it's not a big deal.

[break][break] still, the squad captain makes him go — all but forcing him to leave shift and go to get patched up before he'll let him do any more work. usually, flynn wouldn't mind the relief of leaving work early.

[break][break] but this is different. he hates hospitals.

[break][break] he stares up at the worn sign of LILYCOVE GENERAL HOSPITAL, a bitter taste in his mouth. he ignores it, pushing his way through the double doors to the entrance and signs himself in, cradling his right arm in a loose hold.

[break][break] he grunts. "dr. mclain. got an appointment."

[break][break] flynn wasn't much for communication these days.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Rory Faust [break]



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

he grins.

[break][break] "yeah, i am."

[break][break] it never gets old, no matter how many times he hears it. the word boyfriend, not just boyfriend but also thea's boyfriend. he'd been mooning after her for weeks — all their friends knew it. the day that she'd yes to going to homecoming with him was easily one of the best of his life.

[break][break] the reminder that she agreed to date him —

[break][break] his heart swells with the thought.

[break][break] wiping his hands with a rag, he walks over to the younger kid and places his hand on his head, ruffling it affectionately.

[attr="class","tag"] Alexei Ivanov

[attr="class","flynnsq"]

it was Alexei Ivanov , thea's baby brother.

[break][break] flynn had heard enough of him from his girlfriend, and had even met alexei passing in the hallways before. mistalton was a small enough town after all — if you didn't know someone straight from the get-go, there was a good chance that you would get to know them.

[break][break] blinking as he noticed the other, the teenager immediately broke into a grin. "you must be alex! hey there, bud. you can call me kris." a pause as flynn reached to the sink to wash his hands. "you lookin' for a snack to eat? if you want, i could stir something up for you in a jiffy. you could sit down over 'ere." he gestured to the stools placed just across from him at the island. "or if you want, we could cook together! bet thea would love that."

[break][break] flynn had never had little siblings of his own, so he was always eager to get to know thea's.

[break][break]

[attr="class","tag"] Alexei Ivanov

[attr="class","flynnsq"]

Alethea Ivanova took forever to get ready, she always did. but flynn didn't mind.

[break][break] "take your time, babe!" the sixteen-year old said, closing the door softly as he jogged down the staircase. with her parents away for the weekend, she'd invited him over. he promised that he was going to make her a great dinner - handmade - while she finished her english report and got ready. which, knowing her, could take hours.

[break][break] he jumped down the last few steps and headed into the kitchen, and had to pause as he stood in the entrance. even though he'd been here so many times already, it still took his breath away whenever he looked at it.

[break][break] truly, the ivanovs were something else.

[break][break] rolling up his sleeves, flynn then jogged over to the kitchen island, beginning to pull out of his supplies, unaware that there was possibly another pair of eyes on him that wasn't his very beautiful girlfriend.

[attr="class","tag"] Alexei Ivanov

[attr="class","flynnsq"]

"man, that's just not fair!"

[break][break] flynn lets out a laugh at the other's remark, grinning wholeheartedly. he understands the other's frustration — how many afternoons had he spent trying to steal the ball as a freshman from a player that was better than him? too many. but that was the point of the exercise — there was no way to get better than practice! practice, practice, practice! that's what coach always preached, wasn't it?

[break][break] when Victor Wexler calls again! so happily and excitedly, there is a flash of something in flynn's eyes. the fierce heat of competition. though he knows that he could keep the ball from vic so easily, there is just something thrilling about finding someone as excited about the sport as him.

[break][break] his underclassman takes off again, and flynn is just as quick on the uptake. he rolls the ball underneath his foot, breaking out into a run once more. this time, flynn is careful to slow down his speed so he can meet the other shoulder-to-shoulder, glancing carefully and keenly at the other's form.

[break][break] to vic's credit, it was a good idea. just not good enough.

[break][break] unfortunately, flynn doesn't fall for the feint.

[break][break]



[break][break] just as it had before, the ball flies up just seconds before vic's sneaker can hit it and steal it away. flynn's laughter can be heard as he jokes, "you're so easy to read, kid. you're thinking too much!"

[break][break] this time, as flynn stays several feet away from him, he now rolls the ball towards the other. "watch me, kay?"

[attr="class","tag"] Victor Wexler

[attr="class","flynnsq"]

"hmm." flynn's expression is thoughtful as he ducks his head, sifting through the aisle's contents. he'd tried a few different feeds with niles, before finding one that stuck. despite the fact that the sharpedo would literally sift through trash if it came down to it, the sharpedo's skin was pretty particular when it came to it's sheen. "if you got any bigger guys, this one could work." he pulls out a bag that looks pretty indiscriminate, unlabeled.

[break][break] it's a pack of dry dogfish. "great for snacking."

[break][break] mudkip, who seems to have been wandering the store, returns. she paws at THEO BECKETT 's leg, asking to be picked up.

[break][break] "what about you? you must have stuff you like too." he shoves a hand into his pocket, angling his head. "got any recommendations?"

[attr="class","tag"] THEO BECKETT

[attr="class","flynnsq"]

"you want me to steal from you?!"

[break][break] flynn grins. "yep."

[break][break] it was typical — flynn remembers the first time that he was asked to steal from his captain, and is the reason that he was able to make captain so early. despite his young age, there were few that could best him when it came to handling the ball.

[break][break] even as a kid, he'd been able to race past others on the soccer field in reckless abandon, throwing all caution to the wind. it was one of the few things that he could truly enjoy, without having to worry about ma, about school, about anything else.

[break][break] Victor Wexler breaks into a run, and at first, flynn doesn't bother moving. his cleats rest on top of the ball as his eyes follow the form of the other racing towards him. only when he gets close does he bother running, careful to dribble the ball beneath him. together, the two run - shoulder to shoulder. just as predicted, vic goes for the ball, attempting a steal.

[break][break]

[break][break] "nope!" flynn says with a laugh, picking the ball with a single deft movement. it floats in the air, briefly, just giving flynn just enough time to maneuver around vic. he rolls the ball behind him, jogging backwards, before standing just as he was moments ago, several feet away, flashing a grin at the other.

[attr="class","tag"] Victor Wexler

[attr="class","flynnsq"]

the gentle pitter-patter of rain has turned harder now. more like cement-blocks against his umbrella.

[break][break] flynn shrugs. "sure."

[break][break] once the mudkip is satiated, she leaps down from flynn's grip just as the other uses his free hand to open the store. there is a pleasant jingle as they enter the pet store.

[break][break] at first, it seems pretty uninspiring. boxes and boxes of unlabeled merchandise, fishtanks filled with various water types. there's even a small wimipod skittering in a tank below.

[break][break] "don't let looks fool you," he says to the other, leading their way down an aisle. it is labeled AISLE 4, and after walking a few steps down it, flynn pauses in front of a section of colorful feed. he grabs a smaller, indiscreet bag, labeled WISHIWASHI DELIGHT. he hands it over to theo.

[break][break] "it's delicious. fish pokemon eat it up."

[break][break]

[attr="class","tag"] THEO BECKETT

[attr="class","flynnsq"]

"i get that, man," he says, watching as the other handles the ball. something shimmers in his gaze - something fond. flynn remembers the first time he ever kicked a ball, first time his pa ever taught him. it was one of the few good memories that they had before —

[break][break] anyways. they weren't going to be thinking about that!

[break][break] flynn grins, leaping forward at the invitation and wraps an arm playfully around the other in a quick hug. "can't take it back!" with a laugh, he grabs the soccer ball from the other's grip and drops it onto the floor, throwing off his own backpack in one fell swoop. he expertly dribbles the ball between his sneakers as he puts distance between the both, turning around to look at the other in the eye. "c'mon, now. try stealing from me!"

[break][break] if memory served correctly, vic wasn't yet good at head-on-head confrontation. few rookies really were.

[attr="class","tag"] Victor Wexler

[attr="class","flynnsq"]