Chapter Text
His pen scribbled along the papers, signing on dotted lines and setting them off to the side. Working at home was stifling, cold and alone.
He stared at his dark room, beer cans and to-go coffee cups littering the trash can. He looked out the open window, sunbeams cast down on the plush blue carpet, specks of dust caught in the light. Several people passed by below, wearing skimpy and lightweight clothes.
With some debating, he had packed up several of his books and organized his papers in a large briefcase, his white coat being left at home due to how warm it was outside. His purple vest flapped lightly as he walked towards a nearby park, the sun shining faintly through a few clouds.
The wind was fairly light, something Jotaro was extremely thankful for. Children yelled happily, and swingsets creaked loudly. A few wary parents threw looks his way, but his utter absorption in his work left little room for any of them to be concerned. Several stacked books sat next to him on the small bench, leaving no room for anybody who would want to sit down.
He tugged at his black turtleneck, beginning to regret wearing something so heavy. He cracked his knuckles and set another paper off to the side in a small pile of finished material that seemed to grow at an alarmingly slow rate, compared to the stack of to-do.
He put the paper he was looking through in-between the pages of one of his tabbed books, leaning his head back and pinching the bridge of his nose. He could feel a migraine coming on, and it would be best to take a break.
A ball hit his ankle with a soft thud, and he raised his eyebrow, putting his foot on top of it to keep it from going anywhere. Footsteps crunched against dirt, and he looked down, his eyes widening as he saw the child that was coming towards him.
Wh-What is...
His breath was caught in his throat as he stared at the child in front of him. He was short in stature and somewhat frail-looking, holding one of his arms behind his back. He stared down at his feet, his hair an unusual shade of red, though his hair color was hardly the strangest thing about him. A long bang rested against his cheekbone, giving him an unkempt look.
“Could you give me my ball back?” He pointed at the large, red ball underneath Jotaro's foot, and Jotaro stared down at it dumbly.
“Oh.”
Jotaro lifted his foot up, and the child's black suspenders bent and wrinkled as he leaned down to pick it up. He stared up at Jotaro with a curious expression, the wind ruffling his hair a bit as a strong current came through.
“Do...Do I...” He shook his head and turned around, beginning to walk off. Panic was muted but evident on Jotaro's features as he watched him turn away, and he instinctively reached out his hand.
“Wait.” He slowly turned around, staring at Jotaro cautiously, “Why don't you sit by me?”
He moved further away, “...My parents told me to not talk to strangers.”
Jotaro began to feel sick, “I'm not a stranger. We've met before.” He swallowed, “You were young. I guess you don't remember me.”
His eyes gleamed brightly, if only for a second, and he stepped closer to Jotaro, “...Okay. But you have to play catch with me. I think the other kids abandoned me.”
“...All right.”
He shoved his books down into his briefcase to make room for him, and his legs hovered above the ground, swinging back and forth. He stared down at the ball in his hands, obviously uncomfortable but too polite to try and leave.
Jotaro inhaled slowly, before speaking, “What's your name?” I want to make sure you're who I think you are.
He stared up at Jotaro with a raised eyebrow, “You've met me before and you don't remember my name?”
“It's been twel—a few years. It's been a few years since I've last seen you. I've forgotten a lot.”
Your favorite color is turquoise. You love cherries. You talked about going to art school once you got home from Egypt. Your dad worked as an engineer and your mom was an English teacher. I was your first friend. You always shared a room with me because I was the only one who slept quietly. You told me you loved me before you went with my grandfather.
“Kak—.” He covered his mouth as he coughed, and Jotaro was snapped from his thoughts, “I mean, Noriaki Kakyoin.”
Jotaro closed his eyes, curling his fingers until his nails dug deep into his skin. He took in a deep breath, before turning towards him and speaking once more, his voice barely shaking.
“You're Japanese?”
He nodded, “My parents moved here a year before they had me. They speak Japanese around me most of the time so I still mess up on my English a lot.”
“I had the same problem. Whenever my grandfather visited me in Japan he always spoke English and he had a thick accent.” His head tilted down to look at Kakyoin, “How old are you?”
“I'm nine.” He looked up at Jotaro curiously, “Do you have a kid here? It's weird for you to be here alone.”
“I—no. I'm here alone.”
“Oh...” He stared up at him with large, green eyes, “Why are you dressed so...weirdly?”
Jotaro raised his eyebrow, taking slight offense, “How am I dressed weirdly?”
“Well that purple vest has all those weird symbols on it...plus your hat has a gold dolphin pin.”
“The hat was a gift from my dad. And what's wrong with dolphins?”
Kakyoin squirmed slightly, “Nothing, I guess...?” He coughed, “Can we play catch now?”
“...Sure.”
Kakyoin jumped down from the bench and walked ahead of Jotaro to a fairly large expanse of grass. He bounced the ball a few times, nearly losing his grip, as he waited for Jotaro to stand a good few feet apart from him.
He bit his lip and put all his strength into tossing it to Jotaro, and it fell a foot in front of the taller man unceremoniously. Kakyoin looked crestfallen and Jotaro shook his head, moving closer to pick it up and standing where it had fallen.
The air grew cold and the sky grew dark as the two threw the ball back and forth, the moon dimly coming out from behind a cloud. Jotaro caught the ball a final time and carried it under his arm, walking up towards Kakyoin and kneeling down.
“It's getting late. You should probably get home.” He held the ball in one hand and Kakyoin stared at it dumbly before hesitantly reaching up and grabbing it.
“Oh...yeah. Right.” He stared up at him briefly, before turning his head to the side and avoiding eye contact, “Would you...walk me home? You stayed and played with me for all this time and you haven't been acting creepy or suspicious so...”
Jotaro stood up and nodded, “If that's what you want.”
Kakyoin nodded, and held the ball close to his chest. They stopped briefly at the bench where Jotaro had left his briefcase of work-related materials before continuing on towards the nearby sidewalk. Jotaro kept his pace slow as he walked beside him, making their way off the grass and into the street within a few minutes.
“Um...” He looked up at Jotaro, eyebrows furrowed slightly, “You never told me your name.”
“Jotaro Kujo.”
Jotaro watched as his eyes gleamed again, the dark, muddled green becoming brighter and crisper, “I...” He coughed into his fist, “Thank you for staying with me today, Mr. Jotaro.”
“Just Jotaro is fine.”
He made a noise of acknowledgment, and turned his attention back on the ground in front of him. His footsteps scrapped quietly against the sidewalk pavement as they continued on, Jotaro's eyes on him all the while.
“I...I know you said we met before but...” He let out a short, irritated sigh, “I...it's weird. I think I remember you from somewhere.”
Jotaro closed his eyes, and mentally counted to ten. His lips tightened into a thin line, and after hitting the number twenty, he finally opened his eyes.
“I'm sure you'll figure it out soon.”
“Mhm. I hope so.”
He stopped on a dime, staring at the large townhouse in front of him. He took large steps up the cement stairs, and Jotaro stayed at the bottom, tilting his hat up to get a better look at his face.
“This is your house, I'm assuming?”
“Yeah. Thank you for walking with me Mist—Jotaro.” He fidgeted slightly, “I know it sounds kind of weird, but do you think we can play catch again sometime?”
Jotaro stuffed his hands in his jean pockets and nodded, “If that's what you want. If the weather stays nice I should be in the same park doing work.”
He smiled politely, before it grew into a large grin, “I—That sounds great!” He grabbed a key from his shorts pocket, looking over his shoulder as he unlocked the front door, “Um...I'll see you later?”
“Of course.”
Jotaro managed to maintain his composure on the walk back to his apartment, his fingers shaking as he turned the key in the lock. A staggered sigh was on his lips as he closed the door slowly, sinking back against it, tugging his knees in close to his body.
He buried his head in his hands, laughter and sobbing mixing together until he couldn't tell what emotion he was feeling.
***
“What kind of work do you do?”
It was the nth time they had met at the park, and Kakyoin's legs swung aimlessly as he looked up at Jotaro with curious eyes. Jotaro's eyes flickered towards him to stare down at him, setting aside his clipboard as he finished signing his name.
“I work as a marine biologist. I do a lot of work from home.”
“S-So you work with like, whales and dolphins and stuff?!” His eyes grew big and childish, and Jotaro's mouth twitched up into a smile, if only briefly.
“Mostly starfish and anemones. But I have researched whales and dolphins. I've written a thesis on arctic penguins, as well.” He picked up the clipboard again, flipping to the page under it, “It's not as exciting as you might think.”
Kakyoin puffed out his cheeks, watching as he kicked his legs harder, “Still...being up close with animals like that...it's pretty neat.” He stopped kicking his legs, and brought them up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them, “Do you, like, have a pet penguin?”
“No. I don't have the time or means to take care of one. I have pet and fed several, though.”
“That—wow...” He grinned, “That's really cool, Jotaro.”
He shrugged, flipping up another piece of paper to look at the one under it, “Most of my time is spent helping a philanthropist organization.”
“Phil—.” Kakyoin looked at him, face contorted into confusion, “What?”
Jotaro sighed, his hand moving quickly over the paper, “Like charity. They help other people.”
“Oh. I think I understand.” He twiddled his thumbs together, “Um...”
Jotaro finished signing papers, and let out a relieved sigh, setting the clipboard off to the side for the final time, stuffing it into his briefcase and shutting it, “What is it?”
“Do you think you could...um...” He stared at him, his eyes averted, “C-Could I ride on your shoulders?” He sighed, “Sorry that's...that's really stupid. I sound like such a kid. Just...um...f-forget I asked.”
Jotaro scooted his books over, kneeling down in front of Kakyoin. The small child began to stammer, and Jotaro turned his head back at him with a single brow raised.
“I don't have all day. I'd like to stand up before the grass starts staining my pants too much.”
Kakyoin flushed and carefully maneuvered himself, situating one of his legs on either side of Jotaro's shoulders. His small hands and chin rested on top of Jotaro's white hat, his eyes large and wondrous as he stared ahead.
“Wow...this is great!” Jotaro's hands came up to wrap around his legs to keep him steady. He slowly rolled his shoulder, trying to get used to the weight on his shoulders.
“Is there anywhere in particular you wanted to go?”
“Could you just walk around for a little while? It's just—wow this is really cool.”
“Mhm. There's an ice cream shop close by. Do you want to get some?”
“That sounds great!”
Jotaro bent down and grabbed his brief case, carrying it in one hand while carefully keeping his hold on Kakyoin's small calf. His tiny hands dug tightly into Jotaro's hat as he took long, slow strides. Kakyoin let out a short, pleased sigh, closing his eyes and resting his cheek against Jotaro's hat. Jotaro paid no mind to anybody giving him a strange look, throwing a harsh glare to anybody who stared for too long.
They made it to the shop fairly quickly, and Kakyoin ducked his head down to avoid hitting the door frame. The girl at the counter giggled, and smiled politely at him as he made his way to stand in front of her.
“Hi, what can I get for you?”
His eyes looked up, “What do you want?”
“Um...” He scanned the menu, “Cherry garcia in a medium cup!”
Jotaro stared evenly at the girl, “Mint chocolate chip in a small cup.”
He let go of one of Kakyoin's legs and reached into his back pocket for his wallet, taking out a ten and handing it to her. As she processed his change, he placed his briefcase on the counter and lifted up his arms to take Kakyoin off of his shoulders, placing him down on the ground. Jotaro handed him his briefcase and Kakyoin nodded, quietly padding over towards a nearby table, the black metal scraping loudly against the tile floor as he pulled the chair out, placing the briefcase on the table.
Jotaro muttered quietly in thanks as she handed him back his money, his fingers tapping aimlessly on the counter and sighing in relief once the desserts were brought out. He carefully brought the two over to the table, setting one down in front of Kakyoin and the other in front of himself. He moved his briefcase from the middle of the table to the floor, leaning it up against his chair.
Kakyoin began to dig in immediately, only to stop and slow down when he realized how childish he looked. Jotaro raised an eyebrow as he sucked on the plastic spoon in his mouth, and Kakyoin turned his head away, averting his eyes and taking slow, petite bites
“My parents don't really let me have sweets that often.” He bit on his lower lip, “I hope they don't get mad at me for eating ice cream.”
“I'm sure it'll be fine.”
“I know it's just...” He kicked his legs as he stabbed his ice cream, “They make me study a lot...I have to do piano every day for half an hour and I just want to play outside or draw or something. It gets really annoying.”
“They want you to excel.” Jotaro stared at him coolly, and Kakyoin sighed.
“Yeah, that's what they always say. I just wish they wouldn't be so strict though. And they're not home a lot so if something goes wrong I usually have to take care of it myself.”
Jotaro reached down, looking and unlocking his briefcase, pulling out a pen and a piece of paper. He folded it sloppily and quickly scribbled onto it, extending his hand to Kakyoin so that the paper was nearly touching the tip of his nose.
“Here.”
Kakyoin slowly reached up one of his small hands, tiny fingers wrapping around it and scanning it, “What is this?”
“My phone number.”
Kakyoin's eyes widened considerably, “Wh-What? Why?”
“In case you have an emergency and your parents aren't there. I live just down the block.”
Kakyoin slowly nodded, stuffing the paper into a pocket on his shorts, “Um...thank you, Jotaro...”
“It's only for emergencies. Don't call me up for any asinine reasons.”
Kakyoin puffed out his cheeks, mixing up his ice cream, “Jeez, I get it...”
They stayed in the shop until the sun hung low in the horizon, the vivid blue sky turning purple and pink. The styrofoam cups had been discarded and the bell on the door rang as the exited, metal briefcase in hand as he walked leisurely next to Kakyoin.
Kakyoin stared up at Jotaro, his long bang bouncing as he did, “Thank you for the ice cream, Jotaro.”
“It's nothing.”
Kakyoin hopped up the steps to his house, looking back at Jotaro with a faint smile on his face, “Um, we have a snow day tomorrow at school, so do you think we can play together at the park again?”
“I don't know. I might have a lot of work to do.” Kakyoin's face fell, and Jotaro's stomach churned, “I'll see what I can do, though.”
His face lit up in a smile, and he nodded, “Mhm! Thank you again for the ice cream. I'll see you later!” He blinked slowly, “Oh, um...”
He bounced as he went down the steps and he tugged on Jotaro's jacket, pulling him down and wrapping his arms around him as much as he could. Jotaro's froze, his breath hitching slightly before his arms snapped, wrapping tightly around his small body.
He nuzzled into Jotaro slightly, a warm smile on his face, “You're really nice to me. I—um...” Jotaro could feel him flush against him, face and body becoming warmer, “Thank you for being my friend.”
Jotaro didn't say anything, simply pulling him tighter against his body.
He stared at him as he watched Kakyoin hopped back up the steps and opened the front door, giving him a short wave before closing it with a heavy thud. A weary sigh made its way past his lips and Jotaro adjusted his hat downward, turning on his heel and making the walk back to his apartment, each footstep feeling heavier than the last.
***
The phone shrilled in his ear, his muscles groggily moving and a groan of irritation slipping through. He glanced at his alarm clock, the bright red numbers staring back at him; 3:21. The chance to get a good night's sleep, for once, had been ruined.
He slammed his hand on the nearby nightstand, moving it around until his palm made connection with the docking station of his white phone. He grabbed it and pressed the answer button, two fingers tiredly rubbing his eyes.
“Hello?” His voice was scratchy and unfamiliar to his own ears.
“J-Jotaro? Is that you?”
He sat up straighter, “Kak—Noriaki...?” He stifled a yawn as best he could, “It's...three in the morning...”
“I—I need you to come to my house right now. I...” He sniffled, seemingly trying to hold back tears, “P-Please...”
He stumbled out of bed, looking for the closest shirt and pair of shoes, “Have to hang up...I'll be there soon.”
“O-Okay. Hurry, please!”
He gave up looking for a shirt and threw on a pullover sweatshirt that still fit him from college. He slipped his feet into a pair of plain brown moccasins, nearly tripping as he did so. He walked into his kitchen and grabbed his wallet and keys, closing and locking the front door behind him.
He continuously rubbed his eyes to try and become more attentive, but the bright, flashing red lights of emergency vehicles managed to snap him out of whatever stupor he'd been in. His slow pace picked up into a light jog, before he was sprinting to where Kakyoin's house was.
He gasped for air as he came upon Kakyoin. The redhead sat on a stretcher, a blanket wrapped around him and soot staining his face and pajamas. His eyes were muddled and cold, his small hands linked loosely together as he took in slow, even breaths.
Jotaro's eyes slowly turned to the townhouse; what was left of it. Burnt, black wood fell as firemen did what they could cleaning up, retrieving anything that wasn't too damaged. Wood cracked as it tumbled down in the burnt ruins of his house, his eyes on Kakyoin as he watched him cringe.
He placed a thick palm on Kakyoin's shoulder, and the child looked up at him with tired green eyes. They gleamed briefly before going dark once more, tears welling up in the corners, illuminated brightly against the flashing red lights. He leapt into Jotaro's chest, grasping tightly onto his sweatshirt and pulling, tears staining the dark grey hoodie as he began to bawl, his throat hoarse.
Jotaro's arms hung awkwardly around him before he slowly brought them in, resting his head in his hair as he wailed. One of his hands rubbed up and down his back as soothingly as he could, before it tangled itself in the back of his hair and held him close.
He was tapped on the shoulder and turned around, one of his arms going under Kakyoin to keep him hoisted up, his crying having not died down. A police officer looked at him grimly, and Jotaro nodded, staring at the house.
“Are you uh...what is your relationship to the boy?”
Panic crossed through his mind for a brief second before he stared back at the cop, “I'm a family friend.” He closed his eyes and sighed, “What...happened?”
“Electrical shortage. It happened in the dining room. His parents room was upstairs, and they were trapped by debris and couldn't get out. He managed to get out through a window. Somebody must've taught him how to undo window screens.” He inhaled sharply, “Smoke inhalation got to them before the firemen did. Their bodies were preserved, to a point, but...”
Kakyoin's crying began to die down, exhaustion overcoming him, loud sobs turning into quiet sniffles. Jotaro rubbed his back, swaying slightly to try and calm him down the best he could.
“What happens now?”
“Well he's...” The police officer sighed, “He's going to need a new home.”
“I can take care of him. At least for the time being.”
“Well that solves temporary housing, but we need to find out if he has any living relatives. Do you have a phone number I can contact you at? And where is your address”
The cop took out a pen and paper and he nodded, robotically reciting his personal information. The police officer sighed, stuffing the paper into his back pocket. He ran a hand through his hair tiredly, and Jotaro stopped swaying, his hand firmly keeping Kakyoin up, the redhead beginning to feel limp in his arms.
“Somebody will be by your apartment tomorrow or the next day to ask you a few questions and begin sorting out permanent living arrangements for the boy, as well as bring back any recovered or undamaged items from the fire.” He placed his hand on Jotaro's shoulder, “It's late, son. Go back and get some rest. God knows how much he needs it.” He stared pointedly at Kakyoin, and Jotaro nodded, eyes bloodshot and bags heavy under his eyes.
He turned around slowly, making the seemingly-long trek back to his apartment, trying to jostle Kakyoin as little as possible. His shirt was wet with tears, and Kakyoin shifted, clinging to him tighter and burying his face in his chest.
A heavy atmosphere loomed over the two of them as Jotaro made his way back, his arms shifting ever so often to make sure his hold stayed firm. With careful adjustment, he managed to get his keys and unlock his apartment without disturbing Kakyoin's comfort. He kicked it closed as he managed to get inside, attempting to put Kakyoin down so he could lock the door. The redhead refused to budge, and Jotaro sighed, grunting as he locked it with careful maneuvering.
He sighed. The spare bedroom he had was used for storage; books, papers and equipment littered the room. Cleaning it up now was impossible—he was exhausted and needed to get some sleep before anything else. He stared at the couch briefly before inhaling slowly, going towards his bedroom.
“Noriaki.” Jotaro jostled him slightly, “I'm going to be on the couch. You can have my bed for now.”
Kakyoin responded by burying his head in his chest and grabbing his shirt harder. Jotaro let out a deep sigh, opening and closing the bedroom door in a matter of a few seconds. He managed to navigate the dark room fairly easily, his knees bumping the edge of the bed.
Carefully, he slid into bed, Kakyoin still clinging to him tightly. One arm went to pull the blankets over the two of them, curling into them and sighing. He wrapped his arms snugly around Kakyoin's small body, burying his face in his hair.
Jotaro rubbed up and down along his back, trying to be as soothing as he possibly could. Kakyoin let out a small hiccup, his sniffling dying down and his breathing becoming more even and deep. His hands went more lax, resting against Jotaro's chest.
He fell asleep within the hour, hair mussed and sticking up in random places. Tears still stained his face, and he made low, distressed noises in his sleep. Jotaro responded by pulling him closer, his hand buried in his hair and keeping him still.
Exhaustion took over slowly, going from the tips of his toes until he felt luggy in every bone, muscle, and nerve in his body. His mind raced with everything he would have to do tomorrow, becoming muddled as time ticked by. Keeping his eyelids open began to prove more of a challenge, and he let the droop and close.
He would clean out the spare bedroom tomorrow. For now, he focused on keeping him warm and safe.
***
He forced his eyes to stay open, being called down to the police station early in the morning. A few spare, untouched clothes of Kakyoin's had been brought to his apartment, though two pairs of pants and a few shirts were hardly going to last him through the week.
He rested the side of his face on his palm, rubbing his temples with two fingers, staring at the police officer as he sighed, filing through papers he had taken out of a manilla folder. Kakyoin stared down at his hands, tired and quiet, speaking only when spoken to.
“I've checked everything and what he said matches up.” The police officer took off his hat and sighed, “His grandparents on his mother's side died before he was born. Father's side died five years ago. His mother was an only child and his father's younger brother died in a car crash three years ago. He's the last of his family.”
“He'll have to go into the adoption agency?” Jotaro looked up at him wearily, and the officer nodded.
“Seems like it.”
He turned his head to stare at Kakyoin, his eyes closed and his hands intertwined tightly. Jotaro stared back at the cop, inhaling slowly, deeply, before exhaling in a loud sigh.
“Give me the papers. I can take him in permanently.”
“This will take a week to process. Maybe longer. You're sure you can keep him?”
“Yeah. It shouldn't be a problem.”
His wrist was cramping horribly by the time he signed the last paper, and he rotated it, the joints cracking loudly. His tailbone was sore by the time he stood up, handing the papers to the officer with the promise that everything would be made official within the month.
Kakyoin grabbed onto his pant leg, and Jotaro placed his hand on top of his head gently, staring down at him wearily, “We need to get you some new clothes. I know you're tired but this can't wait.”
Kakyoin nodded, and stared up at Jotaro, reaching up his hand. Jotaro froze, slowly moving his large hand down and taking Kakyoin's childish one. He squeezed gently, trying to be comforting and warm.
“...Do you think we can stop somewhere before we go shopping? I'm kind of hungry...”
Jotaro let out a grunt of acknowledgment, “Sure.”
The family diner they stopped at was barely larger than a boxcar, but it was warm and the food was cheap, so they had little room to complain. Kakyoin stabbed into his syrupy pancakes and took a bite, chewing bit by bit until he swallowed loudly.
Jotaro sipped on his coffee, his eyes skimming and glazing over as he read the newspaper. Eventually he gave up, folding it and setting it off to the side, his danish beginning to grow cold. He looked down at Kakyoin, who seemed to be lost in thought, his eyebrows furrowed as he stared at his pancakes. Jotaro sipped once more on his coffee before speaking.
“Something you want to say?”
Kakyoin jumped up in shock, “Oh, um...” He swung his legs back and forth, “I...” He stared up at Jotaro as he took another sip of coffee, “Are you...my dad now?”
Jotaro's eyes shot open and he choked, the hot liquid burning his throat and lungs. He hacked away, loud enough that people at nearby tables looked over at him, curious and worried. Kakyoin's eyes grew large, and he panicked, looking at his glass of orange juice. It sloshed over a bit as he handed it to Jotaro, who graciously took it, swallowing a fourth of it.
He shook his head as he coughed, eyes watering just a bit, “N...No...” He continued hacking up for a few more minutes until he could finally speak again, “No.”
He handed back Kakyoin his orange juice, and the redhead chewed on the inside of his lip as he rested his head on his knuckles, “So like...what are you?”
“I'm your legal guardian. I'm just going to try and make sure you don't do anything stupid. I also sign off on most paperwork for you.” He set his coffee to the side, “You can still call me Jotaro. Don't think of me as your dad, or your parent.”
“O-Oh...well...okay.”
Their food was finished quickly and Kakyoin gripped onto his pant leg tightly as Jotaro paid for the meal. The car ride was silent as they made their way to a nearby outlet mall, Kakyoin staring out the window with dull, clouded eyes. Jotaro's hand lingered over his knee at a stoplight, before pulling back once the light turned green.
Kakyoin sneezed lightly as they made their way into one of the small shops, his hands still tightly grasping Jotaro's pant leg, “Grab whatever you want and can fit into. Don't worry about money. Remember to get underwear and socks, too. There's a shoe store nearby so we'll go there next.”
Kakyoin tugged at his pant leg and looked up, “Where will you be?”
“Around. Looking at socks and underwear, mostly.”
Kakyoin furrowed his eyebrows at him and tilted his head before wandering off towards a large section of shirts. The blunt heels of Jotaro's loafers clicked loudly against the wooden floor as he awkwardly stood around an display shelf of socks, his eyes obscured as he kept a close watch on Kakyoin.
His feet began to grow sore, and he let out a sigh of relief as he saw Kakyoin come over, holding a stack of clothes taller than himself. Jotaro cringed and knelt down, taking more than half the pile in one fell swoop. Kakyoin sighed in relief, and raised an eyebrow at the two items Jotaro had decided to purchase.
“Is that...are those star boxers?”
“Yes.”
“...and...dolphin socks?”
“They are.” Kakyoin stared at him briefly before turning around and walking back, lightly giggling, with Jotaro following in suit behind him.
Kakyoin's eyes bugged out and he stared at Jotaro nervously as the total slowly rang up higher and higher, going from over a hundred dollars to over two-fifty, to just over three hundred. He clutched Jotaro's arm tightly, an apology on his lips, but Jotaro simply took out a credit card and nonchalantly handed it to the cashier.
“Th-That...I can go put some stuff back, Jotaro, it's...”
“It's fine.” His hand stayed on Kakyoin's head, keeping him still. Kakyoin nodded, still somewhat upset, and grasped Jotaro's arm, obscuring part of himself behind it.
He carried the large bag over his shoulder with ease, tossing it in the trunk of his car. Within the hour, Kakyoin had acquired several pairs of shoes, a few dress clothes, and a Gameboy Color with Pokemon Crystal. He mashed buttons and walked at the same time, Jotaro's hand on his head to keep him steady.
“Um...you spell your name J-o-t-a-r-o, right? Not with a U?”
Jotaro shook his head as he buckled himself in, “No. That's a strange thing to ask.”
“Well, I'm naming my Totodile after you.” He turned the handheld towards Jotaro, showing him the low-res screen, tinny music filtering out.
Jotaro couldn't help himself, and a smile began to play at his lips. He shook his head as he began to reverse his car, head thrown over his seat.
“Yare yare daze...”
***
“So what do you want to do for your birthday?” Jotaro had asked the day before while biting into a sausage and bacon pizza.
“Um...” He had twisted his long bang in his finger as he chewed on the crust of the pizza, “I don't know...I can't really think of anything...” He snapped his fingers, “Oh! Um...my parents...they never let me get McDonald's...” He looked up at Jotaro expectantly, “Do you think we could go to McDonald's?”
Jotaro furrowed his eyebrows, his cheeks slightly puffed as he finished his slice, waiting until he swallowed to answer, “That's it?”
Kakyoin flushed slightly, turning his head away, “Well I mean...can we watch a bunch of movies and play Mario Kart?”
Jotaro smiled slightly, and closed his eyes, “If that's what you want.”
Kakyoin kicked his legs back and forth with muted excitement as they went through the drive-thru, getting one happy meal and one cheeseburger with fries. Jotaro turned to him, eyebrow raised and a question on his lips.
“Is there anything else you want?”
“N-No...that's it.”
Once they got back, Kakyoin immediately dug into the small box, disregarding the toy and shoving four or five fries into his mouth at a time. Jotaro grabbed his hand and placed it down on the table, staring at him evenly.
“Calm down.”
Kakyoin's nodded, and his nose wrinkled as he swallowed, “They're...it's really salty.” He looked up at Jotaro with a small smile on his face, “They're really good, though. Thank you.”
Jotaro patted him on the shoulder, “Don't choke yourself. I'll be right back. I have something for you.” Kakyoin stared at him as he retreated back into his bedroom, hearing shuffling and muttered cursing.
“Jotaro? Are you okay?” There wasn't a response back, but Jotaro opened the door soon after, carrying a small red envelope.
He sat down across from Kakyoin and slid the envelope over to him, Kakyoin's name written in simple print. Kakyoin moved the small red box to the side, wiping his hands on the paper napkins. He looked at the envelope, then back at Jotaro.
“What's this?”
“Your birthday present.”
Kakyoin slowly reached up to grab is, carefully peeling it apart. The edges were frayed once there was a clear opening, and he reached in, two twenties and a ten falling out, as well as a small picture.
“F-fifty...?!” His attention was drawn to the picture, the money disregarded for the moment. His eyes widened considerably as he flipped the picture over in his hands.
The fire had destroyed nearly everything he had in his home, so the picture came as a surprise. The color was dull, but he could clearly make out his parents' smiling faces, his arms up and holding each of their hands. It had been taken two years ago, and his bright smile was nearly obscured by the scarf around his face, having gone to New York City to watch the ball drop. It had been freezing cold, but his mother had lent him her hat, and his father held him high up on his shoulders so he could clearly see the bright globe drop.
Tears began to fall before he realized, one dropping on the picture before he lifted his head up to stare at Jotaro, his eyes glistening. Water ran down his cheeks, staining his pale skin and Jotaro stared at him softly.
“There wasn't much that was recovered from the fire but I managed to get that picture restored. It took a while. I thought it would be a good present—.” He was cut off by Kakyoin burying his face in his hands and sobbing, each sharp inhale sending a chill down Jotaro's spine.
He stood up slowly and placed his hand on Kakyoin's head, smoothing back his hair. Kakyoin looked up at him, cheeks red and nose sniffling, and Jotaro got down on one knee, his arms wrapping around him.
Kakyoin set the picture down so he wouldn't crumple it before clutching the front of Jotaro's black turtleneck for dear life. His hands moved to wrap around Jotaro's neck, small hiccups coming out after every loud cry.
“J-Jo-Jo-t-taro...” His voice cracked, and he clung to Jotaro tighter, sniffling loudly, “I-I...th-thank...th-thank you...”
“It's okay.”
He had put on Disney movie after Disney movie, with Kakyoin curled up next to him on the couch, cocooned in a large red blanket. The screen was the only light in the room, and the volume had been lowered as Kakyoin drifted further and further into unconsciousness, his eyes drooping heavily.
Jotaro looked down as Kakyoin reached his small fist up, rubbing one of his eyes, “Mmh...”
“Go to bed.”
“N...'m not tired...”
Jotaro looked at him with slightly raised eyebrows, and Kakyoin puffed out his cheeks.
“...ok...'m a little tired...”
He dug Kakyoin out of the cocoon he had wrapped himself in, carrying him effortlessly in one arm and using the other to shut down the television. Kakyoin's arms were wrapped loosely around his neck, and he made small, sleepy noises as Jotaro walked closer to his bedroom.
“No...” He pulled lightly, “...wanna sleep with you.”
Jotaro closed his eyes and sighed, “Why?”
“You're warm...”
Jotaro rolled his eyes, but closed the door to his bedroom, moving towards his own. Silently opening and closing the door, he placed Kakyoin under the covers and off of him, briefly, so he could change into his sleeping clothes.
Kakyoin curled into him immediately as he got into the bed, his cheek pressed against Jotaro's solid chest. Jotaro tentatively wrapped his arms around him, protective and secure.
Kakyoin nuzzled against him slightly, muttering lowly just before he fell asleep, “...l've you...Jotaro...”
Jotaro's blood ran cold and he shuddered, his eyes closing tightly.
(“I love you, Jotaro.” Kakyoin had placed his slim, warm hands on Jotaro's chest, his own strong arms wrapped around Kakyoin's thin waist, “You've made me extremely happy.”
With the looming threat of dying more of a certainty than a possibility, Jotaro relented, squeezing him tightly against his chest and not caring that either Polnareff or Joseph saw, “I love you too.”
His arms were still loosely wrapped around his waist when he pulled back, Kakyoin's thin fingers going up to deftly take out his earrings. He cupped Jotaro's hand gently, and dropped them into his palm, closing his fingers around them.
“Keep them.”
Separating was difficult, and it was only the call from Joseph that got the two of them moving. Kakyoin had smiled back at him, so genuinely that it ached, before following Joseph's lead.
His body was pale and cold when the found him, lying in a pool of water mixed with his own blood. Jotaro gritted his teeth, reaching into his pocket and squeezing the earrings tightly.)
“I love you, too.” He murmured, Kakyoin's body lax and his breathing deep and even, “More than you could know.”
***
“What the hell is that.”
Jotaro stared pointedly at the bruise around Kakyoin's eye, and Kakyoin touched it gingerly, “A black eye.”
“Why do you have a black eye.”
He grumbled, looking away, “That one kid I was telling you about...he got me in the eye.” Jotaro sighed, exasperated, and stood up, going to sift through the nearby freezer. He conjured a bag of peas, and Kakyoin looked at him curiously.
“Put this on your eye.”
“When did we get peas?”
“Just put it on your eye, Noriaki.” Kakyoin did as he was told, and Jotaro sat back, his nostrils fuming.
Kakyoin averted his eyes, looking down in shame, “...I'm sorry.”
“Don't just let him hit you. Defend yourself. If you have to hit back, hit back.”
“I'm not that strong though.” He cringed in pain as he moved the bag, “And I don't want to get in trouble.”
“If you get in trouble for defending yourself, then I'll punch whoever disciplines you.” He sighed, uncrossing his legs, “You might not be strong, but you're smarter than them. If they try to hurt you again, aim for the throat or stomach. That should get you enough time to run away and get somebody.”
“I-If you say so...” He removed the bag of peas, and looked at Jotaro, “Does it look better?”
“Swelling has gone down a little. Keep it on your eye for a while.”
Jotaro watched as he packed his lunch the next day, Kakyoin visibly shrinking under his gaze just a bit. Jotaro stood up, walking over and placing his hand on top of his head, smoothing back his hair and trying to make it look somewhat in place.
“I-I'm nervous, Jotaro.”
“Just remember what I told you. Nobody is allowed to hurt you. Nobody is allowed to touch you without your permission.”
Kakyoin nodded, throwing his backpack on and giving him a shaky smile as he walked out the door.
Two hours later, Jotaro snorted as his head snapped up off his laptop, the phone shrilling loudly in his ear, woken from his supposed ten-minute nap. He rubbed his eyes and adjusted his hat so that it was sitting back straight on his head, answering the phone with a tired sigh.
“Hello...?”
“J-Jotaro, I-I did what you said and—.”
“Did you get in trouble?”
“N-No...! Something weird happened—I-I need you to come get me it's—just please, I'm really confused and I'm kind of scared!”
“I'll be right there.”
Kakyoin was standing on the steps to the school, holding his backpack and looking frightened. He jumped off the steps and ran towards him, his arms wrapping around his leg and holding tightly. Jotaro placed his hand on the top of his head, rubbing gently.
“I-I...” His voice shook, and Jotaro got down on one knee.
“What happened?”
“I fought back, like you told me to, and-and...” His eyes gleamed, turning a few shades lighter as he looked at Jotaro, “Something—I just...”
Jotaro's eyes widened as Hierophant Green appeared behind him—smaller, roughly the same size as Kakyoin, but still the exact stand he had before. His body was a shade darker, his skin not as luminescent, but he was similar from before in every other way.
Hierophant Green...?
“I-I don't know what happened, but he just started tripping them and beating them up and I just ran away to the principal's office and said I needed to call you and I just—.”
Jotaro wrapped his arms around him and brought him close, his hand going to rest in the back of his hair. He waited for his shaking to die down before sighing heavily and pulling back, his hands on his shoulders and looking straight into his eye.
“Noriaki. I need you to calm down and look at me.” Kakyoin nodded, his hands grasping tightly at his backpack straps, “Are you calm.”
“Y-Yeah. I think I'm okay.”
“Look at me closely.” Jotaro manifested Star Platinum, his stand staring down at Kakyoin with a stern, even look on his face. Kakyoin grimaced, tensing up under Jotaro's hands.
“Wh-wha...what is...?!”
“Calm down.” He grabbed his hands, and held them gently in his own, “This is Star Platinum. He's called a stand.” Jotaro sighed, struggling to find the words, “He's like a manifestation of your will to fight and protect yourself. You have one, too. Can you summon him again?”
Kakyoin nodded, closing his eyes briefly before they shot open, Hierophant appearing behind him. His stand pulsated, unraveling with each breath Kakyoin let out. Hierophant stared at Jotaro, yellow jewels for eyes gleaming wildly.
“He's there to protect you. You can only use him if you're in extreme danger. I can help you get better at controlling him. You can't let anybody know about him unless they have a stand, too. People without stands can't see stands.”
They stopped for lunch per Kakyoin's request before heading back, Jotaro discarding the trash as they made their way into their apartment. Kakyoin gripped tightly onto his pants as they walked, and Jotaro stared down at him with heavy exasperation, light fondness mixed in as well.
He kicked the door shut and Kakyoin held his arm behind his back awkwardly, standing near the couch and looking up at Jotaro, waiting patiently. Jotaro used Star Platinum to grab a bottle of soda, flipping the tab and chugging it, a light hiccup coming out once he had emptied it.
“Summon your stand.” Hierophant appeared behind him in a flash, and Jotaro nodded.
“Catch this.” He tossed the empty can, and Hierophant unraveled, a thin tendril coming out to wrap around it and hold it in front of Kakyoin. Kakyoin stared dumbly at it, looking up at Jotaro with furrowed eyebrows.
“Wh...what?”
“He reacts on your instinct.” He made an ushering gesture with his finger, “Use your stand to wrap around me.”
Kakyoin nodded, Hierophant going to unravel and wrap around Jotaro before he could blink twice. He was caught loosely, but the bonds quickly tightened until he could barely move his arms. He gave a stern look to Kakyoin, and Hierophant was recalled, his arms and legs free to move again.
“That's...wow. That's kind of cool.”
“You can experiment with him however you want as long as you don't break anything or hurt anybody.”
Kakyoin grinned and nodded, giving Jotaro a thumbs up, before biting on his lip thoughtfully, “Wait...you said you called your Star Platinum, right? Does mine have a name?”
“Hierophant Green. That's his name.”
His eyes flashed again, briefly, and he looked down before nodding, “Yeah that...that sounds right. That sounds good.”
Jotaro closed his eyes, and sighed, “So are those kids going to leave you alone now?”
Kakyoin grinned, “They ran off as soon as I started fighting back.”
Jotaro chuckled, and ruffled his hair, “Good job.”
***
“I want to get my ears pierced.”
Jotaro downed the rest of his coffee, before staring at Kakyoin evenly, “Okay. Any particular reason?”
“I'm going to turn eleven soon and I can't really think of anything else to do.” He flushed slightly, “Plus I—I wanna match you.”
Jotaro smiled lightly, “If that's what you want.”
Kakyoin rode on his shoulders, eating chocolate covered cherries from a small plastic package. They made their way to a small pagoda in the middle of the mall, and Jotaro set him down, watching as he wobbled slightly as he walked up to the counter.
Jotaro waited patiently for the clerk to turn around, hearing as Kakyoin threw away his plastic bag. The girl's hair stuck up from her ponytail, frazzled and tired, but she gave a plastered on smile towards him and a genuine one as she saw Kakyoin.
“Oh, aren't you cute!” Kakyoin grabbed Jotaro's leg and averted his eyes, hiding behind him; she giggled slightly, and smiled at Jotaro, “How can I help you?”
“He wants his ears pierced.”
“All right. Pick out the pair of studs you want.” She pulled out a small tray and opened a white flap to let them in. Kakyoin hopped up in the chair and Jotaro leaned against the counter, his ankles crossed together.
“Those. The shiny green ones.” She attached them to the piercing gun and set it aside, walking over with a q-tip and peroxide.
“You don't have any open wounds on your ears, right?”
“Nope.”
She nodded, and cleaned his ear before wiping it down with a sterile rag. Jotaro yawned noticeably, before stifling it as Kakyoin looked over at him excitedly. The girl giggled, reaching over for a bobby pin and putting up his large bang.
“This will only hurt for a moment, okay?” She marked a small spot on his earlobe and pressed the piercing gun against his it soon after, “Are you ready?”
He looked over at Jotaro, who inhaled slowly and sighed. He walked two steps and grabbed Kakyoin's small hand, holding it tightly in his large palm. Kakyoin smiled shyly, and nodded at her.
“I-I'm good.”
She chuckled, “All right. One, two, three.”
Kakyoin winced, and Jotaro clutched his hand tighter. She set the gun aside, and began cleaning around the piercing, small bits of blood seeping out. He exhaled sharply, looking up at Jotaro and smiling weakly.
“You did good.” Jotaro murmured, and Kakyoin's smile grew.
“One more to go.”
She repeated the process of sterilization, removing the bobby pin, his bang bouncing as it was set free. He ran his small fingers through it, untangling it and kicking his legs back and forth in a slightly nervous gait.
She screwed on another stud, and marked his earlobe once more. Her bottom lip was caught between her teeth, and she blew her short mop of black hair out of her eye as she lined it up with the black dot on his ear.
“Ready?”
He nodded, “Ready.”
“One, two, three.”
He winced again as the piercing went in, and wiped the small tear that came out. She cleaned around his ear once more, and Kakyoin felt at the clean one around his ear. She held ope the door for them as they went back out, and Kakyoin grabbed at Jotaro's pant leg again as Jotaro got out his wallet.
“Don't take those out for 6-8 weeks. If they heal up before then, though, it's okay. Some people heal up as soon as three weeks.”
Jotaro placed a hand on Kakyoin's head, smoothing back his hair and tangling his fingers in it briefly. He put the change back in his wallet with ease, before raising his eyebrow at the receipt she gave him.
“What are these numbers?”
She smiled coyly, leaning over the counter and showing off her cleavage, “My phone number.”
Her eyes widened as he ripped it in front of her, manifesting Star Platinum and throwing it in a trashcan three feet away with perfect accuracy.
He placed his hand back on Kakyoin's head, his face still obscured by Jotaro's white khakis. Kakyoin played with his earlobe, only stopping when Star Platinum went down to grab his hand and place it back by his waist.
“Don't do that. It could get infected.”
He puffed out his cheeks and pouted slightly, and Jotaro sighed, leaning down and effortlessly picking him up, placing him on his shoulders. Kakyoin rested his cheek against Jotaro's hat, his arms wrapping around the brim.
“Can we go home and play Mario Kart?”
“We have to get past the water temple first.”
Kakyoin groaned, “But it's so annoying!”
Jotaro shook his head, a smile playing at his lips, “We can do it.”
He was looking at his studs in the mirror a month later, his nose wrinkled. He passed by the door frame Jotaro used to measure his height, the top of his head going over the tallest pencil mark on the white wood.
“Jotaro I think I can finally take these out. Do you have another pair of earrings I can wear, though? I'm getting sick of looking at these.”
He furrowed his eyebrows briefly and stared at Kakyoin before his eyes widened slightly, closing his laptop and softly padding over towards his room. Kakyoin regarded him curiously, and Jotaro briefly ignored him to go to a small, difficult to see drawer on his nightstand.
He held the cherry earrings in his hand, the same way Kakyoin had given them to him. They looked the same as they did 11 years ago, bright red bulbs that would swing whenever Kakyoin turned his head to look at Jotaro, typically with a wry smile on his face.
(“I love you, Jotaro.”)
“Yeah. I have...I have a pair you can keep.”
He went to where Kakyoin stood and knelt down, carefully removing the studs in his ear and handing them off to Kakyoin. He gently put one in, Kakyoin's eyes watching him the entire time. The other one went in as easily as the first, cherries dangling and swaying slightly.
He was handed the studs and he placed them in his pocket, patting Kakyoin on the shoulder, “Go take a look.”
Jotaro leaned against the door frame, ankles crossed, watching as Kakyoin turned his head side to side to get a better look. He stared back at Jotaro, his eyes gleaming, a brighter shade of green than they were before.
“These...where did you get these?”
“I got them from an old friend.”
He slowly walked towards Jotaro, his hands grasping at his pant leg and gazing up at him, his eyes still gleaming. Jotaro held his breath, Kakyoin's eyebrows furrowed as he stared up at him. He gently touched one of his earrings before he snapped out of whatever stupor he was in, looking slightly dazed and confused.
“Um...I have some homework I have to do. Thank you for the earrings.”
He smiled at Jotaro politely, his eyes a brighter green than they were before, having not gone back to the usual muddled evergreen. Jotaro nodded back, not noticing how his fingers shook as he began to type up another report.
Kakyoin was sound asleep in bed that night as Jotaro sat at his laptop drinking a fifth of vodka, his head in his hands and his stomach churning.
("I love you, Jotaro.")