Ash x Gary (Palletshipping)

You Don't Know Me

Me: "Ash, I'm having some dark thoughts over here." *Being one hundred percent serious*

Ash: "What do you mean?" *Completely clueless*

Me: "Some bad things are going to happen to you." *Glares at floor, having made a very grave confession*

Togepi: Prriii? *Tilts head to side*

Misty: "She's probably just talking about the smut chapters." *Growls with hands on hips*

Pikachu: *Covers Togepi's eyes*

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A date?! Why would he want to go on a date with me?! He's my enemy! And how is the Gary Oak gay? And who said I was gay?! "What do you m-?" I start to ask, saying all the words at once. My face is so hot right now, and I'm breathing so hard because stupid Gary's crushing me.

"Hold it right there!" a strong, feminine voice interrupts me-sounds like Officer Jenny has arrived. Oh, yeah...we're in the middle of a battle with Team Rocket right now, aren't we?...And we almost just died...Why does Gary fuck with my head so much?

"Meowth! Get us out of here!" I can hear Jesse screaming in panic. I wish Gary would get off of me so I could see what's going on. But no, he just has to lay on me, staring into my eyes. I see his eyes flicker down lower to look at some other feature on my face. Why's my heart pounding? Why can't I ever seem to just get over him and move on with my life? I shouldn't have demanded for a battle with him.

I should've just walked away.

I turn my face away from Gary's in disgust, and I finally feel him lift up off of me. I sit up and look around-anywhere but at him.

"Growlithe, let's go!" Officer Jenny directs her Pokémon to attack Team Rocket. Jesse and James are freaking out and shaking Meowth, making him drop the remote control for the giant Buneary robot. It clatters to the ground below.

"Grooowl!" Growlithe jumps up, using the robot like a ladder, and tears into the fabric of the hot air balloon with its fangs. The air immediately comes rushing out as Growlithe falls back to the ground, landing adeptly on its feet. It seizes the robot's remote control while Team Rocket blasts off.

I look over at Teagan, still avoiding Gary, and see that she's staring blankly at the twinkle in the sky that is Team Rocket. "Is this actually what your life is like?" she asks, turning to me.

"Pretty much," I tell her, but something's wrong with my voice. My chest feels so tight right now. I remember this feeling from when I tried to leave Pikachu in the wild where it belonged-have I made a bad decision just now?

I look at the ground, trying to ignore the pain and, in the process, tune out the world around me. How many times did I try to be friends with Gary? How many times did I try to look past all his snubs and insults? Can I even take anymore?

"Ash!" someone yells. I realize I'm being shaken. My head turns automatically to look at Gary. "Ash, are you okay?" He sounds concerned, but I know better. It's just a lie. Everything's a lie. Every time we hugged. Every time we played together. Every time we laughed. Every time he said we'd be friends forever...It was all lies.

"Hey, Ash?" Teagan gets my attention. Her voice is so soft and uncertain. I look up at her and realize my cheeks are wet-I'm crying.

"Pika?" Pikachu is upset, its black-tipped ears pressed back against its head. I reach out for my best friend-the only one who's been there for me over the years. Especially since Mom died. I thought at least Brock or Misty or definitely Professor Oak would've come to check up on me after the funeral, but I was wrong...I don't wanna be wrong anymore.

Pikachu leaps into my arms, and I take off running with my hat tilted low over my forehead so no one can see me cry. I'm so ashamed of myself.

"Ash! Ash, what's wrong?!" Gary calls after me-what? No more Ashy boy? A sob chokes me, and I pick up the pace, heading to Petalburg City so I can move on with my life. It's not like anyone even cares anyway.

"Pika-piii..." Pikachu leans into me and licks my cheek, but I only cry harder.

*Meanwhile*

What's wrong with Ash? Why did he just run off like that? Was it something I said? I mean, I did ask him on a date, but he could've just said no.

I get to my feet and start chasing after him-I'm not letting go again. Seeing him cry like that? My heart's ripping in two. My eyes sting and burn with tears of their own, and I'm choking on a lump in my throat that won't be swallowed away. How could I let this happen to us?

"Gary!" I come to a halt, "Gary, can't you see he wants to be left alone?!" I turn around to look into the hate-filled eyes of Nurse Joy, "He was such a happy, brave boy the last time I saw him. I think you need to respect his boundaries more," yeah, I got drunk last month and spilled my worthless guts to her, "And before you even think of going after him, you need to seriously consider your own situation-what about my sister-in-law?! What about Teagan?!"

The tone of anguish in Joy's voice makes my head snap down in shame. I should've been more careful with my life. I should've been more prudent with my heart. But now I can't. As much as I want to leave everything behind for Ash, what I want doesn't matter anymore. It stopped mattering the day I first held Teagan in my arms. My tears drip to the ground below, slightly darkening the soil as they land.

"Daddy...? You used to know him." Teagan says. It's not a question; it's just a fact. "Who is he, though? That you wanted me to go looking for him and bring him back here? Who is he? That you asked me not to call you dad in front of him?"

I look up at my daughter with shame in my eyes and pull her in for a hug. She seems surprised, but she embraces me back, resting her little head on my shoulder. "He's no one, Teag. It's okay: he doesn't matter." 'The only one that matters is you, sweetheart,' I think desperately to myself, trying to believe it. But as I shut my eyes tightly to lock in the tears, all I see in the darkness is a small Ash, looking up at me with sad, accusing eyes. I burst out sobbing into my daughter's hair.

"Gary..." Joy places a hand softly on my arm, "You need to tell Teagan the truth, and you need to tell Ash the truth. And, if you want to and he agrees, you can be with him, Gary. My sister-in-law wouldn't mind: she was so proud to have her last act on this earth be bringing Teagan into the world-she didn't care about anything else. But you have to tell him, Gary."

I have to go find Ash.

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Ash: "..."

Gary: "...Ash...Look at me..."

Ash: "..."

Bonnie: "Hey, why aren't we in this?" *Gestures to brother and Serena*

Me: "Butt out, Bonnie, the adults are having a moment over here."