smashacademy | 21st bloom; Retreat

[It was that time of year again. There was a small gift in the form of a satchel of tea leaves for the people that Vinnie considered family. Red got a strong, black tea; Marie, a sweet berry tea blend; Sasha's had spicy peppercherry as a base. Though not technically a member of his team, Voile still received a subtle, white tea.

However: this year, for whatever reason, Green and Blue's team also got a surprise present. Green tea was reserved for Green (ha ha); Bulba was paired with sweet-smelling jasmine leaves; Char had smoky, cinder horse mix; Jolt's was a refreshing oolong; even Nyx got something, a ginger tea. Blue, on the other hand, was given a chrysanthemum tea, and both Jock and Blake got classic belle tart seed.

Each packet was signed with a scribble of a flower.

Max, on the other hand, got a mug.]

= = =

I'm heading home for a bit t'check up on family. There's some shit I need t'take care of in Vermilion, too. I've got my phone if you need me - it's some sort've satellite thing, so it oughta work even if I'm not in the usual reception range.

M, Sis, you've been through this already. Be careful an' look out for V and everyone else. You'll be fine without me. Red...

...

Be there for them. I'll talk t'you when I get back.

= = =

[Ishimaru, Vivian, and Rick also received private emails. It wasn't as though Vinnie knew them very well, but he felt as though it was still worth saying something to them. A certain empathy spoke to him, as it were, even if he didn't have all the facts.]

I don't know you, and I don't know what happened, but if you did what you had to, then don't blame yourself for what was self-defense.

It'll be okay.

✿

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Hey now, that was his nickname for you. You can't reuse a nickname. Even if it still technically worked... ha. V's.

He took her hand, not thinking much on any potential significance it - physical contact wasn't something he hesitated over. For hands that were weathered from working with the earth and fighting, the Venusaur's grip was surprisingly gentle. It was one learned form handling fragile things.]

Heh. Thanks, V.

[It was a little surprising that he didn't hesitate. A pleasant surprise. It only made her smile a little more earnest.]

I like that you call me that. You are the only one, so it feels like it's this little secret that just the two of us have.

[Looking over to him, she turned a little pink.]

But now that I've said that out loud, I think it sounds sort of silly, don't you?

[He might have been shy about certain things, but touch wasn't one of them. Most physical affection was something he gave as he saw fit, sometimes even a little blindly to the implications. The habits of a bold natured Pokemon would've certainly been a change from Marie.]

Well, it might get a little confusing if we're both V's.

Call me whatever y'think fits, then. [When it came to nicknames, much of what made it so sentimental was thinking up the right one.]

I called you that in jest.

[She beamed.] I just wanted you to know that I enjoy it.

[Then she gave a sigh as she considered his words. What kind of nickname to give to him. What did she ever call him? She didn't like calling him by name for one reason or another. There weren't many that she did. Calling someone by name meant wanting to get their attention and to be frank, Voile was... still just too shy for that when she wasn't making a point.]

Vincent. Because Vin is too short and Vince sounds strange. Vincent has a theatrical flair to it and you look like a Vincent. It's a very mature name for a man I think is also mature.

[Vinnie blinked.] I look like a Vincent?

[He wasn't sure what Vincents were supposed to look like, exactly. If maturity was the standard to meet here, well... he could concede that comparatively, he'd matured from the man he was three years ago. But that wasn't to say he felt secure in what he was doing with his work-in-progress adulthood right now.

The last person to call him Vincent was a god. It felt like a title he hadn't quite earned yet, or wearing a suit that was fancier than he was accustomed to. Theatrical was probably a good way to describe the name - but Vinnie was not a very theatrical person.

Voile thought he was mature. She thought it suited him. There might have been a bit of pink tinting Vinnie's face now.]

W-well...

[She laughed shyly and lifted his hand - the one she'd taken - in favour of hiding behind it. He was allowed to blush. She was not. Well, he wasn't allowed to see her blush, though she was certain he'd seen it several times before. Voile certainly couldn't evade her bashfulness, it seemed.]

I mean for what I imagine a Vincent to look like. Strong facial features. Tall. Handsome. A bit stoic and brooding. Enigmatic. It's probably very romanticised of me, but I think the alias would be a good one for you. I call you it with affection, I assure you.

[She nodded sharply, the slightest bit pleased that she had the ability to fluster him.]

Enigmatic's a bit more you than me, I think.

[Or maybe girls were just a mystery. The brooding part fit, definitely. He had no doubt that it was a name given in affection, so that just left him to receive it. Graciously, if that were possible, though it seemed like flustered was an acceptable alternative for Voile.]

But, I'll take your word for it. Maybe I'll grow into this mysterious version've me.

......

[She slowly nodded as she listened to him, but his words still sat with her curiously. Swinging their arms a little back and forth, finding it delightfully childlike, she was comfortable.

And contemplative.]

You think I'm enigmatic?

[It had occurred to her that unlike her, he wasn't an empath. She'd never made a habit of being particularly open with people. Not with Sonny, not with Marie, not even with Cyrus and Phoenix. There wasn't much of anyone that she was really... open with.

Perhaps she was enigmatic, after all. She just hadn't realised someone else would think it of her.]

[She was totally enigmatic. Vinnie really had no idea how much any given Psychic Type could sense, whether it was reading thoughts or emotions or whatever. It probably was no different from the way he could feel other plants, but despite how similar in theory it sounded, it was still hard to wrap his head around what the world must be like from a Gardevoir's perspective.

When it came to his fellow flora, Vinnie felt completely open. Like he was kin with all of them, no matter who it was. Did Psychics have that sort of bond with each other? Was it possible to have one with non-psychics?]

A bit. I wonder how much you feel. You think 'bout everyone else a lot... is that just a one way street?

[She really had no way of knowing what it was going through his head. Well, no. That was untrue. Didn't matter if she was dolled up as a human-like creature, or simple Gardevoir form. If she'd really wanted to, all it would take was a proverbial reach into his mind to reach his thoughts. At least she'd assumed such to be the case. Perhaps not that convenient.

She never gave the possibility thought because despite how many other beings would use that to their advantage, Voile couldn't bring herself to. If the situation was dire, maybe, but any other time, she wanted to believe people wouldn't hide anything from her if they were close friends. But ultimately that wasn't very fair, considering she was the one who did most of the hiding.]

...Ah...

[His question caught her off guard and she almost stopped. Instead, she looked over to him and somewhat unsure of how to respond, she remained quiet for a few moments. Then she squeezed his hand very gently.]

I can feel everything you feel. Or anyone else on Red's team, and Green's for that matter. The professors. [A pause as she tried to explain herself in a way that could answer his question without seeming too hard on herself.] When I walk into a room with a lot of people, it is like an ocean. Feelings are the tide and the ocean has an infinite amount of tides. I think - and feel - to a great extent. However...

[Her tone softened, mostly meant for him alone.] It is often difficult to determine where my own feelings are in relation to everyone else. I spend - and have spent - so much of my time thinking and feeling for others that I frequently forget myself, or... perhaps I have undervalued my practicality from time to time.

21st bloom; Retreat

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