Getting everyone settled in Emmet’s apartment was a mixed bag of good and bad news.

The first in the series of positive developments was that his parents had told the truth and nobody attempted to stop him from leaving the hospital with his brother. The first obstacle, meanwhile, came in the form of a small voice asking that they wait outside the apartment building to meet with Sneasler.

While they'd come to an agreement where they were headed, the reluctance to enter an unknown building without an adult he knew and implicitly trusted was a good instinct to have. That Emmet didn’t qualify as one such adult at this point didn’t bother him; they would get there when they got there, and he would have worried for how his brother had survived the fae realm if his trust was won so easily.

Hoping it might help foster the good will between them-- and because he couldn’t leave his twin to wait along a busy street by himself-- Emmet lingered with him until, eventually, Sneasler loped into view, her nose working furiously to follow their scents.

When she caught sight of the child, her eyes lit up and she bounded over, knocking Gligar aside-- into the air-- to scoop her kit up and swing him around. It jostled a high giggle loose and, somewhere in the motion, he managed to fling his arms around her neck, face pressed into her fur. She spent several minutes snuffling, nose burying itself in his hair, the hollow between his throat and shoulder, the folds of his dark shirt. When she found where the cannula had been removed from his arm-- wrapped tightly in several layers of gauze and bandage-- she shot Emmet a venomous look and then made to lap at the injury site. Even though she wouldn’t get past the first layer, he’d still shot forward and held her back from making contact.

The second challenge had been the fact that it wasn’t just his brother that his Pokemon had to acclimate to, but also the other Pokemon. Durant was the best behaved of the bunch, already aware of them and, if not welcoming, then not actively hostile; they had ended their last interaction without mistreating Durant or his trainer, and so he would extend the same courtesy. Galvantula didn’t seem to mind Sneasler either way, but quivered in rage at the sight of Gligar, who he held a staggering set of type disadvantages against, and adamantly refused to turn his back. When Emmet had tried to get them to play nice-- had encouraged his brother to get closer and give the spider a pet-- Galvantula had backed all the way off to the ceiling.

And then there was Eelektrik. Due to Emmet’s poor communication up to this point, Eelektrik was a mixed bag within a mixed bag. He was unafraid of Gligar and Sneasler, but also untrusting of the little boy who’d been shepherded into the apartment.

That said, the one-sided animosity hadn’t held for long.

While Sneasler scouted the apartment-- which Emmet was careful to keep half an eye on whilst also monitoring the rest of the menagerie-- his brother had sat himself down near the Pokemon, close enough to be social, but also careful not to encroach on their personal space. His living cape had prevented him from making friends with Galvantula this way, but Durant had crept nearer, willing to give this strange child an experimental nibble, and the boy had tolerated the wandering mandibles with a great deal of patience. Within ten minutes, he had a lap full of ant, small hands sliding methodically down Durant’s exoskeleton over and over again while the bug chirruped its content.

Eelektrik watched these goings-on with critical eyes, but there was a confusion when it turned to Emmet, trying to reaffirm that it was doing right by its trainer.

“I am sorry if I was unclear last night. I am angry with my parents. Not with him.” Emmet said softly, so only it might hear him, and set his hand on the side of the eel’s face, “You can see that he is verrrry sweet. I would like it verrrry much if you two could become friends. I hope my mistake didn’t ruin that chance.”

Eelektrik buzzed gently and turned to look at the child through those few gaps Gligar and Durant had left. Briefly, he contorted himself to wrap the length of his body around his trainer’s arm, and then released in order to hover closer to the center of attention.

The boy watched carefully from the corner of his vision, making an effort not to turn and let it know he was looking, and when it got close enough, stopped petting with one hand so that Eelektrik might investigate it instead. Like Durant, Eelektrik’s primary method involved its mouth, but unlike Durant, that was due to a lack of limbs. Cautious, but giving it the benefit of the doubt, the child allowed it to gum at him-- and maybe he couldn’t tell, but it was clear to Emmet how much care his partner Pokemon was using to ensure that its teeth didn’t come into contact with the pale skin.

They were going to be perfectly fine, he realized. Durant had already been thoroughly charmed and Eelektrik was well on his way. Galvantula might take longer by virtue of being an utter scaredy Purrloin, but once Gligar wasn’t attached to its human, the spider’s curiosity would be too much for him to take.

He hadn’t recognized it until that moment, but he’d also been worried for how his brother might react. He’d mentioned having some contact with other humans, but there had been no indication how he got along with Pokemon, save for Sneasler and the living embodiment of attachment issues. It was a relief to learn that he got along with other Pokemon just as well.

Emmet was glad that, for everything that had been withheld from the child, he’d had this much at least.

Another positive was that his brother hadn’t made him fight when dinnertime came around. He’d been subjected to a doleful look, but held firm, and the boy had given in, sipping slowly at the cup of broth he’d been handed. This evening it was the brand that had a greater nutritional content, but maybe later in the week he’d get the kind that kids his age tended toward instead. Unown shapes would be a hit, Emmet already knew.

The greatest challenge came the day before he went back to work, signaled by several heavy knocks against the door. There was no need to check though the peephole. Emmet already knew exactly who it was.

He shooed everyone back toward the hallway, where they wouldn’t be immediately visible, and began the process of unlocking the door before Drayden could get impatient.

With one more backwards glance to ensure that the space looked relatively normal, he stepped into the hallway, belatedly hoping that he’d remembered to unlock the doorknob in addition to the deadbolt. On the bright side, if he’d just locked himself out, he wouldn’t have to rely on Eelektrik to let him back in this time.

His friend looked him up and down in judgment, then folded his arms over his chest. “Do you want to explain why your mother called me saying she couldn’t get a hold of you?”

“Not particularly.” He said, and, seeing no reason to hide his irritation, added, “It is her problem if she doesn’t understand why I am upset with them.”

“Is this problem related to the fact that you weren’t at work when I stopped in yesterday?”

“It is.”

Above the short-trimmed beard, Drayden’s lips pulled into something discerning, “She seemed to think that you were in some kind of danger.”

Emmet nearly sighed in relief; finally, a question he could answer without any caveat. “I am not. I have spent most of my time off here. There is nothing to be afraid of.”

Nothing to be afraid of once one adjusted to foot-long claws and pincers the size of a human skull, at least-- but given who he was talking to, that didn’t seem like much of a challenge. Drayden wrestled dragons for fun; if anyone in Emmet’s life could get used to Sneasler and Gligar, it would be him.

“Why did you take leave?” He was subjected to a second once-over, less critical this time and more from a place of concern, “You’re not ill, are you?”

“I am fine.”

Emmet hesitated. He’d prefaced the situation long ago, when he’d still been agonizing over whether or not he should do the right thing, and Drayden’s opinion hadn’t been particularly favorable. No matter what he did or didn’t share, there would come a point where his friend discovered what he was hiding, and the longer it was pushed back, the worse the fallout would be.

If he wanted to earn Drayden’s support, he had to act today.

“We spoke about the Lostlorn Forest several weeks ago.” He said, uncertain, and scanned his friend’s expression for comprehension. “Do not get mad. I went back.”

“Emmet--”

“I could not risk it. The child could have been abducted and lost. My job is to ensure passenger safety.” He didn’t stop, didn’t let Drayden cut in when he clearly intended to, “I waited until it was reported that the Pokemon was in Nimbasa again. The threat was minimal. I am glad I checked. The boy was there, and he was verrrry sick.”

“So you brought it into your home and decided to look after it, is that what you’re working up to?” Drayden asked, passing a hand over the upper half of his face.

“Of course not. I took him to the hospital for treatment. They agreed that he is human. He is seven years old.” With a sensation not dissimilar to when he’d first admitted it to Sneasler, Emmet swallowed his reluctance and-- quieter than before-- said, “He is also my twin brother.”

“You just said he’s seven.” Drayden remarked, voice utterly flat.

“I do not want to go into detail out here. But he does not know yet, and we cannot have this discussion inside. All I can say is that he lived in the Entralink after we were born. That is why we seem so different in age.”

Frustratingly, Drayden’s attention didn’t land where it should have. “So you did bring him with you.”

“What else could I do?” Emmet asked, waspish and aware that his frustration wasn’t meant for his friend, but unable to contain it any longer, “He was dying of starvation and had nowhere else to go. His system is so unaccustomed to the process that he cannot eat more than a cup of jello at one time and requires multiple supplements daily in order to remain stable. I had to teach him how to eat in the first place.”

Drayden’s jaw clenched, and while Emmet could see that there was a twitch of sympathy there, it wasn’t what won out. “I understand that he needed help, and that you believe he’s someone you have a responsibility toward--”

“If not me, who? Not our parents, certainly. He deserves to have someone on his side. Someone who does not run the risk of being captured by an overambitious teenager with pokeballs to spare.” As quickly as it had lit under his ribs, the spark of ire died down and, hoping his friend would give him a chance, he used his final burst of steam to wheeze out, “He does not even have a name.”

In something like resigned distaste, Drayden shut his eyes and drew a breath, and Emmet prepared himself to be roared at. Instead, the other man pinched the bridge of his nose and said, “Show me what we’re dealing with, at least.”

That… was enough. More than he’d expected, even.

Fortunately for Emmet’s pride, the doorknob turned under his hand, and he didn’t need to wait for someone to unlock it. The goings-on inside were unremarkable at first glance: just Eelektrik curled up in a chair and Durant basking in a sunbeam. Everyone else had made themselves scarce, and so they strode in without hesitation. Absently, he flipped the lock; one could never be too careful in that regard, even with Drayden in their living room.

Leaving his friend under Eelektrik’s watchful eye, Emmet broke off down the hall he’d ushered the others down prior. Given precious few options, and out their usual choice of the living room, the trio from the Entralink had opted to crowd into the bathroom: Sneasler tracing bored patterns into the countertop with the damp tip of her feather and Gligar hanging from the shower rod, making unnerving eye contact with Galvantula, who had all of his limbs wrapped around the child. It was unclear who he thought he was comforting, but in practice, there was only one party who needed it.

Emmet hadn’t known a Gligar could have Unnerve. Seemed the tables had turned on Galvantula.

Letting the door fall shut behind him, he stepped in-- gaze, inevitably, landing on his brother.

“My friend D--”

“Ah!”

He barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes, but did refrain. They would have time to work on that; it wasn’t doing any active harm right now, and Drayden would probably appreciate the paranoia, anyway.

Blowing out the sigh that took annoyance’s place, he said, “Apologies. My friend would like to meet you. He is worried that you are a fae who might mean harm. Are you up to helping set his fears at ease?”

There was a second where his brother chewed nervously on the inside of a cheek, then glanced to Sneasler. She tilted her head, conceding the decision to him.

“We will not be leaving the apartment. You may also bring Galvantula with you.” Actually, it was for the best that he did bring Galvantula with him. Seeing one of Emmet’s Pokemon at ease with the boy would go a long way toward convincing Drayden that he was, in fact, just a sick little kid and nothing more sinister. It would also separate the bug and bug-adjacent Pokemon from one another.

He exited with his brother trailing after him, spider still wrapped firmly around his person, but with skinny arms supporting its abdomen.

When they turned the corner, Drayden’s eyes dropped to the secondary figure and he froze.

The child swallowed tightly, ducking half a step behind Emmet for protection. There was a faint chirp as Galvantula got a nervous little squeeze.

After a long, awkward moment, Drayden snapped back to reality and cleared his throat apologetically. “Hello there.”

It was echoed from somewhere beyond Emmet’s hip, muffled through a mouthful of fur.

He pivoted far enough to take the boy by the shoulder, nudging him into place next to him. “He would not let me tell him your name. You would get along.”

“It’s dangerous.” The boy said for what might have been the twelfth time over this break.

As Emmet thought he might, Drayden scoffed in agreement, “You realize he’s entirely in the right, don’t you?”

That was an opportunity, actually. If he could get them to agree on something-- even if that common ground was thinking him an idiot-- it would be a head start toward acclimating them to one another.

He waved a hand dismissively, “It is fine. We are not in the Entralink. The danger is minimal.”

The frustrated whine came back as his brother failed to find words that would adequately express his disapproval. Fortunately, Drayden was there to fill in the gap.

“It will always be there; you can’t be so careless.”

He poked his tongue out. “You are biased. That’s what you get for having all dragons.”

The only audible answer was a single, unamused snort.

Something tapped against his hip, and he glanced down.

“Don’t you have all electric and steel type Pokemon?” His brother ostensibly asked. In practice, it was more of an innocent challenge.

“You have all ground and flying type Pokemon.” Emmet muttered, unable to resist a little poke in return.

The child blinked at him and, contemplative, mumbled, “I don’t have a Pokemon, though…?”

“Ah. Forgive me. A ground and flying type Pokemon has you.”

There was a beat of silence, and then a small giggle muted by Galvantula’s fur.

When he glanced his friend’s way, Drayden was watching with an odd look on his face.

They let the child go shortly thereafter, still hugging Galvantula to his chest as he wandered down the hall. Just once, he glanced back over his shoulder. Drayden continued to stare after him and had to be ushered out so they could speak unfiltered.

“He looks exactly like you did.” He said, once the door was shut.

“I told you. We are twins. By technicality, he is my older brother.”

Caught off guard, Drayden choked on a legitimate laugh, but schooled his features in short order. “I’m sorry, that was inappropriate. You said earlier that you took him to the hospital, and that they corroborated your claims that he’s human?”

Emmet hummed his agreement, but made no effort to hide his displeasure with their return to this topic.

Drayden shook his head, not in denial, but deep thought. “I’m not sure what to make of this right now. I still think it was reckless to bring him into your life, but if he’s human, I can’t imagine that kid physically could do anything to hurt you.”

“Wouldn’t.” Emmet corrected tiredly, “He keeps shushing me when I try to say my name. He’s a good kid. Just coming from a verrrry dangerous place.”

His friend continued to look him over, assessing, but eventually sighed. “Well, you’ve already proven that I can’t stop you when you pick up speed. Just keep me in the loop the next time you plan on doing something stupid.”

In lieu of an unconvincing lie, Emmet saluted. He knew damn well there was still something ill-advised in the near future, and didn’t want to jeopardize what little progress they’d made by saying as much. Drayden grumbled something under his breath, but ultimately left him with orders to stay safe and went his own way.

With a sigh of relief that traveled the entirety of his body, Emmet moved to get back to their day.

The door's handle did not turn.

He let his head thunk heavily against the wood.