Kurai Rank Up - Master
As Kurai set down the bag of groceries, his gaze traveled through the kitchen. Clearly Pesky had already cooked their dinner, the smell clearly betraying that a whole bowl of curry would be waiting for him in the fridge. Most of the kitchen was already cleaned up again, only the leftover plate betraying that Pesky had taken way too much time to nibble on his food before having to run off to some appointment without being able to finish cleaning up his own stuff.
By now that was a usual thing for Kurai to see and he truly didn‘t mind. If he had a head full of videos and cat memes, he‘d probably lose track of time too. And it was never a big enough mess that would take Kurai more than five minute to clean up. Nothing he made a fuss of - and he enjoyed helping Pesky out, as Pesky did help him as well.
It was fun, just spending time together, cooking, having fun, living-
Kurai blinked a bit, eyeing the plate in his hands before looking down at the soap filled water in the sink, white bubbles already clearly rising, waiting for the dishes to be scrubbed.
But… he hesitated. For a moment, he wondered… when did this complacency happen?
It had been what now? A year, since he‘d arrived in Rivertide? Around eight months since he‘d moved in with Pesky, after following a more than dubious advertisement looking for a new roommate. They had gone through adventure after adventure, learning new things about themselves and their Pokémon everyday.
For a moment, Kurai looked over his shoulder at Frida. His Liepard and Dragonair fusion laid curled around the sofa, head resting on it and eyes closed like the sleepy cat that she was, lazing about. She had never been this comfortable anywhere else before. Never allowed herself to just sleep while nobody else was around. But now? She was asleep whenever she wanted to, relaxed wherever she wished and never looked as if she were expecting danger at every corner.
At that realisation, Kurais lips turned some more up, as his vision began to blur. Oh, when did they become this… happy? Just vibing with being alive, happy to be?
At the sound of clinging dishes, Fridas head shook up in alarm and with an annoyed hiss at whoever made the sound. Only when she saw her trainer standing next to the sink, rubbing his eyes with one hand, did the hiss die down.
Ever since she‘d been small she‘d been used to seeing the man cry, even back when he had been nothing more than a mere child, neglected by his father and beaten by those who deemed him worthless to the harsh worlds of Brookfell. And so she did what she used to do since she was small. Frida uncurled from around the couch, moved to Kurai and curled around him, a purr making her long body vibrate, before her sleek muzzle gently pressed against his cheek and then below his chin, inviting pets.
And pets she got, as Kurai brushed once more along his eyes, then wrapped his arms around her and just held her close. „We‘ve really found happiness, haven‘t we, Frida?“
