"gotchu. just don't fall, uriah."[break][break]

sounds easy enough![break][break]

with a determined humph, he stands, then follows her out onto the ice, and sure enough, he does not fall. he stands there almost awkwardly in place, momentum not quite enough to propel him forward yet.[break][break]

and then, he starts sliding, skating with ease.[break][break]

"i actually skated a lot in sinnoh! it's been a while, though."[break][break]

after circling her a few times, he slides to a halt, then offers her his hand.

[attr="class","ooc"]calla roth[break]

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

"why not? we'd be the best ranger duo out there."[break][break]

for a moment, he genuinely considers it but ultimately decides that he would not last as a ranger. too low pay.[break][break]

"that's probably for the best. that sushi was questionable."[break][break]

it would not have ended well, he's pretty sure.[break][break]

after a moment, he peers back around the corner to see the bewear retreating along with her children. he breathes a sigh of relief, then looks back around at calla next to him.[break][break]

"wanna go get some burgers after this?"

[attr="class","ooc"]calla roth[break]

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

"yeah! it's really nice."[break][break]

did she really think of me first?[break][break]

that doesn't sound very casual. still, it's not like he minds, which is really a problem in itself even if he refuses to accept it.[break][break]

"okie dokie. let's go get some."[break][break]

with a gesture, he starts walking over to the rentals and is quick to secure pairs of skates. he sits down on a bench to start switching over.[break][break]

his octillery, hidden underneath his legs, mimics his movements even if it has no feet or skates to change into.[break][break]

"how good are you at ice skating? are you going to, like, literally run circles around me while i waddle?"

[attr="class","ooc"]calla roth[break]

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

it has been too long since uriah had last been ice skating; the last time being in snowpoint a few years ago long before his move to hoenn. it's why, apart from the fact that it's her asking, his response is almost instant:[break][break]

hell yea i'm omw[break][break]

because ice skating is something friends do, right?[break][break]

he's already in the area so he shows up promptly accompanied by joel, his octillery. the water-type slides closely behind as uriah approaches her.[break][break]

"hello, hello!"[break][break]

the smile he wears is as bright as the festive decorations around them.[break][break]

"it's good to see you, cal! thanks for the invite."

[attr="class","ooc"]calla roth[break]

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

"nah, i always knew we had it in us to be great rangers."[break][break]

that's one career path he's never bothered going down. he's done the military, the police force, but not the rangers. maybe that's his next path after he's done with akura.[break][break]

only as he finds himself catching his breath while leaning mostly against her does he realize just how close they are, and while the warmth does return, so too does the hurt from that night.[break][break]

he inches away slightly.[break][break]

"our lunch is most likely gone, though...cal...i'm really hungry..."

[attr="class","ooc"]calla roth[break]

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

"nah! i think you're fine, cal."[break][break]

when in truth she did very well make things worse. but at least she had good intentions![break][break]

uriah has spent enough time with ranger ollie morales to know that most wild pokemon only attack when they are threatened. the sight of a towering abomasnow must've done just that to mama bewear.[break][break]

simisear climbs up and up and up until it reaches bewear's head. there, it slaps its hands down and summons a FLAME BURST, wanting to take the bewear down.[break][break]

the two humans duck behind a nearby tree, uriah chuckling with glee as adrenaline flows through him.[break][break]

"i think we got away..."

[attr="class","ooc"]calla roth[break]

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

despite the tenseness of the situation, words easily flow out as uriah rambles his thoughts.[break][break]

"i read somewhere that we should play dead but i can't remember if it's the right approach against a bewear..."[break][break]

but the appearance of calla's abomasnow sends them down a path. the bewear peers up at it, tilting its head in confusion only to swing its HAMMER ARM up at it moments after.[break][break]

"woah! okay!"[break][break]

not much of a fighter, simisear joins in regardless and leaps onto the bewear to FURY SWIPE at it.[break][break]

uriah reaches out for calla, wanting to lead them away.

[attr="class","ooc"]calla roth[break]

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

a little distancing feels impossible to avoid but he does his best to remain wary of it. it's why, even after he stands up, he's offering her his hand to help her up as well, wanting to lead her to the bed.[break][break]

uriah rounds the bed to his side and plops down, easily sinking into the soft mattress. he leans over to flick the switches by his bedside, turning the lights off.[break][break]

when he rolls back over, he's unsure of what to do. he decides on what he feels to be safe.[break][break]

"goodnight, cal."

[attr="class","ooc"]calla roth[break]
mission![break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-machamp color-shiny"]

the tease is met with the smallest of chuckles. he agrees that it is vague but it's difficult to put a feeling into words, especially one as strong as what he feels about her.[break][break]

despite the kiss that he so easily returns, the fact that she hasn't said it back is what prods at his self-doubt. from there, it's easy to spiral in what is left unsaid.[break][break]

has he misread the situation? misread them?[break][break]

"i don't think i am."[break][break]

his smile falters a little as he pulls away. he decides not to push any further.[break][break]

"it's getting really late..."

[attr="class","ooc"]calla roth[break]
mission![break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-machamp color-shiny"]

"ooooh they're so cute!"[break][break]

it's hard not to gush over the approaching stuffuls. just look at their fuzzy, pink heads! adorable.[break][break]

in his admiration over them, he does not hear it until after calla points it out, and even then, it does take him a few seconds.[break][break]

"be ware of what?"[break][break]

it takes his simisear who had been chilling in the basket poking its head out and pointing behind uriah for him to finally turn.[break][break]

"oh shit! bewear!"

[attr="class","ooc"]calla roth[break]

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

a big gulp later and the bottle of green liquid lowers he tilts down at it, gesturing a moment later.[break][break]

"um, but then why does it taste this good if it's bad for you?"[break][break]

he uses the same logic he's used since he was a child.[break][break]

accepting the sushi container, he quickly plops one into his mouth, dipped in wasabi and everything only to exhale through his nose.[break][break]

"feast of kings."[break][break]

a feast that is soon interrupted by a guttural roar that sounds from the near distance. he pauses mid-bite, resuming slowly before swallowing.[break][break]

"that wasn't me..."

[attr="class","ooc"]calla roth[break]

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

he can't help the mirroring of his own brows, now slightly creased because he doesn't quite understand her reservations. to him, she's amazing, and if anyone is reaching, it's him.[break][break]

uriah black. cfo aside, he has not much going for him. but this self-doubt rarely shows. in vulnerable moments, however, they may surface.[break][break]

"yes, really. i mean what's not to like?"[break][break]

his smile is gentle.[break][break]

"you're...you."

[attr="class","ooc"]calla roth[break]
mission![break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-machamp color-shiny"]

"oh hell yeah. give me that meat stick."[break][break]

those are what slimjims are, right? either way, he reaches for one and eats it within a few seconds. way quicker than she does the dynamite roll.[break][break]

"very, very, very dry."[break][break]

he even struggles to swallow it so he has to reach for whatever drink they bought. oddly enough, it's mountain dew, one of his favorites. the rest of the meat stick is swallowed easily enough.[break][break]

"ok ok. swap with me."[break][break]

slimjims for the dynamite rolls.

[attr="class","ooc"]calla roth[break]

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