Title: Love
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: Championshipping (Lance x Ash)
Fandom: Pokmon
Theme: #43, Love
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics.
This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under
international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you.
*Phantomness bows*
Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics
if a pokemon talks
Warnings: mentioned Palletshipping and Flareshipping, shonen-ai, drug use, Gary-bashing, anti-Palletshipping and anti-Flareshipping, rape
Hes quite used to loving at a distance, now. He closes his eyes, not wanting to watch he isnt a voyeur after all, though he did wish the Champion could find somewhere else to snog his lover senseless preferably not outside his office window. Lance calmly, very calmly walks back to his desk, and goes back to work, clearing his mind of everything but the printed words dancing in front of his eyes. Hes still Johto Champion, no matter what the President says, and it means nothing.
He finishes with his paperwork, and then leaves. Hes cold inside, but its normal hes gotten used to not feeling. He wonders what the other Champion would think if he brought up Garys sordid past, but it really. Isnt. Important.
He tosses back his pills that night, and sleeps dreamless sleep. He doesnt want to dream anyhow doesnt want to remember excruciating agony and biting cold cutting into his wrists. He doesnt want to see, doesnt want to remember, so hell run, and hell bury it all. He doesnt want to see Ash hurt, but on the same side, he doesnt ever, ever want to bring up those memories, so hell watch quietly and see how things play out.
It happens soon enough, and he finds the Champion shivering outside of his apartment how did Ash know where he lived, anyways? He sighs, lets him inside, and makes him hot chocolate with antidepressants dissolved inside to help with the pain. Hell help Ash block the pain out too, and the cycle will continue. Its none of his concern, really.
It doesnt quite happen that way.
Ash may be many things, but when he is truly hurt, hell retaliate, and the next morning, the news that Gary Oak, Professor Oaks grandson, is a date rapist is splattered all over the headlines.
Lance silently raises a toast in applause, and smiles, though he refrains from adding his name to the list of victims. Tis quite lengthy without his contributions, and no ones really surprised when Gary winds up brutally raped himself the second week into his stay in prison, and is carted off to a mental ward after he breaks down.
Lance thinks he got off easy.
Lance doesnt love with words, Ash thinks, sitting on the Dragon Masters couch and sipping hot chocolate, watching as Lance writes papers. The Champion is happy, hes on break for a few months, six, until hes stable enough to return to work.
Hes not actually as traumatized, as they would assume. He almost expected it. If only hed paid more attention to the signals, and not had to go through that
Hes not sure why he chose to confide in Lance, but he had the feeling that he wouldnt be betrayed here, and Lance didnt take advantage of him though he was a mess with rumpled clothing, the night he arrived. It had been almost nice. Ash liked nice.
But Gary
Now all Ash feels for Gary is loathing, a thousand times worse than their childish rivalry. He was a fool Gary had said they were friends again, and like an idiot hed believed him. He was really an idiot!
Ash decides he likes Lance. He wants to run his fingers through long pink hair, and Lance has blue eyes, a wonderful sky-blue, though they turn dark, almost black when hes angry. Ash wonders what kissing Lance would be like, and blushes.
Hes such a walking packet of hormones! No wonder Gary took advantage of him!
But Lance likes him, and Ash realizes it, though Lance will never say anything. Lances eyes are soft, and hell hold Ash close at night when he cries and make him really delicious cookies, and its nothing like a mom!
Its comforting.
Hes not that surprised when Lance tells him theyre both broken. Theyre cuddling on the couch, when Ash climbs onto Lances lap and kisses him, but after Lance kisses back he tells Ash he was broken too.
No, Ash isnt surprised, though he feels even angrier with Gary, and vows that someday, hell pay dear.
Until then
Theyll stay together, he and Lance, because they belong, and Ash thinks he is realizing for the first time what love really is. It isnt flowery declarations underneath the moonlight, though that might be romantic.
Lance is going to stay with him and protect him and keep him happy. That does make him happy.
Ash feels loved, then, and hopes he can do the same for Lance. When he mentions that, Lance actually blushes, and Ash kisses him, and
Now they can be happy.
End Fic
Completed 4/16/07
Have I mentioned I hate Gary? Hence I tend to cast him as villain. At least Greens more mature!