The first thing Gary noticed when he walked into the room was how deeply Ash was sleeping.

He was sprawled out on the Pokémon Center bed, one arm hanging off the side, the other flopped across his stomach. His mouth was slightly open, his hair was even messier than usual, and Pikachu was curled up on his chest, snoring softly. The room was quiet, save for the soft hum of the air conditioning and the occasional murmur from Ash as he mumbled in his sleep.

Gary sighed, crossing his arms.

He hadn't planned on doing a check-up today, but, well—Ash was his most difficult patient, and this might be the only time he could actually do a full assessment without Ash putting up a fight.

Still, it felt a little sneaky.

He glanced at Pikachu. "You gonna zap me if I do this?" he muttered.

Pikachu twitched an ear, cracked one eye open, then yawned and went right back to sleep.

Gary smirked. "Alright, then."

He moved closer, rolling up his sleeves. First things first—breathing.

Ash was inhaling and exhaling steadily, his chest rising and falling at a normal rhythm. No wheezing, no struggling. That was good.

Next—temperature.

Gary pressed the back of his hand against Ash’s forehead. Normal. No fever. Great.

He moved to Ash’s wrist next, gently pressing his fingers against the pulse point. The beat was strong and steady, but…

Gary frowned.

Fast.

His pulse wasn’t racing, but it was a little quicker than it should be for someone in deep sleep.

Gary tilted his head. Weird. Could be from training too hard, maybe dehydration. He’d check for other signs.

Next, bruises and injuries.

He carefully pushed up the sleeve of Ash’s hoodie. Sure enough—fading bruises scattered across his forearm, some newer than others. Probably from his latest battle. Gary sighed. Typical.

He checked the other arm—same thing. A few small scrapes, a healing cut near his elbow.

He moved lower, pressing gently along Ash’s ribs. Ash twitched in his sleep, his face scrunching up.

Gary froze.

Ash muttered something unintelligible, shifted slightly, then relaxed again.

Gary exhaled. Close call.

But now he was sure—Ash was sore.

Gary felt along his ribs carefully. No sharp pain reaction, no swelling. Probably just bruising, but Ash hadn’t said anything. Of course he didn’t.

Gary rolled his eyes and moved on.

Next—hydration check.

He pinched the skin on the back of Ash’s hand lightly and watched how fast it bounced back. A little slow. He also noticed Ash’s lips were drier than usual.

“…You are dehydrated, idiot,” Gary muttered under his breath.

Pikachu twitched in response but didn’t wake up.

Gary sighed. “I swear, you’d run yourself into the ground if no one stopped you.”

Finally, he reached for his stethoscope. Heart check.

Gently, he pressed the cold metal against Ash’s chest, listening carefully.

Lub-dub. Lub-dub. Lub-dub.

Steady. No murmurs, no irregular beats. Good.

But that fast pulse from earlier still bugged him.

Gary studied Ash’s face. He looked peaceful, but… was he really?

His brows were slightly furrowed. His fingers twitched now and then.

Gary exhaled. Stress dreams. That explained the faster pulse. Even asleep, Ash was probably thinking about battles, training, or whatever crazy situation he’d gotten himself into last.

Gary shook his head. “You need to take it easy, moron.”

He pulled the blanket up a little higher over Ash’s shoulders, then straightened up.

The check-up was done.

He scribbled a quick note on a sticky pad from his bag and stuck it to Ash’s forehead.

"Drink water. You're dehydrated. Also, stop getting bruised. -G"

Then, with one last glance at his sleeping patient, he grabbed his bag and quietly left the room.

It was late. The clinic was quiet, the usual hustle and bustle of the day long gone, leaving only the dim hum of machines and the soft ticking of the clock on the wall. The only people left inside were Gary and Ash, the latter curled up on the small couch in the waiting room, fast asleep.

Gary had told Ash he could rest while they waited for his results, but he hadn’t expected the boy to actually pass out so quickly. It wasn’t surprising, though. Ash had been exhausted. The moment he had slumped onto the couch, Pikachu curled up beside him, he had drifted off into a deep sleep.

Gary stood by, watching his best friend with a quiet sigh. Ash looked peaceful—finally relaxed in a way he rarely was at a doctor’s office. That alone was rare, and Gary wasn’t about to wake him up just for a check-up.

But… he still needed to do it.

He hesitated for a moment. Ash hated check-ups, even when Gary was the one performing them. He would get tense, anxious, flinch at the smallest things. But now, asleep like this, Ash wouldn’t fight him. He wouldn’t stress himself out. He wouldn’t tense his body to the point of making it worse.

Gary crouched down beside the couch, watching Ash’s steady breathing. His hand moved to Ash’s wrist, pressing two fingers against it. His pulse was strong, but it was a little faster than he would have liked. Probably exhaustion.

Pikachu stirred, ears twitching as it lifted its head slightly. Gary gave the little Pokémon a reassuring glance. “Shh,” he whispered, rubbing Pikachu’s head lightly. “Let him sleep.”

Pikachu’s ears flicked, but it didn’t stop him as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his stethoscope. Gently, he looped it around his neck and warmed the diaphragm with his palm before slipping it under Ash’s loose shirt.

The rhythmic thumping of Ash’s heart filled his ears, and he listened carefully, his brows furrowing slightly. The beat was a little rapid, but it wasn’t alarming. He moved the stethoscope slightly, listening to Ash’s lungs now. Each breath was steady, deep, unlabored. Good.

Gary sat back a little, relieved. Ash’s health was fine. He was just… tired. And maybe a little overworked. But that wasn’t news.

Still, since he was here, he figured he might as well check the rest. He gently took Ash’s arm, inspecting for any bruises or signs of strain. Traveling as much as Ash did, injuries weren’t uncommon. His fingers brushed over Ash’s knuckles—scraped. Likely from training or a battle.

Gary sighed. “You really don’t take it easy on yourself, do you?” he muttered under his breath.

Ash stirred slightly, shifting in his sleep, but he didn’t wake.

Gary moved on, pressing two fingers against Ash’s neck lightly to check his lymph nodes. No swelling. He carefully adjusted Ash’s position, tilting his chin up slightly to check his throat. No redness.

Then, he pulled a small penlight from his pocket. He hesitated.

This might wake him up.

But Ash needed a full check-up.

Sighing, he gently pressed one hand on Ash’s forehead to keep him steady, then flicked the light on and shone it briefly into one eye, then the other. His pupils reacted normally, shrinking against the light before relaxing again.

Ash groaned softly, shifting under Gary’s touch. His nose scrunched up, and Gary immediately pulled back, watching as Ash’s eyes fluttered slightly before he turned his head to the side and settled back into sleep.

Gary let out a quiet breath of relief. That was close.

Moving carefully, he placed a hand against Ash’s forehead, checking for any unusual warmth. Normal. No fever. Good.

Finally, the last part. He reached for Ash’s hand again, pressing lightly against his fingertips. Capillary refill time was normal. His circulation was fine.

Gary sat back on his heels, staring at his best friend, still fast asleep on the couch. His chest rose and fell steadily, his face peaceful, completely unaware of the check-up that had just taken place.

Gary sighed, rubbing his face tiredly before reaching for the small blanket draped over the back of the couch. He pulled it over Ash’s shoulders, tucking it in lightly before sitting down on the floor beside him.

Pikachu, who had been watching quietly the whole time, let out a soft chirp and curled back up next to Ash’s side.

Gary leaned back against the couch, crossing his arms. “You’re fine, Ashy-boy,” he murmured. “But you really need to take better care of yourself.”

Ash only murmured something incoherent in his sleep, shifting slightly under the blanket.

Gary just shook his head with a small smile. He wasn’t going to wake him up. Not yet. He could rest. He deserved it.

And if he had to sit there for a while longer, making sure his best friend was still sleeping peacefully?

Well… that was fine too.