Work Text:
The Pokémon Center in Pewter City was louder than usual.
Holiday lights were strung along the walls, blinking softly above the healing machines. A small decorated tree sat beside the reception desk, surrounded by a few wrapped gifts left by traveling trainers passing through.
Ash Ketchum leaned back in his chair with a satisfied sigh.
“This place hasn’t changed at all.”
Across the table, Brock chuckled.
“Of course it hasn’t. Pewter City traditions are very important.”
Ash grinned.
“You mean your traditions.”
Brock folded his arms proudly.
“And they work.”
Pikachu, sitting on the table between them, lifted his head.
“Pika!”
Ash scratched the back of his neck, looking around the room.
It had been a while since he’d visited Pewter.
Long enough that the place felt both familiar and a little strange at the same time.
“I kinda missed it here,” Ash admitted.
Brock smiled slightly.
“Yeah. I figured you might.”
Ash glanced back at him.
“You figured?”
Brock shrugged.
“You always liked coming back here after a long journey.”
Ash laughed.
“Guess that’s true.”
Outside the large window beside them, snow had begun falling across the streets of Pewter City. Trainers passed by bundled in winter coats, while a few Pokémon played happily in the snow.
Inside the Pokémon Center, the warmth
made the cold outside feel distant.
Ash stretched his arms behind his head.
“So how long has the Christmas thing been going on here?”
Brock raised an eyebrow.
“The Christmas thing?”
Ash gestured around the room.
“The decorations. The tree. All that.”
Brock chuckled.
“Every year.”
Ash nodded slowly.
“Huh.”
Pikachu hopped down from the table and wandered toward the snack counter where Nurse Joy had set out holiday treats for visiting trainers.
Ash watched him go.
“You know,” he said, “we never really stopped anywhere during Christmas when we were traveling.”
Brock laughed.
“That’s because you were always chasing the next Gym.”
Ash shrugged.
“Yeah… true.”
For a moment they both sat quietly.
Snow drifting outside.
Lights blinking softly around the room.
Then Brock suddenly glanced toward the entrance of the Pokémon Center.
Ash noticed.
“What?”
Brock pointed casually.
Ash followed his gaze.
Above the entrance doorway hung a small sprig of mistletoe tied with a red ribbon.
Ash blinked.
“…Oh.”
Brock smirked.
“Holiday tradition.”
Ash immediately sat up straighter.
“Wait.”
Brock’s grin widened.
“You do remember what that means, right?”
Ash pointed accusingly.
“Don’t even start.”
Brock leaned back in his chair, clearly enjoying himself.
“Hey, I didn’t hang it there.”
Ash glanced back up at the doorway again.
The mistletoe swayed slightly every time someone entered the Pokémon Center.
Ash groaned.
“…I knew coming to Pewter was a bad idea.”
Brock laughed.
“Oh relax.”
Ash narrowed his eyes.
“You’re enjoying this way too much.”
Brock just smiled.
Because neither of them had noticed yet.
That Pikachu had wandered back over.
And hopped directly onto Ash’s shoulder.
Standing exactly beneath the doorway.
And the mistletoe above it.
Ash had noticed the mistletoe.
He was very aware of the mistletoe.
He was trying extremely hard to pretend the mistletoe did not exist.
Unfortunately for him, Brock had absolutely no intention of letting that happen.
Brock leaned back comfortably in his chair, watching Ash with the kind of amused patience that only someone who had known him for years could manage.
“You’re staring at it again.”
“I am not.”
“You just did.”
Ash immediately looked away from the doorway.
“I was looking outside.”
“At the ceiling?”
Ash crossed his arms.
“…It’s a nice ceiling.”
Brock laughed.
Pikachu, still perched happily on Ash’s shoulder, tilted his head and looked up as well.
“Pika?”
Ash sighed dramatically.
“Why does this even exist?”
Brock shrugged.
“It’s a holiday tradition.”
“You already said that.”
“And it’s still true.”
Ash glanced toward the entrance again.
Another trainer walked into the Pokémon Center, brushing snow from their coat as they stepped inside. The mistletoe above the door swayed gently from the movement.
Ash squinted at it suspiciously.
“Who even put that there?”
Brock pointed casually toward the front desk.
Ash turned.
Nurse Joy was standing behind the counter organizing a tray of holiday cookies.
Ash groaned.
“Of course.”
Brock chuckled.
“She likes decorating.”
Ash muttered under his breath.
“Remind me never to stand near that door.”
Brock leaned forward slightly, clearly enjoying the situation far too much.
“You know, most people just treat it as a fun tradition.”
Ash shot him a look.
“You would say that.”
Brock placed a hand over his heart dramatically.
“I respect cultural customs.”
“You chase every girl you see.”
“That’s unrelated.”
Ash laughed.
“Sure it is.”
At that moment, Nurse Joy glanced up from the counter.
Her eyes moved toward the table.
Then toward the doorway.
Then upward.
She smiled.
“Oh!”
Ash immediately noticed the smile.
“…Oh no.”
Brock followed her gaze and grinned.
“Oh yes.”
Nurse Joy called out cheerfully from across the room.
“Ash! Brock!”
Ash shrank slightly in his seat.
“…Maybe if we stay quiet she’ll forget we’re here.”
Too late.
Nurse Joy stepped out from behind the counter and approached their table.
“I didn’t realize you two were standing there earlier.”
Ash blinked.
“…Standing where?”
Nurse Joy gestured toward the doorway.
Brock leaned back, barely containing his laughter.
“The mistletoe.”
Ash immediately pointed at Brock.
“This was his idea.”
Brock raised both hands.
“I didn’t hang it!”
Nurse Joy giggled.
“Well, it’s still tradition.”
Ash buried his face in his hands.
“Why does everyone keep saying that?”
Pikachu hopped off Ash’s shoulder onto the table.
“Pika!”
Brock crossed his arms, clearly enjoying himself.
“You know, Ash…”
Ash looked up reluctantly.
“…What.”
Brock nodded toward the doorway.
“You’re still sitting under it.”
Ash froze.
Then slowly looked upward.
The mistletoe was directly above the table now.
Right above them.
Ash stared at it.
“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Brock burst out laughing.
Ash pointed at him again.
“If you say one word-”
Brock grinned.
“Tradition.”
Ash groaned loudly.
Pikachu, however, seemed delighted.
He hopped up onto Ash’s shoulder again.
“Pika pika!”
Ash sighed.
“…I hate everything.”
Brock leaned forward with a mischievous smile.
“Oh come on.”
Ash glared.
“Don’t.”
Brock folded his arms.
“You’ve done crazier things on our journeys.”
“That was different.”
“How?”
Ash opened his mouth.
Then paused.
“…I don’t know.”
Brock laughed again.
“Relax, Ash.”
Ash narrowed his eyes.
“You’re enjoying this way too much.”
Brock shrugged.
“Maybe.”
Ash glanced up at the mistletoe one more time.
Then back at Brock.
“…This is your fault somehow.”
Brock grinned.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
And above them, the mistletoe swayed gently as the Pokémon Center doors opened again.
Ash stared at the mistletoe.
Then at Brock.
Then back at the mistletoe again.
“…This is ridiculous.”
Brock was still smiling, though the teasing had softened now.
“Maybe.”
Ash rubbed the back of his neck.
“I mean… it’s just a dumb tradition.”
Brock shrugged.
“Yeah.”
Ash folded his arms.
“So technically we could just ignore it.”
“Technically.”
Ash looked up again.
“…And technically we’re still under it.”
Brock nodded.
“Also true.”
Ash groaned.
“You’re being way too calm about this.”
Brock leaned back in his chair.
“I’ve known you for years, Ash.”
“Yeah.”
“Yeah.”
Brock gestured casually between them.
“We’ve traveled across regions together.”
Ash nodded slightly.
“Yeah.”
“Battled hundreds of trainers.”
“Yep.”
“Saved the world a few times.”
Ash snorted.
“Okay, that’s a little dramatic.”
“My point is,” Brock continued, “we’ve done way stranger things than a mistletoe kiss.”
Ash blinked.
“…When you say it like that it sounds way less weird.”
Brock smiled.
“Because it is.”
Ash leaned back slightly, thinking.
The Pokémon Center hummed quietly around them. Trainers came and went through the entrance, boots brushing snow from the floor.
The mistletoe swayed gently above the doorway.
Ash looked up at it again.
Then at Brock.
Then he laughed softly.
“You know what?”
Brock raised an eyebrow.
“What?”
Ash shrugged.
“We’ve been through way too much
together for this to be awkward.”
Brock chuckled.
“That’s what I was thinking.”
Ash scratched his cheek.
“…Plus you’re basically family anyway.”
Brock’s expression softened.
“Yeah.”
For a moment they just looked at each other.
Years of shared journeys. Battles. Campfires. Arguments. Victories.
Everything they had been through together.
Ash grinned suddenly.
“Alright.”
Brock blinked.
“…Alright?”
Ash leaned forward across the table.
“Tradition, right?”
Brock laughed quietly.
“Tradition.”
And Ash kissed him.
Quick.
Warm.
Not dramatic.
Just a simple press of lips.
The kind of kiss that came from years of trust and familiarity.
When Ash pulled back, Brock looked slightly surprised.
Then amused.
“Well.”
Ash leaned back in his chair again.
“…See?”
Brock chuckled.
“That was surprisingly normal.”
Ash shrugged.
“Told you.”
Pikachu clapped his tiny paws happily.
“Pika pika!”
Ash laughed.
“Yeah yeah.”
Brock shook his head with a grin.
“You never do anything halfway, do you?”
Ash stretched his arms behind his head.
“Nope.”
And above them, the mistletoe swayed gently.
For a moment after the kiss, the Pokémon Center was quiet around them.
Not completely quiet, trainers still moved around the room, boots brushing snow from the floor, Pokémon chattering softly near the healing machines, but at their table, everything felt oddly calm.
Ash leaned back in his chair.
Like nothing unusual had happened.
Brock folded his arms, still smiling slightly.
“…Well.”
Ash glanced at him.
“What?”
Brock shook his head.
“You really didn’t hesitate.”
Ash shrugged.
“It’s you.”
Brock laughed quietly.
“Fair point.”
Pikachu bounced happily on the table
between them.
“Pika!”
Ash scratched Pikachu behind the ears.
“See? Pikachu doesn’t think it’s weird.”
Brock leaned forward slightly.
“Pikachu also thinks ketchup is a balanced meal.”
“Hey.”
Ash pointed a finger at him.
“Don’t disrespect the ketchup.”
Brock laughed again.
Across the room, Nurse Joy had definitely noticed.
She was trying very hard not to smile as she returned to organizing the snack tray behind the counter.
Ash noticed.
“…She saw that.”
Brock glanced over.
“Probably.”
Ash shrugged.
“Eh.”
Brock studied him for a second.
“You’re taking this surprisingly well.”
Ash blinked.
“…Why wouldn’t I?”
Brock gestured vaguely toward the doorway.
“You just kissed your best friend under mistletoe.”
Ash leaned back again.
“We’ve faced legendary Pokémon together.”
“…True.”
“We’ve gotten lost in forests.”
“…Also true.”
“We once camped for three days eating nothing but your cooking.”
Brock frowned.
“My cooking is excellent.”
Ash grinned.
“My point is…”
He gestured between them.
“This is nothing.”
Brock chuckled.
“You always were good at keeping things simple.”
Ash shrugged.
“Someone has to.”
For a moment they both looked toward the window.
Snow still fell softly across Pewter City.
The streets outside glowing under holiday lights.
Brock spoke quietly.
“You know… I missed this.”
Ash glanced at him.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Brock smiled.
“Just sitting around talking.”
Ash nodded.
“Me too.”
Pikachu hopped back onto Ash’s
shoulder.
“Pika.”
Ash stood up and stretched.
“Well.”
Brock raised an eyebrow.
“Well?”
Ash grinned.
“Journey’s not over yet.”
Brock smiled knowingly.
“Was it ever?”
Ash laughed.
“Nah.”
They headed toward the Pokémon Center doors together.
As Ash pushed them open, the cold winter air rushed in.
The mistletoe swayed slightly above the entrance.
Ash glanced up at it one last time.
Then shook his head, smiling.
“Tradition.”
Brock chuckled beside him.
“Tradition.”
And together, they stepped out into the snowy streets of Pewter City.
The snow had settled across Pewter City by the time night fell.
Streetlights reflected softly off the white-covered roads, and the Pokémon Center windows glowed warmly against the cold winter air.
Inside, the decorations had gone quiet.
Most of the traveling trainers had already headed off to nearby inns or their own journeys.
Only a few people remained.
Behind the counter, Nurse Joy was finishing her end-of-day notes when the Pokémon Center doors opened again.
Ash stepped inside first, brushing snow from his jacket.
Pikachu sat comfortably on his shoulder.
Behind him, Brock followed, carrying two cups of hot cocoa.
“You’re lucky Pewter still has that café open late,” Brock said, handing one cup to Ash.
Ash took it with a grin.
“Hey, a Champion has priorities.”
Brock laughed.
“You’re still the same kid you were when we first met.”
Ash shrugged.
“Guess some things don’t change.”
They walked toward the table they’d
been sitting at earlier.
And there, still hanging above the doorway. The mistletoe.
Ash noticed it first.
“…Oh.”
Brock followed his gaze.
Then chuckled.
“Still there.”
Ash took a sip of his cocoa.
“…You think Nurse Joy’s watching?”
Brock glanced casually toward the counter.
Nurse Joy immediately pretended to be very busy writing.
Ash laughed.
“Yeah, she’s watching.”
Brock grinned.
“Well?”
Ash raised an eyebrow.
“Well what?”
Brock nodded toward the doorway.
“Tradition.”
Ash shook his head with a laugh.
“You’re unbelievable.”
But he stepped under the doorway anyway.
Brock followed.
Ash glanced up once more at the mistletoe.
Then at Brock.
“…You’re not gonna let this go, are you?”
Brock smiled.
“Probably not.”
Ash laughed softly.
“Alright.”
He leaned forward again.
Another quick kiss.
Easy.
Comfortable.
Like it was the most natural thing in the world.
When they pulled apart, Brock chuckled.
“You know, if someone had told me years ago this is how we’d spend Christmas in Pewter…”
Ash grinned.
“…You’d believe it.”
Brock nodded.
“Yeah.”
Ash lifted his cocoa cup.
“To old friends.”
Brock clinked his cup lightly against
Ash’s.
“To old friends.”
And above the Pokémon Center doorway the mistletoe swayed quietly.
Waiting for the next moment.