Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Neku's going to guess the lights are on a timer, because they come on again right when his phone says it's six in the morning. Too damn early, in Neku's opinion, but he could make it to school in time if he tries.

He doesn't feel like trying today. School can suck it.

This couch is the most comfortable thing he's sat on in his life. He is going to marry this couch. He is going to marry this couch and hope it produces little absurdly-comfortable couch babies. He loves this couch.

He loves this couch so much that he almost -- almost -- doesn't turn and scowl when he hears someone walking up. Joshua, of course, today all decked out in a Lapin Angelique dress and carrying a tray of coffee, pancakes, and soup. Joshua smiles wanly when Neku looks at him, but he just silently sets the pancakes on his side of the table and sits down on the other couch, soup in hand. He then daintily pours them both some coffee, and leans back like he hasn't a care in the world.

But he's leaving it to Neku to break the silence first. "… Hey," Neku says eventually.

"Good morning, Neku," he says politely. He sips his seafood soup, and he keeps not quite looking in Neku's direction. If this is Joshua with his tail between his legs … well, Neku doesn't regret yelling at him -- Joshua deserved that and more -- but this is just bizarre. Like he's not sure which way to run.

"… You sleep okay?" he says, for lack of anything better. What the hell do you say to the biggest asshole you know, whose current approximation of 'guilt' is much closer to 'I'm sorry you're mad at me' than anything resembling personal responsibility? Neku has no idea.

"Hm?" Joshua glances up, the hangdog look gone as if it never were. Just easy confidence, now and always. "I don't need to sleep," he starts to say, and just as Neku's furrowing his brow, he adds, "but I slept fine. Mr H let me stay with him." Not quite a jab at the audacity of Neku kicking Joshua out of his own place. He thinks.

But that explains the food. He starts attacking his pancakes, for something to do as much as anything else. "Mr H, huh," he repeats. "You having him tell me to give you a chance again?"

That gets his hackles up, and if Neku can read him that easily, last night must have really thrown Joshua off his stride. "That was on his own initiative," Joshua says archly. "I simply wished to speak to him."

"Right," Neku says, less than convinced. "Well, do you at least understand why I'm mad?"

Joshua isn't looking at him. "A lack of information as to the nature of life and death, presumably," he says, snide.

"If it's just a lack of information," Neku says, voice cold, "then you can do something about it." Like that would ever happen. Is there even a point to this? Joshua won't give up his advantages, and he definitely won't admit he could have done something wrong. Neku honestly might better spend his time by rushing home to get his stuff and heading off to school, as little as he wants to do that today.

"It's difficult," Joshua says slowly, and screw difficult, "because much of it's classified past where even most Reapers are allowed to know."

"Gee, thanks." Joshua might -- might; Neku doubts it, but he might -- be telling the truth about that, but it certainly doesn't make Neku feel better. Besides, Joshua is the Composer. Who the hell does he need to answer to?

"Neku." Joshua leans back against the couch, lazily regal in his lace and ruffles, and looks straight at him. "Rest assured that Megumi knew precisely what the stakes were, and that erasure is not nearly as dreadful a fate as you seem to believe. His soul is likely quite satisfied in its new life; he was reaching a plateau as Conductor, anyway. I don't understand what you wish to hear." A quiet anger, that Neku doesn't immediately jump to his opinion.

Well, Joshua will just have to deal with that. "What I'm looking for is some indication that you understand murder is wrong," Neku states, "or that someone might be upset by the idea of it happening to them!"

"He agreed to play!"

"Like I 'agreed' to play as your Proxy?" he snaps. "Pardon me if I don't instantly agree that oh, he knew what he was getting into!"

Joshua rubs at his temples. "But he did know, Neku. Stop insulting him for being willing to move on for Shibuya's sake."

"Shibuya wouldn't even have been in danger if you hadn't decided it needed to go." And he's tired. Tired of being used, of being reminded Joshua's used other people, too.

Joshua sighs. Hesitates. "Neku?"

This had better be good. "What."

"I apologise," he says slowly, like the words taste bitter in his mouth. "I had not intended on upsetting you last night, and for that, I am sorry."

… well. "And the rest?" he says warily.

"Subject to debate."

… That's … honestly better than he expected. It's not actually good, but it's still better than nothing. "So if you didn't mean to piss me off, what the hell did you think you were doing?"

"I wanted you to momentarily picture Megumi naked," he says, like it's the most normal thing in the world. "He was quite an attractive man, after all, even if his fashion sense left something to be desired."

The former Conductor? Neku'll pass, thanks. "He was twice our age," he manages. "Let's not and say we didn't."

"Why does that matter?" Honest confusion again. Neku doesn't even know what to do with this guy. "And while he might be twice your age, I died before he was born."

That's … kind of weird, actually. He's not sure what to do with that tidbit, either. "… I think if you already don't see the problem here, you're not going to, and there are so many more important things to get you to realise are fucked up."

Joshua looks at him, hand on his chin. "But Neku," he says, "I'm already perfect."

And this is a bit more comfortable. "Yeah, right," Neku drawls. "Perfectly obnoxious."

Joshua preens. "You simply don't appreciate my superior intellect," he says, magnanimous, "but it's okay, Neku: I forgive you."

Neku smirks, a bit sad. "I'm tired of arguing," he admits. "Can't we just play foosball or something?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

Joshua wins the first game, and the second. By the third, Neku's suspecting him of cheating; Joshua offering him a handicap doesn't help matters. The fourth, Neku finally wins, and Joshua suggests they switch to Tin Pin.

Joshua handily wipes the board of him the first game, but Neku doubles down and they're neck and neck. Joshua is really unfairly good at Tin Pin; Neku's been able to beat Shooter even when he isn't throwing it at least one try out of three (and he tries not to think of how proud he is of beating a child), but Joshua is still a challenge.

"I thought you didn't know how to play Tin Pin," Neku accuses, and it's strange how much that bothers him.

"You're right: I didn't," Joshua says. He sets his pins down on the board: of course he can control three at once, even if he hasn't been to keep it fair. "I spent some time practicing in -- well. Suffice to say that if you ever do decide to shuffle off this mortal coil, remind me to bring you to where I spent the third week."

"… I'll keep that in mind," he says flatly. What is it with Joshua and wanting Neku to be dead? At least he hasn't taken matters into his own hands ….

And that reminds him: he needs to message Beat and Shiki again, especially since they might find out he didn't show up to school. He pulls his phone out, Joshua inclining his eyebrow as a silent question, and sends them a text: Hanging out with joshua today. Still not dead.

They don't send him a reply, which is a good sign: it means they're in class. But that means it's the morning and Neku has the whole day to himself. "You wanna go out somewhere?" he says.

Joshua whistles. "Not that I'm not flattered, but I, Neku, am not a cheap date."

"I -- what --" he splutters. "No! That is not what I meant!"

"What did you mean, then, Neku?" he says, like he doesn't already know.

"I meant -- do you … want to go to WildKat, or Miyashita Park, or Udagawa, or something?"

Joshua hums. "We could always do a reenactment of how we first met," he says brightly. "I'd need to call Minamimoto in, of course, even though it's his week off, but I'm sure he'd oblige us."

Neku hides his face in his palm. "Are you trying to piss me off?" he says.

"Only when you make it so easy for me, dear."

And -- wait. "… I thought Minamimoto was dead."

"He is dead, Neku: he's a Reaper."

Sometimes, Neku really wants to punch him. "Erased."

"Oh, I spared him," he says lightly, like multiple assassination attempts and Taboo magic are no big deal. "I never execute the entertaining traitors."

"… who else is still around?" he says warily, not sure if he really wants to know.

"Anyone erased due to the whole mess with the O-pins, or who had been executed by Konishi," he says primly. "Now there's someone whose betrayal wasn't even interesting. I try to have a sense of humor about the whole thing, but I need them to put some effort into it, do you understand?"

No, Neku really doesn't, but he can see there's a logic to it. "So … 777, Lollipop, and Pinky?"

"Perfectly fine." He beams. "I hadn't thought you would care about the Reapers, Neku."

"I don't, exactly …." But they have their job, too, and maybe they're assholes, but they shouldn't be erased just for trying to do the right thing. Or for having been defeated and left for Konishi to pick her teeth with. That just isn't fair.

The whole Game is unfair, but knowing what he does of Joshua … Neku assumes it can't just be for the Composer's sadistic amusement, but any other actual reason is beyond him.

"What about the players erased by Taboo Noise?" he says suddenly.

"Beyond my power to control," he says quietly. "That's why it's Taboo."

"And yet you didn't kill Minamimoto." This guy makes no sense sometimes.

"Well, it's only appropriate that he be the remainder, hm~?"

Wait. "Did you just math pun at me?!"

He grins wolfishly. "I believe it's an integral part of talking about our dear former Game Master. Maybe it's a sine."

Neku rubs his forehead. "I'm leaving; you can come if you want, but I don't have to take this from you."

Neku storms off; Joshua chuckles and follows.

Joshua tries to strike up conversation as they walk through the sewers once again, but Neku pulls his jacket up and goes, "I'm not talking to you right now." It's not the most mature thing he's ever done, but Joshua was making math puns. Neku has heard enough terrible math references to last lifetimes.

Joshua stops next to the last of the piles of discarded car parts. Neku does too, after he realises. "So if you didn't know Minamimoto is still around," Joshua muses, "what did you think these were for?"

"Piles of trash?" Neku suggests. They still look like piles of trash, Grim Heaper's art project or not. "Maybe I should've realised from him not vanishing, but I kind of had other concerns at the time."

Joshua stares at the pile, shaking his head. "For a man with so much Imagination, his assemblage is truly dreadful."

"Yeah, I wouldn't recommend him to quit his day job."

"And he went for a homage." He points with his foot to the caption: Ceci n'est pas un tas de ferraille. "Abysmal."

Neku glances at it and tries to puzzle out the French, then shakes his head. "Let's just keep going. I'm starting to lose my sense of smell.

Neku still can't pass by Sunshine without buying some soft serve, even if they did already eat and people keep giving him a wide berth. He's going to need to change again.

Unless …. "Hey, are you able to clean my clothes?"

Joshua hums. "Not while you're wearing them, no, but most people can't see you right now, anyway. I'd be happy to help you if you do your part!"

Neku's face burns. "I'm not stripping in public."

"Again, you mean?"

"We're not going to talk about that." He still has nightmares of being pants-free in public with Shiki. He definitely doesn't need to give them more fodder.

"What a shame."

Hey, wait …. "Is it okay for you to be out like this?" Neku asks, remembering Pi Face's power grab.

Joshua giggles, one hand on his bonnet and the other on his frilly skirt. Still impeccably clean, of course, and Neku's jealous. "I highly doubt he expects me to be wearing this," Joshua states with pride. "Besides, he usually leaves Shibuya when it isn't Game week, and it's hardly as though I'm helpless."

He's still not exactly the type to go out about town, though, Neku suspects. It's a little weird Joshua is doing this. For what? To spend time with Neku? It's not like he usually bothers.

"… right. Well, I need to go change, so why don't you think of something to do while we stop by my place?"

Joshua hums agreement, and his growing grin leaves Neku with a shiver crawling up his spine.

Maybe asking Joshua to make a plan isn't the greatest idea.

Neku doesn't see any sign they realised he wasn't home last night, but then he spends most of his time in his room, anyway, and they usually head out to work before he wakes up, so it's no surprise. He lets Joshua wait in the living room while Neku rinses off the grime and grabs a change of clothes. A jersey today, he decides, but he goes with all Jupiter of the Monkey as usual. Just in case, he packs a bag with his drawing supplies and a spare outfit; Joshua's apartment really is pretty nice.

Joshua's intently watching some kind of sentai series when Neku's done, and shushes him when he tries to interrupt.

"Shall we go?" Joshua says, once the credits are rolling.

"Where're we going?"

Joshua only smiles, and maybe Neku shouldn't follow him without knowing where, but he does anyway. They walk mostly in silence, Joshua being mysterious, Neku fiddling with his phone. -- Oh, hey, Beat texted him. ok ill get ur notes n homework 4 u. u got a story?

Beat's a good friend, Neku thinks. Im gonna say i had a stomach bug. Just didnt want to go to school today.

aight well dont do this too often. keep in touch n b careful bout josh k?

I will.

Joshua's raising his eyebrows at him when he puts his phone away. "Texting while walking," Joshua observes. "And while with someone. How rude."

… really? "Are you this hypocritical by accident, or do you work at it?" Neku has to ask.

"It's a gift," he says airily, brushing it off with his hand, "and like all good gifts, I put a lot of time and effort into perfecting it. -- We're here."

So they went past 104, to A-East … ah. Lapin Angelique. Of course. "You wanted to go clothes shopping?" he says, but Joshua's already prancing into the store.

Neku's about to follow, even if he really doesn't feel like shopping for much, but a familiar voice calls out, "Hey, Phones! Where's your phones?" and he turns and looks.

Oh. It's 777. "… Hey," Neku manages. Please may he not be about to rope Neku into another freaking errand. "I've been leaving them at home, these days."

"That right?" he says, one hand on his hip in a statuesque contrapposto and wow is his shirt tight. Neku slightly wishes he'd remove his hands from the band of his pants; he does not need to see irritating attractive rock stars today. "Hey, man, I was thinking: I heard some shit went down and we all kinda owe you one, so how about some tickets to my concert tonight? Half off."

… he's gonna charge? Neku starts to decline, but -- "Neku, did you get lost?" Joshua says, ducking back out of the store.

Please may 777 not recognise him; the last thing Neku needs is to be around a reaper looking for a promotion. Again. "I was gonna be right there," he says.

Joshua looks 777 over, whistling a bit. "We have a prior engagement tonight, I'm afraid, but if you have other days …?"

777 beams. "Two tickets for tomorrow, then?"

"Mmhm," Joshua purrs. "Neku, give the nice man some money."

"Why am I --" Neku gives up and ruffles through his pockets for his wallet. 777 says a price, and while that sounds kinda high, Joshua briskly snags his wallet and pays him. Neku gives up.

"Here you go!" 777 chirps, handing Neku the tickets. "Threw in some backstage passes for you, too. See you there!" And he waves and heads back to the concert stage.

Neku blinks. "Why the hell did you just do that?" he manages, staring at Joshua.

"I did say I wasn't a cheap date," he says primly, and walks back into the store.

Maybe he can give them to Shiki and Eri. They'd probably love them, and anyway he owes them at least one favour. Sigh.

Princess K is absolutely delighted to see them, apparently recognising them both from when they came in during the Game. "You should bring your other friends next time, too," she says, foisting some tea and scones onto them both.

Joshua is perfectly poised, like he might actually have had tea with high society friends who weren't just play-acting, and as far as Neku knows, he might have. He doesn't think so, but it's possible.

He really doesn't know anything about Joshua's life, does he, except that he'd looked at it all and thrown it away for the Underground. Was it worth it? Is it worth it enough for him to want Neku to join him in it willingly? Clearly there's some upside, or else 777 and the rest wouldn't live their double lives, but Neku doesn't understand it.

Neku stays quiet, Joshua and Princess K practicing their skills at saying quite a lot without ever saying anything at all, until Princess K stands up and starts rooting through behind the counter.

"What did I miss?" he says.

"We were discussing your fashion sense," she repeats patiently. "Our honored guest here said you used to own one of our bunny parkas before losing it, and I remembered there was one where …." She finds it and pulls out out. "Just a little damaged seam, but we can't sell it like it is, and you're both some of our most valued customers …."

"Thanks," he says awkwardly. The only thing that happened to his last one was Joshua walking off with it, but he appreciates it anyway.

"Well?" she says. "Try it on."

He pulls the parka on, being careful not to roll up his sleeves. It's actually pretty comfortable, even if it doesn't really go with the rest of his outfit.

"Hmm, maybe if you add a hair piece …." She heads into the back, then returns after a minute with what looks like a giant bat. "This might help; these aren't on the shelves yet, but they're absolutely adorable and I'm sure it'd look great."

"May I?" Joshua says, taking the hair piece and looking significantly at Neku. Neku nods, not certain what he's agreeing to, as Joshua carefully hooks one of its legs around Neku's ear and clips it into place.

Neku glances in the mirror. Yeah, the outfit looks a lot less tacky with a giant fluffy bat on his head. More silly, but less tacky. "How much do I owe you?"

Neku manages to leave with his wallet more or less intact, despite Joshua needing to check every single parasol to find the one that matches his hair before deciding it's not quite what he was looking for. Joshua suggests they get ramen for lunch, which is fine by him.

Or was fine by him, until Joshua pulls him past Ramen Don and stops at Neku's nemesis.

"No," Neku says, staring at Shadow Ramen's Now Open sign.

"Their food is good," Joshua says.

"It also costs ten times as much as Ramen Don, and it's not that good. Who puts steak on ramen?" Neku likes steak, and Neku likes ramen, but both at the same time is just wrong.

But Joshua, picky bastard that he is, simply shrugs. "Our dear friend Mick, apparently," he says unnecessarily, "and it's delicious."

"It's also a travesty," Neku states. "I'm not doing it."

"Not even if I treat?"

Joshua spending his own money on something. That'll be the day. "If you've got money, why don't you pay me back for those tickets you bought?"

"Why should I? It was a good deal and I'm sure you can find something to do with them. I was doing you a favour, really."

"It's not a favour when it's my money!" Even if he did need to get Shiki and Eri something.

Joshua hums. "If it bothers you that much, consider it a trade for breakfast and rent."

Neku rubs at his temples. Sometimes he suspects Joshua does this just to frustrate him. … Other times, he knows it. "Why do you want to go to Shadow Ramen so badly, anyway?"

Joshua grins slyly and holds up a finger for each point: "One: it's almost completely empty. Two: the proprietor is dreadfully entertaining, and I'd rather like to see how much it'd take to get him to cry. And the third reason's a secret."

… Actually, that does sound kind of appealing, secret be damned. "Fine," he concedes, "but you're paying."

Joshua was right: Shadow Ramen is deserted. Miki (he might be Mick to his friends, but Neku isn't his friend) keeps flinching every time Neku glances at him, half from astonishment that anyone would buy his food more than once and half from … concern about what else Neku might think is on the market. Oh dear.

Neku's almost glad he can't scan people anymore: last he remembers, Miki kept visualising his and Neku's torrid romance, amidst worries of what would happen if the cook saw he had left the till unattended. Like Neku would ever go for someone who's that much of a tool.

"Can I -- get you anything?" Miki manages, glancing between the two of them like he's not sure which way to jump.

Joshua answers first. "We'll have some … steak," he says, giving him a significant glance, with enough eyebrow gymnastics to make 'steak' sound synonymous with 'lapdance'. Neku almost feels bad for the guy. Almost.

"A Shadow Steak Ramen for my friend, and Absolute Shadow Ramen for me, thanks," he says, stepping on Joshua's foot.

He seats them near the window, and Neku leans in once he's gone. "So what's the other reason?" he asks conspiratorially.

"After we eat," Joshua shushes him.

When Miki drops by to give them their food, Joshua inquires, "Is it true you were F'ed by Eiji Ouji?" Neku coughs to hide his laughter.

Neku can see Miki's capacity for decency warring with the ruthless businessman, and eventually losing to what's either humility or mediocrity. "Oh, that -- that was a mistake," he explains apologetically.

He really should take pity on the poor man, but instead he drawls, "I'd heard it was pretty hot stuff. Totally gnarly, even."

From Miki's face, Neku'd almost think they were tigers. "I -- I'm sorry," he says, running off.

"I feel a little bad," Neku admits. "But only a little."

"Fortune is fickle," Joshua says sadly. "Let's eat."

Neku pokes at his ramen: it's not bad, but there's no way he can finish it. There's also no way it's actually worth however much it cost, but if Joshua keeps to his word, that won't be Neku's problem.

And Joshua is going to keep to his word. Neku is going to be very upset otherwise.

"So what were you thinking?" he asks quietly.

Joshua hums, pushing a curl of hair back under his bonnet as he pulls out his phone.

Neku's got a text: Do you think he would notice if we made out in the restroom? (｀ε´)

He inhales a noodle. Fuck, fuck -- okay, got it out. He knew he might die if he went with Joshua, but not like this …! ლ(ಠ_ಠლ) WHY

Why not?

"I'm not having this discussion with you over text," Neku states, trying to keep his voice down. He's red, he knows he's red, and Joshua just -- might as well be talking about bunnies. Instead of how he has as much discretion as them.

"Oh?" he says, like he couldn't possibly know why.

"Or in public!" There's no one else here; Miki might not be eavesdropping as far as he can tell, but there's no one else who could be saying this …!

Joshua taps his chin, thinking, then taps his forehead. "May I?"

What? Oh. "I guess," Neku says. Not like there's anything he could do to keep Joshua from scanning or imprinting him if he really wanted to, anyway.

An image in his head: not a memory, just the sense of a thought he knows he didn't have. Joshua shrugging, disappointed, as he says, You expect so little of me.

But is he wrong, though. I can't stop you from doing whatever you want to, Neku thinks, trying to make it at Joshua, not sure how this works.

That, I could hear anywhere even if I wasn't paying attention, he replies with a laugh. He watches Neku, almost … wistful, maybe. Like there's something he wants that he didn't know he couldn't have, and can't decide if he'll try to get it anyway or if he'd never wanted it in the first place. I'm not omnipotent.

No, you're just the Composer of Shibuya, he thinks dryly.

With power over life and death, entrusted with the task to guide Shibuya to a brighter future, et cetera et cetera et cetera, he agrees. To guide, Neku. Not lead.

And yet, he found the red skull pins funny. He's full of it. Neku stares at him, not even angry, just bland. He's so tired.

They were a good effort, he agrees, smiling fondly in memory. He deftly scoops up a few noodles and savors them before moving on, though there's no reason he couldn't talk and eat at the same time. But Neku -- a composer writes the music, and a conductor leads the orchestra, but the players still have to play. A good conductor can account for a section's weaknesses, and a good composer can amend the composition, but still: they can't force a player to play. Only replace them with a recording, and the Music needs more than that.

There's a logic to that, but … he remembers imprinting, and how much he could mess around with the tech. Joshua might not be omnipotent, no, but ….

I can't make anyone want to do anything they don't wish to, he says, and small mercies: can you imagine how boring that would be, if I knew how every show would turn out before it was performed?

Worse than the daily grind he saw himself facing and fled into the Underground to avoid, Neku suspects. He's seen Joshua bored. It isn't a pretty sight.

Wonder at my motivations all you'd like, he says easily, and who knows: maybe I will kill you again. You were so much fun the last time, after all! But I have better things to do than use you as a puppet. Know that, at least. Joshua watches him, letting that sink in.

He's not hungry anymore. "I'm done," he says, standing up. "Shall we go?"

Joshua, true to his word, covers the bill, Miki stammering that they're welcome back whenever they would like, as Joshua manages to insinuate that not only would he be interested in sleeping with Miki, he'd be happy to let Miki's girlfriend (or boyfriend; Joshua doesn't discriminate) watch, while nevertheless not actually saying much at all. It's impressive, whenever it isn't directed at Neku.

Neku accompanies him back to the west exit terminal, Joshua keeping the conversation to trivialities as they walk, so that Neku has plenty of time to mull over what he said.

But still not enough. Why is Joshua doing this? Neku hardly ever sees him even when he invites him; Joshua wasting a day with him is practically unheard of, especially now that they're out of the Game. He and his other friends, Neku amends: Joshua's not only still in it, but he is the Game.

And that should be more of a problem than it is.

"Can … I come back with you?" Neku asks, hesitant. Joshua's been decent, he's even occasionally been something resembling informative, but it feels like a lot to ask. It feels like an imposition even with Shiki and Beat, and they're his best friends. Joshua is just … Joshua, maybe not a threat, but always and forever the person who challenged him to a duel and saved their lives.

Joshua smirks and slides into a relaxed slouch, so subtle a change that Neku wouldn't have noticed if this day were even the slightest bit less strange. "Why, Neku, does this mean you enjoy my company? I never would have thought …!" and he's so self-assured about it, Neku knows it's a lie.

"Yeah, kind of," Neku says, almost surprised. "So is that a yes?"

Joshua doesn't blink, maybe just stares a moment longer than is normal, then beams. "Certainly, Neku. Mi casa es tu casa, mi muerte es tu muerte, mi futbolín es tu futbolín."

Joshua spends the entire walk back to his place on the phone, which Neku would be more annoyed by if he hadn't also texted Beat and Shiki what's going on. At least Joshua too is keeping it to texting, sharing the details of his date with Neku to Mr Hanekoma while Neku's listening being too obnoxious even for him.

Or that's what he assumes he's doing, anyway. Does Joshua even have other friends? Certainly none Neku knows of, anyway.

Joshua strides confidently through the wall (of course he does; it's his home), and after a moment, so does Neku. He knows now to cover his eyes as he walks in: it's still so bright, but he can deal with it. He can deal with this, even, whatever 'this' happens to be.

He pulls off his shoes without being prompted (and god, Joshua's still perfectly maintained; Neku is jealous and doesn't even care) and gives Joshua a quick look. "I'm gonna take a shower," he says briskly, and walks off without waiting for a reply.

Neku's almost able to ignore the fish by now, which is probably why there's a giant worm with way too many legs poking its head out of the reef this time.

"Joshua?" he calls, poking his head out the door, and blessedly his voice doesn't waver.

"Yes?"

"You have a monster from Hell in your aquarium."

"Oh," he says like it's nothing, "that's Barry. Isn't he cute?"

Neku growls in frustration, and when he closes the shower door, it's maybe a bit harder than necessary.

Fucking Joshua.