Running has never been something Lia cares much for, but it’s also something she learned to be good at long ago; back when there were so many things she learned to be good at for the sake of goals that she now realizes are all too pointless and meaningless. Like grades. Like being the best.

At least it pays off now, in some way.

’I enjoyed the last bit.’

”That just sounds like you like pushing me… and yourself.”

There’s a slight smirk, even if she’s still not happy about the way all that ended. Even if there’s worries. Even if she definitely thinks he shouldn’t just ignore it.

She turns to look ahead once again, her next words coming casually and easily:

”Guess not, but you didn’t have to ask in the first place, did you?”

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

Lia will never be the type of person who can just brush things off, so she will never be okay with seeing other people do so. If she can’t bring herself to understand when her own sister does it, why would she when seeing Lance dismiss her worries?

But, that’s much different, isn’t it?

At his question, she turns just so slightly, looking up to meet his gaze. Her head tilts, and she smiles faintly.

”Was I supposed to enjoy it?”

Maybe they should have gone with their other option after all, that would have been much more enjoyable for both of them…

If they had, there probably wouldn’t be all these worries in the back of her mind right now.

She shrugs, reminding herself that she has no reason to be concerned – that it’s not her place.

”It was okay.”

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

He brushes it off like it’s nothing.

As if she hasn’t seen the marks of all the damage caused by the war. As if she can’t tell that there’s much more hidden behind that smile and those dismissive words. And yet, why wouldn’t he brush it off? They’re barely more than strangers, he doesn’t owe her any explanations or have any reason to listen to her.

So, she sighs, because there’s no point in arguing.

”Okay.”

For a few seconds, she watches him, only then following after him.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

If only faintly, he smiles at her, but to Lia his words are nothing to be smiling about.

Injured during the war.

She remembers the scars, and the pieces come together all too easily after that.

How much had the war actually taken from everyone? How much had been lost? Too much; this seems to always be the conclusion she reaches when it comes to that. It had taken too much from her, and apparently, it had taken too much from him as well.

”Lance.”

She repeats herself, and for now, there are no thoughts of the fact that he’s a ranger captain and she’s no more than a cadet. And, as she looks at him, she doesn't match his smile, because how could she ever smile when the mention of the war brings so many painful memories?

”You should rest.”

He says he’ll be fine, but will he really?

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

She takes the lead, but it shouldn’t be this easy.

If he had kept up the pace, there’s no way she could have passed him so soon, and as happy as she is to have done as much, Lia knows this. Did he slow down for her sake, then? Why, if only a few seconds ago he had challenged her? As if to answer these questions, she looks back, only to see that he has stopped and is catching his breath.

The bright smile that had illuminated her expression the moment she took the lead fades away then, and she slows down to a stop as well. Metres away.

”...Lance?”

Is it normal for him to get this tired, this fast?

That doesn’t seem right, not when they were supposed to just be warming up.

So, she steps closer, stopping only once she’s in front of him.

”You okay?”

So much for just a warm up.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

What is she supposed to say? To admit that she was useless? She has to live with the guilt of that every single day; live with knowing that even if she had tried, there’s nothing she could have done to stop what happened from happening.

Live with knowing that she hadn’t even tried.

Live with knowing that she had been weak and helpless and useless.

She’s still all those things, even now that she’s trying to do better. But, how is Ana any better than her? Why does Ana get to make her feel so worthless? At least Lia hadn’t hidden from what happened. At least Lia isn’t trying to go on about life and pretend like it never happened.

Is that how little respect Ana has for Alexander's memory? For that of their father?

It is anger that burns in her eyes as she looks at her sister, even through all those tears that keep coming.

”Why not?”

Why didn’t you want to come home?

The answer seems obvious even without asking.

d9sUOpZP
751/1000

ANA STONE

☉

”Wha– Oh, come on!”

It’s surprise that paints itself in her expression when he picks up the pace and takes the lead, the pink hues that had been at her cheeks thanks to the effort of running only deepening when he winks.

Wasn’t this supposed to just be a quick warm up?

Lia chuckles, resigned, and with a deep breath, she makes sure to go catch up.

Lance may be playing a game, and she can see through that, but as much as she’s playing as well, there’s also one simple fact: she’s not going to give up. Being a ranger matters, and that means she’ll give it her all, even if it’s at an impromptu race with a captain…

A captain.

Her captain.

Lance.

What is the nature of their relationship actually going to be moving forward?

For now, Lia doesn’t think about that, her sole focus being on passing him and taking the lead.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

It’s better this way.

She repeats those words to herself over and over as they run, her Comfey and Bounsweet having been called back to their pokéballs before they even began their warm up. Unlike him, she has no distractions, and running at a slower pace, she’s left with no choice but to watch him for a few minutes. Is it really better this way?

It should be, right? It has to be.

Becoming a ranger matters too much to her to let this get in the way, but… would it really get in the way? What if…

‘How you doing?’

She looks at him, having caught up by then, and smiles as well.

”Just peachy.”

And the smile turns into a smirk then, because how could she resist copying his words from earlier? Maybe it’s okay to mock him just a little, if only for today.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

He also steps away, and with that, that line that she had been so close to crossing is avoided…

For now, at least.

But, his smirk lingers, and it makes it all too hard for her to ignore the way she feels about it, that warm and light sensation remaining even after his next words come.

’Cadet.’

Not ‘Lia’.

It’s probably better this way.

That’s what she tells herself when she smiles at him, chuckling lightly.

”Sure, captain.”

A short run it is, then.

Good thing that, despite not having answered his question before, Lia’s actually quite fit. Then again, doesn’t he already know this?

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

Could he really have guessed her answer? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe it would have been exactly what he wanted to hear, or maybe it would have disappointed him...

For now, Lia doesn’t even bother with thinking of all that, because she’s too preoccupied with feeling bad over the fact that her pokémon just slapped her new boss… or Lance? What does she see him as right now?

Looking at him, she notices the way he leans into her touch, and her fingers move just so slightly – caressing his cheek, if only a little.

”Are you sure?”

A soft smile, and her hand moves away.

”...I’m sorry.”

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

Lance may have crossed the line before, but would Lia be willing to do so?

She knows it’s there, that she’s threading near it and that it’s probably an obstacle that she cannot avoid. Does he want her to cross that line? Does she want to do it? Should she do it? If the circumstances were different, would she want something to happen between them?

”I–…”

She doesn’t get to answer.

They have forgotten that while it makes for a pretty and adorable accessory, the Comfey is still atop of her head, and it seems as if he has had enough of Lance for today. Suddenly letting go of the thread holding its flowers, it uses it to swiftly smack the ranger captain right across the face. It probably doesn’t hurt all that much, but it’s enough to make Lia take a step away in surprise:

”Wha– Lei! Oh, Arceus... Are you okay?”

She reaches to touch his cheek so very gently, both concern and embarrassment being written across her face.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

That’s all it takes for him to change his tune?

In the back of her mind, there’s the thought of how he is her captain, and of how he really shouldn’t be this close to her or whispering like that. In the forefront, though? In the forefront there’s the memories of that one day at the hot springs, and the thought of how he’s still too handsome for her to pretend she’s not aware of that, or of what he’s doing.

What can she even say to that?

He’s probably just teasing her, right?

Not without first taking a deep breath, she looks at him, meeting his gaze. And, since there’s suspicion, she asks a simple question, her cheeks still flushed and still pouting just a little:

”...Warm up how?”

This is definitely not what Lia had imagined becoming a ranger would be like.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉