"Come home with me."
The words were out of Archie's mouth before he had time to think about what he was actually saying.
It was hard not to think about home. Home, where Shelley and Matt were, where there was a warm bed and coffee, and where Archie felt secure. Home, the one place that he had imagined (hoped) that wouldn't be effected by Groudon's rage.
"What?" Maxie's voice shook as he spoke. He looked to be just barely standing; every breath he took came with a wheeze. It had been that way ever since he had lost control of Groudon, though Archie guessed the cigarettes that he had been obsessively smoking through the storm had something else to do with it. His latest had fallen to the ground, crushed under someone's feet.
"Come home with me." Archie spoke slower that time, his eyes never leaving Maxie's own.
"What?" Maxie blinked.
For a moment, Archie thought that he would need to repeat himself.
"Why?" Maxie asked, before Archie had a chance to speak again.
Archie looked over Maxie again. He looked so different from the Maxie that he had once known, the confident boy who could debate for hours. His red hair was a mess, his glasses on the edge of his nose, and his body a shaking mess. His usual sweater was covered in dirt and wet.
This was not Maxie, not the Maxie that Archie knew.
Not his Maxie.
"Why not?" Archie replied. He took Maxie by one arm. Maxie relaxed under him, leaning into him.
Tabitha, one of Maxie's admins, quickly came to his side.
"Maxie, sir-"
"Get to Courtney." Maxie coughed, first once and then a flurry afterwards. He leaned closer to Archie.
"What?" Tabitha asked.
Archie was getting sick of hearing the word.
"I said to get to Courtney," Maxie replied. "She needs you. The team needs you."
"Sir, what about you?"
"Me?" Maxie looked back to Archie. "I need to go home."
The last of his footing fell from under him; Archie quickly grabbed him, holding him tightly against his chest.
Maxie's chest felt so thin, even with his thick sweater over it.
Are those his ribs? Archie thought, looking down at the outlines on his sweater. No, he thought. Those are just wrinkles. They have to be.
His throat tightened none the less.
"He'll be back," Archie said, shooting the black haired man the best smile that he could. "He just needs to rest is all."
Maxie nodded. He was clinging tightly to Archie then.
"Please go," Maxie said. "I can't give the team what they need, not now. Please, Tabitha."
The man nodded.
"Of course, sir." He turned away.
"Come on," Archie said.
Maxie was so light, so easy to pick up.
He really has changed over the years, Archie thought as he listened to the other man wheeze. And not for the better.
He was torn from his thoughts by his cell phone vibrating.
"Archie! What's going on?"
"Shelley-"
"Matt and I have been watching the news!" She spoke rapidly, barely speaking one word before going onto the next. "It's so terrible, and I didn't know if you were involved."
"Look, Shelley," Archie replied. He looked down to Maxie. "I just finished doing something important. There's no need to worry now." He tightened his grip on Maxie. "I'm coming home, and I'm bringing someone with me."
"What are you-"
Maxie began to cough again, one quickly following after the other.
"Look," Archie said. "I don't mean to get cross with you, but I don't have time to explain. Ma-, er the guy, needs a little help. He helped me before when I had hit my lowest point, and it's about time to return the favor."
Shelley paused. "Okay," she said. "You can explain later. We've just been worried about you."
From the background, he heard an all too familiar cry of "Bro!"
"I know," Archie replied.
"Just get home safe, okay?"
"Okay, Shelley," Archie replied. "Okay."
