☆ underworld king ☆

“Red coat?” He repeats to himself, staring at her as he tried to think back if indeed he’d seen someone who fit the description. 

Unfortunately he’d just arrived, so he hadn’t had any time at all to even look to see who was there.

“No. Sorry, I jus–”

Then it hits him.

(Seeing as he completely dislikes Jolyne, her words do little to flatter him. However, he is a businessman to the core– and so it takes him less than a second to speak.)

Jolyne was the last person anyone should attempt to seek for help. Her own personal life has had no work on itself, her wrath and anger vented by seeing how many bullets she can pop out, or how many things she could ruin. She had no relief system than the streets she lived in, but she hoped to find comfort for her uncle. 

“Aye,” She hit him softly on the shoulder, hoping to indicate she wanted his attention, “Cheer up, uncle. Why don’t you go out and party or something? You sitting on your ass ain’t gon do nothing. You want me to take you out? Florida always got girls.” 

Josuke was so focused on his current predicament, he hadn’t even noticed Jolyne-- the sound of her steps drowned out by the child’s wails.

He felt her touch and raised his head up, shifting his attention over to her. His expression quickly became one of displeasure.

“... I’m not your Uncle. Get it through your head that we’re not family Jolyne.” He’s blunt, but he doesn’t care. Frankly he doesn’t even want to waste his time on her-- and soon he goes back to lowering his head.

He’s sighing. These past two days have been perhaps the most stressful in his life.

The child is crying-- but he’s not getting up. 

It’s exhausting.

…Well if you say so.

{{Joseph shrugged as the door was shut in his face, staring at its surface for a few moments before wandering away. And further away. And even further way. Out the door, and onto the streets.

{{Such a move was uncharacteristic enough that it probably should have come as no surprise that he ended up having an ulterior motive. Sure, the door was locked. But was the window?

{{Not like it mattered if it was or wasn’t–Joseph stretched widely before smashing a first through the window he was certain was connected to Tomoko’s room, and then hopped through. Blood spurted vividly from his shredded arm, but that was something he could definitely shrug off for now.

{{And without a doubt, that was enough noise to probably get the child crying.

I can help you with this lil’ brat, y’know~. All you gotta do is ask.

(And it was silent. For a normal person, they might’ve assumed Joseph left-- but Josuke knew better. He was probably planning to break the door down or jump through the roof.

Whatever the case, his temporary disappearance meant a few seconds of peace without him-- and specifically more time alone with the child.)

... Emi.-- Emiri.. or somethin’.  Right? Listen... I don’t really understand Minae wanted to have you..  she’s busy with work all the time-- or at least that’s what she told me when I met her..

Dammit. She’s such an idiot. Why out of all the guys she’s hooked up with would she have my kid?! Nothin’ good comes from bein’ my kid.

(He sighs, sitting himself at the edge of the bed. Honestly, all disdain aside.. the girl was kind of cute.

His moment of peace was abruptly shattered shortly after that though, the sound of glass shattering followed by the child’s cries making themselves heard.)

Do you even know how to take care of that thing? No offense, kid, but that baby’s got a lot more to worry about from you than from me.

{{For the most part, Joseph was…merely curious. Perhaps even a bit giddy. Josuke kept stumbling into things that only benefited Joseph in the end–unwittingly furthering the bloodline, tipping fresh blood into the pool that could undoubtedly be manipulated down the line…and waiting a decade and some change was almost nothing in the grand scheme of immortality.

{{He tailed Josuke, immediately trying his best to catch more glimpses of the baby, of what she possibly could have shared with the two of them.

She a good lay, Josuke? I mean, even I remembered your mother’s surname. Higashifuckinwhatever. You tellin’ me you care even less than I did?

You’re cold~.

I’m not gonn-- That’s none of your damn business okay!

(He wanted to throw fit-- but even he knew that wasn’t the right choice. The last thing he wanted to do was make enough commotion to make the baby cry.

And so he speed up more as Joseph followed, running into his mother’s older room before locking the door.)

first joseph

then jotaro

Reason why I’m here doesn’t really matter–it’s a bit rude not to invite your father to your baby shower, you know!

And it looks like I came just in time, too…

{{He reached further over Josuke’s shoulder, prying Josuke’s hand away altogether, lips curling satisfactorily the better his view of the baby became. Of course, he was looking for the only thing that meant anything in this situation–and let out a proud snort once he spotted the start birthmark. The only thing that mattered.

Did you even give it a name? Probably not–but hell, that’s not what I’m most curious about here!

Who didja knock up?

I don’t see her here–oho~, don’t tell me. Don’t tell me you left a single mother pregnant!

Oh, Josuke.

{{He pulled his son into an awkward side hug, bursting with schadenfreude laced laughter.

You’re the spittin’ image of me, ain’t ya!

(Josuke immediately pushed Joseph away, brows furrowing together in displeasure. He was already in a shitty mood-- he didn’t need his father making it worst.)

Don’t fuckin’ touch me! It ain’t my--.......

(He froze. Even if he tried to deny it to Joseph, the elder Joestar knew better. Josuke knew better. At this point the only thing to do was accept it. Even if he didn’t want to.)

...... Yeah. I fucked up okay.

I don’t know-- she named the kid Emi or somethin’. I don’t remember her last name but-- just--.. Dammit, can you just leave me alone for once in my damn life!

It doesn’t matter who the hell it is, I doubt you care anyways!

-- And for the damn record, I didn’t leave her a single mother. She didn’t tell me outta respect okay? I’m not like you who just leaves women broken-hearted and fuckin’ knocked up!

{{As obnoxious as Joseph was–and as much as he did nothing to deny that fact–he was capable of being subtle when the time called for it. For instance, he was regularly more sly than Josuke gave him credit for; not all of his break-ins involved flashy gesticulating and booming speeches. Sometimes, he merely seeped through like a shadow through a crack, spying on his son when he least expected it (though the vigilance of his brat made it easier just to reveal his existence from the jump).

{{And it seemed that his regular visits had started to pay off.

{{He thought it only mildly interesting when he overheard Josuke speaking on the phone one day, only truly taking note when the kid’s voice grew concerned and distressed. Though he couldn’t tell what was being said on the other end, context clues were enough to narrow down the possibilities.

{{Either someone close (hah, close) to him had gotten into some sort of deep trouble…or…perhaps…

{{Joseph grinned quietly as he slipped inside once more spying out the corner of his eye something unmistakable. A baby carrier. And almost certainly…a child.

So.

{{He laid a hand on Josuke’s shoulder as he spoke, finally revealing himself with a smirk.

Who’s the kid?

{{He didn’t need to be told. He could practically smell it on the child. Well, well, well. Like father, like son.

(He quietly shut the door, and crouched down-- his half-lidded eyes staring at the infant with a lifeless look in them.

There were obvious resemblances between them both. Her eyes were strikingly similar to hers-- to his father’s.

Joseph.

If Joseph found out about this..

The more Josuke thought about it all, the more he wanted to throw up. Why the hell did this happen? Even after he had made so much progress...)

....

(Gingerly, he reached over to her-- shifting her just slightly to where he could see that. That fucking star. The undeniable proof that this child carried the blood of a Joestar inside her veins. )

........ I’m sorry kid. 

(He didn’t want to be a father. He wanted to end the Joestar line as much as he could. And for her.... being a Joestar would only mean suffering. So maybe.. the best thing to do for her was end that suffering before it began.

Josuke’s fingers carefully wrapped around her small neck-- but stopped once Joseph had made his grandiose appearance.

Dammit.)

It was horrifying.

He leans against the door-- waiting for the doorbell from his home to ring, although secretly hoping it never does.

It had been less than a week since he’d been notified about his accidental spawn; a child he’d fathered during his time living away from Morioh. Back then he was much more reckless. Okuyasu had died. Kira had been killed something other than himself and he resented it. It was one of the lowest-points of his life.

The mother-- he vaguely remembered her. A businesswoman much older than him; it was a quick affair, back when he’d thrown away his morals about love and intimacy.

At first he didn’t believe her words, he figured the phone call was a joke or even a ploy to get him to rekindle their relationship. The more she continued to speak however, the more it became horribly clear that her words were anything but that.

And now, he was waiting-- having reluctantly agreed to spend time with the infant. All for the child’s sake.

Eventually the noise he never wanted come came. 

Josuke straightened himself up, desperately trying to keep himself composed before opening the door a few minutes after the doorbell’s ring.

He kept the interaction with the woman brief, masking all his contempt for her and this situation before grabbing the baby’s carrier and setting the young infant aside.

EYE ZOOMS

//B)

..... I think I need to explain to you a few things Mikitaka. But I’ll take you out on a date. I mean, like a friend one y’know.

“What do you mean? If anything, I would say I’m closer to your ‘league’ than you think.”