"oh, yeah, duh."
[Break][break]
She wrangled out her phone and tapped on it's blank screen.
[Break][break]
"But my thing's dead so... There's no map coming from me."
[Break][break]
But, if his was still alive and thriving, they should be fine getting home. If it came down to it, she still had the name of the hotel imprinted to the side of her brain. all they would have to do is find the right cab.
[Break][break]
"Hm? Of course, love."
[Break][break]
Penelope's heart fluttered as she smiled back at him. How he still managed to make her heart skip a beat, she'll never understand. Slowly, she'd lean forward into a kiss.



[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER[break]


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

while it is an odd locale and situation to be kissing, of all things, he finds himself drawn to her. perhaps the possibility of losing her and not being able to do fun, dumb things like this is enough to sway him into taking risks.[break][break]

he leans in to kiss her, slowly at first, though passion soon translates in the way he pushes closer, hands now gently holding her.[break][break]

above them, more miniors continue to fall, though he pays them absolutely no mind tonight.

[attr="class","ooc"]PENELOPE LIVY[break]

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

Arceus.
[Break][break]
If she could bottle every part of him and gotten drunk on it every night, she would.
[Break][break]
Penelope kissed him back, slow at first, but when they first met, she was quick to lose herself to his natural draw. Hands lifted to his cheeks and with each straggled breath she pushed herself closer and closer, until his warmth enveloped her skin.
[Break][break]
For a second, a brief thought passed by: to hell if the world ends. As long as they're together, she'd be content.




[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER [break]


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

the minior have long stopped falling by the time they are done.[break][break]

"gods i love you so much."[break][break]

content as ever, he breathes out a chuckle, still in disbelief that he's managed to find her in his life.[break][break]

"think anyone saw us?"[break][break]

though unaware of it, his noctowl sits atop the bus, keeping watch with wary eyes.

[attr="class","ooc"]PENELOPE LIVY[break]

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

[break][break]"you better," she murmured back, half lidded eyes staring back up at him, with all the love in the world capsulated within their golden glow.
[BREAK][break]
Content, her hand mindlessly searched for his.
[BREAK][break]
"God, I hope not."
[BREAK][break]
A soft chuckled rolled off her chest. That'd be a PR nightmare and a half. She could only imagine what headlines they'd spin to match the scandal.
[BREAK][break]
"I really doubt anyone else would sneak into an abandoned bus during a Minior shower."
[BREAK][break]
Only us, she thought, smiling softly to herself.

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER [break]


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

"only us."[break][break]

is that...noah faber in the back hiding beneath the seats? he doesn't know as he never looks but the possibility is there.[break][break]

his hand finds hers, comforting as ever, and though he wants the moment to stretch out forever, he knows they can't just sit there all night. someone would find them eventually.[break][break]

he looks out the window, peering up briefly.[break][break]

"i think they've stopped falling now. want to go see if any need our help?"

[attr="class","ooc"]PENELOPE LIVY[break]

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

If noah faber were there, lurking in the back like the pervert he was, she'd just hope kyle lopez wasn't there too. One leaguer was a mess, but add the region's champion to the mix? Arceus, she wouldn't even want to think about it. Thankfully, for both them and Penelope, neither were there, hidden among the purple fuzzy seats, nor anyone else who'd be able to snoop in on their private time together.
[break][break]
Like magnets, the couple's fingers found themselves slipping back into place, keeping them intertwined and glued onto one another. It made a familiar feeling of comfort blossom across Penelope's chest, as the world around them began to fade.The fact that he managed to verbalize her exact thoughts only further contributed to these feelings, as it confirmed her favorite part about them: they just got each other. Better than anyone else. 
[break][break]
CIAN MAHER 'S following words burst the fragile bubble of their own mini paradise. 
[break][break]
"Ah, yeah, sure."
[break][break]
An obvious lie, but what else was there to do?
[break][break]
Rising from the seat, the councilwoman scooted her way out before allowing enough space for Cian to dot the same. Then she made her way back toward the exit, only looking back one last time to give his hand one last squeeze.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER [break]


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

their bubble may burst but it will easily form again as they have time and time again, that much he's sure of. it's why he's not too worried about bursting it as they do need to get back to the hotel. they can't stay in the bus all night...[break][break]

before making it off the bus, however, he stops when she does and steps in to kiss her.[break][break]

a moment passes before he pulls away, hands still holding her.[break][break]

"i've never loved anyone this much."[break][break]

a beat.[break][break]

"i hope we survive."

[attr="class","ooc"]PENELOPE LIVY[break]

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

Her hand squeezed his, hard.
[break][break]
Despite the fact that, at this point, there was no counting the number of times they've exchanged your typical "i love yous", there was something about this sudden confession and kiss that squeezed her heart and drew out all the leftover air from her lungs.
[break][break]
Freehand idling playing with the loose string of her jean pocket, she barely managed to mask her embarrassed surprise with a genuine smile.
[break][break]
"We'll get through this."
[break][break]
For once, there was some confidence behind her words. Finality that made doubt feel pointless.
[break][break]
"The league's plan will succeed and we'll be able to celebrate it just like this," She said, referencing more toward the night of drinking than the deserted bus cybering and the battlefield's worth of injured miniors dotting their surroundings. "Or, like, in another way. Like, actually traveling and going somewhere outside this deathtrap."
[break][break]
She squeezed his hand again.
[break][break]
"But, yeah, we'll be fine. Cause I'm not ready for this to end."
[break][break]
Because I never want it to end.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] @charname [break]


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

the confidence aired is reassuring.[break][break]

"yeah, we'll be fine. i trust the plan."[break][break]

because it has to succeed. there's literally nothing for them besides death if it doesn't, and like her, he isn't ready for this to end yet.[break][break]

he wants many more nights like this.[break][break]

"...do you know where you'll be assigned to yet?"

[attr="class","ooc"]PENELOPE LIVY[break]

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

"Mt. Pyre."
[break][break]

The tombstone of the dead. It wasn't ideal, but with Elinor Anderson taking Littleroot's forefront and FERNANDO SILPH going to space, it made sense for her to fulfill the vacancy leftover by their choices.
[break][break]

"Wasn't exactly my first pick of the litter, but what are you going to do?"
[break][break]

Live, hopefully. Keep moving forward.
[break][break]

"What will you be doing?"

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER[break]


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

out of all the operations, mount pyre seems to be one of the safer ones. that does little to ease his worries, however.[break][break]

"i'll be between rustboro and petalburg. i gotta help with the evacuation as well as helping to keep spirits up."[break][break]

it's one of his duties as rustboro's eventual gym leader, after all. this just so happens to be a prelude to that.[break][break]

"but i'll be in petalburg after to help DEREK HOFFMAN with their primal point."

[attr="class","ooc"]PENELOPE LIVY[break]

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

Inwardly, a sigh of relief spilled. He wasn't completely out of harm's way, but compared to fighting on top a mountainside and defending an invaded town, the danger was almost negligible.
[break][break]
She gave his hand another squeeze.
[break][break]
"Be safe. If you come back all banged up, I won't ever let you live it down." She tried to aid the dim atmosphere with some humor, but her joke could only do so much against the weight that hung over their shoulders. 
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER[break]


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