"just making sure, hehe."

as autumn approaches, the usual green of the park has started to fade into hues of yellow and orange. leaves are scattered across the ground, coating with warm shades. it is, as mars had said, romantic.

cian squeezes mars' hand, tugging them along in excitement.

"it's beautiful."

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉

Having only visited Alto Mare in summer before, the park looks much different from what Mars remembers, and in many ways, much better. He had been right: it is romantic, and truly, it makes him glad they decided to stop by instead of heading straight for the shopping district...
[break][break]
When his hand is squeezed, the gesture is returned, and in both his smile and his voice there’s an excitement that may just match Cian’s:
[break][break]
”Right? We should take some pictures; to remember this and also to post them for bragging purposes, obviously.”
[break][break]
There’s a wink with these words, and Cian is pulled closer in order to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.
[break][break]
Since, naturally, Mars doesn’t just mean bragging about being in Alto Mare.


[break][break]

+ CIAN MAHER

of course; how could cian forget? he needs pictures to make his thousands of followers envious. while they're stuck in hoenn, he's frolicking around the lovely parks of alto mare. suckers.

but it's not just about being in alto mare, is it?

"alright. let's take some pictures together."

he hums, looking around.

"where's a nice spot?"

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉

Leave it to them to be the sort of people who post nice pictures to brag online, but then again, does that really come as a surprise?
[break][break]
Mars has a lot of reasons why he should second guess sharing his private life where anyone could see, but honestly, is there a point in hiding something he knows his family will find out about soon, if they haven’t already?
[break][break]
The truth is that he wants to post more pictures together with Cian, so why not do it?
[break][break]
Perhaps, if only for today, all thoughts of precaution are thrown out the window…
[break][break]
Perhaps he’s sick and tired of precaution and just wants to do whatever he wishes.
[break][break]
”There’s a fountain this way.”
[break][break]
A smile and he pulls Cian along, guiding him towards the very middle of the park.


[break][break]

+ CIAN MAHER

even before they arrive at the fountain, cian's tugging on the first stranger he sees before making vague hand gestures to 'take a picture', which they surprisingly understand.

and so, he hands the stranger his phone, then pulls mars towards the fountain.

"you look cute, babe."

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉

There’s something adorable about seeing Cian gesturing to communicate with a stranger that he can’t understand. It’s probably a bit mean on Mars’ part since he should go help, especially considering that he’s the one who can speak Alto Marean, but the stranger seems to get what Cian means without much problem.
[break][break]
Perhaps it’s about how confident he acts even while gesturing vaguely, or perhaps it’s just that it’s all kind of obvious.
[break][break]
”Yeah? You look way cuter though.”
[break][break]
He smirks, and an arm is wrapped around Cian.
[break][break]
But, when has Mars' self-centered, egomaniac self ever said anything like that about anyone?
[break][break]
Not even as a joke, and it definitely isn’t a joke this time.
[break][break]
Maybe that's just another one of those little signs of what should be obvious but hasn't been said outloud...

[break][break]

+ CIAN MAHER

yeah, it's definitely mean on mars' part because he could've saved cian the trouble of having to gesture vague shapes in the air, but it's not like cian minds all too much.

you look way cuter though.

cian's response should've been expected:

"i know."

teehee.

his arm wraps around mars as well and he smiles for the camera.

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉

Luckily for Cian, while Mars loves a compliment, he has never been the one to need reassurance when it comes to things like those. He knows just how cute, adorable, handsome, beautiful, gorgeous, and unquestionably hot he is (ehem, narcissist), and that being the case, he does no more than laugh lightly at his boyfriend’s response:
[break][break]
”Of course you do.”
[break][break]
How could he not praise him and want Cian to think highly of himself?
[break][break]
Close to him as he is, with an arm around him, Mars looks at the camera, his smile shining bright and confident and full of happiness.


[break][break]

+ CIAN MAHER

happy.

it's what'll show on both their expressions when they look back at these pictures later. for now, he smiles, posing a few times before finally accepting his phone back from the stranger.

"kinda glad they didn't run away with my phone."

with a grin, he turns back to mars, holding up his phone.

"how do we look?"

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉

Back at Mauville, there are no pictures like these at the penthouse he calls home. Not by choice, but because all pictures of happy moments in Mars’ possession belong to someone who lived a life much different to the one he has lived since moving to the Hoenn region.
[break][break]
So, maybe that will change now, and maybe there will be pictures soon enough.
[break][break]
Mars has always loved things like those, after all, and there’s something nice about the idea of looking around and being reminded of these moments spent with Cian at Alto Mare.
[break][break]
All these are the thoughts that cross his mind when looking at Cian’s phone and seeing the still image of both of them smiling
[break][break]
”Damn… Not gonna lie, those are some nice pictures. Can you send them to me later? I want to have them too.”
[break][break]
The request is genuine, as is the smile Mars gives him when turning to look at him.

[break][break]

+ CIAN MAHER

if cian had a place he considered his home, he'd have pictures of them up there, too. but for now, all he has is his room in the sub, his room back at home, and his apartment that he doesn't really like. so, until then, the pictures will simply exist on his phone.

"i will. we look cute as fuck."

he gives mars a quick peck on his cheek.

"so, shopping?"

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉

Maybe one day they will pick some of those cute pictures and decide where to put them in their home.
[break][break]
It’s a nice thought, and one that passingly crosses Mars’ mind when thinking about how he’d like to have one of those pictures somewhere at the penthouse.
[break][break]
He doesn’t mention it, of course, but that doesn’t mean he has to omit it all...
[break][break]
”We do! Maybe I’ll put one of those in my office… or at my place.”
[break][break]
There’s a smirk, and the kiss on the cheek is returned.
[break][break]
”Yeah, let’s go. We deserve to get some cute stuff.”
[break][break]
Leave it to Mars to always spoil him.

[break][break]

+ CIAN MAHER

a picture of them up at mars' office or his home sounds lovely, honestly, and it makes him warm to even hear how mars is considering it.

"that'd be really nice. you can spend all day looking at me."

or a picture of him.

smiling, he tugs mars along, walking through the rest of the park.

"let's go."

Martín del Mar // [x]

☉