“Do you really think that?” Memo asked, suddenly, latching onto a particular thread that Alex seemed to always carry and tugging. “That everything happens for a reason?”

It was scary, to think. That everything was pre-planned. That there was no changing the future. That he was destined to make all the mistakes he was going to make whether he became a better person or not.

Sometimes it wasn’t as terrifying. He’d gotten kicked out of his home for a reason, wandered the world for a reason, suffered at his own hands for a reason: to find Alex.

But other times it was terrifying.

Alexei Ivanov
autumn's ominous wind

☉

“No, no, I’m-- fine,” he said, waving away the idea as though it were a bad smell. He was, sort of, kind of, fine. More fine that he had been in a minute.

Maybe Alex was right and there was something to this whole ‘facing your problems head on’ thing than Memo had thought.

But it was still exhausting.

“I just wonder sometimes where I’d be if I’d stayed, you know? Not here, obviously. Not nearly as happy.” He smiled then-- small, but genuine.

“You make me happy.”

Alexei Ivanov
autumn's ominous wind

☉

“Yeah, I think you’re right,” he said, scrunching his nose and coloring slightly at the touch.

He felt that was putting it lightly. If he’d stayed in Galar, he’d probably be dead-- by Necrozma’s effort or his own.

“I won’t listen to them, I promise.” He reached out and took Alex’s hands, grounding himself, feeling lighter than before.

“I have so much to be thankful for. I have you.”

Alexei Ivanov
autumn's ominous wind

☉

“Yeah. Yeah, I do feel better.”

He reached out to cup Alex’s cheek.

“Thank you. For everything.”

Leaned forward to place a soft kiss on his forehead.

“I love you.”

Alexei Ivanov
sappy sappy gay gay
autumn's ominous wind

☉