starmark | IC Inbox | rubycity_rp

I absolutely will not believe that.

That's such a random thing to like.

Since you said something about people using their words: I would've just let it be a given from the timing and circumstances, but I guess I can also just say that I tried to find that out so I'd know how to do something that'd make you happy someday.

[oh noooooooo awwwww]

That's so thoughtful. I'm going to tell your mother.

She wouldn't even be surprised.

We're making progress on the vase.

That's wonderful. I'm excited to see how it turns out.

[Still not in any way bluffing.]

Kakyoin's having some trouble with focusing on making it happen but I think he'll get it pretty soon.

Poor Kakyoin. That must be very frustrating for him.

I'm confident he'll rise to the challenge.

Mostly because I'm pretty sure he still has a crush on my mom.

Is he collecting Kujos?

[...Hmmmmmmmm.]

If he is, he's not doing a very good job at it.

50% is a pretty bad average.

I can't imagine he's that upset about it.

Well, he's a perfectionist.

He'll get over it.

Do you want your pudding cup or not?

Yeah, we're still on for that. I'll come pick you up?

All right. I'll be outside.

You don't need me to tell you to be careful, but keep an eye out for weird shit hanging around anyway.

I'll be there soon.

[AND OFF HE GOES]

[If he was gonna do something dumb, he'd have already done it and not had the whale conversation, Jotaro.]

[But, since he's not, he'll be sitting across from the cafe on a bench, his legs crossed at the ankle, Gold Experience standing to one side. There's a navy blue cloth bag next to him. It's also decently obvious to the observant that he's been crying a little - not weeping, he's not a wreck, but there are little freckles of mascara under his eyes where he blinked wet lashes, and his eyes are still a little too bright for him to be totally calm.]

[He's got a real smile on when he sees Jotaro, though, and gets up as he approaches.]

Buona sera. Stand up still and straight for a moment, would you?

[He always travels with Star Platinum out when he crosses the city at night; what's odd about tonight in particular, though, is that while Jotaro's expression is approximately as composed as it always is, Star's is unusually animated. And though his smiles are usually terrifying and promises of violence to come, the one he's wearing right now is softer, and closer to smug than sadistic as he trails along.

And some of the intensity in that expression fades a little, when the two of them spot Giorno; Star doesn't miss the wet shine around his eyes, and Jotaro understands what it suggests. So it's good, he thinks, that he's here now. He's never really thought of himself as being particularly great at this, but —

Well. He hasn't forgotten the feeling of Giorno's hands curled around Star's strong fingers, either.

So he shrugs, a little thrown by the request, but not enough to be particularly suspicious of it.]

Sure. Him too?

[Either way, as requested, he and Star both fall into line, still and straight and patient for whatever Giorno evidently has in mind.]

[Giorno offers a mirror of Jotaro's shrug, then a smile sideways at Star Platinum. It's a strange thing to feel close to a Stand that's not your own, but he has the benefit of prolonged exposure to Sex Pistols, so he's far less willing to apply the term impossible to anything Stand-related. Star Platinum, he has decided, is his friend as much as Jotaro is, and you treat friends with kindness and respect.]

As you like.

[It's Gold Experience who moves forward now, picking up the bag and stepping forward. It hesitates just for a moment in front of Star, head tilted sideways, then moves on to stand next to Jotaro, with whom it's roughly of a height.]

[Giorno smiles and claps his hands together once, looking pretty smug himself. Which is never a good sign.]

All right. I promised, so.

[Gold Experience pulls a chocolate pudding cup out of the bag and rests it with perfect balance and delicacy on top of Jotaro's hat.]

One for you, because you said you needed a bribe.

[His Stand reaches into the bag again, pulls out another one, stacks it on top of the first.]

Two for you, because I think you must have done something to be proud of recently.

[Another one? Yes, another one.]

One for Kakyoin, for being brave.

[And finally, on top of the teetering stack, a fourth.]

One for Star Platinum, just in case he wants one.

[Gold Experience steps back to his side then, and Giorno digs his hand into the bottom of the bag, producing one last pudding cup and two spoons. He tosses one of them to Star Platinum.]

And one for me, for putting up with the both of you.

[...WELL. THAT...HAPPENED...

Fortunately for everyone concerned, and the continued structural integrity of the pudding cup tower now currently adoring his head, the dilemma that Jotaro is in right now pits his unwillingness to look ridiculous directly against his reluctance to concede defeat, and in a calculus like that, stubbornness is always going to win out.

So he remains perfectly still, and the tower holds, to the point where Victorian schoolgirls would be jealous of his posture while this conversation carries on as though nothing has changed.

(Star, meanwhile, plucks the spoon effortlessly out of the air, and is eyeing the cup that's been designated as his, because that's a little new and different and worthy of being curious about.) ]

So I'm guessing that means he talked to you about it. How long has it been since then?

Not true.

[He points his spoon reproachfully at Jotaro, then peels the top off his pudding cup and hands it to Gold Experience. In about half a second it's a ladybug crawling up the Stand's arm and Giorno has a spoonful of pudding in his mouth. Half a second later, he's gesturing with it again.]

I talked to him about it. And that was around two weeks ago. I'm honestly impressed with him.

Can you walk like that, do you think?

[...That ladybug trick is so cool. Somehow it's a little less philosophy-inducing when it's a tiny bug, which is odd because it really shouldn't be that different, but somehow the context is what saves it and keeps it squarely in the realm of "nifty" instead of "DOST SUCH POWER MAKE THOU A GOD".]

Yeah, probably. Should I?

[Moving on, conversationally if not physically (for the moment) —]

Can I ask what you said?

Yes, come on. And give him his pudding, look, he wants it.

[FEED YOUR STAND, YOU INHUMAN MONSTER. Aaand we're walking.]

[He's struck now with a dilemma. He could be kind and protect Kakyoin's dignity, or he could . . . not do that . . .]

He was annoyed I did the thing with your shirt. I told him he didn't need to worry about it, and he got confused, which led me to the conclusion that you were both approximately twenty steps behind where I thought you were. Then I told him you loved him and he should stop being stupid. That's essentially it.

[Kakyoin is safe for now.]

[Oops, and there go the pudding cups, because even Jotaro's iron control can't hold back against the sheer startling force of I told him you loved him.

...He's probably not wrong, but it's the saying it candidly that makes him jump — but luckily, Star Platinum is quick to intervene, and collects the pudding as it tumbles from on high.]

You told him what?

[Boys are so stupid, he actually cannot believe. Giorno blows a stray hair or two out of his face and shrugs, like, well, yes.]

Please remember that at the time you had confirmed as much to me. In the future, ask questions.

Anyway . . .

[He pauses for a moment and remembers what he said to Kakyoin exactly: so obvious. It was so obvious. And what Kakyoin said: I won't ask him to love someone that probably doesn't have a future. So obvious, so stupid. He should have brought two puddings for himself.]

[He takes another bite and sighs, then hangs the spoon off his end of his nose.]

That's what I thought from the start. The first moment, you understand, when you stepped in front of him, and even with context - I watch people, Jotaro, I've always watched people. Once, a long time ago, that was all I did. So I'm very good at it, and I don't jump to conclusions without evidence.

I did tell you it wasn't very nice.

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