This fanfiction was written by Yours and Mine and posted by Shadow/Phantomness with the author’s permission.

Chapter 2

Deviation

It was near to evening when Red woke, and Lance had been sitting on the couch, eating the pathetic lunch that had been served - the nurse had come in, and upon seeing Red on the bed, giggled as she asked if Satoshi needed lunch as well("I'll bring him the best, don't worry!") -- and before he had a chance to reply, rushed out of the room and came back with a plate that held normal food, placing it on the table, before rushing out, and Lance could still hear her inane giggling inside his head.

"Uhhh," was the first thing that emerged from the other's mouth. Lance watched as the other blinked and touched his wrists. "They don't hurt so much," the youth said, glancing up at him. "You helped?"

Lance stared straight into brown eyes. "One for one," he said plainly.

"Oh," Red said, as he turned back to staring at his wrists.

"You should get it healed. It's not good for a trainer to have his wrists injured. You won't be able to handle the pokéballs properly."

Red sighed from where he sat. "Yeah, I know."

Lance raised his head curiously. "Oh?" he challenged quietly.

"I was… taking the Association's Gym Leader test," Red explained, "For Viridian City, and…"

"The wrist injuries hindered you."

"Y-yes."

"And what happens to the Gym now?"

"Well, Green's in charge now!" Red grinned as he nodded his head. "He's going to become a good Gym Leader."

"Really?"

Red scowled. "Rea -- What's wrong with you?"

Lance smiled as he sipped from the tea he had specially requested from the nurse -- being charming did help at times, especially in a dreary hospital -- he did wish, however, that the nurse would stop her awful giggling. "Nothing."

"You're acting fun --"

"You barely know me, and you call my actions funny."

Lance had to stop himself from cackling at the look that had now crossed Red's face. To be a stranger, and yet to affect Red so much, he found it amusing and entertaining to the point of wanting to laugh aloud -- a feeling he had not felt for a very long time now.

"Well," Red started, but he was cut off just as the door swung open -- Lance cringed.

The nurse was back to terrorize again.

"Oh, good evening, Satoshi! You've just woken up? I brought in food for you - the cook's ever so kind and generous, and her food is absolutely delicious! Just don't feed any to Wataru, all right? He's going to become worse if you feed any of yours -- try to wait a bit until he recovers, alright?" She winked, and Lance swore he heard a confused ‘eh?' from Red just as the nurse turned her attention to him. "Wataru, dear -- was the food fine? You're such a sweetie (Red giggled here) to let Satoshi have your bed, oh, if I should have a son like you!"

"He was… tired," Lance said, a brief moment of respite from her words.

"Tired! Oh, he was staying up all night as he watched you sleep -- such wonderful… friendship you two share!"

Red giggled again. Loudly.

"Friend…ship," Lance muttered, burying his face in his palms again, wishing desperately that she would go away, that she would leave the room --

"Nurse? I think La -- Wataru needs to rest, so I…" Lancce lifted his head just in time to see Red hop off the bed, a smile on his face as he continued, "I hope you don't mind if you would leave us alon--"

"Of course!" the nurse cried cheerfully as she closed the door, but just before she did, she winked and murmured, "The room's soundproof."

And she was gone, leaving both boys to stare after her.

"Soundproof?" Red repeated, his face clearly one of somebody who didn't quite understand.

Lance didn't know then whether to laugh at the clueless face or to stare after the lady and demand what the hell she was thinking about them -- friendship? Friendship? And mentioning the room was soundproof -- just what the hell did the nurse think they were?

"Wait, did she… did she think we were… lovers?"

Red was blushing, Lance noticed, and he couldn't help but smirk as he asked, "Why? Interested?"

"No way!" Red yelled, turning away as he crossed his arms. "I'm not interested! Especially not in you!"

"You're flushing," Lance remarked calmly. "And the flushing clearly indicates the opposite of what you're saying, Shi-chan."

"S-Shi-chan?" Red stuttered, turning back quickly, his face redder than before. "Lance, stop that! I'm not interested, and I'm not your lo-lover and --"

"You like the Gym Leader, don't you?" Lance asked, grinning. "That… girl. What was her name again?"

"I don‘t!"

"Really," Lance started, his grin turning into a smirk.

Red glared, then he blinked as a strange look developed on his face. "Why, Lance, do you want me to?"

He scoffed. "Hardly."

"Liar!"

"I do not," Lance replied, his voice and tone dignified now that the tables were being turned on him. He had no reason to find the other attractive, no reason to feel love towards the youth -- after all, they had been enemies, and even if Red were a bit good-looking… He scowled at the thought, and quickly ignored it. He didn't need that kind of thinking now. Eyes moving about the room, Lance grinned as his sight settled on the food. "Now, Shi-chan, what say you eat up before the nurse comes back and makes sure you do?"

"You don't have to call me that," Red hissed as he picked the plate up, staring idly at the food. But he did eat, and Lance watched him quietly.

Red was a good trainer, Lance could tell -- the other was especially talented in the field of battling with pokémon. Bruno had… barely been able to defeat him, and it had taken Lorelei and her curse to completely hinder him, but even then, the Pikachu that Red had caught a long time ago was the one element that had led to his -- their -- downfall.

Though, speaking of the Pikachu… where was the mouse anyway? Lance cocked his head to the side, recalling how the lightning pokémon had not been by the trainer's side since the moment they had met on Cerise Island -- after all, Pikachu, Lance knew, was one pokémon that dreaded their pokéballs. "Your Pikachu --"

"Staying with Yellow," Red replied easily. "I thought Pika would like a vacation ‘stead of coming with me to the springs. ‘sides, Pika gets to stay with Chuchu that way."

"Chuchu?"

The youth nodded in between bites - no, Lance thought amusedly, they were more of gobbles than bites. "Yellow's Pikachu, the one she found in Viridian Forest and nursed back to health. I think Pika's infatuated with Chuchu."

"You think?"

"Well," Red said after swallowing a huge chunk of food, while Lance winced, "Pika seems happier whenever Chuchu's around."

"Your Pikachu is definitely going to find himself a new Master soon," Lance forewarned as he grinned. It felt fun, just lying back and joking around with Red, something he had never been able to do with anyone before. He didn't know why, but with Red, he felt calm, and he just felt… carefree.

Red scowled. "Nuh-uh, Pika's mine, and he knows it."

"Possessive."

"You're the one who suddenly appeared in Vermillion City and stole the Dragonair meant for the contests!"

Lance shrugged. "It seemed sad to just leave her in human hands."

"Human ha--"

"Me aside."

"Ah," Red said.

Lance watched as the younger trainer drained the cup of the water and inched himself until he sat at the edge of the bed, his feet dangling. "You'll be head--"

"Hey, Lance? Is it coincidence that you can control Dragon pokémon like you can, or is it…" The other trailed off, and Lance suppressed the smirk that came to his lips. "I mean, Dragon pokémon are kind of…"

"My grandfather is a Dragon Master. My entire family… we were born to control Dragons. My parents before me, as well." Lance didn't know why he was answering the other's questions, only that he wanted to tell somebody.

"Dragon… Masters," Red echoed. "But, uh, last I thought there was only one family of Dragon Masters. The Gym Leader in Johto - uh, what's her name? I think it was…"

"Clair."

"Oh, yes! Clair of Blackthorn City, wasn't it? She's the… She's… Related to you?"

Lance stayed quiet for a moment, before he gave a small nod. "My cousin, Clair is the Gym Leader of Blackthorn City." There -- he had said it. He had admitted it. He felt oddly lightened, as if his past identity had been a burden…

"Cousin," Red murmured, "but doesn't that mean you used to live in Blackthorn City -- but you're… like Yellow, you…"

"I was born in Viridian." It irked him slightly, how easily the other was asking questions about his past, and how easily he was just answering them, as if they were mere simple questions. But Lance couldn't help it -- that was just something about Red that made him felt as though he ought to be honest…

"Oh." Saying that, the youth swung his legs for one last time, and hopped off the bed. "Say, Lance? You tired?"

He shook his head.

"But you're feeling better?"

Lance nodded, sipping the last few drops of his tea, before he glanced up and saw the relieved smile that hung on Red's face. Why? He kept the questions in.

"That's good! You'll be able to leave the hospital soon, right?" The youth chirped happily as he took one step forward. "Lance --"

"No," he said. "Shi-chan, let's talk --"

"Stop calli--"

"--about you."

Red blinked and Lance could see the uncertainty in his eyes. "About me?"

"Yes," Lance replied. "You're a trainer of Pallet Town, Ninth Annual Pokémon League Champion, a trainer that Bruno acknowledges. You have gained the friendship of the Team Rocket runaway, Eevee, helped Cinnabar Gym Leader Blaine recapture the wild Mewtwo and --"

Red had a odd look on his face when he asked, "Are you a stalker?"

Lance just had to smirk at the creeped out expression that the other held as he explained, "You'd be shocked to learn just how much I can find out, Shi-chan."

"And you found out so much about me --"

"Agatha and Lorelei were very interested in you, and they desperately sought more information about you, in hopes that you could be recruited for our cause. And I just wanted to learn more about you."

"You --"

"Surprised? I am Lance of the Elite Four. Though we might be at a truce here, you, Red, are still my enemy. I will not --"

"You've lost," Red interjected. "Yellow defeated you and used the energy you needed to destroy the world with to heal it instead. You say you want to destroy humans for the pokémon, but -- But, Lance! The pokémon you've worked so hard to protect and to defend, they grow close and attached to their trainers! These pokémon don't want their trainers to die, because they think of humans as partners -- as friends!"

"You're wasting your breath," Lance said softly. "I won't change my mind."

"Lance!"

"Still, it doesn't meant I have to carry on chasing a futile goal." Lance ignored the expression on Red's face as he went on, "I do have other things to do." The strange dragon-like pokémon that had taken flight towards the west -- he could find it. Find it and then… And then he would put his abilities as Dragon Master to the test.

"Like visiting your cousin?"

Had he not the dignity, Lance would have shuddered -- but he choked. Visiting Clair? He would rather die first then return to the home town of his family; after all, here he had lost to outsiders, lost to outsiders when, he had, all along, been the strongest. There was no face to spare for him if he returned in defeat. "No, I can't return to Blackthorn."

"Why not? They're your family…" Red perked up. "Besides, your parents, they must be worried sick --"

"My parents," Lance interrupted, his tone heavy, his eyes focused on the tiles on the floor, before he glanced up and looked Red straight in the eye. "My parents are dead. Hardly any concern can be felt from the dead, I believe."

The younger trainer gazed away first. "…sorry. I didn't mean…" His shoulders shook and --

Lance stared. Was… was Red crying? He blinked at the sight of falling tears.

"I didn't mean… I didn't mean to…"

The Dragon Master shrugged. "I'm fine. It was a long time ago."

"You must be sad… That they died. If my mother were to die, I… I'm not too sure how badly I'll react… I…"

"Red," Lance called out firmly, "it's fine. Now, shut up and --" He frowned, a sudden though coming back to him as he tried to change the subject. "Your wrist. You said you were heading for a springs? Why then… You may leave now."

Red glanced up quickly, a panicked look on his face. "I can't - couldn't leave you alone here --"

"I have recovered."

The trainer coughed. "Still!"

"Or is there…" His eyes glimmered slightly. "Is there a reason you for which you're staying?" Lance demanded, curious as to what had kept the youth by his side. Really, that whole ‘he-had-a-crush-on-me' theory seemed plausible, but even then…

“I-I --" Red stuttered, another blush colouring his face. "I was worried!"

"Was," Lance echoed, further emphasizing.

"Not enough!"

He had to raise an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Yes!"

"Or… are you just keeping an eye on me, just in case I move again?" Lance asked softly, and smiled in the silence that followed. "So, I am right. That you're the watchdog, and I am but your prisoner…"

"N-no," Red started. "It's not --"

"Will you be happy if I said I will not do it again, watchdog?" He spat that last word out bitterly -- bitter? Lance had no idea why he would be bitter, but he hated it. Hated it that Red would watch over him as if he was a prisoner -- more than anything, Lance hated - dreaded - being tied down.

Red flinched at his words. "No, I swear -- I swear I wasn't…"

"Liar," Lance muttered. "Liar." Why was he so angry that Red had lied, had pretended? Or was he angry because he had read the other wrongly, that he had really thought that Red, a former enemy, had cared?

He hated humans, hated them. Pokémon didn't pretend. Pokémon never did -- they always understood how he felt. His pokémon, Lorelei, Agatha, and sometimes even Bruno. They understood how he felt.

Not Red.

Not Yellow.

Not anyone else.

He clenched his fingers and walked towards the bed - past the bed, and out the door. Lance didn't look back as he slammed it in the other's face, ignoring the other's cries and shouts. He felt betrayed. He felt hurt.

He hated him.

Hated Red.

Hated his parents -- his grandfather, his cousin.

And all that he hated, Lance swore, he would leave them all behind.

to be continued.