catchall for emma

[leaberator]

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[foodbin]

[She takes a seat next to him, prompting a noise from her pocket.]

You're still getting them too, huh?

[leaberator]

[ he looks a bit curious at the pocket noise, but outside of looking towards it, doesn't react to it. ]

Ah, yeah. You think it'd get old by now, right? And yet they still feel just as fresh.

[ it doesn't help that he's been sleeping anywhere a goddamn clown isn't, but he's not admitting to that ]

[foodbin]

Yeah...

[After a moment:]

Well, lucky for you, I come bearing gifts.

[she doesn’t mean the squirrel, but she’s definitely taking it out of her pocket as it keeps squirming around.]

[leaberator]

[ ah??? ]

--Who's that?

[ how long has it lived in Emma's pockets? Oh, god, is this another cricket thing. ]

[foodbin]

I think his name is Peanuts...? Unless I just got a random squirrel out of the box.

[he scampers up her arm to sit on her shoulder.]

[leaberator]

[ this seems normal ]

Oh, from the box. For a second there, I was worried the little guy was one of the gifts.

[foodbin]

[She laughs, shaking her head.]

He’s not really mine, either. He belonged to someone else back home... Not sure how he wound up here.

[leaberator]

The same way we did, maybe?

[ magic. magic is the answer. he waves at the squirrel like he expects him to wave back ]

So what have you got for me?

[ needy ]

[foodbin]

[She hands him something, with a dumb little flourish.]

The official ranking, sir.

[leaberator]

[ he looks fucking ecstatic and takes it, and a single glance is enough to send him into hysterics as he slaps his own leg like a loser for a few seconds before he wheezes out: ]

You-- I can't believe you actually did it, wow. [ he is? so happy? he will cherish this? ] But short before petite? I am shocked, madam.

[foodbin]

I am a woman of my word.

[She waves a hand, though.]

Eh. Petite is too cutesy, you know? Short is just honest and objective.

[leaberator]

I'll never doubt that again.

[ he raises an eyebrow, grin sly ]

What? Are you tryna say you aren't cute?

[foodbin]

[She pauses for a moment, giving a breathy laugh, before she tucks a stray strand of hair behind her ear in a gesture that’s almost nervous.]

It’s not the first word I would use.

[leaberator]

[ ah, she's shy... he didn't think she'd be weak to compliments and seems amused ]

Nah? So what would you use, if you insisted on being wrong?

[ this is clearly only friendly banter as he doubles down on calling her cute. Yes. ]

[foodbin]

[She laughs again even as she glances up at him, giving a shrug. Still joking:]

Fierce, obviously.

[leaberator]

[ he snorts at that ]

Trust me, you can be both, easy.

[foodbin]

You sound like you have experience.

[leaberator]

Yeah. It's my own personal belief that all the lacking height goes straight to making a core of aggression. It's the only way to explain most of the people I know.

[foodbin]

The rage has to be more tightly packed that way. You might be on to something.

[leaberator]

'Course I am! Which means I was right earlier, too.

[foodbin]

With which part, exactly?

[leaberator]

[ :? with no shame: ]

How you can be cute an' fierce at the same time?

[foodbin]

[Another slightly nervous laugh.]

I thought it might just be the short thing, but... I bet you say that to all the girls.

[leaberator]

[ ??? she's so bad at compliments. he laughs a bit ]

What, the truth? Sure. Though I dunno about all the girls. Like, are we talking this place, or the world? Because for both, that's way too many.

[foodbin]

[She laughs.]

Fine. 'All' can be a rough estimate.