His response made him seem excited at the prospect of having a family with her. A Baby Jessie, like they called their son. It would be all sunshine and rainbows...

Except she hid her face in her hands as tears began to well up in her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I should've told you sooner."

It took her a moment before she could get the words out.

"I... my chances of having my own children are slim to none."

NIKO MANNER

☉

"oh."[break][break]

it takes niko a little too long to finally realize but when he does, he sits up just a little straighter before moving closer to wrap an arm around her.[break][break]

"that's okay. if we wanna have more we can always adopt or pick one of the kids from the gang."[break][break]

probably not the latter.[break][break]

"baby niko isn't mine but he's still...mine, i guess."

[attr="class","ooc"]Jessica Manner[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-trubbish"]

Of course he needed a moment to process. It was like three in the morning, and she just dropped a huge bomb on him about potentially never being able to have a family with him.

But that pause made her wonder if he was regretting everything. Being with her, choosing her, talking about marrying her. She would have cried harder, even dry heaved, if not for the burning pain flaring back in her leg.

However, she felt the weight of his arm around her, his deep voice speaking calmly close to her ear. She sighed as she calmed down, leaning against him and closing her eyes.

"Really? You're okay with that?"

NIKO MANNER

☉

"yeah! why wouldn't i be?"[break][break]

he leans his head over, nuzzling closer.[break][break]

"i don't care if you can't have your own biological kids, jessie. as long as you want a future with me and baby niko, that's more than good enough for me."[break][break]

it's more than i deserve.

[attr="class","ooc"]Jessica Manner[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-trubbish"]

Jessie wondered what she did to deserve Niko in her life. She had always been the middle girl, the one between break ups, the one for hook ups, the one no one wanted to settle down with. She was fun, but they moved on.

Yet, he wanted to be with her. He even wanted her to help raise his child he found like a mother.

A smile formed on her lips as he nuzzled closer, pressing a kiss against his cheek.

"You're so good to me. Whether you realize it or not," she murmured, reaching to hold onto his hand.

NIKO MANNER

☉

"i'm alright."[break][break]

it's not often where niko downplays what he does or the value he brings but, for whatever reason, he seems to do just that with jessie and their relationship. he hasn't realized it either.[break][break]

"i'm just treating you how you deserve to be treated, that's all."[break][break]

he shifts up to kiss her cheek.[break][break]

"love you."

[attr="class","ooc"]Jessica Manner[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-trubbish"]

Yes, it was how she deserved to be treated. But there was more that Niko gave her, more that she needed from anyone else. They may have both been broken, but she had him now.

She felt like she was healing because he was holding her together.

"Love you too," she whispered, pressing another kiss to his chin.

"My leg is feeling a little better... can you hold me?"

NIKO MANNER

☉

they have each other now.[break][break]

"say no more."[break][break]

so he holds her as though he has the power in him to fend off anything and everything from ever hurting her. but he knows he doesn't. he knows he can only do so much.[break][break]

but his thoughts drift away as he falls back to sleep.

[attr="class","ooc"]Jessica Manner[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-trubbish"]