#emeraldxsplash

Jotaro had been laying on the couch with his head resting on the arm pretending to read the notes for his upcoming exam when the redhead decided to make his presence known.

He had quickly learned that dating Kakyoin Noriaki was like owning a German Shepherd. Every day involved sharing a space with a proud, intelligent, stubborn, loyal, and protective creature whose drive was matched by no other being on Earth.

It also meant that personal space was non-existent.

It was for this very reason that he allowed this transgression to transpire. Jotaro had long memorized the content anyway. The delinquent acknowledged Nori's presence with a grunt, shifting around a bit so that the other's knees wouldn't press on anything important.

Muscular arms clad in black draped themselves over the other student's shoulders and lower back in welcome. Jotaro pressed his face into the top of Noriaki's lowered head, filling his nose with an artificial cherry flavor.

The night air had been cool - cooler than the heat of the day. Jotaro had taken to standing outside that evening, their balcony open yet closed off for privacy. Stars were bright against the dark backdrop, the quiet filling his ears as thoughts decided to invade his mind. There were only so many days left to find Dio and kick his ass, save his mother. The stress of it all was beginning to take its toll on the young Joestar. How many more stand users had that bastard enlisted to just make sure they didn't succeed?

It was all a bunch of shit, to be truthful. His hand raised holding a lit cigarette between his middle and index fingers, the butt pressed between his lips as he took a drag inhaling first before exhaling the smoke. A habit that hadn't been good for his health nor anyone else around him. It was a disgusting habit, really, one he should have done away with a long time ago but didn't.

The raven haired Joestar was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't heard light footsteps behind him, eventually coming to stop beside him. Warmth had pressed against his arm, a weight he hadn't been expecting to have lean against him. With that his cigarette had been placed aside for the time being, settled within the ashtray once more as Jotaro puffed out some of said smoke he'd taken in.

This was...certainly unexpected.

It also meant he had to keep the cig away for the time being.

It was a rather pointless endeavor when all the questions centered on a place they barely knew. Who could tell them why Oparalian Market Town had a statue of Ofiuco erected in 2019, or for that matter, who Ofiuco even was? What was the morbid secret behind Savior's Respite, and how high did the levels in Fibonacci Ward go?

They didn't even have Internet on their phones to look up the answers...

"I don't think either of us are suited for this game."

"I propose an alternative. Perhaps we could exchange facts about our respective worlds instead?"

GASP!

Jotaro shot straight up being pulled out of his nightmare to the world of the living. Being held within the grasps of a nightmare was normally not an issue, as the Joestar was normally able to shake it off and move on. Breath coming out in heavy pants of air, sweat covering his entire being, trembles rolling throughout - all signs pointing to the fact that this time around had been a little more difficult than the last couple of times. After some few moments his breath had finally calmed as he got a grip on his barrings, Star having been at his side at the ready until both stand and user realized who had been the one to woke the Joestar from his slumber.

Kakyoin.

"....."

He is just going to stare right back.

Working in the business of stands would obviously bring lots of injury to a stand user. Jotaro couldn't count how many times this had happened; he'd come home in a lot of pain, shower, tend to his wounds and then go put his ass to bed.

Noriaki had insisted on helping him with dressing his wounds this time. He could remember grumbling softly at them, tell them that he could do it himself. Even with all the grumbling, Jotaro had allowed the redhead to assist him in bandaging himself up. The two had sat upon the bed, the Joestar shirtless - revealing all kinds of bruises and cuts upon his form. Both had been entranced in small conversation, with the redhead carefully placing ointment upon a spot on the raven haired man's back.

Describe Rei!

I remember reading over this the first moment I got it and immediately, I'd felt my eyes tear up. You were the first person when I made my return to this verse to follow me ( one of the first, at least) and you've stuck by. I don't think 'thank you' is enough for me to say when it comes to my appreciation of what you spoke, Albireo. But, I truly appreciate you coming into my life, being a friend and just being an overall wonderful person.