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TAG WITH @cian

POSTED ON Dec 15, 2022 15:03:03 GMT

john nelson likes this

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"i mean there's always stuff like exhibition battling but i guess i can see why that might not interest everyone."[break][break]

or why people might not be interested in watching someone like john (no offense).[break][break]

"would you ever give it a go again? maybe, like, take a few weeks off work and try?"[break][break]

he asks in a way that doesn't seem pushy.[break][break]

"i guess what i'm building up to is whether i could maybe help you? i mean, like, it's your dream, after all, and i'd like to help you get there."

[attr="class","ooc"]john nelson[break]

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johnny

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TAG WITH @john

POSTED ON Dec 15, 2022 15:43:14 GMT

Martín del Mar likes this

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The question Cian asks is -- at first -- the kind of thing he's brushed off a million times before.

'would you ever . . . take a few weeks of work and try?'

Of course not. Of course not. Work needs him. He needs work. It pulled him out of the doldrums after his failure and he's good at it. It wouldn't be fair to them to disappear to have a midlife crisis.

(It wouldn't be fair to him. To rub his nose in his mediocrity again after years of ignoring it and come back with his tail between his legs.)

But all these thoughts were predicated on the idea that John would be doing what he did before. That he'd be doing it alone. He's never dreamed that a gym leader would be asking him this question, much less that he'd be offering to help. Martín del Mar 's words from the bar days ago come to mind: 'To be successful you need to network and to learn how to choose your allies. You need contacts, and you also need hardworking people who are willing to make your vision come to life.'

With that in mind this feels like a once in a lifetime opportunity. And he can't help the way his hands tingle and his back straightens and his mouth goes dry.

"Do you mean it?" he says instead of 'yes', "If I . . . If I wanted to try again would you really . . ?"

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triple h

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twenty-seven

september 14th

rustboro

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TAG WITH @cian

POSTED ON Dec 16, 2022 14:54:28 GMT

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"yeah, of course!"[break][break]

he says without any hesitation, always ready and willing to help, fan or otherwise.[break][break]

"i'd love to help out. that's what battling's really about! being able to grow and learn and eventually pass on knowledge and help others. it's what rustboro gym has always tried to emulate."[break][break]

he can't take all the credit for that. it had been his predecessor and mentor who established a strong foundation.

[attr="class","ooc"]john nelson[break]

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

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johnny

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TAG WITH @john

POSTED ON Dec 20, 2022 2:16:37 GMT

CIAN MAHER likes this

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No one likes to see a grown man cry. No one wants to watch their whole face pinch -- like someone has grabbed hold of their nose and yanked. No one wants to watch them struggle not to. To witness them be pulled between years of conditioned stoicness and a moment of intense emotion. It's ugly and unflattering and . . . dammit John can't help it.

So he does Cian the kindness of turning away before any tears spill and pushes one hand against his eyes to try and stymie the flow. He hopes the younger man understands there was nothing to be done on either of their ends. The shock of the offer ran up against years of regret and hopelessness and there was no way he could even know the tears were coming before they were just there, stinging in his eyes.

"Sorry, that's just . . ." He murmurs, trying not to sound choked up even as he swallows down on what feels like a golf ball in his throat.

"That's really nice." He manages.

Really nice. It's more than that. He feels like he might be getting his dream back. And he's terrified that he might not. It's an offer sweeter than any he deserves. It's potentially a great cruelty he's done nothing to earn.

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rustboro

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TAG WITH @cian

POSTED ON Dec 22, 2022 16:09:08 GMT

[nospaces]

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"are you, uh—?"[break][break]

crying? yes, it appears so. well, that's something he did not expect to see today when he decided to go berry picking. but it's not a bad thing! just unexpected.[break][break]

after taking a step forward, the threshold between strangers and acquaintances is crossed when he puts a hand on john's shoulder, looking to console the man.[break][break]

"hey, don't even mention it."[break][break]

he smiles.[break][break]

"i'm just happy i can help."

[attr="class","ooc"]john nelson[break]

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johnny

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TAG WITH @john

POSTED ON Dec 22, 2022 21:13:17 GMT

[attr="class","samcam"]

By the time Cian's hand settles on John's shoulder he's managed to get his shit together. The tears are done (though he's left with red eyes that betray their presence) and he can take a proper breath without risking a second round of them.

"Oh, I'm going to mention it," John laughs, voice still a little watery, "I don't know where, how, or why but it's happening."

As he speaks he turns to face the younger man head-on.

"I uh . . . I'll need to talk to my boss. To work out time off. I've got vacation days stockpiled, and maybe he and I can work out something remote too -- the point is I'll figure it out. I want to do this."

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TAG WITH @cian

POSTED ON Dec 23, 2022 9:35:57 GMT

[nospaces]

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oh right. cian forgot all about vacation days because he's pretty much never had to work a proper job, and there isn't really any need to take vacation days as gym leader because the work is flexible enough.[break][break]

"sure! that sounds good. let me know how it goes. oh, give me your phone so i can put in my contact details."[break][break]

his hand falls back down to his side.[break][break]

"i'm excited to welcome you to rustboro. it'll be fun, i'm sure."

[attr="class","ooc"]john nelson[break]

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johnny

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TAG WITH @john

POSTED ON Dec 24, 2022 1:21:15 GMT

[attr="class","samcam"]

"Yeah, sure," John goes to reach into his pockets, only to find the thicker gloves on loan from Cian have made that task a little more difficult, "Uh, one sec."

After a little fumbling to remove the gloves quickly (which of course means too quickly in such a way that patience likely would have yielded better time) he reaches into his pocket with a now naked (and sweaty) hand to retrieve his phone. A little out of date but still smart and touch-based. He presents it to Cian with both hands.

"I'm excited to get started. I'll try and have everything sorted by new years, and I'll send you a message as soon as I know my availability."

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TAG WITH @cian

POSTED ON Dec 24, 2022 7:06:45 GMT

john nelson likes this

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"no rush, no rush."[break][break]

it's not like he's going anywhere, right? he could only hope, at least, that he'll still be in rustboro after the year is over.[break][break]

he takes the phone with a smile, not really caring that it's a little out of date. he punches in his details and titles his name as "cian (:" backwards smiley as to not auto-create an emoji.[break][break]

"guess i'll see you next year, john!"

[attr="class","ooc"]john nelson[break]

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johnny

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TAG WITH @john

POSTED ON Dec 26, 2022 17:18:49 GMT

[attr="class","samcam"]

'No rush '

It's the kind of friendly placation that John gives all the time: 'You've got all week, no rush! ', 'Don't rush! Just have it on my desk by the end of the day. ', 'I don't want to rush anyone, but the holiday party is . . . '

Has it been as annoying to his coworkers then as it is coming from Cian, now? Because John wants to shout: 'Of course there's a rush! Neither of us are going to wait forever! ' He wants to shake Cian by the shoulders. Remind him that he's offering personal instruction to some washed up old-head, that if John doesn't jump on it now the gym leader will surely come to his senses and rescind it.

But of course he doesn't. Instead John bites his tongue and nods as Cian puts the finishing touches on the new contact.

"Next year . . ." John murmurs to himself rather than properly responding. The phone sits in his hand with all the weight it's ever had but somehow -- in this moment -- feeling like it must be a thousand pounds. His hand shakes under its pressure the entire time he escorts the device back to his pocket.

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triple h

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twenty-seven

september 14th

rustboro

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TAG WITH @cian

POSTED ON Dec 27, 2022 15:58:28 GMT

[nospaces]

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this feels like a step in the right direction for cian as well. this gives him the chance to mentor and guide and shape john into the trainer he wants to become. the trainer he is capable of being. the very same thing ALEXANDER STONE had done for him all those years ago.[break][break]

he hopes he could do john justice.[break][break]

"or this year! i am ready whenever you are."[break][break]

there is a slight chance he might go on vacation with PENELOPE LIVY over the new years but as that hasn't been confirmed yet his statement still stands.[break][break]

"now come on. we still have like more than half a basket left until we're done."[break][break]

he smiles, finally turning away to take a step back towards the berries.

[attr="class","ooc"]john nelson[break]

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

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johnny

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POSTED ON Dec 30, 2022 16:23:44 GMT

CIAN MAHER likes this

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Or this year . . . how nice would that be? If he calls the boss on his way home maybe he can schedule a meeting for this week to discuss things, then he could call Cian after Christmas and -- John's snatched out of this train of thought by the bright words of his soon-to-be-mentor.

It's embarrassing how thoroughly he forgot why they're here, at the same time, in the first place.

"R-right! Right, the berries!" he scrambles to turn back to his basket and pull the gloves he left in it back on. It wouldn't do to make himself look flighty. There'll be time for planning once he's done with the work he promised to do. Planning, and then more work.

He can't help smiling as he goes to pull another tamato berry free.