There is a sound at the front door, the purposeful rap of knuckles against wood. Its unfamiliar given her lack of social interaction.

With a huff, the woman's three Lycanroc rise from their pile up in the living room to approach the door. Deep inhales are the only greeting that Theo will receive at first.

Then there is a pause.

And then the latches unlock and Emma slowly opens the door.

THEO BECKETT

[attr="class","beck"]weird, heavy sniffs greet him behind the door and at first he contemplates kicking it down again. thankfully, it soon unlocks and opens.

no smile graces his lips this time.

"can i come in?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Emma Wolfe

He isn't smiling, but she didn't expect him to. In fact, she prefers it this way. But somehow it still hurts to see it.

"I take it you'll come in anyway."

She opens the door further and the dogs leave to resettle in another room. The man isn't a stranger, so it isn't any of their concern.

The only one who remains watchful is Hades.

THEO BECKETT

[attr="class","beck"]"yeah."

he steps past her and approaches the tank, ignoring whatever pokemon she has lying about the house. the only one that really has his focus is the familiar skrelp, who he greets with a small wave.

placing the bag he's been carrying onto the ground, he pulls out a bunch of seaweed and starts lowering them into the tank.

"you've been avoiding me."

[attr="class","noodles"]Emma Wolfe

She steps aside to allow him inside and takes the time to close the door. She lingers there a moment, stilling the discomfort in her chest.

Skrelp wiggles in excitement at the sight of the familiar man, and it only grows at the sight of the seaweed he brings.

Emma approaches from behind, but keeps her distance and watches him without the same warmth she once had. Its forced, however.

"I've been busy."

THEO BECKETT

[attr="class","beck"]"so have i."

it's just the very nature of their profession. but if he could find the time to reach out to her, why couldn't she do the same?

he knows why; he just doesn't want it to be true.

his hands sift through the water, moving the seaweed around to better spots.

"why?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Emma Wolfe

She watches him, gaze slowly shifting from the back of his head, down his shoulder, along the length of his arm and into the water. She watches the Skrelp, too, and the way the Pokemon seems so ecstatic to be in his presence again.

"You know why, Theo."

And, not for the first time, Emma's emotions bleed through her ice wall. She sounds sad and alone. Though she's isolated herself on purpose.

THEO BECKETT

[attr="class","beck"]the answer is obvious, and yet, here he is.

the skrelp moves with his hands, gliding through water.

"doing what you want, taking what you want. that's what you said to me."

a pause.

"are you a coward, emma?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Emma Wolfe

Yes.

But she doesn't say it.

Yes.

But she can't say it.

"I've never been good at taking my own advice."

Emma has her arms crossed, but she raises them so that she's almost cradling herself. Rubbing her arm to soothe the stress.

"I can't do this again."

THEO BECKETT

[attr="class","beck"]"why?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Emma Wolfe

Her chest tightens and there is an urge, a need, to look away. But she doesn't.

"I'm not capable of.. of being whatever it is you're looking for from me."

THEO BECKETT

[attr="class","beck"]theo laughs.

"you sound like me."

it's funny, possibly tragic, but he leans towards the former if only to save himself from the pain.

"i said something similar to cillian."

[attr="class","noodles"]Emma Wolfe

Hadn't that been the point, at least a little bit? The similarities they shared were planted there intentionally.

"Neither of us were enough or had enough to give him. What makes you think we have anything to offer each other?"

Emma isn't laughing, her face is pinched in an expression of grief.

THEO BECKETT