Nikki?

[break][break] He blinked at the man at the entrance who he was wheeled up to, initially not recognizing Cillian Quinn for who he was. Though the casual slope of his shoulders, and the polite smile directed towards the orderly were giveaway enough — either way, this man was a Rocket, and Jayden was expected to follow.

[break][break] He pushed his hands against the chair as the wheelchair locked and finally pushed himself to his feet. "Yeah," he said, voice a little rough. It had been a while since he'd had to speak in anything more than nods of agreement and simple gestures. "Still in Slateport."

[break][break] As the two exited building, there was a stormy cast overhead. Jayden wondered idly what that could have meant.

+ Cillian Quinn

[break][break] There is a flicker of surprise that dance's in his eyesight, but it is brief, only a slip. Whether he was surprised at the fact that it was Gavin or the fact that Gavin would reveal himself so openly is hard to tell; his only acknowledgement that it is the other man, that it is a man that he considers so close to him that they are nearly brothers, is only subtle. It is a small slope of his shoulders, relaxing into the comfort and safety of being in the other Rocket's presence, knowing that at least, for this, he doesn't have to keep up his guard.

[break][break] He nods instead, and watches as a car is wheeled up to the parking lot that Cillian Quinn leads him to. Sure enough, he obediently slides into the back seat and waits patiently as they take off out of the Hospital parking lot. The stormy clouds rumble above, but it has not begun to rain. Not yet.

[break][break] "It's going well," he reports, automatic, and then pauses, as if catching himself. He stares down at his hands. "... I'm sorry, Gavin."

[break][break] He's not apologizing for his words.

[break][break] 'Failure is not an option, Mischa.'

+ Cillian Quinn

Gavin is too kind. He always has been.

[break][break] It is a thought that has crossed Jayden's mind on more than one occasion, starting from their beginnings back in Kanto and even later, when he forgave him and let him rejoin their ranks. When he saved Jayden once again, when he let Jayden return home.

[break][break] Something sour twists in Jayden's gut when he's reminded of the fact that — despite all that Gavin has done for him — this was how he repaid him. With failure.

[break][break] He takes a breath. This is not the time for that.

[break][break] Jayden looks up at Gavin then, giving a slight, subtle nod — it is not a thanks, but perhaps, for the two of them, it is just as good as one. It is not an argument, which is something - Jayden is sure - the other would definitely not want.

[break][break] Speaking of wants... the thing Gavin wants now is an answer. Jayden is keenly aware of it, as the other's gaze burns into him — deep, but not threatening. It takes almost all Jayden has not to look away, to push down his natural inclination to deflect, and give him a proper answer. "It's..." Jayden says slowly, dragging the sentence out as he thinks of the words that he wants to say. To not give Gavin the answer he thinks he wants to hear, but give Gavin the answer that he asked for. The honest one.

[break][break] He places a hand against his stomach, staring down at himself. Though his shirt now covers the bandages, it is almost he can still feel the wounds just beneath the fabric. Pulsating. "It was difficult," he says eventually. "And long — " — too long — "But I'm better now." He turns to Gavin, firm in his belief — he really was better, or else they wouldn't have released him. Yet... there is something in Jayden's gaze — something he isn't saying.

[break][break] He bites his bottom lip, wondering if she should say it. Gavin would be able to see the hesitation in Jayden's gaze, the way that he has to build himself up to reveal the words that he wants to say. The way that Jayden hesitates, one might think that he is about to release a bomb right into Gavin's lap.

[break][break] Instead, he blurts:

[break][break] "They told me I needed to rest. For three weeks."

[break][break] Even as the words come out of Jayden's mouth, he winces. Three weeks? Hadn't he been out of commission long enough?

+ Cillian Quinn

Everything about Jayden is a product of Rocket — Dmitri made sure of that, even when he was no longer around to enforce it. There were many things that one could say that could be suffering for all of that but the thing that was the worst, perhaps, was his own mind.

[break][break] Guilt. Hate. Regret.

[break][break] His fingers curled against his the tops of his knees, tight. Three weeks? Dmitri did not often get mad, no. But when he did, it had always been explosive. Volatile. Painful.

[break][break] Gavin, for his part, did not get mad.

[break][break] Honestly, Jayden should have known better — it was Gavin. Gavin was always too good, too kind, too understanding. If only more Rockets could have been this way in Jayden's own upbringing.

[break][break] At the other's words, the younger man lets out a sigh. He relents. "Okay," he says, chewing the inside of his cheek, though it is obvious that he is unhappy about it. Maybe even wondering if there is a way that he can stretch the words three weeks into three days. Instead of voicing his thoughts about the matter however, Jayden elects to change the topic.

[break][break] His gaze shifts as he looks at Cillian Quinn now, the Rocket in him flickering alite. "What did I miss?"

+ Cillian Quinn

"That's an order, Cross."

[break][break] Jayden blinks, then stiffens. He stands up a little bit straighter.

[break][break] "Okay." This Okay hits different than before. This Okay is the words of a subordinate talking to their commander. Gavin has never laid a hand on Jayden but Jayden knows, just as any other Rocket surely knows ‐ it is only because Gavin has never felt a need to.

[break][break] As the conversation grows to a lull and Gavin considers Jayden's inquiry, the silence in the car grows. It is not an uncomfortable one — far from it, actually, Jayden considers as he stares out the cab at the passing trees and phone lines. He has been in Slateport for several months now and although stormy, the sight of the skyline is oddly comforting.

[break][break] "Lugia?" Jayden blinks, turning to him. "Yes." Back when he'd been first re-invited into Rocket's ranks, he had heard of rumors. It had made sense to him, but he had never personally seen Lugia.

[break][break] A thought occurs to him. Was Gavin going to bring out the legendary beast in this car?

[break][break] That would be kind of odd. The car was too small.

[break][break] He blinks, startled. "Wait — no," he pauses. His brow furrows. He'd known of Avatars, but... "You're an avatar?"

[break][break] Even though he has been trained, Jayden is unable to keep the shock out of his voice.

+ Cillian Quinn

the shock isn't tempered even as gavin confirms the truth. jayden had always known of avatars — or at least, the possibility of them. it was something that his father had always been curious about, trifling away in his lab, playing with the binds of pokemon and human interaction. even later, when his father was no longer there, jayden had heard the rumors.

[break][break] and yet, to hear that not only did he know someone now who was an avatar — but that it was gavin of all people. his mentor..? the man who was like a brother to him?

[break][break] jayden was...

[break][break] surprised? afraid? impressed?

[break][break] i shouldn't be, he reminds himself. it is gavin after all — he had always been better than most.

[break][break] the car steels to a stop, and gavin gets out of the car first, leaving jayden to do the same. however as the younger man gets out of the car, there is a piercing pain in his torso — one that he doesn't expect. he stumbles, a bit, hand catching on the door handle. then, he erects himself upright with a breath, barely catching on the tail-end of the other's entence.

[break][break] "huh? oh — " he says. "yeah, i have." his brow furrows, unsure if he has already shared this information with gavin. "i'm from galar, originally."

+ Cillian Quinn