[Koray Starr]

Words: 268 | Tag: Atticus Evans | Notes: ---

Closing his eyes, Koray concentrated on the sounds of the forest, the steps of the pokemon... anything else than the ache that was trying to wrap its icy tendrils around his heart. A few deep breaths and he managed to shove the feeling down, back to the depths it came from. This was fine. He was fine. All he needed was Rowan, his pokemon would take care of him. The Phantump's croon broke through Koray's thoughts right as Atty's words hit the hair. Why.

Why wouldn't it work? Because nothing did. Because for some Arceus forsaken reason, Koray could still only think of her. Of how she would never choose him. It pained him more than anything but there were no words to be had. Atty didn't need to know about that. About how broken he really was. Another breath, "It doesn't matter..." his voice was shaky, it was a struggle to even get out those words.

Knees pressed into Freda, urging her to move faster. That was all the Absol needed to understand what Koray wanted. A soft rumble came from Freda before she looked over at Atty, locking eyes with him as if beckoning him to follow. Still, ever the obedient one, Freda picked up the pace, easing from a gentle walking pace into a jog. Koray didn't once look up, if anything, he leaned further forward on Freda, keeping his balance easily. The message was clear, Koray would rather run away than talk about whatever was tormenting him. It's what he'd always done before. This was fine.

Porygon 10/15

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[Atticus Evans]

Oh but it did. Koray’s tone of voice in itself was enough to assure Atticus of that fact. A soft sigh escaped from Atticus.

As the Absol picked up the pace, however, Eclipse growled softly. Rather than handle the situation himself, he used a Baton Pass, and suddenly he was gone from the harness, and Topaz was in his pace. The Lycanroc blinked surprised before seeing what was happening. She glanced sideways at Tesla, and the Pikachu was quick to give an explanation. 

Topaz growled. She was not about to force her trainer to run because of this childish tantrum (as far as Tesla could tell, anyways). Her eyes shined bright with power, and suddenly Freda would find the ground around her giving way and rocks raising up to block her. It would not necessarily stop her but force her to slow again.

The sound and the feeling of the ground shifting around them was not lost on Atticus, however. “Easy, Top…” Atty warned, but the Lycanroc only stomped irritably and pulled him and Tesla onwards. As she came closer to Freda again, Topaz snarled. If she injured her trainer by doing anything like that again, there would be a battle hand. And she was stronger by far. 

[Koray Starr]

Words: 292 | Tag: Atticus Evans | Notes: ---

At Koray's behest, Freda kept running as far as she could away from the situation. That was until the sudden appearance of boulders blocked her progress. An alarmed sound escaped the Absol before she tried again to move forward, to help get Koray away from whatever perceived threat there was. There was enough of them that it slowed her down, the uneven footing and rocks raising up proving a challenge to traverse.

The snarl from Topaz earned a low growl from Freda, horn already shining bright with threat of an attack. If the Lycanroc dared to attack her or Koray, she wouldn't hesitate to defend. "E-easy there, Freda..." Koray was quick to interject, trying to soothe the Absol's fur down, "It's ok, sweet girl..." The praise was enough for Freda to calm, though she still wasn't about to trust it wouldn't happen again. Koray had prompted her to run for a reason, and the Absol was alert, watchful for any sign of danger, for any sign that her trainer was threatened.

Koray meanwhile, opted to get off Freda and walk with the Absol for a bit. It allowed for space to be kept between Atty and him. His chest still ached, but the little retreat had helped him calm enough that it wasn't quite so overwhelming. It also meant that Atty (or his pokemon for that matter) wouldn't be able to see his face as easily. At least not from their current vantage point. Rowan had shifted to rest on Koray's shoulder, cooing softly in his trainer's ear. For all he was, the Phantump wished that Koray would just talk to someone but until he admitted help, it wasn't likely this would happen.

Porygon 11/15

aeron at thq

[Atticus Evans]

Topaz’s eyes shined bright green against her orange and white coat. She’d take whatever this Absol could dish at her and return in kind. She was a Counter guardian after all. <He’s blind. Don’t make him run.> Her words came in a gruff huff as she pulled Atticus along. She was not big enough to carry Atticus, and it would torture her until the day it changed. But she would not allow him to play childish games in the meantime.

Tesla’s ears set back on his head. It had gotten so tense all of a sudden, and he didn’t like that. Bending over Topaz’s head, he stared at her… and then began to make cute faces at her. The Lycanroc deadpanned and huffed throwing back her head briefly just enough to make him roll backwards into the fluff of her mane again.

Pulled along by Topaz, Atticus made it back into proximity of Koray again. He could hear the breath of the Pokemon and knew the general tone Topaz was using therein. He could almost guess what she was saying. “Easy girl,” was murmured again.

Top stomped and shook out her fur right after. Atticus snorted. He supposed getting dragged out of her Pokeball by Eclipse wasn’t going to be forgiven so easily. A soft half laugh escaped from him at that before he shifted over to scratch her ears. “I can return you if you want…” he offered. The Lycanroc gave a slow reverberation back. “Suit yourself then.” A flash of light, and Eclipse too was released back out. The Umbreon gave a small call back only to receive a side-eye from Topaz. A smallish smirk pulled onto his features at that.

<Thanks for handling that...>

<Clipse, you're on thin ice.> 

[Koray Starr]

Words: 196 | Tag: Atticus Evans | Notes: ---

It would be Rowan that would translate the Lycanroc's words to Koray who immediately blushed, hiding against Freda even more. That was not what he'd expected in the slightest. Though maybe he'd been too focused on himself to notice something that should have been at least a little more obvious. The harness was a big enough hint. Still, Koray was kicking himself for not noticing earlier. If that was the case, he really shouldn't have run... Hopefully the cheesecake wasn't ruined. His dad wouldn't exactly be happy if that was the case. Nor would Atticus for that matter... Sigh.

Thoughts spinning through his head, Koray wasn't doing much better. It hurt, and he didn't want to face it. That was why he'd run in the first place. This wasn't his idea and he didn't appreciate being put in this situation. Especially when all it did was make him feel worse. If running wasn't an option, then Koray guessed he could at least give the sweets to him and leave. "Sorry..."Koray murmured softly, slowly starting to walk forward with Freda. At least he didn't have to look at Atticus this way.

Porygon 12/15

aeron at thq

[Atticus Evans]

A small breath escaped from Atticus as he walked now with both Eclipse and Toapz now. It was both easier and harder to have them both there. Two meant he could reasonably grp whichever harness he needed and know that they would lead him as needed. Two meant less feet to accidentally trip on, heh. The apology had Atty’s eyes vaguely raising again towards Koray. Atty felt the corners of his lips pull back before relaxing again. “Normally this is when I'd say 'it's fine' and go on, but.... speaking as someone who wants to help... it doesn't seem like really is,” he answered. 

[Koray Starr]

Words: 295 | Tag: Atticus Evans | Notes: ---

Facing forward, Koray was glad that Freda was between him and Atty. It gave him something else to focus on, something else to lean on when he just felt so heavy. While it might be easier to just get back on the Absol, it would be also easier to see Atty and that... that was something Koray was ready to do. He'd already made a fool of himself, already shown a side that he hadn't wanted to. If it wasn't for his father sending him on this little delivery mission, he wouldn't even be here in the first place. Too bad he couldn't exactly say no to him. Even so, he was here out of obligation, not by choice and that made Koray all the more reluctant to share anything else.

Atty's statement following Koray's apology earned a soft sigh. Why was the other man so bent on helping? He didn't deserve it, deserved this pain and suffering. It was all he was good for, just another day in his life. There was nothing new about how Koray felt, the pain he'd known each day. Sometimes he wondered if it would really matter if he just disappeared. Would he even be missed? A distressed cry from Rowan disrupted Koray's thoughts as the Phantump berated him. A small half laugh escaped Koray after that, shaking his head.

"Why?" Koray finally asked after a few moments, "You don't even know me." It was a weak excuse, and Koray knew it. He was so used to drowning in his own misery that he couldn't see beyond the storm inside his head. Nevermind the fact that it was hard to believe that anyone wanted to help him get out of the storm.

Porygon 13/15

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