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[neveraskedtwice]

It's a longer walk to the smaller waterfall, which, so close to so many homes, generally seems crowded to Emma. She can deal with the people, though, and she doesn't mind the exercise. It's preferable to the other one anyway, so close to Jean's house; she'll be damned if she's returning to the scene of that particular crime anytime soon. Or ever

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[missingthekeep]

Sean doesn't make a habit out of frequenting any of the local hot spots when he's not on duty (at least, none of the ones without bartenders), but hearing a yelp like that this early in the day proves to be curious enough for him to pick his way over, trying to decide whether he should be disappointed or not when he notices who it came from. "Doubt it's too fond o' ye either, lass," he says dryly, crossing his arms as he looks down at her. "The hell happened?"

[neveraskedtwice]

"Something bit me," Emma snaps, jaw set as she looks over at him. Wonderful, someone she knows to make a fool of herself in front of, because that's what this moment needed: an audience. Glowering, she starts wading toward the shore. If he says one goddamn word about her deserving it or so much as smirks, she's kicking his ass. "As if this insufferable island weren't horrible enough already, the wildlife is now directly attacking me."

[missingthekeep]

Alright, definitely not disappointed, then. "As opposed ta indirectly attackin' ye," Sean says, deadpan but for the tiniest quirk of his lips that he can't be bothered to hide as he stays where he is and watches her dredge herself out of the water. It couldn't have happened to a nicer person. "Ye alright?"

[neveraskedtwice]

"Ha ha," Emma says flatly, reaching for her towel when she reaches her rock, steadying a hand on it. Peering back over her shoulder, she lifts her leg to get a better look at it, patting the (admittedly minor) wound dry. "Oh, of course I'm alright - practically delirious with joy."

[missingthekeep]

"I meant more along the physical side o' things," Sean says, barely resisting the urge to roll his eyes as he ventures a little closer. It's mostly out of curiosity, of course, but it's also early enough that he can spare a bit of concern without being too annoyed with himself for it. Fortunately, it's a non-issue. "That's it? All that fuss o'er a wee li'l scratch?"

[neveraskedtwice]

"Oh, shut up," Emma snaps, flicking her towel at him. "It surprised me. Besides, it broke skin and God only knows what's in that water." He can make fun of her all he wants, she won't do anything less than hold her head high over it. Turning, pouting, she sits back on the rock. "Come closer and we'll see how much you fuss."

[missingthekeep]

"Oh no, I think I'm fine, thank ye," Sean says, putting up his hands but openly grinning for a moment before he catches himself and shrugs. "Keepin' it covered would be yer best bet, but ye dinnae need me ta tell ye that. Ye can always go pick up some antibiotics if'n ye're truly worried."

[neveraskedtwice]

"I'm not worried," Emma counters, throwing her towel at him. "I've no intention of running off to the clinic for a band-aid. With the state of this place, I'll take my chance with the fish." At least until he's found something better to do than laugh at her.

[missingthekeep]

"Suit yerself," Sean says, leaning back as he grabs the towel out of the air with a grin. Even if this was something he was actually concerned about, Emma's one he'd have no problem leaving to her own devices. "An' hey, the medical facilities in this place jus' might surprise ye."

[neveraskedtwice]

"They're only just now building an operating room," Emma counters, staring at him in genuine shock, though it fades quickly enough to a more knowing expression, irritable again. It's a small island and she's half-mad with boredom, that's all. "Besides, I don't trust that girlfriend of yours not to be worse to me than the wildlife."

[missingthekeep]

That manages to wipe the smirk off of Sean's face in a hurry, but he recovers rapidly and crosses his arms, towel tucked neatly in one hand. "Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure there's a vow ta cover that sort o' thing," he deadpans, unwilling to concede enough to bitch at her the way he wants to.

[neveraskedtwice]

"Vows get broken all the time." Emma doesn't especially believe that's the case here, but that's beside the point. Then again, annoying Sean from this angle is so easy, it's hardly any fun anyway. "What stops you?" She knows enough of people, enough of him, to make guesses with or without her abilities, but watching him try to answer might be more interesting.

[missingthekeep]

"Stops me from what?" Sean asks, playing the annoyance and willful ignorance cards for as long as he can even though he's pretty sure he knows exactly what she means.

[neveraskedtwice]

"From liking me even less than you already do," Emma says, drawing one long leg toward her and draping an arm over it, graceful even in petulance. There's honest curiosity in the question, but also a kind of fear, though she wouldn't name it that. She'd just hate to be pitied. "From lashing out when provoked."

[missingthekeep]

"A social contract?" Sean asks wryly, because the only alternative he can think of off the top of his head is that he's going soft, and that had better not be the case here. Maybe there's still some crazy part of him that believes Emma can't possibly be as aggravating as she seems to try to be, but he's far from sold on that. "An' what makes ye think I could like ye even less than I already do?"

[neveraskedtwice]

Well, thank god for small favors. Emma leans back, brow going up. "Please," she says, "if you disliked me that much, a social contract wouldn't really matter, would it? Not to you. Certainly not to me." She prefers it when things go her way, of course, but she doesn't ask the world to go easy on her; she can handle it. She certainly doesn't ask that of him.