perfectteatime | Victory Road Inbox

"I have been." He admits, also looking a little proud of himself. "Hmm. A hollow meteorite. I wonder if such a thing has ever happened before." It would have had to, in Fodlan. Otherwise how could they really explain the Fell Star thing, unless it was incorrect from the start, which is possible.

They reach the top of the trail that leads out into a nice viewing area and small park. Plaques about the local Pokemon and flora, as well as the history of the area are scattered around, and there are a few benches to sit.

"Oh! Wow... you really can see the sky better up here. This is amazing- I never realized there were that many stars... and all so far away. It's kind of hard to wrap my head around."

"That's great!" No, really, it is. Look at that expression on his face. He's delighted. "If you need any more books, just let me know." Please let him know, he desperately wants to help people learn about space. "But, hey, maybe. We don't know everything about space. And weirder things have happened."

Like being here at all. With pokemon. With... a professor from another world.

"Yeah... it's a lot to take in." In a lot of ways. "It's still impressive, even to me. Never gets old, though." He glances toward a bench. "Want to sit?"

"I would love some recommendations. Reading has been so much easier now." He gives a soft, amused huff. "I suppose so. Strange things seem to be the norm for me."

Given all the shit he's been through? Yeah. He nods, moving to take a seat on the bench with Shiro. Shoulder to shoulder, not quite pressed into him, but closer than one might be on average. His eyes are still fixed on the sky.

"It's like someone took a pin and poked so many tiny little holes in a piece of fabric with a candle behind it. Or perhaps they took a drink of milk and sneezed." One of those comparisons is far more elegant, Byleth. "When are we supposed to see the falling stars? Or- the ah. Meteors?"

"Sure. I'll go through what I've picked up... and go through the observatory stock. I know they have doubles of a lot." He tilts his head, grinning sideways at Byleth, all warmth and amusement. "I know how that goes."

The weird things. Weird being normal. Adjusting to it all to keep your head on straight. But there's warmth at his side, and ... honestly? Honestly, he's missed this more than he thought he did. He finds himself leaning into Byleth in return. Gently. Just in case.

"That's - " He was going to say that was a beautiful way to describe it. And then Byleth keeps talking. "Sneezed?" he asks, that grin breaking across his face and unable to hold back. He likes that. It's funny and silly.

"Should be in thirty minutes? Ish?"

"You know. Have you never taken a drink of milk and sneezed and it goes everywhere? All the little droplets?" Byleth that is really not. An appropriate date topic. Whatever. Shiro smiles and Byleth seems satisfied, leaning his head against the man's shoulder and very smoothing sliding his hand into Shiro's.

"Well then, I suppose we have the next thirty minutes to appreciate each others company." This is quite nice. It's been a long time since he's really been shown any romantic interest. Even longer since he's been able to be comfortably affectionate. Something he's still learning, too.

"Thank you again for giving me a chance."

"Not since I was a kid!" But oh no. Oh no, this is way too funny. He's laughing, he's miraculously, blissfully laughing. It's been so long since he'd been out like this, Byleth could talk about almost anything, and he'd be happy. His cheeks heat, a little, at the fingers lacing through his.

"I... see a lot to appreciate in just thirty minutes."

More than just the stars. Someone willing to let him figure his own crap out, who wouldn't throw out judgment. Just... patient. Excuse him if the quiet thanks makes his heart twist, ever so slightly, in his chest.

Hesitantly, he lifts their hands. Idly presses a very brief, chaste kiss to the back of Byleth's palm. "Thank you for waiting."

Well. He was not expecting to be reverse-uno'd in wooing. Shiro just critted him twice in fact. He just stares dumbly at him for a moment. For having his hand kissed and being so unabashedly complimented. It only occurs to him that he should say something when Clippy nudges his leg. Wingman of the year, thank you Clippy.

"I- ah. Mmh no problem. Worth it." Ah. The blush that always starts in his ears has advanced across his face and he has to stare down desperately at Clippy who drools a little out of it's helmet happily.

"You're. Reay cute." Fuck!!!!

It's fine!! He doesn't mind! Not the blush, not the silence, and not a drooling, very happy Clippy. He even reaches his free hand over to offer it to said Clippy. Good... dog? Weird helmet dog? Good pokemon.

"I mean it," he says, quiet and sincere. "It's... been something weighing me down for a long time now. I know the others meant well when they pushed - and then you just said to take my time. That meant a lot."

If there's one thing Shiro Shirogane can do, it's make a little speech on the spot.

... At least until Byleth compliments him. Then he's losing his composure to blushing and tripping on his words. "I - it. Thank - you."

"I'm glad. I try to think a lot about what people really need. And you seemed like you needed the freedom to choose on your own time." He has always had a good sense for what the right thing for someone is, that weird little protagonist skill. Or like. Empathy. Whatever.

"Thanks for letting me be myself too. Even if I'm still kind of figuring out what that means."

He bites his lip, pausing for a moment.

"I think- ah. Right now might be a good time to kiss."

"You sound a lot like me." He can't keep that smile off his face. Relieved, delighted, and warm. "Everyone tells me to try and think about what I need, too, with everything else. Not as easy as they make it sound, huh?"

Maybe that's why this is going so well? They kind of get each other, that way. Or, that's what Shiro thinks, anyway. His hand squeezes Byleth's, thumb running along the back of his hand.

"Then... guess it's my turn to say - take your time. But I uh. If this is 'yourself', then... I think I like it."

Oh. Oh uh. Kissing. Right. Yes. He can do that. He's not rusty at all.

"Right. Uh. I'm - sorry if I've forgotten how it works?"

He'll lean in though. Just... slowly.

Oh no. He's saying all the correct things... how... how dare he be so sweet and charming. Damn it! DAMN IT!

"Don't worry. Not much to it." His free hand moves to Shiro's jaw, tilting his head just slightly so he can press a much more lingering, but chaste kiss to his lips. They part, slow and Byleth gives him a soft smile.

"See? Easy."

For something that doesn't have "much to it", the feeling is... it's a lot. It's warm and slow, it's gentle. It's something he's very tempted to just lose himself in for the moment. For more than just the moment.

Hey, cut him some slack, it's been a while.

He only pulls back enough to speak, his free hand braced on Byleth's shoulder. Thumb making little circles where it rests. He doesn't really want to move away any more than this.

"Yeah... really easy. Thank you." Is that weird? Thanking someone for a kiss? Oh well.

"Thank you, too." It is a little, but Byleth is a strange guy to begin with, and he senses the last thing Shiro needs is to be made to feel awkward about anything. Especially if he just started dating again.

A hand moves to gently touch his cheek, resting along his jawline. He leans in with an almost mischievous tone, a little smile quirking his lips, whispering (as if there was anyone else to hear?) "Do you wanna do it again? Like... a lot?"

There are worse ways to pass the time waiting for a meteor shower than tender make outs.

Listen, he can deal with strange. Especially when it comes in the form of someone accepting Shiro's own hangups, strangeness. The simple thank you has him all but glowing. The smile threatening to break his face.

And can't help the laugh. He almost feels like a stupid teenager again, sneaking off for an evening.

"'Like a lot'?" His forehead is pretty much resting against Byleth's. "You know... sure."

Oh yes. It's smooching time. To his credit, Byleth reigns his hedonistic ways in. Each kiss is soft and undemanding, the invitation of parted lips is there, but he doesn't insist on it. Interspersed with affectionate bumps of his nose and the occasional soft, amused hum. One hand staying to hold Shiro's and the other sliding back further to scratch gently at the short hair at the back of his head.

He breathes slow and easy. He wants this to be relaxing above all else. A retreat, not feeling like a test or some kind of trial to pass. He'll kiss Shiro as long as the man lets him. When he finally does pull back, a much bigger smile on his face.

"I hope... that I can offer you a place of rest with me. If ever you need a moment of solace. Which is to say- ahh. If you can bear my unusual relationship practices. I- well. Some in my mercenary company, before I came to be a teacher- they shared many partners. I tend toward the same... though I understand if it's not comfortable. I want you to be at ease, most of all." He clears his throat. "What I'm trying to ask is. Ah. That if you are okay with that kind of thing, I would like to try to be a good... partner. Boyfriend? I'd like to be your boyfriend."

His hand briefly squeezes Shiro's.

"You don't have to answer right now. And we can talk about it more if you'd like, whenever you like. But I really do like you a lot. You are gentle, kind, and mild. I want to be able to give you what happiness I can."

Smooching time is... very good. Extremely good. He can't stop smiling, through the whole while. He's more hesitant than Byleth, but not complaining. Not even a little bit. His free hand wraps around Byleth's shoulders, holding him in place - careful not to hold too tightly, even if he wants to cling onto this for ages. And not ever let go.

This feels really good. Really, really good. And not just the kissing. There's the closeness, the warmth. There's the smile on Byleth's face. He's missed this. Missed a connection with someone.

Frankly, he was about to say something stupid or thank him again, but Byleth's speech cuts him off. Probably for the best. His expression turns wide-eyed, the more the other man speaks. Whatever he was expecting here, that wasn't it. Shared partners doesn't surprise him nearly as much as the rest of the speech. He's just kind of staring, he realizes, belatedly.

"Boyfriend...?"

No, he needs to actually process the rest of it. But he's sure if he thinks about it longer, there's going to be tears in his eyes. Ah - no. There he goes. It's like Byleth just reached into his constant concerns, the loneliness of the last few years, and offered an answer. Take your time, we can talk - what reality did this man walk out of and is he even real?

"You - you really want that?"

"Well... yeah. If you'd have me, and you don't mind that I keep other partners. Of course, you would be free to as well. But ah... that aside. Yeah. I would like to be your boyfriend- oh!" He sees the tears well up in Shiro's eyes and moves to comfort him, gently swiping his thumb under to steal the wetness away.

"Ahh sorry. Maybe I should have waited until after the date... I hope it isn't too much to think about right now. I just- I got excited." Even though it's very hard to tell when he is, "Are you all right? Here-" He reaches in, pulling out his handkerchief, because he comes from a time at which those were a thing that people carried around.

"We can take things at whatever pace you want, even if you need some time or you decide it's too much."

"No - No, it's - I'm fine... I'm not upset."

How can he be? How could he be upset when there are hands to brush tears away? When someone is just so... blatantly upfront and careful with him. For pete's sake, the man carried a handkerchief and was offering it to him. How did you not get a little worked up over that?

"I'm not upset, I'm - " He pauses, accepting the handkerchief, and actually laughing a bit at himself. Despite the dampness in his eyes, he's smiling. "I'm really. Really touched."

He knows it's not an answer, just give him a second. He really should think about it a little more. But - Byleth is just so sincere and earnest and ...

"And I think... I think I'd like that. Very much."

Well now Byleth looks downright joyful. If you asked any of his students they'd tell you its' a momentous event! It's rare for him to crack a wide smile much less a grin like he has right now.

"Yes! Oh this is just- oh wow, my heart is like. Going! All crazy. But it feels nice." Shiro gets a tight hug, and a moment later, Byleth perks up again, looking to the sky.

"Ah-! Look at that... it's starting."

Oh that? That is a lovely smile. It makes Byleth look even more handsome, honestly. It probably shouldn't be legal to be this worked up over a smile, or have his heart feel like it wants to pop out of its chest.

Maybe he really is rusty.

The hug is returned, just as tightly. His face ends up buried in Byleth's shoulder for a moment, caught up in everything, enjoying this. Too happy to actually speak. Hopefully it comes across in the hug.

"Oh-!" He... does not actually let go. Just pulls back enough to look at the sky. The little streaks of light like rain. "Here's hoping there's a Minior up there!"

"Wow... this is. Amazing." As the shower picks up, Byleth is treated to the real thing for the first time in his life. He's transfixed for a while, gazing up at the little falling streaks.

"If there is, I hope it doesn't hurt when they fall."

Judging by the trajectory of some of them though, they are likely to be Pokemon. Some bright flashes as they land in the surrounding areas.

"They'll be fine, Byleth. They're tough little guys..."

He squeezes Byleth's hand. And then... tugs him up. Both of them up. Shiro hasn't stopped smiling for one moment, but now it seems like he's grinning even more.

"Let's go check the craters!"

He lets Shiro tug him to his feet. It feels nice, like he's a kid again almost. Shiro's excitement is contagious.

"All right!"

It does take some searching around to find them, but after a while they do start to find craters. Most are empty, but at the bottom of one is a small, round stone-looking thing. It trembles and shakes in it's impact spot.

"Is... that one?"

Frankly, Shiro looks like a kid on Christmas. No matter how many craters they check out, he's always sliding down into the depressions, then scrambling back up again. Always eager to check out the next one.

So, when they actually find one, he just looks ecstatic.

"I think so!" He squeezes Byleth's hand, nudges him forward a bit. "Go give it a hand."

Watching Shiro so excited and happy is honestly just. The best. The unbridled enthusiasm is so charming. When they do find one, and Shiro nudges him forward, he gives a determined nod before climbing down into the crater. Kneeling down to the trembling rock, he places a hand on it, quickly pulling away.

"It's hot..." Hm. Taking off his overcoat, he uses that to cover it so he can help pull it from where it seems to be stuck in the ground. With a few tugs, it pops loose, and Byleth falls back. The outer shell crumbling away to reveal a soft, pastel green Minior, peering and jiggling at him curiously. For a moment all he can do is stare before he remembers- ah. Right.

"Uh. Hey. I'm Byleth. Some people back at home used to call me the Fell Star, so I think we have something in common. I can't imagine that fall felt good, but if you'd like to, you can come with me and I'll take care of you. I'll give you lots of nice food, and you can play with a lot of other Pokemon. I won't make you do anything you don't want to, either. What do you say?" A moment of pause as it does seem to consider his offer, before wobbling and bobbing in affirmation happily.

He presents a pokeball in his open hand, and as if knowing exactly what it wants to do, it taps the button on the front, and is pulled inside. The ball doesn't shake, simply locks right away.

"Shiro! Shiro it wanted to come with me!" He scrambles up the side of the crater, now a bit dusted in dirt, but no worse for the wear as he presents the now occupied ball. "I can't believe it- It's so cute... I love it." He pauses, and then whispers to the ball, "I love you."

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