"Insecure, but ambitious."

It was the best way he could think to sum up Rowan Wrynn on the fly. He didn't know much more about him save for his relationship with Adrian Malcolm, but that was a personal detail he chooses to leave out.

"As for what he does — he's a grunt, so whatever we tell him to. What does he want to do? Couldn't tell you aside from he wants power, wants to be an Avatar; must run in the family."

There's a hint of amusement, then.

"Reminds me of myself. Irony's not lost on me."

"Cause we're not allowed happiness, Saoirse."

It's dry, a suggestion of grim humour.

"I recruited him," Gavin admits, grimacing. "Heard some kid was asking around about shadow Pokemon and wanted to figure out what he knew. Planned to shake him down a bit and just take the information, but..."

But, well, now Rowan was Rocket like his older siblings. Oops.

His jaw sets, lips pressed.

"We're more valuable than he is. I'd say he's in the most danger but you and I already looking out for each other; guess he benefits from that, too. I haven't told him about you, by the way. Figured you might want to do that yourself." A pause. "I can always let him know if you'd rather not. Just wanted you to have the choice."

"Saoirse!"

Gavin laughs, sharp.

"We can't just ship him back to Galar to avoid an awkward conversation." There's a glimmer of amusement in his amber gaze. "Like I said, I'll talk to him if you don't want to. He asked if there were others and I said yeah, but I didn't give him your name."

Gavin taps his cigarette against the ashtray, then takes another sip of scotch.

Gavin presses his lips together with a repressed scoff of laughter.

"No, Saoirse, I mean I didn't give him names. I just said we've got another sibling but that the decision to bridge contact was up to you, not me."

"You don't have to," he reminds her.

He recognizes the false quality of the smirk, the way it doesn't reach her eyes. She's stressed, and he knows from experience that a stressed out Lulu Flint does not always make sound decisions.

"I can tell him myself if you'd rather not, or we don't have to tell him at all. It's whatever you want."

"Okay."

There's a brief silence as he puffs on his smoke. He's not entirely sure what to say. Ordinarily he finds silence comfortable but the circumstances leave him feeling tense.

He sighs.

"So what's new with you?"

Gavin watches her, brow furrowed with concern.

"All right?"

He's not used to this, to asking after her — but he does it anyway, remembering the warmth of concern, of being cared for. Something they'd been raised without. They had a lot of catching up to do.

"Hey, that's great news!" There's pride in the lilt of his voice. "Bet that's a load off, you've been working on that for a while."