flameandpassion | 80 [Voice] Backdated to earlier today, around 2:00 PM.

[And Rei pauses before lowering her ofuda, which she had drawn from her sleeves, to... stare blankly for a couple of seconds.]

-- what are you doing out here? I could've hurt you.

[She doesn't recognize the girl, but she looks young. And she doesn't feel dangerous.]

Castiel said I could maybe stay here? I'm new, and I-

[ ... have some more blank staring.]

Cas said you could stay here?

[It's something of a surprise, and Rei steps out of the house fully. Castiel rarely... well, socializes with anyone, so for him to tell someone they could stay here -- ]

-- what's your name? And it's okay. [Rei holds up her hands.] I'm not going to hurt you, calm down, I just -- really. Really bad end to my night.

Violet Harmon?

[Still surprised enough that she says it tentatively.]

-yeah, he was- really nice about it. But I have another place, if it's a bad time-

I'm Rei.

[It's hard to be angry over your own problems when someone else obviously needs help -- and Rei pauses before stepping back into the Temple, gesturing for the girl to follow her.]

Come on. You're probably hungry.

I'm okay.

Uh- you sound like you could use a drink, though.

[There's a pause, and a soft snort, as she closes the door behind them.]

The guy that lives in this house would never let me live it down if I said yes.

When did you get here, Violet?

Well, then you're having one with me, because I miss my boyfriend.

[She shrugs.]

Last week.

Aah, you have a boyfriend?

[A quiet invitation to talk about him. Soon, they're in the kitchen, and Rei is finding tea.]

I don't -- lucky girl.

[Well. She might. Maybe. Awkward. It's awkward. 8|]

Back home. It's kind of awful, actually.

[Wincing.]

Awful?

[And she slides a cup of tea over. She can lace it with whatever liquor she wants. 8|]

-is it okay if I totally become the crazy person who tells random strangers my problems? Also, can you keep a secret?

You have no idea how many people use me for that purpose.

[And Rei sits down at the table, arching her eyebrows.]

I have an angel living in my attic. I think I can keep your secrets.

So my house-

[Clearing her throat, sipping her tea.]

-is haunted. And the people who live in it either get killed, or go really crazy and hurt other people. And my boyfriend... fifteen years ago, now, was living here, when the house got to him and he killed a whole bunch of people, before the police shot him in the bedroom I now sleep in, only he doesn't know he's dead, not really, and I didn't know until after I already-

-- okay, wait, hold on.

[And Rei holds up a hand, to get violet to stop for a moment.]

Your house doesn't get to people, first of all, the spirits living there are probably trapped between worlds and can't leave it without someone helping them, so they wreck havoc to try and get people to leave them alone or notice him.

Second of all, take a deep breath.

And third of all, no one noticed he was dead?

No, the house gets to people- or maybe it's the concentration of spirits, I don't know. But there's a dead doctor, and a freaking withered thing in the basement, two dead nurses, two dead serial-killer reenactors, one deformed person in the attic... more, actually, I have to think about it. But like, there is something happening in this house that makes people kill each other. The couple who had it before us murder-suicided.

[Deep breath. She wasn't actually going to have that drink, but she hasn't said this to anyone yet- so she reaches for her bag.]

And it screws with people. Tate was seeing my dad, he's a psychiatrist, right? So he had a reason to be in the house, and he'd always meet me on the property. Thinking back, now, I can see moments where reality shimmered, like a mirage, but at the time I think my head just filled in the blanks.

[... this girl sounds like her life sucks more than Rei's life sucks. And the more the girl talks, the more something odd sticks out to Rei, and finally, she just has to ask:]

I -- it's not... weird for spirits to attach themselves to people who treat them nicely, they do it to me all the time -- hold on, just -- you said Cas said it was okay for you to stay here?

Uh- no, but I was told to get in touch with him if I needed a place to stay, and when we talked he was nice.

[She shrugs, nervously.]

I tried staying in this house by myself, but. I miss my parents.

Who told you that?

[She's curious, not accusatory, and Rei offers the girl a kind smile.]

You can stay here as long as you want. No one here will mind.

-- I miss my grandfather, if that makes you feel any better. And it sounds like you need some normalcy after your life back home. Besides, you never know, your boyfriend might turn up here.

Lucifer, can you believe it? This place-

[Terrifying.]

-I don't know if I hope he does. Everyone here keeps talking about exorcising him and making him move on. He doesn't even know he's dead, for sure, and I- I know it might be best for him, but.

[Her smile becomes noticeably tighter, at the name, and her fingers grip her cup. She doesn't say anything, but -- Lucifer is sending people to her house under the guise of Castiel's name?

That filthy son of a bitch.]

He should have the choice of whether or not he wants to move on.

Lucifer said he might be going to Hell, though- even if it was the house.

Ignore him. He's a waste of oxygen.

[Somewhat flatly.]

He's not real, in your world. Don't pay what he says any attention.

That's probably good advice.

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