Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Shadowed Suspicion Chapter 349

[madimpossibledreamer]

Main Points:
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure/Buffy the Vampire Slayer AU
Chapter Summary: Captain Beefheart and Robin check out Fitz's bookstore.
Word Count: 1101
Rating: Teen
Note: HERE THERE PROBABLY BE BUFFY/JJBA SPOILERS

         It’s not the first time they’ve had to move on after a loss, personal or professional. And it’s not as is either of them had known Fitz that long, but there’s something different about this particular occasion. Perhaps it’s the fact that they don’t actually know his fate. It’s one thing to see a body in front of them, watch the killing blow as it occurs. It’s another to wait in uncertainty, the world eerily silent.
         It’s a bit of a curse being the spotter, at times. Because while he gets to step in on occasion, sometimes Robin just gets to watch. “Gets”. As if it’s a blessing. Sometimes he gets to support a brilliant show, with his partner or the theater show. But it’s not always. Even boosted by the power of hamon, Robin can only be so fast. He’s still human, and while the martial art can bend the rules of reality, it doesn’t truly break them.
         It means he has a metaphorical first-row seat to all of this, can see clearly how it’s all falling apart. Be nice if that’s not how it always goes, but...well, he’s picked up a textbook. Jojo had made an effort after a while, and his little ill-advised jaunt with his mom seemed to have actually cheered his spirits finally, but he’d been uncharacteristically silent, and then there’s whatever is actually going on with his vision. It could have something to do with the fact that the Stand or demon taking his form having died in his place, but while it’s possible given that Stands tend to be idiosyncratic and from what they’ve been told demons can be as well, that’s not how it felt trying to heal Johan’s eyes. Robin’s had to heal all sorts of wounds before. The time Beefheart accidentally blew off her own arm using a German bomb from her Stand, for example. But this time is strange, because no matter how much Ripple energy he feeds in, there’s no reaction whatsoever, almost as if there’s no actual wound there whatsoever.
         Dwelling on it isn’t going to make any difference now. “It feels strange to be doing this by ourselves.”
         Beefheart glances at him as she slows her crisp stride, heels clacking uniformly on the stone, skepticism clear in her face. “You wanted to take Jojo?”
         “Absolutely not.” Not that he’d wanted to see their friend look like he’s gotten caught sneaking out after a curfew, especially given his current mental state. He’d been trying to pretend to be happy, but he wasn’t a particularly good actor. “It would’ve been good if he could have come. Might’ve done him good if he’d been able to see this.” It’s easy to forget, good thing he didn’t say that in front of him, because he can’t see, though the absence of sight and the absence of Fitz both weigh on him right now. He’d have laughed as if it was a joke, as if it was even something to joke about, probably even said something completely unwise because he doesn’t see anything wrong with tearing at his own soul. Probably habit. Robin’s seen that too.
         “Fitz’s absence would probably have only made it worse,” she responds, and that’s actually a little surprising. She’s not usually so quick on the uptake when it comes to spotting emotions—that tends to be more of his job, than anything. Just like spotting everything else. “Darling is starting to find her own courage, but she’s not taking it any better. From what he told Darling, I believe they met here.”
         Robin nods, transferring any urge to shiver into movement once more. “Are you expecting to find a book on Rush here?” It’s extremely unlikely that even if he’d managed to escape whatever fate befell him, Fitz would be waiting here. From everything they’ve seen, he would brave a burning building, walking over glass barefoot, to make his way back to Jojo’s side. Which, no doubt, is part of Jojo’s despair.
         It’s slightly annoying, but Beefheart had decided to wear her uniform, and Robin had decided to do the same. It’s not a perfect precaution, but at least it has a better chance of making people think they’re here on official business and having to waste time clearing up misconceptions or having to deal with too-enthusiastic vigilantes looking to enforce the law with their own hands.
         As they’d expected, the sign reads ‘Closed’, but there’s actually an explanation taped in the window. The paper, written by ‘management’, whoever that might be at this point, says that the bookstore will be reopening shortly, and also that they’ll be hiring, enquire at a particular number.
         She shakes her head, crouching a little and picking the door lock with practiced ease—the skill largely, he suspects, a product of boredom. Though she always refuses to acknowledge it every single time until the questioner gives up. She’s probably embarrassed. Still, she doesn’t answer the question immediately, frowning with confusion as they enter quietly. “There’s water inside the lock,” she explains, wiping off the lockpicks. Which might make this a little more useful of a journey than Robin had been thinking. It doesn’t feel like there’s any life inside other than them, however. “Sarde had some sort of connection with Rush, and he’s been moving to try to erase any of those connections. Given that Fitz had been seeking revenge…” That’s true, and he did seem like the sort of person who would mostly live at his workplace and make notes. He’d been doing that even when they’d been on the run, in a little notebook, missing just like the rest of him.
         Footprints in the dust suggest several people have been here since, but none of the books or bookshelves have been touched. At least, that’s what it appears from a quick glance. Interestingly, there’s a couple of different sets of footprints leading behind the counter and into the back room: a woman’s heel and a man’s dress shoe, but then, if relatives or landlords or the police had been called in to try to solve the matter of a disappearance, then perhaps it isn’t so surprising after all. He’ll have to see if Andrew’s contact or any of his own know anything.
         The filing cabinet has been opened, and without hesitation Beefheart opens it, idly picking up a binder labeled ‘Inventory’ in the Brit’s neat handwriting. “Looks like Fitz wanted to get a book on the Joestars.”
         He doesn’t have time to warn Beefheart before an older Englishwoman’s voice interrupts them, however.
         “Excuse me. Is Carter in trouble again?”