Chapter Text
"Thought I might find you out here," Kakyoin's voice called. Jotaro fumbled the cigarette he was nursing off the railing, and silently prayed it fell into the pond instead of the greenery below. Last thing he needed was to set the whole garden on fire.
The door to the balcony clicked shut. "That predictable?" he jabbed, back still turned to Kakyoin and leaning over the railing. He sighed. "Too many people." Busy pretending it's not happening if he's not looking at it.
Kakyoin was a saint for not bringing up Jotaro’s appearance, his suit jacket draped over the bench nearby and hair falling out of the tight gel back, only huffing a dry laugh in response.
"What's your excuse," Jotaro asked his newly lit cigarette. Kakyoin only sighed, and the soft click of his dress shoes caught up to Jotaro. He watched from his peripherals as Kakyoin brought his hands from behind his back and ran them over the railing, stopping when he noticed the dirt it left on his skin.
"Do you mind if I..." When Jotaro finally looked at him, his head was turned towards the sky and arms crossed over his sage green suit. He flicked his eyes to the pack to say you won’t like these. Kakyoin blinked hard at him, keeping his eyes closed a second too long. Ah, desperation. He gingerly handed the cigarette over with the tips of his fingers, careful not to drop any ash on his sleeve.
"Don't think the bride will appreciate that," he deadpanned, turning back to watching nothing, trying to act like he didn’t see Kakyoin nearly kill the whole thing in one pull.
"She'll be fine," Kakyoin hissed on the exhale with a little too much venom. Jotaro looked at him with raised brows while the groom shifted awkwardly on his feet. He'd be impressed, if he didn't know Kakyoin and his tendency to find comfort in substance abuse when his mouth and brain both shut down.
It wouldn’t be the first time Kakyoin’s come to him in distress like this. Jotaro’s had his fair share of breaks, too. One, or both, of them will crack under some kind of stress, and they’ll take a day off and drive to another city in another run down motel. More often than not it’s a series of bummed smokes on balconies and a bottle of jack, sometimes they spill their hearts to each other, sometimes it’s silent besides the hum of cicadas to keep the ringing out of their ears.
Jotaro swallowed his feelings for his friend long ago, he never hopes for more out of those trips. It’s just stress relief. Maybe not healthy, but it’s a language they understand.
"I don't know what I'm doing," Kakyoin admitted finally, resigned.
"Making a scene, probably. Mass panic in there now that their groom is missing." Kakyoin punched his arm with a scoff, but there was no bite. Jotaro only rocked slightly from the impact, and took the cigarette back when it was offered. Inhale. "Safe to assume you're nervous? Thought you'd be excited. Love of your life, right." The smirk melted off his face while flicking the ashes. Kakyoin hummed and adjusted his tie, a deep emerald with gold embroidered florals.
“You know what I mean.” He doesn’t. Pass. “I should be happy, I said yes. I planned this. Helped, at least. Ashtray?” Jotaro held it up, and moved to light the next one Kakyoin took. “This is ridiculous, I had plenty of time to think about this,” he mumbled with it still in his mouth. Exhale. “God, you’re right, these are terrible.”
“So you’re getting cold feet.” Kakyoin looked at him, but made no move to object. “Kakyoin.” He looked down and offered the cigarette back, but Jotaro let him keep it. “Suppose I should be talking you down, but that’s a big commitment.”
The groom remained silent, only bringing his hand back to his lips. Jotaro sighed again and turned to face him, and began adjusting Kakyoin’s tie for him, breathing out hard through his nose to say 'This part’s all wrong.' “You only have about seven minutes to figure that out.” Kakyoin turned his head to finish and snub his smoke, and faced back in time for Jotaro to finish, smoothing the tie down underneath the waistcoat. “I suggest you get back in there and live the ‘happiest day of your life’, or be ready for some heavy explaining.”
Jotaro tapped the pads of his fingers on Kakyoin’s cheek twice like his grandfather would after a pep talk and turned to grab his blazer.
“Whatever happens…” Jotaro stopped in front of the door, “I’ll still be here for you.”