imperfect, authentic

in fact, if you’re following any of my blogs – which you most likely are, if you’re seeing this post – i’d highly recommend it. he’s an important kid ;D))

“Hello? I’m sorry, could you–” It sounds a little cluttered in the background, full of children shrieking commands and untrained Pokémon trying to follow them. They’re all swallowed up soon enough by the sound of a heavy wooden door clicking shut. “Hey, what’s up?”

Nate softens, lets his voice do the same. He’s good at that, voices. “I miss you too. A lot more than you think.”

He thinks of Celie, of the warning she’d given him and thinks to tell Nate.  Stops before he can voice anything, then remembers he’d promised no more secrets, from anyone.  “’m thinkin’ of pickin’ the League back up, get out an’ move ‘round.  Had a visitor earlier, mentioned somethin’ ‘bout a ‘shadow’ how it ain’t a good ‘dea to stay in one place.  I ain’t in any trouble, ‘fore you start thinkin’ up stuff, just a precaution I guess?”

His voice is little and dim when he speaks up again. “Stay safe, love.”

{text}: pictures please!!!{text}: x

“Sounds like a dream,” he answered, squeezing Anansi’s hand as if to remind himself that it wasn’t and letting himself be pulled along. “They had the first book back in the Narrow Street house, Mia used to read it to me but I never got to read the rest of ‘em – didn’t even know there were more ‘til I moved to Nimbasa…” He trailed off as they approached the desk.

It didn’t take long to get through the process, barely even five minutes passed until they were stepping out onto the streets of Lumiose City, snow falling thick around them.  Anansi turned to grin at Nate, tugging him out into the street proper.  “Let me be the first one to welcome you back to Kalos.”  He swooped in, pressing a kiss to the tip of his nose.

Really, kissing him never got old.

“Hello? I’m sorry, could you–” It sounds a little cluttered in the background, full of children shrieking commands and untrained Pokémon trying to follow them. They’re all swallowed up soon enough by the sound of a heavy wooden door clicking shut. “Hey, what’s up?”

His cheeks heat at the confession but he’s laughing, coughing around a sudden inhale of smoke. “You breathe at all through that darlin’?” He teases, wishing Nate was here, right now, in front of him so he could see the look on his face. “I miss you…”

Nate softens, lets his voice do the same. He’s good at that, voices. “I miss you too. A lot more than you think.”

{text}: pictures please!!!{text}: x

“Sounds like a dream,” he answered, squeezing Anansi’s hand as if to remind himself that it wasn’t and letting himself be pulled along. “They had the first book back in the Narrow Street house, Mia used to read it to me but I never got to read the rest of ‘em -- didn’t even know there were more ‘til I moved to Nimbasa...” He trailed off as they approached the desk.

{text}: pictures please!!!{text}: x

“I’m your guest. Your job to keep me warm,” he huffed, a grin shining through his voice. “That’s how this works, ’m pretty sure.”

The heat continued to blaze and set his skin itching as he grew far to warm.  Anansi almost sighed in relief when they entered the shaded building housing the teleport station.  “You used this thing before?  It’s free, rely on donations I think.  Woman explains it all to you anyways when you enter the room anyways.”

He shook his head when Anansi asked about the teleport station. “Do I look like I’ve been doin’ much travelin’ lately?” Nate questioned, a gentle prod aimed mostly at himself. “Lead the way.”

She nodded at the explanation that the other girl offered, a brief smile flashing across her face at the code-switching. “That’s really cool! I lived in Lumiose for about a year, but I didn’t pick up very much of the language in Kalos.” Which was true, she hadn’t picked it up in Kalos – but explaining anything regarding Unova was far more trouble than it was worth in a passing comment.

“You lived in Kalos?  I’ve never been zere, mais I’d kind of like to see what it’s like.  Is it very different from ‘oenn?” She hardly ever met anyone who’d spent a lot of time in Kalos.  Kalos was her roots, but she knew absolutely nothing about the region except for the language and a few minor cultural details.  “What brought you to ‘oenn?”

A sheepish laugh ended her thoughts as she remembered she still had another question to answer. “I was getting... sick, yeah? My doctor thought the weather in Verdanturf would be better for me. So we moved.” She gestured at the gloves and scarf and jacket, so clearly out of place among the heat of the day. “Didn’t really work, but I mean, can’t blame them for trying.”

“Hello? I’m sorry, could you–” It sounds a little cluttered in the background, full of children shrieking commands and untrained Pokémon trying to follow them. They’re all swallowed up soon enough by the sound of a heavy wooden door clicking shut. “Hey, what’s up?”

The phrase hits him in the chest harder than he’d like and he’s blinking, trying to make sure he’s heard correctly before he opens his mouth and makes an idiot of himself. “Not… not in so many words,” he stammers, a soft glow starting from somewhere deep in his chest despite his blustery exterior. “You sure, you…?”

Her nose is cold as she presses it into her trainer’s neck, setting him off laughing, still listening to Nate stammer.  “’m sure, wouldn’t have said it otherwise, idiot.”  Anansi wonders if he’s blushing, Nate, not himself, suddenly wants to see it.  Gods when did he turn into such a fucking sap?

“Just so we’re clear for the record Anansi Lieva I love you too,” he says, words blurring together so much that it hardly sounds like there are any spaces at all.

“Hello? I’m sorry, could you–” It sounds a little cluttered in the background, full of children shrieking commands and untrained Pokémon trying to follow them. They’re all swallowed up soon enough by the sound of a heavy wooden door clicking shut. “Hey, what’s up?”

He trails off with a laugh, brushing the talk about work aside. “Not so terribly important, I’ve been here all week. Always got time for you.”

Anansi hums softly, smiles just the same and doesn’t say anything for a moment as the warmth spreads through his chest.  “You know I love you yeah?”

The phrase hits him in the chest harder than he’d like and he’s blinking, trying to make sure he’s heard correctly before he opens his mouth and makes an idiot of himself. “Not… not in so many words,” he stammers, a soft glow starting from somewhere deep behind his ribcage despite his blustery exterior. “You sure, you…?”

“Hello? I’m sorry, could you–” It sounds a little cluttered in the background, full of children shrieking commands and untrained Pokémon trying to follow them. They’re all swallowed up soon enough by the sound of a heavy wooden door clicking shut. “Hey, what’s up?”

“Hey…”  The sheer amount of noise in the background makes him laugh.  “You started runnin’ a daycare an’ not told me?”  The phone is on his chest, loud speaker on as Anansi lays out on the sofa, Ananke fast asleep on his stomach.  “Nothin’s up, just wanted to talk to you.  You got time?  I can ring back later if you ain’t.”

He trails off with a laugh, brushing the talk about work aside. “Not so terribly important, I’ve been here all week. Always got time for you.”