seven in heaven [c]

Dmitri was already headed out the hotel and out towards the pokemon center; the only pokemon with him were skorupi and abra, neither of which seemed to care for the idea of a sleepover. He figured they deserved a treat all the same, so he wanted to pick up something nifty for both. *Bzzt. Bzzt.* A text?

Who would it have been other than Usa? He eagerly opened the message, his heart skipping a beat when he saw the display name. Please say yes, please... Dmitri wanted to jump when he read the first few lines; he would be paying a visit after all! Usa also sent a useful map and gave him an adorable nickname. He's too cute, sometimes. The fact Usa felt compelled to explain the nickname made him question why he was the dork.

His reply was short and precise, littered with enthusiasm and adoration for his friend's acceptance. Dmitri pressed send, and continued.

I'm so glad! I'll be there soon, I just left the hotel. Can't wait to see what you're wearing. You're always such a sharp dresser! Consider it a date! C u soon.~

Sent from Dmitri

Dmitri practically sprinted towards the market's entrance, noticing the amount of passersby carrying massive bags of groceries and other goods. Something smells good. He could see Usa ahead, and he waved before catching up. They seemed to arrive at the exact same moment.

"USA!~" Dmitri flung himself towards Usa, arms spread wide and tackling him chest-to chest. Pressing his cheek against Usa's, he gave him a quick, strong hug before pulling away. His eyes slid down and back up again; I need him to start picking my outfits. He noticed Leonidas out of the corner of his eye as he inspected Usa's pants fervently. He did mention Absol on the phone.

"My, aren't you looking tougher every time I see you! Must have been the j- er... training!" He was going to say jerky, but he wasn't sure if feeding Leonidas junk food would offend Usa. Still, he was looking strong, and he deluded himself into believing it was the protein in his diet. Dmitri reached an arm around Usa's back and rested his hand on the opposite shoulder, steering them into the market. "So how've you been since then?"

Dmitri meant the gala, which was alarming when it happened. Since then he'd managed to be more at ease about the tragedy, but would be more vigilant about accepting free invitations. Suddenly his sleepover seemed like it would attract suspicion.

Oh, nobody's going to want to show up after that!

"You don't need to worry about me. Just keep your head held high, and don't bother with worrying." He shook Usa lightly, trying to sound reassuring. In truth the event had been a little overwhelming, but it went down just fine. In fact, there was speculation the event hadn't gone quite nearly as well as planned for Magma. "How about we look around for a candy stand, give ourselves a treat?~" Something to keep him distracted from the gala. It was why he'd been throwing the sleepover, he craved distraction.

He tugged Usa along, conveniently finding a snack stand that had lollipops strung along the side of the posts keeping their sign up. He couldn't read the language it was written in, but he could understand the spoken language. One of the quirks of being foreign. "Two, please." Exchanging coinage with the lollipops, he handed one to Usa and plucked the wrapper off his own. He stuck it in the corner of his mouth, which made him sound funny.

"Do pokemon have desserts? I was hoping to treat them, too. Broski's back at the hotel, taking a bubble bath for the occasion." He chuckled, shuffling the loli from one cheek to the other with a flick of the tongue. Dmitri tried to let Usa point the way, since he wasn't sure what PokeFood looked like still. There were those cubes back at the gala... Everything came back to the gala; it was going to drive him up a wall.

No, no, this isn't right... He'd imagined Usa giving him a disarming smile and laughing happily, but things hardly ever go perfectly as planned. Veering off to the side, he took a moment to box him and Usa into a corner and tried to express himself more clearly. '...I'm gonna worry regardless...'

Yeah. I would, too, even though you're a Ranger...

"Look, Usa." He placed either hand on his opposite's shoulders, bracing them together. "I'm just trying to be tough, like most guys in typical relationships. Put on a face, pretend everything's okay..." Sighing, he dropped his hands to his sides, before bringing them back together and poking his index fingers together repeatedly. His cheeks flushed deep pink just then.

"I just... really want this to work out, y'know? Us. Together..." Dmitri wrapped an arm around to the nape of his neck, rubbing it and grinning. "I'm sorry if I upset you. I just... don't like the thought of you worrying, is all. I'm fine, really." He looked down, wondering if a little heart-to-heart would even get them anywhere. Oh gosh, I'm being such a dork again... Smiling, he looked back up at Usa's face expectantly, a question expressed by his look alone. Can you... Forgive me? Please?

He tried to give Usa a moment to rebuttal, before tugging him along towards the rest of the market. He could listen to him along the way if it was a winded response, and leisurely look for anything the guests might look forward to seeing at the party. I wonder if they have anything from back home here. An authentic homeland dish would be just the sort of thing to give Dmitri some comfort and help bring him and his new friends together for something special. Maybe they'd like pierogies?

He couldn't take how red-faced Usa was getting; it honestly made him embarrassed, too. Instead he'd tug them through the myriad of passages leading around the market. They'd managed to come across a pokemon merchandiser who imparted him with several boxes chock full of pokeblocks of varying berries. They smell like fruity marshmallows. His stomach growled, a reminder that dinner time was rapidly approaching. Oh crud, I need to hurry!

He crunched on his lollipop, something he did unconsciously that usually boded ill for his teeth. But somehow, tonight, it would be to his benefit.

"Hey, Usa, have you ever tried a pierogie before? Do they have those here in Hoenn?" Looking around a pastry and bakery was fruitless; the most they managed to have were donuts, strudels, and other desserts. He was looking for something with a little more sustenance and a different kind of flavor than sugary sweets.

"They're like little folded up pasta shells with stuff inside. You fry 'em up and ta-da, they're ready to eat! ... Do you think anybody might like them?" Dmitri's expression betrayed him with a pout, hoping for a yes even if the answer was no; he guiltily asked them on special order from a baker, who said it may take anywhere from half an hour to a full hour depending on preparation time.

So, nothing to do but sit here with Usa.~ Ashamed he hadn't let the other suggest on any particular groceries, he tried to sound more interested in what Usa had to say. "H-hey..." He wanted to ask him something to solidify why he'd felt the need to bring him along, surely being his lackey and bag-carrier wasn't eventful at all. Usa didn't come here to have his time wasted by some boring dork! But he panicked, and the best he managed to ask Usa was, unfortunately:

"...Are you finished with your lolli?" Flushing pink, he turned away and ducked down, realizing how silly he was being. It felt like being a kindergarten kid all over again, asking stupid things and whatnot. I always get like this around you, Usa... But he invited him regardless, because the feeling was giddy and playful on the inside. Even if Usa called him a dork, it was better than not calling him anything at all. His eyebrows furled as he saw the time on his wristwatch. Need to get back soon.

Well, in his hurry, and the need to alleviate the tension, he did something most wouldn't have done. Sitting up he flashed his teeth and bit at the lollipop's exposed handle, encasing it in his mouth. His lips eased down and slowly wriggled their way closer to Usa's own. Dmitri blushed so hotly his face seemed like it may melt, but seeing Usa this close... he pressed forward that final segment... and kissed him gently, almost a teasing gesture.

Leaning into Usa, he chuckled softly. "I like the way your cheeks go rosey when I'm with you, so please don't look away..." Hopefully Usa could learn to relax around him, he was finally starting to feel at ease and himself after all. Maybe he's just not used to public displays of affection? It was common to him, but not for Usa evidently. I didn't mean to...

"Ah well, it looks like I've gone and embarrassed you again. I'm sorry." He rubbed his hand along Usa's right side, pulling him closer tenderly. We're almost done here... Food, snacks, including assorted edibles for the pokemon. Guess that leaves entertainment? Dmitri doubted they would be happily received with anything less than a few party games or movies to stave off sleep for the first few hours. "Hey, should I buy a movie? For the sleepover, I mean." Horror? Comedy? Action?! Many questions, but little time.

"And maybe some games?" He paused, staring at Usa quizzically when he suddenly realized: I've never thrown a sleepover before. This is going to be disastrous. He always was a worry-wart, Dmitri. Pressing himself against Usa was a healthy distraction though, and he relished in the warmth.

Dmitri leaned against Usa's shoulder when he felt the other grasp his hand so firmly. He's such a cutesy, I can hardly stand being this close without putting my paws all over him... "Fine then, I won't apologize." But he restrained himself and gave a wry grin at the mention of scary movies for couples to cuddle during. "Eager to move on to cuddling so soon, are we?" He pressed himself closer to Usa, leeching his heat before Usa absconded from him. Where is he going...? Dmitri jumped to his feet briskly, just a few short steps behind Usa.

Dmitri didn't mind tailing him, it was practically a reward in itself, watching Usa frolicking towards another store. Dmitri's eyes were wandering far, and he quickly found himself daydreaming when he bumped into Usa, who'd stopped abruptly before Dmitri could've realized. "Whoopsie!"

"Cards sound fun, we can play Poker or Kalos Hold 'Em." He crept up behind Usa and scooting towards the blond, laced a hand around the small of his back. When he said hold 'em, apparently he'd meant it quite literally. Dmitri craned his neck around, looking for a movie rack. "Hmmm..."

"Child's Play or Babadook?" There was a shanty collection of movies labeled lazily with notepads, with barely a selection to speak of. But there were more than enough horror movies lining the shelf.

That's when he looked at the clock and realized they were running behind. Oh crap! He'd been losing track of time the more he peered into what made Usa, well... Usa. He grabbed the latter movie in a hurry before placing them at the clerk's hands.

"I should've brought Pancham around to help carry some of these things..." *Huff* *Pant* He was beginning to feel over-encumbered by the sheer amount of shopping he was doing. "We still have to go back for the baker's shop, too..."

I'm not going to make it... *Huff* *Huff* *Pant* *Pant* Dmitri's face flushed a vibrant shade of cherry red, worse than Usa's blushing, from his exertion. Food, more food, the movies, and some party drinks all weighed down on his lithe physique, crippling the rate at which he could walk to a sluggish crawl. "H-help... I'm going to...!"

Stumbling forward he crashed into Usa, bringing them both tumbling down with Dmitri pressing into Usa with such force he lost his breath. He winced at the sound of his groceries clambering across the ground, but even so he struggled to breathe, making some of the most embarrassing sounds as his diaphragm adjusted. He could feel Usa's warmth against his body, and for the first time Dmitri was genuinely embarrassed in front of Usa. He buried his face against Usa's tummy, struggling to cope with the situation. You idiot, idiot, idiot! Aaagh! Dmitri teared up refusing to look at Usa, baffled by this sudden case of severe clumsiness.

"A-are you okay?" His words were muffled, his lips buried in Usa's clothes. He peeked, a single eye leering guiltily at Usa, hoping to find anything but angry eyes returning a cold stare against him.