Standstill Bonds

Chapter 5 ~ Reckless Compassion

The morning sun bathed the streets in a warm glow as Josephine made her way to school. The route, though becoming familiar over the last couple days, was still a confusing maze of unfamiliar signs and sounds. The Japanese language, with its intricate characters and unfamiliar cadence often made her head spin so hard that it hurt. Her phone's GPS app was a lifeline as she made her way through the city, hoping one day she wouldn't need it.

As she approached a busy intersection, her attention was drawn to a small, pitiful sight—a wounded pigeon sat helplessly in the middle of the road, its feathers ruffled and its body trembling. Cars sped past, oblivious to the creature's suffering, each gust of wind from passing tires caused the bird to cower in fear.

Without thinking, Josephine darted into the street. Her hands flew up as she frantically tried to stop the traffic while she gathered the bird into her hands. The sound of screeching brakes filled the air, but before she could grasp what was happening, a car whipped around the corner, barreling straight toward her. Her heart stopped, the world closing in around her as she braced for impact.

And then... nothing.

Suddenly, she was on the sidewalk. The chaos of honking cars and screeching tires melted into a surreal silence. Josephine blinked, her breath catching in her throat as she processed what had just happened. How was she still standing? How was she... safe?

Turning around, her eyes widened as they locked onto Jotaro, standing mere feet behind her, his expression a mix of irritation and concern. "M-Mr Jotaro? When did you-"

"Are you out of your mind?" he snapped, his voice sharp and cutting through her shock. "What were you thinking, running into traffic like that?"

Josephine stared at him, still trying to make sense of it all. How did he move so fast? Was this an aspect of his own Stand's abilities? Her confusion was clear, but before she could even form a question, her eyes dropped to the small bird cradled in her hands, its fragile body trembling with fear and pain.

Jotaro followed her gaze, his frown softening as he saw the wounded pigeon. With a long, resigned sigh, he shook his head and gestured for her to follow him. "Come on," he muttered, his voice quieter now. "Let's take care of it."

They walked in silence, the morning still young and the streets relatively calm. Jotaro led Josephine to the school and to his biology classroom. She followed, clutching the injured pigeon close, her heart pounding with the lingering fear of what had nearly happened.

Once inside, Jotaro wasted no time. He rummaged through the cabinets, pulling out a first aid kit. Josephine sat down at a desk, the bird still cradled gently in her arms, watching him with a mix of awe and nervousness. The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable, but it was a tad awkward. 

Jotaro sat beside her and carefully examined the bird. His hands moved with precision, every motion calculated. Josephine couldn't help but marvel at the tenderness with which he handled the fragile creature, a contrast to his usual hard-edged demeanor.

"You shouldn't have risked yourself like that," Jotaro said, breaking the silence, his voice firm but not harsh. "Running into traffic? That was an incredibly stupid thing to do."

"I... I wasn't thinking," Josephine admitted, her voice small. "I couldn't let it get run over." She looked down at the pigeon and her heart ached. "It needed help."

Jotaro's gaze flicked to her for a moment. "Most people would've left it. You didn't." There was a subtle curiosity in his tone, though it was laced with his usual bluntness. "Why?"

Josephine shrugged lightly. "I don't know... I just couldn't ignore it. It's not right to let something suffer when you can do something about it."

Jotaro gave a low grunt, a sound somewhere between agreement and reluctance. "It's... admirable," he muttered, his hands continuing to work. "But being rash doesn't help anyone. There's a right way to help, and a wrong way. You almost got yourself killed."

His words struck a chord in Josephine. She had acted on impulse, letting her emotions take the lead without thinking of the consequences, thus putting herself in danger.

"I understand," she said softly, her voice tinged with guilt. "I'll try to be more careful."

Jotaro didn't respond immediately, but the subtle nod he gave told her he had heard her. Together, they worked in quiet harmony, their focus on the bird. The creature seemed to calm under Jotaro's careful ministrations, its trembling slowly subsiding as he stabilized its injured wing.

"It'll need some time rest and recover, it's also malnourished," Jotaro finally declared, standing up and wiping his hands on a towel. "But it'll be fine."

Josephine looked down at the small pigeon, now resting more comfortably in her hands. A wave of relief washed over her. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice filled with genuine gratitude.

Jotaro didn't say anything for a moment, his expression as unreadable as ever. But there was something softer in his demeanor now, a faint hint of approval hidden beneath the layers of his usual stoicism. Together, they placed the bird into a small carrier that Jotaro discreetly stored in the back of the room, making sure it would have food and water.

As Josephine stood to leave for her first class, she turned to Jotaro one last time. "Thank you," she repeated, her voice firmer this time. "For helping."

Jotaro gave her a short nod. "Just be more careful next time," he said gruffly.

Josephine smiled gratefully despite that gruffness he showed. "I will."