>>44236079Do you want proof with a recent example?
Look at the Isle of Armor. They were billed equally there. Further proof going back? They've always been shown together (Bulbasaur and Squirtle were bros in the anime, the episode where Venusaur and Blastoise hung out together and fused, etc). Venusaur and Blastoise have ALWAYS been paired together as bros, even back as early as Gen 1 and even to this day they're together.
I have no doubt that they'd keep doing this if Charizard ceased to exist. Neither one has ever been more popular than the other, but together they're great.