ash x gladion oneshots

Champion

A/N- what can I say except I was ment to post this agesss ago

“Ash?”

It’s been a good fifteen minutes since the match ended but Ash can still feel adrenaline rushing through his veins. He feels like he can barely breathe, his head swimming with the aftershocks of an epic battle, his heart pounding in time to the overjoyed calls of victory that echo throughout the stadium. It’s almost like Pikachu’s electricity had clung to him and followed him out of the arena, leaving a barely-there tingling at his fingertips.

He’s not sure if he’ll calm down anytime soon, already knowing tonight will be a sleepless one. But it’ll be one full of celebration, because after all this time, they did it—Ash finally stepped over the threshold and became a true Pokemon Master with Pikachu at his side.

Speaking of his little buddy, his hero, the partner he’s had since the beginning—Pikachu had courageously charged right into victory, faster than lightning. As soon as his energy had ran out, Ash had rushed him and the rest of his party to Nurse Joy for treatment. Luckily Pikachu’s injuries from battle, while abundant, had been superficial, so they were taken care of without too much fuss.

Now his partner sits happily in his arms, laughing alongside him as they bask in the afterglow of their well-earned win. Ash feels like he’s on top of the world right now, and he might as well be—he just proved to the entire world that he’s the best of the best, the most talented and skilled trainer there is. And if that isn’t enough, the person who just walked through the door, calling his name, is—

Ash beams, his smile endlessly wide.

“Gladion!”

Gladion looks like he’s in as much shock as Ash is, with green eyes wide and glossy and lips slightly parted in shock. There’s a minute trembling to his fingers as he reaches a hand out, sounding absolutely dazed and breathless, “Hey—”

He doesn’t get to say anything else before both Ash and Pikachu are bowling him over, squeezing him tightly.

Gladion releases a soft, relieved sort of gasp, clutching them both in his arms.

“You did it,” he says, his voice barely a whisper. He sounds amazed, and Ash feels a happy flutter in his gut. He still gets Butterfree around Gladion sometimes, even though they’ve been together for a while now.

“You won. You both—you’re incredible. I can’t even believe…”

Pikachu releases a happy cry, and Gladion grins, his eyes watery as he scratches the electric mouse behind his ears. Ash only smiles, feeling so elated he’s sure he’s going to explode into confetti at any moment.

“There’s really nobody else in the world like you,” Gladion says, addressing both of them. His expression is soft, adoring, and Ash can feel himself falling in love all over again.

He gives Gladion a dopey grin. His heart is warm and floaty and ready to spill over, words rising up his throat and reaching the tip of his tongue. He wants to march outside right now, take that trophy in hand and announce to the world how much he loves these two, his soulmate and his best friend, how he couldn’t have gotten this far without them, how much they mean to him.

But instead he settles for hugging Gladion to him again, breathing in his scent and relishing in the moment. He wants this to last forever—to stretch out into infinity. Just him and Pikachu and Gladion, all of them standing together, going a little crazy over their incredible victory while a roaring crowd awaits their re-entry to claim their title.

Ash feels lips in his hair and struggles not to cry, emotion gripping his heart in a chokehold.

“I’m so proud of you,” Gladion murmurs. “Both of you. You were—you were amazing.”