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Ash had assumed he didn’t have a soulmate. He didn’t always think that. In fact growing up he would love tracing his tattoo and wondering what type of person they were. Would they love Pokémon as much as he did? Would they want to travel with him while he because a Pokémon master or would they stay home like his mom? He pictured kind eyes or a bright smile. Laying together under the stars and talking about Pokémon. He thought of catching and training with his soulmate by his side.
The blue ink of Lugia stared back at him every day. A promise of things to come.
When Ash met Pikachu everything changed and suddenly life was full of adventures. Every day counting down until Ash knew he would meet Lugia, would meet his soulmate. But then he learned about the prophecy. He was the chosen one, savior of the world with Lugia and while he made a bunch of new friends on the islands he knew none of them were his soulmate. After the kiss with Melody he was hopeful but there was no feelings like his mom described. That flutter in his stomach, the excitement. So he decided he must not have a soulmate. That it was just going to be him and Pikachu on endless adventures. That was all Ash needed anyway. Life was good.
When Goh realized that his tattoo wasn’t Mew he couldn’t help the disappointment that swelled up inside him. He had hoped his dream of catching Mew would lead him to his soulmate. When would he even see Lugia? He didn’t get a starter an ten like most trainers so he was already behind. Should he try to travel without a Pokémon and how would that even work? He couldn’t quit school.
So Goh waited. And waited. For a few years. Until his fateful encounter and Lugia appeared in Vermilion city. Riding Lugia had been a dream come true. Ash pulling him up so he didn’t fall and Goh was sure this was his soulmate. His fateful encounter wasn’t a Pokémon, it was Ash.
But Ash didn’t react to Lugia like he did. He was in awe at their ride, laughing and enjoying himself. So Goh figured he was shy. The more time they spent together the more Goh knew he was in love with that boy. And the more he worried that he was wrong. Was it possible that only one person was a soulmate? Was he fated to love Ash from and unreciprocated distance? Was he destined to be alone?
Chloe set her cup of hot chocolate on the coffee table and glanced between Ash and Goh. She leaned back, Eevee settling onto her lap with a purr as she pet its fluffy ears.
Ash was lounging on the floor, his cup held close to his chest, eyes half closed with a small smile. Goh was idly scrolling through his phone, his own mug mostly fully and forgotten on the table. It was the perfect time to get answers that Goh couldn’t run away from.
“Hey Ash?”
He turned to her, the peaceful expression blending into curiosity.
“What do you think about soulmates?” She continued.
Goh jerked back, lowering his phone, eyes flitting between Chloe and Ash. He begged her to stop with his mind. He didn’t want to hear this.
Ash grinned. “They’re great! Two people that are perfect for each other and will find each other no matter what? What’s not to like?”
“Have you ever thought about looking for yours?” She asked, pointedly looking at Goh. Goh stiffened.
Ash laughed and scratched his cheek. “Oh... I don’t have one.”
Goh gaped at him. “What? How? Were you born with out a tattoo? Did something happen?...” he trailed off.
“Nothing like that.” Ash gazed softly into his mug. “I just met my Pokémon and there was nobody else there. So that means I don’t have one right?”
The three of them fell silent. Goh’s chest aches for Ash. He knew how he felt about his own soul meeting but he couldn’t imagine no one showing up.
“What happened?” Chloe broke the silence. “If you want to talk about it.”
Ash shrugged. “We were traveling to the orange islands and we ended up there during their hero festival. I got picked to be that years chosen one and reenact the prophecy. But that year someone messed with the balance between Moltres, Articuno and Zapdos. So the prophecy had to be fulfilled for real.”
“And you did it?” Goh gasped. “That’s incredible!” He set his phone on the table,enraptured with Ash’s story.
With a chuckle Ash continued. “They picked me. I couldn’t let all those Pokémon suffer. And Lugia did the hard part anyway. I just had to collect some glass balls to summon him.”
Chloe smirked as she side eyed Goh. “So Lugia is your Pokémon?”
Goh glanced at her.
Ash nodded with a small smile. “Yeah.”
“It’s just a shame, you know, that no one else was there.” Chloe smirked, half hidden by Eevee.
“Chloe...” Goh warned.
“I just saying!” She defended. “Too bad you never saw Lugia again after that.”
Confusion marred Ash’s features. “What do you mean? You know that Goh and I rode... Lugia...” Ash had pointed to Goh but his arm hung limply and his eyes widened as he trailed off. Goh held his breath as Ash made eye contact. He dropped his mug loudly on the table between them as he got up and stumbled out of the room.
Goh closed his eyes, leaning back. The self loathing was back in a tight coil in his chest.
“That went well,” he choked out.
“Goh...” Chloe pat his leg.
“He hates me.” Goh could feel tears but he refused to open his eyes. “I going to bed.”
“Goh wait!” Chloe stood and started to follow him.
“Please don’t.”
Goh wandered the halls of the Institute until he made it back to the dorm room. The dorm that he shard with Ash. And he needed to face him again. Maybe he could convince Ash to not talk about it and he might not lose a friend after this. The knob twisted under his hand, but he hears voices so he paused. Well one voice, Ash’s voice, and he was upset.
“What do you mean you knew?” Ash was saying.
Goh peaked through the crack and saw him pacing and talking on the phone.
“It isn’t funny! Mom stop laughing!” He whined. “He probably hates me or something. Or thinks I’m an idiot. What kind of person doesn’t notice their own soulmate?”
Ash sniffled and nodded. “... I know Mom... okay I will... I promise... I love you too. Bye.”
Goh watched as he rubbed his eyes and climbed onto the bottom bunk, facing away from the door. He tried to calm himself down and counted his breathes as he wiped his own tears from his cheeks. He knocked on the door as he swung it open wider. Ash flinched in his bunk but didn’t move.
Goh sat at the desk and poked Ash a few times. “I know you’re awake. You’re not this quiet when you sleep.”
Ash shifted then rolled onto his back.
“Do you hate me?” He asked, staring at the bunk above him.
Goh shook his head. “of course not. Do you hate me? You took off pretty fast.”
Ash was horrified. “No!” He rolled out of bed and practically onto Goh’s lap. “I could never hate you.”
He righted himself and straddled Goh’s legs as he sat on his lap, facing him. Goh blushed as their noses touched.
“I’ve been in love with you since you protected those ivysaur from Team Rocket.”
Ash pressed his forehead against Goh’s. “I don’t know when I fell in love. But I know that I’ve been scared of you saying you met your soulmate. You’d catch a new Pokémon and I’d wait for you to tell me that was your tattoo. But it was me the whole time.”
“I was worried that it wasn’t you,” Goh admitted. “That maybe I was wrong. Or maybe you could be someone’s soulmate but they might not be yours back.”
Ash pulled Goh into a tight hug, resting he chin on Goh’s shoulder. Goh wrapped his arms around Ash as well.
“We’re a mess,” Ash mumbled into Goh’s shirt.
Goh laughed. “Yeah. But that’s why we’re perfect together. We help each other grow.”
Eventually they moved from the chair to the bed but they stayed curled together the rest of the night