A/N: Welcome to our first uploaded Hardenshipping content! This particular drabble is meant to take place post-Sapphire/Ruby. The vague background is that, after having worked on Team Rocket together, Maxie and Archie split up to start their respective teams, and the end of the games led to them reuniting again and working together to better the world.
Archie still couldn't believe they had made it. Years of fighting and struggling and being apart and now here he was with Maxie walking around town with their pokemon close by as they went shopping of all things. "I don't understand people's obsession with that drink," Maxie sniffed. "It smells like a Ghastly."
"Which drink?" Archie sniffed the air himself, not smelling anything too awful - then again, Maxie did tend to exaggerate.
"That coffee that you can't escape from this time of year. I tried it once. It's awful."
"The pumpkin stuff, right?" It took more effort than it should have to not laugh, his Granbull sniffing at the air herself and running around their legs. "It's not that bad."
"It is-" A breeze blew past them and Maxie complained, "And this air always chills me to the bone!"
"The real reason you love fire pokemon. They keep you warm." Archie shrugged out of his jacket and juggled the bags around that he was holding, finally managing to drop the jacket over Maxie's shoulders. Maxie huffed, pulling the coat tighter around himself.
"You know, this is the only reason I keep you around." It wasn't hard to see that small, hidden little smile of Maxie's, Archie unable to help himself from stepping closer to him.
"Yeah, I know. I made a good bodyguard for a reason, ya know."
"You made for an awful bodyguard! You lazed about all day, ate my food, and constantly annoyed me!"
"Someone needed to get you to stop being so uptight," Archie laughed, loud and bright, the sound tapering off as he rubbed at the bridge of his nose where that stupid scar still itched even now. "Besides, I was good when it counted."
"Hmph. I suppose you may have done alright," Maxie mumbled, bumping his shoulder.
"Fuck you, I was amazing." Archie snuck a kiss to Maxie's cheek, smiling softly. "C'mon, we should get this stuff home."
"Fine." Just then, a leaf blew into Maxie's face. "I hate this stupid season!"
"C'mon, Autumn never did anything bad," Archie cackled, peeling the leaf off Maxie's face and oh, yeah. He loved Autumn.