"Right, I guess we were a little distracted last time you were here."

His canines flash with a grin before he turns to the Riolu, scratching her between the ears.

"Guess you need the tour as well, huh?"

She's immediately set upon by her new 'pack' the second she hops down from the kitchen island, three grown Lycanroc swarming to sniff and nuzzle. Gavin spares enough of a glance to ensure they're not harassing her before gesturing to Beckett and leading the way into the house proper.

"You're familiar with the kitchen, the living room — got two bedrooms, both with their own bathrooms, then there's the main bathroom down that hall and a half near the lobby." He gestures to each room in turn, opens doors. "This room's my office."

Unlike his office on the submarine which gave no hint as to the man's personality, his home offers glimpses. Bookshelves line the walls of the office space, filled top to bottom with reading material. There's a bay window with a view of the ocean, a book set against the seat. The room is well-lit, spacious, meticulous — but with hints as to the Pokemon that lived with the underboss. Lycanroc fur on one of the armchairs, Corviknight feathers on the windowsill.

He opens the door to his bedroom. This room, too, features an entire wall of books.

The large bed is made, blankets slightly ruffled to suggest Gavin might've been lounging in his room when Theo knocked on the door.

[attr="class","beck"]it feels oddly intimate to be shown the inside of cillian's home. he doesn't quite understand it yet, nor does he particularly understand the way he feels about it, but that's okay. for now, he decides to appreciate what's in front of him.

"how rich are you?"

it's a massive house, far bigger than one would ever need. he thinks back to his own place in slateport that pales in comparison to this. well, pales in all but one room.

he approaches the bed and sits on the other side of the slightly ruffled blankets.

"it's nice."

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

Gavin laughs, a sound that echoes in the open space.

"Never rich enough," he jests.

He's been in the game for a long time, now — too long. Beckett has, as well, but Gavin's rank as underboss has done wonders for his bank account.

Gavin sits at the end of the bed, lip quirking at the compliment.

"Thanks. Hope I'll be able to keep this one."

He'd grown attached to Fallarbor in the time he'd spent there. He hopes he'll come to feel the same about Sootopolis... especially when the city is theirs.

[attr="class","beck"]the mattress shifts under his weight, soft, comfortable, but the tension in his body stops him from relaxing. he sighs, grounding himself, and kicks off his shoes before slipping under the covers. his head lays on fluffy pillows, moving until he finds a spot he deems comfortable enough.

half-open eyes glance over, inviting.

"i'm tired, cillian."

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

It's nice to see Beckett relaxed, in his space. It invokes a feeling he doesn't know how to identify, something warm and protective that settles in his chest.

Here, they are safe, if only for a little while.

"Are you? Mm, that's a shame."

But for all his teasing, he pulls back the covers and slips underneath them, shifts close. He cards a hand through Beckett's blond hair, gentle. It feels more intimate than before, strangely domestic, but he doesn't question it. He's been having trouble sleeping alone, nightmares lingering in the halls of an empty house.

Here, there will be peace, if only for a little while.

[attr="class","beck"]he settles in almost too easily, sleep threatening to take him. cillian's tease is met with a soft smile that lingers at his touch. he shifts closer, exhaling a heavy weight and finally, after too long, rests.

sleep takes him, peaceful.

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

Gavin is the first to wake.

Consciousness adjusts to acknowledge the presence of another's warmth, the steady pattern of their sleep-slow breath calming in the quiet. It's another moment before he remembers where he is, who it is that slumbers next to him.

He opens his eyes to the dark of the room, blinking as they adjust.

Beckett looks peaceful, like this; more so than Gavin's ever seen him. Loathe to shatter the illusion, Gavin does not get up nor retract the arm that's settled protectively over his partner in sleep. He traces his fingers along Theo's arm, fond.

[attr="class","beck"]like usual, he dreams of nothing but the void, dark and meaningless, but it's anything but dark when he eventually stirs awake. he blinks, eyes adjusting, before he shifts in an unfamiliar bed.

ah.

"cillian."

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

Cillian.

The sound of his name still ignites something warm and vulnerable within him.

"Theo."

He shifts, at last, stretching sleep-stiff muscles and stifling a yawn against a closed fist. He feels well-rested for the first time in a week, no dark shadows beneath his eyes.

"How'd you sleep?"

[attr="class","beck"]there's a soreness in his leg that stubbornly persists. he tenses as he stretches it out, exhaling residual pain out after.

"well. leg's killing me, though."

he turns to lay on his side, now facing cillian.

"you?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

Gavin offers a sympathetic grimace.

"Excursion? Or just stiff?"

He knows Theo had taken quite a beating from being slammed into the wall of Mt. Pyre, wonders at the speed of recovery. Even Pokemon could only do so much for them.

His lip quirks at the question's return.

"Better than I have been," he admits.

[attr="class","beck"]"neither."

he shifts in bed, moving up to rest his back against the headboard. he pulls his leg towards his chest, flicking covers off, then rolls up his pant leg to reveal a healing wound, courtesy of their head scientist's dog.

"saoirse's houndoom."

[attr="class","noodles"]Cillian Quinn

He winces at the bite; it looked deep, painful. Surprise registers clear in his eyes when his sister's name is mentioned.

"Djall did that?"

Vaguely, Gavin recalls how Lulu Flint had recalled the once-friendly Houndoom before she and Gavin had reached her office on the submarine. Would it have bitten him, too, if she'd allowed it to get close? It's tough to reconcile with the dog he knew.

It's a testament to his trust that he doesn't assume Theo's fault.

"Why?"