#red vc i'm doing something stupid again

[evoblue]

The balcony? Mew, that's such a bold and dangerous idea. Blue glances over to the platform outside her small living space; at a glance, it doesn't really look large enough to comfortably hold much more than Cinder. Maybe Red will change his mind when he sees that.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] I'm not sure how well that would work

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] my balcony is not that big

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] i'll let you make the call when you get here, though

After a few moments of deliberation, she sends one final text.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] fly safely, okay?

Blue resumes her cleaning tasks then, intent on keeping herself too busy to go insane. Eventually, she's tidied up enough to feel satisfied so she wraps herself in a throw blanket and heads out to the balcony. It feels too soon for anyone to have made that trip but Cinder isn't an ordinary pokémon. No doubt, she'll soon catch sight of him and Red on the horizon.

As she mindlessly flicks through apps on her phone to distract herself during her wait, she realizes she's trembling. It must be the evening chill—and certainly not her nerves.

The sound of flapping wings suddenly cuts through the air, disrupting the nighttime quiet and sending her heart into a tail spin. She looks up, eyes scanning the ink-black skies until she sees Cinder's familiar silhouette.

Willing herself to stop shaking, she waves her hand in the air, hoping to catch their attention. They should have no trouble seeing her; she's the only one out at this late hour.

Something about that idea made him shudder, old memories felt particularly sensitive at the moment it seemed. Somehow the idea of landing on a tall building's rooftop wasn't doing him any favors, but it was the safest option and he knew it. But 'safe' has never been a real requirement for him, has it?

[to: Blue] you dont have to do that

[to: Blue] if you've got a balcony where you are, i can land there just fine

[to: Blue] you can walk out, or shine a light out, i'll see you im sure

He walks out onto the balcony of his own hotel room, sending out Cinder who takes to flying immediately. He leans his head towards his trainer, while Red pats his head and sighs softly.

"I'm doing something stupid again," he mutters. "But I also don't think I'm going to easily get through tonight without seeing for myself that she's okay."

Cinder doesn't need further explanation about who Red is talking about, he simply nods while Red sets his phone to read out any further replies from Blue. He wouldn't be able to read while in the air after all, but if Blue insisted on the rooftop he would meet her there.

He climbed from the balcony onto Cinder's back, and they would take their time flying in the direction of the Celadon Condominiums. Keeping an eye out for a light from a balcony, or for her simply being outside.

He thinks idly, about how his chest hurts as the wind flies past him and his pokemon. Being anxious had likely reignited the nerves that had been already in a terrible state, but he held no regrets as he held onto Cinder. You're making this a bigger deal than it has to be, he thought to himself. But there was also no way this was ever going to be a normal meeting, either.