#emmett and freya thread.

[inkshadow]

he'll forego the eye roll this time, appreciating the amount of effort she's put into the bit. it's strange to be watched like this since dogs were usually very forthcoming with how they feel about you. most of the time, the reactions are a guaranteed positive so there's never work to be done. this on the other hand... "i think i have every reason to lean into the nerd angle hard. when have you given me reason not to?" his brows lift ever so slightly in anticipation of her answer. "gasp - really, freya? and i wasn't supposed to assume you were being forward when you asked me over? i don't believe that one bit. and you can't say you brought me over purely for toby's benefit," simply because he's not really budged since perching on the arm of her couch.

she leans in closer as if to double check, pausing just long enough to allow a brief moment of doubt to settle into his mind before shrugging dismissively. “hm. no, i think you’re good.” toby seems to remain on the fence for the time being, tail flicking in concentration while he continues to assess the stranger. the fact that he hasn’t run away yet is a good sign, but he can take as long as he likes to decide where he stands. this is his home after all. “okay, for the record, i’ve never passed out in a pile of books. you’re really leaning hard into the nerd angle here.” she has fallen asleep once or twice while studying late at night, but she would argue that’s not quite the same thing. plus, telling him as much would only work against her anyway. “oh, don’t worry about that. i mean, you can obviously leave whenever you want, but i wouldn’t have invited you if i wanted you gone within the first ten minutes.” 

[honeyhour]

@inkshadow

“be honest, do you think the rat look suits me?” donned in grey with furry ears that will never see the light of day again settled atop her head, freya knows she could quite possibly win an award for the dumbest costume in the room, but nobody would be able to tell with the way she turns on the spot to give him a full view of the ensemble. honestly, she doesn’t hate it. “i’m open to criticism.”

[inkshadow]

"i don't know that it's intentional, i think it just varies. or maybe it's after a certain number of arguments. the reason for leaving is never the same." in the past, it has ranged from the conversations were too boring to holy shit, this person's a klepto. with freya, throwing in the towel would surely land somewhere in between. "i really wouldn't worry about it too much. i find that the more you think about it, the more like it'll happen. just like how convinced you are that your cat won't like me better than he likes you." tossing over onto his back, emmett shimmies himself further down the duvet, his eyes heavy from the day and the side of his face beginning to throb again. "it'll be the biggest gamble of the century. let's get some rest, freya. it's been a long day."

“hm, i see... so we might have to add ‘intentionally evasive’ to your list of growing character traits, but that’s fine. i guess i’ll find out sooner rather than later.” if he’s going to lose interest in trying to build any sort of relationship here, it sounds like it’ll happen quickly enough. freya is a rather hopeful person at heart, but even she can’t say with confidence what side they’ll end up on. “i haven’t really. it’s been a while since he’s had any new visitors.” with friends both past and present, he’s merely tolerated them being around, but never preferred. though if she was ever going to be so tragically humbled, it would be just her luck for it to happen with emmett. “it might hurt my feelings a little, but if he can turn you into more of a cat guy, i could count it as a win.”

[inkshadow]

"you tell me, you're the one who's been with me all night." given there had been no complaints, he was either in the clear or she really was just that polite. emmett tries not to turn his head in the direction of her staring cat too much; something about not really giving them any attention that makes them coming back for more. a similar trait shared with some of the women he's been with. "why not? just because it's probably fairer to think of you passing out in a pile of books?" he snickers gently, still very aware of toby precariously gargoyling beside him. "yup, doing fine. not really trying hard like you mentioned and i figured that it's probably better that i turn my attention to the hostess of the night anyway. i promise i won't stay too long. just long enough to see if toby feels any which way about me."

“you thought he would puke? you don’t smell that bad, do you?” ah, what a warm welcome that would be. there isn’t much insisting that they just need some proper time to bond that she could really do after that and emmett seems apprehensive enough as it is. toby isn’t exactly helping matters either, jumping up onto the arm of the couch to perch and just… staring. she can’t blame him; he must be curious as to why there’s suddenly a stranger inside his home. “thanks. i didn’t know you thought of me as cozy.” finally removing the ears that had begun to squeeze at her head, she falls back into the soft cushioning of the couch with a sigh. thank god she had the foresight to tidy up a little this morning, though a few books still remain atop the coffee table. “you doing okay? i can’t tell if you’re uncomfortable because of me or the cat.”

[inkshadow]

"who said anything about trying too hard?" emmett retorts in a scoff, a poor attempt at hiding his nerves. it's just a cat. so what if he doesn't like him? wouldn't be the end of the world for two people just trying to make it in life as friends. at the sight of the orange furball, emmett does freeze up a bit, swallowing thickly as he enters her home. he's a much larger human than freya; maybe the little guy wasn't prepared for such a tall, unfamiliar beast to enter his home. "he didn't puke or run away after he sniffed me. that's a good sign, right?" as much nonchalance as emmett wants to exude, there's a tiny part of him that actually wants this to work out. a stamp of approval from the most difficult of house pets is pretty sound reassurance for him. sliding out of his shoes, he shuts the door behind him and ventures towards the couch, taking a seat as casually at the end as possible. "nice place. cozy. pretty fitting for you."

the introvert is definitely tired already and freya is quieter on the way home as a result, only making idle chatter that doesn’t require her to think too hard. she did have fun tonight, she wasn’t lying about that, but it’s an undeniable relief when her apartment building comes into view and there’s some extra pep added to her step as she leads him upstairs. “remember, just be calm. cats hate it when you try too hard.” already, the sound of the key in the lock has summoned a series of meows from the other side and when she pushes open the door, she gasps like it’s the very first time she’s ever laid eyes on the orange kitty. “hi, bud. wow, you’re talkative tonight.” allowing the mandatory sniff inspection to happen, she inclines her head towards the couch to invite emmett further inside. “you can go ahead and make yourself at home. no need to be shy.”

[inkshadow]

"wow, how did i get to be so lucky?" she can take that however she liked but emmett can safely say that he can only really relax like this with a handful of people. perhaps even less than what he can count with one hand. "oh come on, that's not really fair. also, why would i ever tell you that to your face? i feel like that all depends on how many facts you throw at me." the latter isn't serious, of course, but the truth of the matter is that he really can't gauge that just yet. earlier tonight, he expected the argument to blow this whole thing up; now they're talking like old friends. it's probably to be expected that their friendship swings back and forth like a pendulum. "you think? sounds like you haven't had the opportunity to test that assumption... not saying it wouldn't be fucked up but it's totally possible."

“i don’t know if i would say you’re small brained, but if you want me to take it easy on you, i can do that. consider me a very generous tutor.” if he’s brave enough to let the human equivalent of a jukebox loose — once you put a dime in her, you have no choice but to let the whole song play out — the least she can do in return is try not to overload him with information. “okay, and what about people? how long have i got before you decide whether or not i’m worth the effort?” it’s said teasingly, though there’s an underlying hint of curiosity that stubbornly seeps through before it’s cut short by another quick swat of the hand aimed his way. “hey, you don’t know that. i could surprise you.” hell, she even surprised herself tonight. “oh, uh. i mean, i guess that’s possible, but he’s smart and would never bite the hand that feeds him… i think. honestly, that would be pretty fucked up.”

[inkshadow]

"alright, that sounds good to me. just because i feel like i need to be eased into these sorts of things, you know. i'm pretty small brained so you can't bring out the big guns all at once." it's pretty transparent amongst all parties that emmett won't be able to keep up as well as some of her other friends can. a thoughtful hum rests at the base of his throat at her question, the male truly stumped for a hot minute. "depends on what i'm giving up for? with cats, probably won't be long..." especially since cats tended to take their precious time when making lifelong decisions. his eyes roll and emmett is sure to give her a good pinch of her nose. "i know that. this isn't going to be a recurring thing with you." not because he didn't enjoy it but because he assumes that's not really a healthy thing for their 'budding friendship'. "oh mhmm, right. so the cat decides. and what if he ends up liking me more than he likes you?"

“fine, i’ll reel it in a little... we can set a time limit and if i’m still talking after fifteen minutes, you can tell me to shut the fuck up or something.” that seems fair enough. best to restrain herself or risk driving him away on the first outing. “impatient and likes to be needed, that’s a fun combination. how long does it usually take before you’re throwing in the towel?” she tends to be the opposite, giving people multiple chances despite how undeserving they might be... which honestly, might be even worse. surely there has to be some middle ground somewhere. “to hang out. that’s what budding friends are supposed to do, isn’t it?” turning on her side to face him, she sighs heavily. “if he doesn’t like you then i guess i can just never associate with you again. i know it sounds bad, but he’s been with me a lot longer so i’m sure you understand.” 

[inkshadow]

❝ okay you've gone too far. i said i'd listen but that's not to the point where you start ignoring things around you. ❞ since they plan on attending a halloween event, there may not be a plethora of opportunities to spout encyclopedia facts. ❝ fact number twenty about me? i'm not a super patient guy. i'm sure the cat might feel like it has all the time in the world to judge me but that doesn't guarantee i'll be sticking around for it. also don't know how to feel about being a 'target'. there's really not a better name for that? ❞ because it's starting to make him like cats less. ❝ freya, are you asking me to come over? really forward of you but... if you really want to run some weird experiment on me with tobey maguire, guess i can't really say not to that. and what if he doesn't like me? ❞

“yeah? sounds to me like you’re a potential nerd in the making. i’ll be converting you to the dark side before you know it.” he could very well end up regretting this decision (if they trigger a topic freya is particularly passionate about, she could easily talk for hours) but if he’s willing to listen, she’d be a fool to say no. she doesn't always get the opportunity to let loose like that. “they will eventually in their own way, you just have to be patient. plus, they actually seem to prefer people who don’t like them that much, so… being aloof might actually do you some favours. you’re basically the perfect target.” nobody can play hard to get quite like a cat and no matter if you love them or hate them, it’s certainly admirable. “if i say yes, will that make you more inclined to give him a chance? he’s a good judge of character.”

[inkshadow]

❝ you know, it might be nice to have a nerd to walk around with and stuff. you can just tell me random facts and it'll break any sort of stereotype that people might have about us. ❞ not to say that physical appearances will accomplish the deed but even the thought has him rather... excited. it's been a while since he's had different types of conversations outside of those in his usual friend group, and anyone with a brain could probably guess all they talk about. ❝ and what if they don't end up liking you ever? cats don't warm up to everyone and how depressing would it be to have a cat that just never comes around? ❞ his entire frame turns on its side to properly face her. ❝ how? that would only prove my point. toby and freya... what a duo. named after toby mcguire probably? ❞

“i know and even if you were, it’d be fine. trust me, i’ve embraced it by now. you can call me a nerd until your heart's content.” she has no qualms with being a walking encyclopedia on stuff that most people would never concern themselves with a day in their lives and has always been painfully aware of the inevitable ‘nerd’ status it gives her. she’s long since learned to be proud of it. “okay… i understand that, but wouldn’t that just make it more satisfying when you finally do win them over in the end?” who could really blame cats for choosing to size someone up before deciding whether or not to bestow their trust? honestly, they might be onto something there. “yeah, i do. his name is toby and while it does take him a little while to warm up to someone new, i think he would take offence at this.”

[inkshadow]

❝ wow, look at that — she's so brave. no need for the sassy lip but i'm proud of you all the same. ❞ if only because he got what he wanted. ❝ hey, i wasn't trying to make fun or anything. just calling it how i see it, ❞ and there was nothing more obvious than that. still, it provided them with good conversation and certainly gave him better insight into what she liked and found interesting. he mulled over the question a bit, sliding an arm up higher in the bed and tucking hand beneath his head. ❝ hmm... i guess because i'm the type of guy that prefers to be needed? and dogs generally need you a lot more than cats do. easier to win them over too. plus, a firefighter with a cat? we know the shit they get up to. ❞ his brows furrow slightly and he turns his head just enough to toss her quizzical look. ❝ why is that? you... have a cat or something? ❞

“yeah, that’s totally it. it’s a good thing we’re under the covers right now or else you’d see me shaking with fear.” the idea makes her eyes roll yet again and out of a sheer need to prove him wrong, she shifts closer. it vaguely occurs to her that she’s doing exactly what he wants, but the stubbornness is much too great to worry about that. “oh no, someone called me a nerd! this is definitely the first time in my life that’s ever happened. i may never recover.” if she allowed something like that hurt her feelings, she would have become miserable a very long time ago. it’s better just to laugh it off. “you’re not? why?” freya grew up around both and would gladly bring a dog into her home too if she wasn’t so busy with finishing school. right now, it wouldn’t feel fair. “oh well… guess that means you won’t be invited over anytime soon.”

[inkshadow]

❝ i think you're just scared of me. think i'm gonna fart on you in my sleep or something? we're adults, come on. ❞ emmett's scooted over enough, he thinks. if she finds a need to move any closer to him throughout the night then she knows where to meet him. ❝ good for the ecosystem? we're talking about the fluffy bandits that... eat trash right? you're telling me they're nature's recycling bin or something? ❞ bees, he can understand. but raccoons? not really. ❝ god, you're a nerd. researching raccoon facts in your spare time. ❞ or that's what he assumes. nobody is born as a leading subject matter expert on the topic. ❝ guess that means we need to find some sanctuary for you or something. what? no! i like dogs. not really a cat person. ❞

“yeah, i’d say so.” she’s pretty stuck in her ways at this point, for better or worse, but there’s always hope that things will get easier in the future. maybe once she finishes school and she no longer has reason to be quite so stressed, her brain will ease up a little. or maybe that’s just wishful thinking. “well, no, not exactly… but i was just giving you space! sue me.” okay, so freya is slightly rusty when it comes to this type of thing, but all things considered, she’d argue she’s handling it pretty damn well… current awkwardness notwithstanding. “they’re good for the ecosystem and smarter than they’re given credit for. like, way smarter than the average pet.” although that’s no surprise. one look at her cat would tell anyone there isn’t much going on upstairs. “plus, like i said, super cute. please don’t tell me you’re not an animal guy, i don’t want to lose any respect for you.”

[inkshadow]

❝ overthinking can be a bad thing. i don't think that's something you should make a habit of but... probably too late, huh? ❞ though not so far into the dark side that she's thought otherwise about tonight. seeing her so far away gives him pause, flickering his gaze from her down to the chasm between them and back up. ❝ you, uh... alright over there? do i have cooties or something? or, let me guess, you've not stayed at a guy's house in a year either? ❞ the last bit was a good decision on her part but given the recent activity, he didn't think there was much left to the imagination anymore. ❝ of course you think raccoons are cute. tell me why they're misunderstood, ❞ emmett requests as his body scooches closer to her.

“did i really? i thought pretty much all i did tonight was call you an idiot and make you roll your eyes a bunch.” that’s not super uncommon when they’re together, so with the benefit of hindsight, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that they’re yet to broach even the ‘friends’ label. at least now, they’re closer to that milestone than they’ve ever been. “calling them consequences makes it sound like it’s a bad thing, but i hear you.” taking a moment to regain what little modesty remains, she swiftly pulls her underwear back up before joining him under the covers. in typical freya fashion, she leaves a respectable gap between the two of them just in case. “you know what? i actually think raccoons are kinda cute, so i’m choosing to take that as a compliment instead. they’re very misunderstood little creatures.”

[inkshadow]

❝ don't think you're getting off on a technicality. ❞ in the grand scheme of things, it really didn't matter but when will emmett ever just let her off easy? or anyone, for that matter? ❝ of course i enjoy praise. you gave me plenty of it tonight and you probably didn't even know it. i think that's enough for the both of us though. the last thing i need to do in the morning is clean up gunk off of my bedroom walls because ours heads inflated a bit too much. ❞ his laughter strikes the moment she does, emmett rolling himself away to get up out of bed briefly enough to turn the lights off. it'll also allow the cover of night to help her right herself, since he practically left her to her own defenses post-orgasm. ❝ i think we got here because i told you to relax - no, you're right. that's exactly how we got here. well now you know what the consequences are if you continue to overreact. ❞ sliding himself under the covers, he pats the spot next to him and huffs out another chuckle. ❝ yes, that's exactly what i called you. little trash panda. that's what they do! ❞

“hey, i said i don’t expect it from you, not that you’d be bad at it. there’s a difference.” it’s just about one of the easiest things for someone to do and it would be borderline insulting if she assumed he wasn’t capable. still doesn’t mean she’s going to force it though. “don’t act like you don’t enjoy praise — everyone does. i wouldn’t say i search for it, but i’m not necessarily going to turn it down either… so go ahead, keep talking about how great you think i am.” she gently swats at his arm, though even at full strength, she doubts it would make very much of an impact. “in my defence, i think i tend to sound hesitant. i’m a big overthinker, remember? that’s how we got here.” she merely shrugs before his next remark is catching her off guard and pulling a baffled laugh from her lips instead. “i’m sorry, am i a dirty raccoon to you now? is that what you just said to me?” 

[inkshadow]

❝ you don't? that's a shame. i'm a damn good cuddler. ❞ he's always ran a little warm and his larger frame makes it easy for just about anyone to feel safe. maybe down the line since he's not exactly eager to jump into that just yet. ❝ are you sure? mmm sounds to me like you've been searching for validation. just a little bit. ❞ head turns again to flash a goofy look at her, sticking his tongue out a brief moment to really cap it off. ❝ you sound hesitant. i can also make breakfast or whatever the fuck you want. i was just opening up the conversation, to be honest. ❞ his short huff of laughter fills the room a moment, head shaking at the little quip he's just thought of himself. ❝ ah yes. dirty little raccoons tend to be pretty quiet when prowling around, right? ❞

“ah, that’s okay. i don’t expect you to, like... cuddle or anything.” he doesn’t typically give her that impression and even if he did get the sudden notion to be a big spoon (hell, or little) for someone, she’s sure he would seek it elsewhere. “see, that’s what i thought. don’t get me wrong, it’s not like i strive to impress you or anything, but i won’t lie and say i’m not a little proud of earning that praise… and to think all it took was wiping up your blood every now and then.” most of the time, she’s sure emmett would be fully capable of dealing whatever injuries he's acquired himself, yet he still humours her and her unnecessary concern. maybe she’s less impressive and more convenient. “sure… i can do that.” there’s a first time for everything, right? besides, she’d really prefer not to head home alone so late at night. “i’ll sneak so well, it’ll be like i was never here.”

[inkshadow]

❝ eh, five minutes before should be okay. i can usually pop in and out of whatever i'm doing. i don't know that you can expect aftercare every time though. ❞ and really, it's probably healthier that aftercare doesn't become a habit of sorts. ❝ i believe that. ❞ his voice is soft as he searches her face, watching the way her expressions morphed from time to time. his guard is completely down, having just had his fun and the effects of medicine starting to kick in. knowing that it's all temporary and it'll go right back to normal come morning, he's willing to lean into it for a little while longer. ❝ i'm not, you'd really have to work for it. i think with how often you've cleaned me up though... the praise comes easy. ❞ emmett pauses, turning his head to look up at the ceiling of his bedroom. ❝ did you wanna stay the night and sneak out in the morning or? ❞

“sure thing. how far in advance should i let you know? i need to make sure you can pencil me into your busy schedule.” no matter how appealing the ideal sounds, freya can only imagine how awkward it would be to interrupt while he’s already with someone else or off getting into a fight somewhere. right now, those are just about the only pastimes of his that she’s aware of. “oh, don’t worry, i know. if there’s at least one thing i can say with confidence, it’s that i’m good at what i do. my bedside manner is impeccable.” she has a smile of her own now, hand almost moving of its own accord to cradle his jawline. “y'know, that feels like pretty high praise coming from you. something tells me you’re not easily impressed.”

[inkshadow]

❝ probably but hey, if you never want to go a year without again... you know where to find me. ❞ he's sure that freya was intelligent enough to parse through the fact that his offer is genuine, hardly bothered by the concept of friends with benefits since he's hardly the type to catch feelings from something as transactional as sex. ❝ oh it is but you know where the bar is raised? the fact that you can probably bring me back to life. not a lot of people can do that, you know. ❞ and if there's anyone in the world who can, it'd be her. he turns to face her, donning a soft simper as his eyes move from hers down to her lips. before he realizes it, he's leaning in to kiss her again. ❝ thanks. i trust you. ❞

“oh yeah, i know. partially my fault, i guess. i haven’t really dedicated any time to changing it.” she had no intentions of ever making it his problem either, but he doesn’t seem all that bothered by it. it was his idea, after all. “not letting you die is your idea of romance? wow. i gotta admit, your bar sounds real low.” and coming from freya, that’s pretty damn rich. “well, it would be very ageist of me to turn you down just because of that, wouldn’t it? besides, since i’m used to dealing with all those eighty year olds, a ten year difference doesn't seem like such a big deal… i’ll just have to keep a close eye on you. you're in safe hands.”