It had been a while since the two of them talked about Maxie's insecurities, and pretty soon, they went away completely. He knew that Archie still cared about him and loved him, even if he was starting to get a little soft.

But within time, Archie started to feel insecure himself. He found himself in the bathroom, looking at himself in the mirror with a groan.

"Damn it... I shouldn't have eaten that.. I feel so bloated right now.... Ugh..." He looks at the toilet. "No.. not again... I can't keep doing that. What is wrong with me..?"

Like Maxie, he was exaggerating. He looked the same as he always had been, but his stomach came out just a little bit. It wasn't a big deal. But to him, it was.

"I'm supposed to be a strong, tough man.. can I still do that with THIS?? And... how will Max react? Oh god.." He hung his head by the sink, falling into the floor.

*knock knock*

"H-huh?!"

"Archie? Is everything alright? I heard a crashing noise from in there. Are you hurt?"

He noticed that when he fell to the floor, that him hitting the ground was that very noise. The insecurities came rushing back. Was he so big that him falling on the floor caused a loud noise and the ground to shake?

"Y-yeah, babe... I'm fine. J-just knocked over somethin'.."

"Well, alright. Don't take too long, dinner is almost ready."

That made Archie gulp. His stomach started to hurt. But to keep Maxie from getting suspicious, he swallowed his pride and came downstairs.

After a while, Maxie noticed him not acting like himself. "Archie?"

"Y-yeah?"

He looks him in the eyes with a face full of concern. "You've barely spoken a word since you've come out here, and you've barely touched your food. Is everything alright?"

"Y-yeah! Of course! My uh, my stomach hurts a little bit, but I'm ok!"

"Are you sure?" Maxie wasn't buying it, after all.. he did the same thing.

Archie gave him a fake smile. "Y-yeah! I- mmm..." He winced, holding his stomach.

"Are you sick? I know when you don't eat, that you've caught a stomach virus of some sort.."

"I-it's just a little bellyache, babe.." Archie laughed, before feeling uneasy again. Before he knew it, he was running to the bathroom again.

When he came out, Maxie looked at him with even more concern. "You got sick, didn't you?"

"Y-yeah..." He groaned. "I'm sorry, sugar.. I'm not feeling that great..."

Maxie guided him to the couch and helped him lay down. "Here, I'll take care of everything in the kitchen.. you just relax. And I'll get you something to help with that stomachache." He finishes his sentence with a kiss to Archie's cheek.

Archie watched him leave the room. The feeling in his stomach was getting worse. He didn't know what to feel. Embarrassed? Scared? Upset? He didn't know. He was too scared of that fact that his husband might find out about his belly and what he's been doing.

When Maxie returned, he had a bottle in his hands. "Here, love... drink this. It'll help."

Archie looked closer to see that it was ginger ale. He smiles at his husband and takes the bottle. He sipped at it for a while until half the bottle was empty.

His red headed husband cuddled up to him. "Feel any better, hun?"

"Y-yeah.. thanks, babe.."

A low hum came from the Magma leader's throat, and he scooted closer to him.

"Careful, Max.. if I do have a virus.. I don't want ye to catch it too."

He gave him a low chuckle. "I'm not concerned about that in the least. All I care about is you and your health.. now.. I think I know what else I can do to help your stomachache.." His arms came around Archie's torso and he placed his hands on his belly, starting to rub it gently.

"M-Max- wait..."

"Mm? What's the matter?"

Archie just stared down at the floor, not saying a word. The thoughts in his mind were racing, and he didn't know what to say next.

"Archie... something is bothering you. I can tell. You know that you can talk to me.. right..?"

"I.. I don't think I can talk to ye about this.." He whimpered out. "Y-ye'll either laugh at me.. or be extremely disappointed.."

"Darling... I am your husband. You can talk to me about anything on this earth.. I won't laugh. I won't be disappointed. Just please... tell me. I'm worried and I care about you, dear."

Archie suddenly broke down into tears, startling Maxie. Archie doesn't cry unless it's really something serious.

"A-Archie... love, tell me what's the matter.."

He covers his face with his hands. "Y-Ye know how ye had insecurities with yer body..?"

Maxie did NOT like where this was going. "Yes. Are.. are you feeling insecure?"

"Y-yeah... I've gained about 7 pounds this last month... and my insecurities got the best of me. And... I've been doin' somethin' really stupid..."

That concerned look came back.

"I've... I've been making meself sick these last few nights... if ye know what I mean.."

"A-A-Archie...." He sat there in shock, hand over his mouth.

"P-please don't be disappointed in me, baby! I-I- couldn't help it! I was so afraid of ye finding out and seeing me soften up.... I'm the leader of Team Aqua... I'm supposed to be strong, buff, and burly.. but now? I feel like a damn marshmallow..."

Once he finished, he was expecting at least a little bit of worried scolding from Maxie. But instead, he put his arms around him once more and kissed him.

"M-Maxie?"

He looked at him, tears filling up his own eyes. He comfortingly snuggles him close.

"Archie... There is absolutely nothing wrong with your body... you are still and always will be  my strong sailor~"

"But Max-"

"There is nothing wrong with being soft... you helped me understand that.. you need to learn how to love your body, just like I am.."

*sniffle* He wipes his tears. "M-Max-"

"My love... why didn't you talk to me about this before? I love you, I will always love you, and I will do anything to help you feel better. You are perfect the way that you are."

"R-Really?"

"Of course. There's nothing in this world that will make me laugh at you- well..." He paused with a teasing tone. "That's probably not true... you have done some rather questionable th-thihihihihings-! Heheheheh- A-Archihihie!!" The end of his sentence was cut off by his giggles as Archie poked his side a few times.

Archie smirks. "Oh yeah? I'll give ye somethin' to laugh about!" He said as he continued to poke him. "Wh-whoa!!!" He fell backwards on the couch after Maxie pushed him, then he got pinned down.

"Nice try..." The redhead chuckles, kissing his cheek. "You want to play that game, hm?"

"What're ye doin' now?" Archie asks, getting a little nervous. "Let me up!"

"No, I don't think I will." He proceeded to lift his husband's shirt up and places his hands there to squeeze his belly a few times. "Dear, you're not even that chubby, look..."

"Hahahahaha!!!! Max, stop it!! that tickles!!!" The pirate squirmed, helpless in his arms. He knew exactly what was coming, after what he did to cheer Maxie up before.

He squeezed him again. "I'm just trying to show you how perfect you are~ I can't help it if it tickles~"

"Gah-!! Q-quihihihihit ihihihihit!! Ahhh!!!" He twisted away when his sides were squeezed. "B-babe cohohohome ohohohon! Hahahaha- ahaha- don't!!!"

"You said yourself that you felt like a marshmallow.. well.. *squeeze* You're MY marshmallow~ you're certainly as sweet as one~"

Archie bursted into hysterical giggles, he wiggled and squirmed to try and get away from Maxie's fingers. He bucked forward when his stomach was touched.

"Come on, love... I know those abs are somewhere~" His fingers found his ribs. "Ah, perhaps right here?"

"SH-SHIHIHIT!!! M-MAX!!! AHAHAHAAHA- THAHAHAHAT TIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHICKLES!!!!!"

He scribbled his fingers faster. "Where? Here? Oh, I'm sorry sweetheart." He just continues to tease and tease. "Mmm... I lied, No I'm not. Tickle tickle tickle~"

"DAHAHAMN IHIHIT MAX!!! AHAHAHAHAH- STAHAHAHAP!! PLEHEHEHEHASE!!!"

"Hey, if you get to use my stomach as a pillow, then there's no reason why I can't use yours as mine~ I'm just fluffing my pillow up, that's all. I've never thought of my pillow being ticklish~"

A clear snort came from the pirate's nose. He then squeaked when his husband lays his head down on his belly.

"Ahahaha- Mahahahaax, yeheheher nohohose ihihihis sohohoho cohohohold!! Ahahahah-!!"

*nuzzle* *kiss*

"Hahahahehehehe!!! No!! Nohoohohoho kihihihihihissing!!! M-M-Maxieeeeee!! Ihihihihihihit tihihihihihihihickles!!!"

The redhead just hummed happily, wrapping his arms around Archie's waist, kissing his stomach.

"Mahahahahax yeheheheher kihihihilling me!" He couldn't keep the giggles from bubbling up. "Mehehehercyeehehehee!!!"

He finally spoke up. "Please promise me that you'll go back to eating normally again, and that you'll stop making yourself sick. Because your body is perfect, and you are always going to be my handsome hubby~ Can you do that for me, love?"

"Yhehehehhehehes!! Yehehehes! I prohohomise!!! Hahahahah- now stahahap!"

"Hm? Oh, I didn't say anything about stopping." He chuckles, blowing a raspberry on his belly. "PFFFFFFFFFT-"

"M-MAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAX!!!!! NOHOHOHOHOHOHOHAHAHAHAHAH!!! STOP STOP STOPAHAHAHAHAH-" He covers his red face with his hands as his husband blew another one. "MAHAHAHAXIE STAHAHAHAHAP!! OH GOHOHOHOD THAHAHAHAT TICKLES!!!"

Giving him mercy, he sat up, smiling down at his giggling husband. "Okay, okay, I'm done. Your face is as red as my hair. *chuckle* Are you okay, hun?"

"Y-yehehehah... I'll- I'll lihihihihive... Th-thanks babe... I really needed that.."

The redhead snuggled up to him, lifting his chin up and kissing him.

"Mmm? *growl* mhmhmhm.."

"I love you. More than you will ever know. You told me that there was nothing that could make you stop loving me. Well, there is nothing that could make ME stop loving YOU. I love you so much, you big goof. *kiss* A-Archie?"

He grew worried, seeing the tears cascade down his face.

"M-Max, I... *sob*

"D-Don't cry! It's alright..." He leaned back on the couch and Archie laid down his head in Maxie's chest. "Shh... I'm here.. it's ok.."

"I.. I love ye, Maxie..."

"I love you too. Now... you'd better bring that smile back to your face, or I'll tickle you again."

Archie looked up at him immediately, stammering. "N-no no that's not necessary, babe!" He smiles, trying his best not to get attacked again.

"Calm down, silly. I'm not going to." He chuckled, intertwining their hands together. "Unless you give me a reason to."

Settling down, the Team Aqua leader scooted closer to his love.

"Ye know... I stupidly forgot how lucky I am."

"Hm?"

Archie presses his lips to Maxie's. "How lucky I am to have ye in my life, and be married to ye." He took his hand and kissed it. "I love ye, with every bit of me heart, Max."

"Mhmhm~ I love you too. Nothing you do is ever going to make me stop loving you~" He grabbed the bottle of ginger ale, and handed to him. "Here, dear. If your stomach is still bothering you."

"Thanks, love." He sips it. "I wasn't kidding when I said I wasn't feeling good.."

Maxie leans in to kiss him. "I know that. We've been married for 8 years.. and I'm more observant than you. I can read you like a book." He chuckles. "You, on the other hand, tend to be oblivious sometimes, my love."

"Oh? Is that so?" his arms were around him and his hands dangerously close to his stomach. He then attacked. "Now yer gonna get it! C'mere you!"

"Ahahahahehehehehe!! No-! nohoho stop- ahahaha- AHAHARCHIE!!! Wahahahait I tahahahahake ihihit back!"

*chuckle* "Too late now, sugar. Now yer in the dreaded tickle monster's grasp!"

"Ahahahahahah- Ahahahaharchihihihie!!"

The rest of their evening was full of sweet laughter, snuggles, and kisses. Archie knew now that he needed to take his own advice, and he knew that no matter what.. nothing could ever separate him and Maxie.