IC CONTACT

[blueser]

"Hello... Whatever... Don't worry about me. I'm doing peachy over here! I was just looking for something to do! Wanna battle me again?"

[telepathy | Pidgeot-mail]

Comments

[blueser]

[Speaking of the state Blue will be in... at some point in the absolute dead of the night, Blue stirs awake... it's slow at first, hard to tell, maybe even Archie decided it was fine to get away for a few minutes, or catch a few minutes of shut eye himself!]

[Unfortunately, that's all the time Blue needs to telepathically broadcast some regrets, and get emotionally worked up- worked up right into vomiting.]

[He lurches forward, meaning to jump out of the bed (and... outside? he doesn't know where the bathroom is; he doesn't know where he'll go), but he spots the bucket before he actually drops himself out of the bed.]

[Luckily, he doesn't question it. Maybe that stupid Bug nerd Guzma left it there.... whatever, either way, it's less than half a second for him to give in to the urge and start purging right into it. It is miserable.]

[broceanic]

[given the time, he had actually managed to fall asleep. sitting up on the chair, elbow on the arm and fist on his cheek. when blue lurches, archie jerks up, looking over and getting up, despite still being half asleep. he puts his hand on blue's back and steadies the bucket for him.

smells acrid, like vodka. ugh. guzma.]

S'alright. Come on.

[blueser]

[IT'S NOT ALRIGHT, or so Blue would communicate, but his mouth is a little occupied right now. As it is, there's an angry, awful coughing in there somewhere where his tiny indignant rage sputters.]

[It takes him a good few minutes and lots of gross splashy spewing, heaving, coughing etc, and a little while of empty gagging, but once he's finally gasped in enough breaths and his body isn't trying to purge anymore, spitting and sobbing and wheezing, he manages to get out an irritable] 's awful!

[Arcanine, who started awake when Blue did and has since cowered back off the bed at the stench of human barf, whines quietly- out of concern or to express his senses' displeasure...]

[broceanic]

[archie sees that, and the sight of the giant fire dog pokémon cowering is almost enough to make him laugh. and cry. possibly both? archie gets up and pushes his windows open-- it's a relatively warm night, at least, and there's not enough light to attract too many bugs. he takes the glass of water he'd got earlier off the table and holds it over to blue. it's not as cold now but... still better than nothing?]

How's your head? [he asks quietly, clearly quite keenly aware of how a hangover would feel.]

[blueser]

[Arcanine trots over to stick his snoot out the window as Blue takes another moment to breathe, get his bearings, and--]

[Ah. Now that his body isn't distracted with purging, the pain becomes much more apparent. Blue is clenching his teeth, arms wrapped over his head, and falls back into a scrunched-up fetal position with a tiny whimper.]

[He might start crying again. Except that would just make his head hurt more.] Nnnngghh!!

[broceanic]

It won't last too long. If you drink water, it'll feel better faster.

[he shifts over, sitting next to blue.]

You can stay here until it wears off.

[blueser]

[This very grouchy and upset child seems like he's ready to have a tantrum again... he makes another whiny, defiant sound in response to Archie, but grabs for the water and at least swishes it around his mouth, spitting back into the bucket. Blegh.]

It didn't even work... [Blue morosely sulks, in a tiny mumble that doesn't vibrate his skull too much.]

[He means the alcohol.]

[broceanic]

It never works. Alcohol is a depressant-- it'll only ever make you feel worse.

[he can put it together well enough based on what guzma had told him. sighing, he puts his hand on blue's shoulder lightly.]

You wanna go back to sleep?

[blueser]

[Blue weakly tries to shrug the hand off, and curls himself back up again tightly. Sleep? He sure did. He'd dropped like a rock once Guzma had deposited him in bed. He hadn't had some good, proper sleep in a while now, and he hadn't slept in a bed since.........]

[Well, home.]

[Then again, he was in a strange house, and the hospitality felt foreign, and the more he was thinking about it, the more uncomfortable it was.]

[Maybe just for a little while would be okay....] ...If I can... [He murmurs, head still splitting. His eyes are in a permanent squint.] Just. Just a little.

[broceanic]

[when blue tries to shrug his hand off, archie just takes it off. he picks the bucket up as he stands up-- might as well wash it out and bring it back with some more water.]

Okay. You don't have to go anywhere anytime soon. You can stay here. [he nudges arcanine's big doggy shoulder with a hand as he gets up and goes past.] I'll be in the main room. Come get me if you need me, alright? There's some food and drink through there for Pokémon, too, if you want.

[blueser]

[As Archie leaves, Blue doesn't say anything in return to his offer, but his jaw sets, and grinds a little to himself, like he's chewing on it. Staying... with these losers? As if! ...That's what he wants to think, anyway.]

[There wasn't anywhere else to go, but...]

[Arcanine wags as Archie passes by, but all the while he remains steadfastly by Blue's side. He'll leave when Blue does... Someone has to keep an eye on him.]

[Blue spends a few hours in and out of mostly restless napping, between his headache and everything else going on with him, but then again he's exhausted enough that he's able to get a bit of rest. But eventually, he emerges from the room, although he looks awfully hesitant about his place in the house, and doesn't bother wandering or exploring- rather makes a beeline straight for the same couch he perched on the night before, empty glass in his hand.]

[He glances up at Archie, but he doesn't seem to know what to say, waiting for Archie to speak up first instead as he slides the empty glass across the table in a wordless request for water.]

[broceanic]

[he doesn't need any prompting. archie takes the glass and deposits it near the sink, opting to get blue a clean one. puts some ice in it... maybe that'll make it refreshing! he doesn't know. he's trying his best. he brings it back through without saying anything.]

Are you hungry? [he tilts his head lightly, not staring at blue but certainly looking him over.] .... Where are you staying at the moment?

[blueser]

[He's starving, but he doesn't say anything to that, instead keeping his sullen and apprehensive face in check. He grabs for the water after it's slid across, and chugs it. Thirsty, too.]

[For a long moment he doesn't say anything.]

Why do you care? [Blue finally bites out, voice hoarse from throwing up, but the bitterness isn't just from that. His brow pinches as he keeps his frown steadily on the floor.]

What's with you guys? ...Aren't you two supposed t'be criminals? What d'you think you're gonna gain helping a League member like me...?

[broceanic]

[dutifully, he refills the glass when blue puts it back down. he grabs a basic sandwich out the fridge; nothing special. ham and cheese. he puts it on a plate and brings it over with the water.]

I don't want anything. I never expected anythin', neither. [he scoots back, sitting his butt down opposite blue, shrugging.] All I want is for you to be safe and alright while you're here. We gotta look out for each other. Like it or not.

[blueser]

No one really believes that. [He bites back all too quickly, even though he pulls the water back towards himself and nurses it again. He's frowning, turning this in circles in his head and making himself frustrated.]

[Ugh. His head still hurts too much for this.]

...I don't need anyplace. I've been on the road before.

[That's 'nowhere', to finally answer the question. He looks at the sandwich with longing, and tugs it over, but just picks around it for the moment.]

[broceanic]

[he doesn't look at blue as he picks at the sandwich. quite the opposite, actually. he gets up to fiddle with something on a nearby shelf.]

For over a month straight?

[blueser]

[Two or three, really.]

[But Blue doesn't correct him.]

I spent a whole year on the road, what's the big deal?

[broceanic]

Back home, where feelin' bad don't make a perpetual rainstorm follow you.

[it's not said accusatorily. there's no pity in his tone either; it's stated as a simple fact.]

You should at least have a base to go back to. Even if it's the crummiest apartment ever on the edge of town.

[blueser]

[Blue's jaw sets. Even in Viridian, he had a small apartment just to crash at when Gym days went long or he didn't feel like going home to Pallet for whatever reason.... But there, he had a job. He had income. He had skills.]

[Here.... He had nothing. He was a 14 year old, still practically a child, with no marketable skills. When the only thing you knew how to do, the only thing you're good at becomes irrelevant, what then? Rely on the pity of others.]

[And that, he's been much too proud for.]

I don't need to waste my time with that. [He grumbles, but even he knows...]

[broceanic]

To get a place to stay? It doesn't have to be with any of us. I know you're more than capable of looking after yourself.

[he sniffs.]

Do it for your Pokémon, if you won't do it for yourself.

[blueser]

My Pokémon are too big for the crappy little houses they have here.

[Blue huffs. That was a big part of the reason he hadn't even considered it outright. His poor Pokémon.... Eevee would be fine of course, maybe even Arcanine, if he could get out for walks and runs- but the rest of them needed much more space than Verens could afford them on an easily accessible basis.]

Just cuz you two losers have this big cabin to freeload in cuz that Jill lady pities you or whatever... Your Pokémon aren't even as big as mine. [Or as tough. Or cool. That's implicit.]

[broceanic]

Then shack up at the berry farm. In the farmhouse. Or ask Anabel how she deals with her big ones. She has the Johto beasts, I think she'd have good advice.

[he leans over, resting his elbow on the arm of the couch.]

This ain't about us. Don't deflect, y'hear? You gotta stay somewhere an' be safe.

[blueser]

[....Anabel.... That's right, the police chief... Blue has been thinking about where he'll go from here. It's too uncomfortable, in this cabin with these adults that talk like they understand, who try to push and nag him to do this or that when they aren't even responsible people themselves.... They were criminals, for Arceus' sake!]

[Blue's teeth grind, and he jumps up with a stumble, not quite in any condition to be on his own yet but feeling the creep of fear in him that had him primed to flee.]

I don't gotta take this from a crazy like you! [He hisses, because his head hurts too much to shout.] Don't start thinkin' you can tell me what to do!

[broceanic]

[he gets up and walks back to the kitchen, opting not to press. it's easy enough to grab some stuff out the fridge to reheat-- a far better meal than the sandwich he'd offered before.]

I'm going to make you something that should help with the headache. After that you can do what you want.

[blueser]

[Archie's casual, presumptuous announcement only angers him more, but--]

[He's so hungry.]

[Blue glances down at the half of a sandwich still left, stomach rumbling, and frowns angrily. Archie is gone now, so... He could just take the rest, and flee...]

[Or he could wait to get more food....]

[He's mad that he feels he's being coerced into staying, and his pride nearly won't allow him to save face and stay, but he feels so weak.....]

[He marches into the kitchen instead, turning his nose up at Archie again.] You think you're so clever, huh? Fine. Hurry up and cook, I'll take it with me.