[ It was clear even from the lobby that this was a standard of living that Emerick had never been able to personally experience. The studio was nice, though, and fit what little Emerick knew about Moonlight perfectly. The atmosphere was calming and the decoration intentional. He wondered what the rent on a place like this was but quickly decided to disregard the thought because he knew he probably couldn't reliably make the rent. Maybe someday. ]
Beer, please. [ He followed Moonlight and found a place to stand or sit where he was out of Moonlight's way. ] You have a real preem place
[ Moonlight fetches a bottle of beer from the fridge - it's hardly craft, but it's at least decent - and opens it. As he turns to set the bottle in front of Emerick, there's a perhaps surprisingly soft expression on his face. ]
Thanks. After the Holocaust, I lived on the streets for years. [ His gaze shifts, flickering thoughtfully around the apartment he had worked for. ] I always told myself I'd be comfortable one day - and safe. [ Being off the streets... that had been more important to him than anything. In those early years, it drove him. He'd lost sight of it for a while under the Tyger's Claw and the haze of drugs that came with that life, but when he'd gotten free - really free - and when he'd had a taste of the lifestyle Aka's income afforded him, he had returned to that dream with a vengeance.
Moonlight's brows raise suddenly, as though realizing what he's sharing. He turns back to the small fridge, taking out a few packages. In glimpses of profile as he turns this way any that, Emerick might notice his cheeks are distinctly flushed. ]
[ Emerick is a little surprised at the expression on Moonlight's face as the bottle was set before him. He took a drink of it as Moonlight spoke of his history, setting the bottle down gently. Comfort and safety were surely the dream in Night City, and it seemed as if Moonlight had certainly carved off his little piece of them here. That he'd managed to be so successful despite such a humble start gave him hope, but he was also genuinely happy to hear that Moonlight had managed to make it.
The fact that Moonlight had just admitted something of his past - accident or not - put Emerick more at ease. He relaxed a little, both hands resting at the bottom of the beer bottle as he watched Moonlight with a faint, fond smile. He noticed the flush in Moonlight's cheeks but called no attention to it. His voice was warm when he spoke. ]
You've done really well for yourself. I've dreamed of living in a place like this since I was a teenager. The means just never really materialized. [ He gave a small shrug, not particularly bothered by it. Then, a little playfully: ] So color me a little jealous.
[ Moonlight fetches a pan from a cupboard, and sets it on one of the burners. He looks over his shoulder with a look of amusement that shifts to definite flirtatiousness, lips curving. ]
Well, perhaps if you play your cards right... [ And he's not talking about business. Then, as though he hadn't just made that suggestive comment, continues seamlessly on: ] Fries, mashed, or baked potatoes?
[ The comment surprised Emerick, his brows slightly raising and his cheeks shifted to pink. It was confirmation that Moonlight was interested in him, though. He'd wondered in the cab, but had written it off as possibly just crossed wires from earlier. ]
I might be feeling a little lucky with the hand dealt. [ He was a little more coy than his counterpart - intentional, yes, but a byproduct of his nervous nature as well. He wasn't as seamless or sleek as Moonlight, in part due to pausing for a split second to consider if he had any real preference on what form the potatoes ultimately took. ]
Um, whatever you prefer. I'm not picky. [ Which was true, and not an attempt to skirt making a decision. ]
[ Moonlight grins over his shoulder. He isn't one for casual flings - he's not entirely sure he's one for intimacy in general, anymore. His last two relationships had ended in violent, horrible ways for his partner, and Moonlight has wondered more than once if perhaps he's cursed, or a harbinger of some sort. It's Night City, and people die every day, but in his darker moments the thoughts creep in anyway.
Still, he likes Emerick, despite their rocky (on his part at least) start, and maybe there's no harm in flirting, at least. He turns his attention back to dinner.
Here, away from the hard, suspicious stares of 6th Street and the anxiety that came with that scrutiny, Moonlight has realized he's quite hungry. So he decides mashed is best in the moment, purely because it's probably the fastest. He washes the potatoes, fills the pot with water, and sets to chopping them. ]
I hope I didn't pull you away from anything important, earlier. [ He comments somewhat off-handedly, taking just a moment to glance over his shoulder again. ]
[ Moonlight's grin made Emerick smile in kind. He'd struggled with trust and attachment since he was a kid, and the two people he cared about he specifically detached from to avoid dragging them down or being a burden. The one person who had been interested in him he chose not to pursue, and he'd spent more than his fair share of time regretting the choice. Perhaps he had no real chance here, but he wasn't going to throw it away if Moonlight was actually interested.
He was tired of being lonely. It would be easy to just take care of things the Night City way - spend a few hours or the night with a joytoy, hook up with anyone that moved. Emerick was used to fake gestures, he wanted something real. ]
Oh, no. I was just reading. I picked up a book analyzing the political and economic tensions in Europe during and after the Fourth Corporate War. [ He's maybe a little more excited about this than most would be - his inner nerd definitely showing a little. Moonlight had interrupted a calm day that he'd taken for himself, but Emerick didn't particularly mind. ]
If I may, what were you doing at that bar? They didn't really seem to think of you as their crowd.
[ Moonlight's brows loft in surprise, and he glances over his shoulder again as though to verify Emerick had really just said that. His expression shifts, then, to something more along the lines of 'that makes sense,' and he returns to chopping potatoes. ]
A client thinks some Sixth Street members might be responsible for sabotaging opponent's cars in some street racing, but he wanted proof before taking any action on it. I happen to have a soft spot for racing - and I suppose I occasionally get the itch to get back out there myself - I thought I would check up on it instead of delegating. I knew I don't really fit in with their style but I didn't realize they'd be quite that suspicious.
[ He salts the water as it heats steadily to a boil, adds the potatoes, then takes a moment to return his attention fully to Emerick. ] Lesson learned, I suppose.
[ Emerick didn't react to Moonlight needing to consider the fact that apparently, Emerick was fond of such dry subject matter - he only listened intently as Moonlight explained what he'd been doing. He watches what Moonlight's hands are doing more than actually watching Moonlight, as if focusing to keep his gaze from wandering too much, his attention turning back to Moonlight's face when appropriate. ]
Sixth Street can be a little cagey. They take the whole "protect and serve" thing pretty seriously, or at least like to act the part. [ His gaze lowered, a little nervous giving unsolicited advice. His gaze lifted back to Moonlight about halfway through what he was saying. ] If you chat them up a little at the bar - let some of the vets boast and act impressed, let them talk about their days in whatever conflicts they saw - they usually decide you're okay and leave you alone.
[ Emerick looked as if he might have more to say, choosing to change the subject instead. ] Racing, huh? I used to sneak out as a teenager to watch them sometimes. Why did you stop? [ It was clear that it was a genuine question borne from curiosity and not an attempt to fish for information, and if Moonlight didn't want to answer it he certainly didn't have to. ]
[ Moonlight leans a hip against the counter, loosely folding his arms, brows raised in an open sort of expression. ] I don't know if I can use that advice at that bar anymore, but I'll keep it in mind if I have reason to shadow them again. 'Preciate it.
[ The question is a natural one, and Moonlight doesn't mind that Emerick asks. It's a difficult answer, complicated by the array of memories - good and bad - that come with it. The fixer's gaze drops to the vinyl flooring, a half-cocked, morose sort of smile finding its way to his expression. One loose tress casts shadows across eye and cheek from the ambient lighting.
Moonlight clears his throat after a moment, resets the slope of his shoulders, and drops his hands back to his sides. ] The scene is too wound up in a group I used to run with. [ His gaze finally lifts again.] Just easier to quit altogether than try and dodge them. [ His smile grows a little more natural. ] I wouldn't have pinned you for a racing fan.
[ Emerick watched as Moonlight got lost in the thought. He wasn't quite sure how to feel as Moonlight's gaze fell and it the gloom that congregated around him made Emerick unconsciously shift uncomfortably. The air was starting to feel thick and suffocating as time seemed to stretch on like this, infinitely elongating as Emerick started to search for any sign that he was okay, he didn't cross some line and make him upset, and his mind started to race and iterate through how he could fix it while the insidious whispers of his parents began their regular cycle of hatred in the back of his mind.
He started a little at the sound of Moonlight clearing his throat. The sound broke the spiral that was starting. He was still elevated enough that he had the sick feeling that came with anxiety, but much of his fear calmed when Moonlight spoke, and what was left melted as Moonlight's smile shifted into something less contrived. He was still trying to shake off the funk he started to slide into when he started to speak. ] Oh. I, uh, I'm not. Not really.
[ Emerick's expression shifted slightly so that it was tinged with regret and sadness. His gaze lowered so that he was not meeting Moonlight's eyes, but it was still high enough that at a glance he was still looking at Moonlight. ] I had a friend who was a fan, and he liked to take me with him. [ Emerick had realized years later that it was Callum taking him on dates, courting him in a way that he knew Emerick would be comfortable. Emerick had been made too dense by fear to realize it at the time. ] The races were always exciting and I did enjoy going, but he was the one that kept up with the sport and was knowledgeable. [ Emerick smiled faintly. ] He would talk about what kind of car he wanted to get when he could drive.
[ Moonlight tips his head as Emerick says he's not, actuallyβ but then he follows up, and the fixer's expression lifts in understanding, then softens again in something approaching sympathy - or empathy, maybe. ]
Sounds like good memories.
[ It also sounds like that friend isn't around anymore. Dead, maybe, or moved away, or they just went their separate ways. It isn't Moonlight's place to push. He turns back to the tiny stove, checking the potatoes, then moving to the fridge. He's lucky he bought more than one synthsteak - he hadn't exactly planned on company. Actually, come to think of it, Emerick is only the second person, aside from Moonlight himself, to see this apartment. He muses on the implications of that, then shakes it off and sets a pan on high heat. ]
[ For once it was nothing so morbid: Callum came from a higher social class and his parents could afford to put him into college, and Emerick had to kidnap his own sister and figure out how to balance working three jobs, raising a teenage girl, and somehow making time to sleep. They were fond memories, because they were memories where he was having fun. ]
Yeah, they are.
[ He took a drink of his beer to buy him a moment. It would get weird if he kept talking about it, he knew that much, and he was aware that maybe he was saying a little too much. He didn't mind if Moonlight came to learn much about him - he was a nobody with no prospects and important only to one person - but Callum deserved to live uninterrupted. ]
It was all a while ago, though. I'd rather try to make new memories to look back on.
[ It was tentative, maybe a little probing to see how Moonlight would react, but he was being honest. ]
[ Moonlight pauses in fiddling with the steaks, sets them down, and is still for just a split moment.
He turns back to Emerick, brows raised high. As he curls his hands loosely around the edge of the counter, his head tips again, but this time his expression is a little playful. ]
I think you should, [ he agrees, tone light. He leans forward slightly, body language implying he doesn't mind the idea, and is in fact, terribly curious about this turn. ] Did you have something in mind...?
[ Moonlight isn't entirely sure he heard correctly, because the obvious assumption - to him - is that Emerick is fishing, or at least implying he'd like to make memories with Moonlight. But on the other hand... it's Emerick. He's professional, and reliable, but thus far, the fixer hasn't known him to be assertive at all. ]
[ Emerick watched the other's body language, paying close attention to see if Moonlight was going to shut him down. It was a surprise to him that Moonlight seemed to actually be interested, and seemed to be encouraging him. Moonlight was so far above Emerick's station that surely he had to be misunderstanding this moment. He did his best to hide his surprise. ]
I admit that I haven't given it much thought until recently. [ He hesitated. It was occurring to him what he could lose if he was misinterpreting this, but the memory of Moonlight's lips on his own was still on his mind, and maybe, just maybe that was worth being a little bold.
His tone was more coy than anything else, and it was a miracle he was able to keep his voice from shaking. ] I think this might be a good start.
[ Emerick was implying he wanted to make memories with Moonlight.
The realization startles a sound out of the fixer that is remarkably close to a giggle. He straightens, pushing off from against the counter, and turns back to cooking. The smile, though, remains. After placing either steak in a pan, he looks at the other once more over his shoulder. ] I'm inclined to agree.
[ He fetches a beer for himself from the fridge, pops it open, and leans once again against the countertop, folding one arm over the other. Pearlescent prosthetic fingertips tap idly at his beer. Moonlight tips his head in a look of faintly amused curiosity, studying Emerick, though he doesn't say anything else. ]
[ The sound caught Emerick off-guard. Before he could even process it the litany of insults his father liked to use against him surged into his mind: he as a useless fuck up, a disgusting queer not worth his name. The way his jaw set was the subtle exertion that came from pushing those thoughts away, though it grew so much easier when he saw the smile on Moonlight's face as he glanced back and agreed.
He hadn't expected to get this far, and that much was plain on his face - he was unable to hide the his surprise any longer as he met Moonlight's gaze. ]
[ He can tell Emerick didn't expect his comment to get him anywhere - though he remains surprised the man made the comment in the first place - but Moonlight can also tell Emerick is uncomfortable to some degree. The fixer isn't in the habit of being cruel intentionally (at least not to those who he doesn't think deserve it), but Emerick's wide eyes and disbelief are too much. He has to tease, at least a little. ]
Would you rather I not...?
[ His smile isn't unkind, but there is certainly a mischievous glint in his eye. ]
[ The question was rewarded with Emerick's surprise turning into a genuine deer in headlights stare. He catches the glint in Moonlight's eye and the expression collapses into an embarrassed smile, his gaze lowering as if trying to hide his embarrassment.
He chuckled just a little, then looked back to Moonlight with a smile that was the closest to natural that Moonlight may have ever seen on him. Sure, it was still a little shy, still a little nervous, but he was maybe letting himself believe that this was real. ]
No, I'm... Glad that you do.
[ He considered saying more, but closed his mouth before he started his nervous babbling. Moonlight was teasing him and Emerick knew that he wasn't a particularly hard read. ]
[ Smile lingering still, Moonlight turns back to the steaks to flip them, and tests one of the potatoes with a fork. Satisfied, his attention returns to his guest. ]
I must say... [ The mischievous glint returns, a playful quirk at the corner of his lips. He leans forward slightly, still holding to the edges of the counter. ] Either I misjudged you... or I'm a very good kisser.
Edited (cause some crazy person gave me use of all my icons...) Date: 2024-08-05 01:58 am (UTC)
[ Emerick watched Moonlight tend to the food - in truth, Emerick had never had steak before. Sometimes he would splurge and get himself some street noodles but that was about the best he could ever justify to spend on himself. Now he was being treated to this, just as a gesture.
His attention turned back to Moonlight when he spoke up again, chuckling as his gaze shifted down in response to what he'd said. The faint blush on his cheeks grew just a little deeper. He looked back to Moonlight. His smile was slightly embarrassed, but there was a hint of playfulness to it as well. ] Well, you are a good kisser, so maybe? I'm curious why you think you may have misjudged me though.
[ He took another drink of his beer, then leaned forward a little on his elbows after setting it back down. He was almost playfully conspiratorial, but still just a tinge too nervous to quite make it there. ]
[ Moonlight hums thoughtfully, and takes a long sip of his beer. It's a question that's only natural, but it's enough to sober the glow of Emerick's enjoyable company and their playful banter. ]
I hadn't pinged you for the type, is all. [ It's a calculated answer, and not entirely truthful. Moonlight smiles, still, and his posture is relaxed. To most anyone, he would seem as though his guard isn't up. ] Or ratherβ I didn't get the impression I was your type... [ Moonlight lets that hang in the air, checking the steaks once more. ] ...to make memories with.
[ He could be playfully downplaying, since they hadn't been explicit about attraction, but more on Moonlight's mind is his assumption that Emerick had been simply biding his time about the perfect moment to blackmail him. The smile remains, still, faint but present, even as he sets the steaks aside on a plate to rest, and moves to drain the potatoes. ]
What, before tonight did you think I was straight? [ He was teasing, preferring to keep it light rather than let himself fall too far into his own head and ruin this. The smile he had did lessen as he grew more serious, his gaze shifting off of Moonlight as his expression grew thoughtful. ]
I admit that I'm not the type to be so forward, but... [ He paused as if trying to decide if he wanted to continue. ] I have a lot of respect for you, and I admit that I do find you very attractive. I'd like the opportunity get to know you better and see if there could be anything between us.
[ Every word that Emerick said was genuine, his voice trembling with that same shy nervousness that he'd been fighting for this entire interaction. He recognized how much he stood to lose if things didn't work out - even if Moonlight was open to the idea right now, who was to say what would happen in a month? ]
I find it best not to assume. [ Moonlight answers without looking, his tone light, matching Emerick's. He gathers a couple of things from the small fridge, and salt and pepper from a cabinet. There is something thoughtful in the way he moves as he listens to the other continue.
Moonlight hasn't dated anyone - even touched anyone - in years. After Angel's death, Light... hadn't sworn off romance, not consciously, but even the idea of attraction has been off-putting to him. The idea that maybe he feels that stir for a man he was convinced was going to blackmail him... the fixer chooses not to think about that. ]
No harm in seeing where it goes. [ Though, he wonders as he glances towards Emerick, whether he should get the man's hopes up. Unless he's playing the long con, Emerick seems uniquely sweet and earnest for a man who had grown up in Night City. Moonlight supposes that's a solid chunk of the reason he mistrusted Emerick in the first place.
Meal complete, Moonlight puts synth-steak and the mashed potatoes on two plates, and hands one to Emerick, followed by a fork and knife. ] Need another beer?
[ Emerick couldn't recall the last time he'd done anything for himself. Well, that wasn't really true - it'd been nearly a decade ago when he took his sister from their parents' home. After that, he'd never had much room in his life to even think about a relationship. Sure he'd occasionally pay a doll for an empty hour or two - who in this city hasn't - but working multiple jobs to raise a teenager and put her through school didn't afford him much of a social life.
His gaze turned back toward Moonlight when he he speaks again, and he couldn't stop himself from smiling when Moonlight agreed to give this a try. He felt like he should say something here, but what was there to say? Thank you? You won't regret it? That didn't feel right.
Luckily, Moonlight handed him a plate instead, which he took gladly. He glanced at his beer - the correct answer was yes, he could use another (his hesitation said as much) - and shook his head. Some part of him felt guilty for imposing already (yes, he knew he was invited), so he hardly needed to take more from the man. ] I should be okay, but thank you.
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Date: 2023-11-06 04:08 pm (UTC)Beer, please. [ He followed Moonlight and found a place to stand or sit where he was out of Moonlight's way. ] You have a real preem place
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Date: 2023-11-06 05:20 pm (UTC)Thanks. After the Holocaust, I lived on the streets for years. [ His gaze shifts, flickering thoughtfully around the apartment he had worked for. ] I always told myself I'd be comfortable one day - and safe. [ Being off the streets... that had been more important to him than anything. In those early years, it drove him. He'd lost sight of it for a while under the Tyger's Claw and the haze of drugs that came with that life, but when he'd gotten free - really free - and when he'd had a taste of the lifestyle Aka's income afforded him, he had returned to that dream with a vengeance.
Moonlight's brows raise suddenly, as though realizing what he's sharing. He turns back to the small fridge, taking out a few packages. In glimpses of profile as he turns this way any that, Emerick might notice his cheeks are distinctly flushed. ]
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Date: 2023-11-07 12:11 am (UTC)The fact that Moonlight had just admitted something of his past - accident or not - put Emerick more at ease. He relaxed a little, both hands resting at the bottom of the beer bottle as he watched Moonlight with a faint, fond smile. He noticed the flush in Moonlight's cheeks but called no attention to it. His voice was warm when he spoke. ]
You've done really well for yourself. I've dreamed of living in a place like this since I was a teenager. The means just never really materialized. [ He gave a small shrug, not particularly bothered by it. Then, a little playfully: ] So color me a little jealous.
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Date: 2023-11-07 04:34 am (UTC)Well, perhaps if you play your cards right... [ And he's not talking about business. Then, as though he hadn't just made that suggestive comment, continues seamlessly on: ] Fries, mashed, or baked potatoes?
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Date: 2023-11-08 02:20 pm (UTC)I might be feeling a little lucky with the hand dealt. [ He was a little more coy than his counterpart - intentional, yes, but a byproduct of his nervous nature as well. He wasn't as seamless or sleek as Moonlight, in part due to pausing for a split second to consider if he had any real preference on what form the potatoes ultimately took. ]
Um, whatever you prefer. I'm not picky. [ Which was true, and not an attempt to skirt making a decision. ]
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Date: 2023-11-08 07:42 pm (UTC)Still, he likes Emerick, despite their rocky (on his part at least) start, and maybe there's no harm in flirting, at least. He turns his attention back to dinner.
Here, away from the hard, suspicious stares of 6th Street and the anxiety that came with that scrutiny, Moonlight has realized he's quite hungry. So he decides mashed is best in the moment, purely because it's probably the fastest. He washes the potatoes, fills the pot with water, and sets to chopping them. ]
I hope I didn't pull you away from anything important, earlier. [ He comments somewhat off-handedly, taking just a moment to glance over his shoulder again. ]
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Date: 2023-11-09 04:27 am (UTC)He was tired of being lonely. It would be easy to just take care of things the Night City way - spend a few hours or the night with a joytoy, hook up with anyone that moved. Emerick was used to fake gestures, he wanted something real. ]
Oh, no. I was just reading. I picked up a book analyzing the political and economic tensions in Europe during and after the Fourth Corporate War. [ He's maybe a little more excited about this than most would be - his inner nerd definitely showing a little. Moonlight had interrupted a calm day that he'd taken for himself, but Emerick didn't particularly mind. ]
If I may, what were you doing at that bar? They didn't really seem to think of you as their crowd.
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Date: 2023-11-15 02:43 am (UTC)A client thinks some Sixth Street members might be responsible for sabotaging opponent's cars in some street racing, but he wanted proof before taking any action on it. I happen to have a soft spot for racing - and I suppose I occasionally get the itch to get back out there myself - I thought I would check up on it instead of delegating. I knew I don't really fit in with their style but I didn't realize they'd be quite that suspicious.
[ He salts the water as it heats steadily to a boil, adds the potatoes, then takes a moment to return his attention fully to Emerick. ] Lesson learned, I suppose.
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Date: 2023-11-15 05:43 pm (UTC)Sixth Street can be a little cagey. They take the whole "protect and serve" thing pretty seriously, or at least like to act the part. [ His gaze lowered, a little nervous giving unsolicited advice. His gaze lifted back to Moonlight about halfway through what he was saying. ] If you chat them up a little at the bar - let some of the vets boast and act impressed, let them talk about their days in whatever conflicts they saw - they usually decide you're okay and leave you alone.
[ Emerick looked as if he might have more to say, choosing to change the subject instead. ] Racing, huh? I used to sneak out as a teenager to watch them sometimes. Why did you stop? [ It was clear that it was a genuine question borne from curiosity and not an attempt to fish for information, and if Moonlight didn't want to answer it he certainly didn't have to. ]
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Date: 2024-03-09 05:52 am (UTC)[ The question is a natural one, and Moonlight doesn't mind that Emerick asks. It's a difficult answer, complicated by the array of memories - good and bad - that come with it. The fixer's gaze drops to the vinyl flooring, a half-cocked, morose sort of smile finding its way to his expression. One loose tress casts shadows across eye and cheek from the ambient lighting.
Moonlight clears his throat after a moment, resets the slope of his shoulders, and drops his hands back to his sides. ] The scene is too wound up in a group I used to run with. [ His gaze finally lifts again.] Just easier to quit altogether than try and dodge them. [ His smile grows a little more natural. ] I wouldn't have pinned you for a racing fan.
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Date: 2024-03-09 05:12 pm (UTC)He started a little at the sound of Moonlight clearing his throat. The sound broke the spiral that was starting. He was still elevated enough that he had the sick feeling that came with anxiety, but much of his fear calmed when Moonlight spoke, and what was left melted as Moonlight's smile shifted into something less contrived. He was still trying to shake off the funk he started to slide into when he started to speak. ] Oh. I, uh, I'm not. Not really.
[ Emerick's expression shifted slightly so that it was tinged with regret and sadness. His gaze lowered so that he was not meeting Moonlight's eyes, but it was still high enough that at a glance he was still looking at Moonlight. ] I had a friend who was a fan, and he liked to take me with him. [ Emerick had realized years later that it was Callum taking him on dates, courting him in a way that he knew Emerick would be comfortable. Emerick had been made too dense by fear to realize it at the time. ] The races were always exciting and I did enjoy going, but he was the one that kept up with the sport and was knowledgeable. [ Emerick smiled faintly. ] He would talk about what kind of car he wanted to get when he could drive.
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Date: 2024-03-22 06:42 pm (UTC)Sounds like good memories.
[ It also sounds like that friend isn't around anymore. Dead, maybe, or moved away, or they just went their separate ways. It isn't Moonlight's place to push. He turns back to the tiny stove, checking the potatoes, then moving to the fridge. He's lucky he bought more than one synthsteak - he hadn't exactly planned on company. Actually, come to think of it, Emerick is only the second person, aside from Moonlight himself, to see this apartment. He muses on the implications of that, then shakes it off and sets a pan on high heat. ]
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Date: 2024-03-23 02:47 am (UTC)Yeah, they are.
[ He took a drink of his beer to buy him a moment. It would get weird if he kept talking about it, he knew that much, and he was aware that maybe he was saying a little too much. He didn't mind if Moonlight came to learn much about him - he was a nobody with no prospects and important only to one person - but Callum deserved to live uninterrupted. ]
It was all a while ago, though. I'd rather try to make new memories to look back on.
[ It was tentative, maybe a little probing to see how Moonlight would react, but he was being honest. ]
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Date: 2024-03-23 06:59 am (UTC)He turns back to Emerick, brows raised high. As he curls his hands loosely around the edge of the counter, his head tips again, but this time his expression is a little playful. ]
I think you should, [ he agrees, tone light. He leans forward slightly, body language implying he doesn't mind the idea, and is in fact, terribly curious about this turn. ] Did you have something in mind...?
[ Moonlight isn't entirely sure he heard correctly, because the obvious assumption - to him - is that Emerick is fishing, or at least implying he'd like to make memories with Moonlight. But on the other hand... it's Emerick. He's professional, and reliable, but thus far, the fixer hasn't known him to be assertive at all. ]
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Date: 2024-03-23 06:24 pm (UTC)I admit that I haven't given it much thought until recently. [ He hesitated. It was occurring to him what he could lose if he was misinterpreting this, but the memory of Moonlight's lips on his own was still on his mind, and maybe, just maybe that was worth being a little bold.
His tone was more coy than anything else, and it was a miracle he was able to keep his voice from shaking. ] I think this might be a good start.
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Date: 2024-08-03 04:57 am (UTC)The realization startles a sound out of the fixer that is remarkably close to a giggle. He straightens, pushing off from against the counter, and turns back to cooking. The smile, though, remains. After placing either steak in a pan, he looks at the other once more over his shoulder. ] I'm inclined to agree.
[ He fetches a beer for himself from the fridge, pops it open, and leans once again against the countertop, folding one arm over the other. Pearlescent prosthetic fingertips tap idly at his beer. Moonlight tips his head in a look of faintly amused curiosity, studying Emerick, though he doesn't say anything else. ]
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Date: 2024-08-04 03:52 am (UTC)He hadn't expected to get this far, and that much was plain on his face - he was unable to hide the his surprise any longer as he met Moonlight's gaze. ]
You... Are?
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Date: 2024-08-04 04:07 am (UTC)Would you rather I not...?
[ His smile isn't unkind, but there is certainly a mischievous glint in his eye. ]
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Date: 2024-08-04 04:36 am (UTC)He chuckled just a little, then looked back to Moonlight with a smile that was the closest to natural that Moonlight may have ever seen on him. Sure, it was still a little shy, still a little nervous, but he was maybe letting himself believe that this was real. ]
No, I'm... Glad that you do.
[ He considered saying more, but closed his mouth before he started his nervous babbling. Moonlight was teasing him and Emerick knew that he wasn't a particularly hard read. ]
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Date: 2024-08-05 01:50 am (UTC)I must say... [ The mischievous glint returns, a playful quirk at the corner of his lips. He leans forward slightly, still holding to the edges of the counter. ] Either I misjudged you... or I'm a very good kisser.
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Date: 2024-08-05 02:46 am (UTC)His attention turned back to Moonlight when he spoke up again, chuckling as his gaze shifted down in response to what he'd said. The faint blush on his cheeks grew just a little deeper. He looked back to Moonlight. His smile was slightly embarrassed, but there was a hint of playfulness to it as well. ] Well, you are a good kisser, so maybe? I'm curious why you think you may have misjudged me though.
[ He took another drink of his beer, then leaned forward a little on his elbows after setting it back down. He was almost playfully conspiratorial, but still just a tinge too nervous to quite make it there. ]
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Date: 2024-08-05 03:50 am (UTC)I hadn't pinged you for the type, is all. [ It's a calculated answer, and not entirely truthful. Moonlight smiles, still, and his posture is relaxed. To most anyone, he would seem as though his guard isn't up. ] Or ratherβ I didn't get the impression I was your type... [ Moonlight lets that hang in the air, checking the steaks once more. ] ...to make memories with.
[ He could be playfully downplaying, since they hadn't been explicit about attraction, but more on Moonlight's mind is his assumption that Emerick had been simply biding his time about the perfect moment to blackmail him. The smile remains, still, faint but present, even as he sets the steaks aside on a plate to rest, and moves to drain the potatoes. ]
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Date: 2024-08-05 03:17 pm (UTC)I admit that I'm not the type to be so forward, but... [ He paused as if trying to decide if he wanted to continue. ] I have a lot of respect for you, and I admit that I do find you very attractive. I'd like the opportunity get to know you better and see if there could be anything between us.
[ Every word that Emerick said was genuine, his voice trembling with that same shy nervousness that he'd been fighting for this entire interaction. He recognized how much he stood to lose if things didn't work out - even if Moonlight was open to the idea right now, who was to say what would happen in a month? ]
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Date: 2024-08-06 04:20 am (UTC)Moonlight hasn't dated anyone - even touched anyone - in years. After Angel's death, Light... hadn't sworn off romance, not consciously, but even the idea of attraction has been off-putting to him. The idea that maybe he feels that stir for a man he was convinced was going to blackmail him... the fixer chooses not to think about that. ]
No harm in seeing where it goes. [ Though, he wonders as he glances towards Emerick, whether he should get the man's hopes up. Unless he's playing the long con, Emerick seems uniquely sweet and earnest for a man who had grown up in Night City. Moonlight supposes that's a solid chunk of the reason he mistrusted Emerick in the first place.
Meal complete, Moonlight puts synth-steak and the mashed potatoes on two plates, and hands one to Emerick, followed by a fork and knife. ] Need another beer?
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Date: 2024-08-07 03:17 am (UTC)His gaze turned back toward Moonlight when he he speaks again, and he couldn't stop himself from smiling when Moonlight agreed to give this a try. He felt like he should say something here, but what was there to say? Thank you? You won't regret it? That didn't feel right.
Luckily, Moonlight handed him a plate instead, which he took gladly. He glanced at his beer - the correct answer was yes, he could use another (his hesitation said as much) - and shook his head. Some part of him felt guilty for imposing already (yes, he knew he was invited), so he hardly needed to take more from the man. ] I should be okay, but thank you.
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