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Epilogue

Epilogue: It Doesn't Matter

Noriaki stretched, pain stabbing at his chest. Not as bad as yesterday, though. It was getting better. Maybe he'd be able to take this gauze off soon, and then he wouldn't have to deal with Jotaro bringing him a warm plate of breakfast every day "because you should rest yourself."

"I can get my own food, you know," he grumbled.

Jotaro shushed him. "Just let me take care of you, damnit." He held out the full plate, which Noriaki accepted. "You look very handsome this morning."

"Please. My hair is a mess and I have gauze on my chest."

"First of all, your hair is charming when it's messy. And I am going to keep bringing you breakfast until the doctor says that gauze can come off. But I know damn well that underneath all of that is the most handsome chest ever."

"You're sappy. I'm still not used to that from you. I mean, it's sweet and all, but I just never expected that from you." He blushed. As he recovered from this surgery, Jotaro had been so sweet to him, doing all he could to make sure it was as easy and painless as possible.

"Yeah. Well. I love you, and all that."

He chuckled. "Love you too, Jotaro. Hey." He paused, reflecting for a moment. "I really am sorry, you know. About pushing you away so much before."

Jotaro shrugged. "It's what happened. What matters is that I'm here with you now. I know it wasn't easy to let me in."

"I'm... glad things turned out the way they did." Some slight differences, and he couldn't say that he'd be here with Jotaro at all. It was a lofty ideal, to think that people could change themselves all on their own, but nothing more than that. Without any other friends, things only would have stayed the same. It takes a lot for change even to begin with fear so deeply rooted, or so he'd been told during his hours of therapy. And still it was hard for him. It was hard for Jotaro too, he noticed. But the change was there, growing, nurtured by each other. And they would fight together against whatever remnants of the past lingered on, arm-in-arm.

He still dreamed of DIO, occasionally. He supposed he always would. But it was less frequent, his taunts weaker. And Jotaro began to tell him of his own dreams more often.

Whatever happened in the future, he was glad for what he had. Loving, and being loved in return, with no holds on it—he was glad to be here for it, and seeing that gentle smile on Jotaro's face as he ate the breakfast made for him, he knew he felt the same way too.

Nothing lasted forever. But as long as this beautiful thing did last, it would be worth it. It would be wonderful.