★ | I, Rhys Kakyoin | Jotakak

6 ☆ Cognisance

"How's Granny Suzi Q doing right now?" Jotaro asks Mr Joestar as the four of us sit down on the living room (or maybe one of the living rooms - this house is just that big) floor in a square, me curled up, shy being in a new place around people I've just met with Jotaro being an exception.

  "She's fine. If I'm not wrong, asleep soundly in her bed in New York. Probably missing me," Mr Joestar smirks teasingly.

  "And Alessandro?" Jotaro questions further, leaning closer.

  "Since when have you been so curious about your-" He clears his throat, "-uncle?"

  "Stop teasing me about that," Jotaro huffs. I smile as so watch their conversation go on, but I can't help but inquire about who Alessandro is. He's Jotaro's uncle, but I don't get why that's such a bad thing to be mentioned at all. I try hard not to mess up my English as I ask.

  Mr Joestar chuckles, and I notice Mrs Holly Kujo smiling to herself as she pours a cup of tea from the delicate teapot, its ceramic body wrapped in a purple tea cozy. "Alessandro's only one year older than Jotaro, y'know, adopted by Suzi Q and I when he was a baby, and he's Jotaro's uncle. Funny, innit, Kakyoin?"

  Jotaro glares at Mr Joestar, crossing his arms. "Good grief. I just know he won't stop bragging about that. I'll never hear the end of it."

  "Relax, Jotaro. Alessandro'd never do that. I wonder what his father would think of me now and the way Alessandro's been raised. Bloody hell." He sighs to himself and there's a silent moment before his eyes widen up and he looks right at Jotaro. "Right! The present. Almost forgot."

  "About time, Dad! I need to hang the clothes. Jotaro, you're going to like it," Mrs Kujo smiles, in a slight rush as she gets up and leaves the room. Mr Joestar slides open a door behind me and closes it after, leaving Jotaro and I alone in the living room. Feeling shy about everything that just happened, I shift closer to him, finally being able to speak in Japanese again with Mr Joestar gone.

  "You have a really nice family from what I'm seeing," I remark.

  "I'm just hoping that Alessandro'd shut up about it. Goddamn it, he'd better."

  "And I think you need to relax," I smile. Impulsively, I rest a hand on his, eventually grabbing and holding it. He looks up at me and our eyes lock for a moment before I hear a trill behind me and turn around.

  Star Platinum gazes down at me, and I feel his hand sit on my shoulder. Eventually, he moves to hug me from behind tightly, and despite it being a hyperbole, "suffocate" would be the perfect word for this situation.

  "J-Jotaro!" I say vehemently, clutching at nothing but empty air as I struggle to get his Stand to let go of me.

  "Ora," Star Platinum coos as it embraces me more gently, putting its head on my shoulder. My cheeks turn red as my gaze is still on him, and him still on me. My hand is still holding on to his.

  "Whose hug is better?" Jotaro asks, acting like I hadn't just been nearly suffocated. "Just curious."

  I huff. "Yours! This one hugs too tightly. It's not good. You'd kill me at this rate."

  "Ora," his Stand mutters defeatedly as he vanishes like powder being blown away by the wind in a poof, and I finally get to breathe properly again. My sides hurt a bit, but it's nothing I can't handle.

  "That was just an excuse to hug you again. Sorry," Jotaro suddenly says, and out of flustered surprise I don't respond a word.

  Mr Joestar comes into the living room with a yellow box tied up with a purple ribbon. He sits down next to Jotaro and I let go of his hand, hoping he didn't see. Mr Joestar hands it over.