Chapter 17: A Reunion

Battling had been rougher than I thought it was going to be. I was so exhausted four matches in that Mike stopped me.

"I can at least do one more," I huffed, realizing I was panting. My pokemon weren't exhausted! Granted they did look a bit worried about me…

Lance had wanted to come, but we were still… trying to decide how to bring it up to the league that we were involved. It wasn't like Lance was my direct boss (I didn't really have a single boss, more like the league council in general), but it was awkward enough. Lance still held power over the council themselves, almost like a system of voices. I wasn't into the politics of it all, I just knew Lance was the dual champion of the regions of Kanto and Johto. I also knew it was sort of house arrest, too. He'd kind of… tried to destroy Kanto 16 years ago. They liked knowing what he was up to, understandably.

Mike hadn't asked me about Lance, and I really wasn't sure if he knew. I knew he knew Gold and I had broken up… The media had finally started publishing the gossip that I was single. At least they didn't know I'd just leapfrogged into another relationship yet. "They'll all still be here tomorrow. You're looking rough. It's kind of my job," he comforted.

Ugh. I'd been jogging and focusing on cardio, trying to build my stamina, but it took time… It was annoying not being able perform to the same standard I'd been at. I relinquished and Mike grinned, kicking me out of the gym.

I sulked the whole way home. I couldn't even complain to Lance (he was busy with some meeting as usual). He hadn't spent the night last night, but he had the one prior. He usually stayed the night with me every third night. I knew it was a big change for him, and he was likely adjusting to having me around him so much. I had thought me being by his side constantly for three weeks, and then in his house for over a month would have been enough… But he had had to leave me behind in his home often enough… Being home alone was a whole different feeling. It was an adjustment for me.

Honestly, I was doing okay with it. I was still having nightmares and moments where I couldn't stand my thoughts, but it was sometimes also nice in some ways, too. There was this sense of full relaxation I couldn't experience when even a lover was with me.

I may or may not have picked up reading a shoujo manage in the secret of my room when I was alone.

I trekked up the driveway and let myself in, a growlith by the door raising its head just to verify it was me. The staff wisely didn't point out I had come home early, they just welcomed me home. I greeted them back, and wordlessly I headed to my room and just grabbed a pair of swim trunks, deciding to just swim some laps to take out some of my frustration. It was too hot to go running now in late summer. I usually ran early to avoid the paparazzi.

Their photos were almost always flattering since pretty people sold, but I tried not to risk it.

I ended up mostly just floating on my back, my ribs hurting. Feraligatr swam happy little circles around me. Fucking show off…

Annoyed, I slipped under the water, forcing my eyes open in the saltwater pool. The burn of my lungs craving oxygen, and the pressure of the water felt good. The pain made things feel more real. Feeling weak left me in a bad mood, and I wanted the clarity…

I finally pushed myself to the surface, unable to stand the buildup of carbon dioxide in my blood any longer. I was surprised to find Yellow sitting next to the pool as I gasped for air. She flashed me a smile and waved timidly. "Hey," she greeted softly, holding out a bottle of Gatorade to me. I sighed and dragged myself out of the water, accepting the offering. Likely one of the kitchen staff had armed her with my favorite flavor…

"Do you hate me, Silver?" she finally asked after a few minutes of total silence.

I glanced at her in surprise and confusion, "No? Why?"

She averted her eyes and I felt panic when I heard a sniffle. Gay or not, women's tears were a wicked weapon to behold. I was taking major damage. "I was the one that invited Archen into your home…"

His name made me shudder… I anxiously rubbed my arms and went to grab my towel, feeling so cold and exposed even in the unyielding sun. It wasn't something Lance would ever bring up, and it was obviously something I tried not to recall either. I worked with it in small, controlled doses in therapy, I wasn't allowed to just lock it away, but I worked at letting it hold no power over me. But Yellow wouldn't know the true trauma his name brought me. I couldn't blame her for mentioning it casually. "You didn't know any better than me what he was," I stated. It wasn't like Yellow had been part of the plot.

Her eyes were lingering on the still red wound that knife had left, and the long cut in the middle of my chest the surgeons had made. The cut they'd made to fix my ribs and punctured lung wasn't nearly as bad. I weakly drew the towel around myself, averting my gaze. Then her eyes widened, and I was wondering what had caused that reaction. Then she started turning red, and I figured she'd just been embarrassed for staring at my nearly naked body until she pointed at her neck.

Shit!

I already knew exactly what was there. Lance had been sucking on my nape last visit, I'd totally forgotten to check afterwards for any marks. I wasn't 16, walking around with a hickey was kind of unprofessional… Hopefully my hair had hidden it during my matches. I just sighed in defeat, my hand covering the exposing evidence. Rude for pointing it out, Yellow!

"Isn't Gold in Hoenn?"

"I have no idea," I admitted. How hadn't she heard we'd broken up? Last I'd heard, yes, he was. I hadn't heard different since. He certainly hadn't come to see me…

I knew what question came next. "Who?"

My twelfth one-night stand of the month! I was 24, my sex life was my business. I sighed weakly and answered anyway because Yellow was likely just being a worrywart. "Lance…"

Yellow just blinked in surprise. "Whoa."

I didn't know how to respond, and nor did Yellow clearly. We played a game of silent chicken for five minutes. Finally, she slapped her hands down on her thighs. "Well. Come on, I need your help with a moody kingler."

"That's an unusual pokemon," I observed, following her inside. Usually, the types to take their pokemon for massages were the types to own cute fluffy pokemon… like a cute fluffy weavile.

"Yeah. Mostly I'll just help it exfoliate a bit. Obviously, I can't really massage an exoskeleton…"

I grabbed some clothes and dutifully followed Yellow to her shop.

"So uh, how long with Lance?" she asked once I was properly cornered in her salon. I had been trapped and I accepted my defeat. All of us pokedex holders were pretty tactical, she was no exception… She could probably take down Red if she really wanted to.

"Technically he kissed me eight years ago," I sighed, just deciding to get it all over with and give her the full version of events. Lance had always respected Yellow, truthfully it made me a bit jealous sometimes. I carefully grabbed the kingler's banded pinchers, thinking it'd be much harder to give a hand job with less fingers… I wanted to roll my eyes that my mind had even dared to produce that thought.

"Whoa. I had no idea. You didn't return the feelings I assume?"

"No… and he left me alone. I confessed after he took care of me after everything recently. He said he still loved me, and… well… yeah."

"I'm sorry I didn't visit, Silver. When I heard it was Archen I thought you'd never want to see me again…"

I just shrugged. Kingler was really settling down to the scrub Yellow was rubbing him down with. He must have decided he quite liked it. "It's okay. I was working through a lot." I still was, but every day was better.

"Do you regret breaking up with Gold?"

I blinked in surprise. Wait, did I? I frowned in thought. That was impossible to answer. I still loved Gold, right? I did miss him. My heart still ached. But Lance was… I didn't regret being with Lance. So, I guess, no? I regretted the circumstances, right? But the circumstances led me to Lance… Would I get stabbed and assaulted again if it meant Lance? Well, no, not really. He liked me regardless. But… Honestly, I think I loved them both, but Lance felt like he fit better. Or was that just because things were still so white hot and fresh? But it wasn't like I was going to be able to go back in time, and truthfully, I still felt so uneasy at the thought of touching Gold. I still felt so… I still felt like I'd failed him. I'd flinched when he'd only tried to touch me…

"Silver it's okay," Yellow uttered, looking worried.

"I… It is what it is…?" I uttered, going in confused circles in my head.

"It's just seven years is such a long time… It seems so scary to just leave all that behind…"

"I'm happy," I offered shyly. "That's what Blue said matters. I mean, I have a lot of baggage right now, but my relationship with Lance is nice. I just want to give it all I can. I think Lance actually coming to see me in the hospital puts him above Gold on the whole dateability charts…"

She smiled sweetly and nodded. "I can understand that. Blue is right of course. You should be happy."

xxxxxxx

I didn't foresee my reunion with Gold really happening. I mean, I knew it would happen eventually, but I didn't put any thought into how and when. I'd just been in my gym, hiding from the media in the back, things getting a little heavy with Lance who'd snuck in through the back window. I swear we were just using the media as spice, like two teenagers trying not to get caught.

My breath caught as he started to undo my fly.

"No," I scolded softly, "Mike might come in." Mike might not even know Lance was there. At this point he clearly knew Lance and I were an item, but Lance had snuck in the back so he wouldn't know the back was unsafe.

"I think he knows the dangers of walking in." He most certainly did, knowing me being bored with a lover tended to cause trouble after years of practice with Gold… but Mike likely didn't know Lance had even snuck in. Mike and I sometimes chilled out in the back room together, but Mike would often just stay up front, so we didn't ignore any challengers (we were guilty of that). Plus, he'd been texting some friends and looking at memes on his pokegear.

But honestly, a hand job didn't sound like a bad deal… It wouldn't take long… Ah, Lance's hand felt nice rubbing me… I was weighing the pros and cons in my head when I heard the doors to the gym. Damn, challenger time… I tucked myself away and rezipped my pants. Lance placed a kiss on my jaw, knowing I was about to get up.

"Wait- GOLD!"

Huh?

Mike was yelling at someone. The door burst open to the room I was in. Gold?! I poked my head over the top of the couch, out from behind Lance's cape and my brain froze. There was my ex in the flesh… and I was wrapped up in Lance's embrace, pitching a tent (for the current second, not that it could be seen). I'd been sitting on the cough, half under Lance, just enjoying my boyfriend.

He'd… he'd gotten tan! And leaner. He also now had a gold ear piecing. He'd grown the front of his hair out more, and gotten the back buzzed super short. It was extra fluffy. Honestly it didn't look bad, it suited him. I'd be the first to admit he looked pretty hot.

He just stared at me with his mouth hanging open. "What the fuck?" he hissed softly, akin to a territorial sneasel.

Lance gently pulled away from me and stood up his full impressive height. At 6'2" he was intimidating to say the least. Gold wasn't that much shorter at 5'10" but Lance was just bigger with his broader shoulders and chest. It made the height difference look more substantial. I was pretty much the exact same height as Gold, maybe even an inch taller at our adult heights, and I always felt a bit small wrapped in Lance's embrace.

"You really couldn't keep it in your pants that bad? Can't stand not having someone fucking you?!" Gold taunted me, and that hurt. It was a completely unnecessary after eight months of us being apart. I was free to date who I pleased.

Lance just held up a pokeball he grabbed from his belt, and I could only bow my head. Fuck. Fuck, fuckity, fuck! I could feel the rage pouring off Lance in waves.

"La—"

Too late! Dragonite blasted Gold across the gym. Shit, Gold might be dead. This was the second time that Lance and Gold had been around each other where Lance had injured him.

Lance started towards my ex, likely to confirm if he was alive or not. My mind was still stuck on the word fuck. This was not good! The media were likely being rained with debris of what was once a door into the back of the gym. Just fuck me… In the abstract sense of course.

Gold was somehow thankfully alive, already staggering to his feet at Lance's approached. He quickly sent out all six of his pokemon. At least a pokemon battle was in the correct place, granted the battles were meant to be against me.

Lance blasted through Gold's team of pokemon with only Dragonite like Gold was using fresh caught lowbies. I swear some of Gold's pokemon froze in terror, just accepting how very outclassed they were. Even Togetaro with his naughty nature and fairy typing couldn't stand against Lance's strongest pokemon. I could feel the power radiating off Dragonite. He was being empowered by Lance's rage.

I knew there was nothing I could do. There was no talking any sense into either of these idiots. I could have talked sense into Lance, but not with Gold actively going after him. I could only watch as Lance returned his prized dragonite, and flashed Gold a wicked, taunting grin. Lance definitely had a temper, and it was terrifying. "That all you got?"

Gold tried to go after him with force. Lance could fight, more so brawl than any sort of discipline. We'd spared plenty in hand-to-hand combat. I had to rely on acrobatics and flexibility, but Lance could just smash. He caught Gold's fist and twisted the appendage painfully behind Gold's back, shoving him all the way to the ground so hard the air was knocked from Gold's lungs, a hand smashing Gold's face to the ground. At least he wasn't using the attack as an excuse to beat Gold black and blue. He didn't really need to get assault changes on his record. We both had enough shit the league had had to turn a blind eye to.

"Have something to say?" Lance taunted. "Mad?"

"Livid," Gold confirmed. "You wanted me out the picture that bad, Silver?! You're that easy?!"

His words hurt me more that I think he realized. He said he'd loved me for seven years… Was that it…? All love and emotion gone?

Lance glanced back at me, the rage instantly leaving his eyes as he released Gold and came for me. I was surprised at the tear he caught on his finger. Huh? Tears? I needed to get it together and get this under control. I wasn't the type to cry, but I didn't keep such an ironclad grip on my emotions I guess like other men might have.

"Get out," I stated softly, pointing at the door, not meeting Gold's eyes.

Gold just weakly rose off the ground, looking horrified. "Silver, I just thought we could—"

"Get out," I whispered again.

He stammered for a second and tried again. "Silver, can we just talk? I'm sorry, can we just talk?"

I just shook my head. Lance gently squeezed my shoulders in encouragement. I grit my teeth, unable to fight off my hurt and anger. "You want to talk after you just accused me of going to Lance for sex?! How about how he actually was fucking there for me! Did you even really know my heart? Ever?! Get out!"

Gold finally relinquished and Lance wrapped me gently in his cape, pulling me close. The comfort was instant. I forced myself to take a breath and poked my head out to face the two whole members of media. They'd only been there to hopefully catch a battle to air. It wasn't unusual for them to be there. The lover's quarrel they'd filmed however was very unusual. "Any chance I might be able to convince you to not air that?"

Their look of "fucking really" just made me sigh. Fair enough. All the money in the world wouldn't make that dramatic footage vanish…

It wasn't like I could slaughter them both or destroy their property, as tempting as it was. "We might want to go talk to the league before that footage airs," I whispered softly.

"Valid," Lance agreed. "Are you okay?" he questioned softly, tilting my chin up to look at him.

"Let's just go…"

Mike sent me a silent thumbs up, used to my bullshit at this point. He was a saint.

Lance nodded at me, and we left together on Aerodactly. It was time to beg forgiveness for the unreported illicit relationship. The league did secretly love all the drama I stirred up. Hopefully they also loved what I was about to drop into their lap.

"Are you okay?" Lance asked again softly.

"Hurt… but… yeah," I groaned softly, nuzzling into his warm arm. It was fucking freezing out, I'm sure Aerodactly wasn't having fun.

"You know he was just surprised. I don't think he knew about us. He was just hurt and trying to hurt you back. He's always been uneasy of me being around you, I can imagine having his fears founded wasn't the best…"

"I know," I stated softly, "but I can't believe the guy that was my first tried to call me a whore…"

"I would have made that transition so much more comfortable for you," Lance offered casually, and I flushed… Random, but honestly, he might have. I think Lance would have let me feel more empowered versus feeling smothered. I'd wanted to try sex when I'd done it with Gold for the first time, but I'd felt more like he'd needed it and I owed him a year in. He'd been gentle enough, and it'd been great… but I was a little curious how it would have gone with Lance instead.

As much as I'd tried to ignore it or brush it aside… I loved my masculinity. Sometimes with Gold I'd felt too effeminate. He'd overwhelmed me. I would have thought it would have been worse with someone as overwhelming as Lance, but I felt more masculine and freer than ever with him. My confidence had been higher, and I hadn't been uncomfortable asking for what I wanted in our intimacy. I felt like I could be me more than ever.

Arousal was embarrassing and anxious with Gold, it was hot and exciting with Lance. Lance liked me flirty and confident. Gold had liked me submissive and desperate the most. I usually initiated things with Lance, while Gold had almost always been the one to lead between us. Granted, Lance and I never really ran into the issue of one of us being in the mood and the other not. Gold's sex drive had been higher than mine.

I hadn't thought much about it when I'd been with Gold, because I'd loved him. I wanted to please him.

The only way I could seem to truly please Lance was being happy.

Granted it might have just been all the therapy and personal growth. It wasn't like I regretted or hadn't enjoyed dating Gold… I just felt like Lance was a more comfortable fit.

Fuck, I liked romance, too. Lance would do that rose petals in the bathtub shit, or bring flowers, or other cringe junk like that. I loved it. Lance doing things like kissing the tips of each of my fingers, one by one… That stuff was the best foreplay in the world for me. Gold had just teasingly mocked such things. It seemed counterintuitive the ideas of romance and masculinity, but truthfully, they didn't conflict for me at all.

I gently kissed Lance's cheek, and he gave a happy little hum, leaning over to kiss me on the lips. His lips felt good.

"Love you, Silver," he murmured, pecking me on the forehead.

"I love you, too."

xxxxxxx

The league had basically rolled their eyes at Lance's and my confession of our seven months of dating. They decided we didn't interact enough professionally for it to matter. Then we casually tacked on the brawl between Lance and my ex in front of the media.

"Can't imagine the viewership on this drama," one of the board members had just laughed.

We had one act of atonement we had to commit for withholding a relationship from our "bosses." It was also to hopefully tip the viewership in support of Lance, since Gold and I were long time sweethearts prior.

They wanted us to do a brief interview about our relationship with one of the most popular magazines in both regions. I'd been totally against it, but the interviewers surprised me by actually being super professional and light. They'd just asked basic things like how long we'd dated, how we met, if we were living together yet, our zodiac signs, and basic stuff like that. Our star signs sure felt we wouldn't be compatible being Scorpio and Capricorn, but apparently, we hadn't gotten the memo.

It was only a little unfortunate that we were in the two-month stretch between our birthdays, so our eleven-year age gap became twelve. Lance had turned 36 on the first of November, only around two weeks ago, my birthday was coming up in just over a month.

"Would you like you pose for the cover?" she asked hopefully after finishing up her questions.

"Hah, no," I responded easily.

"We can make it tastefully sexy," she offered. "Shirts, no shits, you know, that type of thing."

"N—"

Whoa. A shirtless Lance photo…

I glanced at Lance. "Can we?"

He'd just looked ready to go but paused to see if he'd heard me right. He looked at me in horror and surprise. "What?!"

"They're always super good at editing, and I just, a shirtless photo of you sounds—"

"You know what, sure, what the hell. Sure," Lance snorted, maybe tripping over his words a bit.

I was pleasantly surprised. We totally wouldn't regret this. I seemed to get into more dumb shit with Lance than I did traditionally. I'd never been the type to put my neck out, because it was stupid and dangerous. However, having Lance at my side was like having a net underneath that would catch me. I wasn't as scared, because he'd protect me. It was an odd feeling. Blue had always been there for me, but I hadn't wanted her to put herself at risk or have to look after me. Lance felt more like… I wasn't quite sure. He truthfully felt like the other half of my soul, but that was too cheesy to admit.

Honestly taking the photo was embarrassing, but kind of hot, too. I mean, my abs were mostly back by this point, and the pride in me didn't mind showing off a bit… and getting to pose on my shirtless boyfriend was such a turn on. His skin was so hot… I could not get hard in front of all those people. The struggle was real when Lance teasingly bit my earlobe.

I absolutely did not regret the photos as far as I could tell. They let us see the preview of it for confirmation at the end just in case we wanted to change our minds (they'd taken some less steamy photos as back up incase we'd decide not to go the sexy route). It was amazing, the red silk background really spiced it up. Lance and I were just shirtless, his hands on my hips and my arms stretched back around his neck in a backwards embrace. It was tasteful sexy as promised. The look in our eyes for each other had my mouth a little dry. It was fun getting to look at our relationship as an outsider. We looked absolutely in love.

"Did you want to edit out any scars?" she asked curiously, likely knowing I'd gotten them after being attacked. My attack had never been publicized, the league being firm on that decision. However, she was the CEO of the biggest magazine in both regions and likely knew the truth that I was attacked. At this point the public just assumed my gym had been closed because I'd been so heartbroken about my breakup with Gold. Granted the story might change to an injury soon. The long scar in the middle of my chest was undeniable of heart surgery.

I just shook my head. It was a part of me. I had to learn to accept it.

She casually slipped me a few photos from the session, and I swore I could die happy.

"You're unbelievable," Lance laughed lightly as we headed home after all the fun.

"It seemed worth a try. I actually had fun," I admitted.

"Yeah, me too," Lance admitted with a smirk. "Let me see the contraband she slipped you."

I laughed nervously and let Lance see. He whistled. "Wow. I might need some copies of those."

Not all of them were the most viewer appropriate. They're encouraged us to flirt with each other to loosen up at first. It'd been embarrassing with a small audience, but then Lance had kissed me, and it'd just gone from there. I'd been half tempted to request a private room before the director and said they had enough and that things were getting x rated.

We were perfectly happy to take that sexual energy back home and act on it.

"Welcome home! Dinner is ready," the staff greeted us.

"You guys can eat, Lance will I have something later," I stated shyly. We pretty much beelined for the bedroom, Lance kicking the door closed behind us. As a whole, that week came out at a net positive.


AN: I purposefully wrote Gold as rather domineering, always wrapping his arm around Silver's waist, kissing him, coaxing him, ect. If you go back and reread old chapters, you might notice it. I've never seen Silver as particularly submissive however. Gold was just always trying to give Silver an excuse for intimacy, though. Manga Gold is a total little brute, but a really good guy, too. Still, I was excited to finally get to write about that part when Silver embraces his own more masculine nature (while reading some shoujo manga on the side because he's confident lol). Truthfully Gold is still kind of in the closet, too. It's not uncommon for someone to be like, oh, I'm straight, I just like this one person of the same sex... and then learn they're just bi or even gay (but hey, sometimes they are just into that one person). He'll work on that.

I of course draw from experience from my own relationships, too. Just because two people feel different doesn't mean one is wrong and one is right. It just is. Of course I feel my current partner is a more comfortable fit (the sun shines out of his ass), but that doesn't mean I hated my ex of ten years. Things happen.

Longest damn AN ever.