Work Text:
Leon couldn’t help but pace the halls of his house, his mind awash with anxiety.
He couldn’t get him out of his mind. Even thinking his name sent shivers down his spine.
Sparkfire.
Such an odd name- a peculiar one, at that- but it sounded beautiful in Leon’s ears.
He stopped dead in his tracks, wanting to bash his head against the nearby wall. This was so stupid, he’d never felt like this before. Especially not for another man.
That was what he was stuck on. It would be easier to bear if the person on his mind was a woman, or at the very least someone who presented more femininely. It would be better for his image if the fans were theorizing about him and a woman. He’d still face backlash, sure. Thousands of disappointed fangirls would riot, and that would be a completely separate issue.
His stomach churned at the thought of what might happen if he was seen with a man- with this man.
Leon didn’t think he was in the public eye; at least, not Galar’s public eye. Being a Champion-ranked trainer wasn’t as notable as being THE Champion, but it was still nothing to scoff at.
If people found out who he was- more specifically, who he was to Leon- they’d stop at nothing to unearth every detail of his life. Personal details, family members, close friends, social history…
Leon shuddered at the thought of forcing him into a position he couldn’t handle.
Damn it, the two weren’t even dating. He felt incredibly stupid for being in such a tizzy over a man who probably didn’t spend this much time thinking about him.
It was such a new feeling.
The way this man looked at him; not like the second coming of Arceus, not like an untouchable idol who could do no wrong. Leon’s mind wandered uncomfortably to his younger brother. He couldn’t even escape his celebrity status with his own brother, which stung.
He could get completely lost in Sparkfire’s eyes and not once be objectified. His eyes saw Leon; not as Champion Leon, but rather as Leon Arce. Another man of equal measure. A person, not a thing.
Sometimes, though, he couldn’t help but wonder how genuine this was. Maybe Sparkfire was just like the rest of the masses; he just happened to have a really, really good poker face.
No. Not Sparkfire.
Leon groaned heavily, pulling at his hair in frustration and shaking his head violently.
He needed to do something about these feelings. The answer was obvious, but he wanted to vomit at the idea of pouring his heart out like that. Being vulnerable, baring his soul to someone who might not feel the same.
Arceus, it was horrifying!
He still wasn’t fully over the reality of being attracted to a man, either. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of disgust at himself for these feelings. They were unnatural, and even flirting with the idea of getting into a relationship with another man made Leon sick with guilt.
However…
Through his guilt, the idea of spending the rest of his life with Sparkfire made his chest ache with longing. A quiet life in the countryside with the only man who could get his head on straight. The man who opened his eyes to who he truly was, and gave him the love that he had so desperately craved.
Leon pulled out his Rotom Phone, opening his messages with Sparkfire.
He stared at the blank text space, silently contemplating what to say.
At the very least, he wanted to see Sparkfire tonight. What happened past that point was not something Leon wanted to put much thought into, but he figured he’d know what to do when he was with Sparkfire.
By Arceus, he hoped he’d know what to do by then.
His fingers moved, punching in the message he’d send.
—
Sparkfire would be lying if he said he didn’t spend a considerable time sitting on the hotel floor, thinking about Leon.
Out of all the people he expected to get close with on this trip, it certainly wasn’t Champion Leon of the Galar Region.
He could care less about his Champion status, though. He was, however, continuously shocked that Leon seemed to go out of his way to see him. Sparkfire would’ve thought that he had bigger Champion duties to uphold, but he certainly wasn’t complaining about his company.
Sparkfire pushed himself to his feet and moved towards his window, settling himself down to look out at Hammerlocke’s grandiose cityscape, idly watching the people on the street go about their day.
He thought about Leon more than he’d like to admit.
The Champion was so fascinating to him- learning about him outside of that title was one of Sparkfire’s favorite things about talking to Leon.
He found that, at first, it was difficult for Leon to speak a lot outside of his livelihood. Which made sense, it was all-consuming and looming.
Eventually… Leon slowly told Sparkfire more about himself.
Leon talked a lot, and Sparkfire loved it every time he began. He loved how well-spoken this man was; he was able to get Sparkfire invested in even the most mundane of stories.
His heart always sped up a bit when Leon’s eyes met his in the middle of his stories.
A ringing chime broke Sparkfire out of his haze, drawing his attention to his Rotom Phone now hovering beside him.
“New message, zrrrt!” The little thing chirped at him.
Sparkfire bobbed his head, turning his attention back to his window. “Can you read it out for me, please?”
His Rotom whirred affirmatively. “From: Champ. ‘Hey, Sparky. I don’t know how much freetime you have, so I wanted to ask if you were free tonight?’ Respond?”
Sparkfire was intrigued. Leon wants to hang out? His heart thumped in his chest, and he could feel his chest tightening with anxiety despite himself. “Yeah… just say that I’m free, and ask if he’s wanting to hang out.”
“‘I am free! Did you want to hang out tonight?’ Sent!” The Rotom Phone buzzed over to Sparkfire, gently dropping onto the windowsill in front of him.
Sparkfire found himself anxiously watching for Leon’s response, his eyes glued to that little “seen” under his message.
This was by no means the first time he’d felt like this for someone else. He was 21, after all- after his high school and college career, he’d had more than enough experience with love.
This felt different- it felt more real. It had more consequences, even if the two weren’t dating.
“Zrrt! From: Champ. ‘If it’s fine by you, could we hang out at your place?’ Respond?”
Odd. “Uh… I guess? Mine isn’t very impressive, though.”
“‘Sure! Mine isn’t very impressive, though.’ Sent!”
Leon’s response was nearly instantaneous.
“From: Champ. ‘I could use a change of scenery.’ Respond?”
Sparkfire couldn’t help but shake his head, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Alright then, Champ. Come over whenever, I’ll be ready.”
“‘Alright then, Champ. Come over whenever, I’ll be ready.’ Sent!”
Sparkfire steadied himself on the windowsill, his legs shaking. He shouldn’t be nervous, it was just Leon. It was just Leon!
His eyes travelled throughout his room, uncomfortably snagging onto every chip bag and abandoned soda bottle.
I need to clean up immediately.
—
Sparkfire had been flitting throughout his room nervously, like a displaced Rookidee. His nerves had grown to a crushing anxiety that almost tempted him to cancel on Leon.
This is silly. I’m being silly.
A knock at the door nearly made him jump out of his skin. Sparkfire practically fell over himself to get to the door, fumbling for the doorknob. He took a deep breath, composing himself and bracing for whatever was to come.
Opening the door indeed revealed Leon, as he expected. What he wasn’t expecting was how nice he looked.
He wasn’t wearing his regular Champion getup, as Sparkfire had expected. His hair was tied up and out of his face, and his lack of a hat revealed the dark roots at the base of his hair. His own eyes sparkled with a nervous energy that mirrored Sparkfire’s own.
Somehow, this didn’t put him at ease.
“Sparkfire!” Leon moved to hug him, before second guessing himself and pulling back to instead offer a handshake.
Sparkfire stared down at the hand offered, ignoring it completely and going in for the hug. “Leon. I’m glad to see you.”
After a brief second of hesitation, Leon returned the hug. They stood like that for a moment, with Sparkfire’s head pressed against Leon’s chest. He could hear his heart beating rapidly. He was relieved Leon couldn’t see his face.
“Um,” Leon’s voice was soft, a tone rarely heard on him. “Can we go inside? I don’t want someone to see us.”
Sparkfire pulled away, avoiding Leon’s eyes. “Y- yeah, of course. Make yourself comfortable, dude.” He was immediately kicking himself for calling Leon dude.
Sparkfire took a seat by the window, the fading light of sunset casting a warm glow on his face. Leon followed close behind, sitting himself awkwardly on the bed. “The room looks nice.” He commented, his gaze wandering throughout the area.
Sparkfire’s eyes never left Leon. His hands fidgeted, and he felt like he was practically bursting at the seams. He could tell Leon came here for a reason, he had something on his mind.
Sure, they’ve hung out before. This wasn’t an unusual event, they’d spent plenty of time together since Sparkfire had arrived in Galar.
They were always out in public, though. A private, intimate setting like this automatically had Sparkfire on edge.
He filled the silence with an awkward chuckle. “Bringing the Champion to a cheap hotel like this- I can’t imagine what the masses would think.” He joked. He would’ve nudged Leon’s shoulder if he was close enough.
The way the other man’s face dropped made a pit drop in his stomach. “Actually… that’s kind of why I’m here.”
The silence between the two extended for an uncomfortably long time. Sparkfire was grappling with himself, trying to come up with an adequate response while also trying to not look like a kicked puppy. “What?” Was all he could get out. Embarrassing. “Did something happen? D- did I do something wrong?”
Leon stood up so quickly it almost startled Sparkfire off his own seat. He was all too aware of Leon’s hands tightly clasping his own. “No!” He said firmly, almost desperately. “No. If anything, it’s- it’s me.”
“I don’t understand.”
Leon took a deep, shaky breath. He wouldn’t meet Sparkfire’s eyes, instead opting to stare at the ground. He slowly sank to the ground, eventually coming to his knees. “I’m really sorry.” He was shaking his head. “I didn’t plan… this. I barely understand my own feelings, so trying to verbalize them to you feels impossible.”
Sparkfire could feel his own hands begin to shake, and Leon’s grip on him got a little tighter. Those beautiful golden eyes finally met his again. “I’m being so unfair to you, mate. Whatever this,” he emphasized their interlocked hands. “Is. I’m not even sure what to call this.”
Sparkfire stared at their hands, their fingers so closely intertwined. He’d been wrestling with this uncomfortable question for the last few weeks.
He had a hunch he knew how Leon felt. Sparkfire had caught him staring whenever his back was turned. He saw the adoring look on Leon’s face whenever he tended to his Pokémon. He always noticed how Leon’s hands seemed to linger whenever they touched.
He also had a pretty good idea of why Leon was holding himself back.
Sparkfire wouldn’t want to be seen with a man like himself, either.
“I do.” Sparkfire’s voice was small. “I just don’t know if that’s what you want.”
Leon didn’t respond immediately. He’d begun idly tracing his thumbs in circles on Sparkfire’s hands. “I’ve never done something like this before.” He whispered. “Damn it, I’ve never had to deal with love before. Especially not…” his voice trailed off.
They weren’t getting anywhere. They were dancing around what they were thinking and it was driving Sparkfire insane. “Leon.” He blurted out, his mouth charging ahead of his brain. “Leon, I- I want to be your boyfriend. I want to be yours, no matter what might happen.” Sparkfire pulled their hands closer to his heart. He could feel tears stinging his eyes. “I don’t care what that means. I’m willing to do it for you.” He snapped his mouth shut. His shoulders were heaving, and he feared if he spoke any longer he’d burst into tears.
Leon’s eyes shone with unshed tears of his own. “Sparkfire, I can’t…“ for a terrifying moment, Sparkfire thought he was about to be shot down. Maybe he had somehow completely misjudged the situation, and he just confessed for nothing. “I can’t do that to you.”
Leon hung his head. “I can’t drag you into my life. I don’t want you to be trapped in the life of a celebrity. Arceus, just imagine what the press would say about you.” He shook his head limply. “I can’t do that to you.” He repeated again, much quieter than the first time.
Sparkfire scoffed, a sound even he didn’t expect to come out of his mouth. Leon winced, but kept his posture slumped. “I’d be shocked if some stuffy reporters were able to say something new to me. Trust me, I’ve heard it all. I don’t care about them, Leon. I care about you.” Sparkfire gently disentangled his hands so he could turn Leon’s face back up to him. “I want you.”
It was like the world around them froze, and it was only the two of them in this tender moment. They had shifted closer together, Leon’s hands now gently resting on Sparkfire’s thighs. His heart was pounding in his ears, the contact was making him feel dizzy.
There was hardly any space between them; Sparkfire couldn’t adjust himself, lest he risk bumping into Leon’s face with his
“Leon,” Speaking felt dangerous. “Can I kiss you?”
Sparkfire felt his hands grip onto the fabric of his pants, sending a shiver through his body. Leon’s eyes were wide; Sparkfire had no idea what to make of the expression on his face. He’d never seen him like this before.
Leon nodded slowly. “…Yeah.”
Sparkfire was hesitating now. “Are you sure?”
Something shifted in Leon; the fog in his expression cleared so suddenly that Sparkfire barely had time to process it when he closed the distance between them.
Kissing Leon was nothing like he’d expected. He was surrounded by the smell of his cologne, the scratch of his beard, the surprising softness of his lips. Arceus, his lips. He didn’t ever want to stop kissing him.
Leon pulled away just as abruptly as he came in. His face was flushed, and Sparkfire could hear how ragged his breathing had gotten. “Arceus.” Was all he could say.
I need more of him.
Sparkfire pulled him back, gently trailing his hands down to rest on Leon’s chest. “Kiss me again?”
Leon obliged immediately.
The kiss was deeper, more exploratory. Sparkfire could feel Leon’s hands traveling up his body, before settling on his hips. Sparkfire’s own hands would gently trace circles on Leon’s chest. He thoroughly enjoyed the way Leon’s breathing changed at the different ways he touched him.
Leon’s body was pressed against Sparkfire’s in a way where he could feel every muscle and every movement Leon’s body made.
They were in a precarious position, with Leon’s weight tipping Sparkfire’s chair forward. The two noticed this, briefly pulling apart.
“Do you, uh,” Sparkfire idly wiped his bottom lip. “Want to move to the bed?”
Leon stood bolt upright. “Yeah! Yeah. That’s, er-“ he turned away from Sparkfire, tugging at his shirt. “Yeah.”
Sparkfire smirked, moving over to sit on his bed. He was flattered, really, that his kiss was enough to cause that severe of a reaction. He cleared his own throat, bringing the attention to himself.
“Come back, Lee.” Sparkfire’s voice was lilting and teasing. He patted the bed beside him for good measure.
Leon shuffled over to him, still not facing him. He sat down a comically long distance away, hiding his face from Sparkfire. From what he could see, the other man’s face was flushed red.
Sparkfire scooted a little closer, gently placing a hand on Leon’s thigh. “We don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to, Lee.” He said gently. “Kissing you is great, and I’m fine with keeping it at that. Or we can just hang out, I like being around you.”
Leon’s hand cautiously made its way over to Sparkfire, blindly grabbing around for his own leg for a moment. “I want to. I’m just-“ he let out a shaky laugh. “Not good at any of this. I don’t know what I’m doing.”
Sparkfire leaned forward, gently turning Leon’s face to look at him. “I’m alright with taking the lead. You just tell me what feels good, and we’ll do it.”
Leon took a deep breath before nodding. “Let’s, uh… have a Champion-?“
“Just get your ass over here.”
The two got themselves settled, with Sparkfire positioned in a way where Leon had to look up at him. It was a nice change of pace. Sparkfire loved the view he had; the way Leon’s face flushed and his eyes were bright with anticipation was enough to get Sparkfire excited.
“So,” He leaned forward and lightly traced his fingers along Leon’s stomach, beginning to rock his hips back and forth. Leon shuddered, his hands flexing in place. “Tell me what you want.”
Leon’s hands shakily found their way to the bottom of Sparkfire’s shirt. “I- I want you to keep doing that…” he whispered. “And- um… take this off?”
“Say it like you mean it.”
Leon’s eyes practically bugged out of his head. “Sorry?”
“You heard me, Champ. Tell me what you want like you actually want it.”
Leon’s fingers gripped onto his shirt a little tighter. “I want you to take this off.” His voice still wavered, but Sparkfire was satisfied with that.
He did just that, pulling his shirt up and over his head. He tossed it haphazardly to the side. The way Leon stared gave Sparkfire an incredibly overdue ego boost. He needed to take his shirt off in front of Leon more often.
He turned his attention back to the man underneath him, working his hands under the other’s shirt. “Do you mind?” Sparkfire asked gently. Leon nodded wordlessly, eagerly, quickly wriggling out of the fabric and flinging it away.
Arceus, this man was gorgeous.
It was obvious he spent time working on his body. He was muscular, but not to an obnoxious degree. Hair dusted his body, but this wasn’t a surprising fact. Sparkfire would’ve been shocked— and a little dissapointed— if he was completely hairless.
He couldn’t help the grin that split his face.
“You’re beautiful.”
—
Leon’s eyes were fixed on the ceiling.
He wanted to vomit. His skin crawled with disgust; he wanted to squirm out of his skin entirely.
He couldn’t move, though.
Sparkfire was curled up against him, his arms wrapped around his body. Moving meant waking up Sparkfire, and Leon couldn’t bring himself to face him yet.
His body was burning with shame, and he couldn’t stop replaying the events of the previous night.
He’d loved it, he’d loved every moment he had with Sparkfire. The way he looked down at him, with such love and affection and kindness- it made his stomach churn. By all accounts, it was a good night. It was a perfect night.
Now, though, Leon couldn’t stop thinking about what horror might unleash the moment the public found out about this. The moment Rose found out about this.
Unconsciously, his hands balled into fists. If Rose found out about Sparkfire… Leon had to suppress a shudder.
On top of that, he was horrified with himself. Tainting himself like this? Losing his virginity at the age of 26 to another man? Allowing this man to get so close to him in the first place?
His thoughts briefly flitted over to the playful nickname Sparkfire used for him- teasingly calling him Champ, a harmless jab at the shadow that loomed over Leon’s life.
This led his mind to wander over to the idea that he rarely dared to explore.
He’s doing this to get closer to me. To Champion Leon. He couldn’t care less about me; he wants the bragging rights of taking Champion Leon’s virginity.
He flinched at the mere idea of this, quickly shutting this train of thought down.
It shouldn’t have happened. He should’ve been stronger, more responsible.
His eyes wandered over to Sparkfire’s sleeping form. He looked so quiet, so peaceful. Leon couldn’t help but be jealous of how easily this seemed to come to him. He wished he could admire Sparkfire and focus on how beautiful he was without the intense guilt that quickly followed.
Leon sighed heavily through his nose. He dragged his eyes away from Sparkfire and back to the ceiling. He tried to push Sparkfire out of his mind, but it was incredibly difficult to do when that same man was snuggled against him.
His mind kept circling, an endless barrage of thoughts chasing each other around to no end.
I don’t know what to do.