Fighting The Cold (Pokemon, Ambiguous/M-Commander Saturn)

[justlogan]

 

My first post here. It's been sitting in my Evernote for a little while now and I finally worked up the courage to post it! The sneezing doesn't actually start until a little later on so if you wanna skip right to that, feel free. Otherwise please let me know what you think and enjoy the ride! 

 

 

The ice cold wind was whipping up the snow in a way that made it blow harshly into my face with every step I took. Despite my multiple layers, the chill of the air mixing in with how long I had been walking had made the freezing temperature I was in undeniable. Usually focusing on a goal, in my case, the next town up, made it easier to ignore something so unpleasant as biting wind chill. Even focusing on warmth sometimes managed to do it. However, the amazing warmth of the fluffy bed and hot chocolate I had been offered at the small lodge I had recently stayed at had long since faded. I had been told by the portly owner, with a smile, that by the time I got cold again, the sight of the town should be well within view. He had, however, insisted that I hurry. If a blizzard kicked up, as they often did at random, being able to see where I was going, even in broad daylight, would be an exceptional challenge.

 

I tried not to think of him saying that right now. Not when my feet were starting to feel so cold that I feared they would grow numb. I had felt, for the past however long now, more and more anxious about the fact that the town had not yet shown itself to me. Not even on the horizon. I paused where I stood and looked around. In every single direction, as far as the eye could see, there was nothing but snow and blowing wind. I couldn't even see the lodge I had come from anymore. I shuddered, pushing my anxiety away, and pressed on. That was all I could do to stay sane in this frozen wasteland. Perhaps it would regain it's original charm of beauty once I didn't feel almost frozen half to death. Once I wasn't so scared that I've been walking in the wrong direction all this time.

 

I envied my pokemon. Warm and safe and cozy, probably sleepily oblivious to the outside world their trainer was in right now. If absolutely need be, I knew I could summon my Infernape. His ever burning flame would be certain to help me out in a pinch if I needed. Even if only for a few moments, I knew he could help me warm up enough to not freeze to death. I was tempted to bring him out now, or any of my other pokemon for that matter. Outside of the increasing cold, and the now small pieces of ice rising from the ground alongside the wind to bite into my cheeks, it was the loneliness that was starting to drive me crazy. I didn't have the heart, however, to make any of my pokemon suffer this trek with me. I'd only summon my fire type while out in these conditions, and that's if things get dire.

 

''Would that I could find an ice type while I'm up here...that's something to look forward to at least.''

 

I lowered my scarf and took my hands out of my pockets just long enough to blow warm air into them before quickly putting them back. As I tightened and readjusted my scarf I noticed that somewhere in the distance, I could see greenery. My heart leapt straight into my throat with relief. Trees. That man hadn't been lying for the sake of turning me into a frozen corpse after all. I smiled but then immediately stopped. I wasn't out of the woods just yet. Hell, I wasn't even in them. I bet the trees will provide some amazing cover from this vicious wind. I exhaled into my scarf, enjoying the split second of warmth that spread across my face and redoubled my pace.

 

It was either very long, or not long at all until I was relatively close to the clearing of trees. I had shut my mind off while walking, doing all that I could not to think about the biting, bitter cold. Thank goodness. I could finally retreat into the safety of the trees. I was told, even before reaching that small lodge, that the town was near a forest. I must be getting close. The wind picked up a final time, spiting me for trying to escape. I swear, there will be a cut somewhere on my face from the way this ice keeps whipping into my face. I paused at the clearing and glanced back once more. The wind was blowing so violently that I could hear it as much as I could see it. The hail had certainly picked up. I was too relieved for words as I realized that I had just barely made it out of what was the obvious start to one of those blizzards. I turned away from the clearing and continued to walk.

 

I wasn't any less cold now, but at the very least there was relief from no longer being in direct contact with the wind and hail. I continued walking, taking in my surroundings as I tightened the scarf around my face and neck. The forest was positively beautiful. I vaguely in the back of my head had no fear of getting lost in it, because I'd heard it wasn't very big. If I walked long enough, I would hit the edge of it eventually. Which was when-

 

''Who goes there?''

 

I stopped short, my heart leaping into my chest. I hadn't so much as seen another living being for hours, much less heard one. For a mad moment, I considered I might have hallucinated it. However, the shifting and shuffling I heard was unmistakable. The hand in my right pocket instinctively tightened around the pokeball that was in there as I spun around to the source of the sound. There on the ground, all but completely camouflaged by the snow was a small tent. It looked barely tall enough for a person to stand up in. Before I could respond, I heard the voice again, accompanied by the sight of a hand gently parting the opening to the tent.

 

''I said, who-''

 

He froze. We both did. He looked at me from the opening of the tent, the shock on his face quickly giving way to that usual look of smug annoyance. I'd recognize that expression, as well as that blue hair anywhere. Commander Saturn of team Galactic. But what was he doing all the way out here? Camping out no less. I was stunned. And much too drained of energy and cold for a proper interrogation or fight. That clearly didn't matter to him, however, evident in the small smirk that crossed his face.

 

''Well...it seems someone has lost their way.''

 

''I'm not lost.''

 

''No?'' He peeked his head out of the tent, one eye closing as a small gust of wind picked up.

 

I felt it too, and couldn't help but shudder. 

 

''You do know town isn't for another few miles, right? Or were you out here looking for me?''

 

''Why would I be looking for you? I didn't even- what are you even-''

 

As many questions as I wanted to ask him, the most pressing thing he said was sitting in the forefront of my mind. Making my heart drop with every second I had to process it. I took a step closer, the exhaustion and desperation I felt from the cold making me even less in the mood for petty bickering.

 

''Did you...say miles?''

 

''Mhm.''

 

His tone was annoyingly casual. My fist tightened around the pokeball I'd been holding as I fought back the emotional onslaught I could feel; tears of frustration were threatening to well in my eyes. After everything I had done and been through, I still wasn't even close to town? I wanted to fall to my knees. I just couldn't do it anymore. I stared at Saturn in disbelief, to which he smirked yet again. I could see everything he was thinking; could feel him silently laughing at me. The bastard. I knew he was still bitter about the last time I had beaten him. And the time before that was well. He and his damn organization were up to something; something that might change the very fabric of the Sinnoh region as we knew it. Being a commander of this organization, there was no one above him but the head boss Cyrus himself. Despite this, I had still humiliated him through battle time and time again. Me, a simple trainer from little leaf town. He had promised, after our last battle, that the next time we fought, he would make me regret embarrassing him. And here we were. Meeting again.

 

''You seem a little upset. Surely a trainer of your caliber didn't come out here unprepared.''

 

The tears of frustration I had felt ready to turn to tears of sadness and anger. I stared at him.

 

''I could still...get there tonight...?''

 

''Mm-mm.'' He shook his head, pointing to his watch. ''It'll be sunset soon. Wandering these woods at night without shelter is practically a death sentence. Especially with the blizzard rolling in.''

 

I couldn't hide the desperation I'm sure was on my face. He took the opportunity to double down with his teasing.

 

''Don't tell me you didn't bring some form of shelter?''

 

This time, my eyes did well with tears. He seemed to notice, evident in the bit of shock that crossed his face. Or maybe it was just a trick of light because just as quickly that expression was gone and he was waving me away, obviously prepared to reclose his tent.

 

''Well, I'm sure you'll be fine.''

 

''Wait!'' I took a few desperate steps forward.

 

I swear I could feel the smirk on his face, though I couldn't see it because his head was turned away.

 

''What if I...I mean could I...um...''

 

''Mhm?''

 

''Just...camp here with you. Until morning.'' I kept talking, trying to sweeten the deal for him as much as possible. ''I noticed you don't have a fire. My infernape could light one for us. You must be freezing in there as well.''

 

''I'm doing well enough as is with bundling up.'' Though he spoke with disinterest, I could hear the underlying willingness to hear more.

 

''But what about when it gets dark? The temperature will drop severely by then.''

 

''I'm sure I'll be able to manage well enough in here. This tent is made special in a galactic lab, after all. I was fine until I heard what I thought was a wild pokemon.''

 

I bit my bottom lip, not wanting to say the word I knew he wanted to hear.

 

''Oh come on...''

 

''If that will be all then...'' He began to rezip the tent yet again.

 

I swallowed down the last little bit of my pride and finally said what I knew he wanted to hear.

 

''Please...''

 

''Hmm?''

 

''Come on...please. Let me share the tent with you. I was...ill prepared for this.''

 

He stopped moving, fingers playing with the zipper as he finally looked at me. His expression was unreadable.

 

''I'll catch my death out here if you don't help me...''

 

He hesitated yet again, to which I could feel my eyes filling.

 

''Please, Saturn. Commander...Saturn. I need your help.''

 

That ever familiar smirked finally crossed his face and for once, I was actually relieved to see it.

 

''Fine. I still can't stand you, but I'm not a monster.'' He lowered the zipper yet again, fully this time, and nodded towards the inside with a flick of his head. ''Get in here.''

 

The relief that washed over me was as warm as the hot chocolate I drank earlier. I quickly walked over to the tent. He moved out of the way just long enough for me to climb inside and what I saw before me made me gasp in surprise. The first thing I couldn't help but notice was the warmth. The second was how large it was on the inside. Not only was there room enough to stand, there was room enough to walk around. It was like a smaller version of the lodge I had just been to. There was not only a single small bed, but multiple cushions large enough to sit on. How did- how?

 

''Take off your shoes.''

 

I did so without question, still taking in my surroundings with an astonished sort of wonder.

 

''How did-''

 

''I told you.'' He casually stood from his place after sealing the tent shut. ''This tent was made in a galactic lab. The technology used was painstakingly rendered to replicate that of the inside of a pokeball. Extremely small outside while on the inside still large enough to house something like an Onix.''

 

''Incredible...''

 

The word had slipped from my mouth before I had a chance to stop it. I could feel him looking at me, staring even, trying to figure out if I meant what I was saying. Or perhaps taken aback by my candid enjoyment of something made in a lab of the organization I had been actively sabotaging for weeks now. For now though, I could feel the unspoken agreement between us to be decent to each other during this one off situation.

 

''Yes...well...'' He cleared his throat and quickly looked away from me. ''Don't go trying to steal our ideas. This arrangement is only temporary. But I know that's long enough for the likes of you.''

 

I wandered the tent and nodded without question. I didn't have any reason or place to argue and anyway, he was right. This was usually the sort of thing I would go running straight to Professor Rowan.

 

''You have my word.''

 

He seemed satisfied with this. As I continued to look around, he crossed the room and sat down on his bed. I noticed a book sitting near his pillow. He picked it up and upon noticing me looking at him, nodded towards the expanse of giant pillows on the floor.

 

''Feel free.''

 

''Thank you...''

 

As I crossed the room back to the pillows, I noticed his eyes already starting to scan the page. He had an exceptionally peaceful air about him. It was interesting, to say the least. It almost seemed wrong that he didn't have a cup of tea in his hands. I did notice a mug on a small nearby table. Maybe he'd already had some, and finished it shortly before I arrived. This must have been what he was doing before hearing me outside. Hmm. I never pegged him for a reader, though I don't feel surprised that he is. I removed my backpack and opened it, looking for a fresh pair of socks, and a snack. As I was ruffling through it, he spoke again.

 

''Oh and...later on I'll have to power down the electricity in the tent. It will likely need to stay off for an hour or two.''

 

Before I could ask why, he continued.

 

''To ensure it lasts us through the night. So...enjoy the warmth while you can. The conservation hour will get quite cold. Though...there are plenty of blankets so it shouldn't be unbearable.''

 

I nodded in understanding as he refolded his legs and went right back to reading. I felt myself momentarily forgetting how hungry I was. He sighed, clearly slipping into the world of whatever he was reading. It felt as if I wasn't even there anymore. His fingers reached up to grab the corner of a page before turning it. I felt my heart thud. Was I going crazy, or was Saturn actually... no no. It's the exhaustion and the cold turning my brain to mush. That and the hunger. It must be. Why else would I be staring at him like this? Admiring the serenity I'd never seen from him before. The way his eyes moved slowly but deliberately across the pages. The way his brows occasionally furrowed up as he read. The way his fingers lingered on the corner of the next page shortly before turning it. I swallowed, forcing myself to look away from him. I could feel my heart thudding softly.

 

'No...there's no way. I'm just tired.'

 

It didn't take long before my feet were warming in a fresh pair of socks and I was munching on a granola bar. What an interesting situation to find ourselves in. Civil for the moment, and not at each others throats. I finally laid down, resisting the urge to stare at him again. It was just exhaustion. It had to be. I had been walking for who knows how many hours after all. And I was finally so warm...so comfortable... I could feel my eyes slipping sleepily shut.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

I have no idea how long I slept for, but I knew that I was sharply woken up by my own shivering. I looked around, surprised at how dark it was without the electricity that Saturn had mentioned. I sat up, suddenly acutely aware of the sound of soft, shuddering breathing that wasn't my own.

 

''Saturn...?''

 

I could barely see him in the darkness of the tent. Upon looking closer, however, I could see that he was still lying in bed, wrapped in a bundle of blankets and shivering beneath them. I heard him sniffle.

 

''What?'' His voice was sharp, likely do to the cold.

 

I crawled across the pillows over to the side of his bed, instinctually craving the feeling of being close to the only other source of warmth in the room.

 

''H-how long has the...electricity been off...?''

 

He turned to look at me. His blue eyes, though as piercing as always, looked tired. He sniffled again, voice shuddering as he responded.

 

''About ha-ah-...half hour.''

 

I quietly rubbed my hands together, envious of the large blanket he had wrapped himself in. Had he really planned on weathering this storm for two hours all alone? My eyes locked onto his. I hesitated to inquire what I knew we both had to be thinking. It would be ten times warmer under those blankets if we shared them and huddled together. He shivered visibly as a gust of wind whipped against the outside of the tent.

 

''I...um...'' I kept my eyes on his, anxiety at the prospect of saying what I felt making my heart pound. ''You...you look cold...''

 

His eyes rolled. For a moment, I thought it was at annoyance at me. I realized I was wrong, however, when he lowered his face into the blanket and released a stifled sneeze into it. Before I could say anything more, he did it twice more, body jerking beneath the covers with the force of the powerful stifles. He groaned, blue eyes finally opening to meet mine again as he sniffled.

 

''Freezing.'' He admitted. ''I can't stand the cold. I don't know why Cyrus stationed me up here to...to...''

 

He paused, voice trailing off. He gasped and then sneezed again, this one still stifled but a bit less so than the other ones.

 

''Ugh...survey the area...''

 

''You're going to make them worse by stifling them you know.''

 

He seemed to consider my words seriously for just a moment before quietly burying his face back into the blanket until I could only see his eyes. ''W-what about you, then?''

 

What about me? It's not like I was trying to hide how much I was shivering. I met his gaze with an almost wry smile. ''Jealous of those blankets you're under.''

 

He paused, closing his eyes. His brows furrowed as if he were deep in thought. That seemed, however, to be just the push he needed. ''Well then...perhaps if only for the next hour...''

 

He sat up in bed as he spoke. I nodded rapidly. ''It seems best.''

 

No more words were spoken as he lowered from the bed to the floor next to me. He wrapped the entire blanket around us both, turning it into a makeshift cocoon. We then used the other, less heavy blankets that we had both been using to wrap around ourselves while under the giant blanket. We sat there together, sealing the edges of the larger blanket by folding it and then putting either a pillow or our own weight on top of it. I rapidly rubbed my hands together. It was starting to feel warmer already. Saturn seemed warmer as well, outside of his rapid sniffling.

 

''T-this is only temporary, of course...''

 

''Of course.'' I responded.

 

We would be enemies again in the morning. Right now, however, we were the furthest thing from that. We were just two people trying to keep warm. Looking away from me, Saturn extended his hands. My heart began to thud in my chest for some unknown reason. Maybe it was the situation we were in. Maybe it was the way I had seen him earlier. I couldn't blame it on exhaustion anymore. I looked down at his hands, my heart rate speeding up even more as I rested my own into his. His hands were freezing, but still somehow warmer then mine. It felt...good. I looked up at him. What I didn't expect was for him to meet my gaze the moment I did. We both seemed as taken aback as the other did. Him shocked that I was looking at him, and I that he had already been looking at me. His deep blue eyes held my gaze for only a moment longer before quickly shifting elsewhere.

 

''Why um...why did Cyrus send you up here anyway?''

 

I had just been trying to fill the silence before it turned awkward, but I realized that my question might seem invasive. While quietly kicking myself, expecting him to let go of my hands or say something like 'that's none of your concern' or 'the affairs of team galactic are of no import to you', Saturn surprised me. While absentmindedly using my hands to stroke warmth back into his own, he sighed.

 

''Hell if I know. If it were up to me I'd be stationed somewhere much warmer. Somewhere not-''

 

He froze, hands tightening in mine. I looked at his face. His eyes were slipping shut and his lips were slightly parted. He quickly let go of my hand and turned his head away, releasing three hard stifled sneezes into the crease of his elbow. I could tell they were getting harder, likely because he was holding them back. He sniffled, cheeks starting to tinge red from the small fit.

 

''You should just let them out. It'll only be worse in the long run if you don't.''

 

He sniffled loudly while resting his soft hands back into mine. My fingers immediately began to absentmindedly stroke the tops of his knuckles. He sighed, clearly annoyed with the situation and obviously over this cold. I scooted closer to him, craving more warmth. He moved closer to me as well. Though we would likely be enemies again in the morning, I had a sneaking suspicion that it wouldn't be long before we were in each others arms, sharing the warmth of this mini tent inside the tent until the actual tent was charged enough to not shut off on us until morning.

 

''So...'' he began. ''what is the appeal in it for you...? Being a lackie of that professor, I mean.''

 

I looked up at him and for the first time, realized just how close we were. A few more inches and my head would be in prime position to rest on his shoulder or chest. His eyes met mine. It didn't feel tentative or awkward this time. It was clear that somehow, the comfort between us had grown. I held his gaze.

 

''I could ask the same thing of you now, couldn't I? The appeal of working for Cyrus.''

 

''It's not him in particular I wouldn't say...its more so...''

 

The softness of his voice was oddly comforting. How had I never noticed it before? Or was it that I had just never heard this tone out of him. Much like I had never seen that peaceful, serene side of him that came out when he was immersed in a good book. I listened to him speak, his sentences and words broken up by the increasingly occasional sniffle. Slowly but surely, I began to completely relax as we talked back and forth, sharing our thoughts and ideals about why we were the way that we were. Opposing thoughts about not only each other, but about the people we reported back to. Thoughts we might have likely not ever, under any circumstances, been able to conceptualize or understand. I'm not sure when my head rested on his shoulder, or for how long we had been holding hands. All I know is how warm it felt, despite the temperature outside clearly dropping more and more as the moments passed.

 

Saturn had stifled a few more sneezes during the course of our conversation, and as I had said, the fits got not only worse, but closer and closer to each other. I could feel him getting more and more annoyed with each one. Finally, when I felt his chest rise with a gasp, instead of letting him pull his hands from mine, I held them firmly in my lap. He quickly stopped trying to pull one of them free and instead sat there, obviously waiting for it to happen.

 

His face was a mask of vulnerability. Cheeks flushed red, eyes closed, brows furrowed together with desperation for the sneeze that wouldn't come. Without thinking, I moved closer until my face was inches from his and reached my hand up before softly pressing the knuckle of my first finger into the outside of his nose in a slight massaging motion. He sat there in silence as I did so until his nostrils suddenly flared. He quickly grabbed my hand by the wrist to move it out of the way while gasping. Before I had a chance to say or do anything more, he sneezed hard directly at me. Twice; his grip on my wrist tightening each time he did so. I opened my eyes and looked at him, shock very likely painting every inch of my face at the fact that he hadn't even turned his head away. It was as if he'd completely forgotten how close I was sitting to him. He opened his eyes and they met mine immediately. Surprisingly, I could see the guilt at what he'd just done in his expression.

 

"I-...oh...''

 

His eyes rolled in annoyance as his nostrils flared yet again. He didn't seem to need help this time. He sneezed hard three more times, this time turning his head away from me as he released them hard into the air. I sat there as he continued holding my wrist, feeling as the ever present grip on my wrist tightened firmly every time he let another sneeze out. He paused for a moment before doing it a final time. When that was done he let out a relieved sigh, clearly glad that it was over. He looked back at me while sniffling, finally releasing his grip on my arm as an uncharacteristically sheepish look crossed his face. It mixed in with the guilt that had been there before the urge to sneeze again had taken over the features on his face. His face was flushed, and that vulnerability had been replaced with the pride I was so used to seeing from him. Albeit this time, it was mixed with obvious embarrassment at what he had just done.

 

"I...'' he sniffled, ''I'm so sorry about that. And um...''

 

Saturn looked away from me as he continued, likely unable to hold the gaze of the person he'd just sneezed all over. He seemed unable to find the right words for a few moments. What could he say? There was no denying what'd just happened. The slight pressure I could still feel from where his hand had been gripping my wrist was evidence enough of that. He hesitated for a bit longer before sniffling again.

 

"Thank you...'' he sniffled yet again.

 

I could somehow hear what he wasn't saying. Thank you for letting me hold onto you. I was surprised that he did, but I hadn't minded it.

 

"You um...well it seemed like you were struggling so...'' I hesitated myself, just as surprised at not only what I'd done to help him, but at the fact that I hadn't minded a bit of it.

 

I hesitated again, feeling myself on the brink of rambling. "...you're welcome.''

 

He sniffled again. "I'm annoyingly sensitive to the cold. Thankfully I don't have an allergy to flowers or pollen to worry about right now. Otherwise grass types would...''

 

He trailed off. I filled the silence without thinking.

 

"I wouldn't mind. If it happened again I mean... its only natural after all.''

 

He looked back at me finally. "You don't...you don't think I'm disgusting? I mean I just...''

 

He trailed off again, face flushing at the memory. I had assumed it was embarrassment making him trail off, but one look at his face showed me what it actually was. I wordlessly offered him my wrist, which he grabbed just in time to release a hard sneeze.

 

"Haa-ah-hatchoo!! ...Ugh''

 

''You really don't do well in the cold, do you?''

 

''I-'' He paused, sentence interrupted with a slightly gasp-like inhale.

 

He shook his head, waving his free hand in front of his face. The desperation was tangible. I watched him in silence, the way his lips parted as his breath hitched over and over. Though I was tempted to help again, something told me I didn't need to. My thoughts were proven correct as his grip on my arm tightened firmly as he finally sneezed again. And then again. And then once more. I felt an overwhelming urge to reach up and comfort him by rubbing the top of his head. He sighed while looking up, still clutching my wrist, brows furrowed, chest slightly heaving, clearly right on the brink of another one.

 

''I think...'' He gasped. ''I need-''

 

I reached my hand up and softly flicked the side of his nose in the same spot I had earlier. I saw him give the briefest of nods while tightening his grip hard on the hand he was still holding as he sneezed again, and then very hard once more. He sighed in relief when it was over, finally releasing his grip on my wrist as that usual calmness began to overtake his features once again. The relief he could obviously feel was tangible.

 

''Thank you...''

 

''It's no problem...'' I responded softly as he slipped his hand into mine yet again.

 

His free arm, however, he used to wrap around me. It was getting colder, and we still had some time yet before we could rewarm the tent. I didn't mind at all. In fact, I might have been secretly hoping for a moment like this. Though I couldn't explain why, I let myself enjoy it nonetheless. I could tell he was still embarrassed, but definitely much less so then earlier. I think he knew now that I was being genuine when I said I didn't mind, or find him disgusting at all. If anything, I felt a little bad for him. This was likely going to be quite the long hour. Again though, as I nuzzled myself into the warmth of his neck, I found myself thinking that I didn't mind. What would the professor, or even Tommy think if they could see me right now? The warm and comforting silence between us was broken only by his occasional sniffles, and eventually, the sound of his voice.

 

''That may likely happen again...''

 

I nuzzled more closely into him, and sighed softly while gently squeezing his hand in my own, making it clear that I didn't mind.

 

''That's okay.''

 

''Even if I do... I mean...could I still...''

 

I felt a smile creeping onto my face at his uncharacteristically nervous verbiage. Just this once, I decided to be nice and not make him say the words I knew were on his mind.

 

''You can still hold me even if you do. I promise I won't mind.''

 

His body, as if trying to test my words, suddenly tensed. I could feel his chest expanding as he gasped. His grip around my arms tightened. Instead of letting me go, however, he seemed to hold me even tighter as he sneezed nice and hard. He paused a moment and did it again. And then shamelessly once more.

 

''All done...?'' My voice was soft as I looked up at him.

 

He shook his head no, breath hitching as he gasped through parted lips. I softly rubbed the top of his hand, watching his changing expression. His grip on me tightened, holding me firmly in place as he began to have his biggest fit yet. He sneezed over and over, almost uncontrollably, as if he were finally releasing everything that had been building up over the course of the night. I lost count of how many times it happened, but he hadn't been kidding when he said he wasn't done. He gasped before pausing, eyes filled with tears, face a complete mask of desperation. I turned to him and quietly reached my hand up to rub the tip of his nose. He sat there frozen, nostrils flaring for a few moments before he suddenly sneezed hard all over my hand, his free hand tightening on my thigh as he did so. Before I had much chance to react, he was softly gasping yet again.

 

''Haa-...ahh-''

 

Despite my shock, I kept going, softly massaging his nose as he held my shoulder with one hand while his other rested comfortably on my thigh. His nostrils flared yet again and yet again he sneezed right into my hand. He reached his hand up, moving it away from my thigh to rest it on the wrist of the hand I was using. I could somehow tell he was asking me to keep going. My heart pounding with shock, I decided to do so. He lowered his hand again while gasping and giving a very small nod. His breath hitched, soft uncharacteristically vulnerable sounds leaving him as he allowed me to help him to another one. His grip on my thigh tightened in warning as he gasped. I moved my hand out of the way this time, letting him release it hard into the air. Just as earlier, he did it twice. And then once more. He sniffled hard, blue eyes finally opening to look into mine. I could tell that last fit had done it; could see it in the sheepish, thankful look of relief on his face. Alongside that, however, he looked exhausted. I gazed up at him, wishing that I could put my feelings to words. Seeming to sense this, or perhaps even feeling the same way, Saturn leaned forward and rested his forehead on mine. I softly stroked his hand, my heart pounding, a blush forming on my cheeks as I accept his wordless show of thanks. I felt something shift between us. Some type of unspeakable comfort and warmth. Something about having seen such different, vulnerable sides of each other.

 

Saturn sighed, grip on me relaxing as he leaned the side of his head on top of mine. If he didn't believe me earlier, he certainly believed me now. And I, though surprised that he kept holding onto me, believed him. No more words were needed. No pride to speak of. There was nothing between us in this moment besides comfort and trust. Trust from him that he could feel however he needed without judgement. Trust from me that he would hold onto me if he needed to. He pulled me closer and I snuggled into him even more, sighing as I relaxed into the warmth of his embrace. Despite the bitter and biting cold outside, and the wind so strong I could hear it howling as it whipped against the outside of the tent, I found myself quietly, oddly wishing that this moment; that this night, would never come to an end.

 

 

[uwus and love]

Okay. Beautiful. A while off the forum and I return to find this piece of art. The desperation, the understanding of comfort that transcended their want to oppose one another. It’s all so perfect. Bravo.   

[justlogan]

On 8/11/2024 at 1:28 PM, uwus and love said:

Okay. Beautiful. A while off the forum and I return to find this piece of art. The desperation, the understanding of comfort that transcended their want to oppose one another. It’s all so perfect. Bravo.   

Aww thank you so much for the kind words, they mean a lot! Also yes, the desperation of someone normally so utterly composed and the comfort between them was really enjoyable to write. Thanks for sharing your thoughts ^^

[Akahana]

As someone whose favorite gen is gen 4 Platinum, we are COOKING here!!  This is wonderful, coming to the forum swinging

[justlogan]

@Akahana 

 

I appreciate the kind words! I also love Plat(they're very very close rank wise) but Diamond is definitely my favorite DS version. My OG favorite of the older than olds would probably have to be Emerald from the gameboy though 😁