Kanto. Lavender Town. Flashback.
MATIAS SILPH

Enough, she’ll accept that. It’s hard for some to sleep in hospitals without the help of drugs. She allows him to take the coffee. Eva relaxes, settles into the bed and warps both hands around the warm cup, “Enough,” she smiles with a bit of a tease. She’s used to sleeping less than most. That was a habit she picked up in school, “How are you doing?” it’s a question that extends beyond just his physical well-being. She’s seen enough mental and emotional trauma after nights like that to not be concerned. A sharp reminder of that comes from the brief glance she spares at the five pokeballs before it returns to focus on him. For some reason, she feels a strange, personal investment in his recovery, maybe that’s why she’s here visiting him again. Is she seeking redemption for only being able to save half of them? Forgiveness, maybe? Who knows.

[attr="class","matias"]it has always been difficult to share. he's used to his facade, finds it easy to slip into it and don it for all to see. he's tempted to now, but with her, he feels no reason to hide.

"not well."

he raises the coffee to his lips, sipping.

"i saw what happened to the other safehouses."

[attr="class","noodles"]Eva Morales

Kanto. Lavender Town. Flashback.
MATIAS SILPH

She frowns, it’s what she expects. She feels drawn to it, to him. She has a natural, insatiable need to heal, to fix. It’s an impossible task, though. She’d never be able to erase the pain. Her gaze shifts down to her coffee, fingers tapping it lightly as she recalls the briefing of what happened, “Yeah,” it’s a whisper, laced with pain for what they have lost. She remains honest, “It’s not looking good,” she shakes her head and sips her coffee again as a distraction. She’s yet to be updated on it since she left but she can’t imagine the news is any better. Death tolls only rise. There’s a need to change the subject to anything else, but she can’t bring herself to. Her need to heal trumps it all, “Do you want to talk about it?” last night, she means, offering him a means of release.

[attr="class","matias"]"there's not much to talk about."

still, after another long sip, he accepts her offer.

"i just...can't stop thinking about how it could've been avoided if i had been more perceptive. i look back now and the signs were there. i had just been too blind to see them."

he talks of KING WAYLAND, of how he should've trusted his gut instead of trusting a friend, even if he would've died for them.

a heavy sigh escapes him. his fingers curl around the cup, tightening as he says:

"their deaths are on me."

[attr="class","noodles"]Eva Morales

Kanto. Lavender Town. Flashback.
MATIAS SILPH

She listens. And in a way, she understands. Guilt and regret – she’s familiar with the feelings. Once he finishes, she remains silent for a long moment, parsing through the words and how she wants to articulate her response.

“I get it,” she nods, tapping her fingers against her coffee cup, “I used to –“ she stops herself, and corrects, “Still do think like that a lot. Like, if I had just done that one thing differently, could I have saved that life? If I was just a second faster or a little bit stronger, would they still be here? If I noticed that one thing sooner could I have corrected it?” The gaze she has fixed on the coffee cup raises to meet his, “We all do the best we can in the moment. It’s easy to look back on things and see it differently,” her shoulders shrug, “That’s also called learning.”

Eva remembers the comfort of his hand and reaches out to gently touch the tightening grip, “I don’t know exactly what happened, but I’m sure their deaths aren’t your fault. You didn’t kill them.”

[attr="class","matias"]of course she gets it.

matias usually has no problems with silence but the one that surrounds them almost feels uncomfortable. it lingers even as she speaks. but it fades the moment he feels her touch. his grip relaxes, hand finding hers almost too easily.

and while he might disagree with her words, he appreciates the sentiment. he meets her gaze, offering a small smile.

"thanks, eva."

[attr="class","noodles"]Eva Morales

Kanto. Lavender Town. Flashback.
MATIAS SILPH

His hand takes hers and the familiar feeling from this morning returns. She’s happy to leave her hand there, even after she finishes speaking. It’s not as warm as the coffee cup in the cold, sterile hospital room but it’s a different kind of warmth she gets from it. It’s more pleasant, and surprising.

The small smile doesn’t give her much faith that she made any sort of difference. She desperately wishes she could, but it’s probably something he’ll have to sort out on his own, “Yea, sure, anytime,” she mirrors his small smile with one of her own. After a moment, the smile twitches into a playful smirk, “That didn’t help at all did it?” she laughs lightly, not offended in the slightest. She tried.

[attr="class","matias"]pausing for a moment, he breaks into a small laugh as well, shaking his head after.

"it helped a little."

but her presence helps. it shows in how relaxed he feels, how he seems to be shifting closer without even realizing.

he raises the coffee to sip.

"when does your shift start?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Eva Morales

Kanto. Lavender Town. Flashback.
MATIAS SILPH

She nods as the laugh fades, “A little? I’ll take it,” It’s better than “not at all”.

A long sigh accompanies her shift in gaze to the clock on the wall, “Ohhh~ About 30 minutes. Gotta leave a little before that to make it up to rounds on time,” that’s where she’ll get the latest update on what’s happened since last night and how her patients are doing. In addition, she’ll have to make sure her pack is properly stocked in case she’s called out on an emergency like last night. With everything going on, chances are high, “I may or may not have come in a bit earlier than usual,” she grinned, hiding it with a sip of coffee.

[attr="class","matias"]another day or two. he repeats it again and again but it does little to lessen the sting. he's stuck here while she and countless others are out there fighting. surviving. he hides his distaste behind a sip of coffee.

"did you?"

his eyes shift back from the clock on the wall, returning to her.

"just for coffee?"

he teases, chuckling.

[attr="class","noodles"]Eva Morales

Kanto. Lavender Town. Flashback.
MATIAS SILPH

A light flush fills her cheeks at his tease. She still doesn’t know why she did or why she’s still holding his hand. There didn’t seem to be anything too different about him. He’s just another soldier she pulled out of a rough patch and fixed up. He’ll leave and go right back to fighting, so will she. Maybe she’ll see him again, maybe she won’t. That’s why she doesn’t get attached.

“Well, coffee’s better with company,” she tilts the cup towards him and winks.

[attr="class","matias"]"it really is."

he's about halfway through his now so he decides to slow down. he lowers the cup, keeps it held in one hand while the other remains in hers. his thumb starts caressing, drawing circles on her skin in a gesture he doesn't even realize.

"i'll be sure to make it worth your time, then."

[attr="class","noodles"]Eva Morales

Kanto. Lavender Town. Flashback.
MATIAS SILPH

The gentle motion of his thumb is surprising. She’s drawn to it, and in turn, to him. It’s grounding and strangely intimate. Eva suddenly feels very aware of her hand, and the situation in general. This feels wrong, but exciting. She chooses not to move and let it happen. The increasing flush of her cheeks betrays her indifferent smile.

In a way, it makes her more bold as she steps into a game she’s successfully stayed out of for quite some time: flirting. She grins, raising a brow as she sips her coffee, “Oh yeah? And how do you plan on doing that?”