Though his back felt 10 years older and his white shirt had become a dirtied mess, the man was happy to say he had seen the job through.

Gwyar swiped the back of his hand over his forehead as he moved to stand from where he knelt, dirtied sponge in hand. Besides him, a bucket filled with water and foam rested, the blonde man picking and hauling it off the floor as he took a few steps away from the cleaned tombstone to look upon his work.

Spotless.

Turning his gaze up towards the sky, the man allowed himself a moment of respite as a cool breeze blew, the collar of his dirtied shirt flapping in the breeze along with his locks of hair.

Few seemed willing to make the commute all the way to the top of Mt. Pyre to do the backbreaking work that was cleaning every surface in the cemetery.

He held no deep connection with the people of Hoenn, or with their struggle against Rocket; but his character hadn't allowed him to say no when he had seen the job posting on a nearby town's hall.

Dumping the water on a tall patch of grass, he dropped the sponge inside before beginning to make his way towards the keeper's cabin all the way on the other side of the graveyard.

That was how he came upon an unknown blonde woman, tenderly touching one of the many tombstones, a pained look in her face.

"Husband?" He said simply, very possibly spooking her.

---

TAG: Eva Morales

Eva had gotten so caught up in memories that she hadn’t noticed Gwyar Wledig approach her. His deep voice startled her and the woman jumped, abruptly turning towards him with wide eyes, “Arceus,” she gasped with a heavy breath. Her surprise was followed by a gentle laughter, mostly at her own reaction, “Oh geez, you scared me silly,” she brushed a locke of hair to side.

“Oh, no,” she responded, actually reading the name on the stone this time. Eva had never had the luxury of finding love. Between veterinary school and fighting in wars, marriage was never something that even crossed her mind, “I’m, um, here to help with maintenance,” her gaze moved to the bucket and sponge he was carrying. Looks like he was here with the same objective.

Gwyar Wledig

Gwyar stared at her blankly, for a moment.

And then he broke into a ecstatic smile, laughing in delight.

"It warms my hear to meet a kind soul in this cold, desolate place!" He said, glad to meet someone like him, willing to do the hard work. "Pity I'm already done!"

If she looked closely, she would notice the man's white shirt was covered in dirt and grime, his rolled up sleeves revealing scarred, calloused hands covered in dirt as well.

"I was told I would be alone, so I worked twice as hard as usual!" He said, pumping an arm up, slapping his bicep with the other with a grin. "My apologies, young lady!"

---

TAG: Eva Morales

It was a rather dreary and oppressive place. It was hard for a cemetery to be anything but that. Eva found her spirits lifted and lightened by the enthusiastic smile and good spirits of this stranger. It brought out her own wide smile in response, “Right back atchya,” she winked, a subtle ‘thank you’ for boosting her mood.

The doctor’s brows furrowed in a feigned look offense, “How dare you work so hard without me!” she teased, noticing the filthy state of his clothes, “Now what am I supposed to do?” it was a half serious question. She glanced around the remainder of the memorial. The last thing Eva wanted to be was useless, “Are you suuuuurrrre you got it all?” she glanced towards him with a raised brow, half teasing his workmanship.

Gwyar Wledig

The man slung the empty, dirty bucket over his shoulder, clearly over the fact that his shirt was dirty as all sin by now, before laughing boisterously and winking back.

"The men of Galar do nothing halfway! You'll have to be earlier next time." He said, before gasping at her words, holding a hand over his chest. "Wha- You doubt the sacrifice behind these stains?!"

He sniffed while spreading out his arms, letting her see the tragedy that was his formerly white shirt.

"If you can find a single spot of dirt left in this cemetery, I'll wash it with my shirt."

---

TAG: Eva Morales

“A man of Galar, huh?” she echoed, giving him the once over. Honestly, she hadn’t spent much time with anyone from Galar (that she was aware of). But he looked like he was from Galar: strong, sturdy, handsome. A true knight in shining armor.

Eva grinned at the prospect of a challenge, even if he didn’t seriously mean it, “Game on!” she cheered, spinning on her heels weave through the tombstones, emerald eyes sparkling as she searched for a spot he missed. This was an outdoor cemetery, she would find some dirt hidden away somewhere.

As per usual, the doctor was so focused on finding a spot, she wasn’t really paying attention to where she was going, “Wh-Whoa!” she gasped, falling into the ground out of sight while she was backing up, not paying attention.

“Ugh,” she groaned, sitting up and rubbing her head. Gwyar Wledig would find her frowning at the bottom of an open grave. How morbidly symbolic.

Gwyar Wledig

"Do your worst!"

The man laughed as the lady called his bluff, crossing his arms over his chest when she began searching for whatever spot he missed.

He dearly hoped he had been as thorough as he believed. This shirt wasn't unsalvageable just yet, but using it as a washing rag would definitely be a death blow.

Such thoughts left him as soon as he heard her yelp, however.

He vaulted over the tombstones in the way, clicking his tongue as he felt the soles of his shoes clip one. He gave it no mind, sprinting the cry before coming to a grinding stop right before the hole, alarm written over his face.

It was washed away by bemusement, then amusement when he found her on her ass at the pit of the hole.

"Got me! You found dirt alright!" He said, his mirth ringing through the night once more. "Do you wish so badly to ruin my shirt? I just stole a little of your work!"

The man knelt down with a grin, offering his arm to help her out, not realizing that just over his shoulder, one of the tombstones he had leapt over now sported a healthy lump of dirt from his shoe's clip earlier.

---

TAG: Eva Morales

Welp. This was embarrassing. Eva laughed softly when he peaked over the edge of the grave. Now she too was covered in dirt. Still not quite to the same degree as Gwyar but enough to make it clear she would definitely need to shower.

Eva didn’t respond to his teasing but she did shoot him a playful grin while she stood up and made her way to the edge of the grave. There was no way she was getting out of there by herself, so she was happy for the help. She grabbed his hand and pulled herself up while using the dirt wall of the grave as leverage to push.

Once over the edge sighed, shaking her head, “Ya shoulda filled in this hole if all the washin’ was so easy,” Her gaze focused behind him on the gravestone he accidently scuffed when he ran over. She swore that wasn’t there earlier, but it was now . . . “Missed a spot,” she grinned, pointing towards the now dirty grave.

Gwyar Wledig

The man pouted at the unintended accusation as he helped her out of the hole.

"I'm afraid I cannot just fill up a prospective grave." He said, patting his hands off dirt and grime, to no avail, chuckling. "The deceased's family would be rather cross at me."

Her next words made the man tilt a brow, what with them making no sense. Her gaze was going somewhere behind him, but they had literally just come from that dire-

...

Thwack.

The man slapped himself in the forehead, it echoing soundly in the night before his hand slowly slid down his face, a self-irritated harrumph leaving his throat as his hand fell off his face and off to his side limply.

"Bloody brilliant of me." He said with a huff, eyes rolling up. He breathed in deeply.


"Alright, you win."

And then he went for the top button of his shirt.

"Let's just get it over with quick."

---

TAG: Eva Morales

There was a part of her that didn’t believe he was actually going to do it. It was a joke, after all. The playful side of her wanted to see just how far he would go. The scuff was obviously a mistake as he ran over to check on her so in her right mind, she couldn’t hold him accountable for it.

Still, she smiled her mischievous smile, crossing her arms to watch him take his shirt off. He worked his way down the buttons. Wow, he was actually going to do this. The sight of his well-muscled bare chest sent a heat up to Eva’s cheek, manifesting as a subtle blush. She couldn’t remember the last time she saw a shirtless man in person. Yikes, she really needed to get out more.

Just before shrugging it off Eva would stop him, “No, no, no, no, no,” she giggled while shaking her head and taking a few steps forward, “Don’t’ ruin your shirt, the place is spotless,” she admitted with a vague shrug to the rest of the cemetery.

Gwyar Wledig

"Huh?" The man uttered, shirt hanging low off his elbows. He pursed his lips, looking (very mildly) conflicted. "Even if in jest, I did make that bet, though..."

Still, he didn't want to force the poor girl to see some shirtless middle aged man, nor ruin his shirt, so it didn't take much for him to concede, soon buttoning up his shirt.

"Still, I did miss that spot... somehow." He said, cupping his chin, brows pushing together in deep thought. He had bet and he had lost- he had to pay up with something.

He turned his gaze up to the sky, noting the moon slowly rising, the darkening clouds, and the feeling of emptiness in his stomach... and then brought his fist atop his palm.

"Are you perchance hungry-?" He began to ask, before freezing. He then blinked, his face dropping to stare at the floor blankly.

Of all the social faux pas...

"I can never face my teacher again." The man said dramatically as he folded an arm behind his back and one over his shoulder, bowing down at the Lady low. "My deepest apologies, milady. In all the fun, I somehow managed to both fail to offer my name, and ask for yours. Truly deplorable."

The man sighed, standing back to his full height.

"I am named Gwyar Wledig. Are you perchance hungry?"

---

TAG: Eva Morales

Although sad to see the buttons clasped back together, Eva was content with herself for not making the man literally scrub dirt with the shirt off his back.

’Milady’ and a formal bow? He really was a knight form Galar. Eva couldn’t keep the silly smile off her face at his gesture, “Wow, so formal,” she teased, “It’s nice to meet you Gwyar, I’m Eva,” for her own entertainment, she proceeded with a small, very unofficial curtsey to match his bow, “And I’m always hungry,” she grinned, standing back up to her full height – the whole 5’3’’ of her.

“One thing before we go!” she decided with a nod of her head. Eva skipped past Gwyar and used the corner of her own shirt, now dirty form the fall, to clean the spot on the headstone, “I needed to feel somewhat useful,” she explained once she was done.

Heading off to eat with a dirty stranger was not how she was expecting her night to go, but nonetheless, it wouldn’t be an adventure without some surprises, “Where to, Sir Gwyar?” she questioned with a raised brow.

Gwyar Wledig

The man's smile grew as she returned his gesture with a curtsey, drawing a delighted laugh out of him. Most people were weirded out by the knight's manners; anyone who took it in good fun was well loved.

"Was I dealing with a proper Lady of noble birth this entire time?" Said the blonde teasingly, a playful curl in his grin. "The pleasure is all mine, Eva. You've a beautiful name."

As she stood back to her full height, he realized just how tiny she was. Very cute! She looked to be an inch or so taller than his daughters?

"Good, though you'll need all of your appetite! We do not make half-hearted reparations in Galar!" He said, glad to have a companion for dinner.

He followed her figure as she called for a moment, tilting his head slightly as she made her way to the tombstone... before his eyes popped open as she cleaned it with her shirt.

Not only had he not fulfilled his end of the bet and kept his shirt (technically) intact, but she had used hers to clean his mistake?

"... Dinner and Breakfast it is, then!" He said, bopping his fist atop his palm once again, nodding determinedly; more reparations had to be made!

On reflex, the knight offered his arm towards the lady as they made their way towards the exit, many stairs as well as a rocky road awaiting them.

"I saw a lovely local restaurant near the Inn I'm staying at." He said. "In the town by the foot of Mt. Pyre, I mean. It came heavily recommended by the Inn owner!"

Which made a different kind of sense if one knew the owner of the restaurant was the Inn Owner's sister-in-law.

"My treat, naturally!"

---

TAG: Eva Morales