IC Inbox; Kaisou

[onahairtrigger]

If using his personal number or contacting him through Libra:
"Yo! You've reached Josuke Higashikata! Leave a message and I'll get back to you ASAP!"

If using his work number:
"Hey, you've reached Zelkova! I'm probably busy right now, so leave a message and I'll get back to you ASAP!"

Comments

[kanka]

[The small talk at least helps him to decompress, if only a little. And the closer he hears Josuke get, the easier it is for him to breathe.]

I'll wait for you, then.

[Time seems to crawl, in some ways. Ayato already wants him here, but also doesn't want to risk his safety. So he waits, trying not to be impatient. When he finally is told that he's there, there's an exhale and a sound of relief.

Of course, Josuke's entrance into the estate is welcomed- until it suddenly isn't. Because the next thing he'll see is a six foot tall angry cat, coat as white as snow and two swords as its own fangs getting up close and personal with a snarl. Ayato has to pick himself up quickly, cursing inwardly that he didn't think to tell his Pokémon that someone was coming. Josuke will see his boyfriend seconds later pulling to the side of the beast, giving it a stern look.]

Gekido- [The Chien-Pao growls, eyes narrowed, and Ayato has to put a hand on its head before he speaks again.] Gekido, that's enough. He's not going to harm me, he never would. [Gekido gives Ayato a look before huffing and backing up, eventually deciding to walk off and continue its nap in another room.]

I apologize for that. Gekido is highly protective of me, it seems.

[Ayato that is a fucking LEGENDARY POKEMON. HOW DO YOU HAVE A LEGENDARY POKEMON.

The next part, though, is said a lot softer.]

...I'm glad you're here.

[onahairtrigger]

Whoa--?!

[That's. Suddenly, a Legendary Pokémon?!

... Okay, you know what, addressing that later. Akane and Pearl, however, are a bit more concerned with this, the Quaxly waddling off after the Ice-type.

Josuke lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, then turns to Ayato.]

Well, I wasn't about to stay away. [He sets his bag down, pulling Ayato into a hug.]

[kanka]

I should have told you I found them earlier, when I first found the estate, but- [Ayato pauses, sighing.] Many things have happened since.

[The hug is something he should expect, really, and he does. But even so, there's a moment where he stiffens, before both arms go around Josuke and Ayato partially collapses, hands digging into his boyfriend's back. He's a mess all over again, just needing someone to physically be there as he slowly falls apart.]

She told me she knows about Yae. What she does here, that they're "good friends." And that "the weather could change in an instant." [He breathes, voice shaking, unsteady. He's terrified. Terrified of his sister being hurt, terrified the Order may do something to her to get at him, terrified Teresa knows one of his biggest vulnerabilities.] When I told her to speak plainly, she told me that no matter what I try to do, my life will always belong to the Order.

[He will always be a tool, a prize, a hound that someone can put on display and use as a threat. Never as a person. Never with needs or hopes or desires.

He can't go back to that. He can't go back to that.]

I'm not a "hound." I can't go back to being that for them, Josuke. I can't.

[onahairtrigger]

Things have been a lot recently, I get it.

[His arms wind tighter around Ayato, one hand coming up to comb his fingers through his boyfriend's hair, and there's a murmured "here, I've got you".

He listens and he can't quite help the growl that escapes his throat. Akane echoes it.]

Damn her-- I'll do some asking around, see if I can get some people keeping eyes on Yae, just in case. [He'll figure something out. He has to.] And she's wrong. Your life belongs to you. She can take her fucking Order Kool-aid and choke on it.

You won't go back to that, Ayato. I know you won't.