002 | Cherrygrove City | Action;

[usedlaserbeam]

[After a productive (but admittedly somewhat boring) five hours of work sorting and filing papers at the Cherrygrove Pokémon Center, it's finally time for Yagyuu to head for home--or at least, for the room at the Cherrygrove Inn he's been sharing with Kirihara-kun since they both arrived in the city yesterday. He'd gladly work longer hours if they'

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action.

[futariniousama]

[ Niou slides off the Flygon without ceremony, seemingly disregarding his companions as he heads over to Yagyuu.

This is not going to be a hug. Not a hug not a hug not a hug not a hug-

He punches Yagyuu in the arm, and says nothing, because 'hey, loser' is the only thing he can think of, and that's stupid. ]

action.

[futariniousama]

Aww, come on, you're makin' me blush.

[ He's not. Niou knows Yagyuu is just as acutely aware of nearly every minute physical detail of Niou's as Niou is of Yagyuu's. They have to be, to know how to compensate for the differences - Yagyuu's broader shoulders, Niou's longer legs, Yagyuu's taller frame, Niou's thinner build. ]

action.

[usedlaserbeam]

You thrive on attention, Niou-kun.

[Which, Yagyuu is well aware, is a far more complicated issue than he's making it out to be with such an offhand remark. But there are a multitude of different ways to interpret the statement, and that leaves it to Niou to take whichever one he likes best.]

action.

[futariniousama]

Only yours, Yeeeeeeeahgyuu.

[ The drawl is twice as bad as normal; he flutters his lashes at Yagyuu and turns around to walk normally again, beside him. ]

action.

[usedlaserbeam]

[Bad enough that it gets Yagyuu to roll his eyes, hiding the slight pleased twinge that trips at the sound of his name drawled in the way that only Niou can. Few things could make him feel more at home than that.]

Then it's fortunate I'm here to oblige.

action.

[futariniousama]

No kiddin'. I've been in this downward spiral without your constant attention, y'know.

[ The sad part is how close that is to being the truth, albeit the melodramatic version thereof. ]

action.

[usedlaserbeam]

Yukimura-kun doesn't indulge you the way I do, is that it?

[If anyone has been looking after Niou in his absence, Yagyuu assumes it would be Yukimura. He's not about to touch on Seigaku's Fuji, not yet.]

action.

[futariniousama]

Oh, no. Daddy's as stern as ever, you know.

[ Yukimura has been the one looking after Niou, but it's been Fuji keeping him occupied. Between the two of them, they've kept him in one piece this long. Not too bad. ]

action.

[usedlaserbeam]

Well, I'm sure I can convince him to grant you some leeway from here on out. Assuming I consent to take responsibility for you, that is.

[As if there were any doubt of that.]

action.

[futariniousama]

Back to business as usual, in other words.

[ He grins a little and shoulders Yagyuu a little aggressively, intending to knock him slightly off-balance. ]

action.

[usedlaserbeam]

[Like before, he takes the hit when it comes, nimbly catching himself before it can knock him more than a step or two out of line. But it does make an impact that he has to recover from, which is what he suspects Niou really wanted. He doesn't, however, shove back. Not when they're still in the middle of the city, and he's still the gentleman of the pair.]

Isn't that always the way?

action.

[futariniousama]

Pretty sure Yukimura likes you lookin' after me better than him lookin' after for me.

[ Now Niou disciplines his strides and repairs his posture, walking in perfect sync with Yagyuu. When he looks over at him next, he does so with a graceful curve of his neck, not a jaunty cock of his head, but he speaks with his own tongue. ]

Especially since it means I'll be lookin' after you, too.

action.

[usedlaserbeam]

[His eyes flick to the side, recognizing the posture at once; instantly, he clamps down on his own instincts, reminding himself to maintain his own posture, to keep his shoulders even, and not to surrender to the temptation of letting his shoulders slouch and his steps dawdle.]

Do you really think you'll have to? I'm hardly the one in need of it--

[And then his voice drops out of his smooth, measured tone, going quiet enough that only Niou will be able to hear the edge that suddenly appears as he echoes:]

--Yeaaahgyuu.

action.

[futariniousama]

[ A little thrill creeps under Niou's skin at the sudden change in Yagyuu's voice, like a switch being flipped, and it manifests in his grin. He's missed this, looking to the side and seeing a mirror, or hearing his voice out of Yagyuu's mouth; it makes him want to crawl out of his skin and into Yagyuu's, and it's beautiful. ]

Oh, I'm sure you'll need it for a while. It's a wild, wild world out here, partner. Here there be monsters.

[ It's an advantage he'll enjoy retaining - indeed, one he's enjoyed retaining over Yukimura so far, as well. He's been here longer, and his team is stronger. ]

action.

[usedlaserbeam]

[And in an instant it's disappeared back beneath the mask, there and gone again like a flash of lightning in a stormy sky. Yagyuu may not have the ache of six months' withdrawal pulling at him when it comes to the switch, but he still basks in the thrill of it each and every time.]

Pocket monsters, as I recall. But perhaps I'll have to take you up on that offer of support, after all.

[And doesn't that make for a neat switch all its own--Niou looking after Yagyuu's well-being for once.]

action.

[futariniousama]

Yeaaah, 'pocket monsters' is kind of a misnomer. Veeeery few of 'em are actually pocket-sized. We're talkin' six-foot-long bugs and twenty-eight-foot long rock snakes and shit.

[ He chuckles. Six months has given him plenty of time to adjust to Johto and its inhabitants, and he's grown accustomed to a certain amount of suspension of disbelief in the meanwhile. He's looking forward to watching Yagyuu gape (in a dignified, subtle fashion, of course) at some of the region's more alarming natives. ]