Welcome to Gaia! ::

“I think he secretly likes it,” Noah said. “It’s how he recognized me when they found me, I think. He thought I was dead.” But he wasn’t. He moved to kiss Dea’s cheek. “I didn’t have to catch Sunny. He just came to me one day.”

He hesitated for a moment. “I thought you were going to die,” he admitted. “You were so sick. I didn’t know what to do. I just needed to do something. Eilam sent me on this ridiculous quest to find a flower, and I thought over everything as I went. I hadn’t realized how strong my feelings were.”

“He’ll always be a Squirt,” Noah said, and grinned. Paian might have been tall now, but Noah still had the image of the tiny Pokémon who’d been his playmate as a child in his head. “Don’t be sorry,” he said. “My mother told me that worrying is a way of loving someone.” He smiles at her. “I certainly learned how I felt about you.” He kissed her cheek.

“I love you,” he said.

“We should go hiking tomorrow,” Noah gently teased. He knew it would be a long time before Paian allowed that to happen. He wasn’t strong enough for that yet. “I thought we could take a walk through the forest, maybe we’ll get lucky.” He had never completely outgrown the idea of being a Pokémon trainer.

“With Paian and all the necessities,” he added, thoughtfully.

“Paian is no fun,” Noah laughed. “How will I get stronger if he makes me stay in bed?” He felt better, but not enough to go hiking. Maybe he could be allowed to make dinner later, though.

He closed his eyes at Dea’s question, a pained expression crossing his face. “I wish I had been able to protect them,” he muttered. He gave her hand a squeeze. “It still doesn’t feel real.” Four of his Pokémon, just gone. The Pokémon who’d been a constant in his life since he’d been a child, they were gone. He’d have to find a way to honor them, he didn’t have their bodies to bury. “I’m glad Sunny and Bubbles were able to escape.”

Barely. Paian seemed determined to get Noah to stay in bed as long as possible. It was almost as if he was trying to break some strange Gaian doctor record. Noah returned the hug just as tightly, his expression crumpling. It didn’t feel real. Some part of him was still in denial. Some part of him wanted to believe they would come back, like Bubbles and Sunny had.

He knew they were gone. The spots in his mind where they had once been were empty, closed off as if for refurbishment. “Me too...” he said.

Noah held Dea tightly. He stroked her hair, trying to comfort her. He didn’t know what to say, he didn’t have words. Nothing could make his Pokémon come back. “Love, we’re supposed to be enjoying a picnic together...” he began. He sniffed. He hated this as much as anyone.

“I’ll always miss them.”

Noah sniffed and wiped at his eyes. “I want to protect you from them..” he muttered. He hadn’t completely released her. He had lost his Pokémon, it was true. But he didn’t think he could survive if he lost Dea. The hope of reuniting with her had kept him fighting, kept him going through everything.

He didn’t want teamrocket anywhere near his wife.

“Just promise I won’t lose you like I lost them.”