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[teaserving]

« riproduzione » TEXT ✧ AUDIO ✧ VIDEO ✧ ACTION LEONE ABBACCHIO ✦ JJBA
RESIDENCE ✦ a place
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[freshprints]

oh
that's right, you...asked

that's right
no i'm at the apartment

the one they gave to me when we first arrived here

[teaserving]

hey its okay.
moody blues can take me there

i'm gonna be there in a few minutes, got it?

[freshprints]

all right
i'll just wait

do you think it's fine if i stop looking at it
i keep looking at it
i don't know what i think is going to happen if i look away
it just

feels like i shouldn't

[teaserving]

kid.

it'll be okay if you look away.
it's not gonna change anything if you do or don't.

close your eyes and think about punching the guy you hate most
or girl
either's good

[freshprints]

his name is byakuya togami-kun

and i would kick him with my boots on
preferably in the face

[teaserving]

ha
nice

tell me what you hate most about him

[freshprints]

he thinks he's a better detective than me

and he thought he could contaminate a crime scene and get away with it

[teaserving]

sounds like a real piece of shit

you put him in his place?

[freshprints]

we saw through his attempt, yes

he wanted to look brilliant by being the only person who solved the mystery that he himself had created

he's not brilliant

[teaserving]

sounds like i'd love to sock him in the face myself

anyway
outside your door
unless you want me to break in like you

[freshprints]

no
that's fine
i'll come over and let you in

[And indeed, after a minute, the lock does unlatch with an audible click.]

[teaserving]

[Abbacchio lets himself in at this point, shutting the door swiftly behind himself. He pauses, then doesn't miss a beat as he holds out his arm to invite Kirigiri in.]

C'mere, kid. I've got you.

[freshprints]

It's very stupid. The way I'm reacting, that is.

[She doesn't sound like she's accusing herself of anything, really; if anything she just sounds a little dead and wrung-out about it.]

It's in the kitchen. On the table.

[Facts delivered, and therefore her charge fulfilled, she finally turns in to bury her face against his side and lets him wrap his arm around her.]

[teaserving]

It isn't stupid. Hell, I'd be way more worried if you were indifferent.

[He wraps his arm around her protectively, as if somehow that could shield her away from the fact that she just received a box of bones that was her father.]

So we got a few options. I can dispose of the box and you won't have to know where or what I did, if that makes it easier for you. You can come with me instead.

Or... well. We can hold a service, if you want. Get some closure.

[freshprints]

...That sounds terrible. I don't want to have to — that's not my father. It's calcium and proteins and...carbon. It's inanimate things. I don't want to give it any more...meaning than that.

[It's a little hard to make out what she's saying, with her face mashed against him, but even muffled the intent behind her words mostly comes through.]

It's just a box with pieces of a corpse in it. Don't make me think about it any harder than that.

[teaserving]

Hey, you got it. I'm gonna deal with it, then.

[There's a pause, then he gently pets her hair.]

After I take care of it, you should come over. Tell me more about this brat you wanted to punch and all that.

[freshprints]

I don't want to know where you put it — no, wait. No. Then I won't like not knowing, and I'll try to figure it out for myself.

[She sighs, a little disgusted with herself.]

Tell Noriaki Kakyoin. He deals with my habit of interrogation well. Just tell him it's a box with gift wrap. He'll know what you mean.

[teaserving]

That guy, huh. All right.

[Abbacchio gives her one last squeeze with his arm.]

I'm gonna go take it now, and I'll message Kakyoin to give the location. You need me to do anything else?

[freshprints]

He's. ...More like me than any person I've ever met.

[But she stands there a minute, thinking it over; her thoughts feel more sluggish than usual, and that bothers her.]

Give me something to do. Instructions. To keep me busy until you're done. So I can just do, and not think.

[teaserving]

Huh, all right. Here's a challenge for you, then.

[Digging into his pockets, he pulls out a container of black nail polish, holding it out.]

Paint your nails, but make sure you don't accidentally paint your skin. If you do, you gotta start that nail all over again.

That means your toes too, kid. Got it?

[freshprints]

[It's such a small thing. Ridiculous. Nonsensical. Except that it's a task to focus all of her attention on, and one difficult enough and particular enough that she'll have to devote all of her concentration to achieving it, and it's exactly what she needs right now.

It's like a weight of tension visibly leaves her, making her deflate as she takes the bottle with gratitude. Ruefully, she waggles her glove-covered hand at him.]

...All right. It's going to take me a while to finish.

[The emotion laced through her words is relief.]

I'll go sit in the light and take care of it.

[teaserving]

Atta girl.

I'll be back when I'm all done.

[He leans in, pressing their foreheads together for a moment. Since day one of their arrival to this crazy rock-alien planet, he made a promise.

And by god, he's going to keep it.

Leaving her to the polish, Abbacchio goes for the box. After it's done, he'll make sure to message Kakyoin.

For now, his focus is on her.]