[attr="class","icon"]

"shake. the. can. got it."[break][break]

a man on a mission, he darts over to find the treat tin, holding it in his hands like it were some ancient item that possesses powers beyond his understanding.[break][break]

he raises it high up into the air.[break][break]

then shakes.[break][break]

"rats!!!!"

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

[attr="class","icon"]

James' antics and deliberately stilted speaking draw more laughter from Emerson. “Yeah!”[break][break]

He can’t stop laughing, the more the other goes on, until he’s holding his sides with drunken giggles. And then at the summoning, the rats do indeed start coming from all corners of the apartment.[break][break]

First his dedenne, then minccino. Both pawmi, a pichu. A set of morpeko. Parachisu and emolga alike. All expecting treats.[break][break]

There’s more hiding out, apparently not interested in the contents of the tin. A sleepy alolan raichu watches from a cushy nest of blankets in a papasan chair. But there are still so many.[break][break]

“They’re gonna swarm you.”

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"so...many...rats..."[break][break]

his jaw drops in awe as he watches them swarm him. he falls to his knees, prying open the can as he does before pouring some onto his palm.[break][break]

"come to me...my little minions..."[break][break]

his little rat army.[break][break]

he laughs.

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

[attr="class","icon"]

“This isn’t even all of ‘em,” he manages through his fit of laughter.[break][break]

He stoops down next to James, but his coordination and balance finally give out and he topples back in a sprawl on the carpet.[break][break]

“Oof”

But that’s nothing compared to the little rats clambering all over James with sudden enthusiasm to get to the offered snacks.[break][break]

“They like you! Or the food..same difference.”

[attr="class","icon"]

very quickly overwhelmed, the rats climb all over him, and he falls back as well to let them bury him underneath a pile of rats that are mostly interested in the food, he thinks.[break][break]

still, this makes him their leader.[break][break]

"it's probably the food but i like to think it's me!"[break][break]

he laughs.[break][break]

"i need to get a rat too. or a few. or many."

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

[attr="class","icon"]

The rat hoard is much more socially friendly than Em thought they would be. Though, of course, the snacks help. A few are overeager, staticky NUZZLES gifted in exchange for snacks, but it's all friendly. Something he himself is super used to.[break][break]

His head flops to the side to watch the rat mountain grow, still laughing at how ridiculous the sight is. "Yeah! They totally do!" One rattata tumbles away from the pack, and crawls on Emerson instead. Apparently more intent on receiving a chin scratch than a treat.[break][break]

Em's eyes light up at the suggestion, face brightening with an extra dose of enthusiasm given his tipsiness. "Oh, yeah you should! They're the best. Especially the electric ones." The purple mouse on his chest nips his finger for the offense. "Owie."