doreimi | IC Inbox | prismatica

I missed you too.

[And she missed snuggling with him, and just talking to him, and the sound of Moody Blues making telephone noises as he clicks around in the kitchen, and the gruff rumble of Abbacchio's voice — all of it, she missed it so much, and it's such a relief to have it all back.]

It was just because holding my hand wasn't enough, I think. I was doing pretty bad, so he...for the chroma, I mean. Mista did the same thing.

[She laughs softly.]

See what happens when you leave me alone for five minutes? All of a sudden I'm kissing every boy I know.

[AND MISTA. OF COURSE. He imagines that it's probably for good reason BUT STILL AHHH.]

Not that I could blame them, you're fucking fantastic and you deserve the attention. [He will not, in fact, be mean enough to say that she deserves better.] What about the guy you're supposed to go on a date with?

He's so cute.

[Comes her response, immediately, like she didn't even have to think about it for even a fraction of an instant. Probably she didn't.]

And he's tall, and nice, and when he smiles at me I feel like we're the only two people in the whole world. And he doesn't know that I'm dead. Just that I'm Reimi. It's such a nice change.

[The answer makes him smile, and he gently squeezes his arms around Reimi. It's good that she really has a chance at something close to normal. Dating cute boys, going to class; she was robbed of it and deserves to have it back in some way.]

Aw, you have a crush, sorellina. That's adorable.

It's not a crush! It's, uh...it's a natural reaction.

[It's absolutely a crush. He was not wearing a shirt. Some people get candy for Geistnacht and she got eye candy, herself.]

And he liked my costume a lot even though it wasn't sexy anything, so that's a good sign.

Oooo, it's a natural reaction because you have a crush.

[He laughs a little against her, genuinely glad she's having a good time with not-quite-boyfriend guy.]

It's good you two are clicking so well. I mean that.

I'll have you know he offered me his arm while we went walking around, like a gentleman. That's definitely not a crush! It's appreciation.

[She would be a lot more convincing if she weren't so obviously fishing, but you know. It's nice to lean on Abbacchio and feel him leaning on her and just tease each other. It's normal and nice and makes all the horrors of Geistnacht feel far away.]

I hope you can meet him sometime. And that you don't have to rip his balls off.

Sure, whatever you say. Not a crush at all.

[It's good that she seems in better spirits. A definite step up from where they both were, honestly. He still feels kind of shitty and will probably feel worse later, but right now it isn't so bad.]

Well, if he's as good as you say, his balls are safe.

...okayfineit'salittlecrush.

[INNOCENT WHISTLING. She nudges him lightly back into an upright position, but only so that she can flop across his lap and sprawl, making it easier for her to look up at him and see his face while they talk.]

You're not gonna give Mista a hard time because he kissed me, are you? He seemed kind of freaked out about it.

[Sitting back upright, he drapes an arm around her waist, letting Reimi get as comfortable as she'd like.]

Hmm. Maybe only a little because it'd be funny. [He combs his fingers through Reimi's hair.] But I know he wouldn't do it just to be a bastard. You're important to a lot of us.

It was pretty much the opposite of that, actually. He kept saying he was sorry.

[She shrugs a little, shifting around as she settles in until she finds a position that is the height of comfort and lounging.]

I couldn't figure out why he kept saying that, when he was, y'know. Saving my life. I'm pretty sure that wasn't what he was sorry about, at least.

Mm. Must have felt some pressure, then.

[There's a pause of consideration, then... ah, okay. Wait. He thinks he's got it.]

I gave him a hard time for grabbing my chest without my permission before. He might have freaked out not having your consent, but I think the circumstances are understandable.

...So I was dying and he was busy worrying about whether or not I was okay with him kissing me to stop it.

[Wait for it. Wait for it. Wait for it...

...

And there it is: the world's most undignified snort, which quickly melts into an uncontrollable giggle, because on top of everything else that's happened there's something about that concept that's just so utterly ridiculous that it's a perfect icebreaker for an otherwise gloomy mood.]

He really is a good guy, isn't he. I like him a lot.

Yeah. He is.

[There's definitely fondness in Abbacchio's voice, and he brushes Reimi's hair back from her face.]

I know I give him a hard time. But he's a good guy, he's reliable, and usually his instincts are on the nose. Even if he can be a dumbass.

It's kind of funny you say that, you know. You could've just been describing Josuke with the exact same words.

[As her giggles subside, her expression visibly softens, and she tips her head into the touch of his hand on instinct.]

You want to know something funny? None of them knew who I was, when they all first found me and I asked for their help. Even though it turned out I knew Josuke's grandpa, and Rohan...

They weren't helping me because of who I was to them. They just helped because I was someone who needed help, and for them, that was enough.

Well, guess it applies, then.

[He doesn't hate Josuke, but he's also unwilling to become completely soft with him yet. Such is, evidently, the way Abbacchio handles every single Jojo so far.]

Then I guess that says a lot about them, huh. [Abbacchio doesn't have to like them, but it does reveal a lot about them and their intentions.]

More than you think. All I really asked them to do was to call the police and make a report. They're the ones who decided to track down a serial killer for me, all on their own.

[literally they had ONE JOB. a singular job. ONE.]

But I guess that's not so different from a guy who finds a girl shivering in the cold and lets her borrow half his coat, just because.

Cripes, a bunch of teenagers deciding to do it themselves. Honestly, they seem like the types to take it into their own hands.

[THESE KIDS...]

Hey, it was freezing out there. And it paid off. I got the cutest sister ever.

Ohhh, you did, huh? That's funny, I didn't know you had two sisters.

[She grins, sticking her tongue out at him.]

...You know, I've been thinking a lot about that lately. Figuring out who I am. All these...parts of me. And I think maybe I've figured out a couple of things.

Brat.

[He smiles fondly at her, tucking her hair behind an ear.]

I know you have a lot more to put together than most people. What'd you figure out?

Well, that I'm actually not very good at being normal, not anymore.

[She smiles at him, though, and it's soft, and it's warm.]

What I mean is...I've been trying really hard to figure out what to do with myself, if I'm not Reimi the ghost girl anymore. So, I did what was natural, right? I tried to be Reimi the girl, the one who I was before I was a ghost. And that's okay! But I think...it feels, a little bit, like I'm playing pretend. It's me, but it doesn't quite...fit anymore, I guess?

So then I started thinking about, what does feel like me. When do I feel like myself. And I thought, I feel like myself when I'm with my friends, and when we have memories that we both share. And I feel like myself when I'm helping someone.

So I think that's what I want to try next. Not give up on any of the things I'm already doing, but...I want to do something permanent. Something that'll last. So there'll be a place for memories. Does that sound silly?

It's a good thing to figure out. I mean... I'm not sure I ever really knew what normal was, and it definitely got away from me when Bruno had me join his gang.

Anyway. It's not silly. Everyone wants to make their mark, make good memories. I think... our circumstances really made us realize the things we've lost out on. We can't go back, and we can't get rid of what happened to us either.

[But they can at least try to move forward, despite the anchors at their heels.]

Do you know what you want to do yet?

I want a place where Moody Blues can go and have plenty of things to play back and smile at. I think he'd like that, don't you?

[She reaches up a little idly, fishing for his hand and catching it in hers so that she can play with it, moving their clasped hands around in circles in midair.]

I think I want to do something for the cats. Not just find them homes, but...maybe something like an animal shelter. Be a home, sort of, instead of just trying to find them ones.

It'd be new for him.

[He lets her take his hand. Really, he lets her do most anything, save for put herself into danger.]

Hm. Okay. So some kind of animal shelter. But not exactly? What else would you want out of that?

Josuke says they have cafes that have cats. Not just one cat, but like...a lot of them, so you can play with them while you spend time there. A cat cafe.

[She gives his fingers a little squeeze.]

It reminded me of when I let you borrow the black one for a night to keep you company. Maybe people would come to the cafe when they needed cat company. Do you think?

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