Chapter Text
They had been "Friends with Benefits" for years. Even when they no longer considered each other friends, Archie and Maxie still had regular sexual encounters.
The "Friends with Benefits" relationship had become some kind of twisted power game between the two men, as they led rival Teams with completely opposing agendas. Sometimes they even used their sex games as a means of gaining the upper hand in their real battle, the fight for dominance mirrored in both situations.
But when their plans were foiled... Their teams disbanded... Everything they knew unravelled... They had little to no idea where they stood with each other.
-
Archie was usually considered the more emotional of the two men. As he packed up his belongings from the Team Aqua hideout, an old photo slipped from the pages of a book and he quickly became nostalgic.
It almost seemed silly to him. The photo was of him and Maxie, back in the Team Rocket days, over in Kanto or Johto. Maxie had been so... Cute... Cute? Cute back then that now, Archie slapped himself mentally for suggesting back then that they "fuck to blow off steam" rather than flat-out asking him on a date, like he should've done.
Would all of this Team Aqua and Magma business have happened if things had gone differently back then?
-
In the ex-Team Magma hideout, Maxie was carrying out a similar clear out. Though there was much less to clear, as he brought very little to the base with him in the first place. Business and pleasure were to be kept apart... Except when Archie was involved. As he found the model ship that Archie had built for him... Before... He called for Tabitha to move it for him. His young ex-second in command didn't really understand, but even stripped of his title of "The Great Maxie", he still knew better than to ask too many questions.
"What do you want me to do with it?" the stout young man asked, allowing himself only necessary questions.
Maxie closed his eyes and pursed his lips. Tabitha flinched, expecting Mount Maxie's temper to erupt. It didn't. In fact, the young man could've sworn he saw... Tears at the corners of his eyes? That couldn't be right.
"Sir?"
"Never mind, Tabitha," he huffed dismissively. "I'm sure my Camerupt will be able to help me carry it home."
So he found himself taking it home. He allowed himself to cry once he'd locked all the doors.
-
Once his old hideout had been thoroughly gutted, Archie felt a little lost. His team were all gone. His bro Matt had decided to go back to school and Shelley had gone back to her old position at the Devon corporation.
Completely alone, there was only one person he could think of who'd understand what he was feeling. He picked up his phone, searched the contacts for "Nerdass (Maxie)" and called.
The answer was a shrieking noise, somewhat akin to that of an angry Camerupt.
"You okay there, Maxie?" he asked softly.
"I'm fine," he growled. "What do you want?"
"Well, considering everything we've been working on for years has uh.... Gone up in smoke, as it were... I figured we could meet up and brainstorm."
"One would need a brain for that. Also, 'brainstorm' isn't a PC term for that anymore," he barked.
"It's not? Well, I'll be a Mankey's uncle. What is the PC term then?"
"I can't remember! It's not important," he huffed. "Anyway, where exactly did you have in mind? Not that I delight in the idea of your company, but sadly, you're right."
Archie smiled to himself. "Well, I've still got my desk and, like, two chairs in my base."
"That would be completely inappropriate!" Archie could practically hear the man blushing. "Surely, you're not too dense to forget... Just no, okay? No, if we are to meet up, it is to be on neutral ground."
"I guess you have a point. Lilycove Motel?"
"No."
"Arceus, Maxie, is there anywhere you don't associate with us fucking?" He found himself getting irate at this point.
Maxie was silent apart from his slightly increased breathing.
"All right, if you're gonna be awkward, how about the the Rooftop Plaza in Lilycove City Department Store?" Archie suggested.
"All right," he sighed. "Shall we meet as soon as we can get there?"
"Don't see why not. Remember to dress casual."
They both silently hung up. An old habit from their past relationship. Back in the day, one would bitterly call the other with a time and place, they'd hang up then be fucking within the hour.
-
"You wan' a lemonade?" Archie asked, as Maxie sat opposite him at one of the little tables on the Rooftop Plaza. The smaller man was wearing a black turtleneck sweater and sunglasses. Archie had to bite his lip to stop himself laughing about it.
"Well, I don't see a coffee machine around so yes, please, I suppose that will do," he replied. He found himself staring at Archie, in a tight grey t-shirt that left little to the imagination (Not that he really needed to imagine. It had barely been a couple of weeks since their last encounter).
The former seafarer brought over two bottles of lemonade and handed one to his... Friend? Acquaintance?
"So, what are we going to do?" he asked.
Maxie coughed on his lemonade.
"Why are you asking me? This was your idea!"
"You're the smart one, apparently," he laughed, taking a sip of his own lemonade. "We could set up some kind of business together."
Maxie sighed. "Perhaps you're being a little optimistic. After everything, how are we supposed to work together again? And what business are we even supposed to run together?"
"That's why we're brainstorming... Or whatever it is we're supposed to say. How is 'brainstorming' supposed to be offensive anyway?"
"I don't know," he growled. "I just heard it somewhere. And I think the preferred term is 'mind-mapping'."
"That sounds pretty dumb," Archie replied with a blank look. "Well, I bought a notebook on the way here."
"Did you bring a pen or a pencil?" The redhead asked.
"Ah-ha, you've got a point there, mate! See, that's why we'd make a good team!"
-
The "meeting" carried on in pretty much the same vein. Their conversation remained incredibly shallow.
Neither made any reference to their previous relationship. It seemed too dangerous a topic to bring up. If they were to become business partners, they needed to be... Professional. Sexual one-upping each other wouldn't work in this situation, so it was easier to pretend nothing ever happened.
-
A few days later, they met up again. Same place, same drinks. But this time, both men made sure to bring a pen.
"So, what are our combined skills?" Maxie asked, tapping his pen agitatedly against his own notebook.
Archie snorted then quietly apologised.
"Perhaps you could take up comedy," the redhead growled, tapping his pen harder.
"Sorry, matey, I'll behave!" he laughed, twirling his pen around. "Uh... Well, I had this idea this morning. If we were able to re-employ our old team mates, we'd have all these Wingulls an' Golbats and whatnot, right?"
Maxie glared at him, not quite sure he liked where this was heading.
"And they're quite fast little scamps! We could set up a delivery service!"
The glaring intensified.
"I was thinking, where we were Aqua and Magma, I was trying to describe what happens when the two combine."
"I think I've heard enough," Maxie huffed.
Archie continued regardless. "The magma hardens! How cool a name would that be?! Hardenshipping!"
Maxie whacked him with his notebook.
"That a 'nay' or a 'yay'?"
"That was an 'I don't even know why I agreed to meet up with you', you imbecile."
Archie chuckled. "Fine, I'll cross that one off the list for now then."
"Maybe our only skills are petty criminal acts and catastrophically ill-thought out ecoterrorism," Maxie sighed, pushing his glasses atop his head and rubbing tiredly at his eyes.
Archie observed him with concern.
"We'll think of something, buddy. It won't be easy but just trust me on this, okay?"
The tired redhead couldn't bring himself to look at the more lively man.
"Maybe we need a break from thinking. So, got anything fun planned for the weekend? Well, anything planned at least, I know you don't do fun."
"I do fun," Maxie growled, sounding considerably like someone who didn't know what fun was. "Besides, we've hardly tried."
"Yeah, but don't you remember those Team Rocket social events for morale building?"
Maxie glared yet again. He remembered those events but he also remembered how they usually ended. He blushed.
"Okay, not the best example? C'mon, Maxie, I'm really tryin' here!"
Maxie smiled a little. Which Archie felt to be somewhat of an achievement.
"I guess we don't even need to set up a business right away. I dunno about you but I'll be financially okay for a while. Maybe we could just chillax for a while."
"Chillax?" he sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Chill! Relax! C'mon, Max! What's something you've always wanted to do?" He asked, smiling broadly.
Maxie laughed slightly. "Other than attempt to improve the world via land expansion?"
"Aye, 'cause that's a dumb idea," he sniggered. "Like did you ever dream of being an artist or a rockstar or something?"
"Is this your bizarre way of asking me to join some strange heavy metal band?"
-
So they loosely discussed silly little dreams until the sky began to dim over them.
"Arceus, when did it get so late?" Maxie muttered.
"Time flies when you're having fun. And I know for a fact that I'm hella fun!"
"I had no idea that people actually said 'hella' unironically."
"We are a limited breed, but a hella fine one!"
"Stop saying it," he growled.
Archie laughed heartily. "Fine then. So, do you want me to walk you home?"
"What?!" He barked. Even in the dimming light, Archie was sure he could see the man blushing. "Don't be so foolish. I'm a grown man, capable of finding my own way home. Why the sudden concern?"
"Well, I gotta admit, I've really enjoyed spending time with you! Never thought I'd live to see that."
Maxie adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose and smirked. "You're just getting overly sentimental in your old age. Goodbye for now."
"Fair seas to ya!"