Chapter Text
“We have recovered Kakyoin, I repeat, we have recovered Kakyoin,” The helicopter pilot yelled into the microphone of his headset, the choppy sounds of the overhead blades slicing through the humid night’s air forcing the Speedwagon Foundation member to shout as he took a direct flight path to the nearest SPW hospital facility, which was conveniently located right here in Cairo. “Transporting him to the nearest facility now, ov-”
“Joseph is alive! Car two has revived Joseph Joestar!” The driver of car two cut in before the pilot could finish his sentence.
“W-what?! That’s Impossible! How did you do it?!” The pilot gasped, taken aback by this sudden revelation, “You said he had every ounce of his blood drained, his heart stopped!”
“Yes, all that is true,” the driver of car two came in over the crackle of the radio, “but Jotaro used Star Platinum to restart Mr.Joestar’s heart and we did a blood transfusion, it was successful! He regained his strength and consciousness almost immediately!”
Momentarily glancing over behind himself to the back of the helicopter, spotting Kakyoin’s body, an idea formed in the pilot’s brain. “Do you— W-would it be possible to repeat the procedure on Kakyoin?” He asked timidly, his voice still raised above the noise of the helicopter.
“In theory, yes. But his wounds would need to be treated immediately, from what we heard of them,” car two responded quickly, “We’ll meet you at the Cairo facility.”
At this, the pilot whipped his head back around and barked at the doctors in the back of the helicopter, “start treating his wounds! We’re bringing him into the ICU when we arrive at the facility!”
“B-but sir!” the head doctor stammered, shocked by the new order, “His heart has stopped!”
“I’m aware, just do as I say!” He demanded, facing forwards again once the doctor nodded timidly and began to give orders to the other medical staff.
—————
The helicopter arrived quickly to the hospital facility where Kakyoin was taken out on a stretcher by various medical staff and rushed into surgery. Numerous machines were hooked up to the boy and the operation on his stomach wound began. Cut after cut, stitch after stitch, Kakyoin was put back together just enough to sustain his body, the hole in his abdomen sewn shut, and bandages wrapped firmly around his abdomen, artificial circulation of his blood just barely keeping his lifeless corpse warm.
Once the major injuries had been treated a satisfactory amount and all of his lost blood had been restored, Jotaro was rushed in, the boy’s long legs crossing significant ground as he sped-walked over to his currently deceased friend. Skidding to a halt just before the operation table, avoiding the various tubes and wires sticking out of the patient, Jotaro nervously summoned Star Platinum. The purple stand reached over to the pale boy and rested it’s large hand on Kakyoin’s chest briefly, dwarfing him with its sheer size, before pressing down, phasing through his flesh and into his rib cage, grasping his still warm heart and squeezing tightly before quickly releasing it, and then squeezing again, pumping his heart back to activity. After a few minutes of silence and assisted pulsation of his heart, Star Platinum felt the muscle work on its own again. Gently releasing his heart, allowing it to beat on its own for a while just to make sure it wouldn’t stop again, the stand dissipated into the sterile air, Kakyoin’s eyelids twitching gently as Jotaro was ushered out of the way to make room for the doctors to continue their procedures. Jotaro resisted slightly but ultimately allowed the nurses to push him out of the room as he looked over his shoulder at Kakyoin’s still body that was being crowded by doctors with sharp scalpels and needles.
Once Jotaro was back in the waiting room with Joseph, he sat down in the uncomfortable chair, the poorly cushioned fabric scratching at his skin even through his nice pants. Despite his best efforts, his left leg bounced nervously in the air, his elbows balanced precariously on his unsteady knees, his fingers interlocked from where they were underneath his chin. The minutes ticked by, turning slowly into hours as word about Kakyoin ceased to reach his ears. Unknowingly, most likely because of his overwhelming anxiety, Star Platinum was released, roaming around the visitation room and phasing through walls into different areas, Jotaro looking through its eyes to endure it wasn’t causing any harm and partially to distract himself from the anxiety gnawing away at his composure. Jotaro realized what the stand was looking for when it entered Kakyoin’s operation room, the Speedwagon foundation doctors still working on the boy, but seemingly finishing up with the last of their procedures, though it did not escape Star Platinum’s notice that Kakyoin was still firmly hooked up to a ventilator and several IV pumps.
Jotaro was jolted back into his own body as a nurse walked into the visitation room (which conveniently shared a wall with Kakyoin’s operation room) with a clipboard in hand, clearing her throat to gather the two Joestars' attention.
“Kakyoin’s surgeries went over smoothly, his spine is fractured though, so he will need a metal insert for stability. Thankfully, the doctors think he will make a full recovery after lots of rest and care, with no complications with mobility if he takes his recovery seriously,” Her monotone voice gave away no indication to Kakyoin’s current state, only the words she spoke which hung heavy in the air gave indication to his wellbeing.
“How is he doing?” Jotaro asked after a moment of silence, cutting through the tension with his usual brashness.
“He has shown signs of neurological activity, so, as I said, he is expected to make a full recovery.” At that, she walked away, leaving the two men alone with more questions than answers.
Jotaro fell back down into his chair, he didn’t even realize he had left it, and sighed heavily, pulling hus hat over his eyes, which were wide with emotion that he refused to show. Joseph stood up himself, slightly unsteady in his gait when he walked over to Jotaro’s chair on the opposite wall to firmly place a hand on the large boy’s shoulder.
“Jotaro, lets go back to the hotel, Kakyoin is going back into surgery tomorrow, you won't be able to see him for several more days. We all need rest and recovery. You included.” He said gruffly, emotion thick in his words as he kept his face stony.
“…”Jotaro was silent for a long moment as he weighed his options, “okay, you’re right, Gigi. Let’s go.” He stood up slowly, pausing a moment to stare at the steel double doors that led to the hallway before turning around and shoving his hands in his pockets, slowly walking away, the older man following close behind.
—————
Back at the hotel, Jotaro had been laying in his bed for hours now. Sleep refused to find him and he was once again left alone with his anxiety and his thoughts. And once again, his thoughts never left that cherry-haired boy’s existence. All he had been thinking about was him. He sighed into his pillow as he turned over to his side, his attempt to get more comfortable failing miserably, but he was too exhausted to care. The doctors had said that Kakyoin’s recovery was going smoothly, but he didn't trust them. He needed to see Kakyoin with his own two eyes, he felt like he would go crazy if he didn’t. He needed to hear the words from Kakyoin’s own soft lips, needed to see his smile again, the way the corners of his mouth crinkled when he grinned wide enough, the bright shine in his eyes when he was talking about something he was particularly passionate about. He needed to see him. Just him. All of him.
Joseph burst in loudly through the door, his face warped with dismay, screaming hysterically; “Kakyoin is dead! He died due to complications with the aftermath of his surgery! He’s dead! He’s dead!” The disfigured form of Jotaro’s grandfather suddenly hurled towards him, his melting flesh leaving a sticky trail on the carpet. “Noriaki Kakyoin is dead!” It wailed, firmly grasping his shoulders to shake him once, before Jotaro bolted upright, panting heavily, sweat rolling down his temple.
Birds were chirping outside the balcony, the sun peeking in through the small crack between the curtains, casting its bright rays of light onto the floor, painting the clean, melted-flesh free carpet in a golden glow. Huffing out a weak wheeze, Jotaro rubbed his eyes with the balls of his hand, pressing firmly into his eye sockets until it hurt, willing away the lingering feelings from his nightmare.
Willing himself to his feet, Jotaro hopped out of his disheveled bed, and peeled off his sweaty clothes, shoving them into a laundry bag and walking over to the bathroom for a long, cold shower.
Once he had stepped out of the spray, a towel slung low around his waist, he threw on his spare clothes (a wifebeater and a pair of loose gray sweatpants), and slung the laundry bag over his shoulder, walking down the hallway until he made it to the hotel’s laundromat. Once his usual clothes had been washed and dried, he tossed them back into the bag and made his way back to his room. After he had undressed once more, he put on his favorite green tank top and his gakuran, pressing his hat down in his head and adjusting it firmly in the full-body mirror.
As instructed, the dark haired schoolboy met with his grandfather in his room once he was done getting ready, jamming the spare room key he had been given into the slot and pushing the handle down, the door opening with little resistance. Joseph was in his room, sitting on the edge of his bed, staring intently at the television opposite of him, Hermit Purple wrapped tightly around the TV set. He jolted when he heard the door close with a heavy thump, recalling his stand and turning towards his grandson.
“Ah, Jotaro,” the older man sighed.
“Yea, what did you need me for, and what were you doing with the TV?” Jotaro pointed at the now off television, jamming his other hand in his coat pocket.
“I was just checking on Kakyoin. I called you in here so we could check together and maybe talk about it, but you probably don't want to see what Kakyoin looks like right now, he’s in the middle of his spinal surgery.” Joseph explained, rubbing his gloved hand on the back of his neck.
“Show me, Old Man.” Jotaro demanded, storming over to his grandfather to grab him by his collar, “I’m not some little kid that needs protecting, show me Kakyoin, now!” He yelled, shaking the other once as if to accentuate his words.
Joseph raised his hands in defense, summoning his stand again as he responded, “Ok! Ok, jeez hold your horses, let me go and I’ll show you. I’m just warning you, it’s not pretty.”
Jotaro complied, releasing the older man and jamming his hands back in his pockets and turning towards the TV, his eyes following Hermit Purple’s thorned vines as the wrapped around the television set once more the screen flickering on to show a live feed of Kakyoin, face-down on the operation table. Cuts were being made into Kakyoin’s still body, various tubes were sticking out of him. A large incision right on top of the schoolboy’s spine allowed the two Joestars to see the fractured bones, Jotaro threw up internally as they slid a metal pole into his flesh, thick black medical thread stitching it in place as they continued poking and prodding at Kakyoin.
He looked away. He couldn’t bear to see Kakyoin in this weakened state anymore. Couldn’t stand to witness his best friend as he was being pulled apart and put back together again by doctors.
“He’ll be out of surgery in a few hours. We can see him tomorrow morning once he’s been stabilized in the ICU overnight. Today, we can get him things for when he wakes up, if you need something to do.” Joseph explained to Jotaro, hopefully distracting him from what Hermit Purple had shown him.
Somewhere in the ICU, a patient’s fingers twitched, his eyes remaining shut as his heartbeat quickened.
—————
The next morning, once visitation hours had been allowed, Jotaro entered Kakyoin’s room, a cherry smoothie in tow.
“Hey, Kakyoin,” Jotaro said gruffly as he sat down in the uncomfortable plastic chair that was next to the bed in the center of the room, no one answered his greeting. “How’ve you been? I heard there were a few complications with your breathing during the spinal surgery, you feelin’ better now?”
Still no answer.
Leaning over in the chair, Jotaro put the smoothie in the small mini-fridge next to the head of the bed that was fitted snugly underneath a janky wooden table, a bottle of water on the face of said table. Lifting his head again, Jotaro reached out for Kakyoin’s hand, flinching a little when he noticed the IV tube sticking out of it, before committing and gently grasping the smaller boy’s hand. Rubbing his fingers gently over Kakyoin’s knuckles, he took in the sad sight in front of him.
Kakyoin was pale and weak, smaller than he had ever looked before in the thin hospital gown, with various tubes and wires sticking out of him, machines beeping from where they were hooked up to the frail boy in the bed.
Jotaro sighed, “You’ve got to get better soon, okay? You still haven’t challenged me to a game of Combat like you said you would once all this was over.” As words fell out of his mouth before he could stop them, Jotaro soon realized that he was rambling. “Oh, and they said that they’d take you back to Japan once you wake up. The Old Man is already on the next flight. Ah, Polnareff is heading back to Japan with Gigi to meet Holly. Once we’re all back together in Japan we’re gonna relax for a few weeks and then everyone is going home.” Jotaro looked away sheepishly, simultaneously scanning the room for any nurses that might overhear him talking to an unconscious person like a madman. “I’m uh, I’m excited to get back to school with you,” he admitted quietly, adjusting his grip on Kakyoin’s cold hand, “I never figured out what classes you were in, considering you tried to kill me the day you met me,” Jotaro huffed out a weak laugh as he reminisced.
“I… Really miss you, Noriaki,” Jotaro murmured, a thick lump forming in his throat, choking him. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he felt, but he couldn’t put it into words.
“Get better soon.” More words bubbled behind his lips, but he sealed them tight, gnawing on the inside of his cheek as he forced himself to tear his gaze away from the motionless body in front of him.
A single tear rolled down his cheek, but it was cast away before it could reach his chin.