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Kakyoin’s family never got a real tree while he was growing up. They would take the plastic tree out of storage, shake off the cobwebs and dust, then set it up and decorate it.
The decorations had always been a pain in Kakyoin’s eyes. Putting the plastic tree together was like having to complete the most annoying puzzle every year.
All he could think about when he sorted the branches by color and hooked them into the central pillar that stood in for the trunk was how his parents were just going to make him take it down in a month or two.
Putting together the plastic Christmas tree on his own had always been a little sad. There was no magic when he put the lights and ornaments on the tree. He would stand back and feel a moment's satisfaction once the decor was complete but the moment usually passed as quickly as it came.
Up until he was 17, he dreaded the Christmas holiday. He always felt like he and his parents weren’t doing it right. Even if they went through the motions of decorating, he never felt the holiday spirit. Kakyoin only felt empty.
His first Christmas with the Joestar/Kujo family was so different, he felt like he had whiplash.
Mr. Joestar had invited them all to New York City to celebrate with him. That should have been Kakyoin’s first clue that this Christmas would be like nothing he’d ever experienced.
“Are you sure it’s okay if I come along? I don’t want to intrude on your family’s Christmas. This seems like a really special trip,” Kakyoin explained to Jotaro as they ate at a cafe. They were both bundled up against the cold weather. Kakyoin couldn’t help looking at Jotaro’s shoulders. The navy blue wool coat that he wore only made them look bigger and stronger.
Jotaro looked confused. “My mom invited you,” he countered before sipping his hot chocolate—another deeply endearing detail in Kakyoin’s eyes.
Kakyoin thought about the previous week when Holly insisted he should come with them to NYC. She was very persistent in her invitation despite Kakyoin’s reservations. Holly was too powerful for Kakyoin to say no to at the time but he was having his doubts again.
Wasn’t it weird to invite your son’s friend to family Christmas? Maybe it would be less strange if they had been lifelong friends, but they had only known each other for about a year. Sure, Jotaro and him had become extremely close during that time. They spent almost every waking moment together, even not awake if you counted sleepovers. Was that enough to warrant a spot at family Christmas?
Kakyoin gently nudged Jotaro’s foot with his own. Jotaro nudged him back. His foot was much larger than Kakyoin’s, and Kakyoin was well aware of that fact. They played footsie under the table fairly often.
“I just can’t help but feel like I’m intruding. Family Christmas feels… important.”
Jotaro shook his head. “Don’t worry,” he said. “Everyone will be happy you’re there. They love having a new victim.”
Kakyoin laughed a little. He nudged Jotaro with his toe. “What about you?”
Jotaro raised an eyebrow at him.
“Am I your new favorite victim?” Kakyoin clarified.
Jotaro rolled his eyes but his stare eventually settled on Kakyoin. “Yeah,” he grunted.
Kakyoin felt himself blush. He had butterflies in his stomach. He was suddenly very excited to spend Christmas in NYC.
The trip was chaotic from start to finish. Holly shooed them onto the private plane that Mr. Joestar had chartered for them. Kakyoin accidentally fell asleep and drooled on Jotaro’s shoulder. He apologized profusely but Jotaro didn’t seem to mind it.
Kakyoin considered himself fairly well-traveled but NYC was like a whole other world. He felt out of his depth. It reminded him of Mr. Joestar: loud, busy, and boisterous.
When they were walking through the city, Jotaro tugged him closer so that he didn’t stray too far and get lost. Kakyoin leaned into his side.
Arriving at Mr. Joestar’s penthouse was the most stressful part, as Kakyoin was faced with a series of introductions of family members and many, many important friends of Mr. and Mrs. Joestar. Kakyoin’s head was swimming with names and faces by the time Jotaro pulled him away from the crowd.
Things didn’t calm down until the evening, and it was only family and Kakyoin left. Mr. and Mrs. Joestar sat with Holly by the fireplace and cheerily spoke amongst each other. Holly had recruited the boys to decorate the tree with lights, garland, and ornaments. Jotaro put the star on top of the tree; it was so tall that Jotaro had to stand on his tiptoes to reach it.
They took their time picking up ornaments and putting them on branches. Many of the ornaments were mementos from Jotaro’s childhood. There were a few pictures here and there, and Kakyoin cooed over them. For the others, he would show Jotaro and ask what each one meant.
The tree itself was something to behold.
“Norway Spruce!” Mr. Joestar shouted by the fire. “The same kind they use for Rockefeller Center each year! Isn't it grand?”
It was grand. Kakyoin took his time feeling the prickly, velvety needles. The tree was so beautiful that Kakyoin almost felt guilty that its life was cut short to be put on display. However, it was hard to feel guilty when it smelled so wonderful and cast such a warm glow over both him and Jotaro as they worked.
Jotaro nudged him on the shoulder as Kakyoin adjusted some ornaments with a soft smile on his face.
He didn’t say a word when Kakyoin looked up at him. He just held out a small box with a little bow on it.
Kakyoin frowned. “Gifts already? It’s not Christmas Day yet!”
Jotaro pushed the box toward him. “Just open it.”
“You should have told me you were getting me an early gift. I would have gotten you one, too.”
Jotaro shook his head. “Shut up. Open it.”
Kakyoin pouted as he took the small box from Jotaro. He gently lifted the lid off the box and gasped.
Inside the box lay a delicate glass cherry ornament. The glass shimmered against the warm glow of the Christmas tree. Kakyoin picked the ornament up and held it against the light.
“It’s beautiful,” Kakyoin gasped. “Thank you, Jojo!”
“It reminded me of you,” Jotaro explained.
Kakyoin blushed. He wasn’t sure what else to say. “Where should I put it?”
Jotaro picked out a spot front and center on the tree. Kakyoin couldn’t stop blushing the entire time.
Kakyoin spent much of the rest of the trip gravitating toward the tree. Something about it just filled him with warm, fuzzy feelings.
On the last day of their time in NYC, they stood by the tree. Him and Jotaro were alone, a rare occurrence for the trip.
“I wish I could stay right here next to you and this tree forever,” Kakyoin murmured unthinkingly.
His words registered in his brain, and he blushed and panicked at his own words. He turned toward Jotaro to offer a heterosexual explanation for what he said but before he could get any words out, Jotaro put his hand on the back of Kakyoin’s neck, pulled him closer, and kissed him.
From then on, Kakyoin would spend every Christmas with Jotaro. And Christmas was never complete without a real tree.