starmark | IC Inbox | prismatica

[ Well, there goes his 2.3 seconds of feeling tall, because nobody has ever felt tall in the presence of Star Platinum. Star's touch is always strange, compared to Jotaro's. It's solid, immovable, where his form looks like it should be almost insubstantial. And it's gentle where he looks like he was made for destruction. Steelstrong and featherlight at once. He squeezes Jotaro with his free arm, leaving him with one last kiss before reaching out to take Star's other hand. ]

Oh, I think I can make myself clear enough. But you'll know, if he has trouble.

[ The smile is audible in his voice, measurable, right down to the degree each corner of his mouth is turned to. It sounds like a conspiratorial sort of smile. Sure enough, he directs Star's other hand downward to rest at his hip. Lets it span the slit in the side of the dress, cloth and then skin and then cloth, too high for the possibility of anything underneath it. ]

Happy birthday, Star. Thank you for taking care of us.

Oh.

[Oh, Jotaro says under his breath, because of course Star's experiences inherently ricochet right back into his own, and Star may not know what he's looking for as his fingers come to rest against Kakyoin's hip, Jotaro can certainly read between the lines. Or the cloth. The — holy shit. Um.

But the thing about Star is that he's not just Jotaro, however colored he is by Jotaro's own thoughts and emotions. The desire isn't all his master's; Star's eyes stay soft but fixed on Kakyoin, dragging over him inch by inch like he's trying to memorize him, and maybe he is.

Ora? Star says softly — surprisingly so, for a Stand who usually roars instead of murmurs — and one of his fingers twitches, just a little, to hook underneath the fabric of the hip slit, instead of resting on top of it.]

Fuck, are you trying to kill us...?

Perhaps. [ He's fairly confident that Star doesn't need too much guidance to keep that hand at his hip, so he lets his own trail up Star's arm. Over gloves first, then skin, then he lets his slender fingers creep beneath Star's shoulder armour. ] Don't turn around. You don't get to look until after Star.

[ Belatedly, it occurs to him that Jotaro was probably offering to translate Star for him and not the other way around, because why would he ever assume someone thinks he needs help with anything ever. Oh well. Star communicates well enough. Give or take a few words.

(Fuck, Star's hands could just about span his waist.) ]

It was about this time of year that you started protecting Jotaro, wasn't it? Do you want to celebrate?

I can't see what he's seeing, but I can — y'know. Tell. Sort of.

[Because they're connected, obviously. It's not as though he could cut himself off from Star altogether, and not as though Kakyoin would ever ask him to.

Besides, more important is that he can also feel what Star is feeling, albeit distantly; the little touches to his arm, heading for his shoulder, phantom whispers with no tangible origin.

Oraora, Star insists, one hand steady on Kakyoin's hip while the other dangles a little lower, brushing fingertips against the front of Kakyoin's thigh in a way so idle it almost could be accidental, if one didn't know better.]

He's excited. Can you tell...?

Right. You get to know. You just don't get to see.

[ Because yes, this is meant to be about Star. But no, he's not about to turn down the best 'guess what I'm wearing' opportunity that he'll ever get. He still feels a little silly, but it's hard not to feel a little more confident about this ridiculous outfit right now. Not when he knows how much precise information Star can see and recall in milliseconds, and yet his eyes are moving over him so slowly and carefully he must be memorising every last stitch of the dress and strand of his hair. Not when his hands are touching him as if he's made of hoarfrost.

It's hard not to feel worth looking at when you're being looked at so intently. Hard not to feel precious when you're being treated like it. ]

I can tell. [ His other hand goes to Star's face. He traces over the angles of it with hi fingertips until he's close to his lips, then touches them softly. ] Lean down so I can kiss you? Then you can have your gifts.

Go on, Star...

[Not that Star needs to be told, mind, but those words are more for Kakyoin's sake than for his Stand's; he wants Kakyoin to know that these aren't his directions, not his explicit will. This is just Star, moving as he sees fit, doing what feels right.

And what feels right, it seems, is not to lean down at all, but to sink slowly to one knee like a reverent knight, setting himself lower than Kakyoin even while both his hands settle to frame Kakyoin's hips.]

Put your hand in his hair...

[Jotaro, for his part, is slouching down a little on the couch now, eyes closed and long legs starting to sprawl, relaxing and enjoying the phantom sensations as they wash over him in waves.

Ora, Star agrees, insistent.]

He...wants you to see him like this first.

[ Oh. He was not expecting that. He was certainly not expecting his heart to skip a beat at Star kneeling. Like they're a knight and lady in a pre-Raphaelite painting and Star has just finished rescuing him from being tied to a tree. Slowly, now as trasnfixed by Star as Star is by him, he lowers one hand into the mane that is Star's hair. Combs through it slowly with his fingers, as if any amount of that could bring it into any sort of order at all.

It doesn't, naturally.

After a moment he brings his other hand into Star's hair. Combs at it with that hand instead while the first hand starts to rub little circles against his scalp. ]

You're so lovely...

[ His voice trails off slowly, warm and a little distracted from his task of birthday. He'll remember eventually. ]

He's a good boy.

[And it's hard to say who originated the love of hands working through his hair, Star or his master, but it's apparent either way that they both relish it. Even as Star's eyes stay fixed on Kakyoin, pupils dilated almost until the irises can barely be seen, Jotaro breathes out a shaky sigh, confined only to secondhand sensation and bearing up to it like a champion.

Ora, Star murmurs, and pets his hands against Kakyoin's hips before raising his face and tugging lightly on the hanging drape of the skirt, trying to urge him into remembering the kiss he's been promised.]

So good. You're so good.

[ He almost does forget that Star's knelt here because he was promised a kiss, he's so occupied by stand petting. But Star's good at reminding him. And it's charming, the gentle but insistent tug at the front of his skirt. Star wide-eyed and staring up at him.

He takes one hand from his hair to stroke it down his jaw, then bends down to kiss him. It's like kissing sunlight. Warm and soft and bright in a way that he knows from experience he can sense even blind. Like kissing a wall of wind, solid and nothing both at once. ]

[It's not the first time that Star has been kissed, and it almost certainly won't be the last; that experience shows in the way Star turns pliant shortly after their lips make contact, moving in rhythm with Kakyoin even as he stays receptive, never trying to seize control. Star knows, after all, that being kissed means he's been good; it's his favorite reward for being a good boy, after all.

His hands, big and steady, stay still at first, but as the kiss starts to draw to a close they turn more playful, moving in slow circles that just so happen to have the side effect of making the skirt's fabric shift and bunch, riding up just a touch here and nudging back just a fraction there. It's all just a perfect accident, except for how teasingly it exposes just a bit more skin, more focused on implication than on actual outcome.]

[ It's different from kissing Jotaro himself, even though it maybe shouldn't be. Him leading and Star following, rather than the messy attempts to both lead in different directions. Jotaro likes to do stupid little things he wasn't expecting to catch him off guard, but Star is just- good. Just good. ]

Thank you for keeping Jotaro safe. For everything you've done for us. My Star. My perfect, beautiful Star.

[ It's saccharine. It was meant to be Adrian doing this, so he'd thought he should speak to Star the way Adrian does. Except that he's never actually witnessed Adrian speaking to Star, which is somewhat of an impediment to doing that. So instead he goes with what feels natural. The kind of thing the princess would whisper to her knight in the painting that he fell into the second that Star knelt. In any other situation he'd be horrified at himself. But Star deserves saccharine. Star is good. He kisses Star again as he whispers words against his lips, quick and light this time. Makes sure he commits the texture of his lips to memory.

When he draws back his face is just a little more flushed. It's flattering and charming both at once, the way that Star is so gentle while he touches him. So curious. Revealing more and more skin, little by little, like there's something new to see with every little sliver of pale against black cloth.

One of his hands is still in Star's hair, twisting locks of it slowly around his fingers. The other settles over one of Star's hands. ]

Do you want your presents now?

His "present"...isn't that you?

[Unable to help himself, Jotaro's got his wrist between his lips, biting faintly at the knob of flesh just for something to do with his mouth. That feeling of Kakyoin's mouth moving over Star's, with nothing solid to back it up — it's almost too much to bear, without some sort of relief.

The connection goes both ways; he's always known that. He just wasn't expecting how potent it could really be, feeling Star's emotions reflected back into him, when normally it's the other way around.]

Oh, fuck.

[Looking up at Kakyoin, Star beams, smiling with all his perfect white teeth before twitching his head in the opposite direction of Kakyoin's fingers, making the strands tug in a way that seems to satisfy him immensely.

Oraora, Star confirms, his hand below Kakyoin's moving just slightly toward the inside of his thigh, not enough to betray the hold that Kakyoin has on it, but enough to ask an unmistakable question.]

There are actual presents, Jotaro. I know how birthdays work.

[ Which is to say that he doesn't, at all, but that he won't tolerate any slight, real or perceived.

But it's hard to be even pretend mad when Star is looking at him like that. Like even with his ability to perceive every last detail, there's nothing he'd rather be looking at right now. He curls his fingers tighter in Star's hair, making sure to spread the tug of it between each strand. His other hand leaves Star's for just a moment. Just long enough to tug at the ribbon at the side loosely lacing the front and back of the dress together. It moves through the bottom few eyelets as he pulls it over to Star's hand, making a breath-quiet sound as it pulls through them.

He offers it to Star, so that he can pull it away the rest of the way. Traps it between Star's hand and his own when he rests his hand against Star's again. ]

But there is- there is also me. If you would rather that first.

If you let him have you, he'll forget about the actual presents.

[Or maybe that's just Jotaro, but that's not the point. The point is, Star is clearly trying to pay attention to this gift of the ribbon that he's been given, but he can't seem to hold his attention on it. Not when it keeps drifting back to Kakyoin's face, to watching his every expression so intently.]

So. Better do those...first...

Presents first, then.

[ A tendril stretches out of the sleeve of his dress. It goes to Star first, stroking over the side of his face, and then leaves into another room. Kakyoin busies himself with continuing to comb his fingers through Star's hair as it finds its way into hiding places, eventually returning with a box and a thick envelope. Both are wrapped in thin purple paper, decorated with gold ribbons and little gold star stickers. Hierophant holds the envelope out to Star. ]

This first. It's- The box is from both of us. This one's just from me.

[ The contents of the envelope are a few sheets of stick-on earrings. ]

I know they're stupid. But Jotaro and I both have them, and we can't exactly have your ears pierced, and I don't think we could make clip-ons work. So-

[ -so they seemed like a better idea up until about 5 seconds ago, and now he's feeling incredibly self-conscious about them. This was a mistake. This is childish. ]

[Carefully, Star takes the envelope when he's bidden to, his huge fingers displaying an unusually deft precision as he slits the paper and carefully opens the envelope and withdraws the sheets within. And it's apparent, as he brings them out, that this particular gift is a little beyond Star's ken at first; without Jotaro looking and providing implicit context, Star spends a second or two at a loss, examining the prettily-colored stickers with an uncertain but appreciative eye.

It's only after Kakyoin clarifies that his demeanor changes, courtesy of sufficient feedback from Jotaro, who still isn't looking but is doing his best to wingman from the couch.]

On your ears, Star. Like his. See his?

[Star's eyes flick up, fixating on Kakyoin's earrings, and his eyes widen fractionally with sudden understanding. Eagerly, he tugs on Kakyoin's sleeve, pointing to a pair of green diamond earrings on the sticker sheet before turning his head to present one of his ears, hopeful.]

[ He relaxes, once it becomes clear that the self-deprecation is unneeded. The earrings are stupid and childish, yes, but Star likes them. That's what matters. Star liked them even before he really understood what they were.

He wasn't expecting Star to pick the pair that he does. The yellow circles are right there, not exactly matching Jotaro's studs but close enough. But Star chooses differently. The significance of the shape and colour isn't lost on him. Carefully, he strokes Star's hair out of the way with one hand and unpeels the first earring from the sticker sheet and presses it against Star's ear with the other. ]

It's on there. [ He says softly, twirling the lock of hair he'd moved out of the way around one finger before releasing it. ] Turn around, so I can do the other?

[Ora ora, Star answers, sounding unmistakably pleased even as he turns his head and presents his other earlobe for its adornment.]

He's really happy, you know.

[Says Jotaro, who almost can't keep a grin off his face, from how heavily Star's sentiments are bleeding over through their connection.]

He likes having things that are his. Being special, y'know...?

I'm glad. I was worried it might all be too childish.

[ He takes the other earring as he speaks, pressing it against Star's ear, then leans forward to kiss what passes to the shell of his ear. ]

You're so pretty. We'll show Jotaro, okay? Soon, once we're done.

[ Hierophant brings the other gift over to Star. It's about the size of a shoebox, carefully wrapped. ]

This one is from both Adrian and I.

[Ever so gently, once the stickers are in place, Star raises a single finger and gingerly rests it against his earlobes, feeling the makeshift earrings with the utmost care and consideration. It seems to delight him, having them in place, and after a minute he nods slightly, more to avoid dislodging them than out of any lack of enthusiasm.

Then comes the second gift, bigger than the first, and Star takes it reverently, holding the box a minute before removing the paper just as carefully for this package as he'd had for the first.]

Both of you, huh...

[AND JOTARO CONTINUES TO SUFFER, CONFINED TO THE COUCH AND FORBIDDEN FROM LOOKING.]

Then he's definitely going to love it.

[ It's a box. A wooden one, painted with the same purple and gold swirls that cover Star's skin.

(The was Adrian's input, technically. He stole his paints.)

When the hinged lid is opened, it plays a twee little musicbox song, whatever the Lunatian version of swan lake is, and a small glittery star spins in front of a mirror set in the lid. It's lined with a dark blue cloth and it's empty aside from three small haircombs, each decorated with a gold star. ]

If you're going to have things of your own, it only seems right that you should have somewhere to put them.

[ And because Star needed the earrings explained, he'll probably need help with the combs, too. Kakyoin turns his head, raising his hand to point out one he's wearing in his own hair. ]

Adrian has one, too. So you can match both of us. Do you want me to put them in for you?

Something that's just his...

[So whispers Jotaro, acting translator for his Stand as Star reverently examines the little box and its spinning charm, touching it with the very tip of his finger before turning his attention to the combs nestled within. Kakyoin isn't wrong that Star doesn't know what to do with them at first, but the demonstration gets him up to speed quickly; reaching into the box, Star retrieves one of the combs and pushes it into his hair in an identical position to Kakyoin's —

...albeit with none of the actual technical know-how needed to make it stay in place, which is why shortly after he lets it go, it droops and sags like it's about to tumble out again.]

Right, just yours. You'll have to choose where you want to keep it.

[ He's uncharacteristically fond, uncharacteristically patient as he watches Star struggle with the comb. Mostly because it's Star and he can't exactly get impatient with him. Partially because the longer this takes, the longer Jotaro has to suffer and wait and that's funny. ]

Not quite. [ He's about to do it for him, but then thinks better of it, placing his hand on Star's instead of the comb and guiding it up to the one in his own hair. Letting him feel the way the teeth are buried in the hair. ] You can practice with mine, if you like.

Fuck, Nori, I haven't even gotten to look at you yet...

[Read: he knows his boyfriend through and through and yes he knows this is stalling by now. Such is his suffering. Such is his commitment not to cheat and peek, too, but that's not the point.

Gingerly, Star touches the comb in Kakyoin's hair, investigating, then returns to his own and feels against his own hair like he's trying to analogize between one and the other. But then, after a thoughtful moment, Star shakes his head and offers the comb back to Kakyoin, lowering his head like an obedient puppy.

Ora, he says insistently, a pleading request.]

Because it's not your birthday.

[ He doesn't even deny it. But he does comb a hand through Star's hair while he investigates, trying to find a balance between bullying one half of his boyfriend and spoiling the other.

He has to wonder, because he has to wonder about all things, whether Star's giving up on putting in the comb himself has more to do with actually giving up or sharing Jotaro's impatience. Or perhaps impatience of his own, wanting Jotaro to see him. Or wanting Jotaro to see him, bringing him a thing he wants the way he always has.

Perhaps he just wants him to touch his hair.

Carefully, he takes a section of Star's hair and slides the comb into it, pinning it back. Then he takes another from the box, sliding the remaining two combs slowly into place. Pinning stars into the swirling void that is Star's hair. ]

There we go. [ And he rearranges himself just slightly. Rests his hands on Star's shoulders in a way that'll make himself easy to carry one-handed so the other hand can be used for the box. So that Star gets to show him to Jotaro, rather than just inviting Jotaro to turn. ] You can show Jotaro, if you like. Only if you want to. It's up to you whether or not you want to share.

IC Inbox | prismatica

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