Ash stared blankly at the white door that was closed. On it was a cheerful sign that read in cursive, " Gary's room"

Except today it wasn't Gary's room.

It was also a doctor's office.

Ash gulped. He hated those.

He glanced at his arm and rubbed it.

He trusted Gary, of course he did.

It's just..... Ash was also very very very very anxious.

He had never had a good experience, so when Gary got his mD, Ash was his first patient.

Not that he wanted to be. His mother found out and, well..... Remembered Ash hadn't had one for a very long time.

So she left her ten year old son at the Observatory for him to have a checkup.

Now he was waiting.

And the worst part?

He didn't even know if Gary would be the same Gary he had always known.

Suddenly, the door opened. Ash buried his body in his legs, trying to look small.

There was silence, then a soft chuckle. Then, a soft, warm hand touched his shoulder. " Hey, Ash."

Ash looked up timidly. There was Gary.

Ash studied him. He looked the same. He wore the same clothes ( except the lab coat), his hair was still messy, and his eyes were still green.

Ash let out a soft sigh, but it was quickly replaced with fear. What if-

Gary must have saw, because he knelt in front of Ash and put a warm hand on his shoulder. " Hey."

Ash peeked up.

Gary gave him a reassuring smile. " Ash, it's just me. I may look different, but I'm still your best friend."

Ash nodded. " Yeah..... Right....."

Gary extended a hand. " Come on, Ashy. The sooner we get over with this the quicker I can beat you in a Pokemon battle!"

Ash smiled, but it didn't reach his face as he took Gary's hand. " Right....."

Gary gave him a reassuring smile and led him into his room.

It looked the exact same.

Except now there were tools on his dresser.

Ash gulped slightly, but before he could dwell, Gary pointed to his bed. " Sit."

Ash reluctantly sat on his friend's bed. The blanket was soft as usual, but it didn't help Ash relax any better.

Gary walked over and placed a hand on Ash's shoulder. " Look at me."

Ash looked up. Gary was smiling.

" You're gonna do great, I have no doubt."

Ash managed a faint smile as he wringed his hands. " Right."

Gary took a penlight out of his pocket and flicked it on. " Follow the light." He ordered

Ash nervously followed the light. Gary could see the tension all over his face, and how stiff his body was. He shook his head slightly and sat next to Ash, the bed creaking under them.

" Hey."

Ash looked at his hands. " Gary, I'm scared."

Gary furrowed and took Ash's hand. " About what?"

Ash hesitated, staring down at their joined hands. He felt a lump form in his throat, and his eyes were stinging with the threat of tears. He didn't want to say it out loud—it felt silly, even though the anxiety in his chest was anything but. Still, when he glanced up and saw Gary’s gentle expression, the words slipped out.

“I... I don’t know," Ash mumbled, his voice shaky. "I just... I hate doctors. Every time I’ve been to one, something hurts, or they poke me with needles, or... or I just don’t understand what’s happening. And I don’t want to mess up, or get something wrong, and I’m scared you’ll... you’ll see me like that, and—”

“Ash,” Gary interrupted softly, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. “I get it. And it’s okay to be scared. But I’m not here to hurt you, and I’m definitely not going to think less of you if you don’t get everything right. You’re my friend, remember? I’m here to help, not judge.”

Ash looked down, his cheeks burning with embarrassment. He knew Gary was right—Gary always seemed to know what to say—but his fear wouldn’t let go of him that easily. He shifted uncomfortably on the bed, feeling the weight of his nerves pressing down on him.

“Yeah, but... what if something's wrong with me?” he whispered. “What if I don’t... what if I don’t handle it well? What if I freak out?”

Gary’s smile softened, and he released Ash’s hand only to wrap an arm around his shoulders, pulling him into a gentle side hug. “Then we’ll handle it together,” he said, his voice calm and reassuring. “And if you freak out, that’s okay. We’ll work through it one step at a time. No one’s expecting you to be perfect, Ash.”

Ash felt a little of the tension in his chest ease at Gary’s words, but the fear was still there, like a storm cloud hovering just out of sight. He wanted to believe Gary—to trust that everything would be okay—but it was hard to let go of his anxiety. He swallowed hard and gave a small nod, still unable to meet Gary’s eyes.

Gary gave his shoulder a light squeeze before letting him go and reaching for a stethoscope on his desk. “Alright, here’s what we’re going to do,” he said, keeping his tone upbeat. “We’ll take it slow. If you’re uncomfortable or you want me to stop, just tell me. We don’t have to do everything today, okay?”

Ash’s eyes flickered up, surprised. “You... you mean it?”

“Of course I mean it,” Gary said, his smile genuine. “We’re friends, right? This is about making sure you’re healthy, not about pushing you into something you’re not ready for. So if you need to take a break or if you’re feeling too anxious, we’ll stop. No pressure.”

Ash bit his lip, feeling a mixture of relief and guilt. He didn’t want to disappoint Gary, but hearing that he had a choice made everything seem a little less terrifying. He took a shaky breath and nodded again, this time more firmly. “Okay... okay, we can try.”

“Good,” Gary said softly, picking up the stethoscope and holding it out in front of Ash. “See this? It’s just a stethoscope. It’s not going to hurt. I’m going to use it to listen to your heartbeat, alright?”

Ash eyed the instrument warily, but he nodded. “Alright... I guess.”

Gary smiled, moving slowly as he put the stethoscope’s earpieces in. “Take a deep breath for me,” he instructed. “Just like we practiced.”

Ash did as he was told, inhaling deeply and feeling the cool metal of the stethoscope press gently against his chest. He flinched slightly, his heart hammering, but Gary’s hand on his shoulder was steady and reassuring.

“There you go,” Gary said quietly, his voice soothing. “You’re doing great, Ash.”

Ash let out the breath he was holding, feeling the tension in his muscles start to ease. Maybe, just maybe, this wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Gary took his time, making sure to move slowly and explain each step before doing anything. He reached for the small otoscope to check Ash’s ears, giving Ash a gentle smile. “Alright, I’m just going to look in your ears now, okay? It won’t hurt, I promise.”

Ash nodded, sitting stiffly as Gary gently turned his head to the side. He felt a small tickle as the cool metal device entered his ear, and he squirmed slightly, but Gary was quick to calm him. “Easy, Ash. You’re doing great. Just hold still for a second.”

Ash bit his lip and focused on the ceiling, doing his best to stay still while Gary examined both ears. “Everything looks good here,” Gary said, setting the otoscope down with a reassuring smile. “Now let’s take a look at your mouth.”

Ash hesitated, but Gary was patient, holding out a tongue depressor. “Open wide and say ‘ahhh,’” he instructed with a playful tone, trying to make the process feel less daunting.

Ash hesitated, but eventually, he opened his mouth. “Ahhh...”

“Perfect,” Gary said as he checked Ash’s throat and teeth. “No issues here, either.” He discarded the tongue depressor and grabbed a small flashlight to look up Ash’s nose. “One more thing—just going to check your nose real quick.”

Ash wrinkled his nose as Gary gently shined the light up each nostril. It felt weird, but at least it wasn’t painful. When Gary was done, he gave a quick thumbs-up. “All clear.”

Ash felt a little more at ease, though his hands were still clenched tightly in his lap. Gary noticed and gave Ash an encouraging nod. “Now, for the last part,” he said, holding a small rubber reflex hammer. “I’m just going to test your reflexes. This is the fun part, I promise.”

Ash looked uncertain, but he held out his arm. Gary tapped his elbow lightly with the hammer, and Ash’s arm twitched in response. “See? Not so bad,” Gary said with a grin.

They continued, with Gary checking the reflexes in both arms and legs. Each tap was gentle, and each response brought a little more confidence to Ash’s expression. By the time Gary finished, Ash was starting to relax, his shoulders no longer tense.

Gary set the hammer aside and gave Ash a proud smile. “You did it, Ash. I knew you could.”

Ash let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding and managed a real smile this time. “Yeah... I did, didn’t I?”

Gary ruffled Ash’s hair playfully. “See? Told you it wouldn’t be so bad. You did great.”

Ash’s smile widened, and he nodded. “Thanks, Gary... I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Gary smiled, though there was something in his eye.

Ash saw it. " Gary, is there something else?"

Gary nodded. " Two parts, actually. One is palpating your stomach and listening to it."

" And the other?"

Gary didn't reply. Instead, he slipped latex gloves onto his hand and walked to Ash. " Okay, Ash. Lift your shirt up a little, please."

Ash hesitated for a moment, his fingers trembling slightly as he reached for the hem of his shirt. He could feel his heart starting to race again, but he took a deep breath and lifted the fabric just enough to expose his stomach. Gary’s gentle, patient presence was the only thing keeping him from panicking.

Gary gave him an encouraging nod and then pressed his fingers gently against Ash’s abdomen. “I’m just going to feel around, okay?” he said softly. “Let me know if anything hurts.”

Ash swallowed nervously but nodded. He tried to focus on Gary’s calm tone and the light pressure as Gary’s hands moved methodically over his stomach. A few areas felt slightly ticklish, but nothing hurt, which helped ease his anxiety.

“Doing great,” Gary murmured, his touch as gentle as possible. He moved slowly, pressing and releasing, making sure Ash was comfortable every step of the way. When he finished, he pulled a stethoscope from his pocket and pressed the cool metal against Ash’s stomach. “Now I’m just going to listen for a bit.”

Ash’s anxiety spiked again, but he forced himself to stay still, even though the sensation was strange. He heard the faint, rhythmic sounds of his own body, and Gary’s face remained calm and focused.

After a few moments, Gary straightened and gave a satisfied nod. “Everything sounds normal,” he said, setting the stethoscope aside. “You’re doing great, Ash. Just one last thing.”

Ash’s eyes widened slightly. He knew Gary hadn’t mentioned what that “last thing” was, and the way Gary avoided eye contact made his heart pound faster. “What is it?” Ash asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Gary looked away and pulled a sharp thing out of his pocket.

Ash's eyes widened. " What?! No. No no no no no!"

Gary's expression shifted, and he held up the small syringe, its needle glinting under the overhead light. “Wait, Ash! It’s just a quick shot. It’ll be over before you know it,” he said, trying to sound calm and reassuring.

Ash shook his head vigorously, panic rising within him. “I don’t want a shot! I’ve had enough already!” His heart raced as he instinctively backed away, pressing himself against the bed.

“Please, Ash. I promise it’s for your own good,” Gary said gently, maintaining eye contact to try and calm Ash down. “It’s just a vaccine, and it’ll help keep you safe and healthy. Just like you wanted.”

“I don’t care! I don’t want it!” Ash shouted, feeling his chest tighten. Memories of previous shots flashed through his mind—moments of discomfort and anxiety that he desperately wanted to avoid.

Gary took a deep breath, trying to understand Ash’s fear. “I know you’re scared, but this is really important. You can handle it, I believe in you,” he said softly. “Just like you handle all those tough battles in Pokémon. This is just a tiny prick.”

Ash’s eyes darted between Gary and the syringe, his hands trembling. “But what if it hurts? What if something goes wrong?”

Gary shook his head. “Nothing will go wrong. I’m right here, and I’ll make sure you’re okay,” he reassured, inching closer. “You can even squeeze my hand if you need to.”

Taking a deep breath, Ash tried to steady himself. “I… I don’t know, Gary. I just—”

“Look, let’s try something,” Gary suggested, kneeling beside Ash. “How about I count to three, and you just take a deep breath and close your eyes? Before you know it, it’ll be over.”

Ash hesitated, the anxiety swirling in his stomach. “But… what if I can’t do it?”

“You can, Ash,” Gary said earnestly. “You’ve faced tougher things before. Just trust me. On three, okay? One… two… three!”

As he counted, Gary gently took Ash’s hand, offering a comforting squeeze. Ash felt his heart racing, but there was something reassuring in Gary’s grip.

“Okay, okay,” Ash whispered, trying to calm his racing thoughts. He closed his eyes tightly, feeling a wave of emotions rush over him.

“Here we go,” Gary said softly, lifting the syringe.

Ash braced himself, squeezing Gary’s hand as tightly as he could. The seconds stretched on, and he felt a quick pinch in his arm, followed by an almost immediate relief. “See? That wasn’t so bad!” Gary said, pulling away the syringe almost too quickly for Ash to comprehend.

Ash blinked, slowly opening his eyes. “Is it over?” he asked, his voice a mix of disbelief and relief.

“Yep! All done,” Gary confirmed, smiling brightly. “You did it, Ash! You faced your fear, just like I knew you could.”

Ash looked at Gary, disbelief melting into gratitude. “I did? That was… that was actually okay.”

“See? I told you!” Gary grinned, releasing Ash’s hand and pulling off the latex gloves. “You’re tougher than you think.”

A sense of pride bubbled up in Ash, overcoming the remnants of his anxiety. “Thanks for being here, Gary. I really appreciate it,” he said, his smile genuine now.

“Anytime,” Gary replied, tossing the gloves in the trash. “Now, let’s get that snack and watch some TV. You’ve earned it.”