Onyx hugs him and that's all Andres needs as he easily slides a hand behind Onyx's head and the other around his shoulder. It's crazy how they were just living off each other's energy. If he cried, Onyx cried. If he yelled, Onyx yelled. Being with him was so taxing because it was probably the more emotionally volatile he ever was. [break][break]

He's stubborn, pleading and quietly begging Onyx to ignore reason and better judgment. Like Andres had a long time ago. Back when Onyx had nearly died and the last thing on his delirious mind as he bled out was to see him of all people. Till then, it had been nothing but a drunken, fleeting dream. Something he stumbled into and figured it was better to just keep to himself. Onyx has completely ruined that in the hospital, weak and so close to slipping away from him forever. [break][break]

He leans his head down, kissing the crown of Onyx's head as he smoothes over his hair. What would he do if Onyx left? He felt the stubbornness in him rise once more, trying to figure out some excuse to keep him around. As he mulls this predicament over, Onyx looks up at him and he felt his thoughts slow and his disposition soften. [break][break]

Andres' breathing stopped for a moment as Onyx finally, finally gave in. "I'm ok with you." he said, filling in for him when he stopped short. "I'm ok with us." she assured him. He felt his chest seize, sucking in breath. The nerves in is stomach churn and knot before stopping. It's all sudden, all relief. All warmth as he got what he wanted so badly. [break][break]

His "Yes" is muffled as he peppered kisses down the man's face, not caring what risks he took on next. He brushed his lips over his forehead, his eyepatch and then at his lips again, greedy, loving, desperate. "I don't know what I'd do if you didn't." he confessed between kisses as he heaped on silent praise. [break][break]

He'd stay. "I love you." [break][break]

He said he'd stay. "Always have." [break][break]

It's not one sided. "Always." [break][break]

His affection turns desperate, like a dam breaking open as he pants out smaller and smaller confessions, just barely holding himself together from crying again. This is real. This is his. The case is over and he indulges in this honey-sweet love and drowns in one beautiful blue eye.




[break][break]

+ onyx straub | he woudlve reacted better to getting headbutt [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

To think at one point, being this close to Onyx would've put him into a panic attack. He would've been desperate for space, for invisibility. Now he found the most comfort in his presence, skin to skin. There's an old instinct, but it's not just for Onyx. Anybody that touched too close to the scar on his skull would be rebuffed. Yet, he holds back for Onyx. But then again why should they rebuff the man that made them? He doesn't say this out loud. [break][break]

Onyx says he's never been the problem but Andres knew better. He knew him so well at times. Or at least, he knew well the type of feeling Onyx had harbored for him, as much as Andres had argued and rationalized it all away, desperate for connection. He watches Onyx sad and quiet, still gentle with the love of his life. He'd never heard him so quiet. [break][break]

And when Onyx is quiet, when he remembers he's not good with words, Andres waits. He welcomes Onyx like he always does: eager and needy. Desperate for touch, for his taste. Always indulgent because he never knew when the next fix would be or if it'd be his last. He runs his hand back through blue, sweat soaked locks, panting when Onyx pulls away. Hazel eyes dip to his lips, wanting more. Because at least to kiss him would be sweet relief from their argument. If being with him was destined to be sweet misery, he'd take it. Better this than nothing at all. [break][break]

"You shouldn't have told me you loved me." Andres said as he caught his breath before feeling his throat tighten as he watched the tears begin to fall. Fuck. Did he do this to him? "You should've lied to me. Broken me one last time." He can't stop his crying so he just wipes it away, kissing his temple, his cheek and then finally pulling Onyx close to his chest to let him cry it out. [break][break]

"I've never been strong Onyx..." Even if Onyx had said he hated him, Andres wouldn't have gotten over it. Maybe he'd move on. But he'd always remember it. Dream of it. "I thought you knew that better than anyone."He'd always seen right through him.



[break][break]

+ onyx straub | he woudlve reacted better to getting headbutt [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

His touch is rhythmic, and Andres leans into it shamelessly. He inhales, soft and sharp as Onyx touches scars and fuzz, feeling a tingle run down his spine. His darting, wet eyes are then drawn to Onyx's lone one as he leans in. It's warm, and he wants to drown in this. It's this that makes all the hurt worth it. This moment he wanted to expand and sit in forever. [break][break]

Andres can't argue with what Onyx had done. He can't make it all go away. He can't turn back time. He can't help himself. And why should he when the person he wanted the most was so, so close. Logically, he should hate Onyx. Logically, he should've killed any positive feelings he had for the man the day he'd been hospitalized. Logically, he knew Onyx was a bad man. He'd seen the bodies strung up. He'd heard him utter Rocket as well. Logically, Onyx had the potential to hurt- even kill him. Now he was saying he loved him. Andres was done for. [break][break]

"If I'm so good, Onyx" he began, one of his palms tracing a path up his lover's neck. His fingers brush over his jaw and up his cheek. "When...will I be good enough for you?" Andres didn't have the strength left to walk away from this. From him. Selfish words from a selfish man. "I'm not...perfect. I don't expect you to be either..." he added quickly. [break][break]

"I-...I don't need to know what you do, I just want to keep seeing you. I want you to keep coming back i-if you keep leaving me." He said. His hand rested on his cheek and he pressed his thumb against the man’s eyepatch. "Even if you're like this." he said, accepting the weight of that night once more. The panic, the fear. The dread that they wouldn't be able to save Onyx, that he'd been too late. The threat of Rocket getting Onyx killed only further solidified his convictions to see him no matter what.


[break][break]

+ onyx straub | he woudlve reacted better to getting headbutt [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

He wondered if this was inevitable. All the flashes of Onyx coming in and out of existence throughout his life after leaving Galar. Memories of Onyx had haunted him for years before being carefully suppressed by many, many nights of debauchery and drinks. He'd forgotten him, briefly. Until he saw him again and that old desire reignited within him. Andres had only been able to suppress all his complicated feelings about Onyx. He thought he wouldn't see him ever again, but he did. And desire morphed into something even stranger. As did their relationship. [break][break]

And now, they found themselves finally putting a name to that mutated thing that pulsed between them, glowing and growing each and every time they came together again. And Andres still couldn't believe it. He had known Onyx, or thought he'd known him, for so long. He had convinced himself this would end in only one possible way: heartbreak. [break][break]

And here Onyx was, pulled to him again by fate or want or desire or love and all Andres could feel was relief. Relief he hadn't imagined this. Relief that he had the chance to see Onyx again. Relief that he hadn't fucked up and ruined this so badly, Onyx never saw him again. He tried to steady hiss voice, to keep pathetic jobs from breaking his words into pieces. "I've hurt you too, haven't I?" he said, pacified by Onyx's touch. "I made you leave...it's not all your fault."[break][break]

He doesn't know how to comfort Onyx, because in truth, Andres is soft and selfish. He wants what he can't have. He wants what Onyx can't give. "I just...want you to stay..e-even when I know you can't sometimes." That's not specific at all. Gods, he's stupid. He's crying in relief because the man he loved said it back. "Onyx I-...I hurt more without you." Half of his stress was self inflicted. He didn't see Onyx to blame. He never would.

[break][break]

+ onyx straub | he woudlve reacted better to getting headbutt [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Maybe its the euphoria of surviving- surviving together that brings this out of him. Andres sniffs in hard, because he doesn't know how long he's been waiting for tis- thinking about it. How long had he been imagining and reimagining this moment and just convinced himself it'd never be. Because Onyx isn't like that. He doesn't talk like that. And Andres would never have asked him to. [break][break]

But gods if this wasn't a sign, he didn't know what it. There's no room for error or misinterpretation. Even as something like panic seems to flows through Onyx's frame, Andres can only feel the growing, soothing warm of relief in his chest. It doesn't stop the waterworks. Hell no, it doesn't keep him from crying. But it's not bad. Not like before. He's not scared of what Onyx might say. He doesn't even have the processing power to think Onyx may pull the rug out form underneath him then and there. "Onyx," he began, voice shaking as he spoke. "You- you say but you keep finding your way b-back." [break][break]

He'd thought he'd seen him for the last time months ago. He'd grieved that. He'd stayed home, broken his routine. All at the thought of never seeing Onyx again and knowing he was partly ( mostly ) to blame for it all. "You rescued me...e-even unintentionally." But it had to count for something. [break][break]

"I-...You know, I never regretted te-telling you?" he lets go of Onyx hands on his face as he tries to wipe the tears away and gasp enough air into him that he stopped sobbing lie ka fucking baby. "I think- I- I can live with the bad, just-" Another sob wracked his system as he felt part of himself breaking off. He should be overjoyed, happy. Not worrying if this is a burden they have to carry.


[break][break]

+ onyx straub | he woudlve reacted better to getting headbutt [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"Onyx-!" his hand moves before he can finish saying his name, grabbing softly at the idiot and helping steady him as he moved into his lap. His arm immediately snakes around his waist, pulling him close as he looked down at the seared bullet wound before back at Onyx. He puts his other hand on top of Onyx's not expecting the softness of it all, only nodding along. "O-Ok, ok." he agreed, trying to soothe the man on top of him before he tried anything else that may hurt him. [break][break]

"No, Onyx-" he began as they apologized only the freeze. Was he hallucinating? Was Onyx...hallucinating? He stared at him, dumbfounded at what he'd just heard. For a long moment nothing goes through his head. He just stared. [break][break]

His eyes fall on the sweat curled locks, pulled into the usual loose ponytail. The eye patch and the accident that had led to it. Onyx's expression brimming with anything and everything hat culminated into what he was saying now. After everything that had transpired? "You do?" he whispered. It slipped out unintentionally while trying to process, [break][break]

He careful, raising a hand slowly to push some hair out of Onyx's face and tuck it behind his ear. He felt his eyes prick and itch, watering at the sight. "I- I do too." Gods above please, give him strength for this. His throat aches, and he almost can't speak, disbelief fading into something else entirely. [break][break]

"I love you too. I-" A sob breaks his confession, the second time he's professed himself to this man, on this same stupid couch. [break][break]

+ onyx straub | he woudlve reacted better to getting headbutt [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"Sorry- I just-..." He trailed off after flinching just as Onyx did. But he doesn't want him to feel like this is his fault. In fact, Andres is pretty sure if he'd been rescued by anyone else he wouldn't have told Onyx. Onyx wouldn't be here. They wouldn't be- [break][break]

Andres swallowed. They'd still be radio silent. They'd still be separated, refusing to talk to one another, hurting each other from afar. But Andres had been incensed that day, and Onyx- he'd been angry, dejected. At the end, Onyx had just deflated. All that righteous anger fading into somethign sadder, number. And Andres had come to grips with the fact that he'd been the cause. Now he's back, and he just wants Onyx to stop hurting in his fucking apartment. He'd kill to hear him laugh again. Even if it was at his expense. [break][break]

'You're such a piece of shit, Andres.' someone's voice echoes in his head.

[break][break]

Honestly, yeah. Yeah he was. It was rare that Andres often confronted the people he hurt, even unintentionally. Every bad breakup, he simply walked away from. It's over? Ok goodbye. He'd never wanted to be with someone anyway. He's got issues? Ok, let's break up. [break][break]

He couldn't do that to Onyx. Andres didn't want to destroy him. He'd stopped wanting that over a decade ago. His throat grows tight as Onyx struggled to speak and he just nodded, fingers curling into the shirt on his back. [break][break]

"Yeah." his voice is tight, a moment just before shakey. [break][break]

"I'm sorry."

+ onyx straub | he named it rocoto. because its got red. hehehe [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

He watched Onyx spiral into a loop of negativity, dwelling on what possibilities of the day. Andres was holding back thinking about it. He so badly avoided Rocket and anything to do with it ( except Onyx ), pirates had been the least of his worries. But that was a danger too. Just regular criminals. He could've disappeared. He could've had every bone in his body broken before being tossed into the ocean. He could've- but Onyx had gotten to him first. [break][break]

It's a little sick and twisted that this was how they reunited. After everything that'd happened. It's fucked up. It's fucked up that Andres felt a little happy that Onyx still gave a shit. And looking at all the crap on his coffee table, it seemed like he still gave a shit about Onyx too. [break][break]

As Onyx curled up on himself, Andres reached over to gently put a hand on his back. "Don't think about that." he said, leaning over slightly towards him. "You did. Why does anything else matter?" Andres asked. As usual, he was ready to put this is a little box and throw it out. Compartmentalize it so hard he never has to think about it again.[break][break]

Like his feelings for Onyx should've been. Guess he wasn't as good as he thought.

+ onyx straub | he named it rocoto. because its got red. hehehe [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

He relaxed a little more as Onyx too his meds. When they started to kick in, he'd get some help and move him to bed. Unless the idiot tried to limp home right after, which there's a high chance he might. He just hoped if he left, Onyx wouldn't start bleeding again. [break][break]

He flinches away at the bite in Onyx's tone, but doesn't fight it. "Nothing much. Just following the currents." he said with a shrug. "Didn't know there were...gonna be pirates. I ended up in their cove on accident." Might've been a wrong turn at the wrong path. After all, Pacifidlog's outside currents were notorious for being too fast to navigate sometimes. He would've been content heading off where he came from but the pirates stopped him out of suspicion before he did. [break][break]

"When I got off course, I tried to head out but I ended coming back there...a few times. On my 4th attempt they found me." he didn't think too hard on it. He'd been caught, beat to unconsciousness, and then Onyx had found him. He hadn't thought of anything else. He hadn't even considered being there for longer than he had, if only because he'd barely been conscious. [break][break]

"I guess you found me before the rental's did." he doesn't even muster up the energy to laugh.

+ onyx straub | he named it rocoto. because its got red. hehehe [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Amplexus hovers silently along, and eventually checks on him. He simply shook his head and murmured a quiet thanks. “Make yourself at home.” He said to the Gardevoir. His own pain meds had kicked in and all things considered, he was mostly fine. Onyx was the one with a bullet lodged in him minutes prior. [Break][break]

He shivered at the strange smell before looking as Onyx sat himself down. “Yeah, really.” he let the silence hang, looking at the assortment of medical supplies he'd bought for Onyx before moving the pain meds and water a bit closer to him. “C'mon, its been a day.” [Break][break]

“Thanks by the way…for getting me out of there.” He added, a bit more quietly. “It wasn't the reunion I envisioned.” Then again what had he imagined would happen? Onyx would come back? Andres would find him? The uncertainty of their future together had been something he had actively ignored. But Onyx had found him again, somehow. [Break][break]

And now Andres was letting him fix himself up in his home, unblocked his number, and was actively trying to her nurse him back into good spirits. [Break][break]

+ onyx straub | he named it rocoto. because its got red. hehehe [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"Ok..." Andres' gaze lingered on the pair wanting to get up and just building up the nerve. Because really, what the fuck was he gonna do about...whatever Onyx was planning to do. He meets Amplexus' gaze with his own, still worried. But the Gardevoir didn't seem worried, and in a way, that gave him a bit of relief. [Break][break]

As Onyx and his partner get to work Andres looks away and hums to himself to block out the noise. The sound of him rustling in his plastic bag of goodies over and over again accompanies the few pained grunts and hisses Onyx uttered. [Break][break]

Andres doles out a strong dose of pain med and cracks open a bottle of water, setting it all aside for when Onyx finally walked over to him. He opens a first aid kit, producing sterilized kits with suture needles, butterfly bandages, numbing cream and disinfectant. That too is set aside for Onyx before he opened up a compression bandage and gauze to help clean the area and cover it up tight. [Break][break]

He hears something tink in his sink and he finally has an inkling of what kind of injury Onyx was dealing with. "Can you walk...?" he asked, not turning to look at him just yet.

[Break][break]

+ onyx straub | he named it rocoto. because its got red. hehehe [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“That's what that was?” Andres asked, laughing as he searches for Onyx's lips but is satisfied with burying kisses over his face. They get more and more tangled in each other and Andres doesn't stop for a second to think about what that means. He just revels in keeping Onyx's eye on him and hoarding him away from the world. Even if it's just for a little while. [break][break]

Onyx's fingers burn on his skin and he found his own fingers moving off their face and over his chest. He can't see any bruises in the darkness, but if Onyx hurt...he'd tell him. If it was bad enough. [break][break]

His heart rattles in his chest, urging him to hurry up, but it's so rare to catch Onyx like this he wants to slow down and savor. It turns out, they're both impatient by nature, even as Andres tried to temper it. The impulse was still there. He wanted to rip the stitching that held Onyx's being together and sift through every piece of fuzz and stuffing- [break][break]

Andres tries to and fails to hold back a laugh before laying down on his chest, fully trapping Onyx in his bedroom till morning. "Weird way to ask to spend time with me." he said, grinding against him without meaning to as moved to tug Onyx's underwear off. [break][break]

"I'll take you tomorrow- after breakfast." his words are hurried, uttered automatically as he found himself unable to focus on anything else.

[break][break]

+ onyx straub [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Andres can't hide the grin rising to his lips at the easy confession. He hadn't ever meant to bring up the cute pokes left in his mailbox. But he'd kept the notes, pressed and carefully hidden away somewhere dry and safe. And the pokeballs- well- of course he used them. He spoiled the pokemon inside. He just hadn't had much of a chance to show him yet. [Break][break]

“I- yeah, if you need it. Should I start you a bath?” Andres had an inkling he didn't actually need to bathe. He watches the man in his kitchen and notices the awkward way he sets one of his legs and worse the clothing tied against his thigh. No- not again. [Break][break]

He tries to hide his worry from Amplexus, a futile effort for a psychic pokemon so in tune with others but it's the effort that counts right? “Long time no see, Amplexus?” He offered as he lifted one of his hands to give the Gardevoir a little finger wave. [Break][break]

“Uhh, you mention a tub?” He said, a little louder as he watched Onyx start the stove while holding a spare knife. Shit. Andres tries to imagine what he'd do next. He turns to the bag on the floor and digs through, shaking a bottle of pain meds like trying to call a cat over. It worked with Chuchi anyway, who was missing in action. The last thing he needed was her stalking Onyx eager to tear the rear of his leg off. He needed to offer help. After all, this is partially his fault.



[Break][break]

+ onyx straub | he named it rocoto. because its got red. hehehe [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]