"i do."

with a sigh, cian steps forward with cian junior, approaching the other members of the group. he peers up at them and the sadness he shows is far from feigned.

he's actually grown quite fond of them.

"i gotta leave you here now, alright? you'll be safe, i'm sure."

waving goodbye, he steps back, turning away.

"not you, cian junior. you're coming with us."

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉

Even though Mars doesn’t particularly care about most of these Castform (the sole exception being Cian Junior, naturally), it is kind of sad to see. It’s obvious that Cian has grown fond of them, and he probably wishes they didn’t have to leave them behind like this.
[break][break]
This time, the thought of buying a few Castform does cross his mind.
[break][break]
Can’t leave Cian Junior without any friends, right? That just wouldn’t be good for the little guy.
[break][break]
”I bet they’ll be alright, this island seems really nice. If anything, we could always come back to visit sometime.”
[break][break]
Meeting Cian’s gaze, he smiles.
[break][break]
”I’m sure Cian Junior would like to come back to see his friends too, right?”


[BREAK][BREAK]

+ CIAN MAHER

"i'm sure he would."

at that, cian junior floats between them, nodding enthusiastically.

"you're such a cutie."

he smiles, beaming at the castform before raising his fist for yet another fistbump.

looking back at mars, he grins.

"so, wanna chill at the beach now?"

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉

Seeing Cian Junior nodding, he can’t help but chuckle, because it’s just too damn cute.
[break][break]
”Aw, how come I don’t get a fist bump?”
[break][break]
In a way, it reminds him of his birthday and that one moment like this with his Zeraora, except this time apparently the roles are reversed. Adorable.
[break][break]
Speaking of which, he probably should spend more time with Zeraora, huh?
[break][break]
”Chilling at the beach sounds great.”
[break][break]
Cian's grin is mirrored with one of his own, a hand being offered.
[break][break]
Chilling and nothing else, since they wouldn’t want to traumatize their cute new family member, would they?



[BREAK][BREAK]

+ CIAN MAHER

chilling and nothing else, because they can't even recall cian junior into his pokeball. actually, where even is his pokeball? does he have one? what are the logistics behind this? maybe he'll just have to leave him out of his pokeball all the time, which he has no problems with.

little does he know cian junior might just float away...

at mars' words, cian chuckles, rolling his eyes as he raises a fist.

"here."

and once their fists connect, he slips his hand into mars, then tugs him along back towards the beach.

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉

Chilling and nothing else, because yes, Team Rocket hadn’t given them any pokéballs for the Castform. Maybe because when criminals deal with criminals they expect attempts at theft (which they apparently wouldn’t have been wrong to expect in this case) or maybe because the Castform didn’t even have pokéballs to begin with since they had been stolen from their original owners. Whatever the case, they’re now stuck with having Cian Junior floating near them at all times…
[break][break]
Not that Mars minds all that much, even if they can do no more than ‘chill’ right now…
[break][break]
There’s the fist bump he asked for, and when it comes, he matches Cian’s chuckle.
[break][break]
”You’re so cute.”
[break][break]
A smirk and a squeeze of his hand once their fingers intertwine, walking back towards the beach by his side – their Castform also floating near them despite the way the others begin to scatter.


[BREAK][BREAK]

+ CIAN MAHER

the other castform scatter, separating from one another. he hopes they'll reunite again someday, but a part of him knows it's unlikely. but then again, the island isn't too big, so maybe they'll accidentally float back to each other.

in any case, he's thankful to have mars by him along with cian junior.

and soon, they arrive back at the beach.

"pick a spot, babe."

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉

He hadn’t meant for this mission to turn out to be exhausting. It was supposed to be nothing more than a detour during their day out on the yacht; an annoying task Team Rocket asked them to fulfill, but ultimately one that to them should have been meaningless. He hadn’t intended for them to argue, or to end up taking one of the Castform…
[break][break]
Perhaps the latter could be called a silver lining, but the rest?
[break][break]
There’s a slight guilt that comes with all of them.
[break][break]
At least things are better now.
[break][break]
Looking around at the beach before them, he chuckles.
[break][break]
”A spot, huh? For what, exactly?”
[break][break]
Despite the question, he pulls Cian forward onto the warm sand, closer to the sea than the treeline.


[BREAK][BREAK]

+ CIAN MAHER

"a spot to chill."

the answer comes as he's tugged forward onto warmer sands, closer to the sea. soon, they find a nice spot that's dry yet close enough, and he settles down, sighing as he stretches his legs out.

"fuck. you as tired as i am?"

honestly, he's exhausted.

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉

The feeling of warm sand against his skin is one familiar and welcome as they sit down. How many times has Mars sat at a beach just like this?
[break][break]
Well, not like this, really.
[break][break]
Not with Cian.
[break][break]
But, being here now makes him wish they did things like these more often than what they have…
[break][break]
”Fuuuck. Right?”
[break][break]
With a sigh, he lies down, almost flopping down on the sand without a care for the fact that it will get in his hair and such – it’s warm, and it’s comfortable and nice.
[break][break]
From where he is, he looks up at Cian.
[break][break]
”Ciiiiian, I’m exhausted.”
[break][break]
Naturally, with these whining words, there’s also one of those slight pouts that no one else ever gets to see.



[BREAK][BREAK]

+ CIAN MAHER

have they ever been to the beach together? he can't seem to remember at this moment as his back hits the sand as well, finding comfort in the warmth that washes down his back.

"aw, are you?"

he grins, tilting his head over to peer into mars' eyes.

"we can just stay here for a while and do nothing."

that sounds nice. peaceful, even.

"just us."

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉

”I am.”
[break][break]
It’s surprising that they have never done anything like this before, considering how much time Mars himself spends at the beach. He finds himself thinking about it as he meets Cian’s gaze, a smile reaching his lips. When was the last time they were even at a beach together? The Hoenn Star Tournament? Everything was so different back then, but then again, in a way, it could almost be said it began all this…
[break][break]
Even if it had already begun long before it.
[break][break]
”Just us, huh? That sounds perfect.”
[break][break]
It really does.
[break][break]
Moving closer, there is a soft and gentle kiss, nothing but a stare and a smile following it.

[BREAK][BREAK]

+ CIAN MAHER

the kiss is returned with one of his own that's just as soft and gentle. he smiles, holding his gaze and doing nothing more than that, because, honestly, this is the perfect way to just relax after a tiring mission.

but it wasn't the mission that tired him out, was it?

"i love you, mars."

he kisses him again, pulling away only when cian junior nudges into him.

"not in front of the kid, huh?"

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉