Title: Lock
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: Championshipping (Lance x Red)
Fandom: Pokémon
Theme: #24, Lock
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, het

Sometimes, Red wants to scream. He’s not a fool, no matter how naïve he acts, and Lance is the only person who knows it. He wants the Dragon Master to protect him, and he wants to be loved, but when he thinks of the consequences of failure, it makes him go cold inside.

The Guardians are caught, their lives are woven into the very fabric of the universe, and seemingly inconsequential actions for any other person can lead to disaster if committed by a Guardian. He can’t love anyone else, and though he wouldn’t want to, because it would hurt Lance, not even having the option is a bit… stifling.

Whatever happened to free will?

He tried fighting it, once upon a time, but the results only led to pain and suffering, so he quit. Now, he cuddles into her arms and feels the Dragon Master pet his hair and feels content.

He ought to count his blessings instead of fighting fate.

There is a reason why his first form is Destiny, and why he almost never manifests Hope. It should make him depressed, but he quit caring long ago. He has Lance. That has to be enough.

She smiles at him, and Red beams back, and locks his depressing emotions away.

End Fic

Completed 1/22/07

Edited 10/15/09

Red: Gyah! The angst…

Phantomness: It burns? ^^

Lance: Not as badly as some of your other fic

Shoyko: *Nods*