[Theodora James]

Having anyone she liked willingly meet Emmett was a new thing for Teddy. She'd never quite had a friend like the mechanic; someone who so devotedly stood up for her at every turn without fail. She'd never experienced the side of her that had the chance to talk the lawyer up so frequently. It had been overly flattering, but she did her best to make do. She had to appreciate the efforts, if nothing else.

She had to be a little thankful when the night was drawing to a close. It was the first night Emmett was actually going to use the room Teddy had for her without a fight, which was good. As Teddy closed the door to her own room with the trainer in it, she was grateful for the time alone with her, and the opportunity to ask the obvious question.

"So," She said finally, back straightening as she turned around; "Your thoughts?"

[Natalie Arazi]

The mechanic that owned the title of Teddy's best friend was not at all the type of person Natalie had expected, though that was hardly a bad thing. What had first expected to be a nervous meeting quickly became something more laid back and casual thanks to Emmett's strange charm. It was hard not to like her, and despite the odd pairing, the two managed to fit within their friendship flawlessly.

And as the night came to an end, the mechanic seemed excited to let all of Natalie's pets - even her tortoise - share the spare bedroom. It was a good mark in her book.

Natalie turned to face the lawyer as the door drew shut, smiling at her counterpart. Dark eyes were a little slow to meet hers when she turned around. "She's very sweet." Natalie replied with a nod. "It's endearing how highly she speaks of you."

[Theodora James]

Seclusion provided it's own comfort; sometimes, Emmett could be an overpowering force. Half the things she said over the last few hours were overwhelming in their own ways. Tension eased a little when Teddy was finally granted eye contact.

Sweet wasn't a word often used to describe Emmett, but it was so fitting that this woman saw her that way.

"She's a good friend." Teddy concluded, hardly willing to accept that such praise from Emmett should be overtly acknowledged. "Everything she said is her way of... Helping." And she had to appreciate every attempt made.

[Natalie Arazi]

Natalie couldn't help the way she smiled at Teddy's explanation. Hard as she might have tried to keep humor from her features, she couldn't really help it. Her nose crinkled a little bit as a little breath of laughter crept out from her chest.

"She has some pretty... strong opinions." It took a moment for the trainer to come up with the best word to describe the way Emmett spoke of not only Teddy, but others as well. "I'm flattered, really. That she seems to like me." Or dislike the subject of conversation that somehow managed to come up a few times, but it wasn't like Natalie to take a negative turn even on something that was so blatantly laid out in front of her.

[Theodora James]

At least Natalie saw the funnier side of Emmett's approach. Eyes dropped to catch the particular smile she wore, and how special it seemed given the occasion. The way she spoke of the mechanic was probably the nicest way to confirm the difference in her behaviour. Emmett was caring, but loud and outspoken; she had some very choice opinions about Olivia.

"She does like you." Teddy pointed out, even if she was sure that didn't matter when it came to her own personal choice. "She thinks you're perfect." She added lightly, taking her first step away from the door.

[Natalie Arazi]

Steps taken towards her were a relief, and with the movement came her own. She eased towards the lawyer, hands finding her shoulders as she offered a little squeeze. It was hard not to see the tension that filtered through Teddy at certain points of the evening, and even if that was resided now, Natalie still applied pressure to ease it away.

"She knows you are." Natalie pointed out, turning any attention on herself at her counterpart. She wore the title of perfect far better.

[Theodora James]

Distance was a hard thing to maintain, but it had always helped when Teddy wanted proper answers. She was grateful for it to be over, and for that desire for contact to be clearly mutual. Pressure to her shoulders helped ease the pressure in her head, like the threat of a headache could be so easily cured.

Such a compliment was effortlessly thrown back at her, and she shouldn't have been surprised. She'd already learned how Natalie struggled with such a heavy word about herself; it wasn't as if she took it any easier when it was given to her.

Hands rested against her chest as she finally allowed herself to lean through the small break between them. "Flatterer." Teddy called her, leaning in to kiss her lightly.

[Natalie Arazi]

All it had taken was a little encouragement and Natalie was happy to find a connection with the lawyer. Any call that Teddy could possibly make would draw a response out of Natalie within moments. Her fingertips made small circles in an attempt to further ease any tension away.

Her features found gentle humor again, but they softened with the way she was kissed. How perfect it and she was. Though it really hadn't been so long, it felt like ages since they last made such a connection.

"You love it." Her response came forth before she could think to halt herself on using a word Emmett had thrown out so quickly and factually.

[Theodora James]

As much as Teddy adored the time she spent with Emmett, being able to close themselves off for the rest of the night carried an obvious relief. Tension eased from her shoulders and added stress subsided with the small kiss they managed to share.

Little words dragged a small laugh from her lips, but she found herself so overwhelmed by the fleeting proximity she didn't want to pull to pieced just yet. "Evidently." She replied then. After all, Emmett had used the word. To an extent, she wasn't wrong.

[Natalie Arazi]

It was a well known fact that even Teddy had pointed out about herself; she was ego driven. It so perfectly suited the lawyer to be, and that wasn't a bad thing. Natalie found it endearing, like she did with so many of the traits her counterpart carried. The corner of her mouth twitched up at the reply before she leaned closer and caught Teddy's lips. One kiss hardly seemed like enough, and she wasn't so quick to pull away, despite the lightness and thought she put behind it.

"She seemed very confident in her thoughts." She replied finally, lifting a hand to draw it up through Teddy's hair.

[Theodora James]

Another kiss against her lips and this time it dragged beyond the lighter connotations Teddy had expected. Drawing it out made it harder to ignore their proximity, and she knew that to some degree she should have been paying attention to this conversation. She kept her eyes closed regardless, taking the option to look off the table completely.

She had always been calculating, to a degree. It always managed to shine through despite not meaning it. "She certainly draws her opinions from a reliable source." Teddy offered, brushing the tip of her nose against hers lightly.

[Natalie Arazi]

A connection as simple as the tip of her nose brushing along the length of her own drew a breath out of Natalie. Her own eyes remained shut, though for a different reason than her counterpart chose. It was easier to keep them closed, even as her hands continued to move, eventually both settling on the lawyer's cheeks.

Her pulse shouldn't have been racing so quickly over something someone else said, but she felt the way her heart wanted to push out of her rib cage. "Is it true, then?"

[Theodora James]

Though Teddy couldn't see her, she was sure she knew the kind of reaction that was waiting had she dared to open her eyes. The weight of it all fell on her shoulders and she held it to the best of her ability. How they had gotten here from where they were mere moments ago was an absolute mystery to the lawyer who saw everything.

Questioned, then, and realisation hit her like a wall, pieces falling to place like they'd always been there, she just hadn't seen them. Her hands slid down the length of her form in the silence without a proper answer. Fingertips grazed her sides before settling at her waist, and there, they wrapped themselves around completely.

"Don't ask me that. Not yet; not when things are still such a mess."

[Natalie Arazi]

The question burned in her mind like a fire that couldn't be ignored. Natalie knew better than to ask a question like that, but she had little willpower over the way it pressed against her.

The answer she received was clever. Perfectly balanced in a way that only the lawyer would know how. There wasn't an answer, and with as much turmoil something like that could create, it offered a sort of relief instead. With the mess Teddy described, Natalie wasn't sure how to handle either of the other possible answers.

"Okay, I won't." She breathed, head tilting down to press her forehead aganist Teddy's. "I promise."

[Theodora James]

Acceptance coloured the way Natalie acted, and Teddy couldn't help but be surprised by it. A small connection was worth everything, and instinctively her hands tightened in the fabric at her waist as she kept herself close. Now wasn't the time to promote any distance.

"You're too kind." She admitted. There were so many people who wouldn't have accepted that kind of answer. They would have pushed, or even shifted to insult her for trying something so closed off.

"I can be controlling; I know that." She tried to explain, but it was difficult. Pressing. "I'm not trying to be. That's not what I mean."