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