determinator | ♕ NINTH COMMAND | ACTION [OLIVINE CITY]

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♕ NINTH COMMAND | ACTION [OLIVINE CITY] | FOURTH WALL

[If you happen to be exploring Olivine City today, you may run into Archer. That's really not all that unusual - contrary to popular belief, he does spend some time outdoors (some being the key word there) - but what's striking about it is... well, the insane number of cats following him.]

Where did you all even come from...?

[They're all the little cats rather than the larger ones. That means there's a herd of wild Meowth, Glameow, Skitty, Shinx, and Purrloin following Archer around. He loves cats, sure, but this is a bit much!]

[...He may or may not have started carrying around one of those Purrloin though. It's only because he doesn't have one, it's not like he actually likes it or anything...!!]

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...No, I suppose there isn't.

[For the time being, the only thing he can really do is make this count for something.]

[...So let him go back to awkwardly hugging on you. He's not sure what to say; he knows he needs to say something about how he's feeling but... but he doesn't want to ruin things right now.]

[This is all so horribly awkward. orz]

[Kimbley allows the hugging-on, going back to playing with Archer's hair in silence; he's usually perfectly content to ignore the awkwardness in favor of simply not dealing with it, and for a short while he's fine with it now, too.

At the same time, he can't exactly leave it for too long; it's getting stifling for some reason.]

...you okay?

I'm fine.

[His tone says otherwise, and he knows it. Dammit, he can't lie to you. At the same time, dealing with it is... definitely not something he wants to do.]

...Still a bit bitter, but I'll be fine.

[...You'll buy that, right.]

[...well, yes and no. He'll buy that that might be the issue, but he isn't dropping it.]

You can talk to me; I don't really mind if it's you.

[He knows that's the case; he knows Kimbley doesn't like talking about his own issues, and he assumes Kimbley wouldn't have any interest in anyone else's, so the fact that he's fine with it does say a lot. At the same time, Archer isn't sure how to approach it, or even really want to talk about it right now.]

[But he also knows just how awkward he gets when he doesn't discuss what's on his mind. That will be just as telling.]

...You mean more to me than anyone else, Kimbley.

[...Let's start with that and see how it goes.]

...yeah, you said something like that earlier. The only person you really cared about and all that.

[Archer, seriously...]

[Oh come on, he's going somewhere with this! Just humor him!]

I... good. Good. I just wanted you to know.

[Orrr not. You don't mind if he just awkwards forever, right?]

...which is why you told me that three or four times today.

Come on, Archer. I wasn't born yesterday.

[Has it really been that many times...? orz...]

Yes, well. I'm just making sure you know how important you are. I... really care about you. But I'm sure I've told you that already too.

[This is so frustrating, goddamn.]

...yeah, you have.

[.........]

Look, what are you trying to get me to say here? Because I'm not following you.

I'm not trying to get you to say anything, Kimbley.

[This is going nowhere. If he doesn't say it now, things aren't going to get any better.]

[...That's assuming they don't get a million times worse with this.]

I... look, I've been trying to figure out whether I want to say this or not and... well. There's no avoiding it. I was going to tell you at some point anyway, I might as well get it over with now.

[Deep breath. He can do this.]

Kimbley, what I've been trying to say is that I...

[Oh god, oh man.]

...I care about you more than I've ever cared about anyone else. More than I'll ever care about anyone else. You understand me in a way no one ever has or will and I... really appreciate it. I've been fine here for the most part, but I spend most of my time missing you.

[Hang on, where is it-- Ah! Here you go! He'll just hold out that pocketwatch for you!]

Johto gave me this for Christmas. It's just taunting me now. I haven't let it out of my sight; it's the only thing I have from home to remind me of you and...

[The point, the point is over here, come on, get back on track.]

...I... I love you, alright!?

[There. You can have the most tsun love confession in the world, Kimbley!]

[Kimbley isn't sure what to do when Archer starts in on it; he's a bit relieved at the fact that Archer is actually going to get to the point already, but that quickly vanishes at the sudden...flood of words being thrown at him.

It's obvious that Archer has wanted to say this for a while; that's the only reason he doesn't interrupt. But the statements aren't anything he knows how to handle. They aren't anything he wants to handle. And then Archer is going on about caring and missing him and Kimbley pulls away from him abruptly when he starts looking for that watch, breaking whatever grip Archer may have still had on him in favor of pushing himself up. He doesn't stand up, but he does draw away a bit, sitting up quickly and pressing his back against the headboard of the bed; he stares for a moment, wide-eyed and nervous, at that watch, silver and glinting in Archer's hand and so stupidly familiar - it's definitely his, it's banged up a bit from that battle with Al, it hadn't taken getting caught in that explosion too well - but he doesn't have much time to focus on it before Archer is going on again and...oh.

Just.

Oh.

He hesitates for a moment before he seems to snap back into himself; it isn't long before he's reached out, gripping Archer tightly by the shoulder.]

Stop it.

[He doesn't move to pull Archer closer; instead, he's shaking him a few times. Not violently, just enough to get the point across.]

You're going to stop that right fucking now, you hear me? I've had enough.

[His eyes are blazing; his grip against Archer's shoulder tightens a bit as he continues.]

I get that I'm important to you. That you care, for whatever goddamn reason. Hell, you've always been the only person who cares what happens to me, you think I don't know that? I never cared what happens to me, but you did, and I get that. I don't get why you do, but I know that you do. You don't have to keep telling me; I understand. I've always understood. You never had to say anything to get me to know that. And you said before that you're not trying to replace me, and if you don't want to, then okay. That's your choice, I'm not going to bitch at you or try to force you to change your mind. I think it would be good for you, sure. But I'm not going to force it.

But this...pining shit has to stop.

[He closes his eyes tightly for a moment, swearing quietly under his breath before he continues.]

You're stronger than this, Archer. You...you've always seemed like you can do goddamn anything, if you wanted to. As much as you bitch about how hard shit is, and as much as I tease you for not having a life, you get shit done if it needs to get done. You can't use alchemy, you had to work your whole life for everything you get and you still haven't gotten everything you deserve - but you're blackmailing the fucking Fuhrer! You have control over the most powerful man in the country and you're hanging it over his head; don't you realize how fucking amazing you can be if you actually want to do shit?! I looked up to you for doing shit like that!

[He shakes him again, the motion rough.]

I'm going to come back here the next time everything goes weird in this world, and I'm going ask you what you've done, and believe me, I'll remember to ask -

[...you know...]

...because it'll probably only feel like it's been five minutes since the last time we talked, but that's not the point...

[...herp.]

Anyway - I'm going to ask you what the hell you've done and if you dare tell me that you've spent most of your time missing me and wanting to talk to me and thinking about whether or not you'll ever see me again, so help me I am going to blow your face off because you are so much goddamn better than that. Do you understand?

[Archer isn't sure what to do with any of that. Kimbley looked up to him? Kimbley thought he was capable of anything? Really? That's not the point he's choosing to focus on though.]

Do you really think I haven't done anything here? You know how I am - I have to work. I've been promoted twice within Team Rocket. I've gathered six of the eight Gym Badges. I've raised six Pokémon to the maximum level here, and I'm raising quite a few more.

I couldn't just sit here and do nothing. I've been working, Kimbley.

[Archer flips the pocketwatch open and closed, looking at that rather than Kimbley when he continues.]

Yes, I've missed you. And yes, I've spent some time focusing on that rather than what I can do here. I know I'm capable of more. This isn't something I can just ignore, Kimbley. I can't just shut this off and move on.

[He doesn't want to move on. But he suspects Kimbley doesn't want to hear that.]

...Thank you. I didn't realize you thought so highly of me.

[Archer's voice is soft there, though he's still focusing on the pocketwatch rather than Kimbley. He isn't sure what to do with it. This isn't the same sort of thing he does with Kimblee; this isn't compliments for the sake of ego-stroking. This is genuine and he doesn't know how to handle it. Kimbley - the person he cares the most about - genuinely looks up to him and what the hell does he do with that? What does he do with the fact that he's disappointed him?]

[He finally does glance up, expression firm.]

I have no intention of spending all my time pining. I have things to do here. When you do return, I'll be in charge of Team Rocket. I'll have this damn world kneeling before me. I'll make whoever is in charge here bring you here permanently.

[And then everyone wins! Except Johto.]

[Kimbley's grip loosens a bit as Archer talks; he lets him take his time through all of that, letting him work his way through it rather than trying to demand any sort of answer or direct him to any specific point.

And by the time Archer finishes, Kimbley's grip has shifted a bit, kneading his fingers lightly into Archer's shoulder in a manner that's almost affectionate.]

I know you will.

[His tone is genuine there; he knows you will, Archer.

He laughs a bit after it's out there, but it isn't through any sort of genuine pleasure or amusement; the sound is soft, but cold. This is so fucking stupid.]

Guess you're pretty fucking important to me, too, asshole.

I'm glad to hear that.

[And he is. He's spent months working through all this - if Kimbley could tell him he loved him right away, he'd probably smack him. Seriously, why wouldn't he have said anything back in Amestris? But that's not the point; the point is that Kimbley does care.]

[Archer's expression is much softer than usual, and when he continues, so is his tone.]

I'm sorry for all of this. It would have been much easier not to say anything and to ignore it. I know I would have regretted not saying anything, however.

I can't say I'm too thrilled with you for making me deal with it, no.

[Just the same, he doesn't seem too mad, either.]

But still. Nothing's changed; next time you have something to say to me, don't spend hours going around in circles about it, that's annoying as hell.

[Archer stares for a moment, wide-eyed. Then he laughs. Nothing has changed. Everything's fine. He was worried about nothing.]

I won't. I can tell you anything, after all.

[You don't mind if he latches on again, right? Too late~]

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♕ NINTH COMMAND | ACTION [OLIVINE CITY] | FOURTH WALL

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