"Come on, Anwhistle," Klaus murmurs as he tosses his pokeball towards the sea, his Lapras manifesting in the nearby water. He pauses to roll up his pant legs to his knees and then steps into the water, a soft gasp spilling from Klaus's lips at its yet-freezing temperature - the weather may be warmer but the sea wouldn't be anything resembling swim able for several months still. Nonetheless, Klaus spares several minutes to scratch the Lapras beneath the chin, his whistling cry joyously filling the air from the attention.
[break][break]
Laughing softly at his pokemon, Klaurs murmurs a warm, "Yes, yes. Let's go," and steps out of the water. He pulls a pair of earbuds from his pockets and unlocks the screen of his phone, music filtering through to entertain him. The pair then mill their way up the beach, the Lilycove Lighthouse at their back, while Klaus occasionally pauses on his walk to bend over and pitch a Krabby into the nearby sea.
[break][break]
His head occasionally bobbing as he throws Krabbys back into the sea, Klaus stops to retrieve more than a few Tirtouga, each sea turtle gently set beside the lapping waves to observe their first steps into the water. His rather peaceful walk, however, is interrupted by a gaggle of Wingull, the airborne pokemon diving at the Tirtouga hatchlings in a rather grim scene all things told.
[break][break]
Huffing, Klaus waves his arms at the flock, scaring several away though not all. Picking up one of the newly relinquished Tirtougas, the young man carefully places it in the seawater while his nearby Lapras snipes at some of the remaining Wingull with well-placed Ice Beams. Wholly oblivious when he rightens himself, Klaus looks up just in time to meet the punishing wings of a rogue Pelipper who slams into him. Yelping at the impact, the action seems to inspire nefarious ideas in the remaining Wingull who follow suit and throttle themselves into Klaus, eventually sending him tumbling into the freezing water.
[break][break]
"Oh my -fuck-," bellows Klaus when he surfaces from the water, the young man scrambling to his feet to rip his phone out of his pocket and throw it onto the dry sand beyond. "Cold, cold, cold," he whines as he scrambles out of the water, followed by an incredulous, "Really?" at the Wingulls who's cries seem entirely too close to laughter at his current predicament.
[break][break]
Teeth chattering and now soaking wet, Klaus ignores the pokemon above as his Lapras takes to sniping them again. Instead, he pulls off his shirt and tries to wring out the seawater from it, his whole body shivering and face red with equal parts anger and embarrassment; the latter surely poised to grow exponentially when he realises his audience.


[break][break]

+ BARNABY FINCH

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Glancing over his shoulder, Barnaby immediately spotted the problem. Some sort of local had invaded their shot, chucking KRABBY and TIRTOUGA alike into the ocean. The journalist lifted his arm, palm open and facing Tomás.

"Hold the camera. Keep filming."

What was Barnaby hoping to catch? Nothing, really. But the scene had already been ruined, so why not roll with it?

His instincts didn't disappoint. As if on cue, the would-be turtle rescuer fell flat on his ass into the water. This brought a humorous smile to Barnaby's face as well as sparked an idea in his head. Pulling a towel from their equipment bag nearby, he strode forward toward the man on the beach.

"You alright?" He began, offering the towel up. "That Pelipper was not playing around. Just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Barnaby's demeanor is as it always was when meeting someone new: casual yet approachable, effortlessly personable, always with his characteristic shining smile.

klaus anchoret
mission: HEROES ON A HALF-SHELL

☉

Drowning in his misery from the cold of the ocean, Klaus's magenta-rose eyes are impossibly wide at the sound of someone's voice. "Oh no," Klaus mutters in utmost embarrassment at the thought of someone witnessing his F-grade, one-man pokemon battle, his teeth chattering and gaze falling heavily onto the approaching blonde.
[break][break]
His face a brilliant red, Klaus blinks once at the sight of the offered towel, his hand visibly shaking from the cold as he accepts it; turning politely away from Barnaby for a moment so as to not spray him, Klaus runs a hand through his multicoloured hair, shaking out the excess water, before gratefully wrapping himself up in the towel. "Thanks, that water's freezing."
[break][break]
Klaus then moves to retrieve his phone, the towel around his shoulders used to wipe off the excess water and sand from its case. Flashing Barnaby a shaky smile, the young man extends his hand in greeting as he murmurs, "Klaus. Thanks again for the towel."
[break][break]
With a glance around the area Klaus asks curiously, "What are you doing out here?" Rubbing at his yet-red face with the towel he laughs out, "Hopefully not swimming." He then tucks his phone just inside the waistband of his pants against his skin to get it out of his hands, the towel used to gratefully try off his face and chest.


[break][break]

+ BARNABY FINCH

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Klaus' scarlet complexion wasn't lost on Barnaby. In fact, nothing about the stranger was missed as he took a moment to observe him. Nothing too overt, of course. Just a quick look as he dried himself with the offered towel.

Fair skin, slim build, beautiful eyes; friendly without being too forward. Despite his earlier embarrassment, Barnaby's initial impression of Klaus was positive.

"Of course, it's no problem." He responded warmly, taking the man's offered hand into his with a smile.

"Barnaby. A pleasure to meet you, Klaus." With a squeeze his hand was released. As their introductions concluded, Klaus wasted no time in asking about the reason for Barnaby's presence. A fair question, given the weather.

"Oh no, nothing of the sort." He chuckled, his gaze flitting to the sea and then back to Klaus' rose-colored eyes. "I'm actually a journalist. We're out here filming right now." Feeling the impending awkwardness, Barnaby gingerly rubbed the back of his head. "We were filming the feeding frenzy, actually."

He gestured to the cameraman at the perimeter of the beach, hopefully still filming per Barnaby's orders.

klaus anchoret
mission: HEROES ON A HALF-SHELL

☉

"Barnaby," Klaus repeats after a moment, his brow furrowing. Something chewed at the back of his mind. The man's face was familiar - he simply couldn't place from where exactly.
[break][break]
At the news Barnaby is a journalist the redness gradually bleeds from Klaus's face and recognition dawns. Barnaby Finch, the broadcast journalist. He slowly turns his head in the indicated direction of the cameraman, Klaus's brow furrowing when the man in the distance cheekily lifts a hand to wave at them; the young man slowly returns the gesture, the colour now wholly absent from his face.
[break][break]
"I'm - sorry I ruined your shot," he stammers through a constricted throat, his attention suddenly everywhere but Barnaby. Regrettably for Klaus, it seems the Pelipper from earlier has recovered from the ice flung his way - within the blink of an eye the bird slams into the back of his head to beat Klaus mercilessly with its wings before flying off just as swiftly.
[break][break]
Somehow managing to have remained upright during the attack, his hair now sticking out at all ends, Klaus's expression contorts as he asks of Barnaby, "Please tell me you're not filming right now."
[break][break]
"Lie. You can lie. Please for the love of Arceus lie if you are."

[break][break]

+ BARNABY FINCH

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"No need to apologize. It's a public beach, after all. Sometimes it can't be helped." It came with the territory in broadcast journalism. Barnaby didn't seem too upset, though, in part because Klaus' mortification was adorable.

Suddenly, a screech overhead announced a second offensive, the PELLIPER from earlier coming back for more. It ravaged the back of the lighthouse keeper's head, threatening to knock Klaus off-balance.

Caught off-guard, Barnaby instinctively reached forward to steady the accosted man, one hand grabbing his forearm and the other moving around his waist. All on reflex, of course.

"Disperse them, please." Barnaby growled, irritated, as he released his FLYGON. He nodded to indicate the several WINGULL and PELIPPER overhead.

As his Pokémon flew off, blasting Dragonbreaths at the frantic birds, the journalist returned his attention to the man still in his arms. Klaus' pleas were met with a regretful furrow of Barnaby's brows.

"No— We, ah, stopped— Of course not—" His face gave away the truth, though. After a tense moment of silence, he cracked.

"Sorry, I tried to lie. For legal reasons, though, I can't." He wasn't about to get sued over some subpar footage.

"We caught all of it, Klaus." Barnaby frowned pitiably. "All of it."

klaus anchoret
mission: HEROES ON A HALF-SHELL

☉

Momentarily grateful for Barnarby's help in staying upright, Klaus's features slowly turn into a polite bewilderment, and then embarrassment when he's not immediately released; nonetheless he makes no overt attempt to remove the other man from himself, whether for the supposed support or simply basking in his body heat difficult to discern. Either for the support, or sending his Flygon to rid them of the airborne pokemon, Klaus mumbles a shy, "Thanks."
[break][break]
He exhales audibly when Barnaby, briefly, confirms that the footage wasn't recorded, Klaus's hand lifting to push back his water-soaked locks from his eyes. However, his solace is quickly shattered when Barnaby admits that the cameras were indeed rolling, a dismayed "Fuck," spilling from his lips.
[break][break]
Refusing to meet Barnaby's gaze, Klaus falls completely silent, the young man lost in his racing thoughts; pulse pounding and stomach churning, a barely-there tremor quickens through his body. Overwhelmed by his recurring thoughts of 'Stupid', Klaus mentally berates himself over and over, his companion on the beach utterly forgotten; now staring at the ground, Klaus pulls away from Barnaby without a word and allows himself to flop onto the sand. A low groan sounds from his chest, his knees drawing up to allow his elbows to rest upon them while rubbing his palms into his eyes.
[break][break]
Klaus's hands then fall away from his face, his vision swimming with spots of colour as he tries, and ultimately fails, to contain his growing panic and self-deprecating shame. His breathing now audible, thoughts spiralling, Klaus quakes as his world narrows to a single point of all-encompassing anxiety.
[break][break]
Why did he leave the lighthouse today?

[break][break]

+ BARNABY FINCH

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

As Klaus crumpled to the sand, Barnaby waved a dismissive hand toward Tomás, indicating an end to their shoot. This was not the kind of material that audiences wanted to see.

Struggle. Inner turmoil. Anxiety.

For a second, the journalist was half-tempted to leave this practical stranger there on the beach to wallow in solitude. He had no ties to him, no responsibility. But something about klaus anchoret vaguely reminded Barnaby of Izydor Baranowski - what was it? Their vulnerability, perhaps?

Whatever the case, Klaus' downcast and disheartened face pulled at his heartstrings.

"Klaus?" Barnaby called out softly, sitting down in the sand beside the younger man.

"It'll be alright. I can delete the footage. No worries there." His tone was calm, gentle, placating. Barnaby didn't physically touch the man, but he hoped his words soothed the other's worries.

Speaking of... an idea suddenly sparked in his head.

Reaching into his pockets, the journalist revealed a trio Poké Balls. From their capsules appeared three EEVEE, one of which was considerably smaller than the other two. What he lacked in size, however, he made up for in personality.

"This is Pepin. He always finds a way to cheer me up when I'm feeling down."

The diminutive EEVEE squeaked a cheerful greeting before dashing forward, squeezing between Klaus's thigh and calf and popping up between his legs. A myriad of tiny kisses followed, covering Klaus' cheeks, chin, eyelids, lips - wherever Pepin could find purchase. He was ravenous.

Meanwhile, the other two EEVEE were scrambling around nearby, attempting to climb the lighthouse keeper's back and push their way into his lap. Happy EEVEE squeaks filled the air.

klaus anchoret
mission: HEROES ON A HALF-SHELL

☉

Klaus flinches at the sound of his name, his magenta-rose gaze sullenly drifting towards Barnaby's features; his brow furrowed and lips pursed in a thin line, Klaus's attention is distant at best. He tilts his head faintly as he tries to parse the other man's words, a soft "What?" spilling from his lips.
[break][break]
Silence falls over Klaus anew when the pokeballs are produced and three Eevee are revealed, his eyes widening noticeably at the introduction of the adorable pokemon. Pepin's appearance between his legs earns a constricted, uncertain laugh that grows as the little beast wriggles into his lap and is followed by two more Eevee, all prancing and dancing upon him.
[break][break]
His self-loathing fading to a dull thrum, Klaus idly runs his fingers through the Eevees' soft fur as the opportunity raises, his hands occasionally lifting to shield his cheeks from wayward kisses. An audible exhale of breath fills the air before a half-smile quirks onto Klaus's lips, his expression beyond exhausted but decidedly eased from is panic attack.
[break][break]
Fiddling with the edges of the towel around his shoulders, the words, "I - thanks. You didn't. You could have left. Thanks," tumble from Klaus's lips when he finally looks to Barnaby again.



[break][break]

+ BARNABY FINCH

[attr="class","pokeclass"]