ash x gladion oneshots

Not your fault

It’s late, and he should be asleep, he knows that, but something about tonight just wouldn’t let him sleep. So he dug his feet into the sand and listened peacefully as the waves crashed against the shore. It wasn’t home, but it was close. Though, that was if he knew what home really was.

“Pika?” Pikachu chirps, and he turns, watching as the mouse rubs one of his eyes with his paw before looking at him with concern.

“I’m alright buddy, just, one of those nights” Ash huffed, petting Pikachu on the head, smiling when the mouse clambered his way into his lap.

“We should bring totodile here, what do you reckon? Maybe squirtle too, I’m sure Jenny won’t mind letting him have a break” he asks the mouse, who nods his head enthusiastically.

“Maybe even greninja, if he’s done over in Kalos” his mood drops further at the thought, and he’s not oblivious to how Pikachu’s expression sours and his ears flatten back against his head.

“Pika pi” he grumbles.

“Come on, don’t be like that, no matter the bond I had with greninja, it’ll always be me and you Pikachu, and bonding with my other Pokemon doesn’t change” Ash explains, running his fingers through the soft fur of the electric types head, and he can see his face soften.

Ash can only imagine he’s thinking the same as him. God he’d never forget that first day. Running from Spearows and jumping off a cliff into a lake, stealing Misty’s bike and frying it when Pikachu electrocuted all the angry birds that were chasing them. He remembers patching up all the little punctures and scratches from the Spearows while waiting for Pikachu in the Pokémon centre. It had been one way to start, that was for sure. Then again, there wasn’t much he would do differently, though he knows he’s the only one who would say that.

Arceus knows what Brock would say, but the least he could do was let him say it. He’d spent a good nearly five years, keeping him alive, when he managed to trudge straight into danger and only escaping by the skin of his teeth.

So yeah, maybe Brock to deserved to yell a bit. Maybe he’d book him a ticket to holiday here for a week. Although being closer to him would probably only add to his stress not minimise it.  

He snaps out of his thoughts as Pikachu stands up, ears straight and looks behind him at something, though he doesn’t look wary, so he doesn’t panic, turning around to see what had caught his attention.

A familiar Umbreon bounds towards her, and is greeted with a friendly ‘chaa’ from Pikachu. He  pets the lean Pokemon delicately behind the ears, smiling slightly when she purrs in content.

“Hey Gladion” he whispers, not looking away from Umbreon as he sits himself next to him in the sand.

“Ash” he says back, voice just a quiet. He can hear the question he doesn’t ask, and smiles to himself.

“It’s just one of those nights, and me and Pikachu have just been talking about some old friends” he smiles, it sight more melancholic and bittersweet then before.

“What about you?” Ash asks, keeping his face carefully blank while Gladion’s cycles through a multitude of different emotions. He already knew, he didn’t have to say it.

“Gladion” his head snaps up, sharp eyes finding his face but he doesn’t waver “it wasn’t your fault” he says, quietly but firmly, leaving no room to debate his words.

He doesn’t speak for a long time. They both simply watch as the waves crash along the shore, the melody of the night winding around them like a gentle caress.