“There…” Roark muttered with a satisfied smile from where he stood in the middle of his gym, putting his hands on his hips as he glanced around to survey the area of which he usually battled on with any trainer that came to challenge him for probably their first time seeing how he was the first gym leader one would have to face to challenge the league and whatnot. There were guidelines about challenging the gym leaders as some unlucky ones that didn’t live close to his city, and you always had to go in the order starting with him at the very least as much as possible. After all, young newbies couldn’t take on the likes of his seniors like Volkner and Fantina who were much more skilled than him and expect to win. He was one of the weakest— though he didn’t really admit it— and he was the first in that case.
The redhead had just got done with rearranging the obstacles in his gym a little, which was actually a lot of hard work seeing how rocks littered the dirt floor and they happened to be quite heavy to move. Not that it stopped him any seeing how he was used to getting dirty and lifting heavy things… Such was the benefits of working in the mines when he wasn’t battling trainers who came to challenge him. Sighing a bit, the man took his glasses off, then proceeding to wipe his forehead with the grey gloves he was currently wearing. Well, he had been rather productive today with the time to himself he was given. That was good.
Hearing the doors behind him open which was followed by a familiar voice, Roark flinched a bit at the exuberance that was laced within the feminine voice, spinning to see a cheerful brunette waving and walking toward him. Oh, it was his fellow novice gym leader Gardenia! He hadn’t been informed of her visiting him, but he couldn’t be really mad at her. As a matter of fact, he was actually glad to see her!
“Oh, Gardenia…!” he said, walking towards her to meet her halfway. “I didn’t expect a visit from you today. It’s good to see you.” Offering a sheepish smile, he then nodded his head. “And yes, I suppose it is indeed a good day… What brings you way out here away from your gym?”
"Of course you wouldn't, it's nice to see you too!" She tugged him into a hug, regardless of whether or not he had invited her to embrace him. Gardenia was a little too friendly at times, though it didn't appear to have caught her attention that by a slight chance she could be bothering the poor startled boy--or at least, she didn't take notice of her disturbance of the peace for several moments.
Letting go of the redhead, she tiptoed around, moving away from Roark, observing the rocky gym as she answered his question. "I have a day off, for once! I figured maybe I'd spent my time catching up with someone~!" she said in a suggestive tone, almost as if trying to give a slight hint to him. "Unless you were busy, then maybe--oh, am I bothering you at all?" Her wide grin faded, looking a tad more serious than before upon her realization. Roark could be busy from time to time, and it would have been a bit courteous if she had even bothered to check in advance to see if she would be a nuisance in his schedule. "I can leave if you'd like, I could go and hang out with Maylene maybe or something..." trailing off, she frowned slightly--being a hindrance was on the bottom of the grass-type specialist's to-do list. As much as she enjoyed Roark's presence, she wasn't ever sure if him (or anybody) really wanted her and her untimely obnoxious voice around at times.
