Chapter Text
"Wake up." A deep voice broke through Kakyoin's hazy in-and-out early morning sleep, causing the redhead to groan and roll over in utter dismay.
"'s my... Day off, though." He buried his face in his pillow with another groan, shying away from his boyfriend's poking fingers.
"You said you would see me off yesterday."
Immediately, Kakyoin lifted his face from his pillow and blinked sleepily over at the other. "Oh-- yeah. Have you had breakfast yet? Why--" He lifted his hand to cover his mouth as he yawned. "Why didn't I wake to the alarm?"
"Because--" Jotaro was cut off by the shrill ringing of the alarm, speak of the devil. Star Platinum turned it off fairly quickly, and Jotaro spoke again. "Because I woke up before it. As in, I just woke up a few minutes ago."
Kakyoin smiled, rolling over onto his back and stretching something akin to a cat. "I'll be up in a sec. You go do your-- your bathroom thing or whatever... Grease your hair that you just washed. And I'll... Attempt to wake up more. Then I'll make breakfast. Okay?" Jotaro snorted, hand gently brushing through Kakyoin's hair as he pulled away and did as he was told.
"I'm heading out," Jotaro grumbled, and Kakyoin nodded, smoothing down his boyfriend's white coat. The golden dolphin pins on his hat seemed to shine, even if it wasn't in the sunlight.
"Mm. Make me lots of money." The redhead leaned up to kiss Jotaro, who snorted before returning it. It was short, but still sweet, and Kakyoin smiled as he pulled away. Usually he has work too-- but the day before he was feeling a bit under the weather, and Jotaro nagged until he agreed to take today off. The redhead ran his hands down Jotaro's coat again, then frowned, looking up at Jotaro's hat.
"Your hat pisses me off. There's no way you can love dolphins this much. Do you even like the ocean?"
"You say that every time you put on my pins. Shut it, Noriaki." But Jotaro held no bite in his voice, and he leaned down for another kiss before he headed out.
Kakyoin stood at the door as Jotaro left for work, waving him goodbye.
"Wh..." Kakyoin squinted past his glasses as he looked outside the window, frowning in confusion. Was that a man on their lawn? It wasn't even near lunch break yet; so it wasn't Jotaro. And they live on the outskirts of Miami-- private land and near the beach in a more quieter area. It's not every day you see someone stumbling onto your lawn.
The redhead opened the door slowly, hesitantly walking out to get a closer look. "Hey...!" Kakyoin half called out, before clapping a hand over his mouth. The 'man' walking on his lawn was horribly mutated, and any actual skin on the man was so chapped and dry Kakyoin swore it was flaking off in large pieces. His clothes were tattered to all hell, and he had no shoes on his bleeding feet. "Oh god..." Kakyoin groaned to himself, and froze as the man looked up, catching eye contact with the redhead.
"Lord Dio..." The man grinned, mumbling to himself, and Kakyoin could see how wrecked his teeth were from as far away from the man as he was. "I have found one."
"Excuse me?" Kakyoin asked, taking a step forward. Hierophant Green was edging out, and Kakyoin could smell unwashed-- almost a rotting smell of flesh even as he was about six feet away from the man now. The man kept limping forward, seemingly not caring at the appearance of Hierophant. It was evident that the talk of Lord Dio meant that the stand user had Dio's cells in him-- and once Dio died, he became mutated with no reason to live past the thought of killing the one who killed his 'Lord'.
"I walked... All the way here.." The man was panting heavily, eyes unblinking. "Lord Dio would... Be so proud of me..." He clutched his hand over his chest, the tattered shirt almost falling to pieces underneath his grip.
"Did you... Are you saying you followed us? By foot?" Kakyoin hissed, squinting resisting the urge to pinch his nose in disgust. The man nodded eagerly, eyes lighting up and he stepped closer and closer.
"Lord Dio has died, but..! But... I will avenge him! One by one..." By the end, his voice had gotten to broken and cracked, Kakyoin could barely understand him.
"....Okay... Well, I--" Kakyoin let out a yelp as the man suddenly launched himself at Kakyoin, his stand pulled out as well. Kakyoin dodged the user, but was in direct route of the stand. Kakyoin braced himself for impact-- but nothing had happened. He looked down at the stand-- which what looked like to be just a large, glowing orb-- enter his body, but he didn't feel anything. He looked over at the stand user, who had collapsed to the ground and didn't look like he was getting up anytime soon.
"Now... You will see... What it's like..." The user panted, scraggly nails digging into the soil of their front lawn. His eyelids fluttered shut, and Kakyoin let out a sigh of relief. The user had passed out.
"How putrid...," Kakyoin mumbled to himself, walking over to the user and glaring down at him. The stand that seemed to phase through his body hadn't returned, but the user was knocked out. Kakyoin assumed it had returned to the user. "He seemed to have mutated when Dio was defeated... He's practically a walking corpse."
Kakyoin nudged the collapsed man with his foot. He let out a groan in reply. "...Great. Now I have to get him inside." He wrinkled his nose just at imagining the sort of mess it will create.
--
"You're sure that you're fine." Jotaro asked over the phone, Kakyoin smiling to himself as he continued to wash his hands, pressing the phone to his ear using his shoulder.
"Yes, I'm okay. Like I said-- the user passed out before he could do anything with his stand. I also tried to give him some water earlier, but I think he might be in some sort of coma." Kakyoin almost let out a gag just remembering the mutated man. "God, Jotaro. He smells so bad."
"Just make sure he doesn't stink up the house."
"Of course. I locked him up in the basement after spraying plenty of Febreze around him. We'll have to disinfect the area and probably wash down everything again after he's taken away, though."
"When did you say the Speedwagon Foundation would be here to get him?"
"Tomorrow afternoon. Some of them are in the area, so they'll get here quickly. I'll take a day off work again so I can be here when they come."
"Alright."
-
"You're right.." Jotaro groaned, peeking at the user, who was still passed out, through a crack in the door. They even tied him up, just in case he woke up and tried anything funny. "He smells like horse shit."
"Really? I seriously think he smells like a rotting corpse." Kakyoin frowned, wrinkling his nose up once more. Jotaro shut the door, locked it, and turned toward Kakyoin with an amused quirk of his eyebrow.
"Either way. It's still rancid as hell."
"Yeah, seriously." Kakyoin yawned, stretching a bit. He almost shrieked as he felt Jotaro lightly run his fingers across his showing hipbones, squirming away from the touch with a grin. "Hey-- hey!" Kakyoin let out a small noise as he attempted to muffle his laughter, Jotaro coming at the same spot again.
"Let's go to bed, Nori." Jotaro's hands went from tickling Kakyoin's hipbones to just resting on them, thumbs rubbing soothing circles onto the skin there. The smaller calmed down, and smiled at the nickname, nodding and standing on the tip of his toes to kiss Jotaro.
"Okay."
Jotaro wrapped his arm around him, and they headed back upstairs and to their room.
--
The next morning, Kakyoin woke up in a bit of a daze. He blinked slowly as he sat up in bed. It was empty-- which was a bit strange, usually Jotaro at least woke him up before he left-- and the comforter was...different, somehow, than what they usually slept in. A lot of the pillows were gone too, but… Rubbing his eyes, Kakyoin stumbled out of bed, almost getting caught up in the blanket. He wasn't properly awake yet to assess the situation-- so he shuffled into the kitchen with a yawn.
"Hmph... He moved the coffee machine again," Kakyoin grumbled to himself, hugging himself as he searched the counters. He frowned at the absence of the machine. "What'd he do with it? Like, take it with him or something?" He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He could go without coffee for now. He began making his way toward their bedroom, mumbling something about his glasses--
"Noriaki?"
Kakyoin almost let out a shriek, jumping and clutching his chest before turning around. "Jotaro, Jesus! What're you doing home? You scared the daylights out of m--" Kakyoin trailed off, mouth dropping open a bit.
Jotaro looked so much older.
"What--wha--" Kakyoin sputtered, not sure how to react. Both of them just gaped at each other, froze in their positions.
"...Noriaki?" Jotaro asked again, softer this time.
"...J-Jotaro?"
"Is this some kind of-- Are you--" Jotaro broke from his stupor, stomping forward and roughly gripping the sides of Kakyoin's cheeks, who let out a hiss in surprise. "...You're not a ghost, are you? Not a-- a stand user?" He looked as if he wanted to check but didn't want to hurt him, searching deeply into Kakyoin's eyes.
"N-no..?" The smaller pulled Jotaro's hands away from his face, frowning up at him. "Why? What's going on? Why are you so..." Kakyoin's hand gently ran across Jotaro's growing facial hair. "Scruffy. You can't grow this kind of beard overnight. Wha--?"
"I need you to pull out your stand." Jotaro didn't pull away from his touch, but his eyes narrowed dangerously, and Kakyoin knew he was serious. With a hard swallow, Kakyoin slowly pulled out Hierophant Green, Jotaro practically melting into his hands at the confirmation it was actually him. He cleared his throat as he dragged his eyes over Kakyoin, taking in how different he seemed. He had faded scars over his eyes, and looked like he was built more as an adult. He was also wearing something Jotaro had remembered he used to own-- and it was much too big for him.
"...Noriaki... I'm twenty eight. You-- you died back in Egypt." This time, Jotaro's hands came up to grab Kakyoin's, but didn't let go. He gave them a soft squeeze.
Kakyoin's heart dropped into his stomach. "What..?" He let out a soft laugh in almost disbelief. But as he searched Jotaro's eyes, he saw nothing but complete and utter seriousness. "No..? I moved with you to America, after I recovered-- we... We're going to college together, well-- not right now, it's summer-- we work together--" Kakyoin gasped sharply, jerking his hands away and out from Jotaro's hold. "The stand user!"
"What." Older (?) Jotaro frowned, hands laying limply by his sides. "Did some weird stand user bring you back to life?"
"No. No! I told you, I'm not dead! It-- It went inside me. Maybe it transported me to the future, or-- or another universe? Maybe-- Maybe I'm in some weird dream world?" Kakyoin pressed his fingertips to his temples. "I thought-- dammit, I'm such a fool! I thought he was out of it before he could..." Kakyoin was breathing a bit heavily now, lips pursed together in a sort of panic. "How... How am I going to get back?"
"What--" Jotaro let out a small, frustrated breath. His hands wrung through his hair, obviously distressed, but not saying anything. Kakyoin silently berated himself for not trying to reach out for Jotaro, especially since apparently for him, Kakyoin was dead.
"This... This must be really hard for you. There's no way it can't be, right..? I'm... 'dead', here." Kakyoin hesitantly placed his hand on the crook of Jotaro's neck, frowning sympathetically. His thumb brushed along his jawline, moving in closer, until Jotaro finally relaxed; relaxed into Kakyoin's touch and leaning into the source of body heat.
"Why... Are You... We.." Jotaro struggled to speak, but Kakyoin understood, having known Jotaro for more than a few years at this point.
"Yes, Jotaro. We're..." Kakyoin's nose wrinkled at the weird saying. "Well, younger you..? And I are in a relationship."
"How old are you," Jotaro spoke quickly, looking sharply up at him. Kakyoin sadly (sad for himself-- he was short enough compared to most everyone he knew already--) felt intimidated by the height difference, even more so by Jotaro's intense look. He felt..so small. Not just physically.
"I'm... Nineteen. I turn twenty next year." He shifted foot to foot awkwardly, flinching back on instinct when Jotaro's hand came up. The redhead relaxed into his touch when all he did was brush his thumb across the scar under his eye, breathing out softly through his nose.
"I... Wear glasses. But... They're obviously not here right now, along with most of my stuff, so..." Kakyoin laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Actually. Pretty much everything. I-- I don't even have my earrings-- I took them off before bed, these clothes are yours, I--"
"Hey." Jotaro's hands gripped his shoulders solidly, comforting. "We can go out and get you some temporary clothes, until we find out what's happening. Or attempt to."
"Um... Yeah. Okay. I..." Kakyoin nodded, sighing again and rubbing his eyelids with a soft groan. "If that's okay with you. This... This doesn't feel real. You're...older, you talk so much more-- your accent is way better, by the way-- and I'm--" He caught his eye on something on the wall, slowly trailing off as he focused his eyesight the best he could onto the object. He turned toward it. "Did..." He gently pulled away from Jotaro's touch, walking toward the picture on the wall. "Did you have a daughter? You got married?" Kakyoin touched the frame of the picture, staring at them. Jotaro wasn't smiling, but his eyes were a bit brighter than usual, and a small child was perched on his lap. She had a large toothy grin, colorful hair pulled back into small buns and looking as happy as a four year old should. No one else was in the picture, and Kakyoin furrowed his eyebrows together in confusion. Where was the mother? Jotaro's wife?
Jotaro stared at him blankly. Kakyoin swallowed-- it was as if Jotaro shut down all emotion just being asked the question. "I was married...immediately after college. I had Jolyne a few years ago. Divorced, now. I have privileges to have her during summers and spring breaks, but--"
Kakyoin could tell he was struggling, so he decided to give him some slack. "...She's beautiful, Jotaro. She has your eyes." Kakyoin sighed softly through his nose, before slowly turning his whole body back towards the other. He smiled back at Jotaro, who paused, and just...stared.
"...Yeah. Um... Yeah. She really is."
They both stood in a bit of silence, but it wasn't awkward. Not awkward, at least, until Jotaro started to shift uncomfortably, looking like he wanted to do something. Kakyoin pulled away from the picture on the wall, and tugged on Jotaro's hand gently. "Let's go shopping then, Jojo."
"I'm not sure you'll get in wearing just boxers and a large shirt, Noriaki." Of course Jotaro had something smart to say back in reply-- even when it was a bit of a dramatic moment.
Kakyoin snorted nonetheless, shoving him gently with one hand. "Yes. I was totally planning on going inside like this. I'll just borrow some of your old clothes, is that okay?"
Jotaro nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I'm sure we can find something, even if it will make you look a bit like a hobo."
"Thanks, Jotaro."
--
"Do you want to go see an eye doctor as well? To see we can get you glasses while you're here." Jotaro's hands flexed on the wheel, looking over at Kakyoin. Jotaro's car was pretty nice-- much nicer than the one he and Kakyoin had back in his 'universe'. Kakyoin felt almost afraid to put his feet on the floor of it.
"I don't know how long I'll be here...," Kakyoin said, sighing at the topic. He smoothed down his new button-up and fiddled with the plastic bags filled with clothes, looking out his window. Jotaro grunted in response.
"Maybe the user you fought in your... 'universe' is alive here. If we defeat him, maybe you'll go back--"
"That's right!" Kakyoin snapped his fingers, looking over at Jotaro. "We never killed him. We just tied him up. Maybe if we killed him here, or-- Or!" He gasped. "If his stand attacked me again, I could get sent back to my 'universe'!"
"We don't know if that would work, Noriaki. Its powers might just be temporary."
"...Right." Just as quickly as he heated up, Kakyoin cooled back down again.
Jotaro let out a short huff of amusement, shaking his head. "You've...really changed. It's different."
Kakyoin cringed. He was being a bit loud, and Jotaro always hated... "In... a bad way?"
"No-- No. Just..." Jotaro's fingers drummed over the wheel. "Just different."
"That's better than expected... I wouldn't want you-- younger you, my you, whatever-- to secretly hate me afterall."
Jotaro immediately responded. "He would never."
Kakyoin looked over with a smile. "...Never? You've gotten a bit cheesy in your old age."
Jotaro grunted. "...Smartass."
--
"...This isn't too awkward for you, right?" Kakyoin asked that night, during dinner. Or, what was supposed to be 'dinner'. Kakyoin wasn't too fond of having takeout as a meal, but Kakyoin had a suspicion that Jotaro didn't cook much.
"No." was Jotaro's simple response, watching him with surprisingly gentle eyes.
Though he said it was wasn't, Kakyoin still sat in a bit of an awkward silence, only the clink of silverware against plates filling it. Jotaro wasn't eating much, mostly watching Kakyoin eat.
"So, why didn't you go to work today?" Kakyoin asked, trying to change the topic and averting eye contact from the older. Even if this was Jotaro, at the same time, it really wasn't. "I was pretty lucky for you to have your day off-- or else I'd have gone the whole day thinking everything was normal until you came back, probably."
"When I'm not travelling, I work at home."
"Travelling?" Kakyoin asked, looking at Jotaro past his drink.
"Research. I'm a Marine Biologist. I also work with-- with the lack of better word for it-- 'capturing' stand users causing trouble."
"That's..wow. I can see the whole stand user thing... But...a marine biologist." Kakyoin smiled at him, standing up with his plate and cup to wash. "Bit of a nerd, aren't you?"
"I'm sure your Jotaro will show signs of my aspirations soon enough," Jotaro spoke, also a bit amused. Kakyoin's lips pressed into a thin line, remembering all those stupid dolphin pins he had complained about just the day before. "What about you. Did you ever get into art like you wanted--?"
"I freelance with art. I just work with Speedwagon Foundation as of now. I feel..." Kakyoin placed a hand on his stomach. A flash of his Jotaro sparked through his mind. "...I feel like I owe them."
Jotaro nodded, taking a sip from his cup. He looked at Kakyoin's stomach, then back up to Kakyoin. "You...how did you survive?"
"...I..." Kakyoin half laughed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don't know. I think it was Polnareff..? He managed to get me some help... And, Dio hadn't managed to punch through me completely, because Hierophant got him pretty good before he managed to stop time."
"...Mm." Jotaro looked down at his own plate, before standing up and moving to put his plate in the sink. He changed the subject suddenly, but Kakyoin didn't mind. He knew Jotaro wasn't fond of the topic. "Maybe later we'll visit gramps and Polnareff."
"Are-- are you sure?" Kakyoin spoke over the rush of water from the sink, looking back at Jotaro. "They all think-- er, know? I'm dead, right?"
"Do you want to get cabin fever while you're here?" Jotaro asked, leaning against the counter and looking down on Kakyoin. "You have to get out once and a while."
"...Mhm... But..shouldn't we be looking for the user that got me here in the first place?" Kakyoin looked up at Jotaro after shutting the water from the sink off, eyebrows furrowing.
"We'll get the sketches of the user in a few days. I called the Foundation earlier today; they'll be here soon."
"...Okay.." Kakyoin crossed his arms. "...So... What now?" He felt so restless, he wasn't sure whether he wanted to go out and find the user now, or crawl back into bed and sleep until this was all figured out. He wanted to go home.
"For now," older Jotaro sighed, "A movie." At the look Kakyoin gave him, he snorted. "I like the background noises while I'm working on a thesis."
"Ah, right. Of course." Kakyoin gave Jotaro a small smile as he walked by. "On your dorky sea life, right?"
Jotaro tugged the brim of his hat down, hiding his smile. "...Yeah."
"Hey," Jotaro whispered later, nudging Kakyoin awake. "You fell asleep." Kakyoin cracked open his eyes to see Jotaro pull back, and closed his eyes again. He curled up a bit on himself, eyelashes fluttering as he slowly forced himself to wake, cheeks flushed a bit from the heat of himself along with additional heat from the blanket. He then made a small sleepy noise in reply, reaching his arms out. In response, he got silence, and furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. He opened his eyes to see Jotaro just... staring at his reaching hands. Kakyoin snapped out of his sleepy moment quickly, waking up enough to realize what was going on and retracted his arms.
"Oh-- sorry..! Sorry. Jotaro-- other you-- he likes, you know, he carries-- um, I'm." Kakyoin coughed awkwardly, trying to stand up and almost tripping as his legs got tangled in the blanket. "I'll go to bed. Sorry."
Jotaro didn't come to bed that night.
--
Kakyoin, to his dismay, woke up in an empty bed. Still in Older Jotaro's house. It isn't that he doesn't like Jotaro-- of course he doesn't. He loves the bastard. He just...misses the other Jotaro. His Jotaro. He misses his family and friends and the occasional visit from Abdul and Polnareff, and Joseph visiting, even in his withering age. He misses the kisses at night and the tickling and Jotaro's body heat and--
Kakyoin hadn't realized that the tears he was trying to hold back actually fell until his body reflex sniffed. He wiped away his frustrated tears, silently scorning himself. He's been here for barely 24 hours. He shouldn't be such a mess. He can handle this. Soon enough, they'll get the sketches, find the stand user, and get out of here. And go back to where he belongs.
After a little bit more of self loathing, he forced himself out of bed and into the shower. The house itself was discomforting-- it was the same, but different. And it didn't exactly surprise him that both Jotaro's had the same house; at first, Kakyoin wasn't even planning on coming to America. Jotaro had chose his own house while he was still deciding, so this Jotaro would had also choose it... It was just the decorating. The paneling on the floors. The types of towels hung up-- the fucking comforter-- the pictures on the wall-- all the little things. It was ready to make Kakyoin go out of his mind.
As Kakyoin stepped into the shower, he realized Jotaro was almost like the house. He was the same, but different-- He talked more, but seemed more closed off than ever-- He was older, but didn't seem to look it. He was...just-- just different.
By the time he was out of the shower, he could smell something cooking. Or, trying to be cooked. It smelled more like it was burning.
"What are you making?" He asked as he shuffled into the kitchen, fiddling with a button on his shirt. Jotaro looked at him a little surprised, arching an eyebrow.
"I thought you were still in the shower." The older looked back down at the pan, then back up to Kakyoin. "I'm... 'trying' to make eggs. I burned them." At Kakyoin's snort, he looked like he was ready to start pouting. "I usually go out and get something for meals. I don't cook."
"Well, I could have told you that," Kakyoin remarked, grinning at Jotaro's dry look. "Just-- just let me take over from here." He squirmed in front of Jotaro and between the stove, shoving the older one back. He lifted the pan up, dumping the burned content into the nearby trash bin. He resprayed the pan with butter, then cracked more eggs onto it.
"Totally defeats the purpose of me attempting to make breakfast." Jotaro relented however, giving Kakyoin some space to cook.
"Since you only eat take out... That means you wanted to make me something to eat..?" Kakyoin asked, but kept his eyes on the pan.
"That, and... I wanted to do something to distract myself."
The redhead met Jotaro's eyes this time, temporarily diverting his attention from the food. "Distract..?"
"I... Slept on the couch last night, and.." Jotaro rubbed his temples, his eyes closing. "I wasn't sure if..."
"You didn't know if I was just a dream, or if I'd be here when you woke up..." Kakyoin finished for him, forcing himself to look away. Jotaro's silence provided the answer he needed. "I... You don't need to sleep on the couch, you know." He flipped the eggs, only the sizzling and popping of the pan answering him. He could sense Jotaro in his peripheral, though, so he knew the older was staring at him. "Uh-- you.. I don't mind you sleeping with me. Unless you're the one who minds, of course..!" He laughed nervously, hunching in a bit on himself.
"I don't." Jotaro leaned against the counter next to the smaller, looking down at him. Kakyoin seemed so tense-- the more the silence held the more wired up he looked. "...Noriaki. Are you okay?" His hand came up to rest on the nape of Kakyoin's neck, thumb rubbing soothingly.
With a shuddery sigh, Kakyoin turned off the stove and turned toward Jotaro, who retracted his hand. "Who else." Kakyoin asked, almost demanded, quietly, eyes looking glassy and slightly bloodshot and... Desperate.
"What?"
"Who else is dead here? Other than me? Because-- because I haven't heard about Polnareff, or Mr. Abdul, or Mr. Joestar, or-- or Iggy, and--!" Kakyoin's hands balled up into fists, lower lip trembling. "They can't all be dead here too, right...?"
Jotaro sighed heavily through his nose, eyes closing. "...Polnareff and gramps are still alive. You, Abdul, and Iggy are dead." He paused, eyes opening as he looked down at Kakyoin with so much pain, Kakyoin almost couldn't-- couldn't look, couldn't reach his eyes-- "You all... died back in Egypt to help us. Does that mean they're alive where you...'came from'?"
"...Yeah," Kakyoin spoke quietly, lips pressing into a thin line as he looked up at the other. "Jotaro, I'm so sorry--" He was cut off with his own quiet 'oof' as Jotaro jerked him into a hug, burying his face in Kakyoin's hair. He had a vice grip on the redhead, and Kakyoin was pretty sure Jotaro did it to keep himself from trembling. Kakyoin brought his arms up and hugged him back, burying his face in his neck.
After a few minutes, Jotaro spoke into Kakyoin's hair. It was muffled, and croaky, but Kakyoin still managed to decipher what he was saying.
"I know it's selfish. But." Jotaro's grip on him tightened. "I'm glad you're here."
Kakyoin took a deep breath, gently dragging his nose across Jotaro's neck in a soft, hesitant nuzzle.
"I...I am too."
--
The first time Jotaro left and came home (extremely) late, it was a few days after Kakyoin got there. Though Kakyoin still wasn't used to this Jotaro, he knew he never got home this late-- and it should never happen again.
He decided to stay up until Jotaro got back home, even as he was dozing off in front of the office's T.V. With every passing minute Kakyoin's anxiety grew-- causing him to look at the door every other minute. Where was he--? Kakyoin didn't even have a phone to call Jotaro with-- other than the house phone--but he had no idea what Jotaro's cell phone number was.
He jumped as the door opened (quite loudly in the noiseless dead of the night), Jotaro talking with someone on the phone. As he kicked the door shut, the older's eyes traveled to the T.V and he slowly stopped talking as if in realization of why it was on. Then his eyes dragged over to Kakyoin. He stopped talking completely for a moment as they had what seemed a bit like a stare down, Kakyoin swallowing hard. The voice on the other side of the phone said something, squeaky, and Jotaro broke out of his stupor, turning around and walking out of the office to continue the talk privately.
After a few more minutes, Jotaro began making his way back into the office. Because of this, Kakyoin managed to capture the end of Jotaro's conversation.
"Stay safe. Love you." Jotaro slowly hung up, taking as long as he possibly could so he could avoid the conversation inevitable to come with Kakyoin. He finally looked up from his phone and leaned against the door frame, staring at Kakyoin with an arched eyebrow.
"It's pretty late." Was all he said.
"...Why'd you take so long?" Kakyoin asked, fists clenching and wrinkling up the blanket on his lap.
"I... Peer reviews can take a bit longer than intended," Jotaro explained, breaking away from the door frame and stepping inside the office. He slung his jacket across the back of his computer chair, and smoothed it down with his hands. He eventually made his way over to Kakyoin, sitting by him and looking at the T.V. They sat in silence, before Jotaro sighed, scratching his temple awkwardly. "I'm sorry. I... You being here slipped my mind."
"You forgot about me?" Kakyoin asked, feigning offensiveness. Jotaro tensed up, looking over at Kakyoin with eyes wide in panic.
"No, no--" He rushed out, pausing as Kakyoin gently gripped his face.
"I was joking. I know you didn't mean to." Jotaro calmed down some; eyes looking away from Kakyoin's, still a bit weary. Kakyoin sighed through his nose, retracting his hands. "I stayed up to make sure you were safe. Now I'm going to bed." Kakyoin stood up, stretching and sighing as his bones popped. "By the way." Kakyoin blinked down at Jotaro. "Who were you talking to on the phone?"
Jotaro snorted, poking Kakyoin's side and making him squirm. "Nosy. I was talking to my mother."
"Oh..!" Kakyoin grinned. "So you do love her, huh? I thought I'd never hear you say that."
"Go to bed, Noriaki."
"Mm... And you know you're always welcome to join me. Don't forget that."
Jotaro looked away, not meeting Kakyoin's eyes as he nodded. "..Yeah. I know."
Kakyoin wasn't surprised in the slightest when he woke up alone again.
--
"Didn't take you for much of a window shopper," Kakyoin commented later on that week, jamming his hands into his pockets. It was really crowded out today, and the redhead attempted to stick closer to Jotaro so he wouldn't get shoved around or lost in the crowd.
"I'm not." Kakyoin arched an eyebrow at Jotaro's reply, looking up at him as the older adjusted his hat. He had been grumpy the past few days, and Kakyoin figured it was because he wasn't sleeping well-- Jotaro apparently must've still felt too awkward to sleep with Kakyoin, and insisted on taking the office couch,which couldn't even fit Jotaro's body, let alone Kakyoin's. So Kakyoin attempted to stay cautious with his words, and not step on too many toes.
"...You're not just taking me out for no reason, are you? So I don't get 'cabin fever', or something?"
"...No, Noriaki. Speedwagon Foundation members should be around here."
"Oh--!" Kakyoin's eyes widened in realization, taking a step to get closer to him. He was starting to sweat, beads of it forming on his hairline. It was really hot, and Kakyoin's very modest outfit wasn't helping with the heat any. The redhead could only wonder how Jotaro managed to stay so composed, with his turtle neck and jacket--
"There." Jotaro's voice cut him out of his thoughts, and the smaller followed his pointing finger. The two members looked identical in their outfits, and Kakyoin was pretty sure they resembled the same members who delivered Iggy.
"Must they always hire people who look the complete same?" Kakyoin murmured, tucking a lock of hair behind his ear. Jotaro snorted and started his way toward them, Kakyoin pleased with himself and trailing behind. The members noticed the two heading their way, and turned toward them.
"You must be...Noriaki Kakyoin and Jotaro Kujo." The member holding the briefcase spoke, looking at them from underneath the brim of his hat.
Jotaro nodded. "We are."
"Um..." The other one spoke, eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. "We came here to help identify a user, one of a possible threat. But according to our records, isn't he..." He pointed to Kakyoin. "Dead?" He looked at his teammate. "The Foundation had him cremated before we delivered him to his family, didn't we? Does the stand user have anything to do with this?"
Kakyoin swallowed hard, looking at Jotaro from the corner of his eye.
"This is a different man. Now, let's get down to business."
"Oh... My apologies." The member still had a look of suspicion, before the one with the briefcase turned.
"Follow me, please."
Jotaro and Kakyoin obeyed, trailing behind a bit.
"Why didn't you just tell them it was me?" Kakyoin whispered, barely loud enough for Jotaro to hear.
"...Because they'd probably take you into their facility. They'd try to see if the user left a mark on you, or if there was anything wrong with you, I suppose. We don't know the exact effect of the user. This could be a different timeline, or just the future from yours, or...anything really. You could just be a zombie with altered memories." Or they might take you away from me, was what really bothered Jotaro the most.
"...I'm not a zombie."
"We don't know that." Jotaro shrugged, but Kakyoin could see a quirk of his lips showing he was amused.
"Jotaro."
--
"So... The user looked like this?" One of the members picked up the sketchbook and showed it to Kakyoin. The coffee shop was completely empty, not even workers were in. It looked sort of run down, as well, but recently cleaned-- like it was a building shut off to the world.
"Give or take, yes."
"And you said he appeared outside of your house and assaulted you and Jotaro?"
"Um, yes." Kakyoin nervously fiddled with his thumbs, looking up at the member and to Jotaro. He's never been on this side of the table, he was always the one asking the questions. "He had followed us from Egypt, apparently by foot."
"So he must be somewhere in Florida. Or nearby. I'm almost positive we haven't had any recent reports from a user that looked like this, but we'll still recheck the records for any disturbances." The members stood up, as did Jotaro and Kakyoin. "Thank you for your time. We will contact you if anything comes up."
Kakyoin nodded, and Jotaro shook their hands. "Thank you as well."
"Ah, excuse me. If you don't mind...just...a few more questions, for Mr. Kakyoin." the one with the sketchbook said, the same one asking about Kakyoin earlier. "Sir, are you a stand user yourself?"
Kakyoin stuttered for a minute, looking at Jotaro for a sign. Jotaro just nodded his head a fragment of the way down, and Kakyoin turned toward the members. "..Yes."
"How old are you, may I ask? And your birthday?"
"I'm nineteen...? My birthday is--"
"This is a waste of time, and has nothing to do with the user." Jotaro must have decided that question had crossed a line, and he threw a harsh glare toward the questioning member.
"Of-- of course, Mr. Kujo. My apologies. We will be leaving now."
"Good. Come back when you have actual news for us."
"Yes sir." They both said this at the same time, before shaking their hands once more and taking their leave.
"Damn...they're scared of you, huh?" Kakyoin asked once they were gone, amused, looking up at Jotaro.
"The creator of the Speedwagon Foundation was best friends with my great-something-grandfather. The Foundation is...dedicated to us, obviously. As you can see-- in Egypt, they helped us." Jotaro scratched his cheek. "So of course, anyone related to him are automatically qualified for higher jobs inside the area...and even though I didn't take one, everyone still acts really respectful toward me." He let out a sigh. "It's pretty bothersome."
"Aw, poor baby. Getting a good job and nice respect is always the worst." He poked his tongue out at Jotaro's sneer, before they walked off and out of the building as well.
--
"Why are you moving so much?" Kakyoin mumbled groggily, lifting his head up and off of Jotaro's shoulder. He attempted to take a nap while Jotaro continued his work from the other night, ending up slipping down the couch and laying limp on Jotaro's side. But now he was moving so damn much, it was practically impossible.
At Jotaro's blank stare, Kakyoin moved back a bit more. The T.V was still playing in the background, but the sound was softer than Kakyoin remembered. He realized Jotaro probably turned it down when he fell asleep... "S... Sorry for falling asleep on you. Did I drool?" His hand came up and wiped at Jotaro's dry shirt, frowning in confusion. If he hadn't drooled, why was Jotaro giving him that look--?
"I..." Jotaro looked down at his lap, before looking away from the other completely. Kakyoin could see the tip of his ears turning red, and the smaller frowned in confusion. Jotaro looked like he wanted something, but couldn't get it out--
"You...?"
"I...have to go to the bathroom. Sorry for waking you." Kakyoin watched in confusion as Jotaro pushed himself off the couch, and left the room.
And he didn't come back.
--
Kakyoin found Jotaro later on in the bedroom, knocked out with a towel around his neck and just boxers on. With a small sigh, the redhead stripped down into just his boxers as well before climbing in bed next to the sleeping figure. He gently slipped the still-damp towel out from underneath Jotaro's neck, cradling his head so he wouldn't wake from the sudden loss of support. The pillow and his hair were still wet, and Kakyoin wrinkled his nose up, slightly amused. After he dropped the towel into the clothes basket, he managed to slip the blanket out from under Jotaro and placing it on top of him as well.
"G'night, you big lug," Kakyoin whispered to him, one hand touching Jotaro's forearm gently. He gave the older a soft look before he closed his eyes, waiting for his body to succumb to exhaustion.
Kakyoin woke up with an arm around his waist and a warmth pressed to his back. He smiled sleepily, making a small noise as Jotaro nuzzled into his neck. One of Jotaro's hands were on his hip, fingers slipped just underneath his waistband. It felt normal-- Kakyoin felt normal for once-- feeling Jotaro's warm body slung across his back, feeling Jotaro's erection pressing against him-- "Morning," he whispered out, voice hoarse from disuse over the night. He stretched lazily, not unlike a cat, before he realized Jotaro had pulled away.
Then he froze as well.
"Ah-- uh--" Kakyoin sat up, flustered, looking over at Jotaro who looked like he had been slapped.
"Sorry." was all Jotaro managed out before he scrambled out of bed, rushing down the hall (still in just his boxers, by the way,) and into his work room. The door shut behind him, a small 'click' indicating it was locked as well.
"...Sorry," Kakyoin grumbled softly in reply, rubbing a hand down his face and flopping down onto his back, back onto the bed with a frustrated, loud groan.
He had a feeling Jotaro wasn't going to come out for a while. Again.
--
"Why're you up so late?" Kakyoin grumbled a few nights later, rubbing his eye groggily. He was in nothing but his boxers, looking like he just clambered out of bed. Jotaro looked a bit startled, looking up at Kakyoin with wide, bloodshot eyes. "It's like... three in the morning, Jotaro.."
"I should be asking you that, Noriaki," he replied, attempting to reign himself in and compose himself enough to be able to talk above more than a whisper.
"I got up to pee, nosy. You look like you haven't slept in days."
"...Yeah," Jotaro admitted, breathing out harshly. He pinched the bridge of his nose, lips pressed into a thin line. Kakyoin let out a hum in acknowledgment, taking in the older's face. He had big bags under his eyes, skin dry and hair greased. He looked like a fucking mess, in all honesty.
"...Then...come...to...bed..?" Kakyoin took a step forward, gently placing his hand on Jotaro's shoulder. "Why aren't you..?"
Jotaro let out a groan of frustration, burying his face in his hands. The words he didn't say were showing on his physical appearance-- his posture, the way he tensed up when Kakyoin touched him-- Kakyoin has dealt with Jotaro long enough to be able to read him easily.
"...I don't care that we... Jotaro." Kakyoin lifted his face up, frowning down at him. Jotaro frowned back up at him, lips down turned into a small pout. "Even if you aren't my specific Jotaro, you're...you're still Jotaro. And I love you."
Jotaro honestly looked so fucking broken, in that moment, Kakyoin couldn't help but reel him into a tight hug. He gently cradled the back of his head, the other wrapped around his upper torso. Jotaro hugged him back, just as tight, burying his face into Kakyoin's neck.
"I love you too," Jotaro's voice cracked, arms trembling as he pulled Kakyoin in tighter, closer. He whispered it once more. "I love you too."
Kakyoin hummed soothingly, gently stroking his fingers through his hair. "Now, let's get you to bed, scruffy. You're exhausted." Jotaro let soft huffs of laughter out into Kakyoin's neck, nuzzling his neck gently.
When Kakyoin pulled back, hesitantly, Jotaro still attempted to stick close to him. One of his hands gripping one of Kakyoin's, and his other hand laid on the redhead's upper arm. Jotaro looked like he wanted to say something, eyes bright even with as tired as he looked.
"...What?" Kakyoin asked, looking at him with a small smile.
Jotaro stayed silent, but squirmed a bit, and his hand slowly slid up Kakyoin's arm and to the back of his neck. "I want to kiss you."
"Ahh." Kakyoin's smile turned into a grin as he leaned down, following Jotaro's gentle pull. "Then you should...?" Their lips were a hair's width away,
"Maybe I should." Jotaro spoke quietly before closing the gap, pressing their lips together. Kakyoin smiled into the kiss in response, resting one knee between Jotaro's legs, tilting his head for a better angle.
Kakyoin gently pulled away, smiling warmly as Jotaro tried to lean forward, to follow Kakyoin's body warmth. "Hey. We can continue this after you've had plenty of rest, okay..?" He gently ran his fingers through Jotaro's hair, wrinkling his nose with slight amusement. "And...taken a shower. Also, your beard gives me beard burn."
"Is beard burn even a thing..." Jotaro smiled though, looking more relaxed than Kakyoin has ever seen him since the two weeks he's been here.
"Whether it isn't or not, it is now." Kakyoin grinned as he gently grabbed Jotaro's hands, pulling him up out of the chair. "Let's go to bed."
"...Alright."
--
Kakyoin woke up before Jotaro did. He had to go to the bathroom-- which was difficult with Jotaro's whole being slung onto his side. He managed to wiggle out from under the huge weight eventually, replacing himself with a large pillow. He watched Jotaro latch onto it with an amused face, then made his way to bathroom.
Once he came out, he realized Jotaro was still sleeping. And he himself was wide awake.
So he shuffled into the living room, movements still sluggish from sleep. With a blink, he realized he had barely been in here-- the older spent most of his time in his office, or not in the house at all, thus meaning Kakyoin was also either in the office or not in the house. The office even had it's own TV and couch, setting itself up to look a bit like the living room itself.
"It looks like he hasn't even finished unpacking..." Kakyoin sighed to himself, sitting on the couch. It was true, there were still a few boxes gathered around the couch. He ran his fingers across a clear, plastic box with a blue lid. There was only one thing inside, and he pursed his lips together in curiousity. It looked like a small book...
After a moment of consideration, he pried open the lid as quietly as he could and reached inside. He gripped the book, and pulled it out, soon realizing it was a little photo album. It was baby blue, with dark blue ribbons on the corners. Kakyoin smiled to himself. Maybe it was for Jotaro as a kid..? But it was too new, and there would be no way Jotaro would buy a new photo album for his own photos--
With a few flips through the book, he realized it was for Jolyne. The first few pictures were of Jotaro's wedding, a small woman in the photo he realized must have been Jotaro's wife. The wedding itself looked pretty small-- not surprising for Jotaro, who wanted as little of a crowd as possible-- with just a few family members included. The people who he didn't recognize must have been the wife's family...
Kakyoin steeled himself, and flipped to the new page. His eyes widened in surprise as he focused in, the first photo of a small baby, just born, wrapped in a soft green blanket. She looked so cute, and small and vulnerable-- and Kakyoin felt overwhelmed-- he realized that this is what Jotaro had, when his Kakyoin had died. This is the life Jotaro decided to live. He had a damn family. They were both so beautiful, the family itself-- Kakyoin had tears of frustration in his eyes. He would never have a child with Jotaro, he would never create something so beautiful-- and he was pissed. He was angry he couldn't give this to Jotaro-- he was angry Jotaro threw this away.
He ran his fingers over the photos, looking onto the next photo, and the next. Each page was filled with Jolyne on her birthdays, all up unto her most recent one.
"My ex... She sends pictures. On Jolyne's birthday."
Kakyoin jerked around to look at Jotaro, a bit startled by his sudden appearance. With a sniffle, he wiped at his eyes and frowned a bit at the older. "...You don't go to them? Her birthdays, I mean?"
Jotaro shakes his head, looking a bit awkward. He also looked as if he hastily threw on a tank top and some pants, not wanting to be in just boxers in front of Kakyoin. "No... I... I call. I send her presents through the mail."
"Why..?" Kakyoin asked, slowly closing the book, and moving to return it to the box. Jotaro had reached for it, though, and Kakyoin gave it to him.
"It's...not in the papers. I'm not allowed to visit her outside of breaks." With a sigh, Jotaro shifted foot to foot. He held the book gingerly, as if it was something extremely breakable. "...I'm... Also not sure how she'd... react, seeing me." Kakyoin wasn't sure if Jotaro meant either Jolyne or his wife, but he didn't push.
"...Why did you divorce? Jotaro, they're both-- you had--" Kakyoin pushed himself off of the couch, feeling a bit naked in just his boxers in front of Jotaro. Jotaro took a step back as Kakyoin stepped forward, and Kakyoin's heart took a nose dive into his stomach.
"It wasn't working out." Jotaro sounded almost robotic, as if he had said this a hundred times before. He probably had, to family members, to his wife himself--
"There's more to it than that." Kakyoin sounded more desperate than he intended, reaching a hand out and gripping Jotaro's forearm. "You know that, I know that--" He shook his head, looking up at Jotaro with a frown. You know you can tell me. You know you can, Kakyoin hissed to himself, but he didn't say it out loud.
"What else do you want to know, Noriaki? She wasn't a stand user. I was. I had to leave all the time-- She didn't understand why-- I wasn't even there for Jolyne's first words." Jotaro was borderline sneering, looking at Kakyoin, but the redhead knew the look wasn't aimed at himself.
"...It..." Kakyoin's' hand slid down from Jotaro's arm, to his hand. "It wasn't your fault, you know."
Jotaro's face finally crumbled, and he leaned forward to hide his face in Kakyoin's shoulder. And as horrible as it sounds, Kakyoin relaxed at feeling Jotaro finally open up to him. There was still so much to learn about in this universe-- the differences were really taking a toll on him.
"I..." Jotaro took a deep, shuddery breath. "I didn't feel anything. For her. During the wedding-- the honeymoon-- nothing. The most I felt-- I only felt anything was when Jolyne was born. I stuck with her as long as I could, but-- but--"
"It wasn't your fault." Kakyoin's other hand slid up Jotaro's back, to burrow his fingers in Jotaro's hair. "You don't have to blame yourself for everything bad that happens."
Jotaro's breath stuttered, and he pushed in closer, hugging the smaller one tightly around the waist. He buried his face in Kakyoin's neck, body trembling.
Kakyoin had a feeling his words meant more to Jotaro than just what had happened between him and his wife.
--
Jotaro's total emotional shut down after the scrapbook incident had sparked some awkward-ness between them, and to which Kakyoin eagerly tried his best to find any excuse to leave the house.
But this...
He just wanted some damn groceries. That's it, he swears. He told Jotaro he was going out for a minute-- literally a fifteen minute drive, for some stupid food.
"...Aahh... Shit." Kakyoin pulled himself away from the steering wheel, feeling his forehead woozily. He didn't seem to be bleeding-- or pinned, thankfully-- but the front of the car was totalled. "I... Shit. Hope he has good insurance. Shit. Shit."
He had to get out quickly-- the cause of his accident wasn't natural. There was obviously something strange about it. He swerved to dodge someone who had flung themselves out into his way, but hadn't noticed the second person-- that wasn't a person at all. He had went right through them at first, before all of a sudden the car shuddered and Kakyoin lost control, slamming hard into a tree.
He managed to peel himself out of the car, steadying himself against the side of the car. He breathed heavily through his nose to ease his nausea, and looked around. What happened..?--
"It's always fun to attack unsuspecting victims." A harsh, womanly voice spoke behind him, and he jerked around, glaring daggers at her. She had long, long blond hair with several stripes of rainbow colors running along within it, pinned back by probably hundreds of rainbow hairpins.
Her clothes weren't too different-- splattered with the colors of the rainbow and baggy against her frail, tiny frame. She held a huge wrench though, flipping it up easily into the air and catching it nonchalantly without taking her eyes off of Kakyoin.
"Look. Let's cut to the chase to avoid confusion." She was a good four or five inches shorter than Kakyoin, but her intense stare at him made him feel smaller. She smiled sweetly, tipping her head to the side. "I know who you are. You're never going to escape here. You won't find the 'link' to leave. It'd be impossible." She chucked her wrench at him sharply, and he just barely managed to dodge out of the way. It clanged off of the car, and out of it came a stand. A very vibrant colorful stand, like a sentient rainbow. It faded then reappeared next to the woman.
"You...said that you want to avoid confusion, but I have no fucking clue what you mean," Kakyoin spat. "What's a 'link'?"
The woman's smile grew. "Oh, good. Then that means you don't know. Well, you appear dumber than we were informed to be."
"Who informed you--? I--" Kakyoin's confused frown immediately flew up as he drew a conclusion. "The stand user back at my time-- did he follow me here?!"
"No, dumbass. He has a 'linking' stand. That means he shares his stand with his other universe selves for his 'big move'. They learn what he knows about the situation-- but you were supposed to die from his move. I suppose he wasn't able to do it properly, back in his universe, but I was hired to finish the job. And if I fail, there will be more. Noriaki Kakyoin." She took a step closer, and Hierophant was pulled out as well.
"Where have I been through this before..." Kakyoin mumbled to himself in exasperation.
The woman smiled. "Well, before you die, I'd guess it'd be nice to hear my name. I'm Mia. Too bad we had to meet like this-- you're quite cute. My stand here is Imogen Heap. You can say goodbye to both of your pretty little Jotaros." She smiled at Kakyoin's arched eyebrow. "I told you, he learned everything about you, derived from the three months you were under Lord Dio's control." She took another step forward, now a good two or three feet from Kakyoin.
"He didn't tell you my moves, obviously." Kakyoin breathed out. Mia arched her eyebrow, putting her hands on her hips.
"Wha-- Hua!!" She screeched as one of Hierophant's tentacles gripped her tightly by the leg and dragged her down sharply, making her hit the ground. He swung her up roughly, slamming her entire body against a palm tree. She went down pretty quickly, bleeding from the head.
"If he had told you, you would've known that getting close was a foolish idea." He spat down at her.
She groaned but didn't get up, and Kakyoin breathed through his nose in relief. If she had gotten up again-- he would have a real problem. The dizziness from the accident was still present, throwing him off quite a bit and keeping the nausea strong.
He leaned against the side of the crumpled car again, and pulled out his phone as he used Hierophant to drag her away from the accident and into a nearby field of high grass, hoping no one would find her before she woke up.
He dialed Jotaro's number, closing his eyes as he leaned more of his weight against the crumpled metal of the car. Jotaro answered fairly quickly, thankfully. "Hey. Um... I got in an accident. The-- I guess I thought the tree was closer to me than I thought?" He left out the stand user part-- maybe he should keep this to himself for now. A 'link'...
"Are you alright?" Jotaro's voice seemed to have a sense of muted panic, shuffling in the background as if he was getting ready to leave. "Where are you?"
"Yeah, I'm fine... I might've knocked myself out, but I'm not bleeding..." Kakyoin cracked his eyes open and looked around, to find his surroundings. "I'm like, ten minutes away. Just entering the neighborhood next to the big ditch." Kakyoin took a deep breath, then let it all out in a groan. "I'm really sorry... The car is ruined. Dammit, all I wanted was some fucking groceries. I'm pretty sure all the eggs are broken."
"It's fine, I promise. I'll be there in a second, okay? I'll call a tow truck on the way there."
"Yeah, I know. I'll be waiting for you." With that, he hung up and pushed himself off the side of the car. He didn't think he had a concussion, but that would probably be thanks to quick reflexes and Hierophant Green-- He hit the tree and as soon as he was jerked forward his stand shot out, cushioning his blow against the steering wheel, even if it was just barely.
Kakyoin jumped at the sound of the airbag in the car finally going off, and then realized how shaken he was.
"I can handle killing stand users, being killing, being put in the hospital twice, and having my soul sucked out, but as soon as I'm in a damn car crash my senses go haywire." At least, that's what he tried to convince himself as to why he was so on edge. Kakyoin laughed at the irony, pinching the bridge of his nose.
He looked up as Jotaro pulled up in another car, one Kakyoin hadn't seen before, but figured it was Jotaro's anyway. Jotaro hurried out of the car, rushing forward and gripping Kakyoin's shoulders tight.
"Do you think you have a concussion?" Jotaro asked, tilting Kakyoin's head and checking for any bruises. Kakyoin shook his head, breathing out a sigh through his nose.
"No... Hierophant helped cushion the blow, I didn't hit the wheel very hard."
"Are you hurt anywhere else?"
"No... A little sore... But..." Kakyoin turned to look back at the crumpled car, wincing, before Jotaro tilted his head back.
"Don't worry about that," Jotaro stated firmly.
The tow truck shortly after, along with a few police cars, and Jotaro took care of everything smoothly. He also shooed off the paramedics after a short examination, and lead Kakyoin back to the car.
"Jotaro, I'm s--" Jotaro leaned over and kissed Kakyoin, one hand on his face and the other moving to thread their fingers together and hold it tightly. Kakyoin kissed back, feeling himself ache at how much emotion and care Jotaro attempted to push into the single kiss.
"Noriaki," Jotaro hissed as they pulled away, looking him in the eye with fierceness that made Kakyoin hold back a shudder. "It's okay. I don't care about the damn car." I care about you.
"...Okay.." Kakyoin nodded, leaning forward again to kiss Jotaro's cheek. He still felt guilty, but didn't try to bring it up anymore. Jotaro nodded, turning back to the wheel and starting up the car.
"...I..." Jojo cleared his throat, flexing his fingers on the wheel. "I... I'm glad you're safe." Jotaro sounded a bit constipated, like he was forcing himself to say it, looking forward and hands gripping the wheel hard enough his knuckles were white. Kakyoin sighed softly, one hand reaching over to run over Jotaro's knuckles softly, slowly. Until he relaxed, and gripped Kakyoin's hand gently.
"I know."
--
"Okay, your glasses should arrive in a few days." The doctor nodding, poking his tongue out as he scribbled on his keyboard.
"A.. A few days?" Kakyoin asked, in almost awe. In 'his' world, it took about two weeks--
"I work for Speedwagon Foundation. Anything for the Joestars are automatically put at the top of the list to be taken care of." The doctor smiled up at Kakyoin. "And seeing you're with Mr. Kujo, you'll be taken care of immediately."
"A-ah..." Kakyoin nodded, feeling his cheeks flush a bit at the mention of 'being' with Jotaro. "Okay... That makes sense." He cringed in embarrassment as he remembered why he was here-- The car accident.
Kakyoin thought it wasn't that big of a deal-- since Jotaro insisted it wasn't, of course-- but maybe it was. Here he is, sitting in the chair at an eye doctor. Just over a month into being transported to another damn 'universe', or whatever. He squirmed a bit, feeling the guilt from the crash well up inside of him again. Now, Jotaro was spending more money, from the crash, and now this-- just to get him glasses when he didn't even know if he'd be here permanently.
Kakyoin snorted to himself. Who was he kidding? He'd probably be here forever, at this rate. The Foundation still hasn't contacted them, and he didn't get enough information from Mia to know the stand user's whereabouts. He would figure that since Mia was in Florida, the other user was as well-- but that didn't have to be true. Dio chased them from all over the world without moving his ass off of his stupid throne in Egypt.
And maybe because it was because he was worried-- but Jotaro almost never left his side now. It was a bit irritating, a bit endearing-- but Kakyoin...understood, to a point.
But since Mia attacked him, he wanted to see if he would be able to get more information. Possibly run into more stand users. As much as the physical pain hurt-- the emotional pain he felt from being separated from his home for so long was much worse. And Kakyoin knew full well that the more stand users he ran into, the more information he'd gather from their blabbering mouths.
--
"Wh--what's up?" Kakyoin asked almost a week later, pausing his zipping up his jacket as he watched Jotaro shove his shoes on.
Jotaro looked up at him with a confused furrow of his eyebrows. "What do you mean."
"...Where are you going?" The redhead pointed to Jotaro and his shoes. Jotaro just shrugged.
"I'd figure I'd go with you."
Kakyoin sighed in annoyance, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm just going out for some groceries, Jotaro."
"I know."
"You've gone with me the past... Every time."
"I know."
"...Don't you have work to do?"
"Yes."
"Then why--" Kakyoin threw his hands up in the air, letting out a loud groan of annoyance. "Why won't you let me leave the house by myself anymore? I'm not in any danger! I've got--" Kakyoin jammed his hand into his coat pocket, fumbling and pulling out his glasses and ramming them on his face. "I have my glasses! I'm fine now."
Jotaro just stared at him blankly, before reaching forward and opening the door, gripping Kakyoin's arm to bring him out with him. The frustration broke within Kakyoin, and the redhead ripped his arm out of Jotaro's grip.
"Stop!" Kakyoin's voice was embarrassingly shrill, but he ignored it and he took a step back, away from Jotaro's reach. "Do you not trust me to go out by myself anymore?" At Jotaro's silence, he got the answer. He started laughing, dry, not amused at all, and pressed his fingers hard into his eyelids until he saw spots. "I can't believe this."
"I just want to be sure you're fi--"
"I'm not a kid. I am not a fucking child!" Kakyoin snapped at the older, throwing his hands in the air. "I've been treated like I was something breakable by my own parents my whole damn life-- like I was some sort of freak all because of my stand, because I couldn't make friends-- and you are not going to treat me like this too. You are not going to treat me like I can't leave the room without somehow fucking something up!" Kakyoin jabbed a finger accusingly into Jotaro's chest, and was panting now. His rant went on longer than he intended-- more than he could get out in one breath.
"Kakyoin--" Jotaro was cut off as Kakyoin pushed passed him, slapping away Jotaro's reaching hand.
"I'll just fucking walk, so I don't get in another damn accident. Will that make you happy?" Kakyoin turned, beginning to take the steps down the porch before turning back to the door. "Don't try to follow me," Kakyoin snapped at him, before finally speed walking away.
He slowed down when he was sure he was far enough away and there were no following footsteps from Jotaro, hunching in more and more on himself as all he heard was the silence of the neighborhood around him. He had walked a bit farther than he intended-- and from what Kakyoin took in from his surroundings he was over three neighborhoods away from the house already.
In the surrounding silence-- he had time, time to think and to realize-- he was more like his child-self than ever before. He didn't have anyone but Jotaro. Here, Jotaro was his only friend, the only one he could talk to, and with him gone he was alone again--
Kakyoin let out a gasp, digging into his pockets and yanking out a phone. One Jotaro gave to him to use for the time being, ironically given to him after the crash. You know, when Jotaro wanted tabs on him at all times.
Kakyoin hurriedly punched in a number, hoping beyond all reason that this number would be the same as the one in 'his' universe. He swallowed hard as the phone on the other line picked up, attempting to keep his voice from shaking.
"Ah... Uh... Mr. Joestar..? This is Noriaki Kakyoin."
-
Joseph was much, much older than Kakyoin had expected. He had a hard time hearing in the call at first, Kakyoin getting flustered as he yelled his name into the phone in the middle of an empty neighborhood. He was about to hang up before Joseph finally realized, gasping out Kakyoin's name with such shock Kakyoin was worried he was going to die of a heart attack on the call.
It was very hard to get Joseph to believe him-- Joseph got very angry over the call and almost hung up-- before Kakyoin insisted that it was him and began recalling everything that had happened during their trip to Egypt, In the middle of a neighborhood while standing in the middle of a damn sidewalk.
But-- all turned out well. Joseph had rushed over in a mere few hours (with the warning 'if you're lying, I'm sending you to the damn hospital and you'll have to tell your friends the reason why was because you tricked an old guy and he wailed on your stupid ass'). Kakyoin gracefully taking a taxi (because like hell he was going back home to take the car) to the airport and patiently waited for Joseph to appear.
As soon as he saw the old man exit, he almost broke down into tears. He waved until Joseph finally noticed him-- shakily pulling out his stand as soon as he saw the old man tense up in reflex, ready to fight if needed. Though he looked much too old to even walk on his own-- he had a cane in one hand and a flight attendant holding his other.
"My god... Noriaki." Joseph pulled away from the woman after thanking her, grinning wide at the redhead as soon as he managed his way over. He looked Kakyoin over behind his small glasses, tears brimming in his eyes-- not unlike Kakyoin's own. "How are you..? You've gotten so much bigger-- Though I'm still not sure I understand--"
"I'm-- This is going to sound ridiculous, but-- but this isn't my universe. I was sent here by a stand user, and I've been here for roughly a month and a half or so... I'm not sure how to get back."
Kakyoin let himself be dragged down by Joseph's weak grip, into a hug, burying his face in Joseph's neck with a shaky sigh.
"Well, whatever it is, I'm glad I could meet you again. I missed you, son." Joseph sighed into Kakyoin's neck, patting his back lightly. Kakyoin tightened his grip on the older, keeping his face hidden as he allowed a few tears to spill.
"I missed you, too."
"So... Jotaro's being an ass?" Joseph asked, shoveling another big glop of chili cheese fries into his mouth, Kakyoin watching him with a shadow of disgust. "Again?" At first, Joseph said the argument shouldn't be as big as it was-- until Kakyoin described how he was treated when he was younger as well, like he was a big fuck up and could never be left alone. Ever. Joseph finally agreed with him, after the whole situation had been explained from the beginning. The older insisted they go sit some place and eat, to talk, and because 'all airplane food is shit and I want to congratulate myself on not crashing this time', apparently.
"He... He's... Yeah." Kakyoin rested his cheek in one hand, casting his eyes around. The restaurant they were in wasn't filled, but Joseph's loud talking was definitely ringing over everyone else's. It was as if the louder and the more Joseph talked, the quieter everyone else would get. "Since the crash, he won't leave me alone."
"He doesn't want to lose you again!" Joseph said, waggling one of the soggy-with-cheese fries in front of Kakyoin, who cringed.
"I know. But--"
"Look. You have to see it from his perspective." Joseph paused and shoved the fry into his mouth. "Now, I wasn't the best husband. I'm still not-- but I can tell you that Suzi means more to me than...something really important to me." He shook his head, pausing again to swallow his food. Kakyoin swore he swallowed everything whole." Anyway! I would be devastated if something were to happen to her." Joseph looked up at Kakyoin. "Especially if it was something like you went through."
"But... But Jotaro didn't feel like that for me back th--"
"You and I both know that's a lie!" Joseph waved his hand around, Kakyoin arching an eyebrow. "He definitely felt something for you, even if he was too emotionally constipated to act on it. I'm old, not blind." Joseph blinked a few times, pulled away his glasses and rubbed them, then placed them back on the tip of his nose again. "Not yet, anyway."
Kakyoin snorted, opening his mouth to reply, before Joseph shut him down again.
"I'm not done! Now look." Joseph took a swig of his drink, slamming it obnoxiously back onto the table. Kakyoin groaned to himself, wondering if Joseph could get any louder. "Jotaro latched onto you immediately after you appeared-- all he wants to do is be close to you." Joseph reached over and touched Kakyoin's hand, pursing his lips together. "...You don't know what he was like after you died, Noriaki." His voice was suddenly a hushed whisper, Kakyoin blinking owlishly at him. "He always looked around when something funny happened-- expecting you to be there, and when he realized..." He shook his head, casting his glance down at the table. "He had always had communication problems, but after you were gone-- he shut down. Some sort of-- PTSD thing, I think. Holly also mentioned nightmares, but he refused therapy or medication. Until we had Polnareff called up, and they talked... Polnareff told Jotaro that shutting down wouldn't be what you all wanted, I think-- and it took Jotaro a while, but he...he's been making very good progress in opening up, even more than before." Joseph cleared his throat, tugging a bit at his collar. "Anyway.
"We had to tell your parents... And we gave them your urn. God, Noriaki. We should have never brought you-- so young--" The old man cleared his throat, eyes misty as he looked down at his lap. "B... But Jotaro-- he was--" Joseph's grip tightened on Kakyoin's hand. "After he moved here, he built a small grave for you, Abdul and Iggy. It's quite closed off on itself-- Just three little graves sitting alone at the corner of the graveyard, the private one near Jotaro's house. Apparently a neighbor of his built it specifically for his wife, and it's been there for a while, and growing."
"Yes, I'm aware of what you're talking about. It's also there in 'my' universe, too," Kakyoin replied quietly, mentally urging Joseph to continue. He swallowed hard.
"Right. Well... For the first two years, he visited your grave almost every day. Almost every day, Noriaki." Joseph sighed, pulling away and wiping at his eye gently. "He never physically showed anything, but I could tell how much pain he was in. And I can assure you, that now-- he probably thinks everything's messed up again. He's probably a wreck."
Kakyoin sighed and stood up, eyes darting to the door before looking down at Joseph. "C-could I..."
Joseph nodded, smiling up at him, eyes crinkling. "Yeah, you can go on. I'll catch up later." He waved his hand over his fries. "Beside, I haven't even finished yet."
Kakyoin hugged Joseph once more, before rushing out of the restaurant.
"Jotaro..?" Kakyoin said quietly as he opened the door to their house, nervous and almost shy. Then he realized Jotaro wasn't there-- at home; none of the lights in the house were on and it was getting dark. But the car was in the front, so where could he have..?
Kakyoin took a deep breath, closing his eyes. He had a clue to where he could be-- and it was thanks to Joseph.
"That damn graveyard, huh..." Kakyoin spoke to himself, jamming his hands in his pocket as he left the house again. He could feel himself getting overly nervous, breathing heavily through his nose at the thought of seeing his own grave. It seemed so surreal-- like-- like he could wake up any moment.
The gate of the graveyard was more rusted than he remembered-- and a little bigger, but other than that everything was the same. The same area, the same houses, everything. He gently pulled open the gate and slipped inside, cautious to not make any loud noises. He remembered something about the graves being isolated-- in a corner. After squinting through his glasses, he did notice four lumps together, in the very back of the area. Kakyoin ran his hand through his hair with a quiet sigh, making his way over to the three graves and Jotaro.
As he approached the older, he stopped to take everything in (and to calm down). Jotaro was sitting criss crossed in front of the middle grave, picking at some flower he had managed to find--
Kakyoin gasped, almost audible, hand coming up to hide his mouth. All three graves had flowers on it-- but the middle one-- it had... so much. There were wilted flowers, plastic flowers-- plastic containers of rotting cherries, there were-- were pictures, some of them framed and others half heartedly taped onto the stone. The pictures-- some of them were of them, together, just he and Jotaro, some of them had all of the Stardust Crusaders, and some of them were of Jotaro's family.
"I meant to come to you," Jotaro grumbled, making the redhead jump, wiping his thumb over Kakyoin's name on the grave. "But I couldn't. Came here instead, to apologize. Thought maybe you would be able to tell." Jotaro looked so-- so fucking sad, he was so curled in on himself, edging closer to the headstone the more he spoke. "Maybe you could-- that's why you're here. Probably not."
Kakyoin didn't say anything, but came forward and took a spot next to Jotaro. He reached out and gently gripped Jotaro's hand, away from the grave, and pressed it to his chest. Made it so Jotaro was forced to feel his beating heart-- to feel him.
"I'm here now." Kakyoin whispered, scooting closer to Jotaro, not minding the dirt on his pants. He threaded their fingers together, pursing his lips together at Jotaro's unresponsiveness. "I love you more than anything, you know that, right?"
"'Course." Jotaro spoke quietly in reply, Kakyoin breathing out a sigh of relief through his nose when Jotaro responded in kind and gave Kakyoin's hand a gentle squeeze.
"I mean it, Jotaro. I wouldn't say something like that if I didn't."
"...You should've gone with them."
"..Gone with who?" Kakyoin asked softly, tilting his head to the side in curiosity.
"The Foundation..." Jotaro grumbled, burying his face in his knees. "You would probably be home by now."
"Jotaro." Kakyoin moved closer and closer until he was pressed against the older, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "I have no doubt in my mind I would be treated like a damn prisoner with them; no one there would...understand, like you do." Kakyoin's grip on Jotaro tightened. "I probably would've ran away to you, anyway." At Jotaro's silence, Kakyoin had to bite back a noise of frustration. "Jotaro, there's no one I want to be with than you. You-- you're my best friend, my first friend at all actually, my-- my boyfriend--" Kakyoin let out a sigh, leaning his head against Jotaro's, gently. He raised his eyes to look at his own grave, reading his name, engraved in English. The sun was setting quickly now-- making everything's shadows longer than usual and casting an almost ironic sadness over the graveyard. "My saviour. You saved me-- so many times, not just during Egypt-- you befriended me, you and your family took me in, I can't be more grateful for that than I am now--" He was cut off as Jotaro shifted in his arms, turning toward Kakyoin and pulling him in for a kiss, a desperate one as Jotaro practically kissed his emotions onto Kakyoin's lips.
Relieved, the redhead kissed back, arms wrapped around his neck and fingers digging into the back of Jotaro's coat. He was gently pulled into Jotaro's lap, leaning down to kiss the older, as he craned his head up to kiss Kakyoin.
"Mm..." Kakyoin slowly, reluctant, pulled away from the kiss, watching Jotaro's eyelashes flutter as he opened his glittery eyes. A wave of just-- just appreciation, of love, for Jotaro rushed over Kakyoin in one harsh bout, causing him to let out a heavy gasp as his chest tightened.
"Noriaki..?" Jotaro asked softly, tilting his head a bit as he pulled the other closer, hands on his back and their chests pressed together.
"...It's nothing." He paused, smiling down at Jotaro, cupping the older one's face with his hands. "It's getting dark. We should go before we end up spending the night here, yeah?" He leaned down and pressed another kiss to Jotaro's lips, moving up to kiss the crease between the frown of his eyebrows, kissed it until Jotaro stopped frowning.
"...Alright..." Jotaro's grip tightened on Kakyoin, though, and he buried his face in the crook of the redhead's neck.
"I'm sorry I got so mad at you," Kakyoin whispered, running his fingers through Jotaro's hair. "I know you just wanted to keep me safe." Jotaro tried to pull away and speak, but Kakyoin pulled his head back to his neck and shushed him softly. "I'm sorry."
They only managed to pull apart after it was too dark to see anything without the help of streetlights; Kakyoin hitting multiple headstones on the way of the graveyard with groans and curses. Jotaro just snickered, gripping Kakyoin's hand gently as he lead the smaller out.
"Don't be a jackass," Kakyoin grumbled with a pout, but gripped Jotaro's hand tightly within his own.
"I would never." Jotaro opened the gate and they walked home in silence, their linked hands swinging back and forth as they walked together in sync. Kakyoin kept close, letting out a shiver in the cool night air. In response, Jotaro unlinked their hands to wrap his arm around Kakyoin's shoulders and pulled him close. With a smile, the smaller rested his head against Jotaro's body.
At the door of their house, Jotaro turned to look at the redhead and tilted his head up, leaning down to kiss him. "I love you too," he mumbled against the younger's lips. Kakyoin let out a small hum in response, wrapping his arms around Jotaro's shoulders as he kissed the other back.
Jotaro swayed into him, tilting his head to deepen the kiss. When Kakyoin let out a soft noise, Jotaro pushed into him even more, licking into his mouth a bit sloppily. He hadn't done this sort of thing in a while-- but Kakyoin hadn't minded, only trying to get as much physical contact with Jotaro as he could.
This time, it was Jotaro who pulled back, having to hold back from the intense want to dive back in, when he heard Kakyoin's soft disappointed noise. "Unless you wanna make out here all night, we should probably get inside." He gently dragged his nose across Kakyoin's in a small nuzzle. Kakyoin moved with him as he went to open the door, placing his face in the crook of Jotaro's neck. He gripped the top of Jotaro's turtleneck and pulled it down enough to kiss and bite, reveling in hearing the other curse at the small nibble. Once they managed to get their way inside, Jotaro closing the door behind him, they continued their feverish kissing, Jotaro pressing him against the wall. Kakyoin hitched a leg up, Jotaro's hand coming down to hold his thigh and support it.
Jotaro rocked his hips forward, grinding into Kakyoin-- who let out a moan into the kiss and arched his back, into the rocking.
"Woah-- woah!" Jotaro and Kakyoin jumped away from each other at the yell, staring wide eyed at Joseph, who was eating macaroni and cheese straight out of the damn pot.
"Gr-- gramps?" Jotaro hissed, eyebrows furrowing. Kakyoin hid his face in his hands, whole body on fire-- he wouldn't be surprised if his whole body was red.
"At least let me leave first before you start doin' it..!" Joseph set the pot down on the coffee table. "I knew all would turn out well, but this..." He slowly made his way to the front door, passing by a frozen Jotaro and Kakyoin. "By the way, you have almost no food. Try shopping once in a while."
Kakyoin broke out of his stupor, reaching out for the old man. "U-um-- you should stay here! Or at least let me drive y--"
"No, no. It's fine. I have a taxi on speed dial and a hotel back in Miami anyway." He winked at the redhead. "I wouldn't want to interrupt anymore than I already have..!"
And with that, he fucking left. Jotaro looked at Kakyoin, expecting an explanation, who just turned away and hid his face in his hands once more.
"It... It's a long story. Okay?"
"....Okay..." Jotaro placed his hand on Kakyoin's shoulder, nudging him until he looked over. "Do you want to continue...?"
"It didn't... Turn you off too much, right?"
"I don't think I'll have any problem getting it up again, Noriaki."
Kakyoin smiled a little shyly, and Jotaro moved closer, pressing a kiss to Kakyoin's lips. Kakyoin immediately responded with vigor, wrapping his arms around his neck.
They made their way to the bedroom, undressed each other quickly and fell back onto the bed with feverish kisses and small, pleasured noises. Jotaro sat up, still kissing Kakyoin, the redhead clambering into his lap and cupping Jotaro’s face. Jotaro paused for a minute, pulling away from the kiss to look down at Kakyoin's stomach. He gently ran his fingers across the marred skin, lips pressed into thin line. Kakyoin gripped Jotaro's face firmly, bringing up his face to kiss him.
"I'm okay. ...Do you have lube--" Kakyoin was cut off as Jotaro pulled away, leaning across the bed to shuffle through his nightstand, and pulled out the small bottle.
"Do.... Do you want..?" Jotaro asked, looking from the bottle back to Kakyoin.
Kakyoin thought about it for a moment, thighs tightening around Jotaro's. "Have you..done this before--"
"No..." Jotaro squirmed a little. "Not with anyone but--" He looked away, Kakyoin nodding and leaning up to kiss Jotaro's chin.
"Okay. I'll do it, then." He gripped Jotaro's hand and pulled it forward, squirting the lube onto his fingers. Jotaro lathered it over it thoroughly, Kakyoin crawling further up Jotaro's lap and arching his back to make it easier for the other. He shuddered as Jotaro gently dragged his cold fingers down his lithe body, before pressing it against Kakyoin's entrance. He didn't push in at all, just pressed, and waited for Kakyoin to whine about it before slowly pushing in one finger.
The smaller hid his face against Jotaro's collar bone, clenching his hands into tight fists with a pant. Jotaro held his finger inside of him, kissing the top of Kakyoin's head gently. "Tell me when," he mumbled, Kakyoin nodded shakily.
When Kakyoin bit down gently on Jotaro's collarbone mumbling for him to go, he started thrusting it in and out, dragging the pad of his finger sweetly across his prostate. Kakyoin shook in his arms, jaw dropping to let out a keen whine.
"More?" Jotaro rumbled, Kakyoin nodding and clutching Jotaro tighter.
He pressed in another finger, and Kakyoin buried his face in Jotaro's neck, nails digging into his back as he bucked down, pushing Jotaro's fingers deeper inside. Jotaro kissed the side of his face gently, humming at Kakyoin's small whimper. His free hand was pressed against the small of Kakyoin's back, pressing the redhead's naked body even closer. Kakyoin was half on and off Jotaro's lap, trembling legs pressed to Jotaro's own as he attempted to find enough support to fuck himself onto the fingers.
Kakyoin let out a stuttered gasp as Jotaro thrusted his fingers up as he bucked down, curling them into his prostate. He bit down gently onto Jotaro's shoulder, small whines and whimpers pouring out with each thrust of the older's fingers.
"I-I'm ready-- 'less you w-want me to come before we e-even get anywhere." Kakyoin panted, voice cracking every other word. It had been pretty long before he did anything like this-- he deserved a reward for not coming almost immediately.
Jotaro hummed again, pressing another few soft kisses to the side of Kakyoin's face, thrusting his fingers roughly another couple of times before finally pulling them out, slow. He soaked in the impatient noises Kakyoin made while he waited, Jotaro grabbing the lube that was thrown to the side, uncapped it, and squirted more onto the palm of his hand.
He lubed up his cock before wiping his hand off on the sheets, then moving them up to grip Kakyoin's hips and grind up. He didn't enter the redhead, just nudged the entrance, causing the redhead's head to spin and feel a bit dizzy.
"H-hurry--" Kakyoin's fingers scrambled desperately against Jotaro's back as Jotaro finally brought him down, sinking into him slowly. The redhead panted at being filled, hips trembling and jerking as he rested against Jotaro's pelvis.
"Tell me when you're ready," Jotaro spoke gruffly into his ear, feeling Kakyoin shudder against him. Kakyoin squirmed a bit in his lap, burying his face farther into the crook of Jotaro's neck. Jotaro bit his bottom lip as he held himself back-- back from thrusting up and potentially hurting the other.
"Okay, okay," Kakyoin gritted out, raising his hips slowly. It had a familiar sense to it-- something that finally felt ordinary to him, something he could do, without worrying he'd fuck up. Jotaro let him set his own pace, thrusting up as Kakyoin came down.
"Haa--" Kakyoin let out a harsh breath, moaning right into Jotaro's ear as they sped up the pace-- nails digging into his back, eyes watering as Jotaro ground into his sweet spot with almost every thrust. "Jotaro--"
Jotaro's hands gently swiped down Kakyoin's back, gritting his teeth together as he bucked his hips up. "Nori---" He pressed his lips to Kakyoin's temple as he pumped his cock in and out roughly, taking more control and dragging Kakyoin up and down into his thrusts.
Kakyoin's mouth was open against his shoulder, letting out small noises and drooling, one hand sliding down from Jotaro's back to his own erection, beginning to pump in time with the thrusting. Jotaro pulled him as close as he could, biting the top of Kakyoin's ear, and rested his hand on top of Kakyoin's own and began to jerk with him.
"A-aah--" Kakyoin gasped sharply, bucking down, onto Jotaro's cock and hissing at how sharply he was filled. "I-I'm-- nn-- Comi--" He bit down on Jotaro's shoulder again as he came, Jotaro grunting in surprise at how suddenly he had gotten tight. He thrusted up into Kakyoin a few more times, before coming as well, riding out his own orgasm as he tried to help the redhead ride out his.
"...You okay..?" Jotaro panted out after a few minutes. He pulled Kakyoin up and off of his softened cock and onto his thighs, both of them making a small noise.
"Y-yeah..." Kakyoin spoke breathily, reaching up and dragging Jotaro toward him, kissing him softly. "I love you."
"I love you too," Jotaro sighed, breaking away to kiss Kakyoin’s jawline, reveling in feeling him shudder a bit from the hypersensitivity after the orgasm.
As they both sat in the pleasant silence, Kakyoin pondered the idea of telling Jotaro about his encounter with Mia. Now would be the time he would be the least angry for holding back for so long. He didn't know where to begin, attempting to plan out his words as his grip on Jotaro tightened. "...Do you...remember when I got in that accident?" He didn't even need Jotaro to reply-- he knew the answer. "It was because of a stand user."
"...What?" Jotaro asked, pulling out of the redhead's grip to look at him. The older had an intense look in his eyes-- a flame alight within them. "A stand user."
Kakyoin nodded, wanting to break the tense eye contact with Jotaro but couldn't find the strength to. "She told me that the man who brought me here had a 'linked' stand. He can communicate to his other selves through his stan, and we have to break the 'link' before I'm able to go back home."
"...Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Jotaro hissed, eyes narrowing.
"It wasn't that I didn't trust you-- I had to do my own research! But you didn't leave me alone at all to be able to..." Kakyoin rested his head back against his pillow and finally broke eye contact, shutting his eyes. "I started a file of stand users I approach here; it's at the bottom of your filing cabinet."
Jotaro watched him in silence, Kakyoin tensing up. He was sure Jotaro would get angry and turn away, give him the silent treatment-- but he didn't. He buried his face in Kakyoin's neck and apologized. "...I'm sorry."
"What're you..." One of Kakyoin's hands came up to bury itself in Jotaro's hair. "What're you apologizing for?"
"I'm getting in the way." Jotaro spoke, not looking up or pulling away, and Kakyoin sighed.
"No, I'm sorry. I should've told you, and you would've helped. You didn't...you didn't mean to." Kakyoin gently kissed the top of Jotaro's head. "...Man. The sweat and come is probably going to glue us together, at this point."
"Do you wanna take a shower now or later?" Kakyoin let out a groan, burying his face in Jotaro's shoulder.
"I really don't want to get up right now. But I think I'd regret it more if I didn't take one sooner rather than later."
"...I can carry you to the shower." Jotaro raised an eyebrow down at the mop of dampened red hair pressed against his collarbones.
"As enticing as that sounds, Jojo, you seriously don't have to-- aah--!" Kakyoin let out a yelp of surprise as Jotaro pulled him up, stepping off the bed with Kakyoin in his arms. The redhead wrapped his arm tightly around Jotaro's neck, pouting up at him.
"...I wanted to."
"...'Course you did." Kakyoin sighed, and rested his face against Jotaro's chest, eyes slipping closed. "You can be so soft, sometimes." He felt Jotaro's grip tighten on him by just a fraction.
"...Ah. Yeah. We still have that macaroni pot to take care of."
"Is... Did you really just bring up your grandfather after sex?"
"...No."
--
"So this... is like..."
"...A night out."
"...Right." Kakyoin grinned down at the tickets in his hands, before looking back up at Jotaro. "Not a date at all."
"No." Jotaro grumbled, jamming his hands in his pockets and looking away.
"Not a date that Mr. Joestar totally set up for us."
"That old man needs leave soon. He's been here for two damn weeks already."
"Aw, don't be such a sourpuss." Kakyoin stood up from the kitchen table, standing on the tip of his toes to press a kiss to Jotaro's chin. "It was nice of him to do this for us. A night at the aquarium would be nice. And look, it's not even SeaWorld." He smiled down at the tickets. "Wouldn't it be nice at night, too? We'll be able to see cool stuff, like glow in the dark jellyfish and stuff, right? It'll be nice to just get out for a while, too."
"...Yeah."
Kakyoin raised an eyebrow at the other's short, to-the-point responses. It usually meant he was upset, though Kakyoin didn't know why-- "What's up, Jotaro?"
"I don't want help trying to make dates with you, Noriaki."
"Wh-- 'help'? He was just trying to be nice." Kakyoin frowned, placing the tickets on the table before crossing his arms. "Jotaro, don't get jealous of your grandpa. He's like, eighty."
"...I'm not jealous." Jotaro pinched the bridge of his nose. "Anyway, I'm just-- we'll go, if you want to. I have a report to work on for now." He turned to walk away, before Kakyoin snatched his arm up tightly and refused to let Jotaro go any farther.
"What the hell is your deal, Kujo?" Kakyoin hissed. "I won't know unless you tell me, and-- I don't want to go unless you want to. So there." He pulled away, staring at Jotaro like he was just daring him to bite back.
"...I...." Jotaro squinted, before rubbing his temples. "I want to make you happy on my own terms, not by something my grandfather did for us. And it's... our first date, too...using tickets from my damn grandpa."
"Well..." Kakyoin hummed, tapping his chin. "I guess that makes sense, to an extent. You don't have to be such an ass about it, though." He ran a hand through his hair. "...So... How about this. You take me out to dinner before the aquarium. Boom. That'll be our first date, and the whole aquarium thing will be a little get together." Kakyoin clapped Jotaro on the back as he walked past him. "Glad we had this little talk. You'll pick me up at 6:30."
Jotaro let himself have a shadow of a smile, gripping the brim of his cap and pulling it down.
"...Give me a break..."
Kakyoin leaned against the doorframe, watching Jotaro pat down his outfit. "A bit snazzy for a little dinner date, aren't we?" He raised an eyebrow at Jotaro's tux, who flushed red and slammed some flowers into Kakyoin's arms. Kakyoin was just in a simple button down-- but his tight dress pants made Jotaro's mouth dry.
He managed to draw his eyes away from Kakyoin's legs, up to his eyes. "No, actually. You're a bit underdressed for the restaurant."
Kakyoin spluttered, holding the flowers to his chest. "Wh--- What about the aquarium? You can't go in that---"
"I have a change of clothes," Jotaro said, gripping a plastic bag and raising it up. "We should be going-- reservations are hard to come by. I got by with luck."
"The receptionist was a woman, wasn't it?" Kakyoin asked with a snicker, moving forward to link hands with Jotaro.
"...Maybe."
The restaurant was much too rich for Kakyoin's blood-- even if he did travel around the world with his family. He felt a bit uncomfortable, the same feeling he had when he first sat in Jotaro's car bubbling up. Like Jotaro said-- he was a quite.... A bit underdressed.
The food was also made for ants, probably.
"You look uncomfortable," Jotaro commented, placing his cheek in his hand. He spoke in a low murmur, so he wouldn't be too loud over the sound of others and the soft tinkling music in the background. Kakyoin squirmed a bit, looking around nervously.
"Me? Nervous? No." He reached for his fork to chow down, but Jotaro let out a hiss.
"Wrong fork," he said, before nodding at the right one.
Kakyoin gave Jotaro a snide look, but snatched up the correct fork, and finally, hesitantly began to eat. "Who knew there were places like this, in Miami, Florida. Of all places."
"It's the only nice place close enough to the aquarium that we can walk to from here."
"We could've-- Jotaro..." Kakyoin reached under the table, to gently grip Jotaro's free hand. "We could have just gotten take out or something. You shouldn't have to take me places like this. I'm sure it's expensive-- and it's not my forte anyway, so--"
"We can get something on the way home, then." Jotaro smiled at him as he stood up, Kakyoin standing up hesitantly as well. A waiter tried to rush over to assure them he'd give them the bill as soon as he could, but Jotaro waved him off and they went to the front to pay. He then went to the bathroom to get changed, Kakyoin waiting for him patiently.
"I knew you'd get uncomfortable in there. But I also knew you'd say something about me being over dressed, so I wanted to choose a place that'd fit with my outfit." They were outside now; heading toward the aquarium. The bag holding Jotaro's suit was in the car, and he was just dressed in his everyday outfit.
"You're such a jackass!" Kakyoin laughed, elbowing Jotaro's side. Jotaro's lip quirked up in amusement, looking down at Kakyoin from the corner of his eyes. Both of them fell into a comfortable silence.
They could see their breaths as they walked toward the brightly lit aquarium, just a few more blocks away. Kakyoin and Jotaro held hands in one of Jotaro's pockets, with Kakyoin sticking close to Jotaro as they pushed through the afternoon crowd. It was getting colder now-- As September melded into the cool Autumn air of October.
"I mean-- you're a marine biologist. Aren't you excited about this?" Kakyoin asked, looking up at Jotaro curiously.
"...Only looking forward to petting the starfish," Jotaro grumbled, and Kakyoin let out a small snicker, resting his cheek on Jotaro's shoulder. "I don't really work with big sea animals... Though I'd like to."
"Like dolphins?" Kakyoin hummed, once again reminded of the day before he came to this universe, when he pinned Jotaro's dolphin pins onto his hat.
"...Yeah." Jotaro brought his hand out of the shared pocket to wrap it around Kakyoin's shoulders, kissing the redhead's temple. Even as flustered as Kakyoin got, he didn't attempt to move away, and ignored the strange looks casted at them from bypassers.
"I heard this aquarium also allows dolphin rides for an extra fee," Kakyoin replied, pulling away the last minute as they walked up to the aquarium, opening the door and bowing teasingly as Jotaro entered.
"I'm pretty sure I'd crush it. I'm quite heavy." Jotaro jammed his hands in his pants pockets, looking around as Kakyoin went up to the front desk to give them his tickets.
"Our tickets are specifically for eight. We still have a good half hour. You have anything you want to do?" Kakyoin said, walking back to him with small, paper wristbands.
"Why such a specific time?" Jotaro grumbled, holding his wrist out for Kakyoin to wrap the band around it.
"Because that's when the fish are awake, I guess?" Kakyoin shrugged, pulling away and blinking up at Jotaro. "So...where to?"
"Fish don't--- Whatever." Jotaro smiled at Kakyoin's dry look. "We can just get food now, I guess."
"Mm... That sounds nice. One of the vendors we passed by was selling those chicken wraps. They smelled good." Kakyoin threaded their fingers together again as they went to leave, Jotaro nodding.
"If that's what you want."
The food was good-- up until a 'homeless' man attacked them in an alleyway. While feeling triumphant at the fact another stand user finally appeared, Kakyoin really didn't appreciate having a piece of his arm getting instantaneous frostbite. The stand user's stand was surprising-- having tentacles almost like Hierophant's, but the whole stand was made of icy moisture clumped together and dried by the wind. As soon as it touched your skin, it imprinted on you, pressing frostbite deep into your body.
He held his arm gingerly in his hand, hissing in pain as Jotaro brought out Star Platinum, flickering in front of Kakyoin like a fierce purple body guard. He tried to collect his thoughts enough to speak about the enemy user-- but his arm was throbbing so much, like a needle of pain shooting into him again and again--
"Where're you all coming from?" Jotaro snapped, Kakyoin jerking his head over to look at him, impressed even with the haze of pain. Jotaro wasn't stupid-- he knew what he was doing.
The stand user cackled. "Wouldn't you like to know?" He put his hands on his hips, his disguise falling to tatters around him. "We were hired and sent here, dummy."
"I know that, dumbass. I asked where you were from. Not why you're here."
The stand user frowned. "What? I'm from Argentina."
Jotaro pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't have time for this."
"Just-- just knock him out. Call over the Speedwagon Foundation and have him interrogated," Kakyoin replied.
"Not much to interrogate with this one," Jotaro grumbled. The stand user was about to reply before Star Platinum punched him. Hard. There was a gross crack underneath his fist, Jotaro wrinkling his nose up as what Kakyoin guessed he felt the man's nose break underneath his own fist. The man was knocked out, falling back and laying limp.
"Do you have any rope or something?" Jotaro asked, stooping and grabbing the user by the wrist. He dragged him to a nearby pipe sticking up from the ground.
"Uh... I..." Kakyoin began taking off his coat, then unbuttoning his shirt.
"You-- what're you--" Jotaro was silenced as he was slapped in the face with Kakyoin's undershirt.
"I was going to totally have a threesome with you and the homeless guy. Yeah. Just-- tie him up using that."
As Jotaro peeled off the shirt from his face, Kakyoin flushed furiously and began quickly buttoning up his other shirt again. It was fucking freezing-- and he hadn't even realized that the frostbite was gone, just leaving a small red scar on the irritated skin.
"...Mm." He smiled to himself, turning back to the user and tying him up tight, just on the verge of cutting off his circulation. He stood up when he was finished, flipping open his phone and calling the foundation.
"There's a Dangerous Stand User here you need to interrogate. It has to do with the Noriaki-Jotaro case. Top priority. We're just outside the Miami Aquarium, two blocks away in a back alley. You'll find him pretty easily. He's been tied up with a green undershirt. When you pick him up I want you to leave a red check on the ground where the man used to be. I have important plans right now, so I can't stay to wait for your arrival." As he spoke he lifted up his wrist, checking his watch. "Thank you." He hung up and turned to Kakyoin abruptly, linking his arm through the redhead's and dragging him away.
"Are-- are you sure it's safe?" Kakyoin asked nervously, looking back at the user.
"If he got away, there won't be a red mark. If the Foundation did, there will be. If they didn't come on time, then he'll still be there and we'll deliver him ourselves." Jotaro answered simply, and Kakyoin nodded.
"...How's your arm, by the way?" Jotaro asked, looking down at him.
"Just a scar," Kakyoin replied, pulling away from the other enough to pull down his sleeve and show the mark. "No biggie."
"...Whatever you say."
"Ah..." Kakyoin's eyes sparkled as they stood in a large tunnel, within a big tank. All around were glowing jellyfish, casting a soft blue glow on everything. Kakyoin gently placed his hand on the glass, looking up and around. "...Wow..." He whispered. He looked over at Jotaro, who was looking at him with such softness-- they both froze. Jotaro, at being caught, Kakyoin, at seeing Jotaro look so relaxed--
"It's... Really beautiful." Kakyoin broke the silence, smiling, and gripped Jotaro's hand. "We can go see the starfish now, if you want." Jotaro's cheeks turned a soft pink, the tips of his ears a deep red, and he looked away in a flustered manner that he almost passed off as cool and collected.
"...That sounds good."
Sometimes-- no, almost all of the time-- it was hard for Kakyoin to even begin to swallow down the intense amount of love Jotaro held for him. As he held the older's hand, watching him crouch down next to small children to touch the starfish, all he could think about was how much he loved Jotaro. How ruthless Jotaro came off as-- he would beat the shit out of any sort of threat without another thought. He's killed a man. (Granted, the man was a 100+ year vampire-- but. You know.) And on the other hand, here he was, stroking damn starfish because he found them cute.
His grip on Jotaro's hand tightened, and he didn't realize he was crying until Jotaro looked up.
"Hey..." Jotaro stood up, moving his hands from Kakyoin's to grip the redhead's shoulders. "Why're you..?" Kakyoin shook, one hand coming up to wipe his eyes.
"I love you," Kakyoin croaked out, reaching his arms out to wrap around Jotaro's shoulders, hugging him close. "I love you so much."
Jotaro hugged him back, burying his face in Kakyoin's hair with a soft huff through his nose. "I love you too."
And every time Kakyoin thought about it, the guiltier he got but the thought still came almost every day.
Did he even want to go back home anymore?
They made their way out of the aquarium quickly, Jotaro detouring to check on the stand user (red check was on the ground), and then swiftly get to the car.
By the time they got home, Kakyoin was practically glued to Jotaro, kissing him wherever and whenever he could. Jotaro could barely pry him off, only to get shoved back and onto the bed.
"Tonight," Kakyoin huffed, yanking his shirt off and over his head, "I want to 'top'. Is that okay?" Jotaro nodded from below, but Kakyoin sensed a bit of a nervous energy emitting from him.
"I know it'll be your first time. I'll be gentle." Kakyoin grinned as he kicked off his pants and began working on Jotaro's own clothes. "I'll take full responsibility~." Jotaro snorted, shoving Kakyoin's shoulder gently before arching his back to allow his top to be pulled off easier.
Kakyoin pulled away to find the lube, Jotaro kicking off his pants and boxers in the meantime. He spread his legs to allow room for Kakyoin to situate himself between his thighs. The redhead leaned down to kiss Jotaro's chest and stomach, feeling the skin twitch under his touch with amusement. Jotaro felt him smile, and turned his head to the side to press his face into the blanket and hide his embarrassment. "It's...been awhile since I've been touched."
"I know," Kakyoin whispered soothingly, running his fingers lightly down Jotaro's sides. "I'm not making fun of you." He pulled away from Jotaro, who tried to arch up as he pulled away to follow his body heat. Gently, he pressed the older back down before lubing up his fingers with quite a lot of the viscous liquid.
"Arch your back," Kakyoin asked, Jotaro doing so. Kakyoin slid a pillow beneath him, before spreading Jotaro's cheeks gently. "Tell me if it starts to hurt." Jotaro nodded nervously, still not looking Kakyoin in the eyes.
Kakyoin gently pressed his middle finger in, stopping every time Jotaro tensed up too much. He kept the older one's twitching thighs open, leaning down to nuzzle the soft skin and give it small bites and gentle licks.
Jotaro was obviously biting back his noises, one hand coming up to hide his face and the other clutching the sheets tightly. His whole being jerked when Kakyoin's finger was fully sheathed inside him, prodding against his prostate.
"A-another--" Jotaro's voice broke as he spoke behind his hand, face flushing. Kakyoin gently nodded against his thighs, slipping in another finger, quicker than the first one but just as smoothly.
"I'm going to start moving, okay?" Kakyoin whispered, Jotaro nodding again. He sucked in sharply as Kakyoin did so, gently thrusting his fingers in and out. Jotaro let out a small whimper, hips jerking up as Kakyoin tried to brush his prostate as often as possible. He hissed when Kakyoin spread his fingers into a V shape, who then licked a stripe up his cock to distract him. He thrusted a few more times, before pulling out slowly, kissing his way back up Jotaro's chest.
"Okay... Okay." Kakyoin kicked off his own boxers, letting out a light sigh. He gently grabbed Jotaro's chin, turning his face toward his own and pressing a small kiss to his lips. "Hey. Are you okay?" He asked softly, pulling away and looking into Jotaro's eyes. The other was flushed beyond belief, attempting to keep himself from unraveling, panting harshly through his nose. Jotaro nodded, and Kakyoin smiled lightly, nuzzling his neck. "I'm going to... put it in now, okay? God damn that's cheesy."
Jotaro let out a small snort, the redhead seeing him physically relax under him. Kakyoin smiled back, before fumbling for the lube again. He lathered up his cock, Jotaro wrapping his legs around Kakyoin's hips and tugging him closer. Kakyoin kissed Jotaro's chin before slowly pushing in, hearing Jotaro suck in sharply.
He did the same with his cock as he did his fingers, pausing when Jotaro locked up too much, or dug his fingers into Kakyoin's back sharply. Kakyoin soothed him the whole time, kissing Jotaro's neck and cooing into his ear.
"Just-- just get on with it--" Jotaro grunted into his ear, hugging Kakyoin tighter. Kakyoin kissed Jotaro's neck one last time, before gently pulling out and rocking into him again. Jotaro grit his teeth, whole body trembling as he clenched down around Kakyoin.
Kakyoin hissed into the older's ear as he quickened his pace, Jotaro biting down roughly onto the smaller's shoulder in response. Once Jotaro shuddered and let out a small whine into Kakyoin's ear, he knew exactly where to thrust. He gripped Jotaro's hips tight in his hands and began pounding into him, kissing Jotaro every other thrust or so. Jotaro attempted to kiss back-- but was too much of a mess, breaking it off and arching his back with a long, cracked whine as his hips bucked up just as violently as Kakyoin thrusted in.
Jotaro didn't last long, either-- wrapping himself tightly around Kakyoin as he came, clenching down on the cock still pushing into him. He let out a small gasp of Kakyoin's name, who let out a small wheeze and came almost in time with Jotaro.
He pulled out gently and flopped down next to the older, and Jotaro took it upon himself to enact the after-sex cuddle session. He swiped his hands down Kakyoin's back gently, pressing kisses to his face and against the scars on his eyes. "You okay?" He murmured, Kakyoin reaching up to cup his face and kiss his lips, gently and almost shyly.
"I should be asking you that." Kakyoin smiled up at him once he pulled away.
"No... I didn't mean the sex." Jotaro eyebrows furrowed, and he propped his head up on his hand. His other one still rested on Kakyoin's hip, gently rubbing his thumb on the jut of his hipbone. "You were crying earlier."
Kakyoin looked up at Jotaro in silence, before grabbing Jotaro's hand off his hip and threading their fingers together. "It's...a bit overwhelming... To know you love me. Like this."
Jotaro's lips thinned out, and he squeezed Kakyoin's hand gently. "Why..? Did 'I' never..?"
"He wouldn't say he loved me, but I knew." Kakyoin rolled over onto his back. "Just-- the little things he'd do." Kakyoin smiled over at Jotaro. "But you show it, and I...I always get flustered. I never know how to react." When Jotaro tensed, Kakyoin ran his thumb over his knuckles gently. "It's not a bad thing. I'm just... Like I said-- it's overwhelming...to be physically shown so much affection.
"Lord knows I wasn't shown much when I was a child, either. I didn't have friends, and my parents thought I was a freak." Kakyoin wrinkled his nose, shifting his eyes to look back up at the ceiling. "With you-- younger you, and you, right now; you're my first relationship." Kakyoin's eyes closed. "And what I feel-- I'm so unused to it--" Kakyoin's free hand trembled as it came up to rest on his chest, over his heart. "Sometimes, I look at you and I feel so lucky, my heart beats so fast, I feel I might die. That's...that's normal, I think. I really.." Kakyoin felt his face heat up. "I really love you."
Jotaro rolled over, bracketing Kakyoin between his arms and legs, trapping him. He brushed the tip of his nose of the redhead's, feeling Kakyoin's breath on him. "I love you, too." His eyes flared with emotion, certainty, and Kakyoin shuddered underneath him.
"...Why me?" Kakyoin asked, hands sliding up Jotaro's naked arms and wrapping his arms around his neck. "I'm...not...that special--"
"Noriaki," Jotaro snapped. "You obviously don't realize-- but you were my first friend too. You were--" Jotaro sighed fitfully, eyes closing and nostrils flaring in his frustration. "I loved you. Everything about you-- how graceful you were, your stupid obsession with cherries, how you'd cover your mouth when you'd laugh, the... the little stuff you'd do.
"And I'm sure you were your Jotaro's first love, too. His first boyfriend, his first friend." Jotaro leaned his hand back to grab Kakyoin's hand and bring it down, threading their fingers together. "And as much as I missed you when you died..." Jotaro tilted his head down to press a kiss against the back of Kakyoin's hand. "I'm sure the other me misses you even more. More than you could imagine."
Kakyoin felt sick to his stomach, but not a I'm-going-to-throw-up sick. He felt home sick-- just the thought that his Jotaro was probably panicking, not knowing what had happened to Kakyoin-- it just about drove Kakyoin up the wall. What reigned supreme, to Kakyoin's disdain, were tears. They filled his eyes, stinging them, and his lower lip wobbled as he let out a huff through his nose.
"I have to get you back to him, Noriaki." Jotaro spoke softly, watching Kakyoin with soft eyes.
"What-- what about you?" Kakyoin's voice broke as he asked, sniffling sharply and bringing his other hand down to wipe his eyes.
"I'm more than thankful for being able to spend just this time with you." Jotaro leaned down to kiss him, softly, one thumb brushing away new tears. "This is enough for me."
"I'm sorry," Kakyoin's voice broke again, biting back a sob. "I wish I hadn't died. I wish I was still here with you. I don't want to leave you again."
Jotaro's arm slipped underneath Kakyoin, at the small of his back, dragging him up until their chests touched. He buried his face in Kakyoin's neck, letting out a shuddery breath. "I'm not going to say I want you to leave. But I know you don't belong here." Jotaro's grip on him tightened, hugging him even closer. Kakyoin let out a small, muffled sob, his hand holding Jotaro's and the arm around Jotaro's neck tightening even more.
"I love you," Jotaro whispered into his skin, warm and comforting.
"I love you too." Kakyoin sniffled again, trying to get as much skin-to-skin contact with Jotaro as possible. "I love you too."
--
It was pouring out-- and Kakyoin was getting a bit anxious, Jotaro taking his sweet ass time getting home from dropping Joseph off at the airport. He tried to place his focus into something else, like cleaning the house, or attempting to help Jotaro file some paper work-- but it all lead back to being anxious as fuck.
Where the hell was Jotaro?
His hand was hovering over his pocket, where his phone was; ready to call Jotaro at any second. Just as he was about to finally do so, though, Jotaro slammed open the door with a kick of his foot. Kakyoin jumped a mile high, slamming his knee roughly into the coffee table. He let out out a hiss, clutching his knee as he looked over at Jotaro in bewilderment. Mostly wondering why the fuck Jotaro couldn't have opened the door like a god damn normal person.
But one look at Jotaro's arms, and he knew.
"Wh.... Why do you have kittens?" Kakyoin asked, squinting at them before looking back up at Jotaro.
"They were abandoned," Jotaro replied, hugging four small, wet, mewling kittens closer to him as he closed the door again with his foot. One looked particularly grimy-- hissing and shoving away the other cats with it's paws. Jotaro pulled it up, holding that one calmly in his other arms and the other three in the other. "They would've drowned."
"And your first thought was to bring them home?" Kakyoin asked, standing up to go grab both Jotaro and the cats towels. "You're soaked, you know."
Jotaro didn't reply, and Kakyoin looked back to see Jotaro gently petting the small animals. He smiled to himself as he searched through the small hall closet, finding a towel big enough for Jotaro and small enough for the kittens.
He laid down the small one onto the floor, Jotaro sitting down carefully with the armful of small animals. He gently laid them down onto the towel, Kakyoin helping Jotaro take off his shirt and pants to dry himself off with the towel. The redhead left to put his clothes in a hamper, returning to see Jotaro gently drying off the still-quietly-meowing Kittens off one by one.
"You almost gave me a heart attack, you know," Kakyoin huffed, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow at Jotaro.
"Sorry. I would've opened the door normally if I hadn't had the kittens in my arms--"
"No, I meant..." Kakyoin moved toward Jotaro, sitting down next to him and helping him dry his cat. "...You took a long time. I got pretty worried after you were out for more than an hour."
"Oh." Jotaro blinked at Kakyoin, owl-like. Like he wasn't used to people waiting for him, or caring.
"...Yeah. Do you want something warm to drink? A change of clothes?" At Jotaro's shake of his head, Kakyoin huffed in a bit of annoyance. But it just meant he cared. "Aren't you cold?"
Jotaro looked at Kakyoin as if he were crazy, before shaking his head again and turning back to the cats. "No... I'm okay."
"...Okay..." Kakyoin hummed, leaning back on his hands as he looked down on Jotaro still gently tending to the baby animals. "Well...tell me if you need anything."
"I will." Jotaro lifted the paw of one of the cats, and Kakyoin saw his tongue peek out just barely as he focused on washing the kitten at hand.
"What do you plan on doing with them?" Kakyoin asked, shifting a bit in his spot.
"...I'm not sure... Hopefully find them new homes."
"You're not going to keep one?"
"No... I'm not home often enough. And I don't know how much longer you'll be here, either." Jotaro finished, pulling away with a sigh. "For now we need a litter box and cat food."
"I can head out right now, if you want."
"I think we can handle them until the storm passes." Kakyoin expected this answer, but didn't get annoyed; he only nodded in response before standing up and brushing himself off.
"I'm going to go get you a new change of clothes. Even if you don't want it. You just look ridiculous, sitting half naked grooming three cats." Kakyoin put his hands on his hips when Jotaro nodded, before leaving the room.
While walking back, he heard a thump, and quickened his pace to the living room. As he got closer, he called out to his boyfriend. "...Jotaro, are you alri--" he trailed off and stopped in his tracks as he saw Jotaro laying on his back, completely motionless, with three cats crawling all over him. "Did... Did you fall over because they were climbing on you?"
"I am trying to keep them comfortable by playing with them."
"By...acting like a mother would with her kittens." Kakyoin grinned as he set the clothes on the coffee table.
"If that's the way the cookie crumbles; I guess so."
"You're...so cute." Kakyoin pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed in frustration. "How can you be so god damn cute."
Jotaro seemed to have ignored him, gently petting the small cats that were tumbling across his tummy and chest. He hissed when the bigger, grimier one dug its claws into him, but he didn't pull it off.
"You havin' fun?" The redhead asked after a moment, crossing his arms. Jotaro grumbled softly in reply, and Kakyoin let out a snicker as he lowered himself to the floor with Jotaro. "'s not fair." Jotaro raised an eyebrow at the redhead, who then scooted forward enough to rest his head on Jotaro's arm.
"What-- you got jealous of the kittens?" Jotaro hummed, but smiled over at him. Kakyoin leaned forward just enough to kiss Jotaro, using Hierophant to grab him and gently pull him closer, careful not to bother the kittens.
One crawled onto Jotaro's collarbone, kneading the spot gently with a mew before curling up and falling asleep. Kakyoin held back a giggle as Jotaro stiffened, attempting to make his chest rise and fall less steeply, to not bother it.
"What're you going to do?" Kakyoin whispered, leaning in to nuzzle Jotaro's neck.
"I already said I would try and get them--"
"No, I meant-- I meant when they all end up falling asleep on you." Kakyoin's smile grew in o a grin. "You can't sleep on the floor forever. You're going to have some hardcore back problems."
"That's okay." Jotaro spoke quietly as well, and bent his elbow to pull Kakyoin over more, planting a kiss on his lips. "You'll stay with me, right?"
"When you use that tone of voice, I have no choice." Kakyoin nuzzled their noises together gently, before laying back down with a sigh. "I might really fall asleep on you."
"That's fine." Jotaro crooked his hand up to stroke Kakyoin's hair, the more he did so the more Kakyoin's eyes drooped. He lazily looked over at Jotaro, seeing the other cats slowly relax as well and rest on Jotaro. With a smile, he nuzzled the crook of Jotaro's elbow as he let his eyes slip closed.
Kakyoin slowly woke up, first thing he noticed was the dried drool on his face. He sat up slowly, feeling his back pop and crack with a groan as he did so. He wiped off his face with the back of his hand, lazy from the nap, and looked over at Jotaro.
Then he had a double take.
Jotaro-- he was a child. Literally, in the place of big Jotaro was a smaller version, chubby and hugging three of the kittens close to him. He was quietly snoozing, curled up on his side and chest slowly rising and falling.
Kakyoin knew it had to be the work of a stand user-- but who--
His head jerked around as he looked for the larger cat. A fucking set up. It was a set up. The stand user must've put out a litter of kittens with the bigger one, hoping Jotaro would pick them up. And that's exactly what he did. He jumped onto his feet, carefully listening for any noises that would indicate where the cat was. Beforehand-- he had to get Jotaro up. In case the cat had something like Ulysses' ability to make a person younger with each hit.
"Upsy daisy," Kakyoin whispered, gently pulling all three kittens off of Jotaro. They all mewed at Kakyoin, but didn't fight him, limply letting him move them around like small cat ragdolls. He gently set them on the floor before he kneeled by the child, swallowing hard.
"J.. Jotaro," Kakyoin hissed, grabbing his arm and gently shaking him. "Hey, Jojo."
The child let out a whine, jerking his arm away and curling in more on himself. "I don't wanna go to school, ma..." He tried to grab what Kakyoin figured was a blanket, only feeling thin air. "Wh--" Child Jotaro looked down at himself-- seeing a floor that was not his own and a house that was not his own and someone staring at him he didn't know--
With a yell the child shot up, pressing himself against the couch and his chest heaving. His eyes were wide and bright with panic. "Who-- What do you want?" He spoke feverishly in japanese, the words almost a bit foreign to Kakyoin's ears who was used to hearing english.
"I'm-- I'm a friend. Promise." Kakyoin raised his hands up in the air. "My name is Noriaki Kakyoin. I know your mother, Holly."
Jotaro's chest stopped heaving so harshly, but he still looked extremely suspicious. He was surprisingly lanky and thin-- but Kakyoin wasn't sure what he expected. What, Jotaro to be some sort of beefcake since he was born? Kakyoin held back a snicker at the thought of it-- having to focus on Jotaro and the cat.
"I have-- four cats." Kakyoin spoke calmly, hands still raised. "But I can't find the last one, and it's really worrying me. I'm going to go find it, and you can either sit and wait for me to finish or help me."
"To-- to be sure you're.. A 'family friend'--" Jotaro was cut off.
"Your grandfather's name is Joseph, grandmother is Suzi, your father is a musician that travels a lot. Your last name is Kujo, your grandfather's is Joestar. Your nickname is Jojo. Please. Trust me on this." Kakyoin pressed his hand to his chest. "Trust me."
"Where's my mom--?"
"She went out for a bit and told me to look after you. I know you don't recognize me-- but your mom was nervous we wouldn't get along and she went out with some friends on short term notice. This is my house." Kakyoin spat all of this out quickly, praying to any and all gods out there Jotaro believed him. "So please relax, Jojo."
Eventually, Jotaro did, his small shoulders slumping and body loosening. The underwear he was wearing earlier didn't shrink with him-- causing him to have just a very big pair of boxers that managed to miraculously stay on during Jotaro's bout of panic.
It seemed Jotaro noticed this the same time Kakyoin did, looking down at himself and face flushing red.
"Here," Kakyoin spoke soothingly, reaching for the pile of clothes he brought out just hours before. He handed Jotaro a very large tanktop. "It'll be pretty big, but it's better than being naked.
Jotaro hesitantly took the article of clothing and slipped it on over his head, tugging on the bottom. It was huge on him-- the straps for the shoulders almost covering his tiny ones and the bottom of the tank just reaching past his knees.
"...So... I help you find a cat?" Jotaro murmured, breaking the silence. Kakyoin nodded, pursing his lips together and looking around.
"Yes. It's inside the house. If you find it-- don't touch it. It's a very mean, dangerous kitty."
"What? Did it attack you?" Jotaro asked, hopping down from the couch and toddling over to Kakyoin.
"No, but it attacked a close friend." Kakyoin sighed and crossed his arms. "It's pretty ugly, so it shouldn't be too hard to find."
"Where'd you last see it?" Jotaro asked, moving in closer to Kakyoin (with what the redhead endearingly thought was because of fright).
"It was... In here, somewhere. But this house is huge and it could be anywhere at this point."
"Do...you think maybe pulling out some food would bring it out?"
Kakyoin snapped his fingers, gasping out. "Right! It did look a little starved-- you did great, Jotaro!" He smiled down at the boy, whose ears turned red and he turned away with his cheeks puffed out in a pout. "Now, c'mere and follow me." He quietly moved through the house, and once he got into the kitchen he turned and scooped Jotaro up and onto the table. He pressed his fingers against his lips in an indication to keep quiet. "I'm going to heat some leftovers," Kakyoin hissed. "Just stay quiet, okay?"
Jotaro nodded shakily, looking down at the ground nervously. "What-- what if it attacks me?" Jotaro asked quietly as Kakyoin rummaged through the fridge.
"I won't let it. Don't worry." Kakyoin spilled the cold food onto a paper plate and slammed it into the microwave, letting the aroma of the meal practically fill the whole house. He took the plate out and set it on the counter, leaving the room briefly to grab two blankets. He set it on the floor in front of the kitchen table where Jotaro sat, took the plate, and set it on top of it. Then, he too climbed on top of the table, other blanket ready in hand.
"It'll be briefly stunned when I drop the blanket on top of it," Kakyoin explained quietly to the child. "It'll give me enough time to grab it. All we do now is wait."
Jotaro nodded, peering over at the opening for the kitchen and checking for the cat.
One of the normal kittens toddled in, mewing and pouncing for the food. The two others like it appeared as well, all of them heading directly for the food. "Is it that one? It isn't that ugl-- oh. There's... Two more--"
"No, none of them is the one we’re looking for." As Kakyoin leaned down to pull the cats away from the food out of fear they'd get sick, the bigger, gnarlier one made its way in. Kakyoin jerked away, hoping the stand user cat hadn't spotted him.
"Oh-- wow. That is ugly," Jotaro breathed. Kakyoin hushed him, moving farther back from the table and trying to stay out of the cat's sight. The other three were starting to eat the food-- only to be shoved out of the way by the huge cat. The other three hissed and meowed in irritation, but the other one only puffed up its tail and swatted the others away.
"Okay--" Kakyoin sighed to himself, then tumbled down onto the cat with the blanket open. He attempted to wrap it up and not get scratched or bit at the same time, hissing as his side landed on the hot plate of food, scalding even when covered by a blanket. He tumbled with the cat more, wrapping the blanket around it tighter the more it struggled.
"I--- Got it!" Kakyoin heaved finally, standing up and holding the cat in the blanket like he was holding a sack. It was writhing around inside, growling and hissing and squirming around the plate and food also inside with it.
"What're you gonna do with it?" Jotaro asked, climbing down from the table.
"I'll take it outside. And far far away. You should grab that other blanket and go put it in the wash. It's upstairs in the bathroom."
Jotaro nodded, gathering up the blanket into his small arms. Kakyoin left with the cat, opening the sliding door to the backyard and chucked it down with the plate and food and all. He used Hierophant to create a web around it so it couldn't leave. "Listen. I've dealt with stand user animals before. I know you understand me." Kakyoin crossed his arms over his chest. "You revert Jotaro to normal, and I won't have to hurt you."
The cat hissed, tail flicking dangerously. It hesitantly began its way past Kakyoin, nudging it's head against the sliding glass door to the inside.
Kakyoin huffed, opening it irritably. He then followed it inside, arching an eyebrow. "What, is it some kind of ability that takes a while to wear off?" At the cat's almost snide look, Kakyoin groaned. "Great. Course it is. Well. Until he's normal again, you stick with us. Got it?"
The cat just lowered its head dangerously, letting out a small rumble of a growl from deep within it's chest. Kakyoin 'pssh'-ed at it, walking past with his arms crossed. "Jotaro! You almost done?" He called upstairs.
"Yes!" Was the returned call, Kakyoin smiling at the sound of small feet tramping through the upper floor and down the stairs. "All done."
"Thank you." Kakyoin smiled, gently ruffling the top of Jotaro's head. He swore he saw the young boy blush, but his face quickly distorted into one that of disgust-- seeing the stand user cat and immediately gripping Kakyoin's pant leg in alarm.
"I-I thought you said you were going to get rid of it?" Jotaro mumbled nervously, looking up warily at the older.
"I am, don't worry," Kakyoin spoke soothingly, one hand burying into Jotaro's scalp. "It'll just be a while. It's a good kitty now-- I punished it for being so mean to my friend. It'll be gone soon though, alright?"
"O-ooh... Okay..." Jotaro still looked nervous though, and Kakyoin smiled sweetly down at the child.
How cute.
He had made Jotaro a quick, relatively early lunch-- something small for the boy and himself. He was exhausted-- the haze from the nap earlier still glazing over his brain. "...You tired?" Kakyoin asked the smaller boy, yawning past his hand.
"...I wanna wait 'til mom gets home."
"She'll be here in the morning, I promise." He leaned over and gently smoothed back Jotaro's hair, watching him shrink back just slightly from the unfamiliar hand of the redhead. The bags under his eyes and his sluggish movements told otherwise from his protest, though-- and Kakyoin gently stood up from the table and gently gripping the child's shoulder.
"Here. I'll stay awake for her and wake you up when Mrs. Holly comes, alright?"
Jotaro nodded, weary but sleepy, hopping off of the chair and going up the stairs into the bedroom where Kakyoin was leading him.
Kakyoin slumped into one of the soft chairs while Jotaro crawled into bed, his small body seeming even smaller within the confines of the huge bed big enough for several adults let alone a single seven year old.
"Comfy?" Kakyoin asked drowsily, leaning his face on the knuckles of his hand. Jotaro let out a small hum of confirmation, but the redhead noticed the little one passing him small glances-- as if he felt guilty or something. "What's up..?"
"I-- I don't wanna make you stay up... You seem tired." Jotaro wiggled over to the side of the bed. "You can sleep with me, but as long as you promise mom'll be here soon!"
Kakyoin snorted, nodding at the younger. He stood up, making his way toward the bed. As uncomfortable as it is sleeping in his regular clothes, he didn't want to freak the boy out anymore than he already did-- so he just climbed in bed with all his clothes on.
He made sure he kept a distance between the two of them, looking warily at Jotaro. "If you're too uncomfortable, I can take the guest room."
"Ah-- uh... No, I'm okay!" Jotaro wiggled his toes under the blanket. "I'd-- actually... I wanna sleep closer, if that's... If it's--"
"That's fine." Kakyoin gave the flustered child a reassuring smile, pushing himself closer to Jotaro and opening his arms. Jotaro flushed a shade of red, wiggling himself forward to snuggle into Kakyoin's arms. After the two shifted a bit, they were soon pretty comfortable-- Kakyoin laying on his back with Jotaro half slung onto his side, curled around the redhead.
Kakyoin arched his wrist to gently thread through the edges of Jotaro's hair, lips quirking up into a small smile at the contented sleepy noises the child made in response. Jotaro was out fairly quickly-- chest rising and falling in a slow rhythm that Kakyoin soon found himself falling asleep to as well.
Kakyoin woke up-- quite suddenly-- to a quickly growing pain on his chest, groaning and looking down. "What're you doi--" he stopped mid sentence, eyes wide as he saw adult Jotaro literally curled up on his chest.
"J-Jotaro--" Kakyoin wheezed, sleepily trying to push him off. "You're-- killing me--" He began patting Jotaro's face, harder and harder until he managed to get a reaction out of the big lug.
"Huh--?" Jotaro asked sleepily, lifting his head up and blinking lazily at Kakyoin.
"I'm dying," Kakyoin wheezed out through his teeth. Jotaro's eyes widened in realization, rolling off of the redhead quickly enough.
"You okay…?" He asked a bit sheepishly, voice still rough with sleep.
"I'll manage," Kakyoin felt relieved at the intense weight lifted off his torso.
"How did we... I thought... Living room." Jotaro jerked his thumb downstairs.
"One of the cats you brought was a stand user," Kakyoin drawled, "it's probably long gone by now-- but it turned you into a kid. Like that one-- who was it? Alessi guy you-- er, other you-- told me about on the way home from Egypt." He snorted, letting his head fall backward. "You were so cute. What happened?"
"Jackass," Jotaro grumbled, flopping back over onto the bed and curling up.
"Hey, no. I still have," Kakyoin looked over at the alarm clock, eyes narrowing at the time, "It's like... A quarter to eleven. I can manage a quick dinner. You need something in you. Lord knows you barely had anything for lunch."
"Ah..." Jotaro nodded. Kakyoin managed to get himself out of bed, sleepily rubbing his eyes as he made his way down to the kitchen.
While making a quick meal, though-- he hadn't expected Jotaro to follow, jumping at the still-sleep-warm arm that wrapped around his waist and the dry kiss to his neck.
"You could've waited upstairs, you know," Kakyoin hummed, pleased nonetheless, leaning back into Jotaro's warm body.
"Could've," Jotaro grumbled, nuzzling the soft skin of the redhead's neck, "but I missed you too much."
Kakyoin huffed in exasperation at the cheesy remark, feeling the tips of his ears go red. "Such a child..."
"Must be the work of an enemy stand," Jotaro replied, voice muffled by Kakyoin's neck. Kakyoin only shook his head and smiled in response, trying to focus more on the meal now.
After dinner managed they managed to make small beds for the kittens-- who enjoyed it thoroughly, pouncing around in the small basket of multiple layers of soft sheets-- and then made their way to their bed. Finally. For the rest of the night.
"My neck...," Jotaro groaned, leaning his head to the side and roughly pressing the pad of his fingers to the top of his spine. It was a cramp-- and it was bad, wincing as he tried to turn his head to the side. Kakyoin slid forward on the bed, grabbing Jotaro's shoulders and forcing him to sit on the edge of it. He danced his fingers lightly down Jotaro's toned body.
"You know...this is because you slept on the floor." He smiled when Jotaro pouted, ignoring his 'Then why don't you have cramps?'. "And because you let a damn cat turn you into a child. Now. Where does it hurt the most?" The smaller asked, gently kneading Jotaro's skin with his nimble fingers while he waited for a response.
"The-- the arch of it-- like the middle--" Jotaro let out a sharp sigh as Kakyoin pressed his fingers there, kneading and massaging the skin until the other had completely relaxed, cramp dissipating quickly. Jotaro turned his head to peak at Kakyoin behind him from the corner of his eye, the redhead leaning forward to kiss the star birthmark on Jotaro's shoulder.
"...You're...really good at that. Who taught you?"
Kakyoin smiled sweetly, fluttering his eyelashes. "What. I can't be naturally talented at the arts of giving decent massages?" At Jotaro's snort, he puffed out his cheeks in fake offense. "You're such a jackass, Jojo."
"No, really...did someone teach you?" Jotaro would believe he was a natural-- but the way his fingers almost expertly smoothed over his skin-- he couldn't truly believe it.
Kakyoin quieted as he slung himself across Jotaro's back, hooking his chin over Jotaro's shoulder and nuzzled his neck. "There was this girl I was friends with at college. She was big on this kind of stuff... Ya know, massages and... Yeah. It was like her dream job. Anyway. One day, I wanted to do something special for Jotaro-- er, you... I guess.. Not really. Well. She told me to 'get him in the mood' by giving him massages 'n shit. She spent a good two weeks teaching me just about advice about the body's pressure points. It all sort of spiraled more into a whole 'how to soothe cramps', and all that jazz."
"Oh." Jotaro scratched the back of his head, and they sat in a bit of silence. It was a bit uncomforting to hear about Kakyoin's past-- and the way he spoke with it with such fondness made Jotaro's heart ache. He breathed in through his nose, as if he were bracing himself was he asked the next question; "What was it like. Going to college, with me."
"You avoided me a lot." Kakyoin tightened his arm around Jotaro. Jotaro frowned, opening his mouth, before Kakyoin brought his hand up to press a finger against his boyfriend's lips to silence him. His hand shifted to just stroke the hollow of Jotaro's neck lightly, feeling the older shudder softly. "Not because you didn't like me-- we just didn't want the campus knowing anything about us... I'd be surprised if anyone outside our friends knew we even knew each other. We...don't want any trouble." Kakyoin sighed, and pressed his face against Jotaro's back, feeling his shoulder blades flex underneath his touch as Jotaro breathed. "...It gets lonely, though..." He leaned up again, burying his face in Jotaro's neck. "I miss him a lot..."
Jotaro brought his hand up to touch Kakyoin's, still on his neck. "I'm sure he misses you too."
"Oh, I know he does. He's always all over me when we get home. Like a little puppy." Kakyoin smiled, pressing a kiss to Jotaro's neck. "He tries to make up for the lack of physical contact, I guess."
"So...am I a puppy too?"
"Yes. You're even worse than my Jotaro." Kakyoin squeezed Jotaro's hand, other arm coming forward to wrap around Jotaro's torso. "But it's not a bad thing. Everything about you is wonderful. Even your stupid smokey smell."
"I still smell like smoke? I stopped almost ten years ago."
"Mm... Maybe I'm just in denial that you smell like cat piss. Anyway-- the point is. I love you."
"Ah, the romance." Jotaro turned around, Kakyoin's hands slipping away from Jotaro before they were grabbed up again. The older one pressed his lips against Kakyoin's fingers, slowly, before peering up at the other. "Let's go to bed, Nori."
Kakyoin smiled at Jotaro, nodding. "Okay."
Kakyoin woke up the next morning with something heavy and warm laying on him-- directly over his bladder. It wasn't Jotaro, Kakyoin realized after a moment of collecting himself--he had one arm slung over Kakyoin's torso and the other lightly buried in his red hair. His own hands were wrapped around the arm on his body. He groaned as he forced himself to open his eyes, one hand coming up to block the sunlight streaming in. He blinked the black dots away, eyes slowly lowering to the object on him that woke him up. Er-- not object. Thing, really.
One of the kittens had managed to crawl its way up, and curled right on top of him with no care in the damn world. Kakyoin groaned again, stuck between the urge of just waking the kitten up to go pee and just letting it sleep peacefully. It was almost too cute-- tuffs of hair sticking up in random places like it had a bed head. Or... Bed body, in this case.
Kakyoin jumped a bit as the phone rang shrilly next to them on the nightstand, also waking up the cat unintentionally. With a small yawn, it stretched, then hopped off of the redhead. He sighed-- scooting up on the bed to reach for the phone. He knew he could answer it-- no one called the house phone other than family or the Speedwagon Foundation.
"Hello?" He spoke groggily into the phone, clearing his throat after he heard how wrecked it sounded.
"Oh-- oh! I'm sorry-- this must be the wrong number--" Holly replied feverishly, obviously not recognizing the voice on the other side of the phone.
"Oh-- no! No, this is the Kujo residence. Please, Mrs. Kujo, I'll wake Jotaro up right away." Kakyoin felt his cheeks heat up, and he sat more prim and proper on the bed. He pulled the phone away, holding his hand over the mouthpiece so he wouldn't be heard.
"Jotaro!" He hissed, and kicked Jotaro's shin. It was successful, the kick causing Jotaro to hiss and eyes fly open.
"What the hell--?" Jotaro jerked his head to the side to look over at Kakyoin, who was still holding the phone. His face was red, though, and he seemed so stiff. "...What?"
"It's-- it's your mother. She wants to talk to you."
"You-- Shit! You talked to her? Does she know it's you?" Jotaro sat up quickly, reaching for the phone.
"No, no, she thought this was the wrong number. She didn't recognize me." It made Kakyoin's heart clench in pain, but also filled him with relief; having more and more people from the past suspecting he was alive after everything that had happened would just cause more trouble. Especially for Holly-- who didn't really know the full story.
He handed the phone over to Jotaro, who grabbed it and pressed it to his ear. "Hello?"
"Oh, Jotaro! Hi! I almost thought I had the wrong number, and panicked." Holly's voice tinkled out, and Kakyoin could still hear it, causing him to bury his face in his hands. "Who was the other man on the line?"
"Just-- just a friend, mom. What do you want?"
"A friend? Really?" Holly sounded excited, speaking feverishly into the phone. "What's his name? Why didn't you tell me you had a friend, Jotaro?"
"He's-- he's from one of my peer review meetings, mom. Mom." Jotaro sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he heard his mother rave on and on. Kakyoin peeked up from his hands to grin over at Jotaro, holding back a small laugh. "Mom. What did you want?"
"Oh..! That's right!" Holly hummed, voice still light as ever. "Did you hear from pa, yet?" At Jotaro's silence, she continued. "I guess not, then! Well, the other day, his agent was looking up some family history for the inheritance of his real estate business, to see who would be the most capable..! You know, for his will and all when he dies!"
"Yeah..." Jotaro sighed heavily. He better not be inheriting the damn business. "Don't tell me, I'm--"
"Wait-- lemme finish!" Kakyoin looked on at Jotaro in loving amusement, snickering when Jotaro rolled his eyes. "So, his agent called him up, and told him that he actually has a kid! Another one-- that's not me! I have a brother!"
Jotaro double took on the phone, looking over at Kakyoin with wide eyes. Kakyoin didn't hear all of the conversation-- just something about inheritance. He cocked his head to the side in confusion, and Jotaro shook his head, waving Kakyoin off before holding up a single finger indicating he would get to him in a moment. "What? What do you mean?"
"I mean--!! Dad cheated on ma! At age sixty six! Can you believe that? He-- their kid, I mean-- lives in Morioh, and his name is..." Jotaro heard some wrinkling in the background, guessing his mother had wrote everything down on a sheet of paper. "Josuke Higashikata! Currently he's just a high schooler... We were going to have you sent out to Morioh to explain everything to him in a couple of months, but apparently you're busy with something? Are you scheduled to write another thesis soon? I know how close you are to getting your phD!"
"Uh--"
"Oh, yeah!" Holly cut Jotaro off, barely giving him time to speak or cut in. "And the Speedwagon Foundation needs you to call them 'ASAP'. They have something they want to fax to you, apparently." Jotaro swallowed hard, eyes darting over to Kakyoin before looking down at his own lap.
"W... Was gramps ever planning on telling me any of this."
"Like I said-- you were busy! He was going to tell you after everything was sorted out, because he knew you were going to be stressed. But then apparently the Foundation found some weird... Thing-- I don't know-- in Morioh, too. So he had me tell you. I think he was too nervous to. He was nearly killed by ma already. ...Hey, is it early where you are? It's pretty late here. You sound tired. You're not replying that much, either. I hope you're not sleeping. What I told you was pretty important."
"...Thanks for telling me, mom." Jotaro had memorized the time difference from where Holly lived and Miami, so he knew when was best to call her.
"Oh, you're welcome!" Holly sounded gleeful, and Jotaro attempted to hide his small smile from Kakyoin. "I'll talk to you soon, okay sweetie? Tell me how everything turns out! I'd like to meet this Josuke. He's my brother, you know!"
"Yeah, mom. Love you."
"I love you too! Bye bye!" And with that, she hung up.
Jotaro pulled the phone away from his ear and just stared at it, only looking up when Kakyoin reached over and shook him gently.
"So... What's up?" Kakyoin asked, blinking at Jotaro.
"Hg..." Jotaro grunted, leaning forward and pinching the bridge of his nose. "Apparently gramps found out he has another kid, with some lady in Morioh. His name's Josuke Higashikata. He's just a teenager."
Kakyoin eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but jaw dropped in horror. "Wh-- wha--"
"Yeah. He cheated on my grandma, a while back. At sixty six, of all ages... The bastard. Always saying how much he loved grandma..." Jotaro pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing in the silence that followed. Then spoke up again. "...Also, we have to call the Foundation soon. They want to show us something, I guess."
"Oh!" Kakyoin's eyes lit up, and he scooted closer. "Is it something to do with the stand user, maybe?"
"N... No, I think it has to do with Josuke. Or the town that he's in." Or Jotaro (guiltily) hoped, anyway. He felt a little bad when Kakyoin slumped, eyes looking down at the bed.
"...Oh... Okay. Well, we can call them after breakfast." Kakyoin looked back up at Jotaro with a sigh. "Why didn't Mr. Joestar call you personally? Why was it Mrs. Kujo?"
"I don't think he wanted to hear me yelling at him. He already had gramma almost kill him, according to mom..." Jotaro reached over Kakyoin to place the phone back onto the receiver. When he moved back to his spot, he stuck close, pressing himself up against Kakyoin's side.
"Well, I suppose that makes sense. If I was as... You know... A cheater, like Mr. Joestar was, I'd never want my family-- let alone anyone I knew-- to find out... " Kakyoin scratched his cheek. He still seemed to move a bit sluggish, morning energy seeming to have drained in the disappointing Foundation news. He decided to shake off the feeling with breakfast, moving to get out of bed before letting out a small noise of surprise as Jotaro reeled him back in. The older kissed him gingerly, one hand coming up to gently stroke Kakyoin's cheekbone. The redhead relaxed incrementally, kissing him back tenderly before pulling away with a smile.
"I guess I'll go make breakfast now."
"...Alright."
"You have to clean up any shit you find from the cats."
"...On the other hand, why don't I--"
"Remember the last time you tried to make breakfast?" Kakyoin reminded him with a grin as he made his way off of the bed and out of the room. "Be a good boyfriend, Jotaro~!"
Kakyoin could practically see Jotaro's nostrils flare in irritation, but he knew his boyfriend was also pleased. Maybe it was the domesticity of his life he had with Kakyoin-- but the redhead realized sooner on that Jotaro had trouble getting angry at him, let alone getting legitimately irritated. It was both endearing and saddening, knowing how easily Jotaro would bend over backwards to do anything Kakyoin asked.
So Kakyoin rolled up his sleeves on his night shirt, and made sure he was going to prepare Jotaro the best breakfast he could manage.
Eventually Jotaro made his way out of the bedroom after throwing on a quick tank top and boxers, chucking the small bag of waste into the trash. He leaned on the opening to the dining room, arching an eyebrow at the redhead.
Kakyoin had tied a small apron around himself, getting ready to make breakfast. He looked very prepared, and Kakyoin was sure Jotaro was almost surprised he hadn't put on a hairnet as well. He hadn't began cooking yet-- but that was no problem. He'd just go make Jotaro watch some sort of sea life documentary while he made breakfast.
"What're we having today?" Jotaro stretched with a small groan, eyes closing in a bit of bliss as he unstrained his body.
"I bought some pancake mix the other day, so I figured I'd might as well make some use of it." Kakyoin blinked in surprise as Jotaro shuffled forward and kissed him, before smiling into it and returning the kiss. Then he gently pushing Jotaro back with a wrinkle of his nose, teasing. "Mm.. You smell funky."
"It's your damn fault for making me clean up," Jotaro grunted, before diving back in to kiss him. He backed Kakyoin up, against the counter. In response, he let out a small noise, hand threading through the back of Jotaro's hair and the other digging into the back of the older's tank top.
The redhead let out a gasp as he was suddenly lifted onto the counter, Jotaro now craning his neck up to continue kissing his boyfriend. He let out a shudder as he felt himself getting hard, fisting Jotaro's clothes tightly in his hands. He decided not to protest-- he could just make breakfast afterward. Jotaro was the one who initiated it, after all.
"Haa-- If the cats come in here while-- while we're doing this, I'm not going to let you continue." Kakyoin's voice broke as Jotaro bit his way down his neck, arms reaching around the redhead's lithe body to untie his apron and slip it off.
"Deal," he growled into the sensitive skin. Kakyoin had a feeling Jotaro didn't plan on letting Kakyoin focus enough to notice anything other than him anyway. He sucked a small hickey into Kakyoin's skin as he unbuttoned his shirt quickly, pushing it off of him. He sucked and licked and kissed down his boyfriend's now naked chest like a thirsty man drinking water, trying to swallow Kakyoin whole.
It was overwhelming-- but a good overwhelming, Kakyoin's hips trembling and bucking up as Jotaro gripped his thighs and pulled him closer to the ledge. Kakyoin felt his erection being pressed against Jotaro's lower abdomen, and he threw his head back, hissing and closing his eyes in pleasure.
"Already..? You're so impatient, Noriaki." Jotaro bit one of Kakyoin's pecs, one hand coming up to cup the smaller's erection. Kakyoin shuddered, eyes shutting even tighter, lips pressing into a thin line and letting out heavy breaths through his nose. Jotaro hummed, nuzzling Kakyoin's chest as he slowly moved lower and lower, to his knees. He gripped the top of the redhead's pants, and dragged it down sharply.
Kakyoin looked down nervously, one hand up to his face so he can bite his fingers, to quiet himself. A sudden wave of heat rushed through him when he saw Jotaro looking back up at him, on his knees with his thick thumbs pressing into the pale meat of his own thighs, spreading his legs further for him. The raven haired smirked at the small, growing wet patch. Jotaro leaned forward, and Kakyoin expected him to pull down his boxers. But instead-- obviously unexpectedly-- he dragged his tongue up against the cloth of his boxers, along the line of his boyfriend's erection. The heat was heady and intense, causing Kakyoin to let out a yelp and buck his hips up.
"J-Jotaro--! What're you--" Kakyoin's hips arched, one hand slamming down on the counter behind him to give him some leverage. His other hand stayed by his face, biting down onto his fingers as Jotaro delved in once more. His hips stuttered upwards, but were pinned back down by Jotaro's firm hands, causing Kakyoin to let a small whimper escape. To feel the wet heat of Jotaro's tongue-- but not actually feel it-- it almost drove Kakyoin insane, shaking his head desperately as his thighs tightened around Jotaro's head slightly. "N-- nnhhaa.. Jotaro--"
"If you beg, I'll do it." Was all Jotaro said before he went right back to licking, dragging his tongue across the only barrier separating Jotaro's tongue and Kakyoin's cock. He gently dragged his nails down the redhead's thighs, so lightly it left no white marks in its wake, making Kakyoin shudder.
"Pl--" Kakyoin cried out as Jotaro suckled sharply on him, not expected it at all. He was already so undone, and the older had barely done anything-- he just wasn't used to this at all. "Please, Jotaro..!" Kakyoin began curling in on himself, hands gently burying themselves in Jotaro's messy bedhead hair as he felt Jotaro mouth gently at his cock through the wet material. "Please--"
Jotaro jerked backward, gripping the edge of Kakyoin's boxers and dragging them down sharply. Kakyoin let out a hiss as the cool air hit his damp cock, feeling it twitch. He covered his face in embarrassment, but his boyfriend paid him no mind, diving right back between his thighs.
"Haaah-- aah--" Kakyoin let out a long, drawn out moan when Jotaro licked a hot stripe up the smaller's cock, finally. He cut straight to the chase, as if he craved this as much as Kakyoin did. The redhead could barely watch as he took him down, pausing once his gag reflex kicked in. Jotaro bobbed once, making Kakyoin hiss when he pulled off suddenly. His hand took over though, Kakyoin's cock slick now. As he jerked him off, he placed his fingers in his mouth. Kakyoin knew where this was going, and he raised his hips up in preparation as Jotaro finished slathering his own fingers in saliva.
The older's fingers made a soft 'pop' as they left his mouth, trailing them between his boyfriend's twitching thighs teasingly. He gently pressed against Kakyoin's entrance until Kakyoin whined out, finally complying, and pushed in one finger smoothly. Kakyoin's head dropped back with a heavy gasp for air, one hand coming up again to bite his fingers and quiet himself. Another finger soon joined, pressing heavy against his prostate, causing Kakyoin to moan out and writhe.
Then, he felt Jotaro's hand leave his cock. Blinking past the blur of tears of pleasure, he looked down to see what was happening-- only to throw his head back again. Jotaro had took him into his mouth once more, swallowing him down before bobbing his head. The wet heat of Jotaro's mouth and the fingers currently fucking into him obviously wouldn't allow him to last long-- groaning and bucking up sharply into Jotaro's mouth, down onto his fingers.
He shuddered almost continuously as he felt himself coming closer and closer to the edge, biting down harder on his fingers. He pulled them out quickly to gasp out of a warning. "I--I'm-- close--"
Jotaro only moved faster, fingers only moved more thoroughly, Kakyoin's eyes shutting tight as he pumped his hips up, up into Jotaro's willing and slack mouth. Jotaro slammed his fingers up hard into his prostate-- and that was the final straw. He came, letting out a loud, long moan with Jotaro's name trailing at the end.
Jotaro continued thrusting his fingers into him, and swallowed his come down easily, almost eagerly, to work him through his orgasm. He only stopped once Kakyoin's hips had stopped trembling, hot whimpers of pleasure-pain of over-sensitization escaping Kakyoin's lips.
The redhead felt Jotaro finally move off, and fingers slowly slide out of him. He sat limp on the counter for a minute, panting, looking down at Jotaro to see him lean back on the heel of his feet. He licked the come from the corner of his mouth and wiped off some trailing down his chin, slowly standing up. He leaned forward to kiss the redhead, gentle.
In the complete opposite of the mood Jotaro was attempting to set, Kakyoin kissed back roughly. His eyes flared open, and Hierophant slid out startlingly quickly, tentacles coming up behind Jotaro and snapping his arms behind his back.
"Nori-- wha--" Jotaro cut off as Kakyoin slid off of the counter, pressing his lips to Jotaro's neck and trailing down with wet kisses and some hickeys. Hierophant made no noise behind Jotaro, only released more of its tentacles, which traveled as caressed Jotaro's body. It felt weird-- the slime from Hierophant wasn't cold, neither was it warm. It felt room temperature, completely comfortable. Well, as comfortable as a slime can be when it's trailing down your skin.
But it more or less added to the sensation, Kakyoin knowing Jotaro liked to feel a little vulnerable when doing things like this. After pressing more hickies to Jotaro's chest, he pulled away, and sat back on the counter.
"What--" Jotaro half asked, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Kakyoin just smiled politely, crossing his now naked legs and placing his hand gently on his knee.
"I'm just watching the show," Kakyoin replied, eyelashes fluttering. Jotaro finally understood-- hips jerking in surprise when Hierophant spread his thighs open and lifted him just barely off of the ground. They wrapped around his limbs-- rendering them useless if he wanted to fight back. But Kakyoin knew he didn't want to.
Jojo's boxers were easily removed, sliding down his legs with the wet tentacle dragging teasingly against his inner thigh. It twitched in response, Jotaro subconsciously attempting to close his legs on the tentacles holding his thigh open. They stayed firm though, Jotaro's head falling back and a small whine escaping his lips. He was already hard from before-- which made it even harder for Jotaro to submit through the embarrassment.
"Don't tease," He gritted out through his teeth, and Kakyoin's smile grew into a smirk. More tentacles slid up his chest, but didn't remove his shirt. They kept sliding up, over Jotaro's abs and stopping at his pecs. Jotaro's eyes closed and he turned his head, lips pressing together into a thin, tight line. But even that wasn't enough to stop the sudden moan that broke through, the tentacles reaching Jojo's nipples and tweaking them roughly. They rubbed the nubs with their slime, as if in forgiveness, before repeating the motion, Jotaro's jaw falling slack and letting out another moan, that trailed off into just harsh panting.
"'Already?'" Kakyoin hummed in amusement, repeating Jotaro's words from the beginning. Jotaro looked ready to snap back at him, but then his nipples were tended to once more, tentacles around his thighs tightening and spreading him open even more.
Kakyoin could see Jotaro's entire being trembling, and decided to let him have some give. The tentacles loosened, and they stopped playing with his nipples, one of the tentacles moving even further up and dragging against his bobbing adam's apple.
Another one moved between Jotaro's legs, wrapping around the base of his cock tightly and another prodded gently at his opening. Jotaro's eyes flew closed, biting his lip in an attempt to keep quiet at the overwhelming sensations. He arched his back to rid himself of the tentacle still gently rubbing his nipple, but to no avail. He let out a groan, shaking his head gently.
"What is it, Jotaro?" Kakyoin made his voice as sweet as he could, with the menacing undertone under it. "You have to tell me before I do anything... I don't know what you could possibly want."
Jotaro shook his head again, eyes not opening, so Kakyoin continued to tease. The tentacle resting on Jojo's neck moved to gently wrap around it now, careful not to hurt his user's lover. But it sparked a reaction-- Jotaro's hips arching high with a gasp on his lips. He groaned when it tightened dangerously, but definitely not nearly enough to choke him or cause discomfort.
"Just-- just fuck me already!" Jotaro managed to bark out, cracking one eye open to stare down Kakyoin. Kakyoin smiled and nodded, resting one cheek on the palm of his hand, as if he were bored. He arched an eyebrow, and Jotaro felt the tentacle slowly enter him. It was a bit terrifying-- since Jotaro hadn't been lubed up, but he almost immediately after realized it wouldn't be a problem. Hierophant was slick-- and while one of it's tentacles were grinding against his entrance earlier, it was helping him for when he finally entered.
At the same time, the tentacle around his neck tightened just slightly, and the one resting by his sore, sensitive nipple flicked it again. Jotaro let out another gasp-- only to almost gag as another tentacle plundered into his mouth. It was removed as quickly as it had entered, Jotaro coughing lightly.
"Shit-- I didn't--" Kakyoin hurriedly slid off the counter and was next to Jotaro in no time. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to do that." He cupped Jotaro's cheek and gently kissed him, Jotaro groaning as the tentacle within him twisted roughly and pushed deeper inside.
He couldn't really speak-- so he nodded.
"Can... Are you okay with it? In your mouth?" Kakyoin asked, one hand running soothingly down Jotaro's chest. Jotaro turned his head away from Kakyoin and nodded, only once, face flushing as bright as Kakyoin's own hair.
Kakyoin smiled softly, squeezing Jotaro's hip before slowly removing himself and going back to sit on the counter. "Alright then."
This time, it wasn't as surprising, gently prodding open Jotaro's lips before sliding inside. He moaned around it, bucking his hips down against the tentacle within him that was beginning to thrust faster.
"I'm going to add another one." Kakyoin didn't ask, he just told. And just as he said it, another one slid inside Jotaro, not quite as thick as the one already inside, but easily fitting.
The tentacles inside him moved in a tandem, pumping in and out of Jotaro's twitching entrance as his thighs shook under the pleasure and being unable to come. The tentacle in his mouth thrusted deep when the other ones inside him did, making him choke out moan after moan, body alight in sensitivity.
His tongue dragged hotly against the object in his mouth, accepting it to go even deeper. He fucked himself down onto the tentacles, almost not noticing as a third also thrusted inside him. The tentacles that were all over his body, just resting or resisting him from squirming, added to the breathtaking sensation. He wanted to come-- and he raised his hips higher and shot a look at Kakyoin to pass on the message. Kakyoin understood, of course, and so the tentacle around Jotaro's cock slowly, very slowly, untightened, before jerking him off, slick and fast. The tentacles within Jotaro pounded up onto his prostate, causing Jotaro to cry out around the tentacle in his mouth and throw his head back.
He came not too far afterward, whole body shaking and tear tracks drying on his face. Kakyoin slowly removed the tentacles, one by one, before sliding down from the counter again and kissing Jotaro back to reality.
He watched the haze behind Jotaro's eyes slowly dissipate with a smile, watching him blink lazily up at Kakyoin. All the tentacles were removed now, the only one touching him now were the ones supporting him off the ground. It slowly pushed him up and onto his feet, Kakyoin holding Jotaro's hands gently within his own as he watched the larger's legs wobble.
"Good?" Kakyoin asked softly, slowly embracing Jotaro and kissing the corner of his mouth. Jotaro nodded slowly, his own arms coming forward to wrap around Kakyoin as well. He tilted his head, pushing Kakyoin's lips to his own and letting them kiss, slow and lazy.
"...So," Jotaro asked, still a bit breathless. "What about breakfast?"
"Aaaand the call to the Foundation." Kakyoin grinned at Jotaro's grunt. "You're the one who ruined the mood, dummy."
Jotaro just pulled the smaller one into another kiss, pressing their naked bodies softly together in finality.
Kakyoin held the phone to his ear with his shoulder, pulling out extra empty folders from Jotaro's filing cabinet. He popped open a marker using his teeth, before scribbling down a quick "Morioh" on the front of the file. "Ah-- yes, hello. This is Noriaki Kakyoin, calling on behalf of Jotaro Kujo, about the Morioh affair associated with Josuke Higashikata." As he spoke he wrote down notes, scribbling down Josuke's name, the location, and a brief description of the situation. "I was informed that you were to fax over some files? Oh. Some pictures. That's fine, then. Let me give you the fax number." As he listed off the number, Jotaro watched from the doorway, still shoveling scrambled eggs into his mouth.
"Yes-- yes, I have the pictures." Kakyoin held them up to the light of the room, squinting and adjusting his glasses. "What is the information behind this? One moment-- let me get something to write with--" Kakyoin set down the pictures and fumbled for a pencil, grabbing a sheet of paper and laying it down on Jotaro's desk to write on. "Ready. Yes, go."
Kakyoin's tongue peeked out as he scribbled down what story the foundation had, the further he got the more his eyebrows furrowed in concern. "How... How soon do you plan on sending someone out? I'm sure Jotaro and I-- Oh. Well, that's quite a while away." Kakyoin stood back up, shoulder relaxing as his hand came up to support the phone. "So it doesn't seem to be any sort of immediate threat. Got it.
"Well, thank you for your patience and for the information. We'll see what we can do in the research area. Thank you again. Goodbye." Kakyoin flipped his phone shut, sighing in frustration. "I hate talking to these damn workers over the phone. They sound like robots."
Jotaro's lips ghosted with a smile, eyes sparkling with amusement. He made his way over to Kakyoin. He set his breakfast plate down on the desk, making sure it wasn't anywhere close to Kakyoin's paperwork. "What'd they say?"
"Well," Kakyoin grabbed the pictures that were faxed over, still warm from the machine. He waved them around in Jotaro's face, who eventually managed to snatch them out of the younger's hands and look at them. "They look a bit dramatic, don't they? Damn stand user in the sky... Like some kind of bad scary movie." Kakyoin let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. "Anyway. Apparently, there seems to be some sort of threat in Morioh-- but they're almost positive it isn't immediate danger. Somehow. So they aren't funding anyone to go out there-- which is stupid, in my opinion. Any danger can be immediate within moments." Kakyoin clenched his hands into fists. "I learned that the hard way. Anyway-- I'm sure if you just requested to go out to Morioh, they would sponsor your trip."
"I don't need their money," Jotaro grumbled under his breath. He knew Kakyoin heard him, but the redhead continued talking anyway.
"We really should take care of the whole 'Joseph's will' thing with Josuke, too. I'd try to push Mr. Joestar to go out there personally instead, but in his old age I couldn't trust him to find the difference between his son and his own damn self."
Jotaro slowly placed the photos back on the desk with a frown, silent as Kakyoin filled him in on everything. "Mm... But... If the foundation manages to find our stand user while we're in Morioh, we might not be able to come back in time. He'd probably just escape again." Jotaro tapped his foot on the ground in thought. "Our top priority right now is you, Noriaki."
"But-- It's been almost three months, and we haven't gotten any information from the Foundation, not even a peep..! So-- so why would they call any time soon..?"
"We can't risk it. I'll... I'll go once you're back home." Jotaro walked forward and placed his hands on Kakyoin's shoulders. "Just..." He didn't want to drag Kakyoin out on another 'great adventure'-- to see him die again while he was helpless to stop the inevitable. This wasn't even his Kakyoin to lose-- and he did not plan on losing him. Not again. His grip tightened on Kakyoin's shoulders, who let out a small noise of almost pity.
"Al... Alright. Fine." Kakyoin's hands came up to grip Jotaro's wrists. "But you have to promise me you won't sit around sulking after I'm gone. You have to go to Morioh and deal with the bullshit your grandfather left for you to clean up after him, like a god damned baby."
"Of course." Jotaro leaned forward to press a soft kiss to Kakyoin's forehead. "I won't sulk. After all, this time I'll actually be able to say goodbye."
Kakyoin was quiet, before leaning forward to kiss Jotaro softly. "I just hope nothing big goes down before you leave to go there... I'd hate for it to be my fault if anything happened to your... What is he? Your uncle?" Kakyoin grinned as Jotaro huffed, nuzzling their faces together. Jotaro backed Kakyoin up until he was pressed against the filing cabinet, hands gently gripping his bony hips.
"My teenage uncle." Jotaro snorted, pressing another kiss to Kakyoin's temple. "...You get down to business when you need to, hm? A bit mature for someone not even twenty..."
Kakyoin let out a small raspberry, pulling away to look at Jotaro with an arch of his eyebrow. "When it came down to business, have I ever been not mature? Besides. I don't mean to toot my own horn or anything, but back at home I happen to be the best in my field." He was definitely tooting his own horn, smirking up at Jotaro with pride in his eyes.
"Oh..? And what exactly is your 'field', Noriaki?" Jotaro egged him on a bit, happily willing feed his boyfriend's ego even if it was just by a bit.
"I work in the field of 'Interrogation' for stand users and 'Investigation' of suspicious activity possibly caused by stand users." Kakyoin smiled politely, batting his eyelashes. "Quite like the workers the Foundation sent out for my case." He sighed, slumping and pressing his forehead against Jotaro's collarbone. The mood changed to dreary quite quickly, and Jotaro frowned. "I don't think they understand how urgent it is... They probably think it's just another non-immediate threat and have it on the back burners. We couldn't even tell them the full story because there was the possibility they'd take me in to see if it left any side effects. I mean, I fucking... Wrecked the whole time-space continuum just by coming here or something, right? I'm from another damn universe!" Kakyoin threw his hands in the air, still pressed against the cold surface of the cabinet by Jotaro.
"Why...did he even do this?" Jotaro asked, cocking his head to the side in confusion. "I mean... Why did he send you here?"
"Revenge, obviously. We killed Dio, and he wanted payback. Just before he collapsed on the front lawn, he started mumbling about how now I'd see what it was like. What's what like? To feel lost? To-- to feel like I don't have a purpose? Going crazy while waiting for the damn Foundation to actually do something?!" Kakyoin's voice cracked, hands balling up into tight fists, clutching Jotaro's shirt tightly.
Jotaro gently pried Kakyoin's fingers off of his shirt, lifting his hands up to kiss his fingers until he felt Kakyoin relax underneath him. "We. should go out. Just...walk around some. Get some fresh air."
Kakyoin eventually nodded, pressing his face against the crook of Jotaro's neck. "Yeah. Yeah... That sounds good." He let out a sigh through his nose, trying to force his body to relax. "What about the cats?"
"I'm sure they'll be fine here alone. We can stick them in one of the bigger rooms with their food and water and lock the door, if you'd want. We won't be gone long."
"That sounds good." Kakyoin nodded, pressing himself against Jotaro even tighter. "Thank you."
One of the older's hand came up to thread through Kakyoin's red hair, peppering him in soft kisses. "For what..?"
"You help me whenever I freak out or lose control. I can really take advantage of things important to me, huh..? ...I'm sorry." He hid his face in Jotaro's neck.
Jotaro's hands smoothed down Kakyoin's back, pressing him closer. "You're just troubled. I understand why. I know you care."
Kakyoin trembled against him, hugging him tight before slowly pulling away. "I love you."
"I love you too." Jotaro pecked his nose and gripped his hand, tugging him along. "Let's go now."
Kakyoin half smiled, gripping Jotaro's hand in his own firmly. "Alright."
It was just another sort of window shopping experience-- doing nothing but checking out the stores by the windows. Kakyoin had paused when they passed by a jewelry shop, staring at the earrings as his fingers came up to caress his earring-less earlobes. He snapped out of it when Jotaro made a confused noise, and began to walk once more.
"If you want to buy something, just say it." Jotaro spoke up, hand in hand with Kakyoin. They had ended up in the city, passing by shops as they strolled languidly together. The other snorted in response-- shaking his head.
"No... I don't need anything. This is good enough for me." He squeezed Jotaro's hand gently. "Just...no business, no phone calls--" Kakyoin was cut off by the sharp ringing of Jotaro's cell, letting out a snort. "Of course."
Jotaro sent him an apologetic look, pulling his hand away from Kakyoin's grip to dig through his pocket, pulling out his phone. Kakyoin's eyebrows furrowed together when Jotaro paled quite visibly, at a startling rate.
"One-- one moment." Jotaro shuffled away from Kakyoin, to the edge of the sidewalk. He flipped open his phone, hunching over as he answered softly. With the murmur of the surrounding crowd and their distance, Kakyoin couldn't hear a word Jotaro said. He frowned in concerned at how troubled Jotaro looked, suddenly getting so nervous. Who could be calling?
Kakyoin shuffled forward, squeezing past crowds and gripping Jotaro's bicep gently. Jotaro's breath hitched at the touch, looking over as he spoke.
"Oh-- yeah, yeah, I hear you. I-- No, I don't have any plans. ...Are... Are you sure you want to do this." Kakyoin heard a small noise from the phone, sounding like a "yes". "Alright. I can come over around six. ...Bye." Jotaro flipped his phone closed, slowly putting it away and pinching the bridge of his nose.
"...Who--"
"My ex." Jotaro's lips pursed together, frowning down at the ground. "She wants me to watch Jolyne for the weekend, because she'll be out of town on a business meeting and her usual baby sitter is sick."
"Oh..!" Kakyoin bit back his growing smile, feeling excitement bubble within him. "So... I'll be able to meet her in the flesh soon?"
"Yeah... I..." Jotaro let out a soft groan, and Kakyoin laughed lightly.
"Hey, it's no big deal." Kakyoin hummed, hugging Jotaro's arm. "She's not that big of a devil, right?"
"No-- it' not Jolyne. I'm..."
"You're just nervous to see your ex again. It's okay. If you want me to stay in the car while you get Jolyne, I'm fine with that. I'm going to meet her either way."
"I... You probably should. Just to have as minimum communication between you and her as possible."
"Well... We still have a good two or three hours to spare. What do you wanna do?" Kakyoin blinked up at Jotaro, who sighed in irritation.
"We should go get supplies for the cats. And...snacks for Jolyne, too."
Kakyoin beamed at Jotaro, grip on him tightening. "That sounds good."
Jotaro grabbed the bag of dry cat food from Kakyoin's trembling arms, and tucked them underneath his own. He was now holding two big bags, Kakyoin holding a plastic bag with other supplies in it. "You haven't worked out much since Egypt, have you."
"Sh-- shut up!" Kakyoin hissed at him. "It gets heavy after a while of carrying." At Jotaro's snicker, he pouted, kicking Jotaro's shin and reveling in hearing him hiss in pain. They returned outside, the sun getting lower in the sky and making shadows longer. Kakyoin lifted his wrist and pulled back his sleeve to check his watch. "...I think we can go get Jolyne now. Being a little early wouldn't hurt any."
"Yeah. But-- I have one more thing I have to get."
Kakyoin looked up in confusion, frowning. "What?"
"Nothing. Watch after these, alright?" Jotaro gently set the bags down, letting them lean against the building they just walked out of. "I'll just be a minute." Before Kakyoin could get another word in, Jotaro jogged off, leaving Kakyoin alone with two bags of cat food and another plastic bag filled with stupid cat toys, a food and water bowl, and cat treats. He sighed in annoyance, walking over toward the bags and leaning against the wall with them pushed behind his legs. So in case-- just in case!-- no one would try to steal them. God knows why.
He crossed his arm, closing his eyes and tilted his head up toward the sky. It was taking for fucking ever. He tried to stay patient-- because whatever Jotaro needed, it was obviously important. Maybe. Who knows-- Jotaro's mind works like nothing else Kakyoin's ever experienced. He thought back about his life in his universe-- but tried not to think about Jotaro. More about.. School. God, now that summer was at it's end, he'd definitely have a ton of work to catch up on. How troublesome.
"Hey."
Kakyoin jumped, eyes wide as he looked over at Jotaro. "Hey-- what'd you get?" Jotaro moved Kakyoin out of the way and stooped down to grab the bags of food, standing up again with not even a groan of strain. Kakyoin rolled his eyes-- with a bit of jealousy.
"Ah, it's nothing. Just...something for Jolyne." But Jotaro looked away, shadow of his hat obscuring his eyes.
"Oh." Kakyoin didn't push it, and didn't even think to ask what it was. "...Well, we should really head out now. We won't even be early, now."
"Mm."
Kakyoin realized Jotaro's (ex) wife was even more beautiful in real life-- not one hair was out of place, it even a brighter red than his own. It curved upwards at the bottom, bouncing as she moved around. Her makeup was perfect, and she was in a very nice suit. Whatever she was doing, it was definitely important. And possibly last minute, Kakyoin realized by seeing how flustered his wife was-- even in as perfect a state she looked. He admired from the car, knowing Jotaro's wife had no idea he was there.
She had a small purple suitcase for Jolyne, and then hefted out a car seat from the house. She was speaking to Jotaro, writing down frantically on a notepad. The car was too far away to be able to hear anything, but Kakyoin had a feeling he'd get an earful from Jotaro as soon as he got back into the car. Well, as much as an earful as an almost-mute Jotaro could provide. She ripped it out, slapping it down onto his hand. She began talking even more frantically, Jotaro shaking his head and looking the most uncomfortable Kakyoin had ever seen him. She turned toward the front door, cupping a hand around her mouth and calling out. Kakyoin's breath hitched as a small child toddled out of the house, eyes going as wide as saucers when her eyes landed on Jotaro.
Her mouth grew into a wide, honest-to-god smile, like the one in the picture of them Jotaro had in his hallway. She raised her arms in front of Jotaro, bouncing on her toes as she begged for him to pick her up. Jotaro visibly stiffened, and Kakyoin cringed, praying to any god he could think of that Jotaro wouldn't fuck it up. When Jolyne stopped bouncing and arms sagged a bit in realization Jotaro wasn't about to do what she wanted-- Kakyoin just about gave up hope. He slapped his hand to his face and sighed with relief as Jotaro finally stooped down, gathering the small child into his arm. She looked absolutely filled with glee, practically swallowed up by Jotaro's large body.
Jotaro stooped down again to grab Jolyne's suitcase, giving it to her to hold onto. He easily held the car seat as well, waving off his ex's obvious attempts and offers to help. His ex wife leaned forward and kissed Jolyne sweetly on the cheek. Jolyne waved a chubby hand at her as Jotaro went to walk away, before resting her head against Jotaro's collarbone and saying something. Kakyoin cooed as Jotaro leaned down and kissed Jolyne's other cheek, smiling at her grin.
"So?" Kakyoin asked as Jotaro got to the car, setting Jolyne down to fit in the car seat. Jotaro handed the redhead the sheet of paper Jolyne's mother gave him, and Kakyoin read over it with amusement.
"In bed by eight... Takes naps at twelve... Wakes up at seven-- what? No." Kakyoin frowned. "I don't mind waking up early, but really?" Jotaro elbowed the back of his chair, and Kakyoin snorted. "Only 'healthy' oatmeal. Milk or water for a drink, nothing carbonated or sugary. No snacks before dinner. Whatever. Our aim here is to plump her up as much as we can before she has to leave again so we can eat her." Jotaro was the one who snorted this time, hoisting Jolyne up and into the seat now that he was done. He gently pried the suitcase from her hands, laying it down on the car floor.
"Daddy," Jolyne spoke, Kakyoin attempting not to melt at the sound of her voice. "Who's that?" Before Jotaro could reply, she continued. "Is she my second mama? 'Cause my first mama said you probably found me a second mama!"
Both Jotaro and Kakyoin choked on their spit simultaneously, Kakyoin turning around to look back at Jotaro. Jotaro looked at him helplessly, turning around and facing away from the redhead to buckle Jolyne in.
"Er... Yeah. She's your second mama. You can just call her mama."
"But-- but! That'll confuse her with my first mama!" Jolyne sounded confused, and when Kakyoin looked back at her he was ready to cry. Her lower lip was pushed up in a large pout, eyes big and eyebrows furrowed. She was so. So fucking cute.
"You can just call her mama while you're around her, then. When you're around your first mama, you can call her," Jotaro pointed at Kakyoin, "second mama." Jotaro paused in the middle of pulling back from the back seat, looking Jolyne in the eyes. "Okay?"
"Okay... I think I get it!" Jolyne grinned, all of her small white teeth showing. "Hi, mama!" She waved at Kakyoin, who waved back. Jotaro shut the back door, moving around the car to get into the driver's seat.
"Hello, Jolyne." When Jotaro got in, he elbowed the older's rib's hard. Jotaro let out a 'hey!', frowning over at Kakyoin. "Mama? Really?" Kakyoin hissed through his teeth. Jotaro's frown melted into a purely amused face, Kakyoin blinking at the sudden change.
That's when he first realized Jolyne was probably Jotaro's biggest weakness.
"So... What'd you guys talk about?" Kakyoin asked Jotaro over the radio and Jolyne's loud singing. They were about half way home, and it'd be pretty late by the time they got home-- so Jotaro promised to pick up some (decent tasting) food.
"She kept insisting that she helped me with Jolyne... But she was running late already. I could barely get her to go." Jotaro's grip tightened on the wheel. "Family was always her biggest priority. You should have seen what it was like when it came to Jolyne... You already caught just the tip of the iceberg earlier.
"...I was never much of a family person."
"Obviously." Kakyoin reached his hand over and placed it on top of Jotaro's. "It's okay to be like that. We...went through a lot. We've changed because of it. Some people just don't understand." No one with a stand would, Jotaro heard implied from Kakyoin.
"Daddy!" Jolyne called suddenly over the radio. Jotaro grunted, and turned down the radio, looking at his daughter through the rearview mirror.
"What is it?" He asked, but in a softer tone than Kakyoin was used to him using.
"I'm hungry... Can we get somethin' to eat? Pretty please?"
"Of course. What do you want?" Kakyoin snapped his eyes over at Jotaro with an accusing look-- Jolyne would choose something like fast food! Jotaro had promised him good food, and that's what he was going to get.
Jotaro avoided Kakyoin's overwhelming and still growing attitude towards him by keeping his eyes on the road. He heard Jolyne go 'hmmm' and cluck her tongue in thought.
"I... I dunno! Mama doesn't usually go out. What do you guys have?"
Kakyoin raised an eyebrow. For a child, Jolyne was unreasonably smart. "Hm... We'll get to a place soon. Don't worry, Jolyne." Kakyoin turned in his seat a little to look back at the baby. "How old are you, sweetie?"
"I'm five!" Jolyne held up five of her small, chubby fingers, waving them around like she was waving at someone.
"Wow," Kakyoin whistled. "You're pretty grown up, huh?"
Jolyne frowned, looking at her fingers and then back to Kakyoin. "...No. Not really."
Kakyoin leaned over and punched Jotaro's arm when he snorted.
They had stopped, to Kakyoin's intense dismay, at a fast food place. Kakyoin didn't buy anything, planning on getting something to eat when they got home.
"You sure?" Jotaro spoke through a mouthful of food, offering a piece of his chicken to Kakyoin.
"Yes, I'm sure--" Kakyoin's lips pressed into a thin line when he was cut off by his own stomach growling, face slowly flushing. Jolyne let out a small giggle, and Jotaro smirked, shrugging and going back to eating his food.
"...We should be heading back soon." Kakyoin tapped his watch. "Jolyne should be in bed in another hour or so."
Jolyne nodded, gently pushing her empty plate away from her with a small yawn, moving to lean her face against one of her greasy-with-food hands. Kakyoin let out a small yelp, gently gripping Jolyne's wrist and pulling it forward to wipe her hands and face down with small, wet toilettes he had pocketed. (He was a slight germaphobe. Nothing wrong with that. Not like he had fucked Jotaro in the kitchen before.)
"Let's go." Kakyoin slowly gathered Jolyne up and out of her high chair, smiling to himself when Jolyne yawned and lazily wrapped her arms around his neck. She rested her face against Kakyoin's collarbone area, blinking lazily. She perked up a bit when Jotaro ran a hand through her hair as he passed by to throw away her trash, face turning a bit pink and hiding her face in Kakyoin's neck.
As they were walking out to the car, Jolyne gently tugged on Kakyoin's neck. "Hey. Mama," she murmured softly.
"Yes?" Kakyoin asked, shifting the baby so she would continue to stay comfortable in his arms.
"Why is your chest so much harder than my other mama's? Sometimes I'd fall asleep when she carries me, 'cause she has a soft chest, but yours is hard, like daddy's. Why?"
"W-well..." Kakyoin stammered, resisting the urge to kick Jotaro's shin when he saw a growing smile on the bastard's face. "All mamas are different, Jolyne."
"Oooh..! And that's why ya gotta weird noodle thing, too? I thought you were...savin' up macaronis or somethin'...." These were Jolyne's last words before she promptly passed out on Kakyoin's chest.
The car wasn't even that far away, but Jolyne had managed to drool literally everywhere on him. By the time Jotaro managed to pry Jolyne out of his arms to put her in the car seat, the front of his shirt was done for. Kakyoin didn't want to keep it on and peeled it off carefully once he also got inside the car. He thanked himself for throwing on an undershirt earlier today, even with as hot as it managed to get toward the end of October. He didn't want to throw his shirt on the floor, because of how nice the interior was, so he kept it in his lap. He was careful to only touching the dry parts of it, mourning silently over the loss of his shirt.
"What're you doing?" Jotaro grumbled as he sat in the car. He snatched the clothing out of Kakyoin's hands and dropped it on the floor, arching an eyebrow at Kakyoin's spluttering. "Quit actin' funky."
"Wh-- ff-- okay. Okay." Kakyoin sighed, slumping in his chair. He blinked over at Jotaro in realization. "Oh-- hey. What'd you get Jolyne?"
Jotaro tensed up a bit, before shrugging, eyes darting as he pulled out of the parking lot. "It's nothing. I'll give it to her when she wakes up."
"...Okay." Kakyoin knew Jotaro was acting weird, but when it came to Jolyne he wasn't sure if it was a line he was willing to cross. Whenever it came to Jotaro's past relationship with his wife, he locked up, and lashed out. Kakyoin knew he didn't mean it, but he knew it was just something Jotaro would open up to more with time and not all at once.
When they got home, Jotaro gently tucked her in in the guest room;Kakyoin was surprised at how well Jotaro could take initiative with Jolyne when she wasn't awake.
For dinner, he just made himself macaroni and cheese, but the whole time while eating it he kept thinking about Jolyne comparing the noodles to...well, his noodle. He also set up the litter box and gave the cats actual cat food rather than the food they had that he had to look up to be sure they could even eat. Then he threw his still-wet shirt into the wash. Soon enough he made his way to their bedroom, bowl in hand. He checked in on Jolyne as he walked by, smiling when he saw her out like a light.
"Hey." Kakyoin asked, criss crossed on their bed. Jotaro grunted a 'hm' in reply, flipping the page of the book he was reading. The only light in the room was the lamp, casting an orange glow on everything in the room. "...Does my noodle remind you of macaroni and cheese?"
Jotaro looked over at Kakyoin with a dry look. "What. Did my five year old offend you, or something?"
"...No." Kakyoin's cheeks puffed out. "I just... Can't stop thinking about it. What if I'm eating mini me's, Jotaro? I can't eat macaroni anymore. I think I'm allergic."
Jotaro snorted and sat up more on his bed, marking his page before setting the book down next to him. He leaned over and grabbed the bowl, setting it down on the nightstand next to them. Kakyoin opened his mouth to protest, but Jotaro kissed him, effectively silencing him.
He pulled back slowly, but he looked almost... Nervous.
"...Jotaro...?" Kakyoin asked, eyebrows furrowing and cocking his head slightly in confusion.
"I have somethin' for you." He wiggled away from him to the edge of the bed, bending over to reach under it. Kakyoin was still just as confused. What kind of gift needed to be hid under a bed?
"Ah-- Jotaro, if it's a dildo, I'm--"
"It's not a fucking dildo, Noriaki." But Jotaro looked amused when he sat back up, a small box in his hand. It was thin, but wide. Kakyoin didn't say anything as Jotaro returned back to Kakyoin's side. "It's kinda stupid giving it to you now, 'cause you can't even-- Er.. Anyway. Open it." He shoved the box into Kakyoin's hands, who fumbled with the box before holding it steadily.
Kakyoin nervously did what he was told, not sure what to expect. His breath left him in a breathy 'oh wow' as his eyes landed on two glittery, cherry red earrings. They looked much more expensive than Kakyoin's older ones. "Ah-- but--" Kakyoin looked up at Jotaro. "I didn't know we were, uh, getting each other stuff. I didn't buy you anythi--" He was cut off as Jotaro pulled him forward, into another kiss.
"I did this for you. Not to be repaid. Besides." Jotaro pulled back with an arch of his eyebrow. "You look fuckin' weird without your earrings."
"Thanks, asshole." There was no bite in his voice, Kakyoin actually feeling elated.
He then closed the box gently, and placed it on the nightstand with the almost-empty bowl of macaroni. He leaned forward to kiss Jotaro one last time, pulling the lamp string to turn off the lights in the middle of it.
"Daddy! I didn't know you had kitties!" Kakyoin woke up to a shrill voice, groaning as he forced his eyes open. Jotaro seemed to have the worst of it, Jolyne crawling on top of him with three squirming cats in her arms. "Daddy!"
"Ugh," Jotaro grunted. Kakyoin knew he'd try to roll onto his side if he could, but couldn't now that his daughter's knees were digging into his gut. "I'm awake, I'm up. What."
"You have kitties!" She dropped them on top of Jotaro, and immediately they all took off in different directions and out of the room. Jolyne pouted, body slumping. "Daww... They're gone now."
"They'll come back eventually." Jotaro still sounded half dead, one arm wrapping around Jolyne's waist and turning onto his side, laying her in between the two adults as she squealed in glee.
"I'm not sleepy anymore though, daddy..!" She squirmed a bit, but Jotaro just tightened his hold on her, arching his head down to blow a raspberry into Jolyne's neck. She let out another squeal, and Kakyoin joined in, slinging his arm over her waist as he joined in on the raspberries.
Soon enough Jolyne was laughing loud enough it was hard to decipher between the laughter and yelling. Jotaro and Kakyoin pulled away from the baby then, finally awake enough from the loud noise and their own small bouts of laughter to be able to get up and do something.
"What do you want for breakfast, baby?" Kakyoin asked, one hand gently ruffling through her bedhead.
"Uh... Mama usually makes eggs." She smiled when Kakyoin nodded, stretching his limbs and sat on the edge of the bed. He reached over to the box on the nightstand, opening it and bringing out the earrings. He held his breath as he went to pop the earrings in, hoping that his holes hadn't closed over the few months he'd been there. He sighed in relief when they both went in with little trouble, standing up and holding out a hand to Jolyne. He looked back at Jotaro, who looked like he was ready to fall back asleep again.
"I'll come wake you up when your breakfast is ready, okay?" Kakyoin asked, and Jotaro nodded, burying his face farther into his pillow.
Kakyoin looked down as Jolyne's free hand tugged on Kakyoin's sweat pants. "Mama? Can I help with breakfast? Other mama doesn't usually let me, but I wanna help! Pleeease?"
The redhead could barely say no to Jolyne in the first place, especially when she lets out her small whine. He opened the door, leading her out with a warm smile. "Of course. Just make sure you do what I say, okay? Cooking can be dangerous."
Jolyne's eyes flashed in excitement, and she nodded eagerly. "Okay, okay! I promise I'll be careful."
As they made their way to the kitchen, Kakyoin realized Jolyne couldn't even see over the counter. He grabbed a chair, nudging her out of the way and placing the chair next to the stove. She scrambled up on top of it, placing her hands on the table and peering curiously over at Kakyoin as he brought out the materials needed. He plugged in the toaster, and slid the bag of bread closer.
"Okay." Kakyoin turned on the stove, placing down a pan and spraying down butter. "What kind of eggs does your other mama usually make you?"
"Um... I dunno! They're yellow and squishy." She mimicked squeezing something in the air, looking over at Kakyoin.
"You must be talking about scrambled. Well, that's good. Those are easy." Kakyoin rolled up his sleeves, grabbing some eggs and moving to crack them. He jumped when Jolyne whined out a "Noo!" And waved her pudgy hands in front of his hands. "Wh-what?" Kakyoin asked, looking over at the little one.
"I wanna do it!" She pouted, making grabby hands at the egg. Kakyoin blinked owlishly, then nodded and handed it to her.
"Be sure not to let any of the shell fall in." Jolyne nodded at Kakyoin's light warning, tongue sticking out as she raised her hand just above the edge of the pan. Kakyoin thought she was about to do it perfectly-- before she body slammed her whole hand down onto the pan and made the egg's innards and shell splatter everywhere.
Kakyoin got the brunt of it, taking a step back with his arms raised from his torso in a bit of horror. He looked over at Jolyne, who looked horrified, hand a mess and lower lip wobbling dangerously. He immediately jerked forward, grabbing paper towels feverishly and wiping her hands, face, and clothes down. When he swiped the pan down too he turned back to the near-crying baby. "Hey, hey!" Kakyoin said, gripping Jolyne's chin gently. "It's alright. We can try again. I'll help this time, okay?
Jolyne sniffled and nodded, pouting. "'M sorry, mama..."
Kakyoin leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "It's alright, baby. Here." Kakyoin reached over to grab another egg, placing it into her hand. He placed his hand on top of hers, gently leading it to the tip of the pan. He made her tap the edge twice before it cracked and opened, spilling the contents perfectly into the pan.
Jolyne cooed, glossy eyes immediately turning bright in excitement. "Lookit! It's perfect!" Kakyoin nodded, nuzzling the top of her head as he grabbed another egg and placed it into her hand.
"You do it this time."
Jolyne looked nervous, but nodded, repeating the actions she recently learned. When she did it successfully, she threw her hands up, egg shell flying across the kitchen and bouncing off the wall. Kakyoin decided he'd clean up the mess later in the back of his mind, too busy clapping and cheering Jolyne on.
"You did great, Jolyne!" He ruffled her knotted, still bed head hair, also deciding after breakfast he'd brush her hair. "Here. Now put these pieces of bread in there," he pointed to the toaster, "and push down the metal thingy." As she did so, he tended to the eggs, making them to how Jolyne liked them. "Do you have ketchup with your eggs?" Kakyoin asked as he finished up, Jolyne watching in wonder as the toast popped up at the same time.
"Huh--? 'Catssup'?" She wrinkled her nose in confusion, and he shook his head. He guessed not. "Here." He placed the eggs on a plate, quickly buttering a piece of toast for her and putting the second one in his own mouth.
"I also get milk!" Jolyne bubbled, hopping down from the chair with the plate and toddling out to the dining room table. Kakyoin grabbed the chair, following after her and placing it in a spot for her. He walked back to the kitchen, pulling out a jug of milk and filling a small cup for her. He gave it to her, wiping his hands off on his pants. Now for Jotaro.
He ate away at his own piece of toast as he prepped Jotaro's meal. When he was done he placed it at the head of the table, then took off up the stairs and to their room. He opened the door slowly, peeking in.
"Hey," Kakyoin called out softly. "Breakfast is done."
Jotaro groaned, rolling over onto his bed and slinging an arm over his face.
"C'mon, lazy." Kakyoin fully entered the room, grabbing his hand and trying to pull him out of the bed. Jotaro grunted, slapping away Kakyoin's hand lazily before slowly managing to finally sit up. "If you don't get up any quicker, Jolyne will be back with her mom and even worse, your breakfast will be cold." He crossed his arms over his chest, raising an eyebrow.
"Don't be a jackass," Jotaro hissed at him, finally stumbling out of bed. Kakyoin lightly trotted out of the room, hearing Jotaro's less graceful footsteps thumping behind him.
He made it into the kitchen while Jotaro was still on the stairs, taking a seat next to Jolyne.
"What're you gonna eat?" Jolyne looked up at him, blinking innocently.
"Oh... I already ate. I had a piece of toast." He smiled down at Jolyne, whose eyes increased their size by at least twenty percent.
"What? Just toast? Mama says breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so you gotta eat lots! She has yogurt 'n orange juice and--"
"Ow! What the hell?" Jotaro's voice barked out, Kakyoin looking over at the sound of something cracking and breaking. He cringed when Jotaro lifted his foot, shells of the egg Jolyne threw earlier stuck to it.
"Oh... I'm sorry. Here, sit down." Kakyoin stood up, letting Jotaro take his seat (who limped over with one foot,) and slid his food from the other spot on the table to him. He cleaned up the mess on the floor, then went to clean Jotaro's foot, who gave him a look as if he were mad.
"Don't-- I can clean my own foot, Noriaki."
"Ooh! Noriaki!" Jolyne perked up, grinning over at Kakyoin. "That's a really pretty name, mama!"
"Er... Thank you, Jolyne." He smiled and leaned down to kiss her temple. "You have a very pretty name, too."
Jolyne was beaming. "May I be excused?"
Kakyoin arched an eyebrow at how formal she was, and looked at Jotaro, who shrugged. He looked back at Jolyne and smiled. "Ah, yes. Of course."
She nodded and pushed away from the table. She grabbed her plate and scraped off the crust of her toast into the trash, and then placed the plate into the sink. She wiped her hands off on her pants, skipping past Kakyoin and Jotaro.
"Ah-- Jolyne, wait..!" Kakyoin said, reaching out to her.
"Hm?" She turned back to look at him, eyebrows raised.
"Let me brush your hair. It's kind of a mess. We'll watch some T.V while we're at it, okay?"
Jolyne nodded eagerly. "Okay! Can I draw, too?"
"Um..." Kakyoin looked back at Jotaro. "Do we have any crayons here?"
"I have printer paper... Maybe some crayons in one of the boxes in the living room." Jotaro shrugged, before turning back to his food.
"Okay. One second, I'll see if we have anything you can draw with." Jolyne nodded, standing patiently in her spot as Kakyoin moved past her to the living room. After searching through several boxes, he found a small one with some things that looked like they had probably belonged to Jolyne-- but hadn't been touched. Other than crayons, there were several bibs and binkies, along with a copy of her birth ceritficate and some coloring books. He shook his head at Jotaro's selfish stupidity, standing up with the small box of crayons and a notebook that had already been partially scribbled in (most certainly by Jolyne, if the half-human stick figures inside indicated anything).
"Here you go." Kakyoin handed her the objects. "Go to the office and turn on T.V, okay? I'll be there in a moment." She nodded, thanking him, before bouncing off.
Before Kakyoin could go back up to the bedroom and get a brush, Jotaro spoke.
"You're really good with kids." He had one hand propping up his face, cheek pressed to his palm. He looked at Kakyoin lazy, plate empty but didn't look like he was planning on moving.
"She, uh... She's really cute." Kakyoin scratched the back of his head, slightly flustered.
"Yeah." Jotaro sighed. "Thanks."
"...What do you usually do when she's over, like this?"
"She's only been over one time before this. She was too small to remember-- we didn't do anything. I... I couldn't. I locked up." Jotaro ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. "I don't know how to...to do anything like this."
Kakyoin nodded. "That's okay."
"Is it?" Jotaro asked, but it sounded redundant. He turned away from Kakyoin, hunching in on himself.
Kakyoin moved forward, and wrapped his arms around the older. He slid his hands around Jotaro's shoulders, feeling his tense muscles. He kissed the side of Jotaro's face gently, peppering it in small kisses until he relaxed some. "You're just human," Kakyoin whispered, nuzzling their faces together. "You can't always expect yourself to do everything right, Jotaro. Even with something like this. Some of us aren't made for it." He only pulled away because Jolyne called out for Kakyoin.
"One minute, baby!" Kakyoin called back. His touch on Jotaro's shoulders lingered before finally leaving, making his way slowly up the stairs. When he came back down with a brush and spray bottle filled with water, he noticed Jotaro wasn't in the dining room anymore. He frowned, but continued his way into the office before stopping once more. His eyebrows raised in pleasant surprise at the sigh before him.
Jotaro was on the floor watching the television with Jolyne, holding her in his lap with an arm wrapped around her waist. He hated to interrupt, but he'd much rather say something than have Jotaro or Jolyne notice him just standing there looking at them like a creep.
"Well," Kakyoin said, Jotaro looking up in surprise. He tensed up, embarrassed at being caught, but Kakyoin only smiled. "I can't do Jolyne's hair when you're holding her, Jotaro. Unless you want me to do yours, first."
"That's, um, that's okay." Jotaro awkwardly released Jolyne, pushing himself off the floor and onto the couch, beside the spot Kakyoin was going to sit in. Jolyne pouted, looking up at Jotaro, and waved her hand like she was waving goodbye. Jotaro waved back, limbs and movement still a bit stiff.
Kakyoin made his way behind Jolyne, tsk-ing under his breath. "Your hair is so thick and you're only five."
"It's cause mama has thick hair too!" Jolyne wiggled a bit in her spot, looking up at Kakyoin.
"She's... Her mom's... My--" Jotaro spoke up, and when Kakyoin looked over, his eyes were closed as if he were in pain. "...She's hispanic. Puerto Rican, specifically. Her hair's super thick."
"...Oh." Kakyoin turned back to Jolyne, finally going to work. Thankfully the spraying of the bottle and the T.V. drowned out the awkwardness Kakyoin felt brewing between himself and Jotaro, giving him a task at hand to distract himself. He gently brushed down Jolyne's hair, apologizing softly at every hiss and 'ow' Jolyne let out.
"'S okay!" Jolyne said, tilting her head back to look at Kakyoin once more. "You're much gentler with this than my other mama."
"Well, that's good." Kakyoin leaned down and kissed Jolyne's forehead, smiling. "I'm done."
"Can I go play with the kitties now?" Jolyne asked, one hand threading through her now smooth hair and the other gripping her drawing books and crayons. "I also wanna draw them!"
"Yes. If you can find them, that is." Jolyne nodded, bouncing up from the floor and trotting out of the room.
Jotaro had one of his arms rested on the armrest of the couch, face propped up in his hand as he looked over at Kakyoin. The redhead smiled back at him, scooting closer and resting his head against Jojo's shoulder. The older's arm came up and wrapped around Kakyoin's shoulder, tugging him closer and squeezing him gently.
"You're still a kid yourself, you know," Jotaro grumbled, rested his cheek against the top of Kakyoin's head.
He tilted his head up to kiss Jotaro, gentle and warm. Jotaro leaned into it, relaxing into his touch. "Shut up, old man."
Jotaro snorted in response, leaning down and burying his face in the back of Kakyoin's neck.
Eventually Kakyoin managed to get out of the octopus grip Jotaro had on him to go check on Jolyne. He found her in the living room, laying on her tummy and doodling. Surprisingly, one of the kittens were curled up next to her, but no other were to be found.
Jolyne took notice almost immediately as he entered, blinking up at him. "Where's daddy?"
"He's taking a nap. What're you drawing, honey?" Kakyoin asked softly, crouching down. She seemed to have gone through a few sheets already-- laying astray around her. Jolyne blew a stray hair out of her face.
"I'm drawin' lots!" Jolyne pushed herself onto her knees, startling the kitty next to her awake. It didn't move though, only blinking lazily before laying it's head on it's paws and falling asleep again. "Lookit!" She grabbed a bunch of her papers, showing Kakyoin.
They were definitely five year old drawings-- he could barely tell what they were.
"That's you!" Jolyne slapped her chubby pointer finger onto the paper, peering up at him above it. "See? I made you all sparkly 'n stuff, 'cause you're really pretty!"
Kakyoin felt his cheeks heat up and he smiled, getting more comfortable and sitting criss crossed on the floor.
"'N I drew you and daddy, 'cause I saw you guys kissin' earlier!" She pointed to two blobs meshed together, sticking out her tongue like it was icky. She turned the papers back to herself and sorted through more of her papers, before her eyes lit up and turned it around again. "I drew all of us! I really like you, mama!" Jolyne grinned wide.
Kakyoin smiled back. "I really like you too, Jolyne."
"Mm... I know my other mama and daddy used to like each other too, but they don't any more. That's okay though! Some people just stop likin' each other after a while... Like mama said. But I'm glad daddy found me another mommy! And I think my other mama's happy, too." Jolyne's tongue poked out, but not in a disgusted way. More of a childishly thoughtful way. "...I just wish I got to see daddy more."
"Mm.. I think he thinks the same, baby." He gently ran his hand through Jolyne's hair, seeing her smile. "Here... Why don't we..." He gently pried the picture of all three of them from Jolyne's hands. "Put this on the fridge? But later. I kinda wanna draw with you. Is that okay?" He put the picture to the side gingerly.
Jolyne grinned and nodded eagerly, shoving a stack of papers his way and spilling the crayons out freely onto the floor. "That's great! I never really have anyone to color with, and mama's away a lot, so I always gotta deal with the stinky babysitter who watches me."
"Stinky?" Kakyoin asked, arching one eyebrow and blindly fumbling for a random crayon.
"Yeah! She smells like my old dirty diapers." When Kakyoin laughed, hiding his smile behind his hand, she also giggled. "I don't like her that much, but mama says she's the 'only one willing to babysit me and not ask for gas money too'. Whatever that means." She scribbled messily on a sheet of paper as she spoke, blowing her hair out of her face again.
As they drew, she did it a few more times. She even grumbled, roughly grabbing her hair and tucking it behind her ear, but to no avail. It popped right back out in front of her.
"..Do you want something to hold that up?" Kakyoin asked, brushing Jolyne's hair out of her face with the palm of his hand. "I'm sure we have hair ties somewhere... Or at least hairbands..."
"Oh-- I have some! Mama put it in my bag!" Jolyne hopped up, and the cat leaning on her didn't even twitch. She took off into the office, before tiptoe-ing once she saw her father sleeping inside. She grabbed her bag, slowly making her way out. As soon as she exited, she waddled over to Kakyoin as fast as she could with her luggage in her arms, hefting it down with a thump. "She puts my hair up into really pretty buns sometimes. I like it, but she can't do it all the time 'cause she's so busy." Jolyne plopped down onto the floor, unzipping the front of her suitcase, pulling out a small bag that held her toothbrush, toothpaste, and small hair ties. It reminded Kakyoin she had yet to brush her teeth, too-- and cringed.
"So... Let's go to the bathroom. I'll put up your hair while you brush your teeth. Deal?"
Jolyne nodded, standing up with the plastic bag in her hands. "Deal! Do you know how to make it pretty? You do, right? 'Cause your hair is pretty, too! Who did your hair when you were younger? Your mama?"
Kakyoin felt a cold chill go down his spine when he thought about his own parents-- but he nodded. "Yeah. My mom used to do all kinds of stuff for me, like your mom does for you." He gripped Jolyne's shoulder gently and squeezed, making their way up the stairs to the bathroom together.
Jolyne, (not very) surprisingly, talked a lot when she wasn't tired, and was comfortable with you. She blabbered on and on, even while brushing her teeth. Kakyoin only replied with "Mhmm"'s and "Ooh?"s, amused beyond belief. He wondered if this is what Jotaro was like when he was younger-- after all, the pictures of Jotaro as a kid were... Pleasantly cute.
"Is that good enough?" Kakyoin asked. He had just put her hair into single buns, but she looked ecstatic.
"'S okay! 'Cause it might come out when I'm nappin' with dad!"
"Napping?" Kakyoin asked, arching his eyebrow.
"Yeah! I just asked you.. And you said it was okay, remember?" Jolyne looked at him from the mirror. "Plus, it's still early... Lunch isn't for another hour or so! Pleeease mama?"
Kakyoin sighed. "Okay. But under one condition."
Jolyne blinked at him, eyes wide, and Kakyoin had a feeling she'd agree to almost anything.
"I'm going to have to nap with you guys."
Jolyne's face broke out into a grin, then she gripped Kakyoin's hand and dragged him out of the bathroom. Kakyoin just managed to smash the light off, before being pulled completely out of the room, down the stairs, and into the office.
"Papa!" Jolyne whispered as she clambered onto her father's lap, lifting the blanket usually draped over the back of the couch up off of him so she could lay on top.
"Wh-- Oh." Jotaro grunted at the surprise of her sudden weight, then cracked an eye open to look at Kakyoin. Who just stood there with his eyebrow arched. Jotaro grumbled, eyes closing again as he wrapped his arm around Jolyne, shifting onto his side and pressing against the back of the couch to make room for the redhead. He lifted the blanket, and Kakyoin smiled. He climbed in with them, Jolyne pressed between them. She was already making sleepy noises, pressing into Jotaro's nap-warm body. Kakyoin leaned forward and kissed his boyfriend's tired lips, then rested his head on the arm Jotaro outstretched for Kakyoin and Jolyne to use as a sort of pillow.
Jotaro mumbled softly, but didn't open his eyes, hand of the "cushion arm" shifting to gently thread through Kakyoin's hair.
Kakyoin smiled against his arm, tilting his head to kiss it. "I love you, Jojo."
Kakyoin hadn't expected Jotaro to respond, for how sleepy he was, but he did anyway. His voice was choppy and deep from sleep.
"I love you too."
"What're you doing?" Kakyoin asked later on that day, clothes basket in his hands. They woke up pretty late-- to Jolyne whining about being hungry. Kakyoin got up to make lunch, and Jotaro slept a little later. And now he was doing... This. 'This', meaning he had a small cage with the cats inside and another box under his arms with their supplies.
"I found a local shelter that will take them. I know the owner personally-- she'll probably take the cats in herself."
Kakyoin sighed. "Does Jolyne know?"
"Do I know what?" Jolyne asked, walking out from the kitchen with her peanut butter and jelly sandwich in her hands (and all over her face). Then she gasped sharply, quickly gathering what was happening. Her eyes began watering up at a startling rate, lower lip trembling.
Jotaro sighed, walking over and jutting the cage out to her. "You can say goodbye. They'll miss you."
"Do-- do you think mama will let me keep one?" Jolyne asked, sniffling sharply as she poked one of her fingers through the bars of the cage, one of the cats coming forward to lick her finger.
"Maybe. When she comes to pick you up I'll be sure to mention them. And I'm sure she'll get more than an earful from you." Jotaro gently pulled the cage away, Jolyne trying to follow it without moving. When it was out of her reach, she went limp, sniffling more. Jotaro cringed and looked away, and Kakyoin took initiative. It wasn't that Jotaro didn't want to deal with it-- it was he couldn't. Jolyne was too cute for her own good, and Jotaro would probably had let her keep all of the cats if he didn't have the threat of a very angry mother in the back of his mind.
"Go back in the kitchen, okay? You're getting crumbs on the floor. But when I'm done putting laundry away, I'll come down and I'll make us chocolate milk. How's that sound?"
Jolyne perked up pretty well, but her shoulders were still slumped. "Yeah! Do we have cookies, too?" She made her way into the kitchen, but peeked her head out so she could talk to her parents.
"No, but I'm sure your daddy will have no problem picking some up while he's out." Kakyoin smile sweetly over at the other, who snorted and rolled his eyes.
"Fine." Jotaro grumbled begrudgingly. Jolyne whooped in glee, and Kakyoin smiled, leaning on the tip of his toes to kiss the older.
"Stay safe, okay?"
"I will." Jotaro kissed him again, pulling away and arching his eye when he noticed Jolyne staring at them. He nodded at her direction when Kakyoin made a noise of confusion, the redhead jerking his head to look at the other.
"Oh, you little booger." Kakyoin turned around and walked toward her, causing her to squeak and hide back into the kitchen. "I'll have laundry done by the time you're back," Kakyoin called over his shoulder, changing his course toward the kitchen to the stairs instead.
"Alright, I'll have the cookies," Jotaro replied with, before shutting the door tightly behind him.
Kakyoin trotted back down the stairs to silence. "...Jolyne?" He asked, peeking around. He felt chills at being alone-- the silence of the house something he wasn't used to. He let out a breath of relief when he found her staring at the fridge, still munching away at the last of her sandwich.
"You draw real good," the little one commented, eyes tracking all over the pictures they drew together, now pinned to the fridge.
"Ah.. Thank you. You draw really well for someone so little-- you'll be even better than I am when you grow up."
Jolyne's eyes grew wide as saucers, but she didn't take them away from the pictures. Kakyoin chuckled, before gently grabbing her shoulders.
"Let's get you washed up, okay, sticky?"
"I'm not that sticky!" Jolyne protested, but followed him obediently up the stairs and into the bathroom anyway. Kakyoin filled the tub with warm water and lots of bubbles. "What if daddy gets back before I'm outta the tub? Then he'll eat all the cookies himself!" Jolyne said this as she stepped into the tub, hissing as the water touched her cool skin.
"He won't eat all the cookies. I don't even think he likes cookies that much." Kakyoin kneeled by the edge of the tub, grabbing a rag and some soap. He started on Jolyne's face-- scrubbing all the peanut butter and jelly off of her.
"How can-- he-- not-- like cookies?" Jolyne asked through the rag rubbing across her lips, causing her voice to become muffled. She began sputtering too, wiping her tongue off at the taste of soap in her mouth.
"Some people don't like sweet stuff baby," Kakyoin replied. "Close your eyes." She did, and he splashed water over her face with a cup. She coughed a bit, opening her eyes and looking over at Kakyoin.
"But I want him to eat cookies and have fun with us..!" She closed her eyes again as Kakyoin poured more water onto her, but her hair this time. He poured on shampoo, and began to scrub her scalp gently, but thoroughly, making sure to not let any near her eyes.
"Oh, he will. Don't worry. He has fun just being around you, Jolyne." He smiled as he poured water through her hair a few more times, before standing her up, holding her hands so she wouldn't slip. He allowed her to scrub herself, then washed her down. He reached into the tub to take out the plug. "Done. Wasn't that quick? And I don't think daddy's home yet, either." He stood up, standing back and grabbing Jolyne's hands. He helped her out of the bath, grabbing a towel hanging on a rack and wrapping it around her. "Stay here, and I'll go get your clothes, okay?"
Jolyne nodded, shivering in her spot. Kakyoin kissed her forehead then made his way downstairs. As he finally found clothes for Jolyne to wear, he heard the front door open. He rushed out to shush Jotaro, who raised the plastic box of cookies up and opened his mouth to speak.
"She's upstairs," Kakyoin hissed. "She doesn't know you're back yet. I'll put the cookies on the table and make the chocolate milk, you bring her these, okay?" He shoved the pile into his hands. Jotaro stood awkwardly, looking at the clothes then back to Kakyoin. "Don't be so stiff. If you don't want to be in there for long just give her the clothes and leave."
Jotaro nodded, awkwardly making his way past Kakyoin and toward the stairs.
Kakyoin sighed in relief, rushing into the kitchen and placing the cookies on the table, popping open the lid. He then pulled out three cups-- hearing when Jotaro entered the bathroom by Jolyne's delighted squeal of 'daddy!'-- and began to make the beverage.
By the time Jolyne made it downstairs it was all done, eyes wide and mouth open.
"Cool!!" She yelled, throwing her hands in the air. It seemed she had forgotten about the cats already. The little one then ran forward, grabbing her glass and drinking it. It wasn't horrendously fast-- but scary, Kakyoin watching in horror as she drank it all down in one go.
She grabbed a cookie and rammed it into her mouth, and that's when both Kakyoin and Jotaro had to jump in. Jotaro gripped her shoulder hesitantly, and Kakyoin spoke to her.
"Don't-- don't be so rash, sweetie. The cookies and milk will still be here. No one's in a rush, and neither should you." Kakyoin said this calmly, and she nodded, chewing slowing down.
That was when the home phone rang, Kakyoin looking up expectantly at Jotaro to answer it. He shrugged and wandered off to get the phone, Kakyoin sipping leisurely from his own cup. He noticed Jolyne staring at it, and he offered the drink to her. "Don't," he said, pulling it just out of her grasp when she reached, "drink it all at once. Got it?"
Jolyne nodded, making little grabby hands at his cup. He then let her have it, reaching across the table to grab Jotaro's cup and drink from there instead. Not like Jotaro wanted any, anyway.
Kakyoin heard some faint talking from the other room-- but didn't leave Jolyne's side. He knew that if it was important Jotaro would tell him about it.
And that's exactly what he did.
"Noriaki." Jotaro rushed into the room, phone still gripped tightly in his hand. His eyes were wide, chest rising and falling rapidly.
"What..?" Kakyoin asked, eyebrows furrowing. Jotaro's eyebrows arched, and he mouthed 'stand user' to him. Kakyoin's blood ran cold, and his hands clenched tightly onto the table, nails digging soft crescents into the wood. "No. No way. You mean--?"
Jotaro nodded, grip on the phone tightening.
Kakyoin slowly stood up, his breath caught in his throat. "Wh-- What--"
"He's just been caught, and they put him under intensive care in one of their hospitals. He was in pretty critical condition, apparently didn't take care of himself too much while on the run from the Foundation and was found just outside Panama collapsed and dehydrated."
"So-- so--" Kakyoin's lips grew into a smile, then a wide excited grin. "So--?!"
"We either fly out there tomorrow to confirm it's him, or have him flown here. They said it'd be dangerous if he was flown here, though they said they'd try their best to keep him stable--"
"We'll fly out there. We-- We have to. We have to." Kakyoin stumbled forward, Jotaro catching him in his arms and holding him tight. "Oh my god, Jotaro."
Jotaro nodded, holding Kakyoin close. "His name is Mukhtar Hallak. He was recruited by Dio when he passed through the middle east-- in Lebanon. We couldn't get much out of the other stand user we had captured for interrogation-- as expected-- but the Foundation does get to personally interrogate him whenever he's awake. He moved all over the state looking for us, apparently. It's all on file and you can read up on it when we get to Panama, alright?"
Kakyoin nodded, letting out a heavy sigh through his nose as he buried his face in Jotaro's collarbone farther.
Jolyne was mid-drink, and at those words she set the cup down a tad dramatically. Her lip wobbled, and she looked from Jotaro to Kakyoin to Jotaro again.
"I-I have to go already?" Jolyne asked meekly. Kakyoin pulled away from Jotaro and wiped his eyes, walking toward her and getting down on his knees to shush her quietly. He gathered her into his arms and stood up, Jotaro moving closer but not hugging.
"This is really important. You still have the rest of the day here with us though," Kakyoin whispered, nuzzling their faces together. She sniffled, gripping Kakyoin's shirt in her chubby fist tightly. "And I'm sure we'll meet again."
"I don't wanna go back to diaper lady..." Jolyne whined, grabbing at him tighter. "It's funner here!"
"You won't have the diaper lady, honey." Kakyoin kissed her forehead, squeezing her. "I'll be sure we find you a super good babysitter. But hey-- you'll help me cook dinner tonight, right?" He pulled back and looked at her, staring into her eyes until she nodded shakily. "Good. I knew I could count on you." He placed her back down, and she gripped Jotaro's pant leg, rubbing at one of her eyes.
"C-can we have somethin' good tonight? Like pasta? Spaghetti?" She batted her eyelashes up at Kakyoin, eyes wide and glossy. Kakyoin melted inside, trying not to show it, and he nodded with a soft smile on his face.
"'Course. Anything you want. Today's your day, after all." He gently scooped her up again to place her back on a kitchen chair, in front of her cup of milk and cookies. "Don't spoil your appetite, though; only one more cookie after the one you already have and you're done." Jolyne nodded, going back to finishing the one she had started before Jotaro interrupted them.
Kakyoin pressed himself to Jotaro's side, kissing his cheek and jawline until he gave in enough to reciprocate, kissing him on the lips and then peppering his face in them.
"I love you," Kakyoin mumbled, pressing his face against Jotaro's chest. His heartbeat didn't do anything to soothe him-- didn't push the feeling out of his body. He knew that he'd have to leave Jotaro soon. It was coming faster than he could process-- and if he was being honest...
He wasn't even sure he wanted to leave.
He hugged Jotaro tighter, and with every calming motion of Jotaro's warm hand down his back, he knew Jotaro also wanted to slow down time for once.
That night as they prepared to sleep, Jotaro sat on the edge of the bed and buried his hands in his hair. They had packed away their belongings-- and for Kakyoin, he had packed away almost everything. This was a one way trip. When Kakyoin noticed Jotaro's tense posture, he began to ask what was wrong-- before Jotaro cut in. "When her mom finds out I left her here with a member of the Foundation with no explanation, she's going to think I'd rather be out doing god knows what rather than be here. Like... Like before."
"...I'm sorry." Kakyoin mumbled, sitting on the edge of the bed. He rested his head on Jotaro's shoulder, closing his eyes. "We don't have to do this now, we can--" He was startled as Jotaro suddenly grabbed his shoulders, jerking him to the side to look him in the eyes.
"Noriaki." He spoke intensely, unblinking. "We have to do this." He didn't even offer reasoning as to why-- because he knew Kakyoin knew. "We are going to head out of here by seven tomorrow morning. We are going to get you home."
"I..." Kakyoin's head drooped. "But-- what if we can't find the 'link'? We don't even know what it is--"
"Then we'll have to beat it out of him," Jotaro growled, tightening his hold on Kakyoin. "He can't keep you here forever."
"I don't get it--" Kakyoin sighed, pressing his fingertips to his temples. "What's keeping me here? There's no way his stand could be this strong--"
"Mama?" They heard a soft voice, and they looked over toward the source. Jolyne was standing in the doorway, rubbing her eyes.
"What is it, baby?" Kakyoin replied, getting up and then stooping down next to the child.
"I can't sleep, can I--" she yawned loudly, reaching her arms up and around Kakyoin's neck, "can I sleep with you guys tonight?"
Kakyoin sighed affectionately through his nose, his arms coming around Jolyne to pick her up. "Of course you can." She buried her nose in the crook of his neck, making a small sleepy noise. It was obvious she was lying-- practically falling asleep in Kakyoin's arms-- but neither adults called her out on it. Jotaro sat awkwardly on the edge of the bed, looking up at them.
"Go turn the light off," Kakyoin whispered. Jotaro nodded and pushed himself off the bed to do so, Kakyoin walking to the other side to gently set Jolyne down in the middle of the bed. He climbed in soon after, feeling her latch onto him.
He couldn't see, but he felt Jotaro crawl into bed with them, slinging an arm over the two of them and pulling them in. Jolyne made another small, please sleepy noise, mumbling a 'g'night' before what Kakyoin presumed falling asleep.
"...'Couldn't sleep', huh?" Jotaro rumbled softly. Kakyoin snorted, wriggling just a bit on the sheets and arching forward to kiss him.
"Good night, Jotaro. I love you."
"I love you too."
The next morning was a bit of a blur-- waking up at 6 in the morning, frantically making sure everything was set up, making breakfast for Jolyne-- the only time it slowed down was when it was finally time to actually leave. A woman from the Foundation was left with Jolyne to babysit her-- she was very laid back, already getting along with the child.
"Mama!" Jolyne called out, pulling away from the Foundation member.
Kakyoin pulled back from talking with another member, looking down at Jolyne. "What is it?" He asked, crouching down by her. The members passed each other looks, eyebrows raised at how smoothly Kakyoin took to being called 'mama'.
"I want you to take this!" Jolyne held out a sheet of paper, and Kakyoin immediately saw it a small doodle she had drawn the day before of the whole family. He smiled and did so, gingerly folding it up and sticking it in his shirt pocket.
He got up slowly as she watched in confusion, walking past the babysitter and Jolyne and into the kitchen. He gently took the magnet off of the fridge and slid out the drawing from it. It was a doodle that he and Jolyne collaborated-- she drew him and he drew her. When Jolyne drew Kakyoin, though-- she gave him quite a large chest. At first it made him flustered, along with Jotaro's remarks on how 'accurate' it was-- but he grew quite fond of it.
"You should keep this, then." He spoke softly, gently placing it in her hands. "So you'll never forget me, okay?"
Jolyne shook her head, holding the paper tight in her hands. "Nuh uh! I won't. But you'll visit when you're back, right? So I can't forget you!"
Kakyoin breathed out softly through his nose, noticing Jotaro tense up behind him. "...Yeah. I'll visit when I can, okay? It's a promise." He ruffled her hair and then kissed her forehead before finally pulling away.
Jolyne nodded, her grin wide on her face. She waved them off as well, Kakyoin able to hear a 'bye-bye!' over the engine and the ever bumbling radio. Jotaro and Kakyoin waved her goodbye as well, Kakyoin clenching his jaw in an attempt to stop himself from crying.
The ride on the private jet was just as blurry as it was waking up, the only thing Kakyoin really remembered was the heavy, warm weight of Jotaro's hand in his own. His stomach was cramping up-- and he was pretty sure he could easily vomit if he even tried (though he wasn't sure why he would).
His hands were clammy and the adrenaline was pumping through his veins, causing him to shake whenever he went to pick up something like a water bottle. So to get some grip he held Jotaro's own hand tight, chest heaving and body feeling too hot and too cold and--
"It'll be okay," Jotaro murmured softly over the low hum of the plane around them, and Kakyoin almost jumped.
"S-sorry-- I... I know it will. I'm sorry." He bit back a stream of apologies, sighing through his nose and pressing his face against Jotaro's bicep. He felt nauseous and cold; shaking. He hadn't felt this way since he first met Dio.
"You should tell me..." Jotaro hummed, thumb gently rubbing over the back of Kakyoin's knuckles, "About... How you and I got together. In.. Your universe."
"Uh..." Kakyoin blinked, a bit dazed at the question, up at Jotaro. "Al... Alright...? Um.." He looked down at his lap, shifting slowly. "We got together after my admittance from the hospital and once I got to America. I was in the hospital For about half a year or so... He had already moved to America-- but he...surprisingly, stayed in contact with me. Perhaps he felt pity for me. ...Anyway, this is his second year of college. My first." Kakyoin sighed through his nose. "I don't know why I decided to rejoin him. I just...felt like I had to. It wasn't fun at first-- Jotaro.." Kakyoin cleared his throat, pulling away from Jojo just a bit. "He had a girlfriend, funny enough. And even when I found this out, even after I actually...cried a bit, you know? I thought he...loved me too, thought he was flirting with me, and--" Kakyoin shook his head. "He kissed me, before we went off to fight Dio. So of course I... Whatever. Even, uh. Even after I knew all this, felt this way... I came to America. Because I loved him. He was my first friend, my first crush, my... I don't know. I'm pretty clingy, looking back on it."
Jotaro grunted, his grip on Kakyoin's hand tightening incrementally. "...I... I dated her because I--"
"It's okay. I'm not asking for an explanation." Kakyoin looked back up at Jotaro, a crooked smile on his face. "I never asked one from him, and I'm not asking one from you. Your romantic life was none of my business-- I wasn't your boyfriend. I'm not one to pry when it comes to something like that.
"But. Soon enough, I could tell he was unhappy. I thought it was because of me-- Every time he looked at me, he was scowling. And one day I came across him and his girlfriend fighting, but he...wasn't replying, I guess? He had his hands in his pocket, unlit cigarette in his mouth, all that." Kakyoin scratched the back of his head. "She kept screaming and she shoved him a few times before just...storming off. I never saw her again after that." He sighed, repressing his face against Jotaro's arm. "All happened within the first two weeks of my arrival to America. We got together probably a week or two later. I would have felt bad if I wasn't so...happy, I suppose, to know he reciprocated my feelings."
"Mm." Jotaro hummed, thumb steadily rubbing over Kakyoin's knuckles still, feeling it go more and more lax under his touch.
"He... Ha... He cornered me and just...kinda spit it out, I guess." Kakyoin smiled, cheeks flushing at the memory. "Shoved a bunch of flowers onto my chest and yelled it out. The thorns scratched up my collarbone, but I didn't mind. I accepted immediately."
"I'm quite the romance master," Jotaro grunted, eyes squinting in embarrassment. Kakyoin snickered, nodding against his boyfriend's arm.
"You made-- make-- me very happy, nonetheless. I couldn't imagine a life without you." When Jotaro tensed, Kakyoin realized what he had said and felt his blood run cold, breathing in sharply. "Ah-- I'm sorry-- Sorry, I forgot--" he went to pull away from Jotaro, but the older grabbed his hand, reeling him back in for a small kiss.
"I understand," he mumbled softly, Kakyoin sighing in place of another unsaid apology.
"Ah, excuse me..!" One of the flight attendants approached them, Jotaro looking up at her with an arched eyebrow. "We will be landing shortly. You will be meeting with a select few SPW Members-- to ensure your safety and make sure that all private information said out loud whether accidentally or purposely will stay just that-- private and disclosed from the public." She smiled politely as Jotaro's nod, before turning on her heels and returning to the cockpit.
"I hear that every time I travel with the Foundation," Jotaro grunted, Kakyoin letting out small huffs of laughter.
"This'll be fun."
It was already later afternoon by the time they landed, then were transported to a private SPW Hospital, where the enemy stand user, Mukhtar, was staying until he was 'taken care of'. When they got to the hospital, the sun was beginning to set.
"Do you think he'll be a fake? Not the real thing? What if he's escaped?" Kakyoin whispered to Jotaro feverishly as they made their way down the hallway to Mukhtar's room, feeling his heart rate speed up.
"They've been keeping a 24/7 watch on him, Noriaki," Jotaro replied, placing a hand on the small of Kakyoin's back in an attempt to calm him. "He can't escape-- and you of all people should remember his report, and how it said he's worse for wear anyway. He couldn't even if he tried."
"I..." Kakyoin's shoulders slumped. "I guess you're right."
"I know you're nervous." Jotaro stopped in front of the patient's door, and gripped Kakyoin's shoulders. "This... Might be the last time I see you." He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Kakyoin's lips, long and soft. Kakyoin had to choke back his tears.
"I love you," Jotaro murmured once he pulled away, brushing a piece of Kakyoin's bang out of his eye.
Kakyoin threw his arms around Jotaro's shoulders and hugged him tight, body wracking with shudders of despair and anxiety. "I love you too," his voice cracked as he felt Jotaro return the embrace. "I've caused you so much trouble. I'm sorry." He let his tears finally spill, burying his face tightly into Jotaro's neck.
"You...gave me a second chance." Was all Jotaro replied with, soft in his ear, and Kakyoin let out a harsh sob. "Now...let's just. Go in there and get this all over with. Other me has to be worried sick." Jojo gently pried Kakyoin off of him, the redhead nodding and rubbing roughly at his eyes.
"O-okay. Yeah." He rubbed his eyes a few more times with a few accompanied sniffles, calming himself down enough to finally face the stand user. "Okay..." He breathed one last time, before pushing open the door.
The stand user on the bed was nothing like Kakyoin remembered him. He looked healthy. Everything he wasn't when Kakyoin first met him. He had a full head of hair and a healthy glow of skin. Kakyoin only wondered how long the Foundation held him in custody before he was able to be nursed back to this state. They had been either holding out on him, or Jotaro requested this.
He had his eyes on Jotaro and Kakyoin as soon as they walked in, not surprising considering that he was expecting them. He cleared his throat, trying to sit up more on the bed. Jotaro lurched forward at the movement, but Kakyoin held a hand out to his chest.
"Mukhtar Hallak?" Kakyoin asked, even though he knew. Mukhtar nodded, smiling almost too sweetly over at them.
"Hm... Yes. But. Before you kill me, I want to tell my story." The man’s voice creaked and cracked like an old sailboat on water for the first time in years, making Kakyoin cringe.
“Fine,” Jotaro grumbled, crossing his arms. “You don’t deserve it, but we’re nice people.”
“Hmm.” The stand user cast a dry look at Jotaro, who stared back evenly.
“I was born a stand user. I was terrified of myself. A stand that can transport people to different timelines? Really? But after, I lose my stand. My spirit. Because it goes into the victim and then is supposed to never return. The only way I knew this was because this has happened before— myself transporting another person here. When the stand is transported here with the victim, I’m able to read up on the situation, in a weird way. I… ‘sense’ it. And if I didn’t want to transport them, I could send them back in time a few hours… Maybe. But… I was young— naive. And although it seemed like a one-time thing, I felt powerful. What kind of power is that? To be able to transport others to another universe… Eventually, I heard of a 'God on Earth'.... Who went by the name DIO.”
He cleared his throat, shifting on his bed to get comfortable before continuing. “I wanted to challenge him. I wanted to be called God. But instead he...he charmed me. Like a snake charmer to a dangerous snake. He got me to obey his every command, to— to draw everything out and reset time a few hours to help correct his mistakes… We— we were companions.” He looked down at his hands, as if his fingernails were more important than the impending doom of death facing him. “I suppose that’s what he told his other...minions, too. That he cherished them more than anyone.”
He sighed, looking back up at the two with a heavy look. “And, call me foolish, but I don’t regret siding with him. I don’t regret searching endlessly for you two, either— those who took DIO away from me.” He sneered. “The only thing I regret is having an alternate not strong enough to send you to a universe where Kujo didn’t exist. I wanted you to feel the pain I felt. To know what it was like to have to bear not being able to see your loved one ever again.”
Kakyoin gently placed his hand on the small of Jotaro’s back, trying to calm his tense body. He looked ready to lunge at the user any moment now— wring his neck and impair him from talking. Or breathing, for that matter.
“So I tried to kill you. I gathered the rest of DIO’s followers that weren’t dead or unwilling to take revenge. I wanted to finish the job. Corner you and torture every last drop of blood out of your pretty little body. Force you to have your last thoughts of Kujo before I finally took your life.”
The man shrugged then, nonchalantly. “But— just like DIO’s— I suppose my plans didn’t work out. You’re both too strong, I admit. A good fight you put up.” He looked as if he would be clapping, if he could.
“So.. What happens when I kill you? Will I immediately be transported back home?” Kakyoin asked abruptly, trying to get to the chase.
“When you were transported here, my stand and my alter’s stand merged. When you kill me, it means it will also kill the one holding you here.” He sighed. “But you won’t be transported immediately.”
“What—?!” Kakyoin hissed, taking a step forward.
“My stand only activates and deactivates, because you haven’t killed my alter so it still works, once your heartbeat reaches a certain rhythm and once your body reaches a certain temperature.”
“And those are—?” Kakyoin waved his hand around, gesturing the user to hurry up.
“You just need to fall asleep,” the user stated simply. “The heart will slow down and your temperature will drop. It was meant to be a defense mechanism-- to throw the victim through a loop and they wake up in a blur and don't know what's going on. So, you just have to sleep. It’s that easy. Except— maybe it won’t be, for you.” He raised his eyebrows, looking over at Jotaro. “You’ll have a hard time sleeping tonight, because you’ll be leaving your boyfriend.”
Kakyoin frowned, and looked over at Jotaro, who stared back.
“Thank you for this information. I’ll be sure to make your death as painless as possible.” Kakyoin turned back to the stand user, who laid back and relaxed against the propped up pillows.
“Just be sure you get the job done,” he muttered. “I want to be with Lord DIO as soon as I can. I’m so tired..so tired.”
“I’m sure he’ll comfort you in the flaming pits of hell,” Jotaro grumbled. Neither Jotaro nor Kakyoin looked away when Hierophant Green slid out, tentacles wrapping around the mans head and swiftly snapping his neck.
Kakyoin stared at the formally alive corpse with a blank look, even after Jotaro murmured something to him about getting some of the Foundation members and left the room. He barely noticed them returning and removing the body from the room, only snapping out of his stupor when Jotaro grabbed his hand, saying something.
"Huh?" Kakyoin asked, blinking up at the older.
"I said the Foundation rented up a hotel for the night... Are you okay? You're shaking." Jotaro skimmed his thumb over Kakyoin's knuckles, feeling it tremble in his palm even with how tight Kakyoin was gripping Jojo's hand.
"I'm okay. We should just go."
"...Alright." Jotaro squeezed his hand, and lead him out of the hospital.
"I haven't...killed anyone in a while, I suppose." Kakyoin's nose scrunched up as he entered their hotel room, casting his coat halfazzerdly onto a chair nearby and sitting down on the plush bed. "Maybe that's why I'm so frazzled."
"Mm." Jotaro hummed, moving forward and pressing a kiss to the top of Kakyoin's head. Kakyoin allowed Jojo to also remove his glasses, eyes closing and being cued to a small thump that Jotaro placed it on the nightstand next to them. "Plane lag, too. We should probably try and sleep it off."
Kakyoin knew the implications of what Jotaro was trying to say, and his hand came up to clutch his turtleneck tightly, desperate.
"I don't want to leave you alone," Kakyoin replied, knuckles turning white. Jotaro gently coaxed the hand from his shirt and pulled it up to kiss it gently. He then pressed Kakyoin back more onto the bed, until he was flat on his back, red hair splayed wildly and striking against the cream colored comforter.
Jotaro soon climbed on with him, kicking off his pants and shirt. Kakyoin let himself be pulled to Jotaro's naked chest, one hand coming up to press against him and felt his heart beat.
"What do you think will happen once I'm gone?" The redhead continued, in a whisper. He nudged himself closer to Jotaro, his eyelashes fluttering slowly as he tilted his head up just enough to look at the older. "I happen to be just a... 'Bubble' in this universe. I'm not meant to be here. What if this is an illusion? Some kind of-- weird fever dream? What if I'm in a coma--"
"You seem pretty real to me. I feel pretty real, too." Jotaro's hand came up to touch the redhead's, which was still settled just over his heart. "You feel it. It should be proof enough."
"I...I know. I know." Kakyoin shook his head, closing his eyes. He almost flinched away as he felt a pair of chapped lips press against his forehead before he relaxed into it. "I'm just nervous. I've been here so long-- I don't want it to be fake. I don't think I could take it."
"I couldn't either." Was Jotaro's simple reply, and they laid in the bed in silence.
"..How long do you think I could go without sleeping?" The smaller mused, eyes opening to look at Jotaro.
"I'd probably slip something into your coffee to make you sleep eventually." He looked unimpressed, one eyebrow arched. "You can't run from this."
All Kakyoin felt pumping through his veins, instead of excitement, instead of nervous adrenaline, was regret. He didn't want to leave yet-- he couldn't--. "What will you do when I'm gone?"
"Move on. Maybe try to fix some big mistakes I've made before you came back..." One of the his hands came up to brush some hair out of Kakyoin's face. "Of course, go to Morioh and fix whatever Gramps managed to fuck up, too."
Kakyoin snickered at the last part, moving his legs to tangle with Jotaro's. It stayed silent again, until Jotaro spoke up once more.
"I wish you could have been here...before I... I fucked up. Big time." Jotaro scrunched his nose up, and Kakyoin was reminded vaguely of a confused puppy. But before he could think more about it, Jotaro continued. "I love Jolyne. But my marriage-- it... I... You've always been good at....." He trailed off, looking off like he was trying to find the right words.
"Persuading you?" Kakyoin hummed unhumorously, one hand skimming up and down Jotaro's bicep.
"Keeping me in line, I guess. Back in Egypt, I...You saved our asses, so many times." Jotaro's eyes closed, nostrils flaring as he took in a deep breath. "And you...had to pay the ultimate price for it. You, and Abdul, and Iggy--"
Kakyoin stayed silent, swallowing hard as he tried to comfort Jotaro with just his soothing touches alone (which, of course, was difficult to do).
"I ask myself often... Why it wasn't me." Jotaro's eyes opened again, eyebrows furrowing. He tucked a piece of Kakyoin's hair behind his ear. "You, Abdul, Iggy-- You had lives, and family, and futures--"
Kakyoin's hand snatched Jotaro's wrist up quickly, a fire-like, stern look in his eyes. "Jotaro Kujo. You have a life as well. You were no older than me-- and... And I'd much rather be dead than live a life without you in it. I went on that journey to Egypt because you saved my life. How would I feel if-- if you died? If I couldn't save you? You're making more of a change in this world than I ever would." Kakyoin reached up, cupping Jotaro's clenched jaw.
"What, even as a marine biologist?" Jotaro managed to grit out, whole body rigid from holding back emotion.
"You know you're more than that," Kakyoin replied simply. And with that, Jotaro pulled him closer, burying his face in the redhead's neck.
Kakyoin wrapped his arms around Jotaro, feeling the larger man tremble in his arms. He pressed a kiss to Jotaro's cheek, affectionate.
"It's selfish," Jotaro huffed heavily into Kakyoin's neck, and the redhead felt him blink away his tears furiously against his neck. "That first night, when I saw you sleeping.... I... I felt so...overwhelmed with jealousy-- something I hadn't felt so intensely before-- I almost convinced myself I was completely okay with keeping you here forever."
"It's not selfish. I don't want to go either. If I were you-- I would've avoided even telling me about the stand user's arrival." The redhead gently ran his hands up and down Jotaro's back.
"It was the right thing to do." Kakyoin felt Jotaro's grip tighten on his shirt.
"As passive aggressive as you are, I know you try your hardest. I just wish I could have been here. And..." Kakyoin's hands moved up to thread through Jotaro's hair. "I'm not...too sure what happens after we die, but... I'm sure I'm watching over you, some place. After being with you for seven weeks-- I knew you perfectly. You were my first friend, my first BEST friend, my... I don't know-- First crush, my first boyfriend. Even if you and I hadn't dated in this universe... I know I'd be willing." Kakyoin's grip on his boyfriend tightened. "I was willing to do anything for you."
"Even die," Jotaro grumbled, hugging him even closer, practically squeezing the wind out of the redhead. Kakyoin took a moment to reassemble his thoughts, before nodding.
"I was fully prepared to die. It's a miracle I survived, really... But it's okay. I accepted it within the last few minutes of life-- what was on my mind was how to save the rest of you. Not myself."
"You didn't deserve that." Jotaro huffed. "Your...your childhood was shit, then Dio fucking-- controlled you, manipulated you for three months into the brink of death--" Jotaro's voice was cracking, even as he tried his damndest to muffle it into Kakyoin's shirt. "You didn't have to die for me." He ended on a whisper, practically trying to meld his body with the smaller.
Kakyoin just held him silently, threading his fingers through his hair. There was silence, the redhead trying to calm down his sickened and jittery nerves by feeling the older breathe slowly and evenly against him.
"So... You carry over things when you leave, right...?" Jotaro pulled back to look at Kakyoin, who frowned in confusion.
"I guess so? I... I dunno, I had my clothes on from my universe, so..."
"...Okay." Jotaro got up and pulled away, Kakyoin furrowing his eyebrows in confusion and propping himself up on his elbows.
"Jotaro?"
He watched the older search through their bags, grunting as he found what, Kakyoin presumed, he was looking for. He then moved over to Kakyoin's coat, pulling out a slip of paper.
"Here." He walked back over to the bed, and Kakyoin sat up more. Jotaro unfolded the paper he took from Kakyoin's coat pocket, revealing the drawing of the family Jolyne gave him. "I don't want you to forget us."
Kakyoin's lower lip trembled, pressing up in a hard pout as tears welled up in his eyes. "I won't," he croaked out, but reached out and took the paper, tucking it in his shirt pocket. "I couldn't."
"We don't know what'll happen when you leave, Noriaki." Jotaro sat down on the bed, holding something unidentifiable in his hands. Kakyoin wiped away his tears, sniffling and scooting forward so he could press his face against Jotaro's shoulder. He felt his hand being coaxed into Jotaro's, letting him take it.
"...I remembered my Jotaro, so I'm sure I'll remember you." He closed his eyes, sniffling again, and burying his face more into Jotaro's neck. He felt his hand being spread, expecting Jotaro to thread their fingers together, but instead a cool band was slipped around one of his fingers. "...Wh--?" He looked down to see a small ring on his finger, blinking a few times before looking up at Jotaro with a wide-eyed look.
"Well... You have one thing from Jolyne... And one thing from me." Jotaro clasped his hand over Kakyoin's, leaning forward to kiss the corner of the redhead's mouth.
"Wh... When did you even find the time to--?"
"When we went shopping before we had to go out and get Jolyne...it's why I took so long."
Kakyoin watched as the tips of Jotaro's ears went red, face slowly breaking out into an affectionate smile, throwing his arms around the older's shoulders and once more letting his tears fall.
"I'll miss you," he groaned into his skin, Jotaro gently wrapping his arms around Kakyoin and kissing the top of his head.
"I'll miss you too. Now..." Jotaro gently pried him off, laying him back down on the bed. "Sleep."
"But... But I'm not even tired." It was a weak, childish protest-- and a lie, as well. His nerves from earlier having calmed down mixed with crying so much made him extremely exhausted, feeling his limbs become heavy like lead.
Jotaro got up, turning off the lamps and the main light. "Just a short nap, then."
Kakyoin nodded, feeling his lower lip tremble again as Jotaro climbed back into bed.
"I'll be here when you wake up."
Kakyoin nodded again, scared that he would start crying again if he said anything. He allowed himself to be enveloped in Jotaro's arms, hugging him back tightly, as if hugging him would drag the older along with him to his universe.
As hard as he tried, his heavy eyelids wouldn't stay open, and he finally let sleep envelop him to the feel of Jotaro kissing his forehead.
--
"Hg..." Kakyoin frowned as the sunlight streamed in and forced him awake, rolling over and grabbing the comforter to pull it up over his eyes. But it was too late-- his body was already mostly awake. And he really had to piss.
So he sat up in bed, blearily rubbing his eyes as he looked around. He felt really sluggish for some reason-- as if he hadn't moved in a while. He held his hand over his mouth as he yawned, looking over at where Jotaro usually slept and finding it empty. Then he looked over and saw his clock-- and jerked wildly.
"I'm-- Fuck! I'm late for the Foundation Members!" Kakyoin scrambled out of bed, tripping over the comforter and almost landing on his face. "Why the hell didn't he wake me up?!" He hissed, pushing himself up and untangling himself.
"Oi! Who the fuck is--" He heard a booming voice, and he jerked his head up to look at-- Jotaro. Standing in the doorway, he looked...really, really tired and unhealthy. He stopped mid-sentence, going from looking intimidatingly puke-ish to a deer in the headlights.
"Jo... Jotaro?" Kakyoin asked, eyebrows furrowing. "Are you sick?" He slowly stood up, making his way toward Jotaro. The closer he moved, the more Jotaro stepped back. "What's your problem?"
"Ka.." Jotaro let out a heave, looking almost like he was ready to pass out. "Noriaki?"
"...What the hell is your problem?" He repeated. "Do you need to go to the hospital?" He moved forward and pressed his hand against cool skin-- indicating Jotaro was just fine. "Did you hit your head over night?"
"No-- you--" Jotaro's hands suddenly shot up to hold Kakyoin's arms in a vice grip, the redhead wincing.
"Hey--" His protest was cut off and Jotaro pulled him into the most desperate hug he's ever felt, Jojo burying his face in Kakyoin's hair and nails digging into the back of his shirt. Of course, as confused as he was, he wrapped his arms around Jotaro too. "...Are you okay, Jotaro?"
"You were gone," his voice was muffled, trying to pull Kakyoin even closer. "You were gone for almost four months, Noriaki."
Kakyoin felt the bigger tremble against him, blinking owlishly. "What do you mean? Four months?"
"You--" Jotaro's voice cracked and he suddenly pulled Kakyoin away, looking him in the eyes. "Where did you go? You disappeared-- you left. For four months. Where did you go?"
"Jotaro... I have no idea what you're talking about." Kakyoin aimed to sound soothing, bringing his hands up to cup Jotaro's face. "I've been here."
"No-- no. What month is it?" Jotaro's hands weakly gripped the redhead's wrists, looking at him desperately. "What month is it, Noriaki?"
"It's..." Kakyoin furrowed his eyebrows. "It's early June, isn't it? Why?"
"It's October. Almost November." Jotaro breathed out, body relaxing, as if it was confirmed he wasn't hallucinating Noriaki's disappearance.
Kakyoin, on the other hand, tensed up and felt his stomach drop. His hands slid down from Jotaro's face, though Jojo still held his wrists gingerly. "...October?" He breathed, looking past Jotaro and out of the window. It-- there were no leaves on the trees. The grass was yellow. All of a sudden, he felt like throwing up.
"Where did you go?" Jotaro asked softly once more, dragging Kakyoin's attention from the window. "The stand user we faced before you disappeared-- he did something to you. I had-- I had to kill him. I woke up and you were gone."
"...The stand user..." Kakyoin blinked over at Jotaro. "The... The one I faced yester-- ...The one that came up in the yard while you weren't home?"
Jotaro nodded, hands sliding into Kakyoin's hands. Kakyoin saw him look down, eyes widening, and he looked down too.
On his left hand, middle finger, sat a ring.
"Where did this come from?" Jotaro asked, looking back up at Kakyoin.
"I... I don't know. I swear." He breathed out, blinking away a sudden rush of tears rapidly. "I don't know." He didn't know why he was getting so emotional-- one hand coming up to wipe away his tears. "I don't know."
"Okay." Jotaro answered simply, pulling Kakyoin in for a hug. Kakyoin hugged back hard, body shaking. As they were pressed together, there was a crinkle of paper-- and Kakyoin's breath caught as he pulled away to investigate. He pulled out a paper from his shirt pocket, unfolding it and showing a picture of Jotaro, Kakyoin, and a little girl.
"Wh... What the hell..." Jotaro's and Kakyoin's eyes slid from the obvious child drawing of Jotaro, to Kakyoin, to the girl with green hair and black hair.
Unexpectedly, Kakyoin let out a sob, letting the paper drop to the floor and pressing the balls of his hands to his eyes. He felt Jotaro wrap around him, and gently they both slid to the floor together, Jotaro burying a hand comfortingly into Kakyoin's hair and eventually rocking them back and forth.
"I don't know what happened--" Kakyoin's voice was thick, blinking the tears out of his eyes. "I don't remember. I don't know!" Admitting it to himself made him feel even worse, and somehow disappointed in himself. He let another sob wrack his body, curling into Jotaro.
"It's okay. It's okay-- you're back, and that's all that matters." Jotaro's voice was stiff, awkward as he tried to comfort the redhead. He pulled the smaller even closer, kissing his temple.
"I'm sorry I left you all alone--" Kakyoin's voice cracked, and Jotaro buried his face in the redhead's neck.
"I love you, Noriaki. I love you." He pressed kisses into the redhead's skin, Kakyoin wrapping his arms around him tightly. "I love you." It should have been a cold splash to Kakyoin's face to hear Jotaro say he loved him-- because he never said it often. But for some reason, the redhead didn't even feel surprised. He... Felt like it was something common they said, for some reason, even though it obviously wasn't.
He held Kakyoin as they both calmed down, gently rubbing his hand up and down the smaller's back. "Later, I have to go send the Foundation a fax saying you're no longer a missing person."
"You filed me missing?" Kakyoin mumbled, not bothering to move from his place curled up on Jotaro, face pressed against the other's chest.
"My whole family and the Foundation went wild looking for you." The 'especially me' was thickly implied, causing Kakyoin to curl up around him tighter. "Eventually they docked you as the cause of a stand user, because there was no evidence. Not a single fucking trace. It was... Pretty 'bizarre'. And I thought... Killing the user would bring you back, but--" Jotaro's grip on him tightened. "But when it didn't, I..."
"I'm sorry," Kakyoin whispered hoarsely. Jotaro just kissed the top of his head. "I... I really don't remember anything while I was gone. I feel like it was yesterday when I found the stand user."
"I believe you." Jotaro sighed through his nose, and Kakyoin could tell that Jojo's chest was becoming lighter and lighter every second Kakyoin was with him.
He wasn't sure what had happened-- but something was linked with it-- the drawing, the ring. He felt like it was on the tip of his tongue every time he saw them-- like it was important. Extremely important. It felt hard to let go, too-- as if he was trying to tell himself something.
It frustrated him. It really, really did. To know that there was something he needed to know but didn't. He silently looked at the ring on his hand, and over to the sheet of paper on the ground. He startled slightly when Jotaro pressed another kiss to his temple, and took his focus off of the situation for a moment.
Kakyoin shifted in Jotaro's arms to look up at him, and press a kiss to his cheek. The more affection the redhead gave him, the more the bigger relaxed. It surprised him how tense the other was-- but then he remembered he was gone for four months with no lead on where he went.
He closed his eyes and tucked his face in the crook of Jotaro's neck, hand reaching down to grasp Jojo's larger, calloused one. It's been months. He can handle a few minutes of not stressing over what he can't remember happened (which he'll probably never remember, anyway).
He had a certain Jotaro Kujo to take care of.