[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]she hates this.

it's not bad enough that she stupidly thought working out would make her feel less shit but ollie morales is absolutely, without a doubt, too chipper in the morning.

and she looks like she has barely slept, circles beneath red eyes more hollow than usual. there's a dullness to her expressions, movements, appearance.

"ready."

even if she wasn't, he would drag her along until she was ready. her shoe laces settle against the tops of her sneakers, having been tied and retied to waste time. she knows, in some regard, she had only been delaying the inevitable...

this is supposed to be a distraction, though, and she'll try anything at this point to silence the thoughts, the anxiety, in her mind.

ollie morales

she's definitely a lot less energetic than he is, but then again most people are, so it doesn't even phase him.

[break][break] "okay! let's go!"

[break][break] ollie starts the ascent up the mountain, being mindful of their precious head scientist to make sure she doesn't fall too far behind.

[break][break] "do you ever go jogging up here?"

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] illeana reyes [break]
ROCKY STEPS

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]he sets the pace quickly and for a few moments, she struggles to catch up.

her lungs already call for her head over this, barely able to keep enough air in them to fuel life. her chest heaves. fuck being so out of shape.

he's mindful, at least, to keep her close. what would people say if ever grande's captain had lost a head scientist someone on mt chimney? nothing good, she assumes.

"no, i'm not a big jogger usually."

besides, she doesn't believe she ever has enough time.

"do you?"

ollie morales

these days, he mostly exercises himself.

[break][break] though that's mostly because he doesn't exactly have a gym buddy. Laurence Anderson is too far, annalise henderson is too busy, and the people closest in proximity to him are PENELOPE LIVY and CIAN MAHER , but both are out of the question.

[break][break] "yeah! all the time. but i prefer rock-climbing or hiking, i think."

[break][break] he flashes a grin.

[break][break] "what's your preferred exercise then?"

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] illeana reyes [break]
ROCKY STEPS

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]she can't help the little laugh that escapes.

it's becoming more and more apparent that he's just like Eva Morales. it's cute, she muses faintly.

"hiking isn't bad."

although, she's not big on the whole exercise thing.

"i don't think i have a favorite, not enough time to explore any options."

the universe keeps the league busy and in turn, the league keeps her booked.

ollie morales

"oh yeah."

[break][break] he blusters out a laugh, breathless, as he hops over a rock cropping.

[break][break] "you like to box with palkia these days, don't you?"

[break][break] he chuckles.

[break][break] "maaan, i can't believe we saw it. and that i got attacked by it."

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] illeana reyes [break]
ROCKY STEPS

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]her face begins to flush a slight pink. she'd prefer to blame it on exercise induced heat instead of embarrassment.

"it was not boxing and it wasn't with palkia... just the primal points."

perhaps she'd feel better about the whole thing if she could, in fact, prove her worth to the deity and her colleagues by simply boxing with it.

"it wouldn't have attacked us if not for that prick winter."

people wouldn't have died, come back to life, suffered...

if she had managed to find it before they did, would the ending have changed? would people have been spared? would sea hoenn not be a threat now?

the freight train of thinking causes her to pick up a little speed, maneuvering around some rocks.

ollie morales

he chuckles. "yeah, yeah."

[break][break] in all honesty, ollie knew very little about it. it was just fun poking illie's buttons. she made it so easy.

[break][break] plus, she was cute when she blushed.

[break][break] "woah!" he crows. "look at you go!"

[break][break] "make way! head scientist illeana reyes coming through!"

[break][break] some of the other people on the path look startled, stopping in their footsteps as the pair make their hike up the mountainside. something that would have been embarrassing for anyone else, but ollie relishes in it.

[attr="class","ooc"] illeana reyes [break]
ROCKY STEPS

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]okay, did he have to do that?

her feet stumble over themselves as all eyes on this current path turn to gawk.

and she really wants to crawl into a hole...

her cheeks brighten into a livelier shade of pink and she tries to focus on not falling, not on how many eyes are currently on them.

only when they're past the people does she throw a sharp glare in his direction.

"what was that?"

a beat passes and her chest heaves from exhaustion already.

"are you trying to mortify me?"

ollie morales

"no."

[break][break] okay. maybe a little.

[break][break] "i was just proud of you! and everyone should know."

[break][break] he laughs once more, patting her slightly on the back as he steps closer to her.

[break][break] "plus, it made you run really fast. your heartbeat's racing now, isn't it?"

[break][break] he smiles blithely, not at all phased by her withering glare.

[break][break] he'd been on the receiving end of that plenty, thank you PENELOPE LIVY and willow atkins.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] illeana reyes [break]
ROCKY STEPS

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]"right, proud."

she doesn't quite get why he'd be proud of her. they don't know each other, not really. is he proud of strangers?

and as he pats her back, stepping closer, she has to stop and catch her breath.

a look of displeasure rises, the kind you do when you're tired and out of breath and ready to throw in the towel.

"yeah, a little too much."

stupid running.

she places her hands on her hips as if that'll help her body calm down and gather more air into the lungs. it doesn't do much.

ollie morales

she looks a little green now. oops. had he gone too hard?

[break][break] "here," he says, cracking open his canteen and offering it to her. "drink some water. it'll make you feel better."

[break][break] as he does so, ollie puts his hands on his hips and cranes his head backwards to look at the dawn sky. it's a beautiful sight, really.

[break][break] the ranger captain looks back at her, grinning.

[break][break] "better?"

[attr="class","ooc"] illeana reyes [break]
ROCKY STEPS

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]a look of pure gratitude rises quickly as his canteen is extended to her. she takes it quickly, already moving to gulp down excess amounts of water.

and only after a few moments does she return it to him.

”so much better.”

until she begins running again…

then she might puke all of that water up.

that is a problem for later, though.

”thank you.”

ollie morales