"sure, sure! it's simple, really."[break][break]

not really. it's simple in theory but tricky in practice. he scoops meat and places it in the middle, ready to be folded. he wets the tip of his fingertips and starts shaping it together into a gyoza, curves and grooves and all.[break][break]

"like that! now you try."[break][break]

he stops to watch so he can give helpful feedback.[break][break]

"oh yeah. it takes me back to when things were simpler, you know? when all i had to worry about was what shirt i was gonna wear to school to impress people."

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

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

Emerson nods and then watches attentively as James moves through the process. His face twists up in serious concentration, and when the time comes for him to try, he’s still not certain.[break][break]

“Ooohhhkay..”[break][break]

He moved through the motions that James had — though naturally with far less precision. It’s a clumsy attempt, but it’s the best he’s got. Eventually his hands fall away from the poorly folded gyoza with a slight jazz hands flourish.[break][break]

“Ta-daa…oh it’s so bad.” But rather than stumble over his embarrassment as he normally might, when he looks back up at James, he laughs.[break][break]

Emboldened just enough, he tries to make a second one, listening carefully as the other continues. “Yeah, I guess I can understand that.” He pauses, shrugging. “The simpler part at least. I never really fit in so I doubt carefully picking shirts would’ve done me much good anyway.”[break][break]

It’s not a bitter remark, only simple reflection.

[break][break]

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


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

"it's...uh..."[break][break]

he cannot help but laugh as well when he looks down at the attempted gyoza.[break][break]

"not so bad!!! really. actually, it looks pretty good for your first try."[break][break]

but, yeah, it is pretty bad. but in the end as long as it folds together and closes and holds then it's fine![break][break]

"i get that. same here, actually. which is why i'm also glad that part of my life is over. now i get to make gyoza with cooler people like you."[break][break]

he nudges his elbow into em's shoulder, chuckling.[break][break]

"okay, try one more time but this time try mirroring me."

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

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

The lag in James’ response makes Em grimace.[break][break]

“No, no. It’s definitely bad..” Spoken as he stares down at it again, but soon enough he’s cracking up as well. “I would say my prep and plating has always been questionable.”[break][break]

As much as Emerson enjoys cooking, it’s almost never pretty. But it goes down the same and taste is really all he cares about. The gyoza could be rolled into the wrapper and he wouldn’t care.[break][break]

At the same time, though, now he wants to succeed. Consider it the competitive gamer nature that’s in his personality, locked behind his awkward shyness.[break][break]

“Really?” He pauses in what he’s doing to look up again, obviously surprised. “But you’re so, uhhh…friendly!” Emerson is more apt to turn into a small statue in a group of people.[break][break]

“Okay, okay, okay.” His expression furrows in concentration, eyes drifting between the dumpling James works on and his own. Noting the fold he missed the last time around.

[break][break]

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


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

james is friendly! yes, that's true. but he's had to learn to adapt and change from the reclusive nerd he once was in school.[break][break]

"heh, comes with practice."[break][break]

a concept that can be applied to both socializing and cooking.[break][break]

this time, their gyozas turn out much better. well, his turns out the same, but with his guidance em's is looking better as well. properly folded with the contents staying inside.[break][break]

"you did it! that looks good."

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

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

Emerson never did grow out of that reclusive stage. But that was okay. Most of the time. He would’ve never thought he’d be standing in his own kitchen making gyoza with the delivery guy.[break][break]

Maybe he’s learning just a little bit, though.[break][break]

“Never was too patient with practice.” He shrugs.[break][break]

His hands clap together in obvious delight when the dumpling folds easier and looks much more proper. And his grin is unfaltering when James commends his work. “What do you do after?”


[break][break]

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


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

"the next part is easy peasy."[break][break]

with the hard work done and out of the way, all that's left to do is to drop their lovely dumplings into a bowling pot of water, which he already has going.[break][break]

"you can cook these however you want, really. some people fry them but i prefer to steam them."[break][break]

so, instead of dropping all of them into the boiling water, he first places them in a large enough bowl and then places the bowl into the pot before covering the pot with a lid.[break][break]

"there we go. now we gotta wait for, like, ten minutes tops."

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

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

“I’ll hold you to that,” he says with a laugh, nudging James with his own elbow.[break][break]

Is this a testament to his own ability to socialize, despite his shyness and initially crippling awkwardness? It’s probably more because of how amiable the other is, though. Em isn’t usually so easily adept.[break][break]

It’s still a bit of a wonderment.[break][break]

“Oh. I agree. I don’t like them fried as much.” Well, he’ll still eat them, but still. He’s glad the preference lines up. He helps load up the dumplings and leaves James to the last part.[break][break]

Content to wait, Em sets a short timer on his phone, and pulls himself up to sit on the counter opposite again. His legs kick out lightly as he picks up his coffee again. “Soooo… you said you’re working on a dissertation?”

[break][break]

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


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

james would eat gyoza fried as well. he's not a picky eater despite having complex enough taste buds to know what's good and bad food.[break][break]

at the question about his dissertation, he nods, expression immediately lighting up.[break][break]

"yup! i'm like almost done with it, actually, i just gotta put a few final thoughts on it and wrap it all up."[break][break]

a pause.[break][break]

"wanna read it?"

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

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

Both hands hold his mug up to his face, lingering heat in the coffee warming his nose.[break][break]

“Oh! Is it for a masters or a PhD?” he’s considered jumping back into the academia flow, but for the time being, he’s enjoying the break from coursework to focus on his own…ah, portfolio. So to speak.[break][break]

The invitation comes unexpected— though should he really be surprised given how positively this situation has played out despite his initially awkward and embarrassing fumbles?[break][break]

Still, Emerson beams. His posture straightening as he perks up and looks over at James with bright eyes.[break][break]

“Yes, definitely!”

[break][break]

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


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

"just my masters for now. i'll work on my phd after, i think! if work doesn't kill me first."[break][break]

just the thought of continuing his studies tires him out already. he knows he'll do it eventually, it's just a matter of when.[break][break]

at em's reaction, james smiles and pulls out his phone to quickly navigate to a wip of his paper. he offers it to em.[break][break]

"it's uh pretty boring but i hope you enjoy."[break][break]

not boring to him, though.[break][break]

the paper is on regional variants and everything about them. why they happened, their history, and future predictions

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

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

Setting his mug to the side, he gingerly takes the phone and peers down at the screen. “I’m sure it’s perfectly interesting.”[break][break]

And interesting it proves to be.[break][break]

He smiles, glancing up after a few moments of skimming through the contents, using his fingers to flip through the pages. “I’ll admit I’m not super familiar with the terminology. I’m more engineering and tech-minded. But it’s definitely good!”[break][break]

Holding the phone back out for James to reclaim, he continued. “Have you been able to study Paldean variation much? Like, hands on? I might be able to help with that, if you ever need it.”[break][break]

His cup returns to his hands to sip from. “If you make any changes to it, I’d be happy to read the final thing.” He shrugged a little, “I like science…obviously, if that was clear.”

[break][break]

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


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

"it's good? i'm glad you think so!"[break][break]

to be honest, he's somewhat relieved to hear. he'd been hoping em would like it even if they only just properly met.[break][break]

"i'd appreciate your help with paldean variations, actually. i've not had much opportunity to look into them."[break][break]

he'd greatly appreciate it.[break][break]

"i'll send you the finished paper if that's cool with you?"

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

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