the moment is perfect, and yet, almost greedily, he finds himself wanting more, as though there's something that could make it even more perfect. what, though?

"lia..."

his voice is gentle, never breaking beyond a whisper. he nears, lips close to grazing against hers.

"can i kiss you?"

Amelia Livy // [x]

☉

It’s not difficult to tell what comes next, for all of the signs point to it clearly...

There’s something so gentle and sweet about the way he says her name, and Lia finds herself holding her breath when he leans in closer – their lips almost touching.

’Can I kiss you?’

Does he really have to ask?

He does, because of the way things are between them now; because of that line they both act as if they’re still debating if they should cross or not, when it’s clear that the decision has already been made by them both. They wouldn’t be here together if not.

What’s the point in resisting if it’s something they both want?

When she responds, her voice comes quietly, a mere whisper, and with every syllable her lips just so barely brush against his:

”Yes, Lance.”

Nothing more needs to be said but that.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

yes, lance.

nothing more needs to be said.

his lips find hers, and here, in the deep blue waters of the ocean surrounded by AQUA RINGED corsola, the moment is made even more perfect.

Amelia Livy // [x]

☉

It really is a perfect moment.

One that she’s sure she’ll remember with a smile.

Here, with Lance, kissing under the warmth of the sun while surrounded by the AQUA RINGS of the Corsola...

Is there anything that could make the moment better?

Perhaps not, but there’s much that could make it worse.

Such as the way something suddenly brushes against the back of her leg, causing a chill to run down her spine…

”Ah!” In a second, she pulls away from the kiss, leaning against Lance without meaning to – as if by sheer instinct. ”Sorry… something brushed against my leg...”

It’s then when she notices the way the Corsola begin to disperse.

”The Corsola!”

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

something brushes against his leg, too, and he would've pulled away if she hadn't. instinctively, he pulls her close, hand holding her just a little tighter as he peers around them.

and then he sees it: a huntail slithering through the water that suddenly feels a lot murkier.

"shit."

his hand lets go of his mantyke, and at the same time, his ankle taps against his leg, popping open another pokeball to release his milotic. the two water-types rush forward, chasing after the huntail as they look to defend the corsola.

"we might need wabbit's help now."

and after a moment, more pokeballs burst open. a qwilfish stays close to them while he moves onto carracosta's shell, helping them stay afloat.

still, he hasn't let her go.

Amelia Livy // [x]

☉

It all happens fast.

While the pokémon chase after the Huntail, he holds her close, and she lets him do so. But, that doesn’t mean she’ll be useless in this situation, does it? Lia is not here to be useless, and it simply doesn’t suit.

Wabbit is indeed finally called out from her pokéball, but it’s not Lance’s Azumarill that she relies on in a situation like this. For, the moment she exclaimed in surprise was the moment her Decidueye took flight, and it’s within seconds that it calls from up above.

”Oh. Juniper! Protect the Corsola.”

The instruction is simple, and with the keen vision of a bird of prey, the Decidueye can clearly see the Huntail when flying above the water. It’s a precise SPIRIT SHACKLE that stops it on its tracks as it chases the Corsola, forcing it to turn and face its own pursuers.

Through it all, Lia stays close to Lance, even if her attention is now fixed on the pokémon.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

SPIRIT SHACKLED from pursuing after the somewhat helpless corsola, huntail is left with no choice but to turn and deal with the pursuers.

unsurprisingly, lance's pokemon make quick work of it, and it soon disappears down into the depths of the ocean, perhaps never to resurface.

lance's gaze drifts up to her decidueye, chuckling because the situation would've looked much different had it not intervened with its SPIRIT SHACKLE.

"nice shot!"

Amelia Livy // [x]

☉

The Huntail’s fate is sealed the moment the SPIRIT SHACKLE leaves its eerie mark, for there’s no way it could have done anything against the force with which it is met. It could even be called overkill with how fast Lance’s pokémon deal with it, it’s shackled shadow leaving it unable to even swim away...

Up above, the Decidueye circles around them once the Deep Sea Pokémon disappears from sight, in search for any other threats.

Lia can’t help but chuckle lightly. Relieved, if anything.

”At least it looks like the Corsola are okay.”

She hopes so, at least, and it's only then that she realizes that he's still holding her...

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

his gaze drifts over to the corsola, assessing their state only to see them regrouping. it's enough to reassure him that they're more than okay.

the AQUA RINGS that follow only confirm it.

"yeah. guess the huntail just gave them a little scare."

then, he looks back at her, smiling when he meets her eyes.

"you okay?"

Amelia Livy // [x]

☉

Originally, Lia had thought this was a silly mission and that she was only interested in completing it because it was the task that was given to her, and that might have very well been true back then. Yet, as she looks at the Corsolas around them, she finds herself to be genuinely relieved to see that they’re okay, and the sight of their AQUA RINGS even brings a smile to her face.

This smile lingers when she gazes up at Lance.

”Yeah. I…”

Should she be staying this close to him?

Even with everything they had been doing before the Huntail appeared, it seems somewhat intimate in a completely different way. She’s probably overthinking it, and she realizes as much, but that doesn’t stop those pink hues to colour her cheeks in the same way they so often seem to do when she’s alone with him...

”Sorry, I kinda got startled before.”

When the Huntail brushed against her.

When their kiss was interrupted...

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

with everything back under control, the corsola continue their journey south, and the rangers follow after, keeping a careful eye on them. a few eyes, actually, as his water-types have it covered, even going so far as to form a defensive circle around them.

lance, however, has his attention elsewhere.

"no, don't be sorry."

the way her cheeks are graced in pink hues is adorable. he finds himself peering down at them perhaps more than he should.

"we were both a little distracted."

'a little' is an understatement.

Amelia Livy // [x]

☉

With the pokémon now keeping an eye on the Corsola, who could blame them for being distracted? It’s not like they need to keep careful watch, since even the Decidueye flies up above, keeping an eye on things.

Then again, they were distracted long before all the pokémon were out here, weren’t they?

Lia pouts just a little when Lance points this out, but it’s immediately followed by a soft chuckle, still allowing herself to lean against him.

”True, we were…”

Is it bad that she doesn’t feel guilty about it?

It probably is, since something could have probably happened to the Corsola had they not reacted so quickly…

”...It was nice, though”

She smiles at him, still blushing.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

we were.

he shakes his head, chuckling.

"i still am."

unabashed as usual, he reaches a hand up to brush against her cheek, smearing remnants of water against the pink hues that grace her cheeks. he smiles, genuine.

"it's cute when you blush."

Amelia Livy // [x]

☉