[He jumps, of course, when she gasps; he can't not, because he doesn't understand why it happens and the natural conclusion to arrive at is to assume that it's because Star did something to scare her. But...no, she's not acting scared, just sort of strangely overcome, and watching it makes him uncomfortable to a depressingly high degree, so rather than crossing over to her he just kind of hovers ineffectually and watches with simmering concern.
(He feels the kiss, too, ghosting against his forehead beneath the brim of his hat; he feels it just barely touch where he'd once stuffed a magazine, where there used to be a hole in his hat before Kakyoin sewed it back up for him.)
But what this translates into, for Star's purposes, proves to be a sort of general contentment, and once his own alarm (mirroring Jotaro's precisely, rendering them twins for that handful of moments) has faded, he seems to sense that it's acceptable now for him to move, that his period of strict docility can begin to relax, and he'll have some leeway to act without risking slamming into the stern boundaries of good behavior that confine him.
So he gets up off his knees into a low crouch, one that would be agonizing to maintain for a human's muscles but that proves effortless and inconsequential for a Stand, and very carefully scoops Holly up for a hug that carries her off her feet once he returns to his full height.
Star is an expert, by now, in knowing how to cause injuries. Discovering how to cause laughter is a newer pursuit, and one he's still learning slowly. But Giorno had petted him and given him pudding when he was lifted up in a similar way, and Star has absolutely no reason to think that this won't elicit a similar reaction out of Holly now.]
[The motion for an embrace is a surprising, but not unwelcome one, and she's about halfway towards returning it before she's suddenly about five feet taller than she's used to being.
Well! That's a thing!]
Ah...!
[She squeaks in alarm, her arms on Star's shoulders holding on tightly even if she knows intellectually that the chances of him dropping her are essentially zero. But once that gut reaction is done, Star gets what he's aiming for. She's reminded of being a little girl swung around effortlessly by her father and she's a 45 year old woman now, and this moment toes that line between loving and absolutely ridiculous and if that doesn't describe her life, nothing will.
Giggles bubble out of her like an overflowing soda bottle, and she looks down (down!) at Jotaro with a grin.]
[...Oh. Wait, no, she...really did have reason to think Star wouldn't, didn't she.
Abruptly flustered, he quickly averts his eyes, reaching up to tug down the brim of his hat to help disguise the vaguely ashamed look that flits across his features.]
[Goodness, her son worries too much. So she snuggles up to Star a little bit more, her opinion 180 complete, because though she had no idea where me stops and mine begins, that brief boyish little smile has her convinced there's something unquestionably Jotaro in Star Platinum, and if her son thinks she won't take any affection she might receive from the Stand and run with it like she stole it, he's got another thing coming.]
Less 'evil spirit' and more 'guardian angel,' hm?
[Yes, the Stand that stops time and punches semis is now dubbed a guardian angel.
[Well, Star's certainly having no problems with this, perfectly content to just...hold her up forever, if she likes, because it's not like she presents any sort of burden on him and it seems to make her happy, so.
He does, however, chime in with a confirming ora! and turns her in a careful circle — not quite a spin, for fear of making her too dizzy, but definitely rapid enough to be pleasant and entertaining.]
...Yeah. Something like that.
[And one of those massive, incorporeal hands had reached inside him, through his chest, found his heart and gripped tight until it couldn't move, couldn't beat, because if it beat he was dead he'd be dead in an instant he'd be dead and with his heart stopped he was dead already but at least he had a chance, at least he had Star, don't let him die don't let him die don't let him die before that bastard's close enough for Star to get him —
action;
[He jumps, of course, when she gasps; he can't not, because he doesn't understand why it happens and the natural conclusion to arrive at is to assume that it's because Star did something to scare her. But...no, she's not acting scared, just sort of strangely overcome, and watching it makes him uncomfortable to a depressingly high degree, so rather than crossing over to her he just kind of hovers ineffectually and watches with simmering concern.
(He feels the kiss, too, ghosting against his forehead beneath the brim of his hat; he feels it just barely touch where he'd once stuffed a magazine, where there used to be a hole in his hat before Kakyoin sewed it back up for him.)
But what this translates into, for Star's purposes, proves to be a sort of general contentment, and once his own alarm (mirroring Jotaro's precisely, rendering them twins for that handful of moments) has faded, he seems to sense that it's acceptable now for him to move, that his period of strict docility can begin to relax, and he'll have some leeway to act without risking slamming into the stern boundaries of good behavior that confine him.
So he gets up off his knees into a low crouch, one that would be agonizing to maintain for a human's muscles but that proves effortless and inconsequential for a Stand, and very carefully scoops Holly up for a hug that carries her off her feet once he returns to his full height.
Star is an expert, by now, in knowing how to cause injuries. Discovering how to cause laughter is a newer pursuit, and one he's still learning slowly. But Giorno had petted him and given him pudding when he was lifted up in a similar way, and Star has absolutely no reason to think that this won't elicit a similar reaction out of Holly now.]
action;
Well! That's a thing!]
Ah...!
[She squeaks in alarm, her arms on Star's shoulders holding on tightly even if she knows intellectually that the chances of him dropping her are essentially zero. But once that gut reaction is done, Star gets what he's aiming for. She's reminded of being a little girl swung around effortlessly by her father and she's a 45 year old woman now, and this moment toes that line between loving and absolutely ridiculous and if that doesn't describe her life, nothing will.
Giggles bubble out of her like an overflowing soda bottle, and she looks down (down!) at Jotaro with a grin.]
He likes me!
action;
[...Oh. Wait, no, she...really did have reason to think Star wouldn't, didn't she.
Abruptly flustered, he quickly averts his eyes, reaching up to tug down the brim of his hat to help disguise the vaguely ashamed look that flits across his features.]
...He's. ...always kept me safe, Mom.
It's like I said. He'll never hurt you.
action;
[Goodness, her son worries too much. So she snuggles up to Star a little bit more, her opinion 180 complete, because though she had no idea where me stops and mine begins, that brief boyish little smile has her convinced there's something unquestionably Jotaro in Star Platinum, and if her son thinks she won't take any affection she might receive from the Stand and run with it like she stole it, he's got another thing coming.]
Less 'evil spirit' and more 'guardian angel,' hm?
[Yes, the Stand that stops time and punches semis is now dubbed a guardian angel.
Such is the way of Holly Kujo.]
action;
He does, however, chime in with a confirming ora! and turns her in a careful circle — not quite a spin, for fear of making her too dizzy, but definitely rapid enough to be pleasant and entertaining.]
...Yeah. Something like that.
[And one of those massive, incorporeal hands had reached inside him, through his chest, found his heart and gripped tight until it couldn't move, couldn't beat, because if it beat he was dead he'd be dead in an instant he'd be dead and with his heart stopped he was dead already but at least he had a chance, at least he had Star, don't let him die don't let him die don't let him die before that bastard's close enough for Star to get him —
...
Yeah.
Something like that.]