Work Text:
Jotaro was working on Christmas.
It wasn’t a big deal. At least, it shouldn’t have been.
Kakyoin had gotten used to having Jotaro around for Christmas. This would have been their 6th Christmas spent together.
But this year, Kakyoin would have to be content spending Christmas alone.
Being alone was partly his own fault. Holly and Mr. Joestar had emphatically invited him to the Joestar penthouse for their usual Christmas festivities but Kakyoin had turned them down. It wouldn’t be nearly the same without Jotaro there. Kakyoin didn’t feel like entertaining Mr. Joestar’s many guests all by himself.
Kakyoin could have also gone to his parents if he really wanted to. However, he refused to do that as well. It wasn’t that he disliked his parents; He cared for them deeply. It’s just that Kakyoin spent the first 17 years of his life with them, and he never felt content all those years. His parents were kind but they did not have a deep understanding of him. Being around his parents made him feel even lonelier than he would have been just by himself.
And so, Kakyoin was spending Christmas day alone in his and Jotaro’s apartment. They had just graduated the spring before, and Jotaro was at the bottom of the food chain in his new job. Jotaro initially wanted to tell his manager to fuck off when he was scheduled for a week-long work trip that encompassed the holiday but Kakyoin convinced him not to. Jotaro wanted to get his masters, and his job played an important role in that. He was never going to be a respected marine biologist if he was telling his colleagues to go fuck themselves.
“I’ll be fine,” Kakyoin insisted. They were cuddled on the couch with Kakyoin splayed over top of Jotaro. Jotaro frowned up at him. Kakyoin kissed him on the nose. “It’s just one day, like any other. I think I’ll live.”
“You shouldn’t be alone on Christmas,” Jotaro grumbled.
“It’s not that big of a deal. Christmas isn’t as much of a thing in Japan as it is in America. I’ll probably just get some fried chicken and watch TV. I feel more bad you. At least I get to relax.”
Jotaro let out a petulant groan and rolled them over. He buried his face in Kakyoin’s neck and refused to move. Kakyoin giggled. It always made him laugh when Jotaro threw a fit.
Jotaro left a few days before Christmas. He gave Kakyoin a lingering kiss before he got in his car. Even though Kakyoin had assured him that everything was perfectly fine, he found himself clinging onto Jotaro a little too long.
At some point, Kakyoin had convinced himself that everything was fine but as soon as he watched Jotaro drive away, he felt a tinge of pain in his heart. He stepped back into their too-quiet apartment and wondered what he was going to do with himself for the next week.
He tried to keep himself busy. He painted some winter scenes. He deep-cleaned the entire apartment. He went for walks in the snow. He read. He watched TV. He slept.
By Christmas Eve, he was deeply lonely and bored out of his mind. He channel-flipped on the TV while trying to stave off the ever-present despair he felt.
He paused on a cooking channel. The hosts of the show currently on excitedly explained how to make the best oden.
Kakyoin watched the show in its entirety. The hosts promised the dish would bring warmth to any household, no matter how cold the temperature was outside. It stuck with Kakyoin.
He went grocery shopping shortly after with a small notebook listing ingredients: fish cakes, eggs, kombu, soy sauce, mirin, daikon, and more.
He went back to their apartment and immediately got to work. He cut up all the vegetables. He blanched the fish cakes. He let the broth simmer. He assembled the dish and set it out on the table.
The oden was served. It certainly looked and smelled like the perfect winter dish. Kakyoin sat at the too-big table and served himself from the too-big dish. There would be way too much left over.
Kakyoin let the dish cool a little before he dug in. After he had a couple of bites, he wiped tears from his eyes. Kakyoin was too sad to taste it. It all felt useless when he was by himself. Tears fell into his bowl.
His wallowing was interrupted by the sound of the door slamming open.
Kakyoin was startled out of his depressed stupor. He turned around to see Jotaro kicking off his boots and throwing his bag down in the genkan. He froze when he saw Kakyoin.
“You’re crying,” Jotaro said.
“No, I’m not,” Kakyoin immediately denied.
“I’m sorry,” Jotaro said. “I shouldn’t have left.”
“No, no, no,” Kakyoin shook his head. “You’re supposed to be at work! What about your masters?”
“You’re crying on Christmas Eve,” Jotaro said while shrugging off his coat and stepping towards Kakyoin. He looked deadly serious.
Kakyoin wiped his eyes but the tears kept coming. “I’m fine! I made this oden and it’s just… so good,” he warbled.
Jotaro pulled him into a hug and squeezed him tight. Kakyoin leaned into his touch and sniffled.
“This is more important than work,” Jotaro said. Kakyoin couldn’t respond. He was trying to hold back sobs. They held each other for several moments.
“I want to eat your oden,” Jotaro said.
Kakyoin stepped back and rubbed at his eyes. “You have to. I made way too much.”
Jotaro nodded.
The two of them sat and ate oden together. They didn’t speak much but Kakyoin felt a new understanding pass between them. Spending Christmas apart wasn’t an option for them anymore.