Ash swung his legs nervously on the examination table, his hands clenching the edge. The clean, antiseptic smell of the room only made his anxiety worse. He glanced at the door, half-hoping Gary would return without anything sharp in his hands.

But Ash knew better. This was a check-up, after all, and Gary wasn’t the type to let him off easy. Especially when it came to something he thought Ash was overreacting about.

The door creaked open, and in walked Gary, carrying a small tray with a syringe, some cotton swabs, and a tube of numbing cream. His smirk was subdued this time—less teasing and more… understanding?

“Alright, Ashy-boy,” Gary said, setting the tray down on the counter. “Let’s get this over with.”

Ash’s eyes zeroed in on the needle, and he instinctively gripped the table tighter. “C-Can we just… skip this part? Maybe next time?”

Gary rolled his eyes but didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he walked over and sat on the stool across from Ash. “Ash,” he said, his voice softer than usual, “it’s just a shot. You’ve had them before.”

“That doesn’t mean they don’t hurt!” Ash snapped, then immediately looked away, embarrassed. “I mean… they always hurt. A lot.”

Gary tilted his head, studying his best friend. He noticed the way Ash’s hands were clenched into fists, his knuckles white from the pressure. That was when it clicked.

“You always clench your fists, don’t you?” Gary asked, his tone more curious than accusing.

Ash blinked. “Huh?”

“Your hands,” Gary said, reaching out to take one of Ash’s fists gently. “You clench them when you’re nervous, and then when you get the shot, it makes everything worse because your muscles are all tensed up.”

Ash looked down at his hands, realizing Gary was right. “I… I guess. I never thought about it.”

Gary smiled faintly, letting go of Ash’s hand. “Well, that’s why it always hurts so much. And probably why your hands hurt for days after.”

Ash’s eyes widened. “You noticed that?”

“Of course I did,” Gary said, standing up and grabbing the numbing cream. “We’ve been best friends since forever. I notice more than you think.”

Ash felt a little warmth in his chest at Gary’s words, but it was quickly overshadowed by the sight of the needle again. “I… I still don’t like it.”

Gary chuckled. “I know, Ashy-boy. That’s why I brought this.” He held up the numbing cream. “It’ll help, I promise. And I’ll go slow.”

Ash hesitated, then gave a small nod. “O-Okay. But if it hurts, I’m blaming you.”

Gary laughed, squeezing a small amount of cream onto his hand. “Deal. Now hold still.”

As Gary applied the cream to Ash’s arm, he kept his movements gentle, making sure to talk the whole time to distract him. “You know, you’re tougher than you give yourself credit for. I’ve seen you take on wild Pokémon without batting an eye.”

“Yeah, but they don’t use needles,” Ash muttered, though he couldn’t help but feel a little better at Gary’s words.

Gary smirked. “Fair point. Alright, the cream’s on. Give it a minute to work.”

Ash nodded, his fingers still fidgeting slightly, but he tried to keep his hands relaxed like Gary had suggested.

When the time came for the shot, Gary moved carefully, making sure to keep his voice steady and reassuring. “Okay, Ash. Deep breath in… and out.”

Ash squeezed his eyes shut as he felt a small pinch, but to his surprise, it wasn’t nearly as bad as he’d expected. When Gary pulled the needle away and pressed a cotton swab to the spot, Ash opened one eye cautiously.

“See? Not so bad,” Gary said with a grin, putting a bandage on Ash’s arm.

Ash huffed but couldn’t help the small smile that crept onto his face. “Yeah, yeah. Thanks, Gary.”

“Anytime, Ashy-boy,” Gary said, ruffling Ash’s hair. “Now let’s get out of here. I’ve got a rematch to win.”

Ash laughed, the tension finally leaving his shoulders. “In your dreams, Gary!”

As they walked out of the room together, Ash realized that, for once, Gary truly understood what he was feeling—and that made all the difference.