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At ten years old, everyone got a Pokemon and a soulmate.
Ash wanted a Pokemon; he didn't want a soulmate.
He didn’t understand its importance. His mother said a person’s name would appear on his skin and this person would be very special to him. She didn’t talk much about soulmates so Ash directed his questions elsewhere.
“Did you say, ‘Why are soulmates important?’ Geez, Ashy. You’re really philosophical today.”
Ash didn’t know the meaning of ‘philosophical’ but he wasn’t going to tell Gary. He was trying to avoid bickering today. His mother had told them to be nice to each other while they watered the garden.
“C’mon, answer me.”
“Hm, a soulmate is your partner.”
“I thought your first Pokemon is your partner.”
“It’s a different type of partner. You’re supposed to marry your soulmate. Why are you making a face? You'll get married when you’re older! It takes years to find your soulmate. It doesn’t just happen.”
“What if I don’t want a soulmate?”
Gary turned towards Ash. There was mud on his cheek. A smug grin suddenly crossed Gary’s face. Ash already felt annoyed.
“Then your soulmate avoids a lifetime of headaches.”
Ash huffed. Gary, the know-it-all, didn’t actually know everything. Sometimes he wasn’t sure what to do about his childhood friend. Right now, he was seriously debating between tossing dirt at Gary’s face or wiping the mud off his cheek.
He tossed the dirt.
—
As Ash’s tenth birthday neared, he thought only about Pokemon. He forgot about his soulmate because they probably wouldn’t meet anytime soon. He stopped seeing Gary because Gary was suddenly 'too cool’ to be friends with him. His future plans were ready on the night before his birthday: he would choose his starter, travel to Viridian City, catch a Pokemon or two, and then continue traveling without any problems.
His plans were ruined as soon as he woke up. It was an awful start but he and Pikachu were safe at the end of the day. They were even gifted a free hotel room because they had defended the Viridian City Pokemon Center.
As soon as the door opened, Pikachu rushed inside the bedroom. Ash followed and tossed himself onto the mattress next to Pikachu. He laughed at Pikachu’s annoyed squeak when the bed shook. Today he had survived a brutal Spearow attack, an attempted Team Rocket robbery and a Pokemon Center explosion. Ash thought his bad luck was finally over but then he noticed the name written on his wrist.
Gary Oak.
Ash screamed. Pikachu scurried under the blankets. Someone heard him because there was a knock on his door.
“Ash! Is Pikachu alright?” Misty yelled.
“Why is she asking about you? I screamed,” Ash mumbled.
Misty banged on the door again. Pikachu whined.
“I'm fine!” Ash answered.
“I asked about Pikachu!”
“Pikachu is fine! Go to sleep already!”
“You go to sleep! Your crying woke me up!”
As Misty stomped down the hall, Ash wiped his eyes to check for tears. She was gone yet Ash still yelled out, “I’m not crying!”
His face was dry. Misty didn’t know anything. He wasn’t going to cry because his soulmate was Gary. The thought, ‘Gary is my soulmate,’ repeated in his head. He rubbed at the letters on his skin. Ash knew your soulmate was supposed to be your partner in life. He couldn’t imagine spending his whole life with his rival. Did Gary already know about their soulmate bond? Was his public declaration of a rivalry also a promise of commitment? Well, they could spend a lifetime competing.
Pikachu’s squeaks drew Ash out of his thoughts. For a moment, Ash thought Pikachu was worried about him but Pikachu just flicked his tail towards the lamp. Lights off. Well, there was no point in worrying about his soulmate since he couldn’t do anything about it. He needed to talk to Gary.
—
Gary talked a lot but he didn’t mention their soulmate bond at all.
Their unexpected encounter at Porta Vista was chaotic: Gary’s insults spiked Ash’s anger, Team Rocket’s submarine terrified the beachgoers and Ash’s Pokemon blasted Team Rocket away again. After everything calmed down, Ash expected Gary to finally mention the soulmate marks. Instead, Gary announced his departure.
Now Ash stood speechless next to Gary’s car. The car hadn’t sped off because Professor Oak kept talking to Gary about his recent captures. Ash hadn’t expected an emotional conversation about soulmates; he thought they would yell at each other and then make rough plans for the future. He didn’t understand Gary’s silence on the subject since Gary never shuts up.
“Whatcha thinking about, Ashy boy?” Gary asked. Ash stumbled when Gary shoved his hat down. “You rarely think. Are you actually sleeping with your eyes open?”
“Don’t you have anything to say to me?” Ash snapped.
“Are you really asking for a battle again?” Gary huffed.
“No! You know what I'm talking about! You gotta know! Don’t play dumb!”
“There’s definitely a dummy here but it’s not me. I told you that I’m not interested in battling you. You would just waste my time.”
Ash trembled in rage. He shouldn’t have expected Gary to be reasonable because he always riled him up. It had been a long time since they were happy in each other’s company. They couldn’t actually be soulmates. It was a mistake. If Gary wouldn’t acknowledge this mistake, then he would ignore it too.
As Gary drove off in his ridiculous car, Ash shouted about battling next time.
Gary was his rival; he wasn’t his soulmate.
—
It should've been difficult to view Gary as a friend again, but it wasn’t. There was a surprisingly easy shift from ‘I must defeat Gary’ to ‘I want Gary to be proud of me.’ His calm behavior following their Silver Conference battle certainly helped the transition.
Despite his best efforts, Ash didn't forget about his soulmate mark because he could never completely ignore Gary. He attempted to confront the situation shortly after the league. Ash chased Gary down outside of Pallet Town. He intended to reveal his mark but then Gary said,
“You should stay home and think about your future plans.”
Gary wanted to leave on his new journey without Ash. It wasn’t really a rejection yet it felt like one. Their following encounters were unexpected and short-lived. Most of the time, Gary acted friendly but he never wanted to spend a lot of time with Ash and his friends. He was always busy. Eventually, their meetings came to an end without a real goodbye.
In spite of their years apart, Gary still lingered in Ash’s mind. Tonight, Ash felt nostalgic as he sat with Brock, Misty and Pikachu at the beach. Brock was daydreaming about a new woman while Misty was trying to snap him out of his love daze.
“C’mon Brock. Olivia isn’t the one. Your soulmate’s name doesn’t start with an ‘O.’”
“It could be an ‘O.’ You thought it looked like a ’T’ once. Hey Ash, support me here.”
“Oh please! Ash doesn’t know anything about soulmates.”
Ash snorted at Misty’s words, “I know more than you.”
Misty raised her chin. Ash knew she was going to say something annoying.
“Out of the three of us, I’m the expert in romance. Brock is hopeless. You’re dense.”
“You can’t be an expert in romance if you never had a romance.”
“Romance is more than getting together. It’s about searching and pining - not Brock’s style of pining - and then never letting go. Searching for your soulmate is the ultimate romance. You’ve never shown any interest in yours.”
“I don’t have to search. I know my soulmate.”
Misty looked at Ash as if he sprouted a second head or, worse, antennas and wings.
“What do you mean?” Misty asked. Ash chose to kick at the sand rather than reply. “Explain yourself, Ash Ketchum.”
“C’mon Misty. This is a private matter. Ash doesn’t have to tell you,” Brock said.
“Something isn’t right. Ash never keeps secrets. Aren’t you wondering who it is?”
Brock started kicking at the sand too.
“You know who it is.”
Honestly, Ash was as surprised as Misty at the moment. He never spoke about Gary. How did Brock figure it out? Well, they had traveled together for years. Maybe Brock noticed Gary's name at some point.
“Is it someone I know?” Misty asked.
“Let’s not play twenty questions. How about charades instead?”
“It is someone I know!” Misty jumped to her feet. “Is it one of my sisters?”
It had been a mistake to open his mouth. Usually Ash brushed off questions about his soulmate but Misty was stubborn. She was sputtering mad right now too.
“Is it Daisy? Don’t tell me it’s Lily. It can’t be one of my sisters! I’m not ready to see them get married. I’m not ready for Ash to be my brother in-law. Say something, Ash!”
“It’s Gary!” Ash shouted. Misty’s face was starting to match the color of her hair. He needed to stop her rambling. “Gary Oak!”
“Oh,” Misty whispered. She dropped down to her seat. It was amazing to see how many emotions passed through her face; it was unsurprising to see her face settle on an annoyed look. “You didn’t have to scare me like that. It’s just Gary. Why keep it a secret?”
“It’s Gary,” Ash repeated.
“What’s the problem? You and Gary get along now. Well, your mom said you and Gary should talk to each other more often. Is it true that you haven’t spoken to him in years?”
“Are you gossiping with my mom?”
“Don’t change the subject.”
“We send postcards,” Ash answered. Misty looked like she didn't believe him. “Gary sends cards to Mom and me. I've sent him a postcard, um, a few times too.”
“I’m sure Gary would like to hear more from you,” Brock said.
“We don’t have anything to talk about,” Ash mumbled.
“He’s your soulmate. You must have something to say to each other,” Misty pointed out. Ash shook his head in response. “What do you mean no? Haven’t you made any future plans with him?”
“We’ve never spoken about being soulmates,” Ash admitted.
“Why?” Brock asked softly.
“He’s never mentioned it so I haven’t said anything.”
“You usually don’t keep quiet about things,” Misty said.
“If he wants to be together then he should say something.”
Ash winced when he heard the waver in his voice. Honestly, he didn’t want to mention their soulmate bond because he was scared. Gary had already rejected him as a friend once. It had hurt but Ash lived through it because he had been too absorbed in his own ambitions. He wasn’t sure how he would handle a rejection now. It would be painful to know his soulmate didn’t want him.
Pikachu suddenly leaned against Ash’s side. Brock and Misty both looked upset. Ash pulled his hat down to cover his face. If Misty felt bad for him, then he looked really pitiful right now. It wasn’t a good time to be sad though. He wanted to show off Alola’s amazing sights to his friends; he didn’t want to cry about Gary.
Ash took a moment to pull himself together and then tried to start a conversation about their plans for tomorrow. Brock and Misty went along with the change of subject.
He hoped they didn’t worry about him too much. His relationship with Gary was actually alright. They had a steady, although distant, friendship. It was better than nothing.
—
Gary’s return to Ash’s life was inevitable.
They both settled in Pallet Town more or less. Ash continued to travel the world but he treated Pallet Town as his home base. Gary gradually took more responsibility over the Oak Laboratory. Ash expected things to be awkward but they settled into an easy companionship.
It was a relief that Gary enjoyed his company because Ash couldn’t shake off this odd ache for his attention. He felt like a child when he saw Gary and then ran after him. During their childhood years, Ash wanted Gary’s attention to show off his skills as a trainer. Ash wasn’t sure what he wanted from Gary now.
Today, though, Ash wanted Gary to hurry up and finish his survey of the Oak grounds.
Ash yelped when he slipped on another patch of ice. Pikachu’s panicked squeaks filled his ears; he didn’t want to end up on the ground again. Fortunately, Gary grabbed Ash’s arm so he managed to stay on his feet this time.
“You can return to the lab if you want. I can finish on my own,” Gary said.
“No. I’m ok,” Ash insisted.
He had decided to tag along with Gary as he surveyed the Oak grounds after a recent snowstorm. Ash had thought it was a good idea at the time - he would check on the Pokemon, spend time with Gary, and help fix anything broken. It turned out most of the Pokemon preferred to hide in their homes rather than step out onto the snow. Ash wasn’t really helpful due to his frequent slips and falls. Still, he was determined to stay with Gary.
“You need me here. What if you trip? I’ll help you stand up then.”
“Ash, you’re the one who keeps falling.”
“I’m fine now. Pikachu knows I can handle it. Right, Pikachu?”
Pikachu, his dearest friend, chose this moment to hop from Ash's head to Gary’s shoulder. He happily purred when Gary rubbed his ear.
“He’s just looking for a taller perch.”
“I’m happy to be at your service, Pikachu. You can always sit on my shoulder.”
Pikachu nuzzled Gary’s face. Ash rolled his eyes. He wasn’t sure if he felt amused or betrayed.
“Don’t get so used to it, Pikachu. We gotta go soon, remember?”
“Are you leaving already?”
“Yeah. We’re going to travel through Johto for a few months.”
Gary looked disappointed. This confused Ash because he thought Gary was used to his sudden departures. In an attempt to lighten the mood, Ash smiled teasingly and said,
“Aw, Gary. Are you going to miss me?”
“Yes.”
Well, Ash didn’t expect such an honest answer. Gary seemed surprised by his own words too. He turned his attention to patting Pikachu’s head.
“I’ve gotten used to you and Pikachu visiting all the time. I’m going to feel a bit lonely when both of you leave.”
“We’ll miss you too,” Ash said quickly. It was rare for Gary to be so open about his emotions. Ash wanted to hold onto this moment for a bit longer. “I could call you whenever I have some free time.”
“Sure. I would like that,” Gary said. He held out his hand towards Ash. “C’mon, I don’t want to see you face down in the snow again.”
Ash accepted Gary’s hand. He wasn’t sure what he was feeling right now. His heart was heavy yet he also felt like he was floating. He was happy in a way that he never experienced before. Gary smiled softly at him.
It was this moment when Ash realized he was in love.
—
The realization of love came with a reminder of the unacknowledged soulmate bond.
Ash knew he needed to finally talk to Gary about their situation. Everyday he woke up with the determination to confront Gary but his confidence always vanished when he reached the Oak Laboratory. His desire to start a new relationship with Gary clashed with his worry about wrecking their current friendship. Ash knew Gary liked him but he wasn’t sure if Gary’s feelings actually matched his own.
“What are you thinking about so much, Ash?”
Gary’s voice drew Ash out of his thoughts. They were currently waiting out a sudden downpour underneath a large tree. Pikachu sat on a branch with some wild Pokemon. This place was oddly familiar.
“I sat here and I thought about you once.”
Gary looked amused, “Good thoughts, I hope. Like how I’m tall, handsome and amazing.”
Ash shoved Gary’s shoulder. Gary laughed in response. These were Ash’s favorite moments with Gary. It felt good to know he could draw smiles and laughs out of him. A sudden gust of wind shook the tree’s branches. Ash sneezed.
“You’re going to catch a cold in those clothes,” Gary sighed. He slipped off his jacket. Gary wrapped it around Ash and then he rested his hands on Ash’s shoulders. “But seriously, is everything ok? You’ve been quiet lately.”
There were ten letters in Ash’s full name. In his messy handwriting, it usually took up a lot of space on paper. It took up a lot of space on Gary’s skin too. Ash’s name wrapped around his wrist like a bracelet.
Ash couldn’t find the right words to say so he pressed his finger against the crooked ‘K’ on Gary’s wrist. Gary drew back his hands. There was a wary look on his face. Ash considered acting like he didn’t understand the letters. It would allow them to avoid this awkward conversation. Ash dismissed those thoughts. He didn’t want to delay this confrontation anymore. It should had happened a long time ago.
Ash took off his glove and then showed his soulmate mark to Gary. Despite his wariness, Gary leaned forward. He gently took hold of Ash’s wrist; he slowly brushed his finger across the letters of his own name.
“Why didn’t you say something about it before?” Ash asked.
“I could ask you the same question.”
“Well, I asked you first.”
It was a vague question and a childish response. Ash wasn’t good with words. He wanted Gary to speak but he knew Gary wasn’t always open about his emotions. He was still looking at Ash’s wrist rather than his eyes.
“I tried to talk to you a few times,” Ash admitted. “Those attempts didn’t work out. I was mad at you when we were younger. Then I was scared.”
“Scared?”
“I didn’t want you to reject me.”
An awkward silence settled between them. Ash wondered whether he or Gary would run away first.
“You know how I acted when I was younger,” Gary finally said.
“Yeah. You were mean and annoying.”
“I was going to say prideful.”
“Say more.”
“I had a huge ego. I thought I was better than you. So I didn’t want to acknowledge you as my soulmate,“ Gary said. Ash tried to draw his hand back; Gary firmly grabbed his wrist. “Then I wasn’t sure about myself anymore. I wouldn’t have made a good partner. By the time I could make a commitment to you, it felt like it was too late. We barely spoke to each other and we were both busy with our lives.”
“What about now?”
“I suppose I’m scared of rejection too.”
This was the most emotional side of Gary that Ash had ever seen. His head ached from trying to match Gary’s actions over the years with his current explantation. There was one point that he saw clearly though. He reached forward to brush a lock of wet hair out of Gary’s face. Gary finally looked at him.
“I think you would make a good partner.”
“What?”
“The universe thinks we would make a good pair. I think so too. I really like you a lot.” Ash didn’t say the other word. It was too strong and Gary seemed fragile right now. “I wouldn’t have rejected you back then. I won’t reject you now.”
It was oblivious when Gary finally understood Ash’s words because a blush appeared across his face. Gary suddenly stood up straight. He was trying to look serious in spite of his red face and his wet clothes.
“Ash, do you want to go on a date with me?”
“Yes.” Ash smiled fondly. “It took you long enough to ask.”
Gary lifted Ash’s hand and then pressed a kiss to his wrist. Ash felt his face heat up. He didn't expect Gary to become affectionate so quickly. A smug grin suddenly crossed Gary’s lips.
Oh, he was teasing him now.
“Your face is redder than mine!”
Gary laughed. He kissed Ash’s wrist again. Ash, unwilling to be the only one embarrassed, kissed his cheek. Gary's blush deepened. Ash realized he really loved seeing Gary like this. It was almost as nice as seeing Gary smile and laugh. Maybe it was better actually.