outofsynth | IC Contact (victory

[Strut might see it as genuine, but Vogue doesn't and he and Ryan share a quiet look from across the room. That's enough for Vogue to decide this isn't his problem and that it's more important to figure out how to get up on the counters while no one is paying attention to him.]

I am super glad I'm with you. Both things can be true, y'know. Maybe I'm happy you drive me insane.

[Min drives him crazy and he wouldn't have it any other way. If one person is going to consistently make Ryan feel like he's losing his mind, like his heart's going to flutter out of his chest, it's going to be Min-Gi.]

[Min has to divert some of his attention over to Strut to reassure her, but it's not enough to put him off joking around with Ryan completely.]

Okay, that is weird. No wonder I couldn't win against you.

[That's not really true. Ryan drives him crazy all the time, but he'd never change that about him. He wouldn't be Ryan if he didn't, and Min already knows how much better his life is with him in it.]

[Neither would Ryan. Today's been concrete evidence of just how much Ryan wants and maybe even needs Min around, but he would never want to change anything about him ever.]

What can I say? I set a very high and very weird bar.

[He laughs, content to be the weird champion, and reaches over to give Strut some pets too. Double attention for the baby!]

[Strut seems immediately content to accept that everything is okay, and doesn't complain about getting double the attention.]

You do, but that's why I love you.

[He hasn't said it since the Torchic thing blew up online, but it's true and with Ryan feeling more vulnerable today it seems like a good time to remind him. He looks vaguely awkward about saying it, but not uncomfortable.]

[It's not the first time Min's said he loves him, but it blindsides him anyway. Because really, it's more than "I love you" - it's "this is why I love you" A blush spreads across his face in an instant and he's at a loss for words. For a second he forgets to breathe.]

I-I love you too! [Wait. Too enthusiastic. Fuck.] ...I love you too.

[And naturally, before anyone can dissect that weird response, there's a knock at the door. Pizza, thankfully delivered by human hands.]

[His cheeks go pink at Ryan's response. Min still has to wonder if maybe it's too weird a thing to say, but he seems more surprised than uncomfortable with it. And he did say it back.

Thankfully neither of them have much time to dwell on it before the pizza arrives. He jumps, instinctively scooting back like he's been caught out at the knock on the door. Although he was the one who ordered it takes him a moment to realise who it must be. He deposits Strut on Ryan's lap, standing stiffly and moving to grab his wallet from where he left it before he answers the door.]

I'll get it.

[It doesn't take long to sort out. He just has to pay and tip for delivery, and he'd already known how much he'd need for that. He returns with a box and a carrier bag with their Sprite and fries. This is where there might be a problem. Strut's standing tall (or at least as tall as she can), and her eyes are wide as she eyes up the box.]

You just ate. Can't you let us have our turn?

[The entire time Min-Gi's gone, Ryan has his face buried in his hands and he's just letting his face steam in there while Strut nudges him. As soon as he hears the door shut he drops his hands so Min doesn't have reason to worry - he just really, really needed a second there.

Plus, Strut is a good distraction. Ryan can't help laughing at the very dramatic reaction.]

Hang on, I got it--

[He dips into the bag with the fries and pulls one out for her to see. Look at that! A french fry! You want the fry??? He flicks his wrist toward the other side of the room, and Strut leaps off and goes running--!

...And Ryan opens his hand, revealing to Min that the fry is still there. He pops it in his mouth, and went Strut inevitably returns Ryan has his legs pulled up so she can't sit on him. Sorry Strut, it's their dinner time now.]

[Min-Gi does not look amused by the Skitty's antics. He's not surprised, but he is disappointed. He's opens his mouth to tell Ryan off about feeding a cat fries when he seems to indulge her, but he opens up his hand again before he gets chance and that has Min laughing as he sits back down.

Strut wails loudly as she returns, unable to get up onto either of them since Min has the box on his lap. She calls out for support from Vogue. Surely the humans couldn't resist both of them?

For now her pleas for food fall on deaf ears as Min passes Ryan his fries then opens the box, tilting it towards Ryan to offer him a slice.]

It looks just like Hawaiian.

[Despite it being Ryan's pick, Min sounds genuinely fascinated by this.]

[Vogue's mrow in return is very "meh". He would normally beg, but he can smell the sharp pineapple and he doesn't want any of that, thank you.

While everyone else has been busy with emotions and whatnot, Vogue has been being sneaky looking in cupboards in the kitchenette. There isn't a lot there since their stay is temporary, but surely the treats are somewhere...

Ryan is not paying him any attention anyway. He just stares at the slice in his hand.]

Woah. It totally does...

[Without examining it further (since it came from a human restaurant and not a random psychic pokémon) Ryan impulsively takes a bite. Once he swallows, he happily reports--]

Tastes like it too! That's so weird...

[A good sort of weird though, one that Ryan is enjoying.]

[Strut yowls louder still at Vogue's betrayal. Why won't anyone help this poor, starving feline? She hasn't caught onto Vogue's more subtle tactic, still thinking she needs to rely on humans to give her tasty things.

His instincts are on point though. No matter how short the stay, Min-Gi likes to unpack and put things they'll likely need in their proper place. Treats are an essential when you have Pokémon as spoiled as theirs. The treats are in there... Somewhere.

Min's barely picked up his own slice by the time Ryan's already tucking in, and he pauses to glance at him as he reacts.]

Yeah?

[He raises an eyebrow, then takes a bite himself.]

Huh. It does. It's weird how many things are like that here. Like... you'd think it'd be way more different, right? Even with the same foods there'd be some different way they'd figured out how to make it. But this is just a Hawaiian.

[This is something Ryan absolutely can't do when he's traveling, and another reason he's lucky to have Min with him. When left to his own devices he lives out of whatever bag he packed for the occasion, or just leaves most of his stuff in the van. If he unpacks and puts anything away, it's almost guaranteed to be forgotten about come check-out time. There's absolutely no putting anything away for safe keeping because as soon as it's shut in an unfamiliar drawer, it's gone. His sense of object permanence disappears.]

Right! Like it's one thing to just happen to come up with the same combinations, but they literally named it Aloha-n Pizza. That's Hawaiian, man! How would they even know to call this kind of pizza that if there isn't a Hawaii here?

[Maybe because it's Alolan and not Aloha-n, but it's still pretty damn close so the point...almost stands?]

Alolan.

[Min mostly agrees, but he is nothing if not pedantic.]

I think it's meant to be sort of like Hawaii? But does that mean there's somewhere like Canada here? Or was it invented somewhere else?

Okay, okay, but it sounds like Aloha. It'd be like if there was a Canada place here and it was just called Eh?

[Ryan laughs at his own dumb joke so hard that it doesn't actually make any noise.]

Wait, wait, no. We show up somewhere and they're like-- they're like, "We sell poutine from the far-off region of Sorey-eh!"

[Min laughs at Ryan more than the joke, shaking his head and groaning audibly when Ryan decides the name the Canadian region Sorey-eh.]

Dude, if someone tries to sell us poutine from somewhere called Sorey-eh we are not trying it.

I am so trying it! You can't stop me!

[Wait. Wait. Hang on, he has to amend this after the events of today.]

I am trying it as long as it's not being delivered by a weird psychic pokémon.

[Better?]

Fine. But don't come complaining to me when it turns out inferior to the real deal.

[Really, he'd be on it in a second no matter how bad the region name may end up being. Alolan pizza is fine, so he has no reason to think poutine would be any different.]

[It's still early in the day, and the initial panic of being red and blue stained gem people has already lost some of its novelty. A check-in on their Pokégears reveals that it is apparently one of those weekends, and that's enough to reassure Ryan that whatever this is, it isn't permanent.

There are all sorts of little odd things about it, like how his gem somehow feels like it's the entire center of his being or how his boots and shirt and such feel like they're basically painted onto him. His whole body is an unnatural reddish-pink and somehow he feels really light, impossibly so - like all of his mass is inside his gem.

Red Jade. He doesn't know why he knows that's what it is, but he knows it instinctively.

At the moment, they're hanging out at their place in Vermillion. They have a wedding to play in a couple of days, so it made the most sense to stay local until they have to take the ferry and get some practice in. This turn of events is unbelievably distracting though, and naturally they haven't gotten a ton done. Ryan's pacing around, trying to distract himself with the task at hand - finalizing their contributions to the collaborative set list. Vogue is making a game of following his steps.]

Hmmm...you think White Wedding's too on the nose to use?

[Is it on the nose or is it actually just a lyrically bad pick for a wedding? Who's to say?]

[Strut follows after Vogue, nipping at his tail to try and get some of the attention she's clearly being deprived of. Min-Gi is the only one that's static. He's hardly moved since he set up his synth, not enjoying how utterly unlike himself he looks and feels. He doesn't like the glimpses of blue he keeps catching, or that his clothes are somehow a part of him, or the feel of fabric on fabric(?) from the pants he's put on over just so he doesn't feel quite so naked.

He looks up at Ryan's suggestion, perplexed and maybe a little offended on the couple's behalf.]

No way, man. Just because a song's got wedding in the title that doesn't mean you can sing it at one.

[Not that he's coming up with anything at the moment.]

[Ryan kind of expected this answer to some degree, but he's grinning anyway. Min set him up perfectly.]

But Miiiiin, it's a--

[Then he dips his voice low, probably a little too Ridge Irvine sand paper and not enough Billy Idol, but the joke still stands.]

♪ --nice day for a~ white weddingggg
It's a~ nice day to~ start agaaaaain ♪

[He can't keep it going much more than that though, because he's starting to laugh too much. Vogue has turned his attention directly to Strut from all of the tail nipping, but she should look out-- he's low to the ground, butt wiggling in the air, and clearly plotting to pounce.]

But fine, fiiiine. Any other ideas?

Shut up. That isn't even what Billy Idol sounds like.

[He still isn't really looking at Ryan, but his irritation is clearly put on and there's a hint of a smile tugging at his lips as he tries to suppress a snigger. He has to stop and think before he can give any answers though. It's surprisingly hard to think up a good song for a wedding. There are no shortage of love songs, but none of them feel right. They're too cheesy, or too sad, or don't fit what (admittedly little) he knows about them as a couple. He taps out a few absent notes on the keyboard, trying to think up a real suggestion.

Strut, meanwhile, is just happy that someone is paying her attention. She either doesn't know or doesn't care that she's about to be pounced on, crouching before Vogue to mimic his pose.]

How about...

[He doesn't sound totally sure of whatever he's about to suggest, but after a short deliberation he starts to play out the intro to a song.]

♪ How can I convince you
What you see is real?
Who am I to blame you
For doubting what you feel...? ♪

[He trails off, looking over at Ryan for his thoughts. He figures it's a better option than White Wedding if nothing else.]

[Ryan sways a little, as if he's feeling out the music to try and remember it, but once the lyrics hit his face lights up. That's a good one! Instead of saying as much he just joins in, taking the second half of the verse for himself.]

♪ I was always reachin'
You were just a girl I knew
I took for granted
The friend I had in you ♪

[He stops pacing, instead moving toward Min-Gi and his synth. There's no planning - he knows intuitively that they'll come together for the chorus in harmony.]

♪ I was living for a dreaaaaam
Loving for a momeeeeent
Taking on theeee woooorld
That was just myyyy styyyle ♪

[It really was, wasn't it? He knows all the words, but Ryan hasn't thought about this song in a long time. It feels so much different than it did in high school, after everything they've been through.

His attention is on Min and his song choice, and unfortunately not at all on their cat pokémon. Almost on cue, Vogue takes for granted the friend he has in Strut and leaps into a tackle, sending both cats tumbling across the floor.]

[He can tell before Ryan even joins in his has his approval. It gives him the confidence to keep playing, letting Ryan take over the words for a moment before they come together for the chorus.

It hadn't occurred to him when he'd thought of it just how easily this song could apply to them if the lyrics weren't so blatantly romantic, but hearing the words from Ryan's own mouth has his cheeks heating up a little. He's not sure how he can take looking into Ryan's eyes while actually singing about looking into his eyes, but thankfully the thud and quickly following yowl as Vogue tackles Strut spares him that dilemma. He stops playing abruptly, standing up quicker than he means to to investigate the commotion.

Strut is fine, despite all her dramatic wailing. Min-Gi, on the other hand, still isn't used to his new centre of gravity and has to steady himself.]

Strut! Can't you see we're trying to work?

[Because honestly? She might be underneath, but he has a strong feeling she's probably the instigator here.]

[Min doesn't have to steady himself long. Ryan sees what's happening and he's instantly there, hands out to catch Min by his shoulders so he doesn't stumble.]

It's fine; they're just play-- Vogue! No! Cut it out!

[Vogue had spent a few pretending he wasn't the problem child, but Ryan's caught him red-handed with his mouth open, ready to sneakily nip one of Strut's big ol' ears. He pouts, slowly shuts his mouth, and then lays down to sulk about not being allowed to have any fun ever.]

...Maybe they have a point though? Not the biting thing, but. Maybe we could use a break?

[He reaches to take Min's hand, as though lightly holding and swinging it a little will really convince him that it should be break time now and not work time. A totally compelling argument.]

[Strut has already forgotten how much of a fuss she'd been kicking up apparently, and flops her stubby little self right onto Vogue's back with a contented mewl. He might not be happy, but she sure is.]

Do we have time for a break? This isn't just some gig.

[Not that he doesn't also take their gigs seriously, no matter how big or small the venue. Ryan does too. He knows that. It's just hard not to want something to focus on that isn't their current situation. He isn't going to feel comfortable until they're back to being themselves, but playing music has helped. At least a little.]

We can take a short one?

[That feels easier to sell Min on than just saying that yes, they have time, don't worry about it.]

It'll help recharge us so we can remember more wedding songs from home that don't suck.

[A beat, and then he realizes how that must sound.]

Yours is great though! You're amazing! I never would've thought of it in a million years.

[Without thinking about the implications of his actions at all, Ryan takes Min's other hand. He's just caught up in his own moment, being a little goofy with the dramatics of the next lines of the song.]

♪ When I look into your eeeeeeeyes
I can see forever~! ♪

[And he does look at Min, bright and hopeful and a truly stupid shade of red, trying to will him to join in and keep the song going.]

IC Contact (victory_road)

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Fusion!!! (4th Wall, May 19th)

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