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It's at Morioh that Jotaro and Kakyoin were settled. Temporarily, but also indefinitely. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a vacation, nor an outing between two old friends to create memories, no. It was to deal with a matter of stands that seemed to be growing in this particular city. And the duo agreed to settle it together, while Polnareff and Abdul were looking for similar activities on the other side of the world.
Kakyoin only joined Jotaro a few days after his arrival for medical purpose. And since the taller man had already met most of the inhabitants, he had presented him the most important heads, counting Josuke Higashikata, his young uncle, sixteen years old of age only. And that’s when Kakyoin understood. The Joestar's family tree was complicated. Unfortunately, he wasn’t in the end of his troubles...
The two friends settle in a high-class hotel, once in a while, staying away from home for a longer or shorter period of time, let's do it properly. They even shared the same room for a reason of cost-effectiveness, and of course, they paid the price together. In any case, they were close enough to tolerate each other all day long.
Anyway, during their free time, in other words, between the patrols and the sweepings of enemies, they were supposed to return to the hotel having nothing better to do. At least, that’s what they decided. And it was indeed Jotaro's case. But not Kakyoin's.
Fortunately, it took only a few days for Jotaro to get to know Josuke's character well. And knowing that he had a similarity with his friend, he had therefore thought of going to check at the Higashikata's place first.
It was while staring at them from the window that the two gamers were surprised. They were trembling. Seeing Jotaro through the window in the middle of the night, with his dark glare, was similar to a horror movie in real life. A monster. He looked like a monster. It was terrifying. And his hoarse voice played a big part in that. It was an experience they certainly didn’t want to live though again. Thus, fighting stands were less scary than the big, angry Jotaro.
His anger was justified, and it only lasted for one night. Kakyoin understood he was worried about him. Obviously. So the next times, because they didn’t intend to stop there, he thought of warning Jotaro with a little note he would leave on the coffee table. But it didn’t mean he would return to the hotel by himself... It was now a routine for Jotaro Kujo to pick up his friend. He looked like a father picking up his own child at the daycare center...
“And that is when I took the opportunity to use my stand to save the baby.” Kakyoin finished telling an anecdote in which he was taken hostage with other innocent people.
“Mh.” That’s the only thing Jotaro replied with a slight smile. The man was not a great talker, unlike his friend, to compensate, he was a good listener.
The duo patrolled in the city, still looking for a random enemy or even a sister of the arrow, which in the wrong hands could be dangerous. And since they didn’t find anything for now, they took the opportunity to talk about anything and nothing. Or rather, Kakyoin was talking while Jotaro was listening. It was their habit, and it was good this way.
Just in front of them, the door of a small store opened, leaving a young teenager who seemed to be very busy contemplating what he has just bought with a glorious look. And by that, he didn’t notice the two adults which were standing a few meters from him, just to his left.
“Hey, Josuke!” Greeted Kakyoin.
It was enough to bring the respondent back to earth, turning his gaze to the voice he just heard. His face turned from confusion to joy. “Mr. Kakyoin, Mr. Jotaro!” He came closer to the adults. Jotaro greeted him with a slightly raised hand.
“Did you find something interesting?” Asked the redhead, pointing to the content in Josuke's hands. His hands that were so big that he couldn’t see what they were hiding.
A smirk appeared on the younger boy's face, letting Kakyoin to think that he was right. Even though he didn’t expect such a reaction.
“Guess.” He replied, revealing proudly his treasure to the adult. This one's eyes began to shine with a thousand of sparkles, and it had been a long time since Jotaro had seen him like this.
“Great Punch, Bro!? It's finally released!? I have been waiting it for months!” He shouted, excited.
Josuke started to chuckle, withdrawing his game to the other man’s view, who knows, he could steal it to him and use his adult rights as an excuse to keep it. “I knew you'll like it! We can play it sometimes, if it doesn't bother Mr. Jotaro...” He suggested, turning his look to his nephew.
At the moment of the said suggestion, the two video games fans began to look at Jotaro with puppy eyes. As to supply him to say yes. As if he was a tyrant.
He sighed. “Do whatever you want. It's not like you needed my opinion.”
This simple sentence made them more than happy. They already started to schedule the day they were going to play it. Aside, Jotaro looked like their father, once again. It reminded him of his own daughter, who acted the same way with her friends, so it didn't bother him. It was cute.
“Oh, I forgot, Okuyasu is waiting for me. See you soon!” Said the boy with the pompadour before leaving.
The two adults greeted him back, one with an amused smile and the other with a so neutral face.
“You two have become close.” Jotaro pointed out once his uncle was too far away to hear him.
“What? You're jealous?” Asked the other with a teasing air followed by an insistent look.
The taller man sighed, resuming his route. Kakyoin followed him before creating too much distance between the two.
“Actually, it feels good. To see you get along with others, I mean.” He explained himself repositioning his cap.
The redhead was far to imagine such an explanation, his remark was only a joke, but he was no less happy about it. During his childhood, he had trouble making friends because of Hierophant Green, his stand. Everyone, including adults, avoided him. Because he was weird, a monster, he wasn't like the others. So he was alone. And it's only later that he managed to befriend others. Alas, his friends could be counted on the fingers of one hand, and Jotaro knew that very well. Kakyoin had revealed everything to him years ago. And for that reason, he was happy to see him buddy-buddy with his uncle.
“Josuke is very gentle and likeable. I feel good with him.” He started to smile. “I'm really happy to meet the members of your family, despite the complicated family tree.” The dark haired's cap missed hiding his smile.
“Plus, playing video games with someone is so much fun.” He stated with a big smile.
“I hope your soul is not on the line this time.”
Following this remark, Kakyoin laughed, giving a light elbow to the other.
There came the day when Kakyoin and Josuke had to meet at the latter's house to discover the new game they were waiting for. The redhead couldn't wait more, it has been too many months he was waiting for that game. He had seen posters and ads on the television, which was enough to make him want to play it. And that evening, he would finally be able to do so. With a friend on top of that, everything was perfect.
After greeting Tomoko, and obviously Josuke, the two boys moved to the living room. Controllers in hand, they started a new game. Great Punch, Bro was a fighting game, so everything they did was to battle against each other.
As the fights go on, they discovered that each character had its own gameplay, and it was fun to switch characters to find out how each one fought. And then they'd know which one they'd be more comfortable with next. Josuke seemed to have found his happiness with Kirbo while Kakyoin found Yosh-Yosh funnier.
“Hey, Mr. Kakyoin, can I ask you somethin'?” Asked the youngster nervously.
“Just Kakyoin is enough. You don't need to be so polite with me.” Retorted the other. “I'm listening.”
“Oh, huh... I can't promise... Well...” He hesitated to ask his question. And it was only when Kirbo managed to deliver a super-powerful blow that he got the courage to ask the question. “How close are you with Mr. Jotaro?”
If Josuke's Kirbo hadn't knocked him off course with his move, he knows that he would have been for a different reason: The surprise toward that question.
“Joestar's trickery, huh? I know your father very well, I won't be fooled, Josuke.” He replied with great focus on the game.
“That's not it! I'm not a cheater...” He could feel Rohan's accusing gaze, coming straight from a memory buried deep inside him. “I mean... you two look close... that's all.”
Was it a Joestar’s habit to point out to someone when they were close to a family member? In any case, it made the young Kakyoin to laugh. The question was clearly suspicious, but it didn't seem to have a bad background. So maybe it wasn't that alarming after all.
“I guess we are in a certain way.” He finally replied.
The young boy with the pompadour tilted his head slightly toward the other. “By a certain way,” And he smirked at him. “are you talking about a naughty way?”
At this question, Kakyoin burst out laughing. If the teen tried to break his concentration, he succeeded, but not in the way he thought. He was laughing so hard he could hardly see the screen. Especially since his eyes were not of great quality after his accident in the past... But he didn't hear his character taking any hits, it seems like Josuke was fair play. Kakyoin judged him too fast.
“I'm sorry...” After half a minute, he managed to calm down. “I rather say we are close in the way that we traveled during fifty days to kill a vampire.”
The youngster boy's evil smile faded. “Mh. Sorry for insisting but...” His nervousness returned, he looked away, scratching the back of his head. “well, you are always together and... sometimes, we are wondering if there's something more between the two of you.” He frowned, blushing, giving the impression of some difficulty in saying the bottom of his thought. “Not that it's any of my business or that it would change anything, it's your life after all. It's just that... I can't tell if I must consider you like a family member or a friend...”
Joestar's blood flowed in the veins of young Josuke and yet, he didn't try to trick Kakyoin as his father would have done. No, everything he wanted was to know how to consider Kakyoin in his relatives list, and it touched him right in the heart. He couldn't help smiling, but also turning red, taking into account that third persons imagined him with Jotaro.
“He and I are best friends.”
It was now a decade since Kakyoin had feelings for Jotaro. Actually, he had a crush on him since he saved him from DIO's grip. Falling in love with his savior, wasn't it so cliché? Or rather, the most romantic of loves? But was it so important? What mattered most was what he could feel. And during all these years, he would have managed to contain himself, to hide his feelings, to avoid his entourage, and eventually the principal concerned, to know about it.
He hided it so much that he didn't even try to make any kind of advance. Scared that these feelings are not shared. And that was the better to do because Jotaro fell in love with a woman, with whom he married and had a daughter. Kakyoin had been jealous. Terribly jealous. But he managed to keep his resentment deep inside him. And he didn't hate Jolyne for all that, on the contrary, he adored her. Sometimes her parents couldn't take care of her because of their respective jobs, and Kakyoin was the first one that Jotaro called to take care of her. He felt happy.
Then, years ago, the little angel's parents were forced to divorce. For a reason as stupid as it looked like, since neither of them was at fault. The stands were to blame, but also the terrible fate of the Joestar family. That cursed blood that prevented them to live happily and at peace. What a pain. Kakyoin had done everything he could to comfort his best friend, although this one didn't want to let his sorrow escape. He didn't want.
It didn't mean that Kakyoin was satisfied. No, seeing Jotaro in such a pitiful state made him feel unhappy. And he never thought about getting his chance. Not once. What mattered the most was to relieve his friend's pain. And he managed to do so. He himself felt relieved. To be able to heal Jotaro's heart wound was a great victory for the redhead.
Despite all this, in just a few days, Josuke understood that Kakyoin had a crush for his nephew. Ten years of hiding it for that. Jotaro, the main person involved, had no idea. Or did he?
“Nori!”
The respondent was startled out of his thoughts. He didn't notice the presence of another person. Who? Jotaro, obviously. He was at the hotel, it couldn't be anyone else than him. Only he called him Nori after all. And only when it was just the two of them.
“Is there a problem?” He asked, turning his look to face him.
He sighed. “I return the question, you don't answer when I’m calling. You okay?”
“Oh. Excuse me, I just need some rest.”
“Hum. Did you take your medicine?” He softly asked, getting near his face.
Oh, yes, the medicine. That nasty medicine. He hoped that Jotaro would forget about it.
The fight against DIO had left some after-effects on poor Kakyoin. If the Speedwagon Foundation had arrived too late, he would certainly have died. And in spite of the healing he got, this wound in the stomach left him with lifelong after-effect. It may happen that he gets dizzy and is forced to lie down, in this case, on the sofa of the hotel. With that, he must take some medicine to ease the pain. He was not to envy. But hey, it was worth the effort if it meant he could live.
“... Am I forced to?” He asked desperately.
“You know that better than me.”
The redhead grunted and tried to stand up before the dark haired man's hand stopped him a quarter of the way.
“Don't move. I'll go get it.” He commanded.
Despite his imposing appearance and his usually cold look, Jotaro could be very caring with those he loved. There, he refused to see Kakyoin suffer while picking up the pill that precisely served to heal him. Even if he didn't say it, he was touched.
And he lied down again. “On the bedside table.”
The taller man nodded while standing and goes to the bedroom.
He came back immediately. “You finished it...”
Oh. Now he remembered. He swallowed the last pill during the night as the pain was unbearable. He thought that only one box would be enough, not imagining that the pain would be so intense. What an idiot.
“I'll go get some, did you take your prescription?” He asked as quietly as a whisper, as if he was talking to his daughter.
“The pocket ..of my coat...” Sometimes he had trouble to talk.
Jotaro went to get the stuff he needed and thus opened the door. “I'll be quick.”
“Jojo.” The respondent stopped, waiting for what he wanted to tell him. And after a short break. “Thank you.”
The tall man closed the door. He was gone. It was silent again, not that Jotaro emanated much noise from his person, but there was no one left to talk to.
It was the case until he heard steps and the door opening again.
“You forgot something, Jo-?” And he got cut.
“Miiiissssss .....- Kakyoin!” By Josuke, of course.
“Hey, Josuke, he's a man, you know?” Another much deeper voice asked genuinely.
“Shut it!”
“May I ask what you are doing here?” Grunted the adult.
Hearing where the man's voice was coming from, the two high-schoolers went to the sofa and found him lying down.
“What are you doing lying like that?” Asked the young Joestar with a worried tone.
“It's what happens when you try to fight a vampire.”
“My Crazy Diamond can heal you if needed.” He suggested while taking out his stand.
Kakyoin raised a hand slightly in refusal. “Don't bother. My organs disappeared eleven years ago. And I have already been treated. Thanks to Jotaro, I'm alive. He's the one who made my heart to beat.” He explained with a nostalgic smile.
“Oh.” One was surprised, dematerializing his stand.
“What a romance.” And the other couldn't help but to comment.
“Anyway, to what do I owe your visit?” He asked seriously, ignoring his comment.
The two best friends looked at each other for a moment, as if they had prepared the worst stupidity they were proud of. And by looking at their evil smiles that appeared on their two faces, he knew that it was nothing good for him.
“Okuyasu and I thought about a plan to set you up with Mr. Jotaro!” He proudly announced.
It was obvious they came for that. There was nothing else. And it reminded him of someone he knew pretty well.
He laughed. “You really are the son of your father, meddling in other's people business.” The other winced at this remark, it was even funnier, but the redhead managed to contain himself.
“My little Josuke. Can you be kind and tell me what is making you think that I like him and why is he part of it?” He asked coldly.
Josuke was clearly the one being menaced. Without a doubt. And yet, Okuyasu felt as much attacked as his companion. They swallowed loudly.
“Hey, Josuke, you could've asked him before telling me...” He suggested.
“No way?” The other grunted before turning to the man who was lying down and clap his hands together, head down. “I'm sincerely sorry! Everything I want is to help you and if I mistook I'm even more sorry!” He apologized. “I talked about it to Okuyasu because I needed confirmation before sharing you a bad idea... He has my full trust, he won’t tell anyone!”
“Josuke...” Not knowing what better to do, he did the same. “Pardon him!”
The redhead looked at them with a confused look. Was he that scary when he was angry? He didn't expect such a reaction from them, but it was for the better.
He sighed. “It's okay. You're right. I do like him.” It was the first time he pronounced these words seriously.
Until now, he denied his feelings, trying not to think about them, to forget them. And now he openly admits that he loves Jotaro Kujo. It was embarrassing, but it lightened the height of his heart. He felt a warmth that told him that he was indeed entitled to these feelings and that denying them was of no use. They will always be there. No matter what.
Then they began to explain the plan in details.
Fifteen minutes later, Jotaro returned to the hotel room. “I'm back.” The two evil beings, also called high school students, had time to escape before he could run into them, and by that, he will never suspect what has happening during his absence.
The dark haired set the medicines and a small bottle of water on the coffee table, just in front of his friend. The said friend turned slowly his face toward the product of the devil, in other words, the medicines. “Urg...” He winced.
“It's that disgusting?” Asked the other with an amused tone.
“It's awful. Sometimes I have regret to not be d-...” Realizing the horror he was about to say, he stopped. “Huh...”
“I took the opportunity to get you some cherries, you'll get it after you swallowed that thing.” He pointed to the medicine box with his finger.
And that motivated him better. He straightened up suddenly, inflicting an excruciating pain on his abdomen, where he was obliged to hold it with his two arms. This time, he winced for an entirely other reason.
“Easy there.” Said the dark haired man, putting his hand on his friend's back.
“Mpf, what did you expect by promising me cherries?” He asked with a painful smile.
“Good grief.”
After that, Kakyoin finally took his horrible medicine, which had the talent to make him nauseous to the point that it was disgusting. He felt like throwing up. Seriously, if he had known earlier what power was behind The World, he would have thought about it twice before fighting DIO, if it would save him from such daily suffering. Well, it's precisely what allowed him to discover his ability. A blessing in disguise, right?
It was after this achievement that the man with amethyst eyes was finally rewarded with a whole bowl of cherries. That he slowly savored, mainly because of his original way of eating them, but also to enjoy them as much as possible. His face was smiling and full of life, as if he hadn't swallowed what was most repugnant to him. He looked like a kid who had been promised a cotton candy at the festival.
Hiding behind his cap, Jotaro couldn't help but to smile at the sight.
“Hey, Jojo?” His finger curled into his long, proud lock, avoiding the other's look. “Do you feel like going to a restaurant in a few days?” He asked tentatively.
“If you want to.”
It was Kakyoin's turn to smile.
Came the day of their rendezvous. Well, “rendezvous”, it was absolutely nothing special, of course. They were just going to eat at the restaurant. With nothing weird around it. Not a single afterthought from one of them. And even less from the other.
Kakyoin had dressed differently from usual that day, as to go to a date. He was dressed in a turtleneck, similar to the one Jotaro had the habit to wear, in the difference that his was white, turning slightly to the color of Mother Nature. This one was covered by a long woolen coat of cream color. At the bottom, he wore more or less tight black jeans with long brown boots. He wasn't sure if he was being fancy or overdoing it, or even underdoing it, but he liked this outfit. Oh, and of course, his hair being long enough, he had styled it in a nice bun surrounded by a braid.
Jotaro was waiting for him in front of the door, obviously ready for a long time. He was dressed like usual, of course, even if it looked like one, it wasn't a date.
When the two of them were finally ready, they went on their way.
“You're pretty.” Stated the dark haired man with his softest tone.
Realizing what just happened, the duo looked at each other with big round eyes and red cheeks. They turned their eyes away at once, one playing with his lock and the other trying to hide as best as he could with the visor of his cap.
“Th-Thanks...”
In just a few minutes, they arrived at the place where they would eat. A small Italian restaurant responding at the name of Trattoria de Trussardi. Okuyasu had suggested it to the redhead during their last exchange a few days ago, even if his friend didn't seem to agree. Taking into account the convincing argument of the first one, he decided to try it. At least, after this tasting, he will have his own opinion.
They settle in at a two persons table, just in front of the window. Of course, they didn't order, since the menu doesn't exist. It's the chef Tonio Trussardi who decided on the dishes according to the customers. Kakyoin had been warned that everything they'll eat would be tasty. Even if they didn't like a foodstuff, everything would turn delicious, it was unimaginable, but true. Okuyasu was the living proof of this.
The atmosphere inside was calm. There was hardly anyone there. No one that could bother them. It was calming, and that's everything they needed after these Stands and serial killer’s hunting.
During the meal, the two boys were discussing anything and nothing. Or rather, Kakyoin was discussing and Jotaro listened. As usual. As usual, if the redhead did not throw insistent glances at the dark haired. And this one didn't seem to react. As if he didn't see anything, as if he was immune.
The plan of the two idiot students was nothing less than flirting. As simple as that. And just because it had worked with the two of them, they thought that it would be the case for everyone. While they were madly in love with each other and that the flirt had nothing to do with it... But Kakyoin hadn't any other choice if he wanted Jotaro to fall under his charm and anyway, he had promised them to try.
The attempt to look at him straight in the eyes didn't work, either because of immunity or because of a certain cap hiding the top of his face, he tried another approach. A more direct approach. By putting his hand on his. It would be a lack of luck if it ever moved for any reason, exactly at the moment the redhead's hand was going to land on its target. But it wasn't the case. There was nothing to report, his hand was indeed laying on the one of the sinister Jotaro. And this one still didn't react. He had only looked at it for two short seconds before looking out the window again. That man... was truly impassive.
Then comes the end of their meal, they paid and left. The tall man seemed to be in a rush, since he walked fast with his long legs, leaving the smaller man far behind, who was struggling to catch up.
“Jojo!” He called for him. And the one with that nickname stopped dead in his track, Kakyoin did the same after having finally eliminated the few meters that separated them.
“What was that?” Asked the other.
“That?”
“The flirt.” He turned away, facing him, with a cold dead look. “Why?”
And that was it, he was angry. It really was worth it to do all of that. He was ashamed of himself in his heart.
“You really are an idiot.” He replied, turning his look away.
“No.” He sighed. “You are the idiot. You don't need that to make me love you.” His tone was more than serious.
And the amethyst eyes threw themselves of those sapphire of the other, of an incontestable surprise. “Pardon?”
“... Don't make me repeat myself.” It was his turn to look away, hiding his redness with his cap.
All those years hiding his feelings for Jotaro, for him to fall in his charm without even trying. The same had happened to Josuke and Okuyasu at the difference that these two knew each other for a shorter period of time than them. Kakyoin's heart was ready to explode. But before that actually happened for good... He took two steps, slid his hand over the other's cheek, turning his face to the right angle, and stood on tiptoe to place a soft kiss on his lips.
Jotaro was surprised, but he still returned the kiss.
Their first kiss.
And Kakyoin released his hold, freeing his cheek too. “I like you.” He whispered, lips smiling. It felt so nice to reveal it to the one he loved. Even if he already confessed to Josuke, it wasn't the same experience. Here, it looked more intimate and warm.
Jotaro's heart couldn't handle so much tenderness, it may be his heart that would explode before his friend’s one, or more likely his boyfriend now. He simply hid behind his cap once again, as red as the other man's hair. And it made Kakyoin to laugh, he loved his shy side, it made him lose it.
“Hum... Nori. I know it's Josuke's idea.” He stated looking at the horizon.
How did he know? By any chance, did he saw him and Okuyasu entering or leaving the hotel? It is possible that the receptionist warned him, which would explain why they managed to get into the room as if it was nothing. Those two... were clearly not the most talented.
“Don't even think about talking to him, Jojo.” The other replied coldly, taking his sleeve with his fingers. Jotaro set his confused look on him. “To tell you the truth… he understood by himself that there was something between us, and so he didn't know if I was a member of the family or just his friend. He only wanted to help me.”
...
“And you thought it was a good idea?” He genuinely asked.
“No. Not for a second.” He giggled. “But look, it's what allowed us to open ourselves. It is indirectly thanks to him that we are a couple now.”
Jotaro nodded, chuckling. He couldn't help but to smile when hearing the new name of their relationship.
“Besides, you are the first one who actually tried to flirt.”
Kakyoin's hand slid to the stronger man's and his fingers entwined with his. This suddenly alerted him. Between that and the memory of his compliment, which came from nowhere if not from his heart, he had good reason to look away.
“Gimme a break... what I said.. I mean it.” He explained quietly.
The redhead laughed. And he set his head on the shoulder of his Jojo. “I know.”
They stood there like that, without doing anything, a few meters from the restaurant, where everyone could see them, but fortunately for them, there seemed to be no one there at that time.
“... Do you mind redoing.. that? In a more normal way this time...” Jotaro proposed softly.
A slight smile appeared on Kakyoin's lips. “With pleasure.”