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sticky. warm water always proves a messy solvent. with a resigned sigh, daniel abandons the smell of his own filth. he doesn't expect a towel and warm milk to greet him because that's fucking weird. that's why they exit together.[break][break]

they shower together: their spirits are alive, bubbling with emotions that were once pushed down when rocket first arrived. but now those emotions that he so cherishes aren't being threatened anymore. he allows it to overcome him as he smiles, he giggles, he lives here in this moment with her.[break][break]

it all ends too soon. he feels it coming and he tries to stretch out a single moment into an eternity. if he doesn't move, if he just stands across her and admires her, cherishes her, then he'll get lost in the moment and stay in their bubble forever, right?[break][break]

wrong.[break][break]

it bursts when they step out of the warm showers. he feels his muscle relax, feeling much less tense than when they first arrived. the hot springs worked their magic and she was right: he did love it.[break][break]

"what next?" he asks as he puts his pants on, tugging them up his legs. "i don't want to go back yet. you hungry?" there must be one place open in the entire town. unfortunately for them, they won't get a chance to explore.[break][break]

the doors burst open the moment he picks up his belt that has his pokeballs lined up neatly, arranged in order of his choosing. two men stand over them, donning dark colors with a familiar insignia on it. he tenses up immediately and looks over to bailey: his first priority is always her. always.[break][break]

'fuck you! we finally found you. where are you hiding the professor, you little shits?'[break][break]

guns are pointed at the league officers. but he notices a slight shake to their hands; perhaps they aren't as professional as they'd like to be. he knows what to do, but he knows he has to work as a team. so he'll follow her lead.

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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