Ash sat on the examination table, his body tense, fingers twitching at his sides. He had barely spoken since Gary took his hand. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to talk; it was more that the anxiety had taken over, leaving him with nothing to say. His mind was running at a million miles per hour, thinking about every worst-case scenario, while his body remained still, as though waiting for something he couldn’t quite explain.

Gary was busy setting out the tools for the check-up, but he noticed how quiet Ash had become. Too quiet. Normally, Ash would be full of nervous chatter, asking questions, making jokes to distract himself, or even complaining about something. But not today. Not now.

Gary turned toward him, sensing the unease in the air. “Ash, you okay?” he asked, his voice steady but tinged with concern.

Ash didn’t answer right away. He looked down at his hands, still fumbling with his jacket sleeve, his mouth pressed into a thin line. The room felt too cold, the bright fluorescent lights too harsh, the sound of his own breathing too loud.

“Ash,” Gary repeated, this time more firmly, taking a step closer. “You’re way too quiet, man. Talk to me. You’re scaring me here.”

Ash blinked, his eyes slowly lifting to meet Gary’s. “I’m fine,” he said, but the words were soft, almost too soft, as though he was trying to convince himself more than Gary.

Gary raised an eyebrow. “You sure? You don’t look fine. You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“I haven’t seen a ghost,” Ash mumbled, shifting uncomfortably on the table. “Just... I don’t know... everything feels off.”

Gary sighed and moved around to the other side of the table, leaning against it with his arms crossed. “Alright, well, let’s get this over with. I’m going to start with your eyes. You’re not going to faint on me, right?” He gave Ash a small grin, trying to lighten the mood.

Ash shook his head, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “No fainting,” he muttered.

“Good.” Gary clicked on a small penlight and gently lifted Ash’s chin to get a better look at his eyes. “Look up for me.”

Ash did as instructed, trying to stay calm as Gary examined each eye. The light flicked across his pupils, and Gary checked their response, nodding as he made a mental note of the results.

“Your eyes are fine,” Gary said after a moment, but Ash didn’t look reassured. He didn’t even acknowledge the comment, his gaze still unfocused, lost in his own thoughts.

Next, Gary moved on to his ears. “Tilt your head to the side,” he instructed, and Ash complied without a word, his body language still stiff. Gary used the otoscope to check Ash’s ears, gently probing around the outer edges and looking for any signs of infection.

“No issues here either,” Gary said, glancing at Ash briefly. "Everything’s clear."

Ash nodded but said nothing, his hands now gripping the edge of the table like it was the only thing keeping him grounded.

“Alright, now the mouth,” Gary continued, trying to keep his voice light. “Open up and say 'ah.’”

Ash followed the instructions, but the lack of energy in his actions was palpable. His mouth opened slowly, his tongue barely visible as Gary peered inside, checking for any signs of infection, cavities, or other concerns.

“All good,” Gary said, his eyes narrowing as he studied Ash’s still form. "You're sure you’re fine? You’re not acting like yourself today."

Ash swallowed, his throat dry. “Yeah. Just… tired, I guess.”

Gary didn’t buy it. He could see the nervous tension radiating from Ash. But, pushing forward, he moved on. “Let’s check your lungs. Take a deep breath for me, Ash.”

Ash sucked in air, but the breath was shallow, not the deep, full one that Gary was expecting. Gary frowned. “Come on, buddy, take a full breath. You’re not going to break anything.”

Ash obeyed, but even his deep breath seemed forced, his chest rising slowly, as though he was holding back.

Gary placed the stethoscope against Ash’s chest, listening for any irregularities, but everything seemed normal. “Lungs are clear,” he muttered, still keeping his eye on Ash, who didn’t seem to react much to the news.

“Your reflexes next,” Gary said, breaking the silence. “Just need you to tap your knee here.”

He tapped Ash’s knee with the reflex hammer, expecting a response, but Ash’s leg didn’t jerk up like it normally would. Instead, it barely moved, as if Ash wasn’t even aware of it happening. Gary frowned and tried again, a little harder this time. The leg twitched, but it was weak and slow, the response sluggish.

“Huh,” Gary muttered under his breath. “That’s not like you. You feeling alright?”

“I’m fine,” Ash repeated, but this time the words felt hollow, empty, like he was trying to convince himself more than Gary.

Gary wasn’t buying it. He dropped the reflex hammer, his eyes locking with Ash’s. “Listen, Ash,” he began, his voice gentler now, “I know you’re nervous, but this isn’t like you. I’m your friend. I’m not going to do anything crazy to you.”

Ash looked up at him, his expression distant. “I know... It’s just... I’m not used to you being the one checking me out like this,” he admitted, finally speaking the truth. “You’re... you’re always the rival, not the doctor.”

Gary let out a soft laugh, finally understanding what was behind Ash’s strange behavior. “I get it,” he said. “It’s weird for me too. But hey, you can relax. I’m not here to do anything bad, okay? Just me and you. Nothing to be nervous about.”

Ash’s gaze softened slightly, but the tension still hadn’t left his body. “Yeah... okay,” he muttered.

Gary watched him for a moment, before finally speaking again, his tone lighter. “Well, last thing we’ve got to check is your nose. Can you smell anything weird in here?”

Ash blinked, a little confused by the question. “Weird? No, nothing weird.”

“Good,” Gary said with a nod. “You’re all clear. Everything’s fine, Ash. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Ash sighed in relief, but the tension still lingered in the air. Gary could tell there was more going on with Ash, more than just the check-up. But for now, at least, everything seemed okay.

"Hey, Ash," Gary said, giving him a small, reassuring smile. "You’re gonna be alright, okay? You’re tougher than this."

Ash met his gaze, and for the first time that day, he managed a small, genuine smile. “Yeah. I guess you’re right.”