had they even been here since mom had passed? he couldn’t clearly remember. it felt like a lifetime. what would she think of them now? would she be proud that he was trying to make changes? trying his best? that he’d been promoted?

”really? it hasn’t been that long, has it?” glimpsing it through the trees, along with memories of his childhood was almost enchanting. such simpler times.

”damn. still looks the same.” thanks to cian.

as they neared and his brother pointed to the step, bo winced.

”fuck, yeah, i do remember that. that was an accident.”

he shook his head, smiling with hands in his pockets and eyes falling briefly to the leaves.

”can’t believe you would think i would do that shit on purpose.”

CIAN MAHER

☉

"give it up, bo. it's okay to admit you tripped me on purpose just so you could win. i'd forgive you."

he's teasing his brother, of course, as evident by the grin he wears and the slap on the shoulder he gives.

cian makes sure to step over the half-broken step before coming to the door. it unlocks, opening up to the same old cabin they used to come to often.

"welcome, welcome. it's even cleaner than my apartment so i hope you appreciate it."

boruta maher

☉

”cian…”

he took the slap on the shoulder with a tired grin and another shake of his head, as he went over the half-broken step too—and right into nostalgia. a familiar creak in the floorboards was enough to nearly take his breath away. the whole thing pulled on his heart. he even felt tears well a little, unexpectedly, and tried to blink them away with a sniff.

”shit. you did good.” not that it was any surprise.

”wow.”

CIAN MAHER

☉

"i know i did."

there's little point in denying the proudness he feels in being able to manage this place all on his own. he shows it in the way he strides in, acting like he owns the place (which at this point he might as well have).

"don't get emotional on me, brother."

another slap on the back before cian points over to the living room before walking towards the kitchen to set their stuff down.

"come on, this fireplace isn't going to light itself."

boruta maher

☉

the pristine maintenance that cian had treated the cabin with made him feel neglectful. like he wasn’t doing his part. the sigh that blew heavily from his nostalgic face was disrupted by his brother’s slap on back.

”yeah, yeah. i don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.”

he smiled over at cian before moving towards the living room he pointed towards. he was still taking it all in. every room would bring forth more memories.

”you got a light? i only have my heatran on me,” he called. ”mom would roll in her grave if i let pompy out in the living room.”

CIAN MAHER

☉

"imagine me putting all this time and work into keeping this place clean only for your heatran to destroy it within seconds."

that would be a tragic end to their outing, wouldn't it? it's a good thing cian brought his torchic with him. he pulls out a pokeball and tosses it over at his brother.

he busies himself with keeping stuff in the fridge.

"so what it's like being captain? we never talk about work much."

boruta maher

☉

”yeah, let’s not do that,” he laughed. heatran was about 1000 lbs of magma spitting steel giant. destruction was an apt word for what could happen.

he reached out to catch the pokéball, and pressed its button. there was a small smile at the torchic.

”hey, dude. can you light this fireplace for us?”

gesturing to the hole in the cabin’s wall, he waited for flames.

”i know, it kinda sucks. i mean, not being captain, just being busy. there’s so much going on, y’know?” he paused. ”i think i just finally feel like i really accomplished something, so even though i’m busy and tired all the time, it’s still worth it. for willow, and roman, but also for me.”

CIAN MAHER

☉

small EMBERS form in the back of torchic's throat before being coughed up into the fireplace. wood sparks, catching fire as smoke slowly starts to float up into the chimney.

"i'm glad to hear it."

if anyone deserves a break, it's boruta. especially after being so close to fourth place during the star tournament last year. oh, how tragic.

"how are they? willow and roman. i haven't seen them since our thanksgiving meal."

what an event that was.

boruta maher

☉

the wood was dry, catching, and burning immediately under the torchic’s EMBERS. the heat filled the room, warm, like memories of their time there. he left the torchic out of its ball, leaning down to stroke a hand over its plume to thank it.

when cian asked about willow atkins and Roman Maher , he felt disappointed that he didn’t have much of an answer. he was doing everything he could, he supposed. even if they all lived together, he’d barely have time to give to them. but they had physical distance apart, and willow also needed her privacy.

and, she was talking to him less and less.

“good—i think. i mean, roman’s roman.” his hand came up to his hairline as stress swelled. with a sigh, he admitted, ”i haven’t heard from willow much.”

CIAN MAHER

☉

roman's roman. nothing else needs to be said on the matter, really. boy's probably out stabbing people as they speak.

placing the final item into the fridge, cian looks approvingly at his arrangement before pulling out two bottles of beer.

"no? i thought you guys seemed good at thanksgiving."

he walks back over to bo, offering him one.

"what'd you do to piss her off?"

boruta maher

☉

“is that a serious question?”

he cast a facetious grin over towards his brother. as far as he was concerned, willow atkins could justifiably stay mad at him for a lifetime. luckily, she wasn’t that way.

”ah, i’m kidding. she’s not pissed, and she’s been really forgiving of everything. we’re good, i think she’s just doing her own thing.” his hands went into his pockets, eyes falling on the flames in the fireplace. ”she’s seeing someone.”

CIAN MAHER

☉

"kinda?"

cian doesn't think his brother would've done anything else to piss her off, but he's been proven wrong before. thankfully, it doesn't seem to be the case this time.

or at least not that bo's aware of.

she's seeing someone.

"no. who? what bitch?"

boruta maher

☉

though the fact hurt, he had to chuckle at his brother’s reaction. appreciate it, even. but he couldn’t blame willow, or the person she was seeing—whoever it was. it had been long enough that he’d at least ruled out Greyson Connors . they really were just doing bee stuff, after all, he’d decided.

”calm down, i’m sure he’s not a bitch.” he paused. ”i mean, he could be…”

no. that was toxic.

”willow has good taste.” did she? who else had willow dated other than him? actually, he’d not really been the best choice, all things considered. ”i think.”

CIAN MAHER

☉