he had thought it unusual, which probably added to his mounting frustration, that concord requested his presence in lilycove. not that he had anything against it, mind you, but it was just an additional inconvenience to make the trip from evergrande to this coastal city.

[break][break] luciano fisk walks in on paxton concordas mid-change, his torso revealed just slightly. unlike a normal person who might have looked away at such immodest displays, the artist does no such thing. his gaze not waver from concord's own.

[break][break] it is only the cackling tenor of one CALLISTA MOON that threatens to draw his attention.

[break][break] 'have fun on your date, old man!'

[break][break] his brow twitches.

[break][break] "is there something you could offer me?" he asked dryly. 'in this establishment?' is the implication.

[break][break] in his hands, still lay the bouquet of peonies. his hands tighten around the stem.

[attr="class","ooc"] paxton concordas [break]
sleepless in slateport [break][break]

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

"ah.."

[break][break] luci looks down upon concord as their hands meet. there is a tingling sort of sensations where their skin meets, and luci turns his palm over, tangling his fingers together to ground them.

[break][break] "ironic, concord," he said, a bit dryly, though not without some amusement either.

[break][break] "you enjoy this sort of thing?"

[break][break] the longer he stayed on the ride, at least, the more settled he became. at least, if he focused on the look in concord's eyes as he looked at him and not the spinning and screaming children beside them.

[attr="class","ooc"] paxton concordas [break]

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

'sorry for the late phone call.'

[break][break] he hadn't been asleep. he'd been in his study, propped on a stool and staring at a blank easel when the phone call had come through. but he'd let it go to voicemail.

[break][break] 'i can't meet up tomorrow'

[break][break] it wasn't the first time, either. sure, concordas had made up for the masquerade by taking him on a date to the carnival, but luci didn't forget. he couldn't forget the sight of his concordas in another man's arms, swept cleanly across beautiful tile and sprinkled with dazzling gold light.

[break][break] 'i'd like to see you, even if it's just 15 minutes.'

[break][break] bitterness grew in luci's chest as he brought a paintbrush to the page, swathing it first in wide, angry strokes. red, blue, black. dots of sapphire along an alabaster skyline, blotting out gray to transition to a stormy cloud. crashing waves.

[break][break] he wanted more than anything to say no. he wanted more than anything to ignore it.

[break][break] he couldn't.

[break][break]

[break][break] days later, the sculptor appears at nowhere else but the lilycove precinct.

[break][break] his nose wrinkled at all the foul-smelling things appearing from officers who likely hadn't bathed in days, from detectives who were still pouring over their notes from the day before. he heard the rushed voices of two people rolling past, speaking of something including dewford and sealstones and... eternatus?

[break][break] wrapping his knuckles twice against a nameplate that read captain, the sinnoh native stepped through.

[break][break] in his hands, a bouquet of bright pink peonies.

[break][break] "am i early?"

[attr="class","ooc"] paxton concordas [break]
sleepless in slateport [break][break]

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

it was in that moment that luci decided.

[break][break] he hated carnival rides.

[break][break] growing up, he had never had the opportunity. the fisks had always placed their children in countless after-school activities and lessons, to hone in on their craft that had been decided for them at birth. luci's life had been filled with stencils and paint and point chisels.

[break][break] not once did he know the thrill of a ride.

[break][break] his heart lurched, his stomach twisting into knots; luci wanted to throw up, and he wanted to throw up on concord. but that would have been too mortifying to name, so instead he reaches his hands around the center disk and covers paxton concordas's hands with his own.

[break][break] clutching on for dear life.

[attr="class","ooc"] paxton concordas [break]

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

[attr="class","luci2"]

"oh, i can relate to that."

[break][break] his own pokemon were either gifts from his family, or the occasional fan who had thought it imperative that the sculptor knew exactly how much they appreciated him. the majority of the time, however, he gave them away or even sold them. sometimes mint frost decided to save them.

[break][break] "pokemon can be quite the inspiration too, every so often."

[break][break] he smiled gently, eyes drawn to the line that tugs.

[break][break] "family too."

[attr="class","ooc"] Laurence Anderson

☉

"teacups it is," he said.

[break][break] luci was ignorant to his date's nerves. to him, concord exuded confidence like no one else ever had. it was why he had felt pulled to him in that dusty art room, in a way that he had never felt before.

[break][break] a way that persisted for the years to come.

[break][break] the artist steps through the turnstyle before looking at the giant teacups placed around them. a child ran past them, stealing the one right in front of them, and a vein pulsed in luci's forehead. luckily, once again concord's competence saved them; he had secured one for the both of them.

[break][break] "interesting."

[break][break] gently, he placed his hands around the round surface and attempted to move it. it was locked in place.

[break][break] soon enough, the sounds of machines stir up.

[break][break] the ride was starting.

[attr="class","ooc"] paxton concordas [break]

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

rides?

[break][break] "what kind of rides?"

[break][break] luci had never been to an amusement park. that should have been obvious in itself. why would noemi let any of her children waste time here?

[break][break] however, concord then points to their options.

[break][break] none of it seems appealing to him. maybe the flying chairs, but even then, he felt trepidation at the thought of dropping into the unknown.

[break][break] he looks over at the other, sighing.

[break][break] "you choose. i don't care where we go, as long as i'm with you, concord."

[attr="class","ooc"] paxton concordas [break]

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

[attr="class","luci2"]

he blinks.

[break][break] suddenly, there is chaos as the blond takes out his other family.

[break][break] for a moment, luci feels overwhelmed. he's never seen so many pokemon before, so much chaos, but then he turns his head and finds himself settling into the sweet seafoam of Laurence Anderson eyes.

[break][break] "nice to meet you all." he bobs his head gently at the pokemon, though his interest is far from them and instead for the young boy who called them all family.

[break][break] "you like pokemon, then? where did you find them all?"

[break][break] his lips upturn into a quirk of a smile.

[break][break] "did you catch them all?"

[attr="class","ooc"] Laurence Anderson

☉

more than adequate.

[break][break] comfortability settles in his chest once more, rising and falling as he looks at the redhead across the table from him. good. @symon still understood his worth.

[break][break] he pauses for a moment, as he listens to his ex's story. if memory served correctly, luci had been at that contest as well...

[break][break] "i would have voted for you, symon."

[break][break] he smiles gently, taking a sip of his drink.

[break][break] "i'm sure you were lovely."

[attr="class","ooc"] @symon [break]

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

polaroid?

[break][break] a thought flutters close. perhaps it would not be so bad to have a physical reminder of this afternoon. especially if this was to be his only memory of it —

[break][break] but then paxton is holding him close, his gentle touch dragging luciano away from the onlookers and into a private alcove.

[break][break] snap. snap. snap.

[break][break] luciano blinks a bit dazed as he looks at the phone in front of him. his thumb brushes against the screen, his expression narrowed as he takes in each of them with careful consideration.

[break][break] "they are wonderful, concord," he says, lips upturned in a smile before he hands it back. "make sure to send them to me. i will get them printed one day for us both."

[break][break] his head tilts.

[break][break] "where are we off to next?"

[attr="class","ooc"] paxton concordas [break]

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