Please, plotbunny, don't' die!

Holds plotbunny tightly to prevent escape

Lance: I notice you've been writing a lot of championshipping lately.

Phantomness: So?
Kairo/Shoyko/Emerald: nods

Emerald: Some serious, some humor…

Phantomness: I know, but it's fun! Cheers

Muses run offstage

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo; I'm just borrowing their characters for personal entertainment. This is a non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic deal.

Warnings: Shonen-ai Championshipping, possibly angst

Clueless97 – ah

Sapphire Dragon – I had high school finals too. - At least they are over now!

Houou Kazoku-kaga – ah? Someone really wants me to update.

Link Masters – thanks!

Whatever – ok, ok!

Timeline: 3 days later

Chapter 13: Moth

            "Kiss me?"

            Lance looked at Ash. "What?"

            Ash tightened his grip on Lance's shirt. "Please?"

            "Ash…why do you want me to kiss you?"
            "Because…" Ash stared at Lance, brown eyes aglow with some unidentifiable power. "It feels nice."

            Something inside the Dragon Master's soul shattered.

            "I see." He whispered, before obligingly brushing his lips against Ash's. The next second, he freed himself and took off.

            Lugia, what have you done to him!

            Nothing! I swear on my honor as a legendary!

            Well, what's wrong with him then? Lance demanded.

            I think he's at a crossroads. Letting go of his pain and Misty's influence, which he defined himself by, has created a void in his heart.

            So he wants love.

            Who wouldn't?

            But why me? Lance asked. I wasn't overly affectionate or anything really, not likes that. He must be confusing friendship for love.

            Quite possible. Don't worry, Chosen. I'm sure you can deal with it.

            Lance glared at the air as Lugia clicked off the communications.

            What am I supposed to do now? It's been so hard not to take advantage, but now he's actively pursuing me…

            And without love, I don't want him!
            It hurts so much… and there's nothing I can do, he might be broken already. Curse you, Misty!
            Lance's eyes shone silver as the seas roared outside of Indigo.

            Ash found him star-watching later that night.

            "Lance-chan?"
            "Hmm?" Lance asked, as Ash sat down next to him.

            Ash's lip trembled slightly. "Do you not like me?"
            "I love you, little one." Lance said honestly. "But if you don't feel the same, then please don't throw yourself at me."

            "But I do like you!" Ash protested.

            He clung to Lance tightly, just wanting the company. With a sigh, Lance kicked his thoughts out the window temporarily and held him.

            Just like old times…

            This was reminding him of a similar situation in the past… but it was so hard, so hard, not to wrap him in that shroud of illusions and see his smile.

            I can't protect you though, it'll hurt you in the long run.

            But I hate seeing you hurt just the same.

            It's so complicated…

            Lance closed his eyes. Yes…

            Ash fell asleep in his arms.

            It was a bit difficult to adjust to this new degree of intimacy, without anything behind it, but Lance managed.

            And it didn't hurt to pretend that maybe Ash did love him.

            So while the timelines spun, the rest of a strange year passed by, and Ash was sixteen.

            Lance watched with a sense of pride as Ash defeated another challenger for his title.

            He still held onto the Championship tightly.

            Of course, that did help keep his mind off Misty… she was gone, so why bring up the past again?

            Ash grinned brightly as Lance gave him a hug.

            "You did well."

            "Hai!" Ash cheered. "I'm so proud of Bulbasaur! She took down all of his pokemon!"

            Bulbasaur looked quite pleased with herself, as expected.

            "Nice." Lance said, as he held Ash in his arms and rocked him, and the child was so pretty…

            So sweet…

            And it had been so long since that fateful day…

            Perhaps, just once… seeing as there was no one to see, and if Ash didn't like this he could use amnesia wave…

            He tipped Ash's chin up and kissed him.

            A gasp caught in Ash's throat as his arms wound their way around Lance's neck. Yes…

            So warm, like he was drowning in an ocean of darkness…

            Pretty and sparkly and sapphires and ice, but ice that bled the cold out of him, and so nice…

            So warm and pretty and sweet…

            And he clung to the Dragon Master, because instinctively, he knew he would be safe.

            The dark was so pretty…

            He didn't even protest when the storm descended.

            The potion was silvery too, sparkly and so pretty, dancing lights like fireflies, yes, like fireflies flying over a field, and it tasted like candy.

            Cotton candy, fluffy and pink and fresh sugar, on a sunny day at the fairgrounds…

            And of course, it didn't hurt at all.

            Warm and mewling and sweet, sweet, so sweet… oh yes… so soft… warm…

            He fell asleep with a smile on his face.

            Lance took a few deep breaths, before relaxing, and pulling the covers over the both of them.

            After all, when his little one woke up again, their new day would begin.

            And to achieve that, he needed a good night's sleep.

The End

Whee! I know this is a majorly confusing fic, so drop questions and I'll try to answer them, just in another fic since Author's notes aren't really allowed and I don't want my account frozen…

VIVA CHAMPIONSHIPPING!

And if you like championshipping, most of my fics that are any bit romance contain this pairing. Wink

Created 3/24/04, completed 4/4/04

Phantomness's random thoughts – Steven looks CUTE! In the manga, he looks so cute… but not as cute as Lance or Red. Still, he looks better than he does in the game methinks.
Um… yes. This is probably the last shonen-ai fic I put up on ff.net… I might put up more and maybe some het championshipping if people actually read it, but since they don't, I have a web page, please go there…