Edition: Babysitter (tenth set)
- Set #: 5
Character: Marnie
- Pairing: OntheWindshipping
- Universe: Psychic Fabric
Rating: E (Everyone)
- Warnings: none
- i - k - u - z - o -
She grew into the splitting image of her mother, as everyone knew she would. The old houses of Joi and Junsa--now Joy and Jenny--were known for being genetically predisposed to its female descendants. Marnie would be no different.
At sixteen, she was already a traveling nurse, with her Togetic, Altaria, and three Drifblim at her side. She didn't regret leaving home, or that Paige decided she would assist and someday replace Mama Joy in Sinnoh. This gave her all the freedom she wanted.
Except it really wasn't freedom, what it? Johto called to her like a song in the night, an irresistible beacon. This is where the North Wind herald, where some of her friends chose to remain, and were he always would be.
Visiting Falkner was easy; it was staying in his company that was difficult. Never mind he was constantly at Bryan's side, coaching him to be the next Leader, it was because....
Five years had made Bryan look like Falkner, and Falkner more like his father: sharp angles in the face and eyes. If she hadn't known either, she might have mistaken one for another, except Bryan still had his hair short and Falkner with one long bang. But that wasn't it. It was because....
"Have you," she asked tentatively, two nights after she arrived, "thought about who would bear your heirs?"
It had cropped up twice that she knew about, during their journey. And now that she was older, she could talk about it, without it sounding inappropriate or out-of-line.
"There are candidates," he said simply.
"That all?"
"Why?" he asked, with a wry grin. "You interested?"
"Maybe," she said, trying to play cool and nonchalant. "Don't know who else I'm competing against, but it's not like you can go wrong. Male, and it's perfect. A girl, and you're the father of a Joy. She'll become a nurse somewhere where one is needed...you'll be helping someone's cause either way."
"Why would you bother?"
She thinned her lips, and lifted her chin as he directed, his finger coasting up her throat and just under her mouth. Her cheeks flushed in reaction, a gentle touch that would be no more if he rejected the offer.
"Don't think I didn't notice your crush, Marnie. It's okay."
Her face blushed harder, darker. It wasn't like she had hid her fawning; Max pointed out she was being obvious (it creeped him out some), but didn't think.... She surged up, enfolding both hands across his cheeks, to touch him, to hold him as she let her lips find his own.
She nearly cried in relief when his hands found her waist.