These characters are not mine, and neither is Pokemon in general. So please don't think I'm doing this for any reason beyond fun and entertainment purposes...

It was a horribly hot and sticky summer day, the type where you wish you could stay indoors but the lure of the great outdoors is just too much for you to resist. A pair of childish eyes watched the display before them with a sense of sickened interest.

Hidden behind the lilac bush as they were, Shigeru and Satoshi were sure that Nanami and her friend could not see them. It would be best if they never did...

It would be best, you know. For then the most peculiar thing happened. Shigeru's sister would do extreme bodily harm, he was sure, if she knew he had seen her and her classmate do *this*...

Nanami puckered her lips and the boy *kissed* her!

Satoshi made a gagging noise and the appropriate motion. "Eewww... he kissed your sister, Geru-chan!" Shigeru nodded, stunned as well.

"You wouldn't do that, would you, Geru-chan?" Satoshi asked.

Shigeru blinked in near confusion at Satoshi. What was he getting at? Shigeru wasn't sure... "Huh?"

Satoshi rolled his eyes. "You wouldn't do that, would you?" He asked, pointing one small hand towards Nanami and the brown haired boy.

Shigeru blinked, still at a loss for what Satoshi was getting at. But Satoshi was easy to be confused by, as easy as it was to confuse him in return... "Anou, Sato-chan, why would I wanna kiss my sister?"

Satoshi made an 'icky' face. "That's not what I mean, Geru-chan! Would you kiss a *girl*? They have cooties!"

Shigeru nodded at Satoshi's wise, wise words. "I know! I'd never kiss a girl, Sato-chan. You can believe me!"

Satoshi looked thoughtful and then he smiled. "Would you kiss me, Geru-chan?"

In answer, his friend smiled. "Course I could, Sato-chan. *You* don't have cooties."

Satoshi beamed brighter than the sun and then he glomped onto Shigeru and knocked him back onto the ground. "Domo, Geru-chan! Domo!"

Shigeru grinned and gave Satoshi a quick peck on the lips. Satoshi looked thoughtful, this time. "Well, how was it, Sato-chan?" He asked. Satoshi smiled and sat up.

"I liked it, Geru-chan. Could you again?"

Shigeru grinned, "Whatever you say, Sato-chan. Whatever you say..." And with that he sat up and kissed Satoshi again.

Nanami shrieked. Where had she come from? They broke apart and looked up in her at shock as her friend scurried away. "Eek! What are you two doing! Boys aren't supposed to be kissing!"

Satoshi looked hurt, and Shigeru was angry. How had she found them? He noticed they'd rolled out beyond the bushes... oh... That was a simple answer indeed.

Satoshi sniffled, the hurt look still blossoming in his eyes as he spoke softly. Tears clung to his words like the clouds that could flood a sunny day. "That's not true, is it Geru-chan?" Shigeru wasn't sure what to say... his sister always seemed to know what she meant when she talked about these things...

"I don't know..." He admitted softly, truthfully. Tears started to slip down his best friends cheeks. Nanami snorted, a look of disgust on her thirteen year old face.

"It's not just wrong, it's gross! You should get thoughts like that out of your heads..." With that, she turned and stormed off to find her boyfriend, who had fled the at the sight of the kissing boys...

Satoshi couldn't stop crying and Shigeru wasn't sure what to say. "I..." He began but he shut up just as fast. It hurt so very much... but hurting Satoshi hurt even more...

"I should go, Sato...shi..." He said softly, standing and walking back towards his house. Satoshi pushed himself to his feet, trembling the entire way.

"Geru-chan, wait!" He cried, stumbling after him. The tears were blinding him and he tripped and fell to the ground. Shigeru winced, and paused. He nearly turned to run back to help Satoshi. But instead, he ran to his house beyond the edge of the trees...

Satoshi laid there and cried, and it was dark by the time his mother found him, worried and distraught for his safety. That had sadly been the beginning of the end for a once eternal friendship...

Some things a person could carry with them for years. And that was what Shigeru held close to his heart for the time being, the time that he had stopped being Satoshi's friend. If only for the fact that his sister had said it was wrong...

It had been a week since they had left the Tokiwa Gym behind, after Shigeru had proven to Satoshi that he had no need to for a greenbadge... And so, the four, Shigeru and Satoshi, Takeshi and Kasumi, traveled closer and closer back to Masara Town.

Satoshi smiled bright at his friends, old and new, new and old. "I can't wait to get back to Masara Town!" He said happily. "Are you sure Ookido-hakase will know how to help us with the Sekiei Kougen?" He asked Shigeru.

Shigeru nodded in reply, and then he grinned as he answered. "Ojiichan knows a lot about Pokemon and the ways of the League, Sato-chan... Don't worry about anything at all."

Satoshi nodded and Takeshi and Kasumi looked rather amused at the change. "I wish he hadn't disbanded his cheerleaders, though..." Takeshi sighed wistfully and received an elbow in the gut for his troubles.

"You should just be happy that Satoshi and Shigeru have made up, Takeshi!" She said sharply. He grinned and her and rubbed his side.

"But we could *all* be happy if the cheerleaders were here..." She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Boys."

Takeshi laughed. "Oh come on, Kasumi, you know I'm just joking!"

She looked angry for a moment yet then she smiled. "I know..." She looked to Shigeru and Satoshi, though, who were chatting as if they hadn't seen each other and sighed. "I'm glad they're happy." She said and Takeshi looked at her, a curious look on his face.

"Is something wrong?" He asked. She didn't know what to say at that, so she nodded. "What is it, Kasumi? You know you can talk to me..."

"I'm just... thinking of how it hurts to lose a childhood friend, that's all."

He nodded. "I understand. I'm sure you'll see her again one day, Kasumi."

She blushed at that, for no reason at all. Or maybe... "For one, he's not a she."

Mischief laced Takeshi's tone as he replied. "Oh, I see." He said, and for that comment she punched him in the arm. "Don't be a hentai! He was my best friend. That's all..."

He nodded, rubbing his arm. "You certainly are violent today, Ka-su-mi-chan!"

She stuck her tongue out at him and shrugged. "It's what you bring out in me." He sighed and shook his head.

"I feel flattered." He replied with more sarcasm than she felt like caring about. So instead of a retort, anything bitter at all, she smiled as she answered his compliment.

"You should..." Yet with that, the distant look returned to her sea coloured eyes and she looked away from them all, into the distant. Remembering a childhood she'd left behind, and a friend she wished for again...

Togepi made a chirping noise and it brought her from her reverie. "Don't worry, Togepi, I'm all right..." But it was obvious, both to her Pokemon and her friend, that she was not.

Pikachu was riding shotgun, and she was glad that her Pikapi was so happy. It had been such a long time since she'd seen him that way... "So, you really have *ten* badges? That's so cool!"

Shigeru grinned and shrugged, and shoved his hands into his pockets as they walked. "It's nothing..." He really wished he could have used the car again. But his cousin was completely against it. There were obviously down points to having disbanded his cheerleaders.

But he didn't need a cheerleader, one or two or a million. He had Satoshi. And that's what mattered most at that moment. "Ne, Sato-chan..." He said softly.

"Hmm, what is it, Geru-chan?" Satoshi asked in reply, gazing up at his auburn haired friend turned rival turned friend again. There was a peculiar distant look in his eyes, and it was so very difficult to explain...

"Do you... ever regret things that happened?" He asked so very softly, Satoshi almost missed it. But he didn't. He looked to the road and Pikachu patted his cheek.

"All the time." He said softly.

"I'm sorry, Satoshi. I'm sorry I ever listened to Nanami... I'm sorry I ruined our friendship..." Satoshi felt tears on his cheeks, and he wiped at them in futile motions. "Oh Sato-chan, I didn't mean to make you cry." He said, in a pained voice.

Satoshi sniffled. "It's not your fault... I wish it hadn't happened, Geru-chan... We lost so many years. Demo..." He smiled and grasped Shigeru's hand, smiling bright. "We have now, and that's all that matters. Right?"

Something surged in the vicinity of Shigeru's heart, and he felt overwhelmed. He nodded, it was all he could do. And with that, they continued onto Masara town. Hand in hand.

Takeshi poked Kasumi in the arm and her gaze flickered to him, and then she followed where he was pointing. And gave a happy cry. "Oh my god, you two are so cute!" She squeaked. Shigeru and Satoshi stopped and span.

"Wh-what?!" Satoshi demanded, and Kasumi was baffled by the frightened reaction that she'd gotten. Shigeru and Satoshi noticed they were holding hands and snapped away from one another.

"I just... don't you like... you know... like each other?" She thought it had been obvious.

Shigeru and Satoshi stared at one another, scared of the reply. They said nothing. They didn't... they couldn't like one another... anything more than friends...

Right?

Neither of them could answer that question.

"Um, you got it all wrong..." Satoshi began at length. "Come on, let's go!"

It was evening by the time they reached Masara and the Ookido household.

"I'm glad to see you two are friends again." Ookido-hakase said as he sipped his tea. The four were sitting with him at the kitchen table. Kasumi and Takeshi were rather awed to be sitting there, and their tea went untouched before them.

"I know, I'm glad that we had a chance to talk." Satoshi said, smiling at Shigeru, who smiled in return. He was still uneasy, though. Not because of what Kasumi had implied...

But because he was sure she was right.

"So, you wanted to know about the Sekiei Kougen?" Ookido-hakase asked, and Satoshi nodded, eager. Shigeru watched Satoshi as his grandfather listed each and every fact he knew about the Sekiei Kougen, when it met, where it met, and the requirements that one had to meet.

"It's just two months away..." Satoshi sighed. "I can't stop training!"

Kasumi grinned at him and finally sipped her tea. "You have a lot to do, Satoshi." He stuck his tongue out at her and she answered in kind. Ookido-hakase chuckled.

"Kids these days..." With that, he excused himself. Shigeru looked to Satoshi again. "Ne, Sato-chan... I think we need to talk." Satoshi blinked and then nodded, following Shigeru from the room out onto the back porch. Pikachu followed at his heels...

Kasumi watched them, then looked to Takeshi and the phone beyond him. "I think I have a phone call to make... you don't think they'll mind if I use the phone, do you?" Takeshi shook his head and Kasumi stood, wandering to the phone. She picked up the receiver, and sighed.

"Who are you calling?" He asked and Togepi followed after her. She knelt and picked up the Pokemon, and smiled at Takeshi.

"Someone I lost touch with... I just hope he still has the same number. It's been so long since I moved away from Tokiwa..."

"You used to live in Tokiwa?" He asked, surprised. She nodded. "Well, who's your friend? If you get in touch with him, do we get to meet him?" She grinned and nodded.

"Of course you'll get to meet Hiroshi, Takeshi. Don't be silly!"

"Well, what is it?" Satoshi asked, as Shigeru stood at the edge of the porch, staring up at the sky. Shigeru was silent, and Pikachu took her place on Satoshi's shoulder. He petted her fur, and finally Shigeru spoke.

"Don't you wish you could touch them?" He asked. Satoshi stepped closer, and looked up at the stars.

"Sometimes, I feel like I can..."

Shigeru glanced down at Satoshi... That feeling stabbed at his heart again, yet Satoshi looked so very oblivious to it all. "I really am sorry for what she made me believe, Sato-chan. There's so much... I know we have now... I wish we had then, too. I've said such horrible things to you over the years..."

He didn't want to cry, he didn't want to cry...

But they were falling silently.

"Geru-chan..." Satoshi said softly. "Some things can't be changed... or helped... so we have to live with them..." He looked up, shocked by the tears on Shigeru's cheeks.

"Then can I make it better, at least?" He asked.

"I... hai..." Satoshi whispered in reply, his voice heavy. Shigeru smiled and touched his cheek.

"Could I kiss you, Sato-chan? I'd love to be able to..." He asked, his fingers still light on Satoshi's cheek. Satoshi nearly fainted from something akin to happiness. And he nodded.

And with that, Shigeru leaned down and kissed him gently.

And then it grew and was more...

He drew back, gasping. "Sato-chan..."

"Ge...Geru-chan..."

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be, Geru-chan!"

"But I have to be... I love you..."

With those simple words, tears leaked down Satoshi's eyes. Years and years of pain, finally freed... "Then I have to be sorry too, Geru-chan." He said softly, and Shigeru's eyes widened as that realisation sunk in.

"You can't be serious..." He mumbled, numb voice choked with tears.

Satoshi smiled and instead of words, he chose to let his actions speak instead. So this time, he was the one to kiss Shigeru. An action that spoke more clear than any words...

And then it was all broken as the kitchen door was open, and Nanami gasped at what she saw. "Shi...ShiGERU!"

He pulled away from Satoshi, who cringed. Yet he say a hand on his best friend... his loves... shoulder, and glared at his sister. Even Pikachu's cheeks crackled in a warning way as she jumped off of Satoshi's shoulder, between Nanami and her trainer.

"Don't even start it, Oneechan. I love him and I'm not going to let you ruin it this time! It's your fault I ever broke up my friendship with him..."

"But... it's wrong to like boys if you're a boy..." She mumbled. Shigeru glared even harder and pulled Satoshi into the house past his sister.

"I'm not listening to it, Oneechan!"

He still wished he had never listened at all...

She stood there, and then turned and wondered why she had ever come home from college this week. She could be there for her Masters... but no...

Was he being honest with himself? She didn't want him to get hurt. So... she needed the proper reaction...

"Shigeru..." She closed the door. Honestly, all she'd wanted was to watch the stars... She didn't know what to say. He'd sat Satoshi at the table, and Kasumi and Takeshi were frozen. Kasumi still had the phone in hand, hand curled in the cord.

They'd heard it all...

And were actually happy that it was as they had thought.

"Don't start it, Oneechan, please don't start it. I... I'm not going to listen to you."

"How..." She started, ignoring him. "How do you know that you love him? What if it's... this is *wrong*, ototo!"

But he said nothing in return. And she smiled a strange little smile. "I'm glad you've grown up. You always listened to me too easily, ototo... I just hope you don't get hurt." He blinked and stared at her.

"Huh?"

He wasn't the only one who looked confused.

"We all have our secrets, ototo. I'm glad you didn't have to keep one, though..."

Something about her words sunk in, and she left the room. Satoshi looked up at Shigeru, blinking through tears. "Did she mean what I think she meant?"

Shigeru could only nod.

"At least she's not trying to change your mind, Geru-chan..."

But how could she? If she meant what they thought she did...

He crawled from the chair and embraced him.

The room went back to being alive, Takeshi sipped his tea, Kasumi talked on the phone, and they both took Shigeru's kissing of Satoshi in perfect stride, happy for their friend.

"I love you, Geru-chan."

"I love you too, Sato-chan." He rested his forehead against Satoshi's. They both hoped that this love would never end... And then Satoshi grinned.

"You owe me a bike ride or two or three, Geru-chan."

"We have forever to make that up, Sato-chan..." He murmured, and kissed Satoshi again.

They had a lot of lost time to make up for. But at least they had that time to catch up on, and could catch up together.

The end

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