I Cried When They Actually Started Moving 💀

so im a sucker for tropes that humanize larger than life characters . Sue me!!

I know that the final showdown is about 99% almost completely canonically going to be between Atsushi and Akutagawa vs Fyodor but imagine . If u will:

Dazai and Fyodor having a Fucking Fist Fight

In this scenario:

Amenogozen is dead or occupied

Dazai is more injured and exhausted than Fyodor is.

Its destruction all around, smoke in the air, craters of stone in the ground—two men standing amongst a ruined battlefield. Dazai and Fyodor, face to face amongst the blood, sweat, and ruin that Fyodor had said he would always be above in mersault.

There’s a gun in between them, nestled in the dirt. There are no more pawns on the table, only two kings staring each other down on a wasteland checkboard. Dazai’s leg is broken. Fyodor is breathing hard.

Dazai lunges for the gun at the same time Fyodor does—in a mad scramble, he kicks out Dazai’s bad leg—Dazai screams in agony as Fyodor pins him down. The gun is kicked several feet out of reach.

But Fyodor is physically weak. The only reason why Dazai hasn’t already knocked him out cold is because of his broken leg.

Dazai elbows Fyodor in the chest so hard he breaks a rib. Fyodor chokes, his chest knocked free of air and ringing with pain as he tries to see Dazai through his rapidly blurring eyes.

He was flipped over in the scuffle, but Fyodor reaches down and grabs Dazai’s leg and digs his fingers to where he thinks the bones separate and presses. Dazai is so blinded by pain, he briefly lets go as Fyodor punches him in the face.

Dazai’s nose is bleeding, but Fyodor doesn’t have time to appreciate it as he pushes Dazai off—flips them over again—he is straddling Dazai with his weight on the former’s broken leg. His hands seize Dazai’s neck and grips with all his might.

Dazai’s hands claw at his face animalistically, scrabbling for purchase on Fyodor’s hair, eyes, anything. His eyes meet Fyodor’s—both of their swirling pairs of darkness are finally awake, alive, burning—and oh, this is what Dazai had meant, hadn’t he? In the silence of Dazai’s strangled wheezes and his nails dragging up dust, Fyodor realizes: this is what it means to be alive.

Dazai spits into Fyodor’s face. He lets go reflexively, yelping with disgust as blood-spit blinds him, while Dazai is gasping as he crawls for the gun; he’s halfway there before Fyodor blindly grabs one of Dazai’s legs. But it’s not the broken one—Dazai pivots his ankle and stomps with all of his might as Fyodor screams because several of his fingers as broken.

Dazai’s hand finds the gun.

How bout that new chapter huh

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attractive things they do ; inarizaki ver . ⋆˚࿔

atsumu ; chews on everything. its such a pet peeve to everyone else but you somehow. chews on everything like its got answer. its really dumb, but kind of endearing in a way. he always needs something in his mouth, pencaps, straw ends, hoodie strings.

osamu ; lets you have the first bite of everything. no matter how excited he is about the food, how expensive or scarce, he always lets you have the best, and the first bite. he acts like it’s no big deal, but it is. he’ll even rotate the plate to angle the best part toward you, like you wouldn’t notice.

kita ; fixing things that arent his. he quietly straightens someone’s collar, or pluck the dandruff out of their hair without asking. doesnt call attention to it, he just does it like its the natural thing to do. doesn’t call attention to it, doesn’t expect anything back. like its just the way things are.

suna ; holds back his laughs. he very rarely laughs big like either of the miya twins, and doesnt have a naturally quiet laugh like kita. he just smirks, looks down, and exhales through his nose, or lets out a breathy chuckle. covers his mouth with the back of his hand and looks away.

aran ; pacemaker. always waits for everyone to keep up, even if it means he’s a couple steps behind everyone else. doesnt want to leave anyone behind. turns his head back mid-walk just to check no one got left behind. never hurries anyone, never complains.

ginjima ; brings an extra pair of everything. extra pencils, extra snacks, extra change. never asks to be repaid, either. just wordlessly passes it to whoever needs it without any fuss. if someone needs something he doesnt have, he’ll start bringing that, too.

akagi ; remembers weirdly specific stuff. will question you if you start using a different font on instagram, or if you start holding your pencil a different way. the littlest things you never noticed, but also somehow misses if you got a haircut or got new glasses. “you used to dot your i’s with circles. when’d you stop?”

[ req for ; @dottydoe ]

reblog this if you want a LONG (or short) anonymous message saying what they think of you.

pleaaase?

The IOF opened fire on starving civilians trying to collect food aid murdering dozens and injuring an estimated hundreds or more they then crushed some of the injured by running over them with tanks. This was their “reason.”

First Love Headcanons: Noriaki Kakyoin

↳ Fem!Reader with she/her pronouns. Reader is written as being on the shy, gentle side. Reader’s backstory, stand, and reason for joining the crusaders is left up in the air.

A/n: This was so self-indulgent. I hope it shows how much I’ve thought about this. I hope y’all enjoy! <3

Warning(s): Canon-typical swearing. Mentions of canon-typical violence.

Before being on the receiving end of a mind-altering flesh bud, Kakyoin would’ve raised an eyebrow at the prospect of falling for someone within the span of 50 days.

Experiencing romantic love? Him? Maybe in another lifetime.

Hell… simply making friends within that same span of time seemed absurd. Not because he deemed himself incapable of making connections, but due a lack of desire. No need to grow close with people he assumed wouldn’t ever fully understand him.

It’s a difficult concept to wrap his head around, without a doubt. Seventeen years of numbing isolation will do that to an individual.

That’s not to say he hasn’t daydreamed here and there.

Kakyoin’s certainly let his mind wander down a road paved with hopefulness. Looking to his parents and wondering what it’d be like to form such a strong connection. His thoughts growing indulgent and jumping on a particular train. Leading eventually to… whatever plane of existence lovers live on.

Okay, so Kakyoin didn’t even know how fully contextualize romance within his own mind.

It’s a difficult thing to grasp when you merely see it from a secondhand perspective… usually from one’s own parents, of all things.

At least his mother and father offered a positive idea of how relationships should function. Mutually supportive; partners through and through. It’s what he’s come to expect and wouldn’t dream of settling for less.

Experiencing the actual feeling involved? Not at all. He’s always been known as a ‘pretty’ guy, but that doesn’t mean much when he’s remained wholly uninterested.

At the very least, he harbored a general idea of what he wanted.

Beyond hoping for a mutually supportive dynamic, he’s confident over his preferred type. His likes and dislikes, whether it be shallow or far more personal.

Regardless of his own preconceived notions in regards to his own future, he does end up forming meaningful connections. While not under the most unconventional circumstances, he does form a tight nit group of friends.

And even more than that, he meets you:

Tower of Grey was the priority at hand… the first of DIO’s followers encountered after leaving Japan. The safety of sleeping passengers filling the seats being far more important than anything else in that very moment.

But just as Kakyoin laid stomach-first on the floor of the plane’s narrow walkway… blood trickling down his forehead and his expression stern… the bug-like stand boasted on. Believing in an assured victory, as if it had already won.

The gears in Kakyoin’s mind chug intently, his stand’s tendrils moving unseen beneath the seats. His eyes widening when he feels something in particular.

A stranger… who makes themselves known a second later. An observer watching silently from across the isles, jumping to action.

There was no time to wonder if you understood what was going on- no time to even warn -before you lunge forward. A stand fazing into sight behind you. Geared up and ready, almost taunting the bug with the shock of its own existence.

Your heart pounded against your chest when the bug directed its attention to you, the distraction proving to have worked.

Just being there was more than enough to catch the egotistical personality off guard for a moment, letting out a profanity. Merely a second or two of hesitation, but enough to offer Kakyoin a quick opening for a finishing blow. Finally getting the drop on the particularly fast-moving stand.

With the stand user fallen limp, his tongue split down the middle and eyes rolled back, Kakyoin turns his head to finally get a good look at you. His lips kept together, but his eyebrows raised.

Your own eyes have grown wide, fully turning towards the group of imposing men.

Just from quietly examining your raised eyebrows and agape mouth, you’re visibly just as startled as they all are. As far as they can tell, you’d merely witnessed the fight going down as an initial bystander. Assessing it quickly and not hesitating a moment further once you saw the shortest of them get hurt. To their credit, it was pretty much what had happened from your perspective.

The men size you up blankly, and without much to immediately say.

To tussle with a stand user so early into the trip, high above a body of water within a plane, is a heart-pounding situation. With hindsight, though, it’s to be expected. Taking such a public and compromising mode of transportation was mistake with absurdly dangerous consequences.

But to discover another… who’s seemingly detached from either side of the DIO conflict- now that is cause for surprise.

Your eyes gloss over the men. Flickering between each of them, until landing on the redhead you’d just assisted. Blood is still drying on his forehead. But his expression has shifted to a more thoughtful one… violet eyes looking at you in a way that makes you feel small.

Merely a moment passes before the oldest of the group takes initiative. Stepping forward, he lets out a huff of hesitation before saying, “Thank you… erm-…?”

“Y/n… L/n…” you responded, shifting your attention to him and taking a step back. You’re on gentle guard; hesitant. A contrast to your determined initiative moments ago.

Surely you’d seen a good chunk of what the group was capable of? That would be cause for cautiousness. None of them knew just how much you had seen before stepping in…

“Joestar, dear. Joseph Joestar,” Joseph smiles gently, a gleam present in his eyes. Hoping to defuse anxious thoughts creeping into your skull, if only a little. But your expression stays the same.

“I think… we could offer each other an explanation,” he suggests in a trying manner. His head tilts to the side, appreciative of the fire proved to be present behind eyes so apparently soft and hesitant on the regular.

Stand or not, the situation is overwhelming. Examining Joseph’s demeanor, and his two gloved hands held up in peace… you eventually nod in agreement. Answers… yes, you’d certainly like to know whatever the hell that was.

The old man opens his mouth again, preparing to make an attempt at a short explanation, only to be cut off by a stomach-dropping tilt of the plane.

You had your own reasons for being on the plane that day… the specifics of which were totally lost on Kakyoin and the others for a good while.

Discussions with Joseph after safely making it out of the plane wreck, Hong Kong’s hustle and bustle in the background, lead you to realizing you and the group held a common goal with the pursuit of DIO. Whether or not you’d even heard the name before the old man spoke it. In regards to your own pursuits, going after DIO was the answer.

That revelation prompted you into asking if you may accompany the group on their way to Egypt. A suggestion only disapproved by Jotaro.

And from the moment he saw you that day aboard the plane, you’d already earned respect from Kakyoin.

He holds himself to a high standard… something he holds others around him to as well. Sure, he’s a naturally polite individual, but he’s not exactly shy calling it how he sees it.

He harbors too much self-respect to think of settling for people he can’t trust or who hold no dignity.

The specific circumstances in which you joined the crusaders… helping a group of strangers with powers like your own in order to ensure the safety of both them and the passengers…

Safe to say he had no hangups about you accompanying them, to say the least.

Being a generally soft-spoken, pretty girl definitely helps too. Not that he’s inclined mention it out loud. He’s not that socially maladjusted. Mostly. He’d like to believe.

He is thinking it, though.

You were just so quiet that first day in Hong Kong. Every time he pointed something out to you and Jotaro, you nodded along gently with a soft smile. Even asking for elaboration once or twice.

It’s a lot better than the huffs and puffs coming from Jotaro.

Kakyoin eventually starts dropping facts from his bag of random trivia on you specifically. Immediately, you’re responsive to his informative brand of talking at you. Likely hoping to get past any initial awkwardness you feel throwing off the established dynamic.

All while you go along agreeably with the group’s decisions beyond his casual information dumping.

From deciding to tackle the journey any way other than by plane, to Mr. Joestar’s order of food in the restaurant the group ate at… you politely nodded along.

Your facial expressions are enough to pick up on how you’re feeling. Kakyoin can’t help but find it nice. Putting the pieces together inside his head on where you stand. Knowing when it’s best to let others take the helm in decisions you’re unfamiliar with.

So you’re situationally flexible too… that’s good.

As observant of a guy as Kakyoin is… he notices almost instantly that you gravitate towards sticking by him or Avdol. In both calm and stressful situations.

Mr. Joestar… his boisterousness makes you flinch. Even more so is the case with a guy like Polnareff, despite the Frenchman making a point to be gentle with a ‘nice little lady like yourself’.

And Jotaro… well… you’re expression sours, failing to hold back cringe each time the two of you interact. Acutely aware he doesn’t like you at all at the beginning.

Heh… so be it, Kakyoin thought.

If sticking close to him or Avdol is what you prefer, Kakyoin’s not about to complain. You’ve already proven yourself to be adaptable… and only more opportunities will arise from here on out. With each passing stand encounter, he grows more and more convinced you’re a really reliable individual.

Even more so, you begin involving yourself in conversations. Something that opens the door to less small talk and discussions holding more substance.

It’s freeing to feel less in the spotlight, despite it being as natural of a thing as talking. But with someone as unused to it as Kakyoin, the smaller things really get to him early on.

That’s what first floods his chest with warmth, genuinely enjoying a comfortable air developing through casual conversation. Not just that, there’s fondness in the tiniest input from you. Smiling at the others’ antics or laughing lightly when Kakyoin bickers with Polnareff.

Friendship is a necessary foundation to be established for an individual like Kakyoin to grow even remotely romantically interested.

And how long did it take for that to happen? For him to silently consider you a friend? Two weeks at most… it must’ve been. God, Kakyoin feels lightheaded just thinking about what that means to him.

You mean something to him already. How weird is that?

Kakyoin’s not necessarily avoidant of how he feels, merely perplexed. A rather new, but internally exciting position to be in.

His care for you making his heart race faster with each passing stand encounter.

There’s vigor in how he stands up for you if you’re hurt or are unable to fight for yourself. He keeps his temper, not the type to lose it, but his eyes speak to the emotions guiding his proaction.

And to his delight… you react the same whenever the role is reversed.

Now… yes, he knows you like sticking by him. And now that he’s thinking of it again, when was the last time you stick by Avdol too? You certainly don’t stand this close to anyone else. The physical distance having been growing smaller and smaller. You’re damn near hanging off his arm.

Kakyoin’s such an enabler, letting you do so without complaint. Head held up high.

Honestly… it takes weight off his shoulders. He appreciates the ease of recognizing mutual fondness. It furthers the comfortable air between you two.

All while Kakyoin’s kicking his past self for avoiding something that comes naturally to him when gazing into your eyes:

“And here I thought we’d finally be able to sleep in a bed.”

Kakyoin’s voice sounds gently, standing between you and Jotaro. The three students of the group… he often acted as a physical buffer you and the grump. There is reason for you to act cocky, considering Jotaro finally accepted the fact that you are even there just a few days ago.

You know better than to let it get to you, though. Especially since he still remains outwardly apathetic pretty much everything leaving your mouth. But he’ll listen when you speak and acknowledges your existence! Now, we’re talking.

Late into this particular night… none of the seethe radiating off him is directed at you.

The three of you are turned towards the lake before you, standing in a row. Conveniently looking away from both Polnareff and Joseph. Moonlight reflects against the water’s surface pleasantly. The smell of the cigarette Jotaro had smoked still lingering in the air, and invading your nostrils.

As sweet of a sight as the water may be, the scene doesn’t do much to ease any lingering wariness… only making eyelids feel heavier, if anything.

You glance downwards to your left, Polnareff still sulking by himself on the ground a few paces away. You felt a pang of pity looking at him. Just a moment of consideration later and you neglect to speak to him. Practically feeling the gentle annoyance of the two to your right. Not that… you don’t understand the sentiment.

Especially Kakyoin’s sighing mutter in particular.

“If the old man hadn’t screwed up,” Jotaro speaks up, his arms crossed as he responds. “We wouldn’t be out here hiding from the cops.”

Your gaze shifts away from Polnareff to nothing in particular a moment or two, your brows gently furrowed. Without contemplating it first, your head moves. Peering over at Kakyoin beside you.

“Least Mr. Joestar’s not in custody,” you comment lightly.

Just the idea of it is stressful… your heart hurting at the thought. Even more so, your brain stresses just from knowing how much precious time it would waste. Knowing full well by now you don’t even need to point that out to someone like Kakyoin. He just… gets it.

“Hmph…” Jotaro huffs, nearly a grunt.

Kakyoin’s eyes travel to meet yours, disregarding Jotaro’s dismissal of your trying optimism. The ghost of a smile appears on the redhead’s lips.

“Haven’t crossed the border yet,” he reminds you. His tone lacking the exhaustion it holds when pointing something out to the likes of Polnareff or Mr. Joestar. His pleasant smile… it lingers as well.

“Heh-…” you let out a lighthearted sigh and your trying expression fades a little. Not completely deterred by his words, your tone remains on the sweet side as you retort, “Way to spike my worry back up.”

To your relief, your lighthearted response only seems to amuse Kakyoin. The exact reaction you had hoped for.

“Mr. Joestar said he’s handling it… he owes us as much,” Kakyoin replies.

“Hmm… even after today?” you ask, tilting your head to the side. “Giving him that much credit now, Kakyoin?”

He hums softly, trying to momentarily suppress his smile while rubbing his chin with his index finger. Moving his hand away when he sarcastically figures, “Well… he managed to grab us a car.”

“Small victories…?” you giggle lightly, raising your eyebrows in a playful manner.

“Small victories,” he nods in agreement, allowing his grin to grow wider.

Kakyoin’s smile… I’ve been seeing it a lot more lately, you note. I really hope it’s-

“Don’t fret, you two,” Joseph speaks up from behind.

He cuts the moment short and your stomach drops, making space for a familiar disappointment to pool inside. Your brows subtly furrow, and you biting your lower lip less you pull a pout. Not spiteful towards Joseph… just wishing the short talk with Kakyoin had time to continue.

You turn, only to see the older man casually gesturing to the aforementioned car he’d gotten his hands on. “I took care of things.”

Kakyoin doesn’t point it out less you sheep away in embarrassment, but the disappointment you think you don’t show… he notices.

Quietly allowing you to sit a bit too close beside him at restaurant tables, for example. That same look on your face when the spotlight shifts anywhere else… it’s totally worth it.

Or when you rest your head on his shoulder while taking a bus or car. Polnareff or Joseph will often prompt conversation that demands and derails attention. Even Kakyoin feels a silent sigh escape his nostrils.

Luckily, even more than explicitly mentioning it out loud, he wouldn’t dream of teasing you over it either. Win’t even throw you a knowing glance. Anything to keep you from hiding that cute expression away.

Wait, cute?

So… okay, he can work with that. Mhm. No need for concern or anything of the sort. It’s not like the descriptor popped into his head so fast he couldn’t stop himself if he tried. It’s just one little word… that crawled into his brain and refused to go to the back of it the majority of the car ride.

Well, this is happening, he distinctly recalls thinking.

Really, that’s about as long as it takes for him to come to terms with how he feels about you. The span of an overnight car ride.

Kakyoin may have purposely isolated himself for most of his life, but he’s too self-assured to think of pushing the feeling down.

More than that… you’re just so lovely.

When was the last time being this close to someone felt so right? Never? Good god… it all feels so natural when it comes to you, in and out of combat.

For a stand user… your generally pretty gentle as well.

Not there isn’t any mental strength in spite of or because of that sort of demeanor… Kakyoin just hadn’t personally experienced that before meeting you. And he really admires that.

Then again, Kakyoin’s the type to find beauty in practically everything in regards to the subject of his affections.

… is it weird to be thinking about one person this much? For Pete’s sake, is this what it’s like? Had his father felt like a moron like this too? Did Mr. Joestar think himself going nuts as well?

Perceived weirdness be damned, as soon as he’s fallen, he’s loyal and all in.

It’s similar to the natural progression of learning to enjoy the others’ company. Similar, yes, but the same? Not at all, of course.

And Kakyoin’s not the only one who notices the difference in your dynamic together; he’s most definitely got mixed feelings on that.

Avdol seemed to be the first.

Before Kakyoin noticed he’d caught feelings, Avdol would peer at the two of you with a tiny smile on his face. Kakyoin had thought back then he’d been amused on a surface level… which ended up not being correct with hindsight.

Damn it all… how could I let him notice before me? Kakyoin thinks, feeling more than a little foolish.

Kakyoin was lamenting over a look… god bless him.

Once the others start noticing, all hell has broken loose. They make Avdol look like a damn saint.

Joseph and Polnareff are a duo conceived in hell purely to torture Kakyoin. He won’t lie, he can get rather short with either of them in the face of their teasing. He’s really good at flipping the script on them and offering a harsh dig, which hasn’t failed in changing the conversation thus far.

“We have some time to kill after breakfast… you and Y/n should go out on a little rendezvous!” Joseph will suggest, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Ha! I caught you staring again! You think you’re so slick, don’tcha?” Polnareff will laugh, nudging his arm a bit too harshly.

“You can pair with her while we separate and search… we know how much you like her!” they’ll both exclaim, no matter how inappropriate might be in the given situation.

… screw their feelings, Kakyoin’s going verbally nuclear.

Kakyoin would really prefer it they wouldn’t be so obvious with their teasing right in front of you. Unfortunately, getting on their case directly has proven to only encourage them further.

Worse of all… he can feel the judgement rolling off Jotaro’s body. Constantly. Uncomfortably.

He doesn’t say anything, and frankly, he doesn’t need to. As if Jotaro would need to do that to drive home a point.

Getting all close to you right beside or in front of Jotaro leaves Kakyoin dealing with the stink eye for a good ten minutes.

In all… it’s annoying, but not unbearably so. Nothing that warrants a conversation, anyway. You seem amused, at the very least.

What does make Kakyoin wary… is the situation you’re all in.

Never mind that in just the span of a month he’s got more people surrounding him than he previously thought possible. The circumstance in particular is what puts a strain on both his head and heart.

Definitely has an attitude of “Maybe after the journey…” for the majority of it.

You don’t seem to be the type to want to take much initiative, and he’s a touch too comfortable keeping things just the way they are. No need to rush when there are greater priorities.

Though, one could argue he’s procrastinating a little. Polnareff has certainly made the case.

The Frenchman couldn’t get him to budge… in fact, it’s a run in with a certain sleep-stalking stand that does.

The encounter solidified the update to his thinking the trip had been instigating, in more ways than one. It’s all to do with his returning confidence; growing fully reassured in himself once more.

Applicable both in and out of fights. As well as his approach to you, in particular.

The complete lack of control he had throughout most of the encounter… as well as how hard you tried understanding his position when no one else could… none of them are guaranteed to wake up the next morning, right?

And waiting…? Upon reflection, Kakyoin changes his perspective on it. How cowardly would that be?

He’s not about to face DIO again without letting you know how he feels first.

Too many possibilities could come from the inevitable confrontation, a good chunk of what he could think of not exactly being pleasant. He doesn’t want to plan for the worse… but he would prefer to step up and be there for you like he knows he wants to deep down.

Every day of the trip, as dangerous as it gets, were the better ones of his upbringing. That’s large in part because of you.

From assuming he’d never get close to wanting to speak about such a thing… to knowing he’d never forgive himself if he didn’t.

That being said, there weren’t many opportunities for a breather after crossing the desert. The boarder into Egypt moving closer and closer within the group’s reach with each passing hour.

And just as quickly as it was crossed… there was another attack- his very own sight put at risk.

In all honesty, he doesn’t remember much of the ordeal before waking up at the hospital with bandages over his eyes. He’d been going in and out of consciousness, enough to make his memory of the event rather hazy.

Kakyoin can recall the pain. That… and your presence at his side almost entirely throughout.

He didn’t know how to feel immediately about it.

Thankful for your presence, though not much could ground him in a situation like that one. Or guilt over you witnessing him in such a state.

He lands somewhere in the middle.

Fussing was pushed to the back of his mind the second his hospital room door was flung open not long after waking. Voices pooling into the clean yet bare space and footsteps making their way closer.

Booming and almost laughing, expressing relief to see him up and looking alive. Several hands patting him on the back or nudging his arm.

As well as a familiar hand gently touching his shoulder, a softer voice poking through the others.

He’s listened to it for hours collectively by now… but a part of him figures he could do it for days.

There’s a lingering warmth present, moral quite positive despite everyone understanding Kakyoin would be left behind for his recovery. Regardless… the fact that his eyesight wouldn’t be affected in the long run lifted a massive weight.

Kakyoin is too levelheaded to think otherwise, he knows you must move on without him.

But he finds himself hoping the moment will drag anyways:

“… I will catch up with you later,” Kakyoin assures with a smile. Bandages over his eyes… speaking to the group without the sight available to point his attention to anyone in particular.

Polnareff leaning forward, putting weight on his hands against the hospital bed mattress to his left. You sit facing him on his right, legs hanging off the side. The others circle around the bed as Kakyoin offers his words of encouragement in the face of his upcoming absence.

He’s too strong to sulk… you think, But it must sting to have to sit on the sidelines when we’re getting so close.

“It’s less than 800 kilometers to Cairo… and DIO,” he continues. “Everyone, you must be vigilant.”

Polnareff nods, giving Kakyoin a pat on the shoulder. The others give the redhead their well-wishes as the Frenchman offers you a glance before standing up straight, following Avdol and Jotaro out the door. The men shuffling towards the exit one by one.

You’re the last of the group to move, slowly sliding yourself off the hospital bed. Kakyoin’s head lowers, feeling the dip in the thin mattress vanish.

Joseph, taking up the rear of the group still diffusing out the room, pauses just before the doorway. Looking your way. “Y/n,” he mutters softly, halting you after taking only a single step.

“Hm?” you hum, biting your lower lip.

His lips curl into a smile, eyes glimmering with gentleness. “We’ll go and pay the bill. Could be quite the tedious process… we’ll meet you down in a few, alright?”

Thank you, Mr. Joestar, you think. Holding back a grin as you nod a handful of times hastily.

“Heh…” the old man huffs out a soft laugh, his expression shifting to a smirk before exiting the room. The door clicking shut behind him.

You turn back towards Kakyoin… noting how he’s lifted his head once more. The sunlight pools in through elongated windows, shining against his skin. Unharmed from what you can see… aside from pale bandages wrapped around his eyes. Anything to keep you from seeing his eyes a mutilated, bloodied mess like that ever again.

“Y/n,” he calls your name, lightly gesturing for you to sit down again and pulling you from your silent gawking.

With a smile, you accept the invitation. Plopping right back down where you’d been sitting… if not a little closer. Kakyoin turns his head a tad, close enough to your general direction.

“I have a favor to ask.”

“A favor?” you echo, humming in thought. Both your voices have quieted. Pleasant, but gentler in the comfort of one-on-one company. “Of course… what do you need, Kakyoin?”

He reaches to his right, fingertips searching for the surface of a tiny nightstand next to the hospital bed. When he finds it, his hand smartly slides down its top drawer. Opening it and shuffling around inside, taking a moment to find whatever he’s looking for.

He shuts the drawer with a clenched fist a moment later, fingers wrapped around the unseen object he had grabbed.

“May I have your hand?” he asks, his free hand lifting up with an open palm.

“Mhm,” you hum, gently placing your hand atop his.

Kakyoin lets out a soft chuckle when he feels your smaller hand rest in his hold. Having touched it enough by now to recognize it’s yours by the feel alone. Letting it sit that way a second before gingerly flipping your hand over. Guiding the movement via your wrist, so that he instead cradles your hand while it lies palm-up in patient expectation.

“Keep these safe for me while I recover, will you?”

Without a word of warning, his other hand reaches out and places what he’d retreated in the palm of your hand. Two little red marble-looking balls now sit there, attached to silver hooks that let them both dangle at a slight curve.

“Your… earrings?” you ask, voice dropping to a whisper. Peering down at the dainty set in your hand. “Kakyoin, I don’t under-“

“Keep them with you… and make sure they remind you to keep yourself safe, okay?”

You lift your gaze, taken aback by the gentleness of his tone. Aside from today, you’d hardly ever seen seen him without wearing the set. Only removed on the handful of occasions he’s traded with Jotaro or Polnareff.

“Are you sure…?” you ask, blinking dumbly.

“Yeah,” he confirms, nodding. “I’ll take them back when I see you again. How about that?”

Your fingers curl around the earrings, holding them secure. The backs lightly poke your skin, but your hand keeps its hold. Resolving to keep them safe and on your person. A piece of him that will continue journey on with you while he’s in recovery.

“Is that a promise, Kakyoin?” you ask him, knowing the answer as soon as the question leaves your lips.

“Heh…” he chuckles lightly, his head tilting to the side once again. “Certainly. I’ll be back before you know it… but really… I’d like you to promise me you’ll be safe.”

Kakyoin holds your hand tighter in his, and his free hand blindly reaches out. Bumping against your shoulder, before finding its intended destination on your face. As soon as his fingertips brush against your cheek, your heart skips a beat. Holding your jaw gingerly, as if he were handling porcelain.

“I promise, Kakyoin, I promise…” you assure gently. There’s really no certainty in safety from here on out, the fact that he’s in a hospital bed making it apparent.

Kakyoin, for once, doesn’t care if it’s silly. Just hearing you promise to look out for yourself helps him swallow the reality that he’ll be absent from your side.

“Thank you,” he sighs, shoulders dropping. “I couldn’t stand it if I heard of you getting seriously hurt-”

“Kakyoin…”

“-without me being there to have anything to do about it. Because I… really-“

“Kakyoin, should we even-“

“Noriaki,” he cuts you off gently, his hand squeezing yours. Not wanting to let you avoid the conversation. “Please, Y/n, call me Noriaki.”

“I-…” you hesitate, heart feeling heavy. Is this really happening? “It’s… not like you to… you know…”

“Be so forward?” he asks, a smirk creeping onto his face.

“No, no, you’re forward…” you admit, letting out a laugh. You feel pleasantly lightheaded; surprised by the turn the goodbye has taken. How right it feels. “It’s not like you to… be this forward. Understand what I mean?”

His thumb lightly brushes along the skin on your cheek, leaning himself forward. Careful as he invades your personal space, slowly ensuring his position is aligned the way he’s hoping it is.

“I do. Is it alright…?” he asks, listening intently for any hint he’s pushing you too much. Only receiving a beat of silence, his heart halts in place until he picks up on your bashful reply:

“It is… erm, Noriaki.”

He smiles again, nodding and keeping lips pressed together… and if you could see his eyes, you assume there’d be a gleam of amusement present within. You wait for his reply, but it doesn’t come.

Instead, he takes in a deep breath before leaning in further, taking you by surprise yet again. His lips pressing against yours.

They’re still chapped and dry from the desert heat, just like your own. But he moves slow and gentle, barely a sound in the room accept for hesitant lips interlocking in a bashful first kiss. He’s inexperienced with it, but the two of you follow each other and melt into the action with the angling of your faces.

His hand stays put on your cheek, and his other squeezes your fist, his heart swelling with the knowledge you’re still carrying his earrings. Letting out a sigh of relief into the kiss before hesitantly breaking it.

“Noriaki…” you whisper, following along and pulling away from the kiss when he does.

It made your heart do flips… leaving you with wanting more. But you know time is short. Your eyes flicker to the clock hanging on the wall, frowning at the realization you should’ve descended to the first level three minutes ago.

“You uhm…” you clear your throat. “You owe me another when you catch up with us.”

“Hmph,” he smiles, dropping his hand from your face. “You got a deal. I’d really like to see the look on your face after doing something like that. You get really red under casual circumstances, you know that?”

“… I wish I didn’t learn that just now, Noriaki.”

Kakyoin listens as your footsteps carry outside his hospital room, his smile lingering on his face long after you’re gone.

The coming days will be slow… but the idea there’s people eager for his return makes it all bearable. People who truly know him and harboring mutual loyalty… it’s still funny for him to ponder. Likely will be for a a good while.

The future looks brighter with someone like you a part of his life. Kakyoin cannot help but look forward to it without hesitation on his mind and merely flourishing hope in his heart.

He’s got someone at his side he truly loves, after all, and that means more to him than he’d ever know how to properly express.

🐚 ⏆   . 🧚🏽‍♂️﹢

Leeseo 🤍💌🐚

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