fates collide // an ash xy love story

xxxi // hold me tight

Hannah lets one more tear fall from her eye before she hastily wipes it away and runs over to Ash who is against the wall, groaning in pain. Hannah is immediately by his side, eyes scanning over his body to check for any pain he may be experiencing.

"Where does it hurt?" Hannah asks, looking him in the eyes. Ash averts her gaze and mumbles, "nowhere."

Hannah scoffs, "You're a pretty bad liar, you know that right?" Hannah playfully says, grabbing the hem of his shirt. She looks to Ash to see if she can, and he reluctantly nods.

"I don't know if you know this, but I saw you get hit in the stomach less than a minute ago." Hannah states, "I'm pretty sure you're in pain right now." 

Hannah lifts his shirt to reveal a big purple bruise forming from Alain, "well, you must be bad at reading me then." Ash replies nonchalantly.

"I'm better at reading you than you think," Hannah says, placing a hand on his stomach.

Ash flinches at the contact and quickly rides it off from being in pain.

"Hannah," Ash mutters, her actions stopping immediately, "you don't have to do this."

"But I want to," Hannah argues, "he was going to hit me either way." Hannah continues to heal him.

"Hannah," Ash reaches to take her hand and hold it delicately, "Please don't feel guilty, it was me who got hit, it's not you're fault."

"But-"

"Hannah,"  Ash emphasises, stopping Hannah from continuing her sentence, "Don't."

She stops her actions before moving her other hand to move to his hair, gently threading her fingers through it. Ash moves his head into the touch, closing his eyes.

"What if I only healed you a little?" Hannah suggests, whispering, "just enough to get you back to moving normally, and I really want to get rid of that bruise."

Ash stifles a laugh but ultimately gives in, sighing in defeat, "I've never won to you on the field, and I can't even win in an argument against you."

Hannah smirks and looks at him, removing the hand from his hair to go back to his stomach, "I mean, is that all that bad?"

"Is what?" Ash questions.

'liking me,' Hannah thinks, "nothing, don't worry about it."

Hannah gives some of her energy to him, the whole time holding his hand. When she's done, she smiles at Ash slightly weaker than before.

Ash notices but doesn't say anything, just picks up Pikachu and places him on his shoulder. 

"Let's keep going?" Ash suggests, who starts walking but stops when she notices Hannah hasn't moved.

He goes back and looks worriedly at her, "what's wrong?" 

"I just-" Hannah stumbles out her sentence, "I just fell guilty... y-you got hurt because of me."

Ash smiles at her, "It's not like you wouldn't have done it for me."

Hannah makes eye contact with him and smiles sadly, "one of us is always hurt."

"It's just our charm," Ash jokes.

She laughs pitifully at that and sarcastically says, "we're a horrible team," 

Ash slips his hand into hers and with a genuine smile states, "wouldn't want it any other way."

"W-what?-"

"Just to make sure I don't lose you," Ash turns his head and pulls her hand along, Hannah looking at him shocked. She looks to Weavile on her shoulder who is cheering her own silently.