Title: Nightclub
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: Championshipping (Lance x Red)
Fandom: Pokémon
Theme: #81, Relieved
Rating: PG
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: AU, Het

Gold, he doesn’t know what the hell he’s doing here, in a bar of all places. Sure, he’s old enough to drink, but he’s never had reason to do it before. Still, he’s finally sick of the pressure, the responsibility. Being Champion is a bitch, and he finally recognizes what that light in Red’s eyes was when he lost the Championship.

It wasn’t fear or anger or disappointment. It was relief.

Laughter spills from the couple in the corner. Gold glares at them, before he stands and recognition begins to scratch at the edge of his brain. It takes a few minutes before it clicks, and Red just smirks, while Lance blows him a kiss, both of them wearing skintight leather and damn it looks good. He blushes, not sure what to do, and as they waltz out, he resigns himself to another lonely, busy night, no company except another mountain of paperwork, and he tosses back his beer and frowns.

Some people have all the luck.

Red cuddles into his wife’s arms after they return to their apartment. Gold can be Champion forever. It’s not his business any longer.

She just grins, and already, he can see the stress lines around her face melting away. No more Elite status, true, and they couldn’t be happier.

End Fic

Completed 6/26/07

Edited 6/13/09

Red: ^^

Phantomness: Yes, I’m thinking of doing some vignettes of what other people think of your relationship with Lance

Lance: *Ponders*

Shoyko: It won’t be dark, will it?

Phantomness: … No promises