madimpossibledreamer

        Without thinking, Saejima reaches out and touches one especially twisted scar. Goro hisses, and he pulls his hand back almost immediately, feeling like an unwanted intruder.
        “Nah, anyone’s got a right ta touch, it’s ya.” Majima leans back in reach, deliberately ignoring any sensible self-preservation.

        “Seriously, I had a couple nightmares after It’s a Wonderful Life.”
        “Aww, poor widdle baby.”

        “I was...assigned female at birth, Klavier, so, um, if you have a problem with that, I guess we’re breaking up?” He wants to sound more sure of himself, but it comes out as more of a question than anything.
        His boyfriend appears frozen for a moment longer before letting out a short laugh. “If I needed any more proof you have seen none of my photoshoots, it was this,” he replies, nonsensical, and then begins taking off his shirt.
        “Klavier?” He’s probably turning as red as his vest.
        “Just proving to you, Apollo, you have nothing to worry about.” And then—
        Oh. Those are some pretty familiar surgery scars, yeah.

        “You’re hurt!”
        “Yes, well. Therein lie the dangers of playing hero.”

        “Throwing yourself in harm’s way is something for the Slayers, mister.”
        “Aww, come on, aren’t you at least going to tell me you’re proud of me?”
        “...Okay, I am happy you saved that civilian, but I don’t want there to be one less Xander in the world!”
        “We don’t know that I saved his life yet. He’s in worse shape than I am. At least he’s here so I can listen to what they’re doing. To know for sure we’d have to be in something like a video game and have restarted the level because he died the first time.”

        “I didn’t think it’d trigger fight-or-flight but it did, and my reaction was to babble like an stream and run like one too.”
        “Xander, your sarcasm is showing.”
        “Oh, my, thanks for that. I would never have noticed on my own without your help.”
        “Xander!”

        “Anya’s been sending me postcards.”
        “From her travels?”
        “At first, yeah. Over the past year they’ve all been coming from the same place. I don’t think she realizes postcards are more of a vacation buying item like souvenirs, but it’s sweet and I don’t have the heart to tell her.”

         “Giorno, there’s been a lot complaining about your animals.” He hates to bring it up, but the Don deserves to know.
         “I see.” The Don is noncommittal, but that’s about half the time an indication to keep going, and he doesn’t tend to actually get angry at Mista, so it’s probably safe to finish. It’s not like anyone else has enough guts to tell Giorno this kinda stuff. (And he’s honestly not that intimidating, but people keep telling Mista he has special treatment for some reason.)
         “Mostly just grumbling about poop and some of them stealing papers or stuff like that, but a couple of them keep feeling like they’re being watched.” Some of them deserve it honestly. It keeps them on their best behavior, and then Mista doesn’t have to keep wasting money on bullets.
         “How odd.”
         ...Oh. That’s on purpose. That’s Giorno for you, always eight steps ahead.

         Akiyama just...shows up, for year 4 of Ye Olde Miyamoto Family Christmas. She doesn’t treat it like it’s strange, she doesn’t even comment on the fact she’s here, she just treats it like it’s normal. That’s probably the best approach, honestly, because that’s how half the things in Miyamoto-gumi happen, so while it briefly puts everyone on edge (some more than others), it’s quickly forgotten in the hustle and bustle of getting ready.
         Inoue nearly starts a fight with the Matriarch over the honor of cookie baking, until the Matriarch offers to serve as sous chef, and suddenly everyone’s treating the lieutenant of a different Family bossing around a Matriarch like that’s normal, too.
         She also begins a new ancient custom, and that would be Christmas Movie Night. Your average foreign Hallmark movie would probably result in someone getting stabbed, which is why it’s really intelligent that absolutely none of the movies as far as an internet research frenzy can tell even exist. She doesn’t bother to explain that, either, but that’s why it’s perfect for the Miyamoto, and she actually may or may not be seen smiling now and then. It always features at least one version of the Christmas Carol, and somehow despite there being at least fifteen different versions that actually exist, it’s always a new one. That doesn’t.
         The discussions are heated, but the only casualties there are those getting verbally eviscerated, so the Healers loudly declare them a runaway success.