Ghost? What ghost? [CLOSED/MOD]

[arcy]

Glad to finally be getting out of the crowded city Kei sighed and walked through the path where others told him the haunted woods would be. As much as he hated talking to people he had to get information out of them hence he actually could bring out some manner and gentle act so they would answer his questions. Though when they learned he would want to go to 'that scary place', they all asked back if he was sure and wanted to convince him not to go. Kei on the other hand was persistent enough not to listen to any of their yapping and just get out of Evergreen city as soon as possible.

He saw the misty presence of the woods in front of him, the eerie looks of the forest was creeping at his heart. It was early to say that it scared him but it was still making his blood eager for excitement. Shuri was sitting on his shoulder, glaring at the trees as if waiting for something to pop up. His huge black orbs were scanning the surroundings curiously, sniffing the air sometimes for strange and alien scents. "Don't run off, Shuri. Stay here." The shiny Eevee nodded at his trainer's voice and leaned to his neck, nuzzling to him slightly showing that he understood and will stay put.

Kei pulled his black coat tighter and warped his red scarf around his neck to fight off the cooler summer's cold. Shuri was curling up into a ball but he had enough fur to keep him warm so Kei wasn't worried about him much. Kei walked closer to the woods until he reached the first tree closest to him. From afar it looked like they were only plain as if it was winter, but looking at them close up made it obvious that they probably weren't blooming or having leaves as they normally would in the summer. He put his arm on the trunk thoughtfully, tracing the small lines and the burnt marks. 'It's almost as if the whole forest is dead.' It really had an unsettling feeling but Kei's curiosity would won over any fear easily and he stepped one step back to look up at the other trees as well. He reached up with his right hand to scratch Shuri behind his ear before talking. "So, shall we go in?" An enthusiastic "Veee" was the reply he got and he stepped forward with a determined smile.

*is waiting for one of Ryuujin's characters to show up* >w>

[★ Ryuujin !]

★ AKIRA ★

I want to live in fire, with all the taste I desire.
You lose your routine,
'cause I found my path.
- - - - - - - - - - - -

There was something wrong with him... he had managed to fall so low... how in the hell did he manage this? He used to be so up... so confident and strong willed... but he had lost all of that... ALL of that within one night. He HATED it. He HATED himself for it... for falling for the very thing he had promised himself he never would. He had shown weakness, he had let it consume him and contort him, turning him into the very thing he despised. Yet, in some way, he was thankful for it. By breaking down... he was able to rebuild himself - make himself into a more stable being... stronger, more fit to be the duke... better to take back over and show everyone just what he could do. It was his... and he would take it. But he didn't do it alone, he couldn't have done it alone.

The same night the boy had fallen, he had left the castle without much word to anyone else, fleeing halfway across the area to the wayward forest before collapsing, curling up against a tree in the snow. It had been hours that the teen had sat there, his knees pulled up close to his chest, the snow slowly falling around him - vision blurring like mad. Until he heard a voice, one calling to him... Looking up, he saw a boy, not much younger than he in looks with raven hair. In all honesty, he had forgotten most of what had happened in the moments between the other boy finding him and passing out on him as the other had decided to take him to a home... except for the fact that all he could do was stare and be at a loss for words. In the months to follow, the raven haired boy, who he had come to know as Kei, had nursed him back to health and helped to beat him back into shape... and in doing so, made him better than before... and also gave the silver haired teen a deeper feeling for him.

He owed him.
Alot.

Which is one of the reasons why he was out looking for the other this night. It was a little chilly... but it was somthing the teen was used to, having grown up in the North, and was in nothing more than his normal Tank-top - no jackets or long sleeves, loving the feeling of the cool bite on his skin. Slung over his shoulder, a thick leather bag - fat and oval shaped with it's contents, its strings gripped tightly in a gloved hand, his Pichu - Tim - sitting happily on the other shoulder, albeit lazily. Walking beside him in a rather protective manner, Kana - his absol, kept her head high, alert for signs of any danger around to protect her trainer.

Spotting the other male ahead, a warm smile worked its way onto Akira's face as he stared at the boy as he had so many times before, a light blush touching his cheeks - one he could blame on the coolness of the air if need be. Moving closer, he hummed softly, Kana padding over to him to nudge the boy's shoulder affectionately - she too growing attached to the boy for saving her trainer. "Hey..." Akira greeted the other in a hushed, yet familiar tone. "I uh..." He began, not knowing exactly what to say to him, Before noting the way the other seemed to be dressed, "Are you that cold...?" he asked with a slight chuckle, the smile not leaving his face.

[arcy]

Kei stopped as soon as he took two steps into the forest. In the quiet air the boy's hearing was especially sensitive and he could aready hear someone approaching. Shuri was the one to look back at first and his happy 'Vee~' was what told Kei that whoever was getting closer was actually an acquaintance. Or at least someone they knew - which left only a small amount of people on the imaginary list. When he turned to see whoever was getting to them, he was actually surprised to see that boy.

Of course he knew Akira before that certain incident as well. Akira, being the Duke of the North was famous, but Kei never met him face to face, only at that time during winter, and needless to mention, the young duke didn't quite impress him at that moment. Pushing all his nobility and duty as a Count of the West aside Kei helped him out to the best of his knowledge and pretty literally kicked him back on his feet during the time they were together. However, Kei got really confused after a while... about the other. He started to feel comfortable in his presense and actually not finding the other as annoying as other people. Kei was generally bad with humans but for some reason, he was okay to be around Akira.

As the Absol came to him and nudged his shoulder Kei automatically patted her head a bit in acknowledgement. He was still a bit weirded out by the big pokemon, but he knew she wouldn't hurt him anyway. Shuri jumped on top of the Absol's head and slid down to her back, nuzzling into the pokemon's fur in there. The Eevee was just playing a bit, not really politely though but Kei didn't actually saw any reason to reprimand him for it. Kana can just shake the little one off anytime if she wished to.

he just stared at Akira for a moment at his question and loosened his scarf a bit. "...I don't really like cold. And I'm not used to it either." Though Kei was the same with overly hot weather as well, he just liked the temperature to be of a decent one. He knew Akira would be more resistant against the cold and maybe he even thought Kei's coat and scarf was overkill but the boy would actually feel uncomfortable in the chill without them.

After a moment of silently checking Akira's posture, his grumpy voice gained a little bit of concern. "Are you doing better now?"

[★ Ryuujin !]

★ AKIRA ★

I want to live in fire, with all the taste I desire.
You lose your routine,
'cause I found my path.
- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Sooollllllllll~" Purring as the boy patted her, Kana looked pleased for the time being, knowing that danger shouldn't be as likely with more than one human around. Pleased, she laid herself down next to Akira, relazing slightly before the silver eevee lept onto her head, sliding down into the folds of her fur, burying himself into their layers. Turning her head to face him, a smile formed on her maw, moving to nudge the eevee lightly, crooning to him lightly in an almost motherly like nature - she had quite the weak spot for smaller pokemon, Shuri was no exception to this, and she adored him.

Silver eyes never left Kei as he stood before the other boy, his smile not once leaving his face as he loosened his scarf, answering his question. Of course, maybe it was stupid of Akira to have asked such a thing, not everyone grew up in the north as he, and he couldn't expect everyone to react to temperatures the same way. Letting his smile grow wider at this, he leaned back slightly, nodding, "Ah... yeah, sorry... I-..."

[/b] His voice trailed off as the boy spoke again. With these words, his smile faded as he looked down to the ground, his expression growing determined yet solemn. "... I'm better... alot better than I was..."[/b] He spoke, an edge of regret and shame in his tone - it was obvious as to what it was about as well.

Keeping his eyes trained on the ground, the teen fell silent for a bit, his lips thinned as if he was contemplating something... which, to a sense, he was. "I wanted to thank you again... f-for all you did for me..." He didn't notice the cracking in his voice as he spoke to the boy, the blush returning to his cheeks, lightly painted over the same determined expression. There was something about the male before him that, more often than not, made him trip through his words... at least in his mind... not to mention how hard he thought about what he WOULD say so not to make a fool of himself infront of him. He had already seen him when he was down... at his most pathetic and.... weakest moment... he didn't want the other thinking he was useless or pathetic... anymore than he may very well already think. This alone made his heart sink a bit.

"Which reminds me..."[/b] he finally spoke again, bringing his eyes back up to meet red, forcing the warmest smile he could back on, doing his best to hide what he was feeling in that moment, "I-I brought you something... It's not much..." Akira offered, pulling the bag from his back to hold it in both his hands, Tim skittering out ot the way with a rather excited "chu~!", knowing what was in the contents of the bag and how much his trainer hoped the other boy would appreciate it, no matter how little he thought it was... it would never be enough to repay the other for what he did. "Here... take it." With that, he handed the bag to Kei, looking over him for any sign of positive feedback to the gift.

[/size][/blockquote]
[/blockquote]

[arcy]

“Vee, vee, vee~” Shuri whined happily while Kana nudged him, turning on his back to playfully place his paws against the absol’s maw. He rolled off her back after a moment, giving in to the little nudge and pranced in front of her, all the while yipping happily. He pretty much launched himself against Kana’s neck, burying himself in the long fur there, almost completely disappearing, being much smaller than her.

Kei was still worried event though Akira assured him he was alright already. The fact that the other got seemingly discouraged by his question – though Kei didn’t know its real reason – made the boy think the other was actually hiding something from him. Of course he didn’t know the source or the reason, and he really didn’t think it was his place to ask more. “I’m glad to hear that.” He finally said already about to turn away and step into the forest to avoid making the other boy feel worse. Kei would probably try to ask more questions that wouldn’t make Akira feel better and he doubted he needed that. But the other’s voice stopped him even before he could turn away.

Looking down and slightly away to the right, Kei shook his head. “You have already thanked me back then. It’s okay, others would have done the same.” Kei really didn’t consider it to be something so appreciated, especially since he doesn’t make a really good nurse – rude, hot-headed, easily angered and mostly kicking instead of comforting... He was actually wondering what cause Akira to get better with his care.

Looking up again as the other was rummaging in his bag for something, Kei glanced at it curiously. “Huh...?” Disbelief was clearly written on his face as Akira held a bag out for him to take. ‘For me...? Really?’ Kei couldn’t help but only stare for a few moments, without daring to move. “But... What for?” He asked quietly, not quite understanding why Akira would give him anything. In the end, though, he reached out shyly, also slowly to grip the bag as his sight for distances wasn’t the best with only one functional eye. Holding the bag he gave confused looks to it and Akira one after another before finally deciding to look at its contents.

There was a pokemon egg inside the bag.

It might be one of the first actual gift he got from anyone outside of his family and with that realization, Kei’s cheek flushed a light pink.

“F-for me...?” He asked, unsure, but for some reason incredibly happy and... fuzzy inside. "...I can't accept it, it's valuable and..."

[★ Ryuujin !]

★ AKIRA ★

I want to live in fire, with all the taste I desire.
You lose your routine,
'cause I found my path.
- - - - - - - - - - - -

Leaning her head against the paws placed on her maw, the absol smiled down at the tiny eevee, "Absol sooolll~" She mused again before he rolled off, watching him prance with amusement - enjoying these few playful moments. The yips reaching her ears caused her to giggle slightly, raising a paw to paw at the smaller pokemon, though it thumped to the ground as he launched toward the thick tuft of fur on her neck and chest, all but sinking into the red tinted white mass, the fibers nearly consealing the other completely. "Abssoooolllll...." She called to Shuri, looking down into her fur as best she could.

Taking a deep breath as he felt the eyes of the other on him with his own trained on the ground, Akira drew his lower lip into his mouth to bite down on it slightly - biting back a small noise of disappointment... not in anyone but himself. As the other boy moved to turn away to move on, his heart leaped into his throat, not wanting the other to leave - and to stop him, he spit out the first thing he could think of to keep him here - another thanks... all leading to what he had brought to try and show the other just how thankful he really was. With his words in return, Akira shook his own head, "No, Kei... I-I doubt they would have... A-and you..." His voice trailed off as his smile turned from forced to true as he handed the other the bag containing the egg at the other boy's reaction.

The disbelief he could see on the others face made his smile warm up as he pushed the bag a little closer to the other, urging him to take it. Not answering the raven-haired boy's questions, Akira remained silent as he patiently waited for the gift to be accepted, not once moving or faltering as he stood. As Kei took the bag, he slowly lowered his arms, butterflies fluttering around in his stomach from the nervous feeling he got at what Kei would think when he saw what was inside. He only hoped it would be okay. As red eyes met silver, he nodded to the younger male, urging him to look inside.

At the others blush, Akira couldn't help but to grin at him, pleased with the reaction, indeed he was. "Of course it's for you..." He spoke with a chuckle, his mood clearly having taken a 180 from the moments before. He was happier than he had been in awhile, that sense of pride that he did something good welling up in his chest, "It's nothing... really... take it. I owe you a lot more than that for saving my life... I-I want you to have it."

[arcy]

At the absol’s call Shuri untangled himself from her fur and rolled on the ground in front of her before stopping, flat on his stomach and looking up with huge, black orbs. He reached out with his pas from time to time toward Kana playfully, all the while purring happily. “Vee, veee~”

Kei couldn’t stop staring at the gift, still hardly believing that he actually got something from a completely unrelated individual. Akira wasn’t even a relative, what more, he was actually the Grand Duke of another region of Era and that just made Kei’s situation more awkward. Peeking at it sheepishly when he was urged to do so, his heart leaped into his throat with his joy but he still managed to question it and even thought of giving it back to the white haired boy right away in his embarrassment. He even jumped and blushed deeper at the other’s chuckle, couldn’t help but actually grip the bag harder.

“I... I didn’t do it for a reward or anything. You don’t own me, so I really don’t understand... You should just... I don’t know, get away as soon as you are better or something.” He mumbled, half aware of the fact that he should at least show a polite tone to a Grand Duke, but he was already way too direct with Akira to do that. After what happened, it would be a bit hard for him to actually act like a stranger toward him.

“And you came all the way after me to give this to me... Are you an idiot or what?!” He was already blushing hard and looking anywhere but at Akira, black hair covering up part of his face and the whole of his right eye. It’s needless to mention though that he didn’t let go of the bag containing the pokemon egg.

“...Th...” he started, choking on the word way too much to get it going at the first time. “...Thank you... I’ll take good care of it.” He risked a glance at the other boy to at least make eye-contact when he is saying that, to make sure the other would know he is seriously grateful for the gift.

He lazily glanced back at the woods after that, maybe just to busy himself with something in his embarrassed moment.

[★ Ryuujin !]

★ AKIRA ★

I want to live in fire, with all the taste I desire.
You lose your routine,
'cause I found my path.
- - - - - - - - - - - -

With blue eyes carefully watching the Eevee as he rolled from the fibers of her fur, Kana purred softly to him, giving him a warm smile. Leaning her head down a bit as silver paws were extended to her, the red tinted Absol extended her own paw in a playful manner, more than willing to entertain the normal type - she adored him anyway... and much rather enjoyed being with the little one, as she had grown fond of him as his trainer was helping hers. Especially with her refusing to return to her ball most of the time to stick with Akira, she had plenty of 'bonding' time for other pokemon when he was sleeping.

"I never said it was a reward..." Akira began, his eyes trailing down from Kei's to the egg in the bag, the silver orbs softening as he continued, "I... wouldn't do this for just anyone." Though, with Kei's last words, they hardened as he furrowed his brow slightly, the smile fading from his face as he looked back up to the raven haired boy's face, looking at him as if searching for an answer to some foreign question - all the while, he couldn't help but to feel a little lost at his words. "... Why would I want to get away...? I see no need..." Akira's voice trailed off as he looked off to the side a bit, trying to piece things together in his mind. He didn't understand why the other would say a thing as such.

The blush on the others face and his words were enough to bring the smile back to his own as he shrugged, tilting his head a bit to get a better look at the others hidden face, "So what if I am an idiot..." He spoke with another shrug, raising a gloved hand to pay some attention to the Pichu on his shoulder who giggled happily at the attention, leaning into his hand, "I think it was worth the trip. It wasn't out of my way or anything anyway." The teen continued as if trying to reassure the other that it really was alright. Kei had to relax, and damned if Akira wasn't going to try his best to get the other to do so.

"There's no need to thank me... but you're welcome." Akira took the eye contact as it was given, Tim pushing his hand out of the way to grin at Kei as he promised to take care of it, squeeking happily and waved a paw toward Kei as if he were the the parent of the egg who was pleased to see it find a good home... it helped that he was the friend, and personal pester target of the lucario who fathered it. Deep within Tim's mind, he was silently hopeful that Loki's child wouldn't be as troublesome as his father... but the odds were probably against him.

"I know you will... I hope it takes care of you too..." He muttered, looking down to the ground inbetween them as the other looked away - unable but to feel the slight embarassment radiating between the two. But he felt peaceful then, at least... that was good, right? "I'm surprised to have found you out here, of all places, at this time of night..." He began once more, raising a hand to rub at the back of his neck, "Were you going somewhere... or..." His voice trailed off once more, not wanting to intrude too far.