“Well Juno, looks like we’re home free!” Wren chirped as he wandered across campus, intent on making his way back to his housing. The eevee in his arms, stubbornly independent, wiggled herself loose and hopped down, intent on walking on her own.[break][break]

It was nice, being done with his courses for the day–endless opportunity for nothingness stretched ahead of him. Granted, he should maybe work on a couple upcoming assignments, but he’d think about that later. Or maybe he should figure out more about the ranger opportunity that had been recently extended his way–again! That was future Wren’s problem.[break][break]

He’d sort it all out. Eventually. [break][break]

His eyes brightened as he spotted familiar coal-dark hair and small, narrow build through the crowd. His pace picked up, a stupidly wide grin dawning over his featured with a sticky glue permanence. “Hey!” he tried to greet, but it did little to catch Levy’s attention.[break][break]

Wren threaded the crowd with chirps of excuse me! and comin’ through! all for the sake of catching up with the other. Breaking free of people on either side of him, his arms lifted to wave both hands frantically as he scampered closer. “Lev! Hey Levy! It’s m-“ Well obviously Levy knew who Wren was.[break][break]

His words morphed into a startled yelp as his feet caught up on themselves and he tumbled forward–carried by too much momentum. Wren crashed down in a heap, and Juno skidded to a stop to check him over, but quickly scrambled away as Wren popped up within seconds, face tinted pink and still smiling. “I’m okay, I’m okay!” Bright laughter followed, and he managed to slow his pace a bit.[break][break]

“I didn’t think I’d see you today,” he continued to babble as if his clumsiness hadn’t just gotten the better of him, “are you done with classes? How are you?” As he talked, he tried and failed to rub dirt from his cheeks. Contrary to Wren, Juno politely approached Levy and sat in front of him, plumey tail curling neatly around her feet as she blinked up at him.


[break][break]

+ Levy Alinsky | cuties :c

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"Wren?" Levy muttered, pausing in his step as he turned around to see that very same sunshiney face running up towards him. Leave it to Wren to warm up that cold center, shooing away the storm cloud and cobwebs that had formed there in his absence. Levy jumped, eyes wide as Wren toppled over himself. Ouch. Somehow, even that was endearingly so Wren.
[break][break]
With barely a breath of time, Wren picked himself up. Still, jovial as ever. There was something so communal about the other's joy, it was purely infectious sunshine and sweet things. It didn't matter what kind of day it was, rain or shine, Wren always seemed so happy. It was almost enviable.
[break][break]
"Are you sure you're okay?" Still, something of a smile formed on his lips. Even then, he made sure to check the other over. Wren failed to wipe the dirt away and there was a tiny reddening scratch on his cheek under the grit. "I'm okay, I guess. Yeah, done for the day. And you?" He reached forward then, brushing off the rest of the dirt on his face and assessing the scratch. "I think you'll survive."


[break][break]

+ wren rourke

“Yep! I’m tough.” His head bobbed in assurance as he spoke, something comically stern twisting his face as he held up an arm and flexed it. It was nice, though–being fretted over, even if Levy wouldn’t openly admit to it while literally doing so. Wren had so much energy, he often didn’t know where to put all the excess. Levy soothed some of it though, prompting him to simmer in a way that didn’t feel diminishing.[break][break]

It had always been like that, though. For as long as Wren had known him–which was totally like, ages and ages.[break][break]

He dusted some of the dirt loose from his clothes, perking up even more when it was confirmed that Levy was all done. “Yeah, same here! Super glad for it too because all my lectures were sooo boring today. And I have labs that are hands on and stuff. I don’t know how you sit through so many lessons that’s just talking and talking, on and on.”[break][break]

Kinda admirable, really. Wren just didn’t have the attention span to do so much work and so much listening in one day. He was practically bubbling over with all that energy–outpouring in incessant rambles and fidgety movements. It was instinctive to lean into the touch, warm fuzz diffusing from the center of his chest (another peculiarity when it came to Levy,) chin tipping up to receive the touch.[break][break]

“Thank you for your evaluation, Dr. Alinsky! Now-” Stealthily (which wasn’t stealthy at all,) Wren rolled to his tiptoes to hook his arm around Lev’s neck and shoulders. “-if you’re and I’m free. Wanna hang out?”

[break][break]

+ Levy Alinsky | cuties :c

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Wren had a way of digging under every protective layer he'd built. Part of the other lived there, under all of the prickles and spikes, soft warmth blooming up in his chest in a way that was typically unbearable. In truth, he still didn't know what to do with it, even after all these years. Sometimes, Levy felt stunted, afraid that any attempt to understand those feelings would only result in him bumbling and hurting the other on all of his rough edges.
[break][break]
"They're not boring, I think they're interesting. Labs require... interaction." He made a bleh face at the thought of having to engage with multiple lab partners. The idea of possibly failing something on that scale was a level of anxiety he did not need introduced into his life. He was fine with the occasional presentation. What he wrote was a relationship only he and his professors witnessed and that was good enough for him. He didn't really know what would come of it. Eventually, Wren would become a ranger and what would he be doing then?
[break][break]
Well, he certainly wasn't going to tell Wren about his side hustle, that was for sure. He snorted at the Dr. Alinsky comment, before he was nearly taken out by the motion that followed. He froze, eyes a little wider and face clearly reddening as Wren rose up more on his level. A gesture that nearly made him think that the other was preparing to kiss him. He let out the breath he'd been holding when, instead, Wren hooked himself there. Levy allowed the weight to shift a little, the awkward balance of it shifting to his neck. "Yeah, I mean... if you want to. Sure." He cleared his throat, trying not to seem too relieved.


[break][break]

+ wren rourke

Wren pulled his own dour expression at that, shaking his head. “Are they though? It’s a whole lotta words…I can’t keep up!” Which was funny coming from someone who almost never stopped talking. Still, he liked to listen when Levy actually spoke. There was something gratifying about the way he seemed to open up for Wren, which was a rarity in and of itself. He leaned a bit on the other from the effort of keeping himself upright and not toppling them both over, failing to notice the way color bloomed over Levy’s face at the prolonged contact.[break][break]

He laughed, nose wrinkling. “Well obviously I wanna hang out, Lev. Why else would I ask?” Relinquishing his wrangling hold on the other, Wren settled back on his flat feet. Though he was quick to make sure that one arm stayed looped around Levy’s so that he could effectively drag him along–even if he could walk for himself just fine. He was always moving at a quick pace. So it seemed like this was the best way to make sure they didn’t get separated in the slight crowd.[break][break]

“What do you wanna do? Get a burger? Go to that bookstore you like? Oh! We could get boba tea! I haven’t had any in like, soooo long. It’s a little unheard of.” And really, for Wren, ‘soooo long’ constituted about a week in total. But between his course work and traveling out to Evergrande to get a tour of the area, he’d been both a little busy and strapped for cash.[break][break]

The sudden thought of Evergrande made something in the pit of his stomach sink just a little, and the brightness of his smile dimmed a bit when he remembered that he’d have to tell Levy. The sooner the better. But…he could put it off just a bit longer. The pokeball in his backpack suddenly felt about a hundred pounds heavy. Like he was carrying an anvil and not a tiny little thing. Not realizing how his thoughts actually made him go a bit quiet for once.
[break][break]

+ Levy Alinsky | cuties :c

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

The greatest fear that Levy had was that one day circumstance would pull them apart, but even more so that Wren would realize how freeing that separation was. It wasn't right for him to want to prevent that from happening. What if Wren was happier with Levy in the rearview, fading farther and farther into the distance? He knew he could be moody and nihilistic, which had to be exhausting. He was not an easy person to be around. Meanwhile, Wren was like a breath of fresh air or sun on a chilly day. Even then, with loneliness still clinging to him, he felt warmer just being in the other's proximity. But it wasn't Wren's job to make him happy, he wasn't Levy's keeper.
[break][break]
It seemed like a simple fix though. If he was afraid that Wren would be happier without his doom and gloom, then he just needed to be less of a raincloud all the time, right? Harder than it sounded though. Maybe he should talk to someone, even if he couldn't really afford it right now. "Words can be powerful and beautiful and mysterious." He shrugged at that, "it's like when you talk about plants and stuff, which is very boring." He teased at that.
[break][break]
"Dunno, but okay. I suppose I can place my solitary lamentation until later." Ever the dramatic one, wasn't he? Yet the loneliness receded like rain fall on hot cement. Wren was just as dramatic, just about other things. It seemed trivial, both of their suspected "problems". There were worst things in the world, surely.
[break][break]
"Really!? No boba tea? That's shocking. I guess we should correct that." Whether he wanted to go or not, Wren was dragging him along without even knowing where they were going. Yet he was highly-attuned to Wren's emotions. After years of being exposed to this bottle of sunshine, well... he knew when something was off. And the way the other's expression diminished then, it made him feel a little nervous and worried.
[break][break]
He almost didn't say anything, out of fear, but that wouldn't be right. "Hey... are you okay?"

[break][break]

+ wren rourke

Wren scoffed playfully, a hand lifting to press against his own chest. “Plants are not boring! They’re colorful, and they have so many little complexities! It’s very interesting to study their different properties, thank you very much.” Spacey as he tended to be, Wren could get into very complicated discussion about the biology and structure of plant life, and the benefits held when tended to property. And that wasn’t even starting on plant-life pokemon, either. Which was a whole different can of worms.[break][break]

Still, he was fond of the fact that Levy humored his rambling. It was probably a bit the same when Levy talked about the symbolism and meanings of certain texts that went right over Wren’s head. Even if he was nowhere near as chatty as Wren, he was still a constant in his life, and Wren didn’t really enjoy the fact that he was about to disrupt that.[break][break]

“Oh, I didn’t realize you had penciled in some lamenting. I can always just go by myself then,” he teased. Despite the suggestion, he was still tugging Lev along, not meaning it one bit. “And yeah! It was killer, I just couldn’t find the time…” But Wren couldn’t find the time most days. How did he expect to handle ranger duties on top of that? He might need to buy an actual planner.[break][break]

The question shook him loose of his thoughts, and Wren startled slightly, like a guilty kid getting caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to. The guilt flared brighter, but he shook his head quickly. “Yeah! I’m fine! It’s all good, I just…remembered I have a paper due sooner than I thought, that’s all. It’s cool.” His grin felt a little too forced though when he looked up at Levy with a thumbs up.[break][break]

He maybe started walking a bit faster to get to the boba shop. Suddenly, it felt like he was on the cusp of getting called out, because he was pretty sure there was no way Levy was going to buy it. They knew each other too well. “Actually! I have something for you, but you gotta wait ‘til we’re there.”[break][break]

It felt a bit cheap to use the eevee as a distraction tool for the heftier news he was avoiding. But Wren, pathetically, was afraid of how upset Levy might be from this. If he could cushion the reaction, he would. That was selfish, it was so selfish. But he’d planned to give the gift anyway, so…maybe it could be useful too?


[break][break]

+ Levy Alinsky | cuties :c

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Despite his lacking interest in the topics of biology or grass pokemon, Levy would've happily stood there and listened to Wren ramble on and on. Oftentimes, he was the silent listener providing the other that mouthpiece to simply be. Levy enjoyed that; and he liked not feeling the pressure of discourse. Wren didn't shame him for being quiet. There was no anxious insistence to fill spaces with noise, it was simply natural for them. "Well... when you put it like that, does sound kinda interesting."It felt special to see that spark of passion in the other's eyes when he discussed these things and he'd never do anything to stifle that passion.
[break][break]
"I had some extra time for it, but I'd rather spend that time with you, I think." As if that was ever in question, especially with the way Wren was dragging him across campus the way he was. Observation had allowed him to notice things most people likely wouldn't see. There was something clearly off about Wren and he nearly insisted, but it didn't feel right. When he didn't want to talk about something, he locked up tight and didn't let anything out. That wasn't exactly mirrored in Wren's nature, but he could afford him that privacy without prying, right? Even if he really wanted to know. "Do you need to write it instead? This can wait... maybe I could help?"
[break][break]
It was fairly clear to him that Wren was lying. The shorter man was a TERRIBLE liar. Unlike Levy, who could lie through his teeth with ease (most of the time). "Something for me?" His eyebrows rose, a little surprised, "Wren— you don't have to get me anything." That didn't mean he wasn't curious to find out what it was. The Boba tea place wasn't far from there luckily. It was a cute place. All pastel shades and cute pokemon illustrations decorating the walls."What kind you want?"

[break][break]


[break][break]

+ wren rourke

“Oh you think?” he replied, grin widening in the stupidly childish way he can never really seem to shake. He was like an overgrown kid, honestly. At least he’d lucked out in the sense that Levy hadn’t grown tired of that fact, and sought out the company of others he felt more matched with. Lev had always seemed like such a little adult, even when they’d been tiny. It was a wonder they meshed, but Wren had never questioned it. He’d never felt the need to. Levy was Levy, and he liked being around him. Simple as that.[break][break]

The downside, of course, was that Levy knew him as well as he did the other way around. So he probably knew that Wren was fibbing, and all Wren could do was continue to go along with his poor concocted white lie. His head shook rapidly. “No! I mean, no, it’s okay. The paper can wait, really. It’s not immediately due. I had just forgotten.” Normally, he might ask Levy’s help on a paper. He was terrible at stringing his words together in an academic way. He always did better writing the way he talked, and that was unfortunately bad for school papers. Or so he’d learned.[break][break]

But Levy didn’t call him on the blatant lie, and Wren had to hold back the sigh of relief that wanted to escape his lungs. “Yep!” He was confident in his expression enough in that split second to look up at him with a wide smile. “What? I like to get you things. Plus I didn’t really…get it, exactly. This was a lucky situation.” The shop was one of his favorites, and admittedly Levy looked like a little bit of a gloomy cloud in such a bright place, but it was somehow still cute. Levy was cute.[break][break]

His face screwed up in throught. “Umm…matcha. No! Wait. Lychee black tea,” he waffled before deciding with a somber nod. “If you wanna order, I can find a table!” He dashed away before Levy could get much of an answer in, all so he could rummage for the little safari ball in his bag.

[break][break]

+ Levy Alinsky | cuties :c

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"Yeah, I know you do... but you know you don't have to, right?" The gift wasn't the problem. In fact, he was thrilled that Wren thought about him enough to get him a gift. However, following what was clearly a lie, well.. he was nervous.
[break][break]
It bothered him more that Wren thought it necessary to lie about this. It must have been something important, considering under usual circumstances Wren would often tell too much. What was he afraid to tell him about? It made Levy feel nervous, but he covered up his worries and focused instead on the drink menu. Levy ordered the other his Lychee black tea before ordering a brown sugar boba for himself. He also ordered a pair of their little dessert cakes to go with it, a nice little surprise before sitting down with his friend.
[break][break]
There was no benefit in spending time thinking over what Wren was hiding from him. In all likelihood, Wren wouldn't be able to keep a secret anyways. Not for long, at least. Eventually, the truth would come out and Levy would have to choose how to deal with it. His reaction could have consequences and it was his responsibility to be worthy of that secret, right? Obviously, he'd done something to make Wren nervous of confiding in him in the first place.
[break][break]
"I forgot about this place, their cakes are really good." He placed the lightly warmed cakes down before returning to the counter to pick up their drinks.


[break][break]


[break][break]

+ wren rourke

Wren looked over at him, head tilting as his brows knit together. Only for a split second before he nodded furiously. “Yeah, I know I don’t! I wanted to.” And that was true too. He probably wasn’t doing very good at being convincing that there was nothing wrong, but really Wren had been planning to give this gift anyway.[break][break]

Though he’d helped the eevee contained in the little safari ball, and even though Wren was typically so good with pokemon (which was one of the reasons why taking on training as a ranger had appealed to him,) this one seemed resistant to his efforts. She wasn’t mean to him, or aggressive. But the distrust was evident. Or maybe it was shyness. And it was sort of that sullen ability to hold herself at arms length that had sorta reminded him of Levy. Somehow he’d wormed his way under Levy’s defenses, but it just seemed like maybe his friend would do better with the eevee. Like called to like, right?[break][break]

And Wren didn’t even mean all that in a bad way! He appreciated how different Levy was from him. He kept Wren focused and grounded. Probably more than he even actually realized he did. And honestly, Wren didn’t really know what he was gonna do without Levy nearby and readily accessible to pester and demand attention from. But Wren, once again, tried to shove the thought away as he waited for Levy to appear with their drinks, knee bouncing under the table. Juno had settled herself under her chair, comfortably ready to snatch anything dropped.[break][break]

“Oh! Yes, they are! I forgot too!” His eyes went round as he spied the cakes as they were set down, and it was almost enough to temporarily distract him from the everything he would eventually have to say, but nerves churned too furiously in stomach for it. Enough so that when Levy returned for good, rather than take his drink and get to it, he just started babbling.[break][break]

“Okay, so like. I was out in the safari zone the other week, practicing for– well..just practicing, and I found this,” he held out the small ball across the table as a nervous laugh bubbled up. “She doesn’t really like me much, and well, I already have Juno, so…I thought maybe you’d do better with her.” That said, his eyes moved between Levy and the pokeball, intently waiting for him to release the little canine.

[break][break]

+ Levy Alinsky | cuties :c

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Levy admittedly didn't like the idea that he didn't have anything to give to Wren. It felt selfish since the other was always thinking about him. Granted, he didn't actually know what this gift was, but Wren rarely did anything without consideration for other people. He was good like that, the best of everyone, in Levy's maybe somewhat doting opinion. That didn't mean, of course, that he was going to turn down Wren's gift, no matter what it was.
[break][break]
It also didn't sit right that this gift felt like a cover up for something larger, but that was probably his imagination. Wren didn't seem capable of that, really. Then again, the other was his blind spot. Always was and always would be. The blonde could commit murder and Levy would gloss right over it with a "they probably deserved it" excuse. Then again, his rationale for things was different. Wren had often told him his judgments of others and, more so, himself had a tendency to be too caustic.
[break][break]
Levy fidgeted a little as he sat down, scooting one of the little cakes across the table to the other. It was all a distraction, of course. Good cake or not, he was mostly getting it to cover the nerves of anticipation and paranoia. It wasn't easy being around someone that felt like everything will eventually bite. Levy was constantly on guard to prevent himself from getting hurt. Only Wren seemed to have snuck through that guard.
[break][break]
Wren began rambling, as he was prone to doing under stress. The pokeball rolled under view. Levy's brow furrowed in question, glancing up with a question. "You want me too...?" He didn't understand half of what Wren was on about, but clearly he'd caught something that he wanted him to see. With a shrug, he released what had to be the most feral looking Eevee he'd ever seen. He glanced down at Juno, but the difference between the two was clear. Her hind leg was missing, most notably. Levy didn't really know what to say. Wren wanted him to have her? That couldn't be right. "I don't know if I'm the right person to... you're— you're the pokemon whisperer, not me." He swallowed, unsure why his throat closed up. "Are you sure?"


[break][break]


[break][break]

+ wren rourke

Wren hadn’t really considered that the gift would maybe make Levy uneasy–whether he had sorta stressful news to share too. In his mind, it made sense. This eevee did not seem to want to bond with him no matter what he did. Even though he’d helped the little creature from worse harm. She had been sort of out of it when he’d captured her to free her from the trap she’d been stuck in, at the cost of her leg, of course. But they didn’t know that it would come to that after. It didn’t matter–she’d decided that she didn’t trust him unless Juno was there. She did, at least, like Juno.[break][break]

All the same, he didn’t want the eevee to be miserable in his care. And he didn’t know how to explain it beyond a gut feeling, but giving her to Levy just seemed like the right call. That said, he was too busy thinking about that, and how he had to say he was leaving for Evergrande afterward to consider that his weird vibes had an effect on his best friend.[break][break]

“Thanks,” he said quietly as one cake was pushed his way, and before he blurted out his new and bungled everything (even though he was probably going to anyway,) Wren stabbed a straw into his drink and began to sip as a means of silencing himself. Rather than speak aloud to the question, he nodded seriously, still drinking his tea. Eventually, though, he did have to speak and so he somewhat reluctantly set his cup to the side. “What do you mean you’re not the right person? Sure you are. She doesn’t like me, and I just…I dunno, it just felt right. I think she’ll warm up to you.” Juno, for the time being, settled down next to the other eevee who had her ears flattened low, huddling close in comfort.[break][break]

He sighed, reaching out across the table, both hands settling on one of Levy’s in earnest. “Yes, Lev. I’m sure. It’ll be good.” He bit his lip on the part that continued to be left unsaid. About how it might be helpful when he was away.

[break][break]

+ Levy Alinsky | cuties :c

[attr="class","pokeclass"]