Expression

Chapter One

Part I: Party Fears Two

Noriaki Kakyoin was dead. Damnit. Of all the people Jotaro Kujo could have lost, it was Kakyoin. Even he couldn't stop from crying now; all his stoicism came crumbling down as he realized that he hadn't even gotten to say goodbye to his friend, the closest friend he'd ever had. Sure, he'd had friends before. Schoolmates who he'd hang out with to smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol. That was about it, though. He didn't really get close with anyone. His cold attitude prevented that. Jotaro was self-isolated and lonely, and he hadn't realized just how lonely he'd been until he'd met Kakyoin and the rest of the Crusaders.

It wasn't that he didn't care for the other Crusaders. It was impossible not to care for these people he'd spent weeks with, battling for life and death, for his mother, and for the world. They'd all become dear to him, and of course he'd cherished the time they'd spent together, even if he didn't really express it by anything more than half-smiles. Hell, he'd even grown to love that stupid mutt Iggy. Kakyoin, though... Kakyoin was different. Maybe it was how easily Kakyoin had decided to join them on their adventure, maybe it was because Kakyoin was the one he could most relate to, maybe it was even that stupid red hair.

Whatever it was, JoJo felt drawn to him in a way he'd been to nobody else. All the girls he'd flirted with, all the men he'd eyed with admiration—they were nothing next to Kakyoin. He'd throw them all away forever just to speak to Kakyoin one more time. Not that he desired Kakyoin. It was just a deep friendship. Of course he'd become so attached over the course of this journey. JoJo wasn't the type who fell in love. He'd never felt anything more than a passing interest in anyone.

The sound of helicopter blades drew closer, and finally the aircraft came into sight. Jotaro Kujo looked up. Kakyoin was there. Dead. His skin cold, his brain forever silent, his heart never again to beat—his heart. Of course. He'd bled to death. He'd overheard that from the ambulance radio. If Jojo could save his grandfather, maybe he could...

It felt like an eternity before the helicopter landed, and the gurney Kakyoin's corpse was strapped to was wheeled out. JoJo couldn't see Kakyoin, who was covered by a still white sheet.

"Kakyoin!" he yelled, running over to that lifeless shell, shoving everyone out of the way. The Speedwagon medics who tried to stop him from disturbing the body were pushed carelessly to the floor with a gruff "out the way." He ripped the sheet from Kakyoin's body, exposing the gaping wound in his stomach that had been plugged, but still too late to save him.

The medic closest to him stood up. "Just what are you doing?" he asked in bewilderment and distress.

"How much blood has he lost?" Jotaro asked back.

"What?"

"How much blood has he lost?" Jotaro was becoming impatient.

"Too much—he's dead—we can't save him—I'm sorry–" the medic stammered out. Jotaro just grunted.

"I know that. How much blood has he lost? If he was given the blood here–" he gestured at the helicopter and ambulances– "could he live?"

"If his heart could start again, but it won't."

Joseph Joestar finally reached the group clustered around Kakyoin's body. "No, no, it might work. He saved me in a similar way."

"I need you to give him type A blood now." JoJo and Kakyoin had traded a lot of stupid trivia about themselves over the course of the journey. He hadn't expected any of it to ever be useful, but he remembered it anyways.
"Type A? Are you sure?"

"Yes. Now do it." There was an anxious scramble, and the medics rushed about, returning with bags of blood that were then hooked up to Kakyoin's body. One turned a switch to pump it into his veins and then nodded at Jotaro.

"It should be just enough... but... He's been dead for longer than Mr. Joestar. It might not work. Even if he does wake up, he might not stay like that."

Jotaro grunted. He had to try. For Kakyoin, he would try anything. Once again, he activated Star Platinum. Closing his eyes, he let Star Platinum's hand find Kakyoin's heart. He could sense his body—there was something different about it, but he couldn't think about that right now. He had a life to save. Star Platinum got to work, squeezing Kakyoin's heart in a desperate attempt to make it beat again.

Damnit, Jotaro thought. Why couldn't I have died instead? Kakyoin's family was probably worried as hell. There would never be anything to tell them that it was all right. What if they only ever saw their son again with that wound in his stomach? This wish for Kakyoin to live was the strongest wish JoJo had ever felt. He ignored all sensation from his own body, focused entirely on reviving Kakyoin's.

It seemed not to be working.

Then–

Something–

Jotaro held his breath–

Yes, that was definitely–

A pulse. It was weak, but it was there. Star Platinum let go.

"Kakyoin!!" Jotaro screamed. "Wake up, damnit!" If this failed now, he could never forgive himself.

Kakyoin's chest heaved weakly. It must have been hard for him to breath, but he was doing it. He was alive. His eyes fluttered open and after a moment of flickering over the entire scene, landed on JoJo.

"J-Jotaro..." he murmured with all the strength he had. "Don't tell me... you're dead too...?"

"No. You're alive, Kakyoin." Jotaro smiled, taking one of Kakyoin's hands in his own.

"You can call me Noriaki, you know. After this whole adventure–" he looked thoughtful. "Is DIO... is he... did you..."

Jotaro grunted again, then grinned. "Yeah. He's finally dead. If you hadn't figured out DIO's ability, we'd all be done for."

"I'm so glad. Listen, Jotaro, I don't think I'll make it much more than this, but I'm glad that I helped."

"Kakyo– Noriaki, we couldn't have done it without you. I–" Jotaro trailed off, seeing Noriaki's eyes seem to fade.

"He's going into a coma," he heard someone say. "He probably won't wake up again."

Jotaro Kujo once again found himself crying. Why did he feel like there was something he needed to say? He looked down at his friend. Why did he care so much more about him than any of the other Crusaders, more than someone normally cares about even the closest of friends? Losing Noriaki felt like losing a part of his life, like losing a part of his heart. He thought back to all of his memories, to all the times he'd touched Noriaki accidentally, and felt the strangest mix of excitement and nervousness. He thought back to when he'd first seen him, fascinated by him, but too shocked to say anything other than a "thanks" for the cloth he'd been given. He thought back to learning that Noriaki was controlled by the flesh bud, and being so relieved. Not because he expected anything good to happen—he certainly hadn't foreseen him joining the Crusaders—but because somehow he was happy to know that this strange Noriaki Kakyoin wasn't evil after all.

Jotaro Kujo was in love, and the man he loved might not even live another minute.

"Noriaki," he whispered, bending his face close down so that his lips almost brushed Noriaki's ear, "I need to tell you something if you don't make it. I– I love you." His tears fell onto Noriaki's face.

Noriaki's eyes briefly shone a little brighter. "JoJo, I..."

He fell into a coma.