“Works for me.”[break][break]

She holds fast to his hand the whole time. Despite the holiday, it’s grown silent out–not that Calla minds all that much. Though she finds it a bit difficult to be patient throughout the time it takes to get there when it’s so quiet and adrenaline hums bright and buzzing in her system.[break][break]

“It’s fine, I don’t care.”[break][break]

Maybe she’s not as compulsively tidy as most would assume.[break][break]

But the state of his apartment isn’t anywhere near the front of her mind, anyway. Though she can’t help, but hum in observation. “It’s a nice place.” That’s about as much conclusion as she supplies, attention shifting squarely back to him instead. A hint sheepishly so.“So..”

[attr="class","ooc"] URIAH BLACK [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-vulpix form-alola"]

Calla doesn’t bother taking a cup along with her like he does. She’s definitely grown wobbly enough on feet without the last round, and the chilly fall air doesn’t sober her up all that much.[break][break]

“Uhhhhhmmm..” the hand not tangled with his rubs at her forehead and then squints up at him. “I don’t think my brother’s home tonight, but is that a risk you wanna take?”[break][break]

Not that she thinks Kieran Roth poses much threat or would act weirdly protective. He’s the sweeter of the two of them, after all. Friendlier by leagues. But it would still be awkward as hell.[break][break]

She doesn’t question his assumption, just rolls with it. Mess, or interruption via brother. Heads or tails.

[attr="class","ooc"] URIAH BLACK [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-vulpix form-alola"]

It’s almost a little nerve-wracking in the few moments between her question and his response. There is still potential for the let down (even if it would be the smarter choice for the both of them,) and the idea of it makes her stomach flutter with dissatisfied nerves.[break][break]

Only for them to twist away and shift into something else when he doesn’t pull from her hand, and says yeah.[break][break]

Her hand squeezes his in return as she turns toward the exit in the short distance, beer pong results long forgotten in favor of what she feels is much better.[break][break]

“Lead on, then.”

[attr="class","ooc"] URIAH BLACK [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-vulpix form-alola"]

There is a lightness she feels that she’s unaccustomed to. She can’t remember the last time she felt like this– it’s almost like she’s acting her age for once instead of like a little old curmudgeon.[break][break]

“Yeah, guess I’m stuck with you a little longer.” Her nose wrinkles as she grins up at him. There are probably worse scenarios, to be honest.[break][break]

“Very lucky.”[break][break]

She glances back over her shoulder at the rest of the party still in motion. At some point, without thinking about it, one of her hands sought out his. Though she might’ve just grabbed one of his fake hands again, she’s not sure.[break][break]

“Do you, uh. Do you wanna go?”

[attr="class","ooc"] URIAH BLACK [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-vulpix form-alola"]

The carefulness in his touch draws a thrill that spreads under her skin, fanning through her like something warm and comfortable. A heavy quilt on a cold winter day. Soothing and exciting all in one.[break][break]

Even under the liquored-produced haze in her head, Calla can feel the saccharine sweetness tucked into how he kisses her, and in how she responds. That sweet tooth achey sort of wanting.[break][break]

And so she finds she doesn’t quite wish it to end, though that’s far from the sensible part of her talking.[break][break]

Her eyes oblige the magnetic pull felt as he stands, staring up at him and holding that connection, just as dumbfounded. She’s never usually in short supply of something (probably annoyingly practical) to say.[break][break]

Cured.[break][break]

Then she laughs. “Look at that. Living to see another day.” No, she doesn’t want it to end. But it’s not like she can scale him like a tree in the middle of a bar or something.

[attr="class","ooc"] URIAH BLACK [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-vulpix form-alola"]

She’s thoroughly swept up in this moment. Too focused on him and the way he smiles at her and how unfailingly bright he always seems to be. Even like this–with extra arms and an abundance of green paint. The party still continuing around them fades to background noise.[break][break]

Her smile widens just a tick as he nods, and she begins to say something like good before it’s snagged from the tip of her tongue as he surges up to kiss her proper.[break][break]

Warmth twists through her, breath caught in her throat as her eyes flutter shut. Her hands slip down along the curve of his jaw, and of course she tilts down to eagerly lean into it. Of course she does, how could she not?

[attr="class","ooc"] URIAH BLACK [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-vulpix form-alola"]

This is very likely not a sensible thing to do, but that is very decidedly Tomorrow Calla’s problem. Right now, she relishes in the diminishing distance and the build of unspoken anticipation.[break][break]

Her hands come up to hold his face, keeping his head steady. Then, leaning in, she presses a kiss against his forehead. Lingers there for a moment before pulling back slightly with a pronounced mmmwah sound.[break][break]

Carefully, she tilts his face back up to look at him again, biting her lip on the silly smile curling on her mouth.[break][break]

“Cured?”

[attr="class","ooc"] URIAH BLACK [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-vulpix form-alola"]

“Yeshh, greevoush.” Normally Calla would be flustered and overthinking things by now, she doesn’t know what’s come over her—actually, it’s all that liquid courage preventing her from shying away, that’s what. That, and the fact, that somehow her guard seems to lower around him.[break][break]

Maybe he’s a magician.[break][break]

“Yikes, I’m not sure if you’re gonna make it.”[break][break]

Her response is littered with poorly contained giggles, only smothered as his face falls into a pronounced pout and suddenly he’s closer than before. She doesn’t draw back.[break][break]

“Oh no, you’re right. It’s me who slew the Uriah’s bomb’s namesake.” Her face twists with a mischievous grin, head tilting just so—[break][break]

“Shall I make it better?”

[attr="class","ooc"] URIAH BLACK [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-vulpix form-alola"]

“Too much or not, it’s given you a leg up.”[break][break]

She shrugs at him, not at all sympathetic given how much she’s had to drink up herself.[break][break]

He looks a sight, half folded in on himself, and squashing his extra arms. It draws a laugh from her before she remembers she’s on a serious mission.[break][break]

She hums in scrutiny, tilting forward just a hair to examine the reddening mark. Her hand rubs at her chin as she makes her diagnosis. “Hmm, I dunno, Uri. It’s looking pretty grievous.”[break][break]

Her inebriation slurs the word. Greevoush.[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] URIAH BLACK [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-vulpix form-alola"]

“How much beer pong have you played?”[break][break]

Calla grimaces as she sucks in a breath. “ohHH oops..” Her fingers cover a mouth, though it’s more to hold back a giggle than out of contrition.[break][break]

Her eyes do dart to where the ball successfully landed, though. “Yeah, it totally counts, it’s in the cup!” Then she totters around to his side of the table. [break][break]

“C’mere, c’mere!” She frantically flaps a hand in summons. And what she means by this, of course, is for him to get on her level because she’s, like, so short.[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] URIAH BLACK [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-vulpix form-alola"]

Yes! He should be impressed…because there’s a very slim chance of it happening again.[break][break]

Smugly, he tosses her ponytail in a swish and dusts her shoulder. “I know, I’m pretty much pro-level at this rate.”[break][break]

The smile affixed to her lips is a dumb sort of wide grin–far from the usual, polite smiles she uses in the office or at their unending meetings.[break][break]

“Good thing you recognize it,” she adds, shooting him a finger gun and a wink. Or at least, she thinks she winked. It might have just been a very blatant blink.[break][break]

His tactic is very much successful, though, because it is only when the ball plunks into the cup that Calla returns to attention. Blue eyes widen as she looks up at the ceiling with a groan.[break][break]

“I dunno how you do this so fast.” He’s way better at holding his liquor. She downs the cup in mostly one go. And when she tries to emulate the way he bounced the ball off the table, she misjudges her force once again and the ball sails straight for Uriah’s forehead.

[attr="class","ooc"] URIAH BLACK [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-vulpix form-alola"]

“Hmmm.”[break][break]

She squints at him skeptically over the rim of the (now empty) red solo cup before setting it to the side. There’s no way he believes her. The response was way too enthusiastic.[break][break]

The thought of heckling him for it flutters away with her shortened attention span.[break][break]

“That’s unhelpful,” she huffs as she dunks the ball and then returns to her side. “If you’re thirsty, you’re more than welcome to just drink up as is. I won’t be complaining.” She gives him a pointed look, but it falls flat as she blinks hazily.[break][break]

No no, she’s gotta focus. Her face screws up as she tries to tailor her throwing and also her aim. This time she lops it and plunks into one of the cups on his side, somewhere in the middle of the pack. “HA!” Finally!
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] URIAH BLACK [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-vulpix form-alola"]

In short, Calla is doomed and she doesn’t even know it.[break][break]

In all fairness, the color persistently resting heavy in her face is from the liquor she’s consumed more than being flustered. But the thought still gets tucked away in the back of her hazy mind.[break][break]

In the wake of her disaster throw, Calla just stares across the table at him before a loud squawk of incredulous laughter erupts from her and she immediately claps her hands over her mouth.[break][break]

“My…my hand slipped!” she claims after a beat, but it is very definitely a lie.[break][break]

Her hands raise to tug at the ears of her headband in dramatic dismay. “Oh noooooo, how did you do that?”[break][break]

Rules are rules, though, so despite her whining, she fishes the ball out and tips the cup back.
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] URIAH BLACK [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-vulpix form-alola"]