Amourshipping : Love, Loss & Loyalty

Envy

Heath bit his lower lip, and tapped his foot, anxiously. His partner Pokemon, Growlithe, whom had far more experience than his new human handler, was in a much calmer state. It kept its head up, and kept surveying the area. Heath did the same, but he could hardly keep a calm composure. Although it was possible that the freezing cold was having an effect on that. He knew it was unseemly for a police officer to give off anything other than cold, calm, self composure, but it wasn't exactly his choice at this point. He was a recent recruit, barely a few months on active service. He had only recently had his previously long hair shaved off to comply with uniform regulations. He was fresh, and anxious to do a good job. 

Although, that was at the bottom of his list of priorities right now. He was focusing on not catching frostbite.

"Freaking eggheads..." He muttered to himself. He had been asked to run security duty for a science team in a warehouse outside Lumious City. In reality, he had been half asleep when the briefing had occurred, so he had no idea why these scientists couldn't do this in some suite with a radiator and a cup of coffee, because such thoughts were no a million miles from his own.

He petted his Growlithe lightly. "Come on, let's take a minute." He said, leading his partner to a nearby bench. From the inside of his best, he procured a flask. Silver and metallic in colour. He opened it, and, to his chagrin, no steam came out, the heat had disappeared. Regardless, he poured some of the coffee inside it into the cup and placed it on the ground. "Growlithe, buddy, you mind?..."

His Growlithe nodded happily, and used a light ember attack, nothing major, essentially like a very hot wave, until the cold liquid gave off steam. Heath smiled, and produced a treat for the fire type. "Thanks bud. Here, your favorite."

He lightly threw it into the air, and his fire breathing partner jumped up, catching it in mid air. It began chewing at it eagerly, much to the humor of Heath. Heath took a large drink of his coffee, feeling the caffeine revitalizing his senses. It was warm. He shuddered. "Thank Arceus for that."

"For what, private?"

Normally, Heath would have snapped to attention. But he recognized the voice. Aside from nearly giving him a heart attack, he was calm about it. "Kazu, dear God, man. You nearly gave me a heart attack."

His sergeant, but above that, his close friend, approached him. Three years his senior, he was much more composed. "Mind if I sit?" 

Heath nodded. "By all means."

His friend sat by him, letting out a grunt as he did so. "Enjoying night shift?"

"Nope." Heath replied immediately. "Hating it. I wouldn't have agreed if Officer Jenny had specifically asked for me."

"She recognizes you've got talent."

"So she's trying to give me frostbite?"

Kazu chuckled and reached into a plastic bag he had been holding. From it, he produced a small bread ball. "Here, eat this."

"A bread ball?" 

Kazu took a bite of his own, seeming to savor the taste. "The brain can function as long as it contains glucose. Bread had glucose. It adds to the bloodstream slower. Trust me, this is gonna keep you awake far longer than any coffee could."

Heath hesitated for a second, but followed his sergeants, his friends, advice. "Thanks, sir." He took a bite. It was freshly made white bread. Although it didn't taste of much without any butter or jelly, he welcomed the chance to eat something filling.

"I'm not your sergeant when we're alone, Heath." Kazu smiled. The warm, friendly smile Heath always saw in his friend. "I've known you since elementary school. We traveled together for a long time. I was there when you met Larian. I saw you off with a smile and beat wishes when you left with her than day. I might have requested your presence in my unit, but that does not give you permission to go formal on me."