Electrifying

he lets hau take his time waking up, a smile suppressing the urge to laugh, up until he gets pulled down, a giggle trailing his path onto the couch. pikachu chirps a " careful !! " in reprimanding reminder of the goodie - bag, & satoshi retrieves it before hau traps him in place with their head.

he doesn't quite get to answering the first question, busy digging into the bag to pull out a smaller bag of malasadas, so his answer to the latter is absentminded ( much like the decision to climb itself ) . ❛ aā. didn't wanna shout. ❜ spoils in hand, the malasada bag is given to hau, a pair of sandwiches pulled out for himself & pikachu.

❛ battles went great !! almost had a clean sweep in the last one, but sorley's been upping his game lately — that carracosta is touuugh ... !! ❜ a pensive bite into his sandwich punctuates the complaint, but thinking about the experience gained has him brightening again quick enough.

❛ dracovish got some good workout today, though. it's definitely gotten faster. caught 'em off guard for a bit, at least !! must be gettin' into all sorts of races at professor ookido's. ❜

The familiar scent of malasadas present, Hau quickly opens the bag and glances inside. One of them is offered to Hibi first, who gladly (and carefully) drops his crayon on the ground, before taking the treat. Hau himself reaches for the second one (but not before thanking the two), eagerly taking a bite.

A smile forms on their features as they listen to Satoshi talk with a fiery passion about his battles. It always gives him a happy feeling when people are so passionate about things.

"Sounds like you had a good day, heh. You better bring me along next time, even if it's just to spectate. Have I met Dracovish yet?" Another bite of the pastry, simply enjoying the flavours for a bit. "...Wonder if I'm faster still." A mumble, thinking to himself out loud.

They go silent after that, at least for a little bit, lost deep in thought.

"My day was kinda boring." A frown and a pout. "I just don't get it. Why is this happening after Bulu's berry stuff? There must be a correlation between that and my headaches, I just don't get what."

#after the rain ; ooc #its why I've been kinda sparse #hopefully my tiredness becomes less again and i can focus on more things at once!

ok so i got some results in, turns out I have a severe vitamin D deficiency. Currently on some supplements starting today, hopefully they help! ))

" bring snacks " they say like satoshi hadn't already tacked a detour onto his post - battle plans, to make up for having to split up if nothing else.

his battles go great, indeed a pep in his step stepping foot into the trainer's box. it should figure that a good mood is productive for any match, he supposes ; the trainers he goes up against seem a bit less than thrilled, what with the kantonian not budging in persistence a single inch no matter what they throw, but they do congratulate him on the wins, resigned as the words are.

personal quota met, satoshi rolls his shoulders in a satisfied stretch & sets his sights on the pokémon center. he'll leave his balled roster to rest up there & bring some heals with him for pikachu — the mouse didn't take as much relative damage as the others, & satoshi couldn't leave it so far from him anyway. a stop by a pastry shop, a bit of everything nabbed, & soon satoshi walks the path he remembers to the hidden meadow.

he spares greetings to some of the abuly fluttering around, before realizing he's ... not sure how to get up to the tree house, kind of reliant on hau's flying, there. he doesn't want to yell ; if hau's napping, it will wake him, if he's not napping, it won't help his headache ... well, that's what arms & legs are for.

he simply climbs up. pikachu makes sure to hook its tail through the highly valuable cargo's straps so it doesn't fall away.

a peek through the door, a grinning whisper of " alola, hibi " to the raichu before quietly making his way to the couch. ❛ oooi ... you awake ?? ❜ he is sorely tempted to poke hau's cheek. he does that.

At some point they must have fallen asleep. That's the conclusion that dawns on them anyway, when they feel the pressing touch to their cheek that stirs them from their light slumber. If he were anywhere but feeling safe, he might have startled and tried to pin the other by now. Thankfully, that wasn't the case here. No one else knew of this place but Satoshi and Pikachu. Slowly, his eyelids flutter open a bit.

"...Am now."

The Alolan takes a moment to sit up, before a hand snatches the hand that poked him, pulling the other onto the seat next to him. Hibi's lack of playing alarm clock is easily forgiven, seeing the doodles in the little sketchbook he carried and the crayon in his paw.

"How'd it go?" They lean their head on his shoulder. Still a little groggy, but eager to listen to his partner tell about his day either way. Then a thought hits him. "--Did you climb all the way up here?"

#haerith #of sunshine and thunderstorms ; ic

@haerith asked: "What's a Tapu?"

"...Why do you want to know?"

he can't help the chuckle at hau's restlessness, well aware he would be no different in his position, hasn't been any different, certainly. & the pouting is cute. ❛ i'll tell you how it went when i come over, promise ; every detail. ❜

hands held, satoshi's fingers instinctively give hau's a squeeze, the static at his cheek no doubt enough to put pep in his battle - step for the rest of the day. the still - tingly kiss might do for the whole week.

satoshi brings up their joint hands to give another squeeze, a small promise. ❛ i'll try to wrap it up fast. ❜

& before he's fully let go, he's already shouting over his shoulder to a yellow fuzzball curled in nearby shade.

❛ pikachu !! break's over !! let's go kick some butt !! ❜ & they're off with new - found urgency.

A smile at the promises, giving a small nod (a full nod simply hurt too much right now, so this'd have to do). "Go kick butt!! And bring some snacks!!" They yell after the pair, before moving towards the Meadows at a much-too-slow-for-them pace.

They glance around for unwanted guests just in case (mostly reporters that could have followed him), before they fly up and pass the illusion. The treehouse greets them, and they waste no time moving inside and pulling down blinds. A shelter from the brightness of Alola... Didn't think they'd ever need that. They do click on the desk lamp, just so they wouldn't be fully in the dark.

With a toss, they let out Hibi, who immediately floats over to hug him. It brings another smile to his face (never fails to, honestly), and they gently wrap their arms around the Alolan Raichu, before sitting down on the couch.

"Satoshi and Pikachu are coming over in a bit." A thoughtful hum. "Mind waking me up when they arrive? Just in case I doze off." Hau allows himself to rest his head, curling up a little as they sink into the couch.

a sidelong look, a bit torn. ❛ mmmh, i did mean to get another round in at the battle tree ... ❜

it wouldn't do to break routine when he's been gradually rebuilding his battling skillset from the ground up, but it is hau. & he'd hate to leave them hanging. guy's been cooped up ; company is the least satoshi can offer. but the battle - addict part of him still nags. & in the end, it wins out, as it usually does.

❛ you go on ahead, i'll catch up in a while & meet you there. you can set it up how you need without me gettin' in the way 'till then, yeah ?? rest up & stuff. ❜ he feels a little bad, but he's already committed himself to a minimum amount of battles today. the trainers at the tree itself wouldn't mind him skipping out ( in fact, they'd likely appreciate the break from him, ) but satoshi wouldn't be entirely satisfied with himself, & it would show.

he'd rather get the itch out of his system now so it doesn't cause him to do something ill - advised later, like impulsively suggest a fight to someone with a level seven headache.

"Aww man, I'd have loved to see that!" They let out a bit of a whine, clearly frustrated with the whole ordeal. The grumpiness might also be because they're still in a bit of a heavier moult. Maybe it's both? They've been uncomfortable for weeks now, and along with the itching and the pain and the tiredness, they've kinda reached a breaking point.

"Maybe a battle is exactly what I need. Clearly I need to punch myself better--"

A ball of electricity is conjured up in their palm, before they allow it to fizzle out. Yeah, they're pouting up a storm right now. Even they can see it would probably not work out though. They inhale deep, before groaning.

"...Fiiiine. I'll rest up. You come by after your battles." Hau reaches for Satoshi's hands, holding them in his. A nuzzle is given to the other's cheek, slight static no doubt prickling skin, before he pulls him into a kiss.

"Mmm. I'll see you in a bit, then?"

" it's a nice feeling to see progress, right ?? " he says ... satoshi's progress has always been most visible in the way he's been able to affect what's around him, in how he's felt today compared to yesterday. his pokémon have evolved in apparent & literal ways, & it's always been nice to see the growth, but bar an outfit change for the next leg of his journey courtesy of his mama, something done different with his hair for the sake of change, a new pair of sneakers after walking the soles off the previous pair ... satoshi's never really changed.

except, he has changed in the past few years, a fair bit, actually, going through a kind of evolution of his own, growing comfortable in his bones in a way he's always been too focused on battling to really feel how badly he'd needed. now, his face is less soft, his barely - stubble itches now & then in reminder of itself, his still - scarred chest feels light, his body feels more solid ...

a thoughtful glance to one of his arms, & he shrugs, a small smile. ❛ yeah, i guess it is. ❜

the topic of hau's internal struggle in the face of another headache brings satoshi to serious contemplation, crossing his arms.

❛ hmmm, that is a tough one ... i know ula'ula's pretty packed with dark spaces with room to move around in. if a seven can handle goin' over there ... ❜ he doesn't look too sure about the suggestion. the island is a ways away, & hau might be a fast flier but satoshi wouldn't quite trust a seven to go flying by himself. & it is tapu bulu's turf ... yeah, he's still kind of really super peeved at that one.

A warm smile at the confirmation that yes, it did feel nice (not knowing the full extent of it, but still). Soon the smile fades again though, knowing full well that he probably shouldn't fly in this state, nor move around too much.

"...Maybe we can go to the treehouse for a bit? I can make it somewhat dark in there at least." Yeahhh he'd been avoiding Bulu's turf for now. Both because he couldn't travel much, only between headaches, and if one arose he'd be stuck on another island, and because, well... he wasn't quite sure what he'd do when he saw Bulu now. Might want to give it a little more time, or else he'd fistfight another deity (and probably lose).

"I don't want to keep you from training, or anything you're doing for that matter, but... I'd love your company." They had always struggled with these kinds of things. It felt a little selfish, in a way. At the same time, he knows Satoshi wouldn't mind. Gotta learn to stomp down those little creeping voices in his head more.

satoshi couldn't hide the pleased smile at hau's approval if he tried, though he can't help looking down to where his fingers fidget. attention being drawn to his arms has him looking up again just to let out a rather embarrassed chuckle, scratching at his cheek, other hand now on his hip.

❛ aā, i didn't realize how many of the shirts i keep here wouldn't fit me like they used to, so i've kinda had to take the sleeves off a bunch. i've never really had that problem before, haha ; guess 'cause i've changed up how i train — doin' more fightin' & all that. ❜ his body literally distributing muscle mass differently these days may also factor into that, but don't count on satoshi to consider two simultaneous but unrelated changes contributing in tandem.

a lull, & he offers hau a sympathetic look. ❛ how's your head today ?? ❜ he's not fretting. he's not !! he spent a good few days hovering over hau to make sure they were really alright, got all the fretting out of his system, now he's just ... checking in. like anyone whose partner had recently had a major migraine proceeded by death would. he's not dying, definitely not again so soon, satoshi knows that. which is why he's decidedly not fretting.

Taking some mental notes here, grinning a little at the pleased smile. Hau nods lightly (ow), though the grin only falters a little at the sharp hints of pain. "The ol' 'ripped off my sleeves' huh? It looks good on you!"

"And you've been training and it shows! It's a nice feeling to see progress, right?" The Alolan finally frowns, glancing away guiltily. "...Admittedly, the pain's like a seven out of ten right now." A frustrated sigh. "Just didn't want to be cooped up inside yet another day, yanno?" Stubborn as a Tauros, it seems.

"It's like there's two Lycanroc inside me right now. One wants nothing more than to crawl into the darkest, quietest part of the house. The other? It wants to move!! It wants to train!" The Alolan sun is hurting their eyes.

#after the rain ; ooc #still v tired #got a test on friday for it #i've mostly been trying to not fall asleep after work (and failing half the time) and the other time's spent online with friends #im ok just very tired sobs

gonna try to do some drafts later this week! i miss y'all <3 ))

"New outfit, huh?" He can't help but stare a little.

❛ yeah, figured i should dress for the environment if i know i'm stayin' for a while. easier to shake sand outta this, at least. ❜ he means to give the hem of his shirt a shake as mere punctuation, but a pinch of trapped sand does spill out, proving his point immediately. it's certainly more practical to wear a simple & already worn cotton shirt than to hold on to the jacket with the persistent duo of local sun & sand ( even having lived over a consecutive year in alola once, living in a beach house, sand's ability to sneak up on one never stops surprising satoshi ) .

practical. that's always been satoshi's main thing, so long as something is practical & comfortable in travel & battle, it's good enough for him. but ... maybe it's that hau so often looks as nice as comfortable, maybe it's as simple as valuing his imput ...

a pointless readjustment of the clasps of his brace, a shy fidget. ❛ ... what do you think ?? ❜ if he's honest with himself, he'd like if hau thought he looked as nice as comfortable, too.

( it's something new every day with this guy, seriously, making him care about stuff like that. )