Memo looked at Alex from under furrowed brows, wondering if his boyfriend was really hearing him. Cait had just had a baby. It didn’t matter if she had a million Pokemon-- this was not something she needed to be involved in. He had half a mind to ask Sénon Game and cait alfric to leave before anything got started…

…but, no, he couldn’t do that. Asking them not to defend their home? That was ridiculous. They were more than capable of taking care of themselves.

But he didn’t want to get Cait involved any more than he absolutely had to because, again, she’d. Just. Had. A. Baby.

“I think that’s exactly what’s going to happen,” Memo said, resting the chocolate bar against his tongue, then thinking twice. “I wanted to evacuate. Everyone else said we may not need to. I… I don’t know what to do.”

Alexei Ivanov

Memo nodded. There was a part of him that knew that Alex would see it his way-- the man was a chronic worrier, after all, and it seemed a little of that was rubbing off on him. But he was also unspeakably thankful that someone, finally, was seeing his point of view. It was part of the reason they were together.

“Yeah. I-- I think it would be smart. Maybe not a full evacuation but-- a safe zone. Setting up a perimeter.”

He wants to grab a piece of paper and start planning. He wants to run out into the street right now and-- and rally the troops.

Instead, he sits on the couch and slumps against Alex, willing to share a little bit of the weight, if only for a moment.

“I don’t want to let you down,” he said, quiet.

Alexei Ivanov

Alex shocked him with his pragmatism. Sometimes he didn’t know whether to expect the forward thinking or be amazed by it, given the Fortree gym leader’s worrying. “Yeah. That’s a good idea.” Bringing Senon and Cait in to help plan things would help take some of the weight off of his own shoulders while also keeping the two old guard involved.

Alex continued to soothe his worries. And all the points he was making were right, were true. But would it be enough?

“You’re helping me keep my shit together, at least,” he points out, suddenly so very tired-- just a bone-deep exhaustion that made him want to stretch out on Alex’s lap and sleep forever.

“What would I do without you?”

Alexei Ivanov

He can’t help himself, he laughs. It starts as a chuckle and turned into a sustained giggle as he hides his face in Alex’s shoulder. Because-- because before he came to Hoenn, he’d though himself-- not an expert strategist, by any means-- but at least pretty slick.

He wasn’t slick. He wasn’t slick at all. Or maybe it was just that before, he’d had no responsibilities.

“Yeah… yeah,” he said, catching his breath, finally coming out of his fit of giggles. “You're right. Oh, my god. I’m so tired.”

Alexei Ivanov

His eyebrows raised. If he’d had cat ears, they would have perked.

“Anywhere,” he says, entirely too fast and with too much conviction, snapping at the chance despite how impossible it seemed. “Anywhere you want to go. Let’s do it.”

Would there ever be a time when the entire thing was done and dusted? When Alex would be able to extrapolate himself from his duties to take a break? When Memo would feel okay turning away from his new position for a chance of respite?

Unlikely.

But when you’ve already had so many dreams come true it was time for new ones, he supposed.

Alexei Ivanov

He regarded his giggling boyfriend with a smirk and a wink.

“I seem to enjoy being assaulted by everything Unovan,” he said, looping an arm under Alex’s knee to maneuver and pull him closer, “so that is hardly a threat.”

He drew Alex’s legs behind him.

“It actually sounds delightful.

Forehead to forehead.

“Can’t wait.”

Alexei Ivanov
:freeloader: