The Hierophant's March

"Fragile"

The door of the hotel room opened, letting both tired teenagers in, who just flopped down on their respective beds. They had had a long & tiring day, fighting Rubber Soul, the user of the stand Yellow Temperance. During most of the time, they were in dead silent. There was some sort of tension between them, like a wall stopping them from even looking at them. They couldn't think of anything to say. It was awkward. Noriaki's mind wandered through memories that weren't there anymore "How much of my memory was plucked away with the flesh bud? I don't remember anything that happened, but I remember how I felt. &, from what I was told I didn't like that Rubber Soul guy... He was annoying. But his stand was dangerous, even Jojo had a hard time with it! & he still risked it... To save me. Well not save me, I wasn't in danger, but he thought I was! Or that's what the others told me. Ugh, why does it matter?! He defeated it, I'm ok, he's ok, even Polnareff is ok after dealing with that Devo guy! Just stop overthinking it- "

-Kakyoin! - Noriaki's thoughts were cut short by Jotaro's voice calling for him. - Are you ok?

-Uh, yes, I'm fine, Jojo, why do you ask?

-... No reason, really, just makin' sure. We should try to sleep already, it's pretty late.

-Oh, yeah, I guess you're right. Goodnight, Jojo.

-Goodnight, Noriaki. –That was the last thing they said to one another before spending the next three hours in a constant state of insomnia. At some point, Jotaro had heard the subtle ruffle of sheets that weren't his own, so turned around to look at what Noriaki was doing, only to find the sheets in the form of a tent being held up by one Hierophant tentacles that went from one wall to another, a dim green light shining from under the improvised ceiling.

Jotaro got up from his bed, went up to the hanging sheet & slid it to the side. -... Noriaki? – this startled Noriaki, who quickly closed the sketchbook he was holding. There were many different coloured pencils, but Jotaro wasn't paying any attention to that, but to the source of light under the sheets: from Hierophant's tentacle, there were shining emeralds hanging like a chandelier- Wow... Doesn't drawing like this blind you?

-O-oh, I just didn't want to wake you up. I'm used to it. I'm fine, Jojo.

-If you say so...- Jotaro sat under the sheet in front of Noriaki-... What were you drawing, anyways?

-Uh- not much, I'm just practicing-

-Can I see it? –

-No.- Noriaki was so straight forward & cold, Jotaro himself was taken aback.

-Oh... Ok. –Out of anyone out there, if there was one person Jotaro didn't want to get mad, that was Noriaki. On one hand, Noriaki didn't get mad often, so when he did get mad, it's unexpected, shocking. On the other hand, Jotaro respected Noriaki. A lot. He was nice to have around, he always had an interesting opinion or fact to give, he was a good friend once you got to know him, like Jotaro did. Jotaro, for once, wanted to be there for someone, be a good friend for Noriaki, & that included respecting his boundaries. Noriaki opened his sketchbook again & tried to draw for a little, but suddenly stopped. The silence was unbearable.