"Don't need to convince me, love." Leon responded with a small smile, leaning into Chu-e and pressing his own lips against theirs. It was a sensation that he hadn't realized how much he'd missed until this moment, more intoxicating than any alcohol or drug he'd taken to numb the pain over the last few months. "Welcome back." He whispered as he pulled away, gently stroking their cheek with a hand. [break][break]

"Your cats are assholes." Leon smirked. [break][break]

Chu-e Choi

"Where else would I be?" Leon responded, as though he didn't understand the question. He advanced towards the tub, kneeling down next to it. "Are you really here...?" There was a part of him that wasn't sure this was anything more than a dream, one of many he'd had about Chu-e's return. A hand reached out to caress the skin of his lover, pleased to find they were tangible. [break][break]

 "It's really you." He smiled, tears forming in the corners of his bloodshot eyes. [break][break]

Chu-e Choi

The crackling of eggs on the skillet was mesmerizing for a drunken Leon, ready to devour the food but forced to wait patiently for them to finish cooking. It wasn't until the sound of the mug crashing into the ground that his attention would be pulled away, clicking off the gas range and groaning. "Okay, which one of you knocked some shit off the table now." 

Coming around the corner, he'd see the shards of ceramics on the floor, a bewildered Prince simply pointing towards the bathroom. "What, you see a ghost or something?" Leon sighed, walking over to the door and pushing it open to see what was inside. "See? Nothing is he-..." His face turned white, unsure if what he was seeing was real or a drunken delusion. "C-chu-e..?"

Chu-e Choi

"Oi, those were expensive." Leon pushed himself into a sitting position, squinting to see the Skitty and Gardevoir through the sunlight. "I mean, not like it's my money, but Chu-e would be..." A sigh escaped from his lips, running a hand through messy hair. It didn't matter if Chu-e would be upset, he was dead. "...nevermind." [break][break]

Slipping out of bed, he was careful to avoid the Pokémon that lounged around the room. "I gotta piss." He stepped into the bathroom, taking a moment to look at himself in the mirror. Frankly, he looked like shit. What reason did he have to look any better? "No peeping, pervert." Leon closed the door, opening the cabinet underneath the sink and grabbing a hidden flask from the back. "Be out in a minute!"[break][break]

Chu-e Choi

One more night and another evening spent alone, drinking his weight at his favorite pub in Mossdeep City. Ever since Chu-e Choi had died, there wasn't much will to carry on, that man was his life and without him he felt so lost. "Fill me up." Leon pushed his glass across the wooden countertop with a sigh, watching as the bartender poured his vodka, the only thing that kept him sane these days. "Thanks." 

Normally they would have cut him off at this point, but he'd thrown enough money at this place to avoid such a thing. Hell, he might as well buy the place with how often he was here. "Oh, and I'll pay for them too." A hand pointed towards one of three copies of @shay, unsure of what they were having, if anything at all. At least someone deserved to have a good night, right?

"Ugh, fuck." Leon groaned out as the curtained opened, dropping the empty bottle that was in his hand to the floor of the bedroom. "You're cruel, you know that?" Grabbing onto a pillow, he buried his face into the confines, blocking out the light from his eyes. "Can you get me some water, at least?"

He rolled over, careful to avoid crushing any of the Skitty that had taken up residence in Chu-e Choi's side of the bed. "Or maybe some more vodka, I'm starting to be able to think again. Don't want that, want more numb."

"Only thing prettier is you, amore." Leon smiled softly, gently running his hand through their hair. Having someone who accepted him wholly was something of a new experience, but he couldn't deny the warm feeling that coursed through him whenever they spoke sweetly about him. 

"Let's go find somewhere to sit, I can't walk and grope you at the same time. I'm not that talented." He chuckled, slowly leading Chu-e towards one of the benches that overlooked the ocean cliffs.

Chu-e Choi