noah's chin dips toward the icy floor, a simper on his lips. he stops and lets the cold air have a chance to settle on his exposed skin. tightly, he holds kyle's hand. against the ice, he slides the front of his shoe in a coy circle.

"aw, dude. you're just saying that 'cause you have to." noah's voice comes out warm and soft, cradled within their space before dispersing into the cold arches of the cave. "but still, thanks."

he tucks in close to the other's head, planting a warm kiss against the cheek.

"i know your standards are high anyway."

kyle lopez

noah volleys back with a smug look of his own before punching the other in the arm. "i meant for gym leaders, man." his skin is cooled pink by the shoal cave air. "but that works too."

they arrive at noah's carrot plot. surprisingly, the seeds have taken root in this frigid domain. against all odds, noah thinks. but he swiftly corrects himself. no, this is the only place they can grow.

"look, it's our babies." noah says, gloved hand sweeping across the chilly space to present the evergreen hairs of growing iceroot.

kyle lopez

"yeah, they're more blue." noah crouches down too. the ice crunches flat underneath his shoes. "that's probably not good to be if you're a baby. like they're dead if they're blue."

he continues to nudge the carrot leaves like a frightfully curious child prodding local caterpie with a stick. there is something hypnotizing in the way these eternal greens wobble and quiver like fledgling aliens. plants unheard of in hoenn's tropical landscape.

"not really. just more like, i feel bad for not being able to match you." noah speaks, gaze still centered on his wintry produce.

kyle lopez

noah's content hum can be felt through the palm of kyle's hand. although the jacket is thick and plush with its protection against shoal cold, the reassurance kyle provides pierces through with ease. even if it's in awkward... circles or whatever shape it is he's making with his hand.

"i guess." noah turns to face kyle, fingers pulling away softly from the carrot tops. "yeah. i just don't want to be a liability." he groans, thick gloves smacking the sides of his own face. "this is so fucking cliched. sorry, man."

kyle lopez

as kyle fumbles over syllable and phrase, noah smooths the rickety syntax with his laugh. a gloved hand presses against kyle's head, pushing it playfully to the side.

"you tried. i get it though." noah leans into kyle's side, the soft smile formed out of the clumsy comforts of his boyfriend weighing him toward the other. "thanks."

he peers at the growing carrots, their leaves looking so delicate against the solid, unfeeling ice of the cave. despite being wrapped in their winter wear, noah can feel the heat of the other's body and so, he remains tilted against kyle's form.

"gimme full protection anyway. i'll get jealous."

he laughs again. loud enough so that the carrots can hear.

kyle lopez

CONGRATULATIONS!

REAP YOUR HARVEST!

YOUR HARVEST COMES EARLY. returning to this cold cave gifts you with more than just goosebumps. where the seeds were planted are iceroot carrots: chilled root vegetables with a cool blue flesh.

it comes as a surprise that these seeds have actually grown into something. despite their hardy nature, is such a place like this appropriate for the growing of produce? nevertheless, hoenn's land is fertile. perhaps, it is due to the tapu bulu's reawakening— or something else, like an aged bioenergy attempting to course through once dormant veins.

as you pluck the carrots, you can't help but feel like you're being watched.

to move on to the next step, you must create one more thread in SHOAL CAVE. you can participate with another character, should you so desire. once you (and your partner, if you have one) have posted, please post in MODERATION REQUESTS. afterward, shiv will post what you must do.

noah faber