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[pidge_out]

 


Hey, it's Pidge. Can't answer right now-- Rover quit it! --so leave a message and I'll get back to you when I can.
Rover, what did I say--?!?!

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[pidge_out]

[That's what it takes for her to start running. She takes off through the house until she reaches Keith's room, and when she gets there she has a kind of wild, alarmed look in her eyes. She didn't bother with glasses and her hair is an absolute mess, and there is a lot of concern on her face as she moves closer to the bed.]

How--?

[shiro2hero]

[Well, she's in good company. In the messy, just woke up, department. He can't think about appearances. Not right now. Right now, he's just trying to hold it together. Keep from losing it in front of anyone.]

[Even her.]

It happens. Sometimes. There's no warning. People just... [His hand pushes through his hair.] They pass out. For a week or more.

[pidge_out]

[She stares down at Keith in a mix of... Geez, she's feeling a million things right now. Concern, anger, fear, shock, confusion... It's all just roiling around in her gut and she has no idea what to do about any of it. She knows this is bad, but if Shiro - who has been there for two years and apparently seen this before - isn't already springing into action... What is she supposed to do?]

But this-- This isn't like what happened to Hunk, right? He's still here, so that.. means something. Right?

[shiro2hero]

[He would love to believe that. To hold onto that. But it's too soon after what happened. He'd thought it was only a week, at most, but Jean and Hunk were both out for an entire month.]

[... and then they lost Hunk entirely.]

He doesn't remember this place. [So yes, he had come back. But at a cost.] It might not be. But we... we don't know.

[His face is in his hands. There's no real room to sit in this particular bedroom, so he ends up on the floor. At a loss, no matter how much he's trying not to be.]

I'm sorry.

[pidge_out]

[Pidge frowns down at Keith's sleeping form, worry deciding to become the dominant emotion for the moment as she turns to look at each of his Pokemon, then back over to Shiro. She can tell how hard this is for him; when Hunk disappeared he'd started talking like it was all his fault. Looks like this time is no different.

Frowning, Pidge finds a spot to crouch down next to him, grasping for his hands.]

Shiro, don't apologize. It's not like you made this happen, okay?

[shiro2hero]

[He is deeply down the rabbit hole of blaming himself. She probably knows this. She can probably tell already. But what's he supposed to do? How is he supposed to stop? He still feels like there should have been a way around this. Should have been able to see it coming.]

[If he couldn't for Keith, then how is he supposed to for the others? For his team, his friends... for someone he loves?]

[He lets his guard down, and these things happen. It's a pattern now. It should teach him better--]

... [Her hands are on one of his. Pulling his head up enough to look at her.] Figure I should've known better by now.

[pidge_out]

There's no controlling this part. Remember?

[She gives his hand a squeeze, hoping to high heaven that she's actually managing to be reassuring when she really isn't sure of what she's doing. But Pidge knows that Shiro needs support right now, and as his friend and teammate she's doing to try her very best to do that for him.]

Don't blame yourself for this, too.

[shiro2hero]

[But what if there is.]

[What if there is, and he hadn't found it, because he's gotten too complacent here? He hasn't completed the journey. He got too comfortable. Put himself too much at ease -- stopped running and searching and exploring and just.]

[Settled.]

Right. We just need to ... handle this.

[His hand tightens around hers. Focus like everything is okay. No one needs to deal with this on top of their own adjustment to this world.]

[pidge_out]

Yeah.

[Pidge nods, keeping her gaze fixed on him for now. She won't be the first to let go, allowing Shiro to use her hand as a point of focus if he needs it. He certainly seems to, after all.

Just breathe, Shiro. Leave the paranoia about finding a way home to Pidge.]

We'll figure this out.

[shiro2hero]

[This has been happening a lot in these conversations. But it still feels right. Feels like it might do something. So...]

[He uses their joined hands to pull her over and hug her. Pidge, who he hasn't seen in the longest time. Who he's... so glad to see again. Just give him a minute here. This brief little breakdown.]

Lance thinks we should move him to the pokemon center.

[pidge_out]

[It shouldn't come as a surprise that he pulls her in close, but it still kind of does. Maybe she's still sleepier than she initially thought. She doesn't fight against it though. Instead she just settles into that hug with a small sigh.] ...Would he be safer there?

[shiro2hero]

I don't know.

[He feels like he's said that a lot, through all this. But it's still true. He doesn't know.]

Jean stayed here while he was unconscious. [The guy with the unfortunate haircut, riding an Aggron against Krieg the Loud Shirtless Man last night.] Neither did Hunk. But... [But obviously only Jean stayed.] I ended up in one because Haunter brought me to it.

So... there's no way to know.

[pidge_out]

[She hums softly, thoughtfully, looking back over at Keith while she considers the options.] ...I think it might be better if he stayed here. With us, and with his Pokémon.

[shiro2hero]

[It's what he planned to do. If he could get the pokemon to calm down long enough to get everyone on the same page. Hearing someone echo his thoughts is oddly reassuring.]

Then he's staying.

[One more squeeze around her shoulders, before he sits back.]

... can you stay with him for a minute? I -- need a shirt and my 'gear.

[And maybe coffee. Definitely coffee.]

[pidge_out]

[Pidge just nods in the affirmative to both of those things, pulling herself back up onto her feet so she can move to sit on the edge of the bed where Shiro had been earlier. She idly reaches forward to pet Torracat as she moves, but other than that she just takes up her new position.]

If you have time, I'd... really like some coffee.

[shiro2hero]

[Torracat is more accepting of pets than Espurr. She doesn't stop her pacing, but she butts her head up into Pidge's hand as she passes by.]

[For his part, Shiro pauses. Before reaching to squeeze her shoulder.]

Yeah. I'll get some.

Thank you, Pidge. [I'm glad you're still here.]

[pidge_out]

[At the shoulder squeeze she shoots him a small, sympathetic smile. She knows this isn't easy for him. She knows how hard he keeps taking things like this, though she still doesn't get why. But she's happy to be there for him all the same.]

Of course.

[shiro2hero]

[There are so many reasons. Like how he wants the best for them all, like how he was hoping these moments would stop -- these life or death problems. But for now... he'll get her some coffee.]

[He'll look after her. Look after someone.]

[That's good enough for now.