〖JJBA - EN〗- Last Judgement

Chapter 101: Until We Meet Again.

Naples, Italy. June 25th, 2002.

The sound of the waves echoed in her head like a lullaby. There was nothing more pleasant than the caress of the rays of the setting Sun on her face. Nothing, apart from the calloused hand of the man she loved, gently brushing her hair to wake her up. She opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was Jotaro's face, hunched over her.

"I knew I'd find you there," he said, settling down next to her.

(Y/N) straightened up, and ran a hand through her hair to remove the few grains of sand that were hidden there. She yawned, before asking, her eyes fixed on the horizon.

"Did you get her back?

- Mm-mmh. I could barely get her out of the car when she was already running into Giorno and Trish's arms.

- Ha, I won't be able to see her right away then.

- I doubt it. But with a bit of luck, you'll be able to see her before the holidays are over", he joked.

"I better!"

Jotaro put an arm around her waist, she rested her head against his shoulder. And together, they began to look at the horizon in silence. The sun was making the waves shine with a thousand lights. She would never get tired of this show.

"I thought about something..." he began.

"Oh, do you do that often?

- Shut up."

(Y/N) chuckled, before leaning down to place a teasing kiss on his cheek. Jotaro gave a faint smile.

"... I will stay with you here in Naples for a while, until I am sent on another mission.

- Mmh... As long as you come back to me, I don't care where you go."

He laid his ocean eyes on her. She kept smiling as she said those words. She was absolutely gorgeous, because her happiness made her look more radiant than ever. And the sea was singing to them. It was very much like the dream life he had imagined when he was seventeen. At this simple thought, Jotaro lowered the cap on his head to hide his face, which caught the young woman's attention who leaned slightly to try to meet his gaze. And that's where she saw them. The silent tears streaming down his cheeks. He never cried, she knew that. So why now? Slowly, she let herself slide in front of him, between his legs, to put her two arms around his waist and lay her head against his chest. Jotaro quickly wiped his eyes realizing that she had noticed.

"... everything is fine?" she asked in a very small voice.

"Everything is fine. I'm exhausted, that's all.

- Exhausted?"

There was a slight silence. Jotaro sniffled. And then he muttered between his teeth, his jaw clenched in pride.

"... exhausted from living so many years without remembering what it was like to be truly happy."

He didn't need to say another word. (Y/N) felt her heart soften in her chest, and her eyes water. She put her hands on the cheeks of this man who was so proud, yet so tender-hearted. It was enough just to know him a little. And as she clung to his neck to comfort him with a delicate kiss, she felt Star Platinum hugging her so tightly that she could have lost a few ribs. Jotaro snarled at his Stand who shouted a small 'ora!' back, and (Y/N) burst out laughing.

That laugh, Caesar had always heard. Her little protege was born laughing, like a ray of sunshine that lit up hearts despite her dark and terrifying gift. If there was one thing he was sure of, it was that he would never give up on her. Even though she couldn't see him. Even though she couldn't hear him.

Sitting next to them, Kakyoin heaved a small, melancholy sigh that no one could hear. He ran a hand through his red hair, admiring these two lovers he himself had loved for so long. And they were smiling. Maybe not at him, but after all this time, they were finally smiling. So he smiled too.

A few steps further, seated gracefully on the warm sand, Bucciarati was braiding Abbacchio's long white hair, humming a sweet melody. It was stronger than them, they kept wanting to keep an eye on the one who had given them so much. A scowl on his face, Leone growled.

"I guess when she said she would love me forever, she only meant my forever, not hers.

- No, I realize now that she doesn't have to choose between us. She can love us all. For we are her past and he is her present."

Abbacchio's eyes lit up for a moment. And Bucciarati placed a delicate kiss on his cheek. The two men exchanged a final knowing smile. And the Sun went down, taking with it all those ghosts of the past. Until next time. Until the next story.

***

We are soldiers chosen by fate.

Until we meet again.

"Every love story is a ghost story."

The Pale King, David Foster Wallace