Enjoy The Little Things [TAG: Sophia & Others]

[Emmy Robin]

OOC: I'm getting this thread up because Rory requested I get the start up. This thread takes place after the Carl punishment thread and is open to anyone who wants to join -Not just us if you want!- Thanks!))

"I hear you Sophia." Emmy warned, her back facing the girl who had insisted following her when she had returned to campsite. She had actually journeyed off with a small group in search of supplies just on the outskirts of Atlanta. Shane had gone with them this time, probably to impress Lori to no avail, but most of the group had stayed behind. Luckily all of the group that had left, had all returned. They had Shane and Daryl to thank for that. Emmy had managed to carry her own weight, she could handle a baseball bat and a gun decently, and not only had they returned with food but with some other necessities as well. THIS was probably why little Sophia had insisted on following her since the groups had initially reunited at the campsite.

However Sophia didn't budge out quick enough for Emmy's liking. So the young woman sighed and smiled in spite of the situation. It was pretty amusing after all and a nice change from being followed by Walkers. Time to try a different approach. One that she knew would work. "So either come out or I guess I can just give this to someone else." The woman fished a hand into her messenger bag that had been slung over her shoulder and held out a clear bag filled with multi colored jacks and a striped ball. She had taken it from one of the tiny convenient stores they had managed to break into... No soda though. Something Emmy had noted with much disdain and bitterness which was forgotten now.

When Sophia finally emerged, if at all, Emmy turned around with a warm smile, holding the bag out for the girl to take. This has become a regular thing with the two of them. Emmy would give her tiny gifts, pick her and the other kids up tiny trinkets. It seemed that she got along with all of the children except maybe Carl. He seemed to not like her one bit.

"You do know how to play don't you?" She phrased to the blonde, tilting her head slightly in question. "I hope you do cause I sure don't." She stiffled a little laugh and shook her head proceeding to cross her arms over her chest, tapping her converse clad foot a series of times. "Maybe your mom knows how and can teach you."

Watching the little girl for a few more seconds she smirked even further before waggling her eyebrows playfully. "Miss me?"

[Nathaniel Walek]

Nathaniel had stayed behind with a few other men to keep an eye on the camp and protect everyone. Not that he knew anything about protecting people, but he had shot the gun that had been giving to him on the way to Atlanta so, if the situation warranted it, he could shoot a walker or two if he had to.

He didn't want to of course. Killing things, even lifeless souls such as walkers, made him incredibly ill. After circling the area with his gun in tow, he had returned to camp and slipped into his tent, collapsing onto his make shift pallet with a groan. There never seemed to be enough hours in the day to rest out here. In the past, before all of this happened, he had been too busy with work to sleep too. Work had preoccupied his time, especially during the last few months when all he did was work to forget about his loss. He should have slowed down a bit, enjoyed what he did have, because now it was all gone--everything.

Nathan rolled onto his side. His eye lids drooping as sleep threatened to take over him. He would have fallen asleep had a familiar voice not captured his attention.

"So either come out or I guess I can just give this to someone else."

A gentle smile rose to his lips.

Emmy.

Rolling to his back, he sat up, running his hands over his jaw lined with rough facial hair. He listened to the girl chatting with Sophia for a moment before he decided to get up. Sleep could wait again it seemed. He wondered how long he would last without it. Brushing his red hair back from his forehead, he emerged from his tent, grumbling under his breath as the muscles in his back ached as he stood. Rubbing the side of his neck, he looked around the tent and spotted the smiling duo on the other side.

"Bribing children again I see," he said, a playful smile curving his lips.

[Emmy Robin]

In hearing a voice to her left she smiled. She knew the voice well, it belonged to one of the members of her original group before they had combined with Rick's. Nathaniel had been one of the first few that her and Jeremy had come across. Originally they had taken a wrong turn in Queens and had ended up in Manhattan which was packed with Walkers. It was when they had been surrounded by Walkers with a few others outside a hospital that they even were in the same vicinity as he was.

In the last minute one of their members had managed to bust a door open and rush in. They raced through the halls, a few walkers were inside which was to be expected. Back then they didn't have much as far as weapons were concerned. A baseball bat, someone had a gun (no one bothered to inquire about how he got his hands on that one), Emmy herself didn't have much of a weapon other than a garbage can lid just to ward others off. Very low tech but it got the job done... Though not necessarily well.

It was when they had all baracaded themselves in a hospital room that they had heard the sound. A soft knock, a muffle at first. No one really wanted to investigate but someone had to. It was a risk. Best case it was a puppy. Worst case it was a Walker. Luckily when Jeremy and Emmy had investigated it was more of a medium case: Nathaniel. Initially he didn't budge, he looked terrified (then again who could blame him) but eventually with some coaxing and some mild tug of war they were on their way.

Emmy actually favored Nathaniel, though she hated playing favorites, in the group. He was quiet. He didn't pester for information. It was a nice break from everyone who was often demanding for some sort of result, for some support. Nathaniel rarely asked for it. He never really asked for anything in fact. He was also very soft spoken, another thing the loud Emmy couldn't help but be intrigued by. He was the complete opposite of how she portrayed herself, these sort of things for an observer like Emmy Robin were quite interesting. And all things aside use wise he was a doctor, very useful with his medical knowledge even if he didn't believe that about himself.

"Or maybe he can teach you." Emmy corrected herself with a wry little smile toward Sophia before turning around to look a Nathaniel. "Aren't you a little old for naps?" She teased lightly as she noted his somewhat disheveled appearance, a spark of familiarity in her brown eyes when they crossed the turf of her being allowed to banter without judgment. Which was yet another reason why she missed her good friend Jeremy, that was always a given with him.

"I'll have you know I don't bribe... I skillfully negotiate with gifts." Turning back to Sophia she reached out and bent down eye level with the girl making a goofy expression with her face in hopes of drawing a laugh. Fishing her hand back into her bag she now drew out a small box of tea, something else she had lifted from the store. She always tried to grab little things that made her think of her compadres. Nathaniel was British so naturally... Tea. At least she hoped. It was kind of national stereotyping but honestly what could she go by?!

Straightening she tossed the box at Nathaniel silently in her head placing bets on whether or not he would catch it. "See? Skillfully negotiating." She stated simply with another little smirk before looking back to Sophia as she straightened the strap of her messenger bag. "Maybe you should ask him how to play. He looks like the jacks type."

[Nathaniel Walek]

Nathaniel wasn't the best with children---especially not little girls. Perhaps it was because he was older than most of the men out here--maybe not Dale, but he was older. The little girls clung to him like he was their father. Most of them didn't have a father and the ones they did have were off playing hero so they grabbed onto the next best thing. Him. He didn't want to say anything to hurt their feelings of course, but children, in general, made him nervous. Most things did actually, but defenseless children were high on his list. So when Emmy volunteered him to help Sophia he could only raise a brow and shift backwards hesitantly. He did, however, manage to keep a hint of a smile on his face.

Skillfully negotiate, huh? He would beg to differ. What Emmy did was akin to blatant manipulation. She had a way with words, a smile that tranfixed even the most stubborn of men and a knack for offering you exactly what you desired; company, and making you crawl on your knees begging for more. Not to say that she was an easy woman, but she was attractive for her age and comforting to have around. Had he been so easily captivated he would have fallen for her charms weeks ago. As it were, he felt nothing but adoration for the girl. He could not say that for the other men within the camp.

"Tea?" He murmured. His brow rose even higher if that were possible. He smirked and looked at Sophia, wondering what she thought about the gift. He never much cared for tea, but he would drink it all the same. It was hard to come by beverages nowadays. Well, except liquor. There seemed to be an abundance of that lying about.

"Thank you," he said, tucking the box under his arm.

He turned his attention to Sophia who had her bundle of jacks wedged between her tiny digits.

His mouth dried at Emmy's offer and he swallowed back a huge, large lump. He was in fact, the 'jacks type', but that didn't mean he wished to play. He couldn't very well turn down the offer to teach the girl now could he?

"I'll have you know I'm the champion of jacks in Oxford," he said winking at the tiny girl. "I'll be more than happy to teach you, Lady Sophia." He flirted innocently.

"Will you be joining us?" he asked. He knew without a doubt that Emmy's charm had entrapped him. He'd been skillfully manipulated. Bloody hell!

[sophia]

She had been following. It wasn’t exactly a crime, was it? She’d been bored, and the groups coming and going were much more interesting than the ones that stayed behind to cook or clean or do laundry. The groups always came back with something interesting, even if it wasn’t what they’d originally intended to get. And while Sophia didn’t particularly like the guns or weapons that the group had to carry, she could learn to deal, just like everybody else was. The weapons were just a part of what life had become after the walkers.

When Emmy said she’d give the gift to someone else unless she came out, the eight year old quickly darted out from behind her hiding place, attempting to disguise the grin on her face with an expression of stubbornness. It wasn’t working all that well.

”Don’t give it to someone else, I’m right here!” She exclaimed, thinking perhaps that Emmy would in fact give whatever it was to some other kid. ”Is it a puppy?” She still wished she hadn’t had to leave her border collie back at home, but her mother and father had been right when they’d said he wouldn’t survive. Still, she missed the dog. When Emmy held out the gift, though, her smile brightened – even though she wasn’t quite sure what to do with them. Any game here was a good one. There weren’t that many opportunities for entertainment. ”That’s cool too.”

”I don’t think my Mom knows how to play,” Sophia said, turning the package over in her hand as though it would explain it somehow. She furrowed her brow, trying to work it out. While she was staring at it, Nathanial wandered over. The Englishman was part of Emmy’s original group, unlike Sophia herself. She liked the man’s accent. It was interesting. She hadn’t known people from other countries before this whole walker business had started.

”She can bribe me all she wants.” Sophia assured the both of them, grinning widely. ”I happen to like bribes.” Bribes worked, though she wasn’t all too sure what she was being bribed about. It wasn’t like she was running around misbehaving like some of the kids around here. Sophia did her best to be obedient, even if her curious nature sometimes got the best of her. For the most part, she behaved and did her part around the survivor’s camp.

”So, do you know how to play jacks?” She questioned, grinning when he affirmed it, eyes quickly going to Emmy when he suggested that she joined them. Sophia’s eyes had lit up at the suggestion. Any company around here was good company; it warded off the unpleasant thoughts that came from being alone. However, she did enjoy Emmy’s company more than some of the others. She was interesting. She was pretty. Sophia kind of wanted to be like her.

If they all survived that long. Sophia tried not to think about that.

”Come on, join us. You know you want to!”

[Emmy Robin]

Emmy was a natural observer so yes, part of the reason she volunteered Nathaniel to teach Sophia the game was because of how uncomfortable he looked. The action wasn't concocted out of cruelty more so a form of modest, gentle entertainment that would keep everyone on their toes in a GOOD way. There was no threat of death here just social awkwardness and that was still more entertaining and welcoming than sitting around and doing absolutely nothing. And besides, perhaps a bit of a socialization would do Nathaniel good, and some positive male reenforcement would do Sophia good. But that was Emmy... She was a regular Miracle Worker. She was the Annie Sullivan of the campground! Okay, perhaps that was going a tad too far. But still. It was a step in the right direction!

"Yes tea. You like tea don't you? You must." Yes she was using the god awful logic that all Europeans love tea. An idea and mindset manipulated from watching television, a requirement in her old career, but still... At least it wasn't manifested out of harsh intentions or a racist background.

"Not a problem." She smiled kindly at the doctor, perhaps for a second too long (then again she rarely gave anyone one second let alone two whole ones) before looking back to the smiling and eager Sophia. "Well, would you look at that. He's a champion at jacks. You see? I planned this whole thing, aren't I brilliant?" Another coy little smile and she gave a playful wiggle at her own grandeur. Of course she was only teasing, Emmy's self esteem was honestly basement level but she did enjoy making people laugh... Especially kids.

When the two turned their request onto her Emmy's eyes widened with surprise and she noticably straightened. "Me?" Clearing her throat her brown eyes self consciously looked back and forth at nothing in particular before looking back at the little girl. "I uh..." She momentarily struggled with the words as her right hand came up to awkwardly rub the back of her neck. "Wouldn't you much rather play with Carl?" She sucked in her inner cheek unsurely. "I'm sure your mom does know how to play. Anyone over the age of thirty tends to..." It was a losing battle and she knew it. The two of them would wear her down with little effort.

Suddenly feeling oddly squeamish she cast her worried gaze toward Nathaniel and his tent. "I'm more of a soccer or baseball kind of person..." And this was true. Emmy could appreciate, and had played, contact sports but it was tiny games, simple games, even girly games that she didn't have a knack for. And frankly she hated not being good at something even if it was childish to be spiteful.

"I don't know how to play." She finally gave in and admitted with the weakest of shrugs.

[Nathaniel Walek]

Nathan chose to pretend he didn't hear her question about the tea. He didn't want to hurt her feelings by telling the truth and lying wasn't something he did very often. Shifting uncomfortably on his feet, Nathaniel watched the variety of expression flit back and forth across Emmy's face. Each cop out and each small excuse amused him to no end. What was she getting at exactly? He looked at Sophia and then back at Emmy, curiosity written all over his scruffy face.

"Yes?" he urged, leaning in a bit to hear the woman's answer. When she finally admitted the truth, Nathan chuckled and shrugged as well.

"Well, this is a fantastic opportunity to learn," he said, grinning. He wasn't sure why he was so enthusiastic about teaching them both. He was beyond tired and more than a bit cranky, but here he was volunteering to entertain a young girl and her baby sitter. What had the world come to?

"That is if you wish to learn," he asked, looking Emmy square in the face. He wouldn't force her to tag along. Yet, she had tossed him to the wolves just now. Perhaps he should take her lead and do the same.

[sophia]

"Yes, well, you're going to learn now." She shot a look back towards Nathanial and nodded. "What he said." Nobody had said she needed to be the most eloquent speaker. She was only eight, after all. If there was a time to learn these things, it was now. At least, that was what she figured. Why not? It wasn't like they had all the time in the world anymore. There could be a walker invasion tomorrow and then they wouldn't have the time or energy to learn jacks.

Ah, the thinking of an eight year old.

"She wishes to learn!" Sophia insisted, widening her eyes at the hesitance of her friend. "Because unless she wants me to follow her around for the rest of the day she's going to to learn." She coughed a bit, like a suggestion, and glared at her friend before turning back to Nathanial with an innocent looking smile.

"See? I can bribe, too."

Little kids were often the best manipulators. Even in the midst of an apocalypse. Especially in the midst of an apocalypse. If Sophia had anything to say about it, that was. She smiled the smile of innocence once again and bounced from foot to foot, waiting for Emmy to say yes.

Because she would.

[Emmy Robin]

It seemed that the two individuals had her cornered... Without actually physically doing it! Separate Sophia and Nathaniel were just a child and a nervous doctor but with their powers combined they were unstoppable... At least in Emmy's mind because at that moment she felt her feet carrying her right toward the tent where Nathaniel was, Sophia semi leading the way and looking quite happy with herself. Worse yet Emmy didn't even know how her feet got moving! It wasn't like she had consciously made the decision to do so... This must be what the Walkers felt like. Hold on, no need to get dramatic. This was just jacks, not nearly as bad.

Finally she came right in front of Nathaniel and looked up, he was a bit taller than her after all. Giving him a slight point of the finger her face took on a worried, yet serious expression. "Just remember... You brought this on yourself." It was only fair to warn him. Emmy honestly dreaded playing jacks because she already knew she would be no good at it, and she hated not being decent at something. She came from a family where the parents drove their children to excel in everything: Academics, sports, extra curriculars... Everything. There was never a break! So when one of the siblings weren't good at something they actually ended up dreading it because they had been trained to succeed. At the mere thought her stomach tensed up.

At Sophia's comment about following her around all day Emmy gave a slight roll of her eyes up to the sky. "Yeah. That's the last thing I need: More baggage." She gave the girl a tired, worn out sort of expression. The only reason Emmy had said it is because she knew that little Sophia could handle her sort of humor. Rumor circulated around the camp that her father hadn't been the best of examples of the male gender. Little Sophia had to grow up extremely fast all things considered so she understood a dry sense of humor better than the other kids around the camp who Emmy could be more warm and bubbly with... And *only* with them.

"So..." Her hands found their way into her jean pockets. Some things never changed: The pockets were empty. "Where are we going to play Sophia?" She poised the question to the little girl giving her the responsibility of picking where game central would be. Some kids liked to have some power, heck some adults liked to have it, it made them special. It made them feel wanted. This sort of feeling was especially needed nowadays.

When Sophia busied herself with finding a place to play and setting the jacks Emmy meanwhile turned her gaze to look at Nathaniel. Already he looked quite a bit different than that day when they first met in the hospital back in New York City. He had been completely shaven, his expressions more lively, not to mention a bit better rested. Not like now... But then again who could blame him?

"You look tired." She kept her voice quiet, it took on an odd gentle tone, a rarity for her but Nathaniel was such a soft spoken, kind hearted man she had long ago decided not to be too overly rough with him. "I mean, you usually look tired, but today more so than usual." There was that sarcastic, dry, blunt wit again eh... Rome wasn't built in a day. "Are you alright?"

[Nathaniel Walek]

"You've learned from an expert," he told Sophia. He'd seen the girl watching Emmy for a while now. He would wager that she learned several things by watching Emmy throughout the day. Did Emmy know that she was now resident role model for the little girls within the camp? The thought made him smile. What an odd role to have, but then again he'd become somewhat of a role model himself although there weren't any small boys following him about.

Nathaniel fell in line with Emmy as Sophia led them across the camp. She appeared pleased with herself and she had reason to be. She'd managed a huge feat today. Not only had she gotten him to teach her jacks, but she had bribed Emmy into joining them. That took a fair bit of manipulation and cunning. For such a young woman like Sophia, she had many things to be proud of today.

He tried to remain positive and thoroughly optimistic about the days activites, but his exhaustion insisted on taking precedent over his attempt at a good mood. With Sophia's back to them, he stifled a yawn behind his hand, shrugging back an ache in his shoulders. He would enjoy himself even if that meant grumbling tonight when his tiredness finally got the best of him.

Nathaniel blue eyes darted over to Emmy at her words before looking straight ahead once more. He pursed his lips and shrugged, stuffing one hand into his pocket while the other held onto the box of tea. He would not lie. Honestly, there was no reason to.

"I've been better," he said, smiling softly. "I imagine a few hours of rest would do me good, but I've been unable to sleep. Not unheard of given our current situation." He looked around them, nodding his head at those they passed. After a moment of silence, he looked at the woman next to him, his forehead creased as he frowned.

"How are you, Emmy?" He asked, genuinely concerned, but then asking about her well being was a quick and convenient way of changing the subject. She had volunteered to get supplies for the camp. He imagined that was tiring, but he had yet to hear her complain.

[Emmy Robin]

Emmy stood still by Nathaniel's side as Sophia went about procuring the proper place for a teaching session of jacks. For a moment she seemed almost lost in thought the way her eyes looked out at the landscape. Sometimes she'd watch other survivors pass by, other times she'd look at nothing in particular. Completely and utterly lost in thought: Like a movie or clip show was playing through her mind. Ugh! Today was one hell of a day to be dazed and all internal! It just wasn't necessary. It was more problematic than it was the producer of anything good.

Outwardly she flinched when Nathaniel caught her in the moment of weakness. Redirecting her focus to the ground she shifted her converse clad feet in a short glimpse of embarrassment. "Fine. I'm fine." She murmured, bringing up her right hand to rub the back of her neck awkwardly as she shifted in her sneakers. Biting down on her bottom lip she finally found the courage, or the balls, to look back up at Nathaniel (he did have the height advantage).

"Don't look at me like that Nat." She forced a weak smile reaching out to give his arm a light nudge. She noticed his worried expression right off the bat, he seemed to be sporting that look much more often as late, a part of her felt pretty bad for the poor guy. He was a very nice man now, she could only imagine what he had been like before the end of the world came. "Fine. Really. Would I lie to you?" The answer was yes and it was yes now. But it wasn't done out of cruel intentions she just didn't place any importance on her own feelings. No one had ever really cared all that much. Emmy was the listener not the talker and it was a routine she couldn't, or wasn't able to, give up.

"When am I ever not okay?" She poised to the doctor giving a lopsided little smile as her hands moved to rest on her hips in playful, fake skepticism. "Don't answer that." She said suddenly and reaching up while on her tiptoes she covered his mouth as best she could. She wouldn't put it past anyone to call her out on that one, most would, but Emmy hadn't quite gauged Nathaniel yet.

After a few seconds she slowly backed away from him proceeding to pocket her own hands with a bit of a sigh. "Tired." She admitted for some reason today was the day that she wouldn't completely fabricate a state of being. But why? Why to this man? Could she possibly empathize with him? Or something else? "Very tired." She settled on the phrasing as she shook her head and looked to the ground. But was she tired from the physical or mental toll? Did she even know?

No time to worry however as Emmy soon found a way to distract as her head shot back up and she was smiling quite eagerly toward Sophia. "Would you hurry it up kiddo? We're not getting any younger here!" Without even looking at the man she nodded her head toward him. "Him especially!"

[sophia]

She let herself fall back because Emmy and Nathanial were talking. This wasn’t done out of a need for giving them privacy, but that she rather liked to eavesdrop, and nothing interesting would be said if they thought she was in hearing range. Of course, Sophia didn’t do this out of spite or hate or any sort of negative emotion: she was simply a curious eight year old. And when you’re a curious little girl in the middle of the apocalypse, you applied your curiosity wherever you could. This currently applied to Nathanial and Emmy.

Emmy was tired. That didn’t worry her. They were all tired. It was the way that the woman said it that gave Sophia pause. The girl had learned quickly to grow up. She could handle things, she could handle drama. She wasn’t going to handle thngs like a child of a similar age who might consider every small thing to be a catastrophe. So, Emmy Robin was tired. Sophia would ask her about it later. She’d figure out a way to get the information from Emmy and fix it, if there was something wrong. She’d become great at fixing things with her mother, when her father was being abusive.

Abusive. That was a word that she was familiar with. Not that her father had ever laid a hand on her … but it didn’t change the fact that she’d seen and heard her father hurt her mother. It changed a person, and it changed them quickly.

Emmy was calling her, and she was calling her a slowpoke. Coming out of her thoughts, Sophia bounded forward with a grin on her face .

”We’re going to play in one of the tents,” She told them, leading the way. In the eight year old’s head, there really wasn’t another place to play a game of jacks. It would be nicer in there, and nobody would bother them, and they wouldn’t be exposed to elements – or walkers. She nodded to confirm what she’d said, stopping at her own tent. Her mother was out, and she probably wouldn’t mind. The little girl ducked underneath and went inside, plopping down on the ground.

”I’m sorry you’re not getting any younger,” She said, a hint of a grin working its way onto her face. ”Maybe somebody here could figure out why that is. Maybe one of those geniuses. Cielo or Lillian.” The two girls – the latter around her age, the former a few years older – were both extremely smart. Sophia knew this, and it drew her curiosity to them. (Though really, she was curious about everything and everyone.) ”Or you could just suck it up.” She winked.