Jotakak Week 2020

Proposal

Kakyoin woke up to an all too familiar numbness. As he slowly turned to look to his side, his longtime friend and companion was sitting in a chair by the window, seeming to stare out it absently. As Kakyoin rustled the sheets of his bed in an attempt to sit up, the other man quickly turned to him, his expression a mix of concern and relief.

Three hours later and after a thorough evaluation and discharge from the hospital, they were sitting on a bench at a nearby beach. Usually, going to the beach or taking walks around the city was a weekend activity, but that day wasn't usual. Jotaro supposed the least he could do for Kakyoin was to call off from work early and do something nice for him.

"It's nice to get some fresh air, I already feel better. I don't think I was there for long, or at least conscious for most of it, but I never did like hospitals. As a child, I'd do everything I could to avoid seeing a doctor, I even tried hiding a fractured arm from my mother once," Kakyoin said with a light laugh. "I guess it's not that bad though, I'm still alive and I'm grateful for the work the SPW doctors have done for me."

"Still though...I can't help but feel guilty. If it weren't for my family and everything to do with it, none of this would have ever happened to you. You could have just went on living normally, your parents would have never had to worry, you could have just..." Jotaro trailed off, his tone having become exasperated but quickly falling flat. "Sometimes I wish we had never crossed paths. I wonder if you would have been happier."

"I appreciate the sentiment, Jotaro, but I don't think very much would have changed. I would still have a stand and I would have still eventually crossed paths with DIO. If anything, you saved me from dying while under DIO's control. The main goal was saving your mother, anyways, so that's what mattered most to me at the time. I guess now though I'm just glad to have met someone like you and the others who could finally understand me, even if it did mean going through a lot of pain."

There was a brief pause in which Kakyoin saw Jotaro's downcast gaze, a rare sight for even people close to the man. Before he could think to look away, Jotaro quickly got off the bench and changed into a kneeling position, grabbing his hand with the same speed but gently. Surprised, Kakyoin instinctively tried pulling his hand back, but Jotaro held it firmly between both of his own.

"Kakyoin, I've thought about this for years, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. Ever since that trip, over time...I can't imagine living without you. I can't stop feeling like it's my fault, but I want to make you happy. I want to make up for everything."

"Jotaro..."

"I want you."

"To tell the truth, I had developed feelings for you on the trip. I doubt it ever would have been reciprocated at the time but I tried to let it go. Years went by and I still felt like a burden, so I," Kakyoin expressed, the words flowing out quickly. "I just never thought I'd be able to say it."

"Then stay by my side forever, Kakyoin. I'll always have a place for you," Jotaro prompted.

Kakyoin nodded slowly, closing his eyes as he moved his hands away from Jotaro's softening grip to embrace the other. Jotaro returned the action, standing to hold him securely.

Perhaps it was because of the emotions of everything that had happened that day, but on their last stroll on the beach before heading back, Jotaro saw a particularly interesting starfish.