lance vollans. great.

but he had instigated a little, maybe.

”yeah,” bo agreed, grinning over at him. the lighthearted spirit of the festival was in his face, but there was also a certain smugness to it.

the pat on his shoulder and the warning, however friendly it might’ve been, rubbed him a little funny. for one, he was looking for reasons not to like lance, and two, bo guarded a lot of juicy secrets. he smiled anyways.

”i’ll get you next time, too.”

he sipped his beer. nacho peered up at lance, lounging around the feet of bo's barstool.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

expression as friendly as ever, he orders his drink and finally tilts his head over at his fellow ranger captain. they've worked together before when they were both still regular rangers, not captains of their own posts. to think of how far they've come is nothing short of impressive.[break][break]

at least lance seems to think so.[break][break]

"i never did congratulate you for making captain. how's rustboro treating you?"

[attr="class","ooc"]boruta maher[break]
mission![break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-shedinja"]

he had never had a problem with lance. lance was a nice guy. he got his work done, and had his respect in that regard; however, bo’s hopes to impress the family he was trying to get back felt dashed when his colleague was doing just as much, and had also never wronged willow atkins the way he had. bo felt outmatched. it was difficult to accept, but he’d figure out how to do it.

though also, lance had left, if only for a little bit, and shown back up out of nowhere—after meeting bo’s son. he didn’t want to see his family get hurt all over again, hypocritical as it might’ve been.

”thanks. you too.”

he nodded.

”rustboro’s been good. still standing.” he paused, tilting his beer towards himself. ”still haven’t seen any of the crazy devon co. lab experiments game warned me about.” he knocked on the bar.

”how’s lilycove?”

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

"uneventful. but that's supposed to be a good thing."[break][break]

to lance, however? a man who'd once craved (and still does) the rush from the most dangerous of missions. it isn't. being stuck behind a desk does little for him.[break][break]

after a sip, he continues.[break][break]

"i didn't know, by the way."[break][break]

he tilts his head over.[break][break]

"about you and willow atkins. at least not until after i started seeing her."

[attr="class","ooc"]boruta maher[break]
mission![break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-shedinja"]

bo nodded and sipped his beer. ”yeah, i take it as a blessing, all things considered. sometimes i get tired of sittin’ on my ass though.”

another thing they shared in common.

he could feel a light tension in his shoulders at the mention of willow. he didn’t want to talk about this, really, but here he was. if he ducked away from it too sharply, it would be too obvious that it bothered him.

”yeah, i didn’t know about you either.” he paused, realizing how it could come off. ”not that i’m trying anything with her.”

time to lie and act like he’d accepted it.

”pretty sure that ship’s sailed anyways.”

If it hadn’t, something would have happened over the last three years.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

"tell me about it."[break][break]

which is really his way of saying let me tag along on your next assignment. not like he'd ever voice it out loud, though. he isn't familiar enough with bo to do that just yet.[break][break]

"i would've told you but i didn't think i needed to. it's like you said: the ship's sailed."[break][break]

he's making assumptions to excuse himself but the truth is he just didn't want to bring it up. too awkward, complicated, and potentially messy.[break][break]

"she's a good person." he pauses, sips. "i like her."

[attr="class","ooc"]boruta maher[break]
mission![break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-shedinja"]

the thought was something at least.

”yeah, no, it’s fine. don’t worry about it.”

he sipped his beer again, considering that he might actually have another for once. not for the company, but for the fact that he felt too heavy to move off the barstool.

willow wasn’t just a good person. she was the best person.

”yeah, she’s pretty great.”

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

"she is. she makes me want to become a better person, too."[break][break]

it's hard not to smile at the thought of her. it lingers even as he finishes the rest of his drink.[break][break]

"i want to make it work with her, bo, but i don't want anything to spill over because i don't work with those i can't trust and i need to know you'll have my back when it comes down to it."[break][break]

he gestures at the bartender for another round for them.[break][break]

"you good with that?"

[attr="class","ooc"]boruta maher[break]
mission![break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-shedinja"]

there something wrong with you now?

he wanted to ask it. he really did, but that felt like overstepping a boundary set by their professional relationship.

his concern felt like an implication. was it all the competitiveness he’d been showing? maybe. it had been difficult to keep in check, especially after he’d walked around with a pretty sundress-clad willow atkins while playing happy family with her just a day prior. probably before she’d left to go see him.

it had still been nice. this was just how things were now.

”i got your back, vollans.”

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

lance looks over, not yet responding as he considers bo's response. could he trust him?[break][break]

"good stuff."[break][break]

maybe. maybe not. but it won't matter much in the end as they're both stationed at opposite ends in hoenn and confined to their desks. such is the life of a ranger captain.[break][break]

the bartender returns with their drinks. he reaches for his glass, then holds it up towards bo.[break][break]

it's as much of a peace offering as he can offer at the moment.

[attr="class","ooc"]boruta maher[break]
mission![break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-shedinja"]

this sucked, but what else could he do but be nice? be there for a long-time colleague in times of regionwide struggle? they found themselves buried in the same shit, and he couldn’t maturely justify worrying about much else. as long as lance didn’t hurt his family, he had to be supportive, because this was what willow atkins wanted.

he raised his beer to lance with a nod. "yeah, don't  worry." 

he sipped, eyes idly heading towards the door. this would be his last one. it was time to move on.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉