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Chapter Text

  It was surreal to Jotaro to be walking to school like an average high school student. He was back in Japan, his mother saved by the journey he and his fellow crusaders made to Egypt. The constant battles, sacrifices made, and brushes with death were more than any normal seventeen-year-old would ever even dream of experiencing. Though Jotaro Kujo was a natural hero and member of the Joestar bloodline, the adventure he had was not an easy one to move on from. He lost friends and almost his family; on many occasions he had to face death with his signature composure. Having been through such a journey it was simple to see how the change in scenery didn’t agree with the cold male.

  As he approached the school gates he could hear the whispers from other students, pointing at him and commenting on the mystery of where he went. The girls that would gather around him and make desperate attempts to earn his attention were quick to return to his side. Their squeals and bickering annoyed Jotaro as his patience was already thin. His glare did nothing to deter them as they fawned over how cool he was. He strolled faster and ignored them, his first day back to school and already he despised it all.

  As the tall male changed his shoes and prepared to return to his homeroom class, he frowned as the hushed murmuring continued around him. He was in no mood to deal with the idle gossip of teens. His intimidating aura caused the students crowding the halls to part for him as he headed to his assigned classroom. Jotaro sighed quietly as he prepared himself for any awkward questioning his teacher may have about his absence. It wasn’t their place to inquire about his personal life though, and Jotaro would be swift in telling them that.

  Jotaro had been correct in his prediction that his teacher would be bothersome, but thankfully they dropped the topic after Jotaro snapped at them. Notes were passed to his desk from the girls in his class that had crushes on him; he never bothered to read them. Instead he left them on his desk in a pile and at the bell for lunch he stood from his desk and threw them away. He hesitated for a moment about leaving class as he heard girlish chatter from the doorway outside.

  It appeared Jotaro’s fanclub was already crowding in the hall outside of his class after hearing of their idol’s return. He inwardly groaned as he stepped through the threshold and past the girls swiftly. They argued amongst themselves about who could walk closer to him as Jotaro briskly walked away. Intent on losing them for some much-needed privacy, Jotaro darted around students and slipped into the stairwell. The distracted girls lost him as they fought amongst themselves. Jotaro breathed a sigh of relief as he walked up the stairwell.

  If he remembered correctly, the door to the roof would be locked. There had been an issue of students hiding on the rooftop to skip class, so the faculty had rescinded the privilege. Talking his time climbing the steps, he appreciated how quiet it had become around him. Students didn’t bother to come up to this area which gave him some much-needed peace. His hands were in his jacket pockets as he thought to himself about how his day was going. It was unfortunate, but he hoped that as time went on he could get used to the attention he received. Jotaro halted his pondering as he came upon the doors leading to the roof. The padlock around the chains was already open.

  Jotaro narrowed his eyes slightly before opening the doors and stepping outside into the fresh air. A light breeze greeted him as he quickly scanned the area. To his surprise there was a girl already on the roof. She was seated on the floor with her back against the concrete and fencing. She looked to be asleep, using her school bag as a pillow for her back. Jotaro relaxed slightly as her breathing remained steady as he took a seat on a bench nearby. He deduced that the strange girl was the one to open the lock and hide out up here.

  The stand user didn’t recognize her, nor did he really care about who she was. If she didn’t bother him when she woke up, then he’d be fine. Adjusting his hat to keep the sun from his eyes, he took a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. He’d purposely left the lunch his mother had prepared for him at home, not having an appetite as of late, so he planned to spend this time with a smoke and relax.

  Time passed by as the cigarette dangled between his lips grew shorter and shorter. He took his time puffing on it as he flipped through the pages of a book he was casually reading. By the time the bell rang to signal the end of lunch, Jotaro had reclaimed his patience and prepared to return to the mass of students. Standing from the bench, he dropped the cigarette and crushed it beneath his shoe. A soft yawn was heard from behind him.

  You awoke to the lingering smell of cigarette smoke and the ringing of the school bell. Rubbing the sleepiness from your eyes, you glanced around at the company you now had. Jotaro remained where he stood, silently dreading the reaction you may have. Would you squeal and attempt to harass him? Unaware of his inner distress, you stood slowly and yawned again. Once on your feet, you straightened your knee length school skirt and grabbed your bag. With yourself ready you walked nonchalantly towards the door, passing Jotaro with an offhanded, “Hey.” The expression on your face was puzzled but nothing else as you left through the doors.

  Jotaro gave no reply to you as he grabbed his own bag and prepared to return to class as well.

Chapter Text

  The next day of school had gone the same as the previous one for Jotaro. His peers continued to gossip behind his back everywhere he went, and his admirers continued to try his patience. He would snap at them to shut up or go away, but the effect was always minor. They’d hush their voices and trail him from more of a distance; he was never truly rid of them much to his chagrin. As the hands of the clock pressed forward, Jotaro found himself tapping his finger and foot anxiously as he needed respite from the stares of strangers around him. If his attendance wasn’t so poor already, he would have gladly skipped class.

  Loudly the bell rang signaling lunch period. Jotaro exhaled as he rose from his desk, quickly grabbing his schoolbag and shoving past the people who attempted to catch his attention. His plan to hide on the roof had worked before and Jotaro decided he would do it again. Even if that stranger was there again, they didn’t seem to care about his presence which he appreciated.

  Brushing between the students in the hallways, the tall male was careful to make sure the girls following him didn’t catch him slipping into the stairwell. He was able to easily lose them as they tended to bicker amongst themselves and get distracted. Smirking at his simple victory and moment of quiet, Jotaro walked up the stairs until he reached the door leading to the roof. Once again, the padlock was already undone and the chain simply hung over one of the handles.

  He assumed that the girl from yesterday had been the one to pick the lock and must’ve already been there. Sliding a hand into his pocket, he used his free hand to open the door and took in a deep breath of the clean air outside. The door shut behind him as his eyes fell on you; back in your previous spot, but not yet dozed off.

  You tilted your head as you looked over at who had intruded upon your private place again. It was the same boy from yesterday, the tall one dressed in a modified uniform. He was likely a delinquent with attire like that and such an intimidating demeanor. You gave him a casual greeting before taking your eyes off the mysterious male and relaxed against your bag. You didn’t see any reason to introduce yourself, especially since the young man hadn’t introduced himself either.

  Jotaro acknowledged your greeting with a simple nod of his head and quick hum as he went back to the bench he had relaxed on before. As he approached the spot, he had already taken a cigarette out and began to light it. Once seated, the stick hang between his chapped lips as he puffed on it quietly. A cool breeze swept over him and eased his stress a tad as it carried the cigarette smoke. Said breeze carried the smoke into your face.

  Your shut eyes tightened, and you scrunched up your face in displeasure as the smoke flooded your senses. Bringing a hand up to wave the smoke from yourself you glared at the stranger who was seated with a book in his hands. Clearing your throat to get his attention worked as his sharp blue eyes darted to you.

  “Do you mind?” You asked with a frown as you crossed your arms over your chest. The male regarded you for a moment before shrugging.

  “If it’s a problem then move.” His tone was apathetic his attention returned to his book. Your frown turned into a look of displeased confusion as you couldn’t believe the answer you got. Who does this guy think he is?

  “Maybe if I was here after you I would move, but I was here first. I don’t care if you smoke, just don’t get the smoke in my face.” You huffed as you wondered if this stranger would be a problem. You hoped not, picking the lock and napping on the roof was as daring as you wanted to be this semester.

  Jotaro’s lips twitched downward in annoyance for a moment before he thought over your words. Looking over your unhappy self, he regrettably agreed that he was being unfair in the matter. It wouldn’t kill him to accommodate you. Especially if it kept you from nagging him anymore.

  “Good grief.” You heard him mutter the words as he stood from the bench at your left. His long legs took leisure strides to your right as he leaned against the fencing there. The wind now blowing past you then to Jotaro kept the smoke from you. Your demeanor softened in relief as you flashed the boy a pleasant smile.

  “Thank you.” Jotaro merely grunted in reply as he stood and puffed on his cigarette. He let his eyes glance at you on occasion as he felt as if you were planning on speaking up again. The expression on your face was one of contemplation before you looked up at him and introduced yourself in a friendly manner.

  You noticed the boy seemed to think over whether he should introduce himself as well as you observed him. Smoke danced around his strong face as he turned his head down towards you and gave you his name in a curt manner. You simply nodded and returned to your comfortable position to attempt to take a nap.

  Once Jotaro finished his cigarette he returned to his place on the bench and withdrew his book. This was how the rest of lunch period went for the two of you. The bell rang out, ending the tranquility between you both as you stretched from your rest and Jotaro shut his book. Standing up you grabbed your bag and yawned as you headed to the door. Jotaro was already over by it, holding it open as he waited for you to go through with a neutral expression on his face. You thanked him and bid farewell, him doing the same as you both went to your respective classes.

Chapter Text

  The bell rang out as it always does to signal lunch period. It was the next day after Jotaro's encounter with you. The tall male leisurely rose from his desk as he grabbed his school bag. His thoughts wandered as he thought about going back to roof for lunch. If he went to the roof, he was sure he'd run into you again as that seemed to be your spot. Thankfully, you seemed to be a lax person from the few moments he’s spent with you. When he gave you his name you didn't react shocked or really interested beyond a friendly exchange. Which he of course appreciated, he didn't want people fussing about him. It was a nice change of pace to be in the company of someone who didn't bother him about his absence or enigmatic persona.

  Lost in his thoughts, he left the classroom without paying any of the other students around him any mind. His mild curiosity about you distracted him from their stares and whispers as he was followed by his usual group of admirers. Their typical squeals and chatter about him were simply annoying noise as he felt them begin to crowd around him. While he ignored them, one black haired girl shoved past her friends and latched onto Jotaro's elbow.

  "JoJo! Where have you been running off to? You've been gone for so long and now that you're back I can't find you during break. I've been wanting to catch up with you over lunch!" The girl whined in a cutesy voice as she held onto him with a firm grip. Jotaro was pulled from his thoughts as he scowled and inwardly groaned.

  “Let go.” His tone was even but cold. The girl holding him remained unphased by his attitude as she released him. Still staying closer to him than he’d want, she blushed brightly and smiled up at him. Jotaro shoved his free hand into his coat pocket and quickly walked away from them, intent on getting away from bothersome people. The bold girl’s friends snickered amongst themselves as they teased her for getting rejected by their collective crush. Embarrassed but not deterred, she skipped forward and brought herself next to Jotaro.

  “I’m sure you’d like some company, it must be hard being gone from school. I’d hate for you to feel lonely.” Her words were emphasized by her holding her bag in front of her body and using her arms to squeeze her breasts as she batted her eyes at him. The attempt at seduction failed as Jotaro glared sharply at her and grimaced. He had a feeling snapping at her wouldn’t get her to give him any space. He noticed the pack of girls had gotten bolder in their lust compared to before he had left.

  “Good grief, go grab a drink for me.” Jotaro snapped, his glare remaining on his unhappy face as he watched her flush red and nod furiously. She couldn’t put words together as she didn’t expect him to seemingly notice her. Giggling and still blushing, she skipped back towards her friends and fellow fangirls to tell them he might have been interested in her. The other girls left with her to find a vending machine while arguing over what beverage Jotaro would want. Jotaro sighed in exasperation as he watched them go off in different directions. Briskly walking towards the stairs, Jotaro headed towards the roof.

    To his surprise, the chains on the door were still in place and the padlock was still locked. It looked like you weren’t going to be joining him today, he thought to himself. There was a small feeling of disappointment that Jotaro immediately brushed away.  Grabbing the lock, Jotaro prepared to break it until approaching footsteps stopped him.

  “Oh hey, today too? You must really enjoy my company.” You chuckled as you now stood next to him, holding a bento box in your hand and your schoolbag in the other. You made your joke not really expecting a reaction from him, but to your pleasant surprise he did give a quiet hum in response.  Your friendly smile grew before you noticed his large hand still holding the padlock.

  “Could you hold my lunch for a sec? I’ll pick the lock.” You asked as you held out the cutely wrapped box to the boy. Jotaro released the lock and took your box, stepping away from the door to give you space as you crouched down and took out a warped pin. You thanked him and easily picked the lock, having done this many a time. Once it clicked open, you undid the chain and hung it loosely over one of the door handles. Opening the door, you gestured for him to go through with a cheeky smile; your free hand held out for him to return your bento. With a small upward quirk of his lips, he dropped the box into your hand and walked outside.

  Jotaro moved to lean against the chain-link fence while you went to sit on the nearby bench. As you set your bag down and unwrapped the bento in your lap, you glanced over to Jotaro. The intimidating male lit a cigarette casually as he appeared to be staring out at nothing in particular. Thankfully, he had chosen a spot that was downwind from you to keep the smoke from bothering you. You were grateful for the consideration. He looked like he was deep in thought; your curiosity got the better of you though, so you spoke as you picked at your food.

  “You know, this is the third day in a row you’ve been here, and I still haven’t seen you eat. Granted I was napping two of those days.” You commented idly, bringing rice into your mouth with your chopsticks. Your eyes watched Jotaro as his shoulders shrugged at your words.

  “I just haven’t had an appetite.” He answered in a nonchalant manner, to which you nodded. His eyes flickered over to you before he nudged his head in your direction. “This is the first time you’ve eaten too.”

  “Ah, my friend had lost a bet with me, so she was supposed to make me a bento. But she kept forgetting. She finally remembered today.” You mused as you brought a cute octopus shaped hot dog to your lips and happily ate it. Jotaro blew out some smoke as a breeze drifted past him though his eyes remained on you. You dropped your attention from him and continued eating until a thought popped into your head. You reached for your bag and fished out two coke cans from inside; they were still cold.

  “You might not be hungry, but the machine gave me two cans. You want one Jotaro-san?” You asked in a lax manner, a lazy smile on your face as you watched him. Jotaro glanced from the extra can in your hand to your relaxed expression before taking a long drag from his cigarette. Tossing the bud to the ground, he stepped on it and slowly released the smoke as he approached you.

  “Thanks, and you can just call me JoJo.” His blue-green eyes regarded you neutrally as he reached out and took the can you held out to him. You smiled and scooted over to offer him more space to sit on the bench as he took a seat. The can was cold in his warm hands and he opened it; he hadn’t even realized he was thirsty in all honesty. You went back to eating from the bento and the two of you conversed pleasantly the rest of that lunch period.

Chapter Text

  Several days had passed since Jotaro and you had met and introduced yourselves. The two of you continued meeting for lunch on the roof, you arriving first and picking the lock since your classroom was closer. Even if Jotaro did arrive before you, he'd lean against the wall and wait for you to show up. He'd made it a habit to lightly tease you about how inconvenient it was when you were late only to smirk when you'd answer with something sarcastic. With the casual conversations you'd both have and the comfort of each other's company, a friendship had blossomed between you and him.  

  Jotaro found himself surprised that he looked forward to lunch period just for the time he could spend idly with you. As the bright-eyed male glanced at the clock that hung over the chalkboard, he felt himself tapping his finger impatiently. The gossip about him had thinned with the passing days and only his usual group of admirers remained a persistent annoyance for him. Even their antics were bothering him less as he could distract himself with the pleasant calm of your company.  

  The bell rang, releasing Jotaro from his thoughts of you as he stood from his desk. Preparing to leave, he was caught off guard by a familiar face entering his class and approaching his teacher. There you stood, speaking politely and handing them a small stack of paperwork. Feeling a stare on you, you glanced and felt a smile fall to your lips as you noticed Jotaro standing near the doorway.

  “Hey JoJo, so this is your class? You’re actually kinda close to mine.” You mused as you walked over to him. It was strange seeing him outside of your usual spot, but not unwelcome. You enjoyed Jotaro’s company and found him to be an interesting friend. He may not talk too much, but he had snark and a comfortable presence which you welcomed.

  “Yeah, I know you said it was near the stairs. I don’t know which one yours is though.” He answered with a small shrug of his shoulders. His blue-green eyes looked down at you as he gestured his head towards the door, ready to leave with you.

  “Oh before we head to our spot, let me show you my class since I know yours.” You chimed as you stepped past his tall form. As you left the classroom, Jotaro followed and moved to walk beside you. You cast him a lopsided smile as you began to chat casually with him as you headed towards your destination. Unbeknownst to you both, the exchange was watched through envious and stunned eyes.

  “W-who was that girl? Why was JoJo so friendly with her?!” Cried out one of the girls who usually followed Jotaro. The other girls in a group with her asked similar questions as they glanced from each other to your departing form. None of them recognized who you were as they never paid much attention outside their clique and their crush. The group of girls argued amongst themselves with theories and speculation as to why their JoJo would actually pay any mind to you. Meanwhile, you and Jotaro were able to reach the rooftop without any type of trouble.

  At the roof, you began to unbox your meal, but stopped as you notice Jotaro fishing a cigarette out to light. The wind blew from behind you both, and honestly you had gotten used to the smell of smoke by now, your concern was with him skipping a meal. You’d commented before on the subject though, Jotaro was quick to brush it off, stating he wasn’t hungry. Simply drinking the occasional soda and smoking during lunch wasn’t exactly healthy, and though he was a tall and muscular male, you felt he needed to actually eat something.

  “My mom has too much free time in the morning.” You sighed as you opened your bento box and looked at the cutely decorated food your mother had prepared for you. She was a sweetheart really, there was a large rice ball decorated to look like a cat in the center while the fruits to the side were cut in various shapes. If you ever had to make a box for a boy, you’d go to her for advice. You felt Jotaro shuffle beside you as he shifted to look at your lunch. His expression was of modest curiosity as he nodded approvingly at what your mother had made.

  “Hopefully it tastes as good as it looks. She really likes stars.” He commented, noticing that the most common shape used were stars. Though the decorations were somewhat silly, he could tell you appreciated the effort your mother put into the meal. Watching you lift a small roll to your lips with a chopstick, Jotaro found himself noticing more details about you. From the soft quirk of your lips as you happily chewed your food, to the shine of your eyes in the midday sunlight. A breeze swept by, lightly moving your hair as if to frame your features for him. At the ludicrous idea, Jotaro snapped his attention towards the cigarette in his hand as he prepared to light it. His motions were halted as you began to speak after swallowing your food.

  “She’s trying new shapes. Normally its flowers, she loves making flowers. Did you get a lunch today?” You asked nonchalantly, hoping he would at least take out his lunch if he brought one. If you could get him to at least take one bite of something, you’d be happy. You let a warm smile hit your lips as you watched Jotaro slide his cigarette and lighter back into his pocket before reaching for his bag. He pulled out a simple blue box.

  “I told my mom that I haven’t had much of an appetite, but she still made me one.” Jotaro sighed as he stared down at the box in his callous hands. It was true he hadn’t been eating much, especially at school. His stress being the major factor in his decision to skip meals. He simply hadn’t felt the need to eat with his peers constantly hounding him. Although, as his eyes flickered from the box to your curious stare, ever since he had started joining you on the roof he had felt significantly more relaxed. He opened the bento box.

  “Oh, looks like your mom likes stars too.” You smiled at the lunch he held, finding it endearing that his mother decorated his meal even though he hardly seemed the type to enjoy such a detail. Small fruits and vegetables were cut into star shapes and appeared to be the only extra detail added to the meal. Looking from the meal to Jotaro, you saw him carrying an unreadable expression as he seemed pensive. You returned your attention to your own lunch and continued eating it as you heard Jotaro mutter beside you.

  “Good grief.” Taking out his chopsticks, Jotaro began to lazily eat as you smiled lightly in delight.    

Chapter Text

  As the days went by, your relationship with Jotaro continued to grow. Though you only saw him during the school week, it still gave you plenty of time with him. You both always had lunch together on the rooftop, still a secret from your peers thankfully, making the location a pleasant respite from the buzz of school. In the time you’d spent with the male, you’d come to learn of his overwhelming popularity with a particular group of girls. They made no attempts to hide their disdain for you, but you hardly paid them any mind.

  Once Jotaro knew where your class was, he began meeting you there and walking with you to the roof for lunch. He’d snap at the girls who tried to follow the two of you, and thankfully they seemed to listen well enough. You truly enjoyed his company, and while he may not be very open it was clear that he enjoyed your company just as much. Whether conversing about classes or hobbies, sometimes complaining about how your mothers coddled you both, you felt you’d made a real friend in the man. That’s not to say your friendship came without its gossip.

  Your classmates and friends didn’t hesitate to seek you out and ask what your relationship to the handsome young man was. Even when you answered with the truth, that he was simply a friend, they doubted your words. You weren’t a fan for repeating yourself, so when classmates would try to push for the secret of your relationship, you would snap at them to back off. A sharp glare seemed to be enough to deter their questions, but it did nothing for all the talk behind your back.  At least your friends believed you (or acted like they did). If they didn’t pester you, you let them think what they wanted. Your friends had taken to playfully whining at you that you’d abandoned them for a pretty face since you would spend your lunch period alone with him, and unintentionally that is what became your routine. You’d laugh with them and joke about how they should enjoy the break from you. All in all, things had been lively for you since you met the stoic Jotaro.

  The more time you spent with Jotaro the more he’d surprise you. He may not have been a big talker, but he actually had a great sense of humor and wit to him. You never would have guessed he was so snarky when you first met him. You were also surprised by how kind he was; recently he’d started offering to carry your schoolbag for you as you’d walk together. Using the word “offer” may have been wrong though, thinking back to the first time he did it.

  “Let me take that.” It wasn’t a question.

  Caught off guard at the time, you handed it to him in confusion. He carried it while you walked with him to your usual spot. Ever since, he’d carry your schoolbag for you or any extra books you might be holding onto. It was a kind, if not mildly awkward gesture, but you’d always thank him with a smile regardless. He wouldn’t really reply to you, rather he’d shrug his broad shoulders in an off-hand manner and move on.

  Another habit he had developed a little after that was meeting you at the school’s entrance gates in the morning. Perhaps it was coincidence, but one morning you approached the gates and spotted his unique uniform. He had been leaning against the structure, a lit cigarette between his lips, as his usual crowd cooed at him from afar. You had walked up to him and greeted him, joking about how it would be nice to start your day with him. If you’d been paying closer attention, you might have caught the softening of his expression before he lowered his hat and composed himself. Jotaro replied with a simple grunt as he stood next to you and dropped his cigarette. Standing closer to you than usual, you both hung around each other until it was time to get to class; which he escorted you to. Not only did he walk with you to your classroom, at the end of the day he approached you and walked with you to the school gates. This became routine as well.

  Your friends were intimidated to approach you while Jotaro was around, but when they had the chance during class they’d pass notes to you asking if you really weren’t an item with him. Without hesitation you answered that no, you were both just friends. You could understand their disbelief as according to the rumor circuit, Jotaro Kujo wasn’t close to anyone. 

  But on the other-hand, it was clear Jotaro didn’t have many friends at school (maybe any). You argued that that was how he behaved in a friendship. No one at school seemed to know more about the enigmatic male than the rough persona he portrayed. Unfortunately, your constant reaffirming that you were not dating Jotaro or even had a crush on him was deaf to his fan club who had made you their personal enemy.

  It had started as constant glares in the hallways. Now they had found your locker and taken to slipping hate letters into it. While it was annoying, it was also somewhat amusing just how wrong they were and how much effort they put into some of the letters. Like right now you had arrived at school, greeted Jotaro and gone inside to your locker to change your shoes. Several letters were in your locker and you already knew what sort of messages were inside of them.

  “What are those?” Jotaro asked as he watched you grab the letters and take them to a nearby garbage can. You casually shrugged, tossing them and returning to your locker.

  “Confessions from desperate boys. Don’t get jealous, alright?” You chuckled at your white lie. He already knew he had a fan club, no need to make him stress about their petty attempts to bully you. They were smart enough not to leave names on the notes, but if their attempts ever escalate you fully intended to deal with them. Jotaro stared at you with a suspicious gaze but didn’t press the issue. He reached towards you and you handed him your history and English textbooks with a lopsided smile. He said nothing, his expression unchanged as he walked you to your class. Unbeknownst to you, while you chatted amicably to his intimidating form he would sneak glances at your animated expressions. You missed the small upward twitch of his lips.

Chapter Text

  Crushes were a normal part of adolescence. Whether they were romantic or platonic, people were drawn to one another. Jotaro found that he was not an exception to this. What started as reluctant tolerance of you had evolved into actively seeking out your company.

  The Stand user found your lax nature calming; the lighthearted conversations you’d share and endearing laugh softening his heart ever so slightly. He would tease you and relish in the faint dust of pink on your cheeks as you would struggle to come up with a rebuttal for him. You weren’t intimidated by him, often nudging or playfully shoving him. Jotaro found your moments of boldness charming, but also found the line of affection harder not to cross too.

  Like when the two of you would find yourselves inexplicably closer than usual. Perhaps he jokingly insulted you too much and this caused you to move your face closer to his with a mock glare and scowl. His eyes would meet your delighted ones and see no sign of anger, just rebellious energy. It would take Jotaro all his self-control to keep from finishing the distance between you both and revealing his developing feelings for you with a kiss.

  With a hardened desire not to ruin the relationship he already had with you (and unsure of how to approach the subject of wanting more with you), Jotaro would take a step back and release a sigh along with his usual phrase.  You would laugh at your assumed victory while he looked away from you to steady his emotions. Moments like this were happening more and more often; stressful for him while you were oblivious to the fondness of his gaze.

  It was only recently Jotaro noticed you softening your gaze as well. Your lips would twitch into a modest smile while your eyelashes fluttered coyly. The rose hue overtaking your cheeks making you the picture of a young girl with an infatuation. You’d always been a seemingly confident girl, so to see you fidget nervously with your skirt and struggle to find words was quite the sight for Jotaro.

  He would have treasured such a vulnerable display were your attentions for him.

  “Hihara-san, thanks for letting me borrow your notes! They really helped me study for the quiz today.” You chimed with a bright expression, holding out the notebook to your classmate.  Jotaro watched from his spot against the doorframe of your classroom. The lunch bell had rung and as per the routine he was planning to walk with you to the roof.

  The boy you were talking to was of average height and build, he had darks eyes and black hair. He wore black rimmed glasses and was overall unimpressive to Jotaro. Yet somehow this simple boy was the object of Jotaro’s envy. Why were you interested in him? Hoping to answer his questions, Jotaro continued to casually observe you both.

  The boy, Hihara, seemed to have an interest in you as well. His pupils were dilated as he thanked you, letting his fingers brush against yours as he took back his notebook. His blush was clear as he stuttered awkwardly, trying to keep the conversation going with you. You replied pleasantly to him, still wearing a sweet smile and subtle blush. Jotaro frowned, adjusting his cap as he begrudgingly watched the exchange with narrowed eyes.

  “Anywho, I’ve got to meet up with my friend. If I make him wait he’ll nag me about it. See ya!” You bid farewell to the boy and turned to see Jotaro already in the doorway. A cheeky grin spread on your face as you gave a small wave and approached him, an extra bounce in your step. Hihara watched you leave with clear disappointment, but immediately turned his attention away from you when he saw Jotaro’s cold glare. Smirking slightly, he stood up and held a hand out for your bag. Knowing there was no use in arguing, you handed him your bag as usual. With that you both began to walk towards the roof.

  You chatted about your day, complaining about the quiz you had taken and how worried you had been to run out of time. The subject of the quiz being your weakest area. Jotaro nodded in response, giving you small words of encouragement while the two of you picked at the food your mothers prepared for you. The sky was a bright blue with few clouds dotting the canvas. A breeze blew by and ruffled your hair in a way that made Jotaro want to reach out and touch your messy locks. The sounds of distant traffic and life were white noise as there was peace on this rooftop. The turmoil and stress that Jotaro felt in his alone time were muted while he was distracted with you. Distracted by the warm aura you radiated.

  As he watched you grab two cans of cola from your bag and offer him one, a single thought popped into his mind. It echoed as he let his callous fingers touch yours as he took the cold can. The content smile on your lips making his chest warmer.

“This is right.”

  You said nothing as you both enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere and each other’s company. That lunch period went on like others before it; one heart unaware of the other’s wish.

  “Something is off about Jotaro today…” You thought to yourself as you rested your arms on your desktop while your teacher lectured at the front of the class. You had just returned from lunch and Jotaro wouldn’t leave your mind. From the moment you saw him waiting in the doorway to when you parted ways after lunch period, the tall male seemed distracted to you.

To be fair, you were off today as well. You were dreading the quiz your class had earlier today and were embarrassed to ask for help from a classmate you barely knew. You’d noticed Hihara always diligently taking notes, so you felt he’d be the best to ask for assistance. Of course, you felt awkward and a little rude to ask to borrow from a peer you never spoke to. Thankfully he was kind enough to share with you though he seemed just as awkward as you, maybe even more so. You assumed the boy was shy, especially after you returned the notebook to him and how he acted about it.

  You dragged your index finger along your desk in thought, drawing invisible circles. Jotaro always seemed to have a distance to him that no matter how friendly you both seemed to be, there was something you couldn’t grasp with him. You weren’t one to pry in other people’s business, so you didn’t plan to ask if he wasn’t already telling you. Still, this didn’t stop you from being curious about what was on his mind. On the surface the man was unreadable, but after spending so much time with him you felt you could read enough about him to understand him.

  “Although not enough to know what’s wrong. I hope he’s okay.” You sighed as you brought your focus back to your teacher and hurriedly scribbled down what he had written on the board.  

  Meanwhile in Jotaro’s classroom, a menacing aura radiated from the intimidating student. His classmates who sat near his desk anxiously avoided even glancing his direction for fear of being the target of his frustration. Like a tape rewinding and replaying, the conversation he overheard after he parted with you after lunch played in his head.

  “So, are you really going to confess your feelings for her, Hihara-kun?”

  “Y-Yeah! I’ve had a crush on her for a while and she finally spoke to me, I just need to make my move before I lose the nerve. I’m going to ask to walk her home after class. She’s so cute! I’m surprised she’s not more popular haha!”

  Jotaro had walked past the boy and his friend in the halls on his way to his class. He was proud of his self-control to continue walking as though he hadn’t a care in the world. Though the dark atmosphere growing off him revealed he cared about something very much.

  The boy Jotaro had assumed you were infatuated with was planning to confess to you. Jotaro chewed on the inside of his cheek in thought as he ignored whatever his teacher was going on about. He knew he had feelings for you but had hoped he would be able to sort them out before trying to get closer with you. It seemed time was not on his side though as there was now competition for your affection.

  Resting his chin in his palm, he stared out the window of the classroom. He knew what he had to do, he simply needed to prepare the words. He’d wanted to walk you home much earlier, about when he began walking you everywhere all over school. Jotaro had refrained from asking not because he was shy or nervous, of course not, he was worried about suffocating you. The young man didn’t want to seem too pushy or overbearing after he’d already attached himself to your side at school.

  Jotaro sighed as he glanced at the ticking hands of the clock. He readied his resolve.

  “Good grief.”

Chapter Text

  Aquamarine eyes watched the seconds tick by on the class wall clock. The closer the hands reached the hour that would dismiss class, the more intense Jotaro’s resolve felt. He’d already berated himself for taking his time with you. Now with one chance approaching to make his move, he would meet the challenge confidently.

  Like the gunshot at a racetrack, the bell rang signaling the end of the day. Jotaro rose from his desk and swiftly grabbed his schoolbag as he briskly left the classroom. He shoved past the throng of students who began to flood into the hallway as he made a beeline for your classroom. Coming towards the threshold of his destination, Jotaro entered the room without hesitation. The young man had already gone over the scenario several times to prepare himself to speak to you as he held his head high and looked over the room.

  Still sitting at your desk, you were lazily sliding your pens and papers into your schoolbag. One of your friends waved to you as they left; you hummed in reply to them as you stood from your desk. You stretched with your back to the doors, unaware of the two pair of eyes on you.

  Jotaro’s eyes glanced quickly at Hihara who sat opposite of the room from you and released a quiet “tsk” when he saw the boy’s attention on you. The time for action was now, the classroom was practically empty. The only remaining students were you, Hihara, and Jotaro. The tall male noticed your admirer begin to take a step forward which gave Jotaro the push he needed. Quick, long strides led him to your desk where he muttered your name to catch your attention.

  “Hm? Oh, hey JoJo, what’s up?” You greeted with surprise evident in your tone and expression. You had been lost in thought and were mildly curious how such a large man could sneak up on you like that. You gave a friendly smile as you looked up at him, waiting for him to speak as you met his fierce gaze. His lip seemed to twitch, there was something you couldn’t read in his eyes; you almost felt like he was hesitating with something. You were about to voice your concern when Jotaro’s deep voice stopped you.

  “I’m walking you home today.” With nonchalant body posture and an uninterested expression, Jotaro internally scolded himself for turning the simple request into a demand. It wounded his pride to admit such a thing, but the man was genuinely nervous about asking you. Blinking owlishly at the sudden statement, you tilted your head in a way he would describe as cute and nodded before smiling.

  “S-sure, I’m honestly surprised it took you this long to ask. I’ve been wondering about hanging with you outside of school.” You mused as you returned to your relaxed demeanor. A small smile graced Jotaro’s lips as he adjusted his cap and took your bag from your hands. You thanked him as usual and the both of you walked out of the classroom. You gave a small wave to Hihara as you left; oblivious to Hihara’s disappointed and rejected expression while Jotaro ignored the boy.

  You and Jotaro walking side by side together wasn’t a new sight to the other students, but there was something different about the scene now. An almost untouchable atmosphere was around you both as you left your lockers and exited the building. Chatting amicably with each other, you pretended you didn’t see the harsh glares and whispers from members of Jotaro’s fanclub. “They really need to get a better hobby.” You thought to yourself before your eyes caught the excited expressions of your friends.

  They grinned mischievously to you and made heart gestures with their hands. No matter how much you explained to them there was nothing there between you and Jotaro, it wouldn’t make a difference. Shooting them a quick glare you returned your attention to the man beside you who either didn’t notice the attention or more likely was ignoring it.

  “I hope walking me home isn’t too out of the way for you.” You said as the two of you passed the school gates and were now walking along the sidewalk. The curious eyes of students were gone thankfully, yet you were still finding trouble relaxing. You were feeling almost shy.

  “It’s not that big a deal if you are, I don’t mind spending time with you.” Jotaro replied casually, fishing a cigarette from his coat and bringing it to his mouth. A light blush came to your cheeks as you looked out down the street to avoid looking at him. There was a different energy to this walk that you didn’t understand how to deal with. Something inside you was telling you to be closer to Jotaro, this feeling was new and almost scary.

  “Great, because I really like spending time with you.” You chimed while keeping your attention forward though a warm smile played on your lips. You weren’t one to play with the idea of relationships too often, but to say that you’d never given the thought to Jotaro would be a lie. It was moments like this that reminded you of those random tender thoughts. The peace, comfort, and security being around him brought to you was something you had looked forward to all the time now. Had you looked at his face after you spoke, you would have seen the slight widening of his eyes and the fond expression you pulled from him.

  The more you pondered the idea of having stronger feelings for Jotaro, the more you looked back on your time you’d spent with him. The tranquil silences in each other’s company, the constant teasing and jokes, how the male had stuck himself to your side. If you were alone, you would have physically face palmed at your density. Maybe your friends were right? Maybe he was interested. Although you couldn’t make a move, after all you’d hate to be wrong and Jotaro think you were after him like one of his usual stalkers. You resisted the urge to sigh as you walked and internally lamented your lack of confidence to act.

  Jotaro meanwhile, puffed on his cigarette as he contemplated what to do. Glancing down at you, he recognized the distant face you wore as one you had when you were lost in thought. While he was curious what you were thinking so hard about, he couldn’t help his own train of thought returning to how he should go about revealing his interest in you. He was more a man of action than words, but how could he act without making a fool of himself? A light touch against his free hand caught his attention. Your hand had absently brushed against his. You didn’t even seem to notice. His heart clenched in his chest as he composed himself.

  You were snapped from your pondering when you felt a large, callous, and slightly sweaty hand take yours. Turning your head slightly to try and read Jotaro’s face, you found him facing forward as he walked with you; his hat shrouding his eyes from your curious gaze. Blood rushed to your face as you blushed, but you remained calm as you would hate to ruin the warm moment by being flustered. A smile that met your eyes fell to your face as you stepped closer to Jotaro. Your hand still in his, you lightly squeezed it to give the answer you couldn’t with words.

Chapter Text

  The walk was surreal, having your smaller hand held by Jotaro. The ambient sound of other pedestrians and the occasional call of a bird was white noise to you as you kept your gaze to the ground. Your cheeks were warm from your embarrassment, but the fond smile remained on your lips as you matched his long strides. The male next to you stopped though and cleared his throat as he was about to speak.

  “Where do you live?” He asked as he brought his attention to you. At his words, you turned to regard him, blinking owlishly as you processed his question. Oh shit, I completely forgot he was walking me home! Coughing into your free hand, the tips of your ears darkened in embarrassment.

  “We um, actually passed the street to take, but the next one coming up works too. We just need to take a right and then another right.” You explained as you pointed to the upcoming street. You coursed yourself for being as flustered as you were. You’d walked with boys before, dated boys before! Why does JoJo make me so nervous all of a sudden? Oh gosh, I’m making this awkward…

  Jotaro nodded his head and resumed moving; you following along with him as a rather awkward silence fell between you both. Unaware of the anxiousness you felt, Jotaro was rather flustered by the situation in his own way. He’d had girls throw themselves at him much to his displeasure, but he was in no way used to letting his guard down like this. It made him mad that he could feel the awkward atmosphere around the two of you and the stand user blamed himself.

  Oblivious to how you and he were both blaming yourselves for the discomfort, you both were lost in thought until you realized you were about to arrive to your home.

  “Ah, JoJo my house is this one coming up.” Your voice snapped him from his thoughts and Jotaro cursed himself for letting the walk to your home be uneventful. All he’d done was hold your hand, which granted he was happy to do. But he had yet to say anything and he felt he was supposed to.

  “Hm, looks like a cozy place.” He commented, relieved to have finally said something. His nerves calmed some when you smiled brightly at his words, opening the gate to the yard of your modest house. It was nothing grand but held a warm and welcoming aura to it. He noticed the driveway was empty, recalling how you said your mother worked a lot of overtime since your father’s passing. The sadness in your eyes stopped Jotaro from asking anymore on the matter, but he felt empathy for the loss you must have felt. He’d lost people close to him too and grief was a unique sorrow that was hard to move past.

“JoJo?” Your voice pulled him from his memories of Egypt. Blinking several times, Jotaro looked down at you to see you hold a pen and small paper. A lopsided smile on your lips as a blush dusted your cheeks.

  “Would you… like to trade phone numbers?” You asked as confidently as you could. Willing yourself to keep eye contact with him as you awaited his answer. You two were dating now right? Or was everything a massive misunderstanding, oh god, it was a misunderstanding- Your panicked train of thoughts was halted as Jotaro muttered “sure” and took the pen and paper from you. Ripping off the piece that held your number written, he pocketed it before scribbling his home number on the remaining paper and handing it back to you with a passive expression.

  “I’ll call you when I get home, we can plan a real date.” Jotaro said so casually you were completely caught off guard. Fluttering your eyes in surprise, Jotaro let a small smirk fall to his lips as he found your reaction cute. You nodded, at a loss for words that he was so nonchalant about saying such a thing when the whole walk had been an awkward mess in your opinion. Still smirking, Jotaro handed you your bag as he dug a cigarette from the carton in his pocket.

  “Alright, I’m looking forward to it! I’m really excited to go out with you.” You mused sincerely, a flushed grin coming across your face as your eyes looked up at Jotaro brightly. His lips tightened around the not yet lit cigarette as he turned quickly from your sweet expression, adjusting his cap in a casual way as he started walking away from your home. A quiet, “good grief” being his parting words to you as you watched him go for a few more seconds before running excitedly inside you house.

  You were thankful your mother wasn’t home. It gave you the privacy to pace the kitchen and living room as you relived the moments where Jotaro held your hand and boldly asked you out. Throwing yourself to the living room sofa, you kicked your feet in excitement as you held your face in your hands. You couldn’t wait for his call.

Down the road from your home, Jotaro walked at a rather fast pace, taking long strides while smoking his cigarette. The male couldn’t keep the smirk from his face as he patted himself on the back for taking such initiative with you. It was a good thing you weren’t a stand user, or you would have seen Star Platinum emerge at his surge of emotion from your parting words to him. He was excited, plain and simple. As he entered the large estate of his family, he made a beeline for one of the wireless home phones. As he passed his mother in the kitchen, he surprised her by giving her a casual greeting as he went by.

  “Eh? JoJo you seem to be in a good mood!” She chimed happily even though he ignored her completely. She smiled regardless, delighted her stoic son acknowledged her and decided to make his favorite for dinner.

  In his room, Jotaro shrugged off his coat as he dialed your number. He waited for you to answer while lying down on his bed and kicking off his socks. He couldn’t help the smallest of smiles as you answered after the first ring.

Chapter Text

  Your mother hummed quietly to herself as she washed the morning’s dishes. You had only taken a piece of toast before rushing back upstairs, muttering something about “having to get ready for today.” The older woman simply shrugged as she had sipped her coffee, mildly surprised you were even up so early when it was a Saturday. Her curiosity had been picked when she had come home from work the night before to you in an oddly good mood. You dodged her questions during dinner though, so she gave up and let it go. Now it was almost 10am on a weekend when you would typically sleep in.  She glanced up at the ceiling towards your bedroom where she heard the stomping of your feet and your muffled singing. Something is definitely up with her… She smiled as she heard you singing a chorus line in English. You shared your father’s passion for Western music, which she was happy for. His records and cassettes could still be enjoyed.

  A quick knock at the front door pulled her from her reverie. Your mom could still hear you chanting, “come and get your love” from your room as she wiped her hand on a wash rag and walked towards the door. Suddenly it all made sense to her as she opened the door to a very unexpected sight.

  “Oh! Hello there, can I help you?” She greeted as she looked over Jotaro with the same owlish expression you tended to wear when caught off guard. Jotaro bowed his head politely as he was internally thankful he hadn’t smoked before showing up. He noticed the car in the driveway but had still expected you to answer. A neutral expression on his face, the teen stood in a nonchalant manner with his hands in his pockets as he met your mom’s curious stare.

  “I’m here for-” Before Jotaro could finish speaking, furious steps came down the stairs as you slid to your mom’s side, lightly pushing her back inside.

  “I’m heading out Mom, I’ll see you later, bye!” You exclaimed as your mom attempted to speak. Quickly shutting the door, careful not to hit her, you took Jotaro by the wrist and led him away from your home.

   “Good to see you too.” Jotaro teased you as he looked down at where your hand gripped his wrist before turning his attention to your exasperated face. You chuckled and released him as you both stopped walking. Bringing a hand to rub the back of your head, you sighed lightly.

  “Sorry about that, my mom can act like a brat sometimes and I’m just not ready for her to embarrass me to you yet.” You mused as a warm breeze swept by, softly ruffling your hair. Jotaro couldn’t help but hold the image of you standing in front of him in this moment to memory. It was the first time he had seen you in something other than your school uniform. Raising his hand to move his cap to cover his eyes better, the young man couldn’t help but appreciate the flattering yet modest outfit you wore. He very much appreciated your legs. And your waist. And your che-

  “You look good. Ready to go?” He asked as he took out a cigarette and went to light it. His bright eyes took on a fond stare as a small blush hit you along with a bright smile. You nodded, reaching to take his free hand but stopped yourself. Jotaro rolled his eyes at your hesitation before taking your hand in his own and starting to walk down the road. Your smile remained as you contentedly strolled beside him.

  The both of you had chatted for a few hours over the phone yesterday and decided that going to the local arcade would be a fun spot to spend your first date. Jotaro was indifferent, not much of a gamer though you confessed to being a fan of video games. Content to simply spend time with you, he agreed to your suggestion and now here you both were outside of the building. Still being a little early in the day, the arcade wasn’t terribly crowded with only a few strangers on the machines or hanging out at the nearby fast food place.

  You squeezed the boy’s callous hand in your excitement as you led the way to the token machine. Taking out your wallet, you were stopped by Jotaro clearing his throat and giving you a pointed stare. As you opened your mouth to argue with him, his aquamarine eyes narrowed, and you pouted as he smirked in triumph. The machine took his cash as it loudly spit out a handful of tokens which he scooped up in one hand and dropped into his pocket.

  “Alright, which machine do you want to do first?” And thus, began your time at the arcade with Jotaro. You never would have thought you would be in such a situation as you challenged him to different cabinets. Though he was inexperienced, you found that once he grasped the controls of a game he became a fierce opponent. You couldn’t believe the ass-whooping he delivered to you at your favorite fighting game. You even challenged him three more rounds to which your matches became increasingly more one-sided, much to your horror. His reaction time was incredible, you couldn’t catch him off guard. The fact that you kept losing to a newbie was made worse by his smug smirk as he rejected your demand for another rematch.

  “You sure you’ve never played this before?”

  “Good grief, I’m sure.”

  “Hmpf, fine…”

    Stepping away from the fighting game, the both of you passed the prize counter where something caught your eye.

  “Aw shoot, it’s a top tier prize.” You mumbled as a small frown fell to your lips. Jotaro followed your gaze to the top shelf, curious as to what you had wanted. Surely enough on one of the upper shelves was a brand-new Walkman.

  “That’s what you want, yeah?” He asked, pointing to it, to which you nodded with a shrug.

  “Yeah, mine’s barely held together by duct tape and prayers, but that’s way too many tickets. Besides most of the ticket games are rigged to not give you a lot.” You explained as you started walking away from the prize counter only for Jotaro’s next question to stop you.

  “Show me which machine would give the most tickets.” He said as you gave him a puzzled expression before taking him to a machine towards the back of the arcade.

  “Well if you’re a gambling man, this Knock Out punching game has the biggest jackpot. The way it works is you have to punch the bag hard enough to get a knock out rating. The more people try, the higher the prize pool gets. Its super rigged though, I tried kicking it and barely got a score. And I know I kick hard.” You grumbled off, crossing your arms as you glared at the bright red punching bag labelled ‘Hit Me!’ with disdain. Jotaro hummed as an answer to you as he stepped up and deposited a coin into the machine. The lights flickered and flashed as a bit crushed announcer called to the challenger to go ahead with his best shot. To which Jotaro shot out a quick hard jab to the bag, knocking it back slightly and only being given a rating of ‘lightweight’.

  You raised an eyebrow at the display, surprised that that was his best hit. You’d seen his arms and were sure the male packed a harder punch than that. As though hearing your thoughts, Jotaro spoke as he slid another token into the machine.

  “I’m just getting a feel for it. This should do it.” Without hesitation the announcer called for the challenger to go for it and you gasped at the force of the punch Jotaro launched. You felt a breeze from that punch as it hit the bag with a satisfying sound of contact. The bag was stuck leaning back at an obtuse angle as the impression of Jotaro’s fist still stuck to the plush surface. The machine chimed the sound of a boxing bell ringing as the lights flashed quickly and celebratory music played. The words “One Hit K-O” being cheered by the bit crushed announcer as the jackpot of tickets spilled from the machine.

  “W-Wow… I can’t believe… that was so cool!” You grinned excitedly as you hugged the arm Jotaro used to punch the machine before quickly letting go to start picking up tickets. Jotaro rubbed his nose with his finger as he let his gaze soften to your sparkling eyes as you kept glancing at him and complimenting the power of the punch he did. Kneeling to help you organize the tickets, which were more than enough for the Walkman, he looked past your beaming form to where Star Platinum hovered near you, gazing down at you with a rather pleased expression.

Chapter Text

  There wasn’t a storm strong enough to rain on your parade while you walked beside Jotaro on the busy sidewalk. The bounce in your step was clear to everyone and you felt no need to hide your good mood. The shiny blue plastic of your new walkman shined like a treasure in your hands. With a bright smile, you described the collection of Western cassettes you had inherited from your father. Jotaro nodded along with your bubbly conversation, enjoying the way you would light up when he would recognize songs from spending time with his grandfather.

 “Woah! That’s so cool, your gramps seems to have great taste in music.”

  “I’ll admit the songs he plays aren’t bad. He’ll talk your ear off about his favorite bands and he likes to make references in hopes someone will notice.”

  “Ah, well I’ll be sure to make my own references to impress him!” Your cheerful grin punctuating your comment brought a warmth to Jotaro as he glanced towards the street to blow smoke away from you. His normally neutral expression was much softer than usual. If one wasn’t looking for it, they wouldn’t notice how his sharp eyes were relaxed and the slight quirk of his lips. 

  “Good grief, don’t give him too much attention or he’ll get an even bigger head than he already has.” Jotaro sighed, shaking his head as the scenario of introducing you to Joseph played out in his mind. Of course Joseph would like you, he didn’t have a doubt about that. Joseph could also be quite embarrassing, which Jotaro wasn’t too keen on worrying about right now. He was anxious enough wondering when to introduce you to his mother, but that could also wait. His thoughts were interrupted when he felt you tentatively touch his arm; stopping his walk he gave you his full attention.

  “Would you like to grab some food? I could go for some fries!” You pointed a thumb towards the fast food place across the street from the both of you. Jotaro gave a nod in response, taking your free hand into his as he led you towards the crosswalk. The lack of hesitation in taking your hand brought a light color to your cheeks. You still had trouble believing how easily Jotaro seemed to adapt to doing such couple-y things! Although today was your first date, the two of you were already such great friends that you shouldn’t have been as nervous as you were. On the other hand, there was so much you didn’t really know about Jotaro and vice versa. Thankfully by holding his hand you were able to remain distracted in your head as he guided you across the road. I know his hobbies and we can talk about our days just fine, but I should try to learn more about him. You knew that there was a lot on Jotaro’s mind, as you yourself had your own turmoil. If you were to be more than friends now then perhaps it was okay to pry a little.

  Jotaro saying your name snapped you back to the real world as you realized you were now standing in front of a register with a bored looking young man staring at you. Embarrassed to be caught unaware, you quickly ordered your usual combo with a chocolate shake instead of a soda and stood off to the side as Jotaro ordered next. You felt his intense eyes watching you from where he was standing at your right to which you shrugged bashfully. 

  “I’m just in my own head, you know how I get sometimes.” The subtle turn of his lips into a smile quickened the beat of your heart.

  “Yeah, I know. It just means I have to keep an eye on a bird brain like you.” There was a playfulness in the way he spoke with mock exasperation. A pout of indignation was your reply, crossing your arms and turning away from him. He gave a quiet chuckle that rumbled from his chest, your pout turning into a crooked smile you directed at him before your tray of food arrived. Jotaro carried the tray as you picked out a booth to settle down in; a quieter spot in the bustling restaurant.

  “So what’s got you thinking so hard?” Jotaro asked, unwrapping his straw and sliding your own into your shake. Chewing on a salty fry, you pulled your words together to give an honest answer.

  “I’m just happy that we did this, the date I mean. You’re a great guy, Jojo.” It was a simple statement, nevertheless it made you feel nervous to say it so bluntly. Raising your gaze from your french fries, you locked eyes with Jotaro’s thoughtful stare.

  “You’re great too, but is that really all you were thinking about?” He took a bite of his burger, punctuating his question. A sheepish expression settled on your face.

  “I’d like to get to know you better. I don’t really know a whole lot about you to be frank.”

  “Alright, what do you want to know?” He answered without hesitation and you realized you didn’t really know what to ask. You knew he was interested in marine science, his mother’s side of the family is American, and his father was a big jazz musician. You already learned his favorite brands for snacks and cigarettes, not to mention you were already sharing music.

  “Hm, I don’t know. I didn’t think I’d get this far.” You took a sip of your milkshake.

  “Good grief, you really are a bird brain aren’t you?” Chuckling, you couldn’t argue since you did this to yourself. Jotaro shook his head at your cute and carefree demeanor, resting his arms on the table as he relaxed his shoulders watching you.

  “Okay, I have a good question. What are your friends like? I haven’t seen you really interact with other students, do they go to other schools?” Your question was harmless, but you instantly regretted it as you saw his body stiffen as he turned his eyes away from you to the bystanders on the street outside. Mentally cursing yourself, you were about to apologize when he spoke first.

  “One of them lives overseas… and the others passed away.” He said this in a careful way, like he had chosen his words delicately. It raised your curiosity, but you pushed that aside to empathize with him; you recognized that distance in his eyes because you’d seen it in yours and your mother’s too.

  “Ah, I’m very sorry. I understand grief hurts for everyone in different ways, but I do understand loss. Knowing you though, they were probably amazing.” You said with an honest heart. Jotaro shifted in the booth and returned his full attention to you, his aquamarine irises piercing you until he seemed to loosen himself.

  “They were, I’ll tell you about them another day.”

  “I’d really like that. I’ll tell you about my dad one day too.” He’d asked you before about him, unaware the wound was still sore for you. As of right now, the only way you could talk about your father was about his music collection. There was no anger or hurt feelings towards Jotaro or him towards you as the topic of conversation was changed; just two kindred spirits with a quiet understanding of one another's pain.

Chapter Text

  A soft yawn left you as you lazily buttoned the blazer of your school uniform. Climbing down the stairs, you stopped in front of the decorated table in the living room holding photos of your father. Your lips curled into a warm smile as you pressed the tips of your fingers to the glass and walked away towards the kitchen. 

  ‘ Have a great day at school! Don’t get too distracted by your boyfriend ;p’

   Chuckling at the note your mom left on your lunch, you crumpled the paper and tossed it to the side. You tucked the bento into your school bag and with a final stretch of your arms, you left your home and went outside. Despite the bright glow of the morning sun, you noticed some clouds moving across the sky. Eh, probably nothing to worry about. 

  “Morning Jojo! Hope you weren’t waiting too long.” You chimed with a little wave. The taller man stood from the stone wall he was leaning against; he turned to give you his full attention as he released a puff of smoke from his cigarette. You grinned at him, watching as he dropped the cigarette to the ground and snuffed it out beneath his shoe. He already knew you weren’t too keen on him smoking around you.

  “Hm, not long. I know you take your time getting up.” Jotaro said as he started walking with you towards school. You chuckled as you fell into step with him and laced your fingers between his.

  After a comfortable stroll to school dotted with playful conversation, you left Jotaro to go to your shoe locker. A sense of dread hit your gut as you noticed several girls off to the side whispering to themselves while staring at you. You immediately understood why they were watching you as you opened your locker and several notes fell to your feet.

  You were not deaf to the giggles they released as you picked up the notes and glanced at the crude insults and names scrawled on the paper with messy handwriting. 

‘SLUT’

‘UgLy COW’

‘bItCh’

  Only one of the notes stood out to you as you picked it up.

‘Stop wasting Jojo’s time and fuck off! Ugly girls should learn their place and close their legs. If you don’t stop throwing yourself at him, we’ll let everyone know what a slut you are ♡ ’

   You frowned as you gathered the pieces of paper and balled them up. The giggles from the girls became open laughter as they walked away together. Scoffing at their attitudes and tossing the notes into a nearby trash bin, you slammed your locker shut with a little more force than intended. 

  “Something bothering you?” Jotaro asked, approaching from the other side of the wall of lockers. You quickly shook your head, calming your frustration and anger. It was your problem and you wanted to keep it to yourself. You’d be lying if you said you weren’t hoping this would result in a proper confrontation with those bullies. Your toes curled in your loafers as you thought of teaching those girls a lesson. 

  Feeling a warm hand on your shoulder brought you from your thoughts as you looked up to meet Jotaro’s inquisitive stare. You couldn’t help but feel bad that you wanted to keep the truth from him. He had no control over how people idealized him; you’d seen him snap at classmates to leave him alone and he’s complained about how frustrating people are. You didn’t want to trouble him if you could help it.

  “I just got distracted, but I’m alright! We’re going to be late if we don’t get moving…” As though to punctuate your words, the bell rang alerting you of your tardiness. 

  “Oh…”

  “Good grief, did you really not notice everyone else had left?” 

  “I guess I was very distracted! Oh well, I’ve been late before. Besides, I doubt you really care either.” You chuckled as he brought his arm across your shoulders and tugged you into his side. The warmth of his body and the smell of his cologne mixed with the lingering smell of cigarette smoke brought a fluttering to your heart. Your body relaxed into him as you audibly sighed; grateful the two of you were left alone for this peaceful moment. 

  “I could care less about some teacher nagging me, but I know something’s bothering you. Gonna share?” An embarrassed expression fell to your face as you pursed your lips trying to think of how to answer him. 

  “Can I tell you later?” You said quietly as you felt Jotaro’s body shift as his thumb rubbed lightly over your shoulder in a comforting manner. Your cheeks flushed at his genuine tenderness.

  “I’ll hold you to that, bird brain.” Hearing the affectionate nickname he gave you, you smiled with a light hum. Standing from his side, you felt his hand slide from your shoulder down your upper back to rest on your side. The touch quickened your heart once more as he pulled you into an embrace; pulling you against him and your face to his firm chest. How could I burden him with those stupid bullies? They’re not even worth the effort… besides they’d be happy that he’d acknowledged them even if it was negative attention.

  Trying not to get too lost in thought, you returned his embrace. Melting in his arms as you felt him release a deep breath. The two of you pulled away with content expressions,  before you remembered where you were with an embarrassed face.

  “Ack! I wasn’t planning on skipping! Geez Jojo, how can I be a decent student if I don’t get to class.” You teased with a crooked smile.

  “You’re barely a half- decent student though.” Jotaro smirked at you as he took a step back and fixed his cap over his dark hair. A pout swiftly fell to your lips as you stuck your tongue at him and turned to head to the classroom with a huff. Jotaro chuckled quietly as he followed behind you heading to his own class at a lax pace. 

  Arriving at the door to your classroom, you prepared yourself for the awkwardness of entering 5 minutes late. Ready to get it over with, you slid open the door and casually entered; doing your best to ignore the eyes on you, you gave your homeroom teacher an apologetic smile. 

  “Glad you could make it this morning.” Your teacher sighed with narrowed eyes on you. Lowering your head, you moved quickly towards your usual desk as some students muttered to their friends while others were indifferent to your arrival.

  Once seated your day went on as normal. When the bell chimed for lunch, you rose from your desk with a stretch. Your friend and classmate, Sumiyoshi, approached your form with an expression you recognized as “the favors face”. 

  “Alright Sumi-chan, what’re you going to ask for?” You sighed in mock exasperation, resting your hands on your hips. The petite girl giggled behind her hand; her hazel eyes bright as she brushed her long, auburn hair over her shoulder.

  “Nothing catches that gut by surprise!” Sumi, you just always have the same face when you need a favor…

  “I wouldn’t say that, is it for the gardening club again?”

  “Yup! My usual helper is getting tutored and I need an extra hand to rotate the pots and soil while the other members do the grocery run. Would you mind helping again?” Sumiyoshi clasped her hands together as she batted her eyelashes at you. The freckles decorating her cheeks accentuated her cuteness, though you were already going to say yes to her request without the puppy dog eyes.

  “Of course, you know I don’t mind.” You said with a carefree lilt, happy to see your friend so appreciative. Sumiyoshi hummed in delight, her smile meeting her eyes before her expression became mischievous. Turning around, you saw Jotaro standing in the doorway, clearly waiting as he disregarded the attempts of the familiar girls trying to get his attention. 

  “Oho, well I’ll see you after school then. I don’t want to keep your boyfriend waiting! See ya!” Sumiyoshi flashed you a wink and left the classroom, giving Jotaro a friendly smile as she passed before giving a confused look to the girls crowding him. 

  “Don’t you all have anything better to do?” Sumiyoshi commented as they glared at her and stepped away to give her space to leave. 

  You moved to meet Jotaro at the door, offering your school bag for him to carry as he liked to do for you. His lips quirked up in a small smile, much to the anger of the girls standing by and watching him. You greeted him with a (somewhat smug) smile as you gave your bullies a swift glance to see their reactions. Of course they were livid, the leader of the group gesturing for her friends to go with her as they mumbled to each other; most likely nothing good about you.

  Jotaro observed the exchange.

  “They’re not giving you a lot of trouble are they?” He asked as the both of you began walking to your usual lunch spot, shuffling past your fellow students in passing. You resisted the urge to stiffen at his question, so as not to reveal the truth that  yes, they are bothering me and I really want to beat their asses…

  “Yeah yeah, they just need a real hobby if I’m being honest... Oh, and I’m going to be staying after school to help Sumi-chan with the gardening club! Don’t wait for me since I have no clue how long she’ll need me.” Jotaro nodded in response to your words and reached out to take your hand while you walked together; threading your fingers with his and you let yourself enjoy his company. 

  “Alright, just get home safe.”

   Hmm… Well this is unlucky now isn't it… You thought to yourself as you watched the rain come down rather loudly outside the school. Sumiyoshi and the other club members had already headed home, but when you had checked your locker you were reminded you had loaned your umbrella to another friend of yours’ weeks ago.

  With a defeated sigh you prepared yourself for the run home, or at least the run to the bus stop.

Chapter Text

  The air outside was slightly humid after the rainfall the previous evening. Jotaro took a deep drag from his cigarette as he crossed his arms over his chest and glanced from a bird flitting overhead to your quiet home. You were quite late coming out and Jotaro was getting tired of waiting. He approached the front door and lightly knocked on the wooden surface with his knuckles. 

  There was no sound or sign of movement inside and he knocked once more. Jotaro wasn’t able to speak with you yesterday since his mother was hogging the landline to speak with his father. His lips curled into a small embarrassed frown as he recalled overhearing his mother gossip about how she couldn’t wait to meet his girlfriend and tell his dad all about you.

   Good grief…

  Jotaro’s attention returned to the present, adjusting his posture as he slid his hands into his coat pockets. Your mother’s car was gone from the driveway so she must already be at work. Yesterday, you were helping your friend Sumiyoshi. From what you’d told him about the girl, she tended to ask for a lot of help when she knew she had someone reliable on her side. A good friend, but a bit of a slacker from what he gathered. Perhaps you went to school with her? Or left earlier to meet her for something?

  His cigarette bounced lightly as the young man chewed it a little in thought. He had no problem with you spending time with your friends, but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t hurt just the slightest bit at you ditching him. Although, you might’ve tried calling him while the line was busy. 

  The male sighed, glancing from your door to the street before he turned and started walking away. He’d see you at school and just go from there; he was definitely going to be late but he didn’t intend to rush.

  Arriving at the closed gates of the school, easily slipping past them, he strolled lazily into the building with his hands in his pockets. Jotaro’s cigarette long since finished and now just something he was absently chewing on, he spit it into a nearby trash can as he approached his classroom. Releasing a tired sigh, he slid open the door to his class and did his best to ignore the eyes that fell upon him. Not sparing a glance to the teacher who fumbled over their words (unsure of how to address the delinquent boy), Jotaro moved to his desk and sat down, crossing his arms. His classmates were alight with interest, murmuring to each other gossip about why he was late or how cool he was, the sound of it all pissing him off.

  “Shut up.” He snapped harshly, silencing the room and making the teacher flinch. He heard a few girls giggle quietly much to his anger, but the murmurs stopped at least. The teacher cleared their throat, bringing focus back to themselves and continued class.

  By the time the bell rang to release the students to lunch, Jotaro’s ankle had cramped from how much he had been shaking his leg in anticipation of lunch period. Rising from his seat, he shoved past the girls who crowded the doorway attempting to get his attention. They seemed different today, bolder and more confident, though he couldn’t be bothered to wonder why as he made his way over to your classroom.

  He walked at a brisk pace, exuding an aura that said leave me alone . Reaching the open door to your class, Jotaro prepared to approach you as he thought of how to greet you. Would’ve been nice to know you didn’t want to walk together today. It's not a big deal though.

  Although peering into the classroom, Jotaro realized you weren’t there. 

  “Hey Jojo-san! I was just about to look for you.” The voice of a chipper young girl caught his attention as he looked towards the familiar freckled face walking up to him. 

  Sumiyoshi gave him a friendly albeit sheepish smile as she bounced on the heels of her feet. Jotaro stared at her expectantly, noticing the sheets of paper in her hands.

  “I’m guessing you already know, but your girlfriend called out today for being sick. Hehe, girlfriend, it’s fun calling her that…” the petite girl mumbled the last part to herself, but despite Jotaro hearing it he didn’t comment on her teasing manners. A sense of relief let Jotaro relax his posture as he regarded your friend. So she was just sick.

  “I volunteered to take her the worksheet and notes for today, buuuut I’m sure you’d like to take it to her! After all, I bet seeing her boyfriend would be some great medicine. I know I’d be feeling better if my boyfriend visited me!” She explained cheerily. Jotaro hummed as he nodded at her words, understanding it as she was passing off the chore of delivering your schoolwork to him and trying to convince him to do it. Granted, he didn’t have a problem doing it, in fact he wanted to. 

  “Yeah, I don’t mind taking it to her. I’m sure she’ll appreciate it, thank you.” Sumiyoshi beamed in reply as she handed Jotaro the papers.

  “Great! I’ll catch you after school before you leave to give you whatever notes she might need. Thanks so much!” With that the girl walked away to enjoy her lunch. Jotaro glanced at the worksheet and notes with amusement in his eyes; the margins marked by little doodles and as it seemed Sumi had done the bare minimum in writing things down. Hopefully you’ll be able to make sense of it. With a better mood, Jotaro headed towards his usual hideaway; careful to lose the watchful stare of the girls who stalked him so they wouldn’t discover his and yours special spot. 

  The day had seemed to drag for him, but now Jotaro was standing outside your front door. The car was still missing from the driveway, leading the teen to assume your mother was still at work. Fixing his posture he knocked on the door. Listening closely to the sounds inside, he heard shuffling and muttering as the lock clicked and the door opened.

  Blinking owlishly in the threshold, you were surprised to see Jotaro standing on your porch with a plastic bag and some papers in one hand. Your expression quickly shifted to a delighted grin as you spoke.

  “O-Oh! Hey Jojo, it's great to see you!” Your voice was nasally and rough as was the rest of your appearance; your nose looked irritated like you’ve been rubbing it a lot, as well as your hair looking a bit greasy from sweat and messy from laying down. On your body you wore an oversized t-shirt and large loose pajama pants. Under Jotaro’s intense stare, you couldn’t help but feel insecure at how terrible you must have appeared. Shuffling your weight from foot to foot, you kept your gaze to the side as you were nervous to see Jotaro look at you in disgust or disappointment. 

  A heavy, warm hand rested atop your head. Jotaro’s fingertips and blunt nails lightly scratched your scalp which provided instant fluttering to your heart. Bringing your eyes to meet his lovely aquamarine ones, your face heated at the genuine smile and softness as he looked at you.

  “I heard you stayed home since you had a fever. I brought you the worksheet from your class today and your friend, Sumiyoshi, gave me notes for you.” He explained as his hand retreated back to his side. Seeing you in such a frazzled state was honestly cute, but he was also a tad worried that you still seemed quite ill. As though punctuating his thought, you sneezed away from him and coughed into your elbow. 

  “I seem worse than I am! But come on in, I missed you today! I slept in like a rock. Wait, I think I still have a fever so maybe don’t come in, I don’t want you catching it!” You exclaimed as you had stepped inside your home only to fret immediately you might get Jotaro sick. He didn’t seem to share in your concern as he followed you inside and shut the door behind him. He slid off his shoes and set them next to yours.

  “Don’t worry about it, you need to take it easy and relax anyways. You’re not going to get better if you don’t get some rest.” He chided as you guided him into the living room where he saw the ‘nest’ you had made for yourself. Pillows and a large blanket were in a pile on the floor in front of the tv. Empty bottles of water were littered about haphazardly as a pause screen was displayed over the video game you appeared to have been playing before letting him in. As though reading his mind you gave an embarrassed laugh and shrugged your shoulders.

  “Good grief… Have you actually rested today or just been playing video games all day?” He sighed as he entered the living room and set the school papers on the coffee table along with the plastic bag. You dragged yourself back to your spot on the floor where you picked up the blanket and draped it over your body like a cloak. Sitting on the pillows you went to pick up your controller and contemplated unpausing it. 

  “Well I slept a lot in the morning, but I’ve been pretty awake. I consider this a good rest!” You raised the SNES controller to emphasize your point, watching Jotaro take off his jacket with curious eyes. He removed his hat too, setting both on the back of your couch, before sitting next to you on the floor. Noticing your eyes staring at his exposed arms, he smirked when you made eye contact and flashed him a cheeky smile. 

  “You’re not even going to look at that worksheet are you?” 

  “It's my house, I can do what I want.” 

  “After your friend went to the effort of taking notes for you too, you’re terrible.”

  Pouting at his words, you leaned against his arm and groaned in mock frustration.

  “Fine, I’ll work on it after this race -cough- and then you can stop judging me, sir.” You coughed again, turning your head swiftly to avoid spreading your germs on Jotaro. Raising his arm behind you, he gently rubbed your back over the blanket and stood from his spot next to you. You gave him a quizzical expression as he picked up the plastic bag and headed to the kitchen.

  “I’ll be right back, you don’t mind if I use your kitchen, yeah?” He asked as he left the room. You returned your attention to your game, F- Mega , and unpaused to resume the race. 

  From the kitchen, Jotaro set a kettle on the stove top and began letting the water heat up. On the counter next to him he’d set the bottle of honey and pair of lemons he’d bought beside the cup of chicken ramen. Stepping away from the kitchen, Jotaro went back into the living room, when a strange feeling of tension stiffened his posture as he stood behind the couch watching the game you played. 

  Memories flashed back to the forefront of his mind as all at once, he was back in Cairo inside a bizarre room; the lives of everyone he knew in danger as his best friend played a race car game against a madman. A cold sweat developed on his skin as he blinked quickly, attempting to banish the memory to the back of his mind. The bit-crushed sound effects and music were all too familiar though, dragging Jotaro back to the dark place of the past. At the sight of your orange car ramming into the opponent's red car, Jotaro felt his heart beat rapidly in his chest. His eyes widened in panic as the enemy car pushed past yours and crossed the finish line.

  “Aw man I lost…” You whined before turning to look at Jotaro behind you curiously. You’d felt his presence back in the room and thought he was just quietly watching you play. Only for your heart to drop at the distressed expression on his face as he stared hard at the loss screen. Slowly you started to stand from the floor.

  “Jojo? What’s wrong?” You called to him in concern. At the sound of your voice, he blinked his eyes and brought his hand up to hold his aching head, flooded by his memories. He threaded his fingers through his hair, taking in a deep breath to try and compose himself. You now stood at his side, gently resting your hand on his bicep. 

  “I-” Jotaro’s hoarse voice was cut off by the whistle of the kettle. The loud whistle was deafening in the tense atmosphere as Jotaro wordlessly turned to retreat into the kitchen and took the kettle from the hot stove top. You followed behind him at a cautious distance, observing him pour hot water into a mug.

  After a silent moment, a mug of honey and lemon tea was offered to you. With Jotaro’s eyes avoiding your own, you carefully accepted the hot drink with a soft ‘thank you’. Blowing on it, you glanced from the steam to Jotaro’s darkened eyes and let a small frown fall to your lips. Setting down the mug on the nearby table, you took a quick step forward and embraced the tall male. His body stiffened beneath your arms, but you only tightened your embrace in response. Your body shook as you stifled a cough and pressed your cheek against his chest. Your fingers rubbed circles on his back and you felt him move to return your hug as he let out a deep breath.

  “It’s alright Jotaro, I don’t know what happened, but I’m sorry.” You murmured into his gray shirt. You felt a rumble from his chest as he let out a low hum in response to you. The two of you parted and you looked up at him with sincere affection in your moist eyes; moist from emotion and also from your fever. Jotaro’s face had relaxed into a more neutral expression, though meeting his eyes you could see the relief and warmth in them mixed with an underlying pain.

  “I don’t like that game.” He said with a tired tone, leaning against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest. You could tell from all the time you’d spent with him that he was thinking carefully about what he was saying.

  “Well, I don’t mind turning it off…” you hesitated before continuing. “Is this related to your friends?” His eyes narrow slightly, not at you but in thought of how he’d want to answer.

  “It’s complicated, but it reminds me of something we went through together. I had… a best friend. His name was Kakyoin Noriaki. He was an artist and a gamer, honestly kind of a dork too.” Jotaro stood from the counter and approached you, giving you his full attention. His expression was unreadable, but in his eyes you saw the conflict of emotions. Resting your hands behind you on the table to support your sore body, you resisted the urge to cough and interrupt him. Jotaro noticed your flushed face, but was compelled to keep talking from your intense stare.

  “We were a small group; I was brought into the fold by my grandfather and his friend, Avdol. We went on to meet Kakyoin who was the same age as me, and then a Frenchman named Polnareff. Heh, you can’t even begin to imagine Iggy.” He paused, a small nostalgic smile forming before he lost it as he went on.

  “My mother was in danger, lots of people were, to this monster who had a lot of power and influence. We didn’t have much time, but we journeyed together to stop him. There were plenty of bastards to deal with, but we had chances to get along too. They were really great guys… We lost Avdol, Iggy… and Kakyoin.” He clenched his fists at his side and his expression hardened. “They gave their lives, sacrificed themselves like heroes. Kakyoin though, I got along best with him. And I think you would have really gotten along with him too.” Jotaro’s guarded face melted to a visage that almost seemed guilty to you. Maybe survivors' guilt?  

  “That’s… a lot. I’m so sorry that happened to you all.” You knew he wasn’t telling you the whole truth, but how could you pry when you were aware of how difficult this much venting must have been for him? You pushed yourself from the table, somewhat unbalanced on stiff legs, and fully faced Jotaro. 

  “I appreciate you telling me about them -cough-  I’d love to hear stories of the good times when you’re up for it.”

  “When I’m up for it.” 

  “Y-y’know my dad would have reeally…” You trailed off your sentence slurring your words as your knees buckled and you fainted. Springing into immediate action, Star Platinum was swift to catch you in his arms and save you from the floor. 

  Jotaro hurried to your side as he took you from the stand’s protective grip and lifted you into his own arms, the both of them observing your sweating, flushed face with worry. Without hesitation, Jotaro pressed his cool forehead to your hot one, instantly aware that your fever was peaking and you needed to lie down. 

  Carrying you back into the living room, he laid you gently onto the couch and picked up some pillows and the blanket from the carpet to settle you in. He also took a second to turn off the tv still displaying the lose screen of F-Mega . Jotaro glanced back at your shivering form, leaning over you to tuck you into the blanket better. Gazing upon your slumbering body, he found you quite cute despite your sickly situation. He felt a clench in his chest as the idea to get closer entered his mind. 

  In the silence of your home, the only sound was your shallow breathing. Jotaro rested his hand on the back of the couch for support as he slowly inched his face closer to yours. He hovered over your face as he contemplated the impulse to kiss you; he’d wanted to for some time now. A low groan and your stirring in your sleep pulled him from his pondering.

  “Mmn… liked… you. I know I sure… do. ” Your sleep talk was like a whisper, but it made his eyes widen hearing your words. You were so very cute and endearing to him, and he hoped you felt better after this nap. 

  Pressing his chapped lips to your forehead in a sweet kiss, Jotaro rose from beside you and noticed the time on the wall clock. Good grief, I’d better head home. I’d hate to run into her mom like this.  

Chapter Text

It had taken two days for you to recover from your unlucky fever. Your mother was absolutely impressed by how your boyfriend had taken the time to take care of you, and even washed some dishes before leaving. With your mother pushing you to invite him over to let her formally meet him, you felt embarrassment and anxiety bubble in your stomach at the thought. Feeling Jotaro’s larger, rough hand slip around yours pulled you from your thoughts as the two of you walked to school together. Your worries lightened at the gentle squeeze of his grip. 

“Do I make a weird face or something when I’m thinking too hard?”

“Tch, no. There’s just so much smoke coming from your ears I thought your brain needed a break.”

A carefree chuckle leaves you as you playfully bumped his larger body with your shoulder. Honestly it was like bumping into a wall, but still it was nice to see the usually stoic Jotaro smirk as he led you into the school building. Parting to go to your respective footlockers, you immediately notice the scratches on your lock as you open it. Letting out an irritated sigh, you're pleasantly surprised to find your loafers still inside your locker beneath the numerous letters from your hate club. Cool, that would have been inconvenient.

Grabbing a fistful of the letters before Jotaro could see them, you quickly toss them into the nearest trash can. Uninterested in anything the bullies had to say to you, you wouldn’t let any of them have the satisfaction of seeing you read their notes if they were watching you. Returning to the main hall, you saw Jotaro pointedly ignoring a pretty member of his fanclub. Noticing you, he wastes no time in walking over to you and taking your bookbag as per routine. Smiling and thanking him, you don’t miss the way the girl seethes where she stood; swiftly grouping up with several other girls who began whispering before being lost in the crowd of students. Not a good sign, but you weren’t sure what their next plan could be beyond hate letters. Before this, you hadn’t experienced bullying like this before.

The throng of students part readily for Jotaro and you as you walk in content silence together. There’s a nagging feeling that you should tell him, but it's not his fault what other people do. He’s rejected them numerous times, and made it clear he’s not happy with their harassment of him. It didn’t sit right with you to add to his plate that they were harassing you too. Your train of thought was derailed as perky, freckled Sumiyoshi poked her head out of your classroom and gave you a look of urgency. Something in your gut turned as you stopped Jotaro before reaching your classroom with a hand on his bicep.

“Mm, I think somethings up. I’ll talk to you at lunch, okay?”

Jotaro’s aquamarine eyes are piercing as his protective nature makes him suspicious, but feeling your hand on him coupled with the pleading expression on your face, the male sighs. Handing you your things, you surprise him with a quick hug around his fit waist. It's not unwelcome, as he rests his hands on your back and returns it; more-so he was surprised by the public display of affection. As you part from him with an assuring smile, you could feel the daggers being glared into your back as you moved to meet up with Sumiyoshi. 

“Hey, has anyone been bothering you lately?” Sumiyoshi’s hazel eyes were swimming with concern and her brow was knit in a look of worry. It caught you by surprise to hear her ask you about bullying. Your first concern was if they’d done anything to her, but she seemed fine. Shrugging your shoulders in a laid-back way, you held your bag over your shoulder and entered the classroom with her.

“Definitely. But it’s just dirty looks and stupid letters. They didn’t do anything to you, did they?” Your nonchalance took on an edge as you asked if she’d been harassed. It was one thing to bother you, but Sumiyoshi shouldn’t be dragged into your problems. 

Sensing your rising temper, the auburn haired girl shakes her head ‘no’ quickly. Before she can speak, your attention is taken by the loud mumbling you can hear coming from around your desk within the classroom. You raised an eyebrow at the sight of your classmates and several other students huddled around where you typically sat. Sumiyoshi’s small hand took your elbow as she followed you to the crowd. Among their chatter, you could pick up your name as well as Jotaro’s. 

It only took one student to notice your approach before the murmuring dies down. Instead there’s a tense silence as the group of students move away from your desk to let you see what had them in a fit. 

SkAnK

SLUT

DoG

UgLy WHORE

BiTcH

KILL  YOURSELF

You can feel all eyes on you as the students were waiting to see your reaction. Internally you were beyond furious. All this over a boy who didn’t even like them. Granted for very sane reasons these girls were actual bitches.

Giving a small frown, you didn’t say a word. Refusing to give your bullies the victory of an outburst or true reflection of your feelings, you moved to sit at your desk. Sumiyoshi stood beside your desk and watched with sad eyes as you opened your bag and set your stationary around your desktop to cover the permanent marker insults as best you could. 

“I told the teacher, are you okay?” Your friends usually cheerful voice is meek and quiet. Unused to such a situation as she glares at the students whispering among themselves. You don’t really have an answer for her as you sit in a turmoil of thoughts. The bell rang signaling the start of class and forcing the students to disperse to their appropriate places. Sumiyoshi hesitates before moving to her seat, though you can feel her hazel eyes glance at you with concern. 

Sighing softly, you flash your petite friend a small smile of reassurance. A face that read I’m fine. It did little to assuage her worry, but your homeroom teacher entered and was quick to silence the mutterings of the students in class. Making their way to stand beside your desk, you clench your fist at the pitying look your teacher gives you.

“If you’re being bullied and you know who did this, you have to tell us for there to be any help. I’ve put in a request to swap your desk, but a replacement will take a few days. In the meantime, I hope you’ll be alright here?”

The pity frustrates you as does the idea that asking them to help would actually do anything for you. This wasn’t the first high school you’d been in, but they all run the same. Your bullies were pretty girls with good reputations; the food chain had been shaken when you dared to get close to someone supposedly too good for you. You’d seen pretty girls get away with a lot, this was the first time you’d been the target of their bullying. Giving a fake smile to your teacher, you nodded.

“It can’t be helped. If I knew who had done this, you’d be the first to know!” Your answer appeases them as they hum in response and return to the front of class to take attendance. 

Perhaps it was your old habits dying hard, but you needed these girls to step up from their cowardly tactics and finally say something to your face. You’d promised you’d be good after you transferred schools. Everything was normal, quiet, boring, before you met Jotaro. 

That nagging was back in full force in the back of your mind. There was a lot you needed to talk to Jotaro about, but you hoped it could wait until after you took care of your bullies. 

Chapter Text

Sumiyoshi had pushed and pushed to convince you to tell Jotaro about what his fanclub had been up to, but you brushed off her concerns. Even pressuring her to stay quiet about the ordeal to your boyfriend. Your petite friend wasn’t happy with it, but your reassurance and confidence that you’d take care of things yourself made her drop it. With that settled, you joined Jotaro at lunch like usual, though now there was a tension you struggled to shake. Jotaro had given you a hard stare, able to sense something going on with you, but begrudgingly respected your decision to stay quiet. As much as it frustrated him to pretend your secrets were your own business, he was itching to know what was bothering you. 

Both of you were quiet that lunch period. The roof seemed to reflect your tensions as there was little wind and a glaring sun warming it that day. That pesky nagging to be more open with Jotaro returned full-force as you glanced at the teen smoking a little ways from you. His brooding demeanor was obvious to you, more hunched and jagged in posture than he typically would stand; the smoke of his cigarette hanging around him like a dismal cloud. Sighing from your seat on the bench, you glanced at your barely touched lunch and decided you were being immature. Parting your lips to speak, you’re silenced by the sound of your name being shouted from down below.

Jotaro stepped towards the chain link fence and peered down the edge, catching sight of a lone female student he recognized as one of his usual stalkers. The girl looked around the courtyard before calling out your name again. Taking his cigarette from his lips, Jotaro turned to where you were sitting only to see the flutter of your uniform skirt as you quickly left the roof. A frown settled on Jotaro’s face as he snapped his cigarette between his fingers. Dropping the bud, he stepped on it as he let out a deep sigh of smoke and followed after you.

Briskly hopping down the stairs, you clenched and unclenched your fists trying to calm your anger. Beneath your rising temper, there was also excitement. You couldn’t fight those girls; you couldn’t afford to be kicked out of another school. But if they hit me first, and with a courtyard full of witnesses…

It was immature, reckless; you weren’t scared of physical confrontation. Only the effect of another class fight on your record. 

So caught up in your thoughts, in your justification of letting this go the way it did, you found yourself already at the double doors leading to the courtyard. Are they going to jump me? The thought crossed your mind, but even that didn’t dissuade you from pushing open those doors and stepping out of the school building.

“Well well, the dog does know its name.” You recognized the girl standing down the stone steps of the doorway. Always at the center of the bully pack, whispering and watching. She must have been the ringleader behind it all. Glancing around, you noticed several other familiar female students who would giggle and follow behind the main bully. The idle students uninvolved with your situation noticed something going on, and all at once you felt the number of eyes on you grow. Crossing your arms, you stood at the top of the stairs and glared at her.

“Aren’t you embarrassed? If he didn’t like any of you before, did you really think this was going to change his opinion of you?” It was freeing to finally get to talk back to the girls who’d harassed not only you, but Jotaro too. 

Your words struck a nerve with the pretty ringleader as she frowned before sneering at you. She looked at her hand, acting like she was checking her nails.

“He can have a gross little slut to play with until he’s bored. I already know he’s just giving you attention because he feels sorry for you. In fact, I think it’s time to show everyone just how pitiful you really are!”

A sudden shove from behind caught you off guard as you stumbled and nearly toppled down the short stairs. Luckily, you were able to balance your footing quickly and stood at the bottom of the stairs. The bully leader took a fast couple of steps back with an arrogant grin as too late you realized you were set up. 

SPLASH!

A deluge of cold water drenched your body. You shouldn’t have let your guard down, underestimating them. Your school uniform clung to your skin as your hair flattened to your head. Turning your head up, you saw the grinning faces of two girls leaning out of a window, a thick plastic bucket still dripping in their hands. Snapping your head back to the main bully, you grit your teeth in anger as she laughs at you. Her lackeys joined in, pointing and jeering at your soaked self standing there with a grimace on your face. Other students snickered, some shook their heads in pity at the sight of you, and somehow that pissed you off even more.

“You’ve lost your damn minds.”

His voice was low, practically a growl as you sensed his familiar presence at your side. Looking to your right, Jotaro’s broad stature seemed even bigger as he seethed glaring at your bullies. His genuine outrage silenced the girls’ laughter. Slipping off his jacket, he draped it over your shivering shoulders. Blinking as you processed your wild array of emotions and thoughts, you pulled the warm heavy fabric tighter to your drenched self while Jotaro stepped up to the lead girl. 

“Stay away from her. Stay. The. Fuck. Away. ” You’d never heard Jotaro speak with such fury before. His bicep tightened as he clenched his large fist at his side, if your bullies weren’t girls you had a feeling they’d already be beaten to a pulp. 

Her hands went up as if in surrender. Sniffling crocodile tears, she stepped back as her friends awkwardly shuffled to her side; to yours and his bewilderment they actually pressed supportive hands to her back and comforted their ringleader. Having seen about enough after your pride had been left in shambles, your figure trembled with rage as you’d found the words leaving you with little thought.

“Don’t you fucking dare think this is over. Jotaro gave you bitches a warning. But I’m going to teach you a damn lesson. ” Your tone was harsh and dangerous, surprising even the Stand user as he raised a brow at your display of intimidation. Despite the sharp glare you wore and bite to your words, the bully leader merely rolls her eyes as she clearly doesn’t believe you; why would she? You’d been carrying yourself as a background nobody since you came to this school.

Before more could be said, one of the bullies from the second floor window decided to punish you further as she tossed the large plastic bucket towards you, even as her accomplice yelped at her not to. Both you and Jotaro look up at the commotion to see the bucket coming towards your head. Jotaro’s body tensed as he prepared to pull you away, but in that split second he caught the murmur from your lips.

“ Don’t.”

And while he fought every instinct of his to protect someone he cared for, his gut feeling told him to trust you. With that, every pair of eyes in the courtyard watched as you swung your right leg in a clean motion to kick the bucket. Parrying it away from you and cracking the thick plastic as it flew to the side. Once again there was silence in the courtyard as you lowered your leg and turned to face your tormentors with renewed fire.

“See you after school, trash. ” Your voice is smug, taking Jotaro by the hand as the bell to end lunch rang out. Swiftly pulling him to follow you, he doesn’t raise any questions until the two of you reach the nurse’s office. 

“Mm, she seems to be out… Oh, jeez don’t give me that look JoJo.” Alone with him, your anger fizzled out. Shivering from the school’s AC, you moved to one of the beds and drew the curtain to give yourself some privacy as you hurried to remove your wet uniform blouse. Setting Jotaro’s black coat onto the stiff mattress, you let out a sigh of relief as you peeled the wet blouse from your clammy skin. The young man grabbed the nurse’s chair and wheeled it towards where you stripped; taking a seat and crossing his arms in impatience.

“Good grief, were you ever going to tell me any of that was going on?” His voice sounded exasperated, even disappointed as you felt guilty about keeping him in the dark. Draping your wet blouse and skirt over the curtain rod, you hugged your cold body and quickly wrapped yourself in Jotaro’s long jacket once again.

“I should’ve. But I also wanted to handle it myself. I’ve always been stubborn about things like this… Ugh, it’s actually freezing here.” Back to your laid-back manner of speaking, Jotaro shook his head as he listened to you. Star Platinum handed him a towel, his Stand’s expression one of curiosity as he glanced at your silhouette behind the curtain. Shooing the Stand away, Jotaro huffed and turned his head away as he shoved his arm past the curtain to offer you the white towel. Chuckling at the tight-lipped expression he wore, you thanked him and took it, drying yourself better.

“Jotaro, I got kicked out of my last school for getting into fights all the time. I was a yankee, and had a group of girls call me ‘Big Sis’. It was kinda great actually? Ah, I just really enjoyed being wild. The problem was, well aside from being a delinquent, my dad was a martial arts champion. Dear old dad raised me in his dojo and I just decided I wanted to be rebellious.”

You paused in your story. Realizing this would be opening a lot of yourself up to Jotaro. As if sensing your hesitation, a heavy hand rested on your damp head. Glancing up to the parted curtain, a light dust of red covered Jotaro’s cheeks as he stared intently at your face. Pulling the front of his jacket closed to hide your undergarments, the teen sighed and sat back in the rolling chair. Giving you an expectant look, Jotaro gestured for you to continue.

“I was a real jerk, going out of my way to scare people off and jump into turf wars. I hated all the rules and etiquette my dad tried to teach me. When I got kicked out, he was really upset with me. He’d already gotten sick by then, and he had me promise not to get kicked out again among other things. Hn… so when I started here I had to reset. But, I missed the excitement of trouble.” 

Holding back the emotions that threatened to spill over, you fell back into the stiff mattress of the infirmary. Your hands rested on your tummy as a peek of your leg and upper thigh was visible from how you laid. Snickering at Jotaro’s quick reaction to avert his gaze and frown in annoyance, you smiled cheekily and covered yourself better with a light blush. The male’s warm, large hand felt wonderful on your damp hair. Petting you before letting his rough knuckles caress the side of your cheek in a surprise bout of affection. This time it was his turn to chuckle, smirking at the darkening blush on your face as your eyes widened in sudden embarrassment. 

“ Good grief , as if you aren’t enough trouble as it is.” Jotaro’s murmur is soft, yet there is a hint of playfulness to his voice that makes your heart stutter in your chest. His hand moved to cup your chin between his thumb and finger, turning you to face him properly as he lowered his face towards yours.

“Jo- mmpf…” 

The timid protest died on your tongue as the stoic, cold, intimidating Jotaro Kujo sealed his lips over yours in a chaste kiss. Your eyes had fluttered shut, finding him impossibly warm. His lips were soft, slightly chapped, but they made your stomach flip with butterflies. All too soon the moment was over. Was it five seconds or five years? You weren’t sure, but the small smile on his face makes you even more flustered; seeing such a soft expression from him for you.

The quiet between you both was gentle, and as you parted your lips, leaning up to kiss him again, your peace was broken by the nurse entering the infirmary. 

“ AHEM. May I ask what you’re both doing here?” The woman asked with a stern frown, her arms crossed and foot tapping suspiciously. Jotaro grunted in annoyance but separated from you. 

Standing up, he kicked the chair back towards the nurse’s desk and slid his hands into his pockets. His cap settled over his eyes as he nodded his head towards where you laid.

“My girlfriend ended up wet. I was just bringing her in so she wouldn’t catch a cold.” Standing tall, yet relaxed, Jotaro walked past the nurse’s flustered form and left the office. 

Holding your head in your hands, you stifled the laughter that threatened to leave you as processed what he’d said before leaving. 

“Yes, ma’am I need a spare uniform please.”