Alex returned to Vera's room just in time for her to finish dumping Elliot.
He didn't have the heart to fight back against the poor guy. Vera had been absolutely ruthless with him, so Alex could understand the guy's plight. He might not have felt the sting of romantic betrayal before, but he did remember beating guys up in a jealous rage just for talking to his girlfriends back on Earth. At most, he could understand what it was like to have something he saw as his possession stolen. He could only imagine how much worse her betrayal must have felt.
He sometimes forgot that the girls he hired so nonchalantly were incredibly well-trained social masterminds who could wrap a guy around their fingers with just a few words. It was terrifying what they could do to a man emotionally when he thought about it.
Fortunately for Alex, he couldn't feel romantic love, so he could stay objective around them.
Elliot exited the room just as Alex was entering. He stared at Alex with fear rather than fury as he passed by. That told Alex he didn't manage to get another scout to add to his pile. He would've recommended the assassination board otherwise.
Once Alex and Vera were alone in the room with Alvera in his arms, Alex finally decided to have a long overdue conversation.
"So, before we go, I wanted to have a talk with you," Alex started.
"About what?"
"About us."
"What's there to talk about?"
"You should know me enough to know I can't fall in love. I just don't feel it that way. It's how I can be fine with you having sex with Elliot for the past eight months you were away."
"I know."
"You should also know the way I would express romantic feelings is through possessiveness. I've tried to avoid feeling that way for you and the others, which is why I never initiated."
"I know."
"Now that we have a child, I feel like I should try to be more romantically involved with you."
"You don't have to, Alex. I'm fine with how things are. I don't find it ideal, but I'm willing to settle."
"Are you sure? You know what you're missing out on, right? You could have had your happy family with Elliot."
"Elliot was my best chance at protecting Alvera. Not a replacement for you. I don't love Elliot, Alex. I love you. Even if you have other women."
"Do you want to get married?"
"Yes, for Alvera's sake. I would like to get married."
"What about the other girls?"
"They can marry you as well. I checked the League's civil laws, and apparently, polygamy is very common with Elite ranked trainers and up, since they can be very willful at times. Their partners often have no choice but to accept, given their popularity and ability to provide. The League doesn't encourage it, but it is allowed legally."
"What about our specific relationship? I can't give you the love you deserve. Do you want a completely open marriage on both sides?"
"I don't need it. I know what I want and already have it. But you should probably talk to the other girls about it. Lyra, Mika, and Maris, for example. Maybe Rhea too, since you're both similar."
"Are you sure? I have to be okay with it to know I'm not being possessive. I would only complain if I ever considered you my belonging."
Vera's cheeks flushed as a faint warmth stirred in her chest.
For some reason, the idea of Alex beating Elliot up for her was starting to turn her on. Perhaps there was something Nyx understood from accepting her place as Alex's belonging that she had missed.
"Alex. If Elliot was fucking me right now in front of you, what would you do?"
"Kill him," Alex answered without hesitation or any change of expression, before realizing what he had just said. "Well, shit. I don't think I can have an open marriage with you."
"What about Nyx and Rhea?"
"The same, I think."
"Kaia?"
"I don't know."
"Maris? Lyra? Mika?"
"I think I would cheer them on. As awkward as that sounds," Alex admitted with a confused face.
He'd never taken the time to sit down and really think about how he felt about the girls, and it showed. It was clear he'd been avoiding his relationship problems with them, made worse by the fact that he'd been gone in Johto for the past eight months.
The last time he did anything remotely close was when he almost died and resolved to treat 'his' girls better while still trying not to be possessive about it.
Now, he realized he wouldn't allow Nyx, Rhea, or Vera to sleep with other men, even while he continued to sleep with other women. It was a disgusting realization to come to, but it was how he genuinely felt.
'I'm a horrible piece of shit,' Alex thought.
"Let's keep the relationship open on both sides, and I'll try to avoid being jealous of your and the girls' other relationships," Alex forced out. He wanted to be fair despite the rage it would inevitably bring.
"Are you sure?" Vera asked with a teasing smile.
"Yes," Alex said, his brow twitching.
"I'm joking, Alex," Vera said with a light chuckle. "I promise not to cheat on you. Is there anything else we should talk about?"
"I want you to be upfront with me."
"What do you mean?"
"I want you to tell me when you want something. It could be dates, special occasions, more children, anything. I want you to honestly tell me what you want, because I feel like I can never be a proper husband for you. So the least I can do is make sure you need nothing else in life other than what I can't provide. Consider it my way of showing love."
"Okay," Vera said before approaching Alex and sharing a deep kiss.
They parted before leaving the Pokécenter, heading for Oak's lab where Vera had to pick up the rest of her belongings.
Alex waited outside with Alvera while Vera went to gather her things.
A while later, a man walked out and headed toward Alex. He had spiky brown hair and brown eyes, stood a few inches taller, had a relatively fit build, and wore a lab coat.
"So, you're the bastard that's poaching our Chief Breeder?" he asked confrontationally.
Alex immediately recognized the man without needing to think about it. He wouldn't back down despite the disadvantage, however.
"I suppose so."
"You don't look like much."
"Good," Alex replied with a smile. "I wouldn't want to be overestimated. It would make my job more difficult."
The man looked at Alvera, then adopted a quieter tone before asking, "That her kid?"
"Yes, her name's Alvera."
"She's cute, at least," he said before awkwardly adding, "Take care of her or I'll come for you."
He stormed off just as Vera came back, ready to go.
"What did Blue say?" Vera asked.
"To take care of either you or Alvera, I couldn't tell."
"I'm surprised he didn't start a fight."
"He tried, but I shut it down. The best way to fight off someone confrontational is to bore them. You didn't sleep with him, did you?"
"No, he's too aggressive. I wouldn't want him as Alvera's father. Besides, the hair and eyes are completely wrong. Why? Don't think you can take him?" she added in a joking manner.
"Nope," Alex answered honestly. "He's been a Champion for nearly thirty years. His team would fold mine in less than a minute."
"I… I didn't know that."
"Which is why it's good you didn't sleep with him. I can't guarantee either of us would survive if he got as angry as Elliot. Anyway, ready to go home?"
"Yes."
Gardevoir teleported them back to the farm just in time to catch a meeting taking place in the dining room. However, whatever they were discussing or planning went out the window the second they saw Alvera in Alex's arms.
They fawned over her adorable self while Talia performed an examination and found nothing wrong; the baby was in perfect health.
Vera was given an examination as well, with similar results. She just needed more Pokémon meat to recover from the trauma of giving birth.
Kaia began hounding Vera about the ordeal, as she too had an interest in giving birth someday when she was ready. Since Vera already unlocked the gates, she could follow along her footsteps and ask for a baby in the future.
Alex, meanwhile, stood back and took a good look at the girls. Apart from missing them over the past two months he was away, he was also starting to truly appreciate his lifestyle. He had everything he could ask for and more, with more excitement and comfort to follow.
Unfortunately, along with the luxuries of life came the responsibility of protecting it. To do that, he had to build a home that couldn't be sanctioned, an impenetrable fortress to live in, powerful Pokémon to defend it, and, most of all, become a Champion whose status would make it all untouchable.
The icing on the cake, however, would be if Alex owned an organization of his own.
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