We Close Our Eyes

Chapter 1 - Bubbling Encounter

It was around dusk with a slight humid chill in the air. The muddy path of Lavaridge was dimly lit by the streetlights that had recently been installed in the town. Maxie huffed, still tense from a long day of Team Magma duties. The preparations for the Team Aqua merger were tampered with, tensions between the two teams were high... a lot was resting on the redhead's shoulders.

Work really was hell today, he scoffed to himself, staring down at his feet as he walked. He adjusted the collar of his turtleneck sweater and pushed a few strands of stray hair out of his face. He was on his way to the Lavaridge Hot Springs, known for easing stress and mending wounds, both emotional and physical. As he approached the entrance to the springs, he let out a sigh of relief.

When Maxie entered the changing room, he set his belongings down and began to undress. His uniform consisted of lots of layers, so it took a little while. While he was changing, he overheard a passing conversation of an old couple leaving the springs. They seemed to be regulars, as he had seen them a few times before. Maxie smiled to himself. Such a lovely couple, those two. Soon after, his thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps. They were oddly familiar, though he couldn't put a finger on why. Maybe it was a janitor? Maxie shrugged it off and approached the entrance to the hot springs themselves, donned in his swimsuit and a towel around his waist.

The feeling of warm and moist blackstone against his feet instantly put him more at ease. He draped his towel onto a nearby bamboo rack, and slowly approached the stairs that led into the pool. His first step was comforting and inviting as the bubbling warm water cascaded around his ankles. Maxie went deeper, each step more pleasurable than the last. He was up to his chest in swirling pools of water, the steam forming a condensation onto his complexion. He waded towards the closest ledge of the pool and laid back into it, sinking deeper, becoming one with the water. The stress of his workplace, his responsibilities, his relationships... all seemed to evaporate.

Except... only for a short moment.

As his eyes were closed, he heard a hearty laugh from the changing room. An oddly familiar one. Maxie furrowed his brow, as he was under the impression that he was alone after the couple had left. That laugh... and those footsteps... Before he could piece it together, he heard a voice right behind him.

"I see they just let anyone in here nowadays, eh?"

Maxie's heart dropped. He didn't need to look up or turn around, nor did he want to – he knew exactly who it was.

"...Hello, Archie."

The air boomed with Archie's laughter. Maxie let out a deep sigh, contemplating whether he wanted to stay any longer. It was just his luck that his workplace arch nemesis would show up to his only escape from work.

"I didn't know that ya came here. Usually no one's here by this hour, so I like to come here to practice my backstroke."

"...Backstroke? In a hot spring? Isn't that a little... counterproductive?"

"Max, Max, Max... the hot water helps me concentrate more. Don't question my ways!" Archie laughed, wading to a seat in the pool that was a few feet away from the redhead.

Maxie scoffed, rolling his eyes. Only Archie would come up with some excuse like that to disturb me, he thought to himself. Maxie's eyes followed Archie as he sat down, sprawling his arms and legs outwards against the back of the pool and seat. The condensation immediately clung to Archie's chest and face, making his skin gleam in the warm lighting of the hot spring. A few sweat beads rolled down his skin, slightly shagging up his body hair. He watched Archie dip his hands in the water and wet his hair with a few shakes.