somewhere, someone lets out a disjointed howl after stepping on a fucked up stunfisk. but avery and parker are too far away to hear it, so does it really exist?

"uhh, speak for yerself. i clean up good." there was that time she went to the holiday party. even put on mascara? which made her look kinda crazy, but in a hot butch kind of way. the glitter she could've done without, but her hair stylist had thought otherwise. 

yoinky sploinky the murder machine comes back with a half-dead mawile and some of the people enjoying their lattes beside them gape with open mouths. parker waves. 

"sure, yeah, next week. and uh, y'know," she starts, "if you gotta hit your quota, i got some time to take a couple jobs. can hit my beat too. got a couple people i needa shakedown soon."

avery jones

☉

she is, by all accounts, completely oblivious to nomi's fidgeting and bumbling on account of any jealousy or existential trauma. she notices enough to raise a brow at her, but then she squats down right next to avery while she squeezes maisey's perfect chubby cheeks and pushes the pupper down. 

she whines, exposes her belly for the not-so-secret-secret belly rubs and nips playfully at the toes of avery's shoes. 

"oh right. i forgot to tell ya 'bout the ciders ave sent. ave, nomes used to own a brewery." then real life and saving the world and every other bullshit got in the way of that, but y'know, that part can remain unsaid.

"'kay, so i'm starvin' 'n sloppy sam's is still around." she jerks her chin real quick over to nomi. "best chili dogs in town an' their fries? slap. then was thinkin' maybe we'd stop by the candy shop?"

avery jones Naomi Sato

☉

maisey absolutely loses her fucking mind when she hears the sound of avery's voice. the ball is completely forgotten as she hastily gets to her feet, slobber dribbling down both sides of her mouth. her rump wriggles so hard parker thinks she might dislocate her hips and when she nears, she barrels through nomi's handshake with a shoulder-clapping hug. 

"yeah, i'unno if i want my sis callin' you babe, nomes," parker teases. 

she doesn't notice the awkward lull. she's too happy to see the two of them standing next to each other. like worlds colliding. it makes her realize just how fucking empty she's been without her sis. nomi's perfect, but ave's blood and ain't nothing can replace that. 

"mhm, this is kowabunga," she says, steel-blue eyes flickering up to the shiny eye. "and oh my god, please pet mais before she absolutely loses her shit." 

avery jones Naomi Sato

☉

remus knows something's coming before the inferno races towards them. the jackal's appendages glow, head turning, and the light dies from its paws quickly enough for parker to seize nomi closer and protect her from whatever approaches. 

flames dance around them, but while nomi panics, parker's gaze hardens. her eyes water from the smoke, but their attackers aren't coming at them from the shadows. the only unown floating around them is mr k-man. 

"i lied," she says gently, dropping her mouth close to nomi's ear. "got a little anger left for these fucks."

Isaac Merlo 's gifts, hanging off her hip, are slipped over her knuckles. the firelight dances over the brass. one nod at remus and the lucario takes over as nomi's protector, sheltering her with body and mind. parker stands, clangs her fists together, and grins when the tornado of fire is smothered by another wave of flame. 

amulius' blaze kick steals the air, leaving their surroundings smoldering. 

"ayo, councilbitch and - you." who? she doesn't fucking know. but she recognizes the stupid familiarity of not remembering and shoves that away with a shrug of her shoulders, a raising of her arms. "you want her? you gotta get through me."

Naomi Sato PENELOPE LIVY Gunner Graves

☉

she's seen worse, all things considered, but that's never made her feel better about it before. nomi sleeps on, remus beside her with pale pink pulses emanating from his palms, and parker prays with every minute that passes that those drk triad fucks don't find them.

king gave her the rundown after she stopped yelling in the most king way possible and it's only added to the foul backyard mud pie soup stirring in her gut - full of anxiety, paranoia, and undying devotion. 

you idiot. you stupid, beautiful too-good-for-this-world idiot, she thinks when nomi's lashes flutter, as she curls towards her like she thinks parker could ever walk away from her. not in a million and one other universes. 

even in that other one, she came around, didn't she?

"i know. i know, baby. it's okay." rough knuckles smooth gently over nomi's pale cheek. she thumbs her lower lip and then reaches to cradle her closer. 

"don't worry; i got all my anger out on wayland." this she says with a wolfish grin, but the playful smile doesn't meet her eyes. 

Naomi Sato  Gunner Graves PENELOPE LIVY

☉

at least, at this point, parker knows what to expect out of rocket scientists. there's a zero percent chance she's going to be able to persuade him that maybe territorial, rabid, angry pokemon that probably shouldn't exist down here aren't supposed to be fucked with. and gods know she wouldn't be able to argue quietly.

so she shares a look with amulius and she creeps closer, giving alba enough distance so she doesn't encroach on any Important Scientific Studies, but close enough where she can be spurred into action if the thing wakes up.

"okay," she whispers, "it does actually look kinda cute when it's not all murdery."

Alba Evovae

☉

"babe, i lived in a glorified shed." most days, they were lucky they had electricity or running water. wasn't until a couple years after parker was old enough to read and understand the bills on the table that she could figure out how to pay 'em and even then, squirreling the cash away to do so was a bitch and a half. 

parker stretches out her arms. fingertip to fingertip, they touch the walls, and she says, "becky, please. we told you we have the money. can the next one not be poopy garbage?"

maisey's panting by the time they've gotten there. it's a couple neighborhoods away, nestled on a fairly busy streetcorner, but there's a cafe around the corner that sells some boss ass donuts parker loves. a modest juliet balcony overlooks a small slice of backyard and the interior is definitely homier.

"mmm, close 'nough to your la-work. place. the workplace. where you work. look, nomes, the fridge has two doors."

Naomi Sato

☉