Ash sat on the cold, crinkly examination table, his legs swinging nervously as he tried to calm himself down. The sterile smell of sanitizer filled the air, making his stomach churn. He clenched his fists tightly, willing himself not to bolt out the door.

He could still hear Gary’s teasing voice echoing in his head. "In and out. It’s really quick." Yeah, easy for Gary to say. He wasn’t the one who was about to be stabbed with a needle.

Ash let out a shaky sigh. Maybe Gary would forget. Maybe he’d come back with something else—like a clipboard, or maybe even a lollypop. Yeah, right, Ash thought bitterly. Like Gary would ever let me off that easily.

The door creaked open, and Ash froze. His heart sank when he saw Gary step inside, holding a small tray with a syringe neatly placed on top.

Gary’s smirk faltered slightly when he caught sight of Ash’s pale face. "Oh, come on, Ashy-boy," Gary said, trying to keep his tone light. "It’s just a tiny shot. You’ve faced way scarier things than this."

Ash narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, like your driving."

Gary chuckled softly. "Okay, that’s fair. But seriously, you’ll be fine. I promise."

Ash swallowed hard, his gaze glued to the syringe. "You promise?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Gary set the tray down and sat on the stool beside the table, looking at Ash with a rare moment of seriousness. "I get it, Ash. Shots aren’t fun. But you need this one, and I’ll make it as quick and painless as possible. You trust me, don’t you?"

Ash hesitated, his mind racing. Gary had always been there for him, even when they were rivals. From climbing trees as kids to battling Pokémon, Gary had never let him down before.

"Y-yeah," Ash finally muttered. "I trust you."

Gary gave him a reassuring smile. "Good. Now, here’s the deal. I’ll put that numbing cream on first so you won’t even feel the needle, okay?"

Ash nodded slowly. "O-okay... but don’t—don’t show me the needle."

Gary snorted. "Deal." He pulled on a pair of gloves and grabbed the small tube of cream. "Alright, hold out your arm."

Ash hesitated before extending his arm, his fingers trembling slightly. Gary worked quickly and efficiently, dabbing the cream onto Ash’s arm with a cotton swab.

"See? That’s the hard part done," Gary joked, though his tone was softer than usual.

Ash gave him a half-hearted glare. "Don’t lie. The needle’s the hard part."

Gary chuckled and grabbed the syringe, keeping it out of Ash’s line of sight as promised. "Okay, big moment. Look at me, not at the needle."

Ash reluctantly obeyed, locking his eyes on Gary’s face. "You’re not gonna, like, stab me or anything, right?"

Gary rolled his eyes. "Ash, I’m not a Team Rocket grunt. Now, deep breath in, buddy."

Ash sucked in a shaky breath, his hands gripping the edge of the table.

"And out," Gary instructed, his movements smooth and quick.

Ash flinched slightly but blinked in surprise when Gary pulled away just seconds later, the needle already safely disposed of.

"Wait... that’s it?" Ash asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.

"That’s it," Gary confirmed, smirking. "Told you it’d be quick."

Ash stared at his arm, then at Gary. "Huh. I guess it wasn’t that bad."

Gary leaned back, crossing his arms. "Told you. And hey, you didn’t even pass out. Proud of you, Ashy-boy."

Ash grumbled at the nickname but couldn’t help the small smile that crept onto his face. "Thanks, Gary. For... you know, not making it worse."

Gary smirked. "Anytime. But if you tell anyone I was nice, I’ll deny it."

Ash laughed, finally feeling the tension leave his shoulders. "Deal."