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“Erina, please allow me.” Speedwagon rises from his chair to take the teapot from her.
“Thank you, Speedwagon, but I don’t think I’m quite that pregnant yet.” Despite the deep black clothing and her mourning veil, there’s a light laugh in her voice. “Please let me do this while I can still lean over.”
“Of course,” Speedwagon settles back into his seat and offers his teacup.
To this day, Speedwagon doesn’t know if it’s technically appropriate for Erina, the lady of the house, to pour tea for her guests, especially one with Speedwagon’s social status. However, Erina is just as stubborn as her husband in this regard, and far be it from Speedwagon to tell her how to lead her life. So, Speedwagon accepts a filled teacup and a pastry from Erina with a smile.
Afternoon tea has certainly become quieter without Baron Zeppeli and JoJo to join him and Erina. When Speedwagon learned of the shipwreck, he was completely and utterly heartbroken. Losing not only the best of members of the upper class, but also beloved friends, was a pain that he cannot possibly put into words. Although he found solace when Erina was discovered to have survived, the news she brought about JoJo was a new dagger to his heart, striking at the bits that he didn’t know weren’t wounded yet.
Speedwagon knew that Dio Brando was beyond evil, but he didn’t know that that that monster in man’s clothing could sink even lower. When Erina pulled him aside during chaos of planning Jonathan’s empty casket funeral, she told him what she witnessed before her escape from the ship. With her relative unfamiliarity with Tonpetty and Straizo, the burden of giving Erina context on everything she saw fell on Speedwagon’s shoulders. Despite the impropriety of newly widowed woman and a man, her husband’s friend no less, spending a long time in private, Speedwagon took all the time that was needed to ensure that Erina completely understood what she saw.
As she prepared to hide away in the coffin she was ultimately recovered from, she watched, but was unable to stop, Dio as he shoved a mask onto Jonathan’s face. From that point, she saw what she now knows were his death throes and the beginning of his transformation. She told Speedwagon about the terror of Dio getting a hold of her and the baby, throwing the two in between himself and Jonathan’s limp body. Though Speedwagon is loath to put himself in the mindset of a monster like Dio, he assumes that Dio intended for Jonathan to immediately attack the two as soon as he turned. He knows that Jonathan would be emotionally torn apart if he attacked his wife and an innocent baby. Speedwagon was gutted by the thought, and he only had to tell Erina his theory, not live through it. However, Jonathan was clearly made of sterner stuff than Dio expected. The last time Erina saw her husband was when he raced past her and dragged Dio further into the ship, sealing her and the baby’s fate as the only survivors of the shipwreck.
Erina, though somewhat hurt from the prior secrecy regarding the situation with Dio, was thankful for the explanation. It helped her though the funeral. Rather than suffering through the process of mourning an empty box, she used the time to mourn the man who was lost the second the mask was planted on his face. Not too long after the funeral, Tonpetty and Straizo returned to Italy with the newly adopted Elizabeth Straizo in tow, leaving Erina and Speedwagon as the only two who completely understood what the other was going through. And this was fine for several weeks. Yes, both Erina and Speedwagon were hurting—this pain would never go away. But they were able to cope through the support of the other. Although she had several employees to assist her, Speedwagon did whatever he could to ease Erina’s struggles during her pregnancy. In turn, Erina motivated Speedwagon as he read everything he could get his hands on regarding business. Although this was far from the perfect life, they were becoming content.
This was until Speedwagon got ahold of a rumor that could destroy this peace in a heartbeat. Even hours after learning this information, Speedwagon was vacillating on whether he should tell Erina what he learned. With the benefit of a night’s sleep, Speedwagon asked Erina to make the time for an important, private conversation. But now, confronted by Erina in her mourning garb, Speedwagon finds his courage fading. His teacup is nearly drained before he musters enough strength to speak.
“I heard an interesting rumor, just the other day.”
Erina’s eyebrow raises as she takes a sip of her tea. “Oh? I never took you as the gossip over tea type.”
“I’m not certain if this is the traditional form of gossip.” Speedwagon cannot emphasize how much he doesn’t want to say anything. “More like a piece of information. A news piece, almost.”
“Well, don’t keep me waiting. What is this interesting news piece?”
Speedwagon takes a deep breath and lets the words spill out. “Apparently, there was a body that washed up on the coast of Ireland. A large man.” Erina sets her tea down, resting her face in her hands. Speedwagon continues. “I’ve only heard of sightings at night, so there’s a bit of inconsistency about his physical description, but it’s possible—.”
“Please stop.” Erina’s voice is thick. “I’m sorry, but please stop.”
“I understand.” Speedwagon grabs the teapot and tops off Erina’s tea. “I just didn’t want you to hear it from someone in town.”
“And thank you for that, Speedwagon.” Erina falls silent, apart from the wet, hiccupping breaths that make it past her hands.
Speedwagon takes a brief glance at the door for passersby. Seeing no one, he rises from his chair and walks to Erina’s side of the table. Leaning down, Speedwagon holds out an arm and quietly asks, “May I?”
Erina pulls her red, splotchy face out of her hands and nods. Speedwagon drapes his arm over Erina’s shoulder and pulls her close. When she leans against his chest, Speedwagon tucks her head under his chin. They stay in this position until Erina gets her emotions out in the open.
“What do we do?” she whispers, voice cracking from her sobs.
“I sent Tonpetty a letter this morning,” Speedwagon says. “I don’t know how long it will take for it to reach Italy, but I’ll let you know what he recommends when I get a response.”
“Very well.” Erina pulls her head back and locks eyes with Speedwagon. “Thank you, Robert.”
“You’re very welcome, Erina.”
───※ ·✥· ※───
It’s a few more weeks before they get a response from Tonpetty, and a little bit longer before he returns to England. Speedwagon apologizes profusely for inconveniencing him, especially when he barely got settled from their last adventure. However, Tonpetty brushes off his concerns, saying that it would be best for him to help investigate the situation as a Hamon master. Speedwagon set aside his personal studies to arrange transportation to the coast, ready to test the validity of these supposed sightings of Jonathan Joestar.
The only issue that stymied his planning efforts one Erina Joestar née Pendleton. When she first caught wind of Speedwagon planning this trip, her first question was “When are we leaving.” Tonpetty and Speedwagon couldn’t insist enough that she should remain at home. After their encounters with Dio, losing friends and allies who had trained for years to specifically fight the undead, they knew that Jonathan would be a formidable enemy if it came down to a fight. Even Speedwagon wasn’t certain that he would survive against JoJo’s strength, especially without Hamon to back up his own strength and cunning. Tonpetty was even more adamant, knowing more about the undead than Speedwagon could even imagine. Putting the danger itself aside, Speedwagon had a stronger argument against Erina’s involvement in the whole ordeal. Through their time grieving together, Speedwagon and Erina developed a friendship beyond their shared bonds with Jonathan, to the point of Speedwagon privately seeing her as a sister, in a way. This closeness drew out a bit of protectiveness toward her, especially now that her pregnancy was beginning to show. The last thing that he would want is for her to face any undue stress that could complicate the pregnancy, for both her and the baby’s sake. Neither man hid their reasoning, nor did they sugar-coat a single word, all in the hopes of making Erina understand the danger she could be in and prompting her to stay at home, where it’s safe.
Unfortunately, neither man was prepared for the iron spine hidden behind the visage of a dainty young lady. One introduction between their skulls and her parasol later and the three find themselves traveling to track down Jonathan Joestar. Or at least what remains of the man that holds a special place in their lives.
───※ ·✥· ※───
The sun is shining behind a thin layer of clouds when they reach the shores where the supposed sightings occurred. On one hand, it helps to narrow down the locations where JoJo could be hiding. However, that means that he’s most likely nestled away in some obscure nook or cranny. Or if his morals have truly fallen by the wayside, it’s possible that he broke into a house and disposed of the occupants; but Speedwagon doesn’t want to imagine him resorting to that level of depravity. The first few days, they saw neither hide nor hair of JoJo. Tonpetty and Speedwagon searched deep into the night in the off chance of finding him when he can walk around safely. They would not budge on Erina staying behind and getting proper rest, and she didn’t push back, given how tired her pregnancy leaves her. In turn, Erina spent the mornings meeting with the townspeople, collecting rumors while the men slept. After all, who wouldn’t want to offer a bit of conversation for a woman clearly in mourning? What better way to provide a little bit of comfort than sharing in inconsequential local gossip?
It's on one such morning, nearly afternoon really, when Speedwagon saves Erina from a conversation with no end in sight. Rather than immediately collecting Tonpetty, Speedwagon locks arms with Erina, and they make their way to the beach. They don’t speak for a good while, just taking comfort in companionship as they walk along the edge of the water. They don’t walk with any location in mind, nor a timeframe. They simply amble, trying to evade the shadows looming in the back of their minds.
Ultimately, it’s Erina who breaks the silence. “Do you think he’s still here?”
“I’m not certain.” Speedwagon tightens his grip Erina’s arm. “We haven’t found any sign of him during our searches.”
“And what happens if we can’t find him?” Erina is shaking with barely contained frustration. “How long are we meant to stay here looking for him?”
“I don’t know. We can’t keep this up forever, you’re right about that.” He would lower his hat over his eyes, but with the height difference between the two, Erina would see the frustrated tears welling up regardless. “Though, I told your husband the same thing when we couldn’t find the Stone Mask. So, what do I know?”
Speedwagon is gently jerked back when Erina stops, just before a scattering of boulders leading up to a cliffside. She stares at ground, eyes locked onto small pile of sand collected around her hem. Her voice is fragile when she asks, “And what happens if we do find him?”
He doesn’t know how to respond to this. What would happen if they ran into the newly turned Jonathan? If his nature became anything like Dio Brando’s just from the mask, Speedwagon is certain that the world would fall at his hands. So rather than respond, he turns and pulls Erina into a hug. She grips onto his lapels as she sinks into the contact.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Speedwagon says, “but no matter what, we’re in this together. You know that, right?”
He feels Erina’s small nod against his chest. Her eyes are lined with red as she pulls back. “Yes. Thank you, Speedwagon. I don’t know how we made it this far in life without a friend like you.”
“Oh please. I should be the one saying that to you.”
As Erina pulls out a handkerchief to compose herself, something near the water’s edge catches his eye. He moves away from Erina, approaching the boulders. A few steps away from the rocks is something withered half-buried in the sand. He crouches and lightly brushes the sand aside. Using a pinkie, he picks at the sand that embedded itself in the crevices of this object. It’s only after it’s halfway excavated when Speedwagon realizes what he’s seeing.
“Is…is this a fish?”
It would take a few glances at alleged fish in question before the identifying features of “fish” begin to emerge. The body is completely withered, like someone decided to crossbreed it with a raisin. The fins are completely plastered to the body, following along the small valleys in the skin. When he flips the fish over, he finds that the groves are rippling away from puncture wounds in the fish’s side.
“It’s completely exsanguinated!” Erina says. Speedwagon starts at her sudden appearance over his shoulder, but he moves so she can get a better look. “There isn’t a drop of blood left in it. Do you think…?”
Speedwagon turns to respond, but a noise behind him catches his attention. Somewhere beyond the boulders, the sound of a large rock rolling and bouncing against the boulders. Squinting against the glare of sunlight shining through the clouds, he found a large crack in the cliff face. Though it’s not a large opening, Speedwagon could probably squeeze his shoulders through the entrance, assuming there is space on the other side. He holds a hand out to Erina, silently telling her to stay back, and starts walking up the boulders. It takes a bit of careful balancing to make it to the cliff face, but all too soon, he finds himself next to the crack, back against the stone. He peels himself away from the wall just enough look in the hole. Details are a bit hard to discern in the shadows; however, there is definitely something large shifting its weight near the entrance of the hole.
Steeling his courage, Speedwagon chokes out, “JoJo?”
A pause stretches out, to the point that Speedwagon doesn’t know whether he’s talking to a man or a particularly large animal. Then, quietly, more like he’s breathing out than speaking, the man beyond the wall speaks.
“Please go.”
At the painfully polite request, Speedwagon pushes off of the wall and fully faces the hole. “JoJo? Is that you?”
When his eyes adjust, Speedwagon can make out the figure of a large man sitting on a rock shelf, crouched over with head in hands. With a shake of his head, the man says, “Speedwagon, I am begging you. Please leave now.”
Yes, there is a looming fear of the vampire standing before him. Speedwagon was barely able to hold his own against Jonathan holding himself back before he learned Hamon. If Jonathan decided to strike, the most that he could do is hold the line, so Erina could escape. Despite this knowledge, an instinctive, raw part of his heart is rejoicing at the sight of Jonathan Joestar alive, so to speak, and sitting just a few strides away. This joy stirs him to squeeze through the crack and take a few steps into the small opening. Between the two men’s respective sizes, the open space is incredibly limited.
Jonathan finally looks up as Speedwagon stations himself in the small pool of sunlight. Taking in his appearance, JoJo certainly looks worse for wear compared to the last time Speedwagon saw him. Granted, it’s hard to look any happier or more at peace than when leaving on your honeymoon, not that Speedwagon has any personal experience in that regard. Physically, Jonathan looks as fit as a fiddle, especially for a man who survived a fire and shipwreck. His clothes have certainly seen better days. His suit is singed, salt-crusted, and torn to shreds. In the dim light, Speedwagon can see splotches of rust-colored stains, which he notes in the back of his mind. The combination of Jonathan’s hale and hearty body and demolished clothes make him look like an actor playing a shipwreck victim.
It’s his mannerisms that hint everything Jonathan has been through. His eyes are heavy with the stress and despair that he’s endured since leaving on the ship. Or maybe they’re finally revealing the load that JoJo has borne for his entire life? He’s curling in on himself, actively making himself look smaller. A fruitless endeavor for the giant man, but Speedwagon is clinging to anything that he can find somewhat amusing.
Jonathan locks eyes with Speedwagon, small drops beginning to line his lower lids. “Why are you still here?” His voice cracks, like he hasn’t used it since he was trapped in the smoke. “You aren’t a fool, Speedwagon! Leave, now! I don’t want you, either of you—yes, I know Erina is out there—to get hurt.”
The desperation in his voice unearths the memory of Dio seemingly begging to prove his remorse shortly before his own vampiric transformation. Like then, Speedwagon can hear a hint of dishonesty in the speaker’s voice. In the moment, Speedwagon can’t pinpoint where the genuineness begins and ends, so he takes a few measured steps in front of the opening to further block it.
“Jonathan,” Speedwagon says, “what happened to you?”
The driest laugh that Speedwagon has ever heard from Jonathan escapes from his throat. “Speedwagon, am I to believe that Erina didn’t tell you anything? I heard you both outside. I’ve seen you searching in the middle of the night! Don’t tell me you don’t know what I am now!”
“Of course, I know what happened on the boat!” Speedwagon doesn’t mean to raise his voice, but he did not endure weeks of stress just to be yelled at. “But as far as I know, you should be on a boat beneath the Atlantic, not living in a hole in Ireland! What happened?”
“It wasn’t by choice!” For the first time since they reunited, Jonathan stands up. He does his best to pace to burn off energy, but the width is only far enough to give him a few steps in either direction. “The currents dragged me out. They weren’t even merciful enough to pull me to the surface of the water until the waves tossed me onto the beach under the moonlight.”
Jonathan’s words could be a complete fabrication, but even if they are a lie, Speedwagon’s heartstrings are thoroughly and firmly pulled. He reaches out a tentative hand, wanting to pat his shoulder in sympathy. “JoJo…”
Before Speedwagon’s hand can make contact, Jonathan slaps it away, fury bright in his eyes. “Why are you still here? Did you learn nothing from everything that we’ve been through together?”
Jonathan pauses, staring at Speedwagon with an unblinking intensity that he’s never seen on JoJo’s face. “I…am so, so hungry. I can hear Erina’s heartbeat from here. I can hear your entire circulatory system.”
“But you’ve been eating. Unless there’s another vampire that ate the fish outside?”
Jonathan breaks his gaze on Speedwagon and turns to face the wall. “It helps to take the edge off, but animal blood isn’t satisfying.”
“I must say,” Speedwagon can’t help but shift his weight to his back foot, the one closer to the opening, “you are holding yourself together very well for someone who hasn’t truly eaten in weeks.”
At those words, a choking sob bursts form Jonathan’s mouth. His face drops back into his hands, fingers curling into blue locks. “Weeks. It’s been weeks. I have been starving for weeks, and I haven’t died. I truly am a damned beast.” He turns on his heel and presses his back against the back wall. “So, you understand why you need to stay away? Again, I ask you, please, take Erina and leave me. Forget that you ever saw me and move on with your life.”
“And does your wife get a say in this?”
Jonathan’s face snaps up, more terrified than Speedwagon has ever seen him, even in the face of certain death. Speedwagon turns his back to him and faces the opening, where Erina is poking her head through.
“I apologize that it took me a minute.” Erina waves a hand to her protruding abdomen. “Though I imagine that a little bit of a delay is understandable, given the current conditions.”
“Erina!” Speedwagon chides. “You should not be climbing over boulders! Are you alright? You didn’t fall, did you?”
“I’m fine, Speedwagon.” Erina offers her hand. “Would you help me in? I would like to speak to my husband.”
At this point, Speedwagon knows better than to try to dissuade her, and he doubts that JoJo is in any state to cause them actual harm. He carefully braces Erina as she maneuvers herself into the small cave. She lifts the hem of her dress and passes Speedwagon, taking a step into the shadows in front of her husband.
If Jonathan looked miserable before, taking one look at Erina sends him into a state of pure devastation. Is it appearance of her in full mourning garb that is breaking his heart? The swelling from her pregnancy? Or is the mere presence of his wife enough to destroy this man? Despite how distraught it makes him, Jonathan’s eyes are completely frozen on her, like the only thing that he needs to do in this world to justify his continued existence is to stare at Erina.
With a small smile, Erina says, “Hello, Jonathan. It’s wonderful to see you again.”
Jonathan blinks back tears as his body sags in defeat. “Erina. You shouldn’t have come here. You are in so much danger.”
“Well, I would be happy to be at home, but I heard a rumor that my husband wasn’t as lost to the sea as I first thought.” She reaches hand out to Jonathan. “So, someone needed to come and bring him home.”
Jonathan’s hand twitches like he wants to grasp hers, but he holds himself back. “Erina, you are a brilliant woman. You must know what I am by now?”
“Of course I do.” Erina starts tapping on her fingers, counting down as she lists. “You are my husband. The father of our child. A brilliant archeologist. A loyal friend. A hero. And most importantly,” Erina extends a hand out, resting it over Jonathan’s heart, “you are Jonathan Joestar: the strongest, bravest, and kindest man that I have and will ever have the pleasure of meeting. Anything else, we can work through together.”
Weeks of isolation have clearly taken their toll on Jonathan. He melts under her touch. Almost instinctively, his hands, previously hanging loose in despair, rise to his chest to cover Erina’s, preventing her from even thinking of pulling away. Jonathan’s breaths are thick, as though he’s feeling every emotion at once.
A bit of movement outside catches Speedwagon’s attention, so he turns, giving the couple a moment of privacy in the process. Outside, Tonpetty jumps from boulder to boulder, barely breaking a sweat. He leans his head into the crack and whispers to Speedwagon.
“I apologize for taking so long.”
“That’s fine. How did you find us?”
“I saw Erina from the top of the cliff.” A hint of laughter enters his voice. “It took her a little while to climb.” The joviality drops when he asks, “How is he? Do you need me to intervene?”
Speedwagon looks back to the couple, examining the large vampire breaking down under the Erina’s gentle touch. “He’s either the most miserable that he’s been in his entire life or becoming a vampire has significantly improved his guile. Either way, we should keep an eye on him, even for accidents.”
The men’s attention is brought back to the other side of the cave at the sound of knees slamming to the stone floor. Jonathan is kneeling at Erina’s feet. Her hand is still firmly clasped between his hands, though they have moved from his chest. He leans his forehead against the hands, tears starting to stream down his cheeks. From where the two men are standing, it looks like Jonathan is a repentant sinner, praying to Erina for forgiveness.
“Erina,” Jonathan’s voice is cracking under his sobs, “I am nowhere near as strong as you give me credit for. If I were truly stronger, I would be able to step out into the sun or use my Hamon to protect everyone I love. To protect everyone from another vampire roaming the world. But no. No, I couldn’t even do that. I am too terrified to do the one thing that would keep everyone safe.”
For the first time in a while, Jonathan breaks his gaze from Erina to instead look at opening of the cave. “Tonpetty, please. Put me down. I can’t do it myself. Please—.”
His words are cut off by a hat flying through the air and striking him on the forehead. Speedwagon steps forward and reclaims his hat, looking down at Jonathan with a steely gaze. “That’s enough, Jonathan. You’re allowed to feel sorry for yourself. Lord knows you’ve more than earned your fair share of self-pity. What I will not allow is you causing undue stress to Erina, your pregnant wife.”
Being the gentleman he is, Jonathan snaps out of this distress and looks up at Erina’s tear-streaked face. His mouth moves, but no sound comes out in his shock. He brings their clasped hands closer to himself, and the words start falling from his lips. “No, no no no. Erina, no, I am so sorry. Both of you,” Jonathan looks to Speedwagon and nods in acknowledgement, “I am incredibly sorry. I am just scared—terrified, really—of becoming a threat to you, either of you. That is the last thing that I ever want.”
With some maneuvering, Erina crouches in front of Jonathan. With her free hand, she lightly pinches Jonathan’s cheek. Now that his mouth is slightly stretched, the tips of Jonathan’s elongated tips are clearly visible for the first time.
A fond sigh passes Erina’s lips, which twist into a tired smile. “You absolute fool of a man.” She releases her fingers, shifting her hand to caress his cheek. Touch-starved as he is, Jonathan immediately leans into her hand and nuzzles into it like a satisfied cat.
“Jonathan, you are aware that you are larger than me, right?”
Despite himself, Jonathan laughs. “Yes, I think I’ve figured that out by now.”
Erina’s hand doesn’t move, but her eyes drop to the ground. “I was given a great deal of freedom in my courtship. If I didn’t wish to spend time with someone who could be a potential suitor, my family supported me wholeheartedly. Not every woman in my position is given that luxury.
“The truth of the matter is that there are men who use their size and strength against women they supposedly love. And there aren’t many ways for us to defend ourselves.” Jonathan opens his mouth to says something to that, but Erina cuts him off before he can speak. “I know that you aren’t naïve to this, but it’s not something that has ever been on the forefront of your mind.” Erina’s eyes lock back onto Jonathan’s. “In all the time that I’ve known you, I have never felt anything less than safe and cherished. You are twice my size. If you had a bit of cruelty in your body, you would’ve become my greatest threat a long time ago.
“Instead, you became the greatest husband that I could’ve asked for.”
Jonathan’s chokes out a sob at her words. He releases on of his hands, and with the back of his fingers, he lightly brushes Erina’s abdomen. Speedwagon sits next to Jonathan and clamps a hand down on his shoulder. Jonathan releases another shaky breath and frees Erina’s hand, so he can throw an arm around Speedwagon. Tonpetty walks forward, starting down at Jonathan until he can gather himself enough to hold a conversation with the vampire.
“Jonathan, if you truly wish to die, I would be willing to help you. I would allow these two to say their goodbyes, and I would try to make your final moments as painless as possible.” Tonpetty closes his eyes and shakes his head. “But I don’t think that’s what you want. With my current research, I don’t know if vampirism itself corrupts a person by separating them from their life energy, or if people who were corrupt to begin with are naturally drawn to vampirism.”
“Or this is just as corrupt as our JoJo gets,” Speedwagon laughs, while giving Jonathan a little shake.
Tonpetty smiles at that remark. “Yes, that is a possibility as well. But from what I’ve seen from you, I don’t see a reason why you shouldn’t go home.”
Jonathan closes his eyes and tightens his lips, a war of conflicting desires clearly waging in his mind. “But how can I live a normal life like this? Never going outside during the daytime? Drinking human blood?”
“Oh, come now, JoJo.” Speedwagon draws him a bit closer. “Who ever said you needed to act completely normal when we get back? I think you’d be surprised if how many eccentricities can be explained away with ‘was lost at sea.’”
“And I haven’t been a nurse for this long without learning a thing or two about the human body.” Erina’s smile grows more confident the more she speaks. “I can also see what I can find out from my father. You won’t see me giving up on you just yet, Jonathan.”
Jonathan pauses as the words sink in before breaking out in an exhausted laugh. “You are better than what I deserve.” He untangles himself from the pile and stands back up. When the other two return to their feet, Jonathan takes a step back so he can properly address everyone in the small cave. “If you will have me, I would like to return home.”
Erina presses her hands against her mouth, ecstatic tears welling up in her eyes. As much as she’s able to, she launches herself forward and embraces Jonathan. Speedwagon turns away to give the couple some privacy.
When Erina steps back, Speedwagon chimes in. “So, we’re going to step out and set up some travel preparations. I’ll track down some new clothes for you.”
“Thank you.” Jonathan picks at his clothes, covered in weeks old grime.
“Do you need one of us to stay until it’s dark?”
Jonathan shakes his head. “No, you don’t need to stay in a cramped cave on my regard. I’ve been alone for weeks. I can last a few more hours until I see you again.”
“Great!” Speedwagon briefly hugs Jonathan before heading to the opening. “We’ll see you at sunset.”
With a final wave, Jonathan settles into the back of the cave, looking like he’s a second away from nodding off from the emotional exhaustion. For the first time since they’ve seen him, a small smile graces his lips. Before the three return to town, Speedwagon pulls Erina aside.
“Erina, I don’t know much about bloodletting. Do you think there’s anything we can do for him? I’ve missed my fair share of meals in my day, but I can’t imagine not eating for weeks.”
Erina thinks for a moment, but ultimately says, “I can see what I can find and get sterilized. Are you sure you’re okay with that?”
“For JoJo?” He raises an eyebrow, as if to ask if to ask if she was being serious.
Erina giggles at that. “I completely understand.” She offers an elbow as they climb a hill back into town. “Come on, let’s go help our JoJo.”