Skyler doesn't mirror Kaz's concerns, at least not at first. "Kaz!" She nearly elbows someone out of the way, ignoring the annoyed grumbles that follow in her wake as she all but shoves herself into her chair.

Kazimir's slightly hunched posture is met with a confused blink of silver eyes, followed by a slowly dawning realization as recent memories jump to the front of her mind.

"Kaz...?"

They hadn't spoken since the fated Aqua excursion into Sea!Hoenn - where they'd been married. To each other. Kind of.

Arceus damn it. Did that make things awkward?

The captain opens her mouth to speak, hesitates, closes it again. A frown creases the skin between her eyebrows, rusty gears turning inside her head. Unfortunately, thinking had never been one of her strong suits. Nor had subtlety.

"Look, Kaz," Uh oh, "you're a very handsome guy and all. But. I'm not sure this thing between us will work out." Her mouth twists into a mischievous smile as she reaches out to pat his arm. "That said - will you accept being my muscle buddy until death do us part?" 

...

"I still expect a sea anniversary gift though."

Kazimir Wynter

☉

Laughter bubbles forth without her meaning to, curling the edges of her lips into a bright grin. "Well, it is an ass worth lookin' at. Can't blame me." Initial awkwardness avoided, Skyler allows herself to slump back against the chair. 

They still hadn't found the time to really talk about things in the aftermath of their excursion into Sea Hoenn, but that particular conversation might have to wait for another time. Wrong place, and not nearly enough privacy.

NDA's, she decided, were a load of bullshit.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Kaz, but I'm not sure you can get far from water in Hoenn. It's kinda everywhere." Nearly. "But I'll take you up on that. Maybe you could join us for one of our morning workouts." 

Her grin widens, smug. "I got myself an Urshifu that'll give you a run for your money."

Kazimir Wynter

☉

The captain snorts at the blond's boast about him and his Urshifu being one of Hoenn's top duos.

To be fair, he probably spent more time wrestling it out with the bear pokemon than Skyler did with her own, much to Johnny Lawrence's disappointment. If the Urshifu could, she'd be kicking Skyler's ass day and night like a sargeant.

"Remember that Star Tournament? I got one of the top places and Johnny was gifted to me. Evolved a few months later while, uh - fishing." Right. Fishing. Definitely not while doing something illegal. 

Regardless, she has missed the occasional spar with Kaz. It'd been too long since they'd last had a good wrestling session, both having been far too busy with their own lives. Pirating, getting married... Speaking of, Kaz was E4 now, right? 

"Don't mind if I take you up on that. Speaking of, aren't you a celebrity now?" 

She'd have to talk to aunt Jules about making some merchandise. Time for those Kazimir Wynter body pillows.

Kazimir Wynter

☉

Although climbing the League's hierarchy had never been one of her goals, Skyler can't help the lopsided grin that twists her lips, proud of her friend and his recent accomplishment. "You deserve it, buddy."

Yeah, he was definitely getting that body pillow. Skyler would bring the body oil and hope aunt Jules didn't get a crush on yet another one of her friends. Maybe the President of the Official Lars and Articuno Fan Club would find another favorite in Kaz? Arceus knew the woman needed more hobbies.

"I mean, you'd have to talk to the fugger in question." angelo vestri was already busy enough these days, leaving behind a chaotic arrangement of hand-drawn maps and charts. "I'm not sure that kinda attention would be good for me, uh- treasure hunter and all." A pirate, she should've said. The knowledge is there, in the mischievous (and ridiculous) wiggling of her eyebrows. Wholly unapologetic.

Skyler groans, looking none too pleased about the buzzer signalling an end to their date. They had so much to catch up on. But people were already shifting seats and one of them was glaring at them for not moving fast enough.

She gives them the middle finger before grinning up at Kaz. "Don't be a stranger, Kaz. And don't forget my gift!" She was joking, of course. Or was she?

Kazimir Wynter

☉