recolle | when the darkness creeps in

WHO: apollo justice and haru okumura
WHERE: haru's apartment? i guess
WHEN: 6/4, evening to late night
WHAT: apollo!!! needs!!! to talk!!!
WARNINGS: a lot of screaming and mentions of murder woop woop

(the night is going the way many nights have gone for apollo. just when he thinks he's finally catching onto sleep, a face shoves its way into his thoughts. his eyes shoot open, but he remains unmoving on his bed, as if that will somehow trigger the face to materialize in front of him.

he knows he can't go on like this. it's already been over two months since he first obtained those memories. one right after the other, as "apollo" yells at a dying man he'll be fine, said man struggles to tell apollo his final words before his eyes slip shut.

or the other more horrifying one, where a man who seems to embody cold is telling "apollo" it's because of him a girl got poisoned. the memories gnaw at him whenever he has a moment to himself and his thoughts begin to wander.

he's been careful not to speak a word of this to anyone, not even nazuna. it's not for any malicious reason, he just... isn't sure how things would change. if nazuna would look at him different.

grabbing his phone and scrolling through the contacts, apollo searches for anyone who might be willing to talk. anyone at all who could handle something as heavy and depressing as this.

his thumb eventually stops on one name. haru okumura. she's easily the strongest person he knows, both emotionally and physically. surely it couldn't hurt... right? right?

maybe it's the late night sleep deprived brain speaking, or his desire to finally get this off his chest and actually sleep for once, but he hits the call button without much thought at all. not even considering the time, or even if she's busy, but when haru does answer, apollo replies, awkward and suddenly unsure.) Ah. Um. Hi. Are you busy?

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[Haru's always been early to bed, as she has responsibilities that appear when the sun rises. This night is no different, even with everything going on - in fact, the day has been exhausting. Searching for her mother, painting in more and more items... All the information that's been revealed, discovered, compiled. It's enough to make her curl up and not want to come out for days.

Then her phone rings, which wakes her from her slumber. She's still tired, so she doesn't answer it until the last few seconds of her ringtone.]

Apollo?

[...]

No... No, I'm not busy. [She sits up in bed, jostling her cats from their spots on her, and rubs at her eyes.] Are you alright?

(it's easy to tell from the moment haru picks up her phone, coupled with how long it took her to answer, that she's exhausted. from the sound of it, about as exhausted as apollo. guilt tugs on his heartstrings as he considers simply apologizing for disturbing her and immediately hanging up, but... maybe he can at least ask. if she says no, well, no harm done.

his voice is much quieter than it usually is, uncertainty and nervousness ringing through clearly as he struggles to come up with the proper words.) Uh, yeah, yeah, I'm fine--

(he cuts himself off the second the words are out, thinking to himself how he wouldn't be calling at some ungodly hour of the night if he was fine. he sighs over the phone, shaking his head even if she can't see.) No, not really. I know it's late, and you were sleeping, but um... do you... would it be okay if I came over for a little bit?

[It is late, and she was sleeping, but Apollo wouldn't just ask to do that unless it was important. Still, there's a pause, if only to get her tired brain working, before she replies.]

I'll have to let Ma-

[Oh... right. She lets out a shaky little sigh and rubs her palm against her forehead for a second.]

I mean - yes, it's okay. I'll make coffee for the both of us.

(he's almost expecting haru to say no, she has work in the morning, or it's late, or she doesn't want to. but despite how haru herself is clearly just as not fine as apollo, she still accepts, opening her metaphorical arms to him and allowing him some peace.

maybe they can cry together when he gets over.) Um... I got some new tea not long ago. It's supposed to be really good. I can bring that over and make it for us. You're already doing this for me, so...

(he'd like to be as little of a burden to haru as possible, do whatever he can to help her right now.

and also he is a firm believer that coffee stunts growth.)

Oh, do you not like coffee? We can make the tea too, then. It'll be the best of both worlds!

[But she is getting coffee, dammit, because coffee is the only joyful thing in this world that can wake her up. Haru's already getting up, one of her cats meowing in protest.]

I'll see you soon, then?

That sounds really nice. (and it actually did. resting with a friend, drinking some relaxing tea, it sounds like the best night he's had in a while, even if he plans on ruining it with nightmares and hauntings from a past life.

he's packing up a few supplies, his phone, the tea, wallet, keys. essentials in case something happens (and he's expecting it might). but he hesitates before leaving, as a muffled mrrr comes from his bed. his poor baby, calico, left all alone while apollo rushes off for a late night rendezvous with a cute girl. even though it's not nearly as scandalous as apollo's imagination makes it out to be.

roughly twenty minutes later, there's a soft knock on haru's front door, and when she opens it, she'll find... apollo, in a sweatshirt, with calico's head poking out of the pockets. yes. yes he 100% turned his sweatshirt into a cat transportation device.) So... hi.

[The house smells of coffee, and Haru has a cup of it in her hand as she opens the door. If she didn't have her coffee, she'd have fallen asleep with her head on the table waiting for him. At least she'll be awake for another hour or so!

When Haru opens the door, she's a little curious as to why he's wearing a sweatshirt in summer time, but that answer comes in what's poking out of his pocket. Haru gives a soft gasp, then bends down, holding her hand out so that Calico can sniff at her fingers.]

Oh, hello, Calico! Are you here to make friends with my cats?

[Look, the girl has priorities. But she is, at least, polite enough to look up at Apollo with a smile.] And hello to you too, Apollo! Please, come inside. [She holds the door open, stepping back so that Apollo can come in.]

(while apollo may dislike coffee, the smell of it is somehow relaxing and calming. it manages to put him at ease, coupled with the sight of haru greeting him with a smile.

and apollo does not blame her at all for having her priorities in order. cats before people! every time! her head stretches out to gingerly sniff haru's fingers, before giving a few testing licks to see if this human can be trusted through taste.

she can. haru has gained calico's approval, made obvious by the purrs coming out of apollo's sweatshirt.) I couldn't just leave her alone, she's had a rough few months because of me.

(he takes the first few steps inside before sliding his shoes off and pulling calico out of his pockets. once she settles on the floor, she immediately struts off to find her allies.) Don't worry, she's fixed and everything, and she's really friendly, so there won't be any fights.

when the darkness creeps in

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