thegalarianchamp

[thegalarianchamp]

"Does this taste okay? It's the same recipe, I think, but I might not be reading it right."

That's... literally just normal bolognese sauce. How does she still not have that down? It tastes fine. She tastes a bit herself.

"I think it needs spice, but, yanno, I always do."

@eranthiss decided they're cooking together

Francis steals the spoon and takes a little bit from it. He nods a little, smiling.

"I think it tastes great. You are definately getting better at other recipies, love. You also have to remember you come from a culture that is like, 90% spice in meals."

He's being hyperbolic, but he nudges her playfully.

[thegalarianchamp]

Francis relaxes even further as she pets him. She might not seem comfortable, but honestly the Champion could do fine if he didn't need to move from here forever. The squeak is cute, and makes him grin a little.

"Mmm. I couldn't not, you know?" He exhales softly. "It wouldn't have been right, to let everyone get hurt - or worse. It would have probably been worse."

He shifts focus with a soft laugh. "I suppose its just part of Galarian culture? Its nowhere near as bad as it was when Rose still ran things, though. Macro Cosmos itself isn't going anywhere though. Its too tied into things, and has been for decades. Also, yeah, you do need time off. Don't burn yourself out."

He gently pokes her stomach with a snicker before he blinks and peers up at her.

"Yeah? Well you are cute. And beautiful. And all mine."

She continues petting him, carefully. Something in her brain reminds her of petting a Fidough. World Ender is a bit like this... soft... probably capable of great horrors if so inclined...Though, Iris does squeak a little as she's grabbed - but offers no resistance. There's absolutely no way she's comfortable, though.

"That's part of what I like about you. It's okay to be scared, but there's real strength in doing whatever scares you anyway - for the betterment of others"

A pause, as she flushes a tiny bit at a little peck on the cheek - touch starved, much?

"I don't know how you deal with a board, I don't have the patience for that. Then again, Marshall keeps saying I need to take time off."

Another pause..."I know you can do the other two, but it's giving cute right now."

[thegalarianchamp]

What is Francis's favourite Pokémon? One that he uses and one he hasn't got? Bonus: Choose from not from Galar!

Favorite he has? Probably Tyrantrum! He's biased though, given his Ace.

Favorite he doesn't have that can't be found in Galar? Cyclizar probably! He thinks they're really cool.

[thegalarianchamp]

Francis takes the chance of Iris on her back to drape his right arm over her stomach and nestle into her side. Yoinked. Sorry, Iris, you were too cozy to pass up.

"True." He murmurs against the fabric of her clothing. "I won't pretend I knew either. I just-- knew I couldn't let anyone else get hurt, or worse. And luckily it all worked out."

His breathing slows. He's not falling asleep, but he's comfortable and safe. The hand over her stomach gently tightens into her clothing on the other side; just enough that he has a comfortable grip. Francis leans into her hand with a small pleased sigh. He doesn't mind her nails either, nor how she works his hair.

His eyes open and he stares up at her for a long moment. He's a little stunned, before he breaks into a goofy smile.

"You-- really want me to come with? Iris, I'd love to." He nods firmly. "Thank you. I'll talk to the board. Pitch it as a-... cultural exchange, whatever the hell will get them to give me the time off."

He watches her stumble over the words and think, so he prompts her cheekily;

"Cute? Handsome? Adorable?" He nudges her gently as he pecks her cheek.

Iris flips onto her back again. Her arms are getting a little sore.

"Nuh uh, sure, the legendary wolves helped, but that's their job, they're built for it. So is Leon, I suppose. It's their job to protect the region. You did that voluntarily. I bet most people wouldn't even know what to do in that situation."

She gets it, naturally. High stress situations tend to really take it out of someone - warping one's perception of events and such, but she will admit to respecting the ability to maintain a semblance of calm through all that bullshittery. It took her years to learn how to maintain her poise under stress. A hand comes down to tentatively pet the side of his face- brushing short hair away from his face as carefully as she can. Maybe she should trim her nails a bit.

"Speaking of, I need to drop by home for a week or so, sort out some stupid arse family drama again. Come with?"

Iris giggles softly, barely audible. "I know I'm a bit of a strange woman, but I'm not going to harm something so..." She's trying to find the correct word in Galarian. Give her a sec

[thegalarianchamp]

Francis grumbles playfully and swats her lightly with a shy smile. Not because she's wrong; but because she's right and it isn't something he'd really considered before. He shoots her a playful smile and nestles back into the crook of her arm. She certainly does make him feel safe, and he has no intentions of being a burden to her - or adding to her worries.

"To be fair, I had a lot of help." He muses. "Leon, and the two Legendary wolves..."

He didn't remember everything that had happened in that final confrontation. It was a blur of chaos and fear, but he remembered enough about it.

He catches the glint in her eyes and his shade of red only deepens. He doesn't even know why. Its just something about her. He nods gently. "I do. I mean-- to a degree. Maybe not quite as much as you, but honestly? Yeah I feel the same back. Still, I could easily believe you having something your blood."

He did. Its enough to make Francis huff gently before he grins. "I know you don't, I promise. I've seen how you've been with me so far. And I really like it. Being - claimed? I guess?"

"Charmer." She supposes that's what she gets for underestimating him, really. He's been through some shit too- with that whole rose affair a while back. She knows he can handle himself in a battle, but she wants to make sure he can handle himself physically too. Just in case.

She has to be careful with the people she holds dear to her heart. she's felt far too much grief - her own and that of others - to handle any more being added. Iris half smiles, soft, and warm.

"Mhm! You're strong, in a different way. Managed to get Eternatus in a Pokeball and all. I don't need to worry about you too much."

She's always going to worry - but there's a audible pleased little rumble that escapes her as she allows her throat to be touched, thumb passing over her voice box - her jugular too; one of the more... vulnerable aspects of her existence. Mm. She does kinda want to kiss him now. She'll shelve that for later.

"It's a work in progress, as is everything! No need to rush anything-" Heh. He's really gone red now. There's a odd glint in her eyes for a few seconds, but it passes. "You get it, don't you? That weird... protective urge. Then again, there's that weird blood myth back home, probably explains the lizard urges."

"Mhm. I like knowing that - and I promise you it goes both ways. I don't half-arse that kinda thing."

[thegalarianchamp]

He's careful with her braid - only winding the very end gently around his finger. He'd call it a stim, but it isn't quite that either. Its a comfort though.

"I don't think that part of you will ever truly go away. All I can try and do is-- I suppose, remind you someone loves you and is there for you." He smiles. "Besides, being wary sort of comes with training Dragon types. If you aren't wary, you end up hurt."

He doesn't consider her broken. She's just a product of what she's been through, the way he is. He shakes his head.

"No. If I'm in danger with you, I'd be in danger without you. Besides, I'd rather be with you than not - no matter the risks. I handled Rose, I can handle worse with you by my side." He grins. Cheesy? Absolutely, but he means it. He reaches up to cup her chin and gently run his thumb over the scar on her throat.

She'd never told him, but he wasn't stupid. He's poked and he snickers.

"I'm not! I promise, I'm not. I know you'd be honest with me if you thought I was at my peak." He shakes his head slowly, and she can see the lights flick on at her next statement. If he wasn't blushing before, he is now. "Lizard brain makes sense. Dragons and all. Besides, that part of you isn't wrong. I am yours."

Iris doesn't normally allow her hair to be touched - but he's a exception, she supposes, allowing her man to handle a long, purple braid with care. She trusts this strange man now in the crook of her arm with her life, without a second thought.

It wouldn't even be hard for her to kill him right now - the permanently wary part of her brain tells her how she could do it - minimal effort, minimal cleanup - but she silences it.

"mia suno kaj steloj ~ I'll give you that much. Some part of me is still wary though. Always will be, I suppose, what with how I work. Aren't you worried that hanging around me could put you in danger?"

There's been attempts on her life - he probably knows that much, can see the evidence at her throat and right shoulder. She doesn't want to think about how she'd deal with... it if anything happens.

"Don't discount yourself, yet. I think you're capable of greatness too. It's in there somewhere-" she pokes at his chest, dead centre "- I can see it in your heart."

A muffled laugh. "The split tongue was more of a... personal thing. Hurt like all fuck, but it's worth it. I suppose the rest is just like... Dunno, lizard brained, I guess. Arkē thinks so."

[thegalarianchamp]

Francis laughs a little as he stuns her. He gets it - and no, maybe she isn't a traditionally good person, but she did what she felt she had to do. How could he ever judge that? There was some part of him, however small, that wished he'd have the courage to do that to Rose.

But above all, she was a person. More than a Champion, or a Dragon Tamer, or any of it. You took the bad with the good or you got none of it.

"You've never given me any reason not to trust." He points out gently as she lapses into silence. He takes the time, when she finally rolls back up, to flop down and press himself gently into the crook of her arm so she's leaning over him now.

Cozy.

"Oh, I know that. But I don't think I could do half of what you do. Maybe not ever. You've got muscles on muscles." He teases playfully with a smile, his eyes flicking to her tongue for a moment. "-- You know, so much of you is like a Dragon. I know that sounds silly, but I think thats sort of part of it. Knowing everything you could do, but you don't."

He reaches up gently to lightly twirl a strand of her hair around his forefinger.

"Unmh."

Ah, you got her, she doesn't know how to respond properly - "Ye-ah.." She's got blood on her hands - he knows that. She's definitely the farthest thing from a good person, and sometimes she's not entirely sure how she got here or why he wastes his time on her. "Aah, you got me there. That's my weak spot, trust."

She flops onto her back with a soft whuff, staring blankly at the ceiling for a few minutes. Then she sits up abruptly, and sticks her tongue out at Francis in turn, wiggling both halves.

"Don't discount yourself, you're getting a bit physically stronger than before. Sides, I'm not as delicate as I look."

[thegalarianchamp]

Francis huffs playfully and smirks, lopsided.

"You just have that effect. Also you manhandled me like a doll." He sticks his tongue out playfully and met her gaze. He loved her eyes. Frankly, he loved everything about her. He shakes his head as he props himself up.

"I never worry about that. Never have." He smiles a little. "I trust you, Iris."

He pokes her nose gently instead in retaliation for the swipe, laughing as he exhales.

"And I'd never hurt you either."

It was true. He didn't have to affirm it beyond his actions, because he never would.

"You're blushing again -" Iris isn't, for once. She seems, for the first time in ages, comfortable with this proximity. She's close enough to smell the shampoo in his hair, listening to the quiet breathing as he recovers from being plonked onto the ground like a Meowth one's been carrying too long.

She's half tempted to reach out and poke his nose - but she's lying on one of her hands, and needs the other to maybe pop upright. There's something... warm sparking to life in those cold, dull eyes of hers. Her free left hand comes up to playfully swat his shoulder

"I'm only gentle when I trust someone not to hurt me - and I really don't want to hurt you. Kinda anxious about that, actually - but I'll sequester that information away for later, that you can take a hit."

[thegalarianchamp]

Francis doesn't quite know where to put his glasses, so onto the floor they go. His eyes widen slightly as she scoops him up like he weighs nothing (and his cheeks are pink) before he's shoved (well, half-carried) down onto the floor. He grunts slightly from the impact, but it doesn't hurt.

He laughs softly as she comes down with him, rolling onto his side with a grin, almost nose-to-nose.

"Very. Y'really gentle, when you want to be." He murmurs with a playful smile and a warm grin. "You don't have to be though. I'm more durable than I look, after all."

He purses his lips and fumbles for his glasses, fitting them back on.

"... But I appreciate it, all the same."

Iris grins widely at that - it's all teeth, somewhere between a threat and some secret third thing. She doesn't mind manhandling people, but this is her goddamned boyfriend - and she actually likes likes this one.

"Put your glasses somewhere that's not, like, on your body. I'm going to pick you up around the middle-" She's speaking everything through as she does it, movements swift, but evidently careful - "Lift -" She appears to grunt a little in the effort

"-And as I lean forwards, I'm going to drop-slash push you onto your back carefully-

Iris was surprisingly careful with that - barely any force in the push, landing on her side with a thump. She just sorta lays there for a bit, though. Vibing. Floor time.

"You good?"

[thegalarianchamp]

Francis grins a little sheepishly at that.

"Yeah, I know. Just. Not something I've ever asked for, before? Like you said, I'm not usually the type-"

Usually being the key word there. Having a partner who could throw him through a wall was a different matter though.

He pauses and takes his glasses off, just in case, and tucks them away.

"But, I mean. You know."

She might not know. Maybe she did. He grins playfully again.

"You just gotta ask, you know? I don't mind indulging you"

Iris steps back, stretching upwards - arms folding across the back of her head, tensing briefly as she loosens the muscles in her shoulders, before tugging her vest back down to over her navel.

"Ten if you don't move. The floor in here's soft enough for me to throw you well enough-" She's ignoring that little compliment for now. "You don't strike me as the kinda guy who likes getting thrown around, eh?"

[thegalarianchamp]

He pauses, and squints at her. He's thinking it over. His brain is really working.

"Maybe I want you to get me on the ground, Iris."

He folds his arms and grins playfully. Did he? I mean, he was very curious at how fast she could flatten him. Which was honestly probably very quickly.

"But duh, course you could. Look at you. You're built like a brick house." He nods approvingly, the playful smile never leaving him.

"I think I deserve at least 30 seconds maximum. :3"

-- Francis ofc >:D

@thegalarianchamp

Hand on hip.

"You know I could get you on the ground in fifteen seconds, right?"

He is taller than her...

"Maybe twenty, accounting for the extra height. That and I don't want to hurt you."

[thegalarianchamp]

I don't have much for Francis right now if I'm honest.

He's fairly vanilla and his experience is limited so he hasn't found his likes and dislikes.

[thegalarianchamp]

"To be honest? Goomy are probably the easiest Dragon Pokemon I've experienced raising, besides maybe Applin. They're cute as buttons too! All they really need is moisture and some food and they fine. They're so small they can fit in both palms, and they don't have the same acidic mucus as Sliggoo do. Still slimy, just not the same sort of slimy."

Is he a fan? He absolutely is.

"Everyone thinks Dragons are just-- you know, big and scary. But then you have Goomy, Applin, or even Noibat that only eat fruits and berries. There's so much variety there!"

He trails off and grins. "I'd love to meet the rest of your team sometime."

Francis notices her looking, but he doesn't ask about her scars for now. He feels like that'd be rude. He nods a little and smiles.

"Yeah, definately. Heat packs were a lifesaver for me for the few months after. I don't really have issues with my shoulder anymore; the fact it popped out of place was more because of how hard I hit the wall than anything else. Nobodies fault, I just wasn't being too carefu."

The Champion pauses for a long moment - perhaps to where Iris is worried how he might react. Instead he gently gets over and moves closer to her, sitting down and - carefully, if allowed - offering her a hug.

"No, I- I get it. I really do. If I was in your shoes? I couldn't have let that go either." He replies firmly with a smile. "I don't think you did anything wrong, Iris. If anything - I think if people knew, they'd thank you. Even not to your face."

Did he really not mind? The truth was, no, he really didn't. Ghetsis had been a tyrant and had succeeded in killing people.

"I'd totally get a Goomy but I already own... uh... far too many Pokémon as is, so I-" Ohhhh she is just the cutest- apologies, this is likely going to be all she's capable of thinking for a bit. "gotta be careful getting more. Technically I own more Joltik than my dragons, actually." She shrugs, briefly settling in to watch the Pokémon eat. Such a dignified little lady "You should meet Duracell and Archie, if you like my names so much"

Iris catches him looking at the scars on her arm - he can probably see the one across her jaw and décolletage - the fresher one across her throat...but she's really not best inclined to explain that unprompted.

"My sister had a dislocation a year back-" Wrong phrasing. So sue her, she's sleepy, and Galarian is hard for her to keep up. "She said that those - you know-" She makes a vague sort of squashing gesture with her hands

"Heat packs with the grains in helped with the soreness. It can do some lasting damage to the muscles in your shoulders, you know? We don't want you getting hurt."

She goes quiet for a minute when Francis asks her. There is something... distant in her eyes for a few minutes as she mulls it over. When she finally speaks there's something... unsettled in her voice. Almost... scared.

"I... yes. Ghe- Ghetsis had been basically left free in Unova - you know he couldn't be trusted." She looks down at her lap briefly. She's... not afraid of the consequences of her actions, really. It's moreso the judgment of the few people she actually gives a damn about.

"Three hundred and forty one lives isn't just something one can overlook, I guess."

[thegalarianchamp]

"Don't worry. Wyndon's big enough that there's plenty of out-of-the-way spots. Plus, nobody will recognise either of us in a crowd. I don't really run around in my full gear unless I'm working, as you can tell."

He waves a hand up and down himself - casual fit! Jeans and a teeshirt.

"And true, but it was still cool." He grins playfully but nods. "Your dress is beautiful, though. Its not like anything I've seen before."

Francis stretches for a moment as he thinks. "Yeah, that's what I thought too. As Champion I have sponsorships for pretty much every brand that isn't on one of the Gym Leaders. I even managed to get one from Spikemuth, which was cool. They need all the help they can after what Rose pulled on them."

He watches as she fishes around in her purse, watching as various heads and other items poke out (he bites back a laugh. That was cute) before he shakes his head. "I could have, but I wanted to ask in person. Felt way less creepy, you know?" He rubs the back of his head before nodding.

"Yeah, mine is too. It'd be great to actually have a friend who gets it."

Iris visibly softens a touch at that, smoothing out her skirts a little. If Francis had meant her harm he's had ample opportunity to hurt her - even if he doesn't exactly look physically strong enough to injure her. She can never be too careful.

"Sure thing. I don't really know the area well, so I'll have to bother you to show me around."

She's... been around Circhester a bit, but it's far too cold there for her. Shs just gets a cab to Wyndon any time she needs to be in the region for work.

"Oh, I'm twenty, bit old to be wearing children's clothes. This-" She gestures at her dress - hand embroidered light yellow cotton "-is a Tuniko - not really the same, but it's Andiilan." Hmm... "A coat is, honestly, better than that... cape Leon wore. You can actually make the patches look cool. Adds a personal touch."

Her ears pinken once more at that last comment. To this day she doesn't get why people sometimes refer to her as a "Princess" or "Queen". She doesn't say anything about it, though. She doesn't seem to mind either.

"Yeah, sure, I'd like that. You have my details, right? Outta the database? Or do you want 'em?" She spends most of her time in Unova... but she has started visiting home more often. Iris wouldn't mind visiting Galar more often. Marshall keeps saying she needs more... friends? anyway. Her hands dig around in her bag for a bit - keys, Archeops, Joltik... Ah. She pulls her phone out. "My sleep schedule is absolute garbage, so you can call me whenever. I'll pick up."

[thegalarianchamp]

"Right?" He sighs dramatically. "I love her and I can't even safely pet her without gloves. Life's cruel."

"Oooo." Tiana hums, inching forward. He nudges the remaining tray of meat in her direction to let her devour it as she wanted as he turns back to Iris, eyes tracing her scars. She'd been through a lot but that didn't really surprise him.

"Yeah, I-- admit I haven't been too badly banged up. A few bites from Ghidorah when he was a Deino, a few acid burns from little miss here, and I got accidentally hip-checked by Susie once and ended up with a dislocated shoulder."

He is curious about said Pokemon, but that will come later. He nods slowly and exhales. He takes a long moment to look at her face, to judge her expression, before he asks;

"Did you uh-- help deal with it? I don't think anyone can blame you if you did. Not if they're smart."

He lets the question and statement hang for a moment before he cracks a grin. "I love your names. Most of mine aren't too terribly picky either, but-- god, yeah. Fossil 'mons needing specialist care is a big chunk of my salary. Susie's leg is something I keep an eye on, but so far beyond her being a bit stiff when she wakes up and after battles, she's been fine for over a decade now. Evolving certainly helped strengthen her legs."

"Oh - she's so cute.... It's got to be some sort of divine test that the cutest Pokémon are inherently dangerous, like this little baby-" Another fit of semi-coherent cooing

"And the Hydreigon line - but I haven't really had issues with Baby-Girl injury in..." Iris tugs up the left sleeve of her dress past her elbow, and, amongst the myriad network of scars covering her body, inspects a small, suspiciously bite shaped one near her bicep. "Recent history. I've been bitten by quite a lot of creatures, though. Mostly my dumbass kitten, and the ominous shadow entity. I've survived some pretty wild stuff, as is apparently common amongst Dragon specialists like us"

Iris seems to almost smirk a little on that last one. She's not elaborating on what any of those Pokémon are, actually.

Hmmm... now that she's looking at him, he does have a nice smile. She's not going to bring it up, though.

"I... you probably know what went down in Unova when they froze Opelucid City under ice - but I saw people commit... actual horrors on a whole city for ..." She pauses, for a minute. It feels like the words are sticking in her throat, gooey "... I dunno, fucking sport. And the system let them get away with it, too. The League had to deal with it themselves."

"Yeah, Honda Civic is also super picky with his food... He's a bit of a diva, really. Archeops doesn't care though. He'll eat literally everything and anything. Including a whole fridge magnet one time, which was a expensive vet bill"

[thegalarianchamp]

Rhaenyra Targaryen and Vermithor

HOUSE OF THE DRAGON — "The Red Sowing" 2.07

[thegalarianchamp]

"Yeah! Charizard are popular here, so there's still a lot of potential for a plush like that. They just want to re-use it, I guess." He hums. "But he still has some backlogged stuff on sale, I think. We could go grab you some later, if you'd like?"

A smile then and a nod. "Yeah. No cape, though. I just have a jacket with all of them on. They wanted me to wear something that wasn't my uniform and I refused a cape outright because I didn't want to just copy Leon, you know? I'm being nudged into doing commercials and shit like that but I've only agreed to one or two. Mostly for products related to Dragons, for ease."

He needed to check up on that, actually. He grins at the fire in her eyes. "You should. That'd be really cool. It cuts down a lot on the number of challengers I need to face, though I suppose you could argue its limiting for the wider set of gym challengers. You have one shot to get all the way to the top. Still... no clue how I did it." He grumbles before he nods, enthusiastically.

"Honestly? I'd love to see one made for you now. I always thought it looked so damn cool. You know, like you were a "dragon queen" and all." He grins before nodding. "Well-- I mean, that's good? Like, the fact you won't be forced into anything."

Another pause as he feeds a meat cube, and uses that time to wind in his brain.

"I'd really like that, Iris. If you wouldn't mind? I'd love to learn more about your region. Maybe we could-- I dunno, go grab a soda or something sometime. I know a load of places that'd give us privacy and not get us swarmed by the news."

Oh, she's got to get her hands on those.... She needs more tasteful decoration for her flat so it maybe stops looking like she lives in a garage with curtains instead of walls.

"Damn, they really just straight cut Leon out? Alder still has however little merch he had back before I became Champion. Mostly with his moth, but he's still there."

And still incredibly beloved, she'll have him know.

"Oh, they make you wear all those sponsor tags as well? I thought it was just Leon. I just get designers and companies sending me stuff outright." She hasn't actually bought any skincare or athletic wear for literal years. "Oh, yeah I really like the tournament style here - I might use it for inspiration the next time I'm doing the PWT. Do it like a boss rush or something."

There's something genuinely bright in her eyes as she talks about battling and battle culture like it's the most interesting thing in the world. A very excited nod - and then a look of faint surprise.

"Oh, that old thing, it doesn't fit anymore. I should really donate it, but it's a really good knabina-robo and I'm kinda sentimental."

"Yeah, ahem, no offence taken,-" She raises her hands in deference "- it is pretty damn weird. My sister's marriage was technically arranged, but she was already with the guy anyway so she didn't mind at all. I think my mum's given up on the rest of us, thankfully." She shrugs, as if this is at all normal.

Another pause

"I wouldn't mind teaching you?"