The Gruff Yet Homey

@sweetlesson sent: “You look like you haven’t slept in days.” {from here.}

random dialogue sentence starters (always accepting)

"Somehow, I highly doubt that..."

Passion for one's work was always incredibly important, of course, but this wouldn't be the first time or most assuredly even the last time that Saguaro would have seen it taken too far. And it wasn't just the people themselves that always suffered from this type of obsession. Even when there was no ill intent behind it, the pokemon that trained beside those people almost always suffered as well, from overwork or worry or a healthy combination of both. It was a bad situation that almost always led to disastrous results, the least of those being that the end product failed.

Saguaro took a deep breath, a motion which puffed his chest up even bigger, and then expelled it all in one short huff. He had the strength to just sling someone Clemont's size over his shoulder and haul him off somewhere to rest, but force had never been the way Saguaro had operated. It didn't work on stubborn pokemon and it didn't work on stubborn people either. Diplomacy, and perhaps even a healthy dose of bribing, is what usually cut through those walls of determination. The instructor closed the distance between the two of them and clapped one broad hand over Clemont's shoulder in a gesture that almost knocked the poor kid off balance --- a bit of an oversight on Saguaro's part as he didn't realize quite how tired Clemont was --- and gave it a comforting squeeze.

{Hello hello all! I have done something a little impulsive, but I hope this will be helpful in the long run, haha.}

{I literally just made it like less than an hour ago, but I now have a personal blog! I felt like it would be a good way for me to like, keep giving y'all life updates without having to spam my roleplay blogs every single time. And! It will mean that anyone that doesn't care about my IRL stuff can just not follow this blog or keep an eye on it and they'll be just peachy~ I hope to get it like, fixed up and stuff eventually, but I am not going to rush it. It's going to very very slow going.}

⚅— Update Time! —⚅

Alrighty, guys, so. In the background of me trying to work through my chores and find a good schedule again. I think this whole thing is gonna be a major work in progress. Because! I am trying to really hammer down on my mental health and create a life for myself that is routine, disciplined, and fulfilling! Which means overall I'm going to get a lot less time online, but! It might actually work out being more time by comparison because instead of getting up every two seconds to do something else I'll have like, one single hour in the day (or half hour? I haven't worked it out yet) where I do absolutely nothing else but computer stuff. Which means I won't get as much done as once as I usually do, but I'll at least definitely get something done because I won't sit down, write two words, and then just leave the computer for three consecutive hours afdaeka.

“ Mr. Saguaro! ” Clearly excited about something but as soon as he was up close Arven stopped, straightened himself and his tie, and stood tall with lips pressed. He’ll always make an attempt to look respetable in front of his favorite instructor. He really wanted his approval for this.

“ I uh, have decided to start traveling beyond Paldea soon. I’ve finally gotten nearly enough credits to graduate and I think I could really expand my cooking knowledge learning techniques and cuisines in other regions.” Excited yes but…a little hesitant too.

Usually he’d be very gung-ho about leaving Paldea behind. Since childhood his time here hasn’t been very kind to him. The only thing keeping him going was his friends and well…the one, maybe two adults that didnt let him down. Saguaro was admittedly one of them.

Saguaro's eyes widened at the plans Arven set before him. He didn't want to overreact to the news too much, but he could almost feel a sting of tears in the back of his eyes, threatening to creep into his vision. Far be it from him to give off the same theatrics as some of his coworkers, but the overwhelming joy that came from being an educator who helped to open his students' eyes to a future that suited them so perfectly, to the point that they chose to carry your teachings into their future careers, could compare to no other. There was nothing quite so fulfilling as being a figure of influence in the successful career of one's pupil, and the fact that Arven entrusted him enough to come to him with his information was all the more special. That he not only took from Saguaro's teachings, but also thought highly enough of Saguaro that he would come to him about this, to share in his excitement... It was well worthy of tears.

But Saguaro merely cleared his throat as that thin curtain cast over the surface of his eyes, and he carefully took the container from Arven, opening it in order to peer down at the pokepuffs and inspect them. They were certainly quite sweet looking, if nothing else, and Saguaro was excited to test them out. He wanted to see Arven grow, and he could certainly think of no better way than to go out and pursue his dreams to the very best of his ability, even if that meant leaving home for a time.

Though he’d already recovered from his (rather embarrassing) stumble, he seemed to perk up even more when the teacher spoke again, an excited little gasp leaving through his lips. “Ohh? I only came to see the school but… if there’s something interesting going on I want to know about it!” He cleared his throat, suddenly a bit embarrassed about the sudden unrelated outburst. “Regardless!” He chirped, simultaneously readjusting his hat and tie to keep his hands busy. “I would appreciate an escort if you are offering! Back home, I’m used to leading others. So it can be nice to be the passenger for a change!”

He paused for a moment, only now realizing that in all of the ruckus, he’d skipped his usual introduction. “Oh! I am Emmet by the way. A subway boss from Unova. I should prrrobably focus on seeing the school before I do any shopping.” He admitted, letting out an awkward laugh, embarrassment only growing. “I might lose track of what I was here to do in the first place and get off schedule…” He felt like every word that left his mouth was wrong and he shook his head to himself a bit before abruptly changing the topic, hoping it would make him feel more on track.

Saguaro nodded to confirm Emmet's question and then carried on into answering the next: "I teach home economics, primarily how to best feed and care for pokemon. I haven't been a teacher here for very long, but I've loved my experience with the Academy so far. The students are attentive and it brings a great sense of pride to know that I can impact each positively. Especially when it comes to making sure their pokemon have the best care possible. You would be surprised how such elementary of concepts can be completely overlooked in the daily lives of many."

And suddenly his jaw snapped shut as he realized he may have inadvertently insulted the new guest. He had opened his mouth, full of judgement and passion, without even checking to make sure Emmet was living up to his own standard of care for pokemon. Since it did seem to be such an epidemic, he worried that the standards in Unova, too, might be lacking. On the bright side, at least he hadn't gone into very many specifics, so hopefully Emmet would not have picked up on enough to get offended himself. Saguaro would have hated to put his foot in his mouth when it came to visitors, especially something as one of those train bosses he'd heard about in magazine articles. Unova was somewhat famous for that subway, after all.

hc + 🤝 for a headcanon about a connection with one of the receiver's mutual

hc + 👪 for a family-themed headcanon

hc + 🧡 for a friendship-themed headcanon

hc + 💌 for a romance-themed headcanon

hc + 💕 for a loved-themed headcanon

hc + 💔 for a headcanon about a sad experience

hc + 🤥 for a lie-themed headcanon

hc + 😶 for a headcanon about a secret they know of / keep

hc + 😴 for a sleep-themed headcanon

hc + 🌇 for a headcanon about morning- or evening rituals

hc + 🧼 for a hygiene-themed headcanon

hc + 🏠 for a home-themed headcanon

hc + 😃 for a happiness-themed headcanon

hc + 😨 for a fear-themed headcanon

hc + 🤕 for a pain-themed headcanon

hc + 🚶‍♂️ for a habit-themed headcanon

hc + 👍 for a headcanon about things they like

hc + 👎 for a headcanon about things they dislike

hc + 💪 for a sport-themed headcanon

hc + 😡 for a headcanon about something that makes them angry

hc + 👻 for a headcanon about supernatural occurrences

hc + 🥣 for a food-themed headcanon

hc + ☕ for a drink-themed headcanon

hc + 🐈 for a pet/animal-themed headcanon

hc + 🌸 for a plant-themed headcanon

hc + 🌄 for an outdoor-themed headcanon

hc + 🌍 for a travel-themed headcanon

hc + 🗡 for a weapon-themed headcanon

hc + 🎡 for a hobby-themed headcanon

hc + 🚗 for a transportation-themed headcanon

hc + ⏳ for a time-themed headcanon

hc + 🌘 for a night-themed headcanon

hc + 🌞 for a day-themed headcanon

hc + 🪐 for a universe-themed headcanon

hc + 🌂 for a weather-themed headcanon

hc + ⛄ for a season-themed headcanon

hc + 🎉 for a celebration-themed headcanon

hc + 🏆 for a goal-themed headcanon

hc + 💯 for an achievement-themed headcanon

hc + 🚬 for a headcanon about a bad habit

hc + 🎭 for an arts-/crafts-themed headcanon

hc + ✂️ for a hair-themed headcanon

hc + 👗 for a clothes-themed headcanon

hc + 💍 for a jewelry-themed headcanon

hc + 💄 for a makeup-themed headcanon

hc + 🎓 for an education-themed headcanon

hc + 📿 for a faith-themed headcanon

hc + 🎵 for a music-themed headcanon

hc + 📱 for a media-themed headcanon

hc + 🎥 for a film/tv-themed headcanon

hc + 📔 for a reading-themed headcanon

hc + 💰 for a money-themed

hc + 💼 for a job-themed headcanon

hc + 💉 for a medical-themed headcanon

hc + 🛒 for a shopping-themed headcanon

hc + 🔞 for a nsfw-headcanon

1. someone they fear

2. someone they love

3. someone they miss

4. someone they admire

5. someone they’ve forgiven

6. someone they feel dislikes them

7. someone they view as a mentor

8. someone they view as a role model

9. someone they would like to befriend

10. someone they’re holding a grudge against

11. someone they have romantic feelings toward

12. someone who taught them a valuable lesson

13. someone they have conflicted feelings about

14. someone whose choices have drastically impacted their life

15. someone they used to view positively, but now view negatively 

Clemont’s eyes beamed with genuine enthusiasm when Saguaro mentioned that the building where his classroom is, is also where Mr. Jacq’s classroom is at. “Oh wow! I didn’t know that you guys focus on different topics when it comes to Pokemon in general, cooking does make sense since you have to make sure you give your Pokemon food and care! It all depends on the type of food they like too as well.”

"Yes, so I've heard," Saguaro replied with a smile, and he stood to take their trays away so the tour could continue. "You've had a rather accomplished life, Master Clemont. Though I'm sure that in itself has not come without its hardships, I hope you are proud of everything you've done and the advancements you've made."

Saguaro led Clemont out from the Cafeteria as they talked and made his way to the next tower over where they could start closing in on his own classroom. He was always excited to share his little personal palace with others. He curated the home ec class carefully and made sure that he always had the best equipment possible for his students to use. He wanted the students to feel comfortable coming in to spend time and relax there whether it be after school or during lunch, just any time they needed a break.

Nick was not expecting to see another man enter the cave so suddenly, Thievul immediately on edge. "Thievul, down. It's okay. He's not a threat..." He tried to put his Thievul at ease, his eyes still focusing on the man right in front of him. "No, you-...you didn't." He held his hands up to show he's not a threat either. "Sorry, I didn't think anybody would come into this cave but that was my mistake for making that assumption."

"I'm fine," Saguaro assured him as he reached up to wring the water from his hair. "I really should have guessed I wouldn't be the only one waiting out this storm, what with how bad it's gotten out there. Luckily I had the forethought to put my pokemon away, so at least they're safe and dry. If anyone is in any danger, it will just be me in threat of a cold. You don't mind if I stay here with you, do you? Limited as the shelter might be here, I wouldn't want to intrude on your privacy."

Not that he exactly knew where he would go should Nick refuse to let him stay. He was sure there was another cave about with as large and sprawling as these in Paldea tended to be, but he had no idea where to begin to look for it in the thick of that storm. And if he chose to go back deeper into the cave there was ever the chance he'd get lost in the labyrinthine system. His pokemon could surely help him find the way out eventually, but he really didn't want to put them through that if he could help it.

"Ah, well home economics should be easy enough, since that's the class that I teach," Saguaro lilted with an air of pride. "The classroom I share the building with is general studies, run by Mr. Jacq. He might be worth your time to have a conversation with at some point. While I focus on pokemon care and cooking, Mr. Jacq is particularly knowledgeable in pokemon biology and breeding. He's also the one who established the pokedex for our region. Even though he runs a class which covers generalized topics, there's always a fascinating conversation to be had with him, especially regarding the care and maintenance of pokemon."