Gary was sitting in his office, typing who knows what on his computer was the snow fell to the ground. It was cold outside, but inside the clinic it was warm.

Suddenly he heard the front door open. He looked up and raised a brow, but ultimately decided it must have been the receptionist.

But then she came running to him. " Doctor Gary," she said. " Your friend's on the ground with a bag from your grandpa."

Gary froze. " You mean Ash?!"

He heard a sneeze, and he sighed and got up. " What was he thinking?!" He muttered, speed walking through the hall.

Gary’s footsteps echoed through the hall as he moved quickly toward the clinic’s entrance. His mind raced. What on earth had Ash gotten himself into this time? It wasn’t uncommon for his best friend to show up unannounced, but collapsing in the snow with a bag from Professor Oak? That was a new one, even for Ash.

When Gary reached the front entrance, he spotted Ash immediately. The boy was slumped against the wall, shivering violently, his cheeks flushed with the telltale signs of a fever. The bag from Gary’s grandfather lay haphazardly at his side, snow dusting its surface.

“Ash, you idiot,” Gary muttered under his breath as he knelt beside him. “What were you thinking, walking around in this weather?”

Ash looked up weakly, his face lighting up slightly when he saw Gary. “H-Hey, Gary,” he stammered, his teeth chattering. “I… I brought something for you… f-from your grandpa…”

Gary rolled his eyes, though his concern was evident. “Yeah, I see that. And you decided to nearly freeze to death in the process, huh? Typical Ash.”

Ash tried to laugh, but it came out as a weak cough. Gary frowned, wasting no time as he hoisted Ash to his feet. “Come on, let’s get you warmed up before you catch pneumonia.”

Ash leaned heavily on Gary, his body trembling as they made their way back down the hall. Gary could feel the heat radiating off his friend, and his frown deepened. Ash was burning up.

Once they reached his office, Gary carefully lowered Ash onto the examination table. “Stay put,” he ordered, grabbing a blanket from a nearby cabinet and wrapping it around Ash. “And don’t even think about arguing with me. You’re sick.”

Ash gave a small, sheepish smile. “I-I’m fine, really…”

Gary shot him a glare. “Yeah, because collapsing in the snow totally screams ‘fine.’ Now shut up and let me check you out.”

Ash huffed but didn’t argue further, letting Gary take his temperature. The thermometer beeped after a moment, and Gary sighed, shaking his head. “102.3. Great. You’re officially an idiot.”

Ash pouted. “Hey, I was just trying to help…”

Gary raised a brow, crossing his arms. “And what’s so important that you thought it was a good idea to walk through a snowstorm while you’re obviously sick?”

Ash gestured weakly to the bag. “It’s… a new formula your grandpa’s been working on. He said it might help with… y’know, your research. Thought you’d wanna see it.”

Gary blinked, his irritation momentarily replaced with surprise. He glanced at the bag before turning back to Ash. “You seriously risked your health for that?”

Ash shrugged, his smile faint but genuine. “You’re my best friend. Thought it was worth it.”

Gary stared at him for a moment, his expression softening. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You’re unbelievable, you know that?”

Ash chuckled weakly. “Yeah… but you’d be bored without me.”

Gary smirked, grabbing a stethoscope. “Maybe, but you’re still an idiot. Now, shut up and let me take care of you before you get any worse.”

As Gary worked, the snow continued to fall outside, but inside the clinic, it was warm—not just from the heaters, but from the unshakable bond between two best friends who always had each other’s backs.