"Not presently," Klaus grumbles inaudibly through gritted teeth. Lost in his racing thoughts, Klaus barely notices as the shadows around him draw closer and closer until he turns a corner and is faced with utter darkness. There he pauses, his brow furrowed in confusion before the source of the trouble reveals itself; a pair of luminous eyes hang in the air, the faint outline of a Haunter's hands soon manifest.
[break][break]
"Fuck," snarls Klaus, his hand lightly tapping his Litwick. A Fire Spin followed by an Inferno sends the ghost howling in pain, and a pokeball is tossed to rid the area of the menace.
[break][break]
With that accomplished Klaus swiftly ascends the last level of the decrepit research facility, the sunlight brilliant when he steps into the light. The young man nonetheless barely pauses, his hand going to retrieve a pokeball to release his Lapras into the nearby water. Not looking back, Klaus gives a single wave goodbye before he's atop his Lapras's back and cutting through the water away from Beau.
[break][break]
It's not until he's a good nautical mile away that Klaus's expression falls into exasperation, panic, and bewilderment.
[break][break]
What the hell was all that?

[break][break]

+ Beau Fontaine [break]
+ Catching Haunter!

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Klaus hazards a glance over to the surfboard in question, an uncertain half-smile hitching across his lips. After a moment's thought he gives a little nod of agreement and manages to eke out a soft, "Okay."

[break][break]
Motion and arguing down the beach finally draws Klaus's attention, his brow furrowing at the sight of police stopping a couple to demand searching their things. Pulling an expression for a bare moment, he looks down once more at his phone as if checking the time before choking out, "I've got to get on shift." He doesn't, not for a few hours yet, but what Beau doesn't know won't hurt him.

[break][break]
"Shit."

[break][break]
The phone once more shoved into his pocket, Klaus instead retrieves a pokeball, revealing a Dhelmise from its depths. The ghost's single roving eye settles balefully upon Beau, palpable menace chilling the air as the man is stared down - the death-glare is soon gone as Klaus reaches out and touches the Dhelmise, his voice finally working enough to utter, "Phantom Force towards home."

[break][break]
With a wail, the Dhelmise's ghostly kelp flails for a moment before wrapping around Klaus's wrist, the young man's free hand lifting to offer an uncertain wave to Beau before the pair disappear from sight.

[break][break]

+ Beau Fontaine

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"It's just a smile," Klaus murmurs - a certain panic rises to the back of his throat as he realises Beau has, unfortunately, accepted his offer of a tour, his throat constricting to cut off any more words. His racing thoughts, however, stutter to a screaming halt when he finds himself pressed up against Beau's side in a half-hug, his eyes wide and hands scrabbling against the other's torso for balance.
[break][break]
"The hell," he snaps out without any venom, his brows drawn together and hands immediately jerking back as if the skin-to-skin touch burned. Still flushing, and wholly uncertain how to answer, Klaus instead takes back his phone and stares at it for an awkward moment; hesitantly, he glances back up to Beau.
[break][break]
Did he want Beau to actually come out? Giving a tour wouldn't be that bad, all things considered. Plus, it might help to know more public faces in the League. If he ever did get caught maybe this golden retriever of a man would vouch for it being an odd one-off, no need to press chargers officer. It's worth a shot, he guesses.
[break][break]
It probably doesn't hurt he finds Beau's easy on the eyes.
[break][break]
"Do you -" Klaus starts before silencing himself. His eyes pressing closed in embarrassment, the smaller man bites at his lower lip as he tries to force his mouth to work. Failing that quite spectacularly, instead only managing a soft noise, Klaus diverts his attention to is phone. With somewhat shaky hands he manages to unlock the device again and navigates to his contacts. A blank listing pulled up, Klaus offers his phone back to Beau once more and simply hopes the taller man takes the damn hint; his hands now free to move, he signs out a single word:
[break][break]
<<Number.>>

[break][break]

+ Beau Fontaine

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Walking at a leisurely pace as he makes his way through Sootopolis towards the air-taxis, Klaus hums a curiously note when his phone pings. He pulls up to a stop, his brow furrowing in confusion at the text directing him to turn around and head back towards the city.

[break][break]
"The fuck," he utters in confusion, reading over the text twice before heaving a deeply unsatisfied sigh. Of course he's been paired with Mars and of course it's to corral someone's anxiety-ridden Absol of all things. Silently cursing Rocket as a whole as he picks his way back through the streets to the indicated address, Klaus lifts his hand to haphazardly wave at Mars when the businessman comes into view.

[break][break]
"Aren't you located in like, Slateport," Klaus asks as he nears, unable to help the slight wrinkle of his nose as he peers up at Mars. Reminded of his last meeting with the man, in which Klaus nearly died at the hooves of a careening Spectrier through the woods, he peers around for a moment as if to ensure the horse is nowhere in sight.

[break][break]
Then, before Mars can actually answer, "We're chasing Absol?"


[break][break]

+ Martín del Mar

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"Gym," Klaus repeats, looking a touch pale and reserved at the news. Beau ran a Gym? Searching his thoughts, he eventually comes up with a passing news article about new gyms leaders in both Mossdeep and Dewford opening at roughly the same time. Shit.
[break][break]
His thoughts are abruptly stalled at Beau's assessment at how a lighthouse works. Slowly, incredulously, his magenta-pink gaze lifts to settle on Beau's face, his brow furrowing and it seeming for a time he's truly irritated with the slab of muscle before him. Suddenly, however, a sharp laugh spills from Klaus's throat, a mirthful, "What?" sounding from the smaller man. "No there's no fucking -" he breaks off again, laughing as his hand lifts to rub at his cheek. "Fuck's sake you're as bad as the kids. It's all electric, Lilycove's lighthouse is modernized."
[break][break]
"Arceus. Come out some time, I'll give you a tour," Klaus offers, his mouth wholly running away from him before he realizes his mistake. The police now forgotten for the time being, and blushing anew, his hand lifts to rub at the back of his burning neck. "If - you want to," he mumbles, hoping Beau isn't as interested in the damn inner workings of the lighthouse as the elementary school kids who swarm his shores in the spring.
[break][break]
He's distracted from his mistake by Beau's enthusiasm about surfing. Blinking once, Klaus allows himself the pleasure of letting his gaze roam over Beau before answering, "Yeah. Not as much recently, it's getting hard on my dad's knees so we usually dive instead, but I hit the waves a couple times a year when I get the chance."
[break][break]
An idea seeming to take him, he digs in his pocket for his phone and flips through myriad pictures before offering the device to Beau to display the surfboard Klaus leans against his hip; clad in a tight black bodysuit with pink accents, Klaus smiles warmly from the photo, his hand lifted to display a peace sign. Pointing to the board in the picture, a small blue shortboard decorated with Finneon he murmurs, "That's my fish board. I don't think I have any picture of my other boards though."

[break][break]

+ Beau Fontaine

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

His face still set in a scowl, Klaus holds up abruptly as he realizes Beau seems to actually follow his signed words, only to pull an expression of utmost exasperation at the mention of a damn baby. Of course Beau isn't fluent, why would anyone be fluent. Bitter now, all thoughts immediately flee his mind at the sudden appearance of the Tentacruel once more, and he yelps in shock. Pushing away from the the writhing tentacles and back against Beau, the taller man is soon in front of of Klaus to ward off any attack; as Beau and his Pangoro occupy themselves with the Tentacruel, Klaus notes the shell of a Shedinja appear.
[break][break]
Gritting his teeth, he lightly taps his Litwick who launches a Fire Spin at the bug before it can attack the group. A pokeball soon follows in an effort to keep the Shedinja occupied and out of the fight - that's all Klaus needed was for Beau to look at the hole in the thing's back and die. Today was bad enough as it was.
[break][break]
He soon exhales softly as the chaos of the fight settles, only to find himself staring up at Beau as he finds his shoulders clasped. A blush immediately flares across Klaus's skin, and he glances away, his hand lifting to sign <<Yes>> followed by a strangled, barely audible, "I'm fine." Then, even softer, "Thanks." Klaus chances a look back up to Beau, doing his best not to note their closeness, or how if he just leaned up a bit and tilted his head -
[break][break]
A bout of nervous, flighty laughter suddenly spills from Klaus's lips. He jerks back from Beau's grip abruptly, stepping around the man as he lets out a strangled, "We're almost outside."
[break][break]
He grips his Litwick tighter to his chest. This day needs to end.
[break][break]


[break][break]

+ Beau Fontaine [break]
+ Catching Shedinja!

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Shifting his weight back to counterbalance against Beau, Klaus releases the other's hand quickly as if the touch burned, his other hand releasing the heart-shaped glasses to settle back onto his nose; they do little to detract from is growing blush, and indeed the pink lenses only serve to highlight his cheeks colour.
[break][break]
"Hey, Wade," he greets the Vaporeon haltingly before he continues, "Just - taking the afternoon before I'm on shift." His thumb jerking back over his shoulder towards the lighthouse only-just visible in the distance, Klaus supplies, "I work there. I'm down here a lot."
[break][break]
Best to leave out his light-to-moderate criming.
[break][break]
"Uh-" he then stalls at the compliment, his gaze casting awkwardly away from Beau for a moment before he hazards slowly, "Thanks." Uncertain whether he's being teased or not, Klaus pauses to look over his shoulder, his expression pulling as he notes what appears to be police on the outskirts of the crowd.
[break][break]
Shit. Conversation. He can do conversation - look like he's meant to be here. Like - shit.
[break][break]
"Do you surf?" Klaus blurts out suddenly, motioning to the nearby surfboard stuck in the sand as he steps a fraction closer to Beau, forcing a nervous smile to his lips.


[break][break]

+ Beau Fontaine

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Klaus glances over his shoulder as Beau breaks the silence, the venomous "Fuck you" dying in his throat when something akin to concern is expressed for his well-being. He huffs audibly instead, debating the merits of informing Beau how easy it is to drown a man before settling on silence.
[break][break]
He hopes the little chat is over with - but of course he has no such luck.
[break][break]
Instead, Klaus's cheeks heat further as Beau draws attention to their unfortunate game of hide and seek. His clenched fists shaking with anger and embarrassment, he abruptly stops and rounds on Beau after he sets the Litwick down once more. Without a second thought he signs rapidly, his hands cutting through the air with decided anger, <<Just shut the fuck up. I can take care of myself, I don't need a babysitter and have been down here more times than I can count.>>
[break][break]
<<And the next time you think about rummaging through someone's pockets fucking DON'T. What the fuck is wrong with you?>>
[break][break]
His chest heaving as he glares up Beau, Klaus practically trembles with frustration. It's then he notices something slowly phasing up through the floor, the movement drawing his attention away from Beau to the manifesting Golurk now reaching towards the pair. Klaus roughly grabs Beau's arm without warning, jerking him to the side and out of the way before he signs quickly to his Litwick, <<Flash fire.>> He then presses backwards to give the pokemon room, roughly shoving himself against Beau in his haste to get out of the way. As Klaus directs his Litwick via signing, his hands moving to spell out directives for the little candle pokemon who seems quite comfortable with his trainer's silence, the battle is soon over and a pokeball thrown to catch the offending ghost.
[break][break]
His chest heaving out a sigh, Klaus stalks over to retrieve his pokeball and signs roughly to Beau <<Let's go>> without a second thought, his Litwick picked up again.

[break][break]

+ Beau Fontaine

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"Oh," Klaus mumbles vacantly, his brows furrowing together as he takes stock of the little abandoned work area. He then exhales audibly, his hand lifting to rub at one tired eye. Elisabeth's explanation makes sense on a base level, one that Klaus is presently reaching for. Insomnia was a bitch.
[break][break]
"Alright," he says instead, as if contributing to the conversation.
[break][break]
A soft buzz fills the air, and it takes Klaus perhaps a touch too long to recognize and place the appearance of a Vespiquen from the underbrush, the bee pokemon looking none too pleased at the two trainers. "Shit," Klaus suddenly utters, his hands fumbling until he produces a pokeball to release a sleek, soporific looking Typhlosion from its depths. Her little ears perking towards the Vespiquen, the Hisui Typhlosion glances over her shoulder to her trainer.
[break][break]
Arceus he's so tired.
[break][break]
Whatever directive Klaus intends give sticks in his throat, leaving the Typhlosion to fend for herself when an Attack Order is given and myriad Combee make their presence known. With a little huff, appearing almost cheeky at the challenge, flames burst along the Typhlosion's back before the area is consumed in a Smokescreen.



[break][break]

+ Elisabeth Fiorelli

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Klaus was well and truly leery when a host of Absol descended upon the Jagged Pass. His recent experiences with the doomsday dogs, or cats, or whatever they were, kept the young man at a healthy distance from the nearest nervous, ghostly pokemon skulking about with a manic look in its eyes; the Absol practically bounced around with hurricane-force levels of energy and worry rivalled only by Klaus's own anxiety.
[break][break]
Yes, this was an act of self defence. Self preservation at its finest.
[break][break]
"Sludge Bomb," he directs his Skrelp apprehensively.
[break][break]
Arceus he doesn't want to end up in the Emergency Room again.
[break][break]

FaA9lyv0

[break][break]

+

[attr="class","pokeclass"]