Chapter Text
"Y'know, I've never really had friends like this."
Kakyoin and Jotaro were sitting around the fire, eating their food with the others. Kakyoin continued eating his food when Jotaro paused.
"Hm."
"Yeah. I guess I just never felt a true connection to people. Most couldn't see my Hierophant Green. If they couldn't see the deepest part of me, who would?" Kakyoin took another spoonful of food into his mouth. "Then I met you guys."
Jotaro actually looked up at him.
"Granted, we did have a rough start, me piloting that nurse and all with my stand. Even with that, I still somehow met people who understand me. People who like me for me, and can see my Hierophant Green. You guys can see the deepest part of me and accept me."
Kakyoin scooped more food and turned to see a stunned, pink Jotaro looking at him.
He chuckled. "What's the face for?"
Jotaro quickly looked away. "Nothing, sorry. Your story's…"
He couldn't get the words out. He scooped more food into his mouth just as Kakyoin nudged him.
"C'mon, use your words, Jojo."
Jotaro smiled and laughed a bit. "It's touching, there."
Kakyoin chuckled, louder. "You have such a way with words. Or rather, lack of way."
Jotaro rolled his eyes. However, if Kakyoin was happy, he was too. He wasn't sure why, but he had a different type of attachment to Kakyoin than everybody else. He brushed it off as proximity in age.
Jotaro paused for a minute.
"Did you call me Jojo?"
Kakyoin paused.
"Oh, yeah, I did. I think it's a cute nickname."
Jotaro's breath hitched. Kakyoin noticed.
"What? I said it's a cool nickname."
Jotaro's face became a darker pink, bordering on red.
"That's not what you said before."
"What do you mean?
"You know damn well you said—"
"Can you two lovebirds take this to the tree over there?!" Joseph yelled. Believe or not, the old man was getting tired of watching his grandson fumble a play on the guy he very obviously liked.
"WE ARE NOT LOVEBIRDS!" the pair yelled, Star Platinum coming out and Joseph falling back.
The two chose to go to the tree, per Joseph's suggestion, for some privacy. There was silence for about a minute before Jotaro pulled his hat down and muttered:
"You said it was a cute nickname."
Kakyoin gasped quietly and sharply, then looked away, scratching his neck.
"Well, I mean— I was just— You know—"
"Relax. I…like it."
Kakyoin froze. "You mean it?"
"Yeah, I mean, I only really ever got called that when I beat up a couple guys," Jotaro said, looking up. "You calling me it is something different."
Kakyoin looked away, a smile tugging at his face. "So I can keep calling you that?"
"…Yeah."
The two lovebirds looked away from each other, both smiling softly.
"GET UP LOVEBIRDS!!!! We have a way out!"
Jotaro and Kakyoin were somehow on the same blanket, sleeping bags mere inches away from one another. Kakyoin was the first to open his eyes, shortly followed by Jotaro.
Both yelped and scurried away from one another.
"Wha—You—When did I—?!" Kakyoin started, but could not finish a single question.
Polnareff giggled while Joseph shushed him, albeit loudly.
"C'mon you two, hop in. We don't have all day, y'know."
Jotaro quickly got up, brushed the dust off of him, and began packing his stuff.
Just great, Jotaro thought. He definitely knows.
Kakyoin was sitting up, head in his hands. Jotaro obviously noticed.
"Hey…do you want some help?"
Kakyoin shook his head and opened his eyes. "Yeah, sure."
Jotaro held his hand out, lifted Kakyoin up, and helped him with his stuff next.
The two eventually put their stuff in the vehicle and got on to the Crusaders' next destination.
The group had been in the car for a while. Kakyoin fell asleep, Polnareff started singing a random song in French, and Jotaro was just staring out to nowhere.
"Hey old man," Jotaro started, annoyed, "how far are we?"
"Just a couple more meters," Joseph responded.
"Couple meters of sand and sadness," Polnareff groaned. That earned a chuckle from Jotaro and Kakyoin and an eye roll from Joseph.
"You're worse than the literal children in the backsea—woah!"
Within three seconds, Joseph swerved, spun the car, and somehow Kakyoin and Jotaro were pressed right against one another.
Joseph kept driving, but was silent.
"Wow. Are you sure you have your license?" Polnareff laughed.
"Shut up. I can drive fine, just look."
Kakyoin giggled before looking away and realizing what happened after Joseph's driving performance.
He was laying on Jotaro's shoulder, hands way closer than they should be.
"Oh, sorry—"
"Don't be."
With that, Jotaro quietly slipped his arm around Kakyoin's shoulder.
"Just wear a seatbelt next time," he whispered.
Kakyoin giggled softly, buckled up, then put his head on Jotaro's shoulder, drifting back to sleep.
After 4 hours, Joseph finally somehow got them to the end of the peninsula alive.
Polnareff took the liberty of waking the teenagers up.
"BOYS!!! WE'RE HERE!!!!!" Polnareff was always loud around the afternoon.
Jotaro groaned and rubbed his eyes. "Do you have to yell?"
Polnareff smiled. "Yeah, if I want to get you and your boyfriend up and at 'em. C'mon, our boat's here."
"Boa—wait a damn—" Jotaro looked down, and there was a peacefully sleeping Kakyoin.
Man, he's a deep sleeper. Good to know.
"Hey, Kakyoin. Wake up." Jotaro gently shook him awake.
"Hm?" Kakyoin rubbed his eyes. "Where are we?"
"The docks. We're taking a boat to Egypt."
"Ah."
Kakyoin unbuckled his seatbelt and lifted himself up before Jotaro opened the door. Both left and walked over to Polnareff, who was by the bridge leading to their boat.
"Finally, took you boys forever to get out of the car. Did the sleeping beauties have a good night's rest?" Polnareff asked with puppy dog eyes.
"Shut up, old guy."
"WHAT?!!?! I'M ONLY 24!!!"
Kakyoin giggled while Polnareff ran to the water to see if he had wrinkles forming. Joseph hopped off the boat.
"Alrighty, she's in tip-top shape. We can sail off now."
Kakyoin and Jotaro got on, leaving Joseph with the poor task of ripping the other white haired man away from the water to check his reflection for wrinkles.
"Hey, old man, why are we traveling down this way?"
"Oh, I forgot to mention, we're meeting another friend before we hit Cairo."
"Mon dieu, just how many friends do you have?!"
"Hey! He's important! Trust me, this journey will be over soon."
"Do you know how many friends we've met over this journey? Do you how many times we have almost died to said friends?!?!"
While Joseph and Polnareff kept arguing, Jotaro and Kakyoin watched, giggling.
"Your old man's pretty funny when he's arguing."
"Yeah, he is, isn't he..?"
Jotaro smiled, cheeks dusted with a little hint of pink. He looked down to Kakyoin, his red hair shining below the setting sun. His cherry earrings, green school uniform, and purple eyes. To Jotaro, he was the pinnacle of perfection.
Noriaki Kakyoin…I think I'm in love with you.
"Is it me, or do I have eyes drilling a hole into the back of my neck?" Kakyoin looked up and smirked.
Jotaro looked away and covered his face with his hat. His face instantly heated as Kakyoin looked back at him.
"Is something the matter, Jojo?" Kakyoin smiled at Jotaro.
"N-no. It's nothing…" Jotaro hid his face even more in his hat. Kakyoin giggled.