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“It’s Christmas Eve!” Holly pans around the living room, immaculately strung in tinsel and lights, red and gold. A plastic Christmas tree, heavy with ornaments, is bowing next to a pitch-black window. It’s early morning-- 5:26, on the timestamp in the corner of the screen. “I just picked up Josuke from the airport. Everyone else will be arriving at a more normal time today.” She gives a tinkly laugh. “Josuke’s putting his bags away, so-- oh.”
She’s interrupted by Josuke entering the living room, creeping slowly and hugging the wall like a nervous cat. His shoulders hitch when the camera swivels onto him-- he gives a nervous smile, maybe returning one from Holly.
“Here’s our man of the hour! How are you doing, sweetie?”
“Ah… good.” Josuke ducks his head shyly, backing slightly into the doorframe he’d just emerged from. He toys with his hair-- it hangs unstyled to his shoulders, curtaining his face from view. Paired with the baggy clothes he’s wearing, he looks to be swallowed.
“That’s good! It’s his first time overseas.” Holly says in an aside. “Well, I’ll get this camera off you, and you can go get some sleep before everyone else comes.”
Josuke nods, smile dropping as the frame does, a blurry streak ending on the carpet before cutting to black.
–
It’s morning in the next shot. Sunlight floods through kitchen windows as Holly documents her roast. Her reflection in the oven window is smiling, grey hair falling in strands around her face.
Cut to the dining table. A few appetisers are placed down, still clingwrapped, between plates and cups and cutlery. It’s not too grand-- the big feast will be tomorrow. Out the window, a few chickadees are nibbling from a birdfeeder.
–
“I just heard a car. That’ll be Mum and Dad.” The timestamp reads 10am. Holly is walking to the door. “Jotaro had something on with work this morning, so they’ll be coming around lunchtime.”
She peers through the front window, then opens the door. A black car is parked crookedly in the driveway, from which Joseph and Suzie are grabbing their bags.
“Merry Christmas!” She calls out.
They both look up with a smile, squinting in the sunlight. Joseph’s in a lounge suit with a thick red overcoat, cap on to cover his thinning hair. Suzie, grand as always, is strung with pearls; they hang heavy from her ears, and dewdrop her fine embroidered shawl.
Holly rushes down to help with their bags.
“You didn’t drive all the way here, did you?” She chastises. The camera’s been handed to Suzie, so Holly, for once, is onscreen. She hoists a suitcase in each hand, hobbling up the steps. “You could’ve flown down, I would’ve come to pick you up.”
“It’s fine,” Joseph waves her off, “you’re already busy having to host everyone on your own.”
“Well, I had to pick up Josuke anyway-”
They all fall silent. Holly flinches slightly. Then the conversation resumes.
“Did he arrive already?” Suzie asks, a note of false enthusiasm in her voice. “Well, I’m excited to meet him. He sounded like a sweet boy.”
Holly smiles. “Oh, he’s very polite. He set the table for me this morning and washed all the dishes. I told him he didn’t have to, but he insisted.”
“Sounds like Jotaro when he was younger.” Suzie laughs. “Where did the time go with him?”
“Yes, I can’t believe he’s so old now.”
Joseph hasn’t made it in frame yet, but he’s conspiciously quiet.
–
Holly has the camera again. She pans through the lounge room, zooming on Joseph as he lowers himself into an armchair and gives her a twinkling grin. Christmas carols are playing on the radio. Suzie comes in from the hall, placing a tin of cookies on the table.
“Your favourite.” She notes with a smile to Holly, trilling out the ‘r’.
“Oh, thank you!”
Holly moves closer to show the cookies-- “Bisnonna’s amaretti.” She says, a note for watchers years from now.
“Where’s Josuke?” The camera jumps up to meet Suzie as she finishes the question. “He’s not hiding from us, is he?”
It’s only half joking.
“I’ll go get him.” Holly says, but as she turns she finds him already curled against the doorway. The camera jerks in surprise.
“Oh! There you are.”
Josuke’s mouth moves as if he meant to say something. Nothing is heard-- not by the camera, at least. Holly gives a sympathetic hum.
“Come sit down. Your- well… Everyone’s here but Jotaro’s family. They’re still running late.”
Josuke shuffles over to the couch as if across broken glass. Suzie is sat on the other end, a small coffee table away from her husband. She gives Josuke a tight smile and gestures for him to take a seat.
“Don’t be shy, don’t be shy. I won’t eat you.” She chuckles. Josuke finally sits, prim and folded inwards, and she reaches out to clasp his hand. “You’re welcome here.”
Josuke blinks rapidly, taking a sharp breath in. The footage abruptly cuts off.
–
The time in the corner read 12:35. Joseph is pointing the camera at a mirror; he waggles his eyebrows before turning around to film the others.
“Kujos still haven’t called.” He says, voice rough and irritated. “Late again.”
“Dad, are you filming?” Holly’s voice is quiet from the other side of the room.
“I’m helping make the home video.” He zooms wobbily inwards, then out again. The camera loses focus. “How’s everyone enjoying themselves?”
They all call out an affirmative. Josuke sweeps a hand over his hair, conscious of being on camera. His gaze darts nervously when Joseph walks nearer to him, footsteps thudding through the mic.
“We were just talking about… eh…” Everyone stares expectantly past the camera, and Joseph finishes, “Josuke’s going to university this April. He’s going to be a doctor! Eh? Two doctors in the family.”
“Yes, he’s very clever.” Holly nods. Josuke makes an odd face.
Holly glances between him and the camera, brow creasing. She makes a motion for Joseph to shoo, then turns more towards Josuke, taking his attention. Suzie, on the other side, is staring down at her nails dully. Joseph starts to make kissy noises at her, centering her in the frame, and she glances up with an embarrassed smile.
“And what university are you going to?” Holly’s voice rings out from the right, a little muted. Josuke’s stuttering response is even quieter. The camera doesn’t catch it past the chorus of ‘Jingle Bell Rock’.
“Eh, TouDai!? Wow, congratulations!”
Suzie’s gaze slides over to Holly. She isn’t smiling.
“You should take English as a minor.” Holly continues. “You could come do an exchange trip down here, and spend more time with the family-”
Suzie abruptly rises, crossing the room and heading out into the hall. The camera shakes violently as Joseph follows, dropping the camera down on a side table before exiting after her. Holly’s not far behind him. On the edge of the frame, Josuke is still on the couch, wan and silent. He clutches himself and sinks in his seat, watching the exit.
Snatches of phrases hiss their way out of the hall, a barbed-tongued argument Holly fails to quell.
“-st can’t look at him-”
“Suzie, don’t take things out-”
“ I’m not-”
“-just try to get along-”
“I tried. ”
Josuke shrivels at every word. Head hung, his pompadour obscures his face.
“And I don’t know how you can take your father’s- ”
“-not. But he’s my brother-”
“Your brother! Look at him!” Suzie shouts, cutting her off. She descends into Italian. “Quel ragazzino . Dio mio, sei una vecchia! Una vecchia, Holly!”
“He can hear you!” There’s the first hint of something harsh in Holly’s voice. She sighs. Something else is said at a quieter volume.
Joseph re-enters the room, slowly walking to stand by Josuke. His face isn’t visible. He places a hand softly on his shoulder, mutters something the camera can’t catch. Josuke cranes his head to the side and raises his sleeve over his face, an indiscreet attempt to wipe his eyes. Footsteps can be heard in the hall as the two women walk further away. The camera beeps, automatically ending its recording.
–
It’s almost 2pm when the next recording begins. Holly is just leaving the lounge room, heading down the hall to the front door. Music is still playing behind her, but there is an absence of talk.
“I think the others have just arrived!” There is a plastic sheen to her voice, smile audible. She stops and looks through the front window again.
Another car is parked beside her parents’ now. Celine is alone in the front seat, head resting on the steering wheel, eyes closed. Her knuckles are white where they grip at 10 and 2. Holly hovers uncertainly on the shot for a moment, then pulls away hurriedly as Celine starts to sit up. She waits, filming the doorway. In a few moments, there is a knock.
“Hi~! Merry Christmas!” Holly swings the door open, meeting a beaming Celine and her daughter. Celine returns the greeting, but Jolyne stays sullen and silent.
“Jotaro got caught up at work.” Celine says apologetically, mouth twitching. “He’ll be here as soon as he can.”
“Oh dear.” Holly clucks, letting them inside. They rattle past with their suitcases.
“Oh,” She’s remembered something, and as she speaks she turns the camera down. “Jolyne, we have a new-”
The recording cuts off.
–
“-re’s Suzie?”
Celine is taking a seat beside Joseph on the couch, absently reaching for one of the cookies (which Jolyne has already scoffed three of). Joseph grimaces at the question. He’s about to answer when Jolyne cuts in.
“Bisnonna probably went home because she hates Dad.”
“Jolyne!” Her mother scolds.
“Well it’s true!”
“Nobody hates anyone!” Holly calls over them, laughing nervously. “Now, why don’t we have lunch? I’ll go get the others.”
–
The next recording is at 3. Jolyne’s shoes shuffle on the carpet, striding out of the lounge room and briefly ducking into the dining room. The remains of lunch are pushed aside on the table, and the four adults are talking over coffee, Suzie diagonal from Joseph. They all look massive from Jolyne’s point of view.
“I’m borrowing the camera.” She calls out.
Everyone turns to her, and Holly smiles. “Okay. Just be careful.”
Out of that room and into the dimmer hall again. The camera shakes jerkily with her footsteps. She peers into a door on her left.
“Bisnonna and Bisnonno’s room.” She notes. And of the door on her right, “That’s Grandma’s.”
So on down the hall. “This is the bathroom. And that’s me and Mum and maybe Dad’s room, even though I’m supposed to get my own room.” She gives a contemptuous sigh, then walks to the final door.
Pushing in, she finds Josuke sat cross-legged on the bed, typing furiously into his flipphone. He jumps and looks up as she enters, giving her a small wave.
“Here’s Dad’s stupid cousin.” Jolyne narrates loudly. “Who showed up even though my dad isn’t even here.” She walks over and kicks his suitcase.
“Oi!” Josuke crawls across the bed, coming into frame as Jolyne turns. “What the hell?”
“You’re not even supposed to be here.” Jolyne snarks, making him blink in some mixture of shock and dismay. “This is actually my room, not yours.” From her tone of voice, one can imagine she’s picturing herself as some tough-girl cartoon character.
Josuke frowns, shoulders hunching. “It’s a guest room. I got invited here.”
“Why?”
He doesn’t seem to know how to respond.
Jolyne begins to fiddle with the camera, distorting the shot with her random button-mashing. Slowly, Josuke realises she’s done with him, and goes back to his phone.
“Are you just going to sit there?” She asks.
He looks up again, disgruntled. “I’m talking to my friend.”
“Let me see.”
“No?” He’s baffled.
She ignores him, jumping onto the bed and trying to wrestle the phone off him. The camera gets dropped, bouncing onto the ground with a loud thud. Miraculously, it keeps recording. The underneath of the bed is spotlessly clean.
“I bet it’s a made-up friend.” The sound of struggling has stopped, so one can assume Jolyne failed in her goal.
“Yeah, whatever.”
“I bet it’s the biggest loser made-up friend because you don’t even have any friends. You probably don’t even hang out with anyone at school.”
“What’s your problem?” He’s terse. “Why are you bothering me?”
“Be-CAUSE,” Jolyne heaves it on a big sigh, like it’s painfully obvious, “Grandma said you were supposed to play with me, but you’re literally the most boring person ever. You didn’t even talk to anyone all day.”
Josuke goes quiet. The bed creaks as he, presumably, shifts his weight.
“I don’t think they want to talk to me.” He spits it out.
“Why?”
He gives a frustrated sigh, the start of a ‘because’ that never conglomerates.
“Is it because of my dad? You know, everyone hates my dad. Even my mum gets mad at me sometimes just because of my dad being dumb.”
“No.” Josuke says, throat thick. “It’s-”
He clears his throat heavily, sighs, and stands up from the bed. The shadow of his shoes pass out of frame.
“Let’s just go play. Whatever you wanted.” His voice is meted out.
Jolyne jumps up, sparkly blue mary-janes clicking against the wooden floor. “Okay! We can do cops and robbers, but you have to run slowly because I’m littler.”
“What’s cops-”
“Threetwoone, go!” Jolyne sprints out of the room and Josuke, confused, only thinks to chase after her a solid three seconds later. The camera keeps running until it stops on its own.
–
“Is it still working?” That voice, somewhat distant, is Celine’s, a mixture of concern and irritation.
“It’s fine.” Holly’s holding the camera, filming her own shoes before flicking up to survey the room. Everyone is still at the dining table, post-lunch having bled into dinner. Jolyne, glowering, is with her mother, and Josuke is standing at the edge of the room, between a tall pot-plant and the door to the kitchen.
Celine sighs in relief, leaning in to inspect the lens for cracks before scowling at her daughter. “You could’ve broken that!”
“I SAID sorry.” Jolyne huffs, stomping her foot.
“It’s fine, it’s fine.” Whatever Holly might’ve said next is cut off by a knock. The room grows uneasily still.
“I guess I’ll get it.” She says, tone wavering off of light.
She rushes quickly to the front door, not noticing or perhaps unbothered by the fact she’s still filming. In any case, she makes no effort to capture anything visually, camera catching nothing but blurred carpet as she heads toward the front door. She stops, and then the door squeaks as she opens it.
“You’re very late.” She says, quiet and tinged with scolding.
In the doorway, Jotaro just grunts. He pushes past her, slacks briefly swishing into the corner of the screen, before he’s stopped in his tracks by his wife rounding the corner.
“Oh, so you did feel like coming.” Celine spits acidly. “Do you know what fucking time it is?”
“Celine,” Holly mutters, “maybe take this outside-”
Celine ignores her. “Why did you even bother showing up at all? Do you know how embarrassing it is for me-”
Holly hurries out of the hall, back toward the dining room. The argument can still be heard through the walls. She stops in the lounge, turning the radio up a little, before heading through to the others.
“They’ll just be a moment.” She sits, then utters an “Oh,” before shutting off the camera.
–
Morning sun filters through the windows, cold and white. Nothing can be seen through the frosted glass of the living room, on which reflections of the fairy-lights twinkle. Jotaro is sleeping on the four-seater; even curled up his legs barely avoid hanging off the edge, and the quilt he’s been provided doesn’t inch far up his chest. Jolyne giggles from behind the camera. The frame tilts as she shifts from foot to foot.
All of a sudden, she lets out a wild scream, clipping the audio and making her father bolt upright, then scowl.
“It’s time for presents.” She explains. Jotaro huffs and lies back down, shutting his eyes.
An assortment of footsteps come down the hall, and the camera turns to see the other adults rushing in. Celine is at the lead, eyes wide with a fear that dissipates the second she sees her daughter’s alright.
“ What was that?” She says flatly, arms crossed. Hey eyebrows raise, and she exclaims “Do you have Grandma’s camera again?”
“It’s fine, she can use it.” Holly raises a hand placatingly, passing her and heading towards Jolyne. “Do you want to keep filming, or should Grandma do it so you can open presents?”
“Open presents!”
Jolyne shoves the camera into her hands, then bolts towards the tree. She stops beside Jotaro, grabbing his hair to shake his head around. “Dad, wake up.”
Jotaro grunts and sits up, scowling. He cracks his back. The camera shifts past Celine, looking unimpressed, to the doorway as Josuke finally arrives. He loiters quietly in the hall, observing the scene-- then spots the camera and hides his face with a hand, wry smile on his lips. He hasn’t styled his hair yet.
“Okay, everybody sit down for presents.” Holly calls out. “I’ll get us some coffee.”
“Oh, I can do that.” Celine quickly says.
“Really? It’s fine.”
“No, no, go film. Sit down.”
Everyone finds their places. Jotaro beside his grandparents on the couch, leaving a space for Jolyne, and Holly, after some hemming and hawing, in the armchair. Josuke tries to slip out, but Holly spots him and calls him back. He ends up sitting stiffly next to his father.
Celine returns, and Jolyne begins to go through her presents, starting with Joseph’s-- “’cos he’s the oldest,” she explains authoritatively. His one also happens to be the largest, but that surely has nothing to do with it. Next is Suzie’s, and then Holly’s-- somewhere along, Jotaro begins to clench his hands in his lap.
“Next one…” Jolyne rifles through the pile, brows knotting as she checks each label. “Which one’s yours, Dad?”
Jotaro lowers the brim of his cap. Celine’s eyes could cut him into pieces.
“I…” He mumbles the rest. Celine sighs, loud and angry.
“He left it at work!” She scorns.
Jotaro shoots her a derisive look. “I was focused on other things.”
“Oh, you always are.”
“Guys-” Holly lowers the camera.
“Can we have one moment of peace?” Suzie sighs, kneading her temple.
Jolyne scowls at the lot of them and begins to scream, cutting off the conversation. In damage-control, Holly drops the camera on the chair arm, going to comfort her, at the same time as Celine also rises, face painted with exasperation. Neither have a moment to act before Jotaro starts stalking out of the room.
“Oh, for the love of-” Celine grabs his arm, tugging him back. He yanks away from her, rounding to fix her with a glare. Celine jabs his chest. “What is the matter with you!?”
“With me?”
“You’re acting like a goddamn child!”
Their voices rise, each outmatching the other. Jolyne continues to wail, pummelling her fists against her mother’s legs.
“We’re trying to have a nice Christmas, and you can’t keep your goddamn attitude in check for five seconds to- Jolyne, PLEASE.” Celine pleads, pushing her away with a foot.
Jotaro takes the opportunity to try leave again. Utterly frazzled, Celine looks back up and almost laughs.
“Oh, fucking walk away! Like you always do!”
Jotaro slams the door behind him. Over the endless, mocking Christmas music, Jolyne continues to howl. Celine joins her, while the others sit silently in discomfort. The camera beeps, shutting itself off just as Mariah Carey’s infamous song begins to play.
–
Though the sun is still high outside, Jolyne is tucked under the covers of the wide bed she’d shared with her mum. She lies on her stomach, hands folded beneath her chin, and might’ve been watching herself in the camcorder’s fold-out screen. Through the door, her parents are still screaming at each other.
There’s a knock, and she rolls to look at the door, before hiding the camera under a pillow.
“Who is it?” She calls out.
The door cracks open. Suzie shuffles into the room and smiles gently-- the top half of her face is blocked by the pillow fabric. Before she shuts the door, Holly’s voice can be heard, failing to mediate once again, before Joseph interrupts to call Jotaro a ‘goddamn brat’.
“Are you alright, tesoro ?” She asks softly, sitting on the edge of the bed. Jolyne crawls to cuddle up against her. “I’m sorry about this.”
Jolyne sighs, nuzzling into Suzie when she wraps her arm around her. “I wish they would just divorce already.”
Suzie starts in shock. “Where did you hear that word?”
“ Everyone knows about divorce.” Jolyne rolls her eyes. “My friend Layla at school said her parents got divorced, because they were always fighting so much. If Mum and Dad don’t even like each other-”
“They love each other very much, don’t mistake it, Jolyne.” Suzie says firmly. “It’s because they’re so in love that they fight each other. They made a promise to stay together forever, and they can’t break that.”
Jolyne scowls. “That’s stupid.”
“When you’re older you’ll understand.”
She scoffs. “Well, old people are stupid if they believe stuff like that. And I’m not gonna be stupid.”
Suzie chuckles, pinching her cheeks. “Okay, you. Do you want to go down to the cafe, and get some hot chocolate?”
Jolyne perks up. “Yeah.” Scurrying off the bed, she grabs some clothes-- they’re all still in pyjamas-- but then pauses. “Is Josuke coming too?”
“Hm?” Suzie hesitates. “No.”
“Why? Where is he?” Jolyne slumps, rolling her head in discontent. “Is he yelling with everyone?”
“Oh, you know, I haven’t checked.” Suzie taps a finger to her lips, pensive. She dithers on the edge of the bed, then her shoulders hitch the slightest. “I guess we’ll go get him.”
“Yay!” Jolyne skips out of the room and down the hall, footsteps echoing loudly. Suzie looks after her, then sighs, running a hand through her thin hair. She rises, straightening her nightgown, and leaves the room as well.
–
Jolyne holds the camera at arms’ length, pulling faces at it as she bobbles and spins around the backyard. An oversized pair of sunglasses waggle on the bridge of her nose, occasionally falling crooked so she has to adjust them. She stops twirling and flips the camera round, pointing at Josuke, who is distracted examining the garden beds.
“Make a cool pose.” Jolyne whisper-shouts.
Josuke jumps, awkwardly falling into a squat and pulling a sneer. His loosely pinned hair begins to fall apart, a few large strands flopping down in front of his face.
Jolyne giggles. “You look like a murderer.”
“Oi.”
He gets up, flicking his head and attempting to rescue his hairdo. Jolyne fiddles with the camera, finally getting the hang of the controls. She manages to zoom right into his face.
“Everyone else is being a butt so I’m making the home video now.” She announces. “And Josuke’s my assistant.” Josuke sticks his tongue out at her. “Yeah, Dad literally just left somewhere, I don’t know where,” she sighs dramatically, “and Mum went somewhere else, and now all the adults are doing boring stuff and they told us to go outside. Even though it’s FA-REEZING.”
“It’s not even snowing, though.” Josuke points out, and Jolyne boos loudly.
“I can’t believe it didn’t even snow. This is literally the worst Christmas ever. Except when we went to the cafe with Bisnonna, ‘cos that was the only good part. We didn’t even do opening presents.”
Josuke grimaces at her, then blinks in surprise as she rushes towards him. The camera is still zoomed in, so things quickly become illegible.
“Film me, I can do a handstand, watch.”
“Hang on!” Josuke calls out, messing with the controls. The frame slowly zooms out from a patch of grass. He tries to make it less blurry.
“Did you get it?”
“I’m trying to set up the camera.” He replies. Jolyne groans.
“Okay, say when you’re ready. I’m gonna do it again. But only ONCE.” The camera focuses on time to catch her raising a finger, eyebrows hiked like she’s lecturing him. He must’ve given her some signal, because then she nods, quickly performing a perfect handstand. She dismounts into a bridge, raising her arms.
“That was great.” Josuke sticks a thumbs-up in front of the camera. Jolyne takes a bow.
“Now you do one.” She says.
He snorts. “Oh, no. I can’t.”
“Wow. Then guess I’m just the best.” She gives an exaggarated smirk, flicking her hair back over her shoulder.
“I can do a magic trick, though. You wanna see me do a magic trick?” Josuke asks.
Jolyne shrugs. “Nah. I wanna go on the swing.” She skips off. “Come push me!”
Josuke turns the camera off.
–
The next recording is, finally, opening presents, with Holly filming again. Jotaro is still missing. Noone comments.
Celine smiles wetly at her daughter through the whole thing, and stifles tears when she finds Jotaro’s present for her (which she shoves hastily behind the tree, and might’ve ended up forgetting there in the end). Jolyne, for her part, beams brightly at all her gifts, as if nothing had ever happened and it was still Christmas morning.
Josuke receives a single present from all the family, a lump sum of money to help him with university. He thanks them graciously, even if there is a little longing in his face for something more personal. He can’t complain, though-- he didn’t even know he was meant to bring presents, and has nothing to give. Everyone is forgiving about it except Jolyne, who chastises him until he promises to take her to the arcade to make up for it.
Christmas lunch comes and goes, caught only in snippets by Holly. The mood is finally lighter. If Celine ever cried over her husband’s absence, if Suzie ever ached at Josuke’s too-familiar smile, if Jolyne ever felt alone-- the camera didn’t see it. That was just for them to know.
–
Jolyne has the camera resting on her knees, wobbling back and forth until she gives up, putting it on the dresser. It’s a dimly lit scene; Josuke is taking his hair down by the lamplight, and Jolyne is leant back against his shoulder, knees drawn up to her chest. She looks at the camera, then up at Josuke, brow creasing in thought.
“You know, I don’t really think you’re actually my dad’s cousin.”
Josuke freezes, halfway through pulling out a barrette. His eyes dart all over the place-- back and forth, back and forth –and his face twists into an odd expression.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. You look more like his little brother.” She turns around to face him better, scrutinising. “But I don’t know what you are.”
Josuke fiddles with his hair, then finally finishes taking the barrette out. Silently, he removes another one.
“It’s- too complicated, I think.” He says, and quietly sighs. “I’m someone that’s complicated, for your family. Things might’ve been harder this weekend because I was around.”
“I don’t think so.” Jolyne hums. He shoots her a disbelieving look, and she cocks her head, calculating. “Well, I don’t think Bisnonna liked you very much. Besides my dad, you’re probably her least favourite.”
Josuke grimaces, gaze lowered. “Right.”
“But,” and to emphasise, Jolyne turns fully in her chair, pointing a finger in his face, “she let you come to the cafe with us. And you know what? I think she maybe, really, sorta, a little bit started to like you. Just a squidge.”
Josuke smiles at her. It’s small, timid, clinging to the wall. It steps out a bit. “You think so?”
“Yeah. Trust me, if she didn’t like you, you would definitely know.”
He laughs. Looks down at the dresser appreciatively, lets out the last of his hair. “I’m glad.”
“And you know what else?” Jolyne asks. She waves Josuke closer, sitting up straight to cup her hand around his ear. The next words are a whisper, the loud kind that children do.
“You’re definitely my favourite.”
She kisses him on the cheek, then laughs at the startled face he makes. A dozen emotions flick through Josuke’s face, and before he can settle on one he wrenches her into a hug, burying his face against her shoulder and making a noise almost halfway to a sob.
“I wanna braid your hair.” Jolyne says, patting his arm to make him release her. He relents, and they play hairdresser together until the video stops itself.