"No, stop it, you filthy MUTTS!" Archie yelled, in the darkness of the night. "STOP IT!" He screamed at the Mightyena, attacking Maxie, his boyfriend, leader of Team Magma. "GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Archie screamed, flinging his body on top of Maxie's, protecting him from their bites and scratches. Their low growls filled the air, as the circled around the duo, but got bored and left, leaving the hollow air empty, but heavy with rain. "Max? You alright?" "Yes. Are you okay?" "Thank Arceus. I… I thought you were gone. I love you, Maxie." Archie wrapped Maxie in a hug, and when he pulled back, he felt blood on his chest. "Maxie. You're bleeding…" "I… am, aren't I?" "YES! Do we have any gauze left?" "Yes, but not much. Could we save it?" "Max, you need it. The wound looks pretty deep." "Let me look at it, first." Maxie took off his red sweater and the torn black tank top off, and gasped in pain. "Oh my Arceus…" He muttered under his breath. He saw a deep cut, sticky with dark red blood. He pulled out a tooth from the bleeding cut. "The mutt got me bad…" "No duh, Maxie!" "Arch, we need to get this taken care of." "Don't worry, Max. I'll protect you." "THANKS, I'M SO REASSURED!" "Ugh, shut up." "Come on. Only a few more miles until base camp." "Maxie. I'm scared. I don't wanna be lost Mt. Pyre for much longer." "We won't be, Archie. If these glasses still work…" "Hmm?" "They use the same technology as your anchor necklace. You can communicate with your team through it, correct?" "Max… my necklace communication broke when the helicopter crashed." "Well, we may be here for longer than I thought. Stuck in here for longer than we thought… Archie, we're going to run out of supplies. And the chance of this cut getting infected… Archie, I don't want to die." "You won't. I promise. Promise me?" "Science says that-" Archie cut Maxie off with a kiss. "Who cares what science says. Promise me, you'll give it all your fight. Promise me, you won't die anytime soon." "I promise." Maxie said, looking at Archie's fearful eyes. Even he knew, that the promise would soon be broken.
"Archie..." He mumbled, looking up at the dark cave ceilings. They had started a fire, and it was relatively warm in the cave, but Maxie was shivering, but coated in sweat. "Archie! Some….Something's… wrong…. W….with me….." "Maxie? Oh Arceus. You…" He trailed off as he saw Maxie's tank top. It was coated in pus, and dark red blood. "Arch…" "Sh! Don't talk, it'll be okay, I promise. There, there…" Archie carefully stripped off Maxie's tank top and almost threw up when he saw the cut. Even worse than the tank. "O.M.A." Maxie shivered and moaned. "Maxie." "Hmm?" "It's gushing blood and pus." "It's…. infect…. Infected…." "Maxie. No. This cannot be happening." Although Archie didn't finish trainer's school, he knew from Maxie's consistent babbling how dangerous infection could really be. "I… don't wanna…. Die…. Archie…" "You won't die. I won't let you. You'll be okay…" Archie's voice cracked and a tear fell down his cheek. He was known for never crying, but he sure was now. "Archie… Tell Courtney and Tabitha…. How amazing admins…. They were... and tell Matt and Shelly I liked them, too…. And you can lead my team. I love you, Archie, and… don't forget that…" "No! You are not allowed to die! I REFUSE!" Archie was now yelling and tears fell down his face. He pressed his lips to Maxie's, and sniffled. "I love you, Archie." "I love you, too, Maxie." Maxie's droopy eyes started to close and Archie swore. "Stop! STOP! ARECEUS, please! I know I've done a lot of terrible things and deserve to be punished, but please, if you're out there, I'm begging, don't do this! Don't let him die!" Loud, racking sobs filled the cave, as eventually, Archie fell asleep, still not sure if Maxie was dead or not.
"Archie?" "No, stop it, Darkrai, I can't deal with your dreams now. I don't want a nightmare. Cresslia's warmth of a dream with Maxie was great, but, please no." "Archie? You were dreaming about me?" "Max….Maxie?!" "Yes. It's me. I vaguely remember something about infection, and woke up without a shirt on, and my tank top covered in pus. It's a miracle, Archie, my cut isn't infected anymore. The pus is gone, and it doesn't look very red anymore. Just bleeding a little." "Thank you, Arceus, so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Maxie cocked his head. "Wha-" Maxie was cut off as Archie kissed him, and wiped the tears from his face. "Maxie! You were dying! I prayed to Arceus, and he listened. I love you so much, Maxie, and I can't leave without you. Will you marry me?" He pulled out a simple blue brass ring, and slid a red one on his finger. "Archie! Yes, yes! YES!" He yelled, wrapping Archie in a hug. "I love you, Maxie." "I love you, too, Archie."