Catchall for Domestic Post-Airlocked AU Shenanigans w/Mini

[jesustapdancingchrist]

 wtf am I doing

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[heartswapped]

...you two are adorable together, you know that?

[They're bonding! Elaine is happy with this.]

Well, good night.

[Even though she knows she'll be out here in an hour or so when Aria's hungry.

...



Things are fairly uneventful for the next few days. Somehow, Elaine's managed to find out Oda's birthday, probably because she snooped over whatever documentation was needed for Oda to even live in an alternate universe. So he gets coffee and a simple cake with some interesting-looking berries he's probably never seen before, and the rest of the day goes as normal.

Until Elaine returns from the Pokemon center that evening, removing Aria from the little baby sling she's been hanging out in and reaching for something in her bag.]

I got you something.

[tenimuho]

[Oda has never been one to celebrate his birthday. He only kept track of it to know how old he was, not to insist that other people pay him special attention.

He can't say no to Elaine, though. The cake is delicious, and the coffee as refreshing as always. And the rest of the day falls into the routine he's getting used to.

When Elaine comes home, though...]

You did?

[What are presents?]

[heartswapped]

[She can't exactly blame him for not making a big deal of his. Elaine doesn't really care for her own birthday, either - hard to enjoy something yourself when you're used to sharing.

But she hands him the item before picking Aria up again, sitting down on the couch, and placing the baby in her lap. It's a small ball that he's probably seen a million times before in this world, by now. Well, this one is green instead of the usual red and white, but.]

There's a girl who likes to offer trades whenever she's in town. I told her about you, and how you didn't have your own Pokemon, and she thought this was the thing you needed.

[He's probably never held a Pokeball before, so she points at the button in the center.]

You have to press that to let it out.

[tenimuho]

[He holds the Pokeball, but he doesn't press the button just yet.]

...Is it alright to trust me with this?

[He doesn't know if it's even alright to trust me with Aria, but he wouldn't abandon his daughter or her mother.

This Pokemon could have a better trainer. Anyone else would do.]

[heartswapped]

I think so.

[Her voice is low and a bit more serious than she usually does. But he needs to start trusting himself.]

And if you're ever unsure about how to do something, I can teach you.

[She's actually pretty satisfied with how Oda's taking responsibility for Aria, to be honest.]

[tenimuho]

...I trust you.

[Not himself, not yet. But he can at least believe that she's making the right call here.

He presses the button on the Pokeball.]

[heartswapped]

[Aria makes a noise and stirs a little, but Elaine's holding on to her tightly, rocking her gently. She may be whispering something to the baby in the voice she always uses for Aria and very small Pokemon again. It's not too important; she just knows that Aria likes hearing people's voices.

Anyway, out pops an Absol. It looks confused for a moment, before sniffing Oda's leg.]

[tenimuho]

[...Oda thinks he knows what love at first sight means now.

The Pokemon sniffs at his leg. It's about a meter tall, larger than the tallest of dogs, and it looks so very soft.

Oda's hand hovers in midair.]

...Hello there. Can I pet you?

[The Absol looks up at him for a second, judging him based on his face and his scent, before nudging the top of its head into the palm of Oda's hand.]

[heartswapped]

[She's just gonna let you two get to know each other.]

Absol's a pretty good Pokemon. They can be a little tricky, but they're about as loyal as you can get.

[Also...]

Apparently they can sense natural disasters and try to warn people about them, too, so that's useful.

[tenimuho]

Perfect.

[He could do with a few more warnings... And someone loyal.]

Did they say whether Absol was a girl or a boy?

[She's a girl, for the record.]

[heartswapped]

I think she said that this cutie's a girl.

You gonna name her?

[tenimuho]

[Oda thinks for a second, before settling on,] Hisae.

['Eternal Blessing.' One that would last longer than two years.

He manages the tiniest of smiles.]

[heartswapped]

Well hello there, Hisae!

[Is she gonna give the Absol a pet? SHE'S GIVING HER AN ALL OUT ASSAULT ON THE PETS. HISAE IS DOOMED.

...oh no.

Looks like Elaine is... crying a little?]

[tenimuho]

Elaine?

[Highkey concern, smiles are gone. Even Hisae tilts its head in confusion, despite the petting.]

[heartswapped]

It's fine. Sweetie, I... I'm fine. I promise.

[She wipes a few tears away. She's smiling, despite everything.]

It's just... I never thought I'd be around to see this.

[Even Aria is stirring a little, but that might be hunger and not concern.]

[tenimuho]

[Oda hesitates, before resting a hand on Elaine's shoulder.]

I'm here now. I'm not leaving again.

[heartswapped]

[She hates this.

She hates knowing that a big part of why she's crying right now is Oda's own self-loathing being picked up by her empathy. She hates knowing another part of it is still, probably, hormones that she wouldn't even have had to deal with if she'd just been more careful. But most of all, she hates having had to be strong all the time for all these months.

She leans into his hand just a bit.]

It's just.

When I found out I was pregnant? I was so worried about never coming home again, and I thought... I thought Aria was going to go her whole life not even knowing what a Pokemon was.

[It's so stupid, compared to also worrying about her dad, but Pokemon have always been a source of joy in Elaine's life.]

We spent all those months trying to rescue you, and I wanted you back, I really did, but...

...just about every night I'd cry to myself because I wanted to just go home.

[She's home now. Why is she crying?]

[tenimuho]

I don't blame you for wanting to be home. Wanting all of this murdergame business over with. You have every right to.

[He doesn't think he was worth rescuing, but the other dead - he's grateful that they were brought back.]

You're home now. It's going to be okay.

[Hisae rubs her head against Elaine's leg.]

[heartswapped]

[She takes a deep sigh and pets Hisae, then kind of just...lowesr Aria down so the Absol can have a look.]

...you're a wonderful human being.

Has anyone ever told you that?

[tenimuho]

[Hisae takes a look at this baby human for a moment or two, before licking Aria's face.]

You're kind to say so.

[The answer to that question: people have, in various ways, and he's never once believed them.]

[heartswapped]

[Aria squirms a bit, but doesn't seem too troubled by this new development. It's almost as if they were destined to be friends.

She starts whining a little as Elaine pulls her up and wipes her face, though, so Elaine figures it's probably time to feed that pumpkin. She'll get started on that, but she's not letting it distract her from her dismay.

Elaine loves him.

She only wishes he could love himself, if even a little.]

Thanks.

...for everything.

[it's all she can really say about that, but she doesn't just mean for him telling her that. Honestly, she doesn't know if she could do all of this without losing her mind if he wasn't there.]

Can I ask you a few questions? You don't have to answer if you don't want, but...

[There's so little she actually knows about him, and it bothers her.]

[tenimuho]

I can answer.

[He isn't one to talk about himself. He cares more about what other people have to say - that might just be the way he is, even if he loved himself.

But Elaine wants to know, so he'll answer.]

[heartswapped]

Do you remember anything about whatever family you had when you were younger?

[She assumes, from what she knows about him, that Oda didn't have much of a childhood. That's horrifying, and it's also reason number 4000 she wants Aria to have a normal, happy childhood with no assassinations or anything like that.

She rocks Aria, who's still whining a bit even with her mouth full, as she ponders this. She has Elaine's eye color, but as the days go by and she looks like less of a potato, Elaine can sort of make out tiny features on her face that look, unmistakably, like Oda's.

What a beautiful little bean. But if Elaine went through months of hell to bring that bean/potato/pumpkin into the world, she figures she deserves to know a few things.]

[tenimuho]

[She deserves to know. And so Oda tries to give the best answer he can give.]

I remember my parents' faces, vaguely. I think my father was a businessman, and my mother would often go with him on his trips and leave me with a babysitter. I was an only child.

When I was ten or so, they didn't come back from one of those trips. According to the news, there was a gas leak at the hotel their conference was at.

[He's never found out if that's really what happened.]

[heartswapped]

[...so he became a child assassin. Aria has stopped whining for now, but it's replaced with Elaine frowning just a bit. Even if it's the answer she honestly expected.]

...I'm sorry.