magmaticflamberge | Locked to wouldbeground. Post-marriage.

Locked to wouldbeground. Post-marriage.

How long had he wanted this?

Edmond's lifelong dream was now a band of gold around his finger, a small, round ruby encrusted on the smooth surface. Metal shining like sunshine, stone burning like lava. Nothing else could be such a glorious synthesis of both Team Magma's goals and what Edmond and Maxie shared.

He was now married to Mother Earth's only hope. The single most beautiful, brilliant and powerful man on the planet. For many years, nothing could stop Edmond's love for him, and now their bond was sacred, set in stone... Literally, he thought, moving his hand slightly to make the ruby on his wedding ring twinkle in the light.

For Maxie, he had given everything, and he was ready to give more, so much more. Together, they had smiled and loved. Up to now, they had been free. But now things had changed. And Edmond hoped that his husband understood that a bond was primarily that - a bond. A set of duties, beautifully mutual.

Sitting on a red velvet chair, before the fire he had just lit in the fireplace, Edmond let his thoughts drift. Had his first marriage failed because he had let his wife do whatever she wanted? Were they driven to divorce because Edmond hadn't been strict with her?

Well. He did not yet know exactly what mistake he had made then, but, whatever it was, he was determined not to make it now.

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"Do so, my love. I will join you shortly." Although there was a note of kindness in Edmond's voice, he did not turn to face Maxie. And for a moment, it seemed as though Maxie would not have his attention at all, when Edmond noticed just how close he was, and how his perfectly white hand was now in view.

Such beauty... such perfection... how could it even be human?

His gaze was fixed on it, on the long fingers, on the flawless nails, on the subtle patterns of splendidly woven lines... He could not resist brushing his own hand against it for a moment, then shifting to place a slow, passionate kiss on it, one that eventually ended up involving his front teeth lightly scraping against the soft flesh.

"How are the two of you, Maxie?" he asked when he was done, breathing warm air against his skin.

He was just about to leave to go back to their room when he was stopped. First by Edmond's hand on his own... and then the kiss. Those two were fine. It was the teeth that made him pull his hand away and shake it lightly. He didn't approve of that. And he would make that very clear.

"...We are fine, Edmond." Looking towards him. "I... we need to rest now." Tapping him lightly on the shoulder, he moved to walk away slowly. He was not prepared to be pregnant, and there was still a few months to go.

"If you'll excuse me."

"Goodnight, my love."

With that and a slow sigh, Edmond let Maxie go.

About half an hour later, Edmond entered the bedroom he shared with Maxie. He had changed from his day clothes into his favorite solid black nightgown, the dark fabric reaching his ankles. The piece's design was unsurprisingly old-fashioned - most things in Edmond's mansion were that way.

He approached Maxie cautiously. Was he already sleeping? Was Edmond's bed comfortable enough for him? Such things were important, both for Maxie's well-being and for the child's.

Maxie was sitting down on the bed, currently in just his underwear. He had spent nights here before. The nightgown no longer surprised him. He, however, had no plans to wear that. He had his own clothes he planned on wearing and Edmond couldn't do anything about that.

Not without angering Maxie, that is. And the pregnancy could not allow for Maxie to be too angry.

He looked at Edmond with a nod, before grabbing the blankets and curling up with them. He was not a blanket hog. He shared them. His belly, on the other hand, was one, and took plenty of them.

Concern was in Edmond's eyes as he looked at Maxie and walked around the bed.

"You are not asleep yet, my love. Is something the matter? What have you been doing until now?"

He first sat on the bed, long enough to remove his slippers and admire Maxie's form for a moment. After that, he crawled into the bed. The fact that Maxie necessarily had most of the blankets only meant that Edmond would lay even closer to him, something to which he was far from objecting.

"...I was waiting for you to join me."

He liked Edmond sharing a bed with him. Especially with the pregnancy. He opened his blanket and covered Edmond with it, holding him close to him. Sighing lightly, he kept him close. Shutting his eyes a bit.

"Nothing is the matter now."

"Maxie... my love. You were waiting for me..."

As he leaned into Maxie's embrace, Edmond smiled and used his sleeve to wipe something from his eyes. Yes, Maxie's devotion was enough to move him to tears... Was such a splendid man truly his now? Completely his? He leaned in to kiss the redhead on his lips briefly.

"Do you think it's a boy, or a girl?"

The question was asked idly, as Edmond reveled in the sight of his husband. He did feel a bit guilty - looking at Maxie in that state always filled Edmond with energy and life, while Maxie himself was constantly drained. If they just remained close like this, was there a chance things would simply balance themselves out?

"It's a large bed, Edmond... I would rather not sleep alone."

Even if he wasn't truly alone, it wasn't the same anymore. Not without his husband in the bed with him. He reached up and kissed him back. He was so good at kissing.

"...I think it could be both." He paused, and looked up to him, "It's... twins."

It's seemed Maxie's energy was never going to speed up. He was having twins with Archie... and then he was going to have Edmond's children too. And yes, he planned to have a few of his kids, at the minimum. He would just be exhausted for the rest of his days.

"T-twins?!"

Well, that was unexpected. Edmond's eyes went wide with concern. Both for Maxie's well-being and... for something else entirely. He knew that while the fruit of Maxie's body would be his own as well, the blood forming inside his lover was actually Archie's. Twins... For the leader of Team Aqua to have claimed Maxie so completely, to the point of endangering his health... the thought filled Edmond with fear mixed with admiration and a sense of inferiority.

"... You're not afraid, Maxie, are you? I know you will be alright... You are healthy and strong, and I will personally make sure that you remain that way."

Edmond's hand now played with Maxie's hair, brushing it into a sort of composure on his pillow.

"The doctors say I have nothing to fear. However, until they are born, sex is completely out of the question."

Especially right now. Maxie was far less scared than Edmond was. He turned towards him, and placed a kiss lightly on his nose. Placing a hand on the top of his stomach, he let out a heavy sigh. He felt very tired right now. But he wouldn't be getting much sleep in the first place.

"If I am afraid, you will know. I cannot fear anything, Edmond. Especially not this."

"Sex is... out of the question?" Edmond repeated, his eyes wide. He couldn't stop sudden sadness from surfacing on his face. He even felt his eyes start to water a little.

He slipped away from Maxie's embrace, sitting up with his legs drawn to his chest and his chin propped on his knees.

He started to cry, his selfish want inextricably mixed with his tremendous insecurity when it came to Archie. Even if Edmond's dream of marrying Maxie had come true... it was Archie who had claimed his husband and still possessed him.

Maxie couldn't believe it... was Edmond truly crying over this? He blinked and sat up. Moving to touch him on the shoulder.

"Edmond... Edmond don't cry." He wrapped an arm around him. "It's for the safety of these children... I don't want to lose them and I'm sure you don't either..."

This? This stung him in the chest.

"D-don't misunderstand me... It's not... it's not because I want you... Though there's that, too..."

Edmond wiped his eyes with his palm.

"It's just... I'm so jealous, Maxie... Sometimes... like now, for example... it really feels like he has taken you from me. I... I can't live with that..."

Now moving closer to Maxie once again, he wrapped both his arms around his neck.

"Maxie... say that you are mine, and mine only."

Maxie looks at him, and blinks. He married him, didn't he?

"Edmond. I am yours. Yours alone. And you are mine, and mine alone. I made a mistake once and it will cost us."

He turned to face him, placing a kiss on his lips.

"But, please. Don't cry... The only thing that can't happen is you penetrating me."

"Ah... so everything else is all right?"

Edmond's eyes brightened then, the tears stopping, replaced by a sunny, enthusiastic smile. He returned Maxie's kiss eagerly, and afterwards nuzzled against his husband's chest.

"I-it is fine, then. I-in fact, my love..."

One of Edmond's hands traveled along Maxie's side and finally rested on his thigh.

"... I feel so relieved to hear that, I think I want you right now."

"Yes. For now."

He sighed lightly. At least Edmond was smiling, he hated to see the older man cry in front of him. Reaching down, he smacked that hand very hard.

"Edmond! I want to sleep! Not tonight!"

He didn't mind Edmond resting on his body. Edmond was always so nice and warm. The problem was sex. He didn't have a strong sex drive. And that wasn't changing now.

Edmond retreated his aching hand abruptly, pouting a bit.

"Ow... You didn't have to do that..."

But he seemed determined, nuzzling closer to Maxie and nudging him playfully with his nose.

"Can we do something as soon as you wake up, then?"

It didn't take an expert to notice that Edmond was in his puppy mode again. Obedient and whimsical, of course, but also insistent and animal.

"You wouldn't think that I'd have to."

He looked at Edmond, and growled again, pushing his head away.

"No! No we cannot!"

He was getting frustrated beyond belief here. Who did Edmond think he was, anyways? And the puppy dog mode wouldn't work here... Maxie was in his angry cat mode.

"Get off of me and go to sleep! Immediately!"

"Alright! Alright!"

With the corners of his mouth twitching downwards in disappointment and fear, Edmond placed a swift, trembling kiss on Maxie's cheek before finally backing off, breaking all contact with Maxie's warm body.

Edmond lifted the blankets to his mouth, which deliberately resulted in the sound being muffled and confused when he spoke, as if he only half-wanted Maxie to hear.

"I do believe it would do you good, however. You're so tense..."

"I heard that!"

And now Maxie was more than just pissed. He was furious. He climbed out of bed, dressing as quickly as he could. If Edmond's idea of romance was this, then he had a terrible idea of what romance was.

"Leave me alone!"

He left the bedroom, the door slaming fast and hard. Maxie found a guest room to sleep in, not too far away. Edmond had angered him tonight and he didn't want anything to do with him.

"Maxie...? Maxie! What in the world...?"

Edmond sat on the bed, alarmed and paralyzed in disbelief at the sight of the door slamming shut.

Familiar with the small sounds echoing in the large mansion, Edmond knew exactly which room Maxie had chosen for himself.

He ran out of the bedroom himself, finding Maxie's new room. But instead of barging right in, he heaved a deep sigh and knocked on the door, leaning with his body against in afterwards.

"My love... I am so sorry! It's just... I love you! I love you so much..."

His voice started to falter, as fresh tears found their way to his eyes.

Maxie sat down on the bed, head in his hands. What had he done? This wasn't the Edmond he had loved. This was someone different... this Edmond wanted sex. So much. And even when Maxie said no.

This was frustrating to him. The knock on the door didn't prove much better. He slowly stood up and moved towards it.

"I don't know what you think this marriage is, Edmond! I tell you no sex and you persist anyways! Can you not listen to me?"

And then he paused.

"...Or are you like Archie... and you can hear but it doesn't matter to you? So long as I have sex with you, you're happy..."

He bit his lip lightly.

"...If this is how this relationship is going to go, maybe I'd be better off raising these children on my own."

"That's not how it is at all!" Edmond protested. "I don't care about sex! I just... I just want to love you! I just want you to be happy, and feel comfortable with yourself... with me, with our situation... Maxie, please, I beg of you..."

What hurt the most was Maxie comparing him to Archie, but Edmond pretended not to notice that.

"Either let me in or come back, I don't care... Just stay with me... I won't try to take advantage of you, I promise! I love you..."

Maxie stood closer to the door, looking towards it. "That was not the way to make me feel comfortable!" He shook his head. "It made me feel taken advantage of... that I married you and I owed you something for it."

He leaned back onto the door. Edmond was different than Archie... but those moments in the bedroom reminded him far too much of the Team Aqua leader.

"I'll come back if you promise never to ask for sex again. I know you want it. I'll be the one to ask."

"I'm sorry, my love... I do want you, but I have been going about this all wrong..."

He knew that Maxie was just on the other side of the door. He could feel his weight against it, and Edmond pushed against it in turn, brushing his fingers against the wood as if he were caressing Maxie himself.

"You were taken advantage of... You need time to heal, and I shouldn't have tried to rush you... I... I promise, Maxie."

Locked to wouldbeground. Post-marriage.

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