Psycho! Red, because it’s fun, and yeah, Giovanni’s probably going to die.

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

Chapter 7

He did not have Pikachu. He was not sure how much longer Pupitar would be able to hold Beedrill off.

Somehow, he did not care.

Red’s fingers brushed open a single poke ball, releasing his Eevee. Vee looked startled for a moment, before she began to growl in rage, recognizing Giovanni. A quick transformation into Jolteon and a Thunder sent the Beedrill plummeting to the ground.

Pupitar narrowed its beady eyes and breathed out another Hyper Beam, though this one was not aimed at a pokemon, but rather at Giovanni himself.

Red’s eyes widened, but he didn’t care. Vee zapped the Cloyster with another Thunder attack, causing it to drop to the ground heavily.

The ground around them began to shake dangerously. Red rushed to Lance’s side, praying that he was not too late.

Then, something hard hit him in the back of his head and the pain caused him to black out.

He woke up to find bandages wound around his head and Lance watching him with concern.

“You’re not dead.” Was the most intelligent comment Red found himself making.

“No, I am not.” Lance smiled.

Red sat up despite Lance’s protests, and hugged the other boy tightly. “I’m glad you didn’t die.” He murmured.

Lance frowned, not too sure how to respond to this display of affection. Certainly, Red was attractive, but he could feel something stirring in his chest that was almost painful. He pressed a hand to his chest in worry.

Red misinterpreted, of course, and looked down. “Do your injuries still hurt?”

“They are better now.” Lance lied.

Red did not buy it, having picked up a nuance of pain. “Lance, don’t lie to me.”

His eyes dilated in shock. “Red…”

“Please?” Red asked. “I need to know…”

Lance did not say another word, as he pulled off his jacket and shirt and turned around. Red’s eyes widened in shock, seeing three large puncture wounds, Lance’s entire back and chest swathed in bandages leaking red…

He felt faint.

Lance did not say more. His silence was enough. Red suddenly felt like the world’s biggest jerk for asking. It must be painful…

“I-I’m sorry, Lance… I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to help you.”

“It’s not your fault.” Lance demurred.

“No! I won’t let you say that! It is my fault!” For if Red was one thing; he was honest. “It’s my fault! You were trying to protect me and that was why you let your guard down and that was when Giovanni’s Cloyster…” He choked off, unable to say more.

“Red…”

“It is!” Red put his hands on Lance’s shoulders. “It’s all my fault…”

“Red, even if it is your folly that led to my injury, what will beating yourself over the head with about it do now?”

Red blinked. He had not considered that.

“Also, if I have to pull you out of your self-hatred rut, it will be… taxing.”

“I’m sorry! I’m just making things worst aren’t I!”

“Red shut up and don’t overexert yourself.” Lance commanded. Red snapped his mouth shut and obeyed.

Lance adjusted the cuffs of his jacket. “We are now somewhere underneath the cavern in which Tohjo Falls resides, we have at most two or three more hours of light – frankly, I’m surprised that the lantern batteries lasted as long as they did – and both of us are injured. We cannot go to Kanto now.”

“I don’t care.” Red whispered.

Lance awkwardly patted Red’s hair, seeing as Red had attached himself like a limpet almost the moment he had finished dressing. “Don’t beat yourself up over it.”

“But I feel so worthless…”

“I do not presume to judge you worthless, Red. Have more confidence in yourself and your abilities.”

Red colored. “I’m sorry, I’m making things worse again, aren’t I? I just feel so… weak.” Lance’s grip around his waist tightened.

“That is only natural. Your body is still not completely recovered.”

“But… I want…”

“What do you want?”

Red whispered something that Lance did not quite catch. “Red, I did not quite catch that.”

Red felt his cheeks burn, as he stayed silent, though he felt traitorous tears pooling in his eyes. “I want…”

“You can tell me.” Lance coaxed.

“…I want to be worthy of you!” Red finally burst out, before he buried his face in Lance’s chest and began to cry.

He could feel hot tears soaking into his shirt and he sighed. “Red, why would you think yourself unworthy?”

“B-because I have nothing you’d ever want…” Red sobbed. “And I always get in your way, and… and I let you get hurt!”

“Red…”

Red’s grip on his shoulders tightened convulsively, and Lance hissed in pain. That caught Red’s attention, and he let go, backing away. Even by the feeble light Lance could see his face streaked with tear tracks, as Red hastily wiped his sleeve across his face to hide them, scrubbing harshly at his eyes.

Lance gripped Red’s arms and pulled him into a kiss. Red’s gasp was lost as Lance crushed their lips together, not bothering to be gentle. He tasted blood in his mouth and smiled.

Pulling away, he saw Red tremble.

“Was that what you wanted?” His voice turned cruel, cutting. “Did you want me to hurt you Red? I can do that very easily…”

Red shivered, as Lance pulled him closer, one hand slipping beneath his shirt to caress his bare chest. “It would be so very easy to do, Red…” His voice sent shivers down Red’s spine.

What did he want?

“I-I want….”

End Chapter

Completed 6/19/06

Red gets his turn to angst.

Lance: An equal opportunity angst author?
Phantomness: I do try, though I daresay it often winds up quite uneven

Red: *Clutches Lance*

Pika-chan: *grin* you two are so cute together!

Shoyko: *Drags self in* Why must I be a darkfic muse…

Kairo: Yeah, the humor muse rarely has to do anything. Your stuff is so dark!