Riptide

[Protect Him]

A chilly wind blew in from the open window, kept open despite the September autumn cold that filtered itself through the air- to make a quick escape. The latch upon it had been broken off, expertly so - with precision and speed, as not to make any noise when it had been broken. Nothing a human could achieve, split so perfectly you could simply press the two pieces back together again and not know it was ever been cracked. The light-colored curtains fluttered in the wind, blowing backward to allow moonlight to pool into the room - illuminating the heartwarming scene that was playing out, in a seemingly normal hospital room.

The moonlight hit a tall, hunched-over figure - board, and massive frame nearly taking an inhuman shape. As the person lifted their head though, shivering as the wind reached them, the face of a crying male was revealed. It was hard to tell whether he was a man or a close to one with his rugged features and haunting blue eyes. His eyes were filled with a deep shadow, the mark of someone who had witnessed death up close and personal. A boy, certainly shouldn't experience such things. It was too cruel to imagine - yet, there was no denying the skeleton's that danced in his far-off gaze.

Another gust of wind pushed the curtains further out of the way, revealing the fact that he was holding someone's hand. It looked pale and sickly compared to his tanned skin. The male to which the hand was attached too, was a stark contrast to the other's somber and down earth looks. With bright-red hair that seemed almost too saturated to be natural, but the color of his brows proved it to be a natural trait. He was pale, almost too pale for a living being - it seemed he had been stuck in that bed for quite some time, due to his frail look. His chest, seemed to rise and fall steadily, however, so, it was clear that he was living, and fighting it seemed.

A tranquil look was laid upon his sharp features, it would have been nice to see someone sleeping so peacefully if the thin-see through tubes of IVs weren't sticking out of his arms. It was almost silent in the room, except for the soft breeze - and the steady beeping of a heart monitor.

Jotaro, lifted his head a little - still feeling tears run down his face. He wished he could stop them in their tracks, but the liquid simply continued to flow. It was almost pathetic because he had now stained the ends of his sleeves with tears. His gaze turned to the clock on the wall.

Any moment now. The reason, this haggard-looking male, who has covered in bandages himself - as injured as the male he held onto - was sitting here in the hospital room long after permitted visiting hours, was his rotten luck. Every time the ginger had been conscious, Jotaro had been somewhere else. Or someone else had been in the room, a two-person limit. By the time the dark-haired man ever managed to get to the hospital, Kakyoin was fast asleep. So. He decided that visiting during the bustling business hours wasn't his style. Sure, a few doctors and nurses walked around on night shifts - but, they were only here in the recovery wing in case of emergency. Using his Stand, he had climbed up the side of the building to the second floor, the fifth window to the right, and jumped into the injured teenager's room.

There was the sound of stirring, fabric crinkling against fabric. The Joestar jolted up hope leaking into his dark gaze. The redhead mumbled something incoherent before he slowly came to - blinking. He became aware of the hand that was holding his, and he turned, expecting to find his parents. They seemed to have always stayed until the very last minute - but he was shocked to find his best friend. Noriaki furrowed his brows, a bit slow still. Wasn't it the middle of the night? Was Jotaro allowed to be here?

"Noriaki..." the man laid his head down upon the edge of the bed, whole body shaking a bit. He was stiff and sore from sitting in the same position for hours. The uncomfortable back of the chair didn't help.

A groggy, voice answered: words a bit slurred from being so drugged up. "Jotaro? Why are you here...so late?"

"That doesn't matter." the Joestar smiled softly at him, tears still falling slowly. "You're awake. You're alive. That's all I care about."