Standstill Bonds

Chapter 19 ~ Sleeping Chatter

Sat at his desk again, Jotaro glanced at Josephine who remained sat on his bed, immersed in Darwin's book. Satisfied that she was occupied, he returned to the task at hand. The room filled with the soft rustling of paper and the occasional scratch of Jotaro's pen against the surface. As time passed, the atmosphere became one of quiet calm, the only disturbance being the gentle turning of pages, rhythmic movement of the pen and the clock ticking softly on the wall. Time slipped by unnoticed. A lighthearted chuckle from the doorway caught Jotaro's attention, he looked up and saw mother stood there, her eyes gleaming with warmth and amusement. When she pointed across the room, Jotaro followed her gaze and turned in his seat to find Josephine, book in hand, peacefully asleep on his bed.

Jotaro's shoulders rose and fell deliberately as a contemplative sigh left his chest. He carefully set aside his paperwork and rose from his chair, crossing the short space to approach his bed. Josephine stirred slightly as Jotaro lifted the book from her hands, revealing a serene expression on her face. He placed the book on the nightstand and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear that had fallen across her face. For a short instant, his stern, rock hard exterior faded, replaced by a glimpse of the protective figure that lay beneath.

Jotaro paused for a moment, considering his options. Deciding against waking her, he carefully lifted Josephine into his arms, keeping his movements from being too quick. With a glance at his mother, he quietly strode past her and made his way to the spare room. Gently laying her down on the futon, he covered her with the blanket. As he stood there, watching her peaceful slumber, a rare half-smile tugged at the corners of Jotaro's lips. Holly was standing in the doorway with a wider, fonder smile, speaking softly to Jotaro as he watched Josephine sleep. "She's a determined one, isn't she? Reminds me a bit of you when you were younger."

Jotaro glanced at his mother with a slightly exasperated expression. "Yeah, she's determined alright. Damn stubborn, too."

Holly chuckled softly. "Ahh, come on Jotaro. She's more than just that and you know it."

Jotaro side eyed her but nodded, "She's got potential, but she's fool-hardy...she means well though, I suppose."

With that, Holly moved back to the kitchen, and Jotaro quietly followed her, leaning against the counter. She began preparing dinner, the rhythmic sounds of chopping filling the air as well as the various scents of vegetables and meat.

"You've got a soft spot for her, don't you?" Holly glanced at Jotaro, her eyes kind but knowing.

He grumbled, avoiding eye contact. "She's a pain." He grunted, neither confirming nor denying his mother's question.

Holly chuckled, taking the chopped vegetables and sliding them into a pot on the stove, stirring as the water boiled. "And yet, you've taken her under your wing. You're not fooling anyone, Jotaro, least of all me. I'm your mother, and I still have sharp eyes."

Jotaro sighed, running a hand through his hair and turning away from her. Holly observed Jotaro's reaction and decided to press a little further, she truly knew her son all too well.

"You know, Jotaro, it's okay to care about someone. It doesn't make you weak. If anything, it makes you stronger."

Jotaro remained silent, his back still turned to her. Holly continued her cooking, choosing her words carefully, "She might be a handful, but I can tell she means something to you, you shouldn't feel bad about that. It's okay to let people in."

Jotaro grumbled, not offering a clear response. Holly sighed, shaking her head and finished preparing dinner, then turned off the stove. She walked over to the table, placing a plate of food down and gestured to a pulled out chair.

"Just something to think about, dear. Now, let's eat. I'll keep some spare, Josephine will need a good meal when she wakes up."

Jotaro nodded slightly, appreciating his mother's wisdom, even if he was not ready to fully embrace it.