teaserving | ⏪ INBOX

[And sure enough, within the hour, here she comes — a little sluggish, and notably wearing a stolen boy's T-shirt and shorts instead of her everyday coat and school uniform, though the boots and the gloves are still present as always.

She still lets herself in, because of course she does, but this time it's with the audible sound of an actual key turning in the lock.]

[It's such a little thing, but hearing her use the key does briefly put a smile on his face which he hurries to wipe away. Arranged on the small dining table are two mugs with coffee. One has a skull on it, which is definitely Abbacchio's. The other is new, but still Kirigiri's.

He squints at her stolen shirt, but... well, there's something kind of charming about how casual she looks right now. Sure, she can take care of herself and everything, but he still has the protective urge to threaten a boy's well-being on her behalf.]

Hey. C'mon, it's still hot.

Thank you...

[What makes this a little weird is that she's not used to someone greeting her when she lets herself into Abbacchio's apartment, so when he does, there's a split-second where she's actually not altogether sure what she's supposed to say. I'm home doesn't feel right, but neither does saying nothing, and so eventually she just settles on something noncommital as she locks the door behind her and heads toward the table where the coffee is waiting.

It's immediately apparent which cup belongs to who. Briefly, enigmatically, she smiles.]

Where did you find that?

[The smile is enough to satisfy him. Sure, he prefers tea, but he can drink coffee just fine. He's honestly starting to think he's going to need a proper grinder and maker at this point. Or at least a press. Even if it's not for him, Kirigiri swings by enough.

The question makes him smirk.]

Found a store that does custom designs. So I had 'em make that one.

[He didn't find it. He had it made for her.]

[...

]

I like it. That was...nice of you.

[aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!]

Though isn't it a little backwards to be giving me gifts around your birthday?

Eh, it's nothing.

[But she likes it, and that's all he really cares about.]

I was already holding onto it. But I wanted to see your face when I had it for you. Just kind of ended up as weird timing.

...The coffee's going to get cold.

[She says, because she doesn't know what else to say without making a complete idiot of herself. I wanted to see your face, like the reward is in seeing her happy — just another small kindness from this man who has never let her down, for all that he's convinced that it's all he's capable of doing.

She shuffles over and finds her seat, cupping her hands around the mug. Her cheeks are pink, and he'll notice, but that's no reason to draw attention to it.]

Tell me about your birthday. Did you do anything?

[A dry laugh escapes Abbacchio before he has a sip from his mug. It's black, nothing added to it; it's bitter, but he's all right for instant.]

I drank wine and felt bad for myself. Yuri sent me a message to check on me, so that was an okay part of it. Found your gift and I, uh... well, I liked it.

[Oh he definitely cried when he found it, but he isn't going to admit that.]

Honestly, better than I thought I'd take it.

I can bring some things over, if you'd rather...have someone else in the house. For a while.

[She offers, tactfully, before sipping her coffee. It's just the way she likes it, and she lets the taste linger briefly on her tongue before swallowing and setting her mug back down.]

I don't spend much time in my own apartment as it is.

I'm not gonna claim to be a very good housemate, but you do what you want. I wouldn't be unhappy with it.

[It's a "yes" for Abbacchio, honestly.]

Didn't you have another question you wanted to ask me, by the way?

Mmhmm. It's less that I need an answer and more just that I'd appreciate...talking it through with someone else. For an outside perspective.

[She drums her fingers lightly on the side of her mug, thinking.]

It's fine to be attracted to different people for different reasons, isn't it? Preference doesn't have to be fixed, I suppose is what I'm asking. It's normal for there to be variation, even just from day to day?

Eh? What kind of... hm.

[He almost said what kind of question is that, because he feels like the answer is fairly obvious. Abbacchio leans back in his chair and looks at her, better crafting his response.]

We're all gonna have people that match what we usually like in a person. Whether they're funny or noble or... something. But yeah, those preferences aren't always fixed. Sometimes certain things can't be changed. I found out pretty early on in high school that I liked men, but other than that it can be kind of flexible.

My grandfather used to assault my acquaintances with a cane so that their proximity to me wouldn't risk distracting me from my work. My opportunity for...exploration has been far from typical.

[On the other hand, she's making the effort to be normal, so there's something to that, at least. Isn't there?]

I think I like a lot of things. I just don't want them all from the same person. It doesn't feel like I'm "playing the field" to try to determine a winner from among a pool, it's more that...different people offer different things, and I enjoy experiencing all of them, depending on my mood.

Well, that's a little fucked up. But I can see where you're coming from.

[A lot fucked up, but there's nothing he can do about her grandfather, so. Yeah.]

So you want a chance to see what other people are like for you. Yeah, I'd say that's pretty normal. You talk to Prompto about this?

Not yet. I'm still just figuring it out for myself, and he gets...self-deprecating. I want to sort myself out before I bring others into it.

[...]

He asked me if I would follow him home. If we could go back where we came from.

Huh. Sounds like he's really into you, kid.

[Another sip of coffee. He thinks it's kind of a bond invitation from someone that she's only known for maybe two months, but it's not like he has room to talk. Abbacchio fell in love right away with Bucciarati, after all.]

How do you feel about it? Be honest.

It's a lot, for someone I've only known a few months. But I think...that's part of the sort of person he is. He's someone who can attach to people quickly. And maybe he was only saying it as a fantasy, anyway.

[She shrugs a little.]

I don't think I'm that sort of person. It's nothing to do with him. I just don't think I could run off with anyone like that, and abandon my own responsibilities so easily. It's romantic, but it's not practical. And...practical usually wins. For me.

As long as it's what you want, then yeah. I get it.

[He folds his arms and leans forward against the table.]

You have people waiting up for you back in Japan, yeah? It'd be hard to leave them anyway. Eloping to a whole other world sounds romantic, but that's dropping a lot of things behind. ...Honestly, I don't think I could do it either.

That's right. From what I've heard, I'm going to play some sort of pivotal role in the world to come. My classmate's sibling — the one I made you make pasta for. She's from my future, and she remembers me engaged in some endeavor or another.

[...Allegedly. But you know.]

But in a way that's not so bad. If this really is a sort of vacation between where I was and where I'm set to go, then I don't feel as hesitant to make use of this time for however long it lasts. Since I won't get something like this again.

Ah, that girl. Ended up making a cake for her too, actually. Did she have an okay birthday, by the way?

[He cares mostly because Kirigiri does, so. You know.]

If my guess is right, time isn't going to be moving forward in our worlds anyway. So messing around here won't make things difficult for you back home.

It seems someone got her a video game system, which is her favorite thing in the world. She's excited enough that she intends to hold a party for a number of girls, to play video games together.

...I'll be the least skilled of the bunch, assuredly. That'll be a new and interesting experience.

[KIRIGIRI]

I'm glad we arrived at the same conclusion. It's the most logical explanation for that sort of temporal discrepancy.

[Abbacchio barks out an amused laugh.]

Huh, must be hard to find something you're kind of shit at. Well, I couldn't help you anyway, even if I was interested; I never played video games even when the brats around me were. Good luck with that one.

[He nods.] Based on what I saw with Moody Blues, it's the only thing that seems to make sense.

It's fine. I know at least one of the other girls going, and she's —

[She clears her throat, hurriedly sipping at her coffee.]

She's fun to watch win. So.

Oh? A girl, huh?

[Abbacchio is definitely looking at her with an arched brow.]

What's she like?

Elegant. No — that's not the right word.

[Celes-san could arguably be called "elegant", after all, and that's far from what she's getting at here, so it'd be better to say...]

"Noble", I think, is the word I want. I remind her of someone. And she reminds me a little of someone, too.

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