All Calla does is watch him back, curious and maybe also a little unsure as to what he might be thinking. But she doesn’t dare speak first, too focused on the hush.[break][break]

Then he smiles and it’s bright like the sun and the moment snaps, but it’s not necessarily in a bad way. They do need to check on their table by now.[break][break]

“Yeah, sounds good to me.” She looks over as she begins the drift back toward the shore. “Lunch soon? Probably high time for it.”

[attr="class","ooc"]URIAH BLACK [break]
mission![break]
valor: helping hand[break]

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

“That’s a real good answer, Uri.” She laughs as he swats her hand and she mimes shaking it like the playful slap stung. “Alllllways right.”[break][break]

Her eyes follow the shift in his, sluggishly so as she tries to pinpoint exactly what he’s looking at. The pong table, ohhhhh… okay so she’s not exactly good at beer pong. Her hand-eye coordination is actually terrible, but-[break][break]

But!!![break][break]

Damn if Cal isn’t competitive. And also lit. “I’m great at beer pong.” Voice airy, maybe a little spacey as she tossed the long strands of her ponytail over one shoulder and grins smugly up at him.“Peer bong champ, even. Beer ping. Pong. You know.”[break][break]

Hand latching onto one of Uriah’s fake ones, she determines to drag him over there.

[break][break]

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


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

The glass is set down triumphantly, and for a moment her head spins. A moment to process, focus swimming to the front of her mind and she looks up at him. Then both hands shoot up into the air over her head as she whoops.[break][break]

Yes. Calla Roth…whooping.[break][break]

“Told ya I’m not!” she declares, one hand dropping just enough to point at him and grinning smugly.[break][break]

Her face feels warm from the alcohol, flushing her cheeks. “Thank you very much, sir.” Prim words and a definitive nod at her fists ball on her hips.
[break][break]

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


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

She doesn’t reply then. Instead, watching him curiously as his hands cover hers and press against her hair. They’re so much bigger than hers, swallowing them up entirely.[break][break]

Her breath flutters in her throat, and then her hands slowly down as well.[break][break]

“Yeah,” she chews on her bottom lip, eyes flirting up to him, then down to her hands just under the surface of the waters, cupping little pools of water in her palms. “I think so too.”[break][break]

Despite the cool ocean, she feels warm.

[attr="class","ooc"]URIAH BLACK [break]
mission![break]
valor: helping hand[break]

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

“Good. Swear I’m not that bad.” Giggly? Definitely. Flirty? Maybe a little. But really she’s just a bit more outgoing than normal—not that she seems to have much difficulty with that around him.[break][break]

Calla gives the bartender a double thumbs up as thanks, so maybe she’s already feelin’ it a lil, but if she was gonna come out tonight to a sports bar in costume, why wouldn’t she have some more fun than usual?[break][break]

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s do this.”[break][break]

Her nerves are fuzzed over, liquid confidence setting in and convincing her that’s she’s got a better handle on it now as she repeats his actions and grabs up her glass to down in much quicker than the first time around.


[break][break]

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


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

“Mm yeah, like those old gummy commercials where their heads inflate.”[break][break]

Calla nods seriously, earnest in playing along as he takes measurements.[break][break]

Her eyes go round in faux-shock. Dainty hands slip up, filling the gap between his hands and her head. “Wow yeah, that’s what all that hot air will do to ya.”[break][break]

That put upon surprise isn’t held onto for long before she’s cracking up yet again.

[attr="class","ooc"]URIAH BLACK [break]
mission![break]
valor: helping hand[break]

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

“Guess I can’t argue with that.” Is Uriah kinda gross but charming? Jury’s out on that one. Maybe also a good acquired taste by her standards, but she’s not copping to that.[break][break]

The look she gives him is unamused to say the least. Flat and somber as her voice. “No, of course not. Do you think I would do that? Me, being…me?”[break][break]

Then it melts always and she laughs, hand already lifting to flag the bartender before pointing at Uriah. She figures that’s indication enough to know what she means.[break][break]

If he really is the only one out here drinking Uriah Bombs.[break][break]

“Really, though. I’ll be fine.” Worst case, he deals with drunk Calla, and she’s heard that she’s a fun time.

[break][break]

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


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

“Mhm, sure you did.”

She’s not exactly good at being soft for extended periods of time. She gives the compliment, and then feels bashful for it, so has to cover that up with some sort of sturdiness. Nothing so vulnerable.[break][break]

That nervous need to only amplifies when his face reddens to a shade softer than the brightness of his hair.[break][break]

“Oh, well now I think you’re getting ahead of yourself there,” Calla responds dryly, but still smiling. She flicks the tiniest bit of water at him.[break][break]

“Let me amend that, filing my first complaint— boss has a big head.”

[attr="class","ooc"]URIAH BLACK [break]
mission![break]
valor: helping hand[break]

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

“Just a little Uriah-shaped smudge on the pavement.” She tuts, then laughs with a shake of her head.[break][break]

“You never know,” Calla shrugs, “can manage just about anything with enough grit.” Then again, she’s no trainer so she’s got no idea. All she knows is how to be a dog who won’t let go of a toy when she decides she wants it. Teeth sunk in.[break][break]

Maybe that’s more like obstinance than grit or determination, but it’s all about perspective, right?[break][break]

She doesn’t miss the way he freezes in place, and for a fleeting moment Cal wonders if she’s done something wrong, but it’s too late to retract now. That would be weird—like she’s just poking his head for no reason.[break][break]

But it does make color dust across her face. “Of course.”[break][break]

Her fingers twist together under the water, fidgety as she toys with her words. “I can’t say I have any complaints, even when you forget a table’s worth of baked goods first thing in the morning.” A nudge, clearly teasing.[break][break]

“I really enjoy working with you, so you’re obviously doing something right.”

[attr="class","ooc"]URIAH BLACK [break]
mission![break]
valor: helping hand[break]

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

Given that she’s like five foot nothing and lil, it’s not much of a surprise that it hits her harder and faster. She wouldn’t call herself a lightweight, but, well.[break][break]

She snorts, brows lifting. “Amazing might be a strong word.”[break][break]

It wasn’t too terrible though. She likes sour candies, and it had sorta the same effect.[break][break]

Her own skeptical expression falters in the wake of his laughter. It melts into a smile, wide and amused.[break][break]

“That’s all?” the words twine with a giggle, “that’s some commitment to an acquired taste.”[break][break]

She’s prepared now, knows what to expect. “Should we do another one?”

[break][break]

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


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

“Don't think you could hack being champ now, huh?”[break][break]

Cal winks as she teases him. All the power to him, really. She’s never been a very proficient battler. But then, she was also always too focused on making sure she and Kieran could get by to really have any lofty trainee aspirations.[break][break]

Her hand lifts up out of the water, stretching up and up to push some hair back where it had matted to his forehead from when she’d tackled him. “Was bugging me,” was the only muttered explanation offered.[break][break]

As she retreats somewhat, she listens to his explanation and a small smile pulls across her mouth. “Oof, that sounds harrowing.” Fielding former employee feedback sounds like an ordeal even she wouldn’t want to undergo.[break][break]

“That’s an admirable goal, though. A considerate one.” It definitely makes someone at her own rank feel valued.

[attr="class","ooc"]URIAH BLACK [break]
mission![break]
valor: helping hand[break]

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

Despite the fact that she has the call and starts in immediately, he easily overtakes her–obviously more used to the taste than she is. The tartness makes her face twist up even as she’s chugging. Her tongue wants to curl up in response[break][break]

But she does as he’d instructed and a few seconds later her glass is thumped down next to his.[break][break]

Calla exhales a heavy breath afterward, and lifts her arm to wipe at her mouth with her sleeve. “Yeah, uh,” her words break off as she finally sputters, “yeah, I’d say so.”[break][break]

The effects of chugging all of the drink goes straight to her head, and she has to blink a few times to clear out the static. Swallow down the warm burn in her throat.[break][break]

Then she grins up at him. “Could be worse, yeah?”

[break][break]

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


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

“Is it what you thought you’d be doing now?” she asks in follow up.[break][break]

It would be a lie to say she doesn’t consider her own benefit in the conversation—how learning his responses will allow her to align her own ideals to improve her work. But Calla also genuinely wants to know.[break][break]

Her business mind isn’t always the sharpest, but she does her best to keep up, and Calla likes to think she does a decent enough job of it. Obviously it’s enough to keep her employed there, even if she’s mostly handling his affairs and agenda.[break][break]

Still— this is interesting to her. And she only knows the work in progress that Uriah has already started to mold. “What sort of company is that? How did it differ?”

[attr="class","ooc"]URIAH BLACK [break]
mission![break]
valor: helping hand[break]

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