A Fresh Start by UmiTheUmbreon

Brooke moaned against his mouth while kissing him enthusiastically, locking her arms around his neck and squeezing. “Mhf. Mhm. 'Aee…" She shut her eyes with parted lips.

After a lasting few thrusts, Parker wrapped his arms around her and tugged while pressing their hips, kissing at her mouth while licking at her lips and tracing along the insides of them.

Brooke uttered subtle moans against his kisses with every buck he gave, her back arched.

His grip loosened, and his breaths were heavy. Parker lay on top of her and kissed her multiple times while throbbing inside her.

“That was greatt, babe." She smiled and kissed him back, sighing deeply.

“Mhm." He grinned a little. “Just wish I could make you scream."

“Ah, it's not you, don't worry. Arceus cursed me down there. I guess my looks were enough."

“They are stunning, huh?" He hugged her sides and set his palms on her back.

After recovery snuggles, a mutual shower, popping a contraceptive, and dressing casually for a lazy day, Brooke was back in bed. The sun rested on her skin through the open window with parted curtains.

Parker had run to the Shopping District for pancake mix to make breakfast.

They'd moved to Hau'oli months ago after saving up together from Malie and currently rented a one bedroom home in the far western section of the city. It comprised low-income housing, but they were only just starting out. They even had a small sedan out front in the driveway, which Brooke mainly used to commute to her new job in the commercial district since Parker worked locally.

Her exercise equipment was in the garage; as for furniture, they'd brought Parker's along. Otherwise, their home was bare. Brooke had bought a few framed paintings and plants to hang on the walls and by the windows, but she wanted to decorate more, which they were saving up for next after settling in.

Life was the best it had ever fucking been.

Especially because, well— no Vix.

He still belonged to Parker, and he lived in this very house, but the lycanroc and Brooke hadn't done a thing since Malie. She'd practiced the utmost discipline, even at her lowest, weakest moments when she would absolutely drool over his attempted, sometimes forceful seduction.

But she'd kept herself away, and everything felt twice as better. Brooke had a bigger life in a real city, a decent full-time job, friends she could have her definition of fun with, and a relationship still going strong.

She reached under her pillow and grabbed her phone, got out of bed and stretched her arms over her head, then went to the just-as-sunny living room, which was relatively bigger than Parker's old one.

It was set up similarly, with his couch against the wall and the TV across from it, and the kitchen (also bigger) had a longer marble counter than their last. There was a window in the kitchen and one by the front door with a bland view, which was just the yard and the homes across the street.

Brooke glanced at Vix, who was curled up on one end of the couch with shut eyes. On the floor beside the couch was a large pokébed currently holding Pyro and Luma, who were curled up together and fast asleep.

The duo were now mates and had grown closer than ever over the past several months.

Brooke sat on the couch with a yawn and caught Vix eyeing her from her peripheral, but she didn't look his way. She unlocked her phone and checked her notifications, which she had a few of, mostly texts and Sozi notifications from her friends around Hau'oli.

She opened a text message from a contact named Malia, who was asking if Brooke wanted to hang out later tonight with a heart emote to end it. She sucked her teeth. “Nott really." Today was Brooke's last day off before having to return to work tomorrow.

Malia was essentially the definition of Brooke's past, too, so she'd likely want to go out drinking or something the night before work. Not only was Brooke a different person now, but neither of them worked night shift.

As much fun as Malia was, Brooke replied with a suggestion to reschedule since today was a rest day. She then closed her messages and went to open Sozi but looked aside at Vix. They locked eyes. Briefly.

Brooke had quickly turned away and focused back on her phone, but she hadn't moved her thumb. She'd caught the slightest squint in his eyes, maybe of envy, maybe of possessiveness, of waiting, maybe even one that plotted. Brooke couldn't tell, nor did she care anymore.

He'd tried to pull her back in and had finally quit. That was all that mattered. He knew now; he would never try again.

She looked up after hearing the door unlock. Parker opened it and entered moments later with a bag, and Brooke got up. “What'd you get? There's more than mix in there."

“Uh, just other breakfast stuff," Parker said while shutting the door and shaking off his shoes. “It's pretty nice out there. Was gonna ask if you wanted to go walk or anything."

Brooke slightly pushed out her lips and slumped back on the couch. “You and Malia both. I'm being lazy all day and night, mahalo very much."

“Heard," he said while taking the bag to the kitchen. “That's okay, though. You're cute when you're lazy."

She pinched her brows and eyed him as he passed. “...Who says that? You're such a dork."

“But I'm not lying." He chuckled and set the bag on the floor, taking out the box of mix, eggs and a couple of other items. Parker looked over at her. “You wanna cook with me or are you gonna stay glued to the couch?"

She stretched her legs before standing. “Coming."

After breakfast— now full and just as lazy, Brooke was sprawled on the couch with her head in Parker's lap and Luma curled up on her lower back. All three were watching a random movie on TV while he sifted his fingers through Brooke's hair and massaged her scalp.

Vix had left a while ago, likely isolating in the bedroom.

“This movie is stupid," Brooke mumbled.

“I can switch," Parker said while reaching for the remote.

She shut her eyes. “'M barely watching."

He stopped and chuckled while pressing into her scalp. “Are you falling asleep?" Parker glanced at Luma, who was stuck to the program while grooming her raised and turned forepaw's pads.

“Mhm." She brought her hand and set it on his thigh. “Today was good." She briefly squeezed it.

“We didn't even do much."

“Sex, breakfast, sleep… I'm only high maintenance sometimes." She slightly grinned.

Parker placed his free palm on her upper back. “I fell in love with everything, I'll take care of both, and I'll marry both."

Brooke giggled a little. “Umm, where'd that come from?"

“What?"

“Marriage."

“I don't know… Not fond of the idea?" Parker asked.

Brooke sucked her teeth. “Don't jump to conclusions, but like, are we ready for that?"

He stopped rubbing her head and made a face. “I didn't mean anytime soon. Maybe I shouldn't have brought it up."

“You're good. We can talk after we settle in more." She yawned and ended with a soft groan. “Andd I just remembered I'm forgetting something today."

“What's that?"

“I promised Lulu last night I'd take her to Sweetbread for a sweet malasada today. She's been craving one." Brooke glanced back. “Still wanna get one?"

“Vipi!" Luma replied with a curled grin and a flick of her tails.

Parker grinned at Luma. “Everything she does makes you wanna squeeze her."

“I do." Brooke stretched her legs and rolled her ankles. “What time is it?"

Parker grabbed his phone off the couch's arm and unlocked it. “Nine."

“I'll take her in likee… an hour."

Brooke had on leggings and a thin sky blue and white sweater shirt with a pachirisu holding a lollipop in its mouth.

She grabbed her purse from off the bedroom dresser and hung its strap on her shoulder, then looked back at Luma, who was sitting and licking her tummy. “Up up," Brooke said while approaching Luma and reaching her hands.

Luma sat upright and stood on her hind paws, falling into Brooke's arms, who scooped her up.

Brooke giggled and kissed her nose before cradling her in her arms. "I need to brush your little coat, too. Soon..." She kept a kit in the closet she'd bought in Malie but wanted to buy a quality one at the mall.

Brooke walked Luma into the living room and passed Parker and Vix, who were on opposite ends of the couch. Pyro was napping in his bed.

“Leaving?" Parker asked, eyeing Brooke and Luma.

“Be back in like thirty." She slipped into her shoes and went out the door, breathing in the semi-stuffy warm air.

The neighborhood was as calm as Malie, a straight road spanning west many miles lined with pavement, palms, and residences. The majority of the homes were worn and shabby, but there were ones built a decade ago or sooner.

A few people sat in chairs in their yards or on their porches, some took morning strolls, and a couple of cars drove by, either coming from the Hau'oli strip or driving to it.

Brooke walked across their grassy yard onto the sidewalk as a mild breeze passed, where she set Luma down.

Luma looked up at the trees and power lines swaying against mild breezes that pikipek sat on while pushing her hind legs out behind her in the air. She tensed them to stretch between steps, then padded at Brooke's pace, who walked slowly so Luma could keep up.

The strip was around a ten minute walk from their spot, not long at all, so they didn't have to take the car. Parking was practically impossible on the strip anyway.

Brooke looked aside at the neighbor's house as they passed it, who she and Parker barely knew. The most they exchanged were occasional greetings. The neighbors were another young couple. “You wanna jog and trot, Luma?" She glanced down.

“Vul!" With a swish of her tush and bundle of tails, she sped up to a soft trot and cleared two tiles of sidewalk in mere seconds.

“Waitt!" Brooke giggled and sped up with her so they were side-by-side.

They jogged all the way to the strip, with Brooke having to encourage a panting Luma to keep going multiple times when she'd slow down.

Brooke now held her while strolling a three-times-as-busy sidewalk lined with overbearing and extravagant hotels overlooking the beach. They were minutes from the Shopping District.

Vehicles lined metered curbs, more were on the roads, and thousands of tourists and locals alike occupied the entirety of the strip. Most hung out at the Shopping District, abundant in restaurants, stands, and extortionate souvenir shops.

“Almost there, Luma. I know you're hungry after the exercise," Brooke said while eyeing the District ahead, which people and pokémon flocked from endlessly.

Luma slightly tilted her ear against Brooke's words but was invested in the activity around them, especially as they entered the large tourist hotspot.

It was a straight line of tented businesses and vendors eager to sell, though there were sharp turns leading to more markets and whatnot.

Luma looked down at a variety of pokémon who kept by their owners, from squirtle and fennekin to whimsicott and psyduck.

There were a few without owners as well, such as wild herdier and lillipup that begged for scraps at the tables of packed restaurants and others that wandered, some of which children patted and that ran from said pats— or who got scolded at not to pat.

Teens, couples, and young adults full of smiles and giggles left designer clothing, candy, and accessory stores.

Others bought from food stands filling the air with scented smoke, from fried ice cream and steamed buns to krokorok tails and lickitung tongues.

In minutes, they reached Sweetbread, where Brooke put Luma back down after opening the door that jingled and entering. The store's walls were decorated with mixed paint designs and stands displaying products, mainly malasada-related.

Brooke got in line behind one other person ordering at the counter and stared up at the menu while Luma sat by her. While only sweet malasadas were available, there were several creative desserts containing the bread.

After the person at the counter received their baggie and walked out, an older, chubby brown-haired woman wearing an apron beckoned Brooke over with a smile.

“Aloha, great to see you and your little one again!" the woman said as Brooke approached.

“'Ae, I promised Luma a malasada today." Brooke grinned. “Can I have one of them and the malasundae too?"

“Of course!" The woman rang it up. “Five hundred."

Brooke pulled exact cash out of her purse and handed it to the woman. Brooke looked back as the bell above the door jingled and saw two customers enter.

“Mahalo," the woman said. “We'll have it out right away. We've just made a fresh batch."

“Thank you!" Brooke stepped aside from the register with Luma to wait.

A male cashier shortly replaced the woman and took the next customer's order.

The bell jingled again; Brooke glanced back at a sylveon and a big alolan ninetales entering the shop, alongside a boy and a female teen with blonde hair and pink highlights.

Brooke still couldn't wait for that to be Luma. She'd be the prettiest snowy ninetales ever.

She pulled her phone out while waiting and leaned on the counter, checking Malia's response, which was her moving the date to tomorrow night after work. “Eh." Brooke would bring it up on shift.

In a matter of minutes, another employee came from the back and handed Brooke a rolled up baggie, which she thanked them for and turned to exit. “C'mon, Luma."

Luma followed but stopped before the ninetales as she passed, slightly opening her mouth while staring up at them.

The ninetales stared down at them with a grin. “Nine," they greeted.

“Luma, come on!" Brooke called while looking back. She was halfway out the door, holding it open.

Luma shot her eyes between Brooke and the ninetales before trotting off after Brooke, although she took glances back at the ninetales.

Brooke let the door close after Luma walked out and kneeled to scoop her up in one arm. “That'll be you one day, Luma. Can you believe that?"

Luma stared back at the store slowly fading into the distance as Brooke walked them in the opposite direction— then she sniffed at the baggie in Brooke's hand.

She giggled, squeezing around a large group who stood at a stand. “We'll munch soon. Gotta dash this sundae home before it melts."

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