[The sun is just starting to creep overhead when, after what feels like an eternity of nothing but black and cold, Josuke is dragged back into consciousness. It's peculiar, then, that for a moment it feels like no time has passed at all; his brain immediately switches back into survival mode and, even as his aching limbs protest, he scrambles to his feet.
AM.
But the arachne is nowhere to be seen and, with a dull, sickening drop in his stomach, Josuke remembers what happened. A flash of claws and the skittery movement of eight legs and then the fatal blow. That was it. He died. It's been so long now that he'd forgotten what it felt like: that agonising wait, the drip of life leaving his body, leaving him caught between desperation to cling on and wanting nothing more than for the pain to stop-
This time it's a complete wave of nausea that hits him and he staggers, hitting the wall and retching emptily against it. Fuck. Fuck. He wants to go home. He wants to see his mom and Okuyasu and Koichi or go to Rohan's place just to feel safe sat in between him and Jotaro but where one is impossible, the other is beyond his capabilities. So, swallowing down the last of his misery, the goblin pushes himself upright and begins the slow, agonising walk back to his apartment.
A key turns in the lock. Within seconds, Money is sitting upright and meowing, waking Kira if he's already asleep or alerting him to the presence of a visitor if he isn't. But it's such a relief when Josuke finally stumbles through the front door that he doesn't even notice the extra pair of shoes in the hall or the subtle change in the atmosphere- he only has eyes for the eager kitten that runs up to meet him.
Scooping him up, he holds him against his chest, eyes squeezed shut. His hair lies flat and death hasn't done anything to fix the blue-purple pattern of bruises that run down one side of his face and jaw and disappear beneath the collar of his shirt.]
early morning of the 15th
AM.
But the arachne is nowhere to be seen and, with a dull, sickening drop in his stomach, Josuke remembers what happened. A flash of claws and the skittery movement of eight legs and then the fatal blow. That was it. He died. It's been so long now that he'd forgotten what it felt like: that agonising wait, the drip of life leaving his body, leaving him caught between desperation to cling on and wanting nothing more than for the pain to stop-
This time it's a complete wave of nausea that hits him and he staggers, hitting the wall and retching emptily against it. Fuck. Fuck. He wants to go home. He wants to see his mom and Okuyasu and Koichi or go to Rohan's place just to feel safe sat in between him and Jotaro but where one is impossible, the other is beyond his capabilities. So, swallowing down the last of his misery, the goblin pushes himself upright and begins the slow, agonising walk back to his apartment.
A key turns in the lock. Within seconds, Money is sitting upright and meowing, waking Kira if he's already asleep or alerting him to the presence of a visitor if he isn't. But it's such a relief when Josuke finally stumbles through the front door that he doesn't even notice the extra pair of shoes in the hall or the subtle change in the atmosphere- he only has eyes for the eager kitten that runs up to meet him.
Scooping him up, he holds him against his chest, eyes squeezed shut. His hair lies flat and death hasn't done anything to fix the blue-purple pattern of bruises that run down one side of his face and jaw and disappear beneath the collar of his shirt.]
Hey, Money, did you miss me...?