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Why out of all the times did he have to get sick from going to support their daughter's first Pokemon Contest? Any OTHER time would've been just fine, but no, Arceus seemed to take pleasure in making his life miserable sometimes. Actually, who was the idiot who decided to be out in public while they were sick? It was people like that which made him reconsider sinking Hoenn underwater. He knew he was overreacting, but this fever was really making him go crazy.
He thumped back against the multitude of pillows that the redhead brought him. He could feel a bead of sweat roll down from his temple, then wiped it off with the back of his hand. A heavy sigh of defeat left him. His body was burning up again. At one point he had wanted to rip off his clothes, desperate for some sort of relief from the almost unbearable heat. He had been allowed to rid of his top, but Maxie demanded he leave on his sweats for obvious reasons. "It's unsanitary" he would tell him, despite reminding him how often they had soiled the bed before with their shenanigans. May had been the other reason, which he eventually understood and settled for only getting half his way.
Right now he was trying to not have double vision and focused on the entrance to their bedroom. Since the morning Maxie had been caring for him. Deciding that he was more important than his work was a rarity in his view. Who would've thought the Magma leader would be nursing his former rival back to health? Sometimes that was still difficult to believe. Nonetheless he was grateful despite Maxie's grumbling here and there about the whole situation only adding to the pile of his busy schedule. Or at least that's what the redhead told himself. Archie knew he cared for him immensely, it didn't matter how much he denied it, his actions always said otherwise. Maxie said he'd be right back with something that'll help him. So that's what he was doing now, waiting.
Downstairs in the kitchen May was sitting at the table with her Mudkip on her lap. She pets him affectionately, earning a head nuzzle into her palm. She looks over to the stove where her daddy was currently boiling water in a kettle. She frowns for a moment, then sighed. "It's my fault that dad got sick. I shouldn't have made you guys go."
Maxie looked over his shoulder at her. The red bow atop her head seemed to have flopped to match its wearer's current mood. Her Mudkip looks up to him, as if he was expecting him to say something to his trainer to cheer her up. "No, May. It was impossible to predict this would happen. We weren't going to let you go by yourself to the Contest Hall. It was your first time competing after all."
"That's true... but still I can't help but feel a bit guilty." Mudkip began yipping at her to be let down. She let's go, watching him hop off her lap and walk over to a small bowl of pokemon chow they left out for him in the kitchen. "So what does he have?"
"A fever. I'm not exactly sure how severe, since this is still the beginning stages of it. Right now I'm hoping to nip it in the bud before it worsens." He explained, shutting off the burner when the kettle began whistling. He walks over to one of the many cupboards, pulling out a tray and two teacups. "I would refrain from being near, unless you absolutely need something from him."
The girl nodded understandably, her eyes lowered towards the floor. He couldn't help the parental instinct that immediately came up from seeing his daughter saddened by the situation. "You know..." Maxie says, bringing back her attention briefly. "If you'd like, we can pick something up at Mauville's food court later. I know how much you love those Magnemite Croquettes."
As a parent, watching your child's eyes light up was always one of the many joys of parenting. She left her seat and went to hug him. "I would like that. Thank you daddy!" May said, facing up towards him with her bright smile.
Her smile was certainly infectious (ironically) and it caused a grin of his own to tug at his lips as well. "Of course. How does around 4 o'clock sound?" She nods quickly, making him chuckle. "Alright then. Make sure your ready by then."
"Okay, I'll be ready then! C'mon Mudkip, let's go play in your plastic pool outside!" She runs over to the backdoor on the opposite end of the kitchen and heads out. Mudkip whipped around to May's exclamation and ran after his trainer, making noises of excitement.
"Don't wave around the hose again!" He shouted after her. Maxie's words fell on deaf ears as the backdoor slammed shut. He shook his head, and instead went back to his current task. After placing the tea packets into the cups, he pours the hot water in. Two small bottles and utensils were placed onto the tray before he picked it up. He left the kitchen with the tray in hand and carefully made his way back upstairs.
Archie perked up from his fever induced daze when he heard their bedroom door creak open. Maxie came in, pushing the door open with his hip. He was carrying something that was obviously piping hot according to the steam wafting in the air. He walks over to the nightstand next to him and puts down the tray. The pirate sees its contents, then looks up to him in a pouting way. "I'm dyin' from heat and you bring hot tea?" An immediate flick to his nose followed after. He recoiled back at the pain shooting up his face. "OW! 'the hell man!"
"Don't talk to me like that." Maxie glowered, a scowl formed on his lips. "And yes, it's green tea. Tea is known to help with your immune system." He sits on the side of their bed, right next to the other. "If you want your tea strong, I'd suggest leaving the packet in for a bit." Archie removes the packet, placing it onto the tray. Carefully he lifts his own cup up to his lips, taking a quick whiff. Maxie rolls his eyes at this. "Oh stop. It's not going to kill you. I figured the tea would be too bland for your tastes. There's two condiments I brought, Aspear berry juice or Combee honey. Your choice."
He went for the latter, not liking the thought of adding a sour ingredient to the tea. A few slow drizzles of the honey went in, then he stirred with the spoon provided on the tray. Maxie took the other teacup, putting a couple of drops of the berry juice and stirring it in. He guessed since he was making tea he may as well have some too. He removes his tea packet and sips slowly at his own drink. Archie mirrored his action, being mindful of the hot temperature so he wouldn't scald his tongue. It wasn't that bad. Really to him it just tasted like hot water with just a smidgen of sweetness from the honey. Eventually he got used to it, each sip gradually lasting longer than the last one.
"It's... alright." Archie says, halfway through the cup. The other only hummed in acknowledgement, enjoying his own tea. It was quiet for the next minute or so, until a burst of laughter came from outside. Archie looked towards the window near them. "What was that?"
Maxie set aside his cup back onto the tray and went over to the window. He pushed back the curtains slightly, eyes squinting from the sunlight directly shining onto his irises. "It's just May. She went outside to play with Mudkip. Arceus... she better not be waving the hose again." He grumbles the last bit mostly to himself.
He heard Archie chuckle lightly from the side. "Afraid of water much?"
"No I'm not. I don't want to have to deal with the neighbors complaining to us again about that." He huffs.
"Yeah, that's true." He sets down his cup as well. "Well, if there's one thing that came out of getting sick, she at least won that contest we went to. Of course I knew she would. She was obviously the cutest contestant up on stage!" Archie beams.
That tugged a small smile from the redhead. He shook his head. "You know it was for the "Cutest Pokemon" right?"
The realization hit him for a moment. He clears his throat. "Wait, really? I thought that's why she wore that pink dress with all the bows and stuff."
Disbelief swept across his face. Maxie sputtered at his seriousness. "That entire time we were there you didn't once register it was a Pokemon contest? It wasn't a pageant!" His arms folded and narrowed his eyes at the man. "You deserved to get sick." The other protested against his words as he walked back over to him. A hand pressed to his forehead, then retracted after a few seconds. "You're still really warm, and... a bit clammy." Maxie grimaced and wiped the back of his hand on his slacks. He examines the teacups, satisfied that Archie had finished most of his. He lifts the tray, carefully balancing the contents on it as he looked back to him. "After I put these away, I'll grab one of the wash cloths."
The man nods slowly in understanding. He thanks him for the tea before he left the room. His body flops back into the pillow pile. The blanket that was half covering him was kicked off to the side. His eyelids felt heavy, and instead of resisting he simply let them fall. He might have almost dozed off until a cold damp cloth was pressed against his forehead. He opened his eyes again and sees Maxie sitting much closer to him than when they had the tea. Immediately his skin was soothed by the coolness. It felt like heaven. He leans a bit more into the other's hand that was currently patting his cheek now. "Ahh... that feels really nice."
He then retracted the cloth. He heard a small whine from Archie upon doing so. Placing the cloth over his collarbone and around his neck earned him more relieved sighs. "It was that warm?" Maxie eyes him in concern. "I may have to do this again before you go to sleep tonight."
He repeated wiping down his face and around his neck once more. His garnet eyes roved over the other's toned tan chest as he did. His heart began to flutter the longer he stared. Warmth flooded his cheeks as he started recalling the many nights those muscles had held him. During their afterglows Archie would always pull him back into another embrace. His lighter weary frame would be pressed right up against the side of his chest, and his head rested in the crook of his neck and shoulder. An arm would be wounded around his lower back, not leaving any gaps between their bodies. One hand would stray over the pirate's abdomen, tracing the indents of his muscles fondly, as if to commit it to memory. His eyes would gaze dreamily at his pectorals, so fit and powerful. All of that combined with his wild and rugged facial features just made the redhead absolutely melt. Archie was the literal depiction of tall, dark, and handsome.
"Like what you see?"
Maxie blinked rapidly, snapping himself out of the daze he had put himself in. He looked up to his partner's face, a smirk reflected at him. "You're hand just stopped moving for a minute. Then I saw you were just enjoying the view." Archie takes his frozen hand into his own, bringing it up to his lips and kissing the back of the palm.
A pleasant chill ran down his spine at the kiss. He couldn't conceal the redness appearing on his face from the gesture. "I didn't mean to..."
The pirate removes the wash cloth from his grasp, setting it aside on the nightstand. He sits up more. "C'mere you."
Toned arms reached out to him, wrapping around him and pulling the other towards him. Maxie yelped and tried wiggling out of his grasp to no avail. He managed to twist around so his back was to Archie instead. His back was pressed right against the other's chest, and his chin rested on Maxie's shoulder. The redhead tried pulling away again, but strong arms kept him bound. He gave up after that. His legs curled in, making himself look like a ball. His hands held onto the arms folded over his torso.
"Archie! We should not be doing these sort of things!" Maxie protested, but his tone wasn't as forceful as his words.
The pirate nuzzles into his crimson hair, breathing in his scent. His lips brushed against the fabric of the turtleneck he wore. He could barely see a bit of his white skin peek out from under the collar. That was already too enticing for him to not indulge in. He let one arm go from Maxie and pulled back the collar and held it, enough for him to kiss and nip at the patch of skin.
Archie heard him sigh shakily and shudder at his touch. Whether he realized it or not, his body had leaned back further into him from the kiss. Smiling at his reaction, he continued smothering his neck with more kisses. Maxie slowly unfolded his legs as he gradually relaxed into the other man. He groans at the pleasant tingles coursing through him. "N-no, Archie..." He starts, but instead it came out more as an encouragement.
Hands were felt sliding down over his sides sensually. The arms that kept him down were no longer around him. Maxie could've gotten up from the bed at that point, but alas he was far too gone, now reveling in the pirate's affections. The hem of his turtleneck was felt being lifted slightly. Fingers began tracing and tiptoeing across his waistline.
"Hmm~ you're so amazing, Max." Archie mumbles, almost sleepily.
Maxie sensed the weariness in his voice, then he looked over his shoulder as much as he could from his position. His azure eyes appeared glazed over, as if he was only looking in his direction and not actually at him. Archie's hold was loose enough for him to fully turn around and face him. He remains seated in between the pirate's legs, cupping his face in his hands. The other's hands rested on Maxie's hips, his grip not as strong as it initially was.
"You need to rest. I won't let you overexcert yourself like this."
Archie blinked slowly, then smiled weakly. "I love you so much..."
Maxie felt his heart fill with complete bliss at his words. He grinned and pulled the other's head forward, kissing him on the forehead with as much passion as he could. "And I as well."
He found himself reluctantly leaving the bed, still having the remnants of his kisses linger on his skin. His turtleneck was brushed down to flatten it again, and his glasses were adjusted. Maxie turns back to face him. "I was actually going to take May later down to Mauville to get her food. Did you want something from there?"
Archie hummed in thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up. "You mind gettin' one of those Ramen Bowls? Oh, and make it spicy."
The redhead nodded, smirking at the way he appeared to have regained some lost energy just from mentioning food. "Sure. Actually that sounds really good to me as well. I may get one myself. You'll have to eat it downstairs, just so you know."
"Yeah, yeah. Don't wanna upset you. I know you're real strict about neatness." He rubbed one eye, looking more drowsy by the minute. "I think I'm gonna take a nap."
His partner walked back over to the side of the bed, leaned down and pulled the covers back over him. "Do you want me to wake you later when I come back from Mauville?"
"Please?"
Maxie runs a hand through his messy ebony hair, then planted one last kiss to his cheek. "Alright. Sleep well."
He grabs the wash cloth that was left on the nightstand, then finally heads out of the room. He watched Archie lay back and huddle beneath the covers before shutting the door gently. As he was making a mental note to disinfect the doorknob, he barely managed to turn around when he noticed May in his peripheral vision. His body jolted.
"May! You startled me." Maxie stammered, placing a hand over his chest. She didn't answer right away, but her eyes had shown worrying of some sort. "Did you do something?"
May stiffened. Her dad always seemed to be able to tell when something was amiss. "You know how you said not to go crazy with the water? Well... it wasn't me this time."
"What?"
"It was Mudkip! I didn't do it! We were playing tag and he kept shooting water guns everywhere! Tell the neighbor I'm innocent!" She pleaded.
Right on cue their doorbell rang out from downstairs. May yelped and jumped behind him, huddling and peering out towards the stairs. Maxie pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily. His work as a parent was never done.