Ash stared down at his lap, his fingers fidgeting with the hem of his jacket. He wasn’t really looking at Gary—he couldn’t. His thoughts were still a tangled mess, and every time he tried to focus, his mind would spin off into another wild scenario. The sound of Gary rummaging through the medical tools barely registered. Ash was too caught up in his own head, wondering if trusting Gary was a mistake.

Then, out of nowhere, Ash felt a warm, steady hand wrap around his. He froze, his eyes darting down to see Gary’s hand holding his. The touch was firm but not rough—reassuring, almost.

“Hey,” Gary said, his voice softer than usual. “Look at me, buddy.”

Ash hesitated, his shoulders stiff. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to glance up. Gary’s expression wasn’t smug or teasing this time. Instead, his eyes were steady, calm, and... kind. It caught Ash off guard. This wasn’t the Gary he was used to—the rival who constantly teased and challenged him. This was Gary, his best friend, who somehow always knew when to take things seriously.

“You’re spiraling, Ash,” Gary said, his tone even. “I can see it. Whatever crazy stuff is going on in that head of yours, you need to let it go. I’m not here to hurt you, okay? I’m here to help.”

Ash’s chest tightened, and he looked down again, his face burning with embarrassment. “I-I’m not spiraling,” he muttered weakly, but his voice cracked just enough to give him away.

Gary gave his hand a gentle squeeze, drawing Ash’s attention back to him. “Yes, you are,” he said firmly, but not unkindly. “You’re my best friend, and I know when something’s wrong. You’ve been weird ever since you walked in here. So, whatever it is, just tell me. I promise, I’m not gonna laugh or make fun of you.”

Ash bit his lip, his mind racing. Should he say it? Should he admit that he’d been paranoid about Gary plotting something? The idea sounded ridiculous now that Gary was looking at him like this, his grip steady and his tone reassuring. Still, Ash hesitated.

“I just...” Ash started, his voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t like check-ups. They freak me out.”

Gary raised an eyebrow but didn’t let go of Ash’s hand. “That’s it? You’re scared of a little check-up?”

Ash shook his head quickly, his free hand gesturing nervously. “No! I mean, not just that. It’s... it’s you. You’re my rival, Gary. And sometimes... I don’t know what you’re thinking. You’re unpredictable, and it makes me nervous. What if this is some kind of prank or... or worse?”

For a moment, Gary just stared at him, and Ash braced himself for the teasing, the mocking laughter he was sure would come. But instead, Gary let out a quiet sigh and shook his head.

“Ash,” he said, his voice steady but firm, “I’m not going to prank you, and I’m definitely not going to hurt you. Yeah, we’re rivals, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about you. You’re my best friend first. Got it?”

Ash blinked, his chest tightening again, but this time it wasn’t from anxiety. There was something comforting about the way Gary said it—so direct, so sincere.

“Got it,” Ash murmured, his voice a little steadier now.

Gary gave him a small smile and finally let go of his hand. “Good. Now, let’s get this over with before you convince yourself I’m about to turn you into a science experiment or something.”

Ash chuckled weakly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah... that’d be crazy, huh?”

Gary smirked, grabbing his stethoscope. “Totally crazy. Now sit still, Ashy-boy, and let me do my job.”

This time, Ash didn’t flinch or pull away as Gary moved closer. For the first time that day, he actually felt like maybe, just maybe, everything would be okay.

Gary grabbed his stethoscope and slung it around his neck, glancing over at Ash, who was finally starting to look less like a cornered Rattata and more like a normal human being. “All right, let’s start with the basics. Sit up straight, Ashy-boy.”

Ash rolled his eyes but obeyed, scooting back on the examination table and sitting as straight as he could manage. “Do you really have to call me that every five seconds?”

“Absolutely,” Gary said with a grin, popping the ends of the stethoscope into his ears. “Now, deep breath in.”

Ash did as he was told, inhaling deeply as Gary pressed the cold metal of the stethoscope against his chest. He flinched slightly at the chill, but Gary didn’t comment.

“And out,” Gary instructed. He moved the stethoscope to different spots on Ash’s chest and back, listening carefully. “Heart sounds good. Lungs are clear. You’re not dying, so stop looking like you’re about to.”

“Very funny,” Ash muttered under his breath.

Gary smirked, pulling the stethoscope away and hanging it around his neck again. “Next, eyes. Look straight ahead.” He grabbed a small flashlight and leaned in closer, tilting Ash’s chin slightly.

Ash squirmed. “Do you really have to get that close?”

“Yes,” Gary replied bluntly. “Hold still. If you move, I might blind you. By accident, of course.”

“Not funny,” Ash grumbled, but he stayed still as Gary shined the light into his eyes, checking his pupils.

“Eyes are fine. No signs of brain damage… though with you, I wouldn’t be surprised,” Gary teased, pulling back and grabbing an otoscope. “Now for the ears. Tilt your head to the side.”

Ash sighed dramatically but did as he was told. “Why do doctors always have to poke around everywhere?”

“Because we like to annoy people,” Gary shot back with a grin, peering into Ash’s ear. “Hmm… no wax buildup. Shocking.”

“Ha, ha,” Ash said dryly as Gary moved to the other ear.

“Other ear’s good too. Congrats, you can hear all my amazing jokes,” Gary said, putting the otoscope aside. “Now open your mouth and say ‘ah.’”

Ash hesitated, narrowing his eyes. “Why?”

Gary rolled his eyes. “Because I’m checking your throat, genius. What do you think I’m going to do, count your teeth?”

Ash huffed but opened his mouth. “Ahhh.”

Gary inspected quickly. “Throat looks fine. No cavities. You don’t have rabies. You’re clear.”

“I wasn’t worried about rabies,” Ash muttered as Gary moved on.

“Next up: nose,” Gary announced, grabbing a tongue depressor for some reason.

“Nose? What’s wrong with my nose?” Ash asked, leaning back slightly.

“Relax, I’m just checking for blockages,” Gary said, tapping Ash’s nose playfully. “Lean forward a bit. Breathe in and out.”

Ash did as instructed, trying not to think about how weird it was to have Gary inspecting his nose. “Happy?”

“Very. Nose is clear. You’re safe from sneezing disasters,” Gary said, stepping back. “Now for reflexes. This one’s my favorite.”

Ash eyed him warily. “Why?”

Gary smirked, holding up the small reflex hammer. “Because I get to whack you.”

“Wait—what?” Ash exclaimed, but before he could protest further, Gary lightly tapped his knee with the hammer. His leg jerked involuntarily.

Gary laughed. “Perfect. Other knee.”

Ash grumbled something under his breath but let Gary test the other leg.

“Reflexes are good. You’re not a zombie,” Gary concluded, setting the hammer aside. “Last but not least—your heart. And no, I don’t mean if you’ve got a crush on someone.”

Ash groaned. “Can you just get it over with?”

Gary grabbed his stethoscope again, pressing it against Ash’s chest. “Relax, buddy. Just a routine listen.”

As Gary focused, Ash sat quietly, feeling the weight of the moment lighten just a little. Despite all the teasing, Gary was thorough and careful. It was oddly comforting.

After a moment, Gary stepped back, a satisfied look on his face. “Everything checks out. You’re healthy, Ashy-boy. Now you can stop freaking out.”

Ash sighed in relief, hopping off the table. “Finally. Are we done?”

“Not quite,” Gary said with a smirk. “I still need to write ‘Ash Ketchum survived’ on the chart.”

Ash rolled his eyes. “Very funny, Gary.”

Gary grinned, throwing an arm around Ash’s shoulders as they left the room. “Come on, buddy. Admit it—you were scared for nothing.”

Ash couldn’t help but smile a little. “Yeah, yeah. Thanks… I guess.”

“Anytime, Ashy-boy. Anytime.”