Even if they could still hear civilization at their backs, there was a distinct "wild" feeling in the air. Like a shift in the atmosphere, a sudden cold chill or sliver of discomfort that came with the loss of human connection that Rook found he thrived upon a little too dependently. Now, he was also somewhat aware that what he considered wild was nowhere near most definitions.[break][break]

It wasn't as if he was entirely oblivious to nature, it had always been there. However, it had been background at best, a scenic view like the backdrop of a play. Barely noteworthy past the theatrics of the actors on the stage. At one time, when he was younger, he'd craved fame in some way, at one time acting and then in training. Seeing the world's fascination with trainers had always been more of an annoyance than something provoking inspiration. He wanted to be like them, but there was a distinct difference in him as a person. [break][break]

Behind him, Rosie crept along, shadowy wisps flicking beneath the knapsack mask that bobbed with every movement like an excess fatty tumor. She did not seem to appreciate nature in the way that Rook was at least attempting to. Perhaps it was the daylight, exposing her falsehood to the world. She was not the spotlight type.[break][break]

"Yeah well... it uh sounded fun. Not like a park, you know... no fences. All wild stuff." It did make him feel a little dumb though. Who the hell hadn't spent a little bit of time in nature? Well, him, clearly...[break][break]

Rook rolled his eyes at the city mouse comment, though it was mostly true considering. Instead, he followed the other, a little caught off guard as Lam moved away from the clearly defined and safe path laid out for them. Almost immediately upon contact with the brush, something snagged his foot. With a yelp, he crashed to the ground in a heap.


[break][break]

+ lam logan | he's not ready :'3

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Rook seemed curious enough to take him up on the offer of coming with him to bird watch, and quietly, that had thrilled Lam to no end. They weren’t at a stage where they had really known each other all that long. It was still a new thing, what had bloomed between them, and a small part of him had been nervous that Rook might shrug something like this off. Small as it was, it was a special hobby.[break][break]

“I mean, yeah. That’s what nature is,” he replied with a laugh, nothing but playful teasing in his voice. “Plus, it could be way more rugged if that wasn’t built.” As he spoke, he pointed upward at the biking path that had been built up high above the footpath. Kinda took one out of the element, didn’t it? But it was close by, and beggars couldn’t be choosers, yannow? It wasn’t like he had the energy to go trekking all the way across Hoenn for the sake of an authentic nature walk. Not today, anyway.[break][break]

This was nice enough, anyway. A comfortable breeze rolled off the water surrounding both sides of the path, and Lam felt content enough to settle in. Maybe if Rook really took a shine to the wild outdoors they could travel further from Slateport. Baby steps first. Probably for the better, given the sudden crash and tumble that came from behind him–prompting Lam to turn in a panic. Archimedes stretched his wings, startled, and fluttered to the ground with disgruntled hoots. Ever the antsy little beast.[break][break]

“Are you okay?” He stepped back, bending to offer his hands out to help. “Should’ve warned you that the ground might be uneven, sorry about that.”[break][break]




[break][break]

+ Ikarus Rook | bird watching date :c | time to play trainer, cityboy~

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Truthfully, bird-watching sounded about as interesting to him as watching paint dry. However, because Lam had asked him, well... that made all the difference. It felt like an intimate secret that the other was sharing with him, even if it likely wasn't all that secretive of a hobby for him. [break][break]
It was still a little odd how they had ended up as they did, especially considering Rook had tried to rob him (but that was how most things started for Rook). This was definitely the better turnout of his many ill experiences. "That makes it more rugged, in my opinion."[break][break]
Even if he wasn't terribly into birds and only had his own bird pokemon because it was looked funny when it hopped around, he was willing to grin and bear it for the other's sake. He actually liked Lam, despite all of his immediate thoughts. Rook didn't much truly like anyone, so this was a pleasant surprise.[break][break]
Ending up falling face first into a briar bush, wasn't his idea of a good time, but he bit down on the complaints as Lam helped him up. If he hadn't seemed like a fool before, he definitely was one now. "Yeah..." He sighed, feeling a little forlorn now, maybe a touch dramatic.[break][break]
"Guess I'm not very good at this, am I?" A glance back told him that his pokemon was at least finding it humorous. She didn't make any sound, but there was a mischievous tilt to her disjointed head that suggested she may be laughing at him. 
[break][break]
"Did I scare off all the birds in the region, you think?"   

[break][break]

+ lam logan | he's not ready :'3

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Lam shrugged as Rook took his offered help. “Maybe you’ll get the hang of it. Be a pro in no time.” His nose wrinkled, amused at the prospect. It wasn’t like he did much more than dabble in training work, himself. Maybe if he’d taken a shine to it sooner, he would be farther along in the process, but he’d grown too easily contented with the tiny team he had.[break][break]

And honestly, it was sort of more fun this way—with someone else, and not so alone. Especially someone he wouldn’t have initially thought himself growing so fond of.[break][break]

“You might’ve,” Lam agreed with a laugh, still holding on to both of his hands absently without fully registering it as his attention was pulled to a delayed rustle mere feet away from where Rook had tripped up. “Oh, well…” he trailed, as a disgruntled toucannon hopped into view, wings outstretched. “maybe not then.”[break][break]

It didn’t seem aggressive so much as defensive and startled by the noise, so he only gave a backward glance toward Archimedes with a short tilt of his head to indicate the rowlet could hang out. Carefully, he inched forward and then kneeled closer, speaking in a low, but casual tone. “I know, he’s awful loud, huh?” Again, no more than a teasing comment, with a wink tossed Rook’s direction.[break][break]

“Surprised you’re on your own, lil dude,” he carried on, as if the avian might reply. Feathers ruffling as Lam extended his arm out in offering, the toucannon’s head cocked sideways then it hopped forward the last few steps to flutter up to the offered perch.[break][break]

“They tend to bond in pairs.” He handed out the explanations even though Rook hadn’t asked for it. A pleased smile stretching across his face over the fact that it had accepted his arm, his other hand slipped up to rub the slightly warm expanse of its massive beak. “They’re pretty significant to Alolan culture, actually considered good luck for romance.”[break][break]

His babbling suddenly sunk in, and he caught up with himself as heat burned his ears. “Oh, we, I mean for marriages. Not that I mean, uh, yeah. That’s all.” Good one, dork.

[break][break]

+ Ikarus Rook | what a little nerd :’3 | attempting to catch toucannon!

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

There was absolutely no likelihood that he would be a pro of anything within his lifetime. Not that he said that part out loud. It was already nice that Lam had chosen to ignore the glaring fact that Rook was a bit of a loser. Really, there was no reason why the other would want to be around him, right? At least not one that Rook could easily accept. It was better not to ask questions or make the glaring red flags about him any brighter. In all likelihood, it wouldn't matter, but he could at least enjoy it while it lasted.
[break][break]
Suddenly, a bright colored bird popped from the underbrush, looking terribly pissed off by the inconvenience of them. Like the bird whisperer that he was, Lam was a natural, of course. It made him pause, staring at the other in captivated awe at just how easily he bridged that gap with the wild pokemon. For that stretch of time, he didn't speak for fear that he would somehow ruin the moment.
[break][break]
All he could think about was how big that beak was and how easy it would be to poke out his eye if he did something stupid, which was pretty much a certainty.
[break][break]
Good luck in romance, he needed all the luck he could get so maybe it was a good thing they'd happened upon this strange bird. It was also extremely cute to see Lam stumble over the mention of romance and marriage, even if the prospect was understandably daunting. "Heh... always need a touch of luck so..."
[break][break]
Before he could add to was what likely going to be a charmless additive, something else was bristling in the undergrowth before a Hitmontop was poking its head out, looking properly rattled. "Eeek shoo, go away." Rook stared back at it before dark tendrils slipped out from under Rosie's mask, waving in the air at the strange pokemon until it got the hint it was better simply to run from the unusual ensemble of characters.


[break][break]

+ lam logan | he's not ready :'3

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Lam wanted to die a little bit on the spot right then. Just crawl into a hole and not see the light of day forever and ever. The heat singeing his ears threatened to creep further when Rook spoke—distinctly in a way that didn’t seem put off by Lam’s rambling, so it was…good? “Oh, well maybe fortune is in your favor now,” he replied sheepishly, arm extending in offering for Rook to pet the bird who had made himself at home.[break][break]

He couldn’t help but laugh at the other’s reaction to the hitmontop, however. “How you gonna catch anything if you squeal at it?” It was cute, though. He wasn’t gonna lie.[break][break]

“You wanna keep going then? I think if I remember right there’s a nice little clearing up ahead..” He wasn’t exactly the best at romantic endeavors, but he had a blanket crammed in his bag to roll out, and some snacks. See? He could do some sweet gestures that weren’t just spouting off corny, hyper-mushy bird trivia facts.[break][break]

He continued to scratch at the underside of the toucannon’s beak as he moved forward, careful to not startle him again as the bird cooed and twittered contentedly. Then, a pause. “Think I’ll take you with me, if you’ll let me.” And to his delight, the toucannon stretched his wings and made almost a pleased cackle noise. [break][break]

Lam looked at Rook, awkwardly pointing his free hand back at his knapsack. “There’s some pokeballs in the front pouch. Would you mind snagging one for me?”[break][break]

Before they could go any further, however, more Pokémon seemed drawn in by the noise—a scrafty peeked out from around a sapling tree. And despite the daytime light, a noctowl hooted and swooped low to the ground nearby, its head swiveling at a right angle as it eyed the spot on Lam’s arm where the toucannon was perched. “Ahh..” he let out a nervous laugh, “I've got two arms, dude. It’s chill.”[break][break]

Archimedes seemed to have other plans, though. Wings outstretched, the rowlet scuttled up from behind and toward the noctowl with what could only be described as angry rowlet sounds. Leaves stirred up around him, as if in warning of using razor leaf. The noctowl stared the smaller avian down for a moment the rose into the air and fluttered off—not bothered enough to care.[break][break]

“There can only be one of you, hm?” Lam asked, looking down as Archimedes hopped back and tugged at his pant leg in blatant annoyance with his beak. All the while, the scrafty looked on, still reserved but curious.

[break][break]

+ Ikarus Rook | what a little nerd :’3 | lam is passing on both

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Hesitantly, Rook reached out towards the bird with the massive beak. He was a tiny bit nervous considering it did look like it could easily weaponize that colorful beak. But then it tipped its head a little, allowing him to scratchy the soft feathers there. “Oh wow… cool.” Most of his pokemon had been unwanted, choosing him because it was better than being unwanted or alone (at least that was how Rook perceived it). It was still cool to feel something wild simply submit to contact.
[break][break]
“I didn’t squeal, it just caught me off guard.” He said, face feeling a little hot at the realization that he had, in fact, squealed. How embarrassing. He nodded at the question, not quite wanting their outing to end.
[break][break]
Lam seemed to attract birds on a weird spiritual level. They couldn’t give two damns about him, but Lam they loved. They were practically fighting over him. The Noctowl flew away, having been chased away by Lam’s other owlish companion. “Wow you’re just bird bait, huh?” He laughed at that, wishing in a way that he could have the same easy connections. He didn’t expect the peculiar wild pokemon that followed. They seemed to be popping up out of the woodwork today.
[break][break]
It wasn’t a bird, so apparently Lam didn’t have the same compelling power over it. It was still clearly curious though, not dangerous. “Oh look at him, he had cool little pants.” And a mohawk.
[break][break]
“So… how did you.. Teach me.” He gestured from Lam at the Scrafty.


[break][break]

+ lam logan | he's not ready :'3

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Lam smiled as the toucannon readily accepted the scritches from Rook. Even more so at the slightly awed reaction that followed from his boyfriend. “I think he likes you,” he said with a laugh as the bird let out a pleased coo, almost trilling in nature. A part of him wanted to continue letting the toucannon hang out on his arm, but he was not small like Lam’s others. Bigger even than Archimedes, who was likely ruffled over being knocked out of his spot on Lam’s shoulder. “Alright bud, we’ll come up with a good name for you later.”[break][break]

Once he had a ball securely in hand, he activated it and the toucannon accepted capture willingly. It was nice when he could manage as much—not every interaction went so easily, even if Rook seemed to think so.[break][break]

Once both arms were freed of feathery appendages, Lam twisted back toward Rook, lips curling into something amused at the sight of red lighting up his cheeks and seeping over the bridge of his nose. “Don’t worry, it was kinda cute,” he teased in response, hands lifting to curl over his shoulders as Lam reached up on his toes to leave a chaste, but linger kiss against his lips.[break][break]

“Guess I am,” Lam shrugged, though it was a fact he was personally delighted with, “they must be able to sense I like them just as much. Except spearows. Those ones are not as nice.” He put on an exaggerated grimace as he withdrew. His attention followed Rook’s, drawing back to the scrafty. “Oh, you wanna try catching him? He is a cool little guy, huh?”[break][break]

He hummed in consideration, “Well, just try..being friendly? I mean, treat it like you do Rosie. Just be gentle, and slow. Like he’s already your buddy.” He nodded, eagerly watching as he nudged Rook forward a bit.


[break][break]

+ Ikarus Rook | what a little nerd :’3 | lam is passing on both

[attr="class","pokeclass"]