Title: Beggar
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: Championshipping (Lance x Red/Ash)
Fandom: Pokémon
Theme: #22, Beggar
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: Fanon, shonen-ai

He wears silversteel wrapped around his wrists, to hide the scars, and elegant black gloves. His clothing is sleek black, shifting into silver-studded robes should the need arise. He has beautiful crimson hair and golden eyes, and Red really, really loves watching Lance because it makes everything better.

Red might be a prisoner, but he loves Lance, and the Dragon Master loves him, with quiet words and an unconditional loyalty that lasts for eternity. Sometimes, Red feels sorry for Lance, when he pets his hair and thinks about the past and how he fell and Lance broke a little more. It would be very easy not to see, but Lance keeps the scars if he wishes, and the Sword still glitters in his heart, so Red has to be very careful.

One day, there is a woman, and she speaks sweet words even though she wears rags, and Red is almost – almost entranced enough to love her and give her his power, the power to change the world, but he sees Lance, who has eyes flat like glass now, and it breaks the spell enough for him to realize that she really is just a beggar with a flattering voice, and a desire for power, so he leans in, and she closes her eyes, expecting a kiss, and she screams when she realizes what he’s done.

The Blade of Lightning is warm in his hands, and he smiles as the lightning crackles around her, and he looks over to Lance and scoops him up, holding him close, because he knows that it will hurt but he didn’t fall this time.

Thank Serebii.

End Fic

Completed 3/11/07

*Fuming quietly – see my Livejournal entry for today if curious* Wow, this prompt was really hard…