Taking time to recover and Mars are two things that don’t go together well.
[break][break]
It’s too fucking boring and ultimately he’s too much of a busy person to just sit around all day.
[break][break]
One day of resting at home and he was already back at the office the next morning as if nothing had happened at all; not being able to even go for a run has made him restless and at least the painkillers help with pretending he’s as perfectly fine as always.
[break][break]
He probably shouldn’t be pushing himself, sure, but a mission with Cian? There’s no way Mars would have ever said no.
[break][break]
”Cian, I’m fine.”
[break][break]
He smiles with that usual confidence of his, and yet when Cian tries to poke his ribs, he catches the finger, even though he knows it wouldn’t hurt as much as Cian probably expects. Not when days have passed. Not when he has taken some stupidly strong painkillers.
[break][break]
An eyebrow is raised.
[break][break]
”I’ll let you do most of the work, promise. Let me at least help, I’ve been bored as hell.”
[break][break]
With this, there’s a smirk, even though boredom is definitely not the reason why insists on doing this.



[BREAK][BREAK]

+ CIAN MAHER

his finger's caught but he doesn't bother to wiggle it free; he's perfectly fine with just letting mars hold it.

stubborn, as expected.

"the way i intend to do things isn't like fallarbor, mars. it'll be quick, fast, and you're going to need to keep up."

the smirk is mirrored but behind it is genuine concern. mars will only turn into a liability if he isn't able to keep up, and the last thing cian wants is for him to feel that way.

"think you can do that?"

Martín del Mar

☉

”You’re underestimating me.”
[break][break]
He knows Cian is not. He knows it’s all really out of concern.
[break][break]
Knowing doesn’t stop it from being frustrating, though.
[break][break]
There a lot of things that annoy Mars, and a lot of things that peeve him. People underestimating him? People telling him he can’t do things? Those are high up in the list, but of course, he also has enough awareness of the situation to not let his frustrations show.
[break][break]
They only express themselves in the form of a sigh; one that doesn’t hurt as they did that night after Fallarbor.
[break][break]
Then, he shifts his grip of Cian’s finger in order to – if only for a short moment – hold his hand instead. He gently squeezes it, meeting his gaze.
[break][break]
”I can do it, but don’t do anything stupid.” The smirk returns, for he’s well aware that whatever Cian is planning would likely classify as “stupidly dangerous and reckless” in Mars’ own opinion.
[break][break]
Not like he’s never been on a reckless mission before though.
[break][break]
In fact, in the past there may have just been way too many.





[BREAK][BREAK]

+ CIAN MAHER

"i'm not."

he's just asking because he's concerned. the sigh is met with one of his own; it's one that he wishes he could've kept to himself.

holding mars' hand does calm him, though, and he appreciates the gesture.

cian has his doubts but he knows mars is stubborn enough to keep pushing. and so, with a nod, he gestures into the dark tunnel of rusturf.

"we're going to meet up with the archaeologist. a SANDSTORM is going to pick up, then we're going to hit them and run."

he turns to look at mars.

"smart enough?"

Martín del Mar

☉

It’s okay.
[break][break]
It will be okay.
[break][break]
He just has to remind himself of that.
[break][break]
It’s just a mission like any other, and Arceus be damned if Mars is going to let a stupid fracture hold him back. He’s had worse, and while not being in control of their plan or the situation bothers him (because, surprise surprise, Mars can be controlling), he does trust Cian…
[break][break]
’Then we're going to hit them and run.’
[break][break]
Great. He needs a good run.
[break][break]
”You and your fucking SANDSTORMS.” He laughs, teasing, a quick peck falling upon Cian’s cheek. “Really smart, but do you plan on just taking what’s there, or…? Archeologist is going to see our faces.”
[break][break]
He can’t help but consider the details, he’s been conditioned to do as much.



[BREAK][BREAK]

+ CIAN MAHER

the quick peck is warm, appreciated, and it makes him smile no matter how brief it may be, for his mind is focused on the mission at hand. so much can go wrong but he does his best not to focus on them.

cian chuckles, then winks, confident, cocky.

"you're a good actor, mars. i'm sure we'll be fine."

the SANDSTORM will provide them more than enough cover to feign innocence. it won't be them stealing the equipment, but their pokemon.

or at least cian's.

"it might be better for you to stay at a distance and not engage the archeologist. you're pretty famous, after all."

Martín del Mar

☉

‘You're a good actor, mars. I'm sure we'll be fine.’
[break][break]
He’s a great actor, actually, but that’s not the point here.
[break][break]
There are too many variables, too many unknown factors, too many things that could go wrong. But, Mars had promised Cian that this time around they’d do things his way, and so, he tells himself to relinquish control.
[break][break]
It’s fucking hard to relinquish control.
[break][break]
He takes a deep breath, and even if he doesn’t show it at all, there’s slight discomfort in doing so. Great.
[break][break]
”Mmm… True. What do you want me to do, then?”
[break][break]
Nothing, probably. Be useless. His stupid fame is getting in the way. Great, again.

[BREAK][BREAK]

+ CIAN MAHER

that's just the thing about this mission, isn't it? it's about how well mars will be able to relinquish control. could he simply sit back and watch from a distance? they're about to find out.

"sit back and watch from a distance."

it's said with a chuckle; his hand squeezing mars' to reassure him that everything will be okay.

he just has to trust him.

"when the SANDSTORM picks up, have your pokemon swoop in to steal the crate."

Martín del Mar

☉

As much as he knows Cian’s words are no more than a joke, Mars can’t help but groan at the mere thought. Just stand there and watch? It sounds fucking awful.
[break][break]
He’s frustrated, so he’s thankful for the way Cian chuckles and squeezes his hand; it pulls him away from those feelings and back to reality – it reminds him of what really matters, and of the reasons he's here.
[break][break]
”Cian.”
[break][break]
He meets his gaze.
[break][break]
Mars trusts him, even if this is nothing like the way he himself would have done things.
[break][break]
”Okay, I can do that. But, for the record… fuck you for always getting sand on my clothes.”
[break][break]
A smirk. He’s joking, but of course that part has to be mentioned.
[break][break]
Fucking SANDSTORMS.


[BREAK][BREAK]

+ CIAN MAHER

cian flashes a smirk, a wink, and chuckles before shaking his head.

"you should get used to it."

because this won't be the last SANDSTORM they'll face.

he leans in to give mars a parting kiss on his cheek before stepping away, stretching his arms out as he begins walking down the dark tunnel.

"don't miss me too much!"

Martín del Mar

☉

It definitely won’t be the last SANDSTORM, and Mars knows as much, so he resigns himself with a sigh and a chuckle, shaking his head as he looks at Cian.
[break][break]
”The things I put up with for you, huh?”
[break][break]
He grins, because it’s not as if he actually minds. Sure, sand on his clothes is annoying, and he wouldn’t tolerate it under most circumstances, but as it usually seems to be, things are different when it comes to Cian – at least those Mars is not stupidly stubborn about.
[break][break]
The kiss is as welcome as they always are, even if it’s meant as a temporary goodbye, and as he watches him step into the tunnel, he smiles.
[break][break]
”No promises on that. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
[break][break]
’Be careful’, that’s the meaning of those words, but then again, Mars can sure be reckless for someone who prides himself in being meticulous and thorough.
[break][break]
”See you soon.”



[BREAK][BREAK]

+ CIAN MAHER

"i'll try!"

and with those parting words, he disappears into the darkness of the tunnel, finding comfort in the way it seems to drown out all his senses here. he exhales, taking a moment to gather his thoughts before eventually seeing a flicker of light in the near distance.

"hey! you're the archaeologist, right? i'm here to help with the move."

his smile is friendly, innocent, even charming as he approaches. the two of them make casual small talk before they start their journey out of the tunnel, back the way cian had come from.

"this sure is heavy."

the moment they pass a little corner, cian sneakily calls a pokemon out. his tyranitar materializes behind them, hidden by the curvature of the walls.

soon, a SANDSTORM starts to pick up.

Martín del Mar

☉

It makes him worry, but there’s no reason why things should immediately go wrong.
[break][break]
He just has to trust that Cian can do this, right?
[break][break]
Mars knows how capable Cian can be in situations like these, and yet, as he waits leaning against a stone wall and watching the entrance to the tunnel from afar, he can’t help but sigh, bringing a hand over to his left side – the side that had been injured back at Fallarbor.
[break][break]
They can’t allow this mission to turn out like that one had.
[break][break]
He will make damn sure of that.
[break][break]
So, he waits, and after retrieving a Premier Ball from his pocket, it’s a Gardevoir that he summons to his side this time around.
[break][break]
The pokémon is given instructions, FUTURE SIGHT being used as a contingency in case of anything that could possibly go wrong. They wait, and when the SANDSTORM picks up, it’s not long until its suddenly intensified and raging even stronger than before – Gardevoir’s TRACE perfectly mimicking the Tyranitar’s weather summoning abilities and bringing more chaos with them.
[break][break]
It's in this chaos and confusion that she takes advantage of the low visibility in order to sneak in and take the crate, and once the crate is within her grasp, it is with it that she TELEPORTS away.
[break][break]
Effective, because Mars has trained his pokémon to always be as much.




[BREAK][BREAK]

+ CIAN MAHER