[FIN] Give and Take

[BlackFireKitsune]

Isaac glanced around the apartment with a little chuckle,

"Agreed!" Abel proclaimed wholeheartedly. Yes, alcohol was always good. "That sounds like a good idea. Plenty of berries there, yeah?"

"Eon," Isaac crooned in response to Taavi, then curled up more comfortably around his friend's neck. Excited as he was to be home and as much as he wanted to remain awake to spend more time with Abel, the day's events had pretty much exhausted him.

As the psychic-type yawned, the blond reached a hand up to scratch him behind the ears. "Sounds like it's nap time for someone else, yeah? I think you all had a busy day today."  

[TawnyAngel]

Taavi twisted around to look up at Abel with a grin. "You know, I could go for a nap myself actually. Mass nap? It's the latest thing recommended by uh... beauty doctor life therapists. Book now?" He practically felt like he could fall asleep on the floor actually, and maybe once he'd slept a bit his headache would go away? That usually worked.

<> Scully asked, slithering over to it and lightly tapping it with her tail for emphasis. <>  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Taavi's words received a breath of a laugh in response, and Abel grinned. "Yeah? That sounds like a good idea, then." Was it just the long day he'd had, the massage, or a combination of both? In the end it didn't really matter, so the blond leaned forward to continue the massage he'd started, though he focused less on the back of Taavi's neck and more around his shoulders in general. Being subjected to Alyssa for any length of time was a terrible thing, but being blackmailed by her was far, far worse, and Abel was still perfectly convinced that it was entirely his fault that she'd sunk her claws into Taavi. After all the grief she'd given him, after knowing without any doubt that he'd told her, Taavi had still found Isaac and risked bringing him home - what could he do to repay that? Where could he even start? If Taavi enjoyed it, then a nice, long neck and shoulder rub was as good a place to start as any, the blond figured, and was more than happy to do it if his friend wanted.

With a sleepy smile, Isaac made a quiet noise of agreement before he drifted off to sleep around Abel's shoulders. Vanessa trotted over to curl up on the couch on Abel's other side, while Caleb and Tabitha both wandered over to lay down on either side of Taavi on the floor if he didn't move to stand before then. Even Elizabeth quieted, ceasing her shaking of Melody in favor of curling up on the floor with the bell pokemon held firmly in her arms - whether the little creature liked it or not.

The only one who wasn't inclined to curl up for a nap - besides Abel - was Sonia, who snorted at Scully. she said curtly, but despite her words she didn't hesitate to pad over to the window, unlock it, and carefully slide it open for her. she added, her tones softening somewhat,  

[TawnyAngel]

<> Scully replied with a soft chuckle as she slithered out of the opened window. <>

"Mmm, right?" Taavi agreed a little vaguely, mostly just really enjoying the massage at this point. Today was good. This was... good. He'd spent so much of his life feeling alone and then trying awkwardly to connect with people so he wouldn't be alone anymore but now here he was. Okay it was cramped and he did wish he had a private space of his own and that he was living here under different circumstances but... But.... "Um. Hey. Abel?... Thanks. For everything. Um. You've been a really good friend to me." It wasn't Abel's fault, the s**t that had happened. All Abel had ever tried to do was right by him and he didn't really feel like he'd properly thanked him for that, thanked him at all really. He felt as though he could rely on Abel like he couldn't on anyone else in Kodo and - though he winced a bit to think it - that included Sasha. He didn't even know where Sasha lived. "I'm really glad I met you."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Sonia merely nodded and offered a soft as Scully departed. She wasn't one to speak more than necessary; she would be up and would let the Dragonair back in whenever she returned, of course, and felt little need to state the obvious. Once Scully had indeed departed, she closed and locked the window behind her.

Abel was content to sit in silence, his fingers working slow circles in Taavi's shoulders, but the heartfelt admission caught him off-guard, and his hands faltered before they halted altogether. He was silent for a couple moments as he tried to think of what to say in response, but it was a little difficult to do so when his gut reaction was to deny it. How could he have been a good friend when it was his fault that Alyssa was blackmailing him? His fault and no one else's; she wouldn't have been able to blackmail him if he hadn't told her what she wanted to know. Even though she'd used Isaac as a bargaining chip against him, he still held onto the thought that it was still his fault. He was responsible. He didn't want to bring that up at the moment though - not today, not when things had actually turned out so well in the end - so his fingers started working around his shoulders again. "Thanks, man," he murmured softly after a bit, his voice quiet, then a few moments later he added, "and thank you for bringing Isaac home."

He was glad he'd met him too, of course, but he wished things hadn't worked out the way they had. Taavi didn't deserve this - he didn't deserve any of this - and he couldn't help but feel like Taavi didn't deserve him, either.

Oblivious to their trainer's thoughts, the various pokemon on and around the couch settled in for a nap; Tabitha leaned against Taavi's leg while Caleb rested his chin on the young man's knee, and Vanessa curled up under her blanket with her ears hanging over the arm of the couch. Sonia, for her part, padded over to curl up in a chair in the corner to rest, although she remained awake and alert, just in case.  

[TawnyAngel]

"Mmmh, thanks Abel," Taavi sighed contentedly, "any time."