[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]pink mist does little to ease the anxiety that knots in her chest. it's sudden, inevitable, unavoidable. it makes her fingers tremble and she's trying to busy them by plucking at invisible strings on her shirt. something, anything to keep from acknowledging it.

"why?" is asked despite him requesting not to. she can't help it. curiosity killed the cat and, subsequently, illeana reyes.

she shifts her weight uncomfortably beneath what implications mean.

caring means a bond and being afraid to lose that bond means it's precious, wanted, loved. the thought makes her want to crawl out of her skin. physicality is easy. this isn't.

and while she wants him to explain or at least try to, she keeps quiet.

MATIAS SILPH
passing!

and there it is: why?

such a simple question that once again stumbles him. he doesn't like not knowing, not being control, so the thoughts in his head swirl as he attempts to sort them.

but, for now, he does no more than offer her a knowing smirk, dismissing the question by redirecting to the rose behind her ear.

"i like the flower."

illeana reyes // catching flabebe!

☉

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]avoidance settles around them. her, looking everywhere except at him and him, shifting conversation to her flower. it gives way to a mild scowl, her arms beginning to cross once more in face of his smirk.

god, she wants to wipe it off his face. her chin rises against that feminine urge and she finally gives him a pointed stare.

"bold of you to not answer the question," she grumbles. and yet, even as she is becoming the epitome of annoyance, one of her hands rises to gently touch the soft red petals.

MATIAS SILPH
passing!

she grumbles, and he chuckles, once again shrugging a shoulder and in turn asking her the same question.

"do you care about me?"

even as a wild venonat scrambles towards heatran with a ZEN HEADBUTT, it's no match against the fire-type. heatran doesn't have to do much else besides booping its head. the sheer heat she emenates is more than enough to down it. a pokeball's lobbed over at it.

illeana reyes // catching venonat!

☉

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]he flips the script, switches the roles, and there’s little she can do about it. he catches her right between a rock and a hard place. and maybe he enjoys how she seems to flounder a bit.

her mouth opens, closes, and she’s quickly retreating behind whatever makeshift wall she can build of sticks and stones.

silence follows. she squirms where she stands, feet shifting uncomfortably.

it’s too loaded of a question. implications hang heavy in the air but if anything gives her away, it’s the way her cheeks ignite with heat.

MATIAS SILPH
passing!

as silence washes over them, he can't help but revel in this small victory. he stifles a chuckle as he approaches.

"i was going to say it's bold of you not to answer the question..."

leaning in, ever so close, he reaches a hand up to poke her cheek.

"but it looks like you have."

illeana reyes // catching venonat!

☉

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]she isn't sure exactly what she's expecting when he approaches...

but she knows it isn't a poke to the cheek. skin flares with heat at the contact and before she can help it, she's exhaling a puff of pink mist from parted lips.

"stop that," she half whines, raising a hand to bat his finger away. fluster used to be normal for her. comfortable, even. and now, it feels foreign, wrong. she glances away, as if trying to will away the feeling.

MATIAS SILPH
passing!

a puff of pink mist escapes and he's leaning back ever so slightly to avoid it. when it fades, however, he's right back in front of her face.

"so you do care."

smiling, he reaches the same hand up, only this time to pinch her cheek. or attempt to, at least.

"it's sweet."

illeana reyes // catching venonat!

☉

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]just as quick as he escapes her personal bubble, he's reeled right back in. she takes a mild step back, the beginning of a scowl starting to take hold.

"you're the worst," she snaps her teeth in an attempt to be aggressive. it's difficult, however, when he grabs hold of her cheek. a pinch follows and she's squealing out her disapproval.

a hand rises to once again bat his grip away, cheeks puffing in irritation.

"not sweet, now stop that."

MATIAS SILPH
passing!

"i am."

matias is the worst, that much he doesn't dispute.

his hand pulls away after she bats it, but he doesn't take a step back. he remains in her orbit, possibly invading it.

"why do you care, illie?"

illeana reyes // catching venonat!

☉

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]as long as he knows...

she stares, even as he lingers in her orbit. it's unnerving, too close for her to really process fully. and naturally, she scowls as a result.

his question goes unanswered, settling into silence for a moment before she's opening her mouth and biting back.

"why do you?"

two can play at that uno reverse shit.

MATIAS SILPH
passing!

not the uno reverse on the uno reverse...

while he could play another uno reverse on top and turn it back on her, he chooses not to, because he's sure they'd just get stuck in a loop for a while.

"because you're kind."

that's one.

"and because you understand."

illeana reyes // catching venonat!

☉