Andres nodded. While he preferred the city and the solace to loneliness it provided, he could see why Onyx preferred it. The silence, the darkness- those were his bread and butter right? How he worked in…whatever he did. Andres refused to ask, to know. He wanted deniability. But every so often he remembered that time in Mauville with the bodies- people. He remembers the sharp toothed smile of a predator from his youth. Its fitting, even if he worked for clubs from time to time. [break][break]

Though the more quiet revelation gives Andres pause. It's softer than what he had assumed prior. He watched Onyx for a moment as this clashed with what he'd been thinking. If that was the case then how fitting Onyx had brought him out to the middle of nowhere versus taking him to a party or a movie. Though before Andres can say anything on the matter, Onyx rushes to turn the conversation back at him. Like he hadn't meant to admit that to him. Andres decided it was best to just smile at his friend. "Camping and the outdoors aren't my go to activities, but with the right guy, I think I could get used to it." He said with a small laugh. "I've always been pretty useless outdoors. Even as a kid." He added. Back then when he was just a scrawny dark blonde, with glasses and knobby knees. The gym challenge had been rough because of it. He'd made due but…he hadn't loved it.


[break][break]

+ onyx straub [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Onyx tried to look up and Andres quickly stood up. One of his hands moved to gently support his head. "Yeah! Yeah I'm ok, Onyx" he blurted out quickly. He peered closer to the poor man trying hard to smile so he could soothe whatever worries his drugged brain came up with. [break][break]

"Please, take it easy ok?" He added, thumb stroking Onyx's temple in an effort to soothe any worries that could come up. "How are you?" He added, looking close at his friend before glancing around. "Thirsty? I-...can you have water?" Should he call a nurse?


[break][break]

+ onyx straub [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Chuchi stays near Amplexus, eyeing Onyx as he began to take charge. Evidently he knew a little bit more about caring for someone with the flu than she'd imagined. A change from how he'd simply stood around Andres hoping for a pokemon made miracle. That's...a relief at least. Chuchi could only do so much on her own, and Andres had been passed out since yesterday. [break][break]

Andres rests any chance he gets, popping back up weakly when Onyx sits on the bed. He picks up the water cup, grateful and sips slowly for a very long time. He keeps gulping it down as Onyx speaks. Even if he's more active now, there's still a sluggishness too him. "Sounds good." He squinted, trying to remember when he'd last eaten. His eyes go to Chuchi. "Are you...hungry?" he wondered but the normal type lay style, big eyes on her owner. She had eaten. She was ok. Andres seemed to understand well enough. His smile is one of relief. Even if he's the one ailing. [break][break]

"I-...I don't remember... Probably not. I tried- but it was expired so I got new stuff..." The groceries left haphazardly near the kitchen as Andres struggled to stand. "Maybe. I had to take a nap." He'd collapsed as soon as he'd set his sights on the couch, desperate for shut eye.

[break][break]

+ onyx straub [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

He felt that comfortable warmth, spread from his belly up his spine and tickle his head. A comfortable buzz settled in that back of his brain. He could go for more, but the goal wasn't to black out tonight. The goal is Onyx, whatever it is they ended up doing. He just wants to be there for it. "You better." Andres said, baring his teeth in a grin. Maybe he's a little flirty, holding Onyx's eyes with a half lidded stare. [break][break]

He drops the lime into his shot glass, taking his time to look down as he pushes both away. "Like I'm having fun." He's so simple in the end. His previous focus is broken with honesty. OR at least, as honest as he can be right now, now that they're back to not fearing for their lives again. Maybe it's cowardly to be unable to repeat what he'd confessed during the edge of the apocalypse, but Andres had always been a coward. [break][break]

One who clung too tightly to others.

[break][break]

+ onyx straub [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Andres plucks bits of cheese up as Onyx talks about them. His finger nimbly pull some crackers as he sets their selection on one. He's smiling as he eats, content with listening. And when Onyx stops, he's more than happy to jump in. "S'good. Makes the wine taste a little more...refreshing, I think." He seemed content. [break][break]

There's not really a rush to break the silence, a smile on his lips as he soaked it all in. Even if he always felt a flurry of something with Onyx, there's always that anxiety that he will just disappear. It creeps into his thoughts, his dreams. Shadowy tendrils slowly but surely putting a squeeze on his chest when he thinks about Onyx too much. [break][break]

So Andres will always be happy to see him because he never knows if it's the last time. There's always that initial relief, followed by giddiness, and then and ache. But Andres is also overly attached, obsessive, and soft hearted. No matter how his looks changes, or how he learned to take care of himself. Down to his core he is pathetic. [break][break]

Chuchi drags a small rock pokemon some feet away, not interrupting the weird picnic date but still close enough to be known. Andres once more, grabs a cracker with cheese and sets it in the grass for her to pick up when she's ready. [break][break]

"You come out here often?" his eyes are on the sky now, clear and dotted with so many stars.

[break][break]

+ onyx straub [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

At some point, Andres had left Onyx's room. He'd follow him to surgery, yes, but there's not much else he can do but sit outside and wait. So sometime between then and now, he's ambled outside to update Ziadem once more. He's barely holding himself together. In his hand is a bag of sour gummy worms which he hold up, open wide to the Corviknight as he goes through what he knows. "His eyes is...gone. But alive." he said to the giant bird before jerking his body to intercept somebody who almost confused the pokemon for a taxi service. [break][break]

"He'll be fine...just needs a lot of rest." He had to be fine. He had to come back to him- to them alive. When the the bag of gummy worms is clean out he dips his head to the large bird before turning back around. He leaves Ziadem to her own devices once more. [break][break]

And he's back in the waiting room. Waiting for surgery to end. Waiting to see him again. He's so tired, so single-mindedly focused on one thing that he misses instructions from nurses, easily shifted and moved around. But eventually, they bring him back. And Andres can't stop staring. He's allowed to stay at his side, and Andres pulls up a chair as close as possible and just waits. [break][break]

He hovers a hand over Onyx's careful to not disturb him. Nearly ignores Onyx as he struggles to come to. "Onyx?" his reply is quick, a hiss of a whisper, And then he can't help himself, fingers curling around Onyx's cool hand. "It's Andres...I'm here. I-I've been here." his voice stays low and his movements are controlled. He doesn't want to disturb Onyx in such a delicate state, but he will answer his calls. [break][break]

"I brought you to the ER...they patched you up. I took care of Ziadem." every sentence is careful, slow. He doesn't want to panic Onyx. He's sure he's confused. He'd been so out of it from blood loss before. "You're going to be ok now." he asserts.

[break][break]

+ onyx straub [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Andres looks up at Onyx, frowning and eyes shining for a moment as if he could cry only to laugh in his friend's face. It's loud but it also sets off a coughing fit that wracks his cocooned body. He sniffs after, staring at his bundled up feet for a moment before looking back at his house guest. [break][break]

"A hug?" Andres asked, pouting for a brief moment before laughing again. Chuchi is already off, ready to guy this dimwitt through Andres' kitchen. "Jus' the water is fine..." he said, seemingly more alert with Onyx to hold his attention. Only when Onyx move out of sight did his head slump, chin dipping into his chest as he nearly fell back to sleep. [break][break]

Chuchi will force Onyx to be useful. He barks at Amplexus to help explain. It seemed like Andres had been planning to take care of himself, as he usually did. There's bags of groceries kicked astray on the ground. Tissues, toilet paper, over the counter cough syrup. Chuchi digs, pushing aside the rubbing alcohol and extra socks. In her mouth is a box of instant soup. She tosses it aside for attention before beginning to paw at cabinets to acquire a clean pot.

[break][break]

+ onyx straub [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"I'd like that." he said with barely any airs about it. It's just another excuse to see the guy. But with less showing up unexpectedly. Not that he hated that either. Andres picks up the first shot and knocks it back with gusto. He reaches for a slice of lime to bite into. [break][break]

He reaches for the next, eyeing his companion. Onyx was impatient. He got frustrated easily at times. Or maybe he was just flustered? Onyx toed the line between both often enough with him. Not that he'd say that out loud. "Well, if you need to lean on someone because you can't handle being drunk with one eye, I'll hold you." he said with a laugh before clinking their shot glasses together. Andres taps his on the table before knocking it back once more and swallowing hard. "Strong enough, yet?" he asked as he picked up the same slice of lime to suck on.

[break][break]

+ onyx straub [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Lips meet in desperate kiss after desperate kiss. He doesn't want to stop now that he's here, pulling off Onyx's shirt at some point while the man undoes his jeans. After holding back for so long, ignoring what he wanted so desperately, that desire seeks to undo him tonight. Because now Onyx will know how much he wants him, and that's a vulnerability he hadn't been courageous enough to bare before Onyx. Like an idiot. Look at what he'd been missing out on. [break][break]

He barely helps pull Onyx's jeans the rest of the way when the man tries to guide him back to him. Andres doesn't falter, sitting carefully in Onyx's lap, hazel eyes half lidded. He kisses the hair resting over Onyx's lost eye. His other hand moved up the nape of Onyx's neck, finger tugging gently at the thin hair tie holding his hair back. "I can take them out." he joked, piercings glinting in the low light.

[break][break]

+ onyx straub | LET THESE MEN ABNG GDI [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

He would pretend that his heart didn't skip a beat when Onyx doesn't immediately pull away. When he caresses his hand and Andres thinks its so soft he must be imagining it. [break][break]

"Me too."

[break][break]

He's too attached, clearly. The whole stint in the hospital did something to his brain. It let something subconscious leak out to the forefront. That wouldn't do. That would ruin it. That would taint it. That's not what this was. He felt a twinge in the back of his brain, tabling the thoughts for later. He's not ok. Definitely not. But he didn't want to think about it right now. Not in front of Onyx who was trying so hard- That too made his heart pang and his head warm up. The blue light gives him an excuse to look up and away. In the grass, he can hear Chuchi racing for the Blue Minior, ready to drag it back with her. [break][break]

"I could eat." Andres assured with a friendly grin. "What did Chef Jules and Sous Chef Onyx get us? Somethign that pairs well with whatever Sommelier Amplexus gbroguth, right?"

[break][break]

+ onyx straub [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

He sits in silence. He'd rather Onyx back than dead, with out without the eye. He just hoped Onyx would feel the same when he woke up. When. When. Not an if but when. His brain was ok, he's still here. Legs attached, arms attached. Sleeping. Drugged to hell and back but here. Andres did his best to take in the positives and yet.[break][break]

He tenses, shoulders hunching upwards as he tries to stop himself from crying again. He's so cried out. Dry sobs shake his body and his eyes squeeze shut trying to soothe himself but no tears come out. The tanks are empty, and he's still distressed. He'd never thought he'd ever see onyx straub laid so low by something. The thought had never crossed his mind. He'd held Onyx in his head like an idol. Untouchably and awe inspiring. A fickle being that could so easily hurt or help. This Onyx, this poor unconscious Onyx didn't match that at all. There's no roguish grin, no sharp look in his eye. No dry words, few as they were. [break][break]

It's so quiet he can't stand it. He wants to leave but like some pathetic rubbernecker on the highway he cannot look away from his friend. "I-I'll stay here." he assured him, unconscious or not. "I'll wait." His throat is so dry. There's nothing else he could do but wait. He had to wait. Someone needed to be here when Onyx woke up. Ziadem can't come in, she's too big. And who would deal with the doctors? the nurses? Who could Andres call? "Y-You're going into surgery soon." he murmured, keeping his voice low and letting Onyx get whatever rest he could. "And-...and it's going to be ok." Who was he comforting now?

[break][break]

+ onyx straub [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]