#kalosiandaycare

[talkaboutpathetic]

--kalosiandaycare

        Paul had stayed out longer than he’d intended... but he was home. Even though his slam of the door felt different, and just one step in revealed the lingering tension in the air. He wondered where everyone was hiding, but quickly decided that he didn’t care.

        He hadn’t really settled on a plan outside of minding his own business, which was fairly close to business as usual. But if that was what he was going with, stopping to pour some orange juice might have been the mistake that got him caught. 

        Ugh. Who is it? He might have returned, but neither of their faces sounded pleasant to the trainer right now, even if his brother might have been the marginally better option.

...No. He downed the drink. He might have been leaving a small mess, but getting away would be worth it. Now if he could just slip out of here--

[coordinatorharley-blog]

“WHAT’S THIS ABOUT PAULY NEEDING A DATE!? HARLEY IS ON THE CASE!”

[talkaboutpathetic]

“I don’t get it.”

They were a long way from Camphrier Town. And Paul had gone on much further than just “a walk”--not that he’d ever announced his intent in the first place. It had taken some time, even a flight, to find this little safe haven. An open area in a stack of trees, where he could pace in front of Torterra in peace.

“He couldn’t even stay mad. Not for more than two seconds! What do I have to do?” That was... outside of the obvious. As Paul continued to pace, however, Torterra simply followed with his large yellow eyes. Gone were the days in which he’d follow at the young man’s heel.

“And I know what he sees in her. She’s fragile and useless and practically a child. Just another thing for him to take care of. Except, I dunno, he can kiss her. But there are a million other girls who are just as pathetic.” Who happened to have a much cleaner track record when it came to breaking his big brother’s heart.

But, this was where he caved. An exasperated teenager who could do nothing but flop onto the ground soon stared up at what might have been stars, had Torterra not blocked the view with leaves of his own. 

As best he could, the oversized tortoise glanced Paul’s way, simply listening with a knowing smile on his face. Paul’s vents were a rarity, but Torterra knew that he was still the only one trusted to hear them, largely because he was the only one who had been there for, well... everything.

“People always act like I need to be more like Reggie. Reggie’s sooo perfect because he’s so nice and caring and sweet. Well maybe if they’d shut up and pay attention they’d see what I see.” Paul didn’t know how to put it, but... sometimes he wished being more like him was better valued. Here he was, watching his brother take care of others until it pained him and then some, and even when he tried his best to stop it, there was nothing he could do about it. The guy needed to learn how to be at least a little bit selfish.

“Tch.” 

Paul rolled over to his side, facing away from his Torterra, who finally shifted his legs so that he could lay with his trainer, for as little difference as it made (aside from the shifting ground, that is). For one of the first times he could remember, he didn’t know what to do. He could feel bitterness welling up in his chest--he didn’t have any more weight than that? His opinion wasn’t even worth hearing? He knew he hadn’t been the same brother he’d been before he went on his own journey, but Paul had still been under the impression that the word held some semblance of weight. 

But no. All this over one stupid girl.

Paul sighed, closing his eyes and making himself as comfortable as one could under the circumstances. “We’re camping here, tonight.”