IC Inbox

[noblerise]

If contacting his personal number or via Libra:

"You have reached Jusis Albarea. I'm busy. Leave a message."

If contacting his work number:

"You have reached the office of Jusis Albarea, Esquire. I'm not available at this time, so please leave your name, number, and a brief message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thank you."

Black Order Inbox and Class VII Group Chat for reference.

Comments

[switchaxe]

[It takes him a good minute before he sighs.]

You ever hear of Krusnik?

[noblerise]

[...]

Well, that's a hell of an opener.

[He'll go with the short answer for now.]

Yes. I have.

[switchaxe]

Try having that be the opener to your fucking life.

[Ash. Ash please.]

You ever hear about some of the shit they tried on kids?

[noblerise]

[Oh. Well. That's one question that'll get his heart to sink down to somewhere in the earth's crust. He flashes back to when he was a teenager and saw a teen roughly his age being held in a cage. Jusis's expression doesn't betray anything, but he does keep very still.]

Not all of it. I've only ever heard rumors in my investigations, and victims are, understandably, tightlipped. If they're found at all.

[switchaxe]

Yeah, well, can you blame us?

[Ash needs a moment, and he gets up to just have something to do with his body. Only Jun knows about Krusnik, and that's because he was right there with Ash. He's never told anyone else before.

He feels sick. He makes his way over to the sink, just in case.]

They got me when I was three.

[noblerise]

No, not at all.

[It's just frustrating. Especially when it's apparently happened to Ash, and so young, and there's nothing Jusis can do to make them face justice for those crimes.]

What did they do?

[switchaxe]

The lab I was in was interested in getting a possession for some reason. They wanted a god, made us go through all sorts of shit to get one. We're talkin' kids as young as five gettin' shoved into stable gates and shit.

[noblerise]

[He swears fuck softly in German. Still, this is the truth, and he's not going to shy away from it. Jusis is going to face it head-on.]

That's... abhorrent.

[Not that Ash needs the reminder, but gods.]

But you were able to escape. Not without consequence, though?

[switchaxe]

Yeah.

[Deep breath, Ash.]

I was like...nine or ten when someone got a little crazy and caused a lockdown. [He's not mentioning a damn thing that could lead Jusis to finding out Jun was in there, and that it was his dad doing a raid that caused the lockdown.] They had me and some younger kids in one of the gates, and just sorta fuckin' left us there to go handle the bullshit. I'm the only one they got out.

[Another shaky breath.]

An' probably their only successful little "project", not that they ever knew it.

[noblerise]

[Jusis listens, and crosses his arms. Fortunately, he's wearing long sleeves, so his nails aren't biting into skin as he grips his arms tightly. There's a lot of emotion he's keeping bottled up so that he can let Ash have his time.]

You got possessed.

[That's the only logical conclusion he can come to.]

[switchaxe]

By a neikos, or maybe it's a few of 'em, I don't know. You wanna know why I'm gettin' in a new fight every week? Because if I don't, my little friend gets pissy. Can't get near Blackbird's because he's a demon, an' this guy really wants to fight him.

[noblerise]

Christ.

[That explains much. Not that Jusis is particularly happy about it.]

That's more than understandable.

[He knows Ash isn't one to ask for help, but he can't sit here and do nothing. So he tries the next best thing.]

Is there anything I can do to help?

[Other than by keeping Ash out of juvie.]

[switchaxe]

[He scoffs.]

Not unless you can get this little shit outta me without killin' me. Otherwise, keep me out of jail? Keep me from killin' someone?

[noblerise]

[For once, perhaps surprisingly, Jusis's voice gets gentler.]

I may not be able to get it out of you, but I can at least do that much.

[He doesn't do these heart-to-hearts. He's honestly bad at them. Still....]

At the end of the day, you're family in all but name. There's simply not much I'm not going to do for you.

[switchaxe]

Yeah, I remember some shit you guys did in our past life. Still a buncha saps.

[Even if it's just him and Elliot.

Ash sighs.]

Higher ups know, but...no one else does. I'd like to keep it that way, unless you think I should tell El.

[noblerise]

Nobody could hold a candle to Rean's sappiness, to be fair.

[It's an attempt at lightheartedness, anyway.

Jusis gives it some thought, but at the end of the day... there's really only one answer to that question.]

Elliot can keep a secret. I think it might be best to let him know at least the possession, if nothing else. He can help you while you're at school better than I could. As for the rest... I believe that's up to you if you want to share that with him.

[switchaxe]

[Ash will not point out that he remembers some real sap from you, sir. He just nods.]

Alright. He probably won't know shit about Krusnik, at least. Fuck.

[Yeah he needs to sit back down now. His legs feel weird and he starts to slide to the ground.]

[noblerise]

[Jusis stands up, rummages around for a glass, and fills it with water to give to Ash.]

Do you want me to stay?

[Dear Aidios, he'll stay if Ash asks. But he doesn't want to assume, especially in light of what's been talked about.]

[switchaxe]

[He takes it with a small nod of thanks. Shit, he's not used to this sort of thing.]

...might not be the worst idea. I don't know how the fucker'll take me bein' alone after that. Hand me my ARCUS.

[noblerise]

Of course.

[Jusis takes a look for it, but finds it soon enough. He hands it over to Ash and sits down next to him. Might as well, right?]

[switchaxe]

[Jusis absolutely hears Ash's half of the conversation. Eventually, he hangs up and just.

Sits there.

Kinda pale.]

[noblerise]

[Jusis has been very quiet as he listens in. Now that Ash is done, he reaches out to put a gentle hand on his shoulder. It's easy enough to shrug it off if that's not what he wants right now, of course.]

Order out?

[switchaxe]

...yeah. Probably for the best.

[He doesn't shrug Jusis off. He's tired.]

Thanks.

[noblerise]

You're welcome. And perhaps some rest after.

[God knows he looks bad right now. Jusis orders some food and pays as his treat. He eats dinner with Ash, and doesn't leave until the teen is okay enough. Or at least until he passes out for sleep. Whichever comes first, really.]