Ash and Dust | PalletShipping

Reintroductions

Ash and Lillie arrived at Professor Oak's laboratory. They knocked on the door, which wasn't an unfamiliar situation today. Oak opened the door, "Ah Ash, nice to see you again!" The couple shuffled in while Oak turned to Lillie, "Who may you be?"
"Uh, my name's Lillie, we just came here from Alola."
"Alola! I've heard of many mysterious and intriguing Pokémon from that region. How was your trip?" Oak guided the two to his work station, Ash saw a familiar trainer chilling on the sofa. "Ahem, Ash?" Oak alerted, he noticed that he no longer had Ash's attention, "Oh, I almost forgot to mention. You remember my grandson, Gary, right?" Ash, trying not to panic, quickly glanced back up at the professor.
"Of course, too well." he replied. The phone in another room started to ring.
"Excuse me while I get that" Oak rushed."
Hey Ashy boy", Gary smirked.
Ash felt a drop in his stomach, "Why are you here..?"
"I thought I'd come visit my grandpa, it also seems I'm going to have to stay for a while too since my research lab is being renovated," Ash couldn't handle being in Gary's presence. He'd had the longest and most destroying crush on him since they met. It took him years of travelling to get over the fact they couldn't be together, as Gary was straight. "What's up, Ash? You seem lost for words." Ash looked away, he faced a puzzled Lillie. Professor Oak returned to the now-awkward ambience, "One of my assistants is claiming to have found a blue Charmander, quite interesting really. Ah, anyway, may I get you three anything to eat or drink?"
"About that, my mom is wondering if you'll join us for dinner today," Ash nervously said with a twisted stomach.
"Splendid! Gary will come too!" announced Oak. Ash couldn't think of an excuse to not invite Gary and didn't want to seem rude. "Nice, I haven't ate in while." Gary declared while staring Ash in the eye.
"Um.. well, we better go now, it should be ready soon." Ash left the building first, followed by the rest. Arriving back home, Delia was delighted to see Oak had agreed to join them to eat, "Nice for you to join us! You too, Gary!" she cheered. Ash groaned, he sat down on the floor to play with Nebby and Pikachu while the others sat at the table. "What's up, Ash?" his mother asked,
"It's nothing, just not.. hungry right now, that's all," he replied anxiously, "I think I'm going to have a walk around Pallet for a while, make myself familiar with it again,"
"Don't be too late, and make sure to come back before your food gets cold," his mom replied. Ash picked himself off the floor and headed for the door, calling a sighed "See you guys later," to the dining group. Ash wandered out and headed behind his house, so he could be alone while he aches. He pushed his back against the white panelled wall and he slowly slid down, till he was sat on the ground. He noticed the gentle sound of a pitter patter getting closer, "Pika?!", Pikachu had found Ash. Ash sighed in gratitude that it was just his Pokémon pal, and nobody else. The confused electric-type shuffled onto Ash's lap. Ash slowly clenched his jet-black shirt, right over his heart. Pikachu muffled a sound of confusion. "Pikachu, I'm so glad you're not experiencing the pain that I am in right now..." Ash cried. Pikachu attempted to hug Ash, but he could not fit his stubby arms around him.
"Ashy boy?", Ash heard a calling, and it wasn't the voice of Lillie, his mother or Professor Oak. Ash wasn't sure what to do, he covered his distraught  complexion with his navy-blue jacket in attempt to hide, even though it was still very obvious he was there. Gary peered around the corner, "What are you doing around here?"
"I want to be alone," Ash groaned.
"What's the matter?" Gary questioned.
"Can you leave please?" Ash anxiously asked as he was becoming impatient.
"C'mon, Ashy, tell me what's wrong," Gary begged. A single tear fell down Ash's hidden face. His voice began to shake,
"Gary, please just-" he couldn't finish his sentence.
"Ash I'm not leaving till you tell me-" Gary pleaded as he was cut off by Ash,
"If you really want to know what the problem is, it's you!" he blurted as he revealed his now, sobbed, wet expression.
"Wha-? I'm not sure I understand?" Gary unsurely replied.
"I've embarrassed myself too much already..." Ash cried, Gary kneeled down beside him, Pikachu softly growled. "You're the reason I was scared to come back to Kanto.." Ash continued, Gary gave a stern look of confusion. "But I still had a bit of hope that I wouldn't have to see you again, that you wouldn't be here when I came back..." ,
"Why? What did I ever do to you...?" Gary felt an unnecessary feeling of guilt, though he had no reason for he didn't know why he had upset Ash.
"You always teased me when we were younger, always bragged about how you were ahead of me at everything..."
"Ash, that was so long ago, we've resolved things since then." Gary replied.
"But there was something so wrong, but so right about all of it, it made me feel... I can't," Ash stopped.
"What do you mean?"
Lillie found the two behind the house, "Um, guys? Delia said your foods getting cold and she'd like it if you came and join us."
"Sure thing Lillie, we're coming now..." Ash stood up and regained his strength as he wiped his tears away. They returned to the house, Delia knew Ash was crying, she could always recognize the post-breakdown, bright-red face of her son. She didn't want to say anything about it as she knew it could just upset him some more,
"Sit down Ash, I've made your favorite," she said, as she put an arm around her boy, while holding dishes in the other hand, she patted his back and released, giving him the option to sit down. Gary sat across from Ash, trying to comprehend what had just happened and figure out what Ash meant. The two made no eye contact and continued to eat.
"This is really nice food, Mrs. Ketchum," Gary complimented.
"Thank you, Gary, I really appreciate it!" she gratefully replied. A few moments had past and Ash had finished eating,
"Thank you mom." Ash politely thanked as he tucked his chair under the table and slowly made his way upstairs.
"Does anybody know what's up with him? Lillie? Oak?... Gary?" Delia concerned.
"No... sorry," Lillie replied, feeling helpless.
"Gary, do you?" Delia looked at Gary while he continued to eat.
"Um, no Mrs. Ketchum, he's fine. We just talked about his trip to Alola," Gary lied. Delia knew Gary wasn't telling her the truth.
"Can you go up and check on him please?" Delia asked. Gary, with food to spare, wiped his mouth with a napkin and nudged his chair under the table. He nervously walked up the stairs, unsure of which room was Ash's, he attempted to open all of the doors until he discovered that one was locked. Gary knocked on the door, he waited for a while and to no surprise, Ash didn't open.
"Ashy, c'mon, open up," Gary insisted , continually knocking gently. He heard footsteps getting closer to the door, "Ash.." he smiled in expectation that he'd open the door,
"What do you want..?" Ash asked softly through the still-locked door.
"Just let me in.. please, I just want to talk," Gary pleaded. The doorknob began to turn, Ash opened the door, though he would not face Gary. Gary entered the room while Ash made his way back to sit down on his bed. "What did you mean earlier?" Gary asked, stood in front of Ash.
"Gary, I've been hiding this from you for the longest time, ever since the day we met, I've just liked you so much... I can't believe I'm saying this, oh god..."
"Well, of course you like me? Right? Friends are meant to like each other?" Gary said as he sat down beside Ash.
"Gary, I like you. I like like you," Ash shied. Gary came to realization of what Ash meant. He didn't know how to feel, or what to say. "I hate myself, now that I've seen you again, I think the feelings are starting to come ba-" Ash was cut off by a caress against his lips, he could no longer speak. They both closed their eyes and Ash placed his hand on Gary's thigh. Lillie slowly peered through the door, without catching the boys' attention. "That makes sense." she thought to herself. She made her way back downstairs without making her presence known. Gary pulled away from the kiss, leaving Ash speechless. Gary left the room immediately, regretting what he had just done.