Char (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
rivalkidneypunch) wrote2009-01-01 02:24 pm
rivalkidneypunch) wrote2009-01-01 02:24 pm
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New Year's Eve had come and gone. Charmeleon was probably nursing a hangover and had already blown his resolution: the countdown had come, and he had chickened out. He'd been trying to work himself up to it for days, but he couldn't make even one of those three words come out when face-to-face with Nyx.
It was pathetic, really. She'd come out and said it months ago. It wasn't like there was anything shameful or weak about it -- Charmeleon may have been prickly, but he didn't believe love in and of itself was a flaw. Sure, his species was a solitary one, and mates tended to only last as long as it took for the hatchlings to learn to fend for themselves, but it was different with Casper. So what was so hard about stating something that should have been obvious? She'd put up with him so far. It wasn't like she was gonna point and laugh, or drop him like a brick, or... whatever. Three easy words didn't make you vulnerable or set you up for rejection. They were just... words. So say them already.
There wasn't anything romantic about it. The fireworks and moonlight and atmosphere of the other night were gone, and Char wasn't exactly a poet by nature. Just a simple, plain note, nothing more, handed to her in the halls. Char only lingered for a moment, tail drooping so close to his legs that his shoe soles were in danger of melting, then found some transparent, embarrassed excuse to make himself absent. It was hardly a memorable, charming way to say it, but there it was, at least. Three simple words in his untidy scrawl: I love you.
--
Char was determined to start this year right. He'd finally done something he should have done a long time ago, so... he may as well keep it up while he was on a roll. He sat on his bed, Rasputin crowding against his side for warmth, staring down at the laptop in his lap... and not accomplishing much else. His desktop background, from the very first day he'd received his laptop, had been Team Green's hall of fame picture, taken when they were first crowned league champions. Nestled in a corner of his files, however, was one more Indigo League hall of fame photo. This one had a Blastoise, a Primeape, a Raichu, and a grinning blond boy. It wasn't a picture Char looked at often, but today was different. He couldn't seem to stop looking at it, because stopping meant he'd have to start writing. This should have been easy -- Arceus knew he didn't have a shortage of things to say. He just wasn't so sure he wanted answers or not.
Finally, Charmeleon clicked away from the picture so he could stare at the blank email window instead. All he had to do was start writing. He'd made up his mind to do it, so there was no point stalling.
Hey.
I bet you weren't ever expectin' to get an email from me. You ain't never even heard me talk before, unless you count goin' "Charmander Char Char" or whatever. Do you remember me? It's been a long time. I'd think people don't forget their starter, but I guess time does funny things.
So, uh... this is more than a couple years late, but congrats on makin' it. I never doubted you'd be champion. S'too bad you guys didn't stick around. Maybe I woulda faced you. ...Maybe it's better I didn't.
How are Adrenaline and Alkaline doing? I don't know your Blastoise, so I won't ask about him. It's probably pretty hard for a Primeape and a Raichu to type, so you can just pass on that I said hi. Addie's probably done a whole lot of growin' up since I last saw her, and you can tell Alkaline that all his stories really came in handy for me.
I ain't sure if you're curious or not, but I'm doin' alright. I got bored of that daycare eventually and ditched. You know me. Always impatient, right? I spent some time tryin' out the whole "bein' wild" thing, though I dunno that I did it half as good as Alkaline did. I did good enough to get by until I got caught again, anyways, so I guess that's the important part. I finally got around to evolvin', though. Weren't nothin' badass about it -- I was tryin' to swipe some trainer's supper, she sent her Sandslash after me, and I was gettin' my tail kicked until I was suddenly a Charmeleon. I ain't a Charizard yet. Don't think I ever will be. I wanted to be that Charizard at your side on the top of the league just a little too badly, I s'pose. Don't blame yourself for it, kid. I don't need wings, and red suits me a lot better anyhow.
I'm doin' alright for myself, really. I'm with a new trainer. His name's Green Oak. He took over Viridian Gym a little while ago. Maybe if you're in the area sometime, you can stop by. I ain't told any of my team about you yet, but I think you might get along with him. You're both the kind of guy that aims for the sky and don't stop for nothin' until he reaches it. You might not see me if you do decide to visit. I'm in Final Destination City with Green's Blastoise and Bulbasaur. I've got a girlfriend, too. She's a Haunter, if you'd believe it. Never thought I'd date outside my species, let alone my egg group, but she's somethin' special. I'm happy enough, though I won't pretend I don't miss you and the rest of the team.
...So how come you never came back for me?
- Kerosene
Well... that was it. Charmeleon hesitated, cursor hovering over the send button... and backed off with a sigh. He shut the laptop and put it aside, curling up and resting his head on Rasputin's abdomen. Maybe this one could wait until next year.
It was pathetic, really. She'd come out and said it months ago. It wasn't like there was anything shameful or weak about it -- Charmeleon may have been prickly, but he didn't believe love in and of itself was a flaw. Sure, his species was a solitary one, and mates tended to only last as long as it took for the hatchlings to learn to fend for themselves, but it was different with Casper. So what was so hard about stating something that should have been obvious? She'd put up with him so far. It wasn't like she was gonna point and laugh, or drop him like a brick, or... whatever. Three easy words didn't make you vulnerable or set you up for rejection. They were just... words. So say them already.
There wasn't anything romantic about it. The fireworks and moonlight and atmosphere of the other night were gone, and Char wasn't exactly a poet by nature. Just a simple, plain note, nothing more, handed to her in the halls. Char only lingered for a moment, tail drooping so close to his legs that his shoe soles were in danger of melting, then found some transparent, embarrassed excuse to make himself absent. It was hardly a memorable, charming way to say it, but there it was, at least. Three simple words in his untidy scrawl: I love you.
--
Char was determined to start this year right. He'd finally done something he should have done a long time ago, so... he may as well keep it up while he was on a roll. He sat on his bed, Rasputin crowding against his side for warmth, staring down at the laptop in his lap... and not accomplishing much else. His desktop background, from the very first day he'd received his laptop, had been Team Green's hall of fame picture, taken when they were first crowned league champions. Nestled in a corner of his files, however, was one more Indigo League hall of fame photo. This one had a Blastoise, a Primeape, a Raichu, and a grinning blond boy. It wasn't a picture Char looked at often, but today was different. He couldn't seem to stop looking at it, because stopping meant he'd have to start writing. This should have been easy -- Arceus knew he didn't have a shortage of things to say. He just wasn't so sure he wanted answers or not.
Finally, Charmeleon clicked away from the picture so he could stare at the blank email window instead. All he had to do was start writing. He'd made up his mind to do it, so there was no point stalling.
Hey.
I bet you weren't ever expectin' to get an email from me. You ain't never even heard me talk before, unless you count goin' "Charmander Char Char" or whatever. Do you remember me? It's been a long time. I'd think people don't forget their starter, but I guess time does funny things.
So, uh... this is more than a couple years late, but congrats on makin' it. I never doubted you'd be champion. S'too bad you guys didn't stick around. Maybe I woulda faced you. ...Maybe it's better I didn't.
How are Adrenaline and Alkaline doing? I don't know your Blastoise, so I won't ask about him. It's probably pretty hard for a Primeape and a Raichu to type, so you can just pass on that I said hi. Addie's probably done a whole lot of growin' up since I last saw her, and you can tell Alkaline that all his stories really came in handy for me.
I ain't sure if you're curious or not, but I'm doin' alright. I got bored of that daycare eventually and ditched. You know me. Always impatient, right? I spent some time tryin' out the whole "bein' wild" thing, though I dunno that I did it half as good as Alkaline did. I did good enough to get by until I got caught again, anyways, so I guess that's the important part. I finally got around to evolvin', though. Weren't nothin' badass about it -- I was tryin' to swipe some trainer's supper, she sent her Sandslash after me, and I was gettin' my tail kicked until I was suddenly a Charmeleon. I ain't a Charizard yet. Don't think I ever will be. I wanted to be that Charizard at your side on the top of the league just a little too badly, I s'pose. Don't blame yourself for it, kid. I don't need wings, and red suits me a lot better anyhow.
I'm doin' alright for myself, really. I'm with a new trainer. His name's Green Oak. He took over Viridian Gym a little while ago. Maybe if you're in the area sometime, you can stop by. I ain't told any of my team about you yet, but I think you might get along with him. You're both the kind of guy that aims for the sky and don't stop for nothin' until he reaches it. You might not see me if you do decide to visit. I'm in Final Destination City with Green's Blastoise and Bulbasaur. I've got a girlfriend, too. She's a Haunter, if you'd believe it. Never thought I'd date outside my species, let alone my egg group, but she's somethin' special. I'm happy enough, though I won't pretend I don't miss you and the rest of the team.
...So how come you never came back for me?
- Kerosene
Well... that was it. Charmeleon hesitated, cursor hovering over the send button... and backed off with a sigh. He shut the laptop and put it aside, curling up and resting his head on Rasputin's abdomen. Maybe this one could wait until next year.
woo more narration.
No, it wasn't romantic, it wasn't poetic, but it was so very Char. And Nyx was perfectly happy with that.
She didn't bother trying to catch up to him- never mind just how much she wanted to hug him. He'd had his reasons for running off, and she wasn't going to disrupt them.
So, Nyx went through the rest of the day with the note in her pocket, and a silly grin plastered on her face.
She did leave a similar note under his door later on, knocking on the door to get his attention before hiding in the shadows
like a creeper. The note said simply "Thank you."