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Cerise Park looked peaceful under the snow.
Ash noticed that right away.
The usual noise of the research lab, machines humming, Pokémon wandering, researchers talkin, had faded into something softer tonight.
Strings of warm lights had been hung through the trees, and the paths around the lake were lined with lanterns glowing against the winter air.
It was the lab’s winter celebration.
Ash stretched his arms as he walked through the park.
“Man, it looks amazing tonight!”
Pikachu balanced on his shoulder.
“Pika!”
Several Pokémon ran through the snow near the research fields, Grookey, Scorbunny, Sobble, and a handful of others that had gathered to play together.
Ash laughed.
“They’re having fun already!”
Pikachu nodded.
“Pika pika!”
Behind him Goh stepped out of the main building, adjusting the sleeves of his coat as he looked around the decorated park.
He hadn’t expected the lab to go this far with decorations.
Lights hung from the trees.
Snow covered the research fields.
Even the lake had small floating lanterns drifting across its frozen surface.
Goh blinked.
“…Wow.”
Ash turned immediately.
“Oh hey, Goh!”
Goh walked over, hands tucked into his pockets.
“You got here early.”
Ash shrugged.
“I couldn’t sit still.”
“Obviously.”
Pikachu laughed.
“Pika!”
Ash pointed toward the park.
“Have you seen everything yet?”
Goh glanced around again.
“…Not really.”
Ash grinned.
“Come on!”
Before Goh could protest, Ash grabbed his sleeve and pulled him down the snowy path.
“Hey!”
Pikachu jumped down and ran ahead excitedly.
“Pika pika!”
Goh sighed.
“You do realize people usually walk normally.”
Ash laughed.
“Where’s the fun in that?”
They reached the main clearing of the park.
Several researchers were gathered near food stalls, while Pokémon played in the snow around the lake.
Chloe stood near one of the tables with Eevee, chatting with Professor Cerise.
Ash waved.
“Hey!”
Chloe waved back.
“Try not to break anything tonight.”
Ash grinned.
“No promises!”
Goh shook his head.
“You absolutely will.”
They kept walking through the park paths.
Snow crunched beneath their boots.
Ash stretched his arms again.
“Man, it’s weird.”
Goh glanced sideways at him.
“What is?”
“We’re not traveling right now.”
Goh nodded.
“…Yeah.”
Ash looked out across the snowy lake.
“No new region.”
“No new gym battles.”
“No crazy adventures.”
Goh smiled slightly.
“…You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
Ash laughed.
“I’m not complaining!”
Pikachu hopped back onto his shoulder.
“Pika!”
They reached one of the smaller paths near the edge of the park where the lights hung lower between the branches.
It was quieter here.
Just the wind through the trees and the soft glow of lanterns.
Ash slowed.
“…Hey.”
Goh looked up.
“What?”
Ash pointed toward the wooden archway ahead.
Hanging from the center. Was a sprig of mistletoe tied with a red ribbon.
Goh blinked.
“…Oh.”
Pikachu noticed too.
“…Pika.”
Ash rubbed the back of his neck.
“…Huh.”
Goh looked at the mistletoe again.
Then at Ash.
They were standing directly underneath it.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
Ash laughed awkwardly.
“…That’s… funny.”
Goh folded his arms slightly.
“…Funny how?”
Ash pointed upward.
“The mistletoe thing.”
Goh nodded slowly.
“…Right.”
Ash scratched his cheek.
“…People usually kiss under it.”
Goh blinked.
“…I know.”
Pikachu leaned toward them both.
“…Pika.”
Ash laughed nervously.
“…This got awkward fast.”
Goh sighed quietly.
“…A little.”
They were still standing there.
Neither of them had stepped away.
Snowflakes drifted slowly between the branches.
And suddenly. After all their journeys together. Neither of them quite knew what to do next.
The moment under the mistletoe didn’t
last long.
Ash broke the silence first.
“…You know what we haven’t done yet tonight?”
Goh looked at him suspiciously.
“…What?”
Ash pointed toward the frozen lake where several Pokémon were running across the ice.
“A race.”
Goh blinked.
“…A race.”
Ash grinned.
“Yeah.”
Goh folded his arms.
“You challenge me to races constantly.”
“And I win sometimes.”
“You win rarely.”
Pikachu tilted his head.
“Pika?”
Ash laughed.
“Hey! I beat you last time!”
“That was because Grookey tackled me halfway through.”
“Still counts.”
Goh sighed.
“…You’re unbelievable.”
Ash clapped his hands together.
“Come on!”
Before Goh could protest, Ash was already jogging toward the lake.
Pikachu followed immediately.
“Pika pika!”
Goh groaned.
“…Of course.”
But he ran after them anyway.
The frozen lake had become an unofficial skating field for the lab’s Pokémon.
Scorbunny and Grookey slid across the ice while Sobble clung nervously to the edge.
Ash jumped onto the ice first.
“Whoa!”
He nearly slipped.
Pikachu skidded beside him.
“Pika!”
Goh stepped out more carefully.
“…You are going to fall.”
Ash pointed across the lake.
“First one to the lantern!”
Goh rolled his eyes.
“…Fine.”
Ash took off.
Immediately slipping sideways.
“WHOA!”
Pikachu jumped onto his head to keep balance.
“PIKA!”
Goh burst out laughing.
“You’re terrible at this!”
Ash corrected himself and pushed forward again.
“Still winning!”
“You absolutely are not.”
They slid across the ice, half skating, half running, nearly colliding with
Grookey and Scorbunny as they went.
Ash reached the far lantern first.
But only because he crashed into the snowbank beside it.
“HA!”
Goh arrived a moment later, stopping much more gracefully.
“That doesn’t count.”
Ash sat up in the snow.
“Yes it does!”
“You crashed.”
“I still got there first!”
Pikachu raised Ash’s arm triumphantly.
“Pika pika!”
Goh sighed.
“You are impossible.”
Ash stood up, brushing snow off his
coat.
“Rematch.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Rematch!”
“No.”
Ash laughed and grabbed Goh’s sleeve.
“Come on!”
Before Goh could pull away, Ash dragged him off the ice and back toward the park path.
Goh shook his head.
“You’re like a child.”
Ash grinned.
“Hey, you still ran.”
“…Because you started it.”
They reached the wooden archway again.
The lantern light glowed warmly around them.
Ash slowed.
“…Oh.”
Goh looked up.
“…Oh.”
The mistletoe was still hanging there.
Right where they’d left it.
Pikachu noticed too.
“…Pika.”
Ash rubbed the back of his neck.
“…Guess we ran in a circle.”
Goh sighed.
“…Apparently.”
They stood there for a moment.
Snow falling softly around them again.
Ash looked at Goh.
“…So.”
Goh glanced up at the mistletoe.
Then back at Ash.
“…Don’t.”
Ash grinned.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were about to.”
“…Maybe.”
Pikachu leaned forward eagerly.
“…Pika.”
Goh shook his head.
“…You’re unbelievable.”
Ash laughed.
“Hey, you could always run away again.”
Goh crossed his arms.
“…Or we could stop avoiding it.”
Ash blinked.
“…Oh.”
Pikachu’s ears perked up.
“PIKA.”
And suddenly. The moment under the mistletoe didn’t feel accidental anymore.
The mistletoe swayed slightly above the wooden archway.
Ash and Goh stood beneath it again.
Snow drifted slowly through the lantern light around them, soft and quiet.
Ash shifted his weight.
“…So.”
Goh crossed his arms.
“…So.”
Pikachu watched both of them carefully.
“…Pika.”
Ash rubbed the back of his neck.
“Funny how we ended up back here.”
Goh sighed.
“You dragged us in a circle.”
Ash grinned.
“Guess I did.”
Goh looked up at the mistletoe again.
“…You’re thinking about it.”
Ash blinked.
“…What?”
“The mistletoe.”
Ash scratched his cheek.
“…Maybe.”
Goh narrowed his eyes slightly.
“You’re absolutely thinking about it.”
Ash laughed.
“Well now I definitely am.”
Pikachu leaned forward.
“…Pika.”
Goh exhaled slowly.
“…You’re unbelievable.”
Ash tilted his head.
“You’re still standing here too.”
Goh opened his mouth. Then stopped.
Because that was true.
Neither of them had stepped away.
Snow landed on Goh’s sleeve.
Ash noticed.
“…You could just leave.”
Goh glanced at him.
“…You could too.”
Ash shrugged.
“Yeah.”
Neither of them moved.
Pikachu covered his mouth with his paws.
“…Pika.”
Ash looked up again at the mistletoe.
“…You know what?”
Goh sighed.
“What.”
Ash pointed upward.
“That thing has caused way too much awkwardness tonight.”
Goh raised an eyebrow.
“…It’s a plant.”
“Still.”
Goh shook his head.
“You’re ridiculous.”
Ash grinned.
“Maybe.”
Goh turned slightly as if preparing to walk away.
“…I’m going back to the party.”
Ash nodded.
“Okay.”
Goh took one step.
Ash reached out.
Not dramatically.
Not cautiously.
Just instinctively.
His hand caught the front of Goh’s jacket.
Goh turned back in surprise.
“…What are you-”
Ash leaned forward.
And kissed him.
Quick.
Impulsive.
Exactly the way Ash did everything.
For half a second Goh froze completely.
Then his brain caught up.
His eyes widened.
Ash pulled back almost immediately.
“…Okay!”
He laughed nervously.
“…That happened!”
Pikachu threw his arms into the air.
“PIKA!”
Goh stared at him.
“…You just-”
Ash rubbed the back of his neck again.
“…Yeah.”
Goh blinked several times.
“…You just kissed me.”
Ash nodded.
“…Yep.”
Pikachu nodded proudly.
“Pika pika.”
Goh opened his mouth.
Closed it again.
“…You’re unbelievable.”
Ash grinned sheepishly.
“Sorry.”
Goh stared at him another moment.
Then suddenly grabbed the front of
Ash’s jacket.
Pulled him forward.
And kissed him back.
Longer this time.
When they finally separated. Ash looked stunned.
“…Oh.”
Goh immediately turned red.
“…Don’t make that face.”
“What face?”
“That one!”
Pikachu laughed loudly.
“PIKA!”
Ash scratched his cheek again.
“…So.”
Goh groaned quietly.
“…If Chloe saw that we’re both dead.”
Ash laughed.
“Yeah probably.”
Goh shook his head.
“You are absolutely impossible.”
Ash shrugged.
“Still kissed me back.”
Goh paused.
“…Don’t start.”
Pikachu hopped back onto Ash’s
shoulder.
“…Pika.”
Snow continued to fall around them.
And above the archway. The mistletoe swayed quietly.
Like it had known exactly what it was doing.
By the time Ash and Goh walked back toward the main clearing of Cerise Park, the winter party had grown louder.
Music played from somewhere near the research building.
Pokémon were still sliding across the ice.
Grookey had somehow acquired a tiny scarf.
Scorbunny was chasing Sobble through the snow.
Everything felt warm and bright under the hanging lights.
Ash stretched his arms casually as they walked.
“So that was fun.”
Goh nearly tripped.
“Fun?!”
Ash blinked.
“…Yeah?”
Goh turned red immediately.
“You kissed me out of nowhere!”
Ash shrugged.
“You kissed me back.”
Goh opened his mouth.
Closed it again.
“…That’s not the point.”
Pikachu snickered on Ash’s shoulder.
“Pika pika.”
Goh pointed accusingly at him.
“You don’t get to laugh.”
Pikachu immediately pretended to look innocent.
“…Pika.”
Ash laughed.
“You’re still thinking about it way too hard.”
Goh groaned quietly.
“I’m not thinking about it.”
“You absolutely are.”
They stepped back into the main clearing.
The party atmosphere surrounded them again.
Researchers chatted near the food stalls.
Several Pokémon played in the snow.
And standing near one of the tables. Chloe noticed them immediately.
She raised an eyebrow.
“…You two were gone a while.”
Goh froze.
Ash waved casually.
“Hey Chloe!”
Chloe’s gaze shifted between them slowly.
Then down to Pikachu.
Pikachu was practically vibrating with excitement.
“…Pika.”
Chloe narrowed her eyes slightly.
“…What happened.”
Goh spoke instantly.
“Nothing.”
Ash spoke at the exact same time.
“We kissed.”
Goh turned toward him in horror.
“ASH!”
Chloe blinked.
“…You what.”
Ash rubbed the back of his neck.
“Under the mistletoe.”
Pikachu pointed proudly toward the path.
“PIKA!”
Goh buried his face in his hands.
“…I can’t believe you just said that.”
Chloe stared at them both.
Then at Pikachu.
Then back at them.
“…Wow.”
Ash grinned.
“What?”
Chloe shrugged slightly.
“I was wondering how long it would take.”
Goh looked up slowly.
“…You were WHAT.”
Chloe smirked.
“You two are not subtle.”
Ash laughed.
“See? Pikachu said the same thing.”
“Pika!”
Goh groaned.
“This is a nightmare.”
Grookey suddenly ran past them and jumped onto Ash’s shoulder.
Pikachu protested loudly.
“Pika!”
Ash laughed.
“Hey buddy!”
Grookey pointed dramatically at Goh.
“Groo!”
Pikachu nodded vigorously.
“Pika pika!”
Chloe sighed.
“…Now the Pokémon know too.”
Goh looked like he wanted the snow to swallow him whole.
Ash clapped him on the shoulder.
“Relax.”
“I cannot relax.”
“You’re doing the overthinking thing again.”
Goh glared at him.
“You caused this!”
Ash grinned.
“Still kissed me back.”
Chloe snorted.
Goh turned bright red again.
“…I regret everything.”
Pikachu leaned against Ash happily.
“Pika.”
Ash stretched again, completely
unfazed.
“Anyway.”
He grabbed a cookie from one of the
tables.
“Great party.”
Goh stared at him.
“…You are impossible.”
Ash grinned.
“Yeah.”
Snow continued to fall softly over Cerise Park.
Lights glowed warmly through the trees.
Pokémon played in the snow.
And somewhere back down the quiet path. The mistletoe still hung from the wooden archway.
Mission accomplished.