[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]The smile brightens and spreads easily with just the sound of her name leaving his lips. Even with the sharpness of his appearance cutting through the last memory she has of him, it's still a welcome sight all the same. She lingers a little too close to the door, as if she'll bolt like a deer at the first sign of danger. Some things never change, it would seem.

"Yes," it comes out quick, certain, almost confident. A mask, maybe. Where he sheds one, she places one on. "At least, I believe so." The hesitation comes like second nature and it lingers before it fades into silence. She breaks it a moment later, genuine and kind and every bit the Illeana Reyes he would remember. "It's good to see you too."

She doesn't know the losses of war. Not yet, not fully. The departure of Tapu Lele is still fresh, still eating at her mind. The information Fernando holds has not reached her yet. Time in Sinnoh has been kind, perhaps too kind for what's to come.

He rises and her eyes follow, tracing movements that bring him closer. "It has," she murmurs, softer now that he's looming. "How've you been?" Hesitance takes hold and she isn't sure whether to stay rooted to the floor and keep breathing small talk between them or close the distance. She has never known Fernando Silph to be much of a hugger but Illeana Reyes? That girl is definitely a hugger.

Her body moves without thinking, without considering consequences.

FERNANDO SILPH

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]something about body heat draws her close and keeps her there. rooted in place yet not quite still. she's aware of his hands, of where they rest in relation to her body. and despite knowing better, she doesn't move away.

"worried?" she echoes, lost in the sensation of fingers stroking hair. it's soft, distracted.

he heaves a sigh against her and she draws away enough to glance up, to seek eye contact and hold it. it seems she's not the only one who's somewhat reluctant to break the embrace. her smile stays, even if it wobbles.

"i'm glad you made it out," alive, in one piece. they all did. stormy, lars, their entire group managed to make it out. how many were not as fortunate? she doesn't want to think about it but... she'll be forced to. for now, her grip on him tightens just a fraction as the next question escapes.

"do you know?" that she failed him? yes, yes he does.

FERNANDO SILPH

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]"About me?" Somehow, that surprises her. Not that it isn't a good thing, really. More that... Well, she never expected to matter enough to the man for him to worry about her well-being. She's better to him working, however, so she supposes it's warranted. A light laugh escapes, followed quickly by an almost teasing smile. "It'll take a lot more to get rid of me, I think." Probably not but sometimes it's better to oversell her strength than undermine it.

The elephant in the room is more than just Tapu Lele and what its departure means but that's a hurdle she has yet to know of.

Her eyes avoid his for a moment, drifting down to her feet on the floor. Silence follows his question and it waits only for her to break it. Eventually, she does.

"Tapu Lele," it's soft as if she doesn't want to talk about it. She has to, that much she knows, but man does it ache to talk about. "It left, although you might know that already." He doesn't know about the hole it left or the way she's never felt so small before. With its presence, she felt stronger. Powerful, light, good. And now? A shell of former glory, of half a woman because for some reason, she placed parts of herself with the legendary and expected it to stay.

Illeana dares to look back up at him, if only to watch the reaction. To watch the disappointment she expects as if it's half as much as she already feels for herself.

FERNANDO SILPH

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]He hides whatever he feels well. Too well for her to dissect like a tissue sample in a lab. It's to be expected, given every other encounter she's had with the man. And yet, she almost wishes for feedback. Something to change, something to try again. As if her life is nothing more than a series of failed experiments until finally, she makes a breakthrough.

Tapu Lele had felt like that breakthrough and now?

She's crumbled back down to square one.

Her smile falters, falls. Lips settle into a firm line and there's a look in her eyes that almost seems like she wants to refute what he says. She doesn't, however. Not now, maybe not ever. The fire in her is not meant to challenge him.

"I suppose so," is all she offers on the matter. Her grip on his loosens and falls and suddenly the closeness feels slightly suffocating. She takes a half step back as if being within arms reach is enough of a distance to settle the storm inside. It isn't and it doesn't but she's always been trying to fool herself.

"It's odd," she murmurs. Her eyes watch the floor, tracing invisible patterns in floor tiles. "not having it around anymore. Feels like a missing piece or something."

FERNANDO SILPH

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]personal, definitely personal. too many feelings involved for her to file it beneath anything else. she's always been a invest fully into everything kind of girl and tapu lele had been no different. it's fine, really. it stings but everything does eventually, right?

had she expected it to happen? no. had others? perhaps. circumstances line up and unfold in a series of unfortunate events. some days, it feels like the universe sets her up just to watch her fall and laugh at the wreckage. today feels like one of many, actually.

she offers him nothing at first. silence, lips beginning to reveal the inklings of a frown. and then, she breaks.

"i am," she murmurs. proud to have been considered at all, really. proud to have something or someone see enough worth in her to place their faith on her shoulders. and yet, it still fell short. she still fell short. "i'm proud of the partnership i had with tapu lele. something good came out of it in that mess, at least." minor injuries. that's a big accomplishment on a war front, even if it feels like nothing.

he offers gratitude and she takes it with greedy hands, as if some hunger in her will begin to be sated by this. it won't but it's a start.

"of course," her lips quirk up in a semblance of a smile. "always happy to help when i can." but what now? where does illeana reyes go from here? perhaps that's what prompts the next question, the next conversation.

"what does it mean for what's next, though?" what can she still offer, really?

FERNANDO SILPH

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]"Always," it comes out half a laugh, as if she's poking fun of the constant need to get in over her head.

It seems to reward her in some way, though. At least, she thinks...

He places a hand on her head, ruffles her hair, and leaves her preening. Fernando Silph is not a man of affection, of acts of kindness. He does as he should and as he knows, a business background guiding him. The simple small act is enough for her to stare as if questioning it was even real.

It's short lived, however, and she's guided toward the door. He steps and she follows, a natural occurrence between the two it seems.

"Protecting in the face of a worse tomorrow, huh?" she tastes it on her own tongue as if it doesn't quite feel right. A bitter taste comes with it, maybe even a sliver of dread. It passes as easily as it comes. "How, exactly, does one recover from something like this?" She's lost, really, and looking for the guidance he has always given her.

FERNANDO SILPH