ex champs

☆ exchampionshipping week 2026 ☆ Ship week from 6/7 - 6/13

[exchampionshipping]

The week has been decided! The ship week will be held on June 7th - June 13th! The days and prompts will be as followed:

Day 1 - Summer Solstice / Dragons / Celestial

Day 2 - Injury / Denial / Anger born of Worry

Day 3 - Angst / Sleepy / Accidentally in Love

Day 4 - Marriage / Hidden Confessions / Hurt/Comfort

Day 5 - Flowers / Weakness / Jealous

Day 6 - Behind the Scenes / Nightmares / Homesick

Day 7 - Free

[exchampionshipping]

Entries on AO3 for the event:

Both entries are by @bakacrazy-blog

Day 1 - Celestial

Love Space Ship

Summary: Kieran and Drayton have been together for over two years now. During that time, they have shared countless adventures, both ordinary and extraordinary, and faced more than their fair share of challenges. But somewhere along the way, Kieran changed. Among all the things he has seen and experienced, he discovered something beautiful in space. Fascinated by it, he spends weeks telling Drayton everything he learns, sharing every new fact and detail with almost obsessive enthusiasm. And then, inspired by what he found, Kieran decides to write a sweet little story.

Day 4 - Injury

スパイス (Spice) (Chapter 4)

Summary: After all the shenanigans at the academy, Drayton gets under Kieran’s skin. It drags on for weeks with no end in sight. He keeps pushing and pushing until he starts crossing the line, not realizing that something is beginning to grow inside him. And it only gets worse. It spirals into chaos, where both of them end up getting hurt.

[exchampionshipping]

Hello all Exchampionshippers! The ship week has come to an end. We thank those who have contributed!

Please note that we do accept late submissions! If you are going to submit anything late please @/ the blog or else we might miss it!

[bitway-arts]

title: I won't say it

summary: Kieran doesn't get how anyone could like Drayton until he thinks about him a little more.

ship: Exchampionshipping - Drayton/Kieran

word count: 1476

note: Exchampionshipping Week Day 7 - Free

Read on AO3

"How could anyone like Drayton?" Kieran asks as he looks at Crispin. He props his arm up on the table, cheek resting in his hand.

"Hm?" Crispin tilts his head, confused by the sudden question. "Well, don't people like him cuz he's strong?"

"I guess..." He's not wrong. Drayton is a strong trainer and in a school that prides itself on battles, that has to mean something. "But, there has to be more than just that, right?"

"Well, he's a good guy! I mean, I know Lacey yells at him a lot, but he's always tired. He never says no to helping me out with my food, though!"

Kieran sighs at Crispin's answer. The fiery boy doesn't get it, but maybe that's for the best. A part of him wishes he could think the same.

Golden hues go from his classmate to the boy in question sitting across the room. Lacey is standing beside Drayton, the latter sitting back on the couch while trying to drown out her scolding, probably.

Kieran truly does not get it. People like him, sure, but he can't understand why.

Strength is one thing. From what he's been told, Drayton became Champion during his second year, which is pretty amazing. No one else had done that before, not until they were in their third year at least. He set a new record for the youngest Champion at the school.

But aside from that, what?

His personality...it's nothing special. If anything, it's annoying. Drayton knows how to get under his skin. If he wants to rile him up, he can do it with a few easy words, and Kieran falls for it every time.

Despite the teasing, he isn't a bad guy. Drayton has never truly hurt him. The name-calling gets a bit redundant, and he wants to forget about that time, but he does deserve it after ruining his version of the club. And he hates to admit it, but a part of him is getting used to being called Ex-Champ.

Still, he did help orchestrate the plan to knock some sense into him. If he hadn't pushed Juliana to join the club, he might still be that obsessive version of himself. He shivered thinking about never returning to normal.

Maybe Drayton does care more than he lets on. He's not one to ask how anyone is doing and get caught up in some troublesome tasks. But he will offer to lend a hand, stay beside you if you just need someone at your side. Sometimes he'll offer a snack or find a way to indirectly cheer you up.

Okay, maybe he isn't all that bad.

Plus...he is pretty smart. Not that he shows it. His grades are abysmal due to him skipping classes. He does enough just to get by. Outside of class, he really knows his stuff. Kieran had spoken to him about type advantages and how he managed to defeat Lacey despite his team being weaker. He had expected Drayton to brush off his question, yet he'd told him that type advantages can work against your favor. Kieran had to probe more out of him, but it was insightful and good to note down for the future.

His biggest flaw is his lack of motivation. Obviously, he's allergic to anything that involves paperwork. Sometimes, Kieran thinks he's allergic to just moving in general, with how he sighs about having to move from a couch to a chair in the same room.

Drayton is different when he is motivated, though. It's a rarity, but Kieran remembers seeing it before. During battles against an opponent who can really challenge him, he seems to light up. It's subtle, and most people wouldn't be able to tell, but Kieran can. The way he trusts in his Pokemon to battle, to win.

He wouldn't mind seeing that flame ignite in his eyes again.

The more he thinks about him, the more he comes to terms with the fact that he isn't so bad after all. Not that he would admit that aloud.

Kieran's gaze focuses on him. Drayton yawns, still listening to Lacey ramble about club activities. Amarys had jumped in, trying to help, but she had as much effect on him as Lacey did. Whatever they want him to do, he'll most likely brush it off onto Juliana.

Or him if he feels like it.

Drayton looks away from the girls, and their eyes meet. They hold each other's gaze for just a moment, two golden hues meeting. Drayton gives him his cliche, lazy grin as if trying to win someone over.

Kieran hates that his heart thumps a little in his chest.

He turns his head away, looking back at Crispin instead. He hadn't realized the other boy was still trying to point out some good points for Drayton.

"Besides all that...he's our friend!"

Friend.

They are friends, right? After everything? Drayton is comfortable around him, at least he assumes so whenever he walks up to Kieran and slings his arm around his shoulders. He teases him more now than ever, asks for a battle every now and then, and even lets him stay in his secret, cozy spot in the Polar Biome.

They had to be friends.

When he looks back at Drayton, he finds the other boy free from the girls. Another yawn escapes him, he stretches, and then goes limp in his seat. Maybe it's just the lighting, but he looks really relaxed and peaceful, basking in the glow of the club room.

Nope.

No.

He's not thinking about how Drayton looks good right now. Kieran shakes his head to try to get rid of those thoughts. He really regrets bringing up that topic now.

Crispin nudges him, bringing him back to reality.

"Hey! Drayton is calling you!"

Kieran looks over and finds Drayton waving at them. He would prefer if he were waving Crispin down instead.

"Ugh. Can't he just come over here?" Kieran grumbles. But he still gets up from his seat.

He already imagines what he's going to ask him. Probably to look over the newest students who want to join the club, or go talk to one of the teachers in his place. Kieran can already hear Lacey telling him not to let Drayton push him around, but it's hard to say no to him.

"What do you want?" Kieran asks, sounding more annoyed than he would like.

"Bad mood?" Drayton frowns, feigning a pout. "Didn't eat the chocolates I left out for ya?"

"Huh?"

"Yeah." Drayton points to a small bag of chocolates on the table. The bag is open, an invitation for others to take some, yet it still looks full. "Brought them over for ya."

"Oh...you didn't have to."

"Hey, if I'm gettin' myself a snack, I figured I should get others some too."

Was it true? Kieran didn't see him get snacks for the others. Then again, they didn't have a sweet tooth like him. Maybe this was going to be used against him? Get him something tasty so he would be easier to sway when it came to getting on his good side?

"You really think too much," Drayton says.

Kieran tenses when he realizes he's gone quiet, thinking too much over a free snack.

"Sorry," he replies and scratches the back of his head. "Thanks. You can tell me next time instead of just leavin' it there."

"I was guna tell ya, but then Lacey came over," Drayton sighs. He looks defeated, even his hair seems to droop slightly.

"She wouldn't bother you if you just did your work."

"Aw, you going to bother me about that, too? After I got ya a snack?"

Kieran turns away from him, not about to fall for his teasing, not this time. Well, he might if he keeps talking while he heads back to the table to try the chocolate.

The small bag lies open for him. It's practically tempting him to eat more than just one. And he most likely will eat everything in one sitting. For now, he reaches for one, a small chocolate that's shaped like a Pokeball. He pops it into his mouth, chewing on it.

The outer chocolatey shell breaks and out comes some more liquid chocolate. It's surprising, but tasty. He remembers having these once before. They were pretty hard to find, and the school store rarely stocked these.

He glances back to Drayton, but the other boy is already getting comfortable in his seat, looking ready for a nap. Kieran holds back on asking him how he got these. It probably wasn't easy.

Kieran turns back, picking out another one and popping it into his mouth. These taste sweeter than when he first tried them.

Maybe Drayton is likable, but he's never saying that to his face.

Nope.

Not ever.

[bitway-arts]

title: Cold

summary: Drayton has a nightmare about a very cold dragon Pokemon.

ship: Exchampionshipping - Drayton/Kieran

word count: 1156

note: Exchampionshipping Week Day 6 - Nightmare

Read on AO3

Cold. It's so cold.

Drayton is used to the cold. He likes it more than any normal person should. In the Polar Biome, he wanders without a coat, letting the snow touch his skin without shivering. It's comforting in a way he can't describe.

But this cold is different.

Unlike there, this manages to seep into his core. Drayton finds himself shivering, trembling. He's not imagining things, as much as he wants to believe. When he looks down at his hands, he finds them shaking. Even at the lowest temperature in the Polar Biome, this never happens.

Something is wrong.

If the freezing temperature didn't give it away, then it would be the blinding blizzard. Nothing but white within his field of vision. And when it does clear up, the area is different. A snowstorm isn't unusual, but inside a cave? Not even the snow managed to get this deep into the Chargestone Cavern.

A loud cry- no, a roar, snaps him from his thoughts. He looks up, squinting through the surrounding snow. A giant figure appears from the blizzard. Drayton can barely make the outline of the creature.

With heavy footsteps, it begins its approach. Instinct tells him to run, but he finds his feet frozen to the ground. He can't tell if it's from fear or if they're actually frozen. Despite everything, a part of him wants to hold his ground, stay and fight.

Has this...happened before...?

Drayton draws a blank. Nothing seems to be working right now. His own body isn't listening, isn't moving. A sudden gust of snow blasts towards him, and he barely manages to raise his arms to protect himself from the cold flurry.

After that, the blizzard seems to calm down. Drayton drops his arms, slowly, warily as if waiting for another gust to hit him. Nothing comes, but a shadow is cast over him. When he finally looks up, a giant Pokemon is standing before him.

"Kyurem..."

His eyes widen as the stories of this Legendary Pokemon come flooding into his head. There are many things passed around about this Pokemon, yet never anything concrete. Although there is one overlapping fact in every legend passed down.

Kyurem is dangerous.

The Legendary Pokemon lets out another roar. This one is loud enough that it reverberates off the walls of the cave. Drayton stumbles and falls back, falling into the snow, looking even smaller in front of the dragon.

His gaze narrows on the dragon. A hand moves to his side, intending to get a ball to defend himself. His hand hovers over where they should normally be, finding nothing. But that isn't why he stops moving.

After taking another hulking step forward, the dragon stops. Drayton gazes into its eyes and finds that they're...different. They should be vacant; somehow, he knows this, but they're not. Kyurem's eyes have dark, sharp irises. The dragon gazes at him intensely. He's not being looked at like prey, but something else. He swears that he's seen that look before, as if the Pokemon isn't even considering him a threat.

Drayton takes in a breath and slowly reaches out a shaky hand. He's unsure why he's trying to reach for it, but he has a feeling that he needs to.

Kyurem doesn't react. It only stares at him.

Before his hand could even reach it, the Pokemon lets out another piercing cry. Its body starts to excrete cold, freezing winds.

And it's all aimed at him.

His body feels colder than earlier. He's aware of how much he's shivering. Then there's the ice. It starts off slow, peeking from the ground before growing and encasing him in a prison of solid ice.

.

.

.

It's strange how he wakes up in a cold sweat. While he no longer feels that freezing cold, his body still trembles. He puts one hand over his wrist in an attempt to stop it from shaking.

Drayton lets out a long sigh.

It was only a dream...

"Mmm..."

Drayton looks over when he hears that noise. Maybe his sudden jolt awake had caused his boyfriend to stir. Normally, he doesn't move around in his sleep. Once he's out, he doesn't move.

"Drayton...?" Kieran mumbles sleepily. One eye lazily opens, peering through his dark bangs that cover most of his face.

"Yeah?"

"Why..." He pauses, processing the sight of Drayton sitting up in bed. "You okay?"

"'M fine," he answers as he lies back down. It's second nature to brush off his own worries. Drayton doesn't like others worrying about him, especially Kieran. It was a bit lame to have him worry over something like a stupid nightmare.

"Yer not..." Kieran huffs, tired. The younger boy slings an arm around him. If he had tried this any other time, Drayton would have definitely teased him for it. Not this time, though. "Yer shakin'...you never do that."

"Bad dream," Drayton unwillingly admits. He inches closer to him, seeking out his warmth. If he's lucky, Kieran won't remember this when they actually wake up in the morning.

Kieran frowns in his half-awake state. Drayton can see him struggling to be a good boyfriend and help, but he's also losing a fight to sleep. The attempt to stay awake just for him makes Drayton's chest warm.

"No more bad dreams..." Kieran says, as if that would make them go away. If only it were that easy.

"Yeah, yeah. You're scaring them off," Drayton replies as he puts an arm around him. He pulls Kieran closer, nuzzling his face into his hair.

He pulls back, about to say more, but freezes. He looks into his eyes, those familiar, sharp golden eyes. They've captured his heart. Something about seeing them so focused made his own heart sway. He's seen them in all forms, curious, lighthearted, and even dangerous.

Just like that Pokemon from his dream.

Man...my head really is being stupid or something...

Drayton shrugs it off. He can't compare the two. Kyurem, a legendary dragon, and Kieran, his adorable little boyfriend. The only thing similar between them is their eye color. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Kieran," Drayton says his name in a whisper.

"Hmm?" Kieran looks at him, still tired, still fighting sleep. He's definitely losing this battle within a couple of minutes.

Drayton opens his mouth to speak, but can't find the words. What is he supposed to say? He's not really sure. All he needs is to not let that nightmare get to him, and everything will be fine.

"Stay with me."

He doesn't elaborate, doesn't need to. Maybe he would if Kieran were more awake. For now, he takes advantage of this, hoping he doesn't have to deal with this nightmare again.

Kieran nods, unable to give a verbal response, but that's all Drayton needs. He pulls him closer, keeping their bodies pressed together. He takes in a breath and falls asleep more easily with Kieran in his arms.

[bitway-arts]

title: take a break

summary: Kieran gets lost in his notes, not realizing how late it is. Thankfully, someone is looking out for him.

ship: Exchampionshipping - Drayton/Kieran

word count: 943

note: Exchampionshipping Week Day 5 - Weakness

Read on AO3

The last time Kieran had lost a battle, it was against Nemona. The countless battles he had against her were ruthless. He knows from Juliana that that's just how she is. She loves battles more than anything else.

He'd taken his loss pretty well, way better compared to when he was a Champion. Besides, he knows that Nemona is no pushover; she'd been a Champion longer than him or Juliana. Losing to someone like her shouldn't be surprising.

A little voice in the back of his mind said otherwise. He should have used a different tactic, should have known what he was doing the second time they battled, and should have won by the third battle.

His gaze focuses on his notes. They look like a scribbled mess of how he could have tackled her Pokemon differently.

Even if he was no longer a Champion, he should rival her in strength, right?

It's not like anyone from Blueberry Academy saw his failure, and he did have fun while battling her, but...something inside of him said otherwise.

If he lost this time, who is to say he won't lose again? All his training had gone down the drain, all for nothing. He'd be back at the bottom, back to being a weakling.

Something taps his head, not hard but enough to pull him out of his spiraling thoughts. Kieran looks up with sharp eyes, but they soften when seeing who it is.

"Drayton...?" Kieran blinks as if coming out of a haze.

"You're out here late," Drayton replies. His other hand rests on his hip while the one that tapped Kieran's head falls to the side.

"Y-Yeah, I was...studying."

"Battle tactics?"

Kieran nervously looks away. It's no secret that he likes to study and learn more about Pokemon. He finds it fun to learn something he could use later. But he also knows that he can take it to another level if left unchecked.

He hears a sigh escape Drayton. It didn't sound exhausted like usual; this one sounded more concerned.

"And here I thought you weren't going to obsess over battles anymore."

"I-I'm not!" He shouts as he looks at him, desperation in his eyes for the other boy to believe his words.

He isn't going to fall back into that pitfall trap, not again. He knows better. It's just...old habits die hard. Kieran had been in that strong mindset for so long that he struggled to get out of it every now and then. He has fun now, his love for battling returned, but his mind would fall back onto how his Pokemon could take down the opponent more efficiently.

The mess of notes probably isn't helping his case either. He didn't need to do this; he didn't need to look or be the strongest anymore. A part of him didn't want to, yet another part of him said otherwise.

"I just..." He holds his breath and sighs. His fists unclench- he didn't even know they were in the first place. "I dunno."

"You need a break." It's a firm statement from Drayton. The older boy moves his hand to playfully ruffle Kieran's hair, making his ponytail loose on purpose. It elicits a whine from the younger boy.

"I'd suggest a nap, but at this hour? Probably just head to bed." Drayton yawns as if tired, although it's hard to tell when he's always caught snoozing somewhere.

"Fine, fine..." Kieran swats away his hand. He doesn't have the energy to fix his hair, not when he's just going to end up lying in bed shortly. For now, he closes his notebook and lets out a breath.

"You're not weak, ya know?" Drayton says. Kieran's head perks up, looking at him. "You're a strong trainer. One of the strongest I know."

Kieran instinctively thinks that he's just messing with him. At least he should be. It's rare for Drayton to say something like this so earnestly, without an added playful comment to get the younger boy to bark at him.

"Thanks...?" He finally replies after a moment.

"Welcome." Drayton doesn't say anything else before starting to walk towards the door. "By the way," he pauses right before leaving. "You're cuter when you're not stressin' about battles."

"Huh?!" Kieran's face burns, and he nearly jumps from his seat when he hears Drayton say that. The older boy only grins, offering no other explanation before walking out with a yawn, and leaving Kieran in confused silence.

"He...He's just messing with me, right?" He mutters to himself, glad that no one is around to witness what just happened. Maybe he's just tired. And hungry. He realizes that he had accidentally skipped a meal, considering that it's time for him to head to bed.

With another sigh, he starts to put his notebook and pens away. As he does, he finds something out of place, something not his.

A chocolate granola bar.

It's not his, or else he would have munched on it earlier. No one else had come in here aside from Drayton, at least, as far as he's aware. His hand lingers over it before picking it up. He turns to the door as if expecting Drayton to come back and explain himself, but he doesn't.

Kieran plays with the wrapper, not opening it just yet. His gaze still lingers on the door while his mind wanders elsewhere. He shouldn't worry about what Drayton thinks of him. The older boy thinks he's strong anyway, and that's good enough, right?

Deciding it's best not to let his thoughts wander, he heads to his dorm room with something to snack on the way.

[bitway-arts]

title: wedding bells

summary: Kieran and Drayton can finally relax during Carmine's wedding.

ship: Exchampionshipping - Drayton/Kieran

word count: 738

note: Exchampionshipping Week Day 4 - Marriage

Read on AO3

"Ya know, I never thought I'd see your sister get married," Drayton says as he sits back. He loosens his tie, glad that he no longer needs to look formal now that the actual ceremony is over.

The wedding reception is in full swing with all guests dancing and enjoying the party. Some people were still lingering, trying to finish their meals before joining in on the fun. But Drayton has never been one for these kinds of things.

Neither has Kieran.

As Carmine's brother, he did his part. He said a few things, wore a proud smile that faltered when tears threatened to fall. He couldn't let that happen, knowing that if he started to cry, his sister would shortly follow, even if they were tears of joy.

"That sounds mean..." Kiearn replies as he gives him a look. He knows that his boyfriend is just playing around, though.

"Chill. I'm glad she found someone to put up with her."

Drayton looks over at Carmine and Juliana. Both women are happy together, enjoying each other's presence as their party goes on.

A part of him isn't surprised this happened. He witnessed firsthand how close the two were and how much Juliana impacted Carmine's life. (Kieran's too). Even if she didn't want to admit it when they were younger, Drayton could tell how much she was affected by her. And using Juliana as a distraction to get away from Carmine was always worthwhile.

"It just sucks that we gotta stay here," Drayton sighs and slumps into his chair. Despite his complaints, he doesn't mind it too much. He understands the whole celebration thing, but he'd prefer to be somewhere quiet. Getting ready for this wedding had been exhausting, and he couldn't wait to catch up on lost sleep.

"You're lucky she isn't dragging you to the dance floor," Kieran replies. He imitates him, not fully relaxing into his seat, but after everything, he can finally unwind.

He'd been a target of his sister and was forced to dance earlier. Kieran prepared for it but still felt a little clumsy as he wanted her night to be perfect. She didn't mind the mistakes, just glad that her brother was here for her.

Now that he wasn't needed on the dance floor, he could enjoy the sweets laid out for the guests. A plate is still on the table, and he'd been slowly picking out the remains. Dinner was heavy, but he'd find a way to make room for dessert.

"Mhm," Drayton hums, putting his hands behind his head and tilting the chair back slightly to get comfortable. He watches Kieran pop one of the small chocolate cookies into his mouth.

"D'ya think our reception would be this hectic?" He asks casually.

Kieran nearly chokes on the cookie, but manages to swallow it down.

"Wh-What?!" He gasps and looks at him, cheeks aflame with wide eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Ya know...when we get married and have somethin' like this. If you want to do this anyway."

Kieran stares at him as if he just said something incredibly stupid, which he often does, but this sounds crazy. How could he say something like that so casually?

"Wh-Why are you thinkin' about that now? It's not like you've asked me yet..." Kieran turns his head, mumbling out the last part.

"I know." Drayton closes his eyes and drowns out the rest of the party. "It's a total hassle to go through it all. I remember Carmine yellin' at ya cuz she was stressed. Thing is...I guess it's worth having a whole celebration when she looks so happy. Just thought that you might look the same."

He opens an eye and catches Carmine. She's smiling brighter than he's ever seen her before. Planning a wedding is a goddamn nightmare, but it really is worth it in the end. Especially if he can see Kieran smiling just as brightly, too.

"W-We shouldn't make tonight about us," Kieran manages to say. "It's their special day."

"Right, right. Just thinkin' aloud," Drayton hums as he lets the chair back down, tired of holding his own weight. He reaches out for a cookie before Kieran can grab it. Instead of eating it, he holds it to his boyfriend's lips, waiting for him to eat it.

"And I'll ask ya properly later too, 'k? So you better be ready to give me an answer."

[bitway-arts]

title: it's not just a phase

summary: Drayton tries to get Kieran to have a friendly battle with him.

ship: Exchampionshipping - Drayton/Kieran

word count: 788

note: Exchampionshipping Week Day 3 - angst

Read on AO3

"Hey, hey, Kiki~!" Drayton cheerily calls out to the Champion. He doesn't rush to his side, even when Kieran comes to a sudden halt. The dragon-type trainer takes this as a good sign.

"Oh ho, you stopped for me? Should consider myself lucky," he grins as he saunters to Kieran's side. Once there, he places a hand on his shoulder.

Kieran doesn't react.

"What's the matter? Meowth got your tongue?"

"What do you want, Drayton?" Kieran asks, his tone as cold as an Ice Beam. And the way he says his name, spitting it out like he's forced to acknowledge his presence.

"Well...just thought you might wana have a friendly battle, ya know? Haven't had one in a while."

That gets Kieran to turn his head and look at him. If there's one way to get the Champion's attention these days, it's with a battle.

"You haven't been training."

Kieran is right, he hasn't. Not since losing to him and watching his Pokemon fall to this new Kieran. His Pokemon are plenty strong, and no one has the upper hand against him, not even Lacey. He was able to stay at the top with ease.

Until Kieran came back from that field trip.

Losing his status wasn't a bad thing. Honestly, if someone wanted the Champion title, he was more than happy to pass it on. Just...not like this. Not under the command of someone who's lost their joy in battles and turned the league into something it shouldn't be. Yes, it should be a serious club for the students, but a part of battling is having fun.

The way Kieran is running things, the club has lost any ounce of what it may have once had.

"Doesn't mean we can't battle, does it?"

Kieran stares at him long and hard. His dark and hollow gaze would scare any other student away. But Drayton is different. He holds his ground with that casual, relaxed smile on his face. He's never been frightened of the tyrant Champion, rather...disheartened. Not that he lets it show.

"You're not worth my time," Kieran answers before forcefully swiping Drayton's hand off his shoulder. "The outcome will be the same."

Drayton lets his hand fall. His fingers twitch, but his arm doesn't move.

"Ya sure about that?"

"Positive."

Silence stretches between them. For once, Drayton doesn't have anything to say. He could usually think of something to get under someone's nerves or elicit a reaction, good or bad. He's tried it before with Kieran, but only receives a cold stare in response.

"Kiki-"

Kieran's eyes narrow when he hears that nickname.

"Don't call me that," he hisses.

He gets it. That's something only his sister called him, but he'd gotten away with it before. Carmine had stopped saying it whenever he was around. Maybe he didn't like how it sounds. Too cute for a Champion or perhaps it's just a reminder of how he was the baby brother.

Drayton falls quiet once more. Their eyes meet, golden and yellow clashing silently. Kieran's eyes no longer hold their radiant shine. If he hadn't seen the way he used to be, before all this, he'd think that he never had light in his eyes in the first place.

"And stop wasting my time," Kieran turns with a huff. "Only challenge me when you're serious."

The Champion turns his head and leaves him. Drayton's hand lifts for a moment, wanting to reach out and get him to stay, but it doesn't get very far. It lingers half-heartedly in the air before falling back to his side.

He stays still, watching Kieran head down the hall until he disappears from sight. His smile finally fades as he lets out a deep sigh he'd been holding in for far too long.

"Nothing's working, huh?" He whispers to himself. "It's not just a phase..."

His head hangs low, gaze drifting down. Seeing Kieran like this stings. He wishes that this was just a bad dream he could wake up from. If things could go back to the way they were, he would take that Champion title back in a heartbeat. Although doing just that probably wouldn't fix him now.

His name suddenly rings throughout the hall. His ears perk up as he picks up on that voice.

Lacey.

Within the blink of an eye, Drayton is wearing that dopey smile, acting as if he had never been heartbroken mere moments ago. No one should see the ex-Champ beating himself up over a loss. No one needs to know how much it hurts, either.

All they need to see is an Elite Four member, a slacker, who is, secretly, doing his best, trying to put things back together.

[perelka-l]

Injury

For Day 2 of Exchampionshipping Week ^w^

[bitway-arts]

title: Ice Burns

summary: Kieran finds out that Drayton got hurt after he saved him from a wild Pokemon.

ship: Exchampionshipping - Drayton/Kieran

word count: 708

note: Exchampionshipping Week Day 2 - Injury

Read on AO3

"You're hurt..." Kieran says as he looks at Drayton.

It's not obvious; he isn't in pain, or at least isn't showing it. But Kieran knows better. He sees it in his movements, how his normally lax posture stiffens with each movement, like he's carefully avoiding moving too much. Most would overlook it, thinking Drayton is just being lazy, but it just looks unnatural to him.

"I dunno what you're talking about," Drayton waves off his worries. He turns his head away from him, hands resting on his lap rather than behind his head.

Kieran huffs, glaring at him. Of course, he would try to hide this.

"You do." He taps his foot against the ground, thinking of how to press him for an answer. He's never been good at it. If he tries too hard, Drayton somehow turns the tables on him. There has to be a way to get him to talk.

An idea strikes. It might not be the best, but it's something he hasn't done before. Kieran takes in a breath before going up to Drayton.

Without warning, he grips the loose sleeve of his jacket and tugs it up, revealing more skin.

"Hey!" Drayton shouts, his cool facade breaking for just a moment.

"There." Kieran's eyes lock onto the very obvious injury. There's a patch of skin that's red and cold to the touch. He swears that he can still see the ice surrounding it.

Drayton doesn't let him inspect his injury any longer. For once, he's rough, pulling away from him so he can pull down his sleeve. He winces, but tries to play it off.

"It's nothing."

"It's nothing...?" Kieran repeats quietly. His glare darkens, reminding Drayton of the time when he was obsessed with being strong. Although it feels different this time. "It's not nothing! You're hurt!"

Drayton sighs.

"I get hurt all the time," he leans back, putting one hand behind his head. He's unable to lift the other one, keeping it in his lap. "It's fine."

Kieran frowns. Normally, he wouldn't care so much. Drayton can take care of himself. He's strong enough to handle dragons from a young age, so something like this shouldn't mean anything. It's an injury that will heal in time.

But Kieran is the reason he was hurt in the first place.

Alolan Ninetales are rare. Normally, Alolan Vulpix are found running around the Polar Biome, never their evolved form. Curiosity got the better of him when he found one. Kieran never meant to intrude upon its territory, but perhaps he had gotten close enough to be considered a threat.

He tried to get one of his Pokemon out, but the cold made it hard to call one out. The trainer fumbled as the wild Pokemon approached. Its mouth opened, ready to hit him with an Ice Beam.

But the cold blast never hit him. Instead, he was tackled to the snow just in time. Drayton kept him covered while his Archaludon was already dealing with the Ninetales, scaring it off to protect the humans. Kieran couldn't tell if he had been hit; everything happened so fast. He didn't hesitate when Drayton said they should head to the Polar Plaza.

Drayton should have been fine. He shouldn't have gotten hurt for his sake. Kieran's gaze lingers on his sleeve, the one hiding his cold injury. His fists clench without realizing it.

"You're really going to make this a big deal?"

"Yes!" He shouts before realizing that he raised his voice. It wasn't intentional. He lowers his voice, speaking quietly. "I mean...you're hurt cuz of me. I should have reacted faster. It was a stupid move on my part."

Drayton doesn't tease him or reassure him that he's fine. He looks at the younger boy and lets out a long sigh.

"Didn't want to worry ya," he replies, genuinely concerned. Kieran looks at him, catching a glimpse of a sad smile on his face before it turns into his usual grin. "Anyway, if you want, ya can help take care of me."

Kieran wants to agree despite the ominous feeling in his gut. Maybe he can help until the ice burn goes away.

"Sure."

"Cool! You can hand feed me-"

"I take it back."

[bitway-arts]

title: A Dragon Egg

summary: Caring for a Pokemon Egg is something Kieran didn't expect to be doing anytime soon. And he didn't expect to be caring for one with Drayton either.

ship: Exchampionshipping - Drayton/Kieran

word count: 1257

note: Exchampionshipping Week Day 1 - Dragons

Read on AO3

Kieran is not a dragon-type specialist. He doubts that he'll ever be one. He has two on his team, both strong Pokemon who helped him reach the top rank in the league at school. Any more would ruin his team's balance. It's not like he wants to get demolished by certain type advantages. So, he's perfectly fine with only having two dragons on his team.

The only exception he'll make is for the one that will hatch from this Pokemon Egg.

The boy stares at it intently as if waiting for the little one to come out. It's currently nestled on the bed, surrounded by blankets and pillows. Probably too much, in his eyes, but according to the dragon expert, this was necessary.

"Staring at it won't help it hatch, ya know?" Drayton says.

"I know," he rolls his eyes.

Drayton sits up on the bed, currently behind the mountain of a nest. He adds another blanket to the pile, this one nearly concealing the Egg.

"You could just let our Dragonites keep it warm."

"I could," Drayton replies as he looks over the pile and deems how comfortable the Egg is. After a moment, he moves back, careful not to jostle the bed too much with his movements, as he has his back against the wall. "But they'll get tired. This is an easier way to take care of it without an incubator."

The school had offered them one the moment they were alerted to having an Egg. An incubator would help ease the process for both trainers and Pokemon, and yet Drayton had declined the offer. It shocked Kieran more than he would like to admit. Incubators were easy, less hassle than whatever this is. All they had to do was leave it in there and keep an eye on it. Instead, Drayton announced that he would take care of it...and that Kieran would help.

Kieran didn't argue with him, for once. The Egg had come from both of their Dragonites, so he had some responsibility for it too. He was ready to take charge and take care of it, thinking that Drayton wouldn't bother with caring for an Egg.

To his surprise, Drayton did put more care into the Egg than he initially thought. Kieran had given him a look of disbelief whenever Drayton took charge of it. Normally, he would think the other boy was tricking him, telling him how dragon-type Eggs need special attention and all that. As much as he wanted to doubt the older boy, he was more knowledgeable when it came to dragon-types. If surrounding the Egg in a pile of blankets and pillows would help, then it has to be true.

Probably.

"Still," Kieran sighs before settling onto one of Drayton's plush beanie bag seats. He sinks into it and regrets his decision immediately. "It's been almost two weeks, and it's not even moving..."

He looks at the egg with worry in his eyes. He's never taken care of one before. The school does offer a class on Eggs, but it hardly seemed important when choosing classes. Even with his minimal knowledge, he thinks that it should have moved occasionally.

"Ah, don't worry about that. Dragons take the longest to hatch. Let them rest while they can."

"Feels like you're just sayin' that so you don't have to take care of the baby..."

"Hmm...maybe!" Drayton grins.

Kieran sighs and sinks into his seat. He tries to get comfortable, but can't. He doesn't understand how Drayton finds this comfy.

As he tries to adjust himself, he notices the egg move. Just a little. But it's enough to get him motivated to escape the beanie bag seat and get onto his feet.

"Didja see that?!"

"'Course," Drayton says, a little unenthused.

Kieran ignores his comment, gaze focusing on the Egg. His eyes go wide as he watches it shake slightly. As the shaking increases, his mind begins to race with far too many questions.

Is it hatching already? What does he need for a newborn Dratini? Berries? Moomoo milk? Even more blankets? He tries to recall what Drayton had told him, but most of what Kieran remembers is him telling him that he shouldn't worry so much.

His thoughts are cut short as the Egg's shell begins to crack. He takes a step back to give it room. As the cracks begin to grow, the Egg shakes more and begins to glow. After one final shake, the shell cracks apart, and a Dratini is left in the nest.

"W-Wait- no way...?" Kieran gasps as he sees the Dratini. "A pink Dratini...?"

The little dragon shakes off a piece of the shell, its cute, big eyes looking up at Kieran. It lets out a happy cry, wiggling around in place. It seems oblivious to how special it really is.

"Oh man," Drayton actually sits up, no longer resting his back against the wall. He looks over from behind the pile to get a better look at the Dratini. He whistles when seeing it up close. "Even I haven't seen a pink one before."

"Can't believe it..." Kieran mumbles. He's never had the luck to see a different colored Pokemon before. Sure, he's heard the tales and sightings of some, but not many trainers get a chance to encounter one.

The Dratini is still wiggling in excitement, its whole body shaking with joy. It escapes the remains of the egg, tumbling out of it and onto the hoard of blankets. Perhaps that is what they're meant for. Still, better to be safe than sorry, Kieran carefully scoops the Dratini into his arms.

"Ya gotta be careful!" He tells it. The Dratini doesn't seem to understand him yet. Instead, it raises its head to nuzzle his cheek.

"Aww, it likes ya. Think yer guna be the favorite," Drayton chuckles as he watches the scene play out before him.

Kieran wants to snap back at him, but finds it hard with a new baby Pokemon in his arms. Rather than staying still, it starts to slither around him, finding itself comfortable as it hangs loosely around his shoulders.

"I don't mind," he says, smiling and holding back a chuckle as it nuzzles his cheek again.

It makes him recall training his own Dratini. He was...different back then. Maybe he wasn't the perfect trainer for it, but it's not like his team hated him. They were trained to be strong.

This Dratini didn't have to be. It's too young to put into the battling scene. Even if some are raring to go and fight, he'd rather let this one take it easy. After a moment, he reaches out to gently pat Dratini's head.

"It's cute..."

"Has it charmed ya already?"

"You know, I'm not letting you dump all the responsibility on me. Don't forget your Dragonite also helped with this," Kieran says, pausing his affectionate moment with the Dratini to remind Drayton.

"Man...I can't escape ya, huh?" He sighs, but not in a bothered way. He knows the tone that he uses when Drayton finds something to be a real drag. That wasn't it.

"Nope! Besides, you got more experience with'em. And I'm...going to need your help..." It's embarrassing to admit that, especially to Drayton of all people.

"Alright, alright, since ya asked nicely. Guess we can play mom and pops."

"N-Not like that!" Kieran's face flushes. Drayton laughs at his reaction while Dratini looks confused. The only thing it can do is nuzzle Kieran more, hoping that would help.

[exchampionshipping]

Feel free to start posting your work once its June 7th in your timezone! @/ the blog or use the tag #exchampionshippingweek2026 for visibility!

If a post is missed, please feel free to send a DM/ask for us to reblog it!

[exchampionshipping]

I am curious on what constitutes as exchampionshipping, like Steven Stone/Cynthia or anything involving the champions? I wanna join this year

Exchampionshipping (or Dragoncheershipping) is for the ship between Kieran and Drayton from the Scarlet/Violet DLC! So it would be anything between those two characters.

This is unfortunately not a general Pokemon Champion ship week, but that does sound like a cool idea for one!

[exchampionshipping]

Exchampionship week starts next week!

If you need a reminder you can check out the rules and prompts!

[exchampionshipping]

Here are the general rules for the ship week! They can also be found on the blog along with the prompts!

Be nice to one another! There will be no ship bashing/hate allowed! Along with that, no harassment either. So any form of hate in works will not be reblogged.

NSFW must be tagged properly! If your work is not properly tagged, it will not be reblogged.

all works must be new and your own!

you do not need to do multiple prompts for one day. pick one and have fun!

@ the account and use the tag #exchampionshippingweek2026 to have your work reblogged. If missed, please send a message so we can reblog it!

late entries are okay! This event is for fun, so don’t feel obligated to post everything in one week. 

AI generated work is not allowed.

[exchampionshipping]

Interest Check is now closed! Will be making the official posting hopefully by next weekend! Thank you all for your interest in this event!

[exchampionshipping]

If you haven't filled out the interest check, please do! It closes at the end of this week!