Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Standing on the tarmac, Arven was in complete awe. He didn't have to go through the airport security he always heard about, nor did he have to check his baggage. He'd never flown before, but he'd always heard that the airport was an incredibly inconvenient and stressful place to be. But there he was, standing next to the Ambrose's private jet, only thirty minutes after they'd arrived. He almost couldn't believe this was his life. He'd never been strapped for cash before, but Turo had always preferred a more minimalist life. This ostentatious luxury he was now enjoying was a huge departure from what he knew. It was almost surreal.

"Dude! Get on the plane!" Robin called back at him from the stairs, snapping him out of his thoughts and causing him to hurry up the stairs.

"Sorry!" He cried, catching up to Robin as he entered the plane.

"Welcome aboard." A man with an odd black and gold slicked back hairdo said in greeting.

"Thanks, Darach." Chrys said dismissively, waving him off. "Alright, kiddos! It's gonna be a long flight, but we do have Wi-Fi on this plane, so it shouldn't be too bad. Is anyone hungry? I brought snacks!" She announced, opening her tote bag and bringing out three bags of chips and a container of fruit.

"We got our own inflight refreshments, this is crazy." Robin remarked, opening all three bags of chips as they all sat down around the table. "We got ketchup, my favourite, and salt and vinegar for Mom... and I guess Arven never told us his favourite chip flavour, because we got original."

"No, he did." Chrys said lightly. "He's an original chip kind of guy."

Robin slowly turned to him with a grotesque expression on her face. "You?! A plain chip lover?! I can hardly believe it!" She cried in horror. "It really be your own people!"

"I don't like all the processed powder on my hands! It makes me feel gross." Arven complained. "I also like salt and vinegar, but your mom had already picked those out when she texted."

"And you're texting other girls?! Wowww..." Robin said jokingly, punching Arven's shoulder, then scooting just a little closer to him on the couch. "Well, more ketchup chips for me!" She chirped, daintily plucking one out of the bag with her nails.

"See, that's what I need." Arven remarked, pointing his thumb at Robin delicately dropping the chip into her own mouth. "Three-inch nails so the chip never touches my fingers."

"Oh, let's get you in some!" Robin cried. "I've got a few changes packed. Let's get you looking fabulous!"

"I'd look so stupid." He chuckled. "Big old dude with some acrylics on."

"You'd look like Lilly Tino!" Robin joked, delicately picking up another ketchup chip with her nails. "Open up, Arvie!"

"What are you- Are you feeding me like a baby?!" He cried, momentarily backing away, but he reconsidered and leaned closer. "You know what, I'm curious. What does a ketchup chip even taste like?"

Robin fed him the chip gently, causing Chrys to roll her eyes. Apparently, they were still insufferable, five months after they officially started dating. The honeymoon phase hadn't ended yet, apparently. Or maybe there never even was one, and they would be this happy together forever. Robin liked that option better.

Arven shrugged. "It's not bad, actually. Maybe you guys are right about messy chips."

"I'd say they're worth the mess." Chrys agreed. "Though I'm not a big fan of ketchup chips. I like the Cheezies though. My dad loved Cheezies."

"Oh, honey. He had all kinds of Cheezies all over his house. Hey, why didn't you bring any?" Robin asked, narrowing her eyes at her mom. "Or are you hiding them? Keeping them all to yourself?"

"Nooo!!" Chrys cried, though she extended it far too long to be believable.

"Liar. Where are they?" Robin asked, reaching for her mom's tote bag, but not finding any Cheezies at all. "Did you seriously lock them away in your suitcase?" She asked, thoroughly unimpressed.

"I bought them for me." Chrys said serenely.

"Hmph." Robin pouted, crossing her arms petulantly. "I guess us peasants don't deserve Cheezies."

"You said it, not me."

"Hey!"

Arven laughed quietly to himself, before tuning the two of them out a bit. Instead, he turned around, looking back at the butler Chrys brushed off. Darach, was it? He looked kind of sad, sitting far away from the Ambroses, reading the newspaper with his legs crossed. Perhaps that was just how things were, the butler was supposed to be a wallflower, but it made Arven kind of sad.

So, he shook the bag of original chips in Darach's direction, catching the butler's attention. He tried to smile at him like a friend, but he felt like it came off more like a grimace. Darach chuckled a bit, but shook his head, pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose before he returned tor reading the paper.

Okay, so maybe he just assumed Darach was dissatisfied where he was. But in fairness, if it were him, he'd want nothing more than to be included. Darach must have been used to being sidelined by now.

The intercom buzzed to life, and the pilot started to speak. "Alright, we're cleared for takeoff! Strap in, everyone!" She cried enthusiastically.

"Is that Skyla?!" Arven cried, frozen in place as Robin and Chrys put on their seatbelts.

"No! You think Skyla's got the time to be flying us around?!" Chrys laughed, covering her mouth as she snickered. "No, she's just enthusiastic. Our pilot's name is Taylor. Also, put your seatbelt on!" She scolded Arven lightly. 

"I can't find it!" Arven cried, not realizing Robin was holding the buckle herself. "Oh, thanks." He muttered, finally strapping himself in. 

"You sounded very excited to meet Skyla. She your celebrity crush?" Robin asked amusedly.

"I wouldn't say celebrity crush, but I'm a big fan!" Arven said defensively. "You know, she's from Paldea. Near Poco Path, even! She's kind of a hometown hero!"

"Uh-huh. Well, Skyla's very nice. Much shorter than you'd expect." Robin remarked. "Ooh, look at Mom. She's already falling asleep. Let me get out the earplugs." She grumbled, rummaging around in her bag and pulling out two packets of concert earplugs. "You're gonna need these if you plan to get any sleep. And the flight is about 11 hours, so you're probably gonna wanna sleep."

"Oh, Jesus. Does she snore that loud?" Arven asked, mildly bewildered as Robin dropped a packet into his hands. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. Really, this is just me being humane." She joked, glancing back at her mother, who was already fast asleep, before the plane even got off the ground.

"We're taking off!" The pilot informed them over the intercom, before the plane started to drive at full speed down the runway.

"Oh, shit! I almost forgot! I got some candy to suck on." Robin told Arven, her hands plunging to the bottom of her bag, but she wasn't finding any.

"Wha- Not in front of your mom!"

"Ha ha. I got Jolly Ranchers." Robin grumbled, tossing one at Arven's forehead, then leaning against his shoulder. "You excited?"

"Can't wait." Arven said with a grin, unwrapping his Jolly Rancher and popping it in his mouth just in time for takeoff. "Thanks for bringing me along. I really, really appreciate it." He murmured, leaning his head against Robin's in kind.

"So I've heard." She said dryly.

"I know, I say it a lot, but I'm really happy that you guys- I dunno, you included me. I'm really grateful." He mumbled, his words distorted by the Jolly Rancher in his mouth.

Robin smiled. "Of course we did, you silly Yungoos. You know we both love you. I mean, obviously I love you more, but my mom is very fond of you." She rambled on a bit, before her mom interrupted them both by beginning to snore rather loudly.

Arven and Robin looked at each other, and popped their earplugs in at the same time. Thankfully they mostly blocked the sound, otherwise it would have been a very long 11 hour flight. The two of them snuggled up as close as they could get with their seatbelts on, and prepared for a long, long flight of praying that Chrys wouldn't make sleep completely impossible.

Chrys' superhuman ability to fall asleep when the plane takes off and awake when it lands came in very handy on this go-around. She woke up to find Robin and Arven snuggled up on the loveseat, Robin mostly in Arven's lap as they both slept. It was ridiculously cute how Arven was still hugging her in his sleep. And thankfully, his hands rested on her elbows instead of anywhere unsightly.

"Alright, we're coming in for touchdown! Seatbelts on!" Taylor informed them over the intercom, which prompted Chrys to nudge Robin's leg with her foot. Of course, that didn't make her stir at all. So Chrys had to kick her much harder just to rouse her.

"Ow! Jesus...!" Robin whined, thinking about getting up before nuzzling back against Arven's chest as if nothing had happened. 

So, naturally, Chrys had to kick her again. "Seatbelts on, Robin." She said sternly. "And wake him up too!"

Robin grumbled a bit, before reluctantly sliding off of Arven's lap and back into her own seat. She shook Arven once, twice, three times, before just giving up and putting his seatbelt on for him. Chrys was fine with that, the landing would surely wake him up.

As expected, Arven awoke with a start when the plane touched down, breathing heavily for a minute. "I-I guess we're here!" He cried matter-of-factly, grabbing Robin's hand seemingly out of instinct, and holding it tightly.

"Yes, we are! At John F. Blazikennedy Airport, just outside of Castelia City, mind you!" Robin chirped excitedly. "I hear it's supposed to be raining, though. Might wanna grab some- Oh! Darach's got it!" She exclaimed, pointing at the butler who had somehow summoned three umbrellas. "Where do you even keep those?!"

"Lady Caitlin does not like humidity. She insists we keep many backups." He said simply. "I hope your ride was comfortable."

"It was! The plane ride wasn't bad either!" Robin joked through a flurry of snickers. "Up top!" She laughed, holding her hand out for Darach to high-five. Instead, he simply handed her an umbrella, his serene smile somewhat tight.

The three of them finally got to leave the private jet, and just next to the plane was Caitlin herself, standing under a massive umbrella of her own.

"Oh, Caitlin! You came all this way?!" Chrys cried, shimmying by Robin and hugging her little sister tightly, almost causing Caitlin to drop her umbrella.

"My goodness, Chrys! It's not like I haven't seen you in years!" Caitlin laughed, much more daintily returning the hug. "I came to drop off Arven's room key. I figured he would make better use of it than I would." She explained, brandishing a sleek, white plastic card and handing it to Arven. "For your hotel suite, dear."

"Wha- I get my own room?! You guys didn't have to do all that...!" Arven cried, a sappy smile spreading across his face.

"Oh, we did. Our penthouse has three bedrooms, and our guest room is uninhabitable. It's overrun with succulents. And I made it clear to Mom that I was not letting you sleep on a couch, and she made it clear to me we were not sharing a bed while she was in the building, so this was our best compromise." Robin explained. "Funnily enough, you're actually next door to us, so it all worked out beautifully."

"It even has its own kitchenette, if you ever want to cook for yourself." Chrys added. "We've also got a place in Lacunosa Town, and Caitlin has her Undella Town villa, but those have enough space for you already. Now, let's all go drop our bags, and then you're free to go do your own thing! Now, I want you guys to stick together, especially because Arven's new here and he'll probably get lost pretty easily. Don't lose track of him, okay?" She instructed Robin, staring dead into her eyes.

"Alrighty!" Robin chirped, already moving toward the taxi Caitlin had called. "Arvie, we're in Unova!!" She squealed, nudging him gently with her shoulder.

"We're in Unova!" He echoed, his smile radiant as the valet took his carry-on and stowed it in the trunk.

After Chrys and Arven got in the car, Caitlin lightly tapped Robin's shoulder. Robin turned around to find another hotel keycard in Caitlin's hand, and a knowing smile on her face.

"Just be safe, alright?" She whispered to Robin, winking playfully as she handed the card over to Robin, who quickly stashed it away in her bra. "I've arranged for contraception-"

"Oh my God." Robin muttered, flushing just a little, though she was quite a bit amused. "Thanks, Auntie."

"Oh, you're welcome." She said lightly, taking the passenger seat as Robin sat with Arven in the far back. The two of them sat back there, hand in hand, gazing at the Castelia skyline as it grew closer and closer. Arven's heart felt like it was buzzing. He was so excited to travel across a region with Robin, and this time, there wouldn't be the caveat of a sick Mabosstiff to bring down the mood! He was right as rain! He could barely wait to get out there, and explore every inch of Unova he could get his hands on.

Eventually, their bags were dropped, Arven and Robin only spent a few minutes making out on his hotel room bed, and they were out on the town. The rain had rapidly subsided, leaving a damp and warm but ultimately pleasant Castelia City open for the pair to explore.

"So Mom and Caitlin want to meet us for dinner at some fancy restaurant near the TynaMoMa." Robin mused, looking at her phone as they strolled down Mode Street hand in hand. "So we've got, say, three-ish hours before we've gotta go back and change for dinner?"

"Sounds good!" Arven chirped, holding onto Robin's hand so he didn't get left behind on the crowded sidewalks. "I hear there's this little, quiet park with a whole bunch of wild Buneary somewhere in Castelia City."

"Oh, there is, but you have to literally go through the sewers to get there. It's really gross." Robin remarked. "There's the art gallery, there's a really nice cafe on Narrow Street... Oh! We could get a Casteliacone or two. I hear those are pretty trendy these days."

"Oh, yes! I've heard about the Casteliacones too! Let's go get some!" He declared, happily picking up the pace down Mode Street. "I hear they even have Lillipup Cups. I bet Mabo would love one of those."

"Well, we should get one!" Robin agreed. "Oh, shit. Look at that line." She breathed, staring down an incredibly lengthy line that stretched way down the street. 

Arven shrugged. "Hey, it's Castelia City. What are you gonna do? It'll probably be even more crowded after supper."

"True..." Robin sighed. "You know, we don't have to get Casteliacones..."

"Oh, nonsense. I'll wait in line for the Casteliacones, and you try and figure out wherever the fuck your mom wants to meet us for dinner later. Teamwork!" Arven declared. "She said it's right by some museum, right?"

"The TynaMoMA." Robin corrected him. "I guess that makes sense... Alright, I'll be back soon. Try not to pass out from heat stroke!" She teased, kissing him on the cheek before she left. She knew precisely where the TynaMoMA was, since her mom used to be the director there before she opened her own art gallery. She cut across a smaller, numbered road to Castelia Street, fighting her way through the busy sidewalk until someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hey, watch it!" She snapped before she saw who it was. But the moment she made caught sight of the golden eyes of the man who stopped her, her blood ran cold.

"Drayton!" She squeaked, blanching as she froze in place.

Drayton frowned. "Huh. Do I know you? I like to think I'd remember a pretty face like yours." He said with a smirk. "You go to Blueberry?"

"U-Uh, yeah...! Yeah, I just... You know, I don't really battle that much, and I'm not in your year..." Robin stammered, fiddling with the ends of her hair. "So, I guess you wouldn't know who I am..."

"Hm. That's a damn shame, then." He said with a blindingly white smile. "I was just wondering, do you know where the Casteliacone place is? I've got a lady friend here, and I'm trying not to let her die of heat stroke." He said, grabbing a pink-haired girl by the arm and pulling her close.

Holy shit. It was Lacey. Of course, Robin could barely tell through the flush and the pained look on her face, but everything else about her screamed Lacey, from her pink bob and those hairclips to the long white coat she wore. She had to get out of there before Lacey recognized her. Or maybe she wouldn't, like Drayton didn't. She'd changed a lot over the last few years since they'd gone their separate ways.

"U-Uh, yeah! Just go on West 46th until you find Mode Street, then turn left. It's on the far side from here." She explained, itching to leave and run away. "You're welcome!" She chirped, already turning to hurry away, but Drayton caught her by the arm.

"Hey, you never told me your name. It's only fair that I know yours, since you knew who I was." Drayton said with a wink as Lacey opened her eyes, which instantly found hers and widened.

"Robbie?!" She cried. "Is that you?!"

"N-No! No, I don't know what you're talking about! I gotta go, my mom's waiting for me!" Robin cried, running away as fast as her admittedly rather long legs would take her.

"Hey, wait!" Lacey cried, though Robin did no such thing. She disappeared into the crowd, crossing the street and hurriedly rushing inside the TynaMoMA to catch her breath. She slid to the ground, tuckered out from running, and peeked out the window to see if Drayton and Lacey were following her. She saw Drayton's antenna-like hair in the crowd, but he didn't seem to be going inside the museum. Eventually, he disappeared into the crowd, crossing the street and going west on West 46th Street as she directed.

Shit, they were going back to the Casteliacone stand! They were gonna camp her out! She couldn't let herself be seen by them again, but she couldn't just leave Arven there with melty ice cream! Worse yet, Arven didn't have any service in Unova, so she couldn't just tell him to meet her anywhere else. He'd just wait there until she came back for him.

She made sure to memorize the restaurant's location, just a block away from the TynaMoMA, then she booked it back to Arven at the Casteliacone stand. Maybe she could beat Lacey and Drayton there, given how lethargic Lacey looked. Just get him and the ice cream and go, dodging Lacey and Drayton entirely.

She arrived on Mode Street, and instantly Arven flagged her down, calling to her with two Casteliacones in his hand. "Robin! Did you find it?!" He shouted, and all the hairs on the back of Robin's neck stood up.

"Yeah! C-Come on, I'll show it to you!" She shouted at him, beckoning him over.

"Okay! But c'mere, these people said you dropped something!" Arven said cheerfully, turning and revealing a very sullen-looking Drayton and a teary-eyed Lacey.

Robin felt like a hole was punched through her chest. Arven and the two people she never wanted to have to see again were walking across the street, ready to pounce on her like a bloodthirsty Purrloin. There was no running away this time either, she couldn't just abandon Arven with the wolves. It was time for her to face the music.

"Yo, what the hell, man?!" Drayton snapped, grabbing Robin by the arm. "That's how you say hello after ghosting us for four years?!"

"Hey, what the hell is your problem, man?!" Arven snapped, elbowing Drayton in the side to get him to drop Robin's arm. "Hands off my girl!"

"Your girl?! Robbie, what the hell is going on?! I didn't even recognize you through all that makeup!" Drayton yelled. "A-And then you go and run away from us?! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Lacey took the exact opposite approach, instead attaching herself to Robin like a tumor and refusing to let go. "I missed you so much, Robbie...! Don't run away again."

Arven looked positively bewildered as the ice cream dripped onto his hands, causing him to hand one cone to Robin and furiously lick up the dripping ice cream off the other. "What- the fuck- is going- on?!" He cried between licks.

"Your girl is our old friend Robbie Ambrose, and he just- He was supposed to come to Blueberry with us, and then he didn't, and then he ghosted us and then he moved away!" Drayton shouted, going red in the face with anger. "Like, what happened to the League Bratz, bro?!"

"Hey, you'd better cut it out with those 'He He's, Michael Jackson." Arven warned him, trying to look intimidating by puffing up his chest, and looming over Drayton, but it was difficult for him to look imposing with dripping ice cream in his hand.

"A-And my name is Robin." She piped up, finally finding her voice after Arven defended her. "Don't call me anything else, or I'm leaving for good this time."

Lacey clung on even tighter. "Nooo...! No, don't go! You can't just leave us again! I-It wouldn't be right!" She cried, letting go of Robin and crossing her arms in an X like she always used to do when they were kids. "You can't go and run away when we finally found you again!"

"Yeah! You're not leaving again. I don't care if I have to drag you back to my place kicking and screaming, we're gonna fucking sit, and we're gonna fucking talk." Drayton declared. "...We're also gonna get some ice cream, so wait up."

Lacey grabbed Robin's arm in both of hers. "I'm detaining you so you don't try any funny business again."

"Lacey! Do you really think violating my personal space and autonomy is, you know, right?! I-If I don't wanna talk to y'all, I don't wanna talk to y'all! That's that!" Robin protested, finally getting around to eating her ice cream. "This ice cream is really good."

"I'm glad you like it!" Lacey beamed. "Also, I think depriving Drayton and I of the closure we so desperately need is wrong. So, I'm willing to get a little ethically dubious to resolve that issue."

Robin huffed, and rolled her eyes. "I think kidnapping me is wrong too. But I guess all's well that ends well for you guys, am I right? You're both so selfish. You think I owe you closure? Well, I think you both owe me some fucking respect! I think the both of you gotta stop calling me Robbie! I think you both need to get over it, and leave me the fuck alone!"

Lacey gasped, looking up at Robin with teary eyes. "Robb- I'm sorry, Robin, but you were our best friend back then, and then you just left without even saying goodbye! Imagine how it felt for us, having to hear through Iris of all people that you moved across the planet to Paldea! Imagine how we felt when you stopped texting us! When you ignored us those last few weeks of 8th grade! When we got to Blueberry Academy and you were nowhere to be seen, and then Caitlin had to tell us that you didn't want to see us! Don't you know how much that hurt?!"

"Can you blame me? You think your good Judy over there was gonna be happy with me being trans? He's doing everything short of just calling me a man, all because I had the nerve to piss him off a little!" Robin huffed. "Seems like precisely the kind of guy I wouldn't want around, no?"

Lacey bit her lip. "H-He's just surprised. And angry. Give him time. He'll come around."

"Well, honey, I got no time to give." Robin growled, snatching her arm away from Lacey. "Get over it. Get a life. Leave me alone." She snapped, releasing Miraidon, who scared Lacey so badly, she almost fell to the ground. She hopped on with Arven following very closely behind, and the two of them literally flew out of there.

"W-Wait, they said you dropped something!" Arven cried, hanging on for dear life as Miraidon ascended to the sky.

"They were lying, you big goof." Robin told him like it was obvious. "Fuck, why did Lacey have to recognize me?! I look so different! Drayton just thought I was some random hottie, so he hit on me! Like I'd ever touch that man with a ten-foot pole!"

"Okay, now I hate him too." Arven joked. "Who were those people again?"

"Lacey and Drayton. We used to hang out because we're all younger relatives of Unova League members. I'm Caitlin's niece, she's Clay's daughter, and he's Drayden's grandson. We called ourselves the League Bratz. The name was my idea. You know, we were annoying children who sometimes had to hang around League buildings for childcare." She grumbled, concentrating on flying Miraidon out of the city and toward Nimbasa. "I haven't seen them in, like, four years, but they still look the damn same. Clearly, they ain't no divas. Not a lick of evolution or innovation."

"Oh..." Arven hummed. "...What happened with them? Why aren't you guys friends?"

Robin sighed, gripping Miraidon's horns tightly. "...Let's just say we had a falling out." She said slowly. "Sorry I ruined our Castelia City plans."

"Nah, it's okay. We're here for a month! There'll be more time for that. In the meantime, I suppose Nimbasa City is a pretty good alternative!" He said cheerily. "You wanna go up the Ferris Wheel? I hear it's very romantic."

"I hear that too. And I imagine it'll be the perfect length of time for us to finish our Casteliacones." She agreed, though all the pep had left her voice. "God, I can't believe it. Of all the people to ask me for directions." She grumbled as she took Miraidon in for a landing.

"There's, like, a million people in that city. That's gotta be crazy unlucky." Arven agreed as Miraidon smoothly glided down to the ground in the heart of Nimbasa City. "Now, this is one place I could stay for hours. The amusement park, the Musical, the Big Stadium and Little Court...! This place looks so fun!" He gushed.

"And the Battle Subway. Ooh, we should totally go to Anville Town sometime. Big trains. Nice harmonica." Robin suggested. "But for now, let's get on that Ferris Wheel before the line gets crazy long again!"

"Oh, right!" Arven cried as the two of them hurried through the amusement park to the Ferris Wheel, which, funnily enough, had not a trace of a line. They got on immediately, sitting across from each other as they hurriedly lapped at their melting Casteliacones. Unfortunately, Mabosstiff could not get a Lillipup Cup, but Arven let him out regardless. He laid down on the floor of the carriage, resuming his midday nap.

"This wheel is huge. I swear, I can see past Castelia and to, like... whatever's past there!" Arven cried, laughing a bit at himself. "The Unity Tower, Pinwheel Forest, the- Uh... What's that place with Pokestar Studios?"

"Virbank City." Robin informed him. "I can take you there. I'll take you anywhere you want."

"Hmm... You know I wanna go to Striaton City for the restaurant. I'd also like to see the Dreamyard. I know your Musharna's not from there, but I think it'd be cool to see where the Munnas come from." He mused. "I'd also like to see Chargestone Cave, I think that'd be a cool place to go. I mean, electromagnetic crystals?! That sounds epic!"

"It's a pretty cool place. I wouldn't go if you're scared of tiny little Bug types, though. There's a lot of Joltik around." Robin remarked. "I've gotta be honest, I really didn't like it there last time I went. I'm not a big fan of tiny little Joltik. But maybe I've just gotta go back with a stronger team."

"Ah, I think it'd be fun. I'm sticking to the main path, though. I'm not going cave diving." Arven asserted with wide eyes as he finished his Casteliacone. "I'm not an idiot, you know."

Robin smiled a little, leaning her head on her chin. "I know. You'll be fine. You could probably handle Victory Road just fine." She mumbled.

Arven smiled a little, before stepping over Mabosstiff to sit next to her. "Hey. It's okay. They're not gonna bother you anymore." He assured her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her close.

She shook her head. "N-No, I don't care about them. It's just- Dammit, this is supposed to be fun! We're supposed to be having fun, and I'm being a Negative Nancy, flying us out of Castelia. I'm sorry I'm being such a killjoy." She mumbled, leaning her head against Arven's shoulder as he rubbed her back comfortingly.

"Don't worry about it. We've got time. And also, I'd be pretty shaken too if some random people started yelling at me in the middle of the street. It's not your fault." He told her firmly. "Besides, I'm riding the famous Nimbasa City Ferris Wheel with my girlfriend in my arms, and I had a Casteliacone. I'm having a blast!"

Robin laughed, before finally getting her Casteliacone down to a manageable size. She sighed, scooching just a little closer to Arven. "I love you so much, Arvie. You're way too good to me." She murmured softly.

"Said the girl who invited me on a month-long vacation to my dream travel spot. Have I told you today how thankful I am for that?"

"Yes."

"Well, here I go again. Thank you so much. I'm so fucking happy, Robin, you have no idea." Arven whispered. "You know, ever since I met you, I'm just so happy all the time. I-I mean, I've got Mabo back. I have friends now, I-I kind of have a family now. And I have you. I think I might be the luckiest guy in the world." He said with a wistful smile. "I love you too, Robin. I-I love you more than you'll ever know. But, I mean, I'll try to get the message across." He chuckled, a goofy, crooked grin on his face.

Robin quickly finished her ice cream, before kissing him hard, her arms wrapped around his neck. She pulled him closer, chest to chest as Arven's hands gripped her waist. He tasted sweet like vanilla ice cream, but the way he kissed her was anything but mild. His hand found her hair, and he was about to give it a pull-

Ding!

Robin and Arven scrambled away from each other as the teenaged conductor opened up their carriage. "I see you two had fun."

"Sorry!" Robin squealed sheepishly as she and Arven hurried out of the carriage, with Arven carrying the still napping Mabosstiff in his arms.

"Nah, it's not the worst I've seen today. Your clothes are on." He remarked in a comically flat tone, as if the job had sucked out his soul.

Robin handed him a rather hefty tip before they hurried away shamefully, out of the amusement park entirely. "Jesus Christ... I know we're teenagers, but holy fuck! This is getting out of control!" Robin breathed, her face flushed bright pink.

Arven sighed, pulling his pants up a little. "Sorry."

"Ah, don't worry about it. It was my fault, anyway. I was the one who kissed you." She muttered, throwing her hair off her shoulders. "Good thing you have your own hotel room."

Arven blinked. "...Oh, yeah." He said simply, before a devious grin spread across his face. "Ooh, God bless your mom's addiction to little potted plants."

"Indeed." Robin agreed with a matching grin. "In the meantime... You know, I think it'd be really funny to put Mabo in a Musical."

Arven snorted. "Holy shit, that'd be hilarious." He chuckled, already looking for the Musical building. "Let's get him in there. I wanna see Mabo try and dance."

"Mabo doing a cartwheel." Robin muttered, picturing the hound rolling over as the two of them made their way inside. "Oh, that's right! I actually did bring my Prop Box, for some reason! Serendipity, I think." Robin chirped as she rummaged around in her tote bag and pulled out a little box, filled to the brim with little accessories.

"Oh my God, he's gonna be so cute." Arven giggled, tugging a hula skirt around Mabo's waist.

Just then, Robin's Gothitelle burst out of her Poke Ball, her arms crossed in front of her chest.

"Oh, hi! Did you want to do a Musical too?" Robin asked brightly. Gothitelle huffed, turning her nose up, but she eventually slightly nodded yes.

"Fabulous! Hold this." Robin instructed, handing Gothitelle a red parasol. "And you get a bow too..."

Gothitelle trilled out of happiness as Robin adorned her with cutesy accessories, though she quickly caught herself and turned her nose up yet again. Silly Gothitelle, she tried so hard to be cool, but she was so excitable when it came to looking cute.

In the end, Arven dressed Mabo up in a hula skirt, fake glasses and a bowtie, and Gothitelle had a red parasol, a few bows and a necklace. Arven and Robin could barely contain their laughter as they stood in line with their Pokemon. They couldn't even look at each other, because one look in each other's eyes, and they'd burst out laughing inappropriately loud in public. So they had to stand there, laughter bubbling up inside them like a boiling pot as they waited for their turn in the Stardom Musical.

Soon enough, they were taken in, and after a short rehearsal, their Pokemon were whisked away, and Robin and Arven were standing backstage. They watched as Gothitelle gave it her best, hitting every beat in her elegant outfit... As Mabosstiff stood on his hind legs for a few seconds, then flopped over, showing his belly to the audience.

That was too much for Robin and Arven. They grabbed each other by the shoulders as they broke down into near silent wheezes, trying their best not to disturb the show. Robin leaned her head against Arven's chest as she whimpered, failing to be completely silent. Mabo just looked so silly as he shimmied his limp body across the stage in lieu of actually dancing. His hula skirt had started to slide off, and his glasses were on crooked, but he didn't care. He was back on his hind legs, staring back at Robin and Arven as they laughed at him, as if he was thoroughly offended they'd find his 'performance' amusing. The performance ended as Gothitelle struck her pose, and Mabosstiff tried to climb her like a tree. The lights shut off, and the crowd applauded almost as loudly as they laughed.

They barely listened through the director's debrief, giggling to each other as Gothitelle crossed her arms. She did well, of course, but Mabosstiff was the star of the show by refusing to take part in any of it. He sat by Arven's leg, looking incredibly dopey as the director sang his praises. He didn't seem to know what was going on, and he didn't care to find out. He was just having a good time in his hula skirt. Robin and Arven put the accessories away, and walked out of the dressing room in silence. They knew that whoever broke the silence would instantly cause the other to break down into raucous laughter, and it would be an embarrassing mess.

"Oh my Gosh, that's the Pokemon!" A young lady cried, running up to them with her Minccino. "Oh my Gosh, that was the funniest thing I've ever seen in my life! I've never even seen a Pokemon like this before!" She cooed, kneeling down to pat Mabosstiff's head.

"O-Oh, uh... Thanks?" Arven stammered, mildly stunned by the attention.

"Here! A token of my appreciation!" She chirped, thrusting a prop bandana into his hands. 

Arven blinked, staring down at the bandana. "...Thank you!" He finally remembered to say, before the girl ran off just as suddenly as she approached.

Robin snickered. "First time at the Musical, eh?"

"They do that? Just, walk up to you and give you shit?" He asked, speedwalking out of the theatre with Robin in tow.

"If they like your performance enough. Usually they wait for you to approach them, but I guess she really liked Mabo." Robin remarked. "I mean... Who wouldn't?"

"Oh, God. Don't remind me." Arven chuckled, covering his eyes with his hands. "Sorry he climbed on you, Gothitelle."

Gothitelle huffed, returning to her Poke Ball to sulk. Her big moment was ruined by Mabosstiff rolling around onstage like a Serperior using Coil. She was quite upset.

Arven smiled as Mabosstiff trotted along at his side, his tongue bouncing around as it hung out of his mouth. Less than a year ago, he couldn't even sit up. Now, he was walking around, fit as a fiddle. Standing on his hind legs in a hula skirt. God, that mental image was almost as priceless as watching it happen in real time.

He took Robin's hand in his as they started the journey back to Castelia City. Of course, they got sidetracked by a great many things, Robin wanted to show Arven the Marvelous Bridge, Lostlorn Forest, all kinds of things. If it was a landmark within walking distance, she wanted him to see it. Marvelous Bridge was very quiet, save for the occasional flock of Swanna flying overhead. Robin and Arven barely spoke on the bridge, they were just enjoying each other's presence.

Despite the sandstorm making his eyes water, Arven was having the time of his life with Robin. Even a place as mundane as Route 4 could feel like a wonderland with her by his side. Arven wondered if every day in Unova could feel like this.

Robin sat alone in her room in the penthouse, kicking her feet against the pillows. She was just so bored. Dinner with Arven, her mom and her aunt wasn't eventful at all, both Chrys and Caitlin got a kick out of Mabosstiff's musical act, but that was about it. There was no fighting, no crying, nothing important. They ate, and then they went home. Nothing more, nothing less.

Her room was much emptier than she remembered, its contents now filling up her room back in her house in Poco Path, and it all just felt wrong. It was 11:30, and she wasn't tired. It was probably the jet lag, she knew that, but that didn't make her any more tired. Worse yet, she was lying in bed alone. Sure, her Musharna was there, levitating off the floor in a corner of the room, but that wasn't quite the same as having a man in her bed.

Suddenly, the pressure against her boob gave her a fabulous idea. She retrieved the key card to Arven's hotel room from her bra, and a wry smile spread across her face. What a way to push away the doldrums. She was gonna kiss every square inch of flesh on Arven's body.

She crept out of her room, her mother's snores filling up the penthouse. Good, she wouldn't be awake to stop her. There was nothing standing in her way. She was gonna climb him like a fucking tree. She opened the front door to the penthouse, ready to jump Arven's bones...

And instead, she was stopped in her tracks by Drayton at her door, preparing to knock. His eyes widened, looking momentarily frozen. But, of course, he recovered instantly, his confidence restored in a flash.

"Hey." He said simply, backing away from the door a little so she could close the door behind her. "...I don't believe we finished our chat."

"No, we have not." Robin agreed, moving to leave him behind, but he blocked her way.

Drayton's expression softened as he seemed to deflate, his earlier bravado gone. "How've you been?" He asked gently, his golden eyes staring down at her like a sunset in the prairie.

"I don't see how that's any of your business." Robin said sharply.

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "...Sorry we yelled at you. I was floored to see you looking like this, and- ...Well, it's not every day the missing member of your trio wanders back into your life." He tried to joke, but it fell completely flat as Robin continued to stare blankly at him.

"I'm not back in your life." She informed him evenly. "You made yourself pretty clear back then."

He sighed, holding his forehead in his hand. "...I know. I'm sorry. But- Robin, please don't shut Lacey out. She's been crying all day. I know you hate me, and that's fine. I can handle that. But that has nothing to do with her. I'm the reason we fell apart, not her."

"Oh, we were falling apart long before that." Robin corrected him with a sharp glare. "Move. I've got somewhere to be." She demanded, pushing past him in a huff as she called the elevator. Drayton, mercifully, had the sense to not join her in the elevator as it took her down to the main floor.

Robin stomped out of the building, and right next door to Arven's hotel. She took another elevator right back up to the same level of elevation she'd started at, ending up on the fifteenth floor. Despite the bad mood Drayton had put her in, she actually felt a little bit of pep in her step. Ooh, this was gonna be good. They could barely keep their hands off each other in public, they were making out on the plane, in the taxi, on the Ferris Wheel, on the Marvelous Bridge... She could only imagine what he'd do to her in private.

She finally got to his hotel room, and quietly knocked on his door. That didn't seem to work, so she knocked a little louder. No dice again. She put her ear to the door, and she heard the shower running, so she shrugged and used her own keycard to let herself in. She wanted to be polite, but she'd barge in if need be. She knew he'd forgive her.

He hadn't unpacked much since he'd been there, she noticed. His suitcase was open on the couch, but he hadn't hung up any clothes or anything. There were no dishes to wash, no dirty cups, and even the minibar looked untouched. Huh. Did he not know that the minibar was complimentary in a place like this? Besides, it's not like he was paying for the room, so even if it were charged to the room, Chrys would be footing the bill. Maybe he was just that polite. That sounded like him.

She peeked into the bedroom, finding Mabosstiff laying at the foot of the bed. He perked up a little when he saw Robin, and he eagerly accepted her pats and her scratches behind his ears. She felt a little sorry for him. He was about to be locked back up in his Poke Ball, once Robin got her hands on Arven.

She knocked on the bathroom door, where she could hear Arven singing in the shower. He had a pretty nice voice, she thought. She didn't recognize the song he was singing, about Feraligatr Charizards in the air, but he sounded pretty good singing it. That was intriguing. She'd like to sing with him one day. It was always portrayed as the peak of romance on DiGlee. Maybe it'd be fun to sing with him. A ballad seemed cheesy, but something more upbeat and silly sounded like a blast.

He didn't react to her knocking at first, so she decided to knock louder the second time. That one got to him, as she heard his rather unmanly squeal through the wall. "Wh-Who's there?!" He cried, and Robin could barely help herself from laughing.

"Your girlfriend, you silly Yungoos." She called, a fond smile spreading across her face. Ah, she got to call herself his girlfriend. That never quite got old. "You almost done?"

"U-Uh, yeah. I was just- I mean, I guess you heard me singing." He remarked as he turned the water off. "I mean, the showers here are incredible. Better than the Elite Four Seasons!" He remarked as she heard the rustling of a towel through the door.

Robin smiled, sitting down on the bed next to Mabosstiff, stroking his fur absent-mindedly. "I should hope so. This place is much more fancy."

"It is! The minibar is huge! I-It's like a macrobar!" He laughed. "Hang on, I'm just gonna get dressed, then I'll meet you out there." He promised, and she could tell he was dressing himself as quickly as he possibly could. He finally emerged from the bathroom in his pajamas, that loose tank top she loved because it barely did anything for modesty and some sweatpants.

"Hey." She greeted him with a sly look in her eye. "I let myself in. Hope you don't mind."

"I don't mind, but I am confused. Did I leave the door open?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

Robin pulled her keycard back out of her bra, flashing it at him. "Caitlin gave me a key to your room."

Arven frowned. "Why would she do that?"

"So I could jump your fucking bones." Robin said bluntly, staring up at him cheekily. "It was very kind of her. Plus, I think you'll find some condoms... right here." She announced, pulling open the bedside table drawer to reveal several boxes of condoms of varying sizes.

Arven's eyes widened, and he flushed a little, his cheeks dusted with pink. "U-Uh... Wow! Uh... I'm sorry, I-I don't know what I'm saying-" He stammered, hiding his face in his hands.

Robin stood up, gently pulling his hands away from his face. "Relax, Arvie. We don't have to do anything if you don't want to. I'm just saying... I would very much like to rip your clothes off right now." She murmured, her right hand holding the base of his neck.

Arven swallowed a lump in his throat, before hurrying to his bedside table and returning Mabosstiff to his Poke Ball. "I-I-Mm. Yeah. Yeah, I-I'd like that. Except I really like this tank top, so d-don't..." He trailed off, staring blankly at Robin's chest, now that she'd taken her shirt off. "Rip... it..."

"Hm?" She prompted, her hands finding the clasp of her bra. "Go on."

Arven took a deep breath, before tentatively approaching Robin, standing over her as she sat on the bed, ready to unhook her bra. "...Holy shit, you're so beautiful." He breathed, kissing her gently, hanging on her lips by a thread. Robin wrapped her legs around his torso, pulling him onto the bed and on top of her. She took the lead, her hand in his hair as they kissed, Arven finally gaining some confidence as he moved to kissing her jaw, down her neck and to her clavicle. Robin finally undid her bra, throwing it aside, exposing her bare chest to Arven for the first time.

He stared down at her for a moment, before reaching to fondle one of her breasts, but stopping midway. "U-Uh, can I...?"

"Yeah." Robin breathed, her hands on his cheek as he finally got his hands on her chest, gently pinching her nipple, causing a spark of electricity to run up Robin's spine. He seemed very enamored with her breasts, kissing her sternum before moving to the softer flesh. He quickly found out that her nipples were sensitive when he licked one, which caused Robin to let out a cute little suppressed grunt. He almost laughed as he took that as a challenge. He wanted to hear her make that noise again, but louder. So, he kissed them both, eliciting more of those stifled moans that were like music to his ears. Her skin was so soft, like the inside of a rose. He could hardly get enough of her, one hand on her thigh and the other on her waist. He flicked his tongue around one of her nipples, causing her to half-moan and half-giggle.

"A-Arvie, that tickles...!" She cried, gently pushing his head away from her chest. He took that as an invitation to go lower, trailing kisses past her ribcage and belly button and down to just above the bulge in her panties-

"N-No! Not that." She squealed, jerking away from him and crossing her legs. He looked a little shellshocked, his eyes wide and his face flushed.

"I-I'm so sorry, I-" He started, backing away from her slowly, but she locked her legs around his back, keeping him from running away entirely.

"...I never said we had to completely stop. Just... I-I'm not ready for that. For you to see it, or touch it. Okay? Everything else, I'm okay with. Just not that." She explained, her voice barely above a whisper. "...I-I'm sorry, I know I'm crazy-"

Arven shook his head. "You're not crazy. I should've known, I'm sorry."

"It's okay." She breathed, her heart pounding in her chest. "...You wanna keep going?"

Arven simply nodded.

Robin took a deep breath to steady herself, before she grabbed Arven by the waist, and pulled him down onto the bed, and shuffled on top of him so that she was straddling him. She sighed, taking in the view of Arven's red face, his lips slightly parted, completely at her mercy. He was so cute, staring up at her with stars in his eyes. She pulled his tank top off his body without a word, revealing his bulky chest, lightly dusted with blonde hair. It was far from the first time she'd seen it, but the novelty had yet to wear off. She loved it so much, she'd always wanted to touch it, and now she finally got to get her hands on him.

She kissed him hard, pressing their chests together. He wrapped his arms around her waist, keeping her close as he indulged in the kiss, gasping as he came up for air. She moved down, finally getting herself a faceful of Arven's pecs like she'd wanted for so long, kissing them both gently. They were soft but firm, much less squishy than her own chest, and Robin found she could probably fondle them for hours. Fuck, she loved his body so much. She loved that body wash he used, the one that made him smell like nutmeg and lemon. He covered his eyes with his hands as he softly moaned, her hands travelling lower, to his obliques, his slightly rotund stomach, then to his waistband. Arven tensed up a little, clearly a bit surprised she was willing to go that far.

"...I know I'm a hypocrite, but... Can I?" She asked quietly, staring up at him.

Arven swallowed a lump in his throat, looking at Robin, who'd put her face right next to his bulge. He looked so nervous, so afraid to let his passion loose, but he nodded anyway.

Robin grinned as she pulled down his pants, her heart pounding in anticipation. She'd felt it through his clothes before, when they'd kiss as they slept in his bed, but he was always so embarrassed about it. But now, she had his permission, and she was going to find out just what he was packing.

She tugged down his pants and underpants, and nearly jumped out of her skin when his penis slapped back against his pubic bone. "Holy shit..." She breathed, holding it in her hand, marvelling at its thickness. "You're big."

Arven's face was hidden in his hands, he was so nervous. "Sorry!" He squeaked.

"What is this, six and a half, seven inches? Very respectable." She informed him, pulling back the foreskin to reveal the furiously red tip. "This is... kind of intimidating, actually. I was gonna blow you, but now I'm worried there'll be teeth..."

"S-Sorry..." Arven mumbled, his face bright red.

"Arven, why are you apologizing for being hung?" She asked bluntly. "Can I, uh... Can I, like, try to suck it?"

Arven tensed up immediately, his eyes wide. "U-Uh... Holy shit, I can't believe this is happening."

"That's not an answer."

"Y-Yes! Yes, you can- Oh my God, you can do whatever you want with me." He breathed, covering his eyes with the backs of his hands. "Holy shit..."

Robin smiled a little, sliding off the bed. "Stand up." She directed him, and he quickly obeyed, looking down at the floor. She lightly grabbed his chin, and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "Do you want this?" She asked softly, looking him dead in his cerulean eyes.

"Y-Yeah. I want this." He insisted, holding her by the waist. "I-I've just never done anything like this before. I mean, you're the only person I've ever kissed."

Robin smiled a little. "Same here. You're my first." She admitted. "And I must say, I made a fantastic choice..." She murmured, sinking to her knees, trailing kisses down Arven's abdomen before finally getting to his dick, tentatively licking the tip, eliciting a sharp inhale from Arven. She held it in her hand, pumping her hand along the shaft as she continued to pay attention to the tip. Arven gently gripped a handful of her hair, squeezing onto it as Robin started trying to take him in her mouth.

She couldn't get very far, but she made up for that by focusing on what she could take, swirling her tongue around his glans, causing him to let out a deep breath that mixed with a moan. His grip on her hair tightened, and he even ended up pulling it, causing Robin to moan around his cock. She took her mouth off his dick with a pop, staring up at him with her arousal written all over her face.

"Oh! I-I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking! Y-You liked it when we kissed, so I-I was thinking-" Arven stammered, before Robin shut him up with just a look.

"Do that again." She whispered breathlessly.

Arven blinked. "Y-You sure?"

"Fuck, yes." She affirmed in a gravelly tone. "C'mon, give it to me- Mmm, fuck!" She moaned, trying her best to jerk Arven off through the pleasure. "Fuck, I didn't think I'd like my hair pulled so much!" She remarked as Arven gave it another tug.

"I-I didn't think so either!" Arven agreed, his toes curling as Robin got her mouth back on his cock. "Sh-Shit, Robin... I-I'm gonna cum...!" He moaned, pulling his cock out of her mouth.

"Aww..." Robin remarked as she continued to jerk him off. "Not on the face, sir."

"I-I figured!" He exclaimed tightly, his eyes shut tight. "I-I'm-" He stammered, unable to form words anymore. He was gone, overwhelming pleasure rendering him incoherent as he finally came, rope after rope of thick white cum spurting out of him, all over Robin's chest.

He sat down as he finally came down from his orgasm, but Robin's mouth was still agape in shock. "Holy shit, Arvie! Are you always this- I dunno, virile?!" She cried incredulously.

"Huh...?" He mumbled, sleepily staring at her. "Oh, fuck. Th-That was a big one." He murmured, chuckling a bit as he brushed his hair out of his face. "...I mean, you're always sleeping over. I kinda don't have the time to pull the padge anymore." He admitted shamefully, hanging his head. "Sorry."

"My God. You're sexy, hung and you cum a lot. And you're all mine. Is this heaven?" Robin breathed, gingerly sticking her fingernail in some of his cum and licking it off. "Hm. You know, it's not nearly as bad as people say." She mused, standing back up, a little dazed as she meandered to the bathroom.

"You're gross." Arven chuckled, following closely behind.

"I mean, I'm not the one it came out of."

Arven gasped. "Oh my gosh, that reminds me! You didn't get to cum, did you?!" He cried, his eyes wide. "I-I'm sorry, I should've paid closer attention!"

Robin blinked. "Okay, two things: A) I literally told you not to touch me there, and B) I don't care. I'm satisfied." She said firmly. She then felt the front of her panties, and took a deep, long sigh. "Shit. And C) I did. And I don't have a change."

"Oh, shit." He said blankly. "...I'd say you could borrow some of mine, but I'm not sure they'd fit, or if you'd want to."

"Well, it'll have to do." Robin sighed. "Shit. I can't believe I just sucked you off and now I'm gonna make you turn around so you don't see my private parts. I'm such a child."

He shrugged. "If you're not ready, you're not ready. I understand. I-I mean, I kind of don't, but you explained it enough times that I see your reasoning."

She soaked a washcloth, and started wiping away the cum on her tits. "...Was I- I mean, was that good?"

Arven smiled shyly, avoiding her eyes as he flushed. "...Yeah. I-I really liked that." He murmured, scratching behind his ear. "I, uh... You have really nice boobs." He said lamely.

Robin snorted, cracking up as she rinsed out the washcloth. "Thanks, you too!" She laughed as Arven hugged her from behind, his hands ever so inconspicuously reaching for her breasts.

"Like, really, really nice. They're so soft. And squishy. And, like, they really fit you. Like, they're not too big, 'cause if they were too big, you'd look kind of silly." He rambled on, kissing her neck as he squeezed them again.

"Small and humble so you don't confuse them with mountains." Robin agreed, lightly shaking him off her. "U-Uh... I've gotta change out of my underwear."

Arven pouted, but he threw a clean pair of his own underwear at her and closed the door behind her. She quickly changed, peeling her sticky underwear off with a grimace. It wasn't much, it never was anymore, but even the mostly transparent, watery stuff she made still made a mess.

She emerged to find Arven pulling his pants back on, his chest still tinted a little red with a residual flush. "Oh, uh... You wanna borrow some sweatpants too?"

"Yeah, sure. I don't like the way these fit." She admitted. "Makes me feel like a dude."

"Yeah, they really don't suit you." Arven agreed, finding a pair of black sweatpants with white stripes and tossing them to her. "That okay?"

"Yeah, this should be fine." Robin muttered, quickly pulling them on. "God, I don't know how I managed to keep my hands off you before. You're so hot." She breathed, approaching him for a kiss that he eagerly reciprocated.

"Imagine how I feel." Arven remarked breathlessly, pulling her down onto the bed. "I had you sleeping in a bra. I hear that's very uncomfortable."

Robin shrugged, breaking the kiss to tuck herself under the covers. "Have you met me? Uncomfortable is my middle name."

"Yeah, that's true, Miss Three Inch Heels or Nothing." He teased, scooching up next to her and laying on his back, allowing her to drape herself over top of him as usual, her face buried in the crook of his neck. They'd forgone spooning long ago as they discovered neither of them liked sleeping on their side.

The room was quiet for a while, until Arven broke the silence. "Am I supposed to feel different now? Y'know, now that I'm not a virgin?" He asked quietly.

"Well, the more ontologically guilty of us would argue you're still a virgin until you've had penetrative sex, which you'll notice we did not do." Robin mumbled sleepily. "Besides, did anything really change? We're still the same people. I just know what your dick looks like now."

Arven hummed, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too..." She mumbled back, her words slurring as she drifted away to sleep. Arven reached out to shut off the lamp he had on, and closed his eyes...

Suddenly, Robin raised herself off Arven's chest, her eyes wide in panic. "Oh, shit. I should go, so my mom doesn't find out-" She said breathlesly, already scrambling out of bed.

Arven caught her by the waist, and rather violently pulled her back in. "Nuh-uh. Bedtime." He insisted, wrapping his arms around her waist so she couldn't run away.

"Arvie, she's gonna find out...!" Robin giggled, feigning an attempt at resistance, but she and Arven both knew her heart wasn't in it.

"She's gonna find out anyway. I suck at keeping secrets." He reasoned. "C'mon... I'll make you breakfast." He offered, wiggling his eyebrows.

Robin instantly went limp, returning to her original spot on Arven's chest. "Deal."

Chapter Text

It was a very familiar scene when Robin woke up. Waking up in Arven's bed, snuggling Mabosstiff instead of Arven, the scent of fresh pancakes in the air. It was a scene she loved every time she lived it, no matter how many times she'd been through the same loop. She gently got up, trying her best not to disturb poor Mabosstiff, put her shirt and bra back on, and walked to the kitchenette to find her lovely, amazing boyfriend flipping pancakes for her. She smiled warmly as she approached him. She decided to steal one of his moves, and hug him from behind as he loved to do to her. Of course, he was a bit taller than her so it didn't quite work as seamlessly as when he did it, but it was pleasant nonetheless.

"Good morning." Arven chuckled. "I need to come up with some pet names for you. Honey? Sweetie? Baby?"

"None of those." Robin insisted. "How'd you sleep?"

"Oh, like a fucking baby." He said cheerfully. "Come on, grab some pancakes. They have their own plates here."

Robin initially followed his direction, but she paused just as she was about to scoop some pancakes onto her plate. She squinted at him, meeting his eyes with suspicion. "When did you go grocery shopping?"

"I brought some stuff from home. The milk and eggs I bought from across the street last night. Before you came over." He informed her. "I was anticipating this, to be honest."

Robin rolled her eyes, an involuntary smile spreading across her face. "I'm getting predictable." She mused, watching as Arven sat next to her with his own plate.

"I just know you really well." He insisted, nudging her shoulder as he poured maple syrup on both of their plates. "I'm sure you could've guessed I was going to make you breakfast, even if you didn't sleep over."

Robin cocked her head to the side in agreement. "So, there's not much of a plan today, I don't think. And given that I've got a big bicycle dragon that flies, we can go anywhere we want. What are you feeling like?"

Arven tapped his index finger to his lip, squinting his eyes a little. "Hm... Ooh, I know! I'd like to go to Nacrene City, but on foot. The Skyarrow Bridge seems so cool!"

Robin closed her eyes, her blood running cold. "A-Ah... Yeah, yeah. That sounds cool. P-Pinwheel Forest is a pretty place, too. It's really cool and humid in there. It's like being near a swimming pool."

Arven frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Hm? Oh, nothing. Nothing's wrong." She said too quickly. "Nacrene City's a nice place to be. Their museum recently got a pretty big expansion. The Gym's gone, but the museum's much more spacious. Plus, Lenora decided to keep the secret entrance to her study. We'll see if you can crack it." She teased, her heart rate slowing as she talked about the museum, and everything else other than the bridge.

He took her hands in his, turning in his stool to face her. "Robin. What's wrong?" He asked, more firmly this time. His eyes felt like little lasers burning holes in her composure, threatening to have her worst memories leak out of her.

She cleared her throat, refusing to meet his gaze. "...Can we fly there?" She asked quietly. "I, uh... I think the bridge'll be really busy at this time of day, and I-I'm a little scared of heights."

Arven blinked. "Alright. We can fly." He relented, his eyes remaining on Robin, the confusion evident in his expression. "I didn't know you were scared of heights. We fly all the time." He pointed out.

"Uh, yeah. Y-You know, after I almost fell to my death in Area Zero, I-I haven't been a fan." Robin improvised, and internally she was quite impressed by her ability to come up with convincing bullshit on the fly.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. You know, it wasn't the last time one of us nearly died in that fucking hellhole." Arven grumbled. "It's okay. We'll skip the bridge. But I would like to see Pinwheel Forest, anyway. I hear there's logs so big and hollow, you can walk through them!" He said excitedly.

"You know, I've never done that before. We'll see if it's true together!" She tried to say cheerily, but even she could tell it was inauthentic.

Arven silently stood up, and wrapped Robin up in his arms. "Hey. Don't worry about it. My trip's not ruined because you don't wanna go on a bridge." He assured her, gently stroking her hair. "I'm happy just being with you."

Robin shook her head. "It's not that, I-I'm just-" She started to explain, but she just couldn't get the words out. She couldn't talk about it. She could barely even think about it without breaking down. So, she decided to tell a little half-lie instead. "...Drayton showed up at my door last night." She said quietly.

Arven's eyebrows shot up. "Drayton? As in, the guy with the white hair who was yelling at you yesterday? What did he say? Did he hurt you?!"

"No, he didn't say much of anything, really. He apologized. Told me to at least talk to Lacey." Robin muttered. "I don't know what to do. I-I mean, he's right. Lacey was just collateral damage. But... I dunno, things were really awkward between us at the end. Lacey and I were already drifting apart before that. So... I don't know what's left to say." She admitted, pushing her bangs out of her face. "I'm a very different person than I was four years ago. I don't know that they'd be able to let go of who I used to be."

Arven sat back down, but he remained holding her hand. "...It sounds like your gut's telling you to leave it alone."

"It is. But I know they won't let me." Robin grumbled. "I think they're better off without me, anyway. They seem a lot closer now than they were when I knew them." She remarked, thinking back to the way Lacey was leaning against Drayton for support when she was dizzy with heat stroke. He never would've let that slide four years ago. He never would have let her touch him like that.

Arven hummed, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. "...Well, I'm sure you know better than I do. If you wanna reconnect with them, that's great! If not, that's fine too. You know I'm behind you every step of the way."

"...Grabbing my boobs." Robin joked.

"Wha- Hey! They're very nice boobs!" Arven protested. "Plus, I wouldn't do that in public!"

Robin chuckled, finishing her last bite of pancake. "Thanks. I'm quite proud of my boobs." She remarked, looking down at her own cleavage. "Plus, I noticed a couple lumps under my nipples, so they're gonna grow some more. Probably not too much more, but I might go from a B to a C."

"Oh! Sick!" Arven cheered, cleaning up both of their plates and putting the dishes in the dishwasher.

"Yeah. Hopefully not too much more, though. Like you said, they're proportional right now, but if they get too big, I'm gonna look kind of crazy. Wendy Williams, shaped like a capital P." She remarked, cupping her own breasts. "Anyway, I should probably shower and change before we go. I've gotta serve a little bit of Boho-chic to go to Nacrene City, y'know?"

Arven smiled, tucking in her stool for her before she could do it herself. "Okay. I'll meet you outside, how 'bout that?"

"Okay, Danielle Bregoli." She joked, craning her head up for a light kiss, which she received. Arven then decided that wasn't at all sufficient, and kissed her deeply, his hands on her waist. He was insistent, unwilling to let up for even a second. Once Robin had to come up for air, he kissed her jaw and sucked a hickey onto her neck, then another, then another onto her collarbone.

"A-Arven...!" Robin moaned breathily, her back arched as he pressed onward. "I-I gotta go...!"

Finally, Arven let her go, a devious look in his eye. "I can't let you take the lead all the time." He murmured with a wink, before turning her around and giving her a light push forward. "Off you go, then."

Robin stood there, completely bewildered. She turned back to him, finding him with an annoyingly handsome cocky smirk on his face. He shrugged a little, as if challenging her to leave as she just wanted to.

"...Motherfucker." She grumbled, before charging at him, claiming his lips in an aggressive kiss. He stumbled backward, his hands finding her hair and her waist, before the two of them collapsed on the couch, Robin on top of Arven as they kissed.

Then, just as suddenly as she started the exchange, she stood up and skipped away. "Alright, bye!" She chirped, a mischevious grin on her face.

"Wha- Hey!" Arven cried, blushing furiously red as he slid off the couch, watching in a daze as Robin flitted out of his hotel room. "What the fuck...!" He whined, slumping down on the floor.

Robin giggled to herself as she left his hotel room. She got her revenge, instantly. Arven could play at being dominant all he liked, they both knew he was weak in the knees for her, and he'd melt in her arms like butter whenever she asserted herself. He was so cute. A pretty big dude, so easily neutralized and turned into a blushing, soft and sweet mess. He was so adorable when he was under her, staring up at her with stars in his vibrant aquamarine eyes. She loved him so much.

Ah, she was getting distracted from her mission! She had to sneak into the penthouse, shower and get dressed all without letting her mom find out what she'd gotten up to the night before. And thanks to the hickeys Arven had so graciously just given her, she had to get dressed before her mom saw her. It was gonna be a tall order, but it was still 9:30, so her mom was probably still asleep. She was always a late riser.

Robin unlocked the door to the penthouse and opened it up, only to find Chrys sitting right there on the couch, her legs crossed and her expression stern. Shit. The one day Chrys decided to wake up early, it just had to be the day Robin needed her to sleep in most. Robin sheepishly walked in, and attempted to go to her room, but Chrys rather loudly cleared her throat, so Robin rolled her eyes and stopped right there.

"So. You snuck out." Chrys said evenly. "You snuck out, and now there's a hickey on your neck."

"There's a couple, actually. One on my collarbone, too." Robin corrected her, pointing it out to her by puffing out her chest. "Don't worry, I'm not a cheater."

"That's the least of my concerns, actually." Chrys said firmly. "I-I'm floored, Robin, honestly. You've always been such a good kid. I never thought you'd be that girl, the one who sneaks out of her parent's house in the dead of night."

Robin blinked. "Wait, you're actually mad about this? I just thought this shit would be awkward!" She cried, an awkward laugh escaping her lips. "I-I thought I'd have to sit through 'The Talk'!"

"That show got cancelled." Chrys replied with a steely gaze. "You snuck out of my house! When I woke up and I couldn't find you, do you know how scared I was?! Do you know where my mind went?!"

"A rather unpleasant mental image of your daughter doing the nasty?" Robin supplied helpfully.

"The fucking bridge, Robin." Her mother said bluntly, and it felt like a boot to the stomach. "The last time y-you snuck out of this penthouse, you went to jump off the bridge." She added shakily, angry tears dotting her eyes.

Robin was floored. She didn't think of that, she tried so hard not to think about it, and here she was, reminded of her lowest point twice in a single morning. It was like the world was closing in around her, conspiring to break her down into nothing but a crying, slobbering mess.

"M-Mom. Can we please not do this-"

"O-Oh, we're gonna do this. We're gonna sit down and talk about this." She declared, taking her glasses off and wiping her tears. "You know I don't like not knowing where you are. I-I know, you're growing up and you've got Miraidon and your own dorm room and you're used to being wherever, whenever. I get that. B-But when I think I know where you are, and I wake up in the middle of the night to find you not in your bed..."

Robin sat down on the chair across from her mom, sinking back into it. She felt empty, like her spirit couldn't handle talking about the bridge and it left her body, leaving behind an empty shell. "M-Mom... I was with Arven." She said slowly, each breath feeling like crawling through broken glass.

"Yeah, I can see that." She remarked hoarsely, clearing her throat of her emotion. "I-I can't say I'm a huge fan of that. But- I mean, I'm not an idiot, Robin. I know you don't sleep in your own dorm when you stay at the Academy, and I know you two aren't playing pattycake."

Robin shrugged. She had a point, even Robin had to admit that.

"Just don't do that again. Alright? You can stay over with him. I won't stop you. But please don't sneak out anymore. It scares the fuck out of me." Chrys tried to say steadily, but her composure was slipping rapidly.

Robin simply nodded. She couldn't say anything to that, words wouldn't leave her mouth. She desperately needed the topic to change, so her insides could thaw out and she could say anything again.

"I-I'm trying to be okay with you having sex. But you're my baby." She said softly, her blue eyes suddenly seeming much less icy. "It's hard, watching you grow up. I'm really trying to be okay with you growing up, but- You know, you're my only kid. I'm starting to feel like an empty nester."

Robin sighed, leaning on the armchair. "...So...? You're not mad about... y'know?"

"Mostly. I know it's gonna happen. You've been dating for months. Not to shock you or anything, but I was your age once." Chrys joked. "Just- I dunno, be safe. Make sure you put on a condom." She said, before squinting at Robin, then cocking her head to the side. "Make sure he puts on a condom."

Robin burst out laughing, her telltale witch cackle coming out in full force. She leaned on the armrest with both hands, hanging her head low in her lap. She laughed so hard, it started to turn into little wheezes, like air slowly leaking out of a balloon.

"Well?! Let's be honest here!" Chrys cried, chuckling a little herself. "I'm just saying!"

"Y-You said, this faggy bitch bottom-" She wheezed, smacking the armrest like it owed her money. "This little bitch could never-"

"And am I wrong?!" Chrys demanded, her laughter building up in her chest.

"Nope!" Robin snickered, standing up and walking to her bedroom in high spirits. "I'm gonna shower, then me and Arven are going to Nacrene City. 'Kay?"

"Okay. Wear a turtleneck!" Chrys cried, pointing at Robin accusingly.

"Oh my God..."

Arven sat on a windowsill outside of the hotel, tapping his feet together as he waited for Robin to emerge. He was thinking maybe he should've had her come get him when she was ready, because he greatly underestimated the gap in the time they both needed to get ready. Mabosstiff was wide awake when he started waiting twenty minutes ago, and now he was fully asleep on his lap. It wasn't all bad, the hustle and bustle of Castelia City was actually pretty pleasant to watch, as long as you weren't caught up in it.

The apartment building's door opened, and lo and behold, Robin had finally arrived. She was wearing a turtleneck, a scarf, and a long flowy skirt. She wasn't lying when she said she was going to serve boho-chic.

"Hello!" She said cheerily as Arven stood up and returned Mabo to his Poke Ball.

"Hi. I'm still mad at you." He said lightly, crossing his arms.

Robin's eyes widened. "For what? What I do?"

"You have a really bad habit of kissing me and running away." Arven informed her, his eyes narrowed. "It makes me very sad. What if I want to kiss you more?"

"Hm. I guess you'll just have to wait a little bit." Robin said evenly, a wry smile spreading across her face. She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "Will this make it better?" She murmured, before gently kissing his lips. She could feel his smile as he kissed her, his hands finding their way around her waist.

She broke the kiss, smiling a bit to herself when she caught sight of a few flecks of glitter her lip gloss had left on his lips. "So?" She prompted slyly. "We good?"

Arven grinned, taking his hand in hers. "You're forgiven." He said in a high, snooty voice. "Shall we get flying?"

"Someone's excited." Robin teased, sending out Miraidon and hopping on. Normally, Arven hanging onto her would have just been par for the course while riding Miraidon, but there was something a bit different in the way he pressed his body against hers. Her body heated up, though she tried her best to ignore it as she piloted Miraidon to the skies.

"Oh my gosh, I didn't realize just how tall the Skyarrow Bridge is!" Arven cried, marvelling at the sheer height of the spines. "I guess that's why they call it that, huh? It's really like an arrow to the sky. Look, it's literally piercing a cloud up there!" He squealed excitedly, pointing to the central pillar, the tip of which had disappeared into the cloudy sky.

"So I see." Robin said placidly. She was pathetic, even she knew that. The bridge was huge. Why did just looking at it put a damper on her mood? Was she that weak? She knew a landmark shouldn't have held so much power over her, she knew she was being crazy, but she just couldn't help it. Her entire body would tense up whenever she looked at it. It wasn't voluntary, the only thing she could do was pretend it didn't exist, that there was nothing to remind her of her worst mistake.

"It's really high up." He noted, and Robin instantly clenched her fists on Miraidon's horns. Now the universe was just taunting her. Making her boyfriend echo her own words from that night? Next thing she knew he was gonna start saying it was a long way down.

"Ooh, and you can see the museum from all the way up here!" Arven pointed out, lifting a huge weight off Robin's chest. "And all the little warehouses... Robin, this city is so cute! It's so, like, rustic." He gushed as Miraidon came in for a landing.

"You know, they have this fierce little cafe here. Live accordion. I think we should, like, go for a little impromptu date there." Robin suggested as the two of them hopped off Miraidon. "You know, after we check out the museum."

Arven grinned. "Oh, hell yeah. A fun little cafe date in this cute little city? I'm so down." He said with suppressed excitement as he took Robin's hand, and marched to the museum. "Now, you said there was a secret study in here? I wanna see how it's done."

"You know, I'm not even sure I know how to do it anymore either. I don't know if Lenora changed it with the remodel or not." She admitted as they got blasted with air conditioning as they entered the museum. "Oh my God. Look who it is." She said with a grin.

"What? Who is it?" Arven asked, only finding a rather average looking middle-aged man with glasses, staring up at a large skeleton of a Dragonite.

"Oh, Mr. Hawes!" Robin sang, finally alerting the man to her presence. His face instantly lit up with recognition, a kind smile on his face.

"Oh, my goodness! What are you doing back in Unova? I heard you moved!" Hawes cried, pulling Robin into a short hug she had to kneel a bit for. "And who's this?" He asked, holding his hand out to Arven to shake.

"My boyfriend Arven. We're here on vacation." Robin explained as Arven finally understood he was supposed to shake Hawes' hand. "Where's Lenora?"

"Oh, she's here somewhere. Dearrrrr!!! You'll never believe who's here!" He cried, hurrying away in search of his wife.

Arven blinked. "Who was that?" He whispered in Robin's ear.

"Mr. Hawes. He's the assistant director of this museum, and he's Lenora's husband." Robin explained, leading the way through the first room of artifacts. "Lenora used to be a Gym Leader until, like, seven years ago. She gave it up to focus on the museum. She's also one of my mom's good friends. They're both big into anthropology, so they get along like a house on fire."

"Ah... So that's why you suggested we come here." Arven said with a wry smile. "Well, I've gotta say, I quite like this little meteorite. It's very sparkly." He remarked, peering into the glass case. "What's this empty one about?" He asked, pointing to an empty display case labelled 'The Light Stone'.

Robin chuckled. "Oh, my God. It's such a silly story. You know how there was this big kerfuffle with Team Plasma, right?"

Arven nodded.

"So the first time around, their big leader N, he'd revived Zekrom, right? Zekrom turns into the Dark Stone when it's dormant, and Reshiram turns into the Light Stone. So N had Zekrom, and he was all like, 'girl, go find the Light Stone and revive Reshiram!' and the girl who stopped him was like, 'bitch, I don't fucking know where it is!' Team Plasma had been looking all over the place for the Light Stone or anything to do with the dragons, you know? They'd even stolen that Dragonite skull right over there looking for it." Robin remarked, pointing up at the exhibit. "So it's all a mess, Team Plasma's invading the Relic Castle in search for it, it's crazy. So imagine Lenora's shock when she takes a look inside her museum, and she finds the Light Stone sitting right there in that display box." She said with a suppressed laughter, tapping the glass with her index finger.

Arven burst out into wholly inappropriate laughter, instantly getting dirty looks from everyone else inside the museum as he loudly guffawed, but he couldn't help it. He covered his mouth, but he couldn't stop himself from cackling, leaning on Robin for support. She was quite amused as he put his hands on her shoulders, wheezing as his face turned bright red.

"Robin Ambrose, as I live and breathe!" Lenora called from atop the staircase, her hair bouncing with every step as she hurried down. "Ooh, it's been so long!" She cried as she wrapped Robin up in a very firm hug.

"It has! Almost a year now!" Robin said cheerily, though somewhat strained. Lenora's hugs were no laughing matter.

"Where's your mom?" Lenora asked brightly, finally releasing Robin.

"You know, I don't know. She said we could go wherever as long as I don't let Arven over here get lost, so we decided to come here!" Robin explained. "Oh, right! I forgot. Lenora, meet my boyfriend Arven! Arven, this is Lenora." She said, tugging Arven's arm and showing him off like a kid who just got a fantastic report card.

"Your boyfriend?! Oh, that's so nice! It's nice to meet you, Arven." Lenora said warmly, shaking his hand quite vigorously. "Well, your mom's generosity gave us an incredible excuse to expand the museum. We have a whole new wing over here! You wanna check it out?"

"Oh, sure!" Robin chirped. "Come on, Arvie! It's a guided tour now, I guess!" She said chipperly, grabbing his hand and following Lenora to the newly added east wing. It felt a lot like a sunroom, with the entire outside wall being made of glass panes, which shone light onto each of the historical paintings that now hung in the Nacrene Museum.

"This is one of our most popular paintings. It's a Pawmonet. Does it really mean anything? No. But it's very pretty." Lenora joked with a wink, gesturing at a painting of a pond with water lilies and a willow tree. "Impressionism is a very literal genre of art. It doesn't seek picture perfection, it often has more short brush strokes that creates an almost feathered texture. It has a very hazy feel to it."

"Does this place actually exist?" Arven asked. "Like, if I went to Kalos right now, could I find this pond?"

"Oh, probably. The willow tree might be gone, though. It's been a few centuries, someone might have chopped it down." Lenora said with a shrug. "Most impressionist paintings are of a real view. Pawmonet especially loved to paint by a pond. He had a whole series about water lilies."

"Huh." Arven hummed. "I remember seeing a... What was it again? A Vulpix-something or other?"

"Vulpicasso." Robin supplied helpfully.

"Yeah, that. One of those in Robin's house. Are there any here?" Arven asked, craning his neck to look for one.

Lenora nodded. "You wanna see?"

"Sure!" Arven affirmed perkily, happily following Lenora to another room. Hawes and Robin just shrugged at each other, and followed after them, a few paces behind.

To Robin's pleasant surprise, Arven was very intrigued by the museum, and maintained his interest all through Lenora's personally guided tour. Even as she reintroduced him to the Dragonite fossil, he listened to all of her fun facts with earnest interest. And when it came time for him to solve the riddle to open Lenora's study, he blitzed through it. Of course, it was never very hard, but Arven was pretty proud of himself for solving it anyway.

"Alright! That's the whole tour!" Lenora said as she walked them back to the entrance of the museum. "Of course, you're welcome to stick around longer if you want."

Robin shrugged. "I think we're gonna go to the cafe right next door."

Lenora nodded. "Well, have fun! Oh, and tell your mom I say hi. I don't know why she hasn't called me yet if she's in Unova... Ah, no matter. Thanks for coming by, Robin!" She said warmly, hugging Robin tightly. "And it was very nice to meet you, Arven."

"O-Oh, uh... It was nice to meet you too!" Arven stammered, an awkward smile on his face. "Uhh... Bye!"

"Bye, Lenora!" Robin said with a wave, before grabbing Arven's hand and leading him out of the museum. "I'm hungry. Are you hungry?"

"I could go for a nice croque madame right about now." Arven agreed. "Or a scone. Or a croque madame and a scone!"

"I like where your head's at!" Robin giggled as they entered the cafe, and were immediately confronted with a flight of stairs. "Oh, we're in the basement!"

"Huh. It's like a club."

"Now how the hell would you know?" Robin asked, raising an eyebrow. "Hi! Table for two?" She asked the hostess, who quickly escorted them to a small table in the corner, and gave them two menus.

The two of them read their menus, and ordered two hot chocolates. Both of them had a crippling sweet tooth, and thus did not enjoy coffee. In the end, Robin ordered an eggs benedict and Arven ordered the closest thing to a croque madame there was: A BLT with a fried egg on top. And a blueberry scone, of course.

The table was rather quiet as they waited for their food, with Robin tapping her foot on the ground and staring into space.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Arven asked out of the blue.

Robin hummed. "I dunno. It's kind of weird being back, you know? I feel like it should feel like- Like coming home, you know? I mean, I lived here for years. But it's just- It's weird. Everything's different now. There's a new area in the museum, there's a new Elite Four member... But it's also kind of still the same, you know?"

Arven nodded, holding her hand over the table. "Yeah."

Robin sighed, leaning her head against her other hand. "It's weird being back in that penthouse and not spending the weekends with my dad. It's weird not talking to him. I haven't heard from him in five whole months."

Arven bit his lip, memories of his own father flooding his mind. "...Yeah."

"Sorry. I-I know five months isn't a long time-"

"No, no. It's okay. I'm not, like, mad at you. Five months is a long time to not see your parents. I-It just reminds me of my dad, you know?" He explained quietly, squeezing her hand. "I hate that your dad's giving you the slip, just like my dad did to me."

"Well, in fairness, my mom's in the picture. So I'm not alone. Plus, I wasn't very nice to him when he told me he was having another baby." Robin admitted.

"Yeah, that's no excuse." Arven insisted firmly. "You miss him?"

Robin shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, whenever he comes around, I don't like it. So one would think I shouldn't miss him, right?"

"I'm gonna tell you something you told me five months ago. 'Fuck should and shouldn't. You feel how you feel.' It's pretty good advice for this situation we've both found ourselves in at one time or another." Arven said with a wry smile. "I, uh... I know more than anyone that it's such a mess when you hate someone you're supposed to love. Or when you still love someone you have every right to hate. It's a bit of both, isn't it?"

"...Yeah, I guess. I'm- I'm just- We used to be so close. He'd literally be my Luma when we played Super Mario Galaxy 2. I didn't think- I just can't believe that this is where we are." Robin admitted quietly, staring into her mug of hot chocolate. "I'm not sure if there's any coming back from this. I-I don't even know what I'd say, or what I'd want him to say. Is it just- Is it over? Do I just not have a father anymore?" She whispered in a broken voice, her hands shaking as she tried in vain to hold onto her composure.

Arven joined her on her side of the table, letting her rest her head on his shoulder as they sat next to each other on the padded bench. "...You know, I've been wondering- If I could turn back time, and say something to my dad, what would I say? And, y'know, I still have no idea. I don't know what I'd even wanna hear from him. But it's all pointless to think about. He's gone. He's not coming back. So... I dunno. It's not too late for you and your dad. You think you might still have something to say to him?"

Robin sighed. "I don't see the point. Things aren't gonna go back to the way they were. He's still gonna be with Corinne and have his do-over baby, and he's still gonna mourn the son he lost, rather than talk to the daughter he has."

Arven smiled kindly as the waitress brought them their lunch. "So things don't go back to the way they were. That's okay. But then at least there's nothing left unsaid. 'C-Cause I know I had a lot left to say to my dad. I would've torn him a freakin' new one if he wasn't already dead."

Robin chuckled a little, before kissing Arven on the cheek. "I know you would've. I would've been in the back like 'Hell yeah! Get him again! Get him for me!'" She joked as Arven slid back over to his side of the table.

Arven laughed, holding Robin's hand in both of his. "Whether you talk to him or not, you know I'm on your side. And even if things don't go so well with him... You tried your best. A-And really, he should be trying so much harder with you. He really needs to get with the program, because you are a strong, beautiful, badass woman and he is missing out." He assured her, his soft cerulean eyes sparkling like the warmest waters off Undella Bay.

Robin smiled shyly, pushing her bangs out of her face. "What have I done that's so badass? That one seems kind of random."

"Well, you took a Wild Charge from a super strong Pokemon from the future and somehow it was more hurt than you." Arven reminded her, starting to tick off examples on his fingers. "You whooped the AI's ass in that Pokemon battle. You're a Champion-ranked Trainer, you took down a student militia on your own and the Chairwoman of the Paldean Pokemon League is scared of you. I can go on." He said, already preparing to use his other hand to count.

"Geeta is not scared of me! She's scared of my money." Robin corrected him as she cut open her eggs.

"Nah, you got her quaking in her loafers!" Arven informed her with a grin. "She's not used to dealing with people she can't control. Sooner or later, you're gonna start rubbing off on people. Then she'll lose all her aura."

"Mama, with that stringy mop of hair, I don't think she ever had any to begin with." Robin said snootily. "Like I said, she's so 'blah' to me. I'd probably gag more if Larry told me to shut up."

Arven chuckled as he finally took his first bite of his sandwich. "Ooh!" He exclaimed, before quickly finishing the first half. "This is good!"

"Oh, good! I'm still waiting for the eggs to not be hot enough to sear my tongue off." Robin explained, fanning off her plate.

Arven nodded. "Smart. It'd be quite a shame if your tongue was out of commission."

"Your nipples would be so lonely!"

"Shut up!"

Robin was taking her sweet time escorting Arven through the hollow log path in Pinwheel Forest. She knew how bad Arven wanted to see the Skyarrow Bridge, and she promised her mom not to leave him alone. He told her he was okay with not seeing it, but she'd already fucked up so much of his trip with her bad attitude already. She wasn't gonna let herself stand in the way of a good time anymore. So, she would brave the bridge. She'd grin and bear it, and hope to God she can make it to the other side with her lunch in her stomach.

But she didn't have to do it right that second. "Oh, Arvie! Look! It's a family of Petilil!" She hissed from inside a tree log, gesturing at the group of Petilil swarming their mother Lilligant many feet away by a pond.

Arven came up behind her, holding her by the waist as he tried to find where she was pointing at. "How am I supposed to see the green Petilil in the green forest- Oh, wait, there's the Lilligant's flower!" He cried. "She's so pretty! You know, I was very tempted to catch a Petilil for the Stony Cliff Titan, but I found a Clamperl first. I think Lilligants are very pretty."

"Oh, they are. They're divas. And when I say diva, I don't mean it in the nice way. I mean, they're very temperamental and demanding in captivity. The only Pokemon more snooty is maybe Cinccino, but I've never met anyone who's owned a Cinccino." Robin remarked.

"Wow. This sounds personal." Arven teased.

"It is! They're so freakin' anal about that flower, it drives me nuts. That flower on their head will start wilting if you sneeze." Robin grumbled, watching as Arven started walking toward the end of the path. "Oh, the end of the path is right through there."

"Cool!" Arven replied, continuing on his way.

A chill ran down Robin's spine as she hurried after him, through a small clearing and back to the main path. She was doing this. She was gonna do this, and she was gonna be fine. She wouldn't even shed a tear.

"Alright, shall we fly back? It's only 3:30, it's pretty early to turn in." Arven remarked.

Robin cleared her throat. "Nah. Let's take the bridge. I'm sure you won't let me fall. Neither will the copious amounts of guard rails." She mumbled.

"You sure? It's really not a big deal to me." Arven assured her, looking politely confused.

Robin shook her head. "You wanted to see the Skyarrow Bridge. I told you I'd take you anywhere you want. You know I'm not one to break a promise." She insisted, though her voice wasn't as firm as she wished it would be.

Arven frowned a little, but he took her hand and walked out of the forest anyway. "If you say so. I wish they had bridges like this in Paldea. But no, we're basically one circle of land, so we don't need any. No rivers. It's kind of unfortunate. I'd like to see all five of them, actually. We've only hit one so far. Well, now it's gonna be two."

Robin smiled tightly. "You're gonna have to make a tier list. I have my opinions, I wanna see if we agree."

"Oh? Which one's the best? Which one's the worst?" Arven asked curiously as they entered the gate.

"I love Village Bridge. It's such a charming place, and the people that live there are so nice. There's music, there's a tennis court, there's an artist's retreat, there's a lot of activities that go on there. They have these incredible subs. Not quite as good as yours, but they give you a real good run for your money." Robin rattled off, already feeling her mood lift as her mind wandered from the bridge in front of her. Maybe if she could just talk Arven's ear off the entire time, she wouldn't have to feel all the regret rushing in. "I'd argue the worst is the Tubeline Bridge. It's really loud all the time because the trains run directly underfoot, and it's stupidly long, it's not that cute and there's a whole biker gang there. Like, I know Skyarrow Bridge has a road running underneath, but it's so much quieter than the train tracks. Plus, the view from the Tubeline Bridge is just not worth looking at. You can see some trees or the side of a mountain. Whoopee."

"Hm. I'll keep that in mind." Arven chuckled. He finally started walking up the stairs to the pedestrian part of the bridge, and Robin couldn't delay it any longer. She stepped up the final step, and the familiar sight hit her right in the stomach. She was never afraid of heights, but this sickness at seeing the bridge again might just help her pass it off as vertigo.

"Whoa... This is amazing!" Arven breathed. There were stars in his eyes as he took in the view, all the open space and the sheer scale of the bridge. They picked a pretty decent day to go, the skies weren't too cloudy and the traffic was light. Robin had to admit, if this was her first impression of the bridge, she'd be just as amazed as Arven was. It was beautiful now, and it was even better at night. When it seemed like the towers pierced the stars and touched the moon, there was nothing like it.

"I didn't realize it was so huge! I-I mean, I did say I thought it was really big when we were flying, but it's a whole 'nother thing standing on it!" He gushed as he started to run down the bridge. "Come on! You're not gonna fall!" He called back.

Robin took a deep breath, then another, before ascending the final stair. The view was so familiar. Of course, she'd entered from the Castelia side the last time she was there, but the vast expanse of empty space and the cold, iron gleam of the supporting cables were a perfect mirror.

Arven tilted his head to the side, before returning to Robin's side, gently holding her hand. "It's okay. You're not gonna fall. I won't let you."

Robin closed her eyes, memories assaulting her psyche like little knives to the heart. "...I'm okay. Let's keep going." She insisted.

"Okay. I've got you." He reminded her. He was so sweet, so trusting, and here she was, lying to him. He earnestly believed she was afraid of heights, and he was doing his best to support her. Why did she have to lie to him? What was wrong with her?

She gritted her teeth, trying in vain to stem the flow of her tears, but she was failing miserably. They were approaching the centre of the bridge, right under the central tower, and it was like her soul had left her body and travelled back in time. She remembered it vividly, how she'd remembered that one guy who'd spent a week trying to find the centre of the bridge and went to where he'd determined it was, and took a look down at the ocean, its waters reflecting a distorted image of the starry sky above. She remembered thinking that maybe she'd join them up there.

Arven noticed her shaking hand and turned to her, expecting only nerves, but his jaw nearly dropped once he saw the tears streaming down her face. "Wha- Robin! What's wrong?! I-Is this really about heights?!" He cried, holding her as she sank onto the railing. She looked down, down to where she'd dug her own watery grave, and she wanted to puke. It was so far down. Why was she willing to do that to herself? Was she so weak that she couldn't withstand just a little bullying?

"I'm sorry, I-" Robin stammered, but one look into Arven's concerned eyes stopped her in her tracks. "...I lied to you." She finally admitted, her heart pounding in her chest.

Arven blinked. "U-Uh, about what?"

"I'm not afraid of heights. I just- I made up some bullshit so I didn't have to talk about why I really didn't wanna come here." She said in a gravelly tone, staring out at the horizon. She could ever so faintly make out Virbank City behind the looming Unity Tower. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't lie to you. You're my boyfriend, and I love you, and I want you to be able to trust me, but how can I expect you to trust me if I'm always lying to you?"

Arven furrowed his eyebrows, thoroughly confused. "I don't understand. Why would you lie about that? I mean, that's such a, like, silly thing to lie about. Is it, like, important?" He asked, half-laughing out of sheer bewilderment.

Robin sighed. "...Kind of. It's not, like, relevant anymore, but- God, I can't do this. I hate this bridge. I hate talking about it. I moved halfway across the world because I couldn't fucking handle it." She warbled, her tears rolling off her face and into the ocean below.

Arven seemed more confused than ever for a moment, but then it seemed to finally fall into place for him. He backed away from the ledge, a haunted look in his eye as he stumbled back. "Robin, are you saying-"

Robin closed her eyes, summoning every fibre of strength in her body. "...Yeah. I tried to jump off the bridge. Right here, in fact." She tried to say steadily, but her emotions got the better of her and she couldn't hold it together. "Sorry to burst your bubble. I'm not anywhere near as strong as you think I am." She laughed bitterly, her right hand tangled in her scalp.

Arven didn't speak. He didn't even seem to breathe. His mouth was agape as he stared at her, his eyes welling with tears. "When?" He choked out, his hands shaking on his chest as he clutched at his own heart.

She looked back at him, a bitter smile on her face. "Little over a year ago. Last day of school. It wasn't anything crazy that day. But... I dunno. I was seeing everyone m-making summer plans, hugging each other goodbye over the summer break, and I was all alone and just waiting for it to be over, and everything everyone was saying to me finally sank in: I was never gonna get that. No one was ever gonna love me. 'Cause I didn't deserve it, I was born wrong, I grew up wrong, everything about me was- It was wrong and no one would ever love me because of it." She explained, her voice shaky yet finding strength with every word. "And I believed it. I mean, let's look at the track record! I was a faggot, then I was a tranny, and I hadn't had a friend in ages. Everyone who I thought loved me left me. My dad, my friends, e-even my mom was avoiding me, everyone. And I thought: What's the point? If I'm never gonna be loved, if I'm never gonna be worth anything to anyone, why fucking bother? I'm just beating my head against a brick wall, cracking my head open and not even making a dent. There's no point. I'm tainted. I'm unlovable, solely because I can't not be who I am."

Arven finally regained his nerve but not his voice, wrapping his arms around Robin's stomach as he clung to her from behind.

Robin smiled, leaning her head against his cheek, drinking in his warmth. "So... I snuck out of Mom's penthouse in the middle of the night. I left a note. It just said 'take care of her'. I left it up to interpretation as to whether it was addressed to Munna or Mom. It applied to both." She mumbled. "I came here. I climbed through all these fucking railings- I mean, look at this shit." She remarked, gesturing at the copious amount of safeguards put in place to keep people like her from falling. "It was such a fucking pain. I had to have really wanted it to have twisted my body through all these."

Arven whimpered, burying his face in her neck. "Robin, please..." He sobbed quietly, his tears falling onto her shoulders.

"Then I jumped." She said simply. 

Arven gasped, his arms tightening around her chest. "How-"

Robin closed her eyes, her voice shaking as she spoke, only barely above a whisper. "I only fell about four feet before Munna caught me with Psychic. She used every last bit of strength she had to pull me back up. Her little Munna powers weren't strong enough to hold me for long, so she fainted. I'd left her at home, I left her Poke Ball with the note, but she knew something was wrong and she followed me and she fucking saved my life. She wasn't letting me go."

Arven's sobs were quiet before, but that admission seemed to open the floodgates completely. His wails seemed to wrack his whole body and he sank to the ground in Robin's arms, clinging to her like she'd slip away if he didn't hold on tight enough. He struggled to breathe, hyperventilating into Robin's chest as he cried, his face almost completely red.

Robin stroked his hair, a little surprised she was the one comforting him, but she found that she was strangely okay. She'd spent so long ashamed of herself, unable to face what she'd done, how much she'd hurt everyone who loved her. Now that she'd finally talked about it, she found that all that self-hatred, that despair that drove her off the edge paled in comparison to just how much love she had in her life now. She'd lived in the shadow of her greatest regret for so long, but now she knew she'd survived it, and she'd overcome everything that made her feel so hopeless. She was finally able to forgive herself, because she knew she'd never do it again.

"Robin, please don't ever do that again...!" Arven choked out, his face twisted up with grief. "I-If you ever feel like that again-"

Robin shook her head. "I won't. You know why?"

Arven shook his head, wiping his tears with the back of his hand.

"'Cause I-I know it's not true now. I'm not unlovable. I-I knew it wasn't true from the moment she pulled me back up, that if nothing else, she'd always love me. I knew when my mom met me outside in the middle of the night in her bathrobe that she'd always love me. When Caitlin cried, when Mom uprooted her entire life for me, I knew. And now I have you. The Cherubi on top." She said with a soft smile, brushing Arven's hair out of his face affectionately. "You, you really mean a lot to me. You're proof that someone could love me, without any kind of obligation to. You were just some rectangle with legs in the distance nine months ago, and now- Now, you're my guy. And I'm so thankful for that." She breathed, feeling his heart pounding in her chest against hers.

Arven's lip quivered, before he pulled her back into a hug, his head buried in her shoulder. "...I never wanna lose you." He whispered, his hand in her hair as he held her close. "Never. I need you. I don't even know what I'd do without you, how I'd ever be happy again i-if you-"

"I won't. I promise." She whispered as he broke back down into quiet little sobs. "I'm never gonna put you through that. I hurt so many people by doing that. It wouldn't have made the pain go away, it would've just taken it away from me and given it right back to everyone who loved me, tenfold. I'm not doing that to you guys. No matter what."

Arven squeezed her close to his chest, before finally letting her go. He looked like a wreck, his hair messy, his eyes red and his cheeks tearstained. "...I-I'm sorry I brought us here." He croaked, his voice hoarse from all the crying.

Robin shook her head as she helped him to his feet. "No, I think I needed to say it. It, uh... It really puts into perspective how happy I am now." She explained, hand in hand with Arven as they finally finished their trek across the bridge. "You make me so happy, Arvie."

Arven wiped a tear from his eye. "I, u-uh... Thanks...? Is that what you say to that?"

"I have no idea, actually." Robin remarked, dropping Arven's hand but wrapping an arm around his waist. He wrapped his arm around her in kind, and leaned his head on her shoulder.

"You make me happy too." He said quietly. "I've never been as happy as this before. I think I missed you before I even knew you."

Robin grinned. "Okay, Carly Rae Jepsen."

"Hey!"

Robin and Arven had found a cute, family-owned restaurant that made delectable curry and tikka masala, and had a very pleasant late dinner together. Of course, they needed to go back to their respective rooms to freshen up beforehand, since they both looked like they'd come home from war after Skyarrow Bridge. Arven had even tied his hair up, which Robin had always interpreted as a declaration of his intent to kiss her silly. He just looked far too hot with his hair up. It was almost unfair. However, Robin had worn garters to the dinner, so she knew she was guilty of a little sexual warfare herself.

After dinner and a late-night Casteliacone run, Arven walked her back to the penthouse's door, hand in hand. "Am I gonna see you tonight?" He asked innocuously, though there was a hint of a hungry glint in his eye.

Robin shrugged playfully. "If you want."

"I want." He said simply with a wry smile. "Alright, then. See you tonight." He said, releasing her hand and waiting for her to enter.

"Jeez, do you not trust me to remember my keys?" Robin asked playfully, producing them and finding that the door was already unlocked. "Huh. Alright, see you tonight. Love you!" She called as she smoothly entered the penthouse.

She was then visually assaulted by the sight of Drayton and Lacey sitting in her living room, having a soda with her mother. They both stood up when they saw her, Lacey seeming much more happy to see Robin than Drayton.

Robin immediately retreated, slamming the door behind her as she exited the penthouse, finding a very surprised Arven already halfway to the elevator.

"Oh, shit. I didn't say I love you too, did I? Sorry. I love you too." He corrected himself.

Robin looked shellshocked as she started to speak in a low tone. "They're here." She breathed.

"Who's here?" Arven asked with a frown.

"Drayton and Lacey." She said. "What the fuck are Drayton and Lacey doing in my house?!" She cried incredulously.

"Drayton and Lacey?! You mean the two meanies who yelled at you in the street?! What are they doing in your house?!" Arven cried, just as baffled as Robin was. They were barely even listening to each other anymore, processing the same emotions independently.

"Are they stalking me?! Am I seriously that beautiful?!"

"Why are they stalking you?! Like, you're taken!" Arven cried indignantly.

Chrys gently opened the door, peeking out at the spiralling Robin and Arven. "You know, you could ask them." She said like it was obvious.

"I'd rather not, thanks." Robin said sharply, pulling the door shut. "Oh my God, they got to my mom! How did they get to my mom?! Did they go through the Iris/Caitlin/Mom pipeline?! But that would require Drayton asking a favor of Iris, and we all know he'd never be indebted to her!"

"They knocked on my door themselves, Robin!" Chrys called through the door. "They're very stubborn. I let them in because I thought they looked kind of pathetic in the hallway. I mean, it's just so silly-looking, hanging out in the hallway. Who would do such a thing?"

Robin rolled her eyes. "Fine." She grumbled, beckoning Arven in as she opened the door. Arven followed her, ready to back her up if need be. He was pretty confident this was a physical confrontation the two of them would win, if it came down to it.

"Get out of my house." Robin said simply.

Drayton sighed. "Robin, please. J-Just hear Lacey out, alright?"

"No! Not if you're gonna harrass my poor mother and knock on my door like two fuckin' creepers from The Purge!" Robin snapped, crossing her arms. "Mom? Are you seriously okay with this?!"

Chrys shrugged. "Well, I figured it's not really about me, so I'd let you decide what to do with them. But if you don't want them here, then I'll back you up." She said evenly. "Drayton, Lacey, I appreciate that you want to reconnect with my daughter, but you need to respect her wishes."

Lacey sputtered out a few incoherent words, before clearing her throat and starting anew. "W-Well, I don't think the way she's treated us is right! I-If nothing else, we deserve to hear it from you, why you left us behind. Do that, and then we'll leave you alone. We can wipe the ledger out."

Robin stared at Drayton, quietly daring him to step forward. But he avoided her gaze, instead staring out the window at the rainy night.

"So what's your endgame here? 'Cause I know for a fact you're talking right out of your ass, Lacey. This won't be the end. You're way too stubborn and entitled to let me get away." Robin said matter-of-factly. "You wanna revive the League Bratz? You wanna be one big happy happy family again? Are you that fucking delusional? We were growing apart, Lacey. You and I had nothing in common by the end! The only thing we had in common was him!"

"I-I-I disagree!" Lacey yelped, bending her panicked exclamation into a coherent sentence. "I-I-I think we have more in common than you think! W-We both dye our hair pink, we both love pink Pokemon-"

"Yeah, that's a real solid foundation for a close friendship." Robin said snidely. "So if you're just gonna be talking, what's the point of bringing him along? You brought him along just for peer pressure?"

"We came for a League Bratz Conference. Except no one's gonna be battling, so it's actually gonna be a conference, and not just a tournament with a fancy name." Lacey said firmly. "Robin, I don't understand where all of this is coming from! I still don't even know what happened! I-I mean, one day everything was fine, and the next, you wouldn't talk to us! What happened?! What did I do wrong?! I just don't understand why we can't be friends again!"

Robin narrowed her eyes, before glancing at Drayton expectantly. He avoided her gaze as if it would burn his eyes out to meet her eyes, uncomfortably running his hand through his hair.

"Are you gonna tell her, or am I?" Robin demanded. She raised her eyebrows at him, prompting him to finally begin to speak.

"...We had a fight. I-I said some things that were, uh... Not nice." Drayton started, looking down at the floor.

"Ah-ah. Tell them the truth. The whole truth. What did you say to me?" Robin pressed, taking a step toward Drayton with fire in her eyes. "What were your exact words?"

Drayton closed his eyes, his fists shaking at his sides. "...Please don't make me say it." He whispered shakily, his voice weaker than Robin had ever heard it.

She turned back to the others with a grim smile. "He said, and I quote, 'Don't touch me, I'm not a faggot like you, just fuck off.' His exact words." Robin said slowly, watching as Lacey's jaw dropped, and Arven and Chrys' eyes both widened. "So I did just that. I fucked off. I don't know how you have the nerve to be mad at me, Drayton, I just followed directions."

"You said WHAT?!" Lacey screamed. "Drayton, how could you?! A-After all this time, you're just telling me NOW?!"

"I-I said I was sorry! But you never said anything! You avoided me, you blocked my number...! You never even let me apologize, really apologize!" Drayton cried, his face flushed bright pink. "I-I didn't mean it! I was just-"

"I don't fucking care what you did or didn't mean! You were my best friend, and you called me a faggot to my face! And mind you, look who the fuck's talking! Literally the night before, we had a sleepover, and you forgot your sleeping bag, so we slept in the same fucking bed! I've gotta say, that was some pretty faggy behavior from you, sir!" Robin shot back, all her fury rushing back to her in vivid, burning red. "I-I never thought you'd say that to me. Your stupid friends, yeah, fork found in kitchen, but not you. You defended me to your friends, you'd talk to me when no one else would, you were my best friend. And then you betrayed me. And I'm not a girl that lets the same person hurt me twice."

Drayton couldn't look at Robin. He just stared at the ground, his head hung in shame.

Lacey was looking between Drayton and Robin as if they'd reveal it was all a prank any second. "I-I-I had no idea. Robin, I swear, I had no idea."

"Of course you didn't. I didn't tell you. There was no point. You were closer to him than to me. What were you gonna do, be seriously angry at Drayton for an extended period of time? Be serious." Robin said bluntly.

Drayton finally piped up. "I mean, I'd say she's a bit of a pro at that-"

"Enough." Chrys said firmly, causing a tense shroud of silence to fall over the room. "...Drayton, Lacey, I think you'd better go now."

Drayton hurried out of there like he couldn't wait another second to leave. He didn't spare anyone a second glance, he just ran away like he'd get slapped silly if he stayed any longer. Arven thought he was probably right.

Lacey instead hung around a little longer. "Robin, come on. W-We used to have so much fun together! W-We'd go around, playing 4-square with Munna, w-we'd play- Well, you and Drayton would play Super Sandslash Brothers, Lucario Kart-"

Robin sighed, her hands in her hair. "Yeah, we'd play a 4-person game on the playground, and me and Drayton would play video games together. I've gotta say, Lacey, I don't think there's much to fix there." She said harshly, though her tone softened as she looked down at poor Lacey, who had tears in her eyes. "...We never built a strong friendship, Lacey. I-I think that, if we actually wanna be friends again, we have to start over."

Lacey closed her eyes, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "...I really thought we were closer than that." She said quietly, before slipping out of the door.

Robin loudly sighed, flopping down on the couch. "Jesus Christ... Mom, why'd you let them in?!" She whined, rubbing her temples.

"I dunno, I just felt bad. I'm sorry, kiddo." Chrys sighed, sitting next to her and pulling her into a side hug. "I had no idea Drayton said that to you. I-I mean, if I did, you bet I would've called his mother and had him put on punishment."

Robin snorted. "I know. I just- I didn't want anyone knowing. I-It really, really hurt." She admitted. "Sorry to keep you here so long, Arvie. Thanks for the moral support." 

Arven smiled, leaning over Robin to give her a kiss on the forehead. "Of course. I'm going to bed. Good night." He said quietly, before opening the front door and slipping out..

"Bye, Arvie! I love you!" Robin called after him. After a beat of silence, she glanced at her mother. "Damn. He don't love me."

Arven opened the door back up a crack. "I love you too!" He cried before quickly closing the door again, hurrying to the elevator he'd left open. He barely made it in the elevator, having to jam his hand in the door.

He was so furious. After seeing Robin break down, hearing just how low she'd felt that day... He wanted to throttle Drayton. He made her feel unlovable, he'd added to the pileup of hatred and disgust Robin had struggled to withstand, the very thing that almost killed her. That was unforgivable.

He left the apartment building's lobby, finding Drayton sitting on the curb in the rain. His hair that was normally so tall had flattened, leaving him looking like a drowned rat. Arven almost ignored him, but something in him told him that this was something he couldn't ignore.

So, he sat down next to Drayton, staring up at the night sky that was filled with dark, murky clouds. "What are you still doing here?" He asked simply.

Drayton chuckled, pushing his hair out of his face. "Well, Lacey was my ride. She left me behind. And I don't wanna make Dragonite fly me around in a thunderstorm." He explained simply. "That's your girl, huh?"

Arven nodded.

Drayton smiled a little, though it was so tense it almost looked like a grimace. "...You take care of her, alright?" He said in a gravelly tone, quite roughly patting Arven on the back.

Arven blinked. "...Why did you say that to her?" He asked, watching as Drayton's entire body tensed up.

He sighed, hanging his head low. "I-I, uh... I thought she was turning me gay. A-And I didn't wanna be gay." He said simply, his amber eyes softening as he looked like he was about to cry.

Arven considered that for a while, before standing up, leaving Drayton sitting there, wet and cold like an abandoned Lillipup. "Go home." He said simply, before walking through the automatic doors into his hotel room.

Drayton bit his lip, nodding to himself as he remained on the curb, feeling the rain on his skin. He knew he must have looked pathetic. It matched how he felt. He knew this was a bad idea, he knew he should've refused when Lacey begged him to come along, but he couldn't say no to her. And now, here he was. Alone, sitting in the rain like a pathetic little twerp. Robin still hated him, he knew that would probably never change, but now Lacey hated him too. That one stung. His other friends came and went and he couldn't say he really cared all that much, but he'd always had Lacey to bug. He'd infuriate her, they'd squabble, she'd try to control him, but through it all, he always knew she'd be the first one there if he needed a friend. But now, he knew he'd gone too far. He'd always known he'd gone too far. He regretted it the moment the words left his mouth and he could see the tears forming in little Robbie's eyes. He hated it, he hated knowing that that one mistake would haunt him forever. He'd lost one of his best friends to it years ago, and now it came back on a revenge tour to take away Lacey too.

Chapter Text

The moment Arven arrived in Undella Town, he knew he was gonna have a great day. It was warm but there was a cool breeze, the beach was largely empty and he'd heard Caitlin kept snorkeling equipment in her villa from when Robin was a kid, so he was very excited for that.

Robin and Chrys followed behind him, emerging from the taxi much slower than he did. "Jeez, Arvie. Someone's excited." Robin teased as he waited for them to show him the way to Caitlin's villa.

"I love the beach!" Arven exclaimed, his enthusiasm almost causing him to drop the bag all three of them packed their things in. "Do I know how to swim? Not even a little bit. But I love the beach!"

Chrys raised her eyebrows. "Robin, please don't let him drown." She said quietly, only partially joking.

"I won't. I'll even give him mouth-to-mouth if it comes down to it." Robin said breezily, the ringlets of her hair bouncing on her shoulders with every step. "Besides, I think he's more of a sandcastle guy."

"You think?" She asked, squinting at Arven, who was excitedly bounding away toward the biggest villa in sight. He probably just assumed that one was Caitlin's, and he was right.

Robin shrugged. "You don't think?"

The mild mother-daughter dispute was swiftly interrupted by Caitlin stepping out of the front door, already dressed for the beach with her big, floppy hat and her long swimsuit cover. "Welcome!" She announced serenely, though the grin on her face was unmistakably one of girlish excitement. "I've ordered some food for lunch, and I've invited over a few friends. It is going to be a lovely little get-together."

"Oh! What friends?" Chrys asked, though her question was answered almost immediately by the arrival of Skyla, flying down on her Swanna.

"Heya!" She greeted them with a bright smile. "Nice to see ya, Chrys! And- Jesus, you look different." She remarked, her eyes wide as she looked Robin up and down. "I like it! And who's this?"

"That is Robin's boyfriend, Arven." Caitlin explained. "He's visiting from Paldea."

"Nice to meet you, Arven!" Skyla greeted him with a handshake. "It's a great day, isn't it?"

"U-Uh, yeah!" Arven stammered, a light blush on his face. Robin frowned a little. She wasn't planning on Arven's celebrity crush being there in her swimsuit. This sucked. Now she was gonna have to watch as Skyla walked around looking hot as hell because she always did, and she'd have to try not to be jealous that Arven was attracted to her. She trusted him, she knew he wouldn't cheat on her and she knew Skyla was a good fifteen years older than him, but she still wasn't a fan of him drooling over another girl, especially not a girl who had the equipment she lacked.

"Alrighty! I'm thinking I'm gonna sunbathe for a little bit. The weather's so nice, I've gotta soak up the sun!" Skyla said cheerily, already sauntering away to Caitlin's villa. "See you guys out there!"

"Caitlin, who else is coming?" Chrys asked, already holding her swimsuit cover tight to her chest.

"Well... A lot of people from the League like to visit my villa, you know. I figured I could have you all over in one day." Caitlin explained, crossing her arms. "Let's see... Lenora and her husband, Elesa, Skyla as you just saw, Iris, Shauntal, and maybe Alder and his grandkid and Roxie."

Chrys gritted her teeth. "Great. Five models and Lenora."

"Oh, calm down. It isn't the swimsuit category at the pageant, Chrysanthemum. We're here to have fun." Caitlin said sharply. "Besides, Elesa's the only runway model. The others do catalogue."

"The shade." Robin remarked, watching as another car pulled up. A black SUV. Robin's heart dropped as she recognized just who it belonged to.

The second the car stopped, the passenger door opened up, and Iris scurried out of the car. "Eeee!! It's a beach day!!" She cried, hurrying over to the group. "Holy smokes! You got tall!" She remarked, staring up at Robin, who was a good foot taller than her.

Robin smiled. "Hi, Iris."

"Know what? I bet you're taller than Haxorus now!" She cried, though Robin was completely distracted by the sight of Drayton rather clumsily sliding out of the car. God dammit. Literally the day after she aired out all his dirty laundry, he shows up at her aunt's villa? Did he seriously think this was a safe space for him? What was his problem?! At least Lacey had the decency to only ambush her twice, Drayton was on his fourth try and he was showing no signs of stopping. Quite literally every day she was in Unova, he'd shown up at her door. Was he really that determined to make things right? Did he care that fucking much?

Robin was then snapped out of her daze by Iris' Haxorus being released directly next to her. "Oh my gosh, I think she is taller!" Iris cried, standing on her tiptoes to compare Haxorus and Robin's heights. "Wait, you have big sandals on! So Haxorus is still taller. Dang!"

"That's very unfortunate." Robin agreed quickly, before making a Combeeline for Drayton, stomping her feet as she prepared to confront him.

"Hey, Rob. How are- Hey!" Drayton cried as Robin grabbed him by the arm and dragged him behind a tree.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Robin asked in a dangerously calm tone. "Somehow, I don't think you made the guest list."

"Iris offered. I'm not one to turn down a beach day at a fancy villa." Drayton explained evenly. "Is your boyfriend gonna be happy with you pulling me behind a tree?"

Robin rolled her eyes. "I've gotta be honest, Drayton. I've had it up to here with you. All I wanted was a nice little vacation with my mom and my boyfriend, and here you are always showing up and ruining my day. It's pissing me off. Enough."

He tilted his head to the side a little, a wry smile spreading across his face. "Ah, this brings back fond memories, doesn't it? You and me at your aunt's villa? I bet you the snorkelling equipment's still there. I used the fuck out of it."

She gritted her teeth. "It is." She admitted tightly. "Arven's got dibs on it, though."

Drayton clicked his tongue. "Damn. Well, as long as he doesn't make a Hammerlocke Sandcastle, then I'll be okay. He won't take everything from me, will he?"

"You know, a Hammerlocke Sandcastle sounds like a great idea I just had by myself right now..."

"Oh, fuck you." Drayton teased with a grin. "If I catch him even thinking about going Stunky Kong in Lucario Kart Wii, I'm gonna lose it!"

"I dunno, he is the meta..."

Drayton laughed, clapping his hand on Robin's shoulder. "See? We can get along. Just like old times. You know you missed us."

Robin shrugged him off. "Not really."

"You wound me, madam. You could've at least pretended you missed me!"

"Unlike some people, I'm not a liar." Robin said haughtily, before turning on her heel and marching back to the rapidly growing group of people on Caitlin's driveway. Lenora, Hawes and Shauntal had also arrived, and Arven looked like he was itching to let the adults talk and hang out with Robin instead. He subtly broke off from the group, and skipped over to Robin.

"What's Drayton doing here?" He asked, suspiciously eyeing the guy, who gave him a goofy little wave.

"He came with his sister-cousin-whatever the hell Iris is to him. Just to piss me off, I think." She grumbled, crossing her arms. "Worse, Drayden just dropped them off, so he's got an excuse to stay. What is my life? First Penny, now Drayton and Lacey? Everyone's just following me around all the time. Like, I know I'm stunningly gorgeous with a fantastic rack and a great ass, but my God. Leave me alone!"

Arven grinned, wrapping an arm around her waist and leading her toward the villa. "Speaking of a fantastic rack and a great ass, I think we should get changed into our swimsuits."

"Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"I would." He said simply as they entered the villa. "Well, come get your swimsuit, then." He said, setting down the bag on a nearby chair, and unzipping it. He grabbed his swim trunks, and watched with his mouth agape as it looked like Robin grabbed three square inches of fabric that she intended to pass off as a bikini.

"What?" Robin asked innocently.

Arven pursed his lips. "...Not a lot of swimsuit there."

"Nope!" She chirped. "I waited a long time for the twins to come in! I gotta show 'em off!"

Arven sighed, though a fond smile spread across his face. "...I don't wanna get a boner in front of your mom." He mumbled.

"So don't look."

"Easier said than done. I really, really like looking at you." He said quietly. "God, this just isn't fair. You're gonna be walking around looking that sexy and I can't even kiss you. Not in front of your mom!"

Robin smirked. "You'll just have to wait a little bit."

"I know." He whined. "Alrighty, I'm gonna go change. And practice self-control. See you in a bit!" He said cheerily, disappearing into the nearest bathroom he could find. Robin, instead, took one of four guest rooms to change. She locked the door, and changed as quickly as possible. She wasn't trying to let her tuck slip, after all.

She emerged from the room, feeling a bit ridiculous. Did she have to go this hard? Sure, she wasn't anticipating a whole bunch of adults who'd known her since she was a kid being there as well as Drayton, but even then, this was a bit absurd. The swimsuit was so revealing. She was already embarrassed, and no one had seen her yet. The confidence she had in her body when she bought it was completely gone now. She'd gained a few pounds since she'd started dating Arven. She probably looked ridiculous.

Nevertheless, she stepped outside, the sun blinding her for a second. The very first thing she saw was Drayton, with his jaw pretty much on the ground. She rolled her eyes. Did he think she stuffed her bra? The fucking jackass.

She felt absolutely insane as her mother raised her eyebrows at her, looking her up and down. "Hello. Where's Arven?" She asked, mercifully not mentioning how crazy Robin must have looked.

"U-Uh... Inside, I think. I mean, if you don't know where he is, then he's probably still there." She nattered on, gritting her teeth as she managed to stop herself from nervously ranting any longer.

Elesa had apparently arrived, fashionably late as always. "Damn! You look positively electrifying!" She cried, already in her own cyan swimsuit. "You ever think of doing some modeling?"

Robin scoffed. "I don't think they'd let me in the building."

"Now, that's not true! Haunter Schafer and Calyrex Consani are in huge demand right now. Besides, you've got just the look for a runway. You're tall, your face is pretty severe, and you have no eyebrows!" Elesa said enthusiastically. "You could totally find work. Besides, you've got some really great connections." She said with a wink. "Think about it. No pressure."

Robin blinked. "Okay." She said quietly, shrinking away a little as Elesa ruffled her hair and walked away. If Elesa thought she looked good, she must have looked absolutely stunning. She did have her trademark huge ponytail of curls on, that one was always a crowd pleaser... She knew she had a great rack, she was just worried about the lower half. But if Elesa gave her the stamp of approval, then she must have looked amazing.

Chrys snorted. "My daughter, the model. We can all thank my genetics." She joked. "I mean, you kind of stole your father's face."

Robin rolled her eyes. "I mean, the presence of lips clearly didn't come from him." She grumbled, crossing her arms. "You think Elesa's just being nice? Playing in my face so nasty after my tuck slipped?"

Chrys looked down. "Your tuck's fine." She informed her. "No, I think Elesa's being genuine. I hear she can be pretty brutally honest. Roxie was pissed at her for a month because Elesa said she was too short for a runway."

"Well... Let's look at the material!" Robin joked.

Arven finally emerged from the villa in his swim trunks, his chest shiny from the sunscreen. He took about two steps outside before he locked eyes with Robin, and stopped dead in his tracks. He flushed a little, the red staining his face and his upper chest. "U-Uh... I think I left something inside!" He cried, hurrying back inside and slamming the door behind him.

Robin and Chrys looked at each other, then shrugged. That was kind of strange, but they didn't think anything of it. He'd be out soon enough. So, the two of them finally went to the beach, claiming a spot in the shade. To Robin's complete and utter dismay, they'd decided to set up shop directly next to Drayton and Iris. Thankfully, Drayton was nowhere to be seen, and it was just Iris putting on sunscreen, but she mentally groaned at the prospect of dealing with him.

"Oh, hi! Y'all need some sunscreen?" Iris offered cheerily. "The sun here is no joke! And Mrs. Ambrose, you're so pale! You definitely need some."

"Oh, we put on sunscreen before the drive here. It should be good for a few more hours." Chrys said with a smile. "We'll be okay. But thanks anyway, honey."

"No problem!" Iris chirped. "Oh, Dray-Dray! C'mere! You're gonna burn if you don't put on your sunscreen!"

Robin grimaced as Drayton appeared, using the gap in between Robin and Iris' chairs to meet Iris, completely on purpose. "Alright, alright. Let's see if Robin will get my back." He said with a wink.

"Fuck off." Robin said in a gravelly tone.

Iris gasped. "Robin! Don't talk to my brother-cousin like that!"

"Nah, it's chill. She's got a boyfriend, it'd be kind of weird if she was ever so gently caressing my back." Drayton reasoned as he took his shirt off. Robin didn't think it was much to write home about. He was a twig. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

Robin rolled her eyes, and put her sunglasses on, laying back in the lounge chair. Maybe if she just ignored Drayton, he'd stop annoying her.

"Hey, Robin. You gonna swim?" Drayton asked as he rubbed the sunscreen into his skin. "Or are you in a more sandcastle-y mood?"

"I'm in a naptime mood." Robin said evenly.

Chrys snickered a little, standing up. "Well, I'm gonna go in the water. Your aunt has these fabulous floating chairs, I'm gonna try one. You waiting for Arven?"

"Mhm." Robin affirmed, throwing a towel over her legs. "Wonder what's taking him so long."

Drayton snickered. "I haven't the faintest idea." He said cryptically, laying on a beach towel right next to Robin. "So you're just gonna hang out here? That's cool. It's a nice day."

"Dray-Dray, she's trying to sleep!" Iris hissed. "Now let me get your back. You don't wanna be half-pink!"

"I'd be just like Robin's hair. I like it, by the way. It suits you." He remarked as Iris smacked his back with sunscreen lotion, causing him to shiver a little. "So how long have you and that dude been together?"

Robin sighed, already exhausted of Drayton's nagging. "Five months."

Drayton smiled a little. "Hm. You love him?"

"Yup."

"He loves you?"

"He says as much."

"Good for you." He said, a soft smile on his face. "Happy for you, y'know."

Robin sighed, moving the towel from her legs to over her face.

Iris stared at the two of them quizzically, though she eventually decided she didn't really care and stood up after finishing applying Drayton's sunscreen. "Alright, I'm gonna swim! You two... do whatever it is you do. I don't know. Bye-bye!" She chirped, before scurrying away like she couldn't wait another second before getting in the water.

Drayton shrugged, before laying back down. "How long are you here for?"

"A month." Robin replied shortly.

"Good. I'd be kinda pissed if I only got a week with you." Drayton said simply, the teasing tone mostly gone. "...I'm really sorry about what I said back then."

"I'm gonna go check on Arven." Robin said suddenly, standing up and marching away in a huff. She'd had it with Drayton, trying to Orthworm his way back into her good graces. She hated that she could feel it working, her fury fading as she remembered why they were best friends in the first place. He was fun, sure, but it was those rare moments he'd let go of the irony and sarcasm he hid behind that charmed her back then. But she didn't want to forgive him. She knew better than to let someone who hurt her, someone who scared her away from boys for years, back into her life. What kind of message would that send? It'd make her look like a doormat, like she was weak.

She entered the villa, finding it completely silent. So where the hell was Arven? Did he seriously ditch her? How would he have even got away?

Hang on. The bathroom light was on. So he was in the bathroom. For ten minutes? That didn't seem quite right.

She knocked on the bathroom door. "Arvie?" She asked, hearing the rustle of fabric.

"Robin?! U-Uh, hi!" He stammered. 

"Why are you hiding in the bathroom? Did the hotel parfait give you the runs?" She inquired, a hint of a laugh in her voice.

"No! No, I-I'm not-" He cried, before groaning a little. "I-I have a problem." He admitted in a small voice.

Robin blinked. "What kind of problem? Food poisoning? Migraine?"

"Just- I-I can't say it, it's too embarrassing." He mumbled, before unlocking the door and ushering Robin in, quickly shutting and locking the door behind her.

"Jeez! What kind of- Oh." Robin remarked, her eyes landing right on Arven's raging erection, rather obviously tenting the front of his swim trunks. "Ohhh..."

Arven nodded, the expression on his face caught somewhere between amusement and severe discomfort. "Yeah. I-I can't go out with this."

"I can see that." She said blankly. "It's probably too big to tuck in your waistband, yeah? It'll show out the top."

"Yup." Arven admitted, before bursting out into quiet giggles. "First time I've ever been ashamed of my dick size."

"What a miserable existence you must have!" She laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. "Yeah, uh... Is it really not going down?"

"Well, especially not now that you're here." He mumbled. "You look- Fuck, you're so damn sexy in that, I-I can't stop thinking about it." He admitted sheepishly. "I-I'm sorry, I know I'm, like, a Grade A pervert right now-"

Robin scoffed. "I think you have boner privileges with me." She said bluntly, stepping forward and putting her hands on Arven's shoulders. "Well, if it won't go down on its own... I think I'd better help you out, no?"

Arven blinked, his flush growing even more intense. "Wha- Robin, in your aunt's villa?!" He hissed, his eyes wide and desperate.

She shrugged. "Well, I don't think it's fair for you to have to hide in the bathroom all day. Maybe once I make you cum, it'll soften up." She suggested, a conspiratorial gleam in her eye as her hands travelled lower, down to around his waist. "It's my fault you're in here. I think it's only fair for me to give you a hand."

Arven closed his eyes, his internal conflict visible on his face. Decorum and his arousal were at war in his mind, it seemed. Eventually, his arousal won out and his lips crashed into Robin's like he was magnetically drawn to her, his arms finding their way around Robin's back. He felt sparks everywhere Robin's hands touched, his chest, his back, his hips. They kissed frantically, as if they were running out of time. 

Arven unclasped Robin's bikini top, allowing it to drop to the floor. Robin giggled as he kissed her neck, stopping just shy of giving her hickeys. "A-Arven, this is about getting you off!" She cried, though she couldn't complain too much with his mouth on her breasts. She stifled her moans behind her hand, gasping as he adored every inch of skin he could find.

"Not fair." He said breathlessly. "You deserve to feel good." He managed to breathe before returning to her lips, pinning her against the sink as he kissed her, his raw passion knocking all sensible thoughts out of his brain. This was incredibly inappropriate and disrespectful, they could get caught, people would wonder where they were, and they weren't exactly being quiet, but he just didn't care. None of that was as important to him as hearing her quiet, stifled gasps every time he'd take a squeeze of her ass or lightly bite behind her ear. He could adore her body for hours, exploring just where she was most sensitive and pushing every button he could find.

"A-Arvie, c'mon...!" Robin breathed, her hand in his hair as he sucked on one of her nipples. "W-We've gotta make this quick!" She protested quietly, though she couldn't bring herself to stop him. She didn't want him to stop. She loved feeling just how bad he wanted her, how frantic he would get with his efforts, his uncertainty overruled by his aching need for her. She whined as he pressed his thigh into her groin, grinding himself against her. Her tuck had long popped, clear evidence of her masculinity was showing but she didn't care, caught up in the moment and too far gone to be ashamed.

She could feel herself getting close. She'd always been a quick shot. One of many ways she knew she'd fail as a man. Arven paused for a moment to catch his breath, his head buried in Robin's shoulders. That was all the time Robin needed to take control, pulling herself together just long enough for her to sink to her knees. "You seemed to like getting sucked off last time." She remarked, her hands stilling around his waistband. "May I?"

Arven sighed shakily, his chest and face flushed red. "Yeah. I-I'm just- I wanna make you feel good too. This doesn't feel fair." He mumbled, though he didn't complain when she yanked his swim trunks to the floor, his penis springing up to lightly swat her in the nose.

Robin shrugged. "It's fine. I really like getting my hands on you. And this dick, my God..." She breathed, only barely able to close her hand around it. She spat on her hand, and began slowly yet firmly stroking his cock. She barely even remembered how to do it effectively anymore, it had been so long for her. But she elicited quiet moans out of him regardless, so she figured she wasn't doing a bad job. She then took as much of it as she could in her mouth, slowly sinking onto his cock. Her hands found his hips, gently holding onto them. He squeezed the countertop, his toes curling on the rug as she started to move her head back and forth, paying his tip special attention with her tongue. She jerked him off all the while, trying her best to overwhelm him with pleasure.

"R-Robin...!" Arven whined, his fingers in her scalp. "That feels so good...!"

A pang of satsifaction hit her, going right to her groin. He was close, she could taste it on him. She intensified her efforts, as if trying to wring the cum out of him with her hands. She grinned as his moans started to get more frantic, and his grip on her hair tightened. He yanked it hard as he came in her mouth, throwing his head back and covering his mouth with his other hand to attempt to stifle his desperate moans. Robin didn't stop, though. She took her lips off his cock only to swallow his cum, before going right back in, clutching his hips as she took him deep, teasing his hypersensitive cock with her tongue. His moans only got higher and breathier as she prodded him into delirium, his hands digging into her scalp. He was so overstimulated, his back arched, pushing his cock deeper into Robin's mouth. She wasn't prepared for it to go that deep, so she had to quickly release him, coming up for some much-needed air.

Robin looked up at Arven, finding that he was, in fact, still hard and now furiously red and sweaty. Maybe her solution wasn't the best one. But she had a lot of fun regardless, so the time wasn't wasted.

Arven's chest heaved up and down as he breathed deeply, still clutching the countertop for support. "H-Holy shit..." He breathed as Robin got to her feet, trailing kisses up his abdomen and chest on her way. She wrapped her arms around his back, adoring his body, barely able to stop herself from leaving hickeys in visible places. She licked a stripe from his clavicle to his jawline, tasting the salt of his sweat on her tongue. She wanted to mark him, make it known to everyone that he was all hers and no one else could have him. He was her greatest treasure, and she never wanted to let him go.

"I love you." She murmured, high on endorphins and lust. "I wanna be with you forever." She breathed, before pressing soft kisses to his cheek and jawline, then lightly biting his earlobe.

Arven finally caught his breath, holding Robin by the face and diving in for a passionate kiss, softer and slower as his arousal subsided. "...Me too." He mumbled, leaning his head on her shoulder. He then caught sight of the bulge in her swimsuit, and once again, his eyes widened. "Jesus fucking Christ, I-I'm terrible! I-I keep finishing without making you cum!" He cried quietly, though he knew better than to touch her there.

Robin rolled her eyes. "Well, at least this time I didn't cum in my bikini bottom. I just popped the fuck out of my tuck." She grumbled. "Arvie, it's okay. I don't care. It doesn't matter. You came, right?"

"I don't know why you're asking me. You're the one who swallowed." He remarked evenly. "By the way, sorry about that! I-I should've warned you!"

Robin shrugged. "It wasn't an accident." She said simply.

Arven blinked. "...Oh." He uttered blankly, seemingly looking at Robin in a new light. "...You're freakier than I thought you'd be." He admitted in a light, almost amused tone.

She smiled, retrieving her bikini top and fastening it back on her chest. "That a good thing?"

Arven nodded a little, a small smile on his face. "I-I just wish you'd, like- I dunno, I wanna make you feel good too." He whispered softly, tightening Robin's ponytail for her and brushing some more of her hair over her shoulders.

Robin sighed, leaning her head against Arven's chest. "...Man, my biggest problem in the bedroom is that my hung, bulky boyfriend wants to make me cum." She remarked amusedly as she hugged him, craving the warmth of his skin on hers. "What a great problem to have, eh?"

He grinned, before bending over and pulling his swim shorts back on, his erection finally going down. "Hung and bulky, huh?" He asked, smirking cockily. "Careful, you're gonna inflate my ego a bit too much."

"You could do with some more self-confidence." Robin said serenely. "Now, uh... Can you get out so I can fix my tuck?"

Arven nodded, and quickly exited the bathroom, hurrying out of the villa. Hopefully, no one noticed they were gone. In fairness, the only people likely looking for them would be Chrys and Caitlin, so the odds were good they'd be too distracted to notice they were mysteriously absent. So maybe they'd get away with this.

"Yo." Drayton suddenly said from behind him, lurking behind a palm tree. "You guys have fun?" He asked simply, a stupid, smug smirk on his face.

Arven didn't even know how to feel about that. Was he listening to them go at it? Surely not, right? That'd be creepy as fuck! But he did tell him that he used to have a thing for Robin... Nevertheless, Arven panicked as he searched for a rational explanation that didn't involve him coming clean about what they'd really been up to.

"U-Uh, I wouldn't say a migraine is a lot of fun..." He finally settled on. "The, uh... The sun was too bright, so I had to go inside. She came and sat with me. It was really nice. She's just reapplying her sunscreen right now."

Drayton grinned a little wider. "I like that story. You might wanna use that one if someone who doesn't have common sense asks you about what you two were up to, alone in the villa. Pro tip? Next time, don't use the bathroom near the front door to have a quickie. I was just trying to take a piss, and I was rather rudely greeted by the sound of you sucking her-"

"Shut up!" Arven exclaimed through his teeth.

"I'm just saying! There's another one upstairs! I had to use that one, because someone was getting lucky!"

"I'm not talking to you!" Arven hissed, before rather rigidly walking away to the beach. He spotted the big bag full of the Ambrose's and his supplies, and rummaged around for his Poke Balls. Mabo always liked to swim, and Cloyster would probably enjoy some time in the water.

"Oh!" He cried once he noticed all of Robin's Pokemon taking up the three lounge chairs the others had claimed. Starmie and Musharna were cuddling together, Bronzong was just sitting there with its eyes closed, and Gothitelle and Gardevoir seemed to be having a lovely chat that only they could understand. It took him a minute to remember that Espeon was never really Robin's, and that Chrys had taken her back. So it made sense that she wouldn't be there- Oh, never mind. There she was, squeezed in between Starmie and Musharna, her body contorted in a way that didn't look very comfortable at all.

"Hey, girls!" He greeted them. Most of them looked up, a little startled, but relaxed once they saw it was him. Bronzong, however, didn't seem to care. Maybe it was offended Arven called it a 'her'. It seemed to be the most masculine of Robin's Pokemon. He shrugged and grabbed Mabo and Cloyster's Poke Balls out of the bag.

"Hi!" Robin called to him, hurrying over. He felt like he was watching an episode of FlabebeWatch as she ran over in her swimsuit. Her hair bounced on her shoulders in sync with her breasts-

Right. He'd just had that problem, staring at his unfairly hot girlfriend until he got a boner he couldn't control. He had to stop staring at her. Even if she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.

"You ready to go swim?" She asked brightly. "Alright, ladies! Who wants to go swimming?"

Starmie and Musharna jumped up, while the other four politely declined.

"Alright! Let's get in the water!" Robin chirped as Starmie jumped into her arms and Musharna clung to her shoulder.

Arven followed behind, stretching out his arms as he sent out Mabosstiff and Cloyster, who both ran to the water ahead of the two of them. Or, rather, Mabosstiff ran and Cloyster floated. "You know I can't really swim, right?" He reminded her.

Robin nodded. "That's why I'm bringing these two along. They won't let you drown. Musharna especially has some restitution to pay!" She said lightly, skipping across the sand. She could ever so faintly spot her mother in the distance, on a floating chair with her drink in a cupholder.

Arven seemed to be okay with that answer as they finally reached the shore. Starmie rocketed away, spinning both sets of fins in opposite directions and making quite a splash. Musharna, on the other hand, floated above the water in lieu of actually swimming.

Robin slowly walked in, the cool water making her shiver. "It's a bit nippy!" She cried, holding Arven's hand for support amidst the waves and the rather strong undertow.

Arven squawked a little as he entered the water himself. He didn't know why he expected it to be warm after all, Robin had just warned him, but he was surprised anyway. "You weren't lying!" He remarked, shuddering as he took a few more tentative steps. Mabosstiff was hanging out in the shallow waters, unwilling to go beyond where his feet could comfortably touch the ground. Cloyster was apparently trying to pinch Skyla's Swanna with its shell, which prompted a swift retaliation in the form of a Hydro Pump to the face.

Mabosstiff decided that amount of swimming was enough for him, and went back to the lounge chairs to have a nap. Both Robin and Arven snickered at just how quickly he gave up on his mission.

"Well, that's one less thing to worry about." Arven remarked as the two of them got waist-deep. "You gonna get your hair wet?" He asked, looking down her back where the very tips of her ringlets of bronze were darkened with salt water.

Robin sighed, pulling the elastic out of her hair and shaking it loose. Arven felt the FlabebeWatch slow motion effect creep into his brain as he watched little droplets of water get thrown everywhere by her hair. She snapped the elastic onto her wrist, putting an end to Arven's rather inappropriate trance. "Well, I've made the mistake of getting a high ponytail wet before. Never again." She remarked.

She then glanced back at him, mildly amused by his dazed expression. "What?" She asked innocently, though there was a knowing look in her eye as she smiled that suggested she was doing that FlabeBaywatch thing on purpose.

He laughed a little, before pecking her on the lips. "You're really pretty." He said simply, before dunking his hair in the water. He threw his head back, hoping he'd look just as cool as Robin did when she so much as tossed her hair.

Robin chortled a bit. "You're really feeling that Pamela Stoutlanderson fantasy, huh?"

"Wha- How did you know?!" He cried defensively, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

She shrugged. "'Cause I've been feeling it too." She said simply, before doing precisely the same thing as Arven, yet somehow at least a million times hotter. The curls of her hair allowed her to trap so much more water, causing her to whip what looked like a soda bottle's worth of water around. "Alright! Hair's wet! We're officially in swimming mode." She said cheerily, bounding forward as though she were walking on the moon.

Arven shook his head, though a fond smile spread across his face involuntarily. He should've known better than to try and be more glamorous than Robin Ambrose herself. He dutifully followed behind her, though a part of him worried that he'd get too deep for comfort soon. He didn't want to go much further than shoulder-deep.

Robin led him to an area in the ocean at near collarbone-depth for him, which wasn't much higher on Robin. "I wonder if it's gonna get wavier." She mused, bouncing up and down in the water. "The waves are the best part! But Undella's always been really calm. You gotta go to Humilau for the real zingers."

"You know, I've heard that." Arven remarked, coming up behind Robin and hugging her, pressing his body up against hers. "...I think you know what I'm gonna say." He whispered in her ear, his chin resting on her shoulder.

"I have great boobs?"

"The other thing."

"Ohhh... You're so grateful we took you along, you're very happy, you love me. That about cover it?" She asked slyly, leaning her head against his.

"Hmm... I thought of another one. I-I'm really happy you guys, like, include me in things. Like, i-it's like you treat me like family." He murmured, closing his eyes as he felt the gentle waves fall over his shoulders. "It's nice."

Robin smiled. "...You should see what my mom has you in her phone as."

"What's that?"

"Future Son-In-Law." Robin informed him with a wry smile. "So, y'know. You kind of are family." She said quietly, her hands over Arven's as they rested on her stomach.

Arven's mind seemed to shatter and reform in an instant, a whole new world of possibilities opening up in front of him. Future Son-In-Law. Son-In-Law. Family. Chrys wanted him to marry Robin. She anticipated him marrying Robin. Holy shit, that was a thing he could do. He could marry her. They could get married. He felt a weight in his heart, as if there was far too much emotion contained in it for him to handle. He didn't know what to do with all of it, his love and his need and just how badly he wanted to be hers.

Robin turned her head, finding Arven with a dumbfounded expression on his face. "...Was that too much?" She asked quietly.

Arven spun her around in his arms before pressing his lips into hers, holding onto her as tight as he could. She could be his wife. He wanted that so much. He'd daydreamed of being her husband before he even realized what his daydreams meant. He'd dreamed of living with her, sharing a life with her, intertwining himself with her as close as he could get. But those had just been daydreams. He hadn't had those daydreams since they'd actually got together, it was redundant to pine over her if he was already hers, after all. But now, they felt real. Plausible. He could build a life with her. They could start a family of their own.

Then, rudely snapping him out of his breathless spiral upward, he was hit in the head by a beach ball. He sharply turned his head, trying to find whoever threw it at him, though he was pretty confident he knew the answer before he even spotted the culprit. Sure enough, there was Drayton with a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Get a room!" He called smugly. "Preferably not one right next to the front door!"

Robin wriggled out of Arven's arms, bounding over to Drayton with her hands folded like she was preparing to bump a volleyball. Then, she slammed her arms into the water, pelting Drayton with an aggressive splash of water.

"You dare use my own tricks against me?!" Drayton demanded playfully, before returning the favor, splashing both Robin and Arven with his attack.

"Tricks are for kids, I'm a lady!" Robin shot back, before jumping at Drayton, managing to plunge his head underwater. He fought back, knocking Robin off balance and throwing her off him. She landed rather elegantly for being toppled off a man's head, landing in a backstroke and hurrying back to Arven for protection.

"Hiding behind your boyfriend. Real dignified!" Drayton teased, lunging at her.

"Aah! Arvie, save me! Save me!" Robin cried out, though the laughter in her voice told him she didn't really need his help. "There's a crazy, short man after me!"

"SHORT?! Oh, now you pissed me off!" Drayton cried, rapidly pushing water at her, causing her to squeal with every splash.

"Well, maybe don't interrupt our little moment, bozo!" Robin snapped, though even Arven could tell there wasn't much heat behind it.

Drayton shrugged. "It was really gross."

"You're just jealous you're single." Robin said snootily.

"Maybe so. It was still gross." Drayton insisted, though his grin was unmistakable. "Now, wasn't that fun?"

"Oh my God."

"Youuuu missed meeee... You missed me sooooo bad... You know you want a hug from the Draysterrrr..."

"Ew." She deapanned. "Go away."

"I'm swimming away without my hug, but it's okay because I know I'll get it laterrrr..." He sang in a low tone, bounding away in great spirits.

Robin rolled her eyes, turning back to Arven. "He's so annoying."

Arven shrugged. "Yeah. Like a big brother." He noted quietly.

"I'm an only child." She insisted. "Oh, look! It's getting wavy thanks to the boat! Thanks, boat!" She cried, pointing at a small motorized boat in the distance. "Arvie, let's ride the waves!" She exclaimed, grabbing his hand in preparation for the first round of waves.

The two of them stayed out in the ocean for a long time, happily jumping the waves together. For Arven's first time swimming, he found it was actually a lot of fun. Sure, he wasn't really swimming, he was just hopping around in water, but it was the thought that counted.

Lunchtime quickly arrived, and with it came Caitlin's array of catered trays. She'd truly spared no expense making this a beach day celebration. He'd met a few more League personnel he'd heard of over the years, Shauntal, whose books he'd once checked out of the library, read fervently and sworn never to think of again, and Elesa, who seemed much more enamoured with Robin than him. But that was to be expected. The Gym Leaders and Elite Four were all apparently acquainted with her, and they'd never met him a day in their life before.

So there Arven sat, in the sand in front of a dozing Robin, who'd apparently grown very tired since lunch. He'd cuddled her to sleep and after that for a bit, but he wasn't tired at all, so he got up. He figured he'd make a sandcastle. He'd always liked making sandcastles. He gathered some sand and a bucket of water, deciding on producing the best replica of Hammerlocke Stadium he could.

"Oh my God. Did she put you up to this?" He heard Drayton's rather nasal drawl from behind. "I can tell that's Hammerlocke Stadium. She's got you making a Hammerlocke Sandcastle. Plaigarism."

Arven rolled his eyes. "She didn't say a word."

"Huh. Guess you and I are just birds of a feather then, eh?" He remarked, plopping down on the sand next to Arven. "I'd always make a Hammerlocke Sandcastle whenever I came here. She'd usually help me. She always had the artistic eye between the three of us. I was the architect." He reminisced, staring out at the ocean.

Arven stayed silent, delicately carving out the dragon's maw with a toothpick.

"She draws, did you know that?" He asked. "She used to always draw pretty women. It was really confusing to me. I was like, 'dude, we all know you're not into chicks. Why you giving 'em big tits?'. But I guess I should've known it was because she wanted to be them. She was always so girly, anyway."

Drayton sighed, leaning against the leg of Robin's chair. "You don't wanna talk to me, huh?"

"Not really." Arven said honestly.

"That's okay. I'll talk to you." Drayton said with a smile. "You guys make a really cute couple. Even though you've probably got about thirty feet of hair between the two of you."

Arven continued to work on the sandcastle, creating little spikes of sand and attaching them to the castle.

"...You have a really nice chest." Drayton remarked, halfway to touching it before quickly retracting his hand. "I-Uh, what's your routine?" He asked, his eyes wandering around Arven's torso.

"Don't have one. I just lift things." Arven told him simply. "Try carrying forty pounds of cooking equipment around everywhere you go. That might help you."

"...That's shade." Drayton snickered, looking down at his own chest. "It's just not fair. I can eat a whole buffet by myself and I'll still be a twig. God literally doesn't want me to look like you."

Arven shrugged. "Some people like skinny dudes."

Drayton sighed, leaning back against the leg of the lounge chair. "I guess so." He muttered. "Most people I know like a guy like you. This dude in the BB League, Crispin, he'd go feral over you."

Arven slowly turned to Drayton, a flabbergasted look on his face. "I'll remind you we're having this conversation in front of my girlfriend." He said sharply.

"That's true. I should probably shut up, for Crispin's safety." He remarked. "I know she gets jealous."

"Why are you talking to me?" Arven asked suddenly. "It's not like we're friends. Do you really think I'm not mad at you on her behalf?"

Drayton shrugged. "You're her boyfriend. If I'm gonna be her friend, I should probably be on good terms with her boyfriend, no?"

"I think you skipped a step. You guys aren't friends."

"Yet." Drayton said confidently, standing up. "I'm gonna go get another sandwich." He said breezily, before walking back to where Caitlin had set up the buffet.

Arven rolled his eyes. The little shit had the audacity to ruin his moment with Robin then sit down with him like they were friends. He sighed, watching as his sandcastle started to crumble to bits. He should've known making a sandcastle so far away from the shore was a bad idea, but he didn't want to leave Robin alone. Even if she was sleeping, he just liked being around her.

So, he delicately climbed back onto the lounge chair, trying his best not to disturb her from her slumber as he curled his body around hers. Seemingly out of instinct while sleeping, she wrapped her arms around his midsection and burrowed her face into his chest, snuggling up to him. Or maybe she was only half-asleep, and she'd heard everything he and Drayton said. He didn't really mind that option. It wasn't like he'd said anything bad about her. But it was kind of embarrassing to think that she'd been eavesdropping the whole time.

Nevertheless, he threw a towel over the two of them as a makeshift blanket, holding her close in his arms. He loved her so much. His mind wandered back to what Chrys apparently named him in her phone. Future Son-in-Law. Son-in-Law. That made him Robin's future husband. Right? That's what that meant, right? He thought he knew the definition of in-law, but somehow, he started to doubt himself. Was he really sure about that? Maybe she meant something else, and she didn't intend for her daughter to marry him. Maybe he was being insane, and he shouldn't even be thinking about marrying her because she was still sixteen and he was still seventeen and there was no way on Earth they could get married any time soon.

He pushed those thoughts out of his head, because he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep with the idea of marrying Robin running wild in his head. He just focused on Robin's breath, warm on his chest, and the feeling of his future wife's skin on his.

Soon, the sun began to set on the beach, and people started leaving. Lenora and Hawes were the first to go, which seemed to open up the floodgates for everyone else to depart. Soon enough, only the Ambroses, Arven and Drayton and Iris remained. Iris seemed to be talking Chrys and Caitlin's ears off, though they sat there with superhuman patience.

Arven was inside using the bathroom, which left Robin and Drayton sitting alone. Drayton looked especially pathetic, sitting alone on a rock behind a palm tree, as if hiding from the others. As much as Robin was still furious at him, that was so pathetic, even she had to do something about it.

So, Robin sat next to him without a word, crossing her legs. She didn't really know why she cared about how pathetic Drayton looked. She thought she might have even got some sick pleasure from watching him look sad, but she didn't. She felt sorry for him, despite everything.

"Hey." He greeted her quietly. "Where's... your man?" He asked.

"Did you seriously forget his name?"

"No!"

"What is it, then?" Robin challenged, a small grin on her face.

"...A-A...drian?" He guessed, smiling sheepishly. "Adrian?"

"Arven." Robin corrected him. "You're such a dick. Can't even remember my boyfriend's name."

"Okay, to be fair, I don't think anyone ever introduced him to me! I had to, like, osmosis that!" Drayton cried defensively. "Arven. Alright, I'll try and remember that."

"You better. So disrespectful, honestly." Robin huffed.

Drayton sighed, looking out at the sunset. "I missed you." He admitted softly. "I-I missed you from the moment you were gone."

Robin bit her lip, looking down at her hands. "So why did you say it?" She asked slowly, unable to meet his eyes. "Why did y-you call me that?"

He sighed heavily, running his hands through his wet hair. "...I was scared. I was scared that if you kept hanging around me, then I'd be just as gay as you. I mean, I saw what the other boys did to you. They'd hide your things, break your pencils, they'd spike volleyballs at you in gym class as hard as they could. They'd say the nastiest things about you when you weren't around. I was scared that they'd start doing it to me too."

Robin scoffed, turning to him with her nose scrunched up, like she'd just smelled something disgusting. "So you thought that being gay was contagious?! Like some kind of fucking disease?!"

"I was stupid, I know that! But how was I supposed to feel, when I could feel my fucking heart racing whenever you touched me?!" Drayton cried, and instantly, whatever tirade Robin had ready to throw at him died on her tongue. Her eyes widened, and her heart seemed to skip a beat. That, if she wasn't reading the wrong thing into it, that completely upended whatever she thought she knew about him, about the League Bratz, about why everything fell apart.

"...What?" She finally managed to choke out.

Drayton exhaled a bit of air through his nose, dark amusement written all over his face. "Did you really think I forgot my sleeping bag all those times?" He asked, gravel in his voice. "Robin, it's pretty hard to miss. It's a giant bag. I left it home on purpose, 'cause I wanted to snuggle with you. 'Cause I liked you, you dumbass." He said quietly, refusing to meet her eyes. "It scared the shit out of me, that I liked a boy. So I told you to stop touching me, but I wanted you to so much. But I didn't wanna be gay! I didn't want to go through what you went through, 'cause I knew I couldn't handle it! You, you were always so brave. You've never been scared to be you. A-And, I mean, look at you now! You're not even a boy anymore! I mean, I bet it wasn't easy, being gay is one thing but this- I mean, this must have taken so much courage. I couldn't do that. I'm not like you. I'm a coward." He remarked, a few tears forming in his eyes. "I mean, you're the first person I've ever told that I like boys."

Robin was floored. That was the exact last thing she thought she'd ever hear from him. She thought that maybe, the other guys had pressured him into cutting ties with her, maybe his family wasn't fond of her, but never this. For years, she'd thought he liked Lacey more than her, but he was just shy. She never thought he could ever have liked her. She'd read their dynamic so, so wrong.

"Well, scratch that. I kinda told your boyfriend." Drayton admitted. "So, you're second. Still, I haven't told anyone else. Not Lacey, not Iris, not my mom, no one. 'Cause I'm a coward." He said quietly, wiping tears away with the side of his hand. "I'm really sorry I hurt you. I was such a wreck about my own feelings, I took it out on you. I'm so fucking sorry, Robin."

Robin sputtered, unable to form any coherent words. "Wha- I- I thought you liked Lacey!" She cried, completely bewildered.

Drayton snorted. "Not back then, no. I didn't like Lacey, I liked you. And you know the worst part?" He asked, finally meeting Robin's eyes. "I knew you liked me too."

Robin's mouth felt like it turned to ash at that moment. She was completely mortified. He knew?! Her first real crush, he liked her back and he knew?! Why didn't he say anything?! Why was he just telling her now, four years later while she was in a relationship with another guy?! She was bewildered, she was embarrassed and she was just so confused.

"You knew?" She said quietly, her voice unable to produce anything above a whisper.

Drayton snickered a little. "Of course I did. You weren't subtle at all. It's in the eyes for you. Whenever you're looking at a guy you like, your eyes, they soften and they kinda crinkle a little bit. I see it when you look at him now." He remarked quietly. "You know, sometimes I'd just cuddle you in that sleeping bag and hope that you'd try something. Maybe you'd kiss me. Maybe you'd go for something a little dirtier. I dunno. But you never did."

"I-I didn't think you'd want me to. I thought you had a crush on Lacey, you know." Robin mumbled. "Why didn't you?"

Drayton shrugged. "I dunno. I guess I thought it'd be gayer if I initiated it. I mean, if you did it, then I'd just be accepting it. That was less gay, in my head."

Robin snorted. "Yeah, like making out with your gay best friend could ever be straight."

"Listen, I did a lot of mental gymnastics trying to convince myself I was straight. Thank God I didn't know you were trans back then. I would've said, 'Well, she's a girl now! Clearly, I was just enjoying the fruit before it was ripe!'" He joked, a wide grin on his face. "I-I've kinda come to terms with it by now. Y'know, I'm, like, bisexual or whatever. God, I hate saying that. It feels so corny." He laughed.

Robin patted his shoulder. "That's good. I, uh... Why haven't you told your family?" She asked quietly.

Drayton snorted. "Why would I? I-I mean, Iris is the Champion, and I've been a sophomore for three years. I'm already the failure. You think I wanna be the gay failure too?" He asked dryly.

"...Bisexual failure." Robin corrected him.

Drayton grinned, before gently punching Robin in the shoulder. "Fuck you." He laughed, brushing his hair out of his face. "I-I, uh... It's nice to get this all off my chest." He admitted, leaning back and looking up at the sky, the fluffy clouds stained orange by the setting sun. "We friends again?" He asked simply, looking over at her with a gentle look in his eye.

Robin considered that for a second. She'd never been one to let anyone who had a bad word to say about her identity back into her life. If they could hurt her before, they could do it again. But he just seemed so sincere, so apologetic and like he'd changed. She didn't realize just how much she'd missed him before. "...Yeah." She finally mumbled. "We're friends."

Drayton smiled, opening his arms up and moving closer. Robin instinctively backed up, almost scooting right off the rock.

Drayton chuckled a bit, though Robin could tell it was forced. "Relax, I'm just gonna hug you." He said quietly. She let him hug her, allowing him to hold her close to his chest. He held on for a long time, his breathing deep and deliberate as he held her.

Finally, he let her go, wiping a few tears from his eyes. "...Thanks." He said weakly, nervously running his hand through his hair.

Robin sighed, pushing her wet hair off her shoulders. "...You don't still like me, do you?"

Drayton sighed, leaning back on the rock. "...I don't think so. I think it's just old feelings coming back, really. I mean... You're kinda not my type anymore." He said honestly.

Robin's eyebrows shot up. "That's crazy. You mean to tell me you liked boring old boy me better?"

He shrugged. "I-I mean, you're just not really my type! I like someone a little more, like, cute. Not quite as over-the-top glamorous as you are."

She considered that for a moment, before the truth dawned on her. "You like Lacey." She accused him, a teasing glint in her eye.

Drayton laughed a bit. "That obvious?"

"I had to think about it for two seconds." She said haughtily. "Oh, look! My boyfriend. Hi, Arvie!" She called to him, now that he'd emerged from the villa.

Arven took one look at the scene in front of him, and his eyes seemed to bug out of his head a little. "Wha- You two are getting along?" He cried in mild surprise.

"He gave me a very nice apology." Robin informed him.

"I'm gonna go tell Iris to tell Grandpa to come pick us up." Drayton said breezily in lieu of a proper goodbye. He hurried away, not even sparing Arven a second glance.

Arven shrugged and sat down next to Robin, who immediately leaned her head on his shoulder. "What'd he say?" He asked simply.

Robin sighed. "It was really... It was so weird. He told me he used to like me. You know, back before I transitioned. So he said that because he was insecure about it." She said honestly. "It's really complicated. 'Cause... The feeling was mutual back then." She admitted carefully, her heart sinking a little as Arven's body tensed up.

"...Oh." Arven said blandly.

"It's not like I like him now! It's been years, and I was really fucking mad at him a long time! Whatever fucked up homosexual limbo we were in, it's long over. I love you." She assured him desperately, clutching his shoulders to force him to look into her eyes. "I love you, and he's into Lacey. There's nothing there. It's done."

Arven's fists clenched a little bit, but eventually he let out a breath, sighing heavily. "...You know, I knew he liked you. He told me that. I just didn't know you liked him." He admitted, brushing his drying hair out of his face.

"Years ago." She insisted. "I promise you, there's nothing between us anymore. I swear."

"I believe you." He told her softly, brushing some of her hair out of her face. "It's just- ...If he said he wanted you now-"

"I'd choose you." She said automatically. "I wouldn't even have to think about it."

Arven's eyes widened, a little smile adorning his face. "...That was quick."

"It's not a hard decision." Robin said evenly. "I'd choose you over anyone."

Arven blinked. The conviction with which she said that surprised him. She was certain of it. It didn't even take her any thought, it fell out of mouth just as naturally as her age or her name. She'd choose him. She wanted him. She wouldn't choose some random guy over him, she wouldn't leave him behind in that lab, she wanted to stay with him.

He pulled her into his arms, unsure of where all this emotion was coming from but too far gone to care. He was so grateful to her, that she'd choose to love him no matter what. She hugged him back, her breathing shaky as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He held her tight, wanting to be as close to her as possible. He loved her so much, he wanted to love her forever.

"Hey, kids!" Chrys called, causing them to jump apart like two magnets turned to the wrong pole. "Ready to go?" She asked with a little grin on her face, Caitlin looking a little amused behind her.

"U-Uh, yeah!" Robin agreed, jumping up. "Bye, Caitlin!" She cried, giving her aunt a big hug.

"Goodbye, darling." Caitlin said gently, holding onto the hug a second longer than Robin. "I'll see you all later!"

"Bye, Caitlin." Arven said, merely waving goodbye before Caitlin yanked him into a hug anyway. "Oh! Uh..."

"Goodbye, Arven. Have a nice drive!" She called after them as they all got into the taxi. Robin and Arven sat in the very back again, holding hands all the way home.

"Ow!"

"Shh..."

"Bitch, ow!" Robin cried as Arven attempted to brush her hair. They were in the bathtub together, up to their shoulders in bubbles because Robin was a bit of a stickler for an opaque layer of bubbles. Arven was trying everything to make the detangling of Robin's hair smooth, he used shampoo, conditioner, Robin's detangling spray, everything. But it was no use against the power of salt water. He was trying his best to minimize the pain, but it was clear there was no way around it.

"I knew I should've put my shit in a bun..." Robin grumbled. "But I wanted to look sexy. I mean, I started the day so strong." She complained, flinching as Arven delicately tried detangling some of her hair with his hands.

"You looked very nice." Arven agreed. "We're almost done. I'm only seeing one more big tangle." He informed her as he ran his fingers through the straightened sections of Robin's hair.

"Thank God." Robin grumbled, flinching as Arven managed to brush the tangle through. She just wanted the detangling to be over so she could sink back into his lap, his arms back around her. He'd suggested taking a bath together as a means of psychological manipulation. He said that maybe if they were naked together in a nonsexual manner, then maybe Robin wouldn't be quite so apprehensive about him seeing her genitals in a sexual manner. It'd be like tricking her brain. Robin didn't quite know what he was on about, but she agreed to it just so she could be in a bath with her boyfriend.

Arven hummed to himself as he separated the tangled strands of Robin's hair with his fingers. Robin really liked hearing his voice like that, even if he wasn't singing. His smooth baritone was rather soothing, especially when he was humming quietly in her ear. She recognized this one, it was some old Nidoran Nidoran song. Her mom was a pretty big fan of Nidoran Nidoran, so she knew most of their hits. She decided she'd chime in, providing the acoustic guitar riff that played after the chorus.

Arven chuckled. "We're an acapella group now, I see." He teased, brushing the final tangle through with a bit of conditioner.

"You have a really pretty voice." Robin said quietly. "I like hearing you sing."

"I like hearing you sing too. You should do it more." Arven said simply. "Alright, we're good! Your hair is officially detangled!"

"Hooray!" Robin cheered, leaning back into Arven's lap and resting her head next to his. He wrapped his arms around her midsection in kind, holding her close.

Arven sighed happily, pressing a kiss to Robin's cheek. He didn't know why they never did this before. Snuggling in a tub was almost better than snuggling in a bed. Almost. His shoulders were a bit cold. But other than that, it was such a nice experience.

Robin sighed a little, looking down at the bubbles. "...I'm sorry if me and Drayton made you uncomfortable." She said quietly. "I know you're probably not too thrilled that we're talking again."

Arven shrugged. "He's your friend." He said simply.

"I know, but- I-I mean, I'm not sure I'd like it if your girl best friend you used to have a crush on strolled back into your life." Robin remarked. "I'd be really jealous. Hell, I still managed to be jealous of Skyla. And that lady is thirty-two."

"...Well, I am a little jealous." He admitted. "I mean, I think I've been spoiled a bit. All your friends are either girls or gay. I haven't had much competition."

"You still don't." Robin corrected him. "But I see what you mean. I know it's weird. But that's all way, way in the past. It was just a silly crush four years ago."

"I know." He murmured. "Besides... Whose bathtub are you in right now?"

"Yours." She giggled, pecking him on the cheek. "I'm all yours."

Arven smiled a little, closing his eyes as he leaned his cheek against the top of Robin's head. "...I'm still thinking about that Future Son-In-Law thing." He confessed.

"Oh? You mad she's spreading lies about you?" Robin deadpanned.

"Wha- No! No, I-I'm just thinking about it." Arven insisted. "It's, uh... I-I dunno, I just can't stop thinking about it when I start. That means she thinks- She wants us to get married." He murmured, as if still in shock himself.

"I know. She's been pushing the Robin-Arven marriage agenda for ages." Robin revealed with a small laugh. "I think it's sweet that she wants you to be a part of her family. A-And... U-Uh, it's not like the thought hasn't crossed my mind." She admitted, keeping her gaze locked on the bubbles. "I-I'd marry you. I'd love to be your wife. I-I mean, not right now, I'm only sixteen, but someday, I'd marry you."

Arven's eyes shot open. "Really?" He said quickly, the word flying out of him before he even had a chance to think about it. "Y-You want to get married?!"

"Yeah." Robin said simply, looking up at Arven with wide, uncertain eyes. "...Do you not?"

"N-No! I mean, yes! I-I mean, I don't not want to get married!" He cried, his face heating up as he flushed. "I- Oh, shit. Shit! What I mean is, I'd love to marry you!"

Robin blinked, her eyes wide with surprise. "...That was a nasty double negative." She admitted, before bursting into little giggles. "God, marriage. I feel like we're too young to even be discussing this! Marriage?! Neither of us are legal adults!"

Arven hummed a little. "...I'm almost eighteen."

"You'll be eighteen in November. It's July." Robin corrected him. "I-It's kinda crazy to me that- I dunno, that you're thinking about marrying me. I-I never thought I'd get married. Ever. I thought th-that since I'm- You know, I've got some faulty equipment, that n-no one would ever wanna put a ring on my finger. I'd kinda given up on that." She mumbled, staring at the reflection of the two of them in the tiled walls.

Arven frowned, taking both her hands in his. "You're not faulty." He insisted.

Robin took a deep breath in, her chest shaking a little. "...I-I don't know if I'm ever gonna be okay with you seeing it." She admitted, a tear running down her cheek. "I-I just keep thinking, 'maybe he could ignore it'. But i-if you're looking at it, then how are you gonna ignore it? It's hard evidence that I came out wrong, that I can't give you a baby-"

"Hey! Hey..." He whispered, stroking her hair as she laid her head back on his shoulder, tears streaming down her face as she visibly fought to control them. "Y-You know I don't care about that. I-I mean we can adopt, we can have a surrogate, we could-"

"Th-That's not the point! The point is, I-I'm wrong. M-My body is wrong. I-I know you love me anyway, th-that you can forgive that-"

"Forgive that?!" Arven cried out. "Forgive that?! Robin, I'm not forgiving anything! Do you really think I love you in spite of the fact you're trans? I-I told you, I love you! All of you! Every little bit that makes you you, I love! And that's a part of you! Do you know what I admire most about you?"

Robin shook her head, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"You're the strongest person I know." He told her emphatically, holding both his hands in hers. "You remember that video your mom showed me? The one where you're singing that disco song, a-and those girls show that poster?"

"How could I forget?" Robin said bitterly.

"Well, when you snatched that poster out of their hands and stomped all over it- I mean, that took some real courage. A-And I think that's when I fell in love with you, watching you defy those assholes. You amaze me, Robin. You're so fucking brave. You're self-assured, you're confident, and you're so, so vividly yourself. You're always yourself, you don't let anyone stop you from being th-the fabulous, strong, brave and absolutely Zubatshit insane girl that you are." He told her, staring into her teary pink eyes. "I don't love you despite the fact that you're trans. I love you because of it." He insisted, brushing a piece of Robin's hair out of her face.

Robin's lip quivered, before she turned over and hugged Arven tightly, trying her best to hold back her tears. He just held her close, his lips on her neck.

"I love you so much." He told her as he stroked her hair. "I love every single piece of you. A-And I think you're so fucking beautiful. Inside and out." He said firmly, feeling the pounding of her heart against his chest.

Robin took a deep breath, her eyes ringed with red as she managed to pull herself away from Arven. "...Let's just rip the fucking Band-Aid off." She muttered, suddenly standing up in the tub. She fought the urge to cover herself, instead crossing her arms.

Arven's eyes widened as his gaze travelled down her body, all the way down to her soft penis. Her skin was soft all the way down, hairless and shiny.

"So? You regretting it yet?" She said, before clearing the lump in her throat.

"Can I touch it?" Arven asked breathlessly.

Robin recoiled a little in surprise. "U-Uh, sure!" She giggled, before quickly getting tickled by Arven's lips on her pubic bone. Her eyes widened as she saw him kissing her just under her belly button, his tongue lifting her rapidly hardening dick into his mouth. He maintained eye contact all throughout, even as he let her dick fall out of his mouth, letting it hang on his tongue for a moment before he let it drop.

"It's really pretty." He murmured, standing up himself, his arms finding their way around her shoulders. "I-I... Do you wanna keep going, or...?"

Robin sighed, her hands in her hair. "I-I don't know." She admitted sheepishly. "I-I think- I think I need some more time before y-you really, like, go at it."

"Okay. Then we'll stop." Arven agreed, watching her from behind as she wrapped her hair up in a towel. "...Nice ass." He remarked.

Robin rolled her eyes, before walking back over to Arven with a naughty gleam in her eye. "Says you." She said simply, before lightly smacking his asscheeks from the front. "Girl dinner."

"Whaaaaat?" Arven said in a monotone voice, his jaw practically hanging to the floor as she cheekily walked away.

"C'mon. It's bedtime." She told him with a grin, rolling into bed without putting any of her clothes on. "Don't keep me waiting, Arvie."

Arven sighed, though he obeyed her with a smile. "I love you. Thank you for trusting me." He whispered as she got settled in her usual spot, half draped on top of him with her head buried in his shoulder.

"Love you more." Robin mumbled.

"Impossible."

Chapter Text

Arven was getting pelted by a million different things, it felt like. He was just outside the Pokemon League in a sandstorm that was blowing Robin's hair directly into his face. The other League Bratz had suggested that they relive old memories and hang out in Caitlin's Elite Four room, and perhaps watch a battle or two. Robin had agreed to meet them on neutral ground, and since Arven didn't have anything else to do if Robin was occupied, he tagged along.

"You sure we're allowed to be here on a weekday?" Robin asked, very kindly holding her hair in her hand, sparing poor Arven of more harrassment. "I mean, neither of us have eight Unovan badges."

Caitlin shrugged. "You have my permission. Besides, I don't have eight Unovan badges myself." She admitted, waving them into the narrow, rocky passage that led to the League. The two of them followed behind her, thankful for the reprieve from the violent sandstorm. Robin wasn't a big fan of sandstorms, since they A) messed up her hair, and B) sometimes caused her to cry if sand got in her eyes, which risked ruining her makeup.

The air in the Pokemon League was suffocatingly still, the grandiosity of the building combined with the complete lack of any other person around creating a tense atmosphere.

"I suppose we're early, if they're not here yet." Robin remarked, tapping her foot on the rocky ground. "Lacey would never let Drayton come late."

Caitlin shrugged. "That may be. Come on, now. Let's not stand out here looking like a flock of Ducklett." She said breezily, nonchalantly stepping up to the very intimidating gates to the League. Arven suddenly realized why Robin was so unenthused by the Paldea League, this building was so much more ornate and impressive than anything that the Paldean Gyms or League had to offer. The huge statue in the central plaza alone cleared the hedge maze of Artazon.

"Alright. I've told the other Elite Four members that you're coming. I'm sure Marshal and Shauntal would like to see you." Caitlin told Robin, patting her head. "I know you've probably never met him, but Cheren is also interested in meeting my Champion-ranked niece."

"Oh, Cheren? Ain't he that dude who was like, friends with the girl who mollywhopped Team Plasma the first time? He's an Elite Four member now?" Robin asked curiously.

"Yes, he is. He used to be the Aspertia Gym Leader, but it was very clear to everyone involved that he did not enjoy having to hold back his battle prowess." Caitlin explained. "Then there was an unexpected opening in the Elite Four, so the League figured, why not kill two Pidgey with one stone?"

"Ah. Took them long enough to replace Grimsley." Robin remarked as all three of the other Elite Four all emerged from their rooms at the same time. "Oh, Jesus! Avengers, assemble!"

"Hello again, Robin." Shauntal greeted her warmly, her short stature making pulling Robin into a hug quite difficult. "I didn't get to see much of you yesterday!"

"Aw, sorry about that!" Robin chuckled awkwardly. "You had fun, I hope?"

"Oh, yes! It's always nice to spend a day on the Undella Beach." Shauntal said with a smile.

"Hey, why didn't I get to come?" Marshal demanded jokingly, rounding on Caitlin.

"It was supposed to be a girl's get-together. However, Lenora, Iris and Robin all decided to bring along a man to ruin my plans." Caitlin explained, sharply glaring at Robin with zero heat whatsoever.

"Ah. I'll try not to be too offended." Marshal joked, before ruffling Robin's hair. "Hey, kiddo. Where's your mom?"

"I think she's having lunch with Lenora." Robin said, tapping her fingernail to her lip. "Besides, I'm sixteen years old and I'm a Champion-ranked Trainer back home. I think I can handle myself. Wasn't Iris the Champion when she was fourteen?"

"Now, I'm not insinuating you need a babysitter. I'm just curious." Marshal said gently, raising his hands up in surrender. "Cher-Bear, you're awfully quiet. Delcatty got your tongue?" He teased the poor man, who was standing off to the side awkwardly.

Cheren huffed. "If you'd allow a break in the conversation, then maybe I'd talk more." He shot back snidely. "It's nice to meet you, Robin. I was quite intrigued to hear of Caitlin's equally formidable niece. I hope we can battle some time." He said much more politely to Robin, shaking her hand. He then turned to Arven, looking a bit puzzled. "And you are...?"

"U-Uh, I'm Arven." He stammered, awkwardly holding his hand out for a handshake, which Cheren thankfully reciprocated.

"He's my boyfriend!" Robin chirped.

"Ah, that explains why he was there yesterday!" Shauntal cried, clapping her hands together. "I was wondering what a strange teenage boy was doing there. How did you two meet? How long have you been together?"

"Shauntal, please. Enough mining my niece's love life for inspiration." Caitlin insisted, her eyes flicking to the sky as a Dragonite descended on the Pokemon League. "Ah, here we are. Thank goodness Lacey's punctuality overrules Drayton's... complete lack thereof." She said bluntly, watching as Lacey and Drayton both were released from the big, friendly dragon's arms.

Lacey looked less than excited to be there, which confused Robin greatly. Did Drayton not tell her the good news? When Robin suggested meeting, she fully expected Drayton to have at least briefed the poor girl. But here Lacey was, trudging onward like she was going to war.

Drayton was the first up the steps, and immediately he walked right up to Robin and tried his best to crush her in a hug. He wasn't nearly big enough for it to be effective, but it did have the desired effect of surprising quite literally everyone in the building. Robin was so floored, she had her hands hovering over Drayton's back for a good three seconds before she wisened up and hugged him back. Lacey's jaw practically hit the ground as she watched Drayton hug the girl who swore up and down she hated him, and walk away unscathed. Her eyes flicked between Arven and Caitlin for an explanation, though neither of them were keen to give her one.

"Heya, buddy." Drayton greeted Robin with a sunny smile, before turning to Arven and rather harshly grabbing his hand and wiggling it around a little. "Hi, Arven. Aren't you glad I remember your name?" He asked cheekily, before turning to the rather bored looking Elite Four. "And the Elite Four! As I live and breathe. It's been so long."

"It's been less than a week." Cheren corrected him sharply.

"And yet, I can tell you missed me!" Drayton teased, elbowing the rather uptight young man, causing Cheren to glare at him with the fury of a thousand suns.

"What the hell is going on?!" Lacey cried shrilly, causing Shauntal, Marshal and Cheren to immediately awkwardly excuse themselves to leave the League Bratz to it. "Why are you hugging her?!" She demanded of Drayton, who just smiled serenely in her face.

"Why not? We're good friends." He explained cheerily.

"Wha- Since when?!" Lacey screeched.

"Since last night! Let me tell you, me and Robin got real chummy on the beach at sunset." Drayton joked.

"He is forgiven, but he is on League Bratz probation." Robin said haughtily. "Which he has now violated by insinuating I had sex with him, which I did not do. Bad Drayton!" She admonished him, lightly swatting him upside the head.

"So- So, you two are friends again?" Lacey asked in a small voice.

"Mhm! Pals of the Year, some would say." Drayton said proudly. "She couldn't resist the Drayster for long."

Robin swatted him upside the head once more.

"Hey!"

"Enough dirty insinuations, mister." Robin scolded him. "Ooh! Shit! A challenger! We gotta get outta here!" She cried, grabbing Arven by the hand and leading him to the northeast turret of the League Castle, which was completely dark.

"U-Uh... Where do we go?" Arven asked, looking down at his feet and trying not to be scared that it looked like he wasn't standing on anything.

Caitlin snapped once, and a white path appeared, leading to a little area behind the main battlefield. "You four can watch the battle, should he make it so far." She told him, patting Arven's shoulder. "Off you go."

"Who knows? Maybe he'll choose you first!" Robin shot back as the four of them hurriedly filed down the narrow walkway.

"They never do." Caitlin sighed. "Yet I must wait regardless. Gods, I loathe this job sometimes..." She muttered to herself as she ascended the staircase to the battlefield, which also seemed transparent until Arven noticed that the illusion ended once you descended deep enough into the turret. It was all made of LED screens. The bottom of the turret seemed to house what remained of a bedroom.

The four of them settled down in the nook that was positioned just behind where Caitlin waited, inside a white rose. Drayton rather lazily flopped down onto a black beanbag, while the other three took chairs.

"So... You two made up." Lacey said slowly.

"Sure did!" Drayton chirped. "Reunited and it feels so good!"

Arven wasn't quite sure he liked just how jazzed Drayton seemed to be about reconciling with Robin. He seemed much too happy for a man who claimed his feelings for Robin were merely platonic. But, then again, what did Arven know about platonic feelings? The first person he thought he felt platonic feelings for was Robin, and look how that turned out. Maybe this was just how reunited best friends acted.

Lacey seemed to swallow a lump in her throat. "That's- That's good! That's- Oh, then that means all three of us can be friends again, right?" She cried enthusiastically. "Hey, why didn't I get a hug? That's not fair! C'mere, Robin!" Lacey demanded, before crashing into Robin at full speed, clinging to her chest like a Komala to a tree. "...I missed you. I missed having someone around who can actually get Drayton to behave."

"Hey! Is that all you want me around for?" Robin laughed, patting the top of Lacey's head. "Your little Pyroar tamer?"

Lacey snickered. "I wouldn't call him a Pyroar. Pyroar are far too noble."

"Hey!" Drayton protested. "I'm right here, y'know!"

"I think Drayton's more like a Whimsicott, if anything. Always being silly and annoying people and getting into trouble." Robin agreed.

"A FAIRY-TYPE?! Now you guys are just TRYING to make me kill myself!" Drayton whined, standing up and preparing to give Robin a whollop. He then paused mid swing, his fist awkwardly hanging just above Robin's head.

"Can't hit a lady, I see." Robin teased. "I've powered up."

"...This is terrible." He grumbled, sinking back into his beanbag. "Arven, help me out! These wicked women are bruising my little ego!"

"...Little?"

"NOT YOU TOO!!" Drayton squealed. "It's like that?! Three-on-one?! Why did I think this was a good idea?! Robin, fuck off and die! We've gotta get this shit disbanded, NOW!"

"Nuh-uh. No takebacks." Robin said amusedly.

"...You're closer to a demon than human..." He mumbled weakly, sinking into the beanbag, defeated.

"Well, now that he's done, I suppose I should catch you up on a few things..." Robin remarked, sitting back down in her chair. "I don't think I ever formally introduced you to my boyfriend."

"No! I don't even know his name!" Lacey giggled. "Is it... Ar...nold?"

"Arven." He corrected her.

"Nice to finally meet you, Arven." Lacey said formally, shaking his hand like her father always taught her. "Now... Tell me everything. How'd you meet? How long have you been together?"

"Jesus, Lacey! They've already had to rattle that shit off to every Gym Leader in the region." Drayton complained. "They've been together five months and they met when the freaky robo-lizard they ride around on escaped Arven's house and made Robin fall off a cliff."

"You fell off a cliff?!"

"Not a very high one. Drayton, how did you know I fell off a cliff?"

Drayton shrugged. "You must have told me."

"I certainly did not! You were eavesdropping!" Robin accused him, flicking him in the forehead.

"Ow! And what about it? If you weren't gonna talk to me, I had to find out this guy wasn't an axe murderer somehow!" Drayton protested. "You think I'm just gonna let you run around with some kind of crazy man?"

"Quite frankly, I don't think you're gonna 'let' me do anything. You don't own me." She said sharply, and immediately all six eyebrows in the room shot up.

Drayton awkwardly turned his eyes to the floor. "...Sorry." He mumbled. "Just don't want you getting hurt."

"Thanks for your concern." Robin said snidely. "Lacey, how've things been going with you?"

Lacey stammered a little, clearly a little thrown by the brief argument and by being put on the spot. "U-Uh... Well, somehow I managed to beat Amarys in a battle, so I've moved up to second in the BB League rankings...!" She said weakly.

"Amarys is a Steel-type specialist. Lacey loves Fairy-types for some unfathomable reason." Drayton added.

"You're just mad I'm your weakness!" Lacey shot back.

Now Robin's eyebrows shot up. What a fantastic unintentional precision strike directly to Drayton's heart, she thought. Or maybe it was completely intentional, and she'd learned from the master how to shock one's system and peek into their inner workings. She remembered all kinds of probings from Drayton aimed right at her. Either way, good for Lacey. Finally she got an edge on Drayton, who was always a step ahead of her when it came to their banter. Drayton was momentarily stunned, just staring at Lacey like she'd grown another head.

"And how's that working out for you? Last I checked, you still can't beat me." He said breezily, apparently swiftly recovering from Lacey striking an incredibly raw nerve.

"Oh- You big- fat- meanie!" Lacey squealed, before crossing her arms like a child who didn't want to eat her mashed peas.

"'Fat'? Dude's a twig." Arven chimed in. "Gotta lug around a waffle maker if you wanna make some gains, buddy!"

"Well, just because you're built like a fucking Olympic god doesn't mean I'm a twig!" Drayton snapped. "God just wants me to be a beanpole, I think. I'm cursed. I'm cursed with an excellent metabolism!"

"What a great problem to have." Robin remarked. "Don't worry, it'll look good once you pop a mone."

"Once I what a who?"

"I'll tell you when you're older." Robin said kindly, patting him on the head.

"Hey!" He cried, rounding on Robin, though once again, he found he couldn't really do much about it. "...God dammit. Can't believe you changed genders just to avoid getting whacked."

"Yes, it was all for you." Robin remarked snarkily.

"Okay, Banette Jackson." Arven teased, nudging Robin just a little to make sure she got the joke. Her withering stare amused him to no end, and let him know she was trying very hard to suppress her laughter. His grin was just too much for her to resist, however, and she ended up reluctantly letting out a chortle or two.

"Robin, control your man!" Drayton added on, giggling a little himself.

"Okay, Banette Jackson!"

"Discipline him! Whack him with a velvet rope!"

"Wh-What are you guys talking about?" Lacey asked timidly, nervously laughing.

"Oh, these two old men are cracking themselves up with their stupid dad jokes." Robin explained, trying her best to hold back her laughter in the face of both Arven and Drayton's scrutiny, but she was fighting a losing battle. It wasn't that the jokes were particularly funny, it was that she was on the receiving end of one of her own tried and true 'Okay, [musician]' comebacks. Plus, the looks on both Arven and Drayton's faces as they tried to also restrain their laughter were priceless.

"I'm just surprised this little man knows so many Banette Jackson albums! I only know them 'cause Robin's a huge fan!" Arven chuckled, leaning his head against Robin's as they laughed.

Drayton scoffed, punching Arven's knee playfully. "She's been a huge fan for a long time, you know!"

"How come I don't know any Banette Jackson albums?" Lacey asked no one in particular, looking like she was shrinking in on herself.

Robin shrugged. "You're uncultured Swinub, I fear. Not even Rhythm Nation?"

"You think her parents had any Jackson albums in the house? Nah. It's all Carrie Underwoodo and Garth Krooks in that house." Drayton remarked.

"And Reba! Don't forget Miss McEntei." Robin interjected. "The amount of times I heard 'You Lie' coming from the CD player is lowkey insane..."

"You should see her Wrapped from last year. The entire top 10, Morgan Walrein and Taylor Shiftry."

"...Should we all kill ourselves?"

"My music is perfectly fine, thank you very much!" Lacey protested, flushing bright red.

"Girl, your music has a paper bag test."

"Printing paper!"

"Shut up!!"

After about an hour of waiting for that challenger to enter Caitlin's room, the four kids decided he'd probably lost to one of the other three Elite Four and gave up waiting. So, they bid a polite farewell to Caitlin and departed, the gates that normally trapped challengers overridden by Caitlin from her turret.

"Well, look at us. The Unova League Bratz, back together at last." Drayton sighed happily as they stood just outside the League, throwing an arm around both Lacey and Robin's shoulders and pulling them closer. "Cause for celebration, I say."

"Wahoo." Robin said dryly.

"You know, a brilliant thought just occurred to me..." Drayton hummed, leaning in conspiratorially. "My good pal from the Academy's throwing a little bit of a party tomorrow... I don't think he'd mind if I brought- Say, a plus-three?"

"Three? Wha- Oh. Right. Him." Lacey remarked, pointing to Arven lamely, who waved hello with a sarcastic smile. "Well... I dunno. I don't think my dad would let me."

"Oh, Lace of Base. This is a problem that has been solved not only by our world's greatest philosophers, but also Reba McEntei! You know what you do?" Drayton teased. "You lieeeeeeeee..."

Lacey squirmed away from him, completely aghast. "I-I can't lie to Daddy! It's not right! He'll find out within a minute!" She squeaked.

"Oh, you liiiieeeeee..." Robin joined in, the two of them swaying back and forth and singing with their arms on each other's shoulders like half of a barbershop quartet.

"Will you two please stop that?!" Lacey snapped harshly, causing both Robin and Drayton to freeze and stop singing on the spot. Her cheeks were bright red as she looked between them, mildly horrified looks on each of their faces.

"Thank you." She said much more calmly. "...I don't think I can go. Daddy will absolutely say no, and I'm a horrible liar." She admitted sheepishly.

"Aw, come on! I'll do it for you! I'm a great liar." Drayton boasted. "Though given how long Robin managed to convince you she was a straight boy, she may be better than me..."

Both Lacey and Robin covered their eyes in shame at the reminder of that very awkward conversation wherein Robin had to gently tell Lacey that she was very flattered, but just because she was nice to girls did not mean she was interested in kissing one. Despite the fact that Robin's closet was made of glass, Lacey's complete blindness made that a moot point.

"Anyway, I'd really like you to come. It's not a party without the party animal herself, am I right?" He said softly, and Robin and Arven both had to look away from that sickeningly sweet display of Drayton's affection for Lacey that she would surely not even notice.

Lacey sighed, the war in her mind evident on her face. "...Fine." She mumbled after a while, pinching the bridge of her nose. "But if Daddy finds out, I'm blaming you for corrupting me!" She warned, jabbing a finger between Drayton's eyebrows.

"Oh, Lace... If you think I've corrupted you now, you ain't seen nothing yet." Drayton said with a sly grin. "Alright! You two are coming, I assume?" He said brightly, turning back to the rather shocked and disgusted duo of Robin and Arven.

"I mean, we ain't got much else to do. Sure. Send me the details and we'll make it happen." Robin agreed on Arven's behalf, grabbing his hand as she prepared to take off. "I've been looking for an excuse to wear something cunty anyway. Gotta pull out that freakum dress!" She said cheerily, elbowing Arven gently.

"Great. Then I'll see you both tomorrow. Bye, Robin. Bye, Arven." Drayton said with a wink, before Robin released her Miraidon. "Drive safe! Or fly safe. Whatever it is you do."

"They fly, Drayton!" Lacey told him, mildly surprised he didn't know that. "Bye, you two!"

Both Arven and Robin waved goodbye, before Miraidon was off like a shot, gliding down the mountain, over the ruins of Route 10 and into the sky.

"...Were we ever that disgusting?" Robin asked after a while in the sky.

Arven snorted. "We were pretty bad."

"Well, the PDA was a bit crazy, I'll tell you that for free. But oh my God, the way he just threatened to take her virginity?! This man is not well!" Robin cried, steering them east so they didn't have to fly over the Entralink. "I-I mean, that was the subtext, right? He's gonna 'corrupt' her in a much more dastardly way than just getting her to lie to her dad, right? That was what he meant?"

"Why are you asking me? You're his best friend." Arven asked quizzically.

"You're a guy. You'd know better than me about how guys send subliminal messages." Robin reasoned with a shrug.

"...Yeah, I think that was what he meant." Arven agreed, a shiver running up his spine. Poor Lacey. She was playing a kid's game at the adult table. She was playing fair and honest at the casino. She was far too naive for her own good, and Arven was just a little worried Drayton would push her somewhere she didn't want to be. But Robin seemed much less worried, so maybe that meant she was confident Drayton would treat her well. Or maybe she was too blinded by her own affection for Drayton to be worried.

"Gross. Say what you will about us, but I don't think we ever talked that dirty in public. It was mostly just 'I love you's and kissing, I think." She murmured, deep in thought. "Though there was that time we got caught mackin' in the Ferris Wheel..."

"You mean three days ago?"

"Yep." She said with a grin. "It's kinda weird. I feel like our dirty talk is just obscene sincerity. You'll just wax poetic about how much you love me and suddenly I want you to tickle my uvula."

Arven chuckled a little. "I'll keep that in mind."

Robin rolled her eyes, though a fond smile spread over her face regardless. "You know, you don't have to come to the party if you don't want to. I did kind of volunteer you, after all."

"No, it's fine. I'll go. I don't wanna just sit in a hotel while you're off having fun." Arven assured her. "Besides, if I tried to hang out with your mother, she'll have me picking out a wedding venue. Or maybe she'll be busy with that big dude from the League who was asking about her for some reason."

"Who, Marshal? Be serious. He's her sister's coworker. They've known each other forever." Robin laughed. "That'd be insane. They're like, loose acquaintances of ten years. It'd be like if Nemona started dating Atticus."

"If you say so." Arven said cheekily. "Hey, uh... I think maybe next time, you should spend some time with Lacey one on one. Y'know, Drayton got you all to himself yesterday, I think it'd be only fair." He said gently.

Robin shrugged. "Fair enough." She agreed easily. "Maybe I'll do her makeup. I'll get her looking like me!"

Arven blinked. "You really think she'd want to wear as much makeup as you?"

"Oh, no. She's Miss Chapstick And Mascara, down. But this is a special occasion!" Robin chirped, gripping Miraidon's horns extra tightly with excitement. "I'm gonna put a mug on her and curl her hair. She's gonna look like she does some sickening piercings for ¥12,000 at the local tattoo parlor!"

Arven laughed a little, holding onto her extra tightly. "You're so silly. You make me laugh." He said sweetly, kissing her neck.

Robin rolled her eyes. "You're really gunning for that midday uvula tickling, aren't you?" She said amusedly, already knowing he was getting it if he asked.

"I just felt like saying it." Arven insisted, though the grin on his face said otherwise. "I love you. You're the moon and stars to me."

"You want this cookie so bad, it's making you crazy."

"I would spend the rest of my life with you. I'd wake up with you every day, go to bed with you every night..."

"Oh, I'm sure you'd go to bed with me every night."

"I'll make you a sandwich." Arven offered, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Sold."

The moment Robin woke up the next morning, her phone blew up with texts from Lacey's number. Trying to make sense of what Lacey was saying, she opened up the texts to find a flurry of pleading and begging messages from Lacey. She'd sent, "Please help!!!! I don't know what to wear!!!!" "Emergency!!!!" "Robin help me!!!! You remember where I live right????" "Come over I need help!!!! I don't want to look stupid in front of all of my classmates!!!!" Robin sighed, and rolled out of bed, much earlier than she normally would have. It was only 7:45, which was obscenely early for Robin, and even pretty early for Arven.

"Mm-mm." Arven groaned, his hands around Robin's waist, trying to pull her back into bed. "Where are you going...?"

"Lacey needs fashion help." Robin explained quietly, pressing a kiss to his forehead as he finally let her go. "Go back to bed. I'll be back in an hour-ish. Besides, weren't you just telling me to spend some one-on-one time with her?" She remarked, taking her hair out of the heatless curler she'd wrapped it up in the night before.

"Yeah... But, like, not at the cost of cuddles...!" He whined, sitting up in bed and stretching his arms out. "Why does she need your help so early...?"

"She's always been an early Delibird." Robin remarked. "She- Arvie, don't get up! Go back to bed! You've only had, like, six hours of sleep!" She chided him, rather forcefully tucking him back into bed.

"So have you!" He shot back, reluctantly accepting his fate as Robin neatly tucked him into bed with his hands on the blankets.

"Yes, and Lacey is not a patient woman. You've got nowhere to be. Go back to sleep, I'll be back before you know it." She insisted, lightly pecking Arven on the lips before going to the bathroom to put on her makeup. Since Robin had come clean to her mother that she intended to spend most nights with Arven, Chrys had reluctantly allowed her to move her things to Arven's hotel room. So now they were properly cohabitating, and as Arven had predicted, she took up a lot of space on the bathroom counter.

Arven disobeyed Robin, and rolled out of bed himself, only in his underwear. He came up behind her, hugging her from behind as she applied some sunscreen to her face.

"...Hmph. Just flagrantly disobeying me." Robin huffed, though it was clear in her face that she was quite happy to be in his arms.

"I'll go back to bed once you're gone." Arven promised, leaning his head against Robin's. "So it's a real party tonight, eh?"

"So I hear. Drayton says it's, like, a party for the incoming seniors at Blueberry. Which begs the question, how did Mr. Triple Sophomore swing an invite?" She remarked with a wry smile.

"Maybe it's 'cause he should be a senior, but he's not." Arven joked. "We're two peas in a pod. I should have graduated, but I didn't."

"Well, that's different. You were depressed, he's lazy."

"Who says he's not depressed?" Arven asked simply.

Robin considered that for a moment. "...You know, that's tea." She admitted, tapping his nose with her nail. "He did call himself the failure of his family... Ah, whatever. You're distracting me from getting ready! Was that your plan?" She accused him playfully, placing her hands over his as they rested on her waist.

"Maybe a little." Arven admitted, nuzzling his face into Robin's neck. "You'll come back to bed, yeah?"

Robin rolled her eyes, though her soft smile never left her face. "We can snuggle once I'm back." She promised, only putting on some mascara and a bit of colour corrector for her undereye. "I can't imagine things are so dire that I'll take more than an hour. Like, thirty, forty-five minutes tops."

"Mmm... So long..." Arven complained breathily.

"That's my line." Robin joked as she finished her makeup. "...I don't think I can get changed with you hanging off me."

Arven sighed heavily, before reluctantly releasing her. "Harrumph." He grumbled, taking a seat on the bed as Robin dressed herself in a low-cut tank top, short shorts and a pair of sunglasses. Arven thought that was the most casual he'd ever seen her, and he'd seen her in her pajamas.

"Alright. Go back to bed. I'll see you in an hour, max." She assured him, ruffling the hair on the top of his head.

Arven pouted. "...My girlfriend doesn't love me." He moped, already tucking himself back into bed.

Robin sighed, kissing his forehead. "I love you. Goodbye." She said bluntly, before leaving the bedroom and slipping on her sandals.

"I love you too!" He called after her cheerily right as she left the room.

Robin sighed exasperatedly, though even she could tell she was only half-annoyed. Arven being all over her, insisting on as much physical contact as he could get, it was a bit cumbersome and extremely cute. The attention went right to her heart. She was usually louder about how much she loved him in public, more openly flirtatious, while he was more easily embarrassed than she was. It felt nice to see proof of how much he loved her.

She made it outside, and mentally debated just walking up Route 4 to Nimbasa City, but she decided she didn't want to walk that far, so she sent out Miraidon and got on her way. It wasn't a far flight at all, only a few minutes, so Robin figured she'd at least warn Lacey that she was on her way. She rather simply sent, "omw", and put her phone back in her pocket. She then decided that wasn't at all a secure place for it to be, and stuck it in her purse instead. Her shorts weren't nearly long enough to store a whole phone.

She touched down right in front of Lacey's house in the west of Nimbasa, and knocked on the door. After a while, Clay opened the door with a gruff "Who's there?"

"Hi! I'm here to see Lacey. I hear she's having a bit of a fashion emergency." Robin said cheekily.

"Who the hell are ya?" He demanded, looking her up and down with a mild scowl.

"Aw, c'mon. You mean you don't recognize me? I'm Robin Ambrose! Formerly known as-" Robin started, but the elated look on Clay's face stopped her in her tracks.

"LACEY! YER FRIEND'S HERE!" Clay bellowed, ushering Robin inside and closing the door behind her. "Well, I'll be a Mankey's uncle. Robbie Ambrose, back 'round here again."

"Robin." She corrected him politely.

"Right. Robin. Sorry, 'm not the best with things changin' all the damn time." He admitted. "Heard ya moved clean across the world."

"I didn't know Lacey was having a friend over- Who are YOU?!" Clay's wife cried out after emerging from the kitchen. She then squinted at her, as if she recognized Robin ever so slightly and was trying to place it. "...I'm sorry, I must be seeing a ghost. Are you-"

"Yeah. My name's Robin now." She explained patiently. "Robin Ambrose has a much better ring to it, I think."

"LACEYYYY!! WHAT IS- I'm sorry, what was it again?"

"Robin."

"WHAT IS ROBIN AMBROSE DOING HERE?!"

"She's helping me pick an outfit for our girl's night in later!" Lacey called at a much more appropriate volume. "Can you send her up, please?"

Clay shrugged. "Go on, then. Just like old times, eh?"

"Kind of." Robin agreed with a shrug and headed up the stairs. "Lacey, I think your parents are quite scandalized by my boobs- What the hell are you wearing?" She asked bluntly, arriving to a scene of complete and utter hopelessness.

Lacey was wearing overalls.

"Take that shit off." Robin said sharply in lieu of a greeting. "Are we going to a farm or a party?"

"Shh!!! My dad doesn't know!" Lacey hissed, slamming the door shut behind Robin. "I hear overalls are, like, trendy! Why can't I wear them?"

"They're trendy for people over thirty." Robin insisted, sitting down on Lacey's bed. "Besides, we're going to a party. A party where there will be underage drinking. You can't follow Sharia Law at an underage drinking party with fifty horny teenagers."

Lacey sputtered. "I- Wha- Sharia Law?! I-I'm just wearing overalls!" She protested.

"Your entire body is covered from chest to ankle. You're practically a nun." Robin said evenly. "What else have you got cooking up?"

Lacey huffed a little, before returning to her walk-in closet and returning with an ultramarine blouse and a black pencil skirt.

"You a real estate agent?" Robin asked. "C'mon, Lacey. You don't have to honor God at the underage drinking party with fifty horny teenagers."

"I-I'd say a party with fifty horny teenagers is exactly the place to dress modestly!" Lacey said firmly. "This is- I-I mean, I don't know why I even agreed to this. This isn't right, I shouldn't go-"

Robin stood up, putting her hands on Lacey's shoulders and steadying her shaking body. "Girl. You absolutely should go. Have some fun, be reckless, go crazy. I think Drayton was absolutely right to invite you, you need to loosen up." She remarked with a small smile. "You've gotta have some fun every once in a while, right?"

Lacey squawked. "I-I'll have you know I decorated my study planner just last night!"

Robin just stared at her with a withering look in her eye.

Lacey shook her head, before hurrying away to her closet and brandishing a black empire waist dress with short sleeves.

Robin squinted at it, appraising its length, the golden stitching and the sleeves before coming to a horrifying conclusion. She was going to be sick.

"Is that your mother's?"

"No!" Lacey cried.

Robin just blinked at her, batting her eyelashes rapidly.

"...Maybe." She admitted, putting it away. "I'm sorry! I guess I just don't have a good fashion sense!"

Robin shrugged. "I think you have a great fashion sense for casual. But, sister, you've got absolutely nothing slutty in this closet!" She complained, standing up and rummaging around Lacey's walk-in closet. For a closet of that size, Robin was absolutely astounded by how few party-ready items there were. Everything came down to at least the knee, and if it didn't, it was floral. Robin was so flabbergasted as to how a girl of her age didn't seem to own anything even remotely sexy. It was all just cutesy, soft and sometimes even a little butch. It was like walking into another world. Robin wasn't sure if anything she owned even showed cleavage.

"Nothing?" Lacey said quietly.

Robin sighed. "Lacey, you're much too pure for this world in which we live in. I think we've gotta get you in some of my clothes."

Lacey sighed even harder, a crestfallen look on her face. "...Would any of it even fit me?"

"Ooh, you're right. Something that comes up to my mid-thigh would be down to your shin, I fear." She remarked.

"That's not what I meant." Lacey admitted, her head in her hands as she slumped over on the bed. "I-I mean, you're skinny, you're tall, you're super pretty..."

"Why are you acting like you're not also super pretty?" Robin asked bluntly. "Yeah, you're short. You've got a little meat on them bones. But A) not that much, and B) that's a sickening body type. And with your pink bob, we could get you serving tattoo artist chic within the hour." She told her happily. "Why don't we take this back to my place, so I can get you in something more fierce?"

Lacey sighed, though there was a hint of a smile on her face. "...I'm not sure how we're gonna explain that one to Daddy."

"I'm very persuasive. Plus, I think your parents are too aghast at the amount of cleavage I'm showing to really put up a fight. I'll just breast boobily for a bit and they'll be so uncomfortable they'll have to let us go." She said breezily.

"It'll make me pretty uncomfortable too..." Lacey mumbled.

"You've been warned. Avert your eyes." Robin said with a grin, before bouncing down the stairs, watching as both Clay and Sandra subtly averted their gaze from her boobing breasts. "We've struck out, unfortunately! I'm gonna lend her some of my clothes." She announced cheerily as she reached the bottom of the staircase. "We won't be long. I'm just staying in Castelia."

"What's wrong with Lacey's clothes?" Sandra asked blankly. "Is there some kind of dress code at your place?"

Robin blinked, mentally cursing Lacey's choice of lie. Why would she lie and say she was going to a friend's house? Why couldn't she at least pretend it was a fancy restaurant or something that wouldn't raise quite as much suspicion when she left wearing something fancy? "...It's a mermaid-themed party! Like, we're gonna watch Aquamarill and H2O: Just Add Water-Type. The vibe is a bit more retro than what Lacey's got." She eventually came up with, again impressing herself with just how good of a liar she was.

"Oh. Fair enough! Lacey's got a more flowery vibe. It's more 70's than 2006." Sandra teased, causing Lacey to stick her tongue out at her.

"Now, ya bring her back here before 12, ya hear me? We're going ta the mall for lunch." Clay said intimidatingly. Rather, however intimidating one could be while discussing his father-daughter lunch plans.

"Oh, of course. You'll make your reservations at the food court, no problem." Robin joked. "Alrighty! Bye! It was nice seeing you again!" She waved at them, dragging Lacey out the door before either of her parents could protest.

Lacey let out a huge breath, as if she'd been holding it the whole time. "...I hate lying. I'm horrible at it." She whined, not dropping Robin's hand.

Robin shrugged. "Some would say that's an admirable trait to have. Me, however, spent twelve years gaslighting people into thinking I could possibly be straight, so I'm pretty damn good." She said simply. "You ready to ride on my big, freaky robo-dragon?"

Lacey's eyes widened. "Oh, God. That's how you got here?! On that- That- That beast!" She cried as Robin nonchalantly released Miraidon, who was staring up at Lacey blankly, its tongue hanging out of its mouth.

"Oh, it'll be fine. She's harmless." Robin assured her, swinging her body onto Miraidon's back. "Climb on! And hold on tight."

"I-I dunno..."

"You wanna walk?"

Lacey immediately swallowed her pride and clambered aboard, hanging onto Robin tightly and squeezing her eyes shut, trying her best to prepare herself for takeoff. Of course, no one could ever truly be prepared for Miraidon on their first go-around, so she screamed at the top of her lungs when it suddenly took off, soaring into the air. Robin almost thought Lacey would crush her organs with how hard she was squeezing her.

Lacey was screaming long past when Miraidon reached its peak height, which was getting very old, very fast. "Lacey! Shush! We're fine!" Robin hissed.

"What?! We're- Oh, Jesus Christ almighty, please save my soul..." Lacey breathed, looking down at Route 4, which seemed absolutely tiny from their height. It was like peering into a Durant-hill, but all the little Durant were real people, just milling about Route 4, going about their business. It put into perspective just how damn high they were.

"You know, it's not the safest mode of transportation, but it is very quick. Not a lot of traffic up here, you know." Robin remarked. "It's only a few more minutes until we're at the hotel. Ooh, shit. I should probably tell Arven that you're coming."

Lacey frowned. "You're sharing a hotel room with Arven? Why not stay with your mom at the penthouse?"

"Because I want to sleep with my boyfriend." Robin told her offhandedly, texting Arven to wake up and put some clothes on. "Mom figured it was better to just let me do it than have me sneak out every night."

Lacey flushed bright pink. "Y-You're- You guys are-"

"Yes, Lacey. What, did you think we were just playing pattycake? He's my boyfriend, and I'm almost seventeen." She said bluntly. "Besides, have you seen him? I don't think even Midas could keep his hands off him. He's so damn cute. You know, he's a really good cook. He makes me breakfast whenever he can. He's so considerate like that. A-And he holds me when I cry, and he's so, so patient with me, and he makes me feel so special and so loved... Ah, I love him so much." She gushed, before catching herself mid-rant. "...Sorry, that was gross. I don't even know what came over me."

Lacey blinked. "...Him, apparently."

"More than once." Robin joked, to Lacey's sheer horror. "Alright, we're coming in for a landing! Brace yourself!" She warned, before angling Miraidon down at Castelia Street.

"Please, God, don't let me die here today. You are the father, God. You are my savior, God." Lacey chanted under her breath. "You are the- Oh, screw it! I GO TO CHURCH EVERY SUNDAY! I'M ONLY ASKING YOU FOR ONE, VERY REASONABLE THING! DON'T LET ME DIE, MOTHERF-" She screamed.

"Girl, we're here."

She then opened her eyes to find that they'd already landed, and she'd just screamed at the top of her lungs in the middle of Castelia City. People were looking at her like she was crazy, causing her to turn pinker than her hair. She leapt off Miraidon, and hurried inside the nearest building, thankfully choosing the correct one.

Robin was giggling to herself as she followed Lacey into the hotel lobby. "Oh, gosh. You crack me up, Miss Lace of Base."

"Shut up! Y-You can't tell Drayton about this, or he'll never let me live it down!" She cried, hiding her face in her hands. "Oh my God, why didn't I feel the landing?! Was it that smooth?!"

"It was pretty smooth. Kinda proud of that one." Robin admitted. "And I'm totally telling Drayton." She chirped, before hurrying away to the elevator.

"Wha- Hey! You can't! H-He'll make fun of me so much, a-and I'm already at my wit's end with that guy because of what he said to you four years ago, and then- Oh, my God, I'll literally kill him if he brings it up!" Lacey fumed as she stomped into the elevator.

"Aw, c'mon. You know he loves you. It's all in good-" Robin started, but the wild look in Lacey's eye silenced her immediately.

"...What the hell does that mean?!" Lacey squealed, her flush starting anew.

"Y'know! You're friends. He loves you, because you two are, like, best friends!" She explained cheerily, gritting her teeth as she kicked herself internally for her slipup. She couldn't just tell Lacey that Drayton had a thing for her. She had to show her, and that meant goading Drayton into making his feelings known, which she could tell he was scared to do. Was this how annoying her and Arven were? Dancing around their feelings until their feet got sore, and making everyone around them think much too hard?

Lacey scoffed. "You two are best friends." She corrected her quietly.

"We're all best friends." Robin insisted as the elevator reached Arven's floor. "Alright, I've unpacked some of my clothes. I'll give them an iron if what I choose is all wrinkled." She assured her, tapping her keycard and opening up Arven's door. She stepped inside, with Lacey following close behind.

She then found Arven in the kitchen in nothing but his underwear, cooking up sausages, hashbrowns and two omelettes. Robin immediately covered Lacey's eyes with her hands, while Arven ducked behind the island, out of view.

"What the- What is she doing here?!" Arven cried, before reluctantly peeking out of cover to stir the hashbrowns.

"You'd know if you read the text I sent you!" Robin told him. "We couldn't come up with anything at her place, so she's gonna borrow some of my clothes! Why are you cooking in your underwear?!"

"Well, I-I was thinking it'd just be you, a-and I wanted to surprise you!" Arven explained, flipping over both omelettes. "I wasn't exactly expecting Lacey to barge in and see me in my underwear!"

"I-It's okay, I don't-"

"Nuh-uh. Don't even finish that sentence." Robin scolded her, narrowing her eyes. "Arvie, go put some clothes on. I'll make sure nothing burns."

Arven nodded, before hurrying away to the bedroom and shutting the door.

Robin finally released Lacey from her iron grip, huffing as she went to stir the hashbrowns and flip the sausages. "...Of course you don't mind seeing a pretty boy in his underwear." She muttered under her breath, only sparing the furiously blushing Lacey a glance. She was covering her mouth, frozen in place out of shame.

Arven quickly returned in a t-shirt and sweatpants. "Sorry about that! You know, I was only expecting Robin back." He told Lacey, before taking over for Robin in the kitchen. "Musharna was sleeping on my phone. It couldn't get out from under her." He explained, finally reading the text Robin had sent him.

"Fatty." Robin remarked with a snicker. "Sorry I yelled. I didn't mean to upset you." She mumbled, still helping Arven with the sausages.

"You didn't. I know you were just surprised." Arven assured her. "Well... Perfect timing, almost. Everything's done. U-Uh, sorry, Lacey, I didn't make anything for you..."

"It's okay. I-I already ate." She stammered, reluctantly taking a seat at the island, her face still light pink.

"Well, you can have some hashbrowns and some sausage." Arven offered.

"I'm okay." She maintained, though both Arven and Robin could see her gaze drifting to the food.

Arven shrugged. "Suit yourself." He said with a shrug, before fixing plates for both himself and Robin. He sat at the other end of the island, placing Robin's plate in the middle.

Robin took a seat, and began silently eating her omelette. She didn't quite know why she was so irritated, but for whatever reason, she could feel her frustration rising. Until now, only she and Arven had been inside the hotel room. It was all theirs, their little home away from home, and now here Lacey was. Eating Arven's food. Sitting at his island. Staring at his naked chest.

"So, are we all matching? 'Cause I don't wanna show up and you're all wearing black, and I'm in navy." Arven remarked easily, trying his best to break up the tension in the room.

"Well, I'm wearing a little rose gold number. I don't know what Drayton's doing. And we've yet to decide on Lacey. So I suppose we're not matching." Robin hummed dully. "...Lacey, you sure you're not hungry?"

"I'm fine! I've gotta fit into your clothes, anyway." Lacey insisted.

Both Arven and Robin looked over at her with narrowed eyes.

"...I'll have a couple hashbrowns...!" Lacey relented, grabbing a fork and daintily stabbing a few hashbrowns off Robin's plate. Somehow, just that minute action made Robin's blood boil. Couldn't she have gotten her own plate? Taken some hashbrowns from the griddle and not from Robin's plate? Was it her intention to encroach on Robin's food, steal it right off her plate and act all innocent?

Robin finished her omelette and a couple sausages, and stood up abruptly. "I'm gonna make sure I didn't forget my lil' freakum dress at home. Maybe iron it a little." She announced quietly, before rather quickly walking to the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Lacey stared after her for a little, while Arven merely shrugged it off. "Guess she's done." He remarked. "I guess... I don't know if she still wants her food or not. Maybe err on the side of caution, yeah?"

Lacey nodded, and quietly set down her fork. "...Thanks. Y'know, for the hashbrowns. I think that's a really sweet thing you did for her. A-And sorry I walked in on you." She mumbled. "I think Robin's more upset about that than you."

Arven's eyebrows lifted a little bit. "Really...? Huh. Well, it's no big deal. You didn't mean to." He assured her. "And, y'know, I just like cooking for my girlfriend. Robin's a little too skinny, don't you think?" 

"U-Uh, yeah...!" Lacey stammered. "She's very thin..." She mumbled, resting her chin in her hands.

"What's wrong?" Arven asked, furrowing his eyebrows. "You know she's not gonna be that mad at you, right? You know, 'cause she's got nothing to worry about. You like Drayton, right?"

"Wha- How did you know?!" Lacey hissed, insisting on whispering so that no one else in the hotel room could hear, even if she already knew.

"I have eyes, you know." Arven said cheekily.

"W-Well- It doesn't matter! Nothing's gonna come of it. It's the same old story, time after time." She grumbled, rubbing her temples. "We'd get close, really close, and I-I'd think I have a chance, and then some shiny new toy comes along and he's all over her. Normally it doesn't hurt quite this much, b-but this time- This time, it's her." Lacey mumbled, a lone tear dripping down her cheek. "I-I mean, since we were kids, it was like this. It was like they moved in lockstep. They were into the same things, they'd finish each other's sentences- I mean, you could leave them alone in a room for hours and they'd still find something to talk about, and you just c-can't get a word in edgewise. They're so close, they don't let anyone else into their little world. We're supposed to be this trio of best friends, but I'm j-just the third wheel."

Before Arven could offer any words of support, Robin burst back into the room, holding some shiny rose-gold fabric. "Alright, the target has been acquired. Lacey, you're up." She announced, beckoning her over with a wry smile.

"Coming!" Lacey chirped in a cheery tone, wiping just a single tear from her eyes.

Arven stared at the bedroom door for a long time after the girls disappeared behind it. He'd only ever heard Robin's account of the League Bratz dynamic, and she'd been pretty confident that Drayton liked Lacey more than her, so to hear this from Lacey was a complete surprise. Was Robin being honest when she said she thought Lacey and Drayton were closer to each other than to her, or was that a cover for what she'd been really up to? Was she still into Drayton, or had time truly erased all that love between them? He didn't think he had anything to worry about before, but now, he wasn't so sure.

Nevertheless, he started cleaning up the mess he'd made in the kitchen, leaving the pans in the sink for later. He'd get to them later.

"Eee!! Oh, she's so big now!" He heard Lacey squeal from the bedroom. "Does she like a belly rub?"

"She's a huge fan." Robin told her, and finally it clicked to Arven that they were discussing Musharna, not Robin's genitals. "Now, let's get down to business..."

"Oh my God."

"It's sickening, no?"

"Oh my God."

"You look hot."

"I look like a whore!" Lacey cried, looking at herself in the mirror, wearing a sweetheart neckline sleeveless top and a pair of glittery black pants that were laced up the pant leg. "I- My bra strap is showing!"

"Oh, right. You have a sleeveless bra at home?" Robin asked innocently.

"They make those?!"

"Yes, they do. For occasions like this. Unfortunately, I don't think my bras would fit you. Plus, it's kinda gross to lend out a bra." Robin remarked, turning Lacey to face her. "...Did you notice the cutouts?"

"What cutouts- Oh, my GOD!" She squealed, trying to cover where the cutouts showed parts of her hips with her hands, but there was simply too much area to cover. "Why do you even own these?! They- They're barely even pants! They barely even cover anything!"

"No, no they don't." Robin agreed with a sly smile. "You look sexy. Oh, right. I think I brought some gloves..."

Lacey whined as she looked at herself in the mirror, her cleavage pushed up by the corseted top. "...I look ridiculous."

"You look crazy hot!" Robin assured her, handing her some matching black glittery gloves. "Put these on. I wanna see if they're too much."

"Oh, the gloves are too much. That's a bridge too far." Lacey grumbled, pulling on the gloves that went slightly past her elbow. "...I think the gloves are nice." She admitted reluctantly.

"Agreed. Ooh, Lacey, I think I've got my heart set on this! You look so fucking hot! Smoking hot! Aggressively sexy!" Robin chirped encouragingly, coming up behind Lacey in the mirror. "Then, I think I'm gonna curl your hair, and put you in a smoky eye and a nice nude lip. What do you say?"

Lacey hesitated, crossing her arms over her chest. "...Do you really think I look good?" She asked quietly, trying her best to smooth out a roll of her skin under her armpit.

Robin nodded emphatically. "Insanely good. Like, this is such a good look for you. Y'know, black looks good on everyone, but it looks amazing on you. It goes really well with your hair." She informed her, gently patting her shoulder. "I mean, I can find something a bit less revealing if you want-"

"No." Lacey said suddenly, her face flushed but her voice steady. "I-I'm good with this."

Robin grinned. "Eeee!! Robin Ambrose, celebrity stylist strikes again! We're gonna be serving so hard. The girls won't be able to take the womanhood!" She squealed, shaking Lacey by the shoulders. "Alright, how about you come here at around six, and then I'll get you in glam, and then Drayton's gonna pick us up."

Lacey clicked her tongue. "He's not driving, is he?"

"No, Dragonite's gonna pick you up, and we're gonna go on Miraidon." Arven explained from the other room. "I know, I wouldn't trust him behind the wheel either."

"Quadruple homicide." Robin agreed.

Lacey laughed a little, brushing her hair out of her face. "Well... I'm gonna change out of this, then I'll go. Can't be late for daddy-daughter lunchtime. He'll throw a fit." She remarked, going into the bathroom to change.

"You never want to keep Clay waiting." Robin agreed, leaving the bedroom and flopping down on the couch next to Arven. "Thanks for breakfast. It was really sweet of you. Even if Lacey got to see you half-naked."

Arven chuckled, wrapping his arm around her waist. "It's really cute when you get jealous." He teased.

Robin rolled her eyes. "...It's not my best look." She admitted, sighing as she snuggled up closer. "I don't wanna be that girl who can't have female friends because she's always thinking everyone wants her man. That's fucking obnoxious."

"Well, you're pretty chill about me and Nemona hanging out. Or me and Mela." Arven remarked.

"Yeah, well, Nemona and Mela would never even think about it." She informed him. "Lacey fixed her lips to say she didn't mind seeing you shirtless. I think you can see where it came from."

Arven's eyebrows shot up at the exact moment Lacey emerged from the bedroom, back in her regular clothes. "Alrighty! I've gotta book it back home, or my dad's gonna kill me."

"You're sure you're good to walk?" Arven asked. "We've got a very nifty robo-dragon that can fly you home."

"Nah, I'm- I'm never doing that again." Lacey laughed nervously. "See you guys tonight!" She called as she left the room.

"See ya!" Arven called after her. He then turned to Robin, more than a little confused. "...You didn't say bye." He said blankly, staring into her steely pink eyes.

Robin then grabbed him by the front of his collar and pulled him into her arms, kissing him aggressively yet passionately. She backed him up onto the couch, pinning him down and straddling his chest.

"What's all this about?" Arven asked slyly, stars in his eyes as he looked up at her, his hands on her hips.

"You're mine." She breathed, nipping at his neck. "I don't want anyone else to ever have you. You're too good to let get away. I should mark you up. Hickeys up and down your chest. Let everyone know who you belong to." She whispered, sucking a hickey behind his ear. She kissed all over his face, his pink, kiss-bruised lips and his rosy cheeks. She licked the salt off his skin, the sweat on his collarbone.

"F-Fuck..." Arven whimpered, holding her tightly to his body as she straddled him, craving her body against his. "I-I'm yours, all yours...!" He sighed, his hands in her hair as she adored him, taking off his shirt. She pounced on the opportunity to claim more of his skin for her own, sucking hickeys onto his chest and his stomach. She wasn't playing around when she said she'd mark him, he looked like he'd been stained pink all over his body, as if Robin left a little brand on him everywhere she kissed.

"I love you so much. You're so good to me. Y-You make me feel so special, so loved and cared for, and- God, I'm so fucking in love with you, I can barely stand it." Robin hissed, her voice low and husky as she held his face in her hands. "...Sorry if that was a little aggressive. I-I just- Sometimes I look at you, and I just wanna- Like, squeeze you as hard as I can." She said quietly, laying her head on his chest. "I know it's weird."

Arven smiled gently, brushing some of Robin's hair out of her face. "I like it when you, like, get aggressive with me." He admitted, his cheeks flushing pink. "I think it's really hot. When you say I-I belong to you, I-"

"I didn't mean that, like, I just think of you as my property!" Robin cried quickly. "I-I just- Oh, my God, that was so stupid. I-I just- I don't wanna share. I want you all to myself. But I-I don't think you belong to me, like-"

"I think it's hot." He interrupted. "A-And I like the reminder that you want me just as bad as I want you."

Robin blinked. "...Oh." She said lamely, scratching her scalp a little.

He grinned, sitting up and pulling Robin into his lap. "Yeah. Now, I seem to recall being promised snuggles..."

Robin rolled her eyes. "You and them damn snuggles..." She teased affectionately, smiling as she stood up, adjusting the straps of her tank top. "Come on, then."

Arven eagerly hurried along, leaving his shirt behind as he hurried to bed. Finally, he was getting the love he was owed.

Chapter Text

Arven could barely breathe as he, Robin and Lacey left the hotel. He almost walked into a wall because he couldn't look anywhere but at Robin. She was wearing a draped, backless minidress in sparkling rose gold, and it took all the willpower Arven had in his body to resist putting his hands all over her. Her hair, curled and pulled into a huge high ponytail, bounced on her shoulders with every step she took. Arven wondered if Robin had put some kind of oil on her legs, because her tanned skin was almost unreasonably shiny.

Leaving the hotel at around 9:30, they found Drayton waiting outside. Immediately, his eyes shot open, looking Lacey up and down. "Holy shit, Lace! Is that you?" He cried, a dumb, crooked smirk on his face. "I almost didn't recognize you! But then you saw me and that stank face came out and I knew that was my girl." He chuckled, patting her shoulder for no reason at all.

"Shut up." Lacey grumbled, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Now, why are you dissing your ride? It's almost like you want to walk." Drayton teased. "And if Robin dressed you, I know she put you in some unreasonable shoes."

"They're not that bad." Robin insisted, though both Arven and Drayton shuddered when they saw that she'd put Lacey in a platform boot.

"Let's just go." Lacey said quietly, brushing some of her pink curls out of her face. Drayton smiled and sent out his Dragonite, who immediately grabbed Lacey and pulled her into his arms.

"Meet you guys there!" Drayton announced as he climbed onto Dragonite's back. They then took off, Lacey held securely in Dragonite's arms.

Arven couldn't have been happier to see them go. Immediately, his hand came to rest on the small of Robin's back, the feel of her skin sending shivers up his spine.

Robin smiled a little, leaning her head against Arven's. "Hm... You look really good, Arvie." She murmured, brushing his bangs out of his face. "Casual but- Jesus, I love you in a tight shirt. I almost wanna ditch the party and just climb you like a tree."

Arven chuckled, his heart seeming to warm up like a Purrloin in a sunbeam. "Same here. You look so fucking- Mmm. Fuck." He breathed, pulling her into his arms and pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. He didn't want to mess up her lipstick. She seemed to agree, instead leaning into him, pulling him into a hug.

"I told you I was gonna bring out my freakum dress." She said slyly, her hand on his cheek. "Looks good on me, it's gonna look even better on your bedroom floor." She whispered with a wink, before sending out Miraidon, who emerged with a loud, excited "Agias!!!!"

Arven sighed fondly, pressing his body up against Robin's as they vaulted onto the dragon. "You're such a tease." He murmured, gently kissing Robin's collarbone as they took off. "So fuckin' pretty. God knows how this dress is staying on you."

"Oh, it's taped to my boobs." Robin explained frankly as she piloted them to Opelucid City. "It might not be as sensual removing it as you think."

Arven hummed a little, still nipping at her neck. His hands, which were resting in Robin's lap, found their way around her waist, his thumbs caressing just under her ribcage. She smelled like vanilla and strawberries and hairspray, the gentle, sweet flavors contrasting heavily with just how dangerous she looked. She looked like sex on a stick, too hot to handle with bare hands. It only made it so much more exciting to think that out of everyone in the world, only he got to put his hands on her at the end of the night.

She giggled a little as his hands started to drift higher, stopping just shy of groping her breasts through her dress. "You're eager." She remarked amusedly, letting out a soft breath as he started sucking hickeys onto her neck in earnest. "Arvie, I-I wanna look flawless for at least twenty minutes...!"

Arven started being more gentle. "Sorry." He breathed, his arms tightening around her as he turned his embrace into a hug. "Lacey told me something kinda interesting..." He said quietly. "Did you know she likes Drayton?"

Robin scoffed. "Please. She's always liked him. Since we were kids, she's liked him. And, y'know, everyone shipped them back then. But Drayton didn't like her back then, apparently he was all over me. It made him really uncomfortable when people would, like, try to set them up."

Arven blinked. "Oh."

"Yeah. But he likes her now. So the feeling is finally mutual. Took him long enough." She remarked, rolling her eyes with a fond smile on her face. "But it's still gonna be awkward, 'cause she's liked him for such a long time and his feelings are definitely a lot newer. Plus, now I'm here. That's obviously making things weird between them. I bet she's not gonna say anything until I'm gone, and I bet he's never gonna say anything to her at all. It's such a fucking mess."

"...You think we should, y'know... Nudge them along?" Arven asked slyly.

"No." Robin said firmly. "That's trauma. Drayton would be so pissed if I tried to get him and Lacey together. Again. We had a really big fight about that once." She admitted, brushing the one piece of hair she'd left out of her ponytail out of her face.

Arven shrugged. "So you can't do it. There's no baggage with me..." He suggested with a conspiratorial gleam in his eye.

"Arven, no. He's gonna think I put you up to it!"

"I can make my own decisions. You don't own me." He said cheekily. "...Well, I mean..."

"Shut up."

He laughed, laying his head on her shoulder. "Hey, I'll tell him that you tried your best to talk me out of it if he asks. But I think someone's gotta play Cupid, or they'll never figure it out."

"Oh, Drayton's got it all figured out. He's just playing with his food." Robin remarked, a trace of bitterness seeping into her voice. "He knows. He always knew. He's just playing around with her, poking at her until she breaks and she confesses first. Then he wins. It's the same old song and dance, he's just doing it with her this time."

Arven went silent. She was in his arms but still, she felt so cold. She regretted everything, ever coming to Unova and running into Drayton and humoring him and forgiving him and ever being his friend. All he did was hurt people and convince them they liked the pain. She'd been through the ringer and back again, she knew what he was capable of. She was the prototype for his magnum opus: Breaking Lacey's heart wide open and picking the heartstrings of the most vulnerable girl who ever loved him.

"...A-Are you still in love with him?" Arven asked quietly, his voice artificially steady.

"NO!" Robin squealed. "No! I'm not in love with him, I'm pissed at him! He did the same thing to me. He charmed me, he got me wrapped around his finger and then he just poked and prodded and teased me until he decided he got in too deep. He knew I liked him, he knew I was embarrassed about it and he still played around with me, torturing me with my own fucking feelings and I couldn't even stay mad at him! A-And now he's doing the same thing to Lacey. He's not homophobic, whoop-de-doo, but he's still the same fucking jackass." She grumbled, clenching Miraidon's horns tightly. "I knew I shouldn't have forgiven him. I should've just left him behind. I don't know why I thought he'd grow up in four years, he's always been the same old dickhead."

Arven didn't seem to breathe for a minute, he'd gone so still. But then he hugged her even tighter, nuzzling his chin into her neck. "...Sorry. I-I shouldn't have-"

"No, no, it's okay. I'd be worried about him too, if I were you. I-I mean, I forgave him so quick. But he- He just- He makes me dumb, 'cause I just want him to be the guy I had in my head. I want him to be good so bad, I don't take him for who he is. And he's a jackass." She admitted quietly. "I have love for him, I'll admit that. Y-Y'know, it's all twisted up and angry and it's pretty damn small and all that, but I-I have love for him. But I-I'm so in love with you, Arvie. I love you so fucking much. I'm never gonna leave you."

"...Promise?" He whispered.

"Of course. I told you, I'd choose you no matter what. I'm all yours." She murmured, leaning her head against his. "All yours. I'm gonna be such a clingy drunk, you have no idea. I left the gloss off just because I know I'm gonna be kissing your entire face all night the minute I get a whiff of booze."

"Oh!" Arven exclaimed, awkwardly giggling. "That sounds like fun!"

"It does, doesn't it? I'll have to find some alcohol that doesn't taste like garbage to actually get drunk." She mumbled, her grip on Miraidon's horns loosening. "...Sorry about- About all of this. I'm sorry our vacation is so fucking stressful. It's like, I need a vacation from my vacation." She half-joked.

Arven stayed silent for a little, then he kissed her cheek. "Then we'll take another little field trip. To Striaton City, the Dreamyard. Sound good?"

Robin nodded, her cheeks heating up just a little. "...Y'know, I just remembered the day we first met."

"'Cause of Striaton City, yeah? I remember telling you how much I wanted to go." He reminisced. "Sorry I was such a dick at first. I like to think I made up for it the second time around."

Robin chuckled a little. "Didn't matter. You were so cute, I didn't care." She informed him, wistfully leaning into his touch as she absentmindedly piloted Miraidon in for a landing. "Then you turned out to be nice. I was so damn smitten, I made up a pageant just so you'd say you thought I was pretty."

"That shit was so embarrassing..." He groaned quietly as they landed in the heart of Opelucid City, at the address Drayton had sent. Apparently, despite the slight headstart, Drayton and Lacey hadn't arrived just yet. They waited outside for a little bit, just waiting for a glimpse of that big, orange dragon, but it never quite came.

Suddenly, the door to the house opened up, and there was Drayton with a handful of Cheetos in his hands. "Dude. Get in." He said bluntly, urgently waving at the both of them to get in. Robin immediately realized that this party wasn't quite what she was expecting. She was expecting lights to be on, for a bunch of teenagers to be silly and fun, not for the scent of sweat and cigarette smoke to hit her like a pound of bricks. Nevertheless, she trudged inside with Arven right behind her, trying not to let Drayton see just how furious she'd suddenly become at him.

"So, what's with this getup of Lacey's? I'm assuming that was your doing?" He asked Robin placidly.

Robin just nodded as Drayton led them into the kitchen.

"Alright. Well, next time, at least give her a jacket. I had to give her mine 'cause she was so uncomfortable." He told her coldly, before slipping away into the crowd.

Robin and Arven just glanced at each other, before shrugging and deciding to raid the fridge at the same time. It was mostly groceries in there, but there were a few soft drinks and-

"A HARD LEMONADE?! Count me in!" Robin squealed, grabbing two and passing one to Arven. "Sweet enough to drink, hard enough to get me ever so slightly tipsy so I have an excuse to kiss you 'til you can't breathe."

"Can't wait." Arven remarked, before taking his first sip. It wasn't bad, but there was an aftertaste he wasn't fond of, and it burned a little going down, but it was ultimately alright.

"So I was expecting more party games, to be honest. It seems like the girls don't be playing Truth or Dare at this establishment!" Robin cried, after downing nearly half her can. "Or- Ooh, look! They're playing Lucario Kart World over there! We gotta get a round in." She announced, grabbing Arven and her can and leading them away to a corner of the room where a co-ed huddle had formed around a Nintendo Switch 2.

"Oh my God, they're playing as a Miltank." Robin breathed, shaking Arven by the arm. "What the fuck is a Miltank doing in this game?"

"Hey, don't knock it 'til you try it!" The red-headed guy who was playing as Miltank cried. "Wait 'til you see the goddamn Snowman."

"Wha- It doesn't even have legs!" 

"Dude, they just be putting anyone in this game. But no Diddy."

"Why would they put the disgraced rapper/producer in a kid's game?"

"Ha ha." The guy said sarcastically as the race finished, and he came in third. He then looked her up and down, squinting at her as if trying to place her. "...Do you go to Blueberry?"

Robin shook her head. "I'm Drayton's friend. Robin."

"Ah, you know Drayton! Nice. I'm Crispin." He said, waving hello. Arven, remembering Drayton's warning from the beach, immediately moved closer to Robin, almost standing directly behind her. "We're in the BB League together. We're in the same year, despite- Y'know." He remarked, gesturing to his short stature and childlike face. "Did you wanna play?"

Robin's eyes widened. "O-Oh, uh- That's fine! I'm good!"

"C'mon! Let's see you go a round." Crispin insisted, passing Robin his Joy-Con. She shrugged, and decided she may as well play some Lucario Kart, a party game, at a party. He stood up to allow her a place to sit and watch the screen, instead standing next to Arven.

After about a minute of awkwardly watching the race, Crispin ever so slightly leaned toward Arven. "You her gay best friend or her boyfriend?" He asked quietly.

"Boyfriend."

"Damn!" He cried out, shaking his fist around a little. "Dammit...!" He whined a little, though the jovial smile he wore never left his face.

"Wait, why're you asking?" Arven asked suspiciously, backing away slightly.

"'Cause you're cute." Crispin replied matter-of-factly.

"HEY!" Robin squealed, whirling around mid-race and driving right off the road. She turned back to the screen, now having fallen to sixth place from second. "Back off, sister, he's mine!" She squawked, before she allowed poor Miltank to be hit with a boomerang.

"So I've heard!" Crispin chuckled, patting Arven on the shoulder. "Can you blame me, though? He's a total smokeshow."

"Stop accurately assessing my boyfriend's appearance!" Robin cried as she finally finished the race, managing to climb back up to fifth. She stood up, handed the Joy-Con back to Crispin and lightly swatted him in the head. "Hit on any other guy, sister. This one's all mine."

Crispin pouted. "Alright... I just want a nice, pretty, tall chef boyfriend!"

Arven and Robin looked at each other, and mutually decided to kindly not tell Crispin any more about Arven to prevent his brain from exploding. "Try Drayton." Robin supplied helpfully.

"EW!" Crispin squealed. "GROSS!"

"Agreed." Robin and Arven said in unison.

"Dude, you gonna play or not?!" A dark-haired boy next to him cried.

"Sorry, Kiki!" Crispin hurriedly apologized, sitting down and waving goodbye to Arven and Robin.

Arven and Robin looked at each other with matching flabbergasted expressions on their faces, before retreating back to the kitchen to regroup and recentre themselves before they inappropriately started laughing in the middle of a party.

Arven was the first to break the silence. "...Drayton warned me about his friend Crispin. He literally said he'd be into me."

"Well, of course he would! He wants a nice, pretty, tall chef boyfriend! I've gotta say, he and I are birds of a feather. I gotta slip some estrogen into his apple juice." Robin joked.

"...Not apple juice-"

Both Arven and Robin couldn't control their amusement anymore, bursting into quiet giggles they tried their best to muffle by leaning into each other, Robin laughing into Arven's chest. The whole situation was just so silly. Crispin, bless his heart, looked twelve despite theoretically being fifteen, and thus stood no chance whether or not Robin was in the picture. Robin wondered if he was gonna become Cristina any time soon, if they were going to share a type and an appreciation for random Miltank in video games.

"Oh, Jesus..." Arven breathed, his hand in Robin's hair. "I'm breaking a little gay boy's heart...!"

"Oh, he'll get over it. As long as no one tells him you're a chef." She joked, causing a little more laughter to bubble up in her chest.

Arven shook his head slowly, barely suppressing his giggles. "Christ..." He mumbled, brushing his hair out of his face. Finally, they stopped feeding off each other's amusement and spiraling upward when, suddenly, the opening notes of Nicki Minunj's Super Bass started to blast around the house. Both Robin and Arven jumped away from each other, their heads slowly craning toward the source of the noise, a set of speakers with a group of friends in front of a mic.

"THIS ONE IS FOR THE BOYS WITH THE BOOMIN' SYSTEM TOP DOWN AC WITH THE COOLIN' SYSTEM-" The group of five friends all attempted to rap, but they were all out of time and quite drunk. A few of them started to miss words, too, as the verse went on. Robin started to laugh once more, just at the sheer ridiculousness of the scene unfolding in front of them. Five people, who had varying levels of knowledge of the lyrics, were drunkenly yelling Super Bass into a microphone. Robin was just anticipating the screeches when the chorus hit.

"Oh my God, you should do that!" Arven cried, grabbing Robin by the shoulders. "'Cause you sing! You gotta show 'em who's boss!"

Robin grimaced. "No one likes it when the girl that can sing steps up to do karaoke. It's like, everyone else is just here to be drunk and have fun and here comes Whitney Chinchouston to piss all over everyone's fun. Making everyone look crazy. It'll be so awkward."

"Well, then I'll do it with you. I'll bring down the professionalism so everyone still has fun." He proposed, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. "C'mon, I never got to see you perform in person. I think it'd be really fun for you."

Robin rolled her eyes. She thought about it for quite a long time, long enough for Arven to worry she'd somehow fallen asleep standing up, but eventually she relented, and said, "Fine. But I've gotta get really drunk first. I'm incapable of holding back, I've gotta be a bit sloppy."

"I'm sure that can be arranged." He chirped, hurrying over to the fridge. "I'm seeing some mysterious amber alcohol and a gallon of Coke, so I'm just gonna assume that's rum. A rum and Coke is a thing, right?"

"I've heard that." Robin agreed, procuring two glasses. "Don't go too crazy on the rum."

"So, like, half and half?" Arven asked, preparing to pour the rum in.

"No! No, like 85-15. That would be crazy strong." Robin corrected him, procuring some ice from the bag in the freezer.

"How would you know what's crazy strong?" Arven asked, narrowing his eyes at her as he poured just a bit of rum in each cup.

Robin shrugged. "My dad drinks. Or, he drank. I dunno what he's up to these days. But when he was hiding his affair, he was always drinking." She explained frankly. "He was more of a scotch guy, though."

Arven turned his eyes to the drinks, pouring the Coke into the glasses. It was interesting, they'd talked more about Robin's dad in the past week than they had in the past five months. It must have just been being in Unova, but it started to tug at his heartstrings a little. He could tell, she was starting to miss him in earnest.

"Anyway. To my first sip of rum. Is it yours?" She asked, raising her glass for a toast.

"Mhm. There's a liquor cabinet in the lab, but I never touched it. Probably took most of it down to Area Zero anyway. That's what he came back for." He remarked bitterly, tapping his glass against hers an taking his first sip. "...Ooh, there's the rum. Almost didn't taste it for a bit." He laughed, pursing his lips like he'd just sucked on a lemon.

"Yup. But ultimately, pleasant." She declared haughtily. "Few more o' these and then we'll sing."

Arven smiled, before taking a large sip of his drink. "Can't wait." He said quietly, though his heart burned with anticipation... And alcohol.

After about forty-five minutes of drinking, talking, huddling up next to each other at Robin's request and kissing at Robin's request, she finally deemed herself drunk enough to be entertaining on the karaoke machine. The machine had been a big hit with the partygoers, with some 2010's pop song being sloppily covered every so often. Robin was a rather big fan of one black-haired girl's cover of Leavanity 6's Nasty Girl, which had gotten a bit too raunchy for Robin's comfort, and she'd had to cover Arven's eyes.

They took control of the karaoke machine, and Arven allowed Robin to pick the song. "You do a good MJ impression?" She asked.

"Hee-hee! Hoo!" Arven exclaimed. "Like that?"

She shrugged. "Give me a lil' snarl."

"You've been hit by- Ow!- You've been struck by, a smooth criminal!" He snarled out, causing Robin's eyebrows to shoot up. "That good?"

"Serviceable. Alright, I'm Banette, you're Mimechael." She informed him, queueing up 'Scream'. "Don't even worry about sounding good. Just sound insane. Do the voice the whole time. It'll be so sickening."

Arven chuckled a little, surprisingly not nervous at all despite him never having sung for an audience bigger than Robin herself before. He knew Robin would carry him through it. She'd take up all the attention, and maybe people would even like his Mimechael Jackson impression. It was horrible, but it was funny, and that's what counted.

He was the one to start the song, keeping his eyes on Robin as she seemed to dance like no one was watching. It was really adorable. He started the shredding of his vocal cords strong, the raspy snarl coming out in full force as he sang. Did he know the words? Not even a little bit. Did he care to learn them from the screen? Not at all. He just made goofy MJ noises for the requisite amount of time, which had earned a few amused faces from the crowd.

Then Robin took over, and it was like she clicked into gear the moment it was her turn. Her hands were in her hair as she sang, just as Banette's had been in the video. Arven almost wondered if this was what all that fandom had led up to. He'd known she could sing, but he wasn't expecting the raspy tone she took, the grit in her voice and the sheer effort she made to make this a good performance. "I've got to get stronger, and I won't give up the fight," She nearly growled out, surprising him with the fact that she belted that out.

He knew he couldn't get away with making words up for the prechorus, so he did, in fact, read the screen to keep up, but Robin's eyes were closed as she adlibbed along, carrying him through. She knew the song by heart, it seemed. It was like she'd been preparing for this moment her whole life.

The dim light coming from the kitchen caught her face as she knelt down, singing, "You try to cope with every lie they scrutinize,". She looked absolutely ravishing, her curls a little messy and falling in her face as she knelt. She looked like she was completely in her element. Arven couldn't hide the smile in his voice when he joined her in singing the rest of the prechorus. She was having so much fun, he could just feel it radiating off her body. This was what she loved to do.

The rest of the song went off without a hitch, until the bridge. Robin plugged her ear like she was Mariah Careep and very quickly sang, "Oh my God can't believe what I saw as I turned on the TV. This evening. I was disgusted by all the injustice, all the injustice," and immediately shoved her microphone into Arven's hand, before jumping out into the dance break by sliding across the floor, bare-legged, then leaping back to her feet. Arven had to stifle a surprised laugh as she just went for it, no hesitation and no fear whatsoever. She was feeling the music so much, she just burst into the actual choreography, including dropping to her knees and jumping back up once again. She took a leisurely stroll back to her place next to Arven, making sure to whip her hair around a little more, as if it hadn't gotten enough action already. She took her microphone back without even looking at him, ready to finish out the song.

Arven had to take a look at her knees to make sure she wasn't bleeding as he kept up his impression. She was fine, somehow. She was riffing like nothing had even happened. He could barely even keep up the MJ snarls anymore. He was too in awe of his girlfriend, of the monster she turned into when given the chance to let loose and perform. He just watched her perform the rest of the song herself, his eyes firmly locked on her as she had the time of her fucking life, drunkenly singing Banette Jackson like no one was watching. But people were watching, with a mix of mild awe and confusion. She could sing for sure, that hadn't wavered at all, but she was just so into it, it was almost obscene. But at least she didn't randomly sing a ballad to bring down the vibe, so it was generally a positive bewilderment.

The song ended, and Robin's performance alter ego seemed to shut off like a robot having completed its task. She set her microphone down, and grabbed Arven by the hand, pulling him back into the kitchen through the maze of people milling about.

"Holy shit, I'm winded." She muttered, taking a sip of the last rum and Coke she'd had. "Was that-"

Arven set his hands on her shoulders. "That was- Jesus, you just came alive. A-And you sounded so good, like you were growling but your voice was, like, soft- I dunno how to explain it. But oh my God, I loved watching you do that."

"Oh, thank God. Haven't done anything like that since- Since my 'Last Dance'." She admitted softly, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Forgot how much- How much fun it was...!" She giggled sleepily, before kissing his cheeks at least ten times. "Thanks for doing that with me. You were so f- so... so- Jesus, I'm looking for a word! So- Hilarious, that's the word!" She cried, before burrowing her head into his chest. She wasn't lying when she said she would be a clingy drunk. All she wanted to do was hug Arven or perform in her state.

"Of course. I'd- I love you, and I'd do anything for you, ya know that?" Arven murmured, just as sappily. Arven realized as he wrapped his arms around her that he really didn't have a leg to stand on when it came to calling Robin a clingy drunk.

"Where's- Where's Lacey?" Robin asked out of the blue. "Did she see that? I thought I saw a girl with pink hair during that, but then I realized I was looking in the mirror in the TV..."

"I dunno." Arven admitted. "Haven't seen her all night. She's probably fine. Drayton won't let her get hurt."

"You sure? Drayton's an- He's a fucking asshole." She grumbled, before spotting Drayton sitting alone on an ottoman. "Hear that, Drayton?! You're an asshole!" She yelled at him across the room, finally piquing his attention. 

He rolled his eyes, and came over to the couple. "Yeah?"

"Where's your next heart to break?" She demanded. "Haven't seen her around. She leave?"

"I didn't take her home, so probably not." Drayton told her quietly. "Why don't you go find her?"

"But I'm cozy..."

"Go!" He cried, clapping his hands at her. "Chop chop!"

"Fine...!" Robin whined, prying herself away from Arven's warm, soft, inviting chest and somehow managing to walk completely upright despite being in stilettos. "Laceyyyy!!! Where's my favourite pink bob?!" She called out, disappearing into a hallway.

Drayton took a seat next to Arven, seemingly a little tipsy. "...She is allll woman." He eventually breathed, leaning back in the chair.

Arven lightly smacked him on the shoulder. "Mine." He said sharply.

"I know. I know, she's all yours. She's- She's so different. I-I barely even recognize her sometimes. She's so- Like, she's so much louder now. She's more- I dunno, boisterous. I dunno. I liked it when she was shy." He admitted quietly. "...You two are really good together. You make a really- Like, a really fucking hot couple. Like, she's so- Y'know. And then here you come, pecs the size of my head and pretty and nice and you've got that damn ponytail in- Agh. Shit. I gotta shut up. I'm not trying to be a third, that's gross and, like, pathetic. I hate sandwiches. I'm gonna take a leak." He announced suddenly, hurrying away before Arven could even say another word.

Arven didn't even know what to make of that, so his drunk brain decided to make nothing of it, and completely push it out of his head. Instead, he wondered if Robin had found Lacey yet. He was a little worried about her, she seemed pretty uncomfortable at the prospect of a party and he hadn't seen her at all. Maybe he'd follow Robin, see if she found her-

"LACEYYYY!!!"

Alright, so she hadn't found her. Maybe she was upstairs. That seemed more likely than her hiding in a corner somewhere. She probably found a bedroom to cry in.

Shit. She probably was crying. Maybe he wasn't the best person to find her. But Robin was looking in one place, and Drayton was- Where was he? Right. Bathroom. Then it may as well be Arven. He was nice. Much nicer than Drayton. And maybe it'd be easier for her to talk to him than Robin, because they didn't have any history together.

He hurried up the stairs, finding three different bedrooms. He knocked on the closest one to the staircase. "Lacey?" He called gently.

"Eep!" She squeaked. "U-Uh... Who's this?"

"Arven. Can I come in, o-or should I get Drayton-"

"No!" She squealed. "Don't get him! J-Just- Oh, screw it. Come in." She grumbled, sounding hoarse.

Arven gingerly opened the door, finding Lacey sitting on the bed, the shoes she'd borrowed from Robin scattered across the floor, Drayton's jacket zipped up on her chest like a suit of armor and the makeup Robin had spent so long on all smudged around the eyes. She motioned for him to close the door, which he quickly obeyed.

"What's- What's wrong, Lacey?" He asked, sitting down on the bed next to her, mostly so he wouldn't lose his balance. "What happened?"

Lacey laughed bitterly. "Oh, I walked in, Drayton put a shot in my hand and disappeared, I took it, then I made a fool out of myself by coughing up a freaking lung, a-and I'm drinking at a party Daddy doesn't know about and-"

"Don't worry about your dad. He- He won't find out. A-And if he does, he'll forgive you. You strike me as the kind of kid that's hard to stay mad at." He said gently.

"A-And then- Then someone figured out it was me. This guy, Theo, he said he didn't recognize me because I actually looked good for once-" She choked out, before a sob stole her breath. "A-And then this girl Makensy agreed and said someone else must have put me in this because everyone knows I have no taste, and then Carter said I looked like a slutty Tonks, and I don't even know what the hell that meant but I just- I just ran. I just ran and I hid like a freakin' baby 'c-cause that's what I am. A freaking baby. I'm seventeen and I-I'm still a little kid. Robin's younger than me! How is she so- So good at this?!" She wept, leaning her head on Arven's shoulder as she cried.

Arven didn't know what to say. He just sat there dumbfounded as he let Lacey cry off her mascara onto his sweatshirt.

"I-I don't even know what I was thinking... Why did I agree to come here? I-I'm not cool, I'm not pretty, I'm not-"

"You're pretty." Arven said simply. "And cool doesn't matter. I'm not cool. I'm still happy with my life. I've got friends, I've got a girlfriend I'm gonna marry, I've got some great future in-laws that may as well be my family. You've just gotta stop caring about this shit. 'Cause it doesn't matter. It's only making you cry because you put weight on this bullshit." He said quietly, rubbing Lacey's shoulder.

Lacey stared up at him, tears shining in her chartreuse eyes. "...You think I'm pretty?" She asked in a small voice.

Arven blinked. "That's what you took from that?"

Lacey seemed to buffer for a minute, before wiping her eyes messily with the backs of her hands, smearing the black eyeshadow Robin had put on her around. "...I know, I-I know it's stupid and that it doesn't matter but- But I can't help it. I want  people to like me. A-And I don't know what it is, but no matter what I do, they don't! E-Everyone thinks I'm a bitch, they think I'm a brownnoser, a stuck up snitch- Jeez, I just- I hate it. I hate school. I don't wanna go back." She whimpered, leaning her head against Arven's shoulder once again. "They're all just gonna hate me 'cause I told the teacher they had an illegal fidget spinner eight years ago." She grumbled.

"...That must have been some fidget spinner."

Lacey laughed a little through her tears. "It had rhinestones on it." She informed him.

"Was it Robin's?"

"...Maybe."

"Where the hell is this bitch...?" Robin muttered as she stomped around the house in search of Lacey. She checked behind the washing machine and dryer at least three times each, she checked in each bathtub, she looked everywhere she could find. Every single room in the house, she'd pored over. And there was no sign of her. Robin seriously thought she must have left, flown away on her Excadrill somehow, because there was no other explanation.

Or maybe she burrowed out... Oh, gosh. She burrowed out! That's it! Robin's just gotta check for holes, and-

"Ow!" A girl cried as Robin crashed directly into her. "What the hell?!"

"Sorry, sorry, sorry!" Robin squealed, clumsily backing up a bit. "I didn't see you there!"

The black-haired girl just narrowed her eyes at her, looking her up and down like she was scanning her for evidence of wrong-doing. Robin didn't know why she was putting up with this or why she was so nervous, but she was. Her gaze was like that of a NInetales, burning her insides to a crisp.

"...Where did you get that dress?" The girl finally asked, pointing at Robin's midsection.

"Oh! Uh, Boutique Couture. It's in Kalos." Robin explained, suddenly very cheery.

The girl literally recoiled out of shock. "Oh, Jesus. That place is expensive, isn't it? You must have some money, honey."

Robin shrugged. "I've got ss-some- some money."

"Heh. You must know Drayton, then." She chuckled, narrowing her eyes conspiratorially.

"Oh, he's such a dick." Robin groaned.

The girl's eyes lit up with a Seviper-like glow. "He's such a dick. I hate him so much."

"I fuckin' hate that motherfucker..."

"I'm Carmine." She said suddenly, an excited gleam in her goldenrod eyes. "So, what'd he do to you?" She asked in a hushed tone.

"Oh, nothing special. Slept with me, then the next day he told me to fuck off." Robin told her, and it wasn't even a lie. He did just that, just with a bit less sex and a bit more homophobia.

"Gross." She remarked, rolling her eyes. "You wanna hear what he did to me?"

Robin shrugged. "Let's hear it."

Carmine crossed her arms, as if steeling herself to tell the story. "Okay, so at Blueberry we have this school dance, right? It's not quite homecoming, but let's be real, it's pretty much the same. So I need a date, Drayton needs a date, and we're both in the League Club so we just agree to go together. It was supposed to just be a date of convenience so we wouldn't look stupid showing up single. But then Drayton insists on taking me there in a limo, he's all over me for the week leading up to the dance, and I'm thinking, 'Okay. This date of convenience might actually turn into a real date.' And that wouldn't be so bad, 'cause, although he's a jackass, he's rich and he's hot and whatever."

"Well..."

Carmine snickered a little. "You're right, he's okay-looking. So then the day of the dance comes, I'm looking smoking, like pure unadulterated sex on a stick. He shows up in his limo to take me to the convention centre in Castelia 'cause it's not at Blueberry, why would the Blueberry dance be in the Terarium, that's crazy. So I'm in the back of the limo, and like any red-blooded girl in the back of a limo on the way to a school dance, I'm trying to get my mack on, right? I'm like, 'Drayton, let's make out' and he's like 'nah, not feeling it' and I look over and he's texting. And not only is he texting, he's texting another girl."

Robin pursed her lips, shaking her head softly. "He was texting Lacey, wasn't he..."

Carmine's entire face seemed to light up. "YES! Yes, he was! He was texting Lacey! And y'know what, nothing against Lacey. She's nice. She hates him almost as much as I do. But he's texting another girl while he's alone in the back of a limo with me. Like, what the fuck?! Who does that?!"

Robin shrugged. "That motherfucker. I think he likes being- *hic*- being cut down to size."

"Oh, I'm sure. It's some sick humiliation kink of his, because she spends her entire day just berating him about how much he sucks at everything, he sucks at his job and at school and he just sits there and takes it with a dumb, greasy smile on his face. I fucking hate him." Carmine grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. "Anyway, that's the gist of it. He took me to the dance but he was texting another girl the entire fucking time. I was so pissed, I took the fucking bus back to Blueberry. It took me two hours, but you think I was riding in the back of that limo again?! Bitch, please. I woulda put a bomb in there."

"As well you should have." Robin said sagely. "So you're in a club with Drayton. That's gotta be horrible..."

"Oh, it is. I'd have quit by now if my little brother wasn't there too. I'm not letting Drayton turn him into an asshole too. That's my baby brother, I'm not letting him turn into a gross, Grumpiggish, misogynistic ass." Carmine declared firmly. "Speaking of my little brother, I wonder where he got to. He insisted on coming along, even after I told him he wouldn't enjoy it and he'd be hiding in a corner with his Switch somewhere, and look at this. He's off hiding in a corner with his Switch somewhere. See how I'm always right?"

"You're one for one." Robin agreed with an easy smile. "I'm looking for Lacey, but I can't find her anywhere. She's not in the bathroom, she's not in the pantry or the utility room or the bedroom... I can't find her!"

Carmine blinked. "Did ya check upstairs?" She asked bluntly.

Robin stared at her blankly for a couple seconds, before melting into quiet little snickers. "...I didn't know there was an upstairs...!" She giggled, covering her mouth with her hands. "Oh my God...!"

Carmine grinned, suppressing laughter of her own. "I think you'll have better luck up there." She told her through her chortles. "Good luck... Mysterious Girl."

"Robin!" She told her as she hurried up the stairs.

But at the top of the stairs, she found Drayton instead of Lacey, his face flushed bright pink. He gripped the railing tightly, his anger evident on his face.

"Hey!" He cried, the minute he locked eyes with Robin. "C'mere, I need to talk to you." He said firmly, beckoning her forth. Against Robin's better judgment, she allowed him to lead her into an empty room and close the door behind her.

"Lacey's crying." He announced simply, causing Robin to recoil back a little. "Lacey's crying, and she can't leave the bedroom she's in because someone put her in way more makeup than she's used to, and she's cowering under the covers because her outfit's too revealing, and she's scared and people are being assholes to her, and-"

"Oh, shit!" Robin cried, already turning to leave the room and comfort her, but Drayton caught her by the arm.

"She's crying and it's your fault." Drayton told her harshly, his golden eyes cold and steely. "She's crying 'cause you pushed her too far. She- She barely even looks like herself! She looks like- She looks like- Fuck, I dunno, but she looks crazy! You put her in three pounds of makeup and stripper heels! Lacey! In stripper heels! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"Hey, she asked me for my help, and I gave it to her! I did my best! I asked her if she wanted to wear something less revealing, and she said no! What the fuck am I supposed to do, see the future and read her future self's mind?!" Robin shot back, wrenching her arm away from him.

"You should've known better! You should've known that she'd be uncomfortable in a sleeveless- whatever the hell she's wearing, you should've known! You should've known this would all go to shit-"

"I'm not the one who pushed her to come! I'm not the one who used those big amber eyes to convince her to throw herself into the belly of the beast! That was all YOU!" Robin screamed, her face rapidly heating up. "You just- You're such an asshole, Drayton. You know she'd do anything for you. You know her judgment's all fucked up when it comes to you. But you push her into this anyway, you make her cry and you blame everyone but yourself, and you're just gonna keep using that power over her to hurt her!" She cried, her fury causing a few tears to leak out of her eyes. She delicately wiped them away as they both stood there, staring each other down and breathing heavily, no one daring to even move a muscle.

Drayton gritted his teeth, before rather roughly shoving Robin out of the way and throwing the door open, leaving in a huff.

"ASSHOLE!" She screamed after him, before leaving the room and slamming the door behind her. She then gently opened the nearest door, and then found Arven and Lacey sitting on the bed together. Lacey was laying down, Drayton's sweater draped over her chest, while Arven was sat on the edge of the bed.

"...You know, normally when you catch your boyfriend and your best friend in bed together, you're a little more angry." Robin remarked much more jovially as she took a seat on the bed between Lacey and Arven. He scooted over to give the old friends some more room. "What's wrong, Lacey? I haven't seen you all night."

"Oh, I've been hiding." She said hoarsely. "Sorry, I ruined the makeup you put on me."

"That's okay. It comes off. Plus, I did make sure to take a picture of the finished look, so we can reminisce on how good you looked." She assured her, rubbing her shoulder comfortingly. "Did you wanna go home, or...?"

"Not on that dragon." Lacey insisted, laughing a little. "I'll wait for Drayton to take me home. If he doesn't just leave me here 'cause I told him to get out."

Arven shook his head. "You were pretty nice about it, all things considered."

"I just- I just don't want him to see me like this." Lacey admitted shakily, her voice hoarse as she spoke. "I look- God, I probably look insane. A-And pathetic, and sad, and-"

"No! You don't look- Well, you look sad, you're crying, but not pathetic or insane. And you know Drayton won't judge you." Robin told her. "He's worried about you. Very, very worried." She grumbled, rubbing the spot on her wrist where he'd tugged her into that room by.

"I-I'm just- ...I'm sorry. You tried so hard to make this fun for me, to make me look good, and I just- I'm hiding. Like a loser." She mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest.

Robin sighed, standing up and walking around the bed so she had space to lay next to her. She was just about to roll onto the bed when-

"Oh my God, there's a child here!" She squealed, nearly falling over in shock when she saw a tweenage boy, huddled in the corner with a Switch in his hands. She couldn't even see his eyes, they were completely covered by his unruly mop of black hair.

"I'm not a child!" The kid snapped, seemingly on instinct. His daffodil-coloured eyes then landed on Robin, and immediately shot open. "...Wowzers..." He breathed as he looked her up and down, before his attention was summoned back to the screen as he started to lose in Super Sandslash Brothers.

"Wha- Kieran?! What are you doing here?!" Lacey cried, scrambling over to look over the edge of the bed. "You're- You're way too young-"

"I'm not a child!" Kieran insisted, rolling his eyes as he landed a KO on the computer player. "Sis took me along. I got bored." He explained simply.

"Have you been in here the whole time?!" She demanded.

Kieran shrugged. "No, I was playing Lucario Kart with Crispin and Amarys for a while, but then they left, so I came up here..." He mumbled, a little shy under the scrutiny of all three older teenagers. "I wanna go home, but- I dunno, they're acting really crazy down there. I can't find Carmine."

"Well, I saw her around a little while ago. You must be the little brother she was telling me about." Robin remarked. "How 'bout this? We'll go find Carmine, and then you guys can go home."

"R-Really? Y-You'd do that for me?" Kieran asked, his eyes locked firmly on Robin's.

Robin shrugged. "Why not? I believe the children are our future. I'll go get her, 'cause I know what she looks like-"

"No, I'll go get her." Arven interrupted. "You stay here with Lacey. What's she look like?"

"She's pretty tall, she's got black hair with scarlet highlights, she's got bangs-" Lacey started.

"She's the girl who did Nasty Girl for karaoke." Robin finished for her.

Arven snapped his fingers. "Got it." He muttered under his breath, before hurrying out of the room and down the stairs.

"U-Um... Is he your boyfriend?" He asked Lacey.

Lacey squawked, her eyes wide. "No! No, he's her boyfriend!" She cried, pointing at Robin, who waved hello with a sarcastic smile. "H-He's a friend to me, that's it!"

"They must have been getting pretty chummy." Robin joked, sitting down on the floor with Kieran. "I think I played a round of Lucario Kart with you. You whooped my ass."

Kieran smiled a little, setting down his Switch. "Yeah, I- I dunno why I didn't say hi." He mumbled, brushing some of his hair out of his face. "I-I'm Kieran."

"Robin." She said with a smile. "Can I tell you something funny?"

Kieran nodded shyly.

"So, you know that dude you were playing Lucario Kart with, right? Christo- Krispy Kreme-"

"Crispin."

"Crispin. He was running a scam. He had me playing Lucario Kart with you so he could flirt with my boyfriend!" She revealed with a laugh, causing Kieran's eyes to light up a bit. "But then, after he gets rejected, he's just like, 'I want a nice, pretty, tall chef boyfriend!' and... Well, my boyfriend's nice... He's pretty... He's 6'1..."

"A-And he's a chef?" Kieran asked, his hands covering his mouth to stifle his laughter.

"HE'S A CHEF!" Robin squealed, and the both of them burst out laughing, Robin's witch cackle being much less restrained than Kieran's quiet little giggles. "We didn't tell him that, otherwise his brain would've melted."

"Some would say it already has." Lacey added in.

"Th-That's so silly...!" Kieran laughed, trying his best to keep the hair out of his face, but his mop was just too unruly. "Oh, jeez..."

Suddenly, the door to the room burst open. "Kiki!" Carmine called sharply. "Let's go!"

"D-Don't call me that...!" Kieran grumbled as he and Robin both stood up. "U-Uh, it was nice to meet you...!" He stammered as he walked past her, looking back at her until the moment he walked out of her line of sight.

Robin shrugged as Arven reentered the room and gently closed the door. "Nice kid."

"I think you may have activated his- You know." Lacey remarked, gesturing vaguely at her crotch. "His affinity toward the fairer sex."

Robin rolled her eyes. "Gross. Besides, that kid is a flamin' homosexual. I can sense it with my psychic transgender third eye. That wasn't him getting horny for the first time, that was him recognizing a true diva. Like me and Britney Spearows."

Arven shrugged. "I think he could go either way."

"Hm. Is the fence comfortable? Y'know, if you're gonna keep sittin' on it." Robin teased. "You wanna get your makeup cleaned up? I can help you out." She offered, patting the purse she carried. "I did bring some makeup remover in case there was any drunk cryin'."

Lacey nodded, finally rolling out of bed. "Y-Yeah. Then I'll find Drayton and we'll go." She agreed, wincing at the messy state of her hair. "Oh, and you did so much work on my hair and then I go and bury it in a pillow..."

"At least you didn't barf in it." Robin assured her, taking her to the bathroom. "We won't be long, Arvie. Go enjoy the party!" She told him, shooing him away before shutting the door.

Arven shrugged. He may as well have another rum and Coke. He liked those quite a lot. Maybe he'll make one for Robin too. She liked them too. She was so pretty. Whenever she took a sip, his eyes went right to her lips. They were so kissable, he'd learned that firsthand many, many times, but they always left him wanting more. He wanted to ruin her makeup, kiss her entire face, smudge her lipstick all around...

He sat at the kitchen table at the only free seat, not even getting a drink. He was too deep in his fantasy, just staring at the wall and thinking of every little thing he wanted to do to her.

Lacey's makeup was mostly removed, leaving her barefaced at the party, alone and unnoticed in the living room. It was better than the Pancham eyes she'd been rocking, at least.

Robin had chosen to sit in Arven's lap and make out with him in public (gross), leaving her alone to find Drayton, which made sense. Maybe Arven didn't quite realize she and Drayton had been yelling at each other, but she did. They were angry at each other, and it was her fault. She'd heard her name come up a few times, but not much else other than anonymous yelling. They were fighting over her. Robin and Drayton being estranged once more didn't bode well for their friendship. She wasn't blind. She knew how important Robin was to Drayton. He'd missed her for so long, he'd throw Lacey in the garbage if it meant more time with Robin.

It gave her a guilty little thrill to think that he and Robin would never reconcile again. Then, maybe Drayton would actually give a shit about her.

Ugh, she had to put that thought out of her mind. It wasn't right to wish her friend would be gone again, not after Robin had been so kind to her. She took one look down the hallway, and she found at least one person she recognized. Unfortunately, it was Drayton, who was just outside the back door, with a cigarette between his fingers. He caught her eye and beckoned her over, and like a fool, she went.

"You smoke?!" She demanded as she burst out of the back door, finding him casually leaning against the side of the house.

Drayton shrugged. "Want one?" He offered, briefly flashing a half-empty pack of cigarettes at her.

"No! Never! That's- That's just disgusting, Drayton! You're not even eighteen yet!" Lacey cried, trying to smack the lit cigarette out of his hands, but he just raised it above his head. "What the hell are you doing, smoking? I-I mean, drinking's one thing, not great for your brain development but ultimately not that bad in moderation, but smoking kills, Drayton!"

He rolled his eyes. "So?" He asked quietly. "Does it matter? I could die tomorrow. I could die next week. I could live a hundred years. It doesn't matter. Life goes on, maybe just not for me."

"Of course it matters!" She cried. "You could get lung cancer and die slow, and let me tell you, you d-don't wanna have to go through chemo. You remember Robin's grandpa?"

"Which one, the one that had a stroke or the one that had a heart attack?" He asked in a low, raspy tone, before taking another drag of his cigarette.

"You know what, both of them are a cautionary tale. Her dad's dad smoked and drank and smoked and drank and then he died young, and then her mom's dad suffered through chemo, which you'll have to do if you get lung cancer!" Lacey yelled, stomping her foot on the step. "Is that what you want? To die young and/or suffer?"

Drayton rolled his eyes. "You sound like my mother." He grumble, taking yet another drag of his cigarette, at least being kind enough to blow the smoke away from Lacey.

Lacey flinched. "...Someone's gotta care about you, if you're not gonna care about yourself." She said slowly and carefully. "It matters to me, Drayton. It matters to me that you're putting this shit in your body-"

"Whoa, Lacey's swearing. Someone go get Clay, we've gotta set her straight." Drayton grumbled sarcastically. "I mean, look at you. You let me take you to a party, you tried alcohol and now you're breathing in all my second-hand smoke. Maybe he's right. I'm a bad influence."

"You're not." She insisted. "A-And even if you are, I don't care. Yeah, maybe this is a little- ...Not right, but I-I'm not an idiot. I watch TV shows. I read books. I know I'm boring. I know I-I'm lame and childish, I know I'm a stickler for the rules and I don't have the guts that you two do-"

Drayton groaned loudly. "Just shut up about that, alright?! Stop feeling sorry for yourself that you're a good girl with a good dad and a good future who's gonna do great things!" He snapped, his golden eyes hardening as he started to yell. "You're- Ugh, you're so fucking frustrating! Why don't you get it?! You let Robin turn you into her mini-me, or maybe you'll be like Carmine and gossip and pass notes in class for a week, or maybe you'll do home ec like Crispin- What's the fucking point?! You're never gonna change who you are, Lacey! You can change everything about yourself, you can put on this ridiculous getup and let Robin change your entire face around but you're always just gonna be you."

Lacey's lip quivered as she stared up into Drayton's eyes, sharp and piercing like a golden spear to her heart. So he didn't think she could pull it off either. He only thought of her as that dowdy, mousy girl everyone loved to pick on, he didn't think she could ever be anything more than that. He thought she was always gonna be that girl no one liked, who had to beg for the scraps of affection Drayton deigned to give her when he wasn't off fucking another girl or pining for the boy that got away, because no one was ever gonna really love a childish, stuck-up killjoy bitch like her.

"F-Fuck you." She whispered, tears welling in her own eyes. "I-I'll go home with Robin." She grumbled, going back inside and slamming the door behind her. She stomped through the living room, up to Robin and Arven who were, of course, still sloppily making out in full view of everyone there. She tapped Robin on the shoulder delicately, grimacing as she had to put her hands on a girl who was so clearly hot and bothered.

"Wha- Oh! Shit! Sorry!" She giggled, though the smile fell off her face once she saw the tears in Lacey's eyes. "What's-"

"Let's just go. I'll suffer on your mecha-dragon. I-I just can't be around him right now." She sniffled, wiping her thankfully bare eyes. "Pl-Please?"

"O-Of course! Yeah, we'll go right now." Robin agreed, leaping off Arven's lap and grabbing Lacey's hand. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

Lacey shook her head. "I-I just wanna go to bed." She warbled.

The three of them trudged out of the house, the moonlight illuminating each of their faces.

"Well..." Robin started, breaking the tense silence and causing both Arven and Lacey to look at her quizzically. "I think we've officially reinstated Friday night dinner."

Robin and Arven were sympathetic, of course. They cared about Lacey's feelings. They were as considerate as they could be. But they were also drunk and outrageously horny and couldn't stomach the thought of not having hot, sweaty sex that night, so they discreetly delivered Lacey to the care of Chrys, who welcomed her with open arms, before heading back to their hotel room together.

The moment the hallway door closed behind them, their lips crashed together like they were magnetized, with Arven clumsily and completely nonsensically trying to unclasp Robin's dress, which was not, in fact, held together by a clasp.

She giggled as she kicked her shoes off, tugging the strap around her neck off and peeling the fashion tape off her chest. "You don't even know what the fuck is happening, that's wild..." She laughed as she let it fall to the floor, before taking Arven to the bedroom and tackling him to the bed.

"That dress is so stupid..." He breathed as she got started undressing him, unbuckling his belt as he pulled his shirt off over his head. He pulled her on top of his lap, grabbing her hips and gently rolling her against him, eliciting a sharp gasp from Robin as she felt his bulge against her core. She arched her back as she leaned in to kiss him once more, her lips tasting like the orange flavor of her lipstick. He moaned as she started gyrating her hips on her own and kissing his jaw, finally feeling free enough to suck hickeys onto his neck. She pressed their chests together, her hands in his hair as they kissed.

"Fuck me." She breathed, throwing her head back, the curls of her hair falling like waves over her slender back. "P-Please."

Arven's entire body heated up at her words, his face and chest starting to flush red. "Y-You serious?" He whispered, his hands trailing from her hips, up her body and to her chest.

She nodded, sighing gently as he started to caress the sides of her ribcage. "Want you so bad. Want you inside me so bad." She whimpered as she felt his bulge prod between her cheeks.

"Jesus..." He murmured, sitting up in bed, pulling her into his lap. "Y-You're sure? Like, you're o-okay with taking your-"

Robin nodded, taking their close proximity as an opening to press soft kisses to his collarbone, all the way up to his cheeks. He may have been trying to have a serious discussion, but she was far too in the zone to speak, instead just pinning him down on the bed, his head resting on the pillows as her hands started slipping beneath Arven's waistband. She pulled out his cock, before spitting on her hand and stroking it gently. "Fuck, it's so thick... You're gonna stretch me right out." She said in a husky tone as she backed up off the bed, opening up the right-hand bedside table and fishing out a box of condoms, choosing the largest size half for practicality and half for his ego.

Arven shook his pants the rest of the way off, before she immediately descended on him again, climbing on top of him and positioning herself so that his cock fit right between her thighs. She squeezed her thighs together, causing him to close his eyes, his lip quivering with pleasure. Normally she didn't get to look him in the eye as she pleasured him, but now, she watched every minute change in his face as she moved her thighs up and down, drinking every little breath he took in. It went right to her own arousal seeing him so visibly affected by her ministrations. He was so cute as he suppressed his noises, so warm under her, his precum soaking her underwear as it wept from his cock.

His arms wrapped tightly around her waist as he pulled her into a passionate, sloppy kiss, his drunkenness making him desperate for her, for her body. He started to thrust upward into her thighs, each thrust irregular and jerky, like his body was moving on its own in response to the pleasure. He was such a mess under her, blushing scarlet, his lips cherry red and bruised from every time she bit it, and his hands started to shake as he inched closer and closer to bliss. If they kept this up, he'd never even get into her underwear. He'd just wear himself out like this, thrusting between her thighs and looking into those cherry eyes, darkened with pleasure.

So, finding what remaining resolve he had after Robin had worn him down with her body, he rolled over and got on top of her, breathing heavily as they stared into each other's eyes. "Y-You wanna-"

"C'mon, just take 'em off." Robin whined, raising her legs so Arven could take her underwear off. He didn't even hesitate, quickly yanking the tiny piece of fabric off her legs, and spreading her legs open. Fuck, he knew he shouldn't stare, he knew he was pushing his luck by looking for so long, but he just couldn't wrap his mind around her being so shy about her body, the work of art that it was. She was beautiful, her skin was soft and hairless and-

Robin lightly kicked him in the stomach. "What are you waiting for? Come on and fuck me already...!" She whined, her blushing, needy face surrounded by a curtain of her bronze locks.

Arven grinned, pulling her by the waist to the edge of the bed and bending her legs backward, thanking the Lord for her flexibility as he knelt to the ground. "Can't just go in dry." He remarked as he took his first experimental lick around her rim. She gasped a little at the sudden stimulation, her hands instinctively covering her mouth as he started to eat her out in earnest. Her mind was foggy, somewhere in the back of her mind her anxiety was screaming at her that Arven was seeing, touching, feeling her greatest shame, but she was so drunk, so in love and she felt so good as his stubble rubbed against the soft skin of her hole, that she just didn't care. She just wanted him to keep going. She wanted him to stretch her out, pound her senseless, claim her for his own. She wanted him as close to her as possible, in her, all over her, as much of his skin on hers as she could get.

She whined as his tongue flicked around her entrance, her legs locking around his neck, encouraging him to keep going. He seemed to be feeding off her reactions, kissing around her rim and eliciting little gasps out of her. He seemed to be having so much fun, teasing her, trying his best to make her whine for him and call his name.

"C-C'mon, Arvie...! Just p-put it in...!" She whined, her face flushed pink.

Arven grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Hmm... Fingers, or-"

"No! N-No, I-I want your cock. I'll- I can take it, I just- I just want you." She whimpered, coaxing him to his feet. "Please. Please, I want-"

Arven smiled, leaning over Robin to grab the box of condoms. He ripped it open, retrieving one and ripping open the little packet and wrapping it around his dick. He vaguely remembered how to do it from an awkward sex ed class he barely paid attention to. Thank goodness he absorbed just enough information. "We'll go slow. But-"

"Oh, right! There's- I packed some lube in my purse. It's in the big pocket." She informed him, closing her legs and sitting back up. Arven quickly retrieved it, a little bottle of clear liquid. "Y'know, I-I hoped I'd be a bit- I dunno, looser drunk."

"Sure hope so." Arven grinned, opening the bottle. "How much, do you think?"

"Can't have too much." She murmured, laying back as he slathered a generous amount of lube around her hole, the chill and the anticipation sending shivers up her spine. "Now, c'mon. Fuck me. Please. Please, j-just-"

Arven abruptly pulled her to the end of the bed, positioning himself between her legs. His hands shook with excitement as they wrapped around her waist. He lined his cock up against her hole, lightly nudging it against her. Fuck, he thought he might cum just at the visual. Robin looked so beautiful, her hair fanned out under her like a curly blanket, her pretty face, her smudged lipstick and her flushed chest... He wasn't sure if he was even gonna make it in her.

Nevertheless, he gently pushed in, meeting resistance immediately. She was so tight wrapped around him, so warm, so perfect. She took a sharp breath in as he pushed in a little further, more gently and more easily sliding in. He wanted so badly for the pain to go away for her, so he could finally make her feel good, watch her come undone in his arms.

She placed a hand on his stomach, gently stopping him from going any further. "Just- Just gimme a minute." She breathed, gritting her teeth. He could feel her clenching around him, struggling to take him. He wished he'd picked a different position, so he could bend down and kiss her, hold her in his arms and comfort her as she adjusted. Instead, he was stuck standing up, only able to hold her cheek in his hand.

She moved her hand, instead coaxing him forward. She seemed to have relaxed a lot more, as he was able to bury himself to the hilt inside her. "Sh-Shit...!" She breathed as she realized she had his entire length inside her. "I-I've gotta admit, I wasn't sure I could take it all, it's really thick- Ooh!" She squealed as he gently repositioned himself, climbing on the bed on top of her.

"Oh, shit! Sorry! Did I hurt you?! I-I'm sorry, I'll stop-"

"That- That's the fucking spot." She moaned, gently gyrating her hips in an attempt to feel that spark of pleasure explode inside her again. "You can move, Arvie. C'mon, I-I'll stop you if it hurts, but Jesus fucking Christ, I need it." She moaned as she wrapped her legs around Arven's back, coaxing him forward.

Arven gingerly obeyed, ever so gently moving his hips back and forth. It felt so good, feeling her squeeze around him, her body wrapped around his like a Seviper on a tree. She pulled him closer, her arms around his neck, kissing him between sharp moans as he slowly and methodically fucked her. He was trying to pace himself, trying to give her as much pleasure as he could before his body gave out and he came before she did, but it was so hard to resist going faster, harder, more intense in pursuit of his orgasm.

"More." She breathed in a husky voice, and it was like a switch was flipped in Arven's brain. He accelerated his pace, Robin's legs curling tighter around him as he fucked her with deep, long strokes. Her moans were muffled by her sucking hickeys onto Arven's neck, causing Arven to start softly moaning himself. He was getting close, and as if by instinct, he only started going faster as his climax approached.

"F-Fuck, fuck, fuck me, fuck me-" Robin whined, her legs shaking against Arven's back as she barely managed to stop herself from clawing Arven's back to pieces. There was so much tension in her body, so much pent-up energy that was only growing with every thrust, threatening to burst out of her. After five long months of kissing and petting and convincing herself that was enough, she was finally getting her release. She saw stars as all the tension in her body snapped, causing her back to arch as she came, three thin ropes across her chest.

Her orgasm, the involuntary clenching of her walls, set Arven off, and he buried himself to the hilt inside of her as he collapsed on top of her, loudly groaning as he produced what felt like the biggest load he'd ever shot in his life. The two of them just stayed like that for a while, Arven still inside of her as they both fought to catch their breaths. Eventually, Arven managed to pull himself together enough to pull himself away from her, gently pulling his softening dick out of her, and swiftly disposing of the condom.

"Shit, that was- That was just- Fuck, I can't even find the words. I-I just love you so much." He breathed, brushing his sweat-soaked hair away from his face. "Guess even the ontologically guilty can't argue against this now." He remarked, chuckling a little. He then noticed a suspicious lack of vocalization from his girlfriend, and turned around to find her sound asleep, apparently fucked into unconsciousness. Arven sighed fondly, grabbing some tissues to wipe off the cum on her chest, before picking her up bridal-style and tucking her into bed with a gentle kiss to her forehead.

He quickly joined her in bed, not bothering to put any clothes on. He just snuggled up next to her, his head nuzzled in the crook of her neck, letting his exhaustion and inebriation claim him and put him to sleep.

Chapter Text

Robin felt like there were two cymbals crashing directly into her head when she woke up. Given that her Musharna was on top of her and trying to bat her awake gently with her arms, it made sense that there was a pounding in her head.

"Hey, girl..." She grumbled as she rolled out of bed, holding her in her arms. "It's probably, like, 4 PM right now..." She mumbled as she put on her sweatpants and Arven's repossessed sweater, with Musharna hanging off her shoulders. She groaned as she realized she'd slept in her makeup. Her poor pores.

Arven started to stir in bed, as if her absence disturbed him in his sleep. He softly groaned, breathy moans escaping his lips as he tossed and turned in bed. He must have had a matching headache. Hopefully it was less severe than hers, and her headache was only because Musharna was rather rudely slapping her in the face while she slept.

As Robin was finally wiping off her makeup, trying her best to salvage her skincare, Arven finally seemed to come to. "Oh... Good morning." He murmured, holding his head as he rolled out of bed, joining her in the bathroom. "I'm assuming this feeling is a hangover..." He whispered as he wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned his head on her shoulder from behind.

"I would imagine so." Robin muttered. "...We're probably caught. Lacey's a bad liar, and she's with my mom." She remarked, washing her face with a gentle foaming cleanser.

"Hmm... Oh well." Arven remarked. "Did you sleep okay? I tried to get you comfortable, but you just passed out after- Y'know."

Robin bristled as the memory of what they did the night before rushed back into her mind. He- He saw everything. She didn't even have the sense to turn the lamp off, she just let him see everything she wished she could change about herself. Proof of her origin, everything she wanted to escape. And she just let him touch her there, with his tongue! Her heart was racing, despite how hard her brain tried to calm her down. He'd seen it all, and here he was, hanging off her like a Komala as he always did, but reason didn't matter to that dysphoric beast that lived inside her heart. He'd seen her damage, every little way in which she was wrong, and she couldn't fathom him being any less disgusted with her than she was with herself.

"You okay?" He asked quietly, rubbing her sides with his hands.

Robin sighed heavily, her hand gripping her forehead. "...I-I think drunk me was more okay with it than sober me is." She admitted, looking into the mirror, meeting Arven's kind cerulean eyes. He seemed far from disgusted, concerned if anything, and the tenderness with which he looked into her eyes was unmistakable. He loved her. He loved her enough to accept her faults. He'd proven that time and time again, yet somehow her insecurity just kept convincing her he couldn't.

He frowned, nuzzling his head into her neck. "...Sorry if I pushed-"

"No, no. I asked. Begged, even. I-I was hoping that if I could just- I dunno, get it over with, then it wouldn't scare me so much." She mumbled, putting on her sunscreen. "You know, no putting the toothpaste back in the tube. 'Cause I-I don't want to be scared of this. I don't want to have any- like, walls between us. A-And, this is a bit crass, but I really want you to fuck me." She said bluntly, eliciting a rather surprised laugh from both herself and Arven.

"Me too. I just wanna- Ooh, shit. I can't say it, it feels nasty." Arven chuckled, squeezing her by the waist just a little.

Robin smiled a bit, resting her hands on the countertop. "Was it, uh... Was it good for you? 'C-Cause I know this probably wasn't the fantasy. I-I know you probably weren't expecting your first time to be with someone like me-"

Arven straightened his back, forcefully spun Robin around and put his hands on her shoulders. "Stop it. Stop apologizing for who you are. Stop, like- I dunno, competing with some random cis woman you made up in your head. I-It's driving you crazy. You're always apologizing for the way you are, or i-implying that I obviously would prefer a cis woman and I'm just putting up with your body because I like everything else- That's just not the truth! Don't you get it?! I only wanna be with you! A-And there's nothing I would change about you."

Robin's heart started to warm, sending shivers up her spine. "...Not even- Y'know, a little one-two?" She asked quietly, gesturing in a circle at her crotch.

He shrugged. "I'm behind it if that's what you wanna do. But don't do it for me, alright? If you're gonna get surgery, you do it because you want to. 'Cause I promise, I'll wanna get into your pants no matter what's in 'em." He assured her, brushing a piece of curly hair that had escaped her ponytail overnight out of her face. "I'm- I'm so in love with you, Robin. I'm so into you. A-And- And last night was so good for me, you have no idea."

Robin chuckled a bit, holding onto her forehead to try and soothe her headache. "...I dunno, I-I just- It's just- It's hard to wrap my head around, that I-I'm what you want. Like, this is what you want." She muttered.

"You are all that I want." He insisted, kissing her forehead gently. "Yeah, I-I saw all of you. And here I am. I told you, I'm not just- I'm not just, like, tolerating that you're trans. I love every little bit of you."

Robin smiled, before leaning into his arms, resting her head on his chest. "...I wonder how many more times I'm gonna make you say this." She mused, soaking in the warmth emanating from his body. She loved how warm he tended to run, how soft his chest was and how much affection he was willing to give.

"I'll say it as many times as it takes." Arven murmured, one arm around her waist and another in her hair. It was stiff from hairspray and a bit frizzy from being slept in, but Arven thought he'd never seen a more beautiful sight than his girlfriend, bare-faced in his hoodie. He wanted to bottle that memory up and save it for a rainy day, a day where she didn't fall asleep in his arms. Though, with over three weeks left in their vacation, such a day wasn't even in sight.

Before he could kiss her like he wanted to, Robin's phone chimed from the bedside table. "Probably my mom, telling me she found Lacey mysteriously outside her door." She grumbled as it flew into her hands. "Or maybe she's chewing us out for our underage drink- Oh." She whispered as she stopped dead in her tracks.

"Not your mom?" Arven asked, peeking over the top of the screen. However, he couldn't read upside down, so that was a waste of his time.

"Quite the opposite." She remarked, turning her phone so he could see that it was her father texting her, asking her "Any thoughts on baby names? Me and Corinne have thought of Theodore (Teddy), Jeffrey, Deacon".

"...What a nice olive branch." Arven muttered sarcastically. "No 'sorry', no 'I was wrong', no 'I miss you', no 'you're my daughter', nothing." He grumbled, an ice cold rage building in his chest.

"Should I be shady and say it won't matter, 'cause she'll be changing it anyway?" She asked darkly, her hands trembling as she held the phone.

"Don't ask me. I'd just respond with a nice, simple 'fuck you'." He told her bluntly. "Fuckin' hate your dad." He grumbled as he left the bathroom to finally put some clothes on.

Robin's fingers hovered over the keyboard, paralyzed in her indecision. What the hell was she supposed to say? Tell him she liked the name Quinn, so on the off chance his do-over baby disappointed him in the same way she did, she didn't have to change anything? That seemed appropriately harsh, cutting and ultimately true, but Arven's words in the cafe haunted her. His dad was in the ground, his bones buried behind the Zero Lab, but hers was only a fifteen minute walk away. She knew the route by heart. Maybe things didn't have to be this way. Maybe if she lay down her weapons, he'd open his arms back up. Maybe he'd try a little harder to reconnect if he wasn't met with a brick wall every time, if reconciliation didn't seem so impossible.

Arven reappeared in a t-shirt and sweatpants, a stormy look in his eye. "What a fucking asshole. Does he want you to bomb his house? 'Cause why, after months of no contact, after you told him you felt like he was trying to replace you, is the first thing out of his mouth about his new kid? Does he even realize it's you he's talking to? Or did he just copy-paste the same thing to everyone in his contacts?"

"No, this is very in character for him." Robin muttered. "He doesn't apologize. He leaves you alone for a while, waits until you miss him, and then he just moves on. Pretends things are normal, a-and then it is. It's like you forgive him without him even having to say anything."

Arven considered that for a moment, pausing in place. He then continued milling about the bedroom in a state of restrained fury. "...Sounds like our dads would be friends." He grumbled bitterly.

"Best friends."

"Gross." Arven muttered. "I hate your dad so much. Like, what is wrong with him!? Not even an apology?! Nothing?! Ugh, my God! Fuck him and his baby."

Robin quietly agreed, stowing her phone away in her sweatpants. "You think we should go pretend to be surprised that Lacey's in the penthouse now?"

"Yeah, probably." He agreed, stretching out his arms. "Should we get, like, really changed?"

"Eh. Time's probably of the essence. Let's just brush our teeth and skedaddle." She muttered, already reaching for the toothpaste.

Arven shrugged, and stopped pacing around the room angrily to go maintain his hygiene. He wasn't really looking forward to seeing Lacey, because she had a tendency to make a mountain out of a Durant-hill when it came to his kindness. That was awkward. Or Drayton, who'd basically admitted he wanted a threesome with himself and Robin, which was about fifty times as awkward. He had to hope Drayton didn't remember that one, or at least had the tact to never bring it up again.

Then again, 'Drayton' and 'tact' were not words that belonged in the same sentence. He was a mess. Lacey was a mess. The entire region of Unova was a mess. He was just happy that through it all, his relationship with Robin was clean, simple and so full of love. That much, he hoped would never change.

"Well, thank God you came around!" Chrys cried, ushering both Robin and Arven into the penthouse. "Lacey's here! She just- She just showed up last night, in your clothes! She said she had a really bad date, and she was crying about Drayton so I'm just gonna assume it was him..."

"Oh, God. Ain't no way he fucked it up this bad..." Robin cried a bit stiffly. "I'm so pissed! Why couldn't he have A) treated her nicely, and B) at least saved it for when I didn't have her looking Bomb.Com?!"

"She did look quite nice." Chrys agreed. "I mean, absolutely nothing like she usually looks, those were your clothes, but she did look good. I think maybe next time you dress her, maybe... I dunno, cover her up a bit? Maybe compromise with her vibe a little more?" She suggested gently. "Not everyone has your confidence, Robin."

Robin sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "...I just wanted to help."

"I know. But sometimes, what people say they want isn't what they need." Chrys told her gently. "She's in your room. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all. C'mon, Arvie. Let's go comfort our friend." She announced, grabbing Arven by the hand, who rather stiffly waved hello to Chrys. He avoided looking her in the eye, as if she'd be able to see it in his eyes that he'd just deflowered her little girl fully. Knowing how bad of a liar he was and how smart Chrys was, the chances of that were non-zero.

Robin opened the door, finding Lacey in some borrowed pajamas, in Robin's bed. At least it wasn't Arven's bed, she reasoned. It still ticked her off a little, seeing Lacey in her place. "Hey. How are you?" She asked kindly anyway, taking a seat on the end of her own bed.

Lacey sniffled a bit. "I'm okay. I-I'm just- God, this is so embarrassing. I-I can't even handle a tube top and bell-bottoms. I'm so lame." She whined, covering her eyes with the backs of her hands. "I-I mean, all those other girls, they can wear short skirts a-and- and- and crop-tops and heels without breaking a sweat, a-and I can't even handle showing my clavicle."

"And it's such a nice clavicle, too!" Robin joked. "Listen, we all have different boundaries, and different levels of comfort with showing skin. Just 'cause I dress like a whore doesn't mean that's what's normal. There are all kinds of girls like you that don't be showing the tatas. It's perfectly normal."

Lacey sighed. "I-I just feel like- I feel like I'm falling behind. Like, I used to be the most grown-up one in my year. I was responsible, I was smart, I was always the one the teachers asked to go above and beyond... And now I feel like a freaking child next to you guys. I-I mean, you two very obviously had sex last night-"

"WHOA WHOA WHOA!! We di- We- How did you know?" Robin cried out.

"Why couldn't I stay over at your place?"

Arven and Robin looked at each other blankly.

"...Touché." Arven admitted.

"Yeah. I'm the last virgin League Brat standing." Lacey grumbled. "And I can't even show my shoulder blades without pitching a fit. I'm such a freakin' baby. I'm seventeen and I've never even had a boyfriend."

"Hey, there's all kinds of people who only started getting... romantically entangled in their twenties! My auntie Caitlin is 35 and she's never been married! Quite frankly, I've never even seen her with anyone. There's nothing wrong with you, Lacey. You're perfectly normal." Robin assured her, patting her shoulder. "Don't feel any pressure to change yourself. You're perfectly fine just the way you are."

Lacey considered that for a moment, before rolling her eyes and rolling out of bed. "I need to change back into my clothes before I go home." She grumbled, slipping past Robin and Arven and out of the room. "Thanks for letting me stay over, Mrs. Ambrose."

"It's no problem! And call me Chrys! I'm not married!" Chrys protested as Lacey just left without them. Robin shrugged, figuring she wouldn't go far. It wasn't like she had a keycard to Arven's hotel room, and she'd left her clothes in there.

Robin and Arven returned to the living room, finding Chrys giggling like a little girl at her phone on the couch. "What's so funny?" Robin asked, trying to peek over the top, but Chrys quickly held her phone to her chest, blocking her view.

"Nothing! Just a Skitty chasing its tail! It was very cute." Chrys insisted. "I'm just gonna be nice and charitable and assume you two used a condom?"

"Goodbye, Mom!" Robin cried, taking Arven's hand and leading him out of the penthouse. On their way out, Arven made sure to give Chrys a thumbs-up, just to make sure she knew he wasn't some uneducated swine who just assumed that, because Robin couldn't get pregnant, there was no need to wear a condom. He may have been a horny teenager, but he was responsibly horny. ...Mostly. The PDA was still a tad excessive.

Lacey was waiting by the elevator for the two of them, her arms crossed over her chest. She then called the elevator, which took barely any time at all, and the three of them rode down in silence. Lacey was fidgeting with her hands all the while, looking pale and frustrated as she wrung her hands.

She then abruptly turned to Robin, her voice coming out a bit louder than intended as she asked, "Can we do this again? Like, you giving me a look to wear?"

Robin blinked, mildly stunned by Lacey coming out and saying the exact opposite of what Chrys said she needed. "U-Uh... You sure? You didn't seem comfortable this time."

"I'll get used to it. I-I just wanna- I just wanna try something new. Y'know, something not quite so... frumpy." Lacey mumbled, fidgeting with her hair, which had become quite a mess after being slept in. "You think you could help?"

As much as Robin loved the idea of a makeover- and she loved makeovers, she loved dressing people up- the memory of Lacey's face with the smeared eyeshadow, teary eyed with tearstained cheeks, it made her hesitate. She couldn't handle a corset, she'd worn Drayton's sweater like a suit of armor. Who knew if Lacey would feel comfortable in something like that, ever? Maybe Drayton wasn't entirely wrong, Lacey's breakdown was partially her fault. Everyone was pushing her so far out of her comfort zone, she was bound to break down. She knew this was a bad idea, that Lacey wanted something she couldn't handle, but it was so hard to say no to her.

"Please?" Lacey begged, looking up at Robin with her watery chartreuse eyes. Robin didn't think that was at all fair, being able to pull out Lillipup eyes like that.

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Okay." She relented against her better judgment.

"Yay!" Lacey cheered, yanking Robin into a hug as the elevator dinged open. "Alright, I've just gotta go change and then I can go home and see if I've got anything I like in my closet!" She chirped, walking much faster than either Robin or Arven to the hotel.

Robin met Arven's gaze, which was just a teensy bit disapproving. "...Listen, you try saying no to her. She's very persuasive." Robin grumbled, following behind Lacey at a respectful distance.

"This is such a mess." Arven mumbled, grabbing Robin's hand as they walked. "It's gonna be a very fine line you'll have to walk."

"I know." She whined softly, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Why's everything gotta be so complicated?"

"Okay, Avril Quilavigne."

"...We hang out way too much."

After Lacey bid the two of them farewell, Robin and Arven flew to Striaton City together, half because Arven was very, very excited to visit the restaurant, and half to escape all the League Bratz' bullshit. Robin swore, if Drayton somehow managed to run into them in Striaton City of all places, she would have to bomb Opelucid City. Again.

As Miraidon touched down in front of the Pokemon Center, Arven quickly disembarked from aboard the dragon and ever so slightly jumped in place. "Oooh, I'm so excited for lunch!!! It's only 10:30, so we should probably wait a little bit... So let's explore the Dreamyard!" He suggested chipperly.

"I wonder who's more excited, you or Musharna?" She remarked, noticing her purse vibrating. She opened it up, and immediately Musharna burst out of her Poke Ball, wiggling her limbs around in pure unadulterated glee. "See? Musharna's hyped. It's not even like she's going home, she was born in the same hospital I was, but she just likes being among the Munna."

"Kindred spirits. It's like if there was a place where a bunch of blond dudes who like to cook live."

"That's just northern Kalos." Robin joked. "Now, the Dreamyard is technically an abandoned, decrepit building that got destroyed in a lab accident, so... Y'know, don't just assume that the walls are sturdy. I don't want you getting squashed."

"Oh, of course. You're the only thing allowed to go down on me." Arven teased, elbowing Robin in the side.

"Shut up."

"Oh, come on! That was funny!" Arven cried, chasing after Robin and Musharna as they left him behind. Rather, Musharna was kind of leaving the both of them behind. Robin wished she could be that fast in an actual battle.

"...It was a little funny. Didn't really make a lot of sense, though." She admitted as they made their way through the short pathway between the trees, finally entering the wreckage of the Dreamyard. "You can kinda feel the Dream Mist in the air, no? Like, you get a little sleepy in the Dreamyard."

Arven shrugged. "I'm not feeling anything."

"You say that now. This place has a way of lulling you to sleep, so the Munna can come and eat up." She remarked as Musharna obliterated that pesky little tree that stood in the way of the gate with Psychic. "It sounds a lot creepier than it actually is. Munna are very docile creatures, even in the wild. They won't hurt you unless you literally corner them. They're generally a bit skittish, but I find that they're pretty friendly."

"Hm. I guess your Musharna must be especially violent. I swear, I was finding sand in uncomfortable places for weeks after she tossed me in the ocean." Arven joked, ducking to fit in the hole in the concrete.

"...Yeah, she is kind of violent." Robin laughed, watching as Musharna was accosted by a puny little Patrat, whom she absolutely demolished with a Moonblast, sending it flying into the treetops. "But she's a sweetheart. She's warmed up to you a lot. And Mabo."

"I know. She and Mabo are cuddle buddies now. It's kind of freaky. It's like looking in a mirror." Arven remarked, letting out Mabosstiff, who was mid-nap. He woofed annoyedly, though he rather quickly walked around in a circle, and went back to sleep on the ground.

"Hopefully they don't follow the blueprint too closely. I don't wanna see a single egg!" Robin lectured her Pokemon, who simply turned away, and collapsed on top of Mabosstiff, snuggling up against the hound.

Arven smiled, and took a seat next to the cuddle pile. "C'mere." He murmured, beckoning Robin over. She quickly obliged, nestling into his side, their bodies fitting together like two pieces of a puzzle. She almost wanted to have a nap, her hangover combined with the Dream Mist causing her brain to go fuzzy.

"Y'know, this was what I thought our vacation would be like. You and me, running around Unova, seeing the landmarks... I was not anticipating being caught in the middle of Drayton and Lacey's bullshit." Robin muttered, closing her eyes and intertwining one of her legs with Arven's. "It's been a bit less romantic than I'd hoped." She admitted.

"I know. We've just gotta- I dunno, make some time for stuff like this. 'Cause this? This is the bomb." Arven chuckled, leaning his head on Robin's. "Now, about the other three bridges I've yet to see..."

"I've never jumped off of them, don't worry." Robin assured him, half-jokingly. "My grandma's coming back home from her own vacation pretty soon, so that'll be a great excuse to see the Village Bridge. She lives in Lacunosa Town now. And we could go to Shopping Mall Nine one day to see what's tea over there, and swing by the Tubeline Bridge. And the Driftveil Drawbridge is open on weekends, so we can just pick a day."

"Nice." Arven murmured. "...I see what you mean about the lulling you to sleep part."

"Well, we are hungover." Robin reasoned. "A nap would be very reasonable."

"Hmm... But then the Munna will eat my dreams." He whined softly, rubbing Robin's side. "I want my dreams to stay in my- AGH!" He cried out as a stray Munna lightly bit down on his head. "WHAT THE HELL?!" He squealed, the noise startling the Munna off his head. It spun a few paces away, before studying the group of Pokemon and humans intently, its thoughts unclear by the blank look in its red eyes.

Robin and Arven simply stared back at it, eyes wide as they studied the Munna. It was a bit smaller than Musharna had been before she evolved. Its flower patterns were more sparse. Still, Robin thought it was adorable.

The Munna then simply plopped itself down in Arven's lap, leaning its head on Musharna's body.

"Huh." Robin hummed, before turning back to the forest and finding a horde of Munna descending upon them. "Holy fuck! She brought her friends along!" She cried as the Munna all huddled around Musharna, wedging themselves between Musharna and Mabosstiff. Musharna started to float into the air as she woke back up, bringing the Munna along like a Vespiquen with her Combee. She seemed shocked as she was swarmed with affectionate Munna, who were now bathing themselves in her Dream Mist.

"Do they think she's their mother?" Arven asked quietly, watching as Musharna started gently brushing the Munna off.

"I don't think so... I bet they just don't have their own Musharna to lead them, so they're trying to take my best friend away." Robin muttered. "Never in a million years."

As Robin predicted, Musharna started trilling at the Munna and clinging to Robin, which to her sounded like a rejection of becoming their adoptive mother. Or at least she hoped that's what it meant. If she had to either leave her Musharna behind, or break her heart by forcing her to leave, she'd probably cry for sixty years until she died of old age. There were only about forty-five minutes of her life where she didn't have her by her side. She refused to let that change.

The horde of Munna looked quite sad as they floated down to the ground, now huddling around Robin and Musharna. Robin hoped that meant that Musharna chose her over the Munna. Nevertheless, once the Munna started being affectionate toward her and Arven, her irritation quickly faded. They were just so damn cute. Back when her Musharna was a Munna, she could be so easily carried about like a baby, but now she was so large, she couldn't be held like that anymore. It brought back so many good memories, holding a wild Munna in her arms.

"Y'know, I see why your aunt thought these little guys would make a good pet for a baby. They're really gentle." Arven remarked as a few of them started toying with his hair. "Mabo was not at all gentle when I was a kid. I learned how to wrestle pretty quick. Y'know, we'd play around for hours. He'd tackle me to the ground whenever he wanted to play. I mean, it was kind of annoying, but- I dunno, I-I kinda miss it, y'know?" He said quietly, stroking Mabo's fur.

"...Is he just old, or...?"

Arven shrugged. "Bit of both, I think. He's thirteen. But I think, even though the Herba Mystica- It made him better, but he's still so tired all the time." He muttered under his breath. Robin was only barely able to catch it through the Munna's purring. "I-I'm a bit worried w-we only gave him a little more time."

Robin closed her eyes, trying not to let too many tears well up in her eyes. "...Me too." She admitted. "But- You know. It's out of our hands. It's not worth worrying too much about."

"...I know." Arven whispered, leaning his head on Robin's shoulder. "No point mourning him if he's still here, right?"

Robin nodded, wrapping her arm around his waist, letting the Munna in her lap float freely away. "...Besides, he's still capable of running around. I've seen him battle, he's still got it in him. He might just be becoming lazy."

He chuckled a little, wiping a single tear from his eye. "That's true. Mellowing out in his old age." He laughed, scratching behind the hound's ears. "...Y'know, I used to be a bit jealous of you, 'c-cause Munna and Musharna are- Y'know, they live a long time. I looked it up. Musharna can live a hundred and fifty years in captivity. A-All your Pokemon have big, long lifespans. Mabo- Mabo's got a couple more good years, I think." He mused shakily. "It's- It's-"

"Oh, Arvie..." She breathed, pulling him into her arms, letting him rest his head in the crook of her neck.

Words failed Arven, he could only quietly cry into Robin's shoulder. He felt like he was right back outside the Medali Pokemon Center, trying the machine again and again and still not being able to make Mabo okay again. He did the impossible, tracked down the Herba Mystica, plants no one even thought existed, and it still wouldn't be enough to save him from the passage of time. He could move mountains, shake the earth beneath his feet, and it wouldn't matter. There was nothing he could do but watch his best friend's time run out.

Robin started to rub his back, the steady motion bringing Arven back down to Earth. She was right, so right it stung to hear it way back then, that he needed to stop worrying about Mabo and just love him the best he could. He was healthy, he was alert, he was just old. He still had time. He had to make the best of it.

He pulled away from the hug, and immediately draped himself over Mabo, wrapping his arms around the hound. "I-I love you, buddy...!" He whispered to Mabo, rubbing circles on his sternum. Mabo, of course, didn't really seem to care. His blase attitude toward Arven's affections was quite amusing to Robin, he was having his mortality cried over and he did not give a single fuck. He just looked happy to be pet. It must be nice to be a Pokemon, Robin thought. No one expected you to understand human language. You could tune the entire world out if you wanted to, and no one would cry foul. But, unfortunately, Robin couldn't tune out all the bullshit Unova had brought back into her life.

After a while, Arven's face finally emerged from Mabo's fur, red and tear-stained. "L-Let's go eat, okay?" He tried to say cheerily, but he just couldn't summon the verve.

Robin agreed, gracefully standing up (she certainly didn't fumble about trying to get up without squishing a Munna), and helping Arven up. "Y'know... I think everything's been leading up to this." She remarked simply as she returned her Musharna to her Poke Ball, as Arven did to Mabosstiff in kind. "This is what our relationship, everything we've been through, is gonna culminate in."

"What's that?"

"Lunch at the Striaton Gym."

"Ah."

Arven was positively beaming with joy as they left the restaurant. He'd had a complete blast, even getting to speak to Cilan, Chili and Cress personally. Then, he'd even teamed up with Robin to take on Cilan and Chili in a Double Battle, which they won, thanks to the chemistry between Starmie and Scovillain. Scovillain would protect Starmie from super-effective Grass moves, absorb the damage easily and fry Cilan's Pokemon, while Starmie would douse Chili's Fire-types. Cilan, Chili and Cress were probably the Gym Leaders Robin was least familiar with, other than maybe Roxie, so it was nice to be introduced.

"So? Was it everything you dreamed it would be?" Robin asked, holding Arven's hand as he skipped jovially along, swinging their intertwined hands back and forth.

"And more!" He concurred. "Ooh, they've got some secrets cooking up in that kitchen, I know it! Because how else do they get their filet mignon so flavorful?!"

"There's a conspiracy theory that they sacrificed their secret quadruplet to Giratina so their food would be tastier." Robin joked. "After this, I might have to look into it..."

"Human sacrifices, eh...?" Arven murmured ominously. "Interesting..."

Robin rolled her eyes. "Leave Drayton and my dad alone. For the sake of Lacey and my unborn half-brother."

"Dammit!" He cried, snapping his fingers in dismay.

Just then, Robin's phone lit up with a text from Drayton himself, reading, "hey can we talk? i'm sorry about the party"

"Speak of the devil, and he shall grovel for forgiveness." She remarked, her face impassive as she stared at the message. "Did I tell you he yelled at me yesterday?"

"No! What'd he say?!" Arven cried, his happy face switching to indignation at the drop of a hat.

"Well, he blamed me for Lacey's breakdown. Said I should've known better than to put her in that outfit. Which, I mean, he's not necessarily wrong, but I wouldn't have put her in that outfit if he didn't insist on her coming to the motherfuckin' party in the first place." She pointed out bitterly. "I've gotta say, I'm surprised he's actually apologizing for things now. Maybe Lacey finally taught him manners."

Arven shrugged. "Maybe he's not the same old jackass. He's a different kind of jackass."

"Yeah... I mean, it's nice that he cares about Lacey, but- Like, why am I the enemy? Why don't you have that same energy for the assholes that made her cry in the first place?" She remarked, starting a text back, but failing to come up with anything to say. "Or maybe he did. I wasn't following him around."

"You gonna talk to him?" Arven asked neutrally.

Robin shrugged. "Probably. Y'know, he's a jackass, but he's my jackass. Plus- I dunno, I think he just lashed out because he was worried about Lacey. I can't say I've never lashed out at someone who didn't deserve it. You forgave me."

"And you forgave me." He added. "Besides, if you forgive Drayton, then maybe Lacey will too. And I think they just need to get together already. It would lowkey solve all of Lacey's problems."

Robin rolled her eyes, a fond yet exasperated smile on her face. "Yes, it'd make her feel wanted, it'd make her feel like she was maturing, and it'd get her to stop ogling you. Triple whammy."

"She's really gotta cut that out." Arven muttered. "Like, I get it, I'm devastatingly handsome and I have a great ass, but I'm taken! The great ass in question is all yours." He assured her, holding both of her hands in his.

She raised an eyebrow. "You promise?"

"Now I'm scared." Arven joked, putting his hands in his pockets. "I think it'd be best if you saw him alone. He- I dunno. I think it'd be weird if I was there." He admitted.

Robin narrowed her eyes a bit, but ultimately acquiesced, and said, "Alright. He wants to meet at Village Bridge. I'll be back before you know it. I can't imagine I'll take too long." She assured him, before sending out Miraidon. "What're you gonna do, alone in Castelia City?"

"I'll figure something out. Maybe a nap." He mused, tapping his index finger to his lip thoughtfully. He then swung his body onto Miraidon behind Robin, gently yet firmly holding onto her waist and resting his head on her shoulder. He pecked her cheek, before murmuring in her ear, "I love you so much, Robin."

Miraidon chose that exact moment to blast off, causing him to momentarily tighten his grip around her waist. Robin smiled, leaning her head against his as they flew over Route 3. Maybe it didn't last too long, but the reprieve from the League Bratz' drama left her so refreshed. A morning alone with Arven, enjoying their vacation properly, that was all she wanted.

"Love you more." She whispered back, savoring the feeling of his skin on hers while it lasted.

Despite his crushing anxiety of seeing Robin again after screaming at her, the ambience of Village Bridge did a lot to soothe Drayton's fears. There was a very pleasant cool breeze in the air, some music and even an art class taking place down below. He'd not really been to Village Bridge much since middle school, he didn't have an excuse to go to Lacunosa Town all the time after Robin had excised him from her life, and it was just a bit out of the way. But he figured having their discussion in a place they'd used to hang out together all the time would make Robin more receptive to his apology. Or maybe bringing back memories was the wrong play, and he should've taken her to Aspertia City, a place he knew she'd never been, but it was too late to change plans now.

Remembering his and Robin's friendship wasn't something he liked to do all that much. He hadn't been a good friend to her, he knew that. He'd stayed mostly silent in the face of the bullying she'd withstood, he'd teased her a bit too hard... All the while, she looked at him like he hung the stars and lit the sun himself. He had someone who loved him so deeply, and he just... threw it away.

Well, that's just depressing, he thought. He couldn't walk into his apology already feeling defeated. She was back, the pain he caused her was four years behind them and he'd opened a path to reconciliation only to drop a tree right in the middle of it. It was time to break out the... landscaping tools and the... crane...

Okay, that metaphor got away from him.

Ooh! There she was now. It always amazed him just how completely different she looked, in every way except her face. She'd grown a foot taller, she'd caught a tan (probably from living somewhere actually warm like Paldea), her hair was huge, and she dressed so much less conservatively now. Back then, she'd refuse to be seen in shorts. Nowadays, it was like you couldn't pay her to put the gams away. But her face was still the same, gentle hooded eyes and heart-shaped lips... He should probably wave before things get awkward. He did so, causing her to shyly wave back. Now that was a mannerism he recognized.

"Hey." He greeted her, unsure of whether or not to go in for a hug. He found he'd rather like to, but he eventually figured it would be inappropriate, so he didn't.

"Hi." She said shortly, standing next to him and leaning over the bridge railing alongside him. "I hear you want to apologize."

"Yeah." He said quietly. "Funny, I feel like I was just in this position. I guess I've got a lot to apologize for." He mused, staring out at the river. "...Sorry I yelled at you."

Robin sighed. "...I kinda deserved it. I did kinda pressure her into wearing something she wasn't comfortable in. I-I just wanted her to- Y'know, I wanted her to feel like she belonged at a party with underage drinking, and I-I thought the best way to start was for her to look the part."

"I know. A-And, I mean, she looked fantastic. I was just- I dunno. I think I felt guilty about pressuring her into coming, after she started crying. So I went looking for someone else to blame, and there you were." He admitted quietly. "I'm sorry I keep doing this. Taking out my own guilt and shame and shit on you. You don't deserve it. I-I- You're- You're, like, my- ...Jesus, I can't really say 'bro' anymore, can I?" He laughed awkwardly, making Robin crack a smile. It wasn't much of a smile, but it was proof that things with her weren't quite so dire.

"And 'sister' makes you sound fruity. I'm impossible to refer to these days..." She said serenely, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "I'm too esoteric to be defined by human labels..."

"How 'bout 'idiot'? That's a human label you can be defined by."

"Nope. Too ethereal..."

"Shut up." He laughed, patting her on the shoulder. "You're really different these days. Sometimes I feel like I barely recognize you. You're- You're, like, glowing these days. You seem so much more confident. Really happy. It's nice."

"...I recognize you just fine, to be honest." Robin said bluntly, causing him to let out a nervous chuckle. "I dunno- Sometimes I think I'm over it. Y'know? Like, I'm over what you did to me. A-And I mean, I know why you said what you said, I-I think that part, I forgive you for, but then- Other things, I'm still angry about." She admitted softly, and it felt like a tiny little needle prick to his heart. "You knew I liked you. You knew damn well I liked you. A-And then you'd embarrass me with it. You'd- You'd, like, insinuate I wanted to kiss you all the time. A-And it hurt, Drayton. I hated it, 'cause I was so scared you'd- I dunno, you'd think I was gross for liking you, and you'd hate me-"

"I could never hate you." He insisted. "You're my- ...Shit."

Robin let out a surprised guffaw despite herself. "Wow. The womanhood is making you crazy." She remarked amusedly, before the mood soured once more. "...I dunno. I-I remembered that, 'cause I saw you with Lacey, and- And it felt like you were doing the same thing to her."

Drayton blinked. "Okay, those are two completely different things. I-I mean, first off, I'm really sorry about that, I know I went too far and I regret that I hurt you, and second- That is not what I'm doing with Lacey!" He protested. "She'd have to like me for me to do that to her!"

Robin looked at him like he'd grown a second head. "...Are you blind, Drayton? She obviously likes you."

"She used to like me, back when I was thirteen and she thought I was cool. I think the illusion wore off after I flunked the first time." He said bitterly, staring down at his reflection in the water. Him and that stupid hairdo. He thought it was so cool back in the day. He wasn't so sure it had the same impact anymore. Sometimes, he thought it was the Drayster Signature, and other times, he just felt so ridiculous looking at himself in the mirror.

Robin cocked her head to the side knowingly. "I don't think she ever thought you were cool, to be honest." She teased, elbowing him in the shoulder. "So you weren't just- I dunno, toying with her the way you toyed with me?"

"No! No, I was- Fuck, I was trying to flirt with her. I guess I fucked it up so bad, it brought up your childhood trauma." He admitted, the sheer absurdity of the situation causing him to crack up a little. "Ohh, I'm such a disaster. I'm such an awful flirt, I managed to traumatize two girls at once."

"And I was just a bystander!" Robin chirped, piling on the hurt. "I'm sorry I keep letting- I dunno, letting old shit make me mad at you. It's been four years. I should be over it by now."

Drayton pursed his lips and clenched his hands around the railing. "...It's okay. I'm not- I mean, it's- It's coming back." He stammered, finally choking out a response that wouldn't make him want to crawl into a hole and hide. "Y'know. All the old shit. It's on a revenge tour. We just have to, like, get through it. Finally deal with all this shit."

Robin nodded, her cherry pink eyes sparkling in the sunlight. "...I want us to be friends, Drayton. Y'know, even after I go back to Paldea. I wanna keep in touch. Sh-Shit, I wanna forgive you so bad." She said quietly. "You were- You were both my best friends. I-I don't think I realized how much I missed you until- Honestly, until the beach. You reminded me of why I liked you so much."

"That was the plan." He joked. "Sweep you off your feet, make you like me again, then apologize. The one-two punch of forgiveness."

"It was pretty effective. Though, I imagine the presence of my boyfriend made you drop the 'sweep me off my feet' angle." Robin teased.

"Yeah." He shrugged. "...I missed you too." He murmured, even though the sincerity made his scalp itch. It was so embarrassing, letting Robin know how he felt. He felt insane, pouring out his heart to her. But even through all that hair, the makeup, the clothes and the brand new confidence... She was still his best friend. And sometimes, he'd feel like no time had passed at all, and that nothing had changed.

 Suddenly, a thought occurred to Drayton. "...By the way, has Arven said anything about... I dunno, some things I might've said to him while I was drunk?"

Robin shook her head no.

"Thank God." He breathed, deeply relieved. He then caught a glance of Robin's bewildered face, and his palms started to sweat a little. "I-It was nothing bad, I swear! I-I just- I got a little weepy, and you know that's bad for the Drayster brand!" He lied frantically. "I-I was just- It was so embarrassing, getting emotional in front of Arven. Like, who the hell is that guy?"

"My boyfriend." Robin said evenly. "You be nice, now."

"No, no, I don't mind your boyfriend! Hell, I was getting weepy in his presence, so obviously I gotta like him on some level! I think he's great. Great for you. You two are, like, disgustingly cute together. It makes my teeth hurt and my breasts ache with rage." He rambled on, unable to look at Robin as she got more and more amused.

"...You really are fruity. That is a deep cut." She laughed, patting him on the shoulder. "So... I do have another problem." She admitted, already awkwardly giggling. "Lacey wants another makeover."

Drayton's eyes seemed to bug out of his head. "ANOTHER- Another one?! She- She cried the first time! She couldn't even handle having her shoulders out! Why would she want to do that again?!" He demanded, his face already turning bright pink.

Robin sighed, shaking her head with an amused smile on her face. "...She wants to impress... You know. People." She said lamely. "I gave in, but- Listen, I'm gonna keep them shoulders covered. I'm gonna dial it back... as much as she'll let me. I don't want her thinking I think she can't handle it, even though we all know she can't- Oh, it's just a fucking mess. What she wants is bad for her, and she wants me to give her what she wants! Ugh, I'm so pissed I'm caught up in this shit."

"Yeah. That is a mess. You girls are so weird. I dunno why she's so hellbent on making herself uncomfortable to prove a point." He grumbled. "She's- I mean, we had a fight about that too. I was trying to tell her she's perfect the way she is and- Ugh, it just came out all wrong. So, this is probably my fault." He admitted sheepishly. "...Sorry?"

Robin closed her eyes, shaking her head slowly as she gritted her teeth. "...You dickhead." She muttered, lightly punching him in the shoulder. "Putting me through the fuckin' ringer! That's what made her cry?! You telling her she's perfect the way she is?!"

"Well, I worded it really badly. I have a knack for saying things in the worst possible ways." He admitted, brushing a stray piece of hair out of his face.

"You're a fucking idiot, Drayton." Robin said bluntly. "But you're my idiot." She said, before wrapping him up in a gentle and all too quick hug. "I'm gonna go back to Castelia City. I left Arven back there alone. He's probably lonely without me."

"Oh, I'm sure. And his bed is so cold...!"

"Ha ha." She said sarcastically, before sending out her Miraidon. "Bye bye, Drayton. You make things right with Lacey, alright?! I don't need to see her crying over you again!"

"I'll try my best!" He yelled back at her, before she took off, leaving him in her dust as she flew away, back home to Arven.

Robin arrived back at the hotel room in a state of panic. One of her rings was missing! She was sure she'd put it on earlier that day, she remembered fiddling with it in the Dreamyard, so where the hell did it go?! It was one of her favourites, a chrome band encrusted with pink spinel that was the exact shade of her eyes, and her birthstone! She could've sworn she'd slid it right onto her left ring finger, because that's where it fit best, and now it wasn't there! Her mom was gonna be so pissed. It was a gift for her sixteenth birthday, a gift she loved and wore almost every day. It went with everything! She was so upset that she lost it, especially after she'd been flying around all day. It could have been in the bottom of the Entralink springs for all she knew. It could have been inside a Jellicent's body at that very moment!

She opened up the hotel room door, and hurried inside. "Arvie! It's a disaster!" She called frantically, immediately rousing him from his nap on the bed. "I lost my ring!"

Arven rolled out of bed immediately. "Oh, no! Which one?" He cried, running his hands through his hair.

"The pink one, with the spinel! Y'know, the one I've always got on my left ring finger!" She told him, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. "Oh, Mom's gonna kill me..."

"No, she won't. It was an accident, right? You didn't just throw it into the river." He assured her, his hands in his pockets as he started to check the drawers of the wardrobe. "Where'd you see it last?"

"Well, I-I thought I had it in the Dreamyard, but I realized I didn't have it when I was flying back from Village Bridge. Oh, it's probably at the bottom of the ocean..." She whimpered, both hands in her scalp, grabbing a fistful of hair. "Shit! I loved that ring!"

"I know you did. I know- Oh! Wait! Is this it?!" He cried, pulling the ring out of the third drawer he checked. Robin's jaw dropped as she gawked at the ring, somehow materializing in a drawer she didn't even use.

"Now- Now how the fuck did it get there?!" She cried, quickly taking back the ring, and looking inside the drawer which contained Arven's pants. "Why the hell was my ring in your pants?!"

"...That sounds vaguely dirty...!"

Robin pointedly ignored that, and instead slid the ring back onto her finger, the sensation of its snug fit eventually fading away into nothing. "I-I could've sworn I had it in the Dreamyard. How the fuck did it teleport back to your pants?"

Arven shrugged, his eyes flicking downward. "I dunno. Maybe you didn't have it in the Dreamyard, and you just thought you did."

"No, I definitely did..." She muttered, eyeing her boyfriend suspiciously. She then stepped a little closer to him, and he took a step back in kind. Another step forward, another step back.

"You stole my ring!" She cried, lunging forward and lightly punching his chest. "Oh my God, you made me panic for no reason! You fucking dickhead!" She squealed, throwing a hundred little tiny punches at him.

Arven had the grace to admit defeat, shielding himself from Robin's attack. "W-Well, I didn't mean to make you worry! I just- I was borrowing it!" He protested.

"Why?! You have fatter fingers than me, it won't fit you!" She reminded him, lightly shaking him by the shoulders.

"I was- I-I was- Oh, screw it. I went jewelry shopping! For your birthday!" He cried out, wriggling out of her grip. "I-I wanted it to be a surprise. But I wanted to make sure it fit, so I- I snuck it off you right before we left Striaton City." He admitted sheepishly. "Y'know, I've gotta spend my inheritance somehow. I figure spoiling you rotten is a good place to start."

Robin's lip quivered, caught somewhere between her rapidly fading indignation and her swelling love for him in her chest. "Well- Why couldn't you just tell me? I would've let you borrow it for sizing!" She breathed, holding both of his hands in hers.

"Did you not hear the part where I said I wanted it to be a surprise?" He reminded her exasperatedly. "Birthday presents are supposed to be surprises, you know."

Robin rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't you talk to me about birthday presents! I seem to remember a man who never even told me it was his birthday in November, so I couldn't get him anything!"

"To be fair, we were fighting at the time." He reminded her. "Sorry I made you worry. I just- I just wanted to do something nice for you. You've been so good to me, taking me here, keeping me company... I dunno, I wanted to pay you back." He muttered under his breath, avoiding Robin's gaze.

She sighed, pulling him into a hug. "You don't have to pay me back for anything. Really, I'm in your debt. You've always been so good to me." She whispered, chest to chest with Arven as he held her close. "But I really appreciate it."

He smiled, pulling away from the hug, his hand on her cheek. "...Is it almost suppertime, do you think?" He murmured, before kissing her on the forehead.

"I think so. I'm in the mood for a nice, cheesy Unovan pizza." She declared, a warm smile spreading across her face. "My treat. Since you've been running around, spending your money on jewelry."

Arven rolled his eyes affectionately as she walked back to the door, slipping her sandals back on. "I've got a pretty hefty inheritance, since I'm his only living relative." He assured her, rubbing her shoulder affectionately.

Robin smiled as they left the hotel room, hand in hand. Her phone quietly buzzed in her pocket, causing her to pull it out. It was just a MewTube video, nothing special, but she opened her phone anyway. Something in her compelled her to open up her text messages. Maybe it was whatever curse of bad judgment had infected her since she'd been in Unova, maybe it was the nostalgia of Castelia City, maybe it as just the warm feeling in her chest.

It was like her hands moved on their own as she sent a short and simple text to her father, reading, "i like the name Quinn"

Chapter Text

Drayton had never in his life been a third wheel before. In fact, usually he'd be part of the couple, and he'd have someone else third-wheeling, often Lacey. Sometimes Crispin. Once, that scrawny little kid brother of Carmine's. But now, exploring Shopping Mall Nine with Robin and Arven, he realized just how awkward of a position he'd put his poor friends in. Robin and Arven, bless their hearts, were so obnoxiously in love that it made him sick, walking around the mall hand in hand, smiling at each other with so much earnest affection, it almost made Drayton puke on the spot. He wondered if he ever smiled like that in any of his relationships. Probably not, he thought. He'd never had what Robin and Arven had with anyone.

"We've gotta get this man some streetwear." Robin announced, pointing at a store with a rather grungy aesthetic. "I've always wondered if you could pull off something emo-adjacent..." She muttered, squinting at Arven appraisingly.

"The man is blond. He's gonna look like a total poser." Drayton warned her, though he followed the couple in regardless.

"Y'know, I feel like I have the angst of an emo kid, but none of the look." Arven remarked. "It's kind of an emo staple to hate your dad, isn't it?"

Robin shrugged. "Kinda. The dude from Green Day seemed to like his dad. Besides, you're not nearly scrawny enough. Maybe we should get Drayton lookin' emo..."

Drayton squawked, backing away from the couple, who were sharing a menacing look. "Don't tell me you're making me over now! That didn't work out so well last time!"

"Don't worry, I won't make you show off the cum gutters." She assured him, eliciting another indignant squawk from Drayton. "But I'm just saying. This mysterious, unknowable, incomprehensible aesthetic you've got goin' on..."

"Hey, my look is perfectly fine!"

Robin pursed her lips, looking him up and down, her cherry pink eyes narrowed. "...You dress like you're five."

"HEY!"

Arven and Robin both burst out laughing, Robin curling into him to suppress her giggles. It was sickeningly sweet to watch. Whenever she'd laugh, it'd be Arven's face she'd look for, to see if he was sharing the joy. It brought back a few memories of when he'd be that guy for her.

"I-I do not dress like I'm five! I dress like a very cool, very sophisticated-"

"You wear a cape!"

"IT'S AROUND MY WAIST!" Drayton protested loudly, drawing a few disapproving glances, but he didn't care. This wicked woman was bruising his little ego, again! He had to retaliate. "Oh, and you're less ridiculous. You went to a party in, like, three square inches of fabric!"

"And I looked amazing in it." Robin said haughtily, before grabbing him by the arm and pulling him inside. Drayton had to admit, she really did. She looked good in a way that completely fried his brain. It was almost inconceivable to him that the girl in that rose gold minidress was his old friend, all grown up. Whenever he imagined where she'd got to, he always imagined her in well-tailored high waisted trousers and glasses, bookish, refined. That, to him, seemed like the natural progression of her style, but clearly that wasn't the path she was on. Sometimes he looked at Robin and wondered how the hell she managed to flip her entire vibe around. She was a dignified nerd before, and now she was one of the pretty girls. She'd changed so much, and Drayton barely felt like he'd changed at all.

Robin took a look at the graphic t-shirts that were sold in the store, and immediately, her brows furrowed. Upon further inspection, her face twisted into a look of sheer horror and disgust.

"What the hell do they be selling here?!" She cried, looking up and down the display. "'Autism is my superpower'? 'You call it autism, I call it having that dawg in me'? What the fuck is going on in here on this day?!"

"'Undiagnosed but I'm pretty sure I've got a touch of the 'tism'. Who the hell is wearing that?" Arven asked rhetorically, a matching look of horror on his face.

"Girl, tacky the house down..." She murmured, looking for a t-shirt that wasn't quite so garishly 'neurospicy'. She then stumbled upon the corny sex joke section of the t-shirts, and began reading those off with Drayton.

"'Don't bully me, I'll cum'. Ooh, that one's for you, Dray-Dray." Robin teased, patting him on the shoulder. "That's gotta be why you're into Lacey, eh?"

"Shut up." He muttered, a flock of Butterfree taking residence in his stomach. "'Don't touch me, kitten, I'm edging'. Jesus Christ. I might need this one, actually."

"'Your son is a hoe'. Seems like a gift I need to send to Calla..."

"Do not send my mom that shirt."

"Robin, what is wrong with this store?" Arven hissed, holding a shirt that read 'MILF: Man I Love Feet' with many pictures of feet. "Is this really where the Drayton makeover begins?"

"'I'll always be low-income but I'll never be low in cum'..." Robin murmured, reading off another shirt in horror. "Okay, maybe this is the tacky boots section. Maybe there'll be more palatable items in the back of the store..." She mused, slipping past Drayton to the back of the store...

She was instantly met by a huge wall of vibrators and dildos.

"Alright, let's try somewhere else!" She chirped with a traumatized quiver in her voice, grabbing both Arven and Drayton by the arm and flitting out of the store.

"Found the sex toys, eh?" Drayton teased, not wrenching his arm away from her just yet. "I would've thought you and Arven would be more intrigued..."

"Wha- Well, we're not gonna shop for them with you!" Arven squawked indignantly, his face starting to heat up.

"Why not? I probably know more about sex than either of you." He reasoned. "Like, I would bet my life that you two have only had sex with each other. Like, you both give 'first love, first time, first everything' vibes. Not to toot my own horn, but I can't count my bodies on two hands."

"I'd rather you didn't toot your own horn in front of us, thanks." Robin joked, finally letting him go as they approached another, more professional-looking store. "Also, that is such an impersonal, objectifying way of referring to the people you've slept with. 'Bodies'. Like you've got corpses in your freezer."

"You're avoiding the question. You two've only done each other, right?"

Arven's flush intensified as he hid his face in his hands. "J-Jesus fucking Christ..."

"I'm taking that as a yes. So I'd be a pretty qualified guide, I think." Drayton boasted, puffing out his very scrawny chest a bit.

"Just because you have a lot of sex doesn't mean you're any good at it. I'm noticing a distinct lack of girlfriends..." Robin remarked, eyeing Drayton suspiciously.

"What, you wanna see for yourself?"

"Hey! I'm right here!" Arven protested, grabbing Robin's arm with both of his.

"Plus, I'd probably rather fuck myself gently with a chainsaw." Robin said bluntly. "Not to be crass, but I am nowhere near unsatisfied..."

Drayton's nose scrunched up in disgust. "Ugh. Too much information." He grumbled as he entered the store, and immediately he knew he wasn't gonna like any of it. It was all preppy, tacky in the opposite way of the other store, just boring with no edge. Arven would love it.

"And yet you were so gung-ho about walking us through it! I'm beginning to think you're just mad you're not getting any!" Robin teased, elbowing Drayton in the gut. "Y'know, I'd set you up with my friend Mela, but I think she's a lesbian..."

"Don't do that to Mela." Arven insisted. "She's your friend."

"What am I, some kind of punishment?!"

"Yes." Both Robin and Arven said in unison.

"You're a danger to the self-esteem and mental well-being of teenage girls. Lacey's pissed at you, I hear this girl named Carm... Carmit... Carmine! Carmine has a bone to pick with you, and we might even be able to count me. I'd hate to think of who else you've ticked off..." Robin listed off, ticking the girls off on her fingers.

"What are you doing talking to Carmine?!" Drayton demanded, lazily flicking through a rack of jackets.

"She was at the party. Her little brother was there too. Hey, settle a debate for me. Is he gay?" Robin asked slyly.

Drayton thought about it for a minute, scratching his chin. "...No idea. He's really shy, so I don't know much about him. He doesn't seem gay... But then again, I don't really seem bisexual, and here we are."

"No, you do." Robin informed him. "I'm surprised we're the only two people that know."

"I'm a good secret-keeper." Drayton said evenly.

"Evidently." Robin remarked, picking out a pair of dark grey distressed jeans. "Eh?"

Drayton shrugged. "I don't mind that."

"Why do you two buy clothes with holes in them? Seems like a waste of money." Arven remarked.

"The girls love a good distressed piece! It suggests ruggedness." Robin informed him simply. "You're just mad Drayton saw my bra."

"I- I just don't get it! That's, like, the whole point of underwear, no? It goes under what you wear?" He protested.

"Yes! But there's the inherent eroticism of taking a peek at one's undergarments... It was a great look!"

"It was." Drayton agreed.

"You shut it." She told him jokingly. "Y'know, I spent so long in Paldea, I forgot just how huge the fountain drinks are here in Unova. I gotta use the little ladies' room!" She chirped, hurriedly skipping out of the store and toward the bathrooms near the food court, her curly pigtails billowing out in her wake.

Arven and Drayton awkwardly stared at each other for a moment, before Drayton broke the eye contact to peruse some more displays. It was awkward being alone with his friend's boyfriend on the best of days, but being alone with the guy to whom you drunkenly implied you wanted a threesome with was another thing entirely. He tried everything he could to avoid Arven, and avoid the awkward discussion that was sure to follow, which Drayton was pretty sure would end with a fist to his nose.

Arven followed him through the store like a lost Lillipup, looking at whatever he was looking at. Good God. Could this get any more suffocating? Arven was following just a bit too close behind, looming over him. He swore he could faintly feel Arven's breath on the back of his neck.

"Can I ask you something?" Arven asked, his tone perfectly neutral, if a bit shy. Oh, Lord. Here it comes. He's gonna rip into him for his drunken shenanigans. He's gonna say he's disgusting, that he doesn't want him near Robin-

"Do you know what kind of flowers Robin likes?" He asked simply, not a hint of malice in his teal eyes.

"O-Oh, uh- Uh, yeah! Robin was big into flowers when we were kids. She likes carnations, she likes, uh... Gladiolus. That's what they're called. She likes flowers with lots of itty-bitty petals, really." Drayton stammered, internally kicking himself for letting his surprise show like that. Of course Arven wouldn't rip into him. He was nicer than that. And of course he wants to buy Robin flowers. Why wouldn't he? He's a nice guy who loves his girlfriend. "You could probably sneak in some chrysanthemums for brownie points with her mom."

"I thought that'd be a bit on the nose." Arven remarked, a light smile on his face. "So carnations, gladioluses... Peonies?"

"Yeah. She's the only person I know who could tell the difference between a carnation and a peony at first glance." He chuckled quietly. "She had a big book on flower language. I don't know shit about it, it went in one ear and out the other, but I think- I think she'd really like it if you sent, like, a coherent message in flower language. Y'know, you put thought into it, you didn't just pick whatever out of the grocery store checkout. Just don't get any striped carnations. I remember striped carnations mean rejection. But the non-striped ones usually mean love. So be careful, or you're gonna end up accidentally breaking up with her and sending her condolences at the same time."

"Jesus. That sounds complicated..." Arven mumbled. "Alright. I'll look into flower language..."

"What's the occasion? Her birthday?" Drayton inquired cheekily.

"Can't a guy get his girlfriend flowers?"

"Well, flowers are one thing. I see you glancing at that jewelry store over there." He told him with a sly grin. "Flowers and jewelry. You're going big, aren't ya?"

Arven averted his eyes to the ground, flushing lightly. "...It's the first birthday of hers I'm around for. I wanna make it special."

"Special, indeed. I heard about you snatching her ring, too. So it's flowers and a ring, huh?"

"...And dinner." Arven admitted. "You think I should cook, or...?"

Drayton shrugged. "You any good?"

Arven scoffed a little, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Well, she thinks I'm amazing."

"Then you should cook. More intimate that way." Drayton advised him. "It should probably just be the two of you. You probably don't want an audience."

Arven blinked, before nervously running his hands through his hair. "...Thanks." He said quietly, before patting Drayton's shoulder, a soft smile on his face.

"Good luck, dude." He muttered, brushing his hand off his shoulder. "I'm rooting for ya."

"Join the club." Arven joked. "Robin's mom calls me her future son-in-law. And her friend Nemona is, uh... Nosy."

"How so?"

"She's very invested in our... private life."

Drayton snorted, a bit bewildered, and also quite a bit understanding. "Well, I'm sure she's got a lot to be happy about these days, then."

"Shut up." Arven muttered, nervously chuckling as he shoved Drayton lightly. "I'm not asking you for a damn thing, by the way. Like you're any good with women."

"Hey, just because I can't make a woman happy doesn't mean I can't please her."

"Eugh."

After a grueling shopping spree wherein Robin was truly in her element, Drayton ever so kindly escorted them to the Tubeline Bridge, which, as Robin predicted, was a bit of a letdown. They bid Drayton farewell before heading back to the hotel to have dinner and... chill. With a few new items of clothing and a whole language of flowers to study, Arven was just going to deliver Robin to Chrys' care and go purchase some flowers. Chrys had been mentioning she'd like to spend more time with Robin, anyway. And thanks to the handy-dandy Find My Rotom Phone feature, Robin was able to ascertain that she was at home.

"Is it just me, or are you and Drayton becoming best friends?" Robin teased as he walked her to the penthouse. "I'm feeling the chemistry!"

Arven rolled his eyes, hand in hand with her, though he thought he'd quite like to shove her at that moment. "He's such a jackass." He muttered exasperatedly.

"Yes, but he's an endearing jackass. He's comically bad at everything, it almost makes you feel bad for him." She joked. "Hopefully he and Lacey can get their shit together. 'Cause really, he had the best of intentions that went completely awry."

"How do you fuck up saying 'you're perfect the way you are'? Like, how does that happen? How is it even possible to fuck that up?"

"Leave it to Drayton to bungle the most romantic thing he could've said in that moment." Robin joked as Arven opened up the door to the penthouse.

He then quickly shut it as gently as he could. "There's a man in there!!" He hissed, his eyes wide as saucers.

"What?!" Robin whisper-screamed as Arven opened the door up a crack and peeked inside. "Who is it?!"

"I don't know! He's- He's, like, super muscular!" Arven informed her, taking another peek. "He's got orange and black hair!"

"Is he black?"

"Yes!"

"Is he wearing a gi?!"

"No, he's wearing a distractingly tight mock turtleneck!"

"Is he- Oh, screw it! Move over!" Robin hissed, taking Arven's place at the door, peeking inside.

"...What the hell is Marshal doing in my house?!" She squealed as quietly as she could, gently closing the door. "Marshal from the Elite Four!"

"I think they're having a glass of wine!" Arven cried, struggling to maintain a low volume. "Mind you, it's only six o'clock!"

"This woman is not well..." Robin murmured, opening the door back up to take a peek in at the goings-on...

She was then visually assaulted by the sight of her mother passionately making out with Marshal, a man she'd known since she was eight years old.

She closed the door, her face pale and her eyes wider than ever before. "...My mother is having relations with Marshal." She whispered in a haunted tone. "Marshal."

"Come on, let's get out of here before they hear us!" He whisper-shouted, grabbing Robin by the arm and tip-toeing down the hallway back to the elevator. They got inside, barely able to hold their surprise as the elevator doors slid shut.

"My mom is wine-drunk and making out with MARSHAL!" Robin squealed, her hands in her hair as she paced around the elevator. "Marshal! The guy who'd play hide and seek with me, Drayton and Lacey sometimes when we'd have to hang around the League! This is so- I-I'm perturbed!"

"Two little siblings..."

"Do NOT speak that into existence." Robin warned him with a wild look in her eye. "Oh my God. My mom is sleeping with Marshal."

Both she and Arven fell silent for a while, standing completely still, only the quiet whirring of the elevator and Robin's heavy breathing audible in the enclosed space.

"Go, Chrys." Arven remarked, breaking the tense silence as the elevator opened.

"Indeed." Robin concurred, though she did not match Arven's amused smirk. "I-I mean, I'm not mad about it. She's been divorced for a year and a half. She may as well get some action. But-"

"Y'know, I remember Marshal now... He asked you about her, right?" Arven interrupted her, narrowing his eyes. "I guess he found out all about her, huh?"

Robin shoved him to the side, eliciting a round of quiet giggles from him. "My mom and Marshal. That is the wildest fucking crossover I've ever seen in my life."

"Is it so wild? She's his coworker's sister. Plus, they've known each other a long time." He reasoned, every word only horrifying Robin even more.

"That makes it so much worse! They've known each other forever! Why would they just hook up?! That'd be- That'd be so awkward! Plus, he asked me about her- Holy shit, they're not just fucking. They're, like, a thing." Robin breathed, stopping in her tracks, horror evident on her face. "They're seeing each other."

"...Good for them?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Good for them. I'm happy my mom's happy or whatever, but what the fuck is going on?! This is so- This is so goddamn random, my brain can't even comprehend it...!" She whined, leaning her head on Arven's chest. "My mom is having a summertime fling with the man who earnestly discussed the artistic merits of The Maze Runner with me. A fling. This is not gonna end well."

"What, you think she should take it more seriously?"

"YES! Marshal has been single for, like, ten years! He lives and breathes discipline, honour, patience, all that zen shit. Do you think that is a man who does casual?!" Robin squawked. "Oh my God, this recontextualizes everything... Like, what was he doing taking care of her kid?! He'd take time off practice just so I wouldn't be alone! What the- She was married! She was married to my father, he had to have heard about allll their marital problems because Caitlin is a huge gossip, and- How long has he been waiting for this?!"

"That's kind of romantic, isn't it? He's been pining over her from afar... Waiting for his chance..."

"Yeah. And then she's gonna go home." Robin muttered, crossing her arms.

Arven blinked, his lips forming a perfect 'O'. "...Damn."

"Yup. This is a horrible idea." She grumbled, taking his hand and gently leading them out of the building. "Well... What should we do, now that my mother is... indisposed?"

Arven shrugged, looking out at the Castelia skyline, painted in gold from the sunset. "Hm... I dunno. I did get mustard in my hair. It might be time to wash it out..."

"Oh, right! I forgot all about that." She cried, snapping her fingers. "At least mustard is pretty easy to wash out."

"Hm... I might need some help, though..." Arven murmured, leaning ever so slightly closer to her.

"Dude. It's just mustard. It's water-soluble."

"What if I got it in the back of my scalp? I might need you to get those... hard-to-reach places..." He whispered, his hand on the small of her back.

"How the fuck did you get mustard in your scalp?"

"...Robin, would you like to fuck in the shower?"

"Ohhhhhh..." Robin breathed, flushing light red as it finally sank in for her. She closed her eyes, trying not to laugh in his face.

She took a few moments to compose herself, before shrugging, and nonchalantly muttering, "Yeah, sure."

Arven laughed, wrapping his arm around her waist and leading her to the hotel. It was a very, very small amount of mustard in his hair that they'd wiped away relatively quickly, but no excuse is too silly for some time alone with his girlfriend, he thought.

Funnily enough, despite them being in the shower together, naked and touching, there wasn't a lot of fucking actually happening in that shower. Robin and Arven had very quickly realized that kissing in the shower was not an enjoyable experience with all the water in their mouths, and it was much too slippery for any funny business. Instead, Arven once more helped Robin maintain her hair. It was a very involved process. He really had to fight with her thick mane to massage the shampoo into her scalp.

"This is almost trickier than bathing Mabo." Arven muttered, rubbing the shampoo into her scalp. "Your hair is so thick."

"Mm-hmm..." Robin hummed, barely even hearing him. The lather had covered her ears. Instead, she just focused on how remarkably good his fingers felt in her hair. She knew she liked it when he pulled it, she didn't know she liked when he massaged her scalp. It was so relaxing, Robin thought she might fall asleep standing up.

Finally satisfied with the shampoo's coverage, Arven picked up the shower nozzle, and brought it to Robin's head to rinse out her hair. Even that felt amazing to Robin, the water pressure being strong enough to penetrate her massive mane and wash away the shampoo. Maybe it wasn't just about Arven. Maybe she just had a scalp that was, like, really sensitive. Did other people like getting their scalp played with? Maybe Arven would appreciate getting his hair washed for him...

"Hey, lemme do yours." Robin suggested, grabbing the shampoo bottle. "I hear the mustard's in deep."

Arven rolled his eyes, repositioning himself in front of her. "You know I was lying, right?" He muttered, flinching a little bit when Robin clapped her shampoo-covered hands onto his head.

"Yeah. Obviously." She replied, starting to massage the shampoo into his hair, creating a thick lather. He let out a few quiet noises, each little whine going right to her groin. She was introducing him to the magic of getting one's hair washed, returning the favor he'd given her a few days earlier, and clearly, he was feeling the fantasy. She pressed her body up against his as she worked, trying not to skewer his scalp with her nails. Judging by how he leaned into her touch, she thought she was doing a good job. Perhaps her nails would improve the experience. It felt pretty good when he'd scratch her scalp, she thought. So she gently scritched his head, causing him to take in a shaky breath. Ah, it was working. He was melting under her touch. Robin smiled, a warm feeling in her chest, knowing that she was making him feel good. Why didn't she do this before?

Arven sighed, a quiver in his voice. Robin's delicate hands, her long, bony fingers and sharp nails felt so good in his hair. Her hands moved with all the grace and poise of the rest of her, daintily massaging the shampoo deep into his scalp. He had to admit, he'd never been great taking care of his hair. He cut it himself, and he'd be the first to say he was far from a professional. Correction, he used to cut it himself, but after both Ambroses fervently objected, he'd been going to their luxurious salon, and they refused to let him pay. But he still didn't have the expensive products Robin did, he got his shampoo and conditioner from the pharmacy. Were they optimal for his hair? Who knew? He'd never really cared. But now he felt a little guilty about how poorly he took care of his own hair. Every inch of Robin's skin was cared for, and now she was dealing with his mess. Despite Robin literally having soap in her hands, it felt too dirty for her to touch.

He'd done a good job battling back that voice in his head that he wasn't good enough for her, he thought. She'd made a valiant effort of her own to soothe his insecurities, she told him just how much she adored him all the time, but unfortunately, the voice that spoke in his father's tongue was a tricky bastard, and so hard to kill. Maybe he didn't deserve her, maybe he was only going to break her or taint her or- Or whatever, but it didn't matter. He wanted her, and she wanted him, and that was all there had to be to it. Robin had drilled that one into his brain more than once. Even Chrys took a few turns. Maybe one day, he'd be able to believe it in his bones.

She started to rinse out his hair, humming to herself as she worked, standing on her tip-toes to rinse the top of his head. She braced her hand on his shoulder for balance, and Arven almost crumbled to pieces at her touch. Her nails absently tapped on his collarbone as she aimed the nozzle at the roots of his hair. Once she was satisfied with the rinse, she cracked open her own special bottle of conditioner, and squirted some on her hand. "Always wanted to use my stuff on your pretty blond hair..." She muttered, carefully coating the ends of his hair in her conditioner.

Arven closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Robin was normally very territorial over her beauty products. She never let Mela touch anything of hers. Even her drugstore eyeshadow was strictly off-limits. But here she was, giving him her conditioner like it was nothing. She didn't even have to be talked into it. She unilaterally decided to give it to him.

She worked methodically, combing her fingers through each section of hair slowly, repeatedly, until she was satisfied with the level of coverage. Then she'd move to the next, and repeat the process. It was odd, Arven had never thought of Robin as particularly patient. She used Miraidon to skip the hassle of Flying Taxis or walking, she had a private jet to bypass TSA, she had all kinds of things to remove her need for patience. But just as soon as the thought occurred to him, he realized it was silly. Robin's makeup took time, and she was very precise. Every flick of her eyeliner pen, every pat of an eyeshadow brush, it was done in methodical detail. She wasn't treating him like a hassle to be skipped or powered through. This was a ritual to her, same as her own makeup or hair care. She was taking care of him with just as much- if not more- care as she took care of herself.

"Alright, now we've just gotta let it sit for a while. I guess I'll do mine in the meantime..." Robin announced as she finished applying the conditioner, flicking her wet hair over her shoulder.

Arven turned around, ready to offer his services, but no words came out of his mouth. His voice failed him, and he could feel a few tears leaking out of his eyes, disguised by the shower. It was like his body moved by itself, wrapping his arms around her waist and sinking into her arms. He tried not to cry, he didn't even know where his tears came from or why. All he felt was the crippling, all-consuming love he held for Robin pounding in his chest, like his heart was trying to claw its way out of his chest to her. She seemed a little confused, her hands lingering in the air for a few seconds, but eventually she returned the hug, holding him close and leaning her head against his. It had been a long time since he'd felt like this, needy and weak, but this time, he didn't feel quite so ashamed.

Probably because the crying was camouflaged.

"I love you." He murmured shakily. "I-I'm gonna love you 'til the day I die." He promised, and unlike some other sweet nothings he'd whisper in her ear... Something in him knew that he meant that. Whether it was a promise or a simple statement of fact, he fully believed it to be true.

"Seventy-plus years of you loving me? Sign me up!" Robin giggled, patting him on the back as she pulled away from the hug. "Y'know, despite the ostentatious lack of fucking happening, I'd say that this was a pretty good idea." She remarked, holding his hands in hers, her thumb running over his rough knuckles.

"We should do this again sometime." He agreed, meeting her heavy-lidded cherry pink eyes.

"We should. However, I'm gonna need you to stop acting like we're done here and help me with all this goddamn hair..." She said pointedly, flipping her long, flat curtain of hair at him.

"Oh, alright..." He huffed, though a huge smile spread across his face. If there was one part of Robin's body he loved more than her eyes or her breasts or her lips or her collarbone or her cute little butt... It was her hair. It was her pride and joy, her voluminous bronze mane curled and hairsprayed and teased until it could eclipse the sun. And the fact that she trusted him with it made his heart swell with something warm every time she made him help her with it. Sure, he'd kissed her, slept beside her, been inside her, but Arven almost thought that this was the most intimate thing he'd ever done with her.

He squirted a bit onto his hands and started working in sections, just as she had. He promised himself he'd take just as good care of her as she did him.

Lacey was sitting in her living room at night with the house to herself, reading To Kill a Chatot to get ahead of her schoolwork, but not really digesting it. Robin had promised her a makeover. Where was it? She'd texted her a few times, but Robin said she was busy going to the Village Bridge with Arven, or putting Drayton's Haxorus in a Pokemon Musical, but that they'd get around to it soon. Well, how soon was soon?! It had been two whole days since Robin's promise, and she'd yet to make good on it. Instead, she was gallivanting around the region with her freaking boyfriend. And Drayton. Usually just her freaking boyfriend. But sometimes she'd snag Drayton too.

Hmph.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement outside the front window. Her heart skipped a beat as she leapt out of her chair. Maybe it was finally time for one of those makeovers. Robin always did hate texting, she preferred to just show up.

She hurried to open the door, but she was sorely disappointed when all she found on the other side was Drayton. Him and his stupid, stupid face, his stupid hands with the stupid long fingers poised to ring her stupid doorbell, his stupid lips, slightly parted in stupid surprise-

"Hey." He greeted her, the momentary surprise having completely fallen off his stupid face, replaced with his stupid, stupid, charming, stupid smirk.

She rolled her eyes, and tried to slam the stupid door shut in his stupid, stupid handsome face, but he reacted fast enough to stop it, holding it open. "Hey, I know things are a bit shit between us right now, but I thought you'd at least talk to me!" He protested with his stupid, smug, cocky, arrogant voice.

"I have nothing to say to you." She said sharply, though even she could tell that was a bold-faced lie. She had so much to say to him, she wanted to call him an arrogant, prideful sack of shit, a spineless social climber, a self-destructive little moron, unbearably infuriating, annoying... The list of pejoratives she'd come up with for him was quite lengthy.

"I don't believe you." He said evenly. "Go on. Let it out." He urged her gently, a piece of his stupid ungelled white hair falling gently on his stupid forehead. He looked so much better without that stupid gel in his stupid hair.

She grabbed him by the stupid forearm, and tugged him into her stupid living room. "I- You- How freaking dare you?! Showing up here, uninvited, no calls, no texts, nothing?! A-After you humiliated me-"

Drayton bristled, and Lacey had the distinct impression that if he were a Sandaconda, he would have started to rattle. "I'm sorry. I-I shouldn't have made you come-"

"Oh, 'cause you and your new girlfriend don't think I'm capable of doing anything exciting. You both just think I'm this little baby, who doesn't know what she wants or what's good for her, and you all know so much better than me. News flash, buddy! I'm older than you! If anyone's gonna make my decisions, it's not gonna be either of you jokers!" She ranted and raved, watching with great satisfaction as Drayton's stupid face twisted into an expression of pure bewilderment.

"Okay, a few bullet points to go over. One, what girlfriend?! And two, I-I don't think I know better than you! God, Lacey, I'd have to be kind of fucking delusional to think that-"

Lacey rolled her eyes. "Oh, please! She just shows back up and she completely takes over your life again! I-It's like you don't even see me when she's around! A-And it's always been like that, ever since we were kids, you only ever cared about her-"

"Wait, wait, wait wait wait. This is about ROBIN?!" Drayton demanded, his stupid, pointy ears turning bright pink. "Dude, she's- How could she be my girlfriend?! She literally has a boyfriend. You've met him! We've seen them together! He's a really nice dude! He's super cool once you get to know him."

"Yeah, you're listing logistical reasons you can't be together, you're not saying you don't like her." Lacey grumbled.

"I do not have a crush on Robin Ambrose!" Drayton shouted. "She's- She's my- We're friends! We're just friends!"

Lacey scoffed, turning away and leaving the room and stalking to the kitchen, though Drayton followed her, as he always did. "Yeah, by her choice. Funny how the tables have turned, you're the one pining and she's the one who's off with someone else."

He flinched, a pained expression on his stupid face. "I'm not pining for her. She's my friend. That's it."

"I don't believe you." She said quietly. "I-I thought you two were just friends before, a-and it was just a friendship fallout, but oh my God, it's like you two got divorced or something, the way you talk to Arven. You're all, 'Take care of her', all 'You make her happy', like holy crap! A-And now she's back, she's hot and she's confident and I can see you drooling over her and- And- And you're ignoring me again, just like when we were kids. I-I haven't seen you in days, but you have the time to go to Village Bridge, Shopping Mall Nine, the White Treehollow and PokeStar Studios with her. You're splitting off, you're becoming a duo again, a-a fucking couple. And I can see the way you look at Arven, like you wanna rip his throat out-"

"That is not what is happening! I-I have never in my life been jealous of Arven. I've said it to their faces, drunk as a Skuntank, that I think they're a great couple! I don't wanna rip his throat out-"

"So what's the look about?"

"He's hot!" Drayton cried, though he quickly clapped his stupid hands over his stupid mouth, his stupid eyes wide open.

Lacey's screams died on her tongue, her mouth hanging open in complete shock. "...Y-You like Arven?!" She breathed, her eyes unable to focus on the man she thought she knew, but clearly she didn't know the first fucking thing about him.

Drayton squeaked, his stupid voice embarrassingly high. "I-I never said I like him! I-I mean, I like him on a human level! I just think he's- Y'know, he's, like- Y'know! Robin has good taste! I wouldn't date him, though. He's a bit of a sap." He mumbled, hiding his face in his hands. "O-Oh my God... I-I never wanted to tell you-"

"What, that you're gay?! Drayton, I-I've known you since we were babies! D-Do you honestly think I'd be- Like, homophobic?!" Lacey cried, her cheeks turning red. "I was Robin's friend for years! Obviously I like gay people!"

"I'm-"

"Oh my God, why the hell do you go through girls like tissues if you're gay?! You don't even- Hang on. WERE YOU AND ROBBIE-"

"NO!" Drayton yelled, his face bright red. "N-No, quite the opposite, actually! I-I was- Oh, my God, I-" He stammered, holding onto the island for support. "Y-You were never supposed to know-" He breathed, his other hand on his chest. "...I-I really fucked up back then. I was- I couldn't- Fuck, I couldn't go through what she did, and I just- She got so close and I couldn't-"

"Oh my God. Oh my GOD. OH MY- When you said those things to her, you were- You were breaking up with her!" Lacey squealed, clapping her hands over her own mouth. "A-And now- Holy MURKROW!"

"We were never together!" Drayton protested. "I-I just- I liked her, okay? I liked her when we were kids. That's it." He explained weakly. "...Plus, I'm not gay. I like girls too. I-I'm, like- God, I hate saying it. I feel like I- You know, I haven't earned the right, y'know? I've never dated a boy. I've never kissed a boy. I-I mean, I've wanted to, but-"

Lacey blinked. "...You like girls too?" She asked quietly.

Drayton nodded, almost imperceptibly.

She swallowed a lump in her throat. "...S-So you- You could still-"

Drayton's face fell instantly, and he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Lacey, I do not have feelings for her." He reiterated softly yet firmly.

"Yes, you do." She said quietly. "Maybe they're not- Maybe you're not in love, but- I-I mean, I know you're a heartbreaker but I never took you for a homewrecker. Maybe you don't love her, but- Come on. You have some feelings for her. You've never- You've never been so excited to see me. Ever."

He groaned, running his hands through his stupid hair. "Jesus Christ, Lacey! I- Are you fucking blind?! You- Oh my God, you're so- You're such an idiot! I-" He cried out, unable to keep a train of thought going for more than a few seconds, he was so flabbergasted. "I-I was excited to see Robin 'cause it's been four years! I see you all the time, Lace. You've always been there. I-I mean, everyone else, they come and they go, but you've always been there for me, and- And- God, what is wrong with you?! Why can't you see it?!" He shouted, his golden eyes seeming to glow through the few tears welling up in his eyes.

Lacey's lip quivered as she stared back at him, the intensity in his eyes causing her to shrink away from him. "...Get out." She whispered.

Drayton blinked, moving back like she'd hit him right in the chest. "Wha-"

"GET OUT!" She screamed, her voice feeling alien as it burst out of her. "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

"Lace-"

"Get out!! Get out of my- Get out, get out, get out...!" She cried, unable to hold her volume for long as her chest felt like it was squeezing her heart to a pulp. She couldn't look at his shocked face, his red eyes and his quivering lip without wanting to cry on the spot. She just wanted him gone, out of her heart, out of her life, she wanted all the pain he brought with him to go away. Of course he thought she was stupid. Naive. And she was. She was naive for ever thinking he cared about her. All he did was hurt her, because she was too weak in the knees to pull herself out of his grip. She thought maybe her love for him would make it all worth it, but she'd given up. He'd be every other girl's before he'd be hers. Maybe even every other boy's. It just wasn't worth the pain anymore to pine and pine and pine over a guy who'd never want what she had to offer.

Drayton bit his lip and wordlessly stalked out of her house, making almost no sound as he closed the door behind him. He'd entered her life almost seventeen years before with no fanfare, as if he was always meant to be there. He'd never said hello, he just appeared. Through the storm of her emotions, Lacey thought it was fitting that when he left her, he left without saying goodbye.

The next day, Lacey showed up at Arven and Robin's hotel room with a mission. She was gonna walk out of there, looking nothing like herself. She was gonna look hot, she was gonna look grown-up, she was gonna look so goddamn good that no one would ever dismiss her again. Clearly, Robin had that power in her hands. Robin turned heads. Robin had hair so huge, it blocked out the sun. It was only right that she'd share the magic.

She knocked on the door, and was quickly invited in by Robin. "Come in, come in! I've got some things prepared for you, but I really wanna take a crack at your hair and makeup!" She chirped, flitting about the living room, which had clothes strewn all over it. Arven sat there on the couch, and waved hello to Lacey, before his gaze landed fondly right back on Robin. He seemed greatly entertained by her neurotic tittering as she gathered outfits she'd packed.

"...and I even packed us some chic little blazers, in the event you wanna serve a bit of knockoff Chanel realness..." She nattered on, holding up a black blazer with white trim. "I kept thinking, what would really pop on you? And I think black would really do you justice. 'Cause you're so pale, it'll have a big impact, and it goes with your hair."

"Does it have to be so... Y'know. Why can't I wear something like this?" Lacey asked, gesturing to Robin's outfit, a sparkly bell-sleeved black dress with a plunging neckline and a layered ruffle skirt that had light pink at the bottom.

Robin and Arven shared a look, as if judging her for being so stupid. "Is this a neckline you're okay with?" Robin asked, her hands on her breasts to demonstrate how much cleavage she was showing. "I mean, the girls are saying hello."

Lacey blinked, mildly horrified by the sight of Robin's breasts, which were apparently quite real, and not just the product of tissues in her bra. "Yeah, sure. I just- I dunno, I wanna have a little edge."

The couple exchanged another glance, before Robin flitted away in search of another outfit she had prepared. She returned with what looked to her like a bridesmaid's dress, powder blue and high-necked. It was at least glittery, so it was a little interesting. "Eh?" Robin prompted, a tense grin on her face.

"Mm-mm." Lacey hummed, shaking her head side to side and crossing her arms in an 'X'.

"Alright... This?" Robin asked, holding up a pink floral blouse and matching skirt.

Lacey crossed her arms in an 'X' again, before rummaging around in Robin's closet, picking out an orange Beautifly-wing shaped halter top.

"Ooh..." Robin muttered, pursing her lips. "That's- Hm." She stammered, before picking up a ruffled white top and a pair of distressed jeans with flower patches sewn onto them. "Eh?"

"Why don't you like this?" Lacey asked, shaking the halter top at her. "It's because it'd show my big old stomach, isn't it?"

"What?! No! I-It'd clash with your hair! It's too saturated of an orange!" Robin squealed frantically. "Blood orange and dusty rose do NOT go together!"

"Hmph. If you say so." Lacey grumbled darkly, picking up Robin's lace jumpsuit and the corset she paired it with. "You said I'd look good in black."

"Hm. Last time I wore that getup, Arven accused me of being naked, and then I almost got skewered by a gigantic mecha-Donphan." Robin remarked, before snatching the outfit away from Lacey and thrusting the black and white blazer, a light beige turtleneck and a bronze patterned skirt. "Try this on. I wanna see you serve a little knockoff-Chanel chic. Everyone looks good in a little knockoff vintage Chanel."

Lacey rolled her eyes, before stomping past Robin to change. Did she think she didn't know what was happening? Did Robin genuinely think she was stupid? She was gatekeeping all her good outfits, keeping Lacey nice and buttoned up and boring. This was exactly what she was trying to escape, her childish tastes and her prudish wardrobe and everything that made her so damn unattractive. Robin could wax poetic about how she's totally cute and attractive all she wanted, Lacey knew better. If she was so attractive, then why wasn't anyone attracted to her? Why did every other girl in her class have a boyfriend? Every other girl in her class had been kissed, they'd been loved, and Lacey had never even been hugged by a boy. 

Well, she'd been hugged by Drayton and Robin years ago, but that didn't count.

"Ooh! I forgot! Here!" Robin cried, sliding a pair of dark brown tights under the door. "Some tights to complete the look..."

Lacey wanted to shred whatever the hell was in her hands, which turned out to be the turtleneck. She restrained herself, because shredding Robin's clothes that she ever so graciously lended to her wouldn't be right at all, but she certainly did think about it. Nevertheless, she put the outfit on, and trudged out of the bedroom.

"Oh, I love that! It's so sophisticated! A little Giratina Wears Prada moment? And I love it with the straight hair. It's dignified, it's mature, it's classy, and it's so chic! I love it. Do you love it?" Robin asked, swiveling her head to address both Lacey and Arven as she stood behind Lacey as if showing her off like a prize Glameow.

"I like it." Arven remarked. "I bet you wouldn't have her wearing tennis shoes with this, though..."

"Certainly not! A nice little black leather bootie." Robin informed him. "Lacey? How do you feel?"

Lacey sighed, fidgeting with the ends of the blazer. "I-I like it, but- I dunno, I just- God, why don't you want me to wear something like- Like what you've got on!"

Robin blinked. "This is pretty much the same as what you've got on, minus the neckline. Just a bit more pink and ruffly." She said bluntly. "Oh, you want some sparkles? I've got sparkles." She chirped, flitting away and picking out a scratchy-looking baby pink and blue glittery sundress. Lacey almost folded on the spot, ready to admit she actually liked that one, but she quickly stopped herself. This wasn't about sparkles. This was about her complete and utter lack of maturity, and a glittery sundress would only make that worse.

"I mean something more- Y'know." She muttered, motioning to her chest, which was entirely covered up by the turtleneck. "Or with a shorter skirt."

Robin sighed heavily. "Lacey, the last time I put you in something revealing-"

"I looked good! People said I looked good! I-I mean, sure, Theo packaged that one in an insult, but he did say I looked good!" Lacey protested.

"And you cried! You cried and you hid and you put on Drayton's sweater because you were so uncomfortable!" Robin cried, causing Lacey's protests to die on her tongue. "I-I'm trying to look out for you, Lacey! I don't want you to feel like that again. I-It's partially my fault you were crying at the party. I-I don't want to make you cry any more."

Lacey gritted her teeth. "I-I was crying because everyone thinks of me as this prudish little shrew, a childish little teacher's pet th-that no one could ever find sexy, and apparently now you do too. Y-You don't think I can handle anything! G-God, you're just like him. No wonder you two are always joined at the hip." She muttered, throwing off the jacket and tossing it at Robin. "I'll take this off, and then I'm just gonna go. Bet you don't want me stretching everything you own."

Robin recovered from her shock, though not in time to stop Lacey from escaping to the bedroom before she locked the door. "Lacey, come on...!" She cried, gently knocking on her own door. "That's not what I meant! That's not what anyone meant! We're just- We don't want you to feel pressured into wearing things you're not comfortable in, just because other girls are comfortable in them."

"I don't care about other girls!" Lacey cried, though even she could tell that wasn't true. "I-I just- I just don't wanna be that girl anymore. Frumpy, dowdy, matronly, all of that. I-I wanna be- I wanna be more like you."

"I-I understand you want a change. Honey, I've been there. I probably understand this better than anyone. I didn't wanna be a gay little nerd anymore either. I-I wanted to be- Well, this, really. But I didn't go from hoodies and jeans to corsets and miniskirts in a day! Honey, I was giving librarian tease for a while there. I had to build that confidence! You're pushing yourself so far out of your comfort zone. A-And, yeah, that's kind of my fault, I started it, but I don't think it's good for you." Robin reasoned through the door. Lacey paused, the tights halfway off her legs. She was making a big change. She wasn't like Carmine, or like Robin, or that bitch Makensy, girls that had the guts to bare their skinny little midriffs. She could barely deal with bell-bottoms. How would she deal with Robin's little tiny dresses? Her entire leg, out and exposed?

She was so pathetic. Why was she so insecure? Why did she let her little delusions control her so much? It didn't make any sense! If those girls could do it, why couldn't she? Why was she so paralyzed by her own freaking self?!

She gritted her teeth, continuing to change out of the outfit that she did actually quite like. "...How do you know what's good for me?" She snapped. "Do you think I'm an idiot, Robin? Like I'm too stupid to know my own limits?! I'm seventeen years old, I think I have enough discernment to know when a skirt is too short."

Robin fell silent, backing away from the door. "...You know I don't think you're an idiot. You're, like, the smartest girl I know!"

She emerged from the bedroom back in her own clothes, and she felt so unbelievably ugly in them next to Robin in all her glittery glory. "Yeah, I can read a book. Apparently that's all I know how to do, according to you guys. Drayton thinks I'm an idiot, and you think I'm so useless I can't even set my own boundaries." She grumbled, slipping her shoes on, not bothering to tie her shoelaces. "I'm a big girl! I don't need everyone protecting me all the time! I don't need my dad breathing down my neck, I don't need Drayton- And I certainly don't need you telling me what I feel comfortable in! You don't even know me anymore! You've been gone four whole years, how the hell would you know anything about me?!"

Robin and Arven's mouths both fell open, Arven standing up from the couch, seemingly ready to defend his girlfriend. Lacey bit back a bitter chuckle. She was so lucky. She had so many people who would move heaven and earth for her, and she was so damn good at looking good, and-

"Lacey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-" Robin started, though Lacey held her hand up, stopping her in her tracks.

"I don't wanna hear it." She insisted, opening the door. She took one last look back at Robin and Arven, him already behind her, their hands intertwined. "...Maybe things were better when you were gone." She muttered, before slamming the door behind her.

Lacey held her nerve all the way back to Nimbasa City, holding onto her anger for dear life just so she could make it back to her house in one piece. Well, if Drayton and Robin weren't a duo before, she gave them an excellent excuse to ice her out now. They had something new in common, stubborn Fire-type signs scorned by Lacey. She'd thought for so long that she was at the end of her rope with Drayton, but she'd always found it grow longer whenever he flashed those stupid, pretty eyes her way. But something inside her knew, this was the last time she'd forgive him. She truly was at the end of her rope, she wouldn't find more slack miraculously appear when he needed it most.

She only got one step onto her front porch before she heard that stupid little whistle she'd recognize anywhere. She internally groaned as she turned around and found Drayton, hair ungelled and dark circles under his eyes. He must have been waiting for her.

He took a step toward her, and despite her better judgment, she didn't move away. In fact, her body moved on its own, stepping off the porch to meet him.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, her voice raw and hoarse.

He didn't reply. He took a deep breath, his stupid, gorgeous eyes fluttering shut. After a brief pause, with neither Lacey or Drayton daring to break the silence, Drayton took a step forward. Lacey's brain was screaming at her to slap him and move away, take refuge inside her house and leave him to mope outside, but she couldn't move. Her heart skipped a beat when he drew near, her body betraying her at every turn. It was still so affected by him, much to her chagrin.

He then gently held her chin in his hand, lifting her face to meet his lips, which lightly brushed over hers. She gasped a little, though she didn't pull away. So much raw emotion exploded in her chest, threatening to ruin this moment with her tears. So she shoved it down and leaned into the kiss, chasing his lips in a moment of thoroughly embarrassing need. She wanted him so badly, despite how badly she wanted not to.

He wrapped his arms around her waist as he deepened the kiss, firm but so tender, his lips insistent as he kissed her with so much repressed passion. He pressed their bodies together, as if the kiss wasn't close enough, he needed more. He wanted more of her, all he could get. Lacey's chest seemed to burn, her anger falling away like wax cracking off an inflated balloon. He wanted her, he needed her, someone finally showed something more than irritation or rejection-

She pulled away first, her face pink and her lips slightly parted. She tried to speak, but she couldn't summon the sound. Instead, she took his hand and led him inside her house, his hands feeling like they were leaving a brand on her everywhere they touched. Thank God her parents were away on a business trip, promoting the PWT. She felt a scorching heat under her skin, but this time, she wanted to fan the flames until they consumed her. She didn't want to be that shy girl anymore, naive and scared of her passion. No, she wanted to embrace it, and let it burn away every little nagging thought she had that held her back.

"Your room?" Drayton whispered, his cheeks flushed bright red as they stood, forehead to forehead.

"Yeah." She breathed, before he took her hand and led her up the stairs to her own room. Maybe she was naive, but in that moment, them hurrying up the stairs together, she knew she'd follow him anywhere.

Chapter Text

Lacey jolted awake in the middle of the night, as if her body forced her to wake up because something was horribly wrong. How long had she been sleeping? She remembered storming out of Robin's hotel room, returning home, Drayton-

Drayton. Oh, shit, DRAYTON! Drayton kissed her, she invited him in, he-

A pit opened up in her stomach as she felt pressure in her stomach, as if pulling her back into bed. She looked down, and to her horror, it was Drayton's arm around her waist. It was his face on her pillow, his body in her bed, the ghosts of his lips on her skin.

"Get back here, Lace..." He whined sleepily, managing to coax her back to bed and back into his arms. She knew this was a horrible idea, this wasn't right at all! She'd had a horrendous lapse in judgment, allowing that idiot into her bed, her arms, back into her life. She should want to correct it, right? Kick him out, pretend this never happened? So why was she sinking back into him, letting him stroke her hair, melting as he pressed gentle kisses to her cheeks? What was wrong with her?!

As his kisses started to trail lower, Lacey flinched at the soreness she felt on her neck. She touched her fingers to them, her fingers trailing the little divots in her skin-

"You BIT ME?!" She squealed, jolting out of her bed, too indignant to register her nudity.

He shrugged. "You liked it."

"You bit me. Drayton, you- Oh, shhhhhiny little gemstones...!" She groaned as her soreness finally caught up to her, causing her to sink to the floor. "Cr-Crap, I'm- My freaking legs hurt, and-" She grumbled, before flinching once Drayton came and knelt next to her.

"...Sorry 'bout that." He whispered, though the small grin on his face suggested he didn't feel guilty at all. "Let me carry you back to bed. It's my fault you can't walk anyway."

"Oh, God..." She breathed, unable to find the strength within herself to resist him as he scooped her up gently, holding her in his arms like a bride. What did she just get herself into? Drayton was- They were naked in her room! Drayton was naked, his arms were around her, his teeth had been in her neck and his long, thin fingers-

Oh, Jesus Christ.

What had she done? She wasn't a complete idiot, she was able to piece together she'd had sex- She'd lost her virginity to DRAYTON! But what did that- What was she supposed to do now?! What did that mean?! Did that mean they were-

He set her down on the bed and gently placed her blankets over her. He then got back in bed himself, scooting over and wrapping his arms around her waist, his lips dangerously close to her ear. "You wanna go back to sleep, or do ya wanna... Y'know. Go again."

Lacey squeaked, before covering her mouth with her hands.

"I'll take that as a no." Drayton chuckled. "Don't worry about it, Lace. This doesn't have to- It doesn't have to mean anything if you don't want it to. If you still hate me in the morning, I-I won't mind. I just- I-I really wanted to kiss you." He admitted softly, his hand on Lacey's cheek. "And- And you're so fucking- Mm. Jeez. I'm rambling. It's three in the morning. I should shut up." He muttered, rolling over on his other side, leaving Lacey rather cold on her side of the bed.

Lacey huffed, and rolled over herself, back-to-back with the man in her bed- Okay, she had to stop thinking about the fact that there was a man in her bed if she ever wanted to sleep again. And not just any man, but Drayton. How long had it been since he'd first set her heart aflutter? When he grabbed her book out of her hand, some insipid middle-school novel she'd been reading in grade 4, and though he teased her for it, he ultimately sat down next to her, reading over her shoulder. Oh, God, it'd been almost eight whole years. Almost half her life, she'd spent quietly wanting more than what she had, watching him drift away and back again and away and back again. Her feelings oscillated between a begrudging attraction and giggling like a freak when he'd tell one of his awful, corny jokes. 

Sometimes she hated him, hated how much she loved him- Oookay, let's not use that word- how much she liked him, how infuriatingly lackadaisical he'd act, how completely unconcerned he was about his own future, how easily he could be swayed away from her if something more flashy came along. A strong Trainer, a foreign Pokemon, an old friend showing up looking nearly unrecognizable... Said old friend kind of just existing... Well, the reason she liked him so much was a bit foreign to her sometimes. Maybe she just liked him because it was all she knew how to do, but sometimes, she'd catch a glimpse of the dragon's soft underbelly, and it made her want to melt. Legend had it he was actually a sweetheart underneath it all. Lacey just wasn't sure if it was true anymore.

So, despite having him in her bed, she still felt like she was sleeping alone.

Robin paced around Arven's hotel room, furiously tossing her clothes into a laundry basket. Fuck her for trying her best to protect Lacey from her own identity crisis. She should've let that bitch suffer. She should've told her to put on the sluttiest thing in Robin's closet, walk around Narrow Street and see how she felt after. Maybe then, she would've got Robin's point. But no, somehow Robin's the big bad villain for not putting Lacey in a thong.

"Robin, gentle...! You don't wanna stretch the lace!" Arven cried, gently retrieving the lace catsuit and finding it thankfully intact. "Let's do our laundry later, okay...?" He suggested, gently taking the laundry basket away from her.

Robin groaned so gutturally, it sounded almost feral. "How fucking dare I? God forbid I try to fucking help. She put me in the most fucked up position ever. What the fuck was I supposed to do?! Either I piss off Lacey but not bimbofying her enough, or I piss off Drayton by bimbofying her too much, and even if I did what she said, the odds are she'd regret getting bimbofied and still somehow blame me! How the hell was I supposed to get out of that one without pissing anyone off?!" She demanded, instead taking to throwing pillows at the couch, which Arven thought was an acceptable way for her to blow off steam.

"I'm pissed! And you know she somehow still thinks I'm at fault for this. And- And the fucking nerve to walk in this hotel room and get pissed at ME?! Sister, I graciously forgot that time she gawked at you shirtless. I ever so kindly didn't sweat it that Kieran thought you were her boyfriend. Not that it's your fault, Arvie, I'm sure she was just going crazy because God forbid I speak a single word to my friend Drayton, ever! Ugh, I can't believe I'm sixteen years old and I'm still fighting with Lacey over a guy! Over Drayton! Like, bitch, if you want him, take him! I truly could not give less of a fuck! This is ridiculous! She's ridiculous!" Robin complained, whipping a spare pillow at the couch cushion.

"...I think that one's all Drayton." Arven remarked quietly.

"Ugh. Is she still pissed because he hit on me before he realized it was me? That was- UGH! How is it possible for one girl to be so delusional?!" She yelled, throwing her head back as if asking God for an answer, of which there was none.

Arven simply shrugged. One problem at a time, he thought.

"I knew this was a horrible idea, trying to be friends with them again. I knew it wouldn't end well. And look where we are. Lacey is having an identity crisis, Drayton is still a fucking mess and now I'm livid!" Robin squealed, petulantly flopping down on the couch on top of all the pillows she threw at it. "You know, this vacation could have been drama-free. We could've had a nice relaxing time where I didn't blow a gasket because this ungrateful bitch pissed me off so bad... But instead, here we are." She grumbled, accepting Arven's arm around her waist as he sat down beside her.

"Well... There can't be too much drama with your grandma, right?" Arven joked, rubbing her shoulder in slow, circular motions.

Robin shrugged. "She shares my flair for the dramatic. But I can't imagine things would be painful. For a sixty-seven year old woman, she's very accepting of the t-girls." She remarked, leaning her head on his shoulder. "It's just- Y'know. We'll probably leave when the wine comes out, because I cannot stand it when my mom and grandma drink together. It gets- It gets really fucking sad in there." She muttered darkly.

"...Your grandpa's dead, right?" Arven asked quietly.

Robin nodded. "That's why it gets sad. They- They set each other off on a big, fat downward spiral into misery whenever they get drunk together. I can't fucking stand it. I'm done crying about Grandpa. He's- I mean, I still miss him, but he's- He was always such a jokester. If he could see us now, he'd be so pissed that we can't- We can't stop crying over him. He'd want us to laugh about him." She whispered, a quiet catch in her voice. "I hate crying so much. I know I did a lot of it before we got together, but- God, I just hate it. It's so embarrassing. Like, oh my God. Keep it in your ducts."

Arven sighed, sinking back into the couch cushions. "...You shouldn't bottle up your feelings." He murmured gently. "'Cause then one day, it'll all come out. It's just- It's just- What's that word? En- Enthal-"

"Entropy."

He snapped his fingers decisively. "Entropy. Thank you. It's just entropy. They're bound to come out at some point, that's just the law of entropy. I-I mean, ask me how I know. I almost fucked up the best thing that's ever happened to me 'cause I bottled my shit up."

Robin sat silently for a moment, before leaning her head on his chest, allowing him to stroke her hair gently. "...We all have things we don't talk about." She murmured. "My mom had a miscarriage before me. We don't talk about it. I-I don't talk about my grandparents, I don't talk about Castelia Academy, I-I don't- I mean, I used to not talk about the bridge, but you drew that one out of me. No one talks about Area Zero, and you don't talk about your dad." She said carefully, her heart dropping as she felt his hands momentarily still in her hair. "We all have things we don't talk about." She repeated gently.

He then seemed to quickly recover, returning to the constant motion. "...Maybe I'm a bit of hypocrite." He admitted sheepishly. "But- But I hate who I become when he- I dunno, it's like I'm a different person when I'm angry at him, and- And I know it scares you." He whispered, his voice shaking ever so slightly as he spoke. "And- Well, I'm sick of crying too. I'm sick of feeling so much for someone who never felt anything for me." He muttered darkly, his hands moving in her hair mechanically.

"...And there you were, going all Mother Zangoose on me." She remarked drily. "We're both playing with entropy, aren't we?"

Arven nodded slowly. "...I wish we weren't."

"Yeah." Robin shrugged. "I just- I don't know what else there is to say about my grandpa. It's not complicated. I loved him, he died, and I miss him. Not much fuckery going on there. It's just- It's just regular old grief. Sometimes I think I'm, like- Y'know, I'm done all the stages. Other times I'm not even sure I passed the first." She admitted, a strange calm washing over her. "Y'know?"

"Mhm..."

"And- Honestly, I think it's just 'cause I think crying is so annoying. I hated it when the extended family all came in. Like, I'd genuinely rather kill myself than deal with fifteen wine-drunk, bereaved boomers again. It's- The grief is so suffocating. Like, it's like breathing in straight butter. I could literally feel my heart constricting. Y'know, 'cause of the artery clogging."

"Yeah, I got that." Arven murmured. "...I get what you mean. But- You know you can talk to me about anything, right? Anything."

Robin sighed, nuzzling her nose against his chest. "...I don't wanna make you feel like- I dunno, like you're always the one who has to comfort me. I mean, that's how it usually is. And I-I mean, I appreciate it, but- Come on, Arvie. I-If I can't talk about Area Zero and how terrified I was that we were all gonna die and it'd be my fault because I was the one who dragged us all down there-"

"Whoa."

"-Then it's gotta be a million times worse for you." She whispered, staring up at him, her electric pink eyes boring into his. "...I love you so much, Arvie. It kills me to think that you're just- You're pushing everything down for my sake, or 'cause you don't think you deserve to have feelings, or have those feelings heard. Before the cafe, you hadn't mentioned him in five whole months. And I know it didn't just go away." She whispered, her hand gently cupping his cheek. "We're both pretty bad for bottling things up. You think we could try to be better together?"

"...I-I think I could agree to that." He murmured softly. "But we should probably get ready to meet your grandma first. I've gotta make a good impression." He insisted, trying to get up for all of two seconds before Robin pulled him back into a series of little kisses up his neck. "R-Robin...!"

She pecked all over his face, tickling him into quiet little giggles. "You're so cute." She beamed, before diving back in and kissing his forehead gently three times. "Who needs to get ready? I've got better things to do. Like kissing my boyfriend all over his pretty little face."

"You're gonna be gr- Ooh!" He squealed as she lightly nipped at his ear. "You're gonna be grumpy a-allll day if you don't have enough time to get ready...!"

"Mm-mm. Kisses are more important." She insisted, pinning him to the couch, sucking a hickey onto his neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing their bodies together.

Arven conceded happily, eagerly accepting all of her affection. He didn't need that long to get ready. Just a quick shower and then he'd change. If she wanted to cut into her makeup time to make out with him, that was her prerogative. He'd indulge her, whatever she wanted. Especially if what she wanted was him.

Despite Robin's assurance and the fact that nary an Ambrose had been unwelcoming to him yet, Arven was still a little nervous to meet the matriarch. He made sure to wear a turtleneck to hide all the marks Robin had left on him. Robin, thankfully, only had to hide her cleavage, which was much easier accomplished. For whatever reason, Arven pictured Robin's grandmother as an older version of Robin herself, glamorous, a bit eccentric and very intimidating at first. So when this short little lady with a coiffed, ice grey haircut and an expensive-looking designer pantsuit opened the door to the Lacunosa estate, he was not disappointed.

But then, she opened her mouth. "Howdy doody!" Robin's grandma greeted them, waving the four of them in. Arven blinked in surprise at how silly that greeting was.

"Hi, Mom! How was Kalos?" Chrys asked politely, if a little stiffly.

"Oh, marvelous. I got so much shopping done. I see why you like Laverre City so much, sweetheart." She chirped, pulling Robin into a short little hug. Then, her pale blue eyes caught Arven's, and she seemed to recoil in shock. "Um... Who's this?"

"Oh, this is my boyfriend Arven! He's a big sweetheart." Robin gushed, holding his left hand with both of hers. "Arven, Grandma, Grandma, Arven!"

"Nice to meet you!" Arven blurted out as if it couldn't be contained any longer. Thankfully, it was at least the appropriate response.

"It's nice to meet you too, Arven. Please, call me Genista." She said warmly. "I must say, I wish I had been warned there was a fourth guest! I would have made more salad."

"Mother, you always make far too much. This will merely balance you out." Caitlin insisted. "Though it is true that Arven is rather like a black hole when it comes to food..."

"Hey! I love food! I'm just appreciating the chef's efforts!" Arven protested.

"Don't worry, I'm sure I'll take it as a compliment." Genista assured him. "Legend has it an Ambrose's soulmate often has a healthy appetite. Kenneth was ravenous when it came to a nice bean soup." She reminisced, a blank look washing over her face.

Chrys chose that moment to sit down on the couch, leaning on the armrest, her head in her hand. Arven glanced at her, but awkwardly met her gaze and looked away. The word 'soulmate' elicited the same indescribable feeling in him that 'future son-in-law' did. That meant commitment, security, the promise of a forever with the girl he loved. If he didn't find a way to shove that thought out of his mind, he'd cling to Robin like a Komala to a eucalyptus tree, and that would be a bit of a social faux pas.

Robin strode over to the fridge like she'd done it a million times before, and procured herself a diet cola. She then realized Arven was also in the room, and got him one as well. "Sorry, muscle memory. All these other bitches want coffee." She murmured to him with a wink as she passed him his drink.

Arven shrugged, and sat down next to her, leaving a space for Caitlin between them and Chrys. He willed himself to not snuggle up to her like he wanted to. "Genista, Chrysanthemum, Cattleya... There must be a tradition there." He mused, mostly to himself.

Genista's eyes lit up. "Oh, yes! Ambrose women are traditionally named after a genus of flowering plants. Genista, which are usually thorny shrubs with yellow flowers, Chrysanthemum, self-explanatory, Cattleya, a genus of orchids... And now we have Robinsonia. Related to sunflowers, usually with a woody stem."

Arven's jaw dropped. "Robinsonia?! Ha-Have you been using a nickname this whole time?!"

"No!" Robin protested. "Sonia's my middle name."

"Oh my God, I was thinking you didn't quite fit in with the naming scheme, but apparently you've been hiding your floral heritage!" He cried, pleasantly bewildered. "So that's why you're so into flower language!"

Robin gasped. "You've been talking to my mother about me behind my back!"

"Drayton, actually." He corrected her. "Well, that makes so much more sense!"

Chrys chuckled. "You know, she really didn't have to name herself to fit into our little tradition. It was really sweet that she did."

Robin shrugged. "It served a dual purpose. Less of an adjustment, and I get to fit in with the other Ambrose girls."

"I would have accepted even a more uncreative name, like Lily." Genista remarked. "So, Robin. How's school going? Did you get good grades?" She asked, serving Caitlin and Chrys their coffees.

Robin nodded. "I managed a 100 in History, a 97 in English, 95 in Chemistry and a 96 in Biology. Plus, they loved my Treasure Hunt essay."

"Oh, right! I heard about the Treasure Hunt. It took me a while to wrap my head around it. So they just sent you out to find something that fulfills you?" Genista inquired, furrowing her thin eyebrows. "Sounds a bit hippie."

"Oh, it was. I thought it was a bit ridiculous at first. But I got it done."

"What did you write about?" Arven asked quietly. "You told me it was a secret."

Robin shrugged. "You, mostly. They asked me to write about my greatest treasure, so I wrote about you. Well, it was technically about our whole group of friends, but Arven got seven thousand words and the others only got four." She joked, a shy smile on her face. "It was really sappy. Clavell loved it. He's such a sucker for the power of friendship and self-love."

"Aww...! That's so cute!" Caitlin cooed, patting Robin's shoulder. "Can I read it?"

"Ew! No! It's so- It's embarrassing! I really just- Y'know? It was really personal!" She cried, shrinking away from her aunt and into Arven's side. "You know? Like, do you really wanna read about how deeply I love this man? Won't that get a little tedious after a while?"

"That's true. Save it for the vows." She agreed with a wink.

"Oh, a wedding would be so nice! The last wedding I had the pleasure of going to was Chrysanthemum and Oskar's, and that wedding-" Genista started, and Arven could tell Chrys was losing her patience.

"Oskar wanted a small, simple wedding. More intimate." Chrys interrupted. "He didn't want a big affair."

"Yes, and if he could have eloped with you, he would have. It was almost as if he didn't want to show your love off." Genista intoned primly, sipping her black coffee. "I've always believed a big wedding begets a big love."

"Clay and Sandra had a pretty small wedding, and they're still together, twenty years later." Caitlin said quietly.

"Yes, but they are not Ambroses." Genista insisted. "And if I know Robin, I know she'll want a spectacle." She said warmly, looking at Robin with a rather cloying look of hope in her eyes.

Robin shrugged. "Probably. I've given my wedding some thought, but I've mostly landed on what I don't want. I don't want a destination wedding, I don't want to get my face dunked in the cake and I am not getting married in a barn. Sorry to burst your bubble, Arvie." She teased, elbowing him in the side.

"I-I didn't want a barn wedding anyway! I don't wanna smell hay and manure on my wedding day." He declared firmly. "Besides, I never imagined you wanting a rustic aesthetic."

"Aw, you know me so well." She grinned, leaning on his shoulder a little. "I'm not big on a fairytale thing either. I think I'd just want it to be nice and elegant. Beautiful, but refined. A bit of a spectacle. And very, very pink."

"Oh, of course. Pink napkins, pink tablecloths, pink icing on the cake..."

"Think bigger. Pink cake."

"Ooohhh..."

"I was thinking I'd have Musharna be the flower girl, but after Mabo in the Musical, I'm thinking it'd be funnier if it was him..."

"Oh, dear! You are going to give your mother an aneurysm!" Genista laughed jovially, gesturing at Chrys, who was dead silent, though her face was turning a bit red. "You remind me of when she was your age. She was chomping at the bit to marry Oskar. I made her wait until twenty-five, so that's when she did it. Her twenty-fifth birthday, on the dot."

Chrys crossed her arms over her chest, though she didn't say a word.

"Of course, Oskar had to be talked into it. Thank goodness I made him sign a prenup." Genista remarked. "I always knew he was too skittish for marriage..."

Chrys abruptly stood up, and marched away. "I'm going to the bathroom." She said simply, before disappearing down the hall.

The remaining four people in the living room all stared after her, then at each other for a minute, Caitlin especially looking rather cross.

"Well! I think it's about time to heat up the soup!" Genista chirped, breaking the tense silence by standing up and heading over to the fridge and retrieving a corningware dish covered with tinfoil, and placing it in the oven. "Lunch will be ready in about half an hour. I hope you're hungry!"

"I am!" Arven cried, raising his hand.

"Fork found in kitchen." Robin teased as he lowered his hand, and instead wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Caitlin sighed, taking another sip of her coffee. "Mother, shall I get the wine?"

"Oh, yes! White, please."

Robin pursed her lips, glancing up at Arven. "...We'll leave the minute lunch is done." She whispered.

"Fair enough."

As promised, after a lunch wherein the conversation was mostly light, with Chrys being uncharacteristically quiet, Robin and Arven left the minute Genista brought up how much her late husband loved soup, this time a bit weepier and more inebriated. As much as Robin promised to stop bottling up her own grief, she really just could not handle her mother's grief at all. So, they bid a polite goodbye, and the moment they got a satisfactory distance away from Genista's house...

"Arvie, let's go back to the hotel room." Robin suggested in a strangely dull tone.

"Por quois?"

"So you can fuck my brains out, sober this time?"

Arven let out a surprised squawk, before clapping his hands over his mouth. His face heated up a little, and especially after he caught sight of Robin's amused face. "Y-Yeah, sure." He breathed, a nervous chuckle escaping his lips.

"Fabulous." She said with a wry smile, sending out Miraidon. Just then, her phone also flew out of her bag, waggling about wildly. The texts were from Drayton, three rapid-fire texts reading. "ok so i gotta tell u something" "but i dont know how to say it" "but they say a picture speaks a thousand words so", which was then followed by-

Robin's jaw dropped as the picture loaded up. "What the fuck?!" She squealed, showing her phone to Arven.

"What's this- OH MY GOD?!" He cried, his eyes wide open as he stared at the selfie Drayton sent her, which was him holding a Plan B pill box with Lacey's trademark pink bob visible over his shoulder. "WHAT THE-"

"Oh my God, did they-" Robin started, before swinging her body onto Miraidon's back. "Sorry, Arvie. You'll fuck my brains out later. We have an emergency on our hands!" She squealed, barely even waiting for him to get on before taking off in the direction of Opelucid City.

Arven held on for dear life as Miraidon accelerated faster than ever. "Did he seriously- Oh my God, Drayton finally got it done! They had sex!"

"Unprotected sex, by the looks of it! He finally made good on that threat of his!" She cried, flying over the Village Bridge at a breakneck pace. "Oh my God, Clay is going to have Drayton's head!"

"I thought Lacey had Drayton's head."

Robin burst out laughing, nearly running into a tree because she wasn't paying attention. "I sure hope she did! Imagine that after all this time of her pining for him, him dilly-dallying, that he takes her virginity, finally just goes for it, just to not make her cum. Letdown of the millennium."

"And with all that experience?! What the fuck was the point of all that if you're not gonna be able to make your crush cum?! Just a complete waste of time..."

"Unprotected is crazy. Like, how have you fucked eleven or more girls and you don't know to wear a condom? And it's Lacey. LACEY! Dude, if he knocks her up..." Robin breathed, before trailing off and just shaking her head in disappointment. "If she gets pregnant, he is gonna have hell to pay. Literally the entire Pokemon League is gonna rip him apart. He better hope and pray that Plan B works real fierce."

"Ooohhh... He'd better have at least pulled out." Arven muttered as they came in for a landing directly in front of Drayton's house. "He's such a fucking moron."

"Yes, yes he is." Robin agreed, quickly rapping on the front door. "And if he's not home, I will be blowing up his pho- Oh, hi, Calla!" She chirped, faced with Drayton's mother. "Remember me?"

Calla blinked. "...Y'know, Drayton mentioned you were back, but I probably wouldn't have recognized you if I didn't know your voice..." She muttered. "You're looking for Drayton?"

Robin and Arven nodded in unison.

"Good luck finding him. He's only ever at home to sleep these days." She grumbled. "Can I get you anything, or...?"

"Oh, no. It's a bit urgent, you see. Sorry to bother you, Ms. Calla! I'll see you around!" Robin chirped, before grabbing Arven by the arm and hurrying away. "Little dickhead's making me chase him around... Betcha he's on Route 9, trying to act like a big tough Roughneck."

"Seems likely. Or maybe we flew over him on the Village Bridge. Didn't you say you met him there before?" Arven suggested, though he followed Robin to Route 9 regardless.

"Well, I think he chose that place because I like the Village Bridge." She reasoned, hurrying through the gate. "Alright, I say we look around the outside of the mall. I hear he's taken up smoking."

Arven's nose crinkled in disgust. "Eugh. Just one bad decision after another. You think we should split up? Cover more ground?"

"Sure! It's not a horror movie." She reasoned. "You go left, I go right."

"Alrighty! But if I find him, you're still doing the talking!" Arven called as he scurried across the parking lot, disappearing into the horde of people shopping at the mall on a Saturday afternoon. Robin instead scurried in the other direction, toward the mall area and away from the supermarket attached to the mall.

After about five minutes surveying the perimeter, she found Drayton sitting on the ground, leaning against the stucco wall that separated him from the food court. "Oh, there you are, you little shit!" She cried, taking a bunch of quick, small steps to approach him. "I assume she has taken the pill and will be tracking that period extra close?" She asked, taking a seat right next to him.

Drayton nodded, revealing that he was, in fact, smoking as he took a quick drag of his cigarette. "...I really fucked up, Rob." He muttered. "She- I just- You said she likes me. And I believed it. A-And look where I am now. Still a-fucking-lone." He grumbled, his voice crackling a bit. "...You probably don't smoke, do ya? Gotta take care of the voice."

Robin shrugged. "I don't sing much anymore."

"Well, that's a fucking waste." Drayton said bluntly. "I always loved your voice."

"You said musicals were gay."

"They are!" He cried, a reluctant chuckle building up in his throat. "I wonder why you did them. And now that you're a straight girl, I guess it makes sense you're not in musical theatre anymore." He remarked coolly.

Robin shrugged, before placing her hand over Drayton's free hand. "...What happened? Why did you- She- She got what she wanted. She got you. Why isn't she- What went wrong?!"

Drayton laughed humorlessly, though it sounded more like a cough. "Oh, if it's me, everything's gonna go wrong. I can't do anything right." He muttered darkly. "I'm not built for feelings. I'm- I-I just ruin everything. I don't know what to do to fix this, I don't-" He whispered, before trailing off and taking another drag of his cigarette. "...Sorry."

"Don't apologize." She insisted, before leaning her head on his shoulder. "...You're good at apologizing, though. I never thought I'd forgive you after- Y'know. Yet, here I am. I forgive you." She whispered gently.

"Ha. Maybe you're just easier. I can't apologize to Lacey worth shit." He grumbled, leaning his head against hers. "It just- She just flew off the handle. I said, like, eight words and then she started accusing me of- ...Ooh, shit. I can't- I can't say what she said to you, 'cause-"

"'Cause she's jealous of me?"

Drayton blinked, his entire body falling still. "...U-Uh, yeah. Pretty much." He admitted, brushing his hair out of his face. "U-Uh, how'd you- How'd you know?"

Robin shrugged. "She said, quote, 'I wanna be more like you', and then got mad at me when I wouldn't dress her up like a slut."

"Ah." Drayton chuckled bitterly. "...It's- It's insane, really. She wants to wear your clothes, your makeup, she wants- She wants to be you. And- And I don't even know where it comes from, but-"

"She doesn't like herself. Those assholes made her not like herself. So, she wants to be someone else. It's not rocket science." Robin explained quietly. "I've been there."

"It's not just that." He insisted. "She thinks- She thinks I'm in love with you." He murmured, resting his head in his hand.

Now that, Robin did not expect. She sat straight up, stiff as a board, and stared at Drayton like he had three heads. "She- HUH?! Wha- That's crazy! You're- I- Arv- That's just insane! I- Where would she even get that from?!"

"...She kind of guessed that we used to like each other." He admitted. "And- I mean, she- Then I accidentally came out to her, and- Jesus Christ, then she screamed at me to get out, and- I-I mean, I gave her the day to cool off, but then- Then, she was coming home, and I just- I figured that words were failing me, so I'd- I'd just show her how I felt, and- And then- Well, then she invited me inside, and I think you can kind of get the gist from there."

Robin nodded.

"And then when she woke up in the morning, it was like nothing had changed. She wouldn't talk to me. She was just- She was icing me out, as if the past two days never happened. I had to drag her to the pharmacy, and then I just- I couldn't go home, so I've just been-"

"Chainsmoking in the Shopping Mall Nine parking lot. Sounds like a Lana Del Rayquaza album." Robin joked. "Also, can we quickly revisit Lacey being jealous of me because she thinks you're in love with me? What the fuck is going on?"

Drayton shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. "If I knew, I would tell you."

"So that's why she told me she liked it better when I was gone. She had you all to herself!" She cried out, furiously gesturing to the sky. "Oh my God, I hate her. Am I seriously fighting with her over you, four years later?! I have a boyfriend! He's not you! I have a boyfriend whom I love more than life itself and somehow she's still threatened by me. Girl, my valence shell is full! You do not need to worry about me attracting another man!"

"...Sure!" Drayton laughed, taking another puff. "Like, I'm sure you're over me. It's a lot easier to get over someone when you hate them." He murmured.

"Yeah, sorry. I really couldn't imagine dating you. Or ever breaking up with Arven, to be honest. Like, if I had my way, I'd be with him forever." Robin gushed, a cute little grin spreading across her face.

"Damn. You're like a Swanna, one and done. You don't suppose that'll get a little boring?"

Robin shrugged. "I don't need my love life to be a rollercoaster. Quite frankly, I've had enough fuckery and bullshit for a lifetime."

"That's sweet." He whispered.

The two of them sat there for a little while, Robin trying not to sneeze from the cigarette smoke, though she never left his side. A part of him felt like he was about to explode from the tension, the silence was driving him crazy. He'd never been so quiet, yet not alone. Sure, he was comfortable around people, he could deal with a room full of strangers pretty easily, but- But he couldn't do silence. It ate away at his foundations, like his entire house of cards would fall down if he ever stopped his performance.

Robin suddenly jolted up. "Oh, shit! Arven! I had- I had us split up to find you, and he- Oh, speak of Giratina! There he is!" Robin cried out, jumping up and hurrying over to give her boyfriend a big hug. Drayton watched quietly, a pang of heartbreak in his chest. He never had anything sweet and tender like that. No, he was better at the seedier things, rough, calloused hands and sharp nails down his back. Lacey was wrong, he wasn't jealous of Arven because he had Robin. He was jealous of the both of them, of that gentle trust they'd built between them.

"Sorry, I got a bit distracted by Drayton chainsmoking. Did you know he smoked?" Robin asked Arven as Drayton eventually tuned back into their conversation.

"It's alright. Not like I have any service here, anyway. And no, but I could've guessed. He's very self-destructive." Arven remarked, hand-in-hand with his girlfriend as he approached Drayton. "Hey. I'm sure Robin's laid into you for how absolutely reckless that was? Unprotected-"

"No, actually. I figured I'd do that later. When he's less- Less vulnerable." Robin informed him, dropping her voice to a whisper. "It was reckless. But thank God for Plan B."

"Amen." Drayton agreed, raising his cigarette as if toasting to Plan B. "Well... You found me. Hooray."

"Oh, if you think I'm leaving you here to chainsmoke in the Shopping Mall Nine parking lot-"

"Lana Del Rayquaza album title." Arven interrupted with a wry smile.

"-Then you're deranged. You're coming with us." Robin insisted, grabbing him by the hand and tugging him to his feet. "You need a friend right now."

"Oh, we're friends again?" Drayton asked sardonically.

Robin shot him an unimpressed look, before sending out her stupid mecha-dragon. Maybe Lacey was right, that thing looked like a death trap.

"Don't worry. If you're looking for a not-friend, I'm still here." Arven informed him, though there was a trace of mirth on his face.

Drayton rolled his eyes, before looking down at the mecha-dragon with pursed lips. "Am I- Can this thing really hold three people?"

"It's done four before." Robin said dismissively. "Hop on. You wanna hold onto me or Arven?"

"I'd rather not get between the two of you. Lacey would kill all three of us." Drayton grumbled. "Hey, if Lacey's suddenly really hostile to you, Arv, you can blame me. I accidentally came out to her."

"Oh, Jesus." He muttered, sliding onto Miraidon's back behind Robin, gesturing for Drayton to hang onto him. Unfortunately for Drayton, he both didn't want to touch Arven with a ten-foot pole, and wanted to run his hands all over the blond's chest. So that was awkward. He really had to applaud Robin's taste, she picked a very attractive man to have follow her around like a loyal Stoutland. Or, rather, whatever mysterious canid Pokemon Arven had, that looked quite like a dark grey shag carpet.

"Hang on tight." Arven muttered, grabbing both of Drayton's hands and twisting them around his midsection. "Robin'll be really upset if you fall off and die."

"I'm sure she will." Drayton teased, though he couldn't sound smug for long when Miraidon took off. 

Instead, he started screaming bloody murder.

Robin had decided then was as good a time as ever to raid the minibar, which had a liquor section about fifteen times bigger than the soft drink section. So, there the three of them were, getting drunk at 2 PM together. It wasn't lost on Arven that they were mirroring the shit out of Chrys, Caitlin and Genista, though he thought there'd be a bit less grieving among the children. Drayton was apparently a pretty easily amused drunk when Lacey wasn't crying right upstairs. He was downright giggly as he was being regaled with the tumultuous story of how Robin and Arven got together.

Arven thought he would've been much more perturbed by Drayton being in their hotel room, but he found that Drayton's company was surprisingly... not horrible. He didn't feel quite as uncomfortable when Drayton looked at him as when Lacey did. And it didn't hurt that there was significantly less tension between Robin and Drayton than there was between her and Lacey. The room felt much lighter than expected.

It probably helped that he was starting to grow a bit fond of Drayton himself. He was funny. He didn't take himself too seriously. Sure, he was a moron who blew things up by breathing on them, but his absolute horrific luck was a bit endearing. He didn't try and ice Arven out like he thought he might. In fact, he'd coined himself the #1 Arven/Robin shipper, which both Robin and Arven objected to. That title belonged to Chrys, and #2 was easily Nemona. But he could be a solid #3. Mela might fight him for it, he thought.

"So you mean to tell me, this man kissed you on the mouth, and you were so gagged you just stood there for ten seconds, completely blank?" Drayton demanded, his face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Arven, why are you dating this disaster?!"

"'Cause I love her." He said primly. "I think that was less offensive than the time she grabbed me by the neck, shoved her tongue in my mouth and then said 'I love you! Bye!' and just ran away."

"WHAAAAAT..."

"Arvie, shut up!"

"Oh, and mind you: That was the day we went into the fucking crater! She ran away from me, and then when I saw her again, it was to go spelunking in a fucking death zone!"

"Holy shit, you're a fucking wreck." Drayton chortled, punching Robin's shoulder quite hard. "Maybe there's hope for the rest of us after all."

"W-Well, I- ...Dammit, I was so much worse than he was... I was so ridiculous!"

"Still are." Arven teased.

"Hey!" Robin squealed. "And guess what? I got the guy in the end. So suck on that, bitch!"

"Sure, just wait 'til he leaves." Arven remarked.

Drayton let out a loud laugh that sounded like a dragon's screech, kind of like Robin's own witch cackle. Robin, on the other hand, threw a pillow right at Arven's head, which he managed to block without too much difficulty.

"I don't mind watching..."

That time, both Arven and Robin had a pillow to throw.

"Nuh-uh! He's all mine. I'll be damned if I let anyone else gawk at his cute little butt." Robin giggled.

Arven then threw a pillow right back at her. "Why you talking about my butt so much? I'm getting nervous..."

"She pegging the fuck out of ya- Hang on, does it still count as pegging if it's- Y'know, au naturel?"

"You know, I have no idea... But I'm not gonna peg him." She said with a mysterious wink, before flitting away to the bedroom, probably to use the bathroom.

"...What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Arven muttered, his round cheeks flushing pink.

"She playin' in yo butt, brother." Drayton joked, leaning back casually on the rather luxurious chair. "Can't say I blame her. You do have a nice ass."

"Perv." Arven shot back, running his hands nervously through his hair. "You know she'll kill you if she hears you complimenting my ass, right?"

Drayton shrugged. "It had to be said."

"No, I don't think it did!" Arven laughed awkwardly, his cerulean eyes averted to the floor. "I don't know why Lacey's so hung up on her. Apparently, she should be more worried about me!"

"I don't even know why she's so jealous. Even if I liked either of you, you've only got eyes for each other. Nothing would happen anyway." Drayton muttered.

Arven shrugged. "You ever think that sleeping with eleven or more girls while she's had a crush on you has messed with her head a little bit?"

Drayton blinked. "...Ahhhhh... Damn. It's barely even about her, isn't it?"

"No, it is. It's worse because it's her. She told me- She told me she feels like a third wheel whenever you two are together. Even back when you were all kids." Arven informed him, leaning his buzzing head on his hand. "I can't say I don't see why. You're more comfortable around Robin."

"Well- Well, excuse me for being nervous around my crush!" Drayton cried. "I just- I want her to think I'm, like- I dunno, I'm cool. I don't want her thinking of me like- Y'know, like my mom and grandpa and cousin-sister do. 'The failure'. I try more around her. With Robin- I mean, I've fucked up so much with her, I think that ship has sailed. Less pressure, I guess."

Arven considered that for a moment, before setting his delicious rum and Coke down on the side table (with a coaster, he's not an animal), and leaning forward a bit. "You think that's gonna work? Not being yourself for a girl who's known you since you were a baby?"

Drayton blinked. "...Okay, good point."

"Uh-huh. See, this is why more people should listen to me. I'm the one in a committed relationship! And I was nothing but earnest and honest with Robin, and look where I am! I'm on vacation with her family! You just gotta be real." Arven advised him bluntly. "Also, this has been bugging me all day: Did you know her middle name is Sonia? Y'know, so she can have a flower name."

Drayton blinked. "Why the fuck would I know more about her name than you do? I didn't even know her name was Robin until a week ago."

"Right. Right. Sorry." Arven muttered sheepishly.

"Is it just me, or is she, like, super skinny these days? I swear, I can see some of her ribs." Drayton remarked. "Don't you feed her?"

Arven squawked, incredibly offended. "Of course I do! That's, like- I make her breakfast every day! I've been feeding her since before we ever got together. Since before we were really friends, to be honest. How dare you, you fuckin' asshole! Mind you, this is the thickest I've ever seen her!"

"Really?! Damn. She must have lost a bunch of weight since I knew her." Drayton mused, biting his thumbnail.

"Oh, God. I remember when- I mean, she's, like, 120, 125 right now. But- I mean, she was a good ten pounds lighter when I met her. And then after Area Zero- You know, she wasn't eating much. It was- It was really traumatic down there, and- And I lost my dad, and she worried so much about me, she forgot about herself, and- She almost hit double digits. Scared the shit out of me." Arven admitted, a faraway note in his voice. "Six ribs. I could count three sets of ribs visible, even when she wasn't stretching. And her sternum was just- It was poking out, and- Jesus. I hate thinking about it, watching her wither away. It was so scary."

"...I bet." Drayton murmured, idly sipping his beer. "...Thanks for- I dunno, for taking care of her. She's had it hard. I probably don't even know the half of it, but- I'm just happy she made it out the other side, and that she's happy. And- I mean, everyone can tell you make her happy. So... Y'know. Thanks. 'Cause I would've been really pissed if she died and- And the last thing I ever said to her was- Y'know." He whispered, his hand clenching tightly around the beer can, causing it to rather noisily crumple in his hand. 

Robin chose that moment to emerge from the bedroom, jovial as ever. "Mama, I just be drinkin' shit! Grandma gave me a Coke, then-"

"Oh, you saw your grandma? I love your grandma's house. Your grandpa's so damn funny." Drayton remarked.

"He was." Robin said, plopping down on the couch with a wistful smile. "He was always so good at entertaining the children."

Drayton blinked. "...'Was'?"

"He's dead." Robin informed him neutrally. "Died a couple years ago. You didn't hear about it? The Caitlin/Iris pipeline didn't quite work?"

"...No, I didn't." Drayton muttered, his golden eyes darkening as he stared at his crushed beer can. "...Sorry for- Y'know."

"Oh, don't worry about it. I like being able to bring him up, and no one starts crying. 'Cause that's the way he would've wanted it. He would've wanted us poking fun at him, even after he's gone." Robin said steadily. "He really liked you, y'know."

Drayton sniffled a little bit, keeping his eyes locked on the can. "...Thanks."

Just then, there was a knock on the hotel room's front door. "I'll get it!" Robin chirped, seemingly flying out of her seat. "Probably my mom anyway. Everyone act very, very sober!" She cried out, before opening the door to find...

"Oh, God..." Robin groaned, finding Lacey at her front door. "What do you want?"

Lacey seemed a bit taken aback by the hostility in Robin's tone, but she persevered regardless. "I-I wanted to apologize." She declared, her voice artificially steady.

"Good for you." Robin said bluntly.

"Robin, I- I'm sorry. You were right, I couldn't handle something revealing, and- I'm sorry I got mad at you because you wanted to look out for me. I just- I mean, I'm- I don't even know why I even thought that you and Drayt- Oh." Lacey trailed off, her eyes widening as she looked over Robin's shoulder. "...I see." She muttered, brushing her hair out of her face.

Robin turned around to find Drayton, half-standing up, staring at Lacey like he'd seen a ghost. Well, if that wasn't the worst possible image for Lacey to see, a flushed, inebriated Drayton in Robin's hotel room, then she didn't know what was.

"Well... I'll leave you to it." She grumbled, her voice cracking as she turned away and ran down the hall, taking many rapid little steps to get out of there as quickly as possible.

"Lacey! Wait!" Drayton cried, stumbling over himself, the chair and the table in his efforts to chase after her. By the time he made it out of the room, Lacey was already gone, the elevator door had closed behind her. He pursued her clumsily anyway, stumbling down the hall after her.

Robin hurried over and grabbed him by the back of his collar, dragging him back into their hotel room. "You're not gonna get anywhere quick like that, you blockhead. Let her cool off. Crawl back to her like a wet Lillipup, it works every time." She told him bluntly, easily able to overpower his drunken efforts and closing the door behind them.

Drayton tried to push past Robin and open the door through her, but she blocked him anyway. "She- She's gonna get the wrong idea! She's- I mean, you know she's jealous! It's gonna-"

"And what do you plan to do about it? Drunkenly stumble after her? You think you're convincing her of anything right now?" Robin demanded. "Sit down. I'll text her and tell her it was a misunderstanding, and you can talk to her at your leisure when you are sober."

Drayton's lip quivered, though he did obey Robin and lie down on the couch, albeit flipping her off in the process.

"Did she just- Like, did she not see me at all?" Arven asked, puzzled. "How does that girl's brain even work?"

"I think my beautiful titties blocked you from view." Robin remarked, bitterly sighing and turning away from the door.

"Jesus Christ. This is- This is horrible. I don't even know how it could- Oh, Drayton's sleeping." Arven remarked as Drayton started to snore. "He must have been up all night, eh?"

Robin's nose crinkled in disgust, though she did find the kindness within her heart to drape a blanket over top of him. "These fucking idiots. Were we this bad?"

"Y'know, I think we were pretty bad, but I think this is a new low. A lot less jealousy and one night stands with us. We just took forever." Arven replied, pulling her into his arms. "You're so warm." He murmured, nuzzling his face into her neck.

"Alcohol dilates the- Ooh!- Dilates the blood vessels, which brings the warm blood closer to the skin..." She murmured as he kissed her neck. "Arvie, we- We can't just make out in front of our sleeping friend! That's crazy...!"

Arven shrugged. "Well, we can leave the room."

"Oh, alright..." She muttered as her phone started to ring out of her pocket. "Betcha this is Lacey, coming to her- Oh, no. Not Lacey coming to her senses." She remarked, reading who the call was from. "My dad."

"You gonna answer it?" Arven inquired.

"Sure. I'm a bit tipsy, so it'll at least be funny for you if it goes awry." She assured him with a wry smile. "Hello?"

"Rob- Robin?! This is you, right?!" She heard a woman's voice cry out from the other end of the phone, certainly not her father.

She frowned. "Who is this? Why do you have my dad's phone?"

"This is- This is Corinne. I- I-I'm at the hospital." The woman whispered shakily. "Oskar- Your dad, he's- He just- He was fine at lunch, but then he- He's in the hospital, and they're-"

Robin's insides turned to ice. All the liquor bottles in the room started to rattle around, and the chandelier on the ceiling began to shake, startling Arven and not rousing Drayton one bit. "...Oh." She whispered lightly.

Chapter Text

Robbie Ambrose-Hatanaka was a very special boy. Every adult he knew said so. They were all greatly entertained by his antics. One minute he'd be dancing around the kitchen, dropping to his knees and punching the floor in his dramatic performance of Ledyba Gaga's Bad Romance, and then the next he'd be nose-deep in an atlas meant for someone much, much older than he was. He was five years old, and he was lecturing his parents about what it meant to be landlocked, arguing the merits of the Robinson Projection against the Mercator Projection (Oskar's favourite), or quizzing his mother on what the most populous city of Sinnoh was. It was a strange dichotomy, his bookishness contrasting heavily with his more flamboyant tastes. One moment he'd be making his mother laugh and his father speechless by twirling around in one of Caitlin's old hand-me-down princess dresses, and the next, he'd be impressing both his parents with his encyclopedic knowledge of a Munna's habitat.

One day, he was reading a book on the anatomy of the brain while listening to Britney Spearows in his room when he could faintly overhear his parents speaking to each other in the living room. As naughty as it was to eavesdrop, Robbie couldn't resist the temptation, and pressed his ear to the door.

"-and I look over at the TV, and this little boy has figured out how to Google himself on the Wii. How does he- I don't get it." Mom laughed. "You remember when he changed every single song title, album name and artist on our iTunes to RobbieAmbrose?"

"Took me a whole afternoon to fix it." Daddy muttered darkly.

"Oh, it was such a pain. And that stupid album artwork? How does he even figure this stuff out?"

"He's a smart kid." Daddy remarked. "Marches to the beat of his own drum."

"Oh, don't be bitter just 'cause he hasn't touched that LEGO set. You know he doesn't care for that stuff." Mom teased, and the way she clapped Daddy on the shoulder was audible all the way from Robbie's room. "I mean, we both know our son is... You know. He's less Journey, more George Michaludon."

"More RuPawmi." Daddy corrected her, though his tone seemed a bit too bitter for Mom's jokes. It must not have been very funny, Robbie reasoned.

"And what if he is?" Mom challenged, her tone growing sharper. "Don't tell me you're suddenly listening to your parents now."

"I'm not! I just- I- I'm worried about- Y'know, how he'll be treated in school. He's- I mean, he's pretty in-your-face about it. He doesn't like getting dirty, he doesn't like LEGOs or catch or any of that 'boy' stuff. He likes to read and dance to Ledyba Gaga, and twirl in princess dresses."

"He's five. The other kids won't know the difference." Mom reasoned. "Besides, you ever see how happy he is in those old dresses that Mom gave us? Or when he's dancing around to Bad Romance? He completely lights up. He's just a kid. He's having fun. You don't have to be such a big baby about it."

Daddy sighed. "I don't know why your mom gave them to us, when she knew we were having a boy." He muttered, and suddenly, Robbie could hear footsteps in the hall. He leapt back into bed, placed his earbuds back in his ears, trying to look innocent and very engrossed in the book he'd just picked back up.

As he feared, his dad opened his door without knocking. "Hey, kiddo. Whatcha up to?"

"U-Uh, reading about the oc- Oc- Ock-ip-i-tall lobe." He stammered, though he was able to hide it behind not knowing how to pronounce 'occipital'. "It's in the back of your brain, and it controls your sight."

"Interesting." Daddy said noncommittally, sitting down on the edge of his bed. "Hey, uh... What do ya say you and I go out and practice your soccer skills? Just you and me. You're still in that kiddie soccer league, you know."

"But I'm really, really bad at soccer." Robbie said blankly.

"Yeah, but how are you gonna get better if you don't practice?"

Robbie shrugged. He didn't really care about getting better. Well, he did when he was in the heat of the moment and he wanted to be the best on the field, but when he went home, he stopped caring immediately. Sports were just a pain. Especially watching them on TV, he knew he would never be like those guys who threw themselves around trying to block a goal. He truly did not care enough to dive for a ball. It was not worth the grass stains.

"C'mon. It'll be fun! We can get Subway after." Daddy offered, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Can't we just get Subway and skip the soccer?"

"Delayed gratification, my son. It'll taste so much better if you've been waiting for it." Daddy assured him. "What do ya say?"

Robbie thought about it for about ten seconds, before reluctantly saying, "Okay. But I want a 6-inch!"

"Your wish is my command."

"And cookies!"

"Next you'll say you want a Sprite."

Robbie simply shrugged, a smug smile on his face, which matched his father's grin.

"Alright, bud. Tomorrow, okay?" Daddy told him, to which he agreed with only a nod. "Alright. Have fun reading about your lobes."

"Yeah." Robbie said quietly, waiting for him to leave the room before closing the book. Well, this was gonna be annoying. He didn't get why his dad was so enthusiastic about him playing soccer. He hated it. He didn't have fun, and he hated losing, and he hated tripping over the ball or another kid and falling on his knees. It was all so annoying. Robbie would've preferred reading, sitting with his mom on the sidelines, plucking out his eyelashes one by one, anything other than running around, getting knocked around and scraping his elbows. But his dad had his heart set on Robbie being a sports guy, and he didn't want his dad to get mad at him for quitting.

He got back under his covers, putting the book down and just staring up at the ceiling. He was never gonna be a sports guy, was he? He wasn't gonna be a boy who liked LEGOs, who liked playing catch or digging around in the sandbox. Maybe he'd never like what his dad wanted him to. He'd always known he was a bit different from the other boys, cleaner, quieter, better-behaved and a much bigger fan of the colour pink. He always knew he was a bit odd. But he never realized just how much his father wished he wasn't.

"We're at Cedar-Sinnoh-" Corinne told her before Robin hung up on her, her hands gently shaking around her phone.

Robin blinked a few times, keeping her eyes closed to steady herself. "Dad's in the hospital." She muttered, springing into action by putting her shoes on. "Cedar-Sinnoh- Oh, jeez. Corinne's not gonna be able to see him. She's not family yet. Their wedding's in three weeks. She called me just so I could get her in the door, the bitch..."

Arven's eyes shot open. "He- Oh my God, your dad- Is he okay?!"

"I don't fuckin' know. Corinne probably doesn't know much because she's not family, and- Fuck, I've gotta go. I've gotta at least find out what the fuck's happening-"

"Okay, you go, and- And I'll text your mom to come, and I'll- I'll get there somehow. You go, you- I'll bring some things, I'll-"

"She won't be able to get in the room without me. She won't know what's going on without me. Fuck, what if h-he's- Oh, shit! Drayton! We can't just leave him here!" Robin cried out, pointing to the very inconveniently asleep guy on their couch. "Imagine he wakes up and we're both gone! He'll freak out!"

"I'll leave a note. I'll leave a note, then I'll go grab your mom, and we'll- I dunno how we'll get there." He admitted, running his hands through his hair nervously. "Just go, Robin! Don't wait for me, just go!" He cried, ushering her out the door and closing it behind her.

Robin blinked, momentarily hesitating before hurrying away, running down the hall to ding the elevator. She had no idea what the hell was awaiting her at the hospital, but there was a grim certainty building in her chest that this wasn't just a car accident, sixteen stitches and a concussion, three weeks and her dad would be right as rain. Something told her things wouldn't be so simple. She could feel it in her bones that this was so, so much worse.

After a quick ten-minute flight on Miraidon, Robin scurried inside the Cedar-Sinnoh Hospital's main doors, miraculously managing to walk steady in her heeled boots despite her inebriation. She sought out the nearest person who looked like they might have a clue where her father was, which turned out to be a receptionist at the information desk.

"Hi! I'm- I- My dad's in here somewhere. He- Well, I have no idea what the hell happened, his wife- Well, fiancee, they're not married yet, she called me on his phone, and she said he was here, and-" She rambled on, before catching sight of the receptionist's patient yet exhausted stare and trailing off. "...His name's Oskar Hatanaka."

The receptionist started typing at a breakneck pace, her nails clicking on the keyboard noisily. Robin wanted to rip her nails off and get her a less noisy keyboard, just for the good of the world. How could one woman make so much noise without speaking a word?!

"...He's been moved to the ICU. That's on the fifth floor. Are you family?" She asked politely.

Robin nodded. "I'm his- Well, he'd probably say 'child', but I'm his daughter. Is he-"

"Room 5B02." She informed her, before turning away to her computer. "Is there anything else you need?" She asked, but Robin was already gone. She ran to the nearest elevator, smashed the number five with the side of her fist, and tried her best not to punch all the people who wanted to get on after her, who were slowing her down and stopping at floors 2, 3 and 4. This was just cruel and unusual, she thought. Her dad was probably damn close to kicking the bucket if he was in the ICU, but she still had to wait for people to get off and on the elevator at three whole floors before she could get to him. She felt something building in her chest, some emotion she didn't recognize or know what to do with threatening to explode out of her if she had to sit with it for much longer.

So, once she finally got to the fifth floor, she was off like a rocket, marching down the halls, her hair catching all kinds of wind as she hurried through the maze of hallways. She just followed the signs to the ICU, to rooms 5B01-5B15, finally to a hallway which had numbers she could use and- Dammit, it also had Corinne there, waiting for her. Robin gritted her teeth, and prepared to bear speaking to that bitch. She figured that she'd probably be seeing a lot of Corinne, if her father was in the hospital.

"Oh, thank God." Corinne breathed once she caught sight of Robin, standing up to awkwardly greet her. She almost looked like she wanted a hug, but Robin thought she really should've known better than to expect physical affection from the girl she tormented with her dead name, just for kicks and revenge. "Listen, they- They won't tell me anything. I gave them his- His medications, his blood type, his- I told them everything I know, and they haven't told me shit! Isn't that crazy?!"

Robin shrugged. "You'd think- Y'know." She muttered, awkwardly gesturing to Corinne's heavily pregnant stomach. "I mean, that's his kid in there. You'd think that could get you in the door."

"I know, right?! But they- They won't even let me see him. Said he's not able to give consent." Corinne muttered. "He's- He's not awake. He just- We were having lunch together like we do every Sunday, and he- He just- He had a headache, and then he started talking all funny and he- He just slumped over, and he wouldn't respond to anything, so I called 911, and they- They only let me in the ambulance because I'm too pregnant to drive. Oh, Lord, I need to pick up our car..." She grumbled, starting to awkwardly pace around, despite her large baby bump making it more like a waddle. "Can you- I dunno, can you get the doctor and- I mean, if you don't want to stay, that's fine, I know you two aren't really speaking right now, but I just- I just need to know what's going on-"

Robin marched away, and right up to the nurses' station. "Hey." She said to one poor nurse, scribbling something down on a chart. "I'm Oskar Hatanaka's daughter. He's in room 5B02. Can I go in to see him? A-And if I can see him, do you think you could let his pregnant fiancee, three weeks away from marriage, see him too? We don't really get along, and I really don't wanna be the one updating her on everything. I mean, I can hardly stand her, but I think she deserves to know what the tea is."

The nurse blinked at her a few times before her words sank in, then his face seemed to soften like melting butter. "I'll page the doctor." He said quietly.

"Thank you." She said curtly, before returning to Corinne's side. Jesus, this was horrible. She was having to spend time with Corinne. If her father was awake, he would have loved that, she thought.

"...I don't even know what happens now. I-I- He didn't have any kind of proxy or power of attorney- God, he's only fifty-one. We weren't thinking we'd need it. But- I mean, if there's medical decisions to be made, then- I mean, who makes them? I-If he doesn't- If he's not awake, who makes those decisions?!"

Robin shrugged. "Me, probably. You're not married yet, and I'm his only child. Unless you count Mr. Fetus in there, but I don't really think he's relevant when it comes to making medical decisions..."

"B-But you're only-"

Just then, a middle-aged man in a labcoat and scrubs approached the two of them, his face a carefully constructed mask of polite indifference. "Miss Hatanaka?" He asked, looking at Robin expectantly.

Both Corinne and Robin reacted, taking a breath in before realizing what he said. "O-Oh, uh- Ambrose. My last name is Ambrose, it's my mom's name, my parents are divorced, this is not my mom..." Robin stammered awkwardly.

"Very well. Miss Ambrose. My name is Dr. Harberry. May I speak with you-"

"You can talk to her too. I mean, they're only three weeks off from their wedding day, and that's his baby in there." Robin interrupted.

"I'm sorry, but- You can't make that decision for him." The doctor informed her. "Please, with me." He requested, opening Oskar's hospital room door and beckoning for her to follow. Corinne also followed, but was quickly stopped by the doctor. "Ma'am, I can only inform family. It's just HIPAA."

"He is- We are getting married in three weeks! This is- This is his baby! What do you mean, I can't hear what's wrong with my future husband?!" Corinne protested. 

"Ma'am, unless you are legally married, you are not considered family, and the patient is unable to give his consent for you to hear his personal health information." The doctor explained gently.

"Well, what about her?! She's his family, can't she give her consent on his behalf?!"

"I'm afraid that it's not that simple. We can tell immediate family if the patient is incapacitated, but if we were to share anything with you, he would need to have a substitute decision-maker-"

"She's his next-of-kin! What else does she need?!"

"She'd have to be appointed by the court." Dr. Harberry said patiently. "Until then, I can only divulge patient information to immediate family."

"Well, shit." Robin grumbled. "Really hoped I'd be able to just- I dunno, unlock the door for her and- I guess, let her handle it." She muttered as the doctor shut the door in Corinne's face. "I'm- Oh, Jesus." She whispered, finally catching sight of her father, laying in his hospital bed. 

His head was covered in bandages, there was a tube connected to something over his mouth, and- Fuck, he looked so small. Sure, Robin had lost a lot of reverence for the man over the years as she learned of just how weak-willed he was, how he was willing to keep secrets and lie to his wife just to protect his fragile way of living, but- Jesus, she'd never seen him look weak. He was regal, refined. He was tall, he wore fancy suits, he had a sharp face, just like she did, but- He was pale, his brows were a little furrowed like he was in pain, and he looked so clammy, and-

Robin turned and puked nothing but pure acid into the nearest garbage bin.

The doctor simply offered her a paper towel to wipe her mouth with. "...I'm sorry. I'm sure this must be overwhelming."

"Oh, girl." Robin muttered, wiping her mouth and tossing the paper towel into the bin. "I haven't spoken to him in five months, and- And I hate his stupid wife, and- Fuck. He's- He's-"

The doctor closed his eyes, as if steadying his nerves. "...He had a hemorrhagic stroke. That's when-"

"Oh my God, he's dead." Robin breathed, her entire body going cold despite the uncomfortable heat in the room. She lost her breath, though she couldn't even make her body move to reclaim it. She just stared at her father, listening to the rhythmic sound of the ventilator- Oh, shit, that was a ventilator, breathing for him- He had a stroke, and now he can't breathe on his own- His medulla oblongata must have been completely fucked, and that meant his heartbeat-

"...His condition is dire. By the time he'd arrived at the hospital, the bleeding was severe. We rushed him into emergency surgery, and we did manage to stop the bleeding, but- The damage to his brain tissue is extensive." The doctor explained grimly.

"His medulla oblongata- He must have a pacemaker." Robin wheezed, taking a seat on the nearest chair, her hands clutching her racing heart. "His- If he can't breathe on his own, then his brain must not be able to regulate his own heartbeat, which means-"

"Yes, we did put in a pacemaker." Dr. Harberry confirmed. "We ran a CT scan, but we would like to run a functional MRI to confirm the damage."

"The occipital- Oh, my God... He's- He's not coming back. He's- My dad's- He's- ...Shit." She spat out, before she felt like her soul was plunged into an ocean, frigid waters surrounding her very core. Her dad was gone. He was gone, and Robin only got nearly seventeen years with him- Well, sixteen, really. They'd been estranged for so long, he'd practically missed a year of her life. And maybe it wasn't her fault at first, but she could've- She could've tried, she could've- She could've kept her head down, put up with Corinne, so the last thing she said to him wouldn't have been-

She bit her lip, cracking each of her knuckles individually. "...May as well get that MRI. Can I- May I see the CT results, or-"

Dr. Harberry blinked a few times. "U-Uh, sure. I'll go- I'll go get them." He muttered, moving to leave but pausing in front of her. "I-I am very sorry for your loss, Miss Ambrose."

She nodded curtly, just counting down the seconds until he left. He eventually left the room, and Corinne burst into the room like water into a submerged car after the window broke. "What happened?! Is he okay?! Is he-"

"Shush." Robin said firmly. "I can't tell you anything. Come here." She muttered, standing up and approaching her father's bed. She could barely look at his face, half-covered by the ventilator and surrounded by bandages and so gaunt and pale. Corinne followed behind Robin quietly, though she could tell Corinne was about ready to pop her lid.

"Remind me, what happened at lunch?" Robin eventually whispered.

"He- He had a migraine, and then he- He passed out-"

"Yes. His head hurt, and then he passed out. Do you see this headwrap? His hair is gone. Why do you think that is?"

Corinne swallowed loudly. "U-Uh... They did- They did surgery on his brain?"

Robin looked back at her with a neutral expression on her face, before gesturing to the machine at his side. "Look at this. Do you know what this is?" She asked quietly.

"U-Uh, is that a ventilator?" Corinne sighed, clearly getting impatient. "Rob, what's the-"

"Ah-ah. Robin, or I'm not telling you shit." Robin snapped harshly. "...You're right, this is a ventilator. Why would he have a ventilator after brain surgery, Corinne?"

"U-Uh, I don't- Maybe he just needs some time to recover. I don't know, I work on robots, not people!"

Robin closed her eyes, taking a deep breath in to steel her nerves before delicately pulling back the front of Oskar's hospital gown. "Do you see this? There's a- There's a little lump in the left side of his chest." She whispered, her voice quivering weakly as she ran her fingers over her father's chest, perhaps feeling him warm for the last time. She found the lump in his chest, a oval shape much too precise to be natural. "That's- That's called a pacemaker. It- It sends electrical signals to the- To the h-heart, to make it beat. Now, why do you think he would need a machine to help him breathe and a machine to make his heart beat after brain surgery, which was preceded by- By a splitting headache and- And him abruptly fainting into his Cora's waffles?" She asked Corinne, staring dead into her eyes meaningfully. 

She watched with shaking breaths as Corinne's face changed from confusion and frustration, to the grim and devastating realization she was sure she wore only a few minutes before. She flicked her eyes away before she could feel bad for the woman, and instead stared back at her father, unmoved, unaffected, aloof as he always was. She supposed death suited him, to a degree. For a man who seemed so scared to live, love, or change, death must feel like freedom. Well, it would when it came for him. He was still there, his heart beating at the behest of that stupid machine, miniscule parts of his brain still alive. What a life that was.

"H-He's- He- No. No. No, no, no no no no no nononon-" Corinne started to babble frantically, which Robin took as her cue to leave. She left Corinne to despair by her lonesome, wailing loudly and gutturally from the room. She wasn't her responsibility. Instead, she wandered through the maze of the hospital, in search of everything and nothing, anything to take her mind off the mess she'd left behind in that godforsaken room.

Robbie slammed the door to their Lacunosa estate behind him as he attempted to go back to his room and sulk, or rip his skin off his body, or smash every little object Drayton had ever laid his hands on or tear those stupid posters off his walls or rip the pages out of that stupid book on flower language or-

"Whoa!" Father cried out at the sight of his son, throwing his scarf at the wall like he expected it to transform into a ball and chain and knock the whole house down. "What's got you worked up, little man?!"

"I'm fine." Robbie insisted, though by the way he tried to hang his coat up, failed, and then threw the coat hanger across the room, anyone with eyes could tell he was furious. "I'm just- I'm-"

"You're taking off your coat, and school hasn't even started yet." Father noted. "You don't wanna be late, do you?"

Robbie stilled immediately, his back straightening out board-stiff. He didn't want to go back to school, to crawl back into that room, see Drayton again and his condescending smirk as he asks him where he's been. Crying, like the crybaby bitch he is, like the faggot everyone apparently knew he was.

He took a deep breath in, before muttering, "I forgot my waterbottle," and stalking to the kitchen.

"You've never taken a waterbottle to school a day in your life." Father remarked, following a respectful distance behind. "Robbie. Tell me. What's wrong?" He inquired gently, holding his son by the shoulders and kneeling down slightly to reach his eye level.

Robbie gritted his teeth, trying to hold back the tears that felt like acid on his cheeks. He'd been humiliated enough, yanked out of the closet, shaken around like a Grumpiggy bank and smashed on the floor by Drayton. He couldn't handle any more. "...I-I just- I hate everyone. I hate- I hate him, I hate Lacey, I hate all his stupid freaking friends and his stupid parents and his stupid grandpa and his-"

Suddenly, he was pulled rather aggressively into a tight hug, ending his sentence before it really got going. It had been a long, long time since he'd been hugged by his own father, but the warmth of it, the security, made it feel like it was just yesterday. He sank into it like sugar into tea as Father stroked his hair comfortingly. Sure, Father may not have liked how long it was getting, but at least he was touching Robbie at all.

"You know, I think I could really go for a game of bowling right about now..." Father remarked innocently. "But it'd be kind of boring to play alone..."

"Don't you have work?" Robbie asked, his voice raspy and thin.

"Don't you have school?"

"Touché." Robbie admitted, a little giggle bubbling out of him despite himself. "...I think I could agree to that."

"Great." Father chirped with a wide grin. "Get in the car, then. Hey, maybe we'll go to the mall afterward. I know how you love Subway."

"I already said yes, no need to sweeten the deal!" Robbie cried out as he ran into the garage. He could put off the dread of facing Drayton again for another day. He could crumble in the face of his peers' rejection tomorrow. Right now, he was going to bowl, and he was going to beat his father, once and for all. This time, he'd emerge victorious, and he'd have a fantastic victory lap through Shopping Mall Nine, and today would be a good day. No best friend randomly turning homophobic on him could ever take that away.

It took so much longer to get to Robin than Arven expected. The hospital was on the other side of the city, and he and Chrys had to get a taxi there, which was maybe the most excruciating forty-five minutes he'd ever had to endure. Then they had to find out wherever Oskar was, and then they had to take the elevator up, and then they got lost... But eventually, he and Chrys managed to find Oskar's room. The door was cracked open a little, so Arven just burst right in, unable to stand another moment not by Robin's side.

But once he saw the scene in front of him, he realized maybe he should've prepared himself just a little better. He felt like he had been flashbanged as he entered the room. The blinds were drawn, the room was dark, and there Robin was, snuggling her father, her arm around his head as he slept. She was wide awake, her eyes blank as she stared at the intrusion, as if they'd annoyed her just by interrupting- Whatever the hell this was. It was so strange to him, seeing Robin be affectionate toward her father. For as long as he'd known her, she'd been furious at him. Did all that anger just leave her once she found out he was- Whatever was wrong with him? She must have been a saint. His father had died, and he was still angry. She was much more patient than he ever was.

Chrys swallowed loudly. "H-How is he?"

"Warm." Robin muttered quietly. "Corinne went to get- Well, she told me she was going to get coffee, then I tried to talk her out of it because she's pregnant, but- I dunno, why on God's green Earth would she listen to me?" She asked rhetorically, gently leaning her head on her father's.

Chrys' breath turned shaky as she approached her ex-husband's bedside. The tears in her eyes perplexed Arven to no end. If there was anyone who had a reason to hate Oskar Hatanaka, it was her. Yet there she was, lightly touching his arm like nothing had ever happened. He didn't understand. Robin hated the man just the day before, yet here she was, cuddling him like she'd never even been angry.

"...Corinne doesn't want to talk about- Y'know. She's still in denial. She thinks he can come back from this, somehow. But- But he's never gonna- I mean, look at the scans. They're right there on the table. He's- He's as good as dead." Robin muttered, idly running the pads of her fingers over her father's stubbly beard. "The doctors think we should pull the plug. I don't know how that- I mean, he never signed an advanced directive or anything like that. He's only- ...He was only fifty-one." She corrected herself.

Chrys retrieved the scans from the table, and held them up to the light. "...I-I'm sorry, I can't make sense of this..." She muttered. Arven couldn't either as he leaned over her shoulder.

Robin rolled off the bed, and took the scans herself. "The- The white parts, those are the parts of his brain that are still alive. And all the dark is the dead bits." She explained, pointing to the vast majority of the scan. Only some pieces of the front of his brain survived. "His frontal lobe is mostly intact. That one- ...Corinne's really hung up on that one, because the frontal lobe is where all the- You know, the personality is. But keep in mind- The medulla oblongata's shot, so he can't breathe on his own, and he needs a pacemaker, the cerebellum is fucked so he won't be able to move, his occipital lobe's dead so he can't see, the temporal lobe's almost gone- I mean, even if he does manage to wake up, what kind of life is that? I-I mean, I feel like the decision's really cut-and-dry, but-"

A lone tear ran down Chrys' cheek as she closed her eyes. "...I'm so sorry, Robin...!" She choked out, before crushing Robin in a big Bewear hug. Robin looked incredibly uncomfortable in the hug, as if it was entirely unexpected that her mother would hug her following her father's death. She sighed and hugged her mother back as she sobbed, though she locked eyes with Arven, who had barely moved a muscle since hearing that her dad was pretty much dead.

He felt like he was stuck in place, anchored down by the weight of everything he tried so hard not to think about. He- He was dead. His heart beat, and yet he was dead. Robin could reach out and touch a ghost, hold the dead's hands in hers. It was an interesting paradox, a dead man with air in his lungs, light in his eyes, Poke Ball in hand, towering over his broken kingdom, hands eerily steady as they commanded the Iron Serpent-

Arven took a deep breath, and forced himself to join the group hug, even though it felt like crawling over broken glass. Every time he moved, all he felt was needles and pinches, all over his body. He was paralyzed, stuck in the past yet all too aware of everything he should be feeling. He should be pouring his love all over Robin, comforting her in every way he knew how, but he just wasn't capable of it. He could only summon the strength to rest his head against hers.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. "Hello, Miss Ambrose... and family?" Dr. Harberry called awkwardly from the door. "I'd like to discuss... the next steps."

"Ooh, Jesus." Robin muttered, breaking out of the centre of the hug to talk to him, as Corinne also rounded the corner. "Well... I dunno. You've said that it's not really up to me."

"It's not a unilateral decision, but the wishes of the family are taken into account." Dr. Harberry informed her. "Now, as Mr. Hatanaka's next of kin, you would ordinarily be the one we consult when it comes to withdrawing care, however, you are under eighteen. Which means, we must consult your legal guardian."

"You mean... My mother." Robin said blankly.

Dr. Harberry nodded.

Corinne blanched almost instantly, while all three of Chrys, Arven and Robin covered their mouths with their hands. The four of them stood there in their shocked tableau, eyes flicking between one another as no one dared to speak.

Robin was the first to make any noise, which turned out to be a dark giggle, bubbling out of her guts. "Corinne, baby, go ahead and say your goodbyes now." She chortled, patting the horrified woman on the shoulder before leaving the room, her quiet snickers audible down the hall.

Chrys and Arven quickly followed her out of the room and down the hall, where she was laughing all the way to the elevator. As far as inappropriate reactions to the news of her father's imminent death go, Arven felt a bit better about his, watching Robin laugh hysterically, sliding down the wall and taking a seat. Sure, he may have been more hurt than he really had any right to be, but at least he wasn't laughing.

"Whoo, Jesus. Mama, it's so over for him. Mom's gonna walk in there and pull his pacemaker out with her bare hands...!" Robin snickered, a few tears running down her face from how hard she'd been laughing. "He's just- He's just so dead-"

"Robin! I am not- This is- I'm not gonna pull his plug myself!" Chrys scolded her. "This is- This is your father! A-And you're-"

Robin ignored her entirely, leaning her head on her knees. "Oh, fuck, this is, like, poetic. He wasted twenty years of my mom's life, and then she gets to waste him! I'm calling it karma."

"ROBIN!" Chrys shouted, finally getting through to her. "Stop- I'm not killing him. I'm- I don't even want to make this decision! I-I mean, you're almost an adult and Corinne's his wife- Y-You two just- You come to an agreement, you tell me what to say and I'll say it. I don't want anything more to do with it." She declared firmly, before marching away to the main atrium, likely for a coffee.

Robin and Arven stared at each other for a minute after she left with matching wide eyes. "Damn. She did not see the irony." Robin remarked as Arven sat down beside her.

"You okay?" He asked her, placing his hand over hers, drawing her out of her closed-off posture. She leaned back against the wall, allowing him to hold her hand.

She shrugged. "I've been better. I'm definitely not as bad as Corinne. She's been rapidly oscillating between crying her eyes out and being pragmatic. You know, trying to get her affairs in order, taking her prenatal vitamins, all that. Then she'll flip back to inconsolable grief. It's very exhausting."

"I imagine." He agreed softly as she leaned her head on his shoulder. "You talk to her much?"

"I try not to. Once she- Mm. Fuck. I'm still a little pissed. Once she realized the doctors were talking to me about pulling the plug, she just-" Robin started, before the elevator dinged, and a group of people got off.

Robin and Arven's jaws both dropped once the group dispersed and it was revealed that Drayton was among them. "Got your note." He greeted them with a weak smile.

"Oh, you didn't have to come! I'm sure traffic was a bitch!" Robin cried, rather gracefully getting to her feet and wrapping her arms around him for a few seconds.

"A) Yes, the fuck I did, and B) I have a Dragonite." He reminded her as she pulled away. "It's- I mean, of course I've gotta be here. You're my friend." He insisted quietly, brushing some matted hair out of his face. "Thanks for the note, bro. Saved me a lot of time, checking all the different hospitals." He said to Arven with a rather vigorous shoulder pat.

"No problem. It'd be kinda crazy if we just left you there, in our room, without saying anything." Arven remarked.

"Afraid I'd steal your shit?"

"I'd like to think you'd know better than to steal from Robin."

"Hm. I'm quite a prolific food thief, for your information." He informed him with a wry smile. "Hey, where's- Where is everyone?" He asked suddenly, looking around. "I mean, where's your mom? Where's- I mean, I don't know her name, but where's Miss Stepmom?"

"Well, Mom stormed away because I dared to laugh at the irony in a trying time, and Corinne- not my stepmom, by the way- is probably crying at my dad's bedside." Robin muttered, her head on a swivel as she checked for either to reappear.

"How is he?" Drayton asked gently.

"Oh, he's quite dead." Robin said bluntly. "Stroke. His brain's fried. They- They tried a lot of things to save him, but- But he's not gonna wake up." She mumbled, suddenly quite awkward as Drayton's face fell. She felt like she'd had to tell the whole world her dad was dead. The words were getting easier, if a bit less sensitive each time. It was just a fact to her. Her dad was gone. Her life wouldn't really change, he wasn't really in it, so it was just something that happened to her.

"Oh, jeez... I'm sorry, bud." Drayton breathed, once again hugging Robin tightly.

"Aht. You'd better not call me 'little buddy', or Arven's gonna have your head." She remarked, reluctantly allowing herself to be hugged.

"Promise?"

"Hm?"

"Nothing!" Drayton assured her. "Arven, get in here!" He hissed at him, beckoning him into a group hug. He reluctantly complied, feeling a bit of deja-vu from only a few minutes earlier. He preferred two-person hugs to three. But he thought Robin could use the reminder that there was a village of people in her corner.

"Jesus, it's gotta be World Group Hug Day today or something!" Robin remarked after a while, wriggling out of the hug. "You're much bonier than my mom. I liked that one better." She informed Drayton snootily, before brushing her hair off her shoulders. "...Well, do you wanna see him, or...?"

Drayton shuddered a bit, before shrugging, attempting to be nonchalant but the tension was evident in his posture. "U-Uh... Sure, I guess. I- I mean, I know your dad wasn't really my biggest fan-"

"Well, that's 'cause I told him what you said to me back then, not Mom." Robin muttered. "I-I mean, you don't have to. I know this- I know this probably isn't how you planned to spend your Saturday, and I know you hate hospitals and this is probably gonna bring up some bad memor-"

"I don't care." Drayton interrupted her simply. "Let's go."

Robin shrugged. "If you're sure." She muttered, leading the way back to Oskar's room. But before they could even get down the hall, they ran right into Corinne, her ash-blonde hair frizzy and falling over her red, tearstained cheeks.

"Rob-" She started, though Robin already held up her hand to stop her.

"Ah-ah. 'Robin', or I kill your husband." She said sharply.

Corinne swallowed a large lump in her throat, before averting her eyes to the floor. "Robin, I- I know you and I never got along. I-I know I- There's bad blood between us, and it's- But, please. Don't take it out on him. He's- He's got a picture of you in his wallet, he looks at it and then he- He gets quiet, and I can tell he's trying not to cry, and-"

"Corinne-"

"Please. I-I can't lose him before- He has to meet his baby. He has to- Look. He's- He had a list of baby names, and- And then you texted him, and then he threw them all out. He's- He decided on Quinn because of you, because he cares-"

"Please, shut-"

"He- You know, I-I got so sick of that Donna Summer song because he'd play your performance of it on the TV all the time. He'd- He was so pissed that he missed it. He wanted to be there for you, but- But he didn't know how." Corinne choked out through the onslaught of tears that streamed down her face as she pleaded. "He didn't know how to fix it, and he didn't want to make you angry so he gave you space but it killed him on the inside, and- And he calls you his daughter, even when you're not there, and- And he's so proud of you, Robin, it- I mean, it gets annoying sometimes, how much he talks about you- And he misses you so much, but he just- He didn't even know where to start, or if you'd want him to try-"

"Shut up."

"But he wanted to, so much. He- He wanted to walk you down the aisle, to- To have a stupid, father-daughter dance to some Ledyba Gaga song as some kind of throwback- He wanted to be in your life so badly, but he was just so scared- A-And I know I don't- I know I don't get to ask you for anything, but- Please, Robin. Let Quinn have a father-"

"SHUT UP!" Robin screamed at her, stunning Corinne into complete silence. "SHUT UP! Do you think- Do you really think I want to pull his plug just for funsies?! Just 'cause I hate him and I want him dead?! You- You think I'm that cruel?! You know what's cruel, Corinne?!" She demanded, her hair starting to rise at the ends. "What's cruel is leaving him in that living hell for two months just for your own satisfaction. The baby ain't gonna remember shit, and Dad's not gonna wake up! And even if he did, you know what's gonna happen?! He won't be able to move, to hold him. He won't be able to see him. He won't be able to hear him. He'll be- He'll be trapped in his own body, b-barely alive and- What kind of life is that?!"

Corinne's mouth opened and closed again, as if she was hoping an argument would fall out of her mouth if she tried again and again to summon one.

"That's selfish. Keeping him trapped in purgatory- Keeping him alive, suffering, unable to so much as breathe on his own for your own peace of mind- I mean, it fits you pretty fuckin' well. Selfish and cruel. That's your whole gig, isn't it?"

Corinne gasped, raising her hands to her neck as if clutching her pearls. "How- How dare you?! I-"

"I got here ten minutes after you called, and yet somehow, he was recovering from brain surgery in inpatient care by the time I got here! So either they did a craniotomy in ten minutes, or- Or you waited. My dad had a hemorrhagic stroke, and you didn't call me until you needed me to get in the fucking door." Robin accused her in a cold, deadly tone. "My dad died, and you waited hours to tell me. I bet you wouldn't have even called AT ALL if you two were married! So forgive me if I don't give a single flying fuck about how much you wanna put my dad through hell for two months so you can drop a baby on his chest and feel good about yourself. I'm not- I am not letting him suffer any more." She bellowed, before marching right past Corinne and down the hall.

Arven and Drayton stood side by side, matching shocked looks on their faces and staring at each other, before they both snapped out of their stupor, leaving Corinne to cry alone and chasing after Robin as she marched almost as fast as they could run after her. Eventually, they reached Oskar's room, catching up to Robin just in time.

She turned back to them, tears shining in her cherry pink eyes. "C-Can I just- Can I be alone with him for a bit?" She asked, her voice breaking into a quiet squeak.

Arven and Drayton both silently nodded, though Robin didn't even wait for their response before she shut the door in their faces. Her body may have been in that room, but her mind was far, far away. She padded across the room, feeling like the room was rotating with every step. It took every bit of coordination she had to stay upright, amidst her world crashing down around her.

"Hey, Dad." She muttered as she knelt down beside him, resting her head on the side of his bed. "I really, really do not enjoy your wife. She- I mean, I don't know how long a craniotomy takes, but I'd be willing to bet it's over six hours, so- So she knew you were in the hospital, in critical condition, for six hours-ish, and she didn't tell me. She- And when she did, it was to get me to let her see you. If you two were married already, I promise you she wouldn't have told me you were- She would've kept this a secret from me. And- And I know things have been bad between us, I know it's been a long time since we talked and I know it didn't go well, but- But I'm still your daughter. And I think I deserve to know when you- ...When you're- Y'know. Indisposed." She trailed off lamely, the rhythmic pump of the ventilator tethering her to reality.

"...How did we get here?" She whispered, her voice cracking, leaving her with only a high wheeze. "How did we- How did you- You're as good as dead and the last thing I said to you was that- Was that I'm your biggest failure. That's where you leave me? I-I'm- I'm so fucking angry, that that's how we left things. Why did you- Why couldn't you just say it?! Just tell me I'm your daughter, and then- And then it would've all been okay, but- But you didn't, so I just- I gave up. I gave up on you. I gave up on being your daughter, I gave up on us having a relationship, I gave up on you ever accepting me, and- And then, she-" She choked out, tears clouding her vision all at once, like they'd been waiting for an opportunity to explode out of her. She sat there for a while, tears streaming down her face and her breathing shaky and irregular, trying her best to pull herself together because he didn't deserve her tears. He didn't deserve to see just how much she cared if he never cared to show her.

"...She says I've got you all wrong." She finally said, quiet as her voice started to regain its steadiness. "She says everyone knows I'm your daughter, except me. Sh-She says you just didn't know how to get through to me, and you were scared to try but you were proud of me, and- I-I mean, she could just be saying that 'cause she thinks I'm only pulling your plug 'cause I hate you, but- ...I mean, it's so like you. It's so like you to just sit back and stew in your mess. You were never strong enough to have the hard conversations, you were- You just let me push you away. You just- You just let it happen, you let us- You let us fall apart, you- You broke us. Why didn't you want to fix it?" She asked softly, knowing she wouldn't get an answer, now or ever. No matter what she asked him, whether it was the time or whether or not he ever really loved her, she was just too late.

"...Why did I push you away? Why did I- I made you feel like I hated you. And- And maybe I did, but- I love you so much, Dad. I was angry, I was hurt, and maybe I hated you, but- But it wasn't over. We weren't over, we could've- We could've figured things out, we could've- I could've been your daughter again." She whispered, resting her chin on the edge of the bed, looking at her father's face, unmoving as ever. No more of his rare, crooked smiles, no more of that almost cartoonishly sophisticated laugh. This was it. This was what he was reduced to.

She stood up, her hand finding his cheek. "...We should've had more time." She muttered bitterly. "...You know, if you were gonna miraculously come back to life and wake up, now would be an excellent time."

She waited one minute, then another, then another, until even she felt ridiculous and she gave up on waiting. "Of course. I-I mean, you could've woken up just now, but there'd be no way of knowing. You can't see, you can't move, you can't- ...You're gone." She grumbled. "...Well, I'm gonna- I'm gonna let Corinne tag in. I love you, Dad. I-I know maybe it didn't always feel like I did, but- I never stopped." She told his comatose form. "...Fuck, how did we get here...?" She breathed, turning away and leaving the room, leaving her father alone in his own personal hell.

She opened the door to find a rather teary-eyed Drayton, leaning against the wall next to Arven, who seemed much more composed. "Oh, jeez..." Robin breathed, cautiously stepping closer to Drayton. "...You sure you're okay?" She asked him gently, her hand resting on his shoulder.

"I'm fine." He insisted, shaking her off. "I'm- I'm okay." He sniffled, clearly less than okay.

Robin and Arven exchanged an equally concerned look. "Well... I think I could use a break from being in the fucking hospital. You wanna- I dunno, find the nearest bodega and get the J.Lo special?"

"I hate orange drinks." Drayton muttered, refusing to meet her eyes. "Sure, if you want, we can- We can take a break."

"Let's go, then." She declared, and Drayton was off like a shot back to the elevator. Robin and Arven hung back, hand in hand, walking through the hospital at a much more acceptable pace.

"You okay?" He asked gently, squeezing her hand.

Robin shrugged. "No. But- You know. I'm just- I- ...How did we even get here?" She breathed, seeming to direct her question to God as she tilted her head up.

Robin tried her best to tune out her parents' inevitable confrontation, but it felt like the weight of it was crushing her heart flat. They were breaking up, and she knew it, and she was the one who made it happen. Every furious sob her mom let out or angry retort her father hit her with was like a thumbtack pressed right into her soul. She ruined their marriage. Sure, one could argue that one was on her dad and his affair, but she was the one who delivered the killing blow. She told her mom. This fight, the breakdown of their marriage, it all rested on her shoulders.

A tense silence fell over the house, followed by aggressive footsteps that made Robin's heart sink. She probably wasn't gonna be able to tune this one out, now that the fight had been taken directly to her door.

Her door flew open, and for a fleeting moment, Robin almost thought it would break off its hinges. Her father stood in the doorway, breathing heavily, his glasses askew and his hair mussed. "...Why?" He asked simply, his voice dangerously low.

Robin took off her headphones, setting them aside daintily. "You were taking too long." She said evenly.

"I was- You- You destroyed our marriage, tore our family apart because you were impatient?!" He demanded, his voice rapidly reaching a boiling point. "I was gonna handle it! I told you, I would handle it! Why couldn't you have-"

"Oh, I destroyed your marriage. I tore our family apart. I'm not the one who fucked my secretary, who's young enough to be your daughter!" She yelled, her words causing her father to flinch. "But it's my fault, 'cause I did what I should've done ages ago, and just told Mom that your marriage is over. Wow, Dad. Way to take responsibility."

"I- You- She- She's thirty!"

Robin scoffed. "That's what you take issue with? That's what pisses you off? Wow. You really don't give a fuck about how fucking hard it's been, keeping this from Mom. Wow! Alright, I guess I know where your priorities are!" She laughed bitterly, leaning back against the pillow with her head in her hands. "Also, you're forty-nine. She's nineteen years younger than you. She could absolutely be your daughter, if you were a young father."

"I- Stop saying that!" Dad snapped. "I just- I can't believe you did that-"

Robin gritted her teeth, her anger freezing in her chest. "You promised. You promised me you'd tell her yourself, and- And I wouldn't have to keep it a secret for long. And I really fucking thought you would. I really thought you weren't that cruel. But you didn't. You didn't tell her, so I had to sit there, keeping it a secret from my own mother, and- Do you know how fucking hard that was?! Do you know how guilty I feel?! It's been a month since I found out, Dad! I kept your secret for a month! You have had thirty-one days to come clean, and you didn't, and you just let me- You made me keep your affair from my mom for a month!" She shot back. "What, was I just supposed to lie to Mom until the fucking end of time?!"

"You had no right! I was waiting for the right time-"

"THERE IS NO 'RIGHT TIME'!" Robin shouted, her face going pink as she stood up. "You cheated on your wife, you think there's gonna be a magical day where she won't get mad?! She was always gonna get mad, you fucking moron! There's no such thing as 'the right time' to tell your wife you're having an affair!"

"I was waiting for Corinne's lease to be up, if you must know!" Dad shouted through gritted teeth. "What, was I just gonna hang around here until our new place was ready?!"

Robin's eyes widened, and her blood ran cold. "Oh. So you weren't even thinking about her, or about me, you were just- You were just trying to make this shit as convenient as possible for you!" She screamed, barely resisting the temptation to punch the nearest thing to her, which was her very beautiful lamp. "'Cause God forbid you have to spend a single night at your parents' house. That'd be so inconvenient for you, having to go home for a few days after you blow up our fucking lives, before you can ever so seamlessly start your new one. God, you're such a dick."

"Hey! You don't get to call me names! I'm your father!"

"Quite frankly, I don't think you have any fucking authority here anymore. You lost that right once you started cheating on my mom. Now get out of my room." She said coldly. "I recommend you get your shit packed and in your car before Mom burns it all."

Dad hesitated for a moment, his fists rapidly clenching and unclenching, before turning away and leaving the room. "Well, I hope you're happy." He spat bitterly, before slamming her door shut.

Robin stood stock still for a moment, before her fury got the best of her and she grabbed her pillows and tossed them all at the wall. She then angrily flopped down on her bed, fuming despite the tears running down her cheeks.

Lacey had to admit, she'd never understood Drayton's love of broodingly haunting little corner stores before until she'd been completely exiled herself. In her stupid little fight with Robin, everyone she knew took her side. She couldn't blame them. Robin had been so generous, she'd tried so hard to accomodate her and make her feel comfortable, and that's how she repaid her? Just because she wanted Drayton all to herself? That wasn't right. It wasn't her fault Drayton wanted her. Lacey had watched enough teen dramas to know it was never right to blame the other woman, especially if there was no infidelity involved.

So she was just a stop on the way to Drayton's true destination. He got what he really wanted, the one that got away. Their little fling was just him filling time. She just wondered, how could Robin do that to Arven? He clearly loved her, and she just- She just went and slept with Drayton anyway?! Did she do it just for maximum damage? Just to hurt Lacey, hurt Arven, blow everything up?

Or maybe Arven was in on it. Drayton did say he found the blond attractive... Well, that didn't really mean anything. Arven was attractive, anyone could see that. She visualized him in her mind, his shaggy blond hair, piercing blue eyes-

Suddenly, her imagination waved back at her, and she quickly realized that she wasn't looking at a visualization of him in her mind at all. Rather, there he was in the bodega, staring at her like she'd grown a second head.

"Eek!" She squealed, hurrying out of the store without buying anything. However, that seemed to be an even worse decision, as she was then confronted with both Drayton and Robin, who were sitting on a bench together. They both immediately caught sight of her, and leapt off the bench.

"Lacey!" Drayton yelped, frozen in place for a moment, and Lacey thought that would buy her enough time for her to make her getaway, so she started to run away, as fast as her little legs would take her-

But then Robin caught her by the back of her collar, and nearly caused her to fall to the ground as her momentum was completely halted. "Stop it." Robin said coldly, dragging her back to the bench where Drayton- holy crap, she had to talk to Drayton again after their one-night stand- was waiting. Arven had also emerged from the bodega empty handed, looking quite bewildered.

Robin tugged her forward like a prisoner she was presenting to the kings of her empire, not letting go of her collar. "So, it appears we have some things to clear up." Robin remarked simply, causing Lacey's blood to run cold.

"I-It's- It's fine if you- I mean, it's not like me and Drayton were together- Go ahead! Do what you-" She babbled, causing all three of Arven, Drayton and Robin to look at her like she was saying complete gibberish. Given how often she started and stopped sentences, she figured they weren't too far off.

"Okay, so you think that, 'cause Drayton was in my hotel room, he and I must have had sex." Robin started, narrowing her eyes at her. "Never mind that the hotel room is both mine and Arven's, Arven was also there, and that I just wouldn't ever sleep with him. What is wrong with you?"

Lacey's eyes shot wide open. "Wait, you didn't-"

"NO!" Both Robin and Drayton shouted simultaneously.

"Jesus Christ, Lace! You saw me in her hotel room and you just- You just assumed I was there to sleep with her?!" Drayton demanded.

"Well, your track record would suggest-"

"Track record, schmack record. First of all, Arven would literally disembowel me if I so much as accidentally elbowed her boob-"

"True." Arven added with a shrug.

"-And second of all, weren't you also in her hotel room? And you got undressed in her hotel room? Does that mean you slept with her?" He probed, taking a step closer to her, which set her heart aflutter while also making it sink.

"N-No!"

"Exactly. The three of us raided the minibar, and we had a wonderful chat about how much of a fucking mess Robin is, and- And no one got naked! Like, at all!" He insisted firmly.

"It's true. This animal didn't even take his shoes off." Arven remarked, rolling his eyes at Drayton.

"Shut it!"

Lacey felt like her brain was about to explode, both from the new information, and from the mild bit of whiplash she got at the hands of Robin. "...So you- You didn't- You didn't even want to-"

"EW! NO!" Drayton squealed. "Robin's my friend! You think I'd, like, fuck my friends?"

"You fucked her." Robin remarked.

"Yeah, but- You know, you're my friend, and she's- She's special." Drayton mumbled shyly. "Anyway, we were gonna text you, but-"

"But then my dad died, so it kind of slipped our minds." Robin informed her bluntly. "Now, me and Arven are gonna go, and you two are going to have an honest discussion about your feelings. In fact, let me start you off: Lacey, Drayton is very, very into you, but he's worried that you don't feel the same because you're always criticizing him. Drayton, Lacey is also very, very into you, only wants what's best for you, and she does that because she cares about you and your future. Now, discuss!" She chirped, grabbing Arven by the hand and leading him back inside the bodega. Lacey thought she could faintly hear Robin cooing over the bodega Purrloin.

After a tense moment of silence, Drayton finally found the courage to break it. "Lace-"

"Her dad died?!" She squealed. "Holy Murkrow, her dad-"

"Yeah. Well, kinda. He had a stroke and his brain's all fucked up and he's- He's not gonna wake up, so Robin's gotta decide whether or not to pull the plug." Drayton muttered. "Lace, can we-"

"Holy crap, she's gotta be a wreck right now! Her dad- Oh, and so soon after her parent's divorce?! Oh, jeez. I've gotta-"

Drayton grabbed her by the hand, his amber eyes staring into hers pleadingly. "Please, can we talk?"

Lacey gulped. "...About?"

"Us?"

Her heart sank, and suddenly, she wished very much for Robin and Arven to return and save her from this conversation. "What is there to talk about? We- We made a mistake, and it was- It was stupid, and I would've- I could've gotten pregnant, and-"

Drayton's face fell. "...It was a mistake?" He asked quietly, dropping her hand.

Suddenly, Lacey felt much less sure of herself, that it was a mistake, just some stupid, drunken escapade of his. But she was too far down that road to turn back now. "...Well, yeah. I-I mean, I- I just- We didn't use protection, and- And Daddy would be furious if he found out, but- ...I mean, I'm not sorry I did- If I was gonna make that mistake with anyone, I'm- ...I'm glad it was you." She admitted shyly, nervously brushing her hair out of her face.

Drayton bit his lip, trying in vain to suppress his smile. "I'm glad it was me too." He remarked, flushing a light coral pink. "Y-You know, I meant what I said. This- This doesn't have to mean anything. We can just go back to being friends if that's what you want, but- If you want this to mean something, then- Then I want it to mean something too." He muttered, barely audibly. He couldn't hold her gaze at all, instead staring resolutely at the ground. They stayed like that for a moment, Lacey trying to catch his eye, to see what was written on his face, and him trying so hard to keep his pride, until-

Ro-to-to-to-to...! Ro-to-to-to-to...!

Lacey loudly groaned as she looked at her Rotom Phone, finding a long string of text messages from her father, demanding to know where she went. "Ah, cripes. Daddy's telling me to get back home. In a timely manner, at that."

"Better not push your luck." Drayton agreed quietly. "I'll, uh... I'll see you tomorrow?"

"I hope so." She agreed, before walking right past him, toward the bodega. She then froze in place for a few seconds, before doubling back and gently kissing Drayton's cheek for a moment. Before she could hesitate, she hurried away to not catch his reaction, and into the bodega in search of Robin. She found her pretty quickly. It was hard to miss that hair.

"Hey, um- I'm really sorry about your dad." She said awkwardly, before yanking Robin into a tight hug, resting her head on the taller girl's chest. "A-And- And I'm sorry about- You know. All of it. I was- I was going insane."

"Yes, yes you were." Robin remarked blankly, completely stiff as Lacey hugged her.

Lacey finally let her go, before squeaking out a quiet little, "Bye bye!" and hurrying out of the store, trying her best to evade Drayton. Thankfully, he'd sat down on a nearby bench and was nowhere near her, so she was able to make a relatively clean getaway.

Robin and Arven both left the bodega empty-handed, finding a furiously pink Drayton on the bench. "So, I take it things went well, eh?" Arven remarked slyly. "She seemed to be in a pretty good mood."

"She- She kissed me. On the cheek. On the cheek. What the fuck does that even MEAN?!" He cried out, his head in his hands. "I- I told her that- I told her that if she wants us to be more than friends, then I want to as well, and then she kissed me on the cheek. That could mean literally anything! On the mouth, that's pretty clear! But- The cheek?!"

Robin shrugged. "One time Arven kissed me on the forehead, and I didn't know what it meant. And look at us now."

"Well, I also kissed you on the mouth an hour earlier, and you still didn't get it..."

"Listen, I thought you were saying 'thank you'!"

"So- So you're saying, that means she likes me?" Drayton asked in a small voice.

"...Oh my God." Robin groaned, with Arven letting out a similar yet non-verbal cry of his own. "Let's just go back to the hospital, I bet it'll be less traumatic than listening to this idiot..."

"This must be how Nemona felt."

"Oh, I'm sure. I oughta compensate her for the mental damage I'm sure I've done to her with my idiocy..." Robin muttered. "C'mon, Drayton! No moping!" She chirped, grabbing him by the hand and tugging him off the bench. "I think- I think I'm gonna go say goodbye to my mom, and then- I mean, I'm just done with today. I'm not- I'm not making any kind of decision today. I just wanna go home."

"Fair enough." Arven remarked. "Drayton, you'll be okay getting back?"

"Big fat orange dragon, I'm good." Drayton mumbled.

"Good."

The three of them walked back to the hospital in exhausted silence, trudging a few blocks down Castelia Street before finally getting back to the lobby, where they found Chrys, seemingly asleep on Marshal's shoulder.

"WHAT?!" Drayton shouted, pointing a finger at Chrys and Marshal, alerting Marshal, but Chrys slept right through it. "He- She's- They're- HUH?!" He sputtered, frozen in place, unable to summon more than one syllable at a time.

"I know, right? My mom and Marshal."

"YOU KNEW?! You knew your mom and Marshal were a thing and you didn't tell me?! Oh, Iris is gonna have a field day with this...!" Drayton breathed shakily, bewildered laughter bursting out of him as he approached the unlikely pair. "Marshal, Marshal, Marshal... You sly Houndour, you."

"I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about." Marshal said haughtily.

Drayton just raised his hand for a high-five. "Good job, bro."

Marshal just stared at him blankly. "...I'm not high-fiving you."

"Boo! Bet you'd high-five Robin." He muttered, just as Robin herself came up behind him.

"Hi, Marshal. I assume you- You know, Mom filled you in?" She asked quietly.

"She did." He informed her. "I'm really sorry about your dad. And- And I'm sorry you have to make that decision. I know it can't be easy." He said softly, and Robin almost had to wonder, who was this man and what did he do with the Marshal she knew? When did he get all gentle and softspoken? But she figured, that kindness had always been there. Even when she was a little snot-nosed kid, he was nothing but kind to her. So maybe this wasn't so strange.

"Well, it's- ...It's not a hard decision, really. But- You know, Corinne's not ready to let go, even though he's trapped in a living nightmare." She muttered bitterly. "Anyway, um... We're gonna go. Thanks for- I dunno, thanks for keeping my mom company. We had a bit of a tiff earlier today. Could you tell her I went home, and that- Y'know. I'm sorry for laughing in a stressful situation and implying she would rip Dad's pacemaker out with her bare hands?"

Marshal blinked a few times, before nodding shortly. "I'll- Um... I'd like to have a- You know, a chat with you sometime soon, if that's alright."

Robin shrugged. "Sure. You know where to find me."

"Okay. I'll tell her. It was, er... It was nice to see you, even if- You know, the circumstances suck." He remarked, chuckling humorlessly.

"They really do." She agreed. "See you later." She said dully, before grabbing a still a bit shellshocked Drayton by the arm and pulling him away.

"...Marshal and your mom." Drayton muttered. "That's- Holy shit, that's crazy. He's known you two forever."

"Yes, he has." Robin agreed as they trudged out of the front door. "...I think it's sweet. And- I mean, Mom did her big one."

"Go, Chrys."

"That's what I said!" Arven cried as the automatic doors opened in front of them and they left the hospital behind.

Drayton let out a big, long sigh, before stretching his arms out above his head. "Well, I'm mildly hungover and very, very tired, so I'm probably gonna go home and hit the hay. I'll see y'all tomorrow?"

Robin shrugged. "Sure."

"Well, if I don't see you tomorrow, I'll definitely see you the next day. Y'know, for your birthday."

"Oh my God, I forgot it was my birthday! Man, what a great time for my dad to have a stroke." Robin remarked bitterly. "Yeah, I'll- I don't really have any plans. I think I'll just- I dunno what I'll do. I'll let you know."

"Good, 'cause I've got a present that needs delivering." Drayton informed her with a sly grin, before giving her a quick, gentle hug. "I'll see you later, bud. You too, Arven." He said, before releasing his Dragonite, who instantly grabbed him and pulled him into his arms, and started to flap his wings, slowly lifting off the ground. "Bye!"

"Bye!" Both Robin and Arven called after him as Dragonite started to fly away.

Robin wordlessly sent out Miraidon, finally ready to get back home and just sleep. Arven slid up behind her, arms wrapped snugly around her waist as it took off, finally putting an end to their hellish day.

The journey back to the hotel room was long and quiet. Every second that the elevator took to reach the ground floor felt like hours, the sticky heaviness that permeated every cell in Robin's body eating away at her. She was just exhausted, every little bit of fire she had left in her had burned out. She was just done. She was done sitting in that room, her father alive by a thread that had no business remaining intact, Corinne flitting in and out like a pesky Cutiefly, assaulting her with those, big, sad eyes like Robin was the one who popped that blood vessel in his brain. She was so tired of looking at her father, and wishing she was devastated like she should have been.

The moment they got in the door, Arven squeezed her hand, which she didn't even realize he had been holding. His eyes felt like ice water, drowning her insides and slowing her heart rate to the point where she thought it might stop completely. He always had such a way of drawing her feelings out of her, like he was pulling her heartstrings out through her mouth and plucking them like a harp. But she didn't want to cry, she needed to hold it together because dammit, it was embarrassing. It was embarrassing to cry for a man who never wanted a kid like her, who wanted to love her at her core but hated everything she dressed herself with. It was embarrassing to care.

She broke the eye contact by leaning forward, practically falling into his arms. She wrapped herself around him, chasing his warmth, something to smooth out all her hard edges and bring colour back into her cheeks. His heat never burned her, never caused her to rapidly pull her hand back. It washed over her, soft and gentle, like a beam of sunlight into her cold, empty house. She could lose herself in the sunlight he brought her, melt into it until she didn't know where he ended and she began. Maybe it didn't matter where she began, as long as she was his.

He sighed gently, before releasing her and moving to the kitchen. "You must be starving. It's 11 o'clock and the last time you ate was lunch at your grandma's." He muttered, retrieving some sandwich bread she didn't even realize he kept in a cabinet and some cold cuts from the fridge.

"I'm not hungry." Robin said automatically.

Arven rolled his eyes. "You haven't eaten anything since noon." He grumbled, assembling the sub quickly and precisely, just how she liked it with pickles and mustard. He quickly finished, and put it on a plate, sliding it across the island. "Eat."

"I told you, I'm not hungry."

"Robin, you need to-"

"I said-"

"Just eat the fucking sandwich!" Arven snapped at her, wild-eyed as he grabbed fistfuls of his hair. "G-God, what is wrong with you?! Just- Just eat the fucking sandwich, Robin!"

The two of them stared at each other, Arven breathing heavily while Robin didn't breathe at all. For a minute, the world seemed to stop, and all the air left the room. She felt like she was walking through a blizzard as she sat down at the island, and started to eat the sandwich. He hovered for a while, the silence between them growing more and more suffocating by the second until he turned away and practically fled to the bedroom. She continued to eat anyway, a grim steadiness in her hands. It was delicious, everything he made was, she loved every little thing he made for her because he put his love for her in every little dish.

And then he screamed at her. She barely recognized him when he was angry, when that fury that burned under his lungs causing him to spit acid everywhere he could reach. She could barely withstand it, fighting with him, existing without him on her side. It felt so profoundly wrong, the tension between them, the anger in his eyes- 

She breathed a shaky sigh, trying not to cry over a fucking sandwich. A sandwich. That's what they were fighting over, because she wouldn't eat a fucking sandwich. She devoured the sandwich, her hunger not hitting her until the food touched her tongue. This was so- This was so fucking dumb. All she had to do was let him feed her. Why did she resist his care? Why did she try to skirt around his affection, when all she ever wanted was to be wrapped up, warm and safe, to be loved? What was wrong with her?

She finished the sandwich swiftly, and immediately made a beeline for the bedroom to find him, but he wasn't there. He was in the bathroom, the shower running, creating a thick barrier of white noise, steam and distance between them. She wanted so badly to open the door, hop into the shower with him like they'd done the day before, hold him and kiss him and hope that made everything better, but she knew she couldn't. He was angry, he was heated and he wouldn't come down for a while, and they'd go to bed and he wouldn't kiss her goodnight and then he wouldn't do it the day after that and then eventually they'd forget they ever kissed goodnight and they'll forget more traditions until eventually they'll be strangers under their own roof-

She sat down on the bed, fighting back tears. It was funny. Her dad was as good as dead, trapped in a living hell, and she barely shed a tear, but one little fight with Arven and it broke her entirely. That seemed a little backwards. But that was her in a nutshell, right? Backwards, inside out, soft skin yet a heart of stone that only beat for-

The door to the bathroom abruptly opened, Arven clad in nothing but a towel. Robin tried to say something, to catch him before his anger festered too much and he stopped loving her, but no words came out of her mouth. Normally when words failed her and he was nearly naked, those two facts had something to do with each other, but this time, it was the ice in her throat that stifled her attempts to close the wound she'd inflicted on him.

Instead, she stood up, and muttered, "I'm gonna take a shower," before closing the door behind her, barely even glancing at Arven before she disappeared behind the door.

Arven sighed heavily as he sat down on the edge of the bed, right next to where Robin just was. He could barely believe himself. Sure, her refusing to eat was crazy, and all he wanted was to take care of her, but- But her dad was dead, and he yelled at her. There was no excuse for that. He shouldn't have yelled, he should've been kinder, more understanding, but the day had been long and he was so damn tired.

Well... If she hated him for it, for trying his best to make sure she didn't waste away to nothing again, then so be it. He could take it. Well, he really couldn't take it if she hated him, but he'd be even more devastated if she died of malnutrition, so he figured he may as well bite the bullet. If she loathed him, resented him for every time he shoved food onto her plate, eroding their bond... Well, he'd hate every minute of it, he'd yearn for what they had before, but if she died, he knew in his bones that he'd follow. It wouldn't be sudden, he wouldn't put a gun to his head, but with every step he took without her on the earth, he'd lose a little piece of himself, a leaf falling from his twisted, rotting tree, never to be replaced. His lungs would shrivel up in his chest, because how could there be any air in a world without her? So her hating him was a sacrifice he was willing to make, for her own good and for his peace of mind.

He sat there, staring at the drawers he'd stored his clothes in. The hotel room had felt like a glimpse into their future, cohabitating, going about their morning routines in parallel motions, gentle pecks that carried so much more weight behind them. He savoured every moment they shared together in that little taste of the domestic bliss he'd been so sure laid in their future. But now... Who knew? If he couldn't compromise his need for her to be more than a fucking skeleton with her, then was it even a possibility anymore?

He needed her so badly. He needed the feeling of a family she brought with her, of belonging somewhere. But more than he needed her with him, he just needed her alive and healthy.

He laid down, Mabosstiff joining him of his own volition, for what felt like hours, but knowing Robin, it was probably only the one. Eventually, she emerged from the bathroom, also wrapped in a towel. He mentally cursed himself for laying in her bed, for not getting dressed, for everything.

"S-Sorry, I can sleep on the couch-" He muttered, standing up and collecting a change of clothes. He didn't get far, however, before Robin crashed into him, her arms around his waist as she squeezed him close to her chest.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...!" She choked out, hiding her face in his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I'm such a fucking idiot, I'm-"

A wave of relief crashed over Arven, all at once, moving him to tears immediately. "No, no, you're not, you're-"

"I'm- I'm just- I don't want you to be mad at me-"

"I'm not! I'm just- I'm fucking terrified, Robin!" Arven cried, releasing her just to gently hold her cheeks in his hands. "I-I'm worried about you. I- Do you remember the last time you started skipping meals? Right after Area Zero?"

Robin closed her eyes, a single tear falling from her eye as she nodded.

"...You were so fucking skinny. 101 pounds, and you're 5'9. I-I could see three sets of ribs- I-I mean, when you stretched, I feel like I saw them all. And- And you'd been so tired, and you slept all day, and you couldn't lift anything, and it had been like that for months- You were- You were dying, and I didn't even notice." He whispered, his voice cracking. He ran his thumbs over her cheeks, half to wipe away her tears and half just to make sure she was still real. "Do you know how fucking terrifying that was? When I saw- When I finally saw how skinny you got? I was so fucking scared I'd lose you. And I am not- I refuse to lose you."

Robin's breath hitched, her lip quivering, before she dove back into his arms, nuzzling her nose into his neck. "I-I'm sorry, I'll- I'll be better, I'll get better, I'll-" She sobbed, clinging to him like she was drowning and he was a lifeboat.

"Hey, hey...!" Arven interrupted her, rubbing her back. "I'm not mad. It's- There's no need to feel guilty for not being okay, Robin. I-I just- I don't want you to- You know? I wanna help, in any way I can." He assured her, a quiver in his own voice as he held her close. "Just- I need you to be- You know. Healthy. I can't lose you. I can't watch you waste away."

Robin sniffled, finally managing to pry herself off him. "I-I just- I get so- I just- I lose my appetite when I'm- Y'know. When I'm like this. It makes me sick to think about eating." She admitted, plopping down on the bed, crossing her legs. "I was so worried about you, I- I dunno. I guess I just stopped." She muttered, leaning on Arven's shoulder as he sat down next to her. "I didn't even feel it most of the time. I'm- Y'know, I lost a lot of weight at Castelia Academy, and- I didn't do it in the best way. I dropped thirty pounds in four months, and not by exercise. So I'm- I'm pretty used to being hungry."

Arven bit his tongue, trying to hold back his indignant speech about how she needed to eat, because he knew it would only make her feel worse. But it was so hard to hear, how much pain she'd kept from him.

"A-And- ...I dunno. There's- There's this fear that I have. It's, like, a little nagging voice in my head. It's irrational, it's stupid, but it- It tells me that no one- No one would ever love me again if I got fat. People will be disgusted, they'll leave, and- And I'll be alone." She admitted weakly. "A-And, I mean- It's not like it's not based a little bit in reality. When I was fat, I was alone. And now I'm skinny, and here you are. I've got- I've got Nemona, Mela, I've kind of got Ortega- Like, I'm skinny and now I have friends. You see the logic, yeah?"

Arven shook his head emphatically. "No! Not even a little bit! I didn't- I didn't know you back then! You came into my life at 115 pounds! That- That makes no sense! I wouldn't leave you if- You know? I wouldn't." He promised her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "I-I mean, I think- I think you could really use some more weight!" He cried, poking her very thin waist.

Robin hummed a little. "...It'd probably go to my ass, now that I'm moned down." She muttered. "Anyway, that's not the point. I- I'm just- I dunno. Sometimes it just- The voice gets loud, 'cause there are some things I can't fit into anymore, and sometimes- I mean, I know it's irrational, I know it's stupid and it's crazy and it makes no sense, but- Sometimes I listen." She breathed, her shame stealing her voice. "Sometimes I want to skip meals, or- Or throw it up, but- I dunno, then you pop out with paella and I forget all about that stupid little voice." She said with a small little smile.

Arven's chest swelled with something heavy yet warm, like cooling magma. "...Oh." He mumbled lamely, his body frozen in place.

"...Yeah, I'm- I dunno. I thought I was doing pretty good for a while there, but- I guess I'm not quite as cured as I thought." She admitted shyly. "But- But I'll try to be better. No, I'll- I will be better. I'm not gonna skip a meal, and- Honestly sometimes I wonder if I feel sick because I'm hungry. Y'know?"

Arven blinked, his brain lagging behind him for a moment before he leapt to his feet, an incredulous laugh on the tip of his tongue. "W-Well, no shit, Sherlock! That's- That's how it works, you big dummy!" He squawked, giggles boiling out of him despite himself. "That's, like, a thing!"

"Well, fuck me for not knowing!" Robin giggled, her face going bright red. "Oh, jeez. I'm such a fucking wreck, aren't I?"

Arven shrugged. "Maybe, but- I don't think anyone expects you to be 100% right now. A-And- And things will get better." He said gently, before slipping into his pajamas. "I-I'm- I don't have to sleep on the couch, right?"

"No, you moron." Robin teased, taking her hair out of its towel and getting dressed herself. "We're okay, right?"

"Yeah. We're good." He assured her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "It's- I was never angry, I just- I just freaked out a bit. I'm sorry for yelling."

"It's okay." She muttered, getting into bed. "Hey, um- Listen, don't ever sleep on the couch, okay? Even if we're fighting, just- Just stay. 'Cause i-if you don't once, then you won't again, and then- Then it'll become the new normal, and then- I just don't wanna break our traditions, or drift apart, or-"

Arven got into bed beside her, and pulled her into his arms. "I won't, I promise. I won't- I don't wanna drift apart either. I want this. I want this for- Forever." He whispered, his voice catching on 'forever'.

Robin merely hummed in response, assuming her favourite position as his sash, draping herself over his chest and nuzzling her chin against his neck. "Forever." She agreed, her eyes fluttering shut, ready to put an end to the longest day of her life...

"I'm sorry I wasn't- You know, I wasn't all the way there today. I didn't- I wasn't supporting you as well as I should've been." Arven mumbled, stroking her hair comfortingly.

Robin hummed a little bit before her brain fully registered what was said. Then, she sat up like her string had been pulled, her bewilderment evident on her face. "Huh?"

"I was just- It reminded me of my dad, and- And I was- I mean, you get to hold him. I was- I was, like, somewhere else. And I was a little bit jealous, and I know that's horrible, but- But you get to see him. My dad, he just- He just went away one day and never came back." He admitted, snaking his arm around her waist. "I know, it's- It's horrible-"

"Stop talking." Robin said sharply. "You remember what I told you back then? Fuck should and shouldn't. You feel how you feel. Don't feel guilty because of how you're feeling. And I- I expected this. You know, it's gonna bring up bad memories for everyone who's lost their dad. It brought back memories of my grandpa in the hospital, for me and for Mom. It's- It's emotional. And I don't blame you one bit for being a bit off, either you or Drayton. I mean, I noticed, but- But it's okay. You're doing your best, and that's all that matters. I'm just glad you're here, 'cause- 'Cause I really don't need a rousing speech, I just need you to be there. Okay?" She assured him, affectionately brushing his hair off his face.

Arven's lip quivered for a bit, before he let out a sigh that sounded like it carried a year of tension with it. "...Am I a horrible person?" He whispered, not meeting her eyes. "Y-You, you can- You were angry at him, but- But you're still so gentle with him, and you- You can put it aside, but- I'm still just so angry at him. Am I horrible for not- For still being angry at him?"

Robin closed her eyes, pursing her lips. "...You think I'm not angry?" She asked bluntly. "I'm- I'm furious. I'm- We didn't speak for months. We let it get to this point, where he's dead and I don't even know if he ever accepted me, if he ever liked who I became, if he was ever proud of me- And- And I know I carry some of the blame for that, but- But I'm the kid. He's the adult. If- If he lets me honestly believe he never loved me, then that's his fault, but- But now we're here, and I'll- I'll never know how he really felt about me." She muttered darkly. "...So, if you're a horrible person, then so am I. Do you think I'm a horrible person?"

"Wha- No! No, he's- He's a dick! He-"

"Then neither are you." She insisted, settling back down into her spot on his chest. "...I think we're doing pretty well on our promise to be more open with each other." She murmured, feeling his heartbeat through his chest, thumping against hers rhythmically.

"...Not bad for a same-day turnaround." Arven agreed. "Good night." He whispered gently, lightly pecking Robin's lips.

"Night." She mumbled, sleepy to the point that all she could think was that she was so relieved they didn't miss the goodnight kiss after all.

Chapter Text

After a rather long walk back home, Lacey was still in high spirits as she approached her house. Thank God for Robin Ambrose. She would never have had the confidence to go and kiss Drayton on the cheek if Robin didn't blatantly say Drayton was into her. Holy Murkrow, what a day. It felt like a lifetime ago that she first found Drayton in her bed and admonished him for biting her, but it had been, in truth, only about eighteen hours. What a rollercoaster ride she'd been on, and what a pleasant destination to arrive at! She was thinking she would have to sit back and watch Robin take him away from her once more, but apparently Drayton 'wanted it to mean something'. Whatever that meant.

Then, she opened the door, ready to chirp a pleasant hello and good night, before finding both her parents sitting in the living room, grave expressions on their faces. "Hello." She greeted them cautiously. "I- I assume you heard about Oskar?"

"Sit down." Clay commanded sharply.

Lacey blinked, before tepidly obeying. "...Is this... Not about Oskar?"

"This ain't about that tramp's no-good father. This is about what yer mother found in yer garbage bin." He grunted, as her mother brandished a little cardboard box that very clearly read Plan B on it.

Lacey's heart sank in her chest, like it was being dunked into a frozen lake. "...Oh."

Returning to the hospital the next day felt like voluntarily closing herself in an iron maiden, Robin thought. She felt needles pricking her all over her body as she sat with Oskar's hand in hers, waiting for him to die. Corinne wasn't there, she was pacing around the hall anxiously and tearfully, and Chrys was off retrieving the attending doctor, so it was just her and Arven with Musharna and Mabosstiff in their laps respectively, watching Oskar take his last few breaths. 

Rather, watching Oskar have his last few breaths pumped into him.

Corinne suddenly burst into the room, her normally immaculate bob all askew. "Robin, listen. I know I should've called you earlier, but I-"

"I'm not changing my mind." Robin interrupted bluntly, staring resolutely at her father.

"I know. I- I thought about what you said, about- About not letting him suffer, about- You were right. It was selfish of me to expect you to let him-"

"Yes, it was."

"I- ...I don't want to- I can't let him go, but- But there's no point in keeping him on life support if he's already gone." Corinne managed to say steadily through her tears. "He's- You're right, he's suffering and- and I can't let him, and-"

"Correct." Robin said blankly.

Corinne swallowed a lump in her throat, a pained look twisting her pretty face up. "...Listen, I- Your father said he wanted you to be a part of our baby's life, and- And I'm not gonna deny him that. If you'd like to- I-I mean, I'm naming the baby what Oskar wanted, which is what you suggested- Please. I really want Quinn to have- I dunno, if he can't have his father, then- Then his big sister's the next best thing, and- And you look so much like him, and- It'd be like a piece of him was still with him."

Robin blinked a few times, a low flame of indignation burning in the pit of her stomach, though she chose not to let its heat out. Instead, she bit her tongue, and nodded instead. "...Okay." She said tightly. "...Just for the kid."

Corinne sighed, but ultimately relented, taking Oskar's other hand in hers. She sighed, kneeling to the ground, like her body couldn't support itself any longer and she just couldn't deal with anything more. "I-I don't know how I'm gonna do this without you..." She breathed, and it only took Robin a few seconds to realize she was talking to Oskar, confiding in the husband she never got to marry like no one else was there. "How am I going to take care of him without you? How am I going to- We're gonna- Maternity leave only lasts so long, and- And I've- I've never done this before. You- You did, and she's- Well, she's kind of a bitch but she turned out okay-"

Robin let out an indignant squawk, turning to a rather furious Arven to confirm that yes, Corinne did just say that.

Nevertheless, Corinne continued. "-A-And I'm- I'm a mess, and he's coming in two months and- And I'm so alone, I can't- I don't even know what to do. You were- You were my whole world, and- And now you're gone." She whimpered, leaning her head against his hand.

Just then, Chrys returned with Dr. Harberry, causing all the air in the room to seemingly solidify, and everyone to tense up. "Good morning. As you all know, the decision has been made to withdraw life-prolonging care. I would like to go over the procedure, if that's alright."

Robin gritted her teeth. She didn't want to hear about how they were going to kill her father, she just wanted them to do it already. It didn't matter how it happened or what order in which they'd unplug his ventilator and disable his pacemaker, he was going to die. Well, his brain was as good as dead, but now his body was going to catch up with it. And that would be that, and somehow Robin would have to go on about her day like nothing was wrong, preparing for her birthday like her father wasn't lying in a little box in a morgue somewhere.

After a few seconds without a response, the doctor launched into his detailed explanation of the procedure Robin already knew every step to. The monitors go off, the ventilator comes out and the pacemaker gets deactivated. Her dad dies. Simple as that. Then, his perfectly healthy organs get donated, he gets cremated, and then Robin ever so kindly gives Corinne the urn. She thought about taking some of his ashes for herself, but she decided everyone taking home a piece of Oskar like slices of pizza seemed a bit too macabre for her taste.

Musharna suddenly floated off her lap, and toward Oskar's head, as if eating his dreams for the last time. Robin wondered if he was still capable of having dreams, or if he just existed in an oscillating dream-like state of personal hell. Along with Chrys moving closer to Oskar, Robin figured that was her cue to hold her father's hand as he was finally freed. So, she stood, her eyes resolutely on her father as Dr. Harberry turned off the monitors, one by one. Every little click of the switch felt like a nail in his coffin, hammered down ever so gently. Her hands started to shake as his peaceful demise was dragged out longer and longer and longer and-

Chrys held her other hand, squeezing it tightly as Arven came and rested his hand on her shoulder. It felt nice, but her eyes landed on Corinne, alone, unsupported, about to have the child of a dead man. She hated Corinne, she always would, but even she could recognize Corinne was losing the most of anyone.

So, against her better judgment, she rasped out, "His Reuniclus loves kids. He was a great babysitter." 

Corinne sniffled, wiping her eyes with the side of her hand. "...Even with the goo?"

"Oh, the goo was the best part. I called him 'Goo Baby'."

Corinne exhaled a little, her best approximation of a laugh she could give at that moment.

"I'm switching off the ventilator now." The doctor informed them gently, before the rhythmic puff of the ventilator fell silent.

Robin's thumb pressed against Oskar's wrist, checking for a pulse that still beat, despite everything. Steady, 72 beats per minute precisely, she counted. The only thing sustaining him, his last thread attaching him to life-

"I'm deactivating the pacemaker."

With that and a gentle beep, Robin felt his pulse cease abruptly, like his heart just sighed and gave up. That was it. There were no more caveats, no more almosts, no more as good as... He was dead. Robin's father was dead.

And she was touching a corpse.

She wrenched her hand away from her father, her stomach turning as she ripped herself away from her family and out of the room. She marched down the hall, to nowhere in particular, maybe the atrium, maybe the elevator, maybe home- It didn't matter. She just needed to be anywhere but with her dead father, watching as he grew pale, cold, gaunt- Well, gaunter- And she made it pretty far before her legs gave out, and she crumpled to the floor, the impact knocking the wind out of her, or maybe that was the grief, or maybe it didn't matter and there were tears blurring her vision and- And her dad was gone, really gone, his blood had stopped moving in his body and-

She let out a guttural howl that hurt her throat as it escaped her body, before breaking down into soundless sobs that felt like a stab to her diaphragm as she tried to regain her breath in vain. She needed her head to stop spinning, she needed her breath to come back to her, she needed something so she didn't feel chilled to the bone. She barely even registered that the warm body she wrapped herself around belonged to Arven, she just needed someone to ground her, to bring her back into her body. Arven squeezed her tight to his shaking chest, his own tears falling onto her shoulder. Robin wondered if she'd have a bit more give to her, a bit more empty space now that a piece of her had been ripped out of her chest.

Chrys knelt down next to them, and wrapped them both up in her arms, leaning her head on Robin's. It didn't make Robin feel better. Maybe nothing would. Maybe this was how she was doomed to feel, empty, lost, looking for something to fill the gaping hole in her life.

So, she just sat there and cried, and cried, and cried, until time lost all meaning and she didn't even know how long she'd been there, weeping in a dirty hallway.

Drayton was a bit giddy as he approached Lacey's house. Guiltily so, of course, since he knew Robin was quite inconsolable at the moment, but he just couldn't help it. He was this close to getting the girl he'd always wanted. Sure, she may have been ignoring his texts, but Lacey had a bit of a habit of not looking at her phone, so he didn't sweat it. She was probably just as giddy as he was, scribbling something so silly and dorky and adorably Lacey that would give him a toothache if he read it. He didn't fault her for being a bit distracted. He had a pretty hard time getting to sleep himself, he replayed her kissing him on the cheek so many times. And the other thing too, but that was a bit more embarrassing to admit.

He knocked on her door, and waited for a few moments, happily humming to himself. He'd just invite her somewhere innocuous so that her father wouldn't get suspicious of her falling in with that troublemaker boy, and then he would kiss her silly. Oh, she looked so cute with kiss-bruised lips, her cheeks dusted with pink and stars in those warm eyes, the colour of a field of daffodils. ...Or just the one daffodil, it didn't have to be a field. That probably made more sense.

Just then, Clay opened the door, his discerning eyes looking him up and down. "Whaddaya want?" He asked gruffly.

"I was just looking for Lacey. Is she home?" He asked politely.

Clay narrowed his eyes. "She's grounded."

Drayton blinked. "Grounded?"

"Oh, so grounded!" Sandra piped up from the other room.

Drayton's heart sank, and he pursed his lips so much, they formed a perfect little 'O'.

Clay's eyes widened, and he instantly whipped out a Poke Ball from one of his very deep pockets. "It was you! Yer the one who touched my baby girl!" He snarled, sending out his Excadrill, who attempted to attack Drayton with a fierce Slash, though his Dragonite instinctively burst out of its Poke Ball blocked it, grabbing Drayton by the arm and immediately flying them away.

"YOU GET BACK HERE, MISTER! YER DEAD, YA HEAR ME?! DEAD!" Clay bellowed after him, though Drayton could barely hear him as Dragonite flew him north, back to Opelucid City. He looked back, watching as Lacey's house grew smaller and that Excadrill was recalled, incredibly thankful that his Dragonite's reflexes were better than his.

"Hey, can you- I think- I dunno. I dunno, I just- I wanna check on Robin." He eventually managed to spit out, causing Dragonite to abruptly change directions toward Castelia City, which was much, much closer, which made Dragonite happy. He figured he may as well text Robin to let him know he was on his way, so he did, only with a short little sentence.

He received a response almost immediately, saying, "sure. i think she'd be happy to see you", which made Drayton's insides curdle a little with embarrassment. Arven must have had her phone. Which meant Robin was in no state to talk. He understood, he'd been there before. He remembered Robin would just come and sit with him silently, her nose in a book while Drayton just stared at the wall, lost in his own head. There was no pressure to talk, only quiet company. He never really realized how much that meant to him until then.

He rather quickly made it to Robin and Arven's hotel room, barely remembering what room it was from the day before- Jesus, had it only been a day?- but making it there nonetheless. He knocked on the door quietly, which was quickly answered by Robin herself, who grabbed him by the hand and tugged him into the room, before throwing her arms around him.

"I love you." She said simply in lieu of a greeting, patting his back a few times. Drayton shot a bewildered glance at Arven, who merely shrugged. Some help he was, decoding the mystery that was Robin Ambrose.

She then pulled away, as if nothing were amiss, and sat down on the couch. "To what do we owe the honor?" She inquired innocently.

"Wha- I- You- Huh?!" Drayton sputtered, his eyes wide and his cheeks mildly flushed.

"She's in a mood." Arven explained. "She's texting everyone she knows that she loves them. I had to take her phone away before she embarrassed herself any more."

"It's the truth!" Robin protested. "Really, I don't see why it's such a big deal!"

"Atticus sent you a poem of polite rejection, Rob. I'm not sure they're getting the platonic undertones via text."

"Well, I've only seen about 20% of Atticus' face, I don't know why he thought I was professing my undying love for him."

"You said, quote, 'I love you'!"

"Because I do! He's a very good friend."

Arven rolled his eyes, before sitting down next to Robin, just a bit closer than he normally would. Drayton couldn't say he blamed him. She seemed eerily composed for someone who just watched her father get taken off life support.

"Well, uh... I guess I love you too?" Drayton said in a high tone, shrugging his shoulders so high that he must have looked like a Tirtouga.

"See, that's the appropriate response! This is why Nemona is my maid of honor and Mela is only a bridesmaid." Robin declared snootily, turning her nose up. "Can you believe she thought I was, like, either killing myself or trying to have drunk lesbian phone sex? Like, whatever happened to 'if you love someone, tell them'?! Do I really need a reason?!"

Drayton blinked, not wanting to bring up the obvious. She did, in fact, have a reason. Mortality brought out the sappiness in some people, and the coldness in others. Drayton was a bit shocked to find out Robin was one of the former.

"I feel like it's a bit weird. At least your mom and Caitlin understood. Oh, and your grandma." Arven remarked.

Robin smiled. "Can you believe my grandma is texting? Like, I didn't think it was physically possible for her to operate a touch screen."

"Oh, I can't believe Genista is using a phone that's not attached to the wall!" Drayton giggled, reclining a bit on the couch.

"I know, right?! Oh, and can you kindly bully Lacey into reading my fucking texts? I'm trying to be a big sweetheart and bury the hatchet with her, but she's not replying!" Robin cried, crossing her arms like a petulant preschooler.

Drayton pursed his lips, leaning back against the couch. Shit, he got so wrapped up in Robin's denial-driven mess that he forgot the disaster he'd created with Lacey at its epicentre. "...She's grounded. Like, very grounded."

"Oh. What for? Did she leave one of her glitter gel pens uncapped?" Robin asked sarcastically.

"Clay found out."

Both Robin and Arven sat up straight at that, matching horrified expressions on each of their faces.

"...Well, if you need a place to lay low-"

"He is gonna kill you!" Robin squealed. "Never mind that the encounter was consensual and apparently her idea, he's gonna kill you!"

"Rob, does your family own a Doomsday bunker?"

"You have a passport, right? We may have to smuggle you out..."

"Jesus Christ, you guys! Clay's not that powerful! I bet I could take him! I'm the champion of the BB League for a reason, you know!" He protested, though secretly, he kind of agreed. Hell hath no fury like a cowboy whose property had been tainted, or something like that.

"Oh, it won't just be Clay. Clay will tell Drayden, and Drayden will tell Calla, who'll- Well, she probably won't care." Robin remarked bluntly.

"Ma won't give a fuck. As long as I'm not dead in a ditch, she doesn't care what happens to me." Drayton muttered. "But Grandpa- Ooh, Grandpa will be furious. He'll be all, 'Iris never had unprotected sex! Iris never had to buy Plan B! Iris never-' First of all, how the fuck would he know whether or not Iris has had a pregnancy scare?! It's not like he has an ankle monitor on her! She's twenty-one, who knows what she's been up to?!"

"Iris? Having sex with men?! Hard to believe." Robin said primly.

"Okay, well- So maybe she doesn't have to worry about an accidental pregnancy, but God fucking forbid I have consensual sex with the girl I love!" Drayton snapped at no one in particular. "And- And sure, no condoms was crazy, but- But I made up for it, right?! I- She had no idea what to do, so I- I took her to the pharmacy, I held her hand as she took the pill, I- God, I wouldn't hurt her!" He cried, slumping back against the couch. "...I did bite her, though."

Arven gasped. "You BIT HER?! Like a mama Liepard?!"

"Ooh, honey. Arven's inspired now." Robin giggled.

"Shut up!"

Drayton rolled his eyes at the couple's antics, as they completely dismissed his concerns out of hand in order to flirt. Of course, they got together the right way, friends, then dating, then fucking, but Drayton just had to go about it out of order. He didn't want to just be friends with benefits with Lacey, he wanted- Well, he wanted something real. Something like his mom and dad had, or Robin and Arven, or- Or just anyone who actually had a relationship based on feelings and not just lust. He'd never been able to love anyone like he wanted to. He was determined to at least let Lacey feel every bit of how much he cared about her.

"Ugh, jeez. It's 12:30 and I haven't even made breakfast yet. Drayton, you hungry?" Arven asked politely, before giving Robin a kiss on the forehead as he got up.

Drayton shrugged. "I mean, yeah, but you don't have to make me anything."

"That's stupid." Arven informed him evenly, before smoothly taking a frying pan out of a cupboard.

"Just let him feed you. That's how you know he likes you." Robin whispered.

"I like you. I tolerate him." Arven insisted, though both Drayton and Robin knew he was completely full of shit.

"He likes you." Robin affirmed with an air of finality.

Drayton smiled a little, watching as Arven seemed to fall into a much-practiced rhythm, making eggs benedict. "...How are you?" He asked Robin quietly, noting how her face immediately fell.

She shrugged. "...My dad died today. I'm absolutely fabulous, considering." She said, her voice devoid of its normal musical lilt. "I imagine I'll get out of bed tomorrow."

The corners of Drayton's lip twitched upward. "You're doing better than me." He remarked dully, before joining her on her couch, but at the opposite end.

"Your life changed. Mine won't." She reasoned darkly. "I'll just go home and it'll be like nothing ever happened." She grumbled, resting her head in her palm. "Save Quinn."

Drayton's eyebrows furrowed. "Who's Quinn?"

"My unborn half-brother."

"...Shit."

Robin chuckled a little, before falling silent, contemplatively staring at the wallpaper. Or, that was what Drayton assumed she was staring at. Or maybe she was seeing something beyond his scope of vision, a memory, some silly little vision she had of the future that would never come to pass. He'd imagined many a scenario himself before. But he also knew that she didn't need him prying, trying to peek into her inner world. It was a favor she'd done for him so long ago, maybe the moment he'd first fallen in love with the pretty boy with the bronze curls, just sitting there, offering company and a promise of more if he wanted to take her up on it. He remembered those days he didn't want to get out of bed. Try as Lacey might have, he wouldn't budge. Lacey would naively try to pull him out of his misery, yet Robin would dive right in beside him. So, there Drayton sat, stewing in Robin's misery with her, just as she'd done for him all those years ago. 

...Sure, there was much less cuddling this time, but the attempt at belated reciprocity was there nonetheless.

Robin sat alone in a relatively deserted Cafe Sonata, a mug of hot chocolate going untouched in front of her. She watched the clock intently, reading 1:14. She knew that, if nothing else, Marshal was impeccably punctual. Come rain or come shine, he was always there on time, to the minute.

Sure enough, there he was, 1:15 sharp, out of his uniform and in khakis. Robin almost did a double take, she was so surprised to see Marshal dressing in khakis. Nevertheless, she waved to him, which prompted him to sit down across from her.

"Hello, Robin." He greeted her kindly as he slid into the chair opposite her. "Thanks for agreeing to meet me."

"No problem. Got me out of bed." She muttered.

Marshal's face softened, though he refrained from reaching across the table to hold her hand, as she could tell he rather wanted to do. "How are you holding up?" He asked gently.

Robin shrugged. "I think I'm doing better than expected. You know, my mom cried for days when her dad died, Drayton didn't want to get out of bed after his dad died, Arven kind of flew off the handle after his dad died... I dunno. By comparison, I think I'm pretty well-adjusted, no?"

Marshal stared at her in mild concern for a moment, before breaking eye contact to order a small coffee. "...Listen, if you ever want to talk- You know, I know you have people to talk to, but- You know. If you ever want to talk to someone less... directly involved, then I'm here for you."

"My, my. You two are moving fast, aren't you? You're already getting paternal." Robin noted amusedly, taking her first sip of her hot chocolate. "I'll keep that in mind, I suppose. I'd rather not discuss my feelings about my dead dad with Arven, considering he found out his dad died five months ago and he's not really over it."

"Ah." Marshal hummed. "...So you know about me and your mother?"

Robin nodded. "You two should really lock the door if you're gonna bang on the couch."

Marshal pursed his lips, shamefully looking away. "...We took it to the-"

"Ah-ah! No details!" Robin protested. "Just- Listen, if I'm gonna be okay with the two of you being- You know, lovers, I need as few details as possible. Alright?"

Marshal cleared his throat. "...Alright."

"Now, I have a speech prepared. A lovely speech, I made it up in my head fifteen minutes ago, are you ready?"

Marshal nodded.

"Good." Robin smiled. "Now, here's the thing. I'm not against my mom dating, and I'm not against it being you. In fact, I think you two are very cute together. And really, any issue I have with your relationship isn't with you, it's with her. 'Cause- 'Cause I remember when you'd let me talk your ear off about my favourite books. You'd ditch training just to keep me company. You. Ditching training. And- And I know this isn't just a fun little summer fling for you, Marshal. I know you want more." She murmured gently, causing Marshal to flush just a little and stare at his hands, folded in his lap. "But don't you see? You can- You can have all the fun in the world, and then- And then she's gonna go home."

Marshal flinched at the reminder, his deep brown eyes darkening. "...Yes."

"She's gonna go home, and it'll be over. And- And Jesus Christ, Marshal, if I was in your position, I would've just left her alone, because- 'Cause I know it's gonna hurt when she leaves, so much worse than when she left the first time." She breathed, for whatever reason feeling the beginnings of tears welling up behind her eyes. "I don't know what she's thinking. It's- I mean, it's kind of cruel, no? Getting what you want with an expiration date?"

Marshal let out a deep breath, before shrugging. "Better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all?" He offered, a hint of a smirk on his face.

"When did you get into poetry?"

Marshal gasped in mock offense. "You think I can't get into poetry on my own?"

Robin just stared at him blankly for a few moments.

"...Shauntal signed us all up for a book club, and after I was humiliated at my first meeting because I didn't do the reading, I've been taking it very seriously." He admitted sheepishly. "Otherwise, your aunt would never let me live it down."

"I see." Robin said amusedly, intertwining her fingers under her chin. "I never quite pegged you as a romantic. Yet you like my- Well, I shouldn't assume. How long have you liked my mom?"

Marshal laughed a bit, clearly a bit uncomfortable. "Uh, well- Probably longer than I should've." He admitted. "I mean- Your mother, she's just- She's so raw."

"I said no details!"

"Wha- I meant, she's- I meant, she just- She does what she wants, when she wants to! She's headstrong, she's fearless, she's- She ran away from home for love. I dunno, I admire that. You know, she knows what she wants and she'll stop at nothing to get it, and- There's no bullshit with her. She- I don't know if she's just immune to fear, or if she's just strong enough to ignore it, but- I dunno. I- ...Okay, I might've liked her for several years too many." He finally admitted after many, many words too many. "I know, it's awful. She was married. She was married, and she had a kid, and-"

"So you played house?"

"NO!" Marshal nearly squealed, if such an intimidating macho man was capable of squealing. "No! I didn't do any of that for her! I- I mean, you looked lonely, so I kept you company. I didn't do it for her, I did it for you! Because I have compassion for lonely children! That's it." He insisted fervently. "I wasn't trying to- No! I didn't want to be your father, that's- That's crazy! I didn't- Listen. Listen. I would never try to replace your father, even if- Even if this thing between me and your mom becomes something serious. I would never want to come between that." He assured her, his eyes warm yet steely.

"Why not?" Robin asked simply. "He's dead and we didn't really get along anyway. If things do progress that far, you may as well."

Marshal sighed heavily, resting his head in his hand. "...You know, I get the impulse. Not wanting to feel difficult feelings. I get it, I really do."

"Are you seriously comparing you wanting a married woman to me grieving my dead dad right now?"

Marshal shook his head. "No, I promise. There's a point to this." He assured her. "You know, when I was your age, I thought emotions were a weakness. A vulnerability for others to exploit. I spent- Well, I spent most of my twenties like that. Emotionally repressed, stoic on the outside, but fighting an endless battle on the inside. And you know what, Robin?"

"You were a black belt so many times over, they had to invent a dark-matter belt?"

"I was so goddamn lonely." He admitted. "No one ever saw me happy, or sad, or angry- No one ever saw anything but indifference, so they never connected with me. And, you know, I thought I was fine with that. I thought that, if I didn't show my emotions, then I wouldn't feel them too, if I just practiced enough. But pro tip? You never stop feeling. You can try not to show it all you want, but you will. I mean, the pain's gotta go somewhere, right? And if you just keep it bottled up, you're only hurting yourself. And- And a wise man once said, 'a strong heart begets a strong body'."

"Who was that, Leo Baltoy?"

Marshal chuckled. "Alder. He taught me that our joy, our happiness, our grief- All of it makes us who we are. And if you don't let yourself feel those things, then- Then you're not letting yourself live." He quoted, a misty look in his eyes. "And- And you deserve- You owe it to yourself to live, really live. You're a special kid, Rob."

"...You know, normally when they say that, they're not being nice..." Robin muttered, her voice betraying her as it started to waver.

"I am. I've never met a seven-year-old kid so ready to be a professor before. You really loved giving lectures." Marshal remarked, his lips curling upward just a little. "I still remember you lecturing me on the intricacies of flower coloration."

"Yellow means friendship! I don't know it could be any clearer!" She protested, accidentally letting out a stray sob. "...I think this is a bit of a faux pas, making your girlfriend's daughter cry..." She remarked, finally admitting to herself that she was indeed crying, with a tear running down her cheek and everything.

Marshal silently stood up and made his way across the table, ready to kneel down at Robin's side, but she ambushed him with a hug, wrapping her arms around his midsection and clinging to him like a Komala to a tree.

"I'm proud of you, Rob." He murmured. "You've grown so much since I last saw you. I mean, not just in height, but in-"

"Stop it." Robin warbled, wanting to pull herself away from him but unable to find the willpower to. "Stop- Oh my God, you've gotta stop saying things I've wanted my dad to say to me for years- Marshal, you've gotta stop it-" She started, but then he started to stroke her hair and she completely lost it, weeping into his shoulder, intimately aware of all the weird looks they were getting yet powerless to avoid them.

"Shh, shh... It's alright..." Marshal tried to soothe her, but each word only made things worse.

"Stop it... Stop it or I'm- I'm gonna have to bully a 43-year-old woman into doing long-distance, goddammit..." She whimpered. "Why would you do this to me?"

"What, be nice to you? God forbid."

Robin shook her head, finally able to pull herself somewhat together. "You're making me want you and Mom together, and- But I know it's not- I mean, Unova, Paldea, they're so far apart, the time zones-"

"Hey, hey... I'm not gonna, like, cut you off if this thing with your mother doesn't work out. I told you, it's not like I only care about you because of her." He assured her, gently patting her shoulder as she sat back down. "You can still come to me if you need to talk, no matter what. Alright?"

Robin sighed, delicately wiping her eyes. "...Alright. I just- I dunno, I want my mom to be happy, and- I mean, she called you for support when her ex-husband died and her daughter was being a bitch about it, so- I mean, clearly she feels comfortable with you, and- And she's been lonely in Paldea, I can tell, and she's- She's been so happy here- Well, until Dad died, but that's to be expected, and-"

Marshal grinned. "Aw, you think I make her happy?"

"Well- I mean, I'm sure you're a part of it, but I really think being back in Unova has been good for her- I mean, she's been hanging around Lenora again, all her family's here, and-" Robin trailed off, biting her lip. "But yeah. I think you make her happy."

"Well, uh... Thanks for saying that, I guess." Marshal mumbled, suddenly looking quite shy.

Robin smiled, before putting down enough money to cover both of their drinks and standing up abruptly. "Well, I'm gonna go. I promised my boyfriend I'd take him to the Liberty Garden, and then I'm gonna take him for some delectable artisanal hamburgers that I hope are worth the price..."

"Alright. I'll see you later, Robin. Happy birthday, if I don't get a chance to tell you on the day." He said, waving goodbye.

Robin waved back and left quietly, a little offended that a wave was all she got. A wave?! Who was she, just some random stranger? Not the daughter of his girlfriend, the lonely kid he kept company when no one else would, just some random girl off the street?! How dare he? Now she'd have to seriously reconsider being his wingwoman...

Robin moved with a purpose back into their hotel room after dinner experiencing the nighttime view from Liberty Garden, her hand like a vise around Arven's wrist as she fumbled for the key card, opening up the door as quickly as she possibly could.

"You must be very sleepy." Arven remarked placidly as he was tugged along to the bedroom.

"Something like that." She informed him, before grabbing him by the shirt and tossing him onto the bed, gently climbing on top of him and nipping at his collarbone.

"R-Robin...!" He cried out, gently pushing her head away. "Are you sure? Like- I mean, I know it's been a few days but it's okay, I'm not-"

"I want to." Robin said blankly. "I-I mean, if you don't, that's totally cool, we can just go to bed, but-"

"No, I want- God, Robin, I pretty much always wanna get my hands on you, but-"

"Then what's the hold-up?" She asked simply, her eyes darkening, daring him to make a move.

Arven only hesitated for a second before grabbing her by the waist and rolling her over, gently yet insistently kissing her, licking into her mouth with no technique but pure verve.

"F-Fuck, that's the spirit...!" She gasped, already stretching out her tights with her erection. "Now- Oh, Jesus Christ. Why the fuck did I wear so many- Fucking- Layers!" She growled, barely managing to restrain herself from ripping the buttons off one of her favourite dresses and instead managing to get out of it the normal way.

"I- I mean, I dunno... I kinda like taking them off you..." He murmured, climbing on top of her and peeling her undershirt off her. "It's like unwrapping a present."

"One hell of a birthday gift, eh?" She joked, her hands snaking up his back, pulling him in so she could press messy kisses to his collarbone. She whined a little as their groins grinded together, igniting a fire beneath her ribcage. "Fuck, if I could just fuck you all day tomorrow, that'd be enough of a gift for me..."

"Yeah? You wanna fuck me? You wanna-"

"Correction: Get fucked by you." Robin informed him, to Arven's slight dismay. "I'm- I'm not there yet."

"Fair enough." He said with a casual shrug that Robin thought was rather peculiar coming from a man who was on top of her. "You up for- ...You know?"

"If you would be so kind..." She murmured, nipping at his earlobe. "I miss that big dick of yours. I miss- I miss it in the back of my throat, and- Oh, fuck..."

"'s yours, all yours..." He whispered, clumsily attempting to take Robin's bra off, eventually succeeding and tossing it aside. He crushed his lips into hers, pure need coursing through his veins as he licked at her lips and grinded into her, wanting to be as close to her as he could. He wanted to wrap himself around her, push into her, twisted up in their sheets until no one could tell where he ended and she began. He moaned into her mouth as she locked her arms around his back, their bodies moving together like clockwork as she curled her body around his. 

She whined petulantly as he pulled away from her slightly, but she couldn't complain too much when he started nipping at her neck, his tongue lapping up the salt on her skin like it was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted. He drank in every little noise she made as he adored her, worshipped her like the goddess he knew her to be.

Her hands were in his hair as he moved his altar to her breasts, his head on her chest, listening to that bruised, battered yet still so strong heart of hers beat for him. A wave of tenderness washed over him at that moment, listening to the proof that the girl he loved was alive, despite how much the world seemed to want her dead. The Quaking Earth Titan, the Iron Serpent, the Skyarrow Bridge, they all tried to take the light out of his world. He wanted to cry in that moment, out of relief, maybe, or out of grief that he'd ever come close to losing her, even before he'd ever met her. What would he do without her? She was the love of his life, he knew that in his bones, that he'd never be able to love anyone like he loved her. The five months they'd been together, he needed more, so much more, he needed it all-

But just as quickly as the wave of emotion hit him, his arousal won out once Robin pulled his hair. "My heart's perfectly fine, Arvie." Robin informed him, her fingers idly running through his scalp, sending sparks down his spine.

"I love you so much." He whispered breathlessly. "I love you, I love you, I love you-" He breathed, like the words were falling out of his mouth faster than he could stop them.

She met his quivering lips, soft and tender. "I love you more." She said gently, a serene smile on her face.

"I- I- I doubt that, I'm- I mean, I don't even- I just- I want you forever-" He stammered as his face was peppered with gentle kisses, killing his composure and that suave aura he came in with, leaving him a blushing, melting mess on their bed as he clung to her chest.

Robin's eyebrows raised slightly. "Forever... Yeah, that sounds pretty nice." She agreed, stroking his hair. "You, me, a nice big garden... I'll grow the flowers, and you'll grow the vegetables, and- And maybe we'll- I dunno. I dunno if I want kids, but- I mean, I'd be a horrible mom, but- I guess, maybe we'll have a kid or two running around. You'd be a great father." She murmured.

"You'd be an amazing mom." He muttered, a few tears pricking his eyes. "Amazing."

"Hm... I dunno, I think I'm too much of a bitch to be a good mom." She mused. "Well, you'll be amazing, so it'll balance out. I won't traumatize her too much. And- I mean, you're such a good cook, I could see you opening a restaurant, or a diner, or-"

"You just like Gilmorelull Girls."

"Well, if the shoe fits...!" She protested softly. "And- And I don't know what I'd do, really. I think 'personal stylist' is kind of where my skills lie... I mean, I could probably go pro with battling, but I kinda don't want to... Imagine me having to do a Gym apprenticeship."

"I- I dunno, I find it hard to imagine you taking orders." He muttered. "I find it hard to imagine you working, honestly. You're- You're a- Like, a fucking princess."

"Oh, you want me barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen, eh?"

Arven let out an indignant squawk. "I- No! Not that- I mean, I'm the one that cooks! I just- Oh my God..."

"Wish I could get pregnant, honestly." She murmured, her hands stuttering in his hair. "If nothing else, I have great genes. We'd make a beautiful baby."

Arven's mouth ran dry. "...Yeah." He muttered, and for the first time in his life, he was genuinely frustrated that Robin wasn't born with a uterus.

"Wish you could knock me up, but- But you can still breed me." She murmured, a wicked look in her eye as she pinned him down to the bed. "You can still cum inside me- Fuck, I want you to."

Arven shuddered as she climbed on top of him, tugging his sweatpants down and freeing his cock, which was already weeping a generous amount of precum. She gave it a few lazy strokes to fluff it up, but she didn't touch it any further. "Can't make you cum in my mouth. I need you to last." She explained smugly as she took her own panties off. Arven was vaguely impressed that she was comfortable doing that sober.

Arven sat up, kicking off his pants and pulling Robin into his lap. "Wanna look at you. You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." He breathed, his breath hitching as his cock slid between her thighs, spreading his precum all over them.

"You must have never looked in a mirror, then..." Robin remarked in her quiet, raspy whisper, clumsily grabbing for the drawer handle and eventually managing to get it open, before seizing the bottle of lube. She squirted some in her hand, and proceeded to ever so gently slather it around Arven's cock, causing Arven's grip on her waist to tighten.

"...You said you wanted me to last...!" He whined, nipping at her jawline.

Robin shrugged. "Who says you're only cumming once?"

Arven gulped, barely having time to react before she pinned him down, her knee on his chest. "F-Fuck...!" He yelped, staring up at her, his lips wet and red as she loomed over him. In the dim light of their bedroom, her hair falling in gentle curls on her shoulders, she really did look like an angel, rosy cheeks and shiny skin, bathed in gold.

"Do you plan on preparing me, or shall we just- Y'know, go for it?" She asked, her thumb on his lip. He almost wanted to take it into his mouth, but he refrained.

"I'll- I'll, uh... I'll get you ready..." He muttered as she sank back onto her haunches. He then grabbed her by the waist, turned her over and hoisted her hips into the air.

She squealed a little as his tongue first made contact with her hole, anything but gentle as he clutched her cheeks and dove in, provoking restrained little gasps out of Robin as he prodded his tongue against her entrance. He left angry red marks all along her waist and hips as she crossed her legs above his head.

"Mm, fuck..." She panted, resting her head right next to his cock. She then decided that was a bit of a waste of her time, and started to gently prod his tip with her tongue, eliciting a low moan.

Arven seemed to take that as motivation to push her beyond her limits, spreading her legs and diving in deeper, his tongue dancing around her hole and pushing her further and further out of her own mind and into a haze of pleasure. She moaned around his cock before taking it as far as she could all at once, savoring the shiver that ran up Arven's spine as she started to bob her head, her addled mind only able to focus on the intoxicating feeling of having him on her skin, his hands on her waist, his tongue in her- Fuck, she was gonna cum before she even got him in her. That would be unacceptable.

"C'mon, I'm ready enough...!" She tried to say authoritatively, but it came out more like a moan. "Please, just- Oh my God, I need you in me, I need you so bad..."

"Mmm... More lube. Don't wanna hurt you." He muttered, grabbing the bottle from the bedside table and slathering it around her hole. "And- Hang on, I need-" He mumbled, clumsily searching for the box of condoms.

"Other side." She informed him, rolling off him and procuring it herself from the other bedside table.

Arven quickly opened the packet and rolled it on, barely getting it on before Robin leapt into his lap, her knees on his stomach, pinning him to the bed with a palm to his chest. She barely even gave him time to recover before she grabbed his cock, lining it up with her entrance. "Fuck... How did I ever take this before?" She mused to herself, before slowly kneeling onto his cock, the stretch much easier this time.

Arven stifled a moan behind his palm, which was swiftly removed from his face. "F-Fuck, Rob, you're so- You're so perfect and pretty and lovely and- And tight-" He grunted, not knowing what to do with his hands as she sank all the way onto him. "Fuck, you're- I love you so much, you're-"

"Shh..." Robin cooed, pressing kisses to his forehead and cheeks. "You, my love, talk too much." She murmured, running her hands through his hair as he started nipping at her collarbone.

"Want you to know, I want you to know how much I- Fuck, how amazing I think you are- Shit..." He moaned, gently rutting up into her, her tight warmth enveloping him, squeezing him like her body was begging for him to fuck her deeper, harder, more-

"More...!" Robin whined, burying her face in his neck. "C'mon, Arvie, fuck me-" She breathed, exhilaration and pleasure rendering her short of breath. "Gimme- Gimme-" She whined, before words failed her as Arven picked up the pace and intensity, his arms wrapped tightly around her back. It felt like her entire body bent to accommodate him, white-hot pleasure burning under her diaphragm, taking her bravado and leaving her whining and blushing on his chest. She wanted to let go, melt in the flame of passion, to stop thinking and just feel. She didn't fret about what anyone could see when he sucked hickeys onto her neck or scratched at her back, she let it happen because she wanted him to mark her, to let her feel the depth of his passion.

She became completely incoherent with pleasure, biting her lip hard enough she thought she might taste blood as he pounded into her, each insistent thrust only intensifying the pressure she felt under her stomach, pushing her closer and closer to her climax. She whined as his balls started to slap against her, his thrusts becoming frantic and erratic as he neared his orgasm. She could barely handle the sensation, pleasure too wild to make sense of wracking her body. She was so close to snapping, her strings stretched so far that the release would surely break her, but she didn't care. She was so close to euphoria, she only needed just a little bit more.

Arven sat up, pulling Robin into his lap and into a deep kiss, slowing his pace to a gentle rock of his hips that only drove Robin crazier. The angle was just right to send sparks up her spine at the slightest movement, gently pushing her deeper and deeper into the haze of pleasure. He was just teasing her now, drawing out her peak until she couldn't take it anymore. Robin wanted to scream, to cry, to beg for release, but she held her tongue- Rather, he held her tongue, licking into her mouth like he wanted to own it. He held her close, chest to chest, hearts beating fast against the other's.

"I love you." He murmured between kisses, breathy and rushed. "I love you so much, so- Fuck, I can't even think, I'm just-" He rambled, before getting cut off by Robin gently pressing her lips against his.

"Love you more." She insisted, out of breath.

"No, you- Not possible. I- I don't even think I could love you more, I- Fuck..." He moaned, unable to speak as Robin rolled her hips, the pressure in his stomach growing by the second. He was close, so close, but he wanted to drag out this moment as long as possible, to savor the unimpeded intimacy they shared as long as it existed. He felt like he was floating on air, no other sensation existed for him but the smell of her hair, her soft skin on his and the tight warmth she surrounded him with.

"You're- You're it for me, I- I can't even imagine losing you." Robin breathed, her hands clutching a handful of his hair.

"You won't- Never, never, never gonna leave..." He moaned, close to the point that every minute movement she made made him see white. "I'm close- Fuck, I'm gonna-"

Robin grinned, before pushing him back down and pinning him down with both of her hands. "F-Finally, you're gonna let me cum..." She muttered, before bouncing up and down on his cock, eliciting stifled moans from the both of them. She took Arven's hands off his face and placed them on her waist, before sternly saying, "Let me hear you."

"F-Fuck, Robin...!" He whined, gripping her waist hard enough to leave a bruise. "You're so- So tight, so soft, so- Fuck!" He grunted, unable to restrain himself from rutting up into her, chasing the high of his orgasm. "I'm gonna cum-"

"Fuck, give it to me. Gimme- I want it so bad, I-" She breathed, before her pleasure stole her verbosity and she surrendered to lust, only able to produce breathy whines. Every thrust, every rock of her hips sent her flying higher, her back arching as she soared to her climax, spurting out her thin, watery ropes all over Arven's chest. Her walls clenched around Arven's cock, triggering his own orgasm, which came with a rather guttural moan. His back arched as he rutted into her, pumping the condom full of his cum. Robin almost wished they went bareback so it could've been her he pumped full.

"...Holy shit..." Arven breathed as he finally came down from his orgasm, his face red, his hair matted down with sweat and his lips kiss-bruised. He looked so pretty under her, a beautiful mess. Robin leaned down and kissed his forehead gently, as if thanking him for a job well done. She then rose up off him, her muscles aching from exhaustion. She only managed to get as far as the other side of the bed before collapsing into the soft mattress.

Arven groaned as he sat up to clean himself off and dispose of the condom. At least they rather wisely placed a box of tissues nearby. "Fuck..." He breathed, sinking back into bed when he was done, getting under the covers, too hot to even cuddle. They just laid there for a while catching their breath, which was a rather tall task. 

Out of the blue, Arven suddenly began to speak, his voice barely above a whisper. "I-I, uh... When I was a little kid, I used to imagine that- I dunno, that somewhere out there, on Earth or in the galaxies somewhere, that- God, this is embarrassing. That I had a soulmate. And whenever I had the chance, falling star, eyelash, birthday cake, whatever, I'd wish that I could find them. And I always hoped that they'd be looking for me too. But- I mean, we kept missing each other, or something. It's like we were playing hide-and-seek." He murmured, staring wistfully at the ceiling.

Robin blinked. "Huh."

"Yeah, uh... I dunno, I guess I was just lonely and hoping that- I dunno, that there was someone out there that didn't think I was weird, and wouldn't just leave me behind." He admitted, brushing his sweat-damp hair out of his face. "I'd imagine them as, like, a human star. Y'know? Like, all shimmery and bursting with light and all that. 'Cause, you know, they came from the galaxy."

"You wanted a Luma to come and be your best friend." Robin repeated, a note of amusement in your voice. "That's really cute. I'm kinda jealous."

Arven snickered. "Well, I remember your face being all shimmery when we first met..." He chuckled, pulling Robin closer by the waist. "And you were pretty backlit."

"...Oh?"

"And you came from afar... I dunno, I think I might've gotten my wish." He joked, nuzzling his nose against Robin's collarbone. "My little space-angel."

"That's a horrible pet name." She said sharply.

"My angel?" He tried again.

"...Better, but the deification is a bit concerning..."

"Well, that face has gotta be a gift from God."

"Shut up." Robin giggled. She glanced at the clock, finding it reading 12:37 AM. "Ooh... Shit, we missed it!" She whined, punching Arven's shoulder lightly.

Arven chuckled sleepily, pulling her into his arms, enveloping her in his warmth. "Happy birthday, Robin."

Chapter Text

For whatever reason, Robin's body decided to wake her up quite a while ahead of schedule. She normally woke up at around 9:30, yet here she was, awake two hours before she really wanted to be. But judging by Arven's conspicuous absence and the smell of breakfast, maybe her body just decided to wake up because its conditions had been met.

She rolled out of bed, having to remove Musharna from atop her chest, groaning at the ache in her legs and the soreness in her groin. It was to be expected, after all. She did just get fucked senseless... Seven hours earlier. Jesus, she barely even slept!

She found a stack of her clothes, neatly folded with a note on top that read, 'wear these! 🩷 Arven'. As odd as it was for Arven to pick out her clothes, she obliged. She was too sleepy to argue with her boyfriend's note. It was just a sports bra, underwear and sweatpants, so she put it on. Strange. It wasn't even special. Just regular pajamas. If it were a costume, she'd understand, but just her pajamas?

Nevertheless, she opened her bedroom door, rubbing at her eyes. "Arvie, what's with the outfit?" She murmured sleepily.

Suddenly, a sound loud enough to be a bomb went off in the living room, followed by a torrential downpour of confetti and a group of people yelling, "SURPRISE!!!" Robin nearly fell over in shock from the sound alone, of at least four confetti cannons being fired at once. She finally opened her eyes wide enough to see a whole crowd of people in their hotel room, her mother and aunt, Drayton, Iris, Shauntal, Marshal, Darach for some reason- probably to clean up the confetti- and of course, Arven, who wore the biggest smile of them all.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!" Arven cried, crashing into her with a tight hug, quickly followed by everyone else save Darach. She was swarmed by her family and her old friends, mostly just by Arven and her mom with the others barely being able to penetrate the circle they formed around her.

"Oh, Jesus...!" She breathed, the wind knocked out of her by their tight embrace. "So many people at 7:30 in the morning...!"

"Many people wanted to come!" Caitlin explained happily. "Now, shall we let the birthday girl get her birthday pancakes?" She suggested, causing the circle to dissipate.

"Let her get the chocolate chip ones, those are her favourites!" Arven cried, now the sole person hugging Robin still.

Robin looked over Arven's shoulder, eyeing the array of food that sat on the island with horror. "Don't tell me you made all this by yourself..." She breathed, staring up at Arven in alarm.

"Oh, no.I had a bunch of help. Darach and your mom helped. I had Darach on bacon, your mom on the foccacia, and- Well, Marshal helped too, though I did kick him out of the kitchen for not whipping his egg whites before making the scrambled eggs..." Arven muttered with restrained irritation, narrowing his eyes at the oblivious man, who was preparing Robin's plate. "I don't know why he didn't listen to me..."

"Don't tell me you're beefing with Mom's boyfriend now." Robin teased, squeezing him extra tight for a second before letting him go.

Iris' head whipped around nearly at the speed of light. "MARSHAL AND CHRYS ARE DATING?!" She squealed loudly, turning every single head in the room toward her.

Robin clapped her hands over her mouth, wide-eyed as she met Chrys' horrified gaze. She was rapidly flushing pink, turning away in shame, yet she ran directly into Marshal, awkwardly bumping into him from behind. He almost dropped his plate, half from shock and half from being nearly bulldozed.

Shauntal was the first to speak. "Finally!" She exclaimed. "Oh my God, she's been divorced for over a year, and you're just getting together now?!"

"Why wasn't I informed of this?!" Caitlin cried out, rounding on her sister. "You're dating my colleague and felt no need to tell me?! And- And you, you're dating my sister and didn't tell me?!" She snapped at Marshal, who was slowly backing away.

"I didn't- We're- We're keeping things-" Chrys stammered, hiding her face in her hands. "Robin, how did you find out?!" She squealed.

"Me and Arven walked in on you two making out on the couch." Robin said simply.

"OH MY GOD, THEY'RE SLEEPING TOGETHER?!" Iris screeched.

"Shut up, Iris!" Drayton hissed, elbowing her in the side. "Nosiest girl alive, I swear..."

"You two are sleeping together and you didn't tell me?!" Caitlin demanded, backing her sister into a corner, causing every glass in the room to start shaking.

"Calm down, Caitlin. You're- You don't wanna ruin Robin's birthday." Chrys said gently, her eyes wide as Caitlin's hair started to float off the ground.

Caitlin gritted her teeth, forcing herself to take strained deep breaths, her hair eventually settling back down. "...You have some explaining to do, Chrysanthemum. And you too, Marshal. You will answer every question I have for you, no exceptions. And you will not- I repeat, NOT keep a secret like this from me again." She nearly growled in her quiet, soft voice. "Understood?"

Chrys and Marshal both nodded slowly, Chrys pretty much hiding behind Marshal.

Iris awkwardly sat down on the nearest couch. "...Oopsie." She muttered sheepishly, shrugging apologetically at Robin.

"Do you have to scream single every thought you have?" Drayton grumbled, crossing his arms bitterly.

"Well... I kinda slipped up first." Robin remarked, fluffing her hair up. "Shouldn't have been so loud about them."

"That's your stepdad though." Drayton teased. "Didn't you just go to a cafe with him to discuss how they're moving forward?"

"Oh, damn! They're serious!" Iris cried. "Know what? Good for him. He's been single for as long as I've known him. Wait, hang on. Was he-"

"Pining!? Harboring a forbidden attraction to a married woman, just biding his time?! 'Cause he knew he could treat her better, he knew Oskar didn't appreciate her like he did- Eeeee!!!" Shauntal squealed, rapidly stamping her feet on the floor. "This is so cute!!! Robin, you've gotta tell me more!! Tell me everything! How did they get together?! How long has it been?! Has he liked her this whole time?!"

"I don't know, ask him." Robin muttered, lazily gesturing to Marshal. "Damn, how did I piss my mom off within five minutes of being awake?"

"New record?" Arven inquired cheekily.

"Not even close." She muttered, looking across the room to find Caitlin confronting Marshal directly, leaving Chrys alone, who then met her eye and furiously gestured for her to meet her in the bedroom. She winced, standing up and joining her mother in her bedroom, gently closing the door behind her.

"...So? You got anything to say to me? I'm sure you have your opinions." Chrys grumbled, crossing her arms.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I just- I mean, I was just making a joke, that Arven probably shouldn't have kicked Marshal out of the kitchen if he wants to get along with- You know? His girlfriend's mother's boyfriend. And then Iris- nosy bitch- she overheard, and she has no filter at all-" Robin rambled on and on. "I promise, I didn't mean to embarrass you!"

Chrys sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Well... What's done is done. And now everyone's gonna- Ugh, they're gonna expect things of us. They're gonna expect us to, like, get married. It's been a week! It's been one week, but now they're gonna expect us to be, like, soulmates. I mean, you saw Shauntal, she thinks we're some great love story or whatever. And- Oh, God... I didn't want anything crazy, I just- I just needed someone, and Marshal was there, he's always been there, and it was just supposed to be casual-"

"'Casual'? Mom, this is Marshal. You thought you could do casual with Marshal?" Robin asked bluntly. "Mother. Marshal is perhaps the least casual guy to ever walk this Earth. He does not pussyfoot. He does not do things in half-measures. Do you honestly think this is just a casual fling for him?"

"Wha- What the hell do you know about him?!" Chrys snapped.

"I know he thinks the fucking world of you. I know he's liked you for a long time. I know he felt so strongly about you that he was willing to put himself in the position to have to let you go, just to have you for a few weeks." Robin retorted evenly, each sentence seeming to hit Chrys like a pinprick to the heart. "You know what he said? 'Better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all'. He started quoting an elegy from two centuries ago, 'cause he knows it's gonna hurt him when you go home, yet here he is anyway. I know he took time out of his day yesterday to invite me to coffee just so we could talk things out. You know he has my approval, right?"

"He what?!" Chrys squealed loudly, before clapping her hands over her mouth. "He- He- He did not..."

"Oh, he did. You know, Marshal and I go way back. You know how you'd drop me off at the Pokemon League daycare when I was, say, eight or nine? I was pretty lonely there. Benga didn't exactly feel like reading over my shoulder, you know." She remarked. "But you know who came and kept me company? Marshal did. He skipped training just to engage me on the merits of certain teen-dystopian literature. He's always been good to me."

Chrys fell silent for a long time, growing pinker as she averted her eyes to the floor. "...I never knew he did that." She whispered, mostly to herself.

"Hm. He's humble too, add that to the list of his good qualities." Robin teased, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "What other qualities of his do you admire? Is it his muscles, his dashing good looks-"

"Shut up!" Chrys squealed, covering her eyes, though her blush was unmistakable. "I- I'm not talking about this with you! You're my daughter!"

"Oh, but you like him. You like him a lot. You're clinging to this delusion of 'casual' so you don't have to confront the fact that you really do like him. I mean, why else was he at the hospital, Mother?" Robin asked pointedly.

"You SAW THAT?!"

"So did Arven and Drayton." Robin added with a shrug.

Chrys sighed, rubbing her temples aggressively. "...Well, it's like you said. I'm gonna go home. There's- There's no point in getting our feelings involved, when it's gonna be over so soon."

"Feelings are already involved, you know." Robin informed her. "Marshal's quoting elegies, you're turning fluorescent pink, Shauntal's writing the next great Unovan novel, Caitlin's furious you didn't tell her anything, and I'm getting my hopes up real high. You may as well give it a chance, no?"

"Oh, God... Not you, too!" Chrys whined. "I just- I just thought that it would- It didn't have to mean anything! I mean, I've always thought he was- Er... Attractive, shall we say, and he's always been nice to me, so I figured- I thought it could just be something fun, but- But Jesus Christ, I do like him." She admitted weakly, hiding her face in her hands. "B-But I'm gonna go home...! God, this was a horrible idea..."

Robin rolled her eyes. "I bet you could make it work. You're just scared to. You know, you talked all that shit about me being scared to go after what I wanted, and yet here we are. I've got my boyfriend locked down and you're about to let some time zones tear you apart. Who's the avoidant one now?"

"You, still you." Chrys retorted, though it lacked any real bite considering just how flustered she looked. "...Well, I should probably go rescue Marshal from your aunt." She muttered, leaving the bedroom without giving Robin a chance to respond. Robin shrugged and followed her out, finding a rather biblical-looking tableau of most of the party gathered around the couch, stealing glances at Caitlin, whose hair was completely blocking Marshal from view. Robin winced, expecting words of complete fury to fall out of her aunt's mouth...

"-can't believe you'd start a relationship with her without telling me! Me! Who was always trying to convince you to go after her? Me! Who was telling you that she was single?! Me! And I don't even get the decency-" Caitlin ranted, before catching sight of Chrys and Robin, staring at her like she'd grown a second head.

"...Ohohohoho..." Robin giggled darkly, an evil glint in her eye as she looked between her aunt and her mother. "Ohohohoho!!"

"And you thought I was bad..." Shauntal muttered, staring at the scene unfolding in front of her with rapt interest. "Caitlin was trying to break up a marriage!"

"Well, that doesn't surprise me. Grandma and Caitlin never liked Dad." Robin remarked.

"Whaaaaat?! This is fascinating! Robin, we've gotta sit down sometime, your family is so interesting..." Shauntal breathed, seamlessly accepting a pen and notepad that her Cofagrigus had been storing in its body from the animated sarcophagus' shadowy hand. "Now, why did Genista loathe Oskar so much?"

"Well, Dad was a bit broke back in the day, and he was also eight years older than Mom, so when Grandma's twenty-year-old daughter brought home a twenty-eight year old wannabe techie-" Robin started to explain before Chrys clapped her hand over her mouth.

"Shut up!" Chrys squeaked out, though her eyes were locked on Marshal, who looked like he was about three seconds away from leaping seven stories down out the window, he was so desperate to escape. "Caitlin! You- When- What the hell?!" She cried out, staring daggers at her sister.

"I only started after you told me you were getting a divorce!" Caitlin protested. "I thought it would be good for you! I read that infidelity negatively impacts one's self-esteem, so I thought if I could get you and Marshal together- Well, it would have been like killing two Pidoves with one stone! He was pining, you were lonely, it made perfect sense!"

"I was not pining!" Marshal insisted, though it fell on deaf ears.

"Pining..." Shauntal muttered, furiously scribbling away on her notepad. "Chrys gave up so much for Oskar, only for him to give her up for another woman... Oh, this is juicy-"

"ENOUGH!" Chrys shouted, loud enough to spook Shauntal into dropping her pen. "Just- Just shut up about us, alright?! It's not your business! And- And I don't wanna talk about my dead ex-husband, alright?! Not today! Today is Robin's birthday, and she hasn't even eaten her birthday pancakes yet! So let's all just shut up and celebrate like we came here to do!"

The room fell completely silent, Chrys' words echoing off the walls and the marble floors. For a few moments, it seemed like there wasn't any air in the room.

Drayton then broke the silence by breaking into song. "Haaappy birthday toooo youuu!" He sang tunelessly, with Iris joining in not a beat later.

Arven and Shauntal joined in next, chiming in on the second line. It was barely a song, more like a cacophonous blend of off-key vocalizing, but it put a smile on Robin's face nonetheless. Even Caitlin, Chrys and Marshal had to surrender to the song after a while, drowning the entire room in dissonant celebration.

"Happy biiirthday, dear Robin!!" The group bellowed, and despite how horrifically awful the sound was musically, Robin found herself grinning ear to ear regardless. So many people, not even family, most of them, came to celebrate her birthday. Her heart was so full, watching as Marshal and Chrys seemed to gravitate together, as Drayton sang directly in Arven's ear, causing him to get shoved away into Iris' side...

"Haaappy birthday tooo youuuuuuu!!" They sang, with Drayton holding his faltering note for much longer than was advisable. Robin almost mourned the absence of a cake, though she found she didn't need it. She didn't even know what she'd wish for anymore. She couldn't think of anything that was missing.

"Lacey!" She squealed, her friend's absence suddenly occurring to her. "Lacey's not here!" She cried, suddenly feeling only a hair's breadth away from bursting into tears.

Chrys pursed her lips. "She's grounded, as you know. I tried to get Clay to make an exception, but-" She trailed off, clenching her fists. "Well, then he called you a tramp and I probably irreparably damaged my relationship with half of the Unova League."

"You should have heard her." Caitlin concurred. "I particularly enjoyed the phrase 'God forbid my daughter have breasts'."

Chrys sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I may have gone a bit overboard. But in my defense, he was calling my daughter a slut for- For a thoroughly unwise event that had absolutely nothing to do with you." She remarked, shooting a sharp glare at Drayton.

"Good catch. You know Iris is locked and loaded." Robin joked, brushing a stray ringlet of pink hair out of her face. "...That's kinda sad, though. Clay locking her up for- For a thoroughly unwise activity that I'm sure he partook in when he was her age or younger."

"Fourteen." Caitlin interjected serenely.

"Jesus Christ." Chrys muttered. "Well, unfortunately, he also informed me that you weren't getting your 'goddamn birthday present', so I couldn't even pass on Lacey's gift. I'm sure she'll get it to you eventually. I might have my Cofagrigus smuggle it out."

"Mother! Undermining Clay's parenting?!" Robin cried, a wry smile on her face.

"He pissed me off." She reasoned simply. "Now, eat your breakfast that your boyfriend put a lot of effort into." She said firmly, shoving a fork into Robin's hand.

"Thanks, Arven!" Robin called to him across the room before digging in, savouring the familiar taste of Arven's pancakes. Just as light and fluffy as ever. Yet she was lost in thought as the others filled their own plates, and as Arven insisted on sitting next to her, much to Shauntal's chagrin. Lacey should've been there. Sure, she'd been pretty angry at Lacey for telling her she wished she was gone, but Robin figured that was just Lacey's absurd jealousy rearing its ugly head. But now that Drayton was pretty firmly in her back pocket, she imagined Lacey would be nicer. And- It just felt wrong to have Drayton and not Lacey at the party. It just wasn't right, as Lacey would say.

Arven gently elbowed her in the side. "Whatcha thinking about?" He asked quietly.

"I dunno. Feels empty in here." She muttered, resting her chin on her hand.

Arven nodded, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I remember my first birthday without my dad. It was- ...You know. Not great."

Robin hummed, scooting over so that their thighs touched. "This isn't my first birthday without my dad. He didn't come last year either." She remarked bitterly. "He had a conference, or some other bullshit. Plus, he was still really mad at me for the whole 'breaking up his marriage' thing. I was just- ...Y'know. Lacey should be here."

"Oh." Arven exclaimed, his eyebrows raised. "...Sorry, I thought-"

"Eh. That's probably part of it too." She muttered. "Well... Thanks for the breakfast, Arvie. It was delicious." She said, standing up and kissing the top of his head. "I'm gonna go change into something more appropriate for company."

"Okay." He agreed, standing up and pulling her into a tight hug, stroking her hair gently. "Happy birthday, my angel."

"Alright, that's a no." Robin informed him with a wry smile. "Back to the drawing board, bud."

"Goddammit!" He laughed, patting her back as he let her go. "One day I'll come up with a good pet name."

"One day!" She chirped, disappearing into their shared bedroom.

Arven smiled at the door for a good thirty seconds after she closed it behind her, just staring off into space. He had another pet name brewing. Just a few more hours and he'd be able to unleash it. But, for now, she could believe he doesn't have anything fun to call her.

Chrys tapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, sit with us! We don't bite." She assured him, dragging him out of his seat and to the couch with the others.

"Oh, alright..." He muttered, sitting on the edge of the couch next to Drayton, who was uncharacteristically quiet.

"Oh, hey. Where are the flowers?" Drayton asked, sounding rather bored. "You asked me about Robin's favourite flowers just to not buy any?"

"I did! They're being delivered this afternoon." Arven informed him snootily. "We had a birthday breakfast so I could have her to myself for dinner. I had to compromise with Caitlin and Mrs. Chrys."

"What a meal." Drayton joked, causing Arven to lightly punch him in the shoulder. "Ah, poor Robin. It's always weird when you have a birthday and your dad's not there, right?"

Arven shrugged. "I guess so. My dad wasn't there even when he was alive." He remarked bluntly. "So, I guess I got used to it."

Drayton blinked rapidly. "...Oh. Sorry, man."

"Eh. It's- Y'know, it's whatever." Arven shrugged. "I don't really miss my dad. Didn't give me much to miss. Just miss the concept of him, really."

"Damn. That- ...That's, uh... rough, buddy?"

Arven snorted. "Yup."

Drayton sighed, leaning back against the couch. "I dunno. I feel like I- Like, I miss my dad, duh, but I really miss my ma." He murmured, staring down at his full plate.

"...Didn't I meet your mom?" Arven asked bluntly.

"Did you? I don't remember that."

"I was with Robin. You were probably chainsmoking in the Shopping Mall Nine parking lot at the time."

"Ah." Drayton hummed. "Well, she's alive still. But- I mean, she's basically half-dead. She hasn't been the same since Dad died. And Grandpa hasn't- He still hasn't forgiven himself, and- It's all- It's all really fucking bleak." He admitted quietly, his eyes darkening.

Arven silently put a hand on Drayton's shoulder, which Drayton surprisingly accepted.

"Eh. Seven years ago, who cares?" Drayton remarked, a tense grin on his face that didn't reach his eyes. "Doesn't matter. Just means I'll be inheriting the Gym a little earlier than expected. Oh, and Grandpa's gonna have to pass it to me, rather than anyone he actually wanted leave it to." He muttered bitterly. After an eerily long pause where Arven didn't know what to say or how even to breathe, he seemed to suddenly perk up, asking, "Hey, where's your girl? I haven't seen her in a while."

"Changing. We did kind of surprise her in her pajamas." He remarked, looking over at the bedroom door, grateful for the sudden change in topic. He didn't even know how he'd begin comforting Drayton if he was earnestly looking for sympathy. "She's spending an awful long time in there..." He mused, tapping his finger to his lip.

"Maybe her hair's really tangled." Drayton reasoned. "Maybe she needs some help getting zipped up. Or unzipped. It is her birthday."

"Shut up." Arven muttered, swatting Drayton upside the head as he went to check on his girlfriend.

He gently knocked on the door. "Robin?" He called quietly. "You all good in there?"

There was not a peep from inside the room.

He knocked again, but louder. "Robin, you alright?"

Nothing still.

"I'm coming in." He called, before opening the door a second after, and finding... Still, nothing at all. Only an open window and a note on the bed, written on the backside of his note to her. Arven let out a frantic wail as he leapt at the letter, clutching it tightly as he read what it said.

The note read, "performing a rescue mission....... back soon! 🩷 Robin". Arven let out a huge sigh of relief upon reading it back a few times, just to confirm Robin didn't randomly decide to kill herself on her birthday. Really, she should have known better than to jump out a window and leave a note if she was just going out.

"What, what is it?!" Chrys cried as she hurried into the room.

"My girlfriend just scared the fuck out of me!" He cried, passing the note to Chrys. "Open window and a note?! Does she know how that looks?!"

"Jesus fucking Christ..." Chrys breathed, clutching her forehead dramatically. "She's always doing this, scaring the bejeezus out of me... What is wrong with her?!"

Caitlin entered the room next, reading the note over Chrys' shoulder. "...Well, my niece has always been one to make a dramatic exit. Why couldn't she have used the front door?"

"She's so weird..." Chrys agreed, already stalking to the front door. "Well, I'm gonna go find her, and give her a piece of my mind. You guys stay and enjoy the party!" She insisted, slamming the door in their faces.

"Wha- Hey! Where are you going?!" Arven cried out, though he stayed put, largely thanks to Caitlin blocking the door.

"Who do you know that is currently under lock and key?" Caitlin asked him, a thin eyebrow raised.

Arven blinked at her a few times, before understanding set in. "Ahhh... Lacey."

Lacey miserably thumbed at the tissue paper sticking out of the gift bag that was meant for Robin, yet sat ungiven in her room. She felt like such an idiot. Not only did she have a supremely idiotic moment of weakness, but she didn't even hide the evidence! What kind of lawyer would she make if she couldn't even obstruct justice correctly?! She was only tumbling even further down with every little thing she tried to do. Now Robin would never forgive her, because she surely thought Lacey forgot her birthday which she totally didn't, she had a fantastic memory for birthdays! But her father had not only banned her from ever seeing Drayton again, but also Robin. Apparently Robin was the mastermind behind a sexual encounter she had no part in and no knowledge of in Clay's mind. Lacey was 90% sure Clay just thought Robin was a slut because she dared to show a hint of cleavage in his presence, and that her slutty aura had infected his precious, untouched, virginal daughter.

So now she was confined to her room, no phone, no laptop, no nothing, on her friend's birthday. She wasn't even able to pass her gift along to Robin's mom. Chrys asked, and instead of being polite to her friend's mother, her dad screamed into the phone that 'that tramp wasn't getting her goddamn birthday present, she almost got my kid pregnant', which wasn't even close to the truth. So there her gift sat. Ungiven, untouched, and unlikely to ever make it into Robin's possession before she went back home. What a way to reconcile with her, forgetting her birthday after everything they'd been through.

Just then, there was a loud pounding on the front door. For a moment Lacey almost thought it was her door that was being pounded on, it was so loud. She was a bit curious to see who dared make such a racket on Clay's doorstep, but she was still so furious at her dad, she didn't even want to be in the same room as him. So she pressed her ear to her door, just out of curiosity.

"Now who the hell is makin' all that racket?!" She heard her father snarl as he opened the door. "Hey! What the hell are ya doing here?! I don't want ya seein' Lacey anymore!" He snapped, and Lacey's heart lit up. Was it Drayton?! Was he fighting for her?! Was she getting her Romeo and Juliet moment?!

"I hear Lacey has a birthday gift for me, yet you won't let her give it to me." She heard Robin's voice come from downstairs, and her face fell just a little bit. Not quite who she really wanted to see, but Robin was a good second place.

She gasped, and grabbed the gift bag off her dresser. This was her chance to make things right. Just one more act of rebellion, and then she'd be done. She opened her door, ready to fly down the stairs and shove it into Robin's hands before Clay could react.

"-an' she's not supposed to be seein' either of ya. Ever since ya came back, she's been different. She's been lyin', she's been secretive, and now she's-"

"She's having consensual sex at the abnormally young age of seventeen?" Robin responded evenly. "God fucking forbid. Hey, can I ask you something? Were you abstinent until marriage? Were you even fifteen?"

"That's different!" Clay snapped, his ears going furiously red as her mother approached the door to back Clay up. Lacey's eyes were wide as saucers as she watched the confrontation unfold, thankfully unnoticed by anyone. She'd never seen anyone buck up to Clay before, and even make him sweat. Not even her mother. This was maybe the strangest thing she'd ever seen in her life.

"Yeah, 'cause you're a man and she's a woman, is that it? You got to make your own decisions, but she can't. 'Cause her virginity, that belongs to you. 'Cause you own her, and God forbid someone else touch your property. Is that right?" Robin demanded. "She's seventeen years old! She's a teenager! What were you expecting, that she'd just be celibate until marriage?! In this day and age?! Delusional! Absolutely fucking delusional!" She snapped.

"Don't tell me how ta parent my kid! Yer just a kid yerself! Just 'cause yer mom lets ya do whatever the hell ya want an' dress however ya want doesn't make ya right! What in the fresh hell would you know?!" Her father roared, in that all too familiar tone that could break Lacey down into a little girl.

Yet Robin stood firm. "You know what I know? I know Lacey only wants to make you happy. I know she's tearing herself apart trying to please you. But she never will, will she? She was thirteen years old with straight As, and you were asking why she wasn't getting A pluses like me. You know how much that fucked her up, that she was proud of herself and you just shit all over it 'cause she missed an 'a' in the word anaphylaxis?" She shot right back, standing up to Clay with a cold fire in her eye. "You know how much that fucks a kid up, knowing that their parents will never be proud of them? She's still trying, you know. You're in her head, you're keeping her from having fun and being a regular teenager 'cause she doesn't want you to be disappointed in her. So the one time she does something she wants to, and you lock her down like she killed fifteen people, strangled a Lillipup and hit the second tower?!"

"She-"

"Ah-ah. I'm not done." Robin interrupted him. "So now she's thinking she's disappointed you so bad, that you'll never forgive her. She's thinking you'll never be proud of her ever again. Hell, she's wondering if you ever were. So what's she gonna do now? Either she can rip herself apart from the inside begging you to finally, finally be proud of her, or she can just give up. She can either make herself miserable, or she can go and hop into Drayton's bed again and just do what makes her happy 'cause you're just a lost cause. What do you think sounds more appealing?"

"She ain't gonna see that boy ever again!" Clay snarled.

"The question was rhetorical." Robin said calmly. "I bet you she'll give up someday. She'll give up on you. She'll move out, she'll move away, she won't see you for months on end and she won't care to, and then- And you know what's gonna happen when you're in the hospital all alone? When you're lying there on your deathbed on life support? When she finds out it's up to her to pull the plug? She's gonna laugh." Robin growled, a bitter smile spreading across her face. "She's gonna laugh 'cause she gets to kill you! All her life, you've held so much power over her, and now, she has the power to end your fucking life! Isn't that ironic, that she gets to kill you after you made her kill herself slowly, trying to do the fucking impossible and make you happy? Oh, she's gonna laugh, and laugh, and you're gonna be dead before your head even hits the fucking pillow. Is that what you want?! Is that what you want for her?! You want her to- To give up on you?! You want her to laugh at your deathbed?! You want her to- YOU WANT HER TO GIVE UP?!" She screamed, her pretty face twisted up into something grotesque, red with black mascara tears running down her face.

Lacey let out a quiet little gasp, covering her mouth with her hands. She didn't know why it was so disturbing to see Robin cry, her makeup less than perfect, her composure broken for even a moment. She'd seen Robbie cry, that was more reasonable, but Robin? Not her. She was so much stronger than before. She was confident, self-assured, fully actualized, but-

Crap. Robin was looking up at her, horror in her normally cold pink eyes. Lacey froze in place, the gift bag in her hands swinging back and forth. Her chest swelled with something warm, even as a pit in her stomach opened up. She cared. She came all that way just for Lacey, to defend her in her clumsy, teary-eyed and entirely misplaced way, but she came.

Lacey hurried down the stairs, making a ruckus as she pushed past her father and crashed into Robin, wrapping her arms around her waist and nuzzling her cheek into her sharp collarbone. She didn't have the words to communicate how she felt, there were really none for it. She held Robin as she fought back her tears, her heart beating a mile a minute against Lacey's chest. She could faintly hear her father sputtering incoherently and indignantly, but she tuned him out. Nothing he had to say mattered compared to her crying friend, who just went up against the Miner King and won on her behalf.

Just then, she heard another adult's scream, though this time it was almost certainly not her father. She looked up and saw Chrys slowly descending on her Sigilyph, furiously red as she touched down. "ROBIN! You scared the hell out of us!! Leaving without telling anyone, jumping out the window, leaving a note?! What the hell?!" She scolded her daughter, though her tone changed once she saw the tears running down Robin's face. "Robin...!"

"'m sorry...!" She whimpered, moving over to hug her mom. "I-I just- It wasn't right, she should've been there, and- And I wasn't about to let this motherfucker get away with calling me a whore...!"

Chrys let out a surprised chuckle, beckoning Lacey closer. "I don't know why I expected anything less. You are my daughter." She laughed, releasing Robin from the hug. "Now, Clay."

Robin and Lacey exchanged wide-eyed stares as they watched Clay readjust the hat on his head and get ready to confront Chrys.

"Chrys, ya ain't takin' my daughter to that- To her birthday party." Clay said firmly, though Sandra stood less firm behind him. She looked rather scared, if anything.

"Quite frankly, I don't care to listen to you right now. You've called my daughter a slut, a tramp and now a whore." Chrys remarked, ticking the pejoratives off on her fingers. "I understand being upset that Lacey broke the rules, but A) you're a massive hypocrite and you know it, and B) she's a teenager, for Christ's sake. What do you think teenagers do?"

"I don't care what teenagers do! My daughter ain't gonna turn out like yers!" Clay fired back hotly.

Chrys' nostrils flared, though she took a beat to calm herself down. "You wanna know why I didn't stop Robin from seeing Arven? Why I let it happen? 'Cause I knew I wasn't gonna stop her. I was only gonna make her start getting sneakier, and make her stop trusting me. Is that what you want? For her to not trust you?"

"I DON'T WANT MY DAUGHTER GETTING PREGNANT!" Clay roared. "Yer daughter, she can't get pregnant, but mine can!"

"And what would happen if she did, Clay?" Chrys asked coldly. "She had unprotected sex, and could very well have gotten pregnant, and you know what she did? She didn't tell you. She didn't tell you because she didn't feel safe coming to you. And I can't say I blame her. Look at what you did when you found out! So imagine if she really gets into trouble. Imagine she crashes her car. Imagine she really does get pregnant. Do you think she's calling you? Do you think she's voluntarily subjecting herself to this?! No! She's gonna keep it a secret. She's gonna go to Drayton, or to Robin, or to me, but never to you, 'cause you're clearly not a safe person for her to come to. Is that what you want? Do you want her to feel safer with him than with you?"

Clay's mouth opened and shut several times, though no sound came out.

"Clay... I think we should let her go." Sandra said quietly, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"What?! Yer siding with them?!" He demanded, his bewilderment evident on his face.

Sandra shifted her eyes to the floor, biting her lip. "...I don't want to lose her. And if we hold on too tight, she'll- She'll run away. I-I mean, she's already hiding things from us, and she had a pregnancy scare and she didn't tell us, and- And do you want her to run away for him?" She asked, looking between him and Chrys pointedly.

Clay sputtered, thoroughly outnumbered and unable to come up with any more arguments. Instead, he just marched back inside without another word and slammed the door shut, leaving Chrys, Lacey and Robin out on the porch.

Lacey was stock still, carrying a shellshocked expression. "...What the heck just happened?" She breathed, her chest heaving up and down.

"...I think we have a party to get back to." Chrys remarked with a wry smile. "Good thing we didn't get to presents yet."

"Oh my gosh, thank goodness!" Lacey cried. "I was so worried I wouldn't be able to give you your gift! That would've been horrible of me, to not get you anything for your birthday!"

"Ah, don't worry about it." Robin choked out, her voice raspy from tears. "I've got everything I need."

"Aww... I remember Arven complaining to me that he asked you what you wanted for your birthday and you just said that." Chrys teased, poking her daughter's side. "Pretty romantic, but incredibly unhelpful."

Robin stuck her tongue out at her mother petulantly.

"Ah-ah. You don't get to be annoyed at me right now, missy. You jumped out a window-"

"I walked out the front door!" She protested. "You just didn't see me!"

"Well- Okay, but when you're missing with your window open and you leave a note for poor, poor Arven to find- I mean, that's just crazy!" Chrys cried out. "Don't ever do that again! Okay?! I don't need to see any more mysterious notes from you in my life!"

"Alright, alright...! I promise, scout's honor...!" Robin muttered, before sending out her Miraidon. "Well, Lacey... Time for round two."

Lacey gulped.

Lacey was fidgeting with her hands so much riding the elevator, she was looking for new knuckles to crack. Unfortunately, she hadn't yet developed polydactyly, so no sixth finger was sprouting on her hands, though she truly did wish it would. She wasn't quite sure why she was so nervous to join the party, she knew everyone who was there, but she was nervous nonetheless. Maybe it was Drayton-

Damn. Even thinking his name got her stomach doing flips and tricks. It was definitely him. The anticipation was killing her almost as much as the nervousness was. What was he going to do? What would she say? They left off on a pretty high note, but then she got grounded to the fullest extent of her parents' law, and who knew where they stood now? It had been a few days, maybe he'd moved on. There was always another girl the moment she thought she had an opening. But she'd given him so much, her body, her heart, why would he give that up now? How could he? Was he just trying to hurt her?

The elevator dinged and the doors opened, snapping Lacey out of her downward spiral. Here she was, catastrophizing over Drayton moving on in the span of two days like it had already happened. She had no reason to believe he had, only track record, but as Drayton said, 'track record, shmack record', and she truly hoped he meant it. Maybe he'd be different with her, maybe she wasn't just another one in the long line of girls he'd had, she really was special. He'd said she was, but who really knew with Drayton? Half the words that came out of his mouth were pretty little lies.

Robin tapped her keycard to the doorhandle, and threw open the door. "I'm baaaack!! And guess who I brought?!" She crowed, enthusiastically waving for Lacey to join her. So, despite her better judgment, she did. Immediately, she locked eyes with Drayton, who was on his feet in an instant, a huge grin on his face.

"Lace of Base!? Your dad tried to kill me!" He chirped in lieu of a greeting, hurrying over and immediately throwing his arms around her, squeezing her tight to his chest. "Man, I'm so glad to see you out of jail...!"

Lacey's mouth ran completely dry and her mind went blank. Whatever she thought would happen when she walked in, every little scenario she ran in her head, none of them went anything like this. She hugged him back, hands on his back, though she barely registered putting them there. She was lost in the feel of him, his surprisingly strong arms around her waist, his head leaned against hers. Then he pulled away, only five seconds later but it felt like the blink of an eye and a lifetime at the same time.

"Minute I get you alone, it's on." He murmured in her ear, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin. He then walked away, leaving Lacey a blushing wreck, staring after him like he had a magnetic field around him and her eyes were metal.

She only barely came back to full consciousness when Arven released Robin from his arms and then swatted her upside the head. "And that's for scaring the shit out of me! You jumped out the window and left a note?!" He demanded, shaking Robin by the shoulders.

"I didn't jump out the window! I walked out the front door!" Robin protested. "I guess I'm just so skinny I don't make footsteps..."

"So why was the window open?!"

"I had to air the room out." She explained, winking at him cheekily. "Now, let's get Lacey some food!" She chirped, grabbing her by the hand and leading her to the kitchen.

Lacey waved hello to the others as she passed by, a bit surprised to see Shauntal of all people, though she figured that was an Elite Four thing more than a Robin thing. It was odd, just how weird that trio felt without Grimsley there. Maybe that was how Robin and Drayton felt without her.

She got her food, and sat down with the other kids, the League Bratz and also Arven, and somehow, despite everything she'd done to isolate herself, she felt as though she belonged there. She barely even registered all the nonsense that Robin and Drayton were nattering on about, she was just caught up in the moment, a wave of happiness and contentment washing over her. After all the drama and suffering, the League Bratz were back, and she couldn't have been happier.

The party only lasted until around 11 o'clock, until after ice cream cake and presents. Robin greatly appreciated Lacey's present of hairdye-sensitive shampoo and conditioner, which she counted as a massive win. The party ending left her having absolutely no idea where to go or what to do, so she prepared to just wander around Castelia City alone like she'd done when she thought her life was over.

But Drayton had other plans. He came up behind her by surprise, seamlessly linked arms with her, walking by her side as if he was always meant to be there. "Where are we going?" He asked innocently, a cheeky grin on his face.

"O-Oh, uh... I don't know, actually. I figured I should probably, like... Not go home for a while, so I'm just- Well, I have no idea what I'm doing, really." She admitted, trying not to feel such a flutter in her chest when he smiled down at her. It was embarrassing and humiliating, knowing that he knew, he knew and he was surely not about to let her get away without a conversation. She just hoped it wasn't going to polite rejection like she'd always feared, or worse, him laughing in her face.

Drayton hummed. "How about that alley over there?"

Lacey frowned. "What's in that alley?" She asked, peering inside and finding absolutely nothing of note in there.

"Why don't you find out?" He prompted her evenly.

She rolled her eyes, not one to back down from a challenge, and stepped inside. "I don't know, Drayton, it kinda seems like there's absolutely nothing of- Note... back.... here..." She breathed as Drayton drew close to her, backing her up against the wall. "...Ah."

"Figured me out, eh? Took ya long enough." He teased, looming over her with a devilish grin. "I told you. The minute I getcha alone, it's on." He purred, his hand on her cheek, tilting her head up to meet his.

"H-Hey, hold on...!" Lacey squealed, causing Drayton to drop his hand. "I- You- What is this? A-Are we just- Like, are we just hooking up, or-"

Drayton blinked. "Huh?"

"What is this, Drayton? A-Am I just another one in the long, long line of flings-" She started, though the words died on her tongue when she caught sight of the look in Drayton's eye, how confused and even hurt he looked.

"Lacey, I- No! No, you're not- You're everything, you're-" Drayton sputtered out, his voice losing power as Lacey started to pull away.

He dropped his hands to her waist, gently pulling her closer to him. "...Why do you think none of my relationships ever worked out, Lace?" He asked quietly. "They didn't know me like you do. A-And I didn't really care to let them. Sure, I liked them and all, but- But it never felt right. It never felt right, 'cause it was never you. You, you've- I've known you since we were in diapers, Lace. You've always been there, you- Fuck, I think you might know me better than I know myself. And- And I love you, Lace, I love you. I love you, I-I love you just as you are, and it- Fuck, it pisses me off that you think there's something wrong with you 'cause I think you're so fucking perfect." He told her emphatically, his golden eyes seeming to glow in the shadows.

For a moment, all that went through Lacey's mind was the sound of her heart beating in her ears, faster and faster and faster until she realized she wasn't breathing and she let out a huge breath many seconds overdue, and she couldn't think straight, she could barely stand and she just wanted, wanted to believe him so bad, so bad it hurt to even breathe because she just couldn't. He was charming, a pretty boy, he could've had anyone he wanted and he did, so why on God's green Earth would he suddenly want her?! And the implication that he'd wanted her the whole time- Crap, she couldn't even let herself think about that for more than a second before her brain felt like it was going to explode.

"Lace?" He asked after a while, his eyes darkening. "...I-I kinda poured my heart out just now, you think you could at least- I dunno, say something?"

Lacey wasn't sure she could. She wasn't sure she could find the words or the courage to. His hands on her waist felt like they were red-hot, burning his handprints onto her skin. Maybe they matched the ones on her heart.

So instead, she leaned forward, crashing into him with a hug that felt so unbelievably cathartic, she nearly burst into tears on the spot. So many years she'd spent wanting more, wanting every little piece of him she could get her hands on, yet he'd never let her so close before. Yet she wanted him anyway, when any sane girl would've written him off as a loss and moved on. But she didn't know how to let go of him. She barely even knew life without him in it, they'd been friends for so long. She didn't even want to try. She just wanted to hold onto him as tight as she could, to have him be hers and hers only.

Drayton held her close, breathing in the smell of her hair, drinking in the moment for however long it lasted. Eventually, Lacey pulled away, red-eyed and sniffling.

"I-I need to hear it- Hear that you want me to be- I just- I need to hear you say it." She whispered breathlessly. "P-Please, I-"

"I want to be your boyfriend." He said firmly, without a shred of hesitation in his voice. "I want- Fuck, I want you so bad. I wanna- I wanna- I mean, I know your parents hate me, and my grandpa thinks you're too good for me, and- And I know I don't deserve you, but I-I'm selfish and I know that-"

"Oh my God, shut up-" Lacey breathed, before her overwhelming desire won out over her fear and her lips crashed into his, desperation seeping into the kiss but she couldn't feel ashamed with his lips on hers, kissing her back with equal verve and overwhelming need. She felt like she was running on air, nothing but adrenaline keeping her afloat yet she ran and ran and ran all the way home.

"Hey, uh-" Drayton breathed, before sinking back into the kiss like he was being swallowed by the tide. Desire and practicality were at war within him before, in a rare twist of fate, pragmatism won out. "Mm, uh- Hey, where are you- I-I mean, what's the plan? You gonna go back home, or-"

"No plans." Lacey panted, her hands in his hair, keenly aware that she must have looked so utterly ruined, bright red with her hair all mussed, but it didn't seem like so big of a problem when the cause felt so good. "You?"

"Thought I'd kiss you a little, and see where that took me." He informed her with a cheeky grin. "So... Up to you, really."

"Oh, goodness... I-I- I mean, I don't know where to go, or what- I just fought with my dad! Oh, Lord, this is not good, this is so, so not right..." She muttered, clutching her forehead. "Cripes, how am I supposed to go home?! Daddy's gonna- Oh my God, he's gonna kill me! I ran off with Robin and then you were there and- I'm gonna be grounded until I'm thirty!" She squealed, before clapping her hands over her mouth.

"...I betcha you'll move out before then." Drayton joked. "Y'know, I'd say you could come home with me, but I bet my grandpa wouldn't be much better than your dad."

"But- You don't live with your grandpa...?"

Drayton shook his head sagely. "He has ways."

"Ah." She remarked, scratching her chin, deep in thought. "We should probably leave Robin and Arven alone for a while, so- So I have no idea what to do, or where I'm going or how I'm ever gonna not be grounded, and-"

"So you were just gonna... Wander around the city alone?" Drayton inquired.

Lacey rolled her eyes, yet nodded begrudgingly.

"Well, then let's wander around the city!" He chirped happily, interlacing his fingers with hers and gently leading her out of the alley. "Oh, uh... Let's not count this as a first date, alright? I'll be- It'll be more organized next time, I promise."

Lacey's cheeks heated up as she stumbled after him, barely managing to keep up in her frazzled state. "...Lord help me, I'm gonna go on a date...!" She muttered frantically under her breath.

Drayton smiled a little, before leaning in and squeezing her hand. "Can I tell you a secret?" He asked quietly.

"...Uh, I guess?" Lacey stammered.

"I don't really know what I'm doing either." He confessed with an easy smile. "But we can figure it out together, right?" He asked, looking down into Lacey's eyes, his golden eyes crinkling around the edges.

"Yeah." She affirmed quietly yet firmly, rubbing her thumb over his calloused knuckles. "Together." She repeated, an unstable heat warming her heart, flames licking at every vein. She was normally not one to engage in something so uncertain, she liked things to be predictable and easy and safe and controllable, but if there was one thing she'd been doing all her life, it was being dragged into Drayton's silly little games or schemes or little heists from a teacher's desk. She'd be scared of being caught or embarrassed or hurt, but when push came to shove, she'd be there. And if this was how it felt to take a risk with him, then maybe it'd be worth it in the end.

Robin was feeling very trapped as Arven prepared dinner for her. Normally, his refusal to let her help had all the backbone of a Jellicent to it, but this time, he was holding firm.

"C'mon, Arvie... Can't I even press the garlic?" She asked, tentatively rising out of her seat.

"Nuh-uh!" Arven insisted, gently shoving her back down into the chair. "It's your birthday. You don't lift a finger!"

"Hmph." Robin huffed, deliberately lifting her finger to tap it against the quartz countertop. "I'm about to start calling you Mother Teresa again if you don't let me help..."

"Oh, God. Why can't you just let me do nice things for you?" Arven asked cheerily, popping the lemony shrimp in the oven. "I love you very much. I'm perfectly willing to cook you things without your help."

"I love you too. And I don't wanna take advantage of your endless kindness." She muttered, resting her chin on her interlaced fingers. "I don't want you to think I just- I dunno, that I secretly don't care about you and I just keep you around for the food."

"I don't think that." Arven said simply, watching the simmering pot of pasta. "I-I know you love me. You've told me a million times, and- And you've shown me. You've shown me in so many ways, I-I can't even begin to thank you for all of them. I mean, here I am in Unova. And you help me study, you help me cook, you- you hold me when I'm sad and- Jesus Christ, I just- I love you a lot." He murmured, a faraway look in his eye as he peered over the stove to see what needed stirring.

Robin hummed a little, standing up quietly so as to not alert her prison warden, and then rubbing his shoulder. "You do a lot of nice things for me, and- And I know I ask a lot of you."

Arven shook his head. "It's okay. You've been through a lot these past few days. I don't think you're, like, using me for food or for your ego, or- I know- I know I said-" He started, his voice breaking a little as a lump formed in his throat. "What I said back then, I just- I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry I said that, that I made you doubt-"

"Arvie... It's okay, it was months ago..." Robin breathed, quietly moving to his side and wrapping her arms around his midsection, leaning her head on his shoulder.

He sniffled a bit, before stirring the sauce as if nothing was amiss. "I know, I- Sometimes I can't believe I came back from that, you know? I was horrible to you. I was so unfair. I just- I don't even know why, I was just out of my mind, I-"

"I know." She whispered, gently rubbing steady circles on his back. "Trust me, I know."

Arven let out a humorless chuckle at that. "What, did you scream at me after your dad- ...Shit." He said sheepishly.

"No, just at Lacey's dad." She informed him lightly, releasing him so he could stir the alfredo. "How'd you think I managed to get Lacey out of prison? I certainly didn't ask nicely."

Arven blinked a few times. "...Did he deserve it?" He asked blankly.

"He called me a tramp. To my mother! I would've yelled at him even if he wasn't holding my friend captive out of his perceived duty to guard her purity like a feral Houndoom with a slab of meat." She remarked bluntly. "I might get Drayden for round two. Who knows what he's been saying to Drayton."

"...I mean, it worked." Arven remarked frankly. "At least Lacey got out of the house and-"

"And directly into Drayton's arms, my God... Hope they're safe this time." Robin remarked, a wry smile on her face.

"You'd think he'd know how to put on a condom by now."

"One would hope." She muttered, looking around for something to do. "So... What's the next step?" She asked innocently.

"Wouldn't you like to know? Sit down." He said sharply, abandoning the sauce and hoisting Robin up by her waist, and plopping her back down in her chair. "It's your birthday, you're not working at all!"

Robin rolled her eyes, begrudgingly settling into the chair. "I like helping you in the kitchen. It's fun."

"And you've got 364 days out of the year to help me. Today, you're getting pampered." He informed her with a kiss atop her head, before going back to the stove.

Robin crept out of her seat, subtly snaking her arms around his waist. She started to gently kiss his neck, causing him to giggle a bit. She kept going, moving down to his shoulder as her hands moved under his shirt, travelling up his abdomen.

"You trying to convince me to let you help?" Arven asked wryly, still resolutely doing everything himself.

She didn't dignify that with a response, instead moving to his jaw, sucking gently at the smooth stretch of skin behind his ear. Arven's hands were a bit jerky as he continued to stir the alfredo, but nevertheless, he resisted her wiles. He then picked up the pot of pasta, and carried it to the sink, draining it in a colander. Robin had to recoil a bit because of the steam, though once it dissipated, she was right back at it again, hanging off him and smooching him relentlessly as he attempted to work. She only backed off him slightly when he took the shrimp out of the oven and placed them on two potholders each.

"Well, I guess I do have a job for you..." Arven murmured, turning around to meet her lips gently.

"Yeah? What's that?"

"Grab yourself a plate and dig in." He chirped with a sly grin. "It's dinnertime."

Robin's jaw dropped as he instead fixed her a plate himself, taking advantage of her hesitation. "You- I- You were stalling?!" She demanded indignantly, petulantly accepting her plate as he shoved it into her hands.

"Yup." He informed her, not sounding sorry in the least.

"...I hate you." She huffed, begrudgingly sitting down next to him at the dining table.

"You love me."

"I do." She grumbled, taking her first bite of the meal. And, surprise surprise, he did it again. Incredible fare, every single time. Robin didn't even know why she was surprised anymore, he was just that good. Just so caring and talented and beautiful and- Well, if she's gonna have fettuccine on her fork, she should probably eat it and not spend her time staring into her boyfriend's very, very pretty eyes. But in her defense, his eyes were just so gorgeous.

"So? How's the first few bites tasting?" He asked smugly, a boyish grin on his face.

"I hate you."

"That good, eh?"

Robin flipped him the bird as she continued eating, fuming knowing that she had been had. But if it involved food like that, maybe getting tricked wasn't quite so bad.

Arven took the first bite of his dinner, before immediately jolting out of his seat. "Shit! I was- Goddammit, I was supposed to bring out the flowers before supper!" He cried out, zipping over to a cabinet neither of them ever opened, which contained a huge bouquet of assorted flowers, a variety of roses with pink zinnias, orchids, spider lilies and primroses interspersed.

"Ooh!! Oh my God, lemme see, I wanna translate!" She squealed, rushing over and meeting him halfway, eagerly accepting the bouquet and hugging it close to her body. "Cattleyas, you brownnoser. Calling me sexy. Red chrysanthemums, love, how sweet..." She muttered, gently pushing the petals around to see each species of flower better. "Red roses, we all know what those mean, I'm glad to see you avoided yellow since I'd like to think we're a bit past friendship by now..."

"If I remembered anything, it's that yellow means friendship." Arven remarked, grinning ear to ear. "You like them?"

"I love them. Arven, I can't believe you actually- You curated this yourself, didn't you?!" She squealed.

"...Maybe."

"You're the best." She said warmly, a toothy grin on her face. "Now, let's get back to it. White violets, interesting... Normally those come with a question. Zinnias usually mean you're missing someone, but pink ones are more of a declaration of eternal love, which is quite sweet. As do primroses. Now, I'm not sure you read quite enough, since spider lilies usually mean 'let's get married this instant'..."

"Oopsie." Arven said blankly.

"But they're very pretty nonetheless." She opined, taking a big sniff. "Ahhh... I love flowers. Thanks so much, Arvie. You're really- You really went all out for me. I really appreciate it."

Arven grinned, his eyes crinkling as he looked tenderly at his girlfriend as she put the flowers in a vase. Oh, she thought he was done. Breakfast, dinner, some flowers and a decoy necklace and he was finished? No way. He was no amateur- Well, technically he was, this was the first time he'd ever celebrated a girlfriend's birthday, but he was beyond merely dinner. She deserved so much more than just dinner.

"Finish your supper. There's cake after."

Robin was just about to sit down when she heard that, hovering an inch off the chair. "...Arven, if I found out you made me a second birthday cake from scratch-"

"Well, I wasn't just gonna go out and buy someone else's cake, was I? That's not very special." He remarked evenly, though his grin was unmistakable.

She sighed, resting her head in her hands, pushing her hair back. "Jesus. How the hell am I gonna top this for you?" She whined, unable to resist from continuing her meal. "I imagine a gift card and a fuck won't quite do it..."

"Don't worry about it. I already have everything I want." He informed her, pressing a kiss to her temple as he passed by her to take his seat.

"Yeah, that's what I said, and here I am with gorgeous flowers, dinner, two separate cakes, a gorgeous necklace- thank you, by the way- and all the other birthday gifts everyone else got me." She remarked, idly playing with the delicate chain around her neck. "You deserve something absolutely nutty. We'll rent out a soundstage for your eighteenth birthday bash."

"A soundstage, you say? Are we filming a movie?" Arven asked amusedly.

"That part comes after the party." Robin joked with a wink. "Me and Mom will work out the details, we've still got a couple months to plan..."

"I see. Now, c'mon. Finish your supper. You've gotta see this cake." He insisted, before hurriedly eating his own pasta, his hands quivering just a little.

Robin obliged, eagerly chowing down, soon finishing her bowl in record time. "Done!" She chirped, before delicately dabbing the corners of her mouth with a little pink handkerchief Arven didn't even know she had.

Arven smiled, slowly standing up and padding over to the fridge. "So, you wanna know the flavor profile?" He asked innocently. "Or would you rather be surprised?"

"Go right ahead. There's something mentally wrong with you, though. Flavor profiles?! Curated bouquets?! Two fucking cakes and dinner?! Deranged." She remarked, standing up and following him to the fridge, kissing him on the cheek. "I love you so much. So, so fucking much."

"Love you more." He insisted, taking the cake out of the fridge and setting it down on the counter. "So, I know how you love a heavier cake. You're like Miss Trunchbull in that way."

"Indeed."

"So, I made a chocolate cake spiced with cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg, with maple miso buttercream. The miso is a bit of an eyebrow raiser, I know, but I promise you it tastes good." He explained, turning the cake around in a full circle.

"Spiced chocolate with maple?! There was a healing... Darling, you're long past getting laid tonight." She joked, punching his shoulder. "And the buttercream looks so good... And the little shaved chocolate decorations on top- Arven, you getting your ass ate today."

Arven's eyebrows shot up, and his face immediately started to heat up. "...Oh!" He yelped, awkward laughter bubbling up in his chest.

"Thank you so fucking much, Arvie. This has been- I mean, despite the circumstances, this has been- Fuck, this has been the best birthday of my life. I'm so, so happy." She murmured, wrapping her arms around his midsection and nuzzling her nose into the crook of his neck.

Arven hugged her back, stroking her hair gently. "Did you read the top of the cake yet?" He asked quietly.

"Oh, no! Is there something on it?! Sorry!" She cried, whirling around and looming over the cake. "'Robin Ambrose, will you- Marry me...?" She breathed, her breath hitching as she looked over at Arven, down on one knee with eyes that sparkled like the ocean under a radiant sun, ring box in hand. Holy shit, the ring- The ring, the diamond ring that twinkled under the soft lighting like a million little stars-

"Robin Sonia Ambrose-Hatanaka, would you do me the incredible honor-" He started, before he choked on his emotion, swallowing a lump in his throat. "Will y-you marry me?"

Tears welled in Robin's eyes, threatening to spill over her lashes. "...Arvie- A-Arven, I-" She stammered, before covering her mouth, holding back the bile that rose in her throat.

Chapter Text

He couldn't escape the desert, no matter how hard he tried. It changed forms, grew iridescent stalagmites, its villain would shift between the Quaking Earth Titan, the Iron Serpent and that thing that wore his father's skin, but the outcome was always the same. He tried and tried, ran as fast as he could, yet the love of his life would always slip through his fingers, pierced through the heart, turning to dust and blowing away on a gust of wind. Every time he went to sleep alone, it was all he would dream about, Robin dying in his arms, because he just wasn't good enough. He couldn't make his dad stay, he couldn't keep Mabo alive on his own, and he could never save her. He wasn't enough. He was big now, yet he felt like a child wearing his father's suit, feet too small for his shoes and sleeves hanging halfway off his skinny arms. Only half a man, with half a heart beating in his chest.

He suddenly snapped back to reality, awakening with a yelp and jolting upright out of his dorm room bed, directly into Robin's arms. She held him tight to her chest as he buried his head in her neck, breathing in the smell of her hair and skin, relishing the warmth that lied underneath it. He couldn't save her, that much was true, but she could save herself. She was alive, without even a scar on her radiant skin. He tried to make his subconscious remember it, that she was perfectly fine, yet all it spat back out at him was her blood on his hands, her very essence sinking into his skin, staining his hands, his heart-

"It's okay, I'm here, it's okay..." Robin murmured softly, gently rubbing circles on his back. "Shh, shh..." She attempted to soothe him, but it wasn't her words he needed. It was her heartbeat, strong and steady in her chest that calmed him down.

He couldn't live without her. The realization crept up on him, before flooding his system with ice. What was he without her? He wasn't enough to pass senior year, to save Mabo, to keep his dad's interest or stop his dream from destroying his home, anything. The only thing he had to his name was that she loved him. That was all he had. So he couldn't lose her, because then, he was just a shell of a man. She was the only thing that kept his chest from caving in and making his emptiness evident to everyone. He was nothing without her.

He let her pull him down into bed, on top of her like some kind of weighted blanket. She'd usually fill that role, but she'd often insist on holding him as he slept if he accidentally let his weakness slip out. He couldn't even make himself feel offended. He was weak, he knew that. She was the strong one, the one who beat five Titans and thirty Iron Jugulis and the AI and its Iron Serpent, who withstood the pressure of the world without being crushed into dust. Instead, it made her a diamond. He was lucky if he was even a lump of coal that burned only to keep her warm. He almost didn't even care if she thought he was pathetic, as long as he was hers. Everything was okay, as long as he was hers.

"Arvie- A-Arven, I-" She whispered, and Arven's heart dropped to his stomach. Where was the smile? Where was her smile? Her beautiful smile that could lift him up out of a pit of despair within a second? Why wasn't she happy? Weren't people supposed to be happy when they're proposed to? Why wasn't she happy? Was she-

"Arven, I- I- You're- You- You want to marry me?" She choked out, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Yes." He said without hesitation. He wasn't sure he'd ever wanted anything quite so much before. Of course he wanted to marry her. He wanted forever with her. He wanted to be by her side, far beyond when they were old and grey. How could he ever let her go? He couldn't even imagine ever losing her. She was the sun he orbited around, basking in her light. How could he just leave the sun behind?

"Holy fuck..." She breathed, taking a seat to steady herself. "Arvie, you're- We're- We're seventeen. We're- We can't get married, we're- I live with my mom!"

Arven's world froze in that moment, ice running through his veins. "R-Robin- Robin, I-"

"I-I mean, neither of us have jobs! We've never properly lived together, we- We're seventeen, we can't- Oh my God, Arvie, I- I can't, I can't-" She muttered to herself, resting her head on her hand. "You- You stole my ring for this, you- You studied flower language, you got me alone for dinner, you- Were you planning to elope?!" She squawked. "Oh my God, my mom would kill me if she missed my wedding- Nemona would shoot me in the head if she wasn't there, you- Oh my God, you- You beautiful fucking idiot, what were you thinking?!"

"I-I was thinking that- That I love you, and- And- And I wanna spend the rest of my life with you, and- And I need you, I need you so bad, and-" He stammered, his heart pounding in his ears a mile a minute. "Robin, please, I- D-Don't you want me?" He squeaked out, tears welling in his eyes.

Robin sputtered, bewildered. "I- Wha- YES! Yes, of fucking course I want you! I- I want you so bad, I-" She started, though she trailed off as she caught sight of the tears streaming down Arven's face.

"But you don't want to marry me. You just- ...Fuck. Fuck. Fuck, why did I- Why would you ever wanna marry me, I'm so- I'm nothing, I'm-" He whimpered, before he melted completely into tears, turning away and attempting to flee to the bedroom, though she caught him by the arm, clinging to it with all of her body weight.

"A-Arvie, I- I told you, I'd marry you someday. Someday. When we're all grown up and we've got our shit together- When we know what our lives are gonna look like. It's- It's too soon, it's- We've only been together five months! We can't get married yet! But God, I-I've been fantasizing about my wedding for years, but these days- These days, it's you. It's always you, waiting for me at the altar, it's you, I don't want anyone else, I just want you!" She exclaimed, pulling his arm closer, trying to force him to look at her, but to no avail.

Arven exhaled sharply, a sob slipping out as he fell still. "...If it's me, then- Then why won't you say yes? We could- We could just be engaged, we could- I don't know, I didn't- I just need this to- I need this to feel real. Like this could be forever and you're not just saying that to make me feel better 'cause I have- I have nothing else. You're all that I've got." He admitted quietly, finally meeting her eyes, which were wide in horror.

"A-Arvie, I- That's- No! I'm- I'm not all you have! You've got- You've got other friends, you've got Mabo, you're a great cook, you're-"

"I cook for you. All my friends are yours. And I-I've got Mabo, but- But you did that." He muttered. "And- And I love you. I love you so much, I love you- Fuck, I love you more than anything, and- And I need you. I can't sleep without you. I can't- I can't lose you, I don't even know what I'd do without you, or- Robin, I- I need this to be forever...!"

Robin's grip on his arm loosened at that, and he managed to wriggle away. "A-Arvie...!" She whispered, brushing his hair out of his face, her lip quivering as he avoided her gaze.

"Would you at least put it on?" He asked quietly, snapping the ring box back open. "Please?"

Robin's jaw set as she nodded, holding out her left hand for him. He slid the ring on her finger gently, drinking in the sight of Robin wearing his ring, his for only a moment.

"...It's beautiful." She breathed, tilting her hand and watching the diamonds sparkle in the light. "It's- Fuck, you know me so well, this is- This is exactly what I would've picked for myself." She murmured, placing her hand on his cheek. "I love you so much, Arvie. Don't ever for a moment think that I don't."

Arven smiled a little despite himself, placing his hand over hers and parting his fingers so he could kiss the ring on her finger. "It looks good on you." He remarked, a bittersweet smile on his face.

"It does. It's- It's beautiful. And probably cost you an arm and a leg-"

"It's worth it. You're worth it." He insisted. 'I- Even if you don't want me-"

"I want you." Robin said firmly. "I want to- Fuck, I-I wanna say yes so bad, Arvie, I can't even stand it. I want to say yes. But- But we're so young, and we've only known each other nine months-"

"I don't care. I- I know it's you. I just- I know." Arven insisted.

"B-But- It's- It's- Fuck... I-I dunno, maybe we could just be engaged for a million years and actually get married later- I don't know, I- I'm sorry, I don't know what to say..." She muttered, wiping her eyes with surgical precision. "I-I think I should- I should talk to my mom."

Arven sighed, letting go of her hand. "...Take a piece of cake with you?" He offered weakly.

Robin let out a choked up laugh, despite the circumstances. "Okay." She acquiesced, not fighting him as he prepared her a plate. He set it down on the counter and slid it over to her, but she ignored it, instead pulling him into her arms and resting her head on his chest. "I love you. I'll always love you. I just-"

"I- It's okay. Go see your mom." He told her, pressing a kiss to the top of her forehead as he let her go.

She bit her lip and nodded, leaving without another word. Arven knew he shouldn't have felt so dejected, she was wearing his ring, but his heart broke a little watching the door close behind her. He always deflated a bit when she left, but this time... This time felt terrifyingly permanent.

Arven had bad days. Sometimes he had days so bad he couldn't get out of bed. Sometimes all he had the energy to do was stare at the ceiling and cry. It made Robin sick to her stomach to see him like that, in so much pain that he couldn't even function. She couldn't even do anything to stop it. She could make him something to eat, bring him water, sit at his bedside with him, play with Mabo for him, crawl into bed with him, but she couldn't change the weather. Somedays, it was only rain, all day.

The rainy days were better than the thunderstorms. Those days when Arven's grief wasn't quite so quiet. Those days when he'd throw things, scream into the void and ask why his father didn't love him anymore, only to break down into inconsolable tears, deep, rattling sobs she felt in her core. Those ones she could barely stand. It broke her heart every time to watch that handsome face all twisted up, red and tearstained. Yet she stayed, no matter how much it scared her when he screamed. He needed her to stay, so that when he couldn't breathe, he could hold onto her like a lifeboat and catch his breath, instead of sinking to the depths of his despair. So as much as she hated treading those waters, she'd do it for him every time. She wouldn't even hesitate to dive in right beside him.

Musharna had started to complain about all the nightmares she'd been tasked with eating for her, but after a nice trip back home for a refresh on her mother's much less traumatic dreams, she was back in tip-top shape to take some of Arven's pain away. She didn't exactly tell Arven why he slept better with her, but she figured he'd be able to decipher why the girl with a Musharna could improve the quality of his sleep. She was happy that, for at least a few hours, she could give him some peace.

She laid there in Arven's bed, swaddled up in his arms, listening to him breathe. He was asleep, she thought. Thank God he wasn't much of a snorer. She wondered, was he dreaming of the desert, even now? Four months out, yet the Quaking Earth Titan still haunted them. Would he always wake up in a cold sweat, reaching out for her, holding her face in his hands until he felt secure in the knowledge that she wouldn't turn to dust? Would he be haunted forever?

She nuzzled into the crook of his neck, feeling his heart beat against hers, soft and slow. Good. He was sleeping peacefully, and that was all she needed. All she wanted was for him to be okay. And if he needed her, then she'd be there, without question or complaint.

Robin truly felt like she was experiencing something entirely unique, carrying a plate of her birthday/proposal cake back to her mother's condo after basically rejecting her boyfriend's proposal yet still carrying his ring on her finger. What an innovative way she'd discovered to torture herself. Why didn't she just say yes? Why didn't she spare his feelings, take the ring and refuse to set a date because there was no way in hell they could get married for three years at the very least? Was she stupid? Was she a moron? Was she a stupid moron? When the guy you love, you love him so much it scares you, gets down on one knee and proposes, you say yes! You don't hesitate! She even wanted to say yes, she wanted to marry him someday, but instead she goes and breaks his heart?! What was wrong with her?!

She tapped on the front door of the penthouse. She could hear her mom slur loudly, "I'll get it!", which made things even worse. She was about to tell her drunk mom she got proposed to at the ripe old age of seventeen. Lovely.

"Oh, you missed me already- Robin?!" Chrys squealed, nearly jumping out of her own skin. "Wha- What are you doing here? Where's Arven?!" She cried. "I swear, if he made us have that stupid birthday brunch just to, like, leave you high and dry-"

"No, I- I- I brought cake!" She chirped half-heartedly, stepping inside and setting the piece of cake down on the coffee table. "Hi, Auntie." She greeted her aunt, who seemed half-asleep as she grunted a hello.

"Oh, crap... I shouldn't be drunk in front of my kid, this is- Hang on. What is that?" She asked, pointing right at Robin's left hand.

"What's what?" She asked, her heart rate accelerating as she watched her mom's face change completely.

"Robin. Robin Ambrose. Robin Sonia Ambrose-Hatanaka, did you- Did he- Did you- Is that an engagement ring?!" Chrys shrieked, alterting Caitlin to the commotion. "Robin! You can't! You can't get- No! No, you can't get married, you're-"

"Bwuh-huh? Who's getting married?" Caitlin murmured, rubbing her eyes with the backs of her hands.

"Robin's got a fucking engagement ring on!" Chrys squawked.

That caught Caitlin's attention. She immediately sat up, her hair flicking up like a gust of wind was unleashed directly below her. "An engagement ring?! Robin, darling..."

"I- He- He bought flowers that- That basically said 'I love you, will you marry me at this very moment?' and he baked me this proposal cake and- And then he asked me to marry him." Robin choked out, covering her mouth with her left hand. Wow. She was already getting obnoxious with her ring, flashing it at every opportunity. "And I just- I panicked. I- I told him- I told him I can't, 'cause we're too young, and he- He started crying, and-"

"Well, of fucking course you can't! You're six- No, you're seventeen! HE'S seventeen! In what world- I- He- What was he thinking?!" Chrys shouted, her face going bright red. "You- You can't!"

"Chrysanthemum, I'm sure she knows that." Caitlin said gently. "Darling, sit down. Have your cake. Then, we'll discuss this- ...Situation." She said delicately, beckoning Robin over to her, who immediately sank into Caitlin's arms.

"I-I- I'm so stupid. Why didn't I say yes? He was- He looked so hurt. He- He looked heartbroken, I-" She whimpered, before letting out an anguished sob. "Why didn't I say yes?"

"Because you know, deep down, that it's much too early for that." Caitlin assured her. "I-I'm not saying that you can never marry him-"

"Just not while you're living with your mother." Chrys interjected.

"Yes, Chrys. She knows." Caitlin said firmly. "I don't think a shotgun wedding is in our future."

Chrys swallowed a lump in her throat, before sitting down next to Robin, patting her back. "Honey, I-"

"I'm- I just- I know I can't marry him now, but- But why didn't I just say yes and- And then we'd just be engaged until we were ready?" Robin muttered. "Then- Then he wouldn't have- He wouldn't think I don't want him...!"

"Christ." Caitlin uttered under her breath. "I'm sure he- I'm sure he'll understand. He'll understand that- That marriage isn't just what you do when you love each other very much. It's nothing to be done flippantly."

"I-I- He's- He's- He said he needs me, that he can't sleep without me, and that- That I'm all he has!" Robin wailed, hiding her face in her hands. "A-And what do I do after I hear that?! I leave! Oh my God, I'm the worst, I- I need to go back, I need to-" She started, wriggling out of Caitlin's arms, though both Chrys and Caitlin moved at the same time to restrain her.

"Honey, I think- I don't think anything good can come from that." Chrys said gently. "Take the night. Think about it. Let him cool down. I'll- Well, I guess I'll go and talk some sense into him in the morning." She grumbled, squinting at the ring on Robin's finger. "...I've gotta say, he has good taste." She remarked.

"Chrysanthemum, that is very inappro- Jesus, you're right." Caitlin marvelled as well, watching it glitter in the soft lamplight.

"I know. That's the worst part. Everything was perfect. He- He put in so much effort, so much thought, and I just-" Robin whimpered, choking on her tears. "I wanted to say yes. I really did."

"I know you did." Chrys assured her, gently rubbing her shoulder. "Now, go to bed. We'll figure this out in the morning."

Robin nodded, halfway in her door before a passing thought hit her like a lightning bolt. "Oh, no. I- He needs- He needs Musharna. He needs her to sleep, he gets these awful nightmares and- And he just cries and cries and cries and if I'm not there when he wakes up from them, that'll make it even worse-"

"Okay, I'll- I'll get her to him. Just- You just worry about yourself, alright? He'll be okay." Chrys assured her, taking Musharna's Poke Ball.

"He won't." Robin muttered darkly, handing Chrys her keycard. "He'll be a wreck when you get there."

Chrys closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "You need to stop worrying, my child. It'll be okay."

Robin gritted her teeth, but nodded silently, shutting the door behind her.

Chrys sighed, turning back to her sister, who was putting Robin's uneaten cake in the fridge. "...I think I've become my mother." She remarked bitterly.

"Oh, really." Caitlin said blankly.

"Shut up."

Arven wasn't the only one who had nightmares. Of course, Robin was rather cool under pressure, so Area Zero didn't quite haunt her the way it did Arven, but she had nightmares. She'd been nosy a few times and peeked in on what Arven would have been dreaming about, and she was not at all surprised to see that it was mostly about her death. That one seemed to be rather popular in his brain. A bit flattering, but ultimately more concerning than anything.

Hers, by contrast, were much less of a memory. Rather, they took the form of amorphous grief, mourning, of what never would've been had she taken her final bow off the Skyarrow Bridge. What would've become of Musharna had she died when she meant to? What of her four catches, would Gardevoir have still lived in the wild? Would Starmie still be ceaselessly sending messages to outer space that would never be heard? Would Bronzong have never found a Trainer of its own? She used to think her death wouldn't have mattered to anyone, her father wouldn't have cared and her mother would've been glad to be rid of the traitor that lived in her house and the rest of the world had never even heard her name before. 

Yet so much would've been different had Munna's grip faltered, or if she'd been a second late. She wouldn't have seen Paldea, she wouldn't have known Nemona, Mela, Ortega, she would've never known what it felt like to be loved by a boy. She would've never held Arven. He never would've even known her at all. She thought she was dead inside before, that her body's death was merely balancing the scales, yet she bloomed anew once she finally knew warmth again. What a waste it would've been, to let her song end before it reached its climax.

She woke up in tears at the thought of never knowing him a few times. The thought of missing out on the greatest treasure she'd ever known shook her to her core. Yet there he was. Warm underneath her, his golden skin like silk against hers. That made it all worth it, worth staying for. If it meant she could hear him laugh again, she'd stick around forever. She'd stay a lifetime by his side if he'd let her.

She pressed gentle kisses to his face as he slept peacefully, each one a silent promise that she'd stay, no matter how cold the winters got. She'd stay for him, if nothing else.

Robin was normally not easily flappable, but when she was walking around a high-end boutique without even perusing the racks, even she could tell something was seriously wrong with her. Bless Caitlin's heart, she was trying her best to distract Robin from the disaster on her left hand, but unfortunately, it weighed too heavily on her mind. Was a reunion even possible? She didn't know what happened after someone said 'no' to a proposal. The only time she saw it happen was on TV, and Rory and Logan broke up immediately thereafter. So that was a bad sign.

In fairness, Logan was an asshole and Arven was a sweetheart, so maybe things weren't quite so dire, but God, she was terrified. She barely even saw the delicate lavender lace frock she was thumbing, all she was thinking about was whether or not she'd lose the love of her life to timing. Timing! TIMING! What the hell?! Was he that insecure that he wouldn't get another year with her unless she had a ring on her finger? Did he not realize she wanted him forever? She said forever. Several times! And she meant it! Was she too subtle? About as subtle as a brick to the face, she thought. And he said she was the dense one. Tch. He was so dense, he didn't even realize just how madly in love with him she was.

"Ooh, sweetheart! Look at this one!" Caitlin cooed, pointing at a mannequin with a black gown with a feathered plunging neckline. "You would look positively enchanting in this!"

Robin tilted her head to the side, trying to imagine it. Obviously, with a strapless gown, one's hair must be up to show off the collarbone, so she'd have to pull her hair back. Arven always said she looked good with her hair back.

...Shit.

"Yeah, I- I think so too. But where would I wear it?" She asked dully. "The black swan look isn't exactly wearable day to day."

"Prom." Caitlin answered swiftly. "Graduation, perhaps. The funeral of your much older billionaire beau whom you've clandestinely bumped off."

"I think I'd need a big hat for that." Robin remarked. "Prom, maybe, but Arven would be tripping on my gown the entire time we're dancing."

"We shall enroll him in dance classes." Caitlin insisted. "Come on, I can see it in your eyes. You love it."

She did. It was stoned all the way down, corseted with a train. Elegant yet incredibly dramatic and ostentatious, but then again, so was she. It walked that fine line between chic and camp she loved to toe.

"Oh, and it comes with gloves! Dear, we simply must buy this!" Caitlin cried, holding a pair of shiny black gloves in her hands.

"How much is it?" Robin asked, attempting to look at the price tag, though Caitlin got in her way.

"Never you mind, darling." She insisted, snapping her fingers once. "We'd like to try this one on, please. My niece here is 5'9, size two." She said to the store clerk, who apparently just materialized out of nowhere, because Robin neither heard nor saw her approach.

"Very well." She said politely, disappearing into the back of the store.

"Now, I've noticed your attire has become more understated as of late, and I, for one, think that simply cannot stand. You have a vibrant spirit, Robin. It must be showcased." Caitlin said firmly, taking Robin's hand and guiding her to a section of the store they hadn't perused yet.

"You're really feeling this retail therapy angle, aren't you?" Robin muttered, allowing herself to be dragged along.

"You know, retail therapy works better when you stop thinking about the thing that's making you sad..." Caitlin pointed out. "Instead, think about this." She suggested, holding up a pink lace corset.

"I feel like I have eight pale pink lace corsets."

"What's a ninth, then?" Caitlin chirped happily.

Robin hummed, her arms crossed over her chest. "What's taking Miss Thing so long?"

"I fear we may have to buy it off the mannequin." Caitlin remarked, narrowing her eyes. "I can't imagine they make that in more than one size."

"Hmph." Robin sighed, looking at the clothes but not truly seeing them.

Caitlin let out a gentle sigh, before laying her hand on Robin's shoulder. "I know that things seem dire right now. But as someone who's had the privilege to see firsthand how much that boy loves you, I can assure you: Things will be okay. You two survived Area Zero, his father's death, everything that happened here... I'm sure your relationship will survive this too." She said gently, before gently wrapping her arms around her niece and giving her a brief squeeze. "Now, let's get you in that dress!"

Robin sighed, closing her eyes to suppress the wave of tears that threatened to break the surface. She really wanted to believe Caitlin was right, that things could be that simple again. She'd told Arven many times that as long as he wanted her and she wanted him, then they'd be together, and it was as simple as that, yet here she was, struggling to believe it herself. It seemed impossible in her mind. But she'd said the same about Arven liking her back, and now his ring was on her finger. So despite that nagging voice in the back of her head, a spark of hope flashed in her stomach as she was led to the dressing room with a second copy of that black feathered dress in her arms.

The bed was cold when Arven woke up the next afternoon. He hated it. He'd flown so close to the sun, tasted it on his lips, and now he was all alone, floating through space aimlessly without her. Did he hold on too tight? Did he squeeze her until she broke, their love broke, everything broke, his entire world shattered around him? He just- He didn't even scream like the last time they fought! He just- He just declared his eternal love for her, asked her for her hand in marriage and- And she even liked the ring! She liked the flowers, she liked the cake, she liked the ring, what the hell did he do wrong?! He tried so hard to make things perfect. Why wasn't it enough for her? Why wasn't he enough?

Mabo started to bark from the living room, though Arven didn't go and see what all the hubbub was about. He didn't have the energy. He didn't have the drive to do anything. Did he need Robin so badly he couldn't even get out of bed without her? Even he had to admit, that was a bit pathetic. He didn't even have a nightmare.

But then he heard another, higher pitched cry, and he immediately rolled out of bed. That was Musharna, he could recognize her little chirps anywhere. And with Musharna came Robin, so- So she was back?! Holy guacamole, she was back. He ran out of his bedroom in last night's clothes, throwing the door open...

Only to find Mabo and Musharna playing Fetch together, Musharna throwing the ball with her psychic powers. They both froze when they saw him, even the ball stopped in midair. He must have looked insane to have spooked even Mabo.

So Robin wasn't back, but Musharna was. He didn't remember Robin leaving her behind, he would've noticed at some point, so- So why was Musharna there? Did she sneak in? Did Robin sneak her in?

Musharna looked at him, before approaching him with her little tiny arms open, glomming onto his chest.

"Oh! Hi, I- I- I don't really know what you're doing here, but hi..." Arven muttered, gently hugging her back.

Musharna looked up at him, her eyes half-open, almost as if giving him a withering stare.

Arven blinked. "Oh, so you think it's obvious? What? Am I just supposed to read your mind? Last I checked, you just ate dreams, you didn't transmit thought- Oh." He blurted out, looking sheepishly down at Musharna, who seemed to be saying 'Finally!' with her eyes.

"Oh, so- So Robin, she- She sent you over here to eat my dreams- Oh, God, she's worried about my nightmares..." He breathed, staring into Musharna's now closed eyes. "She- She still- She still- Oh my God, it's not over, she-"

He was then rudely interrupted by a loud knock at his door, and he nearly jumped out of his skin. He ended up flinging Musharna halfway across the room, he was startled so badly. Thankfully, she caught herself before she could crash directly into the glass coffee table. Meanwhile, Arven raced to the door, nearly ripping it off its hinges, hoping beyond all hope that it was Robin-

"Hello, Arven." Chrys greeted him gently. "May I come in?"

Well, he was kind of close. Robin, Robin's mother, they had the same effect on him. Chrys had always been his biggest cheerleader. So if she was coming to see him, then that must mean it's not completely over for him. Right? Maybe he was insane. Maybe he was about to get an earful. But God, he just needed a shred of hope that he'd see Robin again.

He let her in without a word, and she made herself comfortable on the couch.

"So. You proposed to my daughter." Chrys said simply, motioning for Arven to sit down opposite her.

Arven sighed as he took a seat, sinking into the couch cushions. "Yup." He grumbled.

"A pretty big swing, you know." She opined primly. "Especially for your age. You're only seventeen."

"I'll be eighteen in November." He interrupted.

"Yes, you will. But she'll be eighteen in a year." Chrys reminded him. "Why'd you do it?"

Arven scoffed. "'Cause I love her." He said simply.

Chrys hummed a little, lacing her fingers together. "Can I tell you something?" She asked him, before continuing on without waiting for an answer. "About twenty-three- Jesus, I'm old- Twenty-three years ago... I did the same thing as you. I was in such a hurry to marry Robin's father, I just- I proposed to him. After only six months. I proposed to him, 'cause I- I mean, I could never do anything right in my mom's eyes. That- You know, the femininity and the dignity and all that, it didn't come naturally to me, and I just felt empty. But when I met Oskar, he-" She paused, a few tears leaking out of her eyes. "He made me feel alive. Like I wasn't a total fuckup. The prototype before they finally got it right. And- And I needed that, you know?"

Arven knew. He'd been wandering around Paldea half-dead until he met Robin, of course he knew. She was the sun in his solar system, the only light in the darkness, of course he understood.

"But I- Y'know, my mom didn't like it. She tried to stop me. Eventually, she told me that she couldn't stop me from ruining my life, but she wasn't going to let it happen under her roof. So, I left." Chrys continued, shrugging her shoulders. "I left and I moved in with Oskar and he put a ring on my finger. And you know, I missed my dad. I missed Caitlin. But he was the centre of my universe, so I- I chose him. I chose him over my family."

"...And... He cheated on you." Arven noted.

"Well, that was after about seventeen years of marriage, it's not particularly relevant to my story..." Chrys said pointedly. "My point is, I- I lost my family. I dropped out of university 'cause I couldn't afford it without my parents' help. I was- I was going to a Snivy League, Arven. I was going to Charvard. And I threw that away for him. I lost my family, I lost my education, my career, I- I lost myself, 'cause I put so much of myself in him. And I didn't even realize it for years. Not until Caitlin became an Elite Four member and he became a Minister and Robin started performing, that I was nothing. I was a wife, a mother, and nothing else. And- And I don't want that for you, Arven. I don't want you to lose yourself in loving her, 'cause you really are a great guy, kiddo. You've got a lot going for you."

Arven snorted, chuckling bitterly. "Like what? I failed senior year, I- I failed humanities. How do you fail humanities?!" He squawked indignantly, his face starting to heat up.

"You failed school because you were fighting for your best friend. I think that's admirable." Chrys shot back. "And I know you'd fight for her. You'd move mountains for the ones you love." 

Arven huffed, closing his eyes, a hole opening up in his chest. He certainly tried to move mountains. He just didn't have the strength for it. He tried to fight for Mabo, for Robin, but he could never do it alone. Not like Robin could.

"Plus, you're a fantastic cook and baker, you have surprisingly good taste in jewelry and you're also very handy. The total package, I'd say. Really, the only reason I'm not elated that you're gonna be my son-in-law is that you're just too young." She remarked casually.

Arven closed his eyes, trying to fight back the feeling of tears welling in his eyes. "...It- It's just- I've done nothing. I couldn't save Mabo. I couldn't save my dad. I couldn't even save her. Robin saved Mabo, Gardevoir saved Robin, I- What's even the point of me?" He asked quietly, staring down at his hands. Sometimes he swore he could still smell Mabo's blood on them. It was his fault Mabo got hurt, and then he couldn't even fix him on his own. He wasn't strong enough, but Robin, she was unbreakable.

Chrys clicked her tongue, before sitting next to him on the other couch, allowing him to sink into her arms. "You're wrong, Arven. You're a good kid. You make her so happy, and that makes me happy. You don't have to defuse a nuclear bomb to be worth it. She loves you. You're basically a son to me already, and your Pokemon all love you, you take excellent care of them, and- And even Musharna likes you. For that to happen, you either have to be a woman or an incredible guy." She joked, patting his back as he quietly sobbed into her shoulder. "You don't have to defuse a bomb for us to love you. You're- You're more than enough already."

Arven sniffled, trying to pull himself together yet failing miserably. "I- I- I love her so much, I- I wanna marry her so bad, I want- I wanna- I want forever. I-I don't ever wanna be without her...!" He whimpered, tears streaming down his face.

"I know. But- But marriage is a huge commitment. You're tied together, not just in a romantic way, but, like, in a 'taxes' way. You'd- You'd legally become her family." Chrys explained gently. "So much is up in the air for the two of you. Your lives are just beginning. Who knows where you'll end up? Who knows what you'll do for work? Who even knows where you'll live? It's- Too much is uncertain for you two to get married now."

He wiped his tears, resting his head on the couch cushion. "I just- I know it's her. I've never been more certain of anything in my life. I just know."

Chrys clicked her tongue. "She knows too. She was this close to busting down your door and eloping this morning." She joked, patting Arven's shoulder just as there was another knock at the door. "Oh, I guess she's doing it now." She remarked as Arven shot off the couch at world record pace, nearly ripping the door off its hinges as he threw it open.

And there she was. Robin was on his doorstep once again, wearing a nervous smile, an adorable sundress and the ring. She said something, but he didn't hear it through his heart pounding in his ears. Instead, their bodies just crashed together like they were magnetized, all of Arven's tears drying in an instant because she was back, and that was all he needed.

"I-I'm sorry." Robin whispered tearfully, her hand in his hair. "I'm sorry I- I left, I made you feel-"

"No, don't be sorry. You were just- You're the only one of us with a brain, I guess...!" He assured her, chuckling to himself. "I just- I love you, a-and- And I- I know, I know it's you, but God, I really rushed things, didn't I?" He laughed, nuzzling into the crook of her neck. "I'm sorry I put you in that position."

"Chrysanthemum, I think we should leave them alone now!" Caitlin hissed from the doorway, much to Arven's surprise. He didn't even realize she was there. The entire world fell away when he looked into Robin's eyes. But sure enough, there she was, looking up at him amusedly.

"Fair enough. Bye, guys! Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Chrys chirped as she slipped out behind them and left them alone in Arven's room.

Arven squeezed her tighter for a moment, his heart so full of relief he didn't know what to do with it. "Oh, God, I'm so fucking happy you're back. I was- I don't even know what I would've done without you, I-"

"Me too. I was going crazy, I was- I love you so much. I don't wanna ever lose you. And- And I'll be damned if I let you get away, and then some other girl gets to have you. That'd be- My brain would shortcircuit. I swear to God." She laughed, pulling away, resting her arms around his neck. "I promise you, I'll marry you someday. Cross my heart and hope to die." She insisted intensely, staring up into his eyes.

"Don't do that." Arven teased. "I'd rather you not die, thanks."

"Arvieeee..."

"Alright, alright...! I promise that- That the next proposal cake will be even bigger and better." He said haughtily, giggling at the withering look on her face.

Robin gasped. "Oh, fuck! I never even had it! I was so busy crying my eyes out and planning to elope, I forgot about it! Goddammit, it looked so good...!" She whined, resting her head on his chest.

"There is a lot more where that came from. If you're interested, that is..."

"Yes."

"Come here, then." He told her, hurrying to take it out of the fridge and popping the lid off its container. "I didn't even have any myself. I was- Y'know, sick to my stomach over the thought of losing you, no biggie..."

"Oh, so this is a belated first tasting, eh?"

"Yup." He said with a grin, brandishing a large knife to slice them both pieces. He'd only just finished cutting one when Robin tapped him on the shoulder, holding the ring out to him.

"Here, you can- I know I kind of rejected your proposal, so- I mean, I hear it's proper to give the ring back, so-" Robin rambled on, only stopping once Arven took it from her hands and slid it right back on her finger.

"Nah, you keep it. Call it a promise ring." He insisted with a warm smile. "Hey, when I propose for real next time, I'll upgrade it for you."

"Don't you dare! I love this one!" She squawked, shielding it from his view. "You got my aunt to take the Lord's name in vain when she saw it. I'd say you chose well."

"Oh, you don't know the half of it." He murmured, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "We're- We're good, right?" He asked quietly, meeting her eyes, the cherry pink oceans he could swim in for hours.

"Of course." She assured him. "We're good."

Chapter Text

Robin had been stared at before. Usually, scowls and frowns accompanied the stares, sometimes furrowed brows that foretold a guilty attraction to her. These days, she was mostly stared at by her lovely boyfriend/fiancee/whatever the hell he was. But no matter the cause of the staring, she was used to it. Or, at least she thought she'd grown used to it by now. But with Drayton and Lacey unable to look anywhere but at her engagement-turned-promise ring, she realized there were still new staring frontiers for her to conquer.

"And then Grandpa was all like, 'you think you'll ruin Lacey too?!' and I was all like, 'you think a bit of intercourse can ruin a gem like her? Be for real' and then Mom left the room because no one wants to hear two men discuss the ins and outs of another woman's virginity, that's gross." Drayton continued on, though the entire time he was telling his story, his eyes were completely glued to the ring. "Honestly, I'm not sure if it was even about us having sex. I think he's more worried that my failure will rub off on her."

"You're not a failure." Lacey insisted, her eyes also locked on the ring as she sat hand in hand with Drayton on the hotel room's couch. "You just neglect to apply yourself."

"Hm. That's not what you said last night." Drayton teased, causing Lacey to whack him upside the head with a pillow.

"You're right! I said that failure is just what you do, not who you are!"

"Did not feel better hearing that the second time." Drayton remarked.

"I'm just saying. You have all the skills and none of the drive. You can see why your grandfather is frustrated, can't you?" Lacey reasoned gently.

Drayton rolled his eyes. "You sound like my mother."

"Eugh. Don't say that to your girlfriend." Arven interjected, wincing.

"Hey, I wasn't saying it as a positive!"

"We got Oedipus up in here..."

"Oh! Okay! You wanna get shady? Let's address the Copperajah in the room, then!" Drayton cried, pointing his finger at Robin's ring. "What the fuck is that?!"

"A ring." Robin replied evenly.

"A diamond ring. With a diamond encrusted band." Drayton emphasized, his hands waving wildly around. "And a floral design. White gold accents. Perfectly sized."

"Mhm."

"On your left hand. Ring finger."

"Indeed."

"Which is the finger that engagement rings and wedding bands are traditionally worn on."

"Indubitably."

"Are you two seriously getting married at age seventeen?!" Lacey screeched, unable to restrain herself any longer. "You- Wha- How did your mother even agree to this?!"

"Oh, she disagreed. Fervently. That's why this has been converted to a promise ring. We are much too young to get married, obviously, but it's a beautiful ring and I absolutely will marry him one day." Robin explained, squeezing Arven's hand gently with a soft smile. "My future husband over here."

"She will not stop singing that stupid Meghan Patrainor song." Arven huffed, though she could tell by the way he leaned his head against hers that he wasn't truly that angry to be referred to as her one-day lawfully wedded husband. "I swear, even Gothitelle is singing it now."

"She doesn't know a single word but she is singing." Robin joked.

"I have no lyrics yet I must sing..."

"So- So you two aren't having a child marriage?" Lacey breathed, her face bright red.

"Oh, thank God. I didn't wanna have to buy a wedding gift." Drayton teased, reaching over and punching Robin's shoulder lightly.

"I know that midline toaster would've hated to see you coming." Robin retorted.

"One bagel and it'll explode." Arven added.

Lacey let out a huge sigh of relief, leaning on Drayton's shoulder as she slumped over. "Oh, thank God. If my father started thinking that underage marriage was an acceptable thing to do in our friend group, I'd be locked up in Alcatraz for 150 years..."

"He only barely let her out of the house today. I had to beg and barter for her freedom." Drayton added, his arm looping around her shoulders. "I think you really did a number on him, Rob."

Robin shrugged, standing up and flitting away to the fridge for another soda, finding Starmie hanging out in the fridge. She let it stay there. "Well, I gave a pretty compelling argument." She remarked.

"You projected your own grief onto him and broke down in tears on our front porch." Lacey corrected her.

"It worked, didn't it?"

"...Yes, yes it did." Lacey admitted with a huff. "He has been more relaxed about rules and curfews as of late."

"Boom. It was an effective gambit, then. Fully planned from the start." Robin gloated with a grin, taking her seat right next to Arven, who instinctively wrapped his arm around her waist, causing Drayton to gag exaggeratedly.

Lacey sighed, leaning on the arm of the couch. "Can't believe you guys are going home."

"Gotta happen sometime." Robin remarked. "Besides, we'll be back in a month for the funeral. Well, I will, Arven has school." She corrected herself, elbowing him in the side gently.

"So do you." Arven retorted.

"It's my dad, not yours. You focus on your edumacation." She insisted primly. "I'll be okay."

"I'm gonna go with her." He informed the others with an air of finality.

Robin gasped. "Like hell you will! We'll kick you out of the plane!"

"I'll be a stowaway."

"You've gotta focus on your edumacation!" Robin protested.

"I'm going." He said bluntly, his tone making it clear there would be no changing his mind.

"You know she won't be alone, right?" Drayton asked, furrowing his eyebrows. "Like, what are we, chopped liver?"

"Well, you're chopped, alright..."

"Wha- Hey! Robin, when did you teach him that?! Sweet old Arven just- What the hell?!" Drayton squawked indignantly. "You're lucky you're Robin's boy-fiancee or whatever, 'cause otherwise you would've caught these hands!"

"Good luck." Arven retorted.

"Hmph!" Drayton huffed, crossing his arms and sulking. "Feels too soon. I know you've been here for a month or whatever, but it feels way too soon for you guys to be leaving."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "Is that your way of telling us you'll miss us?"

"No, 'cause I won't." Drayton shot back, sticking out his tongue. "Just feels illegal."

"He may have cried a little bit before we got here." Lacey informed them with a wry smile.

"I DID NOT!" Drayton squealed, covering his eyes with his hands.

"D'aww... Ickle Dray-Dray's gonna miss me!" Arven teased, a toothy grin on his face.

"Shut up!" He exclaimed, standing up and whacking Arven atop his head, before marching away to the fridge, pretending to look for something to eat.

Robin shrugged and followed him to the fridge, also pretending to browse its rather barren contents. "You know, it's alright to say you'll miss us."

"It's not, 'cause I won't." Drayton repeated. "There's nothing to eat in this place."

"Aw. Well, that's unfortunate, 'cause I'll miss you." She informed him cheerily. "But I guess that wouldn't mean anything to you, would it?"

Drayton blinked, his hand stilling on the refrigerator handle. "...Oh." He let out, before he turned away, making a hurried Combeeline for the bathroom.

Lacey clicked her tongue, crossing her legs one over the other. "Just leave him be. He'll admit it eventually." She advised Robin, her fatigue evident in her voice.

"I mean, at a certain point it becomes useless to try to hide it, right?" Arven added.

Robin shrugged, a pit in her stomach forming as she glanced back toward the bathroom. She tried not to think about leaving too much. It made her stomach turn every time she tried to parse the thought. It felt insane, to go through everything just for none of it to matter once she got home. She wouldn't hear from Drayton or Lacey as much, she wouldn't have Caitlin just around the corner... Would she even feel the hole that her father had left in her life in Paldea? Or would she just forget him, forget all of it once it was out of her sight?

She chewed on her bottom lip, before taking a deep breath and dragging her body back to the couch. "So! Tell me about the BB League!" She prompted Lacey, which was sure to provoke a twenty-minute lecture about the ins and outs of the club's goings-on.

"Oh, gosh. Drayton's the club president, so you know it's a wreck..." Lacey started complaining, and everyone knew that once that ball started rolling, it simply would not stop.

Chrys was very good at faking smiles. The first twenty years of her life were absolutely jam-packed with occasions where she'd have to try to not look quite so bored. She could tolerate almost anything with a serene smile on her face. Being basically disowned? Nope. Infidelity? Hyuh-uh. Divorce? Puh-lease. Even those events couldn't shake her for too long. She was a one-and-done kind of crier. Her upper lip was incredibly stiff, it took something absolutely devastating to get to her.

Eye contact with Marshal on the last day she'd get to see him for ages? Now, that could get her.

He didn't say much as he helped her pack up her things. It was an uncharacteristic silence. Of course, Marshal meditated every morning, so he was certainly capable of being quiet, but with her, he was usually so chatty. Yet he packed in silence, he zipped up her million little bags in silence, he held her by the waist whenever he had to pass close behind her in silence... Yet she couldn't bring herself to break it herself. Because if she broke it, then he'd say something back, and if he said something more meaningful than 'where do you keep the window cleaner' then it was over for her. Even if he made a joke, she'd be done.

"Aww, look at this!" Marshal cooed, picking up a framed picture of her and little baby Robin. "She was a really cute baby, wasn't she?"

Boom. Tears. Just like that. As if they were just waiting under the surface to erupt from her eyes, they just burst out of her without her permission. Marshal turned to her to show her the picture, though he put it down once he noticed the absolute explosion of tears on her face. Then before she could even prepare herself for it, he wrapped his arms around her, and that just made things even worse. She could feel herself melting away into complete disarray, no matter how hard she tried.

Marshal didn't say anything, he only held her close while stroking her hair. Oh, God, how long had it been since anyone held her like that? Even when she was married, the affection had died out, Oskar had grown away from her like he didn't need her anymore, but now there Marshal went, drawing so much buried emotion out of her. She was grown, forty-four, a mother to a nearly adult daughter, she didn't need to be taken care of, but God, she wanted it. She didn't want to sleep alone anymore.

Just then, there was a loud knock at the door, and Chrys could tell just by the speed of the knock that it was her daughter. She tore herself away from Marshal (a deeply painful task) and trudged to the door, opening it to find Robin, apparently ready to go home with her leopard print fur coat and fur hat ensemble on.

"W-Well, don't you look Kalosian." Chrys remarked, trying to hide the quiver in her voice.

"I'm missing a cigarette for that." She replied in kind, stepping inside the penthouse. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Chrys shrugged, taking a seat on the couch. "Shoot."

Robin's eyes flicked over to Marshal for a second, though she ultimately decided to sit down anyway. "Well, I- I was thinking, and- And y'know, we're going home and all, but- I dunno. I- It makes me kinda sad, Mom. For you." She said softly, lacing her gloved fingers together.

Chrys blinked. "...Huh. Don't worry about me, kiddo, I'm- I'm just fine." She insisted, though the withering look on Robin's face almost made her stop speaking entirely.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Robin muttered, rolling her eyes. "I'm not blind, you know. I- I know you're lonely at home. I know- I mean, you booked this trip because you were lonely, and- And it's my fault we even moved in the first place. If it wasn't for me attempting to do a double-frontflip-one-and-a-half-twist off the Skyarrow Bridge, you'd still be here, with your sister and your friends and him..." She hissed under her breath, pointing with her eyes to Marshal, who was pretending to not be listening. "It's my fault you're so lonely." She whispered, fiddling with her engagement ring.

Chrys was taken aback. She never even considered that Robin would even notice, much less feel guilty about it. It wasn't even her fault, she made the sacrifice because she knew Robin had to get away, but- She was so- When did she get so considerate? She used to be a ball of laughter and glitter that came and went with the wind, but- Oh, God, her daughter really was growing up. Sure, the fact that Robin was a whole head taller than her and had an engagement ring on her finger was a pretty good clue that she was growing up, but it was then that it really hit her. She wasn't her little girl anymore.

"Oh, honey..." She started, ready to move to hug Robin close, but Robin motioned for her to sit down.

"It was selfish of me. I know that. It was selfish, 'cause I ripped you out of your home." Robin murmured. "And- And Paldea's my home now, but- But it's not yours, Mom. You belong here." She insisted, finally meeting Chrys' eyes.

"Robin, I-" Chrys started, though she couldn't speak through the lump in her throat.

"I'm sorry I took you from this. 'Cause- I mean, 'cause, be honest. What is there for you in Paldea? You- Anyone can see it. You're bored out of your mind there." Robin remarked bluntly. "And I don't think it's fair that you have to sacrifice this for me. You can- I mean, I'm a big girl, I can handle myself. You should- You should go home." She said simply, avoiding Chrys' gaze by staring down at her own engagement ring. She seemed to love to do that these days.

Chrys shook her head. "Robin, I- I can't. You're still a kid. I can't just leave you in Paldea. And- And what about you? What if-"

"I won't be alone, you know. I've got Arven. I've got Nemona. I've even got Team Star. I- I'll be alright. I'm seventeen, I know how to cook and clean." Robin insisted. "Please, Mom. I-I don't remember the last time I've seen you so happy. Not since we moved. I can't take it away from you again." She whispered, her voice breaking down into a quiet whisper.

Chrys barely even registered her own tears, she just moved on instinct to her daughter's side, holding her tight. She wasn't sure if it was more for her own comfort or for Robin's. She couldn't stand the sight of her daughter's tears. It killed her inside every time.

Suddenly, Robin jerked out of the hug, and Chrys opened her eyes only to find Robin glaring up at Marshal, who had his hand on the top of Robin's head. Marshal then awkwardly pulled it back.

"Sorry, just- Just wanted to help..." He muttered, before returning to his spot in the corner of the room.

Robin sniffed, fixing her still-perfect hair. "W-Well, you think about it, alright? 'Cause if you're only staying for me, then that reason's stupid and you should go."

"You're not a stupid reason. You're my daughter." Chrys retorted in a low croak.

"And you're incredibly stubborn."

Chrys laughed, though given her tears, it sounded more like a sob. "I prefer 'steadfast'." She replied, wiping her eyes. "You all packed yet?"

Robin froze. "...Well, I-"

Chrys' eyebrows raised. "Go. Pack. NOW! We leave in two hours!" She shouted, causing Robin to leap out of her seat on the couch and right out the door. "Run! Do NOT walk!" She called after Robin as she let the door close behind her.

She turned to Marshal, and let out a massive sigh. "Holy crap, can you believe this kid?" She asked, rubbing her eyes.

Marshal grinned, planting a kiss on her forehead. "No, I cannot." He murmured softly.

After an hour of packing that was interrupted near-constantly by Robin happening to look down at her ring and being overcome by the urge to kiss the boy who put it there, she was back in the back seat of that black SUV, on her way back to the private jet. The mood was much more somber this time. Chrys was having to dab at her eyes a little bit. Robin thought there was a pretty easy solution to that problem, but hey. She had to get her Grumpigheadedness from somewhere.

They hopped out of the car and onto the tarmac, only to find Darach, alongside Drayton and Lacey for some reason. Robin furrowed her brows as she trotted over to them, unable to catch Drayton's eye at all.

"It's a meet and greet over here!" Robin chirped in lieu of a greeting. "What's going on?"

"Ask him." Lacey said bluntly, jabbing her thumb toward Drayton, who was resolutely staring down at the ground with his arms crossed.

Robin directed her attention to Drayton, raising an eyebrow, yet he didn't say anything. He didn't seem to even move or breathe. So, she just stared at him for what felt like an eternity as he stalled.

Then, suddenly, he crashed into her, squeezing her tightly to his chest, burying his face in her shoulder. Robin squeaked a bit from the impact, though eventually she recovered enough to hug him back, her grip much gentler than his.

"Aww...! He finally got there." Arven remarked, watching amusedly as Drayton's chest started to shake.

"Y-You'll keep in touch, right? I-I mean, if we did all this crap just for you to vanish again, I swear, I will hunt you down and kill you with my bare hands...!" Drayton warbled, hiding his face in Robin's shoulder.

"Of course...! I'm just going home, I'm not- You know." Robin murmured, giving him one last squeeze before letting him go. "'League Bratz: With a Passion for Fashion' forever!" She declared, grinning as all three of her, Lacey and Drayton linked pinkies.

"Can't believe we let you pick the name..." Drayton muttered under his breath as Lacey gave Robin a much shorter hug. "I always thought we should've been the Three-Headed Dragon..."

"I think League Bratz has a certain ring to it. Though, I must admit, I never was a brat..." Lacey mused. "Ah, well. Too late to change it now! It stuck."

"It really did." Robin murmured, a warm smile on her face. "Well... I suppose we should get on this plane, huh?"

"Yup." Arven remarked, waving goodbye to both Drayton and Lacey. "See you!"

Drayton attempted to huff in annoyance, but it really came out as a sob as he pulled Arven into a bro-hug. "A wave? Seriously?"

Arven blinked rapidly as Drayton retreated and turned his back, seemingly taking shelter behind Lacey. "Oh. Okay. Bye, I guess." He muttered as he ascended the plane stairs.

"That's my cue. Bye, guys! I'll miss you!" She chirped as she climbed the stairs, looking directly at Drayton to see if he'd eventually break.

"I'll miss you too!" Lacey called after her, before elbowing Drayton in the side. "C'mon, say it back!" She hissed under her breath.

"Oh my God, fine! I'll- Like, I guess I'll kinda miss you too or whatever!" Drayton called, his voice getting weaker as he went on.

"How touching!" Robin squealed sarcastically as she entered the plane, and Darach shut the door behind them. She immediately made a Combeeline for the seat next to Arven, and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I've gotta get ready to sleep. You know how much trouble I had last time."

"I don't actually, 'cause I was sleeping..." Arven remarked, a little grin spreading across his face.

"Bragging." Robin said sharply, though any bite the word contained was softened by the way she wrapped both of her arms around his right arm. "I'm using you as my pillow for the ride. Hope you don't mind." She murmured, nuzzling her nose against his bicep.

Arven smiled, leaning back into his seat. The plane hadn't even moved yet, but he already felt like he was at home. "Not at all." He whispered.

It was a very similar scene when they landed back in Paldea, only this time, there were significantly less tears on the tarmac. Instead, there was much more violence.

"ROBINNNNN!!!" Nemona squealed, running at her with a hug so crushing, she nearly fell over onto the tarmac. She only stayed upright thanks to Arven's quick reflexes.

"Hey, Nemona...!" Robin whispered weakly, her diaphragm being crushed by Nemona's tight hug. "How've you been?"

"Oh my God, bored out of my mind! I'm gonna need to battle you at least sixty times to make up for lost time!" Nemona exclaimed, letting Robin go and bouncing on her heels. "Though Eri has been a good replacement..."

Mela snickered. "Even she's getting tired of the battles. I told her 'absolutely not', myself." She said cheekily, lightly punching Robin's shoulder. "Nice ring." She remarked with a grin.

"Leave me alone. We're gonna be at least twenty-one." Robin shot back, already exhausted of the teasing that was sure to come. "Oh my God, eleven hour flight... I've gotta get my ass on a couch, pronto..."

"My dorm?" Arven offered, to which Mela and Nemona both nodded their approval.

Robin smiled as Arven hailed a Flying Taxi, looking back at her mother to find her looking down at Robin from atop the plane's stairs. She did eventually descend, patting Robin's shoulder.

"Don't worry about me. Go, catch up with your friends. See how long it takes Nemona to spot the ring." She teased, elbowing her daughter in the side.

"Probably a week or so..." Robin joked, giving her mother a quick hug. "See you at home?"

Chrys nodded her approval, just as the Flying Taxi touched down. "See you later."

Robin smiled, stepping into the taxi with Arven, the girls and their bags. It was interesting, she'd been gone so long and been through so much, yet somehow, chatting with her Paldean friends again, it felt like no time had passed at all. They were settling back into their old rhythm easily enough. It was almost as if nothing had changed since they'd left thirty days prior.

Yet with Arven's thumb spinning the ring on her finger, it was clear that, if nothing else, they'd carry the memories of that absolutely bonkers trip to Unova for a long, long time.