"My mom."

The woman who was never around. Too busy working to truly pay attention to what he was doing.

Then why did he stay?

"Who else would it be?"

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]"good point."

they near fallarbor.

"it's fine. i'll take you to rustboro."

[attr="class","noodles"]Roman Maher

Roman stopped suddenly, Rockruff bumping into the back of his leg as he did. "Huh?" He looked up at Cian bewilder.

"What do you mean take me?" a tight frown edged at the corner of his mouth. "I doubt my mom will let you." fuck, she hadn't even mentioned him.

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]"i'm not going to tell her if you won't."

he simply shrugs.

"you don't wanna be stuck in this shitty town forever, do you?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Roman Maher

Things click into place.

"Oh."

Part of him knows that's a bad idea. Another piece of him doesn't give two fucks. Conflicted. The internal struggle shines behind his emerald eyes and scrunched face.

"This shitty town is my town."

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]"it doesn't have to be."

cian starts walking again.

"it's just an offer, roman. for whenever you want."

[attr="class","noodles"]Roman Maher

He followed.

"I'll think about it."

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]"cool."

it doesn't take them long to get to a store. the doors slide open and cian exhales at the rush of cold air that greets them.

"that's refreshing."

looking around, cian asks:

"see anything you like?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Roman Maher

It only takes a brief look around the store for Roman to spot a phone he likes.

"That one."

He pointed to a particularly expensive-looking phone behind a glass case.

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]"good choice."

expensive choice, but it's not like cian couldn't afford it. he waves down one of the staff and after a bit of back and forth, a new expensive-looking phone is handed over to roman; plastic film still wrapped around it.

thank you, pog bank ceo Martín del Mar.

"know how to use one or do you need me to run you through it?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Roman Maher

The second the phone in his hands Roman's peeling off the plastic and turning it on.

"Nope. I know how they work." he'd messed around with his mom's a few times.

When the screen lights up and the time is shown, he frowned.

"Oh, shit. My mom will be home soon." he glanced up to his uncle.

"I should, uh...probably head home."

CIAN MAHER