#spawned from watching an ambulance go down the street at a red light

[fisheadz]

Nonsensical question for thee:

If an ambulance/firetruck/police vehicle has their sirens on, and is going down the street, and they come across a pulled over school bus with the stop sign out. Would they have to stop for the school bus? It is required by law if I’m not mistaken, and so is pulling over for a response vehicle with their sirens on to let them pass. But it cannot pass because the bus has its sign out. The response vehicle vs. school bus paradox.

Not high, just sleep deprived :>.

[acreativeme]

Miracle

Requested: May I request 8 & 9 with Luca from SWAT?

(8) “Calm down! You are scaring me!”

(9) “Don’t look at me like that.”

If you would have asked the team if they ever thought that Luca was gonna be a dad, they’d laugh. But here we are, two years into Luca’s longest relationship and about to have a baby. Luca met Y/N when she came in to get fingerprinted for work, she was coming in as the ADA. She had taken a wrong turn and ended up in the kitchen, where Luca was working on some new recipes for his food truck. He teased her about being bad with directions and led her to the fingerprinting area. He had waited with her, so that he could show her around and walk her back to her car. As repayment for his time, she offered to buy his dinner and he agreed. Things just seemed to blossom from there.

Y/N had started to have contractions around noon, while she was at the grocery store. She calmly left the cart in the middle of the cereal aisle and walked back to her car. She drove herself to the hospital, forgetting to call Luca on the way. It wasn’t until she was in her room and the nurse had asked about her wanting to call someone.

Y/N’s eyes widened. “I totally forgot to call him on the way here.” She reached for her phone, “don’t worry about calling him, I’ve got it.”

The nurse nodded, picking up Y/N’s chart. “Alrighty, just buzz if you need anything.”

Taking a deep breathe, Y/N dialed Luca’s number.

It rang three times before he picked up. “Baby? Whatcha need, I’m in the middle of a case?”

She winced as she felt a sharp pain in her side. “Dom, I’m at the hospital.”

There was a long pause. “You are where?”

She sighed, closing her eyes. “I’m at the hospital. My water broke, while I was at the grocery store.”

There was another pause, this time she could hear Luca talking to Deacon and Hondo. “Baby?”

She hummed as she closed her eyes, silently counting through the pain. “Yes?”

“Deacon is going to call Annie, so that she can be there with you until I can get there. We’ve got a lead on where the suspects are at, so I will be there as soon as possible.” Despite his voice was calm and reassuring, Y/N felt the panic rise in her chest.

With quivering lips, Y/N stuttered, “Bu-ut I need you here. How am I going to do this without you, Dominique?” Her heart started to race as the panic got worse.

He muttered ‘shit’ under his breath. “Breathe, baby. You’ve gotta breathe or you’ll put the baby in danger.”

She took a deep breath, then exhaled. “Dom, how far out are you?” Y/N asks, her voice shaky as she slows to a stop at a red light.

“We just pulled up to our target. If everything goes as planned, it should only be an hour or two. Do you think you can hold on for me?”

Y/N chuckled dryly. “It is not me that you have to ask that, Dom. It is your spawn.”

She heard the team laugh at the spawn comment. “Everything will be fine, baby. I promise. I have to go though.”

Y/N took a deep breath. “Be safe. All of you.”

“We will!” They all shouted. “I love you.” Luca whispered.

“I love you too.” She replied, hanging up the phone as a tear fell.

She drove the rest of the way in silence, wincing every time a contraction started up. As she pulled into the hospital parking lot, she noticed Anne waiting for her. She exhaled a breath that she didn’t even realize she was holding.

“Anne.” Y/N smiled, getting out of her car, “thank you so much for coming.”

Anne pulled her into a hug. “It’s not a problem, Y/N. It is a pleasure to be here for you.”

Y/N grinned and tightened her hold on Anne. “I’m sure you are also glad that it isn’t you.”

Anne snorted, trying to hold back her laugh. “Well, you are not wrong.”

As they pulled away from each other, Y/N grabbed her stomach and winced. “Okay, I think it is time to enter the hospital. The baby is not playing games about wanting to come out.”

Anne helped Y/N into the hospital and the front desk, where a nurse helped her into a wheelchair. While waiting for a room, Anne helped Y/N fill out her paperwork and keep her mind off the fact that Luca still hadn’t called.

~~~With the team~~~

Tan sat in the ambulance with Luca, trying hard not to laugh. Luca had ran into one of the suspects, who was running with a knife, and got stabbed into the arm. “Stop laughing at me.” Luca barked at his friend.

“I can’t! Y/N is gonna kill you.” Tan laughed harder, using Luca’s shoulder as support.

Luca shrugged him off, “it’s not funny!”

The paramedics looked at each other and shut the doors of the ambulance, allowing the two teammates to bicker on the ride to the hospital.

~~~ At the hospital with Y/N~~~

Y/N was now sitting semi comfortably in her hospital room with Anne, waiting for her goofy boyfriend. She watched as Anne typed a message to her husband, waiting patiently for confirmation that the mission was a success.

Running her IV free hand over her belly, Y/N broke the silence, “so, what’s the news?”

Not looking up from her phone, Anne replied. “The mission was a success, but one of the team got injured and is on their way here.”

Y/N sat up straighter, or at least attempted to. “Who? Who was injured, please tell me it wasn’t Dom?”

Anne looked up at her panicked friend, resting a calming hand on her leg. “I’m not sure who was hurt. Deacon hasn’t responded yet. They are probably on their way here, so it will be a little bit.”

Y/N took a deep breath and leaned back against her pillows. “Okay. Can you text Street and see if he will go grab the baby bag from the house? I never put it in the car.”

Anne nodded silently, letting her friend’s eyes close.

/To Street: Y/N needs the baby bag. Do you mind getting it from the house before coming to the hospital?/

Anne shot another message to Deacon, repeating her previous question about who got hurt. She silently glanced up and noticed that Y/N was meditating while rubbing her belly. Snapping a quick picture, Anne smiled. Her dinged, drawing her out of her thoughts.

/From Street: sure. I will grab both her and luca’s go bags as well./

Shooting him a quick thank you, Anne stepped out of the room to grab a coffee. As she was waiting for the elevator to open, the team stepped out. Deacon wrapped his arms around Anne, smiling lovingly down at her.

“How’s our expecting momma?” Hondo asks, pulling Anne into a hug after Deacon.

Anne pulled away, glancing between the teammates. She noticed that Tan and Luca weren’t with them. Sighing, “I take it that Luca was one that got hurt.”

The team nodded. “Suspect surprised him a knife. Got him in the arm. He just needs a few stitches and some antibiotics.” Chris stated, giving Anne a quick hug.

Anne shook her head, “Y/N is gonna freak. She is currently meditating in her room.” Anne pointed down the hall. “I’m going to get coffee to give her a moment. Would you guys like to come with me?”

Chris and Deacon agreed to go with her, while Hondo offered to stay with the expecting mother. During their time apart, Luca got patched up and the labor pain progressed for Y/N. She was practically screaming her plans to disfigure his private parts as he walked into the room.

He raced to her side, interlacing his fingers with hers. “Calm down! You’re scaring me!” He yelled, panic evident on his face.

She glared at him, “calm down? Did you just tell me to calm down? I am pushing a bowling ball out of my vagina, how am I supposed to be calm?” She squeezed his hand, causing him to flinch.

He winced as she screamed in his ear. “I’m sorry, doll. I really am. But you need to calm down a little bit and breathe. Or you are gonna put you and the baby at risk.”

She sighed, nodding in understanding. “I know baby, but it hurts.” She whined.

“Ms. Y/L/N, it seems like your little one is ready to enter the world. I am gonna need you to give me a couple more pushes.” The doctor stated from between Y/N legs.

Y/N chuckled dryly, glancing at him. Her eyes drifted to the gauze wrapped his bicep. She gasped at him, “what the hell happened?”

“It’s nothing you need to worry about at this moment.” Luca waved it off, causing Y/N glared at him. “Hey! Don’t look at me like that. We need to focus on you and the baby right now.”

She reached over with you free hand and swatted at him. “This conversation isn’t over.”

He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “I know.”

“If you two are done, we need Y/N to push.” The doctor stated, interrupting their staring contest.

~~~ The lobby with the team~~~

“AHHH!”

The team jumped as they heard Y/N’s scream. Street looked at Anne and Deacon in horror. “If that happens every time you have a kid, how do you guys have four?”

The couple shared a look with each other. “The results are the most important and beautiful part.” Deacon replied, gripping his wife’s hand. They shared a gentle kiss as Luca stepped out of the room.

Tears of joy ran down Luca’s face. “It’s a girl.”

“Yay!” The team cheered, rushing to give him a hug. They all congratulated him, asking him when they could see the baby.

“She is getting cleaned up and the baby is getting checked out, so it will be a few minutes.” Luca laughed at the team’s eagerness to meet the new addition.

A few minutes later, a nurse stepped out of the room and allowed them to see her. She also reminded them to keep the visit short, due to the new mother needing to rest. Luca led the team into his girlfriend’s room, a wide smile forming on his face as he locks eyes with her.

Walking up to her side, Luca kisses her forehead. “The team wants to see the baby.”

She grinned up at him. “Only if they tell me what happened to your arm.”

[wafflewarriors]

The Dealbreaker

Chapter 4

You were in your old home. Your feet were bare and we wore a light blue dress that was now stained with dirt and grime. The only light was the orange glow of the fireplace. But the moment you looked away, the fire wasn't in the safety of the fireplace anymore, but on the walls, burning framed pictures as it climbed the wallpaper.

This is a dream, you told yourself. Nothing but a dream. But it didn't feel like a dream.

You ran. Your two short legs raced down the halls, trying to find an exit. Little lungs that gasped for breath in the heavy smoke. Wide, teary eyes. You tumbled out of the door and into the nearby brush gracelessly.

The tree leaves were lit up with flashing reds and blues from the cop cars and ambulances below them. They lit up the entire street, and without the sirens they felt dismal. They sent that sinking feeling of dread to the pit of your stomach when you couldn't see your brother.

But there was a car, an Impala '67, which had parked itself nearby. And from that car emerged two faces you would never forget. Two brave, courageous mystery men dragged your brother from the fire's reach.

They left before you could thank them.

///

You were at least taller than the door handle now, thirteen years old. Your hair was longer, curlier. You wore pajama pants and a t-shirt, and on your feet hung fuzzy slippers.

Your brother was there as well. You were both home alone, watching television in your small apartment while you cuddled up into your brother's side. He was eighteen now, so both of you were finally out of the foster home system. He was officially an adult, but he could still laugh like a child at the cartoon that played along the screen.

He tensed up when he heard a noise from outside. It was a scratchy noise, one you might hear in movies. The kind of sound a branch might make against a window. An innocent sort of sound, but fear-inducing nonetheless.

"What was that?" you asked.

"Probably the wind," he said. But neither his tone nor expression were convincing.

You watched him curiously. "The wind?"

"Yeah," he said, throwing you a smile as he got up to look out the window. "The wind makes all kinds of noises."

You hummed, stretching on the loveseat. "Sure."

"Hey, you know what? How about we play in my room? Yeah? Let's go. I have some Legos or we can play cards if you want."

"Legos all the way."

He led you to his room, sending the window nervous looks every now and then. Then, he handed you a box of legos. "Set them up while I do something quick." He bought out a bag of salt and began to pour it onto sill of his window and the crack of the doorway.

You watched him in concern. "What are you doing?"

"Uh, it's part of the game," he said, rapidly typing away on his phone. "The salt marks our  borders of the city. Yeah? Okay, now let's start building."

About fifteen minutes into your Legos competition, the lights flickered. Your brother pretended not to notice.

He only paid any attention when there was a shatter of glass and wind began to blow the salt away from the door. He swore softly to himself and scrambled for the door. "Stay in this room, okay? Please, whatever you hear, stay in this damn room. We already lost mom and dad, I'm not losing you too. Understand?"

You understood.

He left the room with an iron rod you didn't know he owned. Where had he gotten that thing? And why did he need it?

Assuming he had called—texted?—the police, or at least some form of an emergency line, you watched from the window. You anxiously wondered if there was an intruder.

You couldn't help but stare as an Impala '67 pulled up in mint condition, exactly the way you remembered it. Two silhouettes exited the vehicle. You were very tempted to leave the salt covered room.

You managed some deep breaths before opening the door. The hall was dark. Your eyes were wide, trying to adjust to the dark, but it was pitch black. You crept forward, cautious, and you tiptoed over the salt line. There was a creak of the stairs, and your eyes shot to the source of the noise, but all you saw was blackness.

Then you were abruptly blinded by a flashlight.

The shadow paused, surveying the salt line and short, little you, standing outside of the circle. The figure approached you and you stumbled back. They grabbed you and dragged you back to your brother's bedroom.

You screamed, struggling against his arms and crying out for your brother.

"Hey! Hey, it's okay." The man said, letting go. "Crap, I didn't mean to scare you. Just, stay in the salt line okay? Your brother's fine, you're fine, we're all fine."

You were shaking as you stumbled back to the safety of your brothers room.

"There was a… um. A man tried to break in. But we got him, okay? You're safe now."

You nodded, though you knew he was lying. Everyone lied to you. "What's your name?"

"Sam. Sam Winchester."

"Who's the other one?"

"The other..? Oh, that's my brother, Dean."

///

Sam and Dean Winchester.

They were names you thought about every now and then. It was your password, your usernames, in random scribbles. Half of this obsessive behavior was to remember your heroes names, and the other half was a lost hope of drawing them in and one day finding them again. You wanted to thank them, properly.

They had saved you and your brother twice now.

After a few years, though, you began to believe they were just dreams. Just two characters you’d imagined to make yourself less lonely.

But sometimes you had to come back to reality, to close the book and just live your stupid, boring life.

That was, until you found your brother with his belongings all crammed in one suitcase and yours in another.

"What's going on?"

"We, are going on a road trip," he said. You knew that tone. That fake cheeriness which tried to hide his fear.

An internal battle churned inside of you. I'm seventeen now, I don't need you sugarcoating stuff like this anymore. Tell me what's going on. But you said nothing.

This road trip really meant heading to South Dakota, for whatever reason. He told you about the black hills, and if they had time, you would see Mount Rushmore.

You couldn't help but worry about the real reason why you were leaving. Was someone after him? Did he get into some sort of legal trouble?

Was someone after you?

Tags:

@vicmc624

@satans-0-spawn

@rosaren2498

[funtimebunnyblog]

Diamante d’Italia: Chapter 4

(Chapter 4: Pleasant company)

Josuke leaned back in his chair, sipping quietly on his French Vanilla coffee. It was a little sweeter than he was used to but it was undeniable that they made it with REAL Vanilla bean, not just cheep flavoring. The coffee was undeniably strong too, so rich he could feel a buzz in his finger tips.

It was undoubtedly one of the best cups of coffee he had ever had.

However that meant trouble for him because if this was anything like Okuyasu and him discovering Italian Food, he was going to have to ask his Mom for a Coffee bean grinder for Christmas this year and a book on how to brew fresh Coffee.

Comfortable silence had reigned between him, Leone and each of their stands (who surprisingly hadn't vanished again).

In fact, if he had been just another kid on the streets of Italy, the man would've probably already proposed to him joining Passione and being recruited onto their team. Bucciarati was always saying it would be nice to find another member or two.

Abbacchio found himself enjoying the plesant company and peaceful quiet just as much as Josuke was, taking the time to mull everything over as he sipped his tea.

Josuke was a decent kid and Abbacchio was typically quite cold and judgmental when it came down to things meeting and trusting new people (you couldn't blame him really, he was in the Mafia afterall), so thinking Josuke a decent kid was quite a feat for just meeting him.

He would never forgive himself if he ripped all that hope away from the teenager like it had been ripped away from him.

However, Abbacchio knew better. This kid was still a student, a tourist even, he probably had a bright future in over Japan.

He had been like him once. Young, eager, full of potiential... those things were rare in the world nowadays and they certainly didn't last in the Mafia.

What was it that stands talked about anyways?

Josuke kept his eyes on Moody Blues (he couldn't get over how cool they were), still hovering nearby and holding some kind of inter-stand conversation with Crazy Diamond from across the table.

Both of their unblinking gazes were locked tightly onto one another, neither one moving or making a sound.

Did they talk about their users? Their powers? Other stands? Did they spill secrets and gossip?

Abbacchio watched idly with some interest, he had seen his stand doing the same with Sticky Fingers several times.

Whatever was happening in the communication, they both seemed pretty invested.

Moody Blues hovered next to Abbacchio with their hands folded neatly behind their back and their head craned forward. Crazy Diamond stood directly behind Josuke, their elbows rested on the back of his chair and leaning comfortably on it.

Though the quiet was comfortable, Josuke wasn't one to sit in silence so he found himself breaking it.

"Your stand," he began. "how long have you had them? Since Childhood?"

He could only reveal so much of course...

The question was unexpected but not unwelcome, Leone hummed and set down his teacup, pursing his lips as he focused on his reply.

Josuke was curious, and that didn't bother him, but the matters of his stand could be a touchy subject.

"Nah, I'm not a natural." He replied. "Mine was awoken in a fight."

Josuke stiffened somewhat in his chair, setting his mug down with a light clink, a small frown pulling on his lips. "In a fight?"

Abbacchio wasn't a natural stand-user and that intrigued the teenager, by the way he handled Moody Blues so well he would've guessed otherwise... but this info also frightened him.

Sure, he knew some stands could be awakened by certain events in someones life, even something like strong overwhelming feelings could cause a stand to spawn into existence, but there was definitely something about the way Abbacchio said it that made the familiar feeling from earlier come back.

This time, the feeling was unwanted.

Leone nodded, "I was.... grabbed and pierced by a powerful stand. When I finally come to afterwards 'Blues was right next to me."

Josukes throat felt way too dry all of a sudden and his heartbeat was growing more deafening in his ears by the second.

The deliciously rich French Vanilla he had been savoring suddenly turned to water in the teens mouth.

A powerful stand? Pierced? As in.... an Arrow wielding stand?

Flashes of everything between the last few months moved like pictures within his mind and he unconconciously started to grip his knees tightly, unaware of the instantaneous sweat now beading on his face as his heart and mind raced.

Did Abbacchio even know about that kind of stand? The power it possessed? The damage it could do?

Did he know the danger he could be in? More importantly, the danger of Italy itself?

If there really was a stand wielding an arrow, there could be a much worse repeat of what happened back in Morioh here in Naples.

If Kira had been just the teeniest bit stronger than he was, maybe even just a little more careful, Josuke knew he very well wouldn't be sitting here in Italy a month later.

Josuke and his friends had only gotten lucky in the end, a sheer coincidence ending it all for good, nothing more.

He more than any of his friends knew that if it ever happened again, they might not have that luck on their side.

His stomach lurched as there came the memory of disgusting coppery blood in his nose and the sound of a head being squashed accompanied by screams and the beeping of an Ambulance.

The older man across the table frowned deeply, furrowing his brow. The kid suddenly looked like he was going to be sick all over the place. He didn't miss how Crazy Diamonds coral colour eyes turned downwards to its user and the air about the stand turned a little more serious.

Something was definitely off.

Abbacchio couldn't shake the nagging feeling that Josuke knew something. Something bad. And he had a hunch what it was about.

Josuke knew more about stands than he had bargained. But the question was, how did he know?

He opened his mouth to ask if he needed some water or maybe just a breather outside in the fresh air because Josuke had turned a ghostly pale, verging on green even, but was suddenly cut off.

"Leone?"

The new voice speaking was enough to pull Josuke from the numbing static of his thoughts and he blinked himself back to reality, looking towards the archway leading to their private area.

Abbacchio turned, a small smile pulling on his lavender lips as his momentary worry was forgotten. He hadn't expected Bruno to come to dinner so soon but it wasn’t an unwelcome surprise.

'He has hair like your Mother...' came the telepathic whisper from Crazy Diamond, who sounded somewhat amused by it all.

Standing in the archway was a tall, lean man with the deepest bluest eyes Josuke had ever seen, dressed in a fashionable (but no doubt expensive) looking white suit dotted with reverse black teardrops and an open chest, revealing lacy black patterns underneath.

The most notable thing about him however was the giant golden zippers adorning the coat that dangled and jangled as he moved.

If Josuke hadn't just been about to lose his lunch, he would've been blushing red and probably would've punched the cheeky pink and blue stand in the arm.

Not that it would do much but give him a pain in his own arm anyways... so he simply just willed Crazy Diamond to disappear, ignoring the chuckle ringing throughout his head as he did.

Now Josuke felt his face heat up, burning red as if a fire had been set under him, when the pair closed even more distance between them in a quick peck on the lips.

Leone stood up from his chair, going to greet the other man at the doorway.

"Bruno." He said simply, closing the distance between him and the other man in a sort of halfway embrace.

Oh... this was Abbacchios partner.

It wasn't that this new info bothered Josuke, he actually found it a little endearing, it was just that he hardly knew them and felt like he was intruding on something intimate. Like he had just disrupted a date they were having.

Plus, he didn't really take Abbacchio for the type to be in a relationship at all. The man had such a "lone wolf" attitude.

'You know what happens when you ASSUME, Josuke...' His Moms words rang clear in his head suddenly and he almost rolled his eyes remembering the end of that particular lecture.

He also thoroughly enjoyed seeing the other man blush at the time, even through all the foundation on his cheeks.

Bucciarati smiled dotingly at Abbacchio, he didn't miss how the Goth was wearing the lipstick he had picked out for him.

Normally the man wore the blackest shade of lipstick you could find on the shelves but Bruno presented him with the beautiful violet one the other day, telling him it would match the lovely purple in his eyes.

"I didn't think I'd see you here so early."

The white-haired man chuckled, "I could say the same about you. We've been here for a while actually."

Abbacchio returned the look with a roll of his duel-coloured eyes.

Bruno peered past him to the table, blinking in surprise when he saw someone he didn't know seated there (who was still somewhat averting his gaze), before breaking into a soft smile.

His eyes turned back to his partner for a fraction of a second, raising an eyebrow at him, a look that read "Since when did you start picking up strays?".

They would talk about it more later, nothing needed to be said between them to know that it would be.

"Hello there." He began. "I must admit, didn't expect any company for dinner. Leone tends to like his alone time."

Bruno approached the table, taking the chair directly next to Leone, seating himself with a smile that made Josuke feel warm from the inside out.

This man was like warm sunshine on a rolling sea while Abbacchio was like moonlight on a snowy mountain.

Well, he supposed being mugged right beforehand would do that too.

Josuke found himself smiling, holding back a laugh as he watched the Goth seated next to Bruno shoot a weak glare in his direction.

He felt himself relax again as the man tested the waters with him. This man was admittedly much easier to read than Abbacchio and he didn't fear being pounded into the floor for making a joke this time around.

"Heh. Sorry, I guess I kinda followed him here like a stray cat." He laughed a little, giving a joking shrug before extending his hand to shake. "I'm Josuke. Josuke Higashikata. It's nice to meet you."

"Bruno Bucciarati. The pleasure is all mine." The dark haired man replied, clasping his hand.

He wondered if they were dicking around outside and silently prayed Narancia wasn't trying to do a headstand on the post box out there.... again.

"Where've Larry, Curly and Moe gone to?" Abbacchio questioned with a frown, peering out towards the dining room.

They were being too quiet and uncharacteristically hadn't come bursting through the door yet, two whining about being hungry and racing for a good seat at the table while one scoffed and growled for them to quit it.

"They decided they wanted to order some take-out tonight so they're back at the house watching movies." Bruno replied, barely batting an eye as his partner grunted out a sigh of relief.

The two missions today had gone successful to say the least (hence why he was early of course).

Josuke assumed whomever Abbacchio was asking about must've been the others he mentioned previously and settled for sitting quietly and watching the interaction between the pair.

Bruno had teamed up with Mista and Narancia with Fugo. Mista didn't even have to use the pistols this time, their target was easy and too piss drunk to put up a real fight. Almost sad if you asked them.

According to Fugo his mission with Narancia hadn't gone quite as smoothly as theirs had. Their targets had brought back up and tried to make a get away by splitting up in cars. Their tires were full of lead by the time Aerosmith got to them and so were their bodies in the end.

The way they talked so comfortably with one another, holding hands over the table so naturally, it made Josuke wonder how Koichi and Yukako were doing. Those two were really the only couple in his life.

Seeing these two so calm and collected but still have an undoubted twinkle of adoration for one another in their eyes was much better than that gross love. He found himself smiling again.

He had never really been in love before but he had always seen it to be sickeningly sweet when portrayed in those movies on tv, making him a little wary about experiencing it. Those endless scenes where couples would fawn over each other every two seconds and act all lovey dovey made him want to puke sometimes.

Not to mention how the girls from his class back in Japan would hang on his arm and follow him everywhere, gushing about how handsome he was and sometimes even go so far as to try to fight one another for his attention. It made him want to just tell them to bug off some days.

"Please tell me about yourself, Josuke." Bruno began, both mens attention rested solely on him now.

☆☆☆

Talking to Bucciarati was actually quite easy.

The dark-haired Man listened so well and his face itself radiated warmth as Josuke talked and talked, hanging on every word as if he were talking about the most interesting things in the world.

Josuke found these things quite mundane and not exciting in the least, he realized he really did live a plain old everyday life apart from being a stand-user and protector of his City (that was also not counting being friends with an actual Alien from outerspace).

Josuke wasn't quite sure where to begin at first, he didn't want to bore the man, so he started out by telling him he was a tourist from Japan.

Things unfolded from there and he moved into his life as a Highschool student in Morioh.

But Bruno listened, nodding his head, very interested in seemingly all of the mundanity.

He asked him his likes, his dislikes, about Morioh, his Home, his Education and any plans for the future furthering it and the more Josuke answered, the more he felt himself opening up and starting to tell him particular memories and moments with his friends and his Mom.

Bruno actually barked out a laugh when he recounted the story of how he made the mistake of giving Mikitaka a cup of coffee last month without thinking twice (leaving out the part he was an Alien of course) and that ended with him having to drag the buzzing blonde pointy-eared humanoid (whom he spent 2 hours trying to pry off his ceiling) home to his "Mother".

Abbacchio snorted when hearing the story about the time Okuyasu got stuck in a kiddie swing at the park, causing both the Police and Fire Department to have to come to the playground and cut him out of it.

He blamed Koichi for putting the idea in his head of course.

They talked for so long, Josuke didn't even remember how hungry he was (the cake from earlier was heavenly but it wasn't quite filling) until a particularly loud growl of his stomach interrupted him during his speech.

"My you're hungry!" Bruno laughed softly as Josuke felt his cheeks burning. He barely had time to blink before there was a waiter there at the table (a different one from before at that) and a menu being set in front of him.

'At least here I can choose what I want...' he thought to himself as his eyes focused on the ornate little booklet filled with long confusing Italian words in fancy handwritten font.

Oh...

Wait......

He had to choose what he wanted.

Once again, he felt like a Kindergartener helplessly squinting at a word longer than 4 letters being written on the blackboard.

He had no idea what any of it meant or what any of these dishes were.

He almost laughed thinking back to his first visit to Tonios little Trattoria with Okuyasu and how put out they were about him not using menus, opting to read palms to "order" instead.

That seemed like such a better option right now than letting his eyes burn holes into a book of nonsense words.

"Something the matter?" Abbacchio piped up, raising a well styled eyebrow at him. He had already discussed with the kid that money wasn't an issue, so that couldn't be the reason the kid looked so nervous.

Josuke bit his lip, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly as he looked up to meet the pairs puzzled gaze.

"Uhh... It's just that I... I can't..."

"Please." Josuke laughed a little, holding the menu out as the man scooted closer to him.

Bucciarati blinked, his eyebrows raising in realization from beneath his bangs.

"Oh, I see." He said. "Would you like some help?"

Patiently, he went through the entire thing with him, pointing to each dish and telling him what they consisted of. Josuke nodded and listened more intently than he ever did in class, trying his best to remember certain names.

"I think I'll have the... the..." Josuke helplessly pointed to the particular dish, his face tinging a little pink.

Bruno was so patient and calm Josuke wondered if this man actually could be a Mother.

He once again chose to ignore the chuckle ringing throughout his head.

"Saltimbocca di pollo alla Romana." Bruno supplied.

He didn't want to embarrass himself further by even attempting to parrot that back. Thankfully, Bucciarati did the talking when the waiter returned.

Josuke didn't have to wonder if this man was a stand-user because he felt that familiarity pull at him again, this time it comforted him, and Josuke found himself smiling.

The teenager had quite forgotten about arrow wielding stands, psycho murderers and blood baths among all the laughter and friendly conversation over the table...