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Jotaro has been fighting and fighting his whole life, he had never once caught a break. Never had the chance to stop and tell the people he cared about how he loved them and would do anything to protect them.
It wasn’t that Jotaro didn’t care, because he really did and the thought of losing anyone else in his life kept him up at night, he just was scared that the moment he said that he cares they will die or leave just like everyone else.
So, Jotaro keeps his mouth shut. Rolling his eyes at any form of affection or care sent his way. Shrugging off hugs, groaning at his Mom’s ‘I love you!’s, and ignoring Josuke’s dumb ways of showing he even cared about an old man like Jotaro.
It was sweet, he would admit to himself if he ever mind himself with enough time to sit down and do anything but worry about everyone around him. He could only hope the people around him understood.
Currently, he is working on a biology paper. Something for the last few years of college. Geez, he had really been doing this bull shit for over 6 years now. He was 24 now, living still in the higashikata residence. No one had pushed him to move out, hell they didn’t seem to want to let him go, so he never looked into dorm rooms.
Plus, the idea of rooming with someone else in his college was pretty repulsing. He could never do it.
Suddenly, a knock came to his door. A quick look at the clock alerting him it was about 18:00. It was most likely Josuke coming to tell him something new. Josuke.. He was 13 now. Oh how fast time had moved since Jotaro moved here a shell of himself at 18 with Josuke at the young age of 7. Jotaro finally got up and answered the door.
“Jotaro, do you think you could take me into town tonight? I want to go out and buy something for Mom’s birthday”
Wait, since when was it Tomoko’s birthday? He had totally let it slip his mind! If he had already gotten something for the woman who so happily took him into her home, he would have probably had to turn Josuke down so he could finish his paper. This though, was different.
“You got the money to do so Josuke?”
“Of course! I’ve been mowing the lawn for Mom, remember?”
That’s all he needed to hear, he grabbed the keys to his car from his desk and put his papers away. He would have time to do it later he supposed, it would have to wait one more day. Jotaro walked out his room, closing the door, and signalled for Josuke to follow him out to his car.
Once in the car, Josuke was quick to get into the front seat while Jotaro got into the driver’s seat. Shooting the kid beside him a quick look, they put on their seatbelt. With that, they were off onto the road.
“So where are we headed, big guy?”
Josuke seemed to be thinking as he stared out the windshield, questioning where he wanted to go, before shrugging. To the local supermarket then. At least they could both get a cake and a card for Tomoko there. Plus, Jotaro got a chance to get out of the house for a reason other than work and school. It was a win-win.
They pulled into the parking lot and got out of Jotaro's car, and walked into the store. It was pretty empty given the time and the soft music and occasional beeps were the only noises in the store.. It was truly a calming environment.
“Ok Josuke, lead the way”
Jotaro said while grabbing one of those dumb carriable baskets for anything they picked up, Josuke quietly beaming in the background after being given the power to drag Jotaro around the store. The kid grabbed his hand and began walking, which Jotaro had grown pretty used to, trying to find something for Tomoko.
At some point though, the pair found themselves near the bakery part of the store. Jotaro was looking at some cakes while Josuke was off looking at other smaller sweets the bakery had to offer, his attention was on a simple vanilla cake with white and purple frosting. A perfect candidate for a birthday cake, but Josuke then spoke up
“Jotaro-san! Look, isn’t this cupcake just perfect for mom?”
Jotaro looked over and was met with.. the most over decorated cupcake he had ever seen. It was covered with what had to be every topping this place had to the point the original flavor of the actual cupcake was hidden beneath it all.
“Uh, if that’s what you want?”
Josuke just smiled and nodded, Jotaro sighed and took the small container and placed it into his basket. He quickly looked for candles too, grabbing a 3 and 2 number candle for the small cupcake, before following Josuke around the store again.
They settled on two cards and that's what they were going to give Tomoko. A cupcake and some cards, which Jotaro would probably put some money in his card to her, which would probably still make her smile. It’s the thought that matters.
“Josuke, if you want to go sit in the car while I pay it should be unlocked”
The kid gave him a confused look, probably because Jotaro had him bring his own money, but there was actually no way he’d let Josuke actually pay for this stuff. He can keep his money, Jotaro has plenty to pay for stuff.
“Don’t worry about it, keep your money. You might be able to buy something good with it later”
Josuke nodded, and left out the doors to the store. Jotaro sighed looking at the items counting it all up. It would probably be somewhere from 2000-4000¥, which would be easy to pay, so he had no reason to worry.
He got to the cashier and placed the stuff on the counter, paid, and thanked the worker under his breath. He put the basket away, just carrying the stuff, and went outside. He should get Josuke home before Tomoko gets back luckily. They only spent around 25 minutes in the store which left plenty of time to get home.
He reached his car.. to see no Josuke. Where was the kid? He peeked through the windows silently, but was unable to find him. Panic set in. He placed the stuff on the roof of his car and started to frantically search the area. Not under the car, not in it, and there were not enough people anywhere to ask if anyone saw him.
Josuke couldn’t just disappear could he? There was no stand ability that could do that right? Star Platinum was quickly summoned to Jotaro’s side as he began to look everywhere around the store. He still had to be somewhere nearby, right? Right?!?
Jotaro was beyond panicked. He had to get Josuke home to his mom, what would he even tell Tomoko if he were to go missing on her god damn birthday of all days? Suddenly, Star Platinum saw something. Something it deemed important, tugging at Jotaro’s arm silently. He began walking that way, Star Platinum disappearing as he did so. Suddenly.. he saw it.
There in the road, not far from the store, laid a motionless form. Someone had clearly been hit by a car. Jotaro walked closer and closer as his heart sank lower and lower into the floor. Undeniable blue hair.. Oh god. Oh god. There’s no way!? No one could have.. but that hairstyle made it too real. What was he even doing in the road?? Was something wrong? Jotaro should have never sent him alone, he realized, how could he be so stupid?
“Josuke?! Josuke please god no!”
Jotaro couldn’t run fast enough, his body betrayed him as he tried desperately to not trip over his own feet. He felt his legs crumble to meet the boy on the ground. It was Josuke. He picked the boy up into his arms as he desperately tried to find a pulse. There was so much blood, too many memories tried to push into his mind but he couldn’t let them. So many broken bones, bruises, and cuts.. yet absolutely no pulse.
No, Josuke can’t die! It’s his Mom’s birthday, he came out here so ready to bring home that dumb cupcake! He still has his whole life ahead of him! What kind of monster hits a kid barely in middle school and just drives away?? This isn’t real. This physically cannot be real!? It had to be some sick nightmare that Jotaro would wake up from at any minute..
But he wasn’t waking up and neither was Josuke.
“J..Josuke…. I’m sorry”
Jotaro went silent again.. just holding onto Josuke’s rapidly cooling body, no, he held onto a boy he saw as his son’s corpse for a few more moments before he finally let go of his mind to let his heart spill. Tears spilled over and he lost all self control, the feeling of what had to be his vocal cords ripped as he wailed and screamed out in agony out into the empty air. Mourning the loss of family, all over again.