I happy that this little story's gotten a positive reception so far. Last chapter had plenty of family-focused fluff, which will continue this chapter, and will include some more romantic-focused fluff. Plus, some culinary education. In case any of you are interested, this chapter will also serve as a more direct prequel and sequel to "By the Bonfire". Now that all that's bee said, onto the story! Enjoy!
I do not own anything!
Fuel for the Body and Soul
Chapter 2
When Brendan sat back into his seat, he slipped his hands into Courtney's. Though still in a daze, she squeezed back. She felt like if he didn't give her his hand, she might have spontaneously combusted, or scattered into a hundred pieces. Brendan's physical presence was her anchor, tying her down to the world, as well as the luminous torch that illuminated her whole world. He did it better than anyone else, even Maxie.
Meeting his gaze, she could feel something wet trickling down her cheek. It was only after he brushed it away did Courtney realize she'd bee crying, tears of joy. Smiling, she reached up and cupped his hand, basking in the warmth it-the warmth he-offered her. It was always enough to make her feel like she was being caressed by the sun itself. Letting such sentimental emotions overwhelm her, she leaned over and kissed him. Though Brendan was caught by surprise, he quickly returned it, not caring that both his parents were watching them.
Said parents were watching with glee, albeit only one was letting it show.
Robert Birch was practically giggling in his seat as his wife looked on with a soft smile. She'd set this scene in motion, and she was okay with that. What she was witnessing was something she believed every mother hoped to one day see-their child in love and being loved in return. Elian spared a glance toward her husband, who looked back at her with an ear-to-ear grin. She gave a defeated sigh followed by a smile which served as an invitation; she never really resisted her husband's hugs. Really, she received the first of many on their second date, it left her slightly hooked ad longing to feel that embrace again. Naturally, that desire repeated, and was added upon again and again. To this day, she still never grew tired of his hugs; actually, nowadays she treasured them a little more since Robert tended to get caught up in his work.
Coincidentally, looking at their son's choice of lovers, she felt a mixture of optimism and worry. The former had a slight edge over the latter.
As Brendan and Courtney separated, they both blushed and sheepishly looked to the two professional researchers.
"S-S-Sorry about that." The lavender-haired woman whispered.
"Oh, don't worry about it. Having just give you two my blessings, I'm going to have to get used to scenes like that. Not to mention it's relatively tame to what it could have been!" Elian declared with a laugh, which came at her son's expense. She could see he was desperately wishing he had his hat so he could pull it over his face. "Courtney, don't ever apologize for showing affectionate for my son, even in my presence." There was brief pause as she giggled. "Well, so long as both of you have clothes on."
She certainly got the implication, as evident by her crimson blush. So too did her son, who groaned as he too caught her drift. Beside her, Robert gave a modest chuckle. He was trying hard not to take too much enjoyment in their son's embarrassment, but even he couldn't completely resist the urge.
Once the laughter of the adults passed, it seemed dinner was able to get back on track. In other words, Courtney found her voice. "Um, I would…like seconds, please."
"Same here." Brendan groaned even though there were the makings of a smile on his lips. "You know one serving isn't ever going to be enough, mom."
"Indeed, which is why I did like I always do." Grinned the black-haired woman. Her eyes suddenly served to Courtney, a slight grin on her face. "Take note, Courtney, always have seconds and thirds prepared. That also goes for your Pokémon."
"Yes ma'am, I'm aware of that." She responded. "I…um, your Pokémon food…Brendan told me that he sometimes followed your recipes. Admittedly, from time to time, I've…mimicked him, thus, I've mimicked you."
"Hm, and your Pokémon? How did they take to the recipes?" Elian politely questioned.
She nodded again. "They…quite liked it, a lot, especially my Ninetails. Your son managed to win her over in part thanks to his superb cooking abilities."
"I'm sure." The family matriarch nodded. "Now then, were you ever in the kitchen helping him? For that matter, Brendan, did you ever help Courtney?"
"Yes." They both replied at once. It came as a surprise to both of them. "Um, uh…we've cooked together once." Again, they spoke in perfect unison, much to the amusement of the parents.
Courtney broke away first. "W-W-We did that on one of our dates."
"Mom, dad, please don't tell me you're going to spend this entire evening making us go over every date we've had until now." Brenda pleaded.
"Ah, but if we asked you to, you'd tell us, right?" Professor Birch jokingly asked.
"Nope." Responded the teenager in a sing-song tone. "Now, can we please focus on getting that second serving of delicious pork chops?"
Laughing, Elian rose and grabbing her son's girlfriend's plate first. Neither of the two men at the table minded; in Brendan's case, he was actually happy for the gesture. Courtney herself seemed to further relax. He knew that she'd been more nervous than him, than anyone else at the dinner table. It was entirely reasonable given, as his mother had just laid out…she had a lot of baggage, baggage that Brendan did his best to lighten. In spite of that, his mother had seen what his father, ad maybe Brendan himself, had seen. His hand dipped beneath the table to find hers ad give it another warm squeeze.
It didn't go unnoticed by the professor who sat across from them; he smiled as he had dozens of times before. Seeing them behave in such a way had been one of the factors in giving them his blessings; that said, Robert knew his son well, with or without his permission, he was going to date this woman. There was something admirable I that resolve, he was sure his wife had seen it. Speaking of which, she returned a minute later carrying two plates in her hands. Upon having her plate sat down, Courtney noticed that instead of her previous side of cabbage, she'd been given a small cup of soup, Miso soup to be exact. Her nose wrinkled as she took a whiff of it, her mind quickly working to identify its makeup.
"Tonjiru soup." She identified, yet another smile forming on her face.
"Ah, you've had it before, have you?" Elian inquired with a lazy grin that was eventually directed to her son. Brendan gave a blush a nervous laugh indicating that there'd been a time when she'd eaten the pork and vegetable soup prepared by his hands.
"Several times before. The first was from a…colleague from Johto. After that, Brendan cooked a coup for me once. Amongst several other things."
"Which were?" Elian pressed with eager eyes. Her son rolled his and stood up, collecting his plate and that of his father's. He was old enough and experienced enough he could do this on his own. After the giving of her blessings, he always seemingly felt safe enough to leave his girlfriend alone with her and her husband. Said girlfriend took the decision in strides, her eyes widening then falling in acceptance. "So, what else did Brendan cook for you, and your Pokémon?"
"A variety of recipes from Hoenn and Johto, and I believe a handful from Unova such as his…version of the Castelia City sub." Responded the autistic girl, another small smile on her face evident of the fondness of the memories. "He told me that he once wanted to fly there atop his Latios."
"Would you join him?" Professor Birch innocently questioned. "I believe he told me that he's grown comfortable enough to let you ride atop his back and behind Brendan."
When it came to her, Brendan's Pokémon more or less took after him. As per usual Swampert had been the one spearheading the acceptance of her presence into Brendan's life. It hadn't been an entirely smooth ride, especially for those she'd battled and even knocked out when he was trying to stop her and the rest of Team Magma. Latios fell into a different category. While Courtney had never fought the psychic dragon, she could always tell that it was observing her, much in the same way she observed everyone else. Given its psychic powers, it was no doubt always probing her mind for any ill attentions aimed at its owner. Courtney was proud to say those intentions were never found, but know she was a former enemy certainly hadn't been fun. Eventually though, tensions between them had eased.
"Brendan took me flying all the way from Hoenn…to Kanto once." Courtney quietly added. "It was…an amazing experience."
"I imagine. Flying on one of the legendary Eon Pokémon, and one owned by someone you love. Should every girl be so lucky." Elian mused. Her eyes lit up as she leaned forward. "What else did Brendan cook for you?"
"He…cooked for me…and my Pokémon. Cooking for the latter is the first time that I…ever let him cook for me. In fact, he was the second person to ever do such a thing for me." Her candle-like eyes briefly shifted to the regional professor. "Maxie was the first. He…gave me some advice on creating Poké Blocks that would boost their abilities in battle. Brendan was the second, and was able to give even more advice, and not just how to boost their battling efficiency, but also what they…liked. At first, I was somewhat cautious in letting him cook, though in a way, the decision was somewhat taken out of my hands. My Ninetails caught his scent and that of his food, curiosity got the best of her."
"Hah! As it always should. Ninetails are known for having rather keen senses of smell, even if they can't quite keep up with those of a Houndoom's or Mightyena's." A look of curiosity crossed her face, and that of her husband's. "Um, were you by any chance…spying on him?"
A hot blush colored Courtney's cheeks as they unknowingly hit the nail on the head. Silently resigned, she nodded. "I was…observing him."
"She, um, did that a lot, and still does." Professor Birch whispered into his wife's ear.
"Observation? Is that what they're calling it these days?" The black-haired woman coyly responded before turning her focus back to the woman in front of her. "So, your Ninetails went off on its own…and did you call it back or let it?"
A hand rose and clasped over her chest. She wasn't in pain, but it was clear the memory was causing her heart to race, no doubt in joy. Proof of such was etched on her face, in the subtly growing smile she gained. "Ninetails just ran up to his camp, enticed by the smell…and I…I wanted to call her back, but if I did, I knew I would give away my position. Tactically speaking, I chose to remain silent. Hm, he told me that he deduced that the Ninetails was mine. Brendan said more so than recognizing it…he just…felt it in his gut." Inhaling, she looked up to the two parents, her eyes shimmering with something akin to admiration. "I am a woman who is-was-bound solely by what I believed to be logic. What Brendan described to me, it went against any sort of logic. I was genuinely curious about it and it made me more eager to observe and analyze him. That's what I did while he fed my Ninetails, who didn't respond to him with hostility."
"How'd she take to his Pokéblocks?" Elian inquired already having a feeling she knew what the answer would be.
Courtney confirmed it with a nod. "She liked them quite a bit, so much so that it…somewhat affected her ability to battle Brendan and his Pokémon when we came to blows. Ninetails…subtly but surely, I could see her warming up to Brendan, even before we…called a ceasefire."
"Ceasefire, is that what you called it?" Elian jabbed with a cocked eyebrow.
"Well, we…um, once he saved the Earth from that meteorite and Deoxys, I suppose I realized that any hope I had of beating him in battle was nonexistent. Adding to that, I could…sense that he no longer wished to battle me, except possibly for sport. Before him, I…wasn't quite…used to that-battling for sport." That last part definitely wasn't too hard to figure out. Courtney didn't look like a person who indulged in Pokémon battles for fun. Even as a child, the thought never was too appealing to her. But then, Brendan came along ad she was able to find something resembling joy in battle.
"You were still pretty good at it." Chimed the voice of the boy who was the subject matter. Like his mother, he too was balancing two trays of food, one of which he lowered in front of his father ad the last one he placed in front of him. "Just because battling wasn't Courtney's thing didn't mean she was bad at it. There's plenty of strong trainers who aren't professional battlers."
"True, we have one sitting at this table now." Robert Birch chuckled. One would have expected this to be the moment when his wife said something sappy, or told him to correct his statement about there being one capable battler, or at least making him imply that one is her. No such thing came as she patiently and contently drunk her beverage. "Brendan told me that you gave him quite a challenge."
"She did." He concurred.
"I…suppose I did. At first, I will say that I didn't take Brendan as seriously as I should have…but I recognized that he was a threat to Team Magma's plans, I fought every battle with the intention of eliminating him." Continued the former Magma admin. "He genuinely forced me to get better at battling, and even now…I…I may not be a professional battler, but I do want to be able to serve as a suitable partner for Brendan. In…as many aspects as I can."
The parents looked to another and snickered. The young couple across from them silently blushed and did their best to keep their embarrassment contained. Brendan looked to his girlfriend and saw that she was fully aware of the double meaning of her words. The scar-headed teenager blushed pink as he recalled the few times Courtney had repeated her declaration to him. Brendan had felt a slight tickle in him the first time he heard the words, then again, the second time, and the third time his mind genuinely wondered off into more…amorous territory. His mind did so again right in front of his parents, who were grinning at him and Courtney.
"What's the closest you ever came to defeating our Brendan?" Asked the family matriarch as the two men began to dine on their second serving.
"Hm, our final two battles, just before Groundon awoke and before the meteor crashed into the planet." She responded with a glint in her eyes. "I fought him as hard as I could in those two battles, primarily because there was so much riding on the line. Between the battles…the last one for sure, though I don't quite think it's right to say I came close to beating him. I merely tried my hardest to defeat him."
"You certainly made those battles hard as hell for me." The teenage boy offered. "Your resolve was burning so bright those last two times."
"But…it was burning bright…with the intention harming you…and…the world."
"Would that flame inside you burn as brightly if it were in defense of my son?"
In a heartbeat, the sorrow on Courtney's face changed into hardened resolve. "It will, and it has before."
Elian fixed her with that same satisfied yet sly smile. She'd already gotten the confirmation she was looking for once, but it seemed she wanted a repeat of it. Courtney wasn't exactly against her it, she was being asked to accept a former criminal who'd almost destroyed the world twice. She could see the protectiveness for Brendan that lived within the woman-the love of a mother for her child. It wasn't something she'd ever known, so she admittedly felt highly curious to see it in action, even if it put her in the crosshairs. Courtney could say that the experience had been worth it.
Brendan looked to his mother, who returned his gaze. Mother and son had a silent conversation through their eyes. On the sidelines, Courtney watched it and did her best to decipher what was being said; she couldn't help but be curious as to what sort of interactions were taking place between parent and child. So far, she'd see where a great deal of Brendan's sharper instincts came from, and where they could end up taking him in the future.
"Courtney," sounded the culinary scientist. "I've heard that Brendan has cooked for you, but now I ask…have you ever cooked for him?"
Brendan's eyes slightly widened, as did Courtney's.
"M-M-M-Me c-c-cook for him?" She repeated.
"Yes, you cook for him. Now, I know it's a bit old-fashioned, but I am curious as to how this relationship has-"
"S-S-Six times." She declared, nervousness clear on her face as a blush crept up o her cheeks. Exactly how many times had she blushed tonight? Honestly, Courtney had lost track, and she was sure Brendan had as well. "S-S-Six times I've cooked specifically for…him." Casting a glance at her boyfriend, he nodded, giving his permission for her to begin recounting those six times. The Birchs leaned forward while still consuming their food, clearly eager to hear the details. Placing her chopsticks down, she inhaled as to steady herself. "The first time was…unconventional, to say the least. In truth, it was less a deed of love or admiration and more for…pragmatic reasons. I needed him…energized, least he wouldn't have been able to help me beat back Team Aqua." As she expected, both parents went wide-eyed. Clearly, they hadn't expected Hoenn's other villainous team to make an appearance in this story.
"Team Aqua," Elian mused putting a finger to her lips. "If your organization was pro-human, weren't they an extremist environmental group?"
"Yes." Courtney responded. "As our names imply, we were polar opposites. Though their elimination was never our goal, from time to time, our paths crossed, sometimes intentionally as I oversaw sabotage attempts to their operations." Looking up, she locked eyes with Brendan, who looked to his parents with a sheepish blush.
"Things just…ended up happening. I mean, they were another criminal organization." He offered.
His father chuckled. "Well, I guess better the devil you know than the devil you don't." Professor Birch mused before winking at his son. "At least the former was cuter!" He got a couple of seconds of laughter before his wife jabbed him in the side.
Apparently, his comment might have been a little more on the mark than he thought. Brendan's cheeks turned bright pink, as did Courtney's. Yet again, the two looked to one another, a silent and private conversation between the two unfolding. The parents would have loved to have known what it was, but they were content with hearing the rest of the story, which Courtney continued after a brief pause.
"Brendan decided to help me stop their operations, reasoning it would be of mutual benefit to the both of us. Unfortunately, at the time, he'd…neglected to eat." With a giggle, she reached forward and poked his stomach. It was underneath the table, but the reaction was evident. Brendan squealed and his parents laughed. "So, I decided to…cook a little. Purely to ensure he would be in top condition, which I knew would aid us in our goal."
"And how did it feel?" Elian asked.
"…I felt…funny." She responded looking at the black-haired woman. "I had intended to cook a small meal for myself at a nearby hideout just for the sake of it, but…I ended up cooking for two. It was…odd, incredibly odd. Up until then, I'd only ever prepared food for my Pokémon. I made sure that Brendan was in another room while I prepared the food." Her gaze shifted back down to the table. "On one hand, I chastised myself for putting him out of eyesight, yet I…felt…the prospect of him watching me…it made me nervous. Scared almost. Not that he would attempt to hurt me but…just…his judgement. It frightened me, even though I barely knew a quarter about him as I know now."
"Courtney…dear, that's natural, all things considered." The same tenderness from minutes earlier fell over the married woman. Her ruby eyes shimmered as she gazed over at her husband, his expression mirrored hers. "I'm going to take a guess and say that that feeling of nervousness, it persisted afterward, didn't it?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Please, call me Elian. Now, Brendan, you did thank her for cooking for so you didn't go running off to face a criminal organization on an empty stomach, didn't you?"
"Y-Yeah, I did. And I…asked her if she'd ever…be willing to do that again. Eve though we were…ya' know." He admitted.
"I didn't give him an answer. The next time we saw each other, we would be enemies, thus I found it pointless." Smiling, she looked back up at the parents, and to Brendan. "I'm happy that I turned out to be wrong."
"Me too." Brendan laughed. Courtney blushed brighter as his laughter was joined by his father's. "After that, she…cooked me a few snakes to eat before I entered the Slateport City Contest."
"His victory had nothing to do with me. It was all his abilities." The former eco-terrorist declared.
Her boyfriend laughed. "But, you helped give those abilities a boost, which is appreciated."
Laughing, he leaned over and pecked her on the cheek. All of Courtney's previous blushes were outdone by the one that Brendan had ignited with that one act. His parents were certainly happy to have had front row seats to it.
"Not to mention, you stayed the entire time to watch me perform." He added making her blush even harder. It seemed his intention was to get her face to combust into flames, and he was pretty close to getting that to happen. "Courtney's watched a lot of my contest performances; she was even there for me when I went overseas to Kanto to compete in a few."
"Really? Was this before or after you two became romantically involved?" His mother asked clearly more interested.
"Um, before. I…well, actually…" She murmured before looking to Brendan to explain.
He was more than happy to do so. "I was…kind of her handler since I was on my way to Kanto already. She was let out to go help with a research project for the Kanto Geological Service Board." Brendan saw how his father's eyes lit up, no doubt remembering hearing about the geological operation that he'd taken part in. He'd been proud of his son being a part of it, and surprised to learn that he'd had a somewhat…personal investment in it as well. "I helped her out and she…was my emotional support during the contests. Aside from you guys and May of course." Brendan added with a laugh.
Sensing the question was coming, Courtney decided to speak up there. "I've always been…enamored with contests. Perhaps if I were…different than perhaps I…could have…"
"I see no reason why you can't get into them now." Visible surprised, Courtney stared at Elian, who merely smiled back at her. "You've got your quirks, Courtney, but so does everyone. From what Brendan and Robert have told me, though you're quite stoic, you can have quite a vibrant and colorful personality. Let that personality shine on stage. Even if it takes you another couple of weeks, months, or even years to step up, do it. I'm sure…in all that time and beyond, my Brendan will be there supporting you." There was a pause as she looked to her husband, who gave her a supportive smile. "And…odds are, we'll be there too."
If she hadn't already set her chopsticks down, they'd have fallen from her fingers. For the second time in the evening, Elia Birch had rendered Courtney speechless. Much like Brendan had left her blushing, his mother seemed able to leave her speechless. The only one who'd yet to leave her at a loss for words was Professor Birch, though he could probably do it if he tried by being his normally eccentric self. For all she knew, this was going to be a family thing.
In the recesses of her soul, she acknowledged that probably wasn't a bad thing.
An odd feeling danced in the pit of her stomach, growing stronger as she looked between the parents and her boyfriend. "You'd…all…cheer for me?"
"Of course would, since you're dating Brendan and plan on continuing to do so, that practically makes you part of the Birch Family!" Declared the regional professor with a bombastic laughter.
"A…part…of the…Birch Family?" She repeated letting her shock show.
It was met with the kind-hearted acceptance of her boyfriend, who'd reached out to her in spite of everything she'd done and she'd put him through. That aspect about Brendan never changed, and it seemed to be shared with the rest of his family. A family that had opened itself up to her. It was the second time she'd felt this incredibly warm and indescribable feeling that filled her entire body. Courtney slowly recognized it-joy, pure joy that she'd know only a handful of times in her life. The last couple of times all had something to do with Brendan, who sat beside her, smiling at her in that way that he always did.
Courtney felt herself reaching for his hand; as per usual, it was there, and it returned the squeeze she gave. With her free hand, she wiped away the tears that had begun to fall from her eyes.
"T-T-Thank you…a-a-all of you…thank you…B-B-Brendan, M-Mr. a-a-and Mrs. Birch." She'd never gave such a heartfelt thanks to anyone save for the former; here she was thanking him again, and not just him, but the rest of his family as well. A family that had just accepted her in spite of all things.
The rest of the family was patient in waiting for her ears to subside. Crying was something else Courtney wasn't used to, especially crying in front of others. For as long as she could remember, Maxie was the only person she'd ever thought it acceptable to cry in the presence of. Well, the last time that had happened, a few other people had been there, people who silently agreed to never tell anyone of what they'd saw. As it happened, Brendan became the second person she ever found itself acceptable for her to cry in front. It was thanks to him, she knew the concept of happy tears, tears that she'd spent the last three minutes shedding. Thankfully, the food hadn't gotten cold. Elian had laughed and told her if it did, she could just reheat it. She then followed it up with a question of if she wanted dessert.
Courtney most certainly did.
"If I may, your birth family wasn't the best, was it?"
Elian Birch was like her son, incredibly sharp and intelligent, traits that made Courtney deeply respect the woman ins spite of only having known her a little while. In the span of a single night, she felt comfortable enough around the woman to let down her walls, and with that surrender came a strange sense of relief. She remembered something Tabitha had once told her-that no one could live life on an island by themselves, at least not anyone who expected to live a happy life. Courtney had believed she was happy as she was, and maybe she had been…but that happiness and the sort she'd experienced tonight were two different things. She'd pick the latter in a heartbeat.
Nodding, she split her attention on Elian and the dishes that she was doing. Back in Team Magma, she'd sometimes taken over cleaning duties, especially if those assigned to do them were out for various reasons. Needless to say, she'd always enjoyed the tranquil quiet that came with the job. This wasn't going to be one of those silent evenings; she didn't feel too bad about that.
"My…mother died when I was three years old. Some sort of accident, leaving behind me and my father. I…have very few memories of her, something that has always…nipped at me you could say." She began, rather free of the anxiety that usually plagued her. It was no thanks to the interpersonal talks that had gone on almost an hour before, talks where she'd found kindness in people who had every reason to scorn her. That kindness had opened up something within her. "My father and I…weren't particularly close you could say, especially since…I was…not quite what he wanted."
Sympathy grew on the older woman's face as she looked from the dishes to her. Something in Courtney told her Elia had heard this story before, after all, she herself had somewhat broken from her own family traditions to become the woman she was. Not to mention she'd had to struggle in the scientific field, which at times could be quite competitive.
When Courtney's trademark quiet voice just barely rose above the hum of the sink's faucet, yet she was sure Elian could hear it crystal clear. "Both of my parents…were scientist, and…it was their hope that their child…would continue their work. In the end…you…could say they got what they wanted…but I was not…what my father particularly wanted. First…he was…hoping for a boy. Second…my…condition manifested I the early years…and he took notice of it."
"Your autism?" Elian deduced. Courtney nodded leaving the two women in a brief limbo of silence.
"Yes," the younger woman answered while nodding her head. "I do not know how my mother would have reacted to it, she passed away before she…could…really see me. See what…I would grow into." Courtney had felt insecure about a number of things, even if she didn't know how to show them, or want to. She was aware that "normal people" tended to have a close relationship to their parents. That wasn't always the case, but it was common enough. Courtney could faintly remember her mother's face. From the photos that lay around the house, the two of them looked a great deal alike. Courtney had always found comfort in that resemblance, at times feeling like the only connection she and her mother shared. It was never a pleasant thig to think about, so she tried not to think about it too often. In fact, she practically tried to scrub everything not Team Magma-related from her life. It'd taken Brendan to make her start looking back at those times; his presence in her heart made her able to shoulder the pain that came with doing so.
"…If you don't mind me asking, your parents, who were they?"
There was a brief pause in her dish washing. Elian prepared herself to retract the question, believing it must have been too personal and too soon to ask. "My father is Rodin Aetna and my mother is Cely Aetna, you…might have heard of them."
The black-haired woman's face bent in concentration for a split second before a light bulb went off in her head. "Ah! So, you're the child of Professor Aetna and his late wife! Hah! Now it all makes sense! I feel a little silly for not seeing the resemblance to your mother."
Again, she shook her head, keeping her focus on the dishes. "It's alright. She…died over twenty years ago, her death…while tragic, was eventually…passed into the page of history."
"But not for everyone." Elian politely jabbed.
This time met her eye. "You are…right. My father…in some ways, he never fully recovered the accident…that caused my mother's death. He never went back to Mt. Stark." A contemplative look overcame Courtney as her hands cradled the lime-green cup from which she'd consumed her soup from. "Ironically…the mountain is…perhaps one of the few times my father openly expressed…concern for me. He told me…never to go there, practically pleaded for me to…never go there. Even if I were to…ever find myself in Sinnoh. I know he has…done the same."
Elian was quiet as she contemplated the statement. She didn't known Rodin Aetna personally, but he was one of the top five experts when it came to geology. The accident that had claimed the life of his wife twenty-three years ago had made the rounds around multiple corners of the scientific world, including her ow food and biology-based field. It had been a tragedy, but one that was bitterly common in the fields of geology, doubly so when mountains and supposedly-dormant to active volcanoes were involved. Mt. Stark was one of Sinnoh's finest landmarks, but also it's most dangerous, after all, it was the home of a Pokémon that potentially contained iron ore from the innermost depths of the planet. The mining of said ore was one of the reasons Mt. Stark was often visited by researchers and diggers.
The two women continued to clean the dishes for the next minute in relative silence, both silently digested where the conversation had gone. It was inevitable that they would come to this point.
Courtney wasn't despairing of it as one would have expected. "After that incident…my father…I don't quite think he knew what to do. Without my mother, and do to my…flaws, things were…tense. Though I grew to excel in the fields of science as he hoped…everything else was…not as he'd wished it to be."
"Life can be like that sometimes." Elian mused, a part of her wishing she could give a piece of her mind to the girl's father. While not exactly abusive as a part of her had feared, it was clear that Rodin Aetna had been an emotionally distant father to a child who sorely needed a strong supportive presence in her life. "Courtney, when was it that you met Maxie?"
"Hm, it was precisely eleven years ago three weeks from now." She responded, not paying any attention to how Elian's eyes widened at the accurate estimation. She was somewhat used to those reactions. "He was giving a speech about the potential benefits of reviving Groundon and using its power to expand the region's land to solve issues of overpopulation and overcrowding. Maxie went off script, and began speaking of his personal ideals and ambitions, all of which…resonated with me. The idea of expanding the world…of opening up new frontiers." She looked over to the food scientist and could see she was biting her tongue. While she was socially stunted, Courtney wasn't a fool. She recognized how her story might have been perceived, she'd heard the accusations before-that she'd bee suckered into Maxie's delusional ambitions and played a part in nearly destroying the world. Though she agreed with the latter, she would always heatedly deny the former, even if she had to get aggressive. "In a new world…I…believed that perhaps I might find a better place for myself."
"A better place for yourself," repeated the ruby-eyed woman. "Well, no one has a right to fault you there. We all seek to find the place where we belong in life, perhaps moving from one place to another." Smiling, she placed a hand to her hip and looked to the ceiling with a generous smile and twinkling eyes. "For a time, this was Brendan's place-this house and the two of us raising him, then he got his Mudkip and set out into the world. Now, he's following in his father's footsteps, yet at the same time resolute to make his own mark."
"That part of Brendan…I admire that about him." Courtney declared. "It was…one of the many things that I found…attractive regarding him." The last part came with a slight blush that had the woman beside her breaking out into laughter. It made her blush deepen to the point she tried to hide her face behind the plate she'd been cleaning. "If I can…I want to…help him on his way."
"And while you're doing that, I'm sure he'll be helping you, Courtney." Reaching over, she gently took the plate from the former administrator and sat it down with the rest of the dishes. It allowed the two women to face each other. Yet again, Courtney found understanding in the older woman's gaze. "Courtney, from what I can tell, you've never had much in the way of family, have you?"
Shaking her head, the autistic woman looked away. "Not…like this. Though I had Team Magma…they were…not quite like this." Her gaze went to the dinner table that they'd previously ate at. It'd been a meal filled with laughter, blushing, tears, and most importantly-happiness. It had been…a family dinner. "I've had a…family dinner before. A celebration with Team Magma that Brendan attended not too long ago."
"Yeah, he told us about that. Heheheh, Robert was upset he wasn't able to go since he had a meeting with the regional association." Elian stated.
"Ah, so that's why Brendan attempted to take a few extra slices of cake and other treats." Courtney mused. "Family dinners…family itself…I didn't grow up knowing the value of these things in their entirety."
"But now you do." Gently pressed the black-haired parent. "Courtney, food can be more than just nutrients for the body, but for the soul as well. I learned that lesson when I was a child. Even though I was a curious little Bidoof, I valued the meals cooked by my parents and siblings. I learned that food can bring people together, and food prepared and given to you by someone you care about, well…it tastes extra special. That's why I like cooking and keep at it, it's why I was happy to hear Brendan wanted to bring you over for dinner."
"I am…happy that he did. So…very happy." Her cheeks blushing pink, she looked up and smiled at the woman who'd raised her boyfriend. Said woman smiled back at her, reaching over and placing an arm around her shoulder. "Mrs. Birch…if you don't mind, would you be…willing to teach me how to cook? F-F-For Brendan I mean?"
"Oh? You're asking me?" She coyly repeated.
"Yes, ma'am." Repeated the purple-haired woman. "This dinner that we had…I want to recreate it with Brendan someday."
"With just the two of you, right?" The mother theorized; her theory proven accurate as Courtney's cheeks blushed brighter. "Courtney, I know this may seem a little sudden, but I have to ask, at some point do you and Brendan plan on…"
"I feel that…I am at my best when in his presence, which also…greatly relaxes me. Being with him…it can be more fulfilling for me than working."
"Hm, and what about the prospect of coming back to him from work?" She politely questioned.
"That would be…wonderful."
Elian's maternal nod sent her heart fluttering as she had a feeling on what was about to come next. "Then you have my permission, and I promise that I will help you learn how to cook. Fair warning though, I'm not going to take it easy on you. After all, you'll be cooking for my son, the Champion and Savior of Hoenn, as well as the tamer of the King of the Land."
Vigorously nodding, Courtney felt a surge of excitement pulsing through her. It was a wonderful feeling that had her feeling like there was a burning fire in her chest. She loved the feeling, and she felt optimistic about the future…just like she always did whenever Brendan was involved.
It was hope, hope for a future that she previously never thought or cared for. A future that she was going to reach out and grasp, with her hand and Brendan's.
"Now, come on, let's go check on the boys and make sure neither of them have accidentally burned down the backyard." Elian winked.
"Has that ever happened before?" Courtney questioned with evident surprise and curiosity on his face.
"Well…" Elian trailed off, mere seconds before the floor beneath their feet shook. Surprisingly, the older woman laughed. Courtney regained her with shock and curiosity, both of which gradually gave way to an understanding smile. Joining her in her laughter, they finished up the dishes and headed out back to see what the commotion was about.
They arrived just in time to halt a competitive showing of the move, Earthquake.
Brendan had a funny feeling bouncing around in him on his way from the airport to the store then to his and Courtney's shared home. He knew it was excitement, but he felt that there was something else to it, something he'd discover once he walked through the door and greeted his girlfriend. He'd already called her and confirmed to her that he was on his way back. Brendan heard the pep in her voice as she declared she'd be waiting for him.
"I'll be waiting for you!"
When he first met Courtney, it was incredibly hard to picture her as saying such words as anything but a threat. Courtney herself told him that such words would more than likely never come from her lips. Not only had he heard them once, he'd heard them multiple times, this time just being the latest.
Rustboro City was still humming by the time he returned to the neighborhood. Like many cities, life never stopped even when the sun went down, granted as he crossed into Lyell Heights. Brendan was glad that most people were indoors at this late hour, though there were still a few out. They of course waved at him and he waved back. When he and Courtney had first moved into the neighborhood, there was the expected fanfare given his reputation, but that had mercifully died down after a week. It was further affirmation that they'd made the right choice in buying their home out here.
Leaning his head back, he inhaled the fresh night air that blew across the neighborhood. It was the breeze of home. Brendan stood in the o the sidewalk and quietly took it in, just as he'd stood in front of the Rustboro airport and enjoyed being back home in Hoenn. The air, the feel of the ground, the echo of the sea, all of it wrapped him up and hugged him close.
Continuing on his way, it wasn't too long before his own home came into sight. If anyone asked what the home of the former Champion and Savior of Hoenn looked like, Brendan would have told them this-average. Don't get him wrong, he thought the home he and Courtney had picked out was great, but it was average compared to what they could have gone with. They didn't want anything grandiose though; they wanted to live together and nothing more. The modest two-story craftsman-style house was enough for them, and their Pokémon. The closer he got, the more he was sure some of them could start picking up his scent; he was right.
Calls went up and some rushed out to greet him. Patting and greeting them back, Brendan continued to the door, fishing out the key and turning the lock. The second he pushed the door open, he was blasted with the sweet aroma of his home.
"Courtney!" Shouted the black-haired trainer. His nose wrinkled, smelling food. Guided by that smell, he walked toward the kitchen; he already knew there was going to be someone there to meet him, he could feel her presence.
Instead of having to walk the full way, he met her half-way.
She was wearing one of her ruby red aprons, particular one with a Numel's face on the front; that one was amongst Brendan's favorite. Her light orchid-colored eyes shimmered like gems as she laid eyes on him, her lips curving into a light smile. A pink blush colored her cheeks as she looked to him. "Welcome home, Brendan." Courtney declared.
He was moving toward her before she could eve finish speaking, his bags being dropped on the floor so his arms were free. They wrapped around the former eco-terrorist's body, and hers did the same to him. Brendan took in the sweet smell of her perfume mixed with the smell of food, it smelled like home to him. Courtney herself basked in the warmth of his body as she always did whenever they hugged like this. They could feel their hearts now beating in unified joy at the reunion they'd both been looking forward to. Those heartbeats accelerated as they pulled their faces away from one another and stared into each other's eyes. A second later and they leaned forward, their lips meeting in a long-awaited kiss that lit a fire in both of them.
Ninetails trotted into the room, clearly amused at the sight of her trainer and her love refamiliarizing themselves with each other. Practically everyone had seen it coming, and everyone was awaiting it. The sight was just as tender as they all expected it to be, perhaps a little more so.
Granted, Ninetails knew she couldn't allow it to go on. Contrary to her trainer's outward appearance, she would happily spend the whole night kissing and cuddling up to her mate. Such was the positive transformation that the scar-headed boy had invoked in her; it was a change that Ninetails and the rest of her compatriots were eternally grateful for.
She let them get around two minutes of face time before moving to silently nudge the recently returned trainer. Brendan separated from Courtney and looked down, cheeks blushing pink. Courtney shot her partner a slight annoyed frown, but accepted it none the less. Chuckling, Brendan reached down and affectionately patted Ninetails' head, murmuring how he happy he was to see her before looking back to his girlfriend.
"I'm back." He said in a quiet and affectionate voice. Listening to her giggle, he leaned forward and pecked her on the lips. He felt her right hand rise to caress his cheek, Brendan had to fight the urge to go for something more than just a peck on her lips or cheek. With every passing second, he was able to take in more of her scent. Though she'd been in the kitchen, it hadn't completely dulled the cherry-flavored perfume that she liked to wear. "I've missed you."
"I've missed you too." She responded. "But…we weren't apart in spirit, were we?"
Laughing, he leaned in and kissed her cheek. It was just good enough. "No, we weren't." His hold on her tightened a little as he remembered the bond that they shared-it could stand the wall of distance, and that wall could be cracked with the aid of a few well-cooked meals. Speaking of which, he was ready for another.
Picking up on that, Courtney wicked at him and took his hand so she could guide him to the kitchen. Ninetails giggled at how they were finally getting the show on the road. She kept pace with them on the way to the kitchen, which is also where her food bowl was.
The smell that Brendan had picked up on hit him in full force once he laid eyes on its source. His mouth immediately began to water at the sight of the steaming hot bowls of champon that laid at the table, arranged for two. Brendan could hear his stomach rumble in excitement; Courtney heard it and laughed which made him blush.
"You didn't happen to skip out on eating on my account, did you?" Innocently questioned the purple-haired woman.
"N-No, I just…had a couple of snacks on the way here! None of which ca compare to this." He defended. "No snack could ever compare to this."
Beautyflies in her stomach, Courtney indulged herself in a little kiss to her boyfriend's cheek. Laughing, he threw his arm around her waist and brought her into a hug. When he released her, she guided him over to the table, taking off her apron and taking hold of his bags.
Brendan's mouth watered and his stomach rumbled as he stared at the dynamic array that laid within the black bowl. It was practically waiting to be consumed by him, and Brendan very nearly gave into impulse and started eating right there. Were it not for his years of self-control, that's what he would have done. He could certainly picture some of his friends, namely Ethan and maybe Sun immediately chowing down instead of waiting. Brendan remembered he wasn't the only one that had came home, a fact Ninetails concurred with as she appeared to be waiting for her friend to come out.
Said friend greeted her with a hug that she chuckled at but returned with her tails. Though the relationship between his Swampert and Courtney's Ninetails wasn't exactly romantic, at least not yet, it was clear that the two had came to respect and even like each other. They certainly made for a good battling pair.
Several of his Pokémon caught sight of Courtney and immediately beelined for her, especially Aggron, as usually stomped his way over to greet her. It was a good thing that their house had been built to "heavy-weight standards", in other words, being able to support Pokémon with immense weight like his Aggron. She greeted each of them with a smile and even a hug as she had Brendan. She guided them all to the backyard where her own Pokémon were waiting, along with their good. When she returned, she saw Brendan waiting for her, hand held out. Giggling, she took it.
Even though she was the one who'd spent the last near two hours cooking, it felt like she was the one being treated to dinner. That's just the sort of person Brendan was, and that was one of the reasons Courtney loved him. As she sat down at the dinner table, he leaned down and planted a kiss on her cheek. He then took his own seat.
They dug into the champon simultaneously. Courtney kept an eye on her boyfriend while she ate, watching his reaction to her food. Though he'd tell her anything she cooked tasted great, Courtney preferred the truth. The truth could always be seen on someone's face, and Courtney had always been good at deciphering that.
What she saw on Brendan's face was awe, excitement, satisfaction, and most importantly, love when he smiled at her. She was happy he was one of those types that didn't talk with his mouth full. Secretly though, Courtney found something a little cute in that, at least in little school children like the kind Roxanne taught at the trainer's school. She'd witnessed some of them do so when she and Brendan stopped by there, sometimes for special lessons. The excitement some of them felt in meeting her boyfriend made them forget manners, if they hadn't already.
"This is amazing, Courtney."
She never got tired of hearing that, and probably never would. What made the praise so good was that she could almost always detect the honest I them, and she'd earned that praise. "Your mother's teaching finally paid off."
"I'd say it paid off earlier before. You sell yourself a little short sometimes." Flashing her a wink, he declared, "Between your cooking and Lucas', I'll take yours."
Hearing that made her heart thunder in her chest. "Thank you…Brendan." Through him, she'd gotten to know some of the other Dex Holders, the at times wild and varied personalities of a few of them. Amongst them was Lucas Diamond from Sinnoh, though normally laid back, he could become quite impassioned when speaking of food, as was typical of an aspiring chef. "Lucas' cooking and his well-being, how was he?"
"Great, he told me to send you his regards, oh, and he sent you a little something else too." Of all his Dex Holding friends, it was the Sinnoh trainer that got along with his girlfriend the best. It was quite a surprise given their personalities were on opposite ends of the spectrum. They certainly were able to bond over cooking, Courtney taking it as a hobby and Lucas taking to it as a passion he'd decided to turn into a career.
Courtney's eyes lit up. "I'll have to send him my thanks. Hm, perhaps a new Mega Stone."
"You guys have rolled out some more? That's awesome!"
The conversation quickly shifted to the work they'd gotten up to in the week he'd been away in Unova for the all-star's tournament. In dating a trainer who at one point was the regional Champion, Courtney was prepared for Brendan to be called away. So too was Rustboro University, which sometimes itself hosted tournaments which conveniently gave students a few days out of the classroom. Courtney had attended a few of them, some alongside Brendan, who competed in them or gave an exhibition match alongside Roxanne. Brendan was looking forward to the day that Courtney would take part in those matches herself. Like him and the gym leader, Pokémon team was built around the element of earth in the form of Fire, Rock, and Ground types; it was only natural given she was still one of the former administrators of Team Magma.
Speaking of which, Brendan had gotten encouraging words from the former eco-terror group. They were just one of the may groups that had cheered him on when he went overseas to Unova. On top of that, Tabitha had called up Courtney to talk to her during her work break. He was happy to hear that the talk between the two had ended up going over her work break, something that Courtney admitted she didn't mind; it felt good being able to talk to Tabitha, who even back then was one of the few people she felt a genuine friendship with, even if she didn't call it that. Ever since taking her job at Devon Corp, he seemed to be one of the most invested in checking up on her. He was turning into the dotting big brother that she'd never had nor asked for. Her boyfriend could attest to that as when they first began dating, Tabitha made it clear if he ever hurt Courtney, he'd make Groundon, the meteor, and Deoyxs look like tame in comparison to what he'd do to him. As usual, Brendan took the comment in strides, asserting it would never come to that.
Tabitha had called in just before his match against Misty Waterflower of Kanto to remind him that Courtney was watching him, and rooting for him more so than anyone else. That motivation had been the boost that he needed to come out on top, well, that on top of the snacks she'd sent over for him and his Pokémon. Brendan didn't know about many guys were lucky enough to have their girlfriend send personally cooked food across an entire ocean just for them, but he was one of them, and he was quite proud of it. He was prouder of that than the fact that as an "earth-type trainer", he'd managed to defeat a Water-type specialist like Misty, though she'd certainly made him work for that victory. They both had walked around proud of the battle they'd fought and with respect for one another.
It was after he'd came out of the shower that night did he learn that he'd apparently became an inspiration to Rock and Ground-type trainers all over the world in overcoming their preferred type's weakness. Sinnoh's Roark had gotten similar praise when he went head-to-head with Galar's best Grass-type expert, Milo Aguilar. Some had said the victory wasn't exactly all that since the latter didn't have access to Dynamaxing, the trademark power-up of the Galar region. Milo, on the other hand, wasn't having any of it, stating that Dynamax or not, he'd fought with his all as had Roark, and the mining gym leader had came out the victor and that's all that matters.
When it came to battles between expert and master-class trainings, Type match-ups would only go so far, which was part of the draw for competitions that featured such trainers. From his father, Brendan had learned not to be overly reliant on such things in battle as every weakness could be overcome or covered up; he'd ran into that problem and had to learn it himself to press onward in his journey.
Brendan's journey through the tournament continued two more rounds into the semi-finals until he faced Drayden, Unova's strongest dragon master and its strongest gym leader. As so many before him and after him, Brendan learned such titles were well-deserved. Courtney told him that had been the battle that she'd ended up watching with her research team at Devon Corp; it wasn't just them, anyone who could tuned into the battle to see its outcome. It wouldn't have been a stretch to say everyone was cheering for the scar-headed teen, especially Courtney.
She was the first to call him when he lost, his Aggron falling to the Spartan Mayor's Hydreigon. She kept on hoping that Aggron would be able to tank the draconic energy blast that the triple-headed dual-type had launched, as the smoke cleared, she saw that unfortunately, that hadn't been the case. To his credit, Aggron remained standing a few seconds after his Mega Evolution wore off, a sign to everyone that the battle was over and Brendan had lost. As he tried to do with every loss, Brendan took it in strides, praising his long-time friend for giving it his best. His praise was added on by Drayden and his Hydreigon, who gave an affirmative roar at the Steel-Rock type. It'd been a good battle, one that Courtney believed Brendan and his team had every right to be proud of, her opinion was shared with the rest of her staff.
Though she was supposed to get back to work, Courtney took the extra time to call and console him, him and the rest of his team. Practically everyone was excited to see her face, even in their beaten state. That was yet another testament to the change that the former Magma Admin had undergone-calling to console a wounded ally, a friend. Courtney never would have thought that someone seeing her face would bring such joy, but it did, especially to a group whom she'd fought against on repeated occasions.
As soon as her work hours ended, she called Brendan and his team again. Sitting behind him were the rest of his team, all bandaged up ad in the process of resting, they were going to do so by listening to their trainer's mate and seeing her smiling face, a face that all of them had came to deeply enjoy. It was perhaps the best way to begin to bounce back from a loss, not to mention hype themselves up for the trip home. That excitement exploded when they finally made it home and were greeted by the lilac-haired woman herself. She'd taken the time to prepare dinner for them, including Brendan, eve though they weren't victorious.
Courtney didn't care about that-she was just happy to have her loved ones back home. She had her boyfriend sitting across from her happily eating the dinner she'd made.
For Brendan, he felt like he was eating a meal fit for a king, even though he'd returned home defeated. The sting of defeat had long since faded from his mind, biting into the noodles and pork and vegetables, all of fine quality, made him feel like a winner. Looking at the smiling and giggling face of his girlfriend, Brendan believed himself to in fact be a winner.
He had a beautiful girlfriend always waiting for him to come home to, and to whom he'd wait for. As far as he was concerned that was worth a hundred more than any victory, maybe a thousand times more.
For his coming back dinner, Courtney had certainly gone out of her way to give him the best. Thanks to his mother, he knew his way around food, and the same went for his girlfriend, who his mother had taken under her wing. Brendan laughed at the memory. Here he was in a panic about how his mom would react to Courtney; while he'd been worried, after the family dinner he'd felt all the worry evaporate. Or more accurately, he felt it burn away; since then, a warm familial flame had been burning since.
Placing his chopsticks down, he beamed at his girlfriend. "These are probably the best noodles and the best shrimp I think you've ever made."
His compliment of course ignited a fiery blush in her cheeks, she held his gaze as she spoke. "It took a bit of looking to find all the right ingredients."
"You didn't blow through too much money for this, did you?"
"Oh, don't worry about that, Brendan. You know money isn't an issue for us, nor is shifting through multiple grocery stores or online food markets. I've come to find it kind of fun, actually."
He smiled at the implication her hobbies were further developing. "Well…I'd say it was time well-spent."
Giggling, she cocked her head to the side, an act that Brendan found absolutely adorable. "Would you like seconds, Brendan?"
"Please and thank you?" He responded with a laugh.
Her heartfelt giggling echoing throughout the room, she rose and made for the counter. He watched her refill his bowl, a private show just for him that he took solace in as he always did. When it was him doing the refilling, he could at times feel Courtney's eyes on him, watching him. Watching her seemed just as fulfilling as eating her food.
Courtney turned her head around and smiled at him. In that moment, he decided what he would do once she got back.
He waited until she placed his refilled bowl of champon on the table, then he reached up and gently took hold of her hand. Meeting his eyes, she knew what he had in store. There was no harm in it, not to mention she was beginning to miss his lips. She fell into his waiting embrace, her arms wrapping around his neck and his around her waist. The kiss quickly grew as steamy as the bowl of variable food soup on the table.
She fell into his lap, sensually grinding her hips against his. He groaned as they separated for air. "C-C-Courtney," Brendan whispered in a hushed breath.
"All part of your homecoming, Brendan." Whispered the lilac-haired woman in an unapologetically seductive voice. A tingle of raw ecstasy sped up the trainer's spine. That tingle grew stronger, turning into a full-on electric jolt as she reached for his chopsticks and took up a piece of pork wrapped in noodles. Brendan kept his gaze focused on Courtney's face eve as she moved the chopsticks toward his mouth. Out of reflex, he opened his mouth and accepted the bite of food. Courtney watched him a foxlike smile. As she swallowed, she whispered, "Does it still taste warm?"
"Incredibly so." The teenager huskily responded before kissing her, the heat and taste on his lips transferring into her mouth, which she deeply enjoyed.
It almost felt like an eternity before they removed themselves from each other. Their hands lingered on one another before finally separating for good. This wasn't going to be the ed of their physical intimacy, after all, there was dessert. There was nothing like cuddling up on the couch with a plate full of strawberry-flavored daifuku.
"No peaking, either of you."
"Mom!" Shouted both of the two grade school children, which Courtney Birch had been fully expecting. Giggling, she reached out ad rustled the hair of both of her children, her son's lilac hair so similar to her own and her daughter's the same jet-black as her father's. She always loved the even split that their children had seemingly been blessed with.
Seeing their mother wasn't going to budge, the pair of children looked to their father, finishing his second round of morning coffee. Brendan chuckled at his two kids. "Sorry guys, but if your mother says it's a surprise, consider it a surprise. Has she ever let either of you down before?"
Edna was the first to respond. "Hm, no. Mama never lets us down when it comes to lunchtime. Or dinner time. Or breakfast time." Her ruby-red eyes lit up as she looked to her brother, then back to her. "Mama! Will you be there when we get out of school! Will you and daddy bake a cake for Landon! He told me he would want you two to do that!"
"I-I-I did not!" Cried the oldest child of the Birch family, an embarrassed blush painting his cheeks. It became a source of laughter for the rest of his family. Stubbornly, he looked away, fully knowing that wouldn't hide his blush at all. Peering to the side though, he saw his mother smiling at her in her warm maternal way. His father's arm fell over him further making him blush. "Um, I know you two are busy with work and all…so…"
"Landon, we'll definitely be there, and there'll be a fresh meal there when you get home." Courtney declared leaning down and pecking her son on the forehead. "Now, go ace that exam."
"And show 'em the Birch Family battling style!" Brendan declared. "Now, come on, I'll give you two a ride to school like I usually do."
"Yah!" Edna shouted, throwing herself into her dad's other arm. Laughing, Landon turned around and did the same, hugging his father as much as his sister's. The unexpected hug was readily accepted, and joined by the family matriarch.
In the Birch household, family hugs weren't too out of the ordinary, on days with big events such as research projects, tests, and battles, they were warranted, along with the best cooked breakfast possible. When the day ended and all the house's occupants returned home, more often than not, a nice homecooked meal was surely to follow.
This marks the end of my second Brendan/Courtney story. A wholesome family fluff story featuring a small sneak peak at our favorite odd couple's family life. Given the family-focused theme of this little story, I felt it was finally time I showed a small look at the life Brendan and Courtney were able to build for themselves. Oh, ad I got to show a little snippet further showing how far Courtney's come.
Champon is a noodle dish that is one of the regional cuisines of Nagasaki. It can be made using a number of different types of pork, vegetables, fish, and even noodles. It's one of those dishes where you can really experiment with what you want in it.
Daifuku are small desserts usually served with green tea. It's a small rice cake wrapped around a varied sweet filling. In the case of this story, Courtney went with strawberry as it's her and Brendan's favorite.
Speaking of Courtney, I used some fill-in-the-blanks and headcanons for her backstory. Ultimately, she hasn't had much in the way of positive human interactions and I decided that Maxie inspiring her was what caused her to latch onto him so intensely. The lack of love from her own father certainly didn't help things, but luckily she's been welcomed into the Birch Family. I will one day do a story exploring her family, most likely intwining it with her thoughts on motherhood as she and Brendan prepare for their first child. Some more MagmaJewel content to look forward to in the future! Until then, stay safe and healthy, everyone!