The door of the waiting room opened, and Gary stepped out of the door. “ Ashy- Boy?”

Gary’s eyes swept around the room. The chairs were still neatly made, the clipboards were in their boxes, and he couldn’t see his best friend.

So where could Ash be?

Then his eyes gazed at the receptionist, who was looking at something under her desk.

Gary raised a brow, went back inside the clinic, and into the receptionist area. He walked to the receptionist, peeked over her shoulder and gasped.

“ There you are!”

The receptionist turned and saw the young doctor, stepping aside as she said, “ He’s all yours.”

Gary nodded gratefully, walking and gently crouching in front of the desk, reaching out and rubbing the boy’s arm. Hiya, Ash.”

Ash didn’t reply. His head was buried in his knees, which were brought up to his chest, his arms wrapped around.

Gary gently took one of Ash’s hands, frowning when he saw how clenched they were. He gently pried his fingers away and stared.

Angry marks were left in the wake of the clenching, and Gary sighed. “ Oh, Ash…..”

Holding Ash’s hand in one hand, rubbing soothing circles in his palm, he took a deep breath.

“ Ash. Look at me.”

Ash didn't move.

Gary put a gentle hand on Ash’s knee. “ Ash.” He pressed. “ Look at me.”

Ash lifted his head a little, and Gary smiled softly, wiping a few of Ash’s tears. “ There you are.”

Ash blinked. He started to put his head back down, but Gary gently cupped his chin, forcing Ash to look at Gary.

“ What’s wrong, Ash?” Gary asked gently. “ You can tell me.”

Ash looked away.

Gary frowned slightly, but he wasn’t discouraged.

“ Buddy, look at me for a second.”

Ash obeyed.

Gary gently stood up from outside of the desk. “ First of all, do I look any different?”

Ash gave Gary a look over.

Gary was wearing his white lab coat, but he could see Gary's purple shirt.

Ash shook his head and buried his face back into his knees.

Gary sat down again and took Ash’s hand again, rubbing it again.

Ash flinched slightly.

Gary frowned again, putting two gentle fingers on Ash’s wrist.

His heart was going ten miles a minute.

Gary’s eyes widened, and before he knew it he had already slipped the stethoscope from his neck and pressed the disk on Ash’s shirt.

Ash froze. “ G… gary?”

" Hmm?"

" What are you doing?"

Gary looked up at him for a second.“Easy, buddy. I just want to see something.”

Ash’s heart rate only got worse.

Gary needed to calm Ash down.

Fast.

Looping the stethoscope around his neck again, Gary took Ash’s hand, holding three fingers down.

“ Okay, kiddo.” Gary murmured softly. “ Feel my heart rate.”

He put Ash’s two fingers gently on his neck.

Gary’s heart rate was normal- strong, beating reassuringly, and not erratic.

“ Now let’s feel yours.”

Ash realized his heart rate and Gary’s were very different.

“ Feel it?”

Ash nodded.

“ Let’s try to calm your heart rate down, alright?”

Ash nodded weakly, and Gary gently wrapped an arm around Ash. “ In through your nose…. Out through your mouth. Good. One more, 'k, buddy? In…. out…. In…. out….. There, that’s better, isn’t it?”

Ash nodded hesitantly.

“ Now that you've calmed down, what’s the matter?”

Ash leaned on Gary’s shoulder. “ I’m…. scared.” Ash whispered.

“ About what, buddy?”

“ Gary, it hurts. It always hurts. Every time, no matter what it hurts!”

Gary frowned. “ Hurts? Ash, it’s not supposed to hu-”

Then he saw how rigid his best friend’s body was.

And at once he understood.

“ Ash,” He said gently, taking Ash’s arm and massaging it. “ You need to relax.”

“ Huh?”

Gary gave him a steady expression, pressing gently into Ash's arm. " Relax. Ashy. You know, so your arm won't hurt when you get the shot."

" But why?"

" Because, Ash, if you tense up, the muscles inside your body get tense. And that makes it harder for the needle to just go in painlessly." He explained gently. " See how my arm is? It's relaxed. Now look at yours."

Ash observed the difference. " I suppose.... But every time I try to relax I see the needle. And that just makes me more scared."

Gary nodded, smiling gently. " Ah, that's the problem. Okay, let's do this. We'll just give you the shot here."

Ash's eyes nearly bulged out. " Here?! Under a desk?!"

Gary nodded, already taking the wipes out. " Yeah, kid. Here."

" But why? Wouldn't it be more professional on a table?"

Gary raised a brow. " Kid, I can already see how tense you are. An examination table would be worse. Tell me, are you comfortable down here?"

Ash nodded a little.

" Then that's all I want."

He took a pair of gloves out of his pocket and snapped them on, then took the capped needle.

Ash blinked. " You had that the whole time?"

Gary ripped the wipe packet. " Yeah, why?"

" I'm just surprised."

Gary gently lifted Ash's sleeve and rubbed his skin. " Yeah? Why's that?*

" You didn't just punch it in."

Gary froze, the wipe dropping. " What did you say?"

Ash looked confused. " You didn't just punch it in without making sure I was alright."

" Where's this coming from?! How I usually am?! Ash, listen -"

" Nono, it's not you. It's the ones before."

Now Gary looked very alarmed. " Is that why you hate shots, buddy?"

Ash didn't reply, and Gary's heart sank.

Gary's fingers clenched around the wipe as his stomach twisted. His best friend—his Ashy-boy—had been sitting on this for years?

“Hold on a second,” Gary said, his voice eerily calm. “You’re telling me that some hack just jabbed a needle in your arm with no warning, no prep, no nothing?”

Ash shrugged. “I mean… yeah?”

The receptionist, who had been listening in, turned sharply, her mouth falling open. “Excuse me?”

Gary’s eye twitched. “And you thought that was normal?”

Ash gave him a bewildered look. “It is normal, isn’t it? A shot’s supposed to hurt. It always does.”

Gary inhaled sharply through his nose. “Who told you that?!”

Ash flinched at the sheer heat in Gary’s voice, clutching Pikachu tighter against his chest. The poor Pokémon let out a squeaky "Pika!" as his tiny paws flailed helplessly.

Gary sighed, rubbing his forehead before reaching out and taking Ash’s wrist again. “Easy, buddy. Pikachu’s turning purple.”

Ash startled, immediately loosening his grip. Pikachu sucked in a desperate breath and promptly scrambled onto Gary’s shoulder, looking extremely betrayed.

The receptionist crossed her arms. “Dr. Oak, are you telling me that some quack at another hospital traumatized this poor kid into thinking shots always hurt?”

“Oh, I’m telling you,” Gary growled, eyes flashing. “And I’d love to have a word with them.”

Ash blinked between the two as they fumed. “…You guys are really mad, huh?”

Gary gave him an incredulous look. “Yes, Ash! I’m mad! What kind of idiot doesn’t take two seconds to make sure a kid is okay before stabbing them with a needle?”

Ash huffed and looked down. “I mean, it’s fine. It’s just a shot…”

The receptionist threw her hands in the air. “Oh Arceus, this child is too sweet for his own good.”

Gary clenched his jaw, then shook his head, forcing himself to calm down. “Ash,” he said, voice softer now. “Listen to me. A shot isn’t supposed to hurt like that. A little pinch, maybe. But if someone made you scared of them, then they did it wrong.”

Ash shifted, looking uncertain. “...Really?”

“Really,” Gary said firmly. “And I swear to you, that’s not gonna happen here. Not with me.”

Ash hesitated, then let out a shaky breath. “I… I dunno, Gary. I know you’re my best friend, but… you’re still a doctor.”

Gary felt something twist in his chest. So he’s scared of me too…

Pikachu, sensing the tension, let out a small, reassuring “Pika pi,” and nuzzled Ash’s cheek.

Gary exhaled slowly, his frustration melting into determination. “Alright, Ashy-boy. Let’s try this my way, then.”

Ash looked up at him warily. “...What do you mean?”

Gary shifted, sitting more comfortably under the desk, then opened his arms. “C’mere.”

Ash blinked. “Huh?”

Gary smiled. “You’re a hugger, right? Then hug me.”

Ash hesitated for half a second before practically throwing himself at Gary, wrapping his arms around him in a tight, desperate grip. Gary grunted slightly but didn’t complain, rubbing slow, soothing circles on Ash’s back.

“There we go,” Gary murmured. “Just breathe, okay?”

Ash buried his face in Gary’s shoulder, his breathing uneven but gradually slowing.

Gary gave the receptionist a small nod, and she wordlessly handed him the syringe. He adjusted slightly, draping Ash’s arm over his shoulder while keeping him close.

“Alright, buddy,” he said softly. “I’m gonna do it now, okay?”

Ash tensed. “Wait, already? But—”

“Shhh,” Gary soothed, hugging him just a little tighter. “Just keep holding on, alright? You’re safe.”

Ash squeezed his eyes shut, clutching the back of Gary’s coat.

Gary swabbed his arm quickly, then—before Ash could overthink it—slid the needle in with practiced ease.

Ash sucked in a breath but didn’t flinch.

And then, just like that, it was over.

“All done,” Gary said gently, pressing a cotton ball to Ash’s arm before pulling the needle away.

Ash blinked. “...Wait. That was it?”

Gary chuckled, rubbing Ash’s back. “Yup. Told ya it didn’t have to hurt.”

Ash pulled back slightly, looking at him in shock. “But—what—you—how—?!”

The receptionist smirked. “Told you Dr. Oak was the best.”

Ash’s mouth opened and closed like a fish before he finally slumped against Gary again.

“…I still hate shots.”

Gary laughed, ruffling his hair. “Yeah, yeah. But not because they hurt, right?”

Ash huffed, but a tiny smile tugged at his lips. “…Yeah.”

Gary grinned, then turned to the receptionist. “I’m still gonna track down that other doctor, though.”

She smirked. “Oh, I know.”

Ash just groaned. “You guys are so dramatic…”