of Gary's arousal touch his entrance and automatically tensed, despite knowing what would follow the initial discomfort.

"Shh," Gary soothed, pressing a kiss to Ash's cheek. "Just relax. I won't hurt you," he promised. Ash only gave a nod in response, knowing Gary would understand the gesture for what it was.

Spreading Ash's legs wider, keeping a firm grip on his thighs, Gary gently pushed his hips forward, the tip of his arousal sliding into Ash, whose inside muscles tightened around him. Slowly but steadily, Gary inched deeper, biting down hard on his bottom lip to surpress his heated groans. Even after they'd been intimate several times, to Gary, it still felt like it was the first time.

As he slid his entire length within the younger, Gary gently rubbed circles on Ash's cheek with his thumb, whispering hushed reassurances in his ear. In response, Ash only groaned through his bliss.

When he was completely inside Ash, Gary buried his face into the crook of the younger's neck, breathing deeply as his hand gripped raven hair. Beneath him, Ash shifted slightly in discomfort, his inside clenching as he adjusted to the intruder. It took every last part of Gary's self control not to completely ravish him right there and then.

Soft gasps escaped Ash's lips every so often, until he confirmed it was okay to go on, which came in the form of a sigh and a nod, his legs clamping round Gary's waist tightly, holding him close.

Almost hesitantly, Gary pulled out, shivering slightly as he left Ash's warmth, then made his journey back in. Ash's grip on his hair tightened, moans passing his lips as Gary continued thrusting, his pace gradual.

"Aaahh .. " Ash moaned, feeling the build up of pleasure starting to consume him.

Gary groaned deeply, his face buried in the dip in Ash's neck, his lips touching the fresh, purple mark on the younger's skin. His hands moved from where they rested, slithering down Ash's sides and to his hips. With each thrust he pushed deeper, but until Ash wished otherwise, his pace remained slow.

"Mmm .. G .. Gary," Ash's voice was barely a breath, brushing over Gary's skin and making goosebumps rise. His erection, now dripping with precum, was pressed against Gary's stomach and his own, their movements creating an unbearable friction. He doubted he'd be able to last very long if this kept up, but he didn't care, it felt so good and he wanted it so bad.

"Fuck," Gary gasped, feeling tortured by the slow pace. If Ash didn't say he could very soon, he was sure he wouldn't be able to hold back.

Indeed, it seemed as though Ash felt the same way. His nails digging into Gary's back, he moaned, almost desperately, " .. Gary .. faster .. "

Complying without hesitation, Gary obeyed his lover's demand, quickening the pace of his thrusts, going as deep as he dared.

Ash gasped with the sudden change, his moans increasing in volume and pitch, while his eyes became half lidded in pleasure, tears starting to gather in the corners.

"Oh, fuck .. Ash .. " Gary moaned in between words, sending a shiver down Ash's spine. His arousal was excrutiatingly hard, and he was so close, so very close, and each thrust was pushing him nearer to the edge, waves of ecstasy crashing through him and making his nerves sing.

Right now, nothing else mattered. There was just him, Gary and the mind numbing pleasure they were sharing. Any previously felt pain was now non existent to Ash, completely dominated by the feelings that he knew only Gary could grant him. And he didn't want it any other way.

Both of their bodies were glazed by a layer of sweat, beads dripping down Gary's forehead as he thrusted. Looking down at Ash, he could see the younger was lost beneath ecstasy, his eyes glazed, his lips parted, and his arousal dripping wet. The sight made Gary tighten his grip on Ash, resisting the urge to touch his manhood. That he could make Ash orgasm without touching him was his secret thrill, and he wanted it to happen.

"Ga - Gary .. I .. I - aaahhh ~ !" Ash cried, struggling to conjure words that would not come. He threw his head back against his pillow, his back arching as he neared his peak. His resolve was slipping; it wouldn't be long now. He just needed a little more, just a few more thrusts ..

Gary's entire body trembled as his climax approached, one hand gripped hold of Ash's hip, his knuckles white with the pressure, while the other clenched down onto the spot on the pillow beside Ash's head, creasing the material. The emotions and feelings were stirring inside him like a tsunami, oxygen a struggle to get into his lungs, his eyes forced shut by his pleasured hysteria.

And this was Ash's breaking point.

"G - Gary .. Gary, I .. I .. aahh ~ !" He almost screamed, his entire body arching like an elegant bow as he came, white fluid spurting from his untouched sex, covering Gary's stomach with the incriminating evidence.

Gary, on the other hand, groaned deeply, the sudden tightness around his arousal sending him into a series of shuddering thrusts until he too orgasmed loudly, hot liquid gushing inside Ash's velvet warmth, filling him to the brim.

Both completely spent, neither said anything in the few minutes that followed, the only sound heard was their heavy breathing as they struggled to get enough oxygen back into their lungs.

Eventually, Gary lifted his head to look at Ash, who had fallen back against the pillow, his lithe chest heaving, and an attractive red blush glowing across his cheeks. His sienna eyes remained half open, flickers of lust sparkling in their depths. Gary knew he would never be able to witness a more beautiful vision than the one currently before him.

As their breathing slowed down, Ash's gaze found Gary's, sienna meeting emerald as the two stared into each other's eyes. No words needed to be said, yet in his typical fashion, Ash was the one to oppose this.

"Wow .. " He murmured, his legs, weakened by the intensity of his orgasm, were slipping from their hold around Gary's waist. "That .. that was .. "

Amazing. Incredible. Mind blowing. Unbelievable. Gary could think of a million ways to describe the sex they just had, even in his hazy mind, and it still wouldn't come close to being accurate.

" .. good." Ash finally decided.

Gary almost wanted to slap his forehead, but one look at the boy beneath him and any annoyance vanished. "Yeah," he agreed. "Yeah, good .. "

Somewhat reluctantly, Gary pulled out of his lover, shivering slightly as he did so, allowing liquid to spill onto the sheets, and lowered himself on the bed next to Ash, who wasted no time in cuddling up to him, resting his head on Gary's chest and letting out a sigh of content, a tired, but genuine smile on his face. It wasn't long before quiet, soothing snores blurred with the sounds of his breathing, his exhaustion having gotten the better of him.

Ten years ago, falling asleep first was a classic thing to tease Ash over, but now, Gary was speechless. When lost in unconsciousness, Ash looked positively cute, the smile still playing on his lips, his entire body tiny when curled up like that.

Running a hand through the ruffled raven locks, Gary brushed a few strands away from Ash's face, wanting to drink in the image of his peaceful oblivion. While he usually would have been deep in sleep by now, Gary was wide awake, wanting only to memorise every detail of the raven haired boy. At first he'd limited his time to half an hour at most, but it had soon altered to a full hour, then two. Now most of the time, it was dawn before Gary was physically able to leave the sleeping boy's side.

He briefly considered breaking the new habit tonight, but Ash's nose touching his neck, warm breath ghosting over his skin, was enough to dash those forming ideas.

If their time together was becoming increasingly limited, then Gary was willing to spend every moment he could in Ash's presence. And as Ash gripped onto his shoulder, Gary was content to believe the feeling was mutual.

xxx

That night was one where Gary stayed for much longer than he ever had before; by the time he was able to bring himself to leave Ash's side, the sun was already in the sky. Yet still, he found mundane reasons to linger around, dressing slowly, making sure Ash was comfortable and warm in his sleep, and gathering the younger's discarded clothes from the floor and folding them. He briefly considered throwing them in the washing machine for when Ash woke up, but ultimately decided otherwise.

As always, Ash looked content in his sleep, loose tresses of raven hair resting lightly upon sun tanned skin and framing his face like a dark halo. The way Ash looked when he slept was nothing short of angelic, so much so that could hardly believe all the intimate things they'd shared with one another, despite being the one to do most of the work. It was impossible how Ash could still look so innocent.

Redirecting his emerald eyes from the boy's sleeping face, Gary pulled the duvet up to Ash's shoulders, then pressed a kiss to the younger's forehead. Though he'd been up all night, Gary didn't feel the least bit tired, and even if he were, he wouldn't be able to sleep, not when his mind was so active and almost painfully crammed full of thoughts, worries and fears.

He turned away from Ash and made his way out the room, sighing deeply once the bedroom door was closed. This time, they had met up at the lab, and in turn they'd fallen asleep in Gary's bed. Or rather, Ash had. It was times like these that Gary pondered if his grandfather suspected anything between the two teens, but no matter which way he went about it, the result didn't seem very likely, purely because the professor was usually so focused on his work, he wouldn't notice if Ash's entire group of Tauros came stampeding through the wall. He'd probably just call out for Tracey to answer the door.

So the odds that he had noticed his grandson was in some kind of friends-with-benefits with his best friend weren't very high.

All the same, Gary couldn't help but wonder what his grandfather would think if he ever did find out. He'd always been an open minded person, and same sex relationships had never been something to spark any kind of controversy with him, but when it turned out your only grandson was gay .. that could result in almost anything.

With all the thoughts about Ash still consuming his mind, Gary found it easy to brush the suspicion aside. No matter how bad things could get with his family, he doubted it would take any of them long to get over it. If anything, Daisy would probably be thrilled with having a gay younger brother.

Whilst lost in his musings, Gary soon found himself wandering around the lab aimlessly, eventually leading him outside into the muggy, morning air. Most everything was silent aside from a few Gloom and Vileplume dancing around, sprinkling pollen over the grass and making it glitter as though each blade were encrusted with gold. He made his way down to the lake, not wanting to startle the nocturnally working pokémon or end up inhaling a mouthful of pollen.

It didn't take long to find a quiet, secluded spot by the lake, where he sat down on the dewy grass and was content to watch the sun rise, bathing the preserve in a soft glow. The beauty of it all wasn't enough to lighten his depressive thoughts, instead finding himself falling deep into an increasing dispair. His overbearing thoughts almost immediately broke loose sparking emotions Gary hoped he'd never be able to feel again.

For what must have been hours, Gary remained where he was, his emerald eyes fixed upon a lily pad in the middle of the lake as it gently glided across the surface of the water in the light breeze. In that time, Gary had stitched together a plan, one that would - hopefully - end in the least painful result for both him and Ash.

It was decided; next time he and Ash hooked up wouild be the last. Maybe he should have done this sooner, but a few days to sort things out together was better than just one. The thought of a final goodbye was too much for him to stand, but if the alternative was waiting until the last minute to drag out a long and awkward break up, then he wanted to get it over and done with, as quick and as painless as he could manage, like ripping off a band aid.

With this thought in mind, Gary found himself envisioning the alternative, turning out into the classic, clichéd scene where Gary would take Ash into his arms and kiss him with as much passion as he could muster. Ash would whisper soothing promises in his ear, ones that would allow them to stay together in the end, so long as they both waited for one another.

And Gary wanted it. But even if such a scenario could happen, it wouldn't end well. Ash wouldn't be willing to end his journey just to be with Gary, to give up on his dreams just so he could spend his life with the one who once made his life hell.

All the kisses and all the promises in the world could not transform such a fantasy into reality.

So that was that. Gary would be the one to break things off, then it would be in his control. He wasn't going to stand around and wait for Ash to do it, just waiting, and maybe even hoping for the axe to fall. He was an Oak, and Oak's didn't hand over the controls to anyone. Gary wasn't willing to be the first to break that rule.

Leaning backwards, Gary lowered himself onto the grass, the moisture seeping through his shirt and soaking his back, but it wasn't enough to create a distraction. He didn't want to think of the coming future, life after this arrangement with Ash ended.

No matter how he tried to sort things out, it all came down to one simple, yet painfully complicated truth.

He had fallen in love with his best friend.

It was sure to end in heart break.

xxx

There was a knock on the door when Gary eventually trailed back to the lab. He'd opened it to find Delia beaming brightly at him.

"Gary, how are you?" She greeted, connecting them into a hug before he could protest. Not that he would have. "I wasn't expecting you to be up so early, what's the occasion?" She inquired once she let him go, still smiling.

Gary shrugged, then decided to elaborate. "Nothing, really," he admittedly. "Just .. having one of those days, y'know." Depending on which particular day he meant, it wasn't technically a lie; adding guilt to his emotion storm of conflict would be his breaking point.

Thankfully, Delia swiftly moved on with the conversation, "Ah yes, I understand. I can't tell you how much I wish Ash would have one of those days. I'm happy that he gets enough sleep each night for a boy his age, but I can't imagine how being able to sleep until noon each day can be completely healthy."

Maybe not the way Gary would have wanted the point of conversation to steer, but it was still better than silently moping around and feeling sorry for himself. Even if he had tried to push the subject aside, Delia was already continuing voicing her views to Gary whilst walking towards the kitchen, the researcher a few steps behind her.

Once they'd arrived at their destination, Delia placed the basket she'd been carrying on the counter and turned to look at Gary. "Where is Ash, anyway? Still asleep?" She inquired, though it was clear she already knew the answer.

Gary decided to confirm it, anyway. "Uh, yeah. I could wake him and let him know you're here if you'd like?"

But Delia waved the offer away. "No, no, that's fine. If he's not up in an hour I'll get him myself," she said.

It was a sort of unspoken arrangement between the two households. When they were children, Ash and Gary would gladly spend every minute of every day with each other, usually at the lab. A lot of the time they'd exhaust themselves while running through the fields of the preserve, and would end up falling asleep together, either in Gary's room, on the living room couch, or in one of their many secret hideouts (which Daisy always seemed to be able to find).

Since both boys seemed perfectly content snuggled up to one another, and waking them ran the risk of having to deal with two rather cranky seven year olds, neither Delia nor Gary's parents could see any reason not to let them have sleepovers. After that, it wasn't unusual for Ash and Gary to decide to spend the night with one another completely on the spot, and since the adults had already arranged for such moments as these, it fell into a periodic routine.

Years later, the agreement remained, meaning it wasn't unusual or inconvenient for the two teenagers to decide on their own to spent the night in each other's company. And apparently no one but they saw the convenience in such happenings.

Cutting through his reminiscing was the sudden sound of Delia sighing. As Gary turned his emerald eyes towards her, he immediately noticed a dark cloud looming over her. "Is something wrong?" He asked, genuinely concerned. Since his own mother was usually out of town focusing heavily on her career, Delia had filled that role whilst he'd been growing up. As such, he cared for her in the same way he cared about his other family members.

"Hmm?" Delia hummed, apparently not having realised she'd made a sound. "Oh, it's nothing, really," she said, but it was obvious to a blind man that something was bothering her.

"Seriously," Gary offered, "you can tell me."

Delia's eyes met his, her entire stance one of hesitance. But as she silently contemplated it, Gary found himself distracted. It was common knowledge that Ash had inherited his eyes from his mother, but the researcher had never really thought it much until a few weeks ago, not long after the Beedrill incident. The shade of brown, and the large, rounded shape were identical on both mother and son, but in the same way, they were both worlds apart in difference.

Delia's were bright and kind, sparkling when she smiled, and always seemed to generate a warm aura whenever they made contact with another. Ash's, on the other hand, weren't the same; his weren't soft and gentle, they were sharp and fierce, yet still contained the edge of innocence. They shined whenever they caught the light, but the aura created upon eye contact wasn't one of warmth, it was more like fire; a blazing inferno of challenge and determination.

So different, yet so alike; Delia's emitted a mother's love, while Ash's contained the spark of a champion.

Gary had inherited his eyes from his own mother, yet any physical greetings between the two were few and far between, meaning it was difficult for Gary to pinpoint any differences they shared, though in the end, he guessed there was really no point in finding out.

"Oh, it's nothing, just .. " Delia hesitated again, inner sadness clouding her usually bright eyes. It was never a good sign.

Gary hoped to make things easier for her. "Is it Ash?" He asked, silently praying that it wasn't, but the hope was dashed once Delia gave a slight nod of her head.

It was obvious to a Slowpoke that Ash was happy and healthy, which offered reassurance to Gary that at least he wasn't dying. Not to mention if it was something serious, he likely would have been informed by now. Yet he still couldn't shake the feeling of dread creeping through his chest.

"I know it's silly, really," she elaborated, "after all, he's out on a journey all the time. He's home for a week at most when he comes back, and I know it's not a permenant thing, but still .. I miss him."

There were no tears in her eyes, but there may as well have been. Though Ash would have been the best one to offer comfort, nonetheless, Gary felt no shame in giving her a hug, which she immediately returned. For a brief moment, Gary smiled slightly at the role reversal. In his childhood years, it was Delia who offered him comfort, but while he was once small enough for her to pick up without strain, now he was the one who was able to look right over the top of her head.

It was even more amusing to recall how Ash still hadn't caught up to her in height. Sure, he was close, but ultimately it seemed as though she would always be taller than her own son.

"It'll be okay," Gary assured. "He's been home for over a month, and he's not planning to go anywhere soon. Maybe he's taking a break or something."

But he knew something was wrong the moment Delia shook her head.

"Oh, no, he's been planning his next trip since the week he got back."

With those words, the entire world froze. Every muscle in Gary's body tensed, and his eye's widened. In the back of his mind, he was thankful he'd offered Delia a hug; at least she wouldn't be able to see his shock.

"He, uh .. " For a moment, Gary was unable to find his voice, but after clearing his throat, he asked, "He did what?"

Mercifully, Delia didn't notice any unease. Or if she did, then she hid it well. "Since he came back from Sinnoh he's been thinking about his options," she explained. "Your grandfather mentioned a friend of his in another region, Unova, I think it was, and he's been planning the journey there ever since." She sighed softly. "He'd probably be there right now if he could. Planes there aren't common, just once every month or so, and since other means of transport aren't wide in variety, he's decided to take things easy for a while."

The end of the sentence fell upon deaf ears. As Delia mentioned various things about Ash, Unova and anything else, Gary could only stand with unseeing eyes.

For montg, after he'd gotten into this friends-with-benefits agreement, Ash had been making plans to leave, and Gary had been none the wiser. Their time together had been limited from the start, they both knew that, yet Ash hadn't even mentioned that he was planning to leave the region?

Wait .. had he? Gary thought back on their conversations, even the words Ash had occasionally mumbled in his sleep, but nothing came up, no words referencing any kind of journey, not even to Viridian City, had been uttered once by the young trainer.

"Are .. are you sure?" He dared to ask, hoping with every part of him that Delia had gotten Ash mixed up with someone else. But even he knew that was a stupid thing to consider.

"Yes," she confirmed. "He's leaving at the end of the week."

She may as well have just shot him. The searing pain of hot lead cutting into his flesh would have been more merciful than this. Ash was leaving in just a few days, something he'd been planning for a month, but he hadn't felt it neccesary to tell Gary. Maybe their relationship wasn't an offical one, but they were still friends; didn't that count for something?

Apparently not.

Gary stared out the window, trying desperately not to well up with someone else in the room. Despite neither of them having hinted at wanting to share an official relationship with one another, Gary had hoped that Ash still wanted something more to occur between them, that Ash would ask him to stay in Pallet, or promise to come and visit him in Sinnoh. But all of that hope had just died.

He felt like an idiot. Of course Ash would start a new journey as soon as he could, but as absent minded as he was, even he was one to tell other's of his decision. Most of those people consisted of people he used to travel with, Misty, Brock, and such, people he cared a lot for and wanted to stay close to.

Clearly Gary didn't have a place in Ash's future. The revelation was enough to make the first tear fall from glistening emerald eyes.

xxx

Change of plan. Starting from thereon out, anything between Gary and Ash was no more. Of course, Gary never actully told Ash this. He was a coward for doing so, but he didn't care. The talk with Delia still fresh in his mind, just the thought of talking to Ash left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Maybe he was being hypocritical, after all, this was the kind of thing that happened; Ash often chose his new destination on the very same day his previous journey ended, and Gary hadn't been much different. Unless it came up in conversation, then neither ever told the other their plans for the future.

But this was different. Now there was .. something going on between them. Sure, it wasn't like they were dating, they hadn't even been together that long, but Gary was certain this was the kind of arrangement that required some obvious sign that it was coming to end, and coming out with it at the last minute didn't count. A few days notice would be nice.

Gary never got any of that. Ash had been planning his next journey for quite some time now; this wasn't something he'd decided on a whim, his plans had been set not long after he came back to Pallet, and not one word of it had reached Gary's ears until today, and even that had been accidental. Would Ash have ever told him? Would Gary have been the one to wake up and find Ash gone, not just from his bed, but from the whole region?

So that was that; starting now, things were over between them.

The day passed by otherwise uneventfully, at least for Gary. While he was busying himself with chores, Ash had been pleasantly surprised when a certain Pidgeot swung by for a visit, which was apparently the long awaited reunion both trainer and pokémon had been waiting for. It was something Gary had found quite odd; the forest the bird pokémon lived in was literally a neighbour to the preserve, so unless a lot more conflict between the Pidgey and Spearow families than the residents of Pallet were aware of, then he doubted it would have taken much effort on Ash's behalf to wander in for a visit.

Though really, he found himself unable to care. What struck his interest about the event was the effect it had on Ash. The look on his face when he and his pokémon had shared a hug was one that Gary had seen a few times in his life, and each time that happened, Gary had been the one on the recieving end.

It was that one that read, clear as day, 'You're here'. Two simple words, but with flawless sincerity. It was the smile Ash used whenever he and Gary had crossed paths, one that radiated pure joy at seeing his rival, even when he'd come to expect teasing and taunts.

Gary could never understand how Ash, or anyone for that matter, could ever be honestly thrilled to see him. It was confusion that lingered around him for days on end after their initial meeting, but one that was eventually brushed aside.

Avoiding Ash for the day had been surprisingly easy, and Gary wrapped up the day by not meeting the trainer that evening, instead going straight back to the lab and falling asleep unusually early. He'd be lying if he said he was calm; he was anything but. He was feeling annoying nervous about the whole thing, which was the main reason for his early night, other reasons being more along the lines of being genuinely exhausted, having tired himself by completing as much as he could as a way of avoiding Ash.

He felt guilty for doing this, but he was done with this entire charade. If Ash didn't have the decency to inform Gary that he was travelling halfway across the damn world, then Gary wasn't going to bother telling him that he didn't want to meet up ever again.

Knowing Ash, he would come looking for answers in the morning, and when he did, Gary was going to inform him that their dalliance was history.

xxx

As predicted, Ash arrived at the lab, his eyes giving away his confusion. Typical Ash, always being much too easy to read.

Gary stuck to his plans, doing everything he could to prevent Ash from being able to speak to him. He could feel the younger's burning gaze upon him, and it was only through sheer force of will that Gary managed to resist the overwhelming urge to look just once.

Aside from the constant caution required to keep a watch out for the raven haired boy, the day passed by more or less like any other would. Gary did everything he usually would; he took care of the many pokémon on the preserve, reorganised various misplaced files in his grandfather's lab, occasionally chatted with Daisy, and even did some house work.

But through all of that, Ash was always there. Gary didn't need to look to confirm the small fact, but the one time his emerald eyes locked onto sienna for a split second, it told him everything he needed to know. The emotions swimming in Ash's eyes made Gary's heart clench uncomfortably.

Ash was confused and hurt by Gary's sudden avoidance of him, yet the situation didn't make a lick of sense to him. Maybe that was best.

It was an hour after the unintentional revelation that Ash finally caught up with the researcher, cornering him when he'd gone into his grandfather's study. Gary mentally cursed at himself for walking right into a vulnerable position.

"Gary, what's going on?" Ash asked quietly, his voice laced with a combination of confusion and pain. If it were possible, Gary felt even worse about doing this. "Why are you avoiding me all of a sudden? Did I do something wrong? I'm really sorry if I did, I .. I swear I didn't know .. "

The micro second Ash's eyes met his, Gary redirected his gaze to the wall. One look at those sienna orbs and it was all over. Gary knew all too well what they did to him. He masked his face, wiping his expression clear of emotion, and managed a nonchalant shrug. "I'm not avoiding you," his tone was colder than he'd intended. He didn't miss Ash flinching at his words from the corner of his eyes, and could only pray his façade held up.

Gary allowed his eyes to meet Ash's, and instantly regretted it. He didn't want to see the pain he'd caused reflecting in those large orbs. None of this was real. How was it that Ash would wind up being the victim when the whole problem stemmed back to his actions? If anyone's eyes should be shimmering with tears, it was Gary's.

" .. you could have fooled me," Ash whispered, his voice barely audible. He bit his lower lip slightly, blinking a few times before looking back up at Gary. "Seriously, what's going on? I .. I thought - "

"Well look at that, Ashy-boy can think," Gary snapped with unintended cruelty. "For someone with such low intelligence it's amazing how you never cease to surprise me."

As the effect of each biting word struck Ash, his eyes widened in shock, staring at Gary in disbelief. The tears in his eyes remained, but refrained from falling. Gary was thankful for it.

"I, uh .. " Ash struggled with his next words, inhaling deeply a few times before managing to ask, "W .. what do you mean?"

His rarely used ten year old instincts kicked in, and Gary rolled his eyes before asking, "Would you like me to spell it out for you?" Barely disguised sarcasm laced every word. "Actually, I'll just come out and say it, otherwise you'll never get the message into your head."

"Gary, wh - "

"I'm done, Ash," the researcher interrupted, continuing before Ash could react. "With you, with us, with everything about this fucked up deal you pulled me into. I want nothing to do with any of it. I'm done."

Finally, the tears spilled over, trailing in smooth lines of moisture as each one rolled down Ash's cheeks. It was the only movement he was capable of making. His eyes were wide and unblinking, fixed unwaveringly upon Gary's, while every muscle in his body seemed to tense up.

A full few minutes passed without movement, Gary being unwilling to break the stillness, while Ash seemed unable to. It was as though someone had frozen the two teen where they stood.

Eventually, it was Ash who broke the silence. " .. done?" His voice was barely a breath, shaking and cautious. Scared, even. "Gary?" He took a tiny step towards the researcher, his eyes reflecting disbelief. "Are .. are you .. breaking up with me?"

And this was why Gary wanted to simply rip off the band aid. Even when he was furious with Ash, the trainer still managed to make him want to slit his own throat.

"I wouldn't say 'breaking up' exactly," Gary replied, now avoiding Ash's eyes and focusing instead on the bookshelf beside him. "You can't exactly break up with someone you were only ever occasionally fucking, can you?"

A pink blush lit up Ash's cheeks. "Only .. fucking?" He repeated the words slowly, as though Gary had just told him that Pikachu had died. He took another shy step forward, lifting his hand slightly to reach out to Gary, before he realised what he was doing and reined it back, holding it against his chest. "Yeah, right, of course. I - it was just .. just .. "

It was agony, seeing Ash looking so lost, so hurt, and knowing exactly what, or rather who was the cause. It was too late to back down, but in the end, it was for the best. If they'd kept stringing each other along, dragging their arrangement out for as long as they dared, then it was impossible for any of it to end well.

"I've moved on," he lied bluntly. Though it wasn't technically a lie. He was trying to move on, wasn't he? And if this was what it took to ensure Ash wouldn't come back, then so be it.

With all that had happened between them, Gary didn't doubt that this could very well be the last conversation they could ever have. He wanted to commit every part of Ash to memory, even when he was teary eyed and pained. But when he gave into temptation and lifted his emerald eyes to meet Ash's, he saw only the empty space where Ash had been standing, and the door behind it, open.

Whatever there was to be said, the words Ash needed to hear, would remain unspoken. And as the realisation sunk in, Gary's own vision became blurred, and his cheeks wet with salty tears.

xxx

Author's Note: Did that end abruptly, or am I being nit-picky? I just felt bad breaking Ash's heart like that T_T But it's okay, cause it's not over yet! At first it was a one-shot, but I figured it would be a bit of a hefty read, so I split it in two.

So yeah, if you liked, then would it be too much to ask for a review? :)