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he travels through the night.[break][break]

people are shaken up by the fall of slateport and that's fine, that's normal, but what's not fine is how seemingly okay he seems to be with it all. there are no nightmares that haunt him, no nightmares that plague him in his sleep. he pretends like he's afflicted by the same symptoms because it's easier than being the odd one out, but for bailey, he's contemplating telling her the truth:[break][break]

slateport as a whole doesn't haunt him, but there is something specific that does.[break][break]

"we'll be fine. if things go bad just get behind me and i'll be your knight." he has to stop himself from laughing.[break][break]

the soft purr of the engine dying out starts to settle into the rest of the night. he takes a moment to really take in his surroundings: he notices the subtle lights that escape through tiny square windows, notices how light the air feels compared to slateport or even mauville. they're away, isolated from the rest of the world, much like their first.[break][break]

"how does it feel?" he steps over and places the helmet on her bike. "to be home."[break][break]

behind them stands their source of enjoyment and relaxation for the night. it awaits them: esteemed guests to bless the hot waters. but even now he finds calm with his partner; it's evident by the usual smile on his face.

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When Bailey stepped away from the bike, her hand naturally sought his; fingers easily slipping into Daniel's grasp, feeling a warmth that seeped through her skin. It was a comfort. It brought a sense of security... and his offer coaxed her first laugh of the night, breaking the somber expression that had been fixed to her face. Finally, her mood lightened.[break][break]

It was not the events of Slateport that weighed on her mind, but the implication that it could happen here, where the people were kind and unable to defend themselves.[break][break]

“You just got out of the hospital,” except, he had not been released as the hospital had intended. His rehab had been brought to a premature end, or so Bailey presumed as she remembered the sight of Rocket Members storming the streets of Slateport. “Let's not put you in another.” She wanted him safe. She wanted him right where he was–right next to her.[break][break]

They were partners, both in their work and in their personal lives.[break][break]

The streets were empty. People were likely sealed in their homes, glued to their televisions as the invasion was broadcast for the world to see. Slateport must have fallen into Rocket's hands by now. She has no doubts about it. “Not sure.” The word home sizzled in her gut, rousing memories of a girl that wanted to be anywhere but Lavaridge. It was a simple place. Its comforts had been wasted on her and her teenage rebellion.[break][break]

“I guess I missed it,” and she returned his smile, trying to match his stride. The waters would be warm; they always were. A good soak would ease her body of its burdens. “The springs aren't open right now... but I know where they keep the keys.” Under the mat, right by the front door.[break][break]

She could see the steam rising in the distance. “Does that sound tempting?”

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whatever worry flees the moment he feels her fingers intertwining with his. he smiles before he even turns to look at her. it's warmth that's indescribable; warmth that exists even in the coldest of nights. he's lucky and he knows it. he won't ever take it for granted.[break][break]

"yeah, but that means they're expecting me. i can't let them down."[break][break]

the joke is clear but in his mind he knows he means more than what he says. he can't let her down. he needs her as much as she needs him, and the two of them are on the same wavelength in that regard.[break][break]

the city's quiet; the people are inside; but that's expected, and so is her suggestion. the hot springs is one of lavaridge's most famous, and probably only, tourist attraction. he knows he doesn't have to answer because his actions do it for him.[break][break]

he gently tugs her by her hand and leads them towards the hot springs. he's not a native but he's been here on missions, so he's relatively acquainted with how the streets are.[break][break]

"as long as you're there."[break][break]

it doesn't take them long until they reach the hot springs.

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If only the night could last forever. They could get lost in another moment. They could pretend that the next day would never come. “Of course,” and Bailey gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. She closed her eyes, suppressing the thoughts that would come when tomorrow came; the loss would be staggering. [break][break]

Hoenn was falling apart. [break][break]

She fetched the keys when they arrived, unlocking the door to the lounge that petered to the locker rooms; the hot springs were supposed to be separated by gender, but they wouldn't abide by those rules. Not when they were alone. “You can get it wet, right?” And Bailey gestured to Daniel's metal limb. “It doesn't... detach, does it?” These were innocent questions that she had pondered, but never asked. [break][break]

Her unawareness roused a tinge of red that reached her face. “Erm. Never mind. Dumb question,” and she tried to backtrack from the subject as she walked to the rows of lockers, each opened and emptied. When tomorrow came, she knew this place would stay closed. The region would have a day of mourning. Nobody would think to wash away their woes. [break][break]

There was a stack of white towels, neatly folded. She had to break her hand away from his, only because she had started to shed off her jacket.

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tonight, he wants to live in the bubble they've created: their bubble, where they can ignore the rest of the world in favor of each other, even if only just for one night. he's been deprived of it; deprived of her for far too long. he realizes it when he relishes how she squeezes his hand and how her warmth compliments his. it never overpowers.[break][break]

maybe it's the mischief and excitement that comes from breaking and entering but he feels young again. he feels alive, here, with her; there's no where else he'd rather be.[break][break]

"i can get it wet, yes." it's the only response he'll give to her, allowing the innuendo to play with the silence that follows. her question, while dumb, is also cute and meaningful at the same time. he appreciates the thought.[break][break]

he watches her turn her back and feels her slipping out of his reach. the sudden coldness hits him harder than he expects and he's left wanting more. he needs her warmth, needs her close to him, in his arms, by his side. she sheds her jacket and he sheds his. she sheds her shirt and he sheds his. he's not sure when he closed the distance but he reaches out and finds his hand on her bare waist. he kisses the side of her neck, gentle with his touch as his hands graze across her skin, reaching around her to pull her closer. [break][break]

tonight, they'll live in their bubble again.

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His words tempt her with their warm suggestions–as tempting as the heat of his breath against her nape. They had been apart for too long. She knows it. He knows it. It encouraged her to melt the moment his hand reached for her; the moment she felt his lips press against her neck.[break][break]

Bailey gasped to the sensations, knowing it wouldn't be the last time he'd coax these sounds from her.[break][break]

“I missed you,” and her skin prickled beneath the soft grazing of his fingers. One hand was warm. The other was cold. She appreciated the contrast as he guided her against him. It roused memories of that night on the beach, but it would be different this time. They were familiar with one another. There was no urgency to acquaint themselves; no urgency to learn. Now, they knew.[break][break]

Hunger drove her to take his hands, leading them to where she wanted them to go; just like last time, she let her intentions be known.[break][break]

Confessions easily spill from her lips, murmured as he kept his mouth to her pulse. They were requests that only he could hear. After Slateport–after running through the dark train tunnels to the beat of the throes of the people–she forgot how nice it felt to be safe in his arms. “More.”[break][break]

~ ~ ~

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warmth is fleeting but he doesn't feel cold anymore, not when he has her next to him, not when he has his fingers intertwined with hers as he leads her out towards the hot springs. the parition that normally separates them doesn't even come into play as they ignore rules and regulations, and again, it makes him feel young and alive.[break][break]

"this is my first time." his words are laced with a double-entendre that he catches on to the moment it leaves his mouth. "not like that. i mean with the hot springs. i've never been before." his cheeks are slightly flushed but he recovers almost instantly. shaking it off, he leads her into the warm waters.[break][break]

steam rises off the surface, coating the surrounding air in white mist that refuses to dissipate even in their presence. but it's not enough to cloud either of them; he looks at her through the steam and smiles, relishing her company.[break][break]

his heart beats slowly. "i'm going to be honest with you," he starts, shifting in the water. "i wasn't afraid of dying back there. it wasn't really on my mind, not even when i engaged in battle. but i was afraid."[break][break]

a pause.[break][break]

"i was afraid of losing you."

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The innocence of his confession made her laugh as she walked him to the ledge. It mirrored her own embarrassment from earlier. Sometimes, they were on the same wavelength. It was frightening how familiar they could be; how their minds could follow the same train of logic without even a glance. [break][break]

One step, then another, before Bailey was able to sink down and let the surface of the springs brush against her shoulders. “You'll love it.” There was nothing that these waters couldn't cure. She had spent so many hours in this place, trying to wash away the worries that a day could bring. Right now, she wondered if they would be strong enough to sap the stress from her body. [break][break]

“We can take it slow.” She teased, feeding on his brief embarrassment as Daniel joined her. Her hands sought him, drifting close while enjoying the feeling of weightlessness that the waters brought. Her fingers laced as her arms looped around his neck... and she sensed that something was on his mind. It shone in his eyes. [break][break]

A sad smile pulled at her lips as he spoke. Like the beach, they would share their concerns and be vulnerable. Bailey does not object; it needed to happen. A threat was starting to manifest. Their lives were being threatened. If they didn't speak their minds now, would they ever get the chance? “I... know what you mean.” She'd lean, tapping foreheads with him. “I got so wrapped up in the moment,” but it had been pretty funny to watch her Pyukumuku deck a Rocket Member. [break][break]

She cleared her throat, touched at the next confession that left his lips. It weighed heavily, as if to remind her that her reckless nature–their reckless nature–could come to hurt them. “When you joined the fight at the station, I was surprised... worried? Maybe? I knew you would be okay. If there was anyone I could count on, it'd be you,” but she had seen him hurt, before. [break][break]

“But, I didn't want to see you hurt. Not again.”

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they take it slow. he feels the water move under their weight, shifting and flowing so elegantly as their movements guide its weight. he feels the warmth against his skin, strong but not enough to overpower his senses, engulfing him entirely. he feels her arms looping around his neck, evoking a familiar sensation within him. he feels her eyes on him, kind and caring, lost in his. his reflects the same.[break][break]

it sucks that he has to dampen the mood but if he doesn't say it now, he's not sure if he'll ever get a chance to because that's just how rocket are. they're unpredictable: they bring a knife to a pokemon fight; they try to take his eye with said knife. thankfully, the two are usually on the same wavelength. this time is no different: neither of them want to ruin the night but they both know this is something they have to talk about.[break][break]

it's good to share. it's healthy to confide. and if he has to pick someone to talk to, he'd pick her. always.[break][break]

"almost lost an eye," he whispers a joke and accompanies it with a wink. but her words resonate deep within him, garnering similar thoughts to rise to the surface. "you won't have to. never again." it's an unspoken promise and it's one he'll try his best to keep, but he knows there will be instances where his promise might flicker and fade.[break][break]

he shifts to kiss her cheek. "i'll keep you safe, bailey. don't you worry." he's careful with his choice of words and won't say 'keep us safe', because deep down he knows if it boils down to it, he'd give his life to make sure she's safe.[break][break]

brushing strands of hair away from her face, he speaks again. "i'm just scared i won't be enough."

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Bailey could have spent the entire night uttering promises. [break][break]

She kissed his cheek, against the side of his face that had been threatened. “I do like your scars, but let's not get excessive,” and Daniel's reassurance was a band-aid to their wounds–it would cover the problem, but it could never fix them. Not while they were still in Hoenn–not while this conflict continued to grow–but, she knew he would do his best to uphold his word. It gave his promise weight. [break][break]

“We'll be together,” if he wasn't enough, then maybe they could pull through; together. Luck would favor the bold. Her fingers brushed against the polished metal; rubbed the scar and the ridge that separated man from machine. [break][break]

“I won't worry.” They were partners. They would see this through. “We beat up Regirock, remember? A legendary,” and she laughed, trying to belittle what was happening beyond the confines of the hot springs. It...kinda worked.

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either they're incredibly lucky, or maybe, just maybe, they're actually good at what they do; because there has to be a reason why they're still alive despite the shit they went through. despite the shit they do! her words spark laughter from him as he thinks back to the ruins: at how they battled an actual legendary and lived to tell the tale.[break][break]

does that make them god slayers? probably.[break][break]

he smiles. he might not be enough alone but maybe he doesn't have to be. with her, they're enough. he's enough for her, and that's all that matters.[break][break]

but the problem will continue to persist because rocket aren't done with hoenn. they haven't even started yet. that much he knows and while it does scare him, he's willing to stay and fight if that's what she wants.[break][break]

their foreheads meet again. he breathes lowly, softly, careful with his words.[break][break]

"i'm going to stay and fight." he caresses her cheek with his thumb. "i think the region needs us, bailey. i can't just leave home." the alternative is running and while eloping with her has come across his mind, he can't do that to his family, to his home that he swore to protect. maybe it's the league officer inside him but he feels a sense of responsibility that he can't ignore.[break][break]

but for her, he might.[break][break]

"are you staying?"

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“I could never leave,” this was her home.[break][break]

Tomorrow, an exodus would begin. She could feel it coming. People would try to escape from Rocket. They would flock to the shores, to the ports, to any boat that was accessible to leave Hoenn and this conflict behind them. It had happened in Kanto. It would happen here; but, Bailey could never fathom the thought of running. She was too stubborn to let this place slip away from her.[break][break]

In her backpack, there were two tickets in a manila envelope; two tickets for a boat ride to Sinnoh. It wasn't for them. It was for her family. She had made their decision for them. “I can't start over. I can't uproot myself,” even if, at one point in her life, she would have killed for the opportunity.[break][break]

Maybe Bailey Cooper had matured. If anyone had said that out loud, she would have immediately protested. Some things never changed.[break][break]

“I'm not running,” and she leaned herself against him.

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same wavelength. always.[break][break]

while she has taken precautions to ensure the safety of her family, he hasn't decided on what to do with his own; because as much as he loves them and wants them to be safe, he's under the impression that the closer they are to him, the more safe he can keep them. what he fails to realize, or maybe he does and is too selfish to compromise, is that keeping them here also puts them closer to rocket.[break][break]

no, he's not selfish, at least not in that regard. he knows why he doesn't want them to go; it's the same reason why he doesn't want her to go: he's scared of being alone.[break][break]

her words are a gentle lull that eases his conscience. "i'm not running." he mirrors her words and actions as she leans her body against him. he relishes her touch, craves the feeling of her skin against his, and his against hers. the water has been allowed to remain still for far too long.[break][break]

each action causes a ripple. he kisses her but it's not enough. he pulls her closer but it's not enough. cravings look to be satisfied as his hands roam familiar territories, grabbing on as if afraid she'd slip away.[break][break]

the steam isn't the only thing that rises.

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