Hubris was gonna be her downfall.[break][break]

Challenging him proved to be a bad call as a surge of water was sent in her direction. Cringing away with her hands lifted, she yelps despite the smile stubbornly fixed to her lips.[break][break]

“Uriah!” she tries to reprimand him when he darts toward her. Trying to scoot away is a little difficult for her, given that the water comes up higher on her than him, and the heavy fabric of her soaked sundress slows her down.[break][break]

Doggy paddling away…also ineffective.[break][break]

So it takes little time before she’s being lifted up again, goosebumps prickling across her skin when the air hits it. She bites her tongue on telling him to put her down because then he’ll just dunk her again. Aquamarine eyes dart to his, obviously trying to put together what his goal is.

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

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

“You missed out,” she replied with a snort, only to smack back at the other arms sent in her direction with a huff. “Hey, unfair advantage!”[break][break]

The hand not hanging onto the neck of her bottle lifts to press against her collarbone, as if in offense. “Do you really think I’m boujee? Wine preference or not, that needs to be fixed.”[break][break]

Maybe it’s her own fault he thinks so, given that she acts so prim and proper at work. But Calla’s never really managed to have truly refined taste.[break][break]

If she was actually boujee, she probably would not be drinking beer at a sports bar right now. She’s just a homebody—that’s her scene.[break][break]

“Well that’s lame. Think I should get the origin story if you wanna convince me to try it.”

[break][break]

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


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

Her nose wrinkles. “Good call. Though a zombie machamp wouldn’t have be bad if you wanted to spook people.”[break][break]

Calla reaches out, and smacks at one of the attached arms. “You could totally clothesline someone my height with one of these. Completely taken out.” She would need to be careful of them.[break][break]

Glancing at them, her brow lifts as she tilts back her beer bottle for a swig. “What kinda place do you think is my vibe, then?” At least he knew what wasn’t.[break][break]

But hey, she’s still here now though.[break][break]

He directs her attention, and she turns. “The Uriah Bomb, huh?” She hums thoughtfully. “First of all, how’d you manage to get a drink named for you? Second, are you gonna wrangle me into getting one?”

[break][break]

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


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

“Thanks.”[break][break]

Calla gave Klaus another appreciative pat on his dark, glossy feathers for the work done. Then she watched Liam as he hopped down, and while normally she might’ve refused the assistance, she was feeling a bit wobbly.[break][break]

Her hand on his arm, she allowed him to help her down. Immediately, she stooped to pick up Turnip, who had quickly tottered over. “It won’t be that long.” That was as much of a ‘yes, I’ll go’ as he was getting.[break][break]

Turning to head back into the building, Cal paused and glanced at him over her shoulder. “You can come up, if you want.”


[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Liam Cassius m: cuckoo in the nest [break]


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

“Well you asked for it.”[break][break]

Normally Calla isn’t known for her playfulness. It’s something that is rarely, if ever, coaxed out into the light of day. But it’s nice in the moment, isn’t it?[break][break]

It begins to sink in, when she registers the fact that his arms are still around her waist. Heat lifts to color her face, and burn at the tip of her nose, but as if on cue, Uriah lets go.[break][break]

Calla lingers in close space too. At least until he speaks again, and then she is floating back. But only just out of arm's reach as she treads water.[break][break]

Another bark of laughter, incredulous. “Prove it.”

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

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

Oh. No wonder she couldn’t find him despite the considerable height advantage he has over her.[break][break]

“Hey,” she returns, hand lifting in faint greeting and still openly gawking at Uriah and his get up.[break][break]

Calla takes the offered bottle gratefully, and finally a quiet laugh slips out. “Speak for yourself! You’re so….green. Convincing though.” Was she that dressed up? She hadn’t thought so, but maybe it was a bit nicer than her normal work attire.[break][break]

“Sure, thanks for inviting me. I’ve never been here.” She tips the bottle at him, voice lifting above the din of chatter and music.
[break][break]

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


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

“Oh, no, I don’t disagree with you.” She rolled her eyes with a light scoff, voice dropping low in an obvious mimic. “Everyone else said they were too busy to come along. Even though I have just as many tasks to work on.” Normally she wouldn’t care to complain to a stranger as she was, but…well, perhaps Calla had decided it was her subtle payback for the collision.[break][break]

“Likewise.” Aquamarine eyes drifted to the directed building, and she considered his words. “Sounds very official.”[break][break]

Calla slowed her pace and fell in step alongside her new companion of the afternoon. “Oh, I work at Akura, for URIAH BLACK? I’m his assistant.” Fishing her phone from her purse, she began scrolling through her notes to find the long list of orders. “His father is on the council.” Her glance shifted sideways to him with a slight upward tug of her lips. “But if you have meetings at HQ and all, I’m sure you already know that.”

[break][break]

+ paxton concordas [break][break]


[break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“Gotcha.”[break][break]
There is a flutter of triumphant success when she feels his footing slide on impact. It almost makes up for the remark about being a wet cat, and the rowdy laughter. Though the latter isn’t necessarily a terrible sound to hear, she decides.[break][break]

She’s too concentrated on knocking Uriah over that she doesn’t think about how she’ll get out of it. So another shriek is let loose when arms snag around her again and she’s forced down along with his gravity.[break][break]

Though this time, there’s a distinctly garbled mingling of laughter that twines with the surprised noise. Until the water silences it and she’s forced to hold her breath.[break][break]

When they pop back up, Cal looks up at him—somber for all of two seconds before her cheeks puff out with a pffft of sputtered sound before she too is laughing. Too caught up to register how close they still are, her hands pressed flat against his chest from the initial push.

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

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

A party at a bar (let alone a sports bar,) is probably one of the last places Calla would opt to find herself—but because Uriah is one of the few people she is more relaxed around, she obliges his invitation.[break][break]

She even came in costume…so he owes her big time. And also she needs a drink for it, even if her costume isn’t all that over the top. A white dress with a flared skirt, comfortable matching boots. Then the ears and pinned tails to mimic her alolan vulpix. Silvery hair twisted up in a ponytail and shimmery, pale blue makeup to emphasize the snowiness of it all.[break][break]

…Only now that she’s here, she can’t find him in the crowd.[break][break]

As if on cue, her phone buzzes in her hand and she peers down at the brightened screen. A fleeting smile before her thumbs are tapping out a reply.[break][break]

by the door, mb?[break][break]

She rolls up on her toes, unable really to see above the partygoers packed together.
[break][break]

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


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

What was he playing at? Grinning and running a hand through his hair. It totally wasn’t working. No, not at all…….[break][break]

Her lips pursed into a thin line as she looked at him flatly. “I’m not wearing pjs to a restaurant.” She was just a little too put together for that.[break][break]

Ready to go with the nest bundled in her arms, Calla waited for him to direct his corviknight over to the tree. “This is much better,” she said—more to the little birds than to him. Once the nest was secured on a sturdy branch, she turned back toward Liam, hands only resting on his shoulders this time.[break][break]

Obviously, she was expectantly waiting to be set down on the ground again, so that she could go change. And also scoop her frantic Bulbasaur up into her arms.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Liam Cassius m: cuckoo in the nest [break]


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

As skeptical as she was about his diligence right then, Calla didn’t actually want to bring Kieran down. “Alright, I guess I will see.” She bopped him on the nose. It was in her nature to prattle at him, and also maybe coddle him some. Cal had spent so long looking out for him that she didn’t…really know how not to anymore. But it was good that he was starting to get his legs under him some. It just…made her feel like she was floundering a bit, that was all. It was positive growth, though, and how could she not want that for him?[break][break]

“Dunno, I think it was pretty effective either way, Kier,” she replied, one brow lifting at him before her face broke into an easy grin. She could be a sneak, though. Even if Calla wouldn’t readily admit to that fact.[break][break]

The noise of complaint only made her want to heckle him further–maybe give him a noogie for good measure on top of tousling already messy hair. She refrained, though, and gave her brother a break. At least a little one–see? She could be merciful…sometimes. Calla liked to think that she’d by and far earned her ability to tease him so freely. They’d spent so many years just trying to survive, and her sense of playfulness had been burned away for most people, except for Kieran. It took others longer to draw it out of her–with her twin, however, it was innate.[break][break]

There were, of course, a few exceptions to the rule here and there, but for the most part, it was Kier who got this side of Calla. Maybe to an outsider it would seem overly goading or teasing, but it was, in all actuality, how she expressed her affection and care.[break][break]

“Yeah, I thought so. How do you want ‘em?” Her head rolled to the side to glance back over her shoulder at him. Once she’d flipped her fried eggs over, Cal moved to the coffee pot and poured him a cup. Then slid it across the counter to him. “Pancakes are over there.” She pointed at the bar with its array of things–a plate of pancakes and syrup, coffee fixings, and sausages. “What do you mean? It’s in the living room. But think about it this way–” she paused, pointing at him with a spatula as she moved back to the stove. “It means that you can sit on the couch while I hand you things to sort. You could even put on a movie, or like, a dumb sport.” It’s all pro bonuses, right? Right.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Kieran Roth m: spring cleaning [break]





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