bertall | Iɴʙᴏx ✉ Vɪᴄᴛᴏʀʏ Rᴏᴀᴅ

[ The only cranky Pokemon Mari knows is her Sableye. That's why she spends so much time in the box... ]

I don't think she'll mind at all. She's loving the attention all on its own. She'll adore you.

[ She winks at him and gives him a big smile. ]

Hey, I had a question to ask you.

_{[That's exactly why Nidhogg is still in the Penalty Box. He needs time to cool down in there before he goes and messes up the house again after Bertolt finally got it fixed.]}

That's good. I know Marcel can be pretty overwhelming for a lot of smaller Pokemon, but I'm pretty sure it's because his fur makes him look so much bigger than he really is.

_{[And Bertolt can't shave him down either - maybe he'll be more approachable to the little ones once he gets rid of his winter coat.]}

But, uh... What's up?

Yeah! Well! [ She had KINDA talked this over with Sasha and since Mari Ohara never loses face, she smiles right on through it despite ACTUAL FEAR. ]

Y'know, Mari really likes you. Like really likes you.

I dunno if you feel the same way and all but she kinda wants to know if she's hit the right target. [ Idol things that she just says aside: ]

... Wanna maybe be my boyfriend? Or whatever you wanna call it...

I like you t--

_[Wait.]

_{[Wait.

She... Someone--

Someone likes him like that. She likes him like that, and he hadn't even noticed. She used the B-word too, so that's-- That's real, isn't it? Bertolt bites the inside of his lip, and part of him starts to slowly realize what that weird feeling he'd get in his chest when he'd talk to her was. It's the same feeling he'd get when he'd see Bruno on TV and the same one whenever he'd think about Reiner.

The same one he'd get when he talked to Reiner, especially when he was here for those too-short weekends.

He also remembers all too well how much his heart hurt when he blurted everything out to Reiner and confessed that he liked him - he'd never get the chance back home, so he had to do it here while it was right in front of him. It had paid off, but...]}

_[Reiner.]

I...

_{[He never told her about him, did he? Sure, he had mentioned Reiner in passing here and there, but nothing beyond being his best friend and whatnot.

Gods, strike Bertolt down here and now. Or make the bed come to life and swallow him up like in that one slasher flick sans the actual murder.]}

I-I like you too, but there's... T-There's some things you should probably know first.

[ Kill her too, honestly.

After everything she has been through with Kanan, it has been hard for her to stop being playful about it and be more forward because--... Well, she might not see Kanan again. It wouldn't be the first time things went sour. Something tells Mari that the reality of never seeing her again is painfully likely.

She tried. ]

... You can tell me anything, Bertolt.

I-I... L-Look, uh... I-I really mean it when I said I like you, I'm... I'm just not good at any of this. There was someone back home that I've liked for, uh...

_{[Bertolt takes a breath and rubs at his cheek, his gaze dropping towards his Aggron for a few moments. It'd be so much easier over text, but at the same time this was also something he had to hear himself. He had to acknowledge everything and come to terms with it.]}

Years. I was too much of a coward to tell him how I felt, though. A-And then he showed up here one day, older than he was the last time I saw him. I... I found out that I'd never get the chance to tell him how I really felt back home, so I ended up telling him here. A-Anyway, he... He ended up disappearing a few days after that. And then he turned up again, but the same thing happened.

_{[What he wouldn't give to go back in time and ask his dad what to do in this sort of situation.]}

I'm... I don't know what we'd do. I love him, but it's, uh... Gods... _{[He can't spend his entire life waiting for something that might never happen again, can he? Is it even kosher to like-like more than one person? What's the protocol if both people are in the same place? Is that even allowed? Nicholas Sparks never prepared him for this.

The traitor.]}

[ Yohane has settled her face on Mari's shoulder, dozing off while things get Heavy since they bore her. Her personality matches her namesake perfectly. ]

Mmhm. [ Part of her figured. That 'best friend' he'd talked about before who bore a striking emotional attachment-based resemblance to Kanan hit it on the nose. Unfortunately. ]

I have someone like that too. I've told you about her a little.

What's kept me from really saying anything is maybe waiting to hear from her or have her land in New Bark. And I--... I don't think that's going to happen. Why put myself on hold forever--

[ It strikes her that this is Dramatic and probably a 'No' and she should scream in Sasha's direction for having her talk her into it.

Lord. ]

This was dumb. I'm sorry.

_{[She's--

Oh, gods. She's the same, isn't she? For a few moments, all Bertolt can do is stare at his 'gear, and then she's apologizing and he nearly drops it on the floor. A quick scramble and juggling saves it, and he doesn't realize how much his voice raises--]}

No! Don't--

_{[Okay, he's loud and Bertolt cringes a little at himself. Even his Aggron rumbles, but the big lug barely moves his head.]}

S-Sorry, I... Don't apologize, it's not-- I-It's not dumb. I didn't...

_{[Just take a breath, breathe, and look at this from another view now. It shouldn't be reassuring that it's so easy for her to understand, should it?]}

If she ever showed up, what would you do...? If we... Y-You know.

If she ever showed up, I'd...

[ It doesn't take her too long to actually find the answer. Maybe because she's been mulling over it. ]

What's done would be done. We would still be friends, but I'll know that I've moved on and I'm happy.

... With you, of course.

I follow my heart and I haven't had it be wrong yet.

Would you want to be with her?

_{[It blurts out before he even fully realizes it, and he can feel his ears starting to go red. That probably came out wrong.]}

I-I mean, if... If she showed up and she had feelings for you, and... I don't know if it's even permitted since it's sort of frowned upon back where I'm from, but if you still loved her, I'd... It'd be okay, wouldn't it?

No.

[ Which doesn't sound nearly as cold as someone would read it from maybe a normal person who isn't Mari who wears her heart and her words on her sleeve. ]

I'm not going to put the cart before the horse like that. I don't dwell on things that might not happen. I still love Kanan very, very much, but I can't lose sleep over variables. If you do that... It only hurts in a way you could one hundred-percent avoid if you just stopped worrying.

Life is way too short.

But if.

_{[If is always good.

Her comment about life being too short pulls at his heart, and he debates on whether or not he should tell her about that too, but he decides against it for now.]}

...Do you think it's possible to love two people like that regardless? I-I mean, is it okay? I don't think I could ever stop caring about Reiner, but it's... You said it yourself; I can't put myself...

_{[He can't spend his entire life waiting.]}

Feelings for someone you love are never going to go away.

If that were to happen, I think you can love two people like that. [ She clearly agrees that 'if' is good by the nod of her head. ]

Until then, though...

Until 'if'...?

...We could try and figure it out when and if we have to cross that bridge?

_{[A beat, and he looks at his Aggron's tail and gives it a gentle Nudge with his foot.

He doesn't remember it being this nervewracking with Reiner, but that's got to be a good sign, right? Right? Breathe.]}

Um... Together?

[ Together?

Does that mean.......... ]

Absolutely. Together.

I promise.

E-Even if I'm terrible at this? I, uh... I've never... dated... anyone outside of those weekends with Reiner.

_{[Is dating even the right word? Help him, romance novels. Help him, tacky soap operas.]}

Even if you're terrible at it. Mari knows a thing or two. It's in her blood~

[ Yohane perks up again, wiggling her ghosty tail and letting out a tiny waaaail. ]

Trust me, okay? Like when we were at the Contest?

I-It's not in mine, that's, uh... Everything I know comes from books and TV.

_{[--He can do that, though. That's the easy part.]}

I-I can do that. O-Only this time you'll catch me, right?

_{[METAPHORICALLY...]}

[ She bursts into a fond little laugh. Yohane joins. ]

I think I'm strong enough to hold you up.

Thank you, Bertolt.

_{[Pure. That is a good laugh, and he likes that.]}

I should be the one thanking you. For, um... For understanding.

_{[WHO WOULD'VE GUESSED THEY'D BE IN THE SAME BOAT.]}

Of course I understand.

I told Sasha that I believe in love over all things in the whole world. It's so important.

It-- Wait, you talked to Sasha?

Yeah! We talked a whole lot. I wanna meet her and take her out for a fun night on the town.

She needs some lovin'~

Why?

Iɴʙᴏx ✉ Vɪᴄᴛᴏʀʏ Rᴏᴀᴅ

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mari singing popular from wicked to sasha

yes good

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