Fieldwork | No Bee no Buzz

NO BEE NO BUZZ

Combee have been in rapid decline with the rising heat - the poor bees have been found dead around dried hives. Combee are vital to our ecosystem so we need to do something! Put on your beekeeper suits and help put up Combee Hives that are better insulated against the sudden rising temperatures.
Word Count: 2207

Honestly Xavier never quite knew how he got talked into this kind of shit. One moment he was relaxing at home, listening to some random podcast or music with one of their many pokemon on him, today it had just been Pochy curled on his stomach, satisfied to rest with his trainer's partner and it had been an almost perfect day as rain came down gently on their windows. He was so content, so comfortable, then Emilio had come home babbling about Combees - Combees?? Xavier only distantly listened with his eyes closed, lots of "Hmms" and "Ahhs." as he tapped on Pochy's soft head in time to a beat he was listening too. Whatever it was, Emilio seemed concerned, yet enthusiastic that Xavier seemed to be agreeing so much and so easily. His mind was wandering to dinner plans when suddenly Emilio clapped his hands together, startling the taller man out of his daze to actually listen blearily. A simple "So it's settled then!" and before he knew what was happening, he was driving them down to a random spot where, apparently, Combees where dying off in large amounts. When he had come too and instantly disagreed, Xavier had made a face. Apparently "I wasn't actually listening." and "What's the point of helping out?" and "I don't even like Honey." weren't good answers and after more cold stares he had grumpily gotten his shoes on and gotten in their car. 

 

He genuinely adored the man but holy shit how was this any way to spend a beautifully chilly rainy Saturday? He pulled out a drive through where he had gotten them both drinks. He handed the smaller man his hazlenut iced cappucino, not bothering to tease him over the cold drink as his, too, was iced. He had just chosen to get the same thing with way too many extra shots of expresso to stave off the yawning of having to drive through this lovely weather to go take pictures of Bees in these big ridiculous suits Emilio had shown him, proud of having gotten them sized. He tapped his claws on the steering wheel with a sigh, focusing hard on getting out of the grovehart traffic and slowly succeeding. "...I'm not one to judge you, you know this." Okay, that was a lie, he did so often, usually to his face. "But why? Just why do we need pictures of the bugs? Couldn't we google it, ask other bee keepers-- Why do you want bees??" He asked, a bit more exasperated as they pulled closer to the destination. "What if the vespiqueen attacks us? What if the bees all attack us?" He continued, grumbling. "I was comfortable. I adore you but you have a very different view on 'fun weekend activities', my guy." He sighed finally, pulling the car off to the side of the road into some overgrown grass near where Emilio had reported seeing the struggling hives. He looked over at the man as he turned off his car, folding both arms over the wheel to rest his head on and stare at the man, cheek pressed to the sleeve of his coat. He chose to stop his incessant rambling realizing that he was being a bit too bratty about the whole thing. He let out a long huff and grabbed his coffee to sip it and simply waited for a response or for Xavier to lead the way.

 

The fact it was raining felt like a gift to Emilio. The Combee hives have been facing difficulties due to the rising temperatures lately- that's the very reason that they were needed to go out and help now actually so to see that there was rain was nothing but a relief. Although it did make him wonder a little as to how they would put up the new hives. Today was the last day of one of the new hive intiatives for wild Combee's and supposedly all the supplies were there. They just needed help getting it up. His fingers tapped on the edge of the door as he stared out the window at the passing scenery, sipping on his drink while debating about how they would manage this. Surely they would be able to manage somehow though, and this was the last day to make a good impression on the wild combee hive so they had to take advantage of this!  Even if Xavier didn't see it. Somehow the other man looked like they were being sentenced to death all the way up until they pulled to the location. Wriggling in his seat he set the empty cup down in the car and looked over at Xavier. listening to their complains, and as they grumbled to stare at him he reached forward to gently run his hand across his cheeks. 

 

"Because Combee's are very valuable critters that's why~" he purred as he squished the cheek of the other man. Pulling at it gently. "If we didn't have them then nothing that is alive now would be able to manage, they're vital. You should be thanking them every day of your life city boy! As such, if we can help them we should! Besides." He snickered and leaned in to kiss at the lips of his boyfriend. "If everything goes according to plan we shouldn't get attacked at all, if anything we will win their favor~" 

 

Pulling away from the kiss Emilio crawled his way through the vehicle to go from the front of the car to the back of it where he had the two Bee keeping suits laying. "We'll still need suits of course, just in case. Although I suppose considering the rain they'll probably just stay in the hive..." Tossing one suit forward towards Xavier he quickly began to pull his own on. They were a bright white and looked to be quire ridiculous, but they would be waterproof! That was good for this weather. "Either way! Once things are done they'll favor us and we'll be able to get the best photos and also get free honey- You've never had fresh Honey. Now of course, you don't like honey, you don't want honey, I know I know. BUT!!! but. that's just because you've never had fresh from the hive Honey!" The suit was fully on and Emilio sat up excitedly. "You'll change your mind once you've had fresh honey~"  And with an excited push, the side door was flung open and the brown haired man rolled out into the rain.  The hives that they were going to set up and work on were only about a ten minute walk from where Xavier had parked and with an excited hop he moved to wander in that direction. Not fully waiting to see if his boyfriend was ready or not as he simply assumed that they were keeping up with him. 

 

Xavier huffed and puffed, letting the man stroke and squish his face and just sticking his tongue out for a moment before receiving a kiss and grumpily returning it. If he had a tail it'd be angrily thwapping right about now, but instead all he could do is continue to stare at the man as he rambled about vital creatures, life, how they won't attack, how he's never had fresh honey -- Of course he's had fresh honey. Honey is honey, it tastes the same! He groaned and bonked his head onto the steering wheel, letting it let off a pathetic honk for a while before slumping backwards in his seat as Emilio continued to ramble. Usually he tried to share the smaller man's enthusiasm but sometimes he was reminded he really was a far cry from Emilio's country bumpkin ass - And what a nice ass it was, he couldn't help but think as he crawled to the back seat, sipping his coffee and letting his eyes follow attentively on the only positive thing about this trip, yelping and nearly dropping it when in his distraction a suit as pelted at him. That'd leave a bruise. He groaned louder as he finished his drink, willing the caffeine to work faster as he stared at the ridiculous bulky getup. It was horrible, clunky, bright vivid white so they'd definitely stand out as random psychos dressed up like this in the middle of a rainstorm on the outskirts of the cities. He listened to him continue to ramble as he picked the parts up and tried to figure out how it went on. "Come on, dude, we're going to look like fucking crazy people out here." He groaned, glancing at the passing cars. "Two dumbasses fucking with bees in a raging downpour." He pulled on the bee suit with some extreme difficulty, shoving his key in his pocket before closing the door and zipping up the suit and grudgingly follow.

 

His excitement was cute, endearing even, but being a 'city slicker' as Emilio stated, Xavier never truly came to enjoy the enrichment of manual fucking labor like his partner adored. "I still don't fucking like honey." He grouched, following along and adjusting the suit all the while. "Why am I even here? I don't take good pictures. I am the good picture. Am I just here to pose at the bees until they have no choice but to pack it up and follow us home or did you just bring me along as some twisted form of 'getting me out of the house' like you like to do?" He moved his arm inside of the suit to rub the pokeball of his starter between his fingers. He hoped he wouldn't need him. He rubbed his cheek against the netting of the inside of his hat to itch an scratch and followed along, staring wearily a the hives as they approached. He didn't see any combees, so he crouched to stare at one. They where in shoddy condition, all but falling apart for some of them. He resisted the urge to knock on one of them because honestly, he was still iffy on most smaller bug types! He hated the ones that buzzed near his face and towards him. "What exactly is your goal here?"

 

One day Xavier would understand what was happening here. They hadn't listened to him at the start and still sounded extremely convinced that this was to take pictures- which it wasn't. This was the set up to take pictures safely later. But honestly, if he didn't listen to Emilio before he wouldn't explain the difference and simply let them believe what they believed. He was merely glad that the grumpy man was following after him despite how they didn't want to do so. "I told you my goal earlier!~ But we won't look like crazy people, I promise you. You and I will look like regular lil folks who are hhere because this isn't something that we can't do alone" Why weren't they crazy? Because, despite Xavier's thinking, they also weren't going to be the only ones here. A whole group of people were coming together today to try and put up the new hive and pray that the combee's would move into it after they left. The new hive wasn't being set up here, but to get there, they had to pass by the ruined hives. Emilio gave them a pitying look. Combee hives, despite the publics thoughts, were usually massive. What Xavier was staring at was nothing but a fragment of where large pillars should. It was just the ruins so he hurried himself up to get past. 

 

It was only another minute of walking before he heard the chattering of people, a lot of people and he reached back to grab a hold of Xavier's wrist. "Come on!! I think we might be late." He knew they weren't, but he was still excited and he dragged his unwilling boyfriend behind him as they came to a large clearing. The sight, to Emilio at least, was insane. Large sheets of metal had been carried here and he could see people scattered everywhere, while there were tree's here at one point they had been cleared for building and everything had been prepared. Today was the final day where everything was being put together. Today, was the most important day. 

 

"Hello!! We made it!!" Emilio called out cheerfully and a few heads turned to look at them. 

 

"Ah! You must be Emilio right? And that's Xavier behind you? Glad to see you two made it despite the rain! We gotta get this thing up today. Don't think the hive can last much longer."  A large voice boomed out from among the crowd. Honestly, Emilio didn't know which one was talking. Everyone was wearing the same bulky suits he was so they all looked the same. As such, Emilio merely dragged Xavier with him towards the source of the sound. 

 

"Of course! How could we not? Just tell us what you need and we got it~"  

 

They would get this hive up by the end up the day before night fell and things grew dangerous. Emilio would make sure of it with Xavier by his side.