A sleepy, feminine-looking young man slowly worked on his coffee as he sat on a park bench with his Leafeon on his lap. It was getting chilly, especially with the winter sun taking longer and longer to show itself in the mornings, and he was bundled against the cold in a green button-down coat. The Leafeon was curled up with a red scarf, trying to nap as best he could and wondering why in the world his trainer had decided to stop sleeping in after her got back from night shifts at work. Probably to spend more time with other people during his hours off. Maybe to train, too.
Today, though, that didn't look like it was going to happen. Akira had pulled an all-nighter due to a lack of replacements at the convenience store he'd worked at, so not only had he taken his usual graveyard shift, but the ones before and after as well. He needed the money. It was just occuring to him that he'd never really felt so desperate all his life when it struck him that his roommate, Nate, worked two jobs - one at a warehouse and one at a bakery. just thinking about it made him tired.
Leaning his head back against the bench, Akira sunk down in his seat before realizing how cold the back was against his neck. Drowsy eyes closed, he reached in his lap for his scarf to drape around his neck, not even realizing that he'd grabbed his tangled pokemon with it. He ended up draping both Leafeon and scarf about his shoulders, the former deciding not to protest because of the additional warmth he received from contact with his trainer's skin.
[12/5/2014 2:49:58 PM]
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 10:56 pm
"Today's weather forecast shows partially sunny with a thirty percent chance of scattered showers in the evening. Highs today will be in the lower fifties with lows plunging to just above freezing. In other news..."
Nord looked from the screen and to the tiny eevee in his lap. Bill was still curled up and asleep, the soft motion of his side rising and falling was a mild relief to the businessman. Or rather ex-businessman. Squinting into a cup of black coffee, he sighed deeply and tried not to think too hard on his... "life". Attached to the hip practically to a small teen aged girl, living in a pokemon center, and almost penniless. Getting a job was a little harder than expected too.
Despite all that, the thing that weighed heavily on his mind was the growing scruff on his face. While some food and a free place to sleep were provided by the center, shaving supplies were not. Just the thought of having a full beard made Nord want to curl into a ball and cry, giving up what little pride he had.
Finishing the coffee, he left and headed for the park, carrying bill in one arm.
----
Shuddering heavily, Nord pulled his coat tightly around his thinning frame. Winter was settling in, and while his peajacket did keep him warm, a lack of nutritious food and clothes that weren't wearing out made it difficult. Bill was awake by then and rooting around in the ground, running back when he found a can.
Collecting and selling cans for a few bucks to buy a razor... Yes, this was a new low. Shuffling along, he noticed a... Boy? Girl? Someone sitting on a bench with a leafeon draped across their neck.
Upon hearing a young Eevee, Happa the Leafeon opened first one eye, then the other. He raised his head, ears swerving toward the sound of a...can? Why was a pokemon interested in an empty can?
When the Grass-type noticed that said Eevee was with a human, he chirped something of a curious greeting. Despite the many months it had been since he was captured in the wild, this was something entirely new to him. Did trainers and their pokemon often do this and he just hadn't seen it before?
The sound his pokemon made right next to his ear caused Akira to sit up suddenly, startled. "Wha - ?! AHH!" Upon his sudden movement, the still-hot, half-drunk coffee in his hand tipped over and spilled over his lap. Happa was then very grateful he had not remained there as he leaped from Akira's shoulders, not wanting to add to the turmoil.
"Happa, what are you trying to do to me?! Give me a heart attack?" he complained, standing as he tried his best to sweep the excess liquid off his front. "I swear, sometimes you're just as bad as my sisters..." he grumbled. At least until he noticed his pokemon was sitting silently off to one side and staring at him.
Akira stared back. "What?"
The Eeveeloution gestured with his tail toward the strange man picking up cans with his Normal-type. As puzzled by the sight as his pokemon, the trainer stopped trying to dab at his coat and straightened himself slowly. The man seemed to be something of a vagabond by the state of his worn clothes. Akira might have taken him for a trainer if he had more than just a tiny Eevee helping him out. Maybe it was a trick to gain sympathy and money from people?
"Um...hello," he said uncertainly, unconsciously twisting his scarf in his hands. "...Was my pokemon bothering you?"
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 11:09 pm
Was that man using a leafeon as a scarf? Nord wasn't quite sure... And if he was, was that really bad? Could the Leafeon run away if it wanted? Then again, how strong were pokeballs? Could they recall a pokemon that had runaway? Were they shackles of oppression? Blinking, he stifled a sigh. Hunger was starting to make him stupid.
Nord didn't reflect long on the connection between pokeballs and slavery. Instead, he approached the other young... person... cautiously. Currently the appearance of his clothes were not good for making positive impressions. If anything, it might seem as if he were looking for handouts.
"Sir, are you all right?" Nord hesitated, his hand reaching out to Akira before dropping it back. The other's look of uncertainty and nervousness was... Well, suddenly he felt very self-conscious, "Not at all. We were just collecting... L-litter." Yes, collecting litter. Just being Good Samaritans.
"Normally the parks are empty. I didn't expect to see someone out in such chilly weather."
Akira blinked, not at all having expected the first words he heard out of the other man's mouth. Perhaps his old assumptions and biases were coming back into play. He shook his head to clear it. "Oh, of course. I'm sorry, I...guess I'm not used to people worrying about litter on public property," he said, scratching his head. Then he chuckled softly. "'Tragedy of the commons', I hear it's called." Not that he expected the stranger to have an inkling of what he was talking about. What a stupid way to start a conversation. As usual.
"No, no, no! It's not your fault. I'm the one who fell asleep with hot coffee in my hand," the brunet laughed sheepishly, holding up the now-empty cup. "I think I'm fine; my coat was thick enough to absorb most of the liquid. I had actually hoped the cold air would wake me up some after a whole night's shift, but I guess not. Oh, I'm Akira, by the way." He held out a gloved hand with an awkward smile. "Don't think I've seen you around before, and I frequent the park pretty often with Happa. Do you usually wait for the place to be empty?" Glancing at the eevee, his smile softened. "Cute pokemon. I wonder if Happa was ever that cute."
The Leafeon glanced over at Akira with a look that said 'duh' before regarding the eevee himself.
