Rook felt... nervous. It had been quite some time since the last time he'd ever felt worried about something he'd done or said. For the most part, he was shameless and didn't often sit on his thoughts long enough to question his actions. However, right then, he could only wonder if maybe he could change the trajectory of this situation, but he couldn't. It wasn't like he could choose to un-steal from the other man. It wasn't like he regretted the act, but rather he hated the fact he didn't know that the curator was hot. Maybe that was a bit shallow, but he was a shallow person.
[break][break]
"Haha... I know, right?" He wasn't laughing because it was funny. He was laughing because he was embarrassed and uncomfortable and really wished all of this would just be over with already. It was pretty clear to him right then that the other man would rather do anything else other than go on a date with him. Frankly, Rook couldn't blame him for that. He was an idiot.
[break][break]
Rook was about ready to sink through the cracks in the floor, melt under the surface of the earth so that maybe he could ruminate over his mistakes alone. His shoulders were ready to sink and a despondent tone accentuated his voice. But then Lam didn't reject him, quite the opposite. Immediately, he perked up. "Really?"
[break][break]
Only if he could make it worth it? He wasn't entirely confident about that, but he could certainly try. Cute, he could feel a stupid smile form on his face, just the slightest ounce of heat in his cheeks. "Oh good... well do you wanna maybe go get food or a drink or I don't know we could just... walk or something."
[break][break]

+ lam logan | let him date you, lam!

Hesitantly, Rook reached out towards the bird with the massive beak. He was a tiny bit nervous considering it did look like it could easily weaponize that colorful beak. But then it tipped its head a little, allowing him to scratchy the soft feathers there. “Oh wow… cool.” Most of his pokemon had been unwanted, choosing him because it was better than being unwanted or alone (at least that was how Rook perceived it). It was still cool to feel something wild simply submit to contact.
[break][break]
“I didn’t squeal, it just caught me off guard.” He said, face feeling a little hot at the realization that he had, in fact, squealed. How embarrassing. He nodded at the question, not quite wanting their outing to end.
[break][break]
Lam seemed to attract birds on a weird spiritual level. They couldn’t give two damns about him, but Lam they loved. They were practically fighting over him. The Noctowl flew away, having been chased away by Lam’s other owlish companion. “Wow you’re just bird bait, huh?” He laughed at that, wishing in a way that he could have the same easy connections. He didn’t expect the peculiar wild pokemon that followed. They seemed to be popping up out of the woodwork today.
[break][break]
It wasn’t a bird, so apparently Lam didn’t have the same compelling power over it. It was still clearly curious though, not dangerous. “Oh look at him, he had cool little pants.” And a mohawk.
[break][break]
“So… how did you.. Teach me.” He gestured from Lam at the Scrafty.


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+ lam logan | he's not ready :'3

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Well this was an unforgivable CATASTROPHE and, for once, he wasn't being dramatic. Rook couldn't exactly count himself among the debonair and smooth type, but he had enough usual charm to talk just about anyone into his hijinks. Yet, right then, he couldn't talk this guy into maybe entertaining a date with him? Sure, so maybe he had tried to rob him and that might have diminished his chances, but surely he could recover from that, right? This wasn't a lost cause, he hoped at least.
[break][break]
The way the other was gawking at him wasn't exactly assisting him with his stumbling confidence. Not that it was inherently the other's fault or anything. Rook stumbled, trying to catch this faltering attempt at a pick up (which was burning and crashing faster than a meteorite). 
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"I wouldn't say looking for, exactly... but yeah I guess. What? No, this isn't... I don't really uh.. do this... much." That much was clear. He scratched at the back of his head nervously, letting loose an anxious little laugh. It sounded quite pathetic to his ears.
[break][break]
Truthfully, he was surprised the other hadn't yet slammed the door in his face. Instead, he slipped out the door until they were both in the same bubble of space. His name? He was an idiot, wasn't he?
[break][break]
"Oh yeah haha I guess I skipped that part. My name is Ikarus... Ikarus Rook, you can call me Rook though. And you are?" He might have already stalked him enough to know his address and social security number by that point.
[break][break]

+ lam logan | let him date you, lam!

All things considered, he thought things were going rather well. Not really a matter of optimism, he simply was confident in his ability to weasel out of bad situations. Whether or not that included his circumstantial partner in crime, well... he was only responsible for one person in this predicament. It was nice to do things with a partner for once, after all, when things got dicey, he just had to be the one that got away.[break][break]
"Now, who said anything about unguarded?" Rook was, first and foremost, an actor. With a stage-presence befitting someone far more qualified than him. It wasn't his fault if they fell for the con. However, in this case, he was rather disappointed that idle chit-chat turned out to not be credible information for a heist. "I know though, it's so strange. Why would they lie to me?" He was such a trust worthy guy.[break][break]
"Keep 'em busy will you?" He asked to the Haunter that was trailing behind them. There was nothing the Oogie enjoyed quite as much as being a terror, so at least he could count on that slowing them down. Rook relied heavily upon an ill-conceived and ungodly level of luck, which had often seemed to follow him as misguidedly as his own pokemon did.
[break][break]Apparently, however, having a partner did not inherent the same level of lucky breakthroughs. "Rides?" He looked down at the sole remaining pokemon companion he'd thought to bring along with him, a Nickit. Not exactly big enough to ride. "Ethically, no."


[break][break]

+ Isaac Merlo

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

There was absolutely no likelihood that he would be a pro of anything within his lifetime. Not that he said that part out loud. It was already nice that Lam had chosen to ignore the glaring fact that Rook was a bit of a loser. Really, there was no reason why the other would want to be around him, right? At least not one that Rook could easily accept. It was better not to ask questions or make the glaring red flags about him any brighter. In all likelihood, it wouldn't matter, but he could at least enjoy it while it lasted.
[break][break]
Suddenly, a bright colored bird popped from the underbrush, looking terribly pissed off by the inconvenience of them. Like the bird whisperer that he was, Lam was a natural, of course. It made him pause, staring at the other in captivated awe at just how easily he bridged that gap with the wild pokemon. For that stretch of time, he didn't speak for fear that he would somehow ruin the moment.
[break][break]
All he could think about was how big that beak was and how easy it would be to poke out his eye if he did something stupid, which was pretty much a certainty.
[break][break]
Good luck in romance, he needed all the luck he could get so maybe it was a good thing they'd happened upon this strange bird. It was also extremely cute to see Lam stumble over the mention of romance and marriage, even if the prospect was understandably daunting. "Heh... always need a touch of luck so..."
[break][break]
Before he could add to was what likely going to be a charmless additive, something else was bristling in the undergrowth before a Hitmontop was poking its head out, looking properly rattled. "Eeek shoo, go away." Rook stared back at it before dark tendrils slipped out from under Rosie's mask, waving in the air at the strange pokemon until it got the hint it was better simply to run from the unusual ensemble of characters.


[break][break]

+ lam logan | he's not ready :'3

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

The day wasn't supposed to be eventful, in fact, it was supposed to be quite the opposite. Even if Rook didn't exactly know how to do chill days. He didn't even have a real job, not really at least. No matter how much he tried to contest that there was some merit in his career, the reality was he was a human rat. He was a thief, there was no value in that. After having been caught and narrowly escaped from that embarrassing ordeal, he was willing to put it all behind him. He was willing to do that by stalking the guy that had caught him. It wasn't even for a terribly good reason, like checking on him to make sure no police report had been made. No... he was just curious.[break][break]
The guy was good looking, for sure. But that last thing he'd probably want to do was date the guy that tried to steal from him. Rook felt like an idiot, but that didn't deter him from continuing to follow the man like a lovesick dog. Maybe he could convince him that it'd all been a joke, a prank, or an audition for a play. That was really stupid though and no one would believe that.
[break][break]
"How does this sound...." He said down to Rosie, who was watching with her usual blank expression. "I know we might not have had the best first impression but.... no.. that was bad. I know I seem like was trying to steal from you but..... but I was. And you turned out to be hot so now I regret it, he's gonna think I'm an asshole... great." He was an asshole though, considering that was actually the closest thing to the truth.
[break][break]
Before he could consider what he was going to say, he was moving. There was ill-placed confidence in his stride, which was more so a stupid sense of invincibility. Maybe it would be better to get some stress out by dumpster diving. He could find him some cool stuff. No. No, he couldn't do that.
[break][break]
The door to the coffee shop nearly took him off the census. Pure luck was the only reason his nose wasn't taken off his face. He let out a surprised squeak, eyes wide as he stared at the same face that had stared at him in shock at the gallery. "Oh... yeah... that's me. Haha, so funny, right?" What was he doing?
[break][break]
"What? No, I'm not here to take anything from you... I was... wondering if you wanted... to maybe go out." The last few words were uttered at such a light volume that it was nearly incomprehensible.


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+ lam logan | let him date you, lam!