See You in Hell, Kevin
| See You in Hell, Kevin | |
|---|---|
"I do not imagine I can do much to bother the ghost." | |
| Players |
Razi is super helpful again. |
<TXT> From Javi to Razi: hey so At whatever time later was appropriate for everyone to first process that they've just been very strangely invited to somewhere without a whole lot of information about it, and also //get// there from wherever they were before, Javi is also there. He's leaning against the wall of the building he'd given Razi to meet, and scrolling through his phone. He isn't as dressed up as he was the other day in the bar by any means, but he's a little elevated from usual -- pants instead of jeans, a shirt instead of a tee, like that. It's still a little //fun//, considering the pinstripes on the shirt are various colors and he's still wearing sneakers, but he looks nicer than if he were just planning on hanging out on the street. By contrast, Razi is looking a little /de/elevated. (Is that a word?) He proves, once and for all, that he does not actually wear suits 24/7, as he approaches the building in dark jeans (the nice sort that's far from ragged or grungy), a wine-red button-down shirt that's been neatly tucked, and a pair of casual chukkas. So...still nice. One wonders the actual extent of casual he's capable of. He did his due diligence in at least googling the address Javi gave him before arriving, but it was hardly particularly illuminating to find a bodega and a residential building there. And so all he can really do is arrive there for answers, greeting Javi with a mild, "Javier." Javi looks up when he hears his name -- his actual legal name, which he may not hear all that often -- and the vaguely sullen look his face seems to have when it's at rest melts away immediately into a smile. Maybe this is part of the reason he smiles so much, but surely not the //only// reason. "Razi, hey." He slides the phone into his pocket and pushes off the wall, closing a little bit of the distance between them with a few steps. "No one calls me that anymore," he admits with some amusement, but he doesn't seem to mind. He's taking a minute to take in the other man's appearance, definitely curious but also at least a little appreciative. Maybe he has an internal comment about the other man's idea of dressing down, but he doesn't actually //say// it. Instead, hsi gaze comes up again. "How's it going?" Razi doesn't have any particular response to hearing that his chosen moniker for Javi is a rare one. HE'S MADE HIS DECISIONS. For whatever reasons. Probably that strange sort of formality that seems to always linger with him. He waits patiently for Javi's quick appraisal, making a brief study of his own in turn, before that question comes. "Well enough. And yourself?" "Oh, pretty good," Javi replies. "You know, just going along. Doing my thing. Nothing too exciting." Very similar to what he'd said the other day about how he was, actually. Apparently he doesn't consider that every time he's seen Razi, he's either been doing something vaguely out of the ordinary or having something vaguely out of the ordinary happening close enough to intervene as that exciting. But if you're used to it, maybe it isn't. But he doesn't waste time -- after the quick exchange of pleasantries, he gets down to it. More or less. "So, this is gonna be where you kinda have to suspend some disbelief for a minute. Just until I get to the end. Okay?" There's a subtle upward twitch of Razi's brow as Javi gets down to brass tacks. Maybe the slightest hint of amusement? Maybe. "All right." He certainly doesn't seem to be in a rush, despite the fact that he was asked out to this random location with no context. Javi might have appreciated that amusement at another moment -- but maybe he's picked up on it enough to appreciate it later. "Okay." He glances one way down the street, then the other, but there's no one listening to them right now. Still, he lowers his voice. Not //that// low -- not low enough to be whispering or anything, which could possibly draw more attention to them if anyone comes close enough. Just regular quiet. "So the guy who owns this place, right," and here he jerks a thumb over his shoulder to indicate the bodega, "he used to be really close to this other guy. Like, they came up together and stuff, they fought in Vietnam together, all that. Like brothers. You know? He's got some crazy stories, to be honest he's kinda fucking awesome. Anyway." He visibly forces himself to stop from going on an unrelated tangent and refocuses, returning to the story at hand. "But after they got back they both ended up falling for the same girl." He pauses there, perhaps to make sure Razi is following all this -- though none of it really requires any suspension of disbelief so far. Razi's gaze is steady on Javi -- not hyper-focused, just silently receptive as the story begins. And so far, there is certainly nothing strange or outlandish about it, and so he simply dips his chin in subtle acknowledgment when Javi pauses. Yes, following. "Okay." Javi nods at the acknowledgement, and continues on. "So the other one ended up marrying her, and obviously that had 'em falling out with each other. I mean, makes sense. It sucks but you know, yeah." One can understand how that could be possible. "But then he ended up dying. Like ten years later or something. Fifteen?" He doesn't seem sure, but a moment later he gestures a little vaguely to dismiss its importance. "Whatever. He died. And they were still pissed at each other, they never made up or anything, so yeah. But the girl eventually reconnected with Jimmy," presumably the owner, "and they ended up getting married. But she's gone now, too. Been a year or something now. And now they're still pissed at each other and I can't get 'em to agree on like...a resolution? Because it turns out I'm not really that great at getting people to agree on stuff." His smile tips a little wryly at this, some self-directed amusement slipping in now. And he also clearly still assumes Razi is following everything. Razi's a smart guy. He must be, right? "So I thought, you know, you do mergers and acquisitions every day. This is kinda like that. So maybe you could get 'em to talk to each other instead of just throwing shit around the apartment." And here he stops, brows lifting as he regards the other man with a distinctly hopeful expression. There's a long pause that follows all of that. A silence, as Razi considers the full breadth of what Javi has told him. At the /very least/, he doesn't start looking at Javi like he's crazy. So there's that! "So," he finally says. "You're in contact with both of them." /Both/. Of them. "Despite one of the parties being deceased." Oh, look! He found the elephant. As that pause extends, it has Javi looking perhaps //slightly// less hopeful, but only a little. He hasn't given up yet! And especially not when what comes next is just a clarifying question. "Oh." Did he actually think they were going to just slip right past that part? Well, maybe. He lets out a little laugh, glancing briefly to one side as Razi has seen him do more than once by now. But //at// something. "Uh, yeah. I am." He reaches a hand up to rub over the back of his neck as his gaze returns to the other man. "So the thing is," he continues, circling back a little bit, "ghosts kinda talk to me. Don't really know why, but yeah." The last part doesn't sound quite true, but he doesn't spend too much time on it. "The other guy's haunting him. Like, bad. Well, he's pissed, right? 'Cause they both want her ashes. And before she died I guess she told Jimmy that she wanted 'em to share, and Jimmy said yeah at the time, but now he won't. I mean, I get it, he's sad. He misses her. But yeah. It's bad." Razi makes a low, thoughtful noise as Javi confirms something that at least explains a bit of /oddness/ that Razi may or may not have noticed. "I see," he says first. But still, his expression is thoughtful rather than skeptical. Ghosts, okay. He accepts that fact, and moves on. "Even if she had recorded her wishes in written form, it would not be a legally binding document; that sort of thing relies upon your remaining family feeling the moral obligation to respect those wishes." He pauses a longer moment as he considers. "Strictly speaking, a deceased person can have no legal claim to property. Moreover, the expectation seems a bit...impractical. How exactly is this ghost expecting to receive the ashes? Does he wish them to be housed in a certain location?" There's a little relief when Razi doesn't ask any follow-up questions about Javi's assertion that he can, in fact, talk to ghosts. He even smiles, maybe not as transformative of one as they sometimes are, but certainly warm. Now that it's out of the way, they can focus on the problem at hand. "Yeah." That smile twists a little at what the other man says, and he lets out a little sigh, turning to look over his shoulder at the bodega. "Well, it's kinda tough to know exactly what's gonna work even if they say what they want. Ghosts aren't really, like...that reasonable, sometimes." Shocking! "They aren't the real people, you know? Some of 'em are way more like who they were than other ones, but they're all gonna do what they're gonna do. He //says// he wants him to go sprinkle like half the ashes on there, but I'm not even sure it's a hundred percent about that. You know? They were //best friends//. Jimmy even saved his life once in Vietnam. I mean, it's a little more complicated than if I just say, ghosts get made 'cause they got unfinished business, but it's pretty close. He wasn't pissed at his wife when he died, right? He was mad at Jimmy. The last thing they said to each other was something shitty and he's been here ever since. But every time I try to get 'em talking to each other I kinda just get frustrated with both of 'em and it doesn't really help anything. You've got this like...calming thing going on." He gestures again, this time to Razi, to emphasize what he means. "So I thought maybe you could do it better than me." "I imagine that it is not a very empowering experience," Razi murmurs when Javi speaks of how unreasonable ghosts can be. "They must have few avenues available to them to see their wishes enacted." He does level a more considering look on Javi now, clearly identifying him as one of those few avenues. "Do I?" He doesn't sound /surprised/ to hear Javi considers his presence to be calming, but he does seem to find it interest. Or amusing. He actually smiles, subtle as it is. "It's true that most of my professional colleagues have not enjoyed being on the other side of the negotiating table from me. But are you looking for someone to bring them to a true understanding, or someone to simply enact a resolution that will end the dispute? These are two very different things." "Yeah," Javi agrees, "it's pretty tough." He must note the look, but he doesn't address it -- he focuses on the question instead as he reflects back Razi's smile with one of his own, though quite a bit brighter. "Yeah, you do. I mean, don't get me wrong," he clarifies, "I know there's way more going on under there and I want to know what it is." Under the surface, presumably, though maybe under some other more literal things, too. "And you being so put together all the time is pretty hot but also it kinda makes me want to get a little of my mess on you just to see what happens." The smile pulls even wider as his gaze drops slightly, just to Razi's collar, like he might like to unbutton //one// more of the buttons on his lacking-a-tie-but-still-very-neat shirt. However, he does not, and when his eyes lift again, the teasing slips out of his tone and he becomes more serious. "But yeah. The second one might be enough? But I'm kinda hoping that getting someone in there who knows what he's doing and at least acts like he's gonna take it seriously is gonna help 'em get to the first one on their own. You know what I mean?" Maybe Razi's humor glints a bit warmer. It's not an encouraging flirtation, but nor is it a demurral. He may just enjoy the attention for what it is, even if he has no intention of acting upon it. "In my experience, the end result of someone getting mess on me is that I have mess on me," he says. "I do bathe, which suggests that I'm as capable as anyone else of experiencing dirt." He is absolutely not oblivious to Javi's meaning, but treating it all logically seems to be as much for his own amusement as anything else. Back to the task at hand, though, he says, "What you probably want is an arbitrator, which is not my particular expertise; it is very different, one person negotiating between two parties, than two lawyers negotiating with each other on behalf of their clients." A beat. "However, I imagine I could make them come to an arrangement. I cannot promise that it will be pleasant, though. For the one living, at any rate. I do not imagine I can do much to bother the ghost." "Uh huh." The way Razi replies doesn't seem to discourage Javi at all -- actually, it makes him laugh, and pretty delightedly at that. "I bet." His hand comes up to brush some hypothetical speck off the other man's shoulder (since there actually isn't a real speck), but though the touch is obviously purposeful, it's quick, not lingering. He has a more immediate thing to do. "Okay." He nods slowly, considering what Razi says, before he shrugs. "That's fair. I can probably handle Jimmy after if we can get the other guy to go. I get what it feels like to lose someone." His gaze shifts briefly away again, but he also tips his head toward the door, so maybe it's not truly meant to be avoidant. "Ready?" "One moment." Razi even lifts a finger, to make sure Javi pauses. "Their names? With surnames, preferably. And you said it's been about a year since the woman passed?" "Oh, yeah." Probably good, because Javi might well not have. "James Campbell, and Kevin O'Conner. Yeah, she's been gone about a year, something like that. Her name was Georgia. Gigi." Now that he's been stopped, he takes a moment to consider whether there's anything else that might be useful information, and offers -- even if it isn't particularly useful -- "Kevin died in a car accident. Seems like that kinda thing is more likely to make a ghost. Like if they died real unexpectedly, or if it was pretty violent. Like that." Razi nods, as if the gesture will commit all three names to memory. "That seems logical," he says of the connection between sudden ends and ghostly lingering, but that's all the comment he has left. He tips his head to the door to indicate that he's ready. "Yeah." Javi nods, too, and now that Razi has confirmed it, he turns away again, starting toward the door of the bodega to head inside. "Hey Jimmy," he calls, holding the door open for Razi before he lets it swing shut behind them both, and it doesn't take too long for him to get a reply. "Took you long enough." The voice belongs to an older man -- quite old, which probably makes sense if he fought in Vietnam, and grumpy-looking, though the way he addresses Javi is more in more grumpy in the manner of someone who probably likes him at least a little bit, but is just generally old and cranky. Javi certainly doesn't take offense to it, just laughs. "What, you got somewhere else to be?" His eyes widen with exaggerated surprise as he looks around the store, which other than them and some kid who's working the register right now, is empty. "This is Razi," he continues, gesturing to his companion. "Razi, Jimmy." "Razi Andreas," he introduces more fully, extending a hand in offered clasp. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Campbell. Javier thought I may be able to provide some assistance for the situation you currently find yourself in." And there's absolutely no indication in Razi's tone that he finds this situation to be at all strange, outlandish, or unbelievable. Simply just another dispute between two parties. Jimmy eyes the hand for a few seconds, as if considering not to take it -- or maybe he's expecting it to bite him or something. Considering he's being haunted, and this new person is apparently doesn't think it's that weird or unbelievable, it might make sense. Ultimately, though, he does, and shakes it a couple of times. His grip is pretty firm for all that he's quite old, though it isn't some sort of odd power play to try and assert himself with it. He just seems to be doing pretty well for an old guy. "Hmph." He lets it go, taking another few moments to size Razi up before adding, "Yeah, well, //Javier// thinks a lot of things about a lot of things." He looks over at Javi when he emphasizes the name, like he does not agree at all that it fits him, but again, Javi takes it and the comment in stride. "Yeah," he agrees with a shrug, spreading his hands out wide at his sides as if acknowledging a hit, "I do. So you gonna let him do it or not? 'Cause we're taking a lotta time for you to back out now." "I didn't say that, did I?" Jimmy snaps, before he lets out a long sigh and looks back to Razi with a nod. "Fine. Mind the store!" This is to the register kid, who grunts a reply in his best late-teen angst speak, but Jimmy doesn't even seem to notice. He's already turning away and leading them to a door in the back, which in turn leads to a staircase up to the apartments above. "So what did //Javier// tell you about the //situation// with that bastard?" he asks as he's leading them up the stairs. Razi simply waits, eternally patience, for Jimmy to eye up his hand and make the decision to shake it. His own grip is firm in turn, but in an appropriately businesslike fashion. Like he's the sort of person who shakes hands regularly and has a lot of practice at the appropriate grip. And then he draws back, looking between Javi and Jimmy with that same sort of patience, waiting for them to argue out whatever they need to argue, until Jimmy is ready to lead them up -- wherever they're going. "That you're being haunted," he says succinctly. "And the basic facts therein. I'd be most interested to hear your version of events, of course. I only ask that you be as honest and forthright about events as you reasonably can be, so that I can do my best to help. Can you agree to that?" "//Haunted//," Jimmy echoes, spitting out the word with a little snort. "Guess so. Shows up after all these years and now he won't leave me alone. What does he want with anything, anyway? He's //dead//." Since they're behind him, they can't see his face, but his tone hasn't changed much. "Yeah, I can tell you what happened. I'm not a liar." Which Razi did not say he //was//, but he doesn't spend much time on it anyway. "He stole my girlfriend right out from under me and married her, then he died, and now apparently he thinks I should give him something for betraying me." Javi has just been following up to this point, letting the man tell his version of events -- but something about it makes him snort, too, much more skeptically. "Though you weren't a liar, man," he remarks. Maybe he's taking a leaf out of Razi's book, because it's actually pretty mild, too. Nowhere near as much so as the other man, since he hasn't had as much practice, but still. "She wasn't your girlfriend back then." "Well, she almost was!" This time it's more bluster from being called out, though, and Jimmy amends, "Fine. We were both interested. But what does it matter? He still had his time with her, he's still dead. Nothing's going to bring either of them back, so what does he get out of throwing things at me?" 'Where' seems to be an apartment on the second floor, so at least they don't have to walk up a significant amount of stairs. He fumbles in his pocket for his keys, muttering something unintelligible under his breath, and opens the door to lead them in. The place is...well, yes. Predictably, it's a bit of a wreck. There are quite a few broken things around, some cracks in the walls, and at least one of the lightbulbs is burned out and hasn't been replaced. But it's not //truly// destroyed, and of course, Jimmy himself seems to be fine. It's argument mess, sure, but it's not total devastation mess. Maybe that's a good sign. "It was the word that came to mind," Razi says, voice mild and unbothered by Jimmy's spitting, snorting reaction. He listens with a quiet attentiveness, and there's the subtlest of smiles there where Jimmy agrees to be truthful. "Thank you." His gaze drifts to Javi for the interruption, and he takes particular note of the response, unoffended at the small lie, despite having just asked for honesty. "My immediate guess would be the satisfaction of your displeasure," he reasons as to the ghost's motives for mess-making. And once they step inside, he is able to take in a deeper assessment of the situation just by the current state of the apartment. It certainly communicates...a good deal. "Hmph. Yeah." Jimmy can't exactly argue, and he even glances over his shoulder at Razi as he acknowledges the truth of it, with maybe a //slight// -- grudging -- thread of wry amusement. Possibly. He's been grumpy for a long time, so it's hard to tell. Javi's amusement is much more obvious, of course, but he does seem to be making an effort to suppress the laugh. However, it's also sympathetic, and when the laugh fades, that remains. "Okay," he says encouragingly, "go ahead and call him and we'll try it." And then aside, to Razi, "Ghosts all got a thing they gotta do when something happens. It's kinda related to whatever they did in their life. Like, maybe they gotta obey orders from someone higher rank if they were in the military." Which may inform why Jimmy is the one who has to call him. Jimmy is pretty clearly uncomfortable with all of this, but after a heavy sigh he nods, and does so. "Kevin!" And then: "Come here, you bastard!" Great. However, at least it seems to work. There's a second or two of chill in the air, very unseasonable for August in Chicago, and then something shimmers into existence in the middle of the apartment. A man, faded and washed out and, for lack of a better word, //ghostly//, but unmistakably there. Mid-forties, maybe, casually dressed, looking a little annoyed. "What?" Javi has let out a little sigh of his own at the //way// the ghost has been called, but this time he doesn't argue with it, just lets it happen. It worked, after all, and once it has he looks toward Razi, gesturing for the other man to take the lead. However unflappable Razi has been, a close study of him will find those subtle indications that most of this is indeed quite new to him. The idea of Jimmy being able to call the ghost, and then the fact that the ghost actually /materializes/. "Ah." That is indeed interesting. "Mr. O'Connor, thank you for joining us, albeit under duress, as I understand it. I hadn't realized we'd be able to speak directly, but I hope that will make this go smoother. My name is Razi Andreas. I'm a friend of Javier's. A lawyer. He hoped I might be able to help...facilitate a resolution to the conflict currently happening between you and Mr. Campbell." And there he looks to the much more /alive/ party, and then back. "I understand that you have been engaging in...destructive behavior around Mr. Campbell and his residence, is that correct? Could you explain the nature of your grievance in your own words?" Everything so even and polite. Not effusive, but friendly enough in its professionalism. Javi //is// watching Razi as all of this goes on -- he doesn't expect the other man to turn around and run away, but he's probably just making sure things are all right, or judging whether he needs to step in and explain anything further on the nature of ghosts. It doesn't seem necessary, and so he stays quiet, shifting slowly from one foot to the other as some of that buzzing energy he always seems to have leaks out. He's keeping it pretty tightly held right now, though, lest it disturb any potential for peace. The ghost doesn't notice Razi at first, annoyed as he is at his former friend, but when he's spoken to he turns, insubstantial eyes widening. "A lawyer?" Who knew ghosts could still be surprised? Apparently they can be, and he's at least curious enough about it not to immediately fling something that isn't nailed down at him. "Yeah," he continues eventually, "I'm doing that. I don't know what either of 'em told you but he deserves it. He promised Gigi that we'd share her ashes after she died, but now he won't, so maybe you can get him to do what he already said he'd do!" As his voice rises, there's a little rattling sound that comes from some sudden movement of a coffee cup on the scuffed table. "I'll see //you// in hell before I do, Kevin!" Jimmy snaps back. Almost as soon as he does, that cup lifts of its own accord to fling itself toward the man. However, it misses -- actually, by quite a wide margin, which may or may not be notable -- and hits a wall instead, where it shatters. "Mr. O'Connor is demonstrably /not/ in hell, unless that's simply how you feel about your own residence, Mr. Campbell," Razi points out to Jimmy. Mildly. He does pause, and blink slowly, as a cup goes flying into the wall to smash to pieces, but he /did/ have some warning that this was a possibility. He smoothes a hand down the front of his shirt, considering a moment. And then he turns his attention to Jimmy. "Mr. Campbell, do you deny that you made certain assurances to your late wife regarding the treatment of her remains?" Javi may be used to it -- he surely has to know it's coming. Even so, the crash of the cup against the wall has him flinching visibly. He recovers, but it was definitely there. However, he takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly to steady himself, and keeps quiet as he lets the events unfold. That no one was hurt makes it quite a bit easier. Jimmy doesn't flinch as visibly as Javi does, but maybe he does a //bit//. Between the shattered cup, and Razi's continued calm demeanor about things, it's enough to make him answer truthfully. "Yeah, I said it," he confirms. "So what?" And he does have to cast a little glance around the apartment -- since it does, in fact, look like hell. Kevin flings a spectral hand out toward Jimmy in exasperation, turning to look at Razi. "See?" Razi lifts a hand in a gentle request for patience at Kevin's immediate reaction; his gaze, his attention, is on Jimmy now. "It seems to me that your conflict with Mr. O'Connor is immaterial, then, in the face of this request. This is not actually a matter between the two of you. It is a matter between you and your late wife. Are you claiming any injury done by her that would cause you not to fulfill her request?" There is a certain precision and efficiency to all of it. Cutting through the clutter and mess to dive directly into the heart of the matter. It's certainly not as warm or empathetic as Javi likely would have been, but it's quick. Razi's gesture seems to be enough to stay Kevin's hand -- or ghost powers, rather, since his hand can't grip anything to throw, of course. It's also very possible that he feels Razi is on his side, whether it's true or not, and so he is content in his otherworldly way to let this play out, too. It's all //definitely// different from the way Javi would be going about it, but it seems to be working. "Of course not." Jimmy's reply is a little bit sharp, but not as much as it //could// be. Now that he's recovered from that flinch, Javi is looking a little more hopeful again. It's cautious, sure, but this may be further than he's ever gotten with them before. He looks from one to the other, then to Razi, but he manages to continue keeping quiet. he's not //quite// holding his breath, but there's some sense of it there. "Then what justification are you presenting for denying Mrs. Campbell's request regarding the disposal of her remains?" It's all, in a way, remarkably simple. At least in the way that Razi simplifies it all down to the most bare, basic facts, and waits for Jimmy to provide him some reasonable explanation for his behavior. "Because I miss her!" It's not reasonable, at all. There is nothing simple or logical about it -- and it's not angry, either, or at least not completely. The cantankerous exterior cracks, just for a moment, to reveal the sadness behind it. "I'm the one who has to be here without her every day, aren't I? I miss her. I don't want to give her up." Javi has been quiet throughout, and even relatively still -- for him, at least. However, it's now that he speaks up. His voice is quiet, but steady, and the understanding there far surpasses mere sympathy. "He's here too," he points out, gesturing to the ghost. "You're both here." That explanation does give Razi pause for a moment, if only to give the emotional moment the space it deserves. He doesn't do anything so /crass/ as scent the air, but he is most definitely very aware of the heightened emotions at play here. "I understand, Mr. Campbell," he finally says, his voice not quite /gentle/, but perhaps milder. "However, your grief does clearly indicate that you loved your wife a great deal. I am certain that it must also be important to you to feel as though you are respecting her memory. Am I wrong?" Most of the fire has gone out of Jimmy now. He just looks...old, and tired, and sad. Which is, of course, what he is. He looks from Razi, to Kevin the Ghost, and then back, before he sighs. "No," he admits. "You're not wrong." He hasn't looked at Javi, not even when he'd spoken, but he does now. "So this'll mean he's going to go, too, right? That's what you said." Javi's energy has shifted subtly now, especially in the wake of this question. It's not all over the place anymore -- it's focused, and deeper than usual. Razi may have cut right to the heart of the problem with surgical effectiveness in a way that he never could, and obviously he was not able to get them to this place where they could solve this issue. But he did say he would handle Jimmy after, and so it's with an almost electric caring that he answers. "Yeah. That's probably what it means." Because then, of course, the man really //will// be alone. Jimmy hesitates, looking from one to the other, corporeal and otherwise. His gaze ends up on the ghost. "Okay. You win." Razi can wait. For someone who cuts through the issue with precise efficiency, he has that implacable sort of patience that suggests he could wait for a very long time for Jimmy to decide if he wants to give in or not. And then, finally, it comes, and something in Razi's manner seems to suggest that he viewed it as somewhat inevitable. He was always going to bring matters to this resolution, it was only a question of the amount of effort or annoyance he'd have to endure. In the end, this was a fairly small amount. "All right," he says, inclining his head. "I am not an expert on matters of how or why ghosts linger, but I trust, Mr. O'Connor, that if you remain on this particular plane, that you will at least cease your destructive behavior, if Mr. Campbell does indeed fulfill this request?" He considers Jimmy there a moment there, as if tasting his sincerity, considering something...but in the end, he says nothing further. It's a bit difficult to know what ghosts think about things when they aren't throwing objects around or making cracks in walls (or setting things on fire, which may or may not be the impetus for Javi's previous request for Razi's assistance). However, the ghost of Kevin does seem to be relatively calm now -- and that slightly far-away voice sounds a bit different in the wake of the acceptance, even though he does agree. "Yes." However: "How do I know he's really going to do it once you're gone?" "I said I would," Jimmy replies, vaguely annoyed again, though nowhere near as much as before. "You said you would before, too," Kevin points out, very fairly. But the quality of the argument is different now, too. No flying cups. And they also both look at Razi for the answer, expectantly. Obviously he's going to have the solution. And here, finally, Razi's gaze lifts slowly towards the sealing. He studies it for a long moment, drawing patience from its utter mundanity, and then he returns his gaze to the task at hand. "Fine," he says. They won't actually notice the use of magic, apart from the subtle gesture he makes with the thumb and forefinger of both hands -- like pressing something closed. He draws in a slow, deep breath, seeming to focus for a moment -- and then something twinges at the corner of his expression. He purses his lips, and then lowers his hands. "Because your words are sealed," he says. "Both of you. If you do not fulfill your promises, there will be consequences." His gaze moves slowly between the two of them, making sure that the seriousness of this is impressed upon both. "Do you understand? The world cares when you do not honor your word." Both sets of eyes stay focused on Razi as he speaks, ghostly and corporeal. They may not be able to see the magic, but they can sense the gravity of it. So, whether it's what Razi expected to happen or not, it doesn't matter. The man's words serve their intended purpose. "Fine," Jimmy says quietly, and then the ghost echoes, "Okay." They turn to each other, and after a few moments, the friend who is alive extends a hand to the one who isn't. They can't shake on it, of course. Not really. But the ghosts's hand passes through the corporeal one for a moment, and perhaps it's close enough. Javi's eyes are on Razi, too. //He// notices that plea for patience (or at least, that is what he assumes it is) and it almost makes him laugh. It probably would have, had the moment not been quite as solemn -- and had he not still been harboring plenty of empathy for Jimmy's situation. And Kevin, too, probably, otherwise there's no way he'd be subjecting himself to this. How does he hold it all? Maybe that's why he never seems to be still. But when both parties agree, he nods. "Okay." Then: "I'mma check back soon." Just in case. "We're gonna go now, yeah?" Because this place really does need a makeover. Excellent. The mortals don't need to know whether or not that particular contract successfully activated! They believe the weight, so that's likely to be enough for the time being. Razi watches the exchange between them, the not-quite-handshake, and offers a final nod of approval once it seems to be settled between them. "All right, then," he says. He looks aside at Javi, inclining his chin when he indicates it's TIME TO GO. He's more than happy to get out of this particular mess of an apartment and back into the open air. It's only once they're gone and outside the building entirely that he looks back to Javi with a different sort of consideration. "Do this often, then?" Neither Jimmy nor Kevin argue with the other two leaving. Since the ghost hasn't disappeared //right now//, perhaps there's still some things to be discussed. They can let themselves out, right? Yes, they sure can. The change in Javi is notable once they leave the apartment, though. It's not just relief that no one got hurt. He seems to //settle// a bit, like suddenly something is right with the world and he can rest, even if only for a little while. He's perfectly content to be quiet all the way down the stairs, through the bodega underneath, and even out the door. When Razi asks, he turns toward him, and he doesn't even hesitate before he nods. "Yeah," he replies. "It's a whole thing, I guess." He shrugs, but then adds, "Thank you. Really wasn't sure how I was gonna be able to do that one." "And there's one with you regularly, isn't there?" Razi looks to the empty air next to Javi, although he has no actual sense of where a closer companion might be. "I've noticed you looking at the empty air a good deal. And occasionally responding to it. You should be careful about that. Others may get the wrong impression." He looks back ahead to the street. "You'll want to check in on them. The seal on Mr. Campbell wasn't as effective as I'd hoped. I think that his belief in it will be enough, but just to be sure." To the thanks, he cants his head, weighing the sentiment for a moment, and then he says, "I suppose you'll simply have to owe me a favor." And there is, at the corners of his mouth, the slightest hint of a smile. Javi doesn't try to argue with the guess that really isn't a guess anymore. "Yes." A beat; then: "Actually he's over there." He points toward another spot with some amusement, though whether he's just teasing him or whether the ghost is, in fact, actually over there, is hard to discern. Since the air is just as empty. As for people getting the wrong impression, he shrugs, but then nods again to concede the point. "Yeah. You're right. Sometimes I slip up a little. But I'll definitely check back. I like Jimmy. He really isn't as much of a dick as he seemed like today, you know? He's just sad. I get that." When Razi continues, though, his head tilts slightly to one side, studying the other man more closely. That smile, though, draws one from him, too. A lot brighter, of course, but a slow-blooming thing this time. "I guess I will," he agrees. "And I owe you a drink, too, huh?" Well, he did say that, along with this outing being no fun at all. Whether that is true or not is up to Razi to say. He takes one more moment to consider, before he offers, "How 'bout you let me take you to dinner instead? Not tonight, though. Maybe later this week?" Razi's gaze does flick to the other space of empty air Javi indicates, and then it just shifts back to Razi. Either way, it's not as if he can tell where it is. As to Jimmy, he is silent for a moment, weighing his assessment. And then: "People should keep their promises." But, that said, it does not seem he harbors much sentiment about the man beyond that. There's a soft little exhalation of breath, NOT quite a snort, and he says, "Javier, when you turn drinks into dinner after I've indicated you owe me a favor, it sounds as if you expect me to call in the debt in some sort of sexual manner." "Yeah, they should." Again, no argument there. And maybe Javi would have said something else about it -- but when Razi replies to his offer, there's a brief moment of surprise, before he just starts laughing. Sure, there's a //hint// of embarrassment, but it's mostly just amused, and however much there is of the former, it doesn't stop him from replying. "I was just trying to be smooth about it, damn," he says once he's composed himself a little bit, though the laughter is still around the edges, waiting to be let out again. "Poking holes in all my moves. I definitely don't think you're gonna call in a sex favor. Jesus. Okay how's this. Can I take you to dinner, and separately not related to that, if you ever need a non-sexual favor, you can give me a call and I'll...I dunno. Come do a spirit cleansing for you or something." He may not be able to imagine another favor that Razi might need from him. "Poking holes is somewhat what I do for a living," Razi admits, and there's actually a small hint of apology in his voice as he turns more directly to face Javi. He is silent a moment, looking him over in slow consideration. "You're very earnest, Javier," he says. "And you're quite attractive. I'm flattered by your offer, even if I don't quite understand your interest. But I'm not exactly in the market for..." And there, a rare moment of him not having the final word ready on his tongue. A beat. "I don't really know what I'm in the market for. My life is...complex." "Hm. Guess it is." At least Javi seems blessed with an almost superhuman ability to bounce back and carry on, because the very slight apology, while perhaps nice, doesn't seem at all necessary. He also doesn't rush him through the answer -- though his grin returns at the compliment -- especially not when that moment of indecisiveness hits. They may not know each other well, but he knows enough to guess it isn't usual.He takes several moments to reply; not like he's disappointed, but more like he's gathering his thoughts. //He// has not shown himself to have the perfect words for every situation, of course, and he probably wants to get it right. "Look," he finally says, and seriously, too. "I honestly get it. I got complicated stuff going on, too." He glances up to the building where they just were, and doesn't elaborate, but that's probably enough. "I'm not trying to be your boyfriend. I'd just like to take you to dinner because I think you're interesting. You're out here taking time out of your day to help out some random guy with a really fucking weird problem and you don't even blink. And yeah, okay, you're hot, too. But that's really it. So, if you don't want to, for real, it's fine. We'll still be good and I'll still owe you a very platonic and non-sexual favor." "Clearly," Razi says with the faintest of smiles when Javi glances over at the building. He gives Javi the grace of that time to respond, waiting as patiently as he always does. And then, at the end, he inclines his head. "Thank you, I suppose. For understanding. I'll make sure to save the favor for when I'm in most /ghostly/ need of it." And that lasts comes with particular soelmnity in its humor. There's another moment, and he grows more serious when he says, "But do be careful who you owe favors to, Javier. Some sorts have very long memories." A beat. "Including me." It's Javi's turn to snort, and he shakes his head, eyeing the other man for a moment or two before his expression softens again. "Yeah, you know, I've heard that," he concedes, he resuming his closer study of the other man. "Guess it's a good thing I'm good for it, huh?" It's just a //little// wry, but he doesn't spend too much time contemplating all those things with long memories, including the one right in front of him. Instead, he flashes another wide, bright grin, and lifts a hand to wave. "If you change your mind, let me know. Otherwise I'll see you around, yeah? Take care." "Well. Maybe you'll listen this time, then," Razi says; he doesn't seem particularly impressed or reassured by Javi's easy assurance of being 'good for it.' He gives Javi one last look over, and there's something the /tiniest/ bit -- /something/ -- in his his smile. Exasperated? Only in very muted fashion. And not in a bad way. "Take care, Javier," he says, and then he turns to go. If Javi was looking for anything else after what he'd said, he doesn't show it. He must know Razi well enough by now to know he would have been unlikely to get it if he //had// been, and so he just agrees, "Maybe." He can't help but let out a little laugh at the exasperation in the look, though -- that is, if it's there. But he does seem pretty good at picking up on subtleties, even if there's nothing subtle about //him//. The laugh is at least partly acknowledgement of the truth, since he must know he //is// kind of exasperating. But yes, maybe not in a bad way. "Later." With that, he turns to head in the opposite direction -- this time, notably, without addressing his constant and invisible companion. So maybe he's taking at least one piece of advice to heart. | |