MoM IC Contact

[khajidont]

Jaime's cell phone is more or less plugged riiiight into his brain, so he tends to pick up like 99% of the time! If not, however...

"Hey, Jaime here! Leave a message, and I'll get back to you ASAP."

Comments

[khajidont]

Okay, now I know you're delusional. If I ever said anything mean to him, I'm pretty sure Joseph would kick my ass.

[gonstop]

No, he--!

[Wait, back it up. He stops mid-yelling, looking deeply confused as the offense drops from his face.]

Wait, did you say Joseph?

[khajidont]

Yes? Oh my god, is there another Jojo?

[How many of them are there.]

[gonstop]

Uwoooh, I didn't know there was another Jojo! I knew he had family here, but that's it. His name is Jonathan, not Joseph!

[khajidont]

That makes so much more sense. I wonder if he's another one of Joseph's grandkids...

[It must be so weird seeing your grandfather as a young man. It must be even weirder to meet your grandchildren from the future.]

I guess they just have a really big family. It's not like Joestar's a super common name... or at least it isn't where I'm from.

[He's talking to Killua Zoldyk after all.]

[gonstop]

Actually, I think he said something about there being a bunch of people from his future! Kids and stuff.

[He can't remember the details, but that should be good enough, right?]

So yeah, they're probably all the same family that made a name for itself, kind of like mine.

[khajidont]

Maybe he's one of their grandparents, then.

[The Joestar family: just like Killua's, but with less murder! Or, god, he hopes so. Has Joseph murdered anyone? Has his fish-obsessed grandson? It's a mystery.]

Anyway, I'm glad you guys've made friends, [Jaime says, rooting around in his pocket before dropping some cash on the table. Between them, they've managed to rack up a bill of one milkshake and a coke. Their poor waitress probably isn't all that happy with them.] Don't tell Joseph I called him rude once you get around to meeting him.

[Or do. Jaime doesn't actually care.]

[gonstop]

Hahaha, probably! He's totally like an old man even now.

[This coming from the kid who thought Jaime was 19, but still. Only a slight difference! Smiling, he assures his phone is in his pocket as he turns to face out of the booth, staying sitting for now.]

I'm glad, too. I guess I can keep it a secret, though, since you've helped me so much.

[khajidont]

[Jaime's educated guess is that Jonathan is probably in his twenties to qualify as an old man, if that. Killua's view in age is a bit... skewed.

That, and they don't have many old guys around here.]

Good. Here, I'll walk you, uh...

[He had been about to offer to walk Killua home - which is no less than he offers to many people, especially when it's this late - but again, he's forgotten who he's talking to. His smile is a little sheepish.]

Well, I guess you don't really need anyone to walk you home.

[gonstop]

[At that, Killua gains a pretty smug smile, but for once he doesn't comment on it too much. Slipping out of the booth, he rests his arms behind his head.]

I don't need it, but if you want to, you can. Where do you live, anyway?

[khajidont]

Then I will.

[Capable or not, Jaime will certainly rest easier that way.]

Oh, I'm just over at house 15. How about you?

[gonstop]

So you live just as far from Gon as I do!

[That's the first way he notices as they head out. Probably to transportation, because even if he could walk or run again, he had lazy tendencies too.]

I'm in house 35, and Gon is in 25.

[khajidont]

[Jaime's gotten spoiled when it comes to going from place to place, but no matter how well Killua can take care of himself, it's always his first instinct to make sure everyone gets home safely.

Which means he can't fly. Darn, he thinks to himself. He's gotten spoiled.]

You guys don't live together? I thought that'd be the first thing you two would try and figure out.

[gonstop]

[Flying would be so much cooler damn it. Alas, here they are being boring.]

Well, I'd like it if Gon, Alluka and I could move into our own place somewhere, but I just sort of assumed it'd be a hassle for us kids. [He blinks up at the sky as they walk, frowning a little thoughtfully.]

Besides that, they're both making their own friends. I'm worried that if we stay together too much, I'd prevent them from doing that. Gon's always making friends, but I just think it's easier this way.

[khajidont]

I don't think it'd be too big of a hassle, so long as you can find a place with three empty slots.

[Killua's next words are surprising ones, though, if not only for the fact that it's oddly considerate of him to think about what may be best for Gon and his sister, even if it's not the most fun for him.]

I'll have to take your word for it, but I got a feeling that Gon won't stop making friends just 'cause you're living together... unless you guys spend most of your time at home?

[gonstop]

There's no strict laws about it?

[He'd sort of assumed there would be. His expression softens a bit, and that adult tone of his stretches into his next words.]

Well, Gon and I don't, but Alluka is used to. I want her to meet friends and try not to use me as a crutch, even if I want to support and protect her. As for Gon, it's more like... it's hard keeping up with him.

It's just a short time I'm allowing him away from me, but it might help him do everything he wants to.

[khajidont]

Nah. If we were natives, there would be - but if we were natives, you wouldn't be allowed to live on your own. You'd be put into some kind of home or foster care system. Me too.

[At least until he applied for legal emancipation, which he would have absolutely done if that were the case. He could get away with it. Kids as young as Gon and Killua? Not a chance.]

What do you mean it's hard to keep up? [Gon's a high energy kid, sure, but so is Killua.]

[gonstop]

[He grows a little quiet at that, seemingly thinking about the difference in rules between natives and imPorts. All he can think is that it's a good thing those laws didn't apply to them right now. They had enough to deal with as it was.

The silence stretches even past the question for a few seconds. He's trying to figure out how to word this without saying too much.]

He's a stubborn idiot, so he's always trying to do everything himself. [He lets that settle for a few seconds as he thinks back on more recent, unfortunate memories.] I just want to help, but lately it doesn't really feel like I've done anything.

[Realizing that that's a little dampening, he perks himself up and looks over with a small smile.] Not that I'm giving up or anything! I'm going to do my best to help him here, too.

[khajidont]

I think you're helping plenty just by being here.

[Like so many other things Jaime says, it would seem like a platitude if the words didn't sound so genuine the moment they leave his lips. For him, it's not a platitude, but a reality; even if she doesn't do anything but make fun of him, coming home and seeing Brenda every day helps, no matter how bad of a day he's had. He hopes he does the same for her.

He has plenty of friends, but really good friends, the sort that Killua and Gon have found in each other, those don't come around very often. Still, it's a little troubling how this conversation has gone, isn't it? It's best for Gon if they stay apart, he's sad about not being able to help him more, but he'll keep on trying...]

You gotta do some things for yourself too, though. You know that, right?

[gonstop]

You think so?

[The smile persists as he thinks on it. He knows Gon likes his company and that it can help in smaller moments, but it's just the recent, huge weight that's come on them both that has him worried. It's just a nagging worry for now, hidden in the back of his mind.]

I know! That's what I've been doing all this time. [Staying by Gon's side, that is.] He helps me, too.

[khajidont]

Just making sure. Having friends is great, but you're allowed to be a little selfish sometimes.

[He glances over in Killua's direction, smile a little sly.]

It's just our job to call you out if you're being too selfish. Give and take.

[gonstop]

He's the one who's too selfish!

[It comes out pretty teasingly, with Killua puffing out his cheeks and the sadness from his smile before slowly fading out.] Okay, well, sometimes I am too, but he just runs into things without thinking about how anyone else is going to worry!

He's hopeless without me. [But he'd be really lonely without Gon, in turn. So it's probably like that.]

Do you have a friend like that?

[khajidont]

We-ell...

[Killua's probably thinking about a friend by Jaime's side, not the friend inside his head, but he can't help but think about the Scarab. It has a kneejerk reaction to the world around it, and if it had its way, Jaime knows that it would charge in and take everything it wanted by force.]

I think I can think of someone. People like that are kind of a pain, but you wouldn't give them up for the world, right?

[gonstop]

Exaaaaactly!

[He moves to drop a fist down on an open palm, nose turning up as he huffs at the thought of it all. Hearing it plainly spelled out like that just makes him think of more and more instances! So Jaime had someone like that too?]

He's always saying things like "only I can say stupid things!" or "you're the one who's supposed to keep me cool!" How can I do that when he doesn't even follow my plans if I lay them out? He always has to do things his way! It doesn't matter if he ends up losing blood or a hand, he doesn't regret it one bit!

Aghh, just thinking about it is making me mad! [Affectionately and worriedly so, though, and it's clear on his face as his hands drop to his sides, balled into fists.] It's so stupid! Right, Jaime?! If you have someone like that, you know what I mean!

[khajidont]

[Jaime's halfway following along, nodding as Killua gripes and moans - which is probably a good thing; everyone has to bitch about their friends sometime - but he freezes when Killua mentions losing a hand, face going ashen.]

Uh -- sorry, lost? I mean, hand? [Whoa, get it together, Jaime.] He lost his hand? Or is that just a hypothetical?