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It was passing strange how quickly strangers took a liking to him; recalling that night out in the woods, he's forced to wonder whether this was River's angle all along, even wondering if they know who he is. "It's probably for the best," he insisted. Can hardly afford some indecent exposure charge soiling my good name now, can I? Adrian clapped a hand against River's arm reassuringly. "Exhibitionism isn't exactly my thing."[break][break]

Not that the thought didn't excite him...[break][break]

The arm at River's side gently tugs him along, around the back of the building. "Are you opposed to flying...?" Adrian wasn't trying to rent a room anywhere nearby the contest hall, preferring the comforts of home. But Rustboro was several cities away, and the local transit wouldn't take them quite so far. "You can hold onto me."[break][break]

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"Reign can carry us both." When they've cleared the short walk to the rear courtyard, where they are mostly alone, Adrian releases his Corviknight before them. Sure enough, it sports enough room to ferry them both to Rustboro, although the journey is sure to be bumpy. Incidentally, neither of them were like to mind a little bit of what goes bump in the night.[break][break]

Adrian takes River's hand from behind and leads him to the Corviknight, which bows itself to accommodate River. He's cheeky enough to brace River's left hip as he hoists them up, drawn to River's slender figure like a fly to honey. His hand withdrew only as long as it took to seat himself behind River, craning his neck over their shoulder and grabbing at a tuft of Reign's plumage.[break][break]

Sly eyes flit at River's, whose brilliant blue irises leave him transfixed as he explores the depths of their patterning... He'd almost forgotten they belonged to the person he was presently draping himself over, very nearly smothering them. Clearing his throat, he managed to croak: "Oh, I lied about the last part, it seems..."[break][break]

River was left with nothing to cling onto, and yet Adrian leaned forward into him such that he threatened to suffocate River with his musk. "Are you opposed...?" Shimmying around Adrian tried to make himself comfortable, or perhaps make ready to switch positions.

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"Hah. You say that now," Adrian's not sure he's ready to act sappy, but he's receptive enough to keep the conversation going. "But how are you gonna feel if I start raving about a suicide pact?" Morbid, cynical humor being his forte, Adrian rolled with the dialogue as best he could. Taking command of Reign, he dug a heel into their side, edging them skyward. Did he need to say he was kidding?[break][break]

After they soared high enough to tower over the city, their acceleration began to balance out, their flight taking a leisurely pace. "You know... Back in those woods, I wondered what you really wanted." Pulling back a hand to drag it over the locks guarding River's ear, his fingers tracing against their skin, he breathed heavily: "Guess you and I shouldn't have spent our time beating around the bush." River would've felt him rumbling with stifled laughter.[break][break]

As if he wasn't already killing the mood as it stood. River would just have to forgive him as he tried to pass the time to make it from Slateport to Rustboro. Or dump him as soon as they landed... the daunting possibility caused Adrian to straighten his act, although he was still unsure where to dial himself in for River. Sensual romanticist? Compassionate companion? Fuck buddy?[break][break]

"...What've you been up to since then?" The least he could do was talk about something that might've mattered, or didn't provoke a sense of disdain.

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"Nah; I have that effect on people," he admitted haughtily, ringing with laughter as he braced himself. It does much to inflate his ego, although as he averts his gaze towards the horizon, Adrian finds himself stricken with curiosity and disappointment.[break][break]

"You mean we could've done this sooner? Man, I would've..." Adrian flushes for a moment, firming his grip on River but his voice faltering.
"I mean... Well, y'know. S'not like I'd just do that with some guy appears out of the woods at night. That's askin' to get murdered."
Once more he rumbles with a stifled chortle, easing into the conversation with River.[break][break]

Resting his chin on their shoulder, he can't help but engross himself with River; they'll be stuck like this for some time. "What interests me more is why you're prancing through the woods at night to find a quick shag..." His voice is lathered with salacious intent, but commanding as he interrogates River.[break][break]

"Not so easily satisfied, are you...?" Adrian teases.

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"What else should I be expecting," he purrs back to River, curious as to what else they might be getting up to at the dead of night, or holed up in an apartment in Rustboro as they were presently headed towards. "...'Cause I already know what I want." He drops a hand to their thigh, smoothing his palm down its length.[break][break]

They are both undeniably on the same wavelength, he can feel it in more ways than one. But perhaps, Adrian contemplates, he is rushing things a bit. As they cross over the greenweald buffering the wilderness from civilization, Rustboro revealed itself on the horizon.[break][break]

"But what is it you really wanted, tagging along with me?" He leans into their own nuzzle, indulging in their doting gesture. As it had so eloquently been put, it felt good to be wanted, and Adrian found himself in wonder at whether River reciprocated the extent of his intentions.[break][break]

There was much and more they didn't know about him and his lifestyle choices. In fact, after pondering on it, there were probably a few things liberally strewn around his house that needed tidied up before having company.[break][break]

It was a bit late for that, though.[break][break]

But River certainly seemed the sort that might even partake; even if they had a certain innocence in their looks, contrary to the person they'd revealed themselves to be, Adrian felt he could trust them...

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River brought his lips brushing against Adrian's, leaving him with a rosy flush as he froze stiff, wanting more and yet finding himself always dazed by their bold and forthright affections. It left him wanting. As they pulled apart he found himself thinking: More. While he gathered himself in his love-struck stupor, Rustboro came into view beneath them. Reign began a steady descent to ground level.[break][break]

"Fine, leave me wondering," he quipped at them dodging his questions. It wouldn't matter for long. Soon enough he'd lay River's mysteries bare, though that sword cut both ways. Anticipation made him teem with energy, leaving him restless. He was absolutely buzzing with energetic enthusiasm.[break][break]

Reign eventually touched down at a park near an apartment complex, which Adrian pointed at after helping River dismount. Slinging an arm around their shoulders, he gestured towards the penthouse at the top of the building. "I live way up there. Let's hope the lift's operational." Leading River around by the nose, they'd cross the street between the entrance and the park, yielding to traffic before the crosswalk lit up with a pedestrian symbol.

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Once they're across the street and in the lobby, they're able to swiftly detour for the elevators, though Adrian pauses before turning back to the desk. "I've got company; please let the custodians know." He takes the strides to the lift with a smile, though his grasp on River has receded in front of the receptionist.[break][break]

He didn't want them sending in the cleaning lady while they were busy acquainting themselves. Adrian would just have to make his room tidy on his own time, though if truth be told, he didn't mind a little mess.[break][break]

Once they're in the lift, Adrian pounces back on River again. Taking a few whiffs, he tries to catch River's scent, though between the two of them, they smell of naught but wet feathers. Which wasn't wholly different from wet dog, as far as he could tell.[break][break]

"D'you plan on staying awhile...?"[break][break]

Pleading puppy-dog eyes corner River in the lift cabin as they ascend, Adrian dipping closer to his companion as he momentarily loses his balance, using them for support. He ends up pinning them again the wall inadvertently, though he's not so fussed with the turnout. "I was hoping you would, anyways..." Dragging a finger along their cheek, he considers dipping in for their lips, and yet he holds himself back. Even before he can pull away, the door begins to open on the top floor.

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