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[shiro2hero]

Ahem.

[Oh hi Shiro. It's almost prom season, right? That means you're here to deliver some kind of warning about Prom, right? That's what you do.]

[He clears his throat.]

[Looks directly into the camera.]



Fuck!


[Somewhere off screen, a Gallade is howling in squeaky laughter. Looks like someone let one of the Zorua into the house.]

Comments

[shiro2hero]

Thanks.

[He means it. He's actually smiling again. And lifting his 'gear for that photo.]

[Zorua wiggles, and turns its head up to lick Pidge under the chin. Yes! Ready!]

[pidge_out]

[That lick just pulls a genuinely delighted squeal out of Pidge, and if Shiro's lucky - or quick - he'll catch a real nice moment of Pidge rubbing her face down into the top of the little fox Pokémon's head. IT'S SO CUTE!!

But right after that she actually looks over at the camera with a cheeky grin, Zorua pulled tight into her chest.

Rover is going to be so jealous when he finds out about this.]

[shiro2hero]

[Oh... he really wants to. But he told her a normal picture. He promised he'd take a normal picture of her and the Zorua.]

[So he'll let that pass by. In favor of the cheeky grin.]

Thank you, Pidge.

[pidge_out]

[Normal picture, get!]

Can you send that to me? I should probably let Lance know I'm replacing him with something cuter.

[shiro2hero]

Sure - one sec.

Film his reaction, yeah? [Beep boop, on its way!] You're... not really going to name it 'Shiro', right?

[pidge_out]

[Pidge snorts and grins, quirking an eyebrow at him in a sort of "Who do you think you're talking to?" kind of way.] I'll document every second of it.

I dunno yet. It's a decent name, you know.

[shiro2hero]

Good. I was hoping you would.

[He shakes his head though.]

You know it just means 'white', right?

[pidge_out]

[Pidge just... raises the Zorua up. Behold: white.]

[shiro2hero]

Yeah, I noticed.

You can't think of something more creative?

[pidge_out]

[...She can never tell him why she really wants to name it Shiro. But this moment makes her kind of want to, just to see his reaction.

But she doesn't.]

Not... at the moment, no.

[shiro2hero]

Snowball, for one? If you want a Japanese name, Yuki? What... is... whatever the word is for winter?

Or winter in English, even.

[pidge_out]

Winter's a nice name.

[She looks down at Zorua with a little smile.]

What do you think? Winter?

[shiro2hero]

[There is so much excited yipping, and wiggling. And chin-licking.]

I think you've got a winner.

[pidge_out]

[Pidge laughs as she struggles to maintain a hold on Zorua Winter. So much wiggling and excitement!]

Wait-- Wait, I have to actually get a ball for you, don't I?!

[She looks back over at Shiro, very obviously asking for some assistance.]

Help??

[shiro2hero]

Hold on -

[This is just adorable. He almost hates to duck out of the kitchen. But he'll be back soon enough.]

[And tosses her a ball.]

Here. Sorry it's nothing special.

[pidge_out]

[Somehow she manages to catch the ball, shooting Shiro a big grin.] Hey, nothing special works just fine.

[And then she turns that grin on Winter, holding the PokéBall up between their faces like she's presenting it with a choice.] Up to you, buddy.

[Boop the ball once to accept a Pidge as your trainer!]

[shiro2hero]

[Oh, oh she is READY. So many more wiggles! So many!!]

[And then, BOOP.]

Congrats, Pidge. You've got a new friend.

[pidge_out]

[CUE THE FANFARE]

[Pidge just laughs as Winter vanishes into the PokéBall with a flash. She'll let the new baby out again in a second, but first she'd like to be able to talk to Shiro without an adorable distraction in her face.]

I hardly did anything worth congratulating me for. But thanks.

[She moves over to give Shiro a friendly pat on the arm as she starts for the kitchen. She left a mess in the hall that needs cleaning, but other than that it is back to being a Very Normal Day!]

How was your run, by the way??

[shiro2hero]

Sure you did. You made friends with a wild Pokemon in record time.

[He will NOT be swayed from his opinion, thank you very much. And just lean against a kitchen counter with his smoothie.]

Didn't get attacked by giant birds, so - can't really complain. Guess that's a pretty low bar, though.

[pidge_out]

[She snerks, shaking her head as she grabs some paper towels.]

That wild Pokémon wandered into the house first. I think it was looking for friends.

[She comes to a stop nearby, her one hand full of paper towels, and gives Shiro an amused look.]

It really is. Did you make any friends out there yourself, Mr. "Don't Make a Dating Profile For Me, I Can Find Love On My Own"?

[shiro2hero]

Or food. Probably food.

[Or a friend, but it's more fun to tease Pidge.]

[And then promptly chokes on his smoothie.]

- I tripped over a Voltorb, if you have to know.

[pidge_out]

No, it was definitely looking for friends.

[But she's... going to keep Winter's mischief-making a secret for now. Shiro will probably find out eventually, but right now it must be protected from his Disappointed Frown.

That reaction, though... Pidge has to raise an eyebrow at it.]

...It's a wonder you don't have suitors lined up at the door.

[shiro2hero]

Good thing you found it, then. Before Blue adopted it.

[Oh, Shiro. If only you knew.]

[Deep breaths, Shiro. He rubs at his temples. This is... not what he wanted to talk about. He'd told her to get her blessing, essentially. Not open up this door.]

Yeah, I know. Big mystery. Anyway - did Lance use all the hot water yet?

[pidge_out]

[She nods sagely. The truth will only hurt you, Shiro.] Yeah.

[That reaction gets her to frown a little, but she tries not to look disappointed. Is this not a thing they can talk about? Or is Shiro just... being Shiro? One would think after all this time she'd be better at discerning the difference between the two.

Topic change is a go, she supposes.]

Not as far as I can tell. [She goes to grab one more paper towel before making her way to the spill in the hallway, talking as she does.] It's been a bit since he went out anyway. I'm sure the tank's full again.

[shiro2hero]

[Pidge, you can't hide that disappointment. He knows you too well. And so... he sighs. Leaning more heavily on the counter behind him.]

Don't - get excited, all right?

[Or launch an investigation or search the network or - anything. Just please be chill, in other words.]

I saw someone. It went well, I like him. It was one date, so please do not... make a big deal about it? [And also, because he knows she'll ask, but, there's another reason he was not super open about it.] ... He's a friend of Grant's.

[You know, the guy Lance apparently has beef with?]