Gratefully, James doesn’t call him out on the social faux pas. Em even finds it in himself to smile back— shyer and a little wobbly, though, of course.[break][break]

“I guess if they were that hungry…it’s okay.” Not really, but when James agrees to his offer, he perks quickly.[break][break]

“Oh, do you like to cook? I mean, I’m not gonna make you cook in my house. That would be sorta rude, wouldn’t it? I mean, I do have groceries, and I can cook and stuff, I just like take out, but uhhh…yep!” Em swivels away as he babbles on, a rapidly speeding train wreck, hot-faced mess.[break][break]

He’s cold and shivery and should just get them back inside and they can argue over a frying pan or a wok if James really wants to insist.[break][break]

Though he’s also now convinced he’ll keep making an idiot of himself, even if the other doesn’t seem wholly bothered. Glancing back over his shoulder, he adds, “If you’re interested in paldeans too, I have some pawmi.”

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] JAMES BAKER  | m: trapinch who stole christmas [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-dedenne"]

"oh don't even worry about it! my parents are chefs so i learned how to cook growing up. love doing it, actually."[break][break]

but they can argue about it more when they're back in em's apartment. being out there in the freezing cold does them no good, after all.[break][break]

"yes please! love me some pawmi."[break][break]

he trails closely behind.[break][break]

"i'm, like, super into pokemon if you can't already tell. i'm working on my dissertation at the moment on regional variants."

[attr="class","ooc"]emerson whitlock[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-elgyem color-shiny"]

Emerson only perks up further at the clarification, “Ah! That’s so cool. I wish mine were chefs, I’ve learned everything from hobby.”[break][break]

So, maybe it can be a joint task.[break][break]

“Have you met some before?” He asks as he finally lets them back into his apartment, warm immediately beginning to thaw the chill on his face.[break][break]

A short look is tossed over his shoulder. “Yeah, kinda put two and two together. There’s some neato ones in Paldea.” He points at the cat tree in the corner of his living room, close to where the open kitchen is separated from it by the bar counter. “They’re probably in there. They like to nap together.”

Actually, a lot of his rodents are probably inside some tier or another of the structure.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] JAMES BAKER  | m: trapinch who stole christmas [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-dedenne"]

"no, not yet! so i'm extra excited."[break][break]

the warmth of the apartment is much appreciated. he feels it the moment he steps in, sighing as the door closes behind them. his attention immediately falls on the cat tree, and after slipping his shoes off, he closes the distance to start looking for the sleeping pawmi.[break][break]

"i think i see one..."[break][break]

he whispers, not wanting to wake them up. his elgyem floats over, curious to see as well.

[attr="class","ooc"]emerson whitlock[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-elgyem color-shiny"]

“Oh, well then you’ll love Lolo! She’s a little older, but sweet.” He’s had her since he was a teenager, in fact. “But Beignet might be a little sassy. Actually, I found him right here in the city.” Which was sort of crazy, since there had been no local Paldean pokemon in the region beforehand.[break][break]

But he talks all about that in his secret little podcast.[break][break]

While James zeroes in on the cat tree, Em does the same with the coffee pot–setting it up to let it percolate and allow the aromatic scent of coffee fill the small space.[break][break]

Though Warhol is content to climb up to the highest perch on the tree and curl up, his dedenne is not one to be left out–so Dumpling quickly crawls up his back, little claws digging into his shirt. Obviously put out over being left behind during the chase.[break][break]

The pawmi, however, do stir and soon enough one is poking its head out of the hidey hole to blink up at James with sleepy eyes. “She likes cashews, by the way,” he says, pointing to a tin on the counter.
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] JAMES BAKER  | m: trapinch who stole christmas [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-dedenne"]

"lolo and beignet. adorable."[break][break]

not minding the dedenne crawling up his back, he makes sure to wait until it's settled comfortably before moving off to the tin on the counter.[break][break]

"oh sweet. cashews are great."[break][break]

he pops the tin open and takes one for himself while he walks back over to the tree. slowly, carefully, he offers one to the sleeping pawmi, hoping the smell would wake them up.

[attr="class","ooc"]emerson whitlock[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-elgyem color-shiny"]

“Oh, and the nosy one on your back is Dumpling. Sorry about him. He thinks everyone’s business is his.”[break][break]

It’s easier to feel more confident and secure in how he talks when they’re back in the haven of his apartment. Granted, Em is good at fumbling and probably will again.[break][break]

But at least for right now he’s not as much of a shy, babbling mess. For once, his face isn’t even tinted red around the delivery guy.[break][break]

Or James, he can probably refer to him in his head as his actual name now.[break][break]

The offering does, indeed, work, and after a few seconds a chubby orange paw shoots out to snatch the cashew. Lolo shoves it in her cheek pouch before poking her head out for more.[break][break]

Emerson pushes himself up to sit on the counter next to the coffee pot as it brews, and another of his hoard— a much calmer mincinno hops up into his own lap.[break][break]

“She’ll probably crawl up your arm if you offer.”

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] JAMES BAKER  | m: trapinch who stole christmas [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-dedenne"]

"and he would be right. hello, dumpling."[break][break]

his attention quickly shifts back to the sudden lack of cashew in his hand. he looks at the pawmi, finding it adorable.[break][break]

at em's suggestion, james places his hand flat on the surface, forming a makeshift bridge of sorts that stretches up his arm and onto his shoulder.[break][break]

"come on up! there are more treats up there."

[attr="class","ooc"]emerson whitlock[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-elgyem color-shiny"]

A small smile flits across his face at the friendliness James treats his pokemon with. "He won't forget that." As if to emphasize this, Dumpling nuzzles his cheek - maybe a little staticky, but well intended.[break][break]

Lolo, meanwhile, obliges at the suggestion of more treats and crawls up to his other shoulder.[break][break]

"I, um, can see why you like pokemon so much." Emerson twists around to pull two mugs down from the cabinet behind him. "Do you want anything in yours?" He holds both cups up in either hand.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] JAMES BAKER  | m: trapinch who stole christmas [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-dedenne"]

the static that flutters across his cheek isn't minded much. he's used to similar feelings from working with pokemon in the league labs. he remembers that plusle and minun duo he and illeana reyes worked on. how they'd zap them every now and then.[break][break]

"pokemon are everything, really. they're our closest friends and our toughest allies."[break][break]

he offers lolo the pawmi more treats as he glances over his shoulder back at em.[break][break]

"just a splah of milk, please. oh right! i have to cook for you."[break][break]

after giving the rest of the treats, he straightens and walks over into the kitchen.

[attr="class","ooc"]emerson whitlock[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-elgyem color-shiny"]

“Guess I never really thought about that way, but you’re right.” Though it’s still a bit obvious that he spoils the ones he keeps.[break][break]

Rodent pokemon scatter as James moves into the kitchen itself. Both hop to different perches and others creep out of hiding. Because, yes, Emerson’s apartment is full of the little guys.[break][break]

“Sure.” Finally, he hops down from the counter and moves to the fridge– a dash in one mug and a heftier dose in the other. The mincinno on his shoulder climbs up to the top of his head as Em hands the first mug over. “Here ya go.”[break][break]

He shifts on his feet, a little awkwardly. “I’ve got, like, all sorts of stuff. Don’t need to make anything fancy, really.”

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] JAMES BAKER  | m: trapinch who stole christmas [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-dedenne"]

james doesn't mind how the apartment appears to be flooded with rodents. they're all really cute, and he's a fan of most (every, really) pokemon so he takes them all in with glee.[break][break]

"thank you," he accepts the mug with a smile, quick to sip before setting it down on the counter.[break][break]

he takes a look into the fridge, eyes sifting through various ingredients.[break][break]

"oh i know. i'm about to make us some gyoza."[break][break]

with a smile, he reaches in and starts pulling out the necessary ingredients, then quickly gets to work because it's late and em is probably extra starving by now.[break][break]

while he prepares, he glances over and realizes he could use the help.[break][break]

"could you help boil a pot of water, please?"

[attr="class","ooc"]emerson whitlock[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-elgyem color-shiny"]

“‘Course. It’s the least I can do for my best delivery driver.” He swings his arm into a thumbs up. Ugh, that was corny. He hushes himself by sipping at his own coffee.[break][break]

Emerson’s eyes go round, “Won’t that be a lot of work for you, though?” For all of the cooking he does, Emerson has not, in fact, perfected gyoza.[break][break]

“Oh. Yeah, for sure.” At home in his own kitchen, he skirts around James and pulls a pot out from a lower cabinet, and then swivels on his heels toward the sink to run it under the tap.[break][break]

While it’s filling he shifts to flip one of the stove burners on. “You want me to salt it?” he points at the pot as he asks. Everyone has a different method, and all that.[break][break]

“Thank you, uhh, for letting me help. I’d feel bad otherwise.” In his own home nonetheless.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] JAMES BAKER  | m: trapinch who stole christmas [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-dedenne"]