[attr="class","mila2"] All in all, the picture wasn't exciting. Nor interesting. Any of the photos she'd sent to paxton concordas over the weeks that they'd met probably weren't either. Not that he'd know it, of course. Mila was an expert in getting people interested, dangling herself and her body like a carrot with a string, even if she wasn't.

[break][break] paxton concordas would never know that half of the picture she sent him - or any of the other men she connected with on the AMIGO App - were not individually cultivated for him. In fact, half of them were probably left-over from when she'd already sent them to Gunner Graves.

[break][break] Before she could properly give him a response - some packaged, candied reply that she already had set - suddenly Gunner's interception caught her off guard. She blinks for a moment, unprepared for the fierceness of his reply. But just like with everything else, his passion fueled her own. His anger fueled her own.

[break][break] "What - " she started, lips twisting into a frown as he held her phone away from her. "Give me my phone back!"

[break][break] She stepped towards him, pressed against him, in an attempt to wrangle her phone from his grip.

[break][break] "I was just responding to a text."

[break][break] Some guilt swirled in her stomach at the undeniable pain that flashed across his face. But all it took was a reminder that Gunner had done the same thing to her weeks ago to set her anger alight. Who cared who she was texting? It was just some guy. She'd chosen Gunner today, after all.

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Gunner Graves [break]
berry patch kids

☉

[attr="class","mila2"] She sticks her tongue out at him.

[break][break] "Fine."

[break][break] Of course, he was right. Unlike him, Mila was not much of a baker. She was more of a cook, than anything, haphazardly throwing together ingredients until it tasted good. She'd had to cook plenty of dinners for her and Lukas as a kid. So having one of Gunner's pies to take home, to treat herself with after a long day at the boutique or maybe part-time rangering made something warm stir in the pit of her stomach.

[break][break] "Mummies?" she teased. "Feeling festive?"

[break][break] Mila followed him as he gathered their things and headed towards the building, a quip on the tip of her tongue about how he could quit his job at the HBIC and become her personal chef —

[break][break] Ping!

just got home

[break] The delightful tone - one that she had set for her latest AMIGO conquest of the week - lit up her phone. paxton concordas.

[break][break] She blinked, a mischievous smile on her face as she tapped away at a response.

oh? what are u wearing?

[break] Her phone pinged back, but this time with a picture.

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Gunner Graves [break]
berry patch kids

☉

[attr="class","mila2"] It was his birthday.

[break][break] Mila had never been able to forget it, not in the years they'd been apart. It plagued her every year, no different than the thousands of memories that she'd tried to keep tucked away, hidden like a mask from the outside world.

[break][break] But this year was different. This year was one that she planned on celebrating.

[break][break] "Isn't that up to you?" she asked, glossed lips quirking upwards in a smirk as the stared up at him. From this angle, she could appropriately appreciate his strong biceps. "Mr. Baker."

[break][break] Mila was dressed in a flowing white dress, adorned with a perfect summer hat and strappy auburn sandals. It was a picturesque outfit, but not exactly one from getting down and dirty.

[break][break] Good thing that Gunner Graves was doing most of the work.

[attr="class","ooc"] Gunner Graves [break]
berry patch kids

☉

[attr="class","mila2"] with a fierceness that only mila was known for, she kissed him. relief bloomed in her chest when gunner kissed her back, fingers tangled in his shirt as she opened herself to him, moaning as she felt his tongue slide against hers.

[break][break] this kiss was unlike the others that they'd had. it wasn't driven by passion or desire, but rather, a feeling of wanting to avoid the feeling that had been building up in her chest. the blood that roared in her ears, the numbing feeling in her fingers.

[break][break] someone shouted somewhere, but she didn't care. she kissed him with reckless abandon, leg curling around his as she pressed herself against him, gasping when he pulled away.

[break][break] her eyes burned for a moment, a mix between disappointment and desire, but gunner was already pulling her away before she could say anything more.

[break][break] "i - "

[break][break] she shivered at the feeling of his breath against her ear, fingers tightening more around his shirt. she didn't pull away, just pressed her mouth against his neck, sucking at the skin there.

[break][break] "are you sure?" she asked, pressing a hand daringly at the place he needed her most. "you want to wait?"

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Gunner Graves .

[attr="class","mila2"] "of course i'm fine, i'm just - " the words fly from her mouth without even thinking twice about it. but when she whirls around to meet him, expecting heat and fire and all the things that she and Gunner Graves are known for, she just finds calmness.

[break][break] he looks at her, all sincerinity and peace and concern, and her hard exterior breaks. just a little bit.

[break][break] the ride that she had been on for the last several days, like a rollercoaster that had just reached it's climax, just starts to teeter over the edge.

[break][break] she sucks in a breath.

[break][break] "i'm - "

[break][break] suddenly, it feels very hot and cold at the same time, in the middle of the park. white noise washes through her ears, and she can only see the face of Gunner Graves staring back at her, at those endless waves of blue.

[break][break] impulsively, suddenly, she grabs his shirt and drags his lips down to her.

[attr="class","ooc"] Gunner Graves .

[attr="class","mila2"] ugh.

[break][break] this is why she hated kids. she didn't know why they had to make such a fuss — she was hungry and they hadn't been moving up in the line, so of course she was going to step in where there was a gap! it wasn't her fault they were such slowpokes.

[break][break] her mouth pressed into a taut line as she glared daggers at the child and mother who had started to complain. her cheeks felt hot. it wasn't a big deal. they could've just let her and gunner get their food, and everyone would be on their merry way, and —

[break][break] 'sorry.'

[break][break] "sorry?" she echoed, her gaze whirling to his. her eyes were a little wild. how -

[break][break] he had shoved himself between the two of them and looked squarely at her. before she could even so much as open her mouth, she was forced to stare at calm, unrelenting blue.

[break][break] the thump-thump of her heart suddenly quieted. she chewed the inside of her cheek.

[break][break] "fine," she said, tugging him away. "i wasn't even hungry anyway."

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Gunner Graves .

[attr="class","mila2"] It was cute watching him get so defensive by her words. More than that, it was easy to see him get riled up, just because she'd poked and prodded at him.

[break][break] A laugh echoes in the summer air as she grabs his hand just as he swatted her away, fingers squeezing as she brought them both down. When she released his grip, sparks still lingered on her fingertips where they'd touched.

[break][break] "You're right. I do know what it's like. To have a best friend."

[break][break] Her eyes simmered for a moment, reminded of one Mei Liu, as she looked at Guinevere and then Vincenzo who trotted out behind them both, having made his complete walk around the park. He seemed bored now as he plopped down next to Mila, tails waving in the wind. She leaned against him for a moment, clipboard against her chest.

[break][break] Then, her stomach rumbled.

[break][break] "Well Guin," Mila said, standing up. Her eyes twinkled. "What do you say to getting our boys something to eat?"

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Gunner Graves [break]
+ Sygna Suit Mission

☉

[attr="class","milaatop"]

[attr="class","milaa"]

a laugh breaks through the room's quiet.

[break][break] "what are we doing here?" she asks, brow arching. her lips curve into a smile. "do you really have to ask?"

[break][break] she reaches for the empty shot glasses, pouring a drink for the each of them.

[break][break] "you know me - i'm just here for a good time."

[break][break] mila's eyes twinkle as she holds up the glass for him to clink against.

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Greyson Connors [break]
SLUMBER PARTY

☉

[attr="class","mila2"] 'Wow, Mila, these are really good.'

[break][break] Surprised, a light flush touched her cheeks at the direct praise.

[break][break] Her and Gunner were many things, but compliments weren't often among them. It wasn't just the type of thing that they did. Hearing him be so direct sent a flutter in her stomach, and she instead pressed her lips together, forcing herself into professionalism as she crossed her arms.

[break][break] Was she avoiding it? Maybe.

[break][break] "You act like you don't know what I do for a living."

[break][break] But even so, Mila was secretly pleased that Gunner and Guinevere seemed to like her designs so much. Despite the swift way that she'd drawn up those designs, she had put a significant amount of thought into them — even if it was something she'd done before, this was still something different because it was for Gunner. And that made a world of difference.

[break][break] "Okay," she said, pulling off the cap of the pen with her teeth. She scribbled a few more notes down, including a small scribble of what Gunner's preferences seemed to be. Maybe she could figure out a way to incorporate the suit with a smoke-protection mechanic, so the Typhlosion's Smokescreen wouldn't impede his sight in battle...

[break][break] "Got it," she said finally, placing the pen back onto the clipboard.

[break][break] "So," she said, turning this time with a sparkling tease in her eyes. "She's your best friend? You love her?" She poked him in the cheek. "Who knew you could be so cute, Gunner Graves ?"

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Gunner Graves [break]
+ Sygna Suit Mission

☉

[attr="class","mila2"] Cute.

[break][break] There is a brief crack in her professional demeanor as Gunner Graves shares his story with her. The thought of a young Gunner, ten years old and bright-eyed, holding a baby Cyndaquil was too much of an adorable image to pass up on.

[break][break] It reminded her of the way her Deda had given her Vincenzo as a child — bundling that young Alolan Vulpix into a blanket and providing it to her on her tenth birthday.

[break][break] Guin trotted back to them, proud, and Mila's lip curled into a smile. She nodded, reaching for her pen again and scribbling some more sketches upon the page. When she was done, she turned them to him. The clipboard had three sketches: first, a design that prioritized strength and utility, with a long-sleeved jacket with a flare along the collar that was reminiscent of a Typhlosion's; a second that utilized protection and defense, with a long military-esque coat; and the third, her favorite, that combined both with sleeveless arms that would accentuate his biceps.

[break][break] "Well? What do you think?"

[break][break] "It'll be fireproof, and anything else you'd like to put into it. I know a manufacturing company we use pretty often for the materials, unless you want to use your usual channels — but once I'm done with my design, I can send it over to you so you can use it."

[attr="class","ooc"] Gunner Graves [break]
+ Sygna Suit Mission

☉

[attr="class","mila2"] Mila was too focused to even comment on Gunner's awkwardness. Usually, she might have made fun of him, teased him about it.

[break][break] But clipboard in hand, bottom lip jutted out in concentration, her eyes were focused on the creature in front of her.

[break][break] Designs danced in her mind's eye, trying to figure out which pattern would be best suit her client — what would be the most practical, what would be the most useful, what would make him the happiest.

[break][break] Flames danced in the air as the Typhlosion leapt across the obstacles, and Mila's hands went to work. She made a vague sketch, some unintelligible notes — all of it in the name of a future design. It was the thing she was most passionate about, and maybe the first time that Gunner might have seen mila alexopoulos in that mindset.

[break][break] Her gaze turned to him, sharp.

[break][break] "How did you meet Guinevere?"

[break][break] She placed the pen on the clipboard for the moment.

[break][break] "What do you feel about her?"

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Gunner Graves [break]
+ Sygna Suit Mission

☉

[attr="class","mila2"] In the early morning, light sprawled into Gunner Graves 's apartment, where Mila was cuddling peacefully against his side. Absently, she traced circles on his chest until she heard a mutter rumbling from his throat.

[break][break] "Wait, what?"

[break][break] Mila sat up suddenly, her eyes flashing.

[break][break] "You're going to let someone else design it?"

[break][break]
[break][break]

Haughtily, Mila led her way through slateport city park.

[break][break] She was fully dressed now, bearing the part of the Primarina owner that she was well known for. her summer dress fluttered behind her, her hair perfectly set, but when she looked at Gunner Graves , it was not with heat or desire like it usually was. It was demanding.

[break][break] "Okay," she said, hands on her hips. "Show me what you got."

[break][break] She was in work mode now.

[attr="class","ooc"] Gunner Graves [break]
+ Sygna Suit Mission

☉