[attr="class","omgentop"]☀ EMMA'S BINGO SHEET

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bingo sheet

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Bubbles float to the surface as she struggles against her would-be murderer. His gruff chuckles are terrifying, his hands around her throat and pushing her down, down, down. She's fighting, thrashing, struggling against his iron grip. But she can feel herself slipping, water flooding her lungs. Panic sets in in place of rage and she gasps, blinking rapidly as she feels herself losing consciousness.[break][break]

And then the man's hands slacken and she forces herself awake, breaking the surface with a gasp and a fountain of water from her mouth. The woman she had rescued earlier is long gone, not brave enough to attempt to rescue her rescuer.[break][break]

Emma scrambles to the edge of the pool, gasping, couching, choking. Her elbows grip the warm tile or stone that surrounds it and she's blinking chlorine-water from her eyes. Her heart is hammering and she's surveying the deck, looking for someone, looking for him.[break][break]

It takes her a moment to put the pieces together, to formulate a reason for her attacker to have pulled away. It's because he's a bloodied heap off to the side, his shoulders ripped to ribbons with a mega-evolved Corviknight as the culprit. It's Gavin's.[break][break]

She's pulling herself out of the pool, water falling off of her in sheets. Her voice is hoarse, her energy low. She's drowned and bleary but she can see Gavin on the deck covered in blood. [break][break]

"Gavin!"[break][break]

The woman is reacting, instinct taking over reason. She's tearing a towel off of someone running past, ignoring their pleas. It's wrapped and tied around his torso before he can react. Her Weavile had been on the deck already, likely causing unseen mischief. They return at her hand signal, and one steps up to cut the harpoon free. It's likely still in his shoulder, but he isn't stuck to the deck anymore.[break][break]

"Look at me, Gav. Can you walk?"

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She's relaxed for only a moment when the ship is boarded and screams take the deck by storm. She's up in an instant, drink still untouched. It jostles with the impact of the pirates' attempts to attach their boat to the ferry. [break][break]

The woman lifts her sunglasses to the top of her head to make sense of the situation, to think before acting. Where Gavin leaps to protect, she's looking for an escape. Seeing him act selflessly is jarring and she finds herself following in his footsteps - her reasoning being that she wouldn't leave him.[break][break]

So she's running for a woman being harassed and robbed by the pool. She's screaming and crying and the pirate is assaulting her, ripping diamonds from her neck and pushing her into the water. [break][break]

Without another thought she's diving into the water herself, unaware that another pirate is coming for her in return. Emma wasn't wearing anything particularly expensive other than, perhaps, the pair of dangling earrings or the bracelet. Something pretty from Galar that either she or Gavin had purchased (or stolen).[break][break]

"Calm down, would you? Can you swim?"[break][break]

Her hands find purchase on the other woman, lifting her from the water and looking away as the woman gasps for air in her face.[break][break]

But then she's being dragged away by the hair and she's growling, reaching up to flip whoever had the bright idea of laying a hand on her.[break][break]

Of course, the person she's grabbed is much bigger and heavier than she is, and he quickly opts to drown her instead of ask questions. She's winded and surprised, nails digging at the man's hands but ultimately unable to break the surface.[break][break]

For a moment, she's genuinely concerned that she might be on death's door.

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Emma was returning with drinks for the two of them, a couple of girly, fruity drinks because damnit they tasted good. She was willing to relax a little and enjoy herself. Even the thought of relaxing surprised her, but she was pushing the thought aside to just... be.[break][break]

Because with Gavin, that seemed easy. And as much as that worried her, those worries had virtually melted away during their trip.[break][break]

Her heels click against the deck as she makes her way back. She has a long island iced tea in either hand and it's sweating in her palms. She pauses at the edge of Gavin's chair, hovering, before offering him the drink. She can't see that his eyes were closed behind his sunglasses.[break][break]

And as such, it surprises her when he glances over his glasses and refers to her with an overwhelmingly warm pet name. Her hesitation is evident in the way she holds onto his glass before giving it to him. But his kiss is returned and she pulls away to lay back in the sun. Her glass is abandoned and her sunglasses pulled down over her eyes again.[break][break]

The sun warms her skin as she resumes suntanning. But her thoughts are muddled with the meaning behind his casual tone. He had said it so naturally, and so out of the blue. It stirs uncomfortable feelings.

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She leaves the door ajar as she showers, but she's brief and neat, leaving everything the way she found it. Upon returning, she would find something simple an elegant to wear - likely something she'd picked up on the way to the airport. Nice clothing had never been something of interest for her, she wasn't generally a vain person. [break][break]

So she adorns a soft turtleneck and a pair of dark-washed jeans. She's simple but tasteful. [break][break]

Her attention draws back to Gavin when he speaks, her hands are idly squeezing moisture from the ends of her dark hair. [break][break]

"I preferred reds, I supposed - but wine isn't usually my first choice."[break][break]

Emma preferred her liquor as hard as she is, and just as bitter and hard to swallow.

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He showers before she does, and she spends the time waiting by the window, wrapped in a blanket or towel. Her shoulder leans against the window, her thoughts murky.[break][break]

She glances over her shoulder when he reappears, eyes shamelessly washing over his chest and the marks she's left behind. She bears her own, of course, but they're wrapped in whatever sheets had been on the bed moments before.[break][break]

"My apologies, mon amour. I suppose we'll have to pick up something new."[break][break]

Emma's voice is low, nearly a growl. Her accent is thick in the moment as she slips past him, dropping the sheet to step lightly, brazenly, into the still-steamy shower.[break][break]

She tosses a brief glance, lip pulled back in a smirk.

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"Good."[break][break]

She turns as he approaches, a quiet exhale given for every touch she receives. His kiss is biting and leaves a burning sensation in her chest. It's a familiar ache, a passion she had hungered for, had missed.[break][break]

They haven't even had a chance to relax, to take their jackets off. Gavin's remains unzipped and inviting. She moves to peel it over his shoulders and toss it aside. Her free hand is unbuttoning, impatient, willing to do damage despite how nice the shirt is.[break][break]

Her teeth graze his bottom lip, sharp enough to draw blood.

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His lazy, teasing grin is well-received, and she side-eyes him with sultry seduction. [break][break]

"Mmmm... I think you know."[break][break]

Whatever ill feelings she had earlier are set aside in favor of her 'appetite'. However, she remains aloof, watching him out of the corner of her eye, waiting.

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Something lingers on the tip of her tongue but she doesn't let it slide.[break][break]


'Why did you leave?'[break][break]

But the same question could be asked from her and she herself wasn't willing to open up about it. Too much anger, too much pain.[break][break]

Emma's mesmerized by the falling snow. It's so serene and calm, it's incredibly therapeutic. She's realizing immediately that this is a good idea - getting away, letting go, letting him in.[break][break]

She exhales, drawing close to the man. Her closeness is painfully hesitant as she brushes her hand against his. This is foreign territory despite the familiarity of relationships. [break][break]

As quickly as she reaches out she pulls away so stand beside him, unsure if that was the right move.[break][break]

But the mention of the bath sparks interest and she glances up at him, golden eyes searching.[break][break]

"I have a bit of an appetite, actually."

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Emma's hands are surprisingly gentle as she guides the woman out the door. She's an expert, she's done this before. This is arguably her least messy operation, she's being careful, gentle, articulate.[break][break]

There's an oversight in her planning - a Hypno that had managed to slip past her Pokemon's first advance. Or maybe it had displaced the poison trap she had set. It was no matter.[break][break]

She's oblivious to the threat the Hypno might pose, the connection between it and Cait. But her Pokemon are efficient and on high alert. Her Galvantula means to catch the Hypno off guard with a BUG BUZZ before trapping it in an ELECTROWEB. Whether it solves the problem or lends her enough time to escape with Cait in her possession is not her concern.[break][break]

Her Pokemon would come through, as they always did. They were an extension of herself, her armor, her tools.[break][break]

"We're almost there, miss Alfric."[break][break]

Overhead, a shadow falls over them as a Noivern lowers, talons outstretched. The Pokemon is emitting a supersonic, high-frequency warm up to a BOOMBURST. It's meant to act as a barrier, to keep any Pokemon away from them.[break][break]

Emma looks up, biding her time. Cait's inebriation would make it difficult to get her on the Noivern - but she had time. Noivern would make it work.

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He pries in a way that is so subtle and so bizarre - completely unlike any person she had ever met. He was bold and yet cautious, taking a small step to inquire but not confident enough to come right out and ask.[break][break]

And it's for that reason that she finds she's holding her breath.[break][break]

"Another time."[break][break]

This trip was meant to de-stress, not to dwell on past aches. She swallows, keeping her eyes dead ahead even when he glances at her. Eventually, the two sit in mutual silence watching out the window.[break][break]

"It's beautiful here."

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Emma's response to the suggestion of the 'hero's bath' is just as flat as Gavin's. Of course, the thought of spending quality time - preferably alone - in said hot spring wasn't a bad idea, but she wasn't the type to express this outwardly.[break][break]

Instead, she gives Gavin a brief glance when he responds with rigid indifference.[break][break]

"Sounds lovely."[break][break]

It would also relax their muscles. There's a devilish grin behind her flat expression.[break][break]

As they step outside the airport, Emma is quite clearly captured by the view. It's far different than Hoenn, but vaguely reminiscent in some ways to Kalos. The cold is nearly biting, a surprise given her normal disregard for temperature. Perhaps Hoenn has made her soft.[break][break]

So Gavin's comment goes unanswered, but there's an answer in even that as she, too, takes a deep breath.[break][break]

Once Saoirse leaves, Emma's attention is drawn back to Gavin at his apology. There's a twinge, however, of something painful behind her eyes. It's brief, unexpected, a window to something she hadn't been ready to address. So she opts to avoid it.[break][break]

"A brother."[break][break]

But her voice is tense and she seems eager to move on. She's watching out the window.

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Surprisingly, Emma sleeps most of the flight, her head propped on Gavin - but only because she'd lean one way or the other. The neck pillow only does so much to keep her in a position all to herself, and she's comfortable enough to allow their intimacy.[break][break]

But she stirs when the plane begins to land, the rumble of the landing strip and the awkward and only slightly smooth landing jarring her from her sleep. And yet she manages to be on high alert even though she's stirred from sleep. The secret smile is missed - because it's a secret - and her attention is on getting off the plane and getting some fresh air.[break][break]

She follows Gavin off the plane to meet with his sister and she is no stranger to the pointed stares the woman gives the both of them. Ultimately, Emma says nothing, offering the woman only a polite nod. She doesn't exactly linger in Gavin's shadow, but she remains with him in some way that isn't shy but isn't that confident or dominating.[break][break]

"Nothing comes to mind."[break][break]

Her attention slides back to Saoirse and the pointed stare Gavin receives at the mention of hotel, prompting his defensive remark. Was he worried what his dear old parents would think of her? That's cute.

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