" G- Gary.....?"

" Yeah, kid?"

" Are you SURE we have to do this? I mean, I COULD just live with a burst... apenzid in me."

Gary turned from the side table, and his brow twitched. " What?" 

Ash shifted uncomfortably in the hospital bed. " I mean, we don't REALLY need to cut me open, do we?"

Gary sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out and grabbing Ash's hands. " Hey."

Ash blinked, looking up at Gary.

" You know I wouldn't do this if it was unnecessary."

Ash sighed. " Yeah, bu-"

Gary shook his head. " No buts. I'll be with you the whole time, and it'll be over before you know it."

Ash pouted. " But why can't I eat?"

" Because when we put a body under anesthesia, the body loses the ability to digest." Gary explained patiently.  " And that could lead to breathing hazards."

Ash sighed. " Oh, fine..."

Gary reached over Ash's lap and handed him his stuffed Larvitar ( IDK what it is but I'm just calling it a Larvitar) and placed it in Ash's lap. " Here. Hug this while I take your vitals, K?"

Ash groaned but obediently wrapped his arms around the stuffed Larvitar, burying his face into its soft plush body. "Mmmm... still don't like it."

Gary huffed a small laugh as he reached for the blood pressure cuff. "Yeah, well, I'm not a fan of emergency surgery either, but here we are."

Ash peeked up at him with those big, nervous eyes. "... It's gonna hurt, isn't it?"

Gary's hands hesitated for the briefest second before he continued securing the cuff around Ash's arm. He gave a small squeeze to Ash's forearm, reassuring but firm. "You'll be asleep, bud. You won't feel a thing during the surgery."

Ash frowned. "Yeah, but after...?"

Gary sighed. "There'll be some pain, yeah. But you'll have meds to help, and I'll be here to make sure you're okay. You just focus on getting through this, alright?"

Ash swallowed, his grip tightening around the Larvitar. "Okay..."

Gary nodded, then turned his attention to the monitor as he started taking Ash's blood pressure. As expected, it was a little higher than usual—nerves, no doubt.

"Alright, deep breaths, kiddo," Gary murmured as he checked the reading.

Ash inhaled shakily, then exhaled, though it was more of a defeated sigh. "How bad is it?"

Gary glanced at the monitor, then at Ash's flushed face. "It's fine, nothing too concerning."

"... You paused."

Gary smirked. "Did not."

"Did too."

"You're hearing things."

"Gary."

"Okay, okay," Gary chuckled, unwrapping the cuff. "It's a little high, but that's normal when someone's nervous. As long as you don't start hyperventilating or trying to bolt out of here, we're good."

Ash slumped back against the pillow, dramatically groaning into his stuffed Larvitar. "Ughhh. I hate this."

"Yeah, no kidding," Gary muttered, reaching for his stethoscope next. "Now sit up a little for me, Ashy Boy. I gotta check your heart and lungs."

Ash whined but obeyed, wincing slightly as he adjusted himself. Gary was quick to help, one hand steadying his shoulder while the other placed the stethoscope against his chest.

"Deep breath in," Gary instructed.

Ash inhaled.

"And out."

Ash exhaled shakily, his fingers twitching against the plush toy in his lap.

Gary moved the stethoscope to another spot. "Again."

Ash obeyed, though his breaths were a little uneven.

Gary frowned slightly. "You feel short of breath?"

Ash hesitated, then gave a tiny nod. "A little..."

Gary pursed his lips but didn't say anything right away. He kept listening, pressing the stethoscope against Ash's back now. His breathing sounded a little strained, likely from anxiety and the underlying infection. Nothing that set off alarms—yet.

"Alright," Gary said after a moment, pulling the stethoscope away. "Your lungs sound okay, but I'll keep an eye on that."

Ash's shoulders sagged with relief. "So I'm not, like, dying?"

Gary gave him a flat look. "You do have a burst appendix, Ash."

Ash groaned. "I know, but, like—ugh, never mind."

Gary smirked, ruffling Ash's hair. "You're not dying on my watch, kid. Now, let's check your circulation."

Ash barely had time to react before Gary was pressing down on his fingertips, watching how quickly the color returned. Then he moved to Ash's wrists, fingers wrapping gently around to check his pulse again.

"How's it looking, Doc?" Ash teased weakly.

Gary hummed. "Still got blood flow, so that's a good sign."

Ash rolled his eyes. "Gee, thanks."

Gary chuckled, then pressed two fingers against Ash's wrist again, feeling for strength in his pulse. His grip was weaker than usual—dehydration and stress probably weren't helping.

"Alright, last thing," Gary said as he reached for Ash's hands, pressing his palms against them. "Squeeze my hands as hard as you can."

Ash sighed dramatically. "Fine."

He squeezed.

...Or, well, tried to.

Gary raised a brow. "That's it?"

Ash pouted. "I have a burst appendix, Gary, cut me some slack!"

Gary snorted. "Yeah, yeah. Just confirming you're as pathetic as you look."

Ash huffed, smacking Gary's hand weakly. "Jerk."

Gary only grinned. "Alright, you pass. But once this is over, I'm putting you on a proper hydration and nutrition schedule, because Arceus save you, Ash, your circulation sucks."

Ash groaned. "I knew this would end with you lecturing me."

Gary smirked. "You should know by now, Ashy Boy—if I don't lecture you, who will?"

Ash slumped further into the bed, muttering something under his breath. But then, after a pause, he reached out weakly and grabbed Gary's wrist again, holding onto it like a lifeline.

Gary blinked, then softened.

"Gary...?" Ash murmured, voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, buddy?"

"You're not gonna leave, right?"

Gary squeezed Ash's hand back. "Not a chance."