#twolefthands

-Noteworthy Points- If they liked Emmet so much why isn't there an Emmet 2. GREAT NEWS! Welcome to Emmet! 2!! I lovingly call this story Two Left Hands but the actual AU name is usually just shortened to Reflection AU. Emmet (1) ("Other Emmet") is on the left and Emmet (2) ("This Emmet") is on the right.

Other Emmet is currently based in an abandoned railway car that is in Chargestone Cave. He took it and turned it into his own computer lab, and This Emmet took it and turned it into more of a home.

Hijinks will ensue as the two of them grapple with loss (and denial!) and sure do find some family but not in the way either of them expected or necessarily wanted. (2) just wants to make sure (1) takes care of himself, and (1) just wants (2) to leave him alone long enough for him to find a way to get Ingo back again. (...And then... maybe get (2)'s Ingo back too. If he's feeling charitable.)

He had been doing his best to help provide for him until now. He knew he didn't want to be seen in public. Of course he didn't.  There would be too many questions and not enough privacy. Better to not be seen at all, than make both of their lives a living hell.

He can't imagine he likes it, though. He thinks, there's probably even a chance that he's shutting himself away so forcibly because of him. That, maybe he doesn't want to ruin his life, disappear, and leave him to pick up the mess he left behind. 

Emmet softly raps two knuckles against the metal shutter of the abandoned shipping container. 

It could also very easily be that he hates him. He's always frustrated. He always glares at him with so much hatred, like the heat of a thousand volcarona and a thousand more darmanitan for good measure.  But he never frowns. He always has a pinched, impatient, dismissive, smile or snarl on his lips.  He didn't want him to draw any kind of comparison. He's sure he's doing it on purpose when he's around.  Whether that's to be kind and spare his feelings, or to stop him from getting emotionally attached, it's hard for him to say.

He doesn't think he likes being alone here. If he was at least at his own place, he would have the support of his friends and family. Presumably. It didn't sound like any of them had died or gone missing.  But here, he has no one. The only person who even knows to check on him is Emmet. 

Maybe it would have been kinder if he'd been completely alone. He'll have to keep wondering.  He can't stand by and let him waste away. Even if he doesn't want to see him, he wants to help. If that's by finding a spare shipping container to move off the tracks or by bringing food and supplies for him, it's got to count for something.

He hopes, at least. 

"Emmet?" He mumbles, trying to avoid getting on his bad side by being annoying or overbearing. "Are you in there?" There's some shuffling and typing that stops when he speaks. He is here, yes. 

Whether or not he wants to be bothered is a different question that Emmet can't answer. 

"um. Well, if you are home, I brought you some more food. Some canned fruits and soups. Things like that. I thought you might want some stuff that keeps well. Stuff that will not take more electricity to store."

There's some more shuffling.  He's never told him that he can hear him through the door. 

"If you are not here I will leave them at the door." He starts to lower the gift bag to the ground, looking away out at the cave around them.  It's very beautiful. He wishes he had more excuses to visit Chargestone.

"Okay. I am— leaving! Good bye."

He takes a hesitant step back, and turns to leave the way he came. 

He door of the container creaks open behind him. It startles him a little- he flinches, a bit. He's quick to fall back into step, keeping his eyes fixed onto the ground ahead of him. 

"Why are you here." His gravelly, exhausted, terse accusation is the only thing that makes him stop. 

He stays facing away, although tilts his head back up to hold a hand to the brim of his cap. "I am, here to deliver food. I said this, yep."

"Why are you here."

He asks again, no change in his tone or inflection. Not that either of them were especially good at that.  He can hear him checking the contents of his delivery. 

"D-" "Delivering food. I wanted to make sure you had enough." He swallows the lump that threatens to gag him. 

"It has barely been two days." "You know I have food." "You brought it."

Emmet tightens his grip on his cap. It's the only thing he can hold onto that won't be immediately obvious. He's scrambling for something to say, but his words don't come fast enough.

"You are a shit lier." "You would not have your back turned to me if you were telling the truth." He sounds like he doesn't have time for this.  That's such a fair way to feel about him. 

"I am sorry to bother you. Again." "I will go now."

He manages to take three much longer strides forward before much faster, much more angry sounding footsteps catch up to him. He grabs his wrist, forcing him to stop. Emmet glances over his shoulder, but is quick to snap back away. "What are you hiding from me." He sounds angry and upset. 

"I am sorry." He's quiet and small. 

"Stop giving me apologies and start giving me answers."

The words are dying in his throat.  "I-I'm sorry. I should l-leave." "I will leave you alone." He won't let go of his wrist and he can't pull out of his hold.

"Why won't you look at me?" He says with an extra dose of venom. He pulls on his arm, twisting him around to face him. 

He manages to rein in any surprise and fear pretty quickly, but not quick enough that the other wouldn't notice. 

Emmet stares him down, face to face, scrutinizing him and judging him. All at once, Emmet can see his puffy red eyes and quivering smile. He can see where the tear tracks have dried on his cheeks. He can see the way that his gloves hands shake weakly in his grip. 

That anger turns to confusion, and then immediately into discomfort.  "...What... Happened to you?"

His voice doesn't feel like it will serve him anymore. His throat feels dry and scratchy.  "I am sorry. I should leave."

He pulls at his wrist again, but while his grip is looser, he won't let go of him. His hand is warm. Maybe it would be a little sweaty if he had caught his wrist instead of his dress shirt. Emmet can't tell, though.

He looks so uncomfortable. That instant when bottled wrath shifted to discomfort said everything it needed to. 

"G-go. I should go."

"...Are you okay?" He asks him with intense hesitation. 

"sorry, I- I am sorry to bother you!" He won't let go of his wrist. Tugging again and again, but he won't let go. He's going to tear up again. He needs to leave. Please, let him go. He shouldn't have come and it was so stupid, he-

"Emmet." "...What happened?"

He starts to cry again. His breath stuttering and growing faster. His words are still stolen for several seconds more.  His eyes flick across Emmet's face, wishing that anger would come back. 

He gets a hold of his words.  "Closed."

Emmet only levels him a more confused and uncomfortable expression, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. 

"The investigation." "His investigation was" "Closed."

Emmet's expression darkens. "Oh."

Emmet shrivels, pulling his hand out. Emmet lets go of him.  "I am going to leave. I am sorry." He doesn't have time to turn around. "Stop."

Emmet stares him in the eyes, scowling now, but still with the disquieted look of a stranger that doesn't want to deal with his emotions.

"Why did you come here?"

Emmet manages a false start, then another.  He tears his eyes away to find comfort in the crystal walls instead as he covers his mouth with a gloved hand. He blinks through another wave of tears. "i  d on't  kno w."

They both know he's lying. He can't meet his eyes. 

He turns abruptly to run away. His boots scuff on the rocky earth.  "I'm sorry. I'm leaving." He can only get one step in. Emmet does not grab him.  "-Do you want to come in."

They're at a stand still. It's the only thing he could have said that would make Emmet pause again. 

"Would you like to come inside?" He offers again. Emmet can't miss it this time, it was emphatic and clear and absolutely directed at him. Even if his voice was empty and tense.

"Can I?"

"Yes."

Emmet keeps his eyes averted, hat pulled down to cover his eyes as he undoes his turn away. He puts his hand back down.

"Okay."

Emmet turns around to walk back to the door. Emmet follows him silently, several steps behind.

He leads him inside, closing the door behind him and dragging the grocery bag through the door for good measure.  He's only been inside a small handful of times, and never for long enough to get comfortable. There is a giant computer set up on the far end, and several cables have been strung through the whole container. They travel along the floor or are tied to the walls with zip ties, before finding deliberate holes punched in the walls that lead to the natural electricity outside. 

"Do not touch anything." "Do not touch the computers or the cables."

Emmet says nothing, but nods quickly. He finds a seat presented to him- an old used couch he had dragged all the way out here with Bull's and Axle's help. The other yanks some blankets off the cushions, tossing them behind it and gesturing briefly to the seat. 

"Here."

Emmet takes a seat on the end furthest from the high-tech-looking machines. 

"I am doing important work." "Right." Don't interrupt me goes unspoken but loud and clear. 

He must be sleeping on the couch. Of course. Where else would be sleeping? Emmet hadn't given him anything else. After the offer for him to stay in Ingo's old room went harshly rejected, he hadn't remembered to find another. Maybe if he had brought his bed like he did with the couch and didn't tell him who's it was, he would have accepted it. It's probably too late for that now, he'd be able to tell he was hiding something.

He sits quietly on the couch with his head down, legs stitched together and hands on his knees as he leans into the back and the arm. He sniffles once. He doesn't like how noses get all runny when people are sad, it's really gross and annoying.  His arms are shaking. A couple more tears fall from his eyes, and he keeps his head down.

He could cry as many tears as he wanted to here, and no one would bat an eye. No one would stop to ask him how he's doing, there wouldn't be any croons or coos of upset pokemon. He didn't have to worry about PR or the media or anyone else from across the region judging him. 

Just him and his tears. He could finally just cry. 

He had gotten so caught up in his thoughts that he stopped paying attention to what was happening around him. He flinches when a weight shifts the couch cushions.  Emmet has taken the spot on the other side of the couch, one cushion's worth of space between them. 

He holds something in Emmet's direction, and it takes him a few seconds to catch up with what it is.

It's a lemonade. Emmet is looking at him expectantly.  He's holding his own drink in his other hand. Emmet takes it carefully but appreciatively. His fingers are so warm. He brushes past them quick, taking it. They'd be warmer if he wasn't wearing his gloves.  They leave a tiny impression on the can, a barely lingering heat. 

"Stop masking."

Emmet, who's eyes had been fixed downward on the can in his lap, look up to meet his somewhat uncertain.  "Huh?"

"Stop masking. I know you are doing it. I am you. I know what it looks like." Emmet sits up just a little straighter. The other cracks open his drink, before turning to look at him again.  "Just cry. Talk about it. Whatever."

He takes a sip of his drink, averting his eyes to look at his computers.

Emmet cracks open his own drink, unraveling with a hitched breath as he loosens up and doesn't curl on himself so tightly. The lemonade is very sweet, but just the right amount of tangy.  He doesn't say much at all, but there isn't really silence between the sniffles and occasional sobs.

"...I knew it would happen."

"...Did it..." "...For you, too?" 

"...No."

"No?"

Emmet must've picked up on the watery hope in his tone. "The day was coming up fast." "I did not stick around long enough to find out."

There's a longer silence between them, broken up by wet hiccups.

Emmet never bought him any lemonade. He must have risked a trip to one of the less populated stations in the subway. The vending machines were still diligently stocked. After another hiccup, he licks some of the tears off his face. Gross. Salty. That's what the gloves were for, silly. He daubs at his cheeks.

"How much do I owe you?" "What?"  The reply is so fast and he sounds so confused, it makes him laugh quietly to himself. Emmet is looking over at him, genuinely lost. Emmet holds up his can, still trying to get a persistent dew out of one eye.

He looks at him like he's just told an especially stupid pun. Like Elesa. "Are you kidding me?" It does crack him up again, the sound of his voice and the look on his face. More real this time. "You do not owe me anything. Take one look around this room and ask again." He supplies, sounding incredulous.

"Haha- Okay- Okay."

"That is so- Stupid." He says, and there's something in hearing it that stings- He's running a hand through his hair, though. Emmet can see stress woven through every fiber of his body language. "That is so selfless- and totally unnecessary! It is so stupid!" "So-"

He falters.

"Kind."

"You have been so kind to me." He avoids the surprise in Emmet's eyes by hunching forward, curling onto himself with his lips resting on the rim of his can.

Emmet takes a sip of his own drink to buy him time to find words that were just stolen off his tongue. "You would have done the same."

He doesn't reply, turning his head away. "I am you. You are me."

The pause in between is punctuated by another sniffle.

"I do not think we are the same person any more." His eyes are fixated on one of the endless loading circles on the computer screen across the room, electronic light bathing him a blue shade.

"...You are still you."

He sits up straighter, looking down as he fiddles with the can's tab. "I am not the same as you." "I have spent so long. Searching for him." "I have learned so much crazy stuff and tried so many different things."

"I was just trying to get him back. I think I lost something to do it."

The silence drags on for a while. Emmet sounds resigned, and tired. He doesn't seem to expect him to have anything to say, but he does. He just needs to think of the right way to say it, first.

"You bought me a lemonade."

He scoffs. "That is barely-" "You let me inside."

He looks conflicted, finally meeting his eyes again. "Well-" "Well?"

"I- There have been plenty of times I did not." "Maybe. But I was not crying those times."

"I have left you at the door. All the time." "All the time- And just waited for you to leave me alone." Emmet is somewhat surprised he admitted to that, but doesn't let it show.

"I know." "But you let me in today." He seems to be struggling to come up with another rebuttal.

"You are still honest." "You are still kind. Even if it is not as easy as you want."

"It is never easy to be kind."

Emmet is now the one avoiding the other's eyes. He's found a spot on the wall where the wires don't fully block the hole up, letting him catch a glimpse of a blue crystal.

His couch buddy was finding that sentiment especially sobering right now.

"...Sorry."

"It is okay."

"It, really is not..." He corrects him hesitantly. "But I forgive you, so it is."

He doesn't have a comeback for that one.

He was expecting by this point in the conversation that there wouldn't be anything else that could surprise him, but Emmet does have one last trick he isn't prepared for. He sets his can down on the floor.

"Do-"

He trips over his own tongue and has to start again, except now he's silently cursing himself, because he now has Emmet's undivided attention.

"You. You came all the way out here." "Oh- Right, I should get going-" He starts to pick himself up, quickly making another attempt to dry his eyes- "DO- YOU! WAnt a hug!"

He's stopped mid crouch, failing his attempt to stand and you'd think he never tried to leave his chair.

Emmet panics, throwing out both his arms in his direction but refusing to look at him.

Emmet isn't, exactly sure how to respond. "...Do you want to give me a hug?"

The other falters. His arms twitch. "You do not have to! I wanted to offer." "You are sad. And upset." "And you came all this way-"

"But do you actually want to?" He measures his tone carefully... The hurt in his voice is small, but present.

"Or do you just feel like you need to?"

He flinches, arms curling back to himself until he's tied himself smaller, holding his upper arms tightly. Emmet can immediately read and recognize that tell, want, and he's immediately regretting reading into the offer. It's more obvious how tightly he's caught his own grip because he isn't wearing his gloves. He's fully turned away from him, now. Emmet's heart sinks like a hard stone. "Right- Sorry! I shouldn't have asked!" "It is rude to disrespect personal space!"

His heart wrenches into a violent knot, twisting at the familiar phrase.  The amount of times he's had to remind himself of that since Ingo disappeared, he could never count.

"I- Didn't mean to- Sorry-! I-!" Emmet has cleared the paltry space between them before the other can finish another stammering sentence.  He holds onto Emmet fiercely tight, looping his hands under his far arm so he can pull himself into Emmet's shoulder. Any conversation is sharply silenced as his arms untangle from their self-soothing spots to loop around his torso instead. 

He's actually quite cold to the touch, after Emmet picks his gloves off. His rolled up sleeves and foregone coat must not keep the heat in very well, and the thin walls of the shipping container aren't insulating the chill from deep underground.

Any shared tears past that point are between them and the computers.

"I'm sorry-" "I'm sorry." "It's going to be okay." "I'm going to make it okay again." "I promise." "But you don't have to do it alone, do you?"

"No." "And I don't- I don't want to."

"I do not want to anymore."

"Perfect!" "Then I will not let you be alone."

Other Emmet (Emmet 1) doesn't really hate This Emmet (Emmet 2) for, well, anything. He's frustrated that his attempt to find Ingo and get him back didn't work (yet), and This Emmet's presence feels like someone out there is taunting him for daring to try. He frustrates him, because it should go without saying that he sees himself in This Emmet. It makes him angry to see This Emmet so "Happy" without Ingo, especially because he feels like by this point that he'll never BE happy unless he can find a way to get Ingo back.

This Emmet, in the early stages of the AU, is still just trying to process what is going on. Other Emmet has been able to explain enough that This Emmet at least has a vague understanding of what is going on, how he got here, and why he's here to begin with- But broadly, this is not his area of expertise. He was never expecting anything like this, and facing continued emotional rejection from someone he would have hoped to confide in/take comfort in is very upsetting. He doesn't want to push Other Emmet around or make him feel like he owes him something, yet at the same time, he's suddenly being forced to carry an additional emotional burden that he can't talk to anyone else about. He IS upset- frustrated, angry -that Other Emmet just waltzed into his life and now he has to deal with the consequences, but he also knows that Other Emmet is just as hurt as he is, and doesn't want to take it out on him.

Both of them do care about the other, but show it in different ways, and need to learn how to communicate + get along. Both of them frustrate and upset the other, and once they agree to support and confide in eachother, that starts to be a little easier for both of them.

Touching on the obvious sensitive point of Ingo, of course they're both on edge about the whole thing. They both know that Ingo went missing for both of them, and they both know that the other is upset about this unplanned stop. This Emmet wants to have someone else to confide in, someone to help him process all those heavy feelings, but Other Emmet wants to stay distant in the hopes that he doesn't need to get hurt again. It isn't until the case closes that Other Emmet takes a chance, to give This Emmet a listening ear or at least somewhere he doesn't have to hide how he actually feels- Especially when he can see the mask cracking. Especially when he can see that This Emmet had been trying to spare Other Emmet's feelings, too. This Emmet knows that Other Emmet is upset. He can tell that he's venting that tangled knot of heavy emotions through Anger, through trying to solve the problem, even though he's very sure he's really just deeply sad. He knows himself well enough to guess that he doesn't want to give himself time to grieve because if he crashes he might not be able to keep going- Because at first, that's what happened to This Emmet, too. But This Emmet is also proof that he can keep going, even if he stops to process how he feels and grieve. And Other Emmet is proof that moving on doesn't have to mean giving up, it can mean trying something new.

They both have a lot to learn from eachother. It starts by letting him in.

So yeah, it's killing me too. This is where I'd put the gif of me exploding. I love writing them and picking apart how they behave and interact. The scene I wrote with them is one of my favorite things I've written recently, makes me want to yell out loud I'm really really glad you enjoyed it, it was so fun to write and it's always my favorite thing to see how people respond to my work.

As always, thank you for the ask! 🤍🌟