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His arms were firm yet careful, holding a small bundle on them, his gaze softening a bit upon seeing what was underneath the cloth– his baby, his precious Frederic, looking at him with his curious little eyes.
Aquilo felt pride as he observed his son, so calm and so small in his hands, so… fragile. His heart was content with how fate had brought Ingo and him together, yet there was an odd sensation on the back of his mind– a mix of worry and anxiety, or so he thought, though there was an empty kind of sadness sometimes replacing that strange combination of feelings.
It had been bothering him ever since his child had been born, like an ocean's waves– unpredictable yet deep, covering his body from his knees and sometimes getting as far as covering his throat.
He… he shouldn't be sad, though. His life was nice in the Pearl Clan, accompanied by his other half and their baby, sometimes even with Akari whenever she had some time to go and chat, which she took advantage of to go meet the new member of their family. Everything was
fine!
Yet Aquilo couldn't help but worry about life, about Frederic, and… God, he was so small and fragile; any wrong movement could be bad for him.
What if he accidentally harmed his little boy? Aquilo's hands suddenly felt slippery, and soon he passed his baby to his husband, whose typical serious expression was now softer than usual. Esperanza, his Togekiss, took advantage of the lack of baby on her trainer's hands to gently rub her face on them, an attempt at comforting his worries before they took a worse turn.
Ingo realized something was up, even though Akari hadn't noticed, using one of her fingers to play with Frederic while a huge grin decorated her face– Aquilo felt a warm hand placing itself on his shoulder, firm yet gentle, and his gaze met his husband's for a moment.
Sometimes, they didn't need any kind of words to communicate, not after so much time spent together.
“Love, you seem stressed. Would you like to go to another destination for a while, to let off some steam?” his partner mumbled, loud enough for only him to hear.
Ingo tended to talk with unusual terms in Hisui, and Aquilo always had fun just by trying to figure it out– it was easier after finding a book about trains during his travels to the Kalos region, which made the other man feel a neverending joy. He kept reading it over and over, and his excitement for those new machines was adorable, honestly.
“Oh! I could watch over Frederic for you, if you need me to,” Akari offered with a smile, yet there was some doubt deep inside of Aquilo's heart.
Frederic was his child, his
(and Ingo's)
responsibility. He couldn't just… force someone else to take care of him, just like that.
“I… I'm not sure,” was all he said, looking at the ground as he spoke. Aquilo did feel exhausted after taking care of his baby, but still he didn't want to have him far from himself.
Ingo's usually neutral expression softened at the sight, and he spoke up again, holding Aquilo's hands even when his Togekiss chirped in complaint.
“Aquilo… It's okay to take a break, that's what you always tell me, remember? Nobody can continue without any kind of stop through your route,” his husband exclaimed, drawing soothing circles on Aquilo's hands with his thumbs, trying to help him feel a bit better without many words. “We could go to the hot springs, if you'd like. Your body is really tense.”
That was true. He had been stressed with the baby, adapting to having settled down with Ingo on Pearl Clan. It was still strange for him to stay in one place for longer than a couple of months, having wandered around the world for years after finding himself in unknown land. His life had changed a lot– for the better, of course, but Aquilo still had to get used to that new pace.
“Alright. But only for a little bit,” he agreed after a short silence, not too sure of his words yet knowing well his body needed some rest.
And so their small trip began, with Ingo quietly holding his husband's hand as they began walking through snow.
Esperanza returned to her pokeball on her own, feeling that her training was starting to feel better– plus, Aquilo would’ve needed her to be away to enter the hot springs without worries, walking by his partner’s side through the snowy paths of the Alabaster Icelands, knowing the way like the palm of their hands after so long.
Words weren't needed between the two, and that was okay most of the time; Aquilo didn't mind Ingo's silence, knowing it sometimes was just his personality whenever they weren't training their Pokemon together, but that day his mind wanted to play tricks on him. His chest hurt, somehow, and his lips trembled no matter how used to the cold his body was.
“What's in your mind, love?”
Ingo's voice was soft, tender– he knew something was up, yet he was giving Aquilo a chance to speak or remain silent if that was his wish. Always giving him an option, respecting whatever he wanted to do.
That was one of the many reasons he had fallen in love with him, although it hadn't started well in the beginning– Aquilo was a bit overbearing, and Ingo had been a bit suspicious when they had met. But with time, Ingo realized that he didn't mean any harm at all; it was just how Aquilo was, no ill intent behind.
Ingo had started to allow him to stay by his side on Mount Coronet or the Pearl Settlement from time to time, softening up to him… and well, they began wearing matching rings after a while. Aquilo still couldn't believe that such a good man had decided to date him– to
marry
him. And to start a family by his side! It felt like a dream that would end at any time, and he was afraid, to say the least.
He could trust his husband with his pains– the problem was finding the words to express himself, still having trouble with saying what was in his heart outside of merchant business.
“I… There's a lot going on, mi cielo. I don't even know where to start,” Aquilo admitted, letting out a shaky sigh that was visible due to the low temperatures. His lips trembled again. “It's just… I still feel out of place in the Clan. I know I'm welcome there! Yet…”
He didn't need to finish his sentence, knowing well his husband would understand.
“You feel like a foreigner still,” Ingo added as he looked away, making sure their steps were firm on the treacherous snowy ground, not wanting either of them to get hurt by accident. “I know what you mean. When the Pearl Clan kindly took me in after losing all my memories, I felt the same way– sometimes, I still do. It's normal to feel this way.”
His heart kept hurting deep, deep inside, even though his partner was trying to cheer him up. Of course Aquilo knew about his situation as a foreigner on Hisui, they had spoken countless times about the few things they could remember about their faded pasts, yet to know that Ingo still felt strange in his home… would that sensation ever leave their souls, now that their child had been born? Aquilo had begun to miss Frederic, even if he was exhausted from his quite recent birth and sleepless nights.
Anxiety was
horrible
to him, and doubt consumed his brain– they arrived at the hot springs in no time, and they began taking their clothes to relax in the warm water, yet Aquilo still had an uneasy feeling in the depths of his soul.
The contrast between the warmth of the water and the gelid snow sent shivers through his back, and Ingo let out a soft chuckle at his surprised expression– in return, Aquilo splashed some water on his husband while giggling, knowing well he wouldn't be bothered in the slightest. He didn't mind it and just relaxed on his spot, submerging his body until only his shoulders and head were out on the surface, a content hum escaping from his lips.
Without making any sound at all, Aquilo approached his partner, who had closed his eyes due to how much he was enjoying the hot spring– and then, he stole a quick kiss from his lips, which was returned in a heartbeat.
A shy smile appeared on Ingo's face; no matter how much time they had been together, he would always be a bit surprised with their loving gestures. It was adorable.
Without saying anything at all, Ingo wrapped him with his arms, always making sure to not press his chest too strongly by accident. Aquilo returned the embrace with a soft smile, content and although he was still feeling some doubt, his soul had been soothed even if only slightly.
Ingo was right– he had needed to take a break, feeling energized once again.