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The beach outside Professor Kukui’s lab was quieter than usual.
Winter in Alola didn’t bring snow like other regions, but the evenings were cooler now, the ocean breeze carrying a sharp chill across the sand.
Ash wiped sweat from his forehead and grinned.
“That was awesome!”
Across from him, Gladion stood calmly with his arms crossed.
Silvally rested beside him, its armor reflecting the fading orange light of the sunset.
“…You’re still rushing your attacks,”
Gladion said flatly.
Ash laughed.
“Hey, it worked, didn’t it?”
Gladion gave him a long look.
“You got lucky.”
Pikachu hopped down from Ash’s shoulder and stretched.
“Pika.”
Ash shrugged.
“Luck counts!”
Gladion sighed quietly.
“You rely on it too much.”
Ash grinned.
“And you think too much.”
For a moment they just stared at each other.
Then, Gladion smirked.
“…Maybe.”
Ash laughed again.
The battle had ended, but neither of them seemed ready to stop talking yet.
Silvally moved closer to the shoreline while Pikachu chased a small wave up the sand.
The sky above them slowly darkened.
Ash stretched his arms behind his head.
“You know, I’m glad you called me out here.”
Gladion glanced toward him.
“…You were getting rusty.”
Ash snorted.
“Hey!”
Gladion’s expression softened just slightly.
“…It’s good training.”
Ash nodded.
“Yeah.”
A quiet moment passed between them.
Not awkward.
Just calm.
The kind of silence that only happened between people who understood each other well.
Then Ash noticed something.
“…Hey.”
Gladion looked at him.
“What.”
Ash pointed toward the wooden deck outside Kukui’s lab.
Above the sliding door… A small sprig of mistletoe hung from the frame.
Gladion blinked.
“…What is that.”
Ash laughed.
“You seriously don’t know?”
Gladion frowned.
“…Should I?”
Ash grinned mischievously.
“Oh man.”
Gladion narrowed his eyes.
“…What.”
Ash gestured toward the mistletoe.
“It’s a holiday tradition.”
Gladion looked unimpressed.
“…Explain.”
Ash scratched the back of his neck.
“Well…”
He pointed upward.
“If two people end up standing under it, they’re supposed to kiss.”
Gladion stared at him.
“…That’s stupid.”
Ash laughed.
“Yeah, kinda.”
Gladion turned to walk toward the lab.
Ash followed him.
Neither of them noticed… That they had stopped directly beneath the doorway.
And the mistletoe above it.
Gladion stepped onto the wooden deck outside Kukui’s lab and stopped.
Ash nearly bumped into him.
“Whoa-”
Gladion had gone very still.
Ash blinked.
“…What?”
Gladion slowly tilted his head upward.
Ash followed his gaze.
The mistletoe hung directly above the doorway.
Right above them.
Ash froze.
“…Oh.”
Gladion’s expression did not change.
But the silence stretched long enough to say everything.
Ash rubbed the back of his neck.
“…So.”
Gladion looked at him.
“…You said.”
Ash nodded awkwardly.
“Yeah.”
“…That people standing under it are supposed to kiss.”
Ash scratched his cheek.
“That’s the tradition.”
Gladion looked back up at the mistletoe.
Then down again.
“…Ridiculous.”
Ash laughed.
“Yeah.”
Gladion didn’t move.
Ash didn’t move either.
The ocean breeze moved quietly across the deck behind them.
Inside the lab, faint voices drifted through the open windows, Lillie talking with Kukui, the clatter of dishes being put away.
Ash shifted his weight slightly.
“…We could just step out.”
Gladion glanced toward the side of the deck.
“…Obviously.”
Neither of them stepped away.
Ash noticed.
He grinned a little.
“You’re still standing here.”
Gladion’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“…So are you.”
Ash shrugged.
“Well yeah.”
Gladion folded his arms.
“…You’re the one who explained the rule.”
Ash laughed.
“You’re the one who walked under it.”
Gladion’s gaze flicked upward again.
Then back to Ash.
“…You’re enjoying this.”
Ash grinned.
“A little.”
Gladion sighed quietly.
“…You’re insufferable.”
Ash shrugged.
.“You’re still here.”
Gladion looked at him for a long moment.
The teasing tone between them faded slightly.
Something quieter settled in its place.
Ash rubbed the back of his neck again.
“…It doesn’t have to be a big deal.”
Gladion raised an eyebrow.
“…You think I care about the tradition?”
Ash laughed softly.
“Not really.”
Gladion looked back up at the mistletoe.
Then down at Ash again.
“…You’re very casual about this.”
Ash shrugged.
“We’ve battled each other a hundred times.”
“…True.”
“We’ve trained together.”
“…Also true.”
Ash smiled slightly.
“So this isn’t exactly the weirdest thing we’ve done.”
Gladion studied him for a moment.
Ash’s expression was calm.
Genuine.
Not teasing now.
Just… open.
Gladion exhaled slowly.
“…You really don’t think things through.”
Ash laughed.
“Hey, you’re the one still standing here too.”
Gladion looked away slightly.
“…Tch.”
The mistletoe swayed gently above them.
Neither of them stepped away.
The mistletoe swayed quietly above the doorway.
Ash and Gladion were still standing beneath it.
Neither of them had moved.
The ocean breeze carried the sound of waves rolling softly against the shore behind Kukui’s lab.
Inside, faint laughter drifted through the open window.
But out on the deck. It was just the two of them.
Gladion finally broke the silence.
“…You’re still smiling.”
Ash blinked.
“Huh?”
Gladion nodded slightly.
“You think this is funny.”
Ash rubbed the back of his neck.
“Well… kinda.”
Gladion sighed.
“…Of course you do.”
Ash leaned casually against the railing beside the doorway.
“Come on.”
Gladion looked at him.
“…What.”
Ash gestured upward.
“It’s just mistletoe.”
Gladion’s gaze flicked up again briefly.
“…You’re taking this too lightly.”
Ash shrugged.
“Maybe.”
Then he added, quieter,
“Or maybe it’s just not a big deal.”
Gladion studied him carefully.
Ash wasn’t mocking him.
Wasn’t pushing.
He was just… standing there.
Waiting.
Gladion crossed his arms again.
“…You’re very strange.”
Ash grinned.
“Yeah, I get that a lot.”
Another quiet pause passed between them.
Then Ash tilted his head slightly.
“…If you want to move, we can.”
Gladion glanced toward the edge of the deck.
Then back at Ash.
“…You’d let me.”
Ash shrugged again.
“Sure.”
Gladion narrowed his eyes slightly.
“…You’re not even curious.”
Ash smiled faintly.
“I already know what you’re like.”
Gladion blinked.
“…What does that mean.”
Ash looked out toward the ocean for a moment.
Then back at him.
“You don’t do things unless you mean them.”
Gladion froze slightly.
Ash continued, calm and honest.
“So if you step away, that’s fine.”
Gladion said nothing.
The wind moved gently across the deck again.
Ash leaned back against the railing.
“…But if you don’t…”
Gladion’s voice came out quieter than before.
“…You talk too much.”
Ash laughed softly.
“Yeah, I do.”
Gladion looked up at the mistletoe one more time.
Then down again.
Ash was still watching him.
Patient.
Like he always was during battles.
Waiting for the moment his opponent made a move.
Gladion exhaled slowly.
“…You’re impossible.”
Ash grinned.
“Still here though.”
Gladion rolled his eyes.
“…Tch.”
Then… Before Ash could say anything else… Gladion stepped forward. Grabbed the front of Ash’s jacket.
And kissed him.
It was quick.
Direct.
No hesitation.
The kind of kiss Gladion did everything with, decisive and without apology.
Ash blinked in surprise.
But only for a second.
Then he relaxed into it.
When Gladion pulled back, Ash was staring at him.
“…Wow.”
Gladion looked away immediately.
“…Don’t make a big deal out of it.”
Ash laughed softly.
“Too late.”
Gladion crossed his arms again.
“…You’re annoying.”
Ash grinned.
“Yeah.”
Above them. The mistletoe swayed gently in the evening breeze.
For a moment after the kiss. Neither of them spoke.
The ocean breeze continued to roll across the deck outside Kukui’s lab, carrying the distant sound of waves breaking against the shore.
Gladion had already stepped back, arms crossed again like nothing had happened.
Except his ears were slightly red.
Ash was still staring at him.
“…You just did that.”
Gladion didn’t look at him.
“…You were talking too much.”
Ash laughed softly.
“So that’s your solution?”
“…It worked.”
Ash scratched the back of his neck.
“…Yeah, I guess it did.”
Inside the lab, someone moved past the window.
Lillie’s voice floated faintly from inside.
“…Gladion?”
Gladion immediately straightened.
“…Don’t.”
Ash raised both hands defensively.
“I didn’t say anything!”
Gladion shot him a warning look.
“…Good.”
Ash leaned against the railing again, still smiling slightly.
“You know,” he said, “that might be the first time someone’s ever shut me up.”
Gladion scoffed quietly.
“…Unlikely.”
Ash grinned.
“Okay, fair.”
Pikachu hopped onto the deck railing beside them.
“Pika.”
Ash glanced up at the mistletoe again.
Then back at Gladion.
“…So.”
Gladion sighed.
“…What.”
Ash shrugged.
“Nothing.”
Gladion narrowed his eyes.
“…You’re thinking something.”
Ash shook his head.
“Nope.”
“…You are.”
Ash laughed again.
“Relax.”
Gladion looked away toward the ocean.
The sunset had faded now, leaving the sky deep blue over the water.
“…You’re not going to tell anyone.”
Ash blinked.
“Why would I?”
Gladion hesitated slightly.
Then said quietly,
“…People would make it annoying.”
Ash understood immediately.
He nodded.
“Yeah.”
Gladion finally glanced back at him.
“…You’re not bothered.”
Ash shrugged.
“We’re friends.”
Gladion’s expression softened slightly.
“…Friends.”
Ash smiled.
“And rivals.”
Gladion allowed a small smirk.
“…That too.”
A comfortable silence settled between them again.
Pikachu stretched lazily on the railing.
Inside the lab, the lights glowed warmly.
Ash finally pushed himself off the railing.
“Come on.”
Gladion looked at him.
“…Where.”
Ash pointed toward the shoreline.
“Another round.”
Gladion blinked.
“…Right now?”
Ash grinned.
“You’re the one who said I rely on luck too much.”
Gladion sighed.
“…You’re impossible.”
Ash laughed as he walked toward the sand.
“Still here though.”
Gladion watched him go for a moment.
Then shook his head.
“…Idiot.”
But he followed anyway.
And behind them. Above the doorway. The mistletoe swayed quietly in the night air.
Later that night, Professor Kukui’s lab had gone quiet.
Most of the lights were off, leaving only the warm glow of the kitchen lamp illuminating the main room.
Lillie sat at the table with Snowy curled up beside her, flipping slowly through a book she had been reading earlier.
Outside the window, the ocean reflected the moonlight across the calm waves.
The sliding door suddenly opened.
Ash stepped inside first, brushing sand from his shoes.
“Man, that was a great battle!”
Gladion followed behind him, looking slightly tired but composed as usual.
“…You’re still reckless.”
Ash laughed.
“Hey, I won!”
“Barely.”
Pikachu jumped down from Ash’s shoulder and padded across the floor.
“Pika!”
Lillie smiled.
“Welcome back.”
Ash waved.
“Hey, Lillie.”
Gladion nodded slightly.
“…Lillie.”
Lillie studied them both for a moment.
Ash looked cheerful, energized from the battle.
Gladion looked calm, though maybe just a little more thoughtful than usual.
Then Lillie’s eyes drifted toward the sliding door.
And upward.
The mistletoe still hung above the doorway.
Her eyes widened slightly.
“…Oh.”
Ash blinked.
“What?”
Lillie pointed gently upward.
Ash followed her gaze.
“…Oh.”
Gladion froze.
Ash scratched the back of his neck.
“Yeah… that.”
Lillie looked between them.
Then slowly smiled.
“…Did something happen?”
Gladion turned immediately.
“…No.”
Ash said at the exact same time.
“…Maybe.”
Gladion shot him a look.
Ash raised both hands defensively.
“What?”
Lillie giggled softly.
“I see.”
Gladion sighed.
“…You don’t see anything.”
Lillie simply smiled and returned to her book.
“…Of course.”
Ash leaned slightly toward Gladion.
“She totally knows.”
Gladion closed his eyes briefly.
“…Yes.”
Ash laughed quietly.
“Relax.”
Gladion glanced back toward the doorway again.
The mistletoe swayed gently in the night breeze.
“…You’re not going to forget this, are you.”
Ash grinned.
“Not a chance.”
Gladion shook his head.
“…Unbelievable.”
But the faintest hint of a smile appeared on his face.
And above the doorway. The mistletoe swayed quietly.
Another tradition fulfilled.