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Steely Dan was really the lowest scum in history, Jotaro thought, as he was pinned to the ground by Kakyoin's stand, unable to move.
Lovers was in his brain, directing back the damage caused to it's user and the stand itself to Jotaro's body.
Jotaro grit his teeth, his blood boiling with anger. He was so close, they were so close, to defeating this man's stand, just another obstacle in the way to saving Holly's life.
But this fucker still had the mental strength to attack Jotaro with his stand a second time while Star Platinum's fists collided with his own flesh, breaking nearly every bone in his body.
Jotaro only noticed it when he felt the force of his own punches, pain flaring up in his shoulder and chest where his hits originally landed on Dan. Kakyoin must have sensed Lover's movements, as his stand's restraints tightened its hold, and now he could feel the crushing weight of it on himself too. It was too much, he could barely breathe and Kakyoin was too far away to just tell him to loosen his grip.
A chain of swears escaped Jotaro's gritted teeth while Steely Dan whimpered in pain, spitting blood on the ground. Jotaro glared at the man, hoping he could burn a hole in his head by the intensity of his gaze alone. He added stand attack, physical restraint, and difficulty of breathing to his mental list of Steely Dan's checks. He took a deep breath. He couldn't wait till it's payback time again. He wouldn't hesitate to actually kill this scumbag of a man as soon as Star Platinum's fists could touch his enemy without hurting himself, and he wasn't sure what that meant for his morales. He was growing angrier and more impatient by the second.
Dan must have sensed the killer intent in his gaze, as his eyes filled with fear and he… laughed. Jotaro stared at him blankly, even though he could feel the enemy's pain tenfold, his laugh ending in a coughing fit with more blood spat on the ground and the heightened pain echoing in Jotaro's bones. Jotaro was afraid he might break his own jaw with how hard he was biting on his own teeth.
"Damn you… Jotaro… You really did a number on me.." Steely Dan huffed out with every breath, spitting out each word with venom.
The others must have been getting closer, as Kakyoin's interference abruptly vanished, Jotaro sat up, summoning Star Platinum immediately, not caring that his whole body was aching from their fight.
"You bastard!" Steely Dan snarled, "you can hit me, even kill me, but that won't change the fact that I'm dragging you down with me! I've won! Dio-sama will be so pleased that I got rid of you, even if it might cost my life!"
Jotaro clenched his fists, as he tried to get closer to his enemy. He was just out of Star Platinum's range. His rage burned him alive, it burned him more than any of his injuries could.
He had enough of this man's bullshit. It seemed out of place for such a selfish piece of shit to speak about sacrificing himself so openly, dare to say, it was bizarre.
Jotaro moved closer, so he could do something, anything with his stand till the backup arrived. He hasn't felt so overpowered in a fight in a long time, so he will make sure this will end well.
Movement caught Star Platinum's precise eyes, the glint of sunlight on a blade. He reached out, grabbed Steely Dan's hand before the knife could actually slice his throat.
His Stand tore it out of his hand by the blade, Jotaro ignored the stinging pain in his palm. It was nothing compared to his other injuries.
Hot burning agony erupted in him and for a moment he thought he might be dying. The pain was so binding, raw and powerful, that it couldn't have been caused by his own suffering.
Jotaro glanced at Steely Dan, who wasn't speaking or moving anymore, only gurgling at his own blood in his throat. From the intense tightness of his throat, he could feel it too, and he could see the flesh bud tearing through the man's skull.
Shit. Steely Dan was on his deathbed, and Jotaro still had his Stand inside his brain. He might be an enemy, but if he had died now, he would be a goner himself. With his last energy he commanded Star Platinum to tear the flesbud out of his head. He wasn't as precise as when he did it for Kakyoin, it surely caused damage, but Dan was still alive, he was still alive. His stand yeeted the parasitic cell out to the sunlight to perish. The pain in his head only strengthened, it was unbearable, he was dying, oh my god, he was dying… He briefly wondered if Steely Dan dies, will he not make it himself? Then the world faded into darkness.
***
"Oh my God!" Joseph Joestar cried out in horror at the scene that unfolded before his eyes as he rounded the corner. Kakyoin was beside him, he froze too. Polnareff trailed just behind them.
"What's the problem, Mr. Joestar?" He asked, as he peered over Kakyoin's shoulder to get a better view. "Mon dieu, what happened here?"
Joseph wasn't sure either. Both Steely Dan and Jotaro lay on the ground, wounded, unmoving. And there was just so much blood around them. The sight of it was frightening.
"Kakyoin, check what happened to the enemy" he asked, tone serious.
He nodded and hurried towards Steely Dan's body. Joseph took a step towards Jotaro, and another, and another, he felt his legs weak, his knees wobbly. It was a miracle he reached his grandson before he collapsed, falling to his knees.
Jotaro looked like shit. His skin paler than usual, his eyebrows drawn together in pain, unconscious. But he was still alive. He could still be saved. He let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
"Jotaro…" he whispered and reached out to stroke his hair out of his eyes, just like when he was still a child, but this time it felt so wrong, his hair was sticky with blood, and his forehead was glistening with sweat.
"Joestar-san" Kakyoin called out, so Joseph lifted his eyes from his grandson. Kakyoin's expression didn't mean anything good.
"Steely Dan is almost dead, judging from his wound he probably had a flesh bud in his brain. Jotaro must have freed him of it to slow down the process, but it's impossible for him to survive. Jotaro, on the other hand, has similar damage on his head. I'm afraid Lovers might still reside in his brain. Which means when the enemy dies…" Kakyoin looked away, his voice cracked with emotion. "He will… Jotaro...he will pass away too."
Polnareff's breath caught in his throat, Joseph's eyes fogged with unshed tears.
This can't be happening.
His grandson was as stubborn as a mule. He won't leave them behind without a fight. Right?
"No, this can't be real. First Abdul and now Jotaro? How could this happen?" Polnaref said
"He saved my life. And I can't do anything to save him?"said Kakyoin.
Joseph shook his head. "I refuse to give up now! We've come a long way with him, and we will arrive in Egypt with him!"
Joseph thought about solutions. Doctors couldn't do much for him at this point, not even the Speedwagon foundation's best ones. If they could heal him somehow… yeah, that's it. Heal him. A plan already started to form in his head.
How long was it when he last used it? Forty years ago? Fifty?
Jotaro's breathing was shallow, his blood pressure low.
He had to try it.
He let his tears fall, then took a deep breath. Then another and another, keeping in mind the rhythm of his breathing. He could already feel the cackling energy of the sun inside himself. His Hamon.
Joseph remembered Lisa Lisa's serious gaze when they learned about Hamon's healing properties.
Originally he wanted to skip that lesson, he thought it would be useless in his fight against the Pillarmen. Ceasar wasn't impressed.
"You can't do this, Jojo, "he said back then. "The Hamon contains the energy of the sun itself. The sun, which makes our plants grow and keeps us warm and safe, and helps humanity grow too. Hamon might be deadly to vampires and the Pillarmen, but it can heal humans."
Now Joseph was so glad that Caesar made him take that lesson. He silently thanked him wherever he was right now.
He felt the Hamon's energy.coursing through his veins, strong enough to heal. He mainly used his power for fighting in the past, but now he regretted not practicing healing more.
He cupped his grandson's cheeks between his hands, letting the energy flow onto him, leaving warmth, peace and healing in its wake. Jotaro's expression softened, the Hamon's energy already easing his pain.
It was a good sign. He could heal.
Joseph kept up his healing method for a while, until the others caught up with his plan, and confirmed Steely Dan's death. But Jotaro was still breathing, his heart still beating in his chest. He was still alive.
Relief washed over Joseph's body.
He couldn't be happier.
His grandson will live.
He smiled as he collapsed out of exhaustion. It was the longest time he kept up using his powers in years, of course he needed a nap after the stress.
***
When Jotaro woke up, he was feeling like shit. His ears were ringing, the light too bright, blinding, his companions's whispers too loud. He felt bile rise in his throat, so he turned to his side and let out the contents of his stomach. Straight to his grandfather's lap. His skin was still feverish, he barely noticed that his head was resting on his grandfather's legs.
He wanted to drink. He said out loud,.but he was staring at him, confused, until Kakyoin helped him out by translating that he wanted water. Jotaro didn't even notice he switched to Japanese instead of English.
The fresh, cold water helped to settle his stomach a little bit, so the sleep dragged him down once again. He could faintly hear Joseph's complaints about vomit on his pants, but the old man didn't move a centimeter away from him.
It was okay to rest now. Everything will be fine, he will be alright.