Chapter Text
“The world will crumble apart and he will find me. Eventually.”
You looked up at him, worry in your eyes; although there was a look of acceptance in his. It had been a few years since Dio had won the battle with the Stardust Crusaders. Only Jotaro and Joestar-san had managed to escape alive; they had rushed back to their families, and formed an impromptu plan to hide from the terror that is Dio. It was the most un-Joestar like thing to do - but for now, Jotaro was going to be blinded by his greed, and so was Joestar-san, because they would sacrifice the lives of quite a few people for the ones they loved dearly. One of them was you; and your dear Jotaro protected you with his life, because you were a non-fighter, couldn’t see or possess a Stand, and most importantly - you were his. The light in Jotaro’s eyes had diminished with every death; first Dio got his friends and his mother, and now a few months ago: his grandfather. The only reason he kept living was because he still had you.
“Jotaro…” you whispered, eyes stinging with tears that threatened to spill. You were holding onto his arm tightly, both of you looking at the calm ocean, but not daring to look at each other. You didn’t want him to see you cry, and he didn’t want to show you that he was barely holding on. He had spent all these years running away from Dio to protect himself and you, a selfish desire indeed. His heart was sinking with the guilt of abandoning millions to their cruel deaths; he was prepared that the day he was dragged to his own was coming soon.
There was silence. You held on to his arm tighter, kissing his bruised biceps from under his jacket that was draped over you two. The hollow expression on his face was squeezing your heart painfully. You knew he was suffering, and you saw him get worse everyday.
“Say something,” you begged. “Please, anything… Jotaro…”
“I love you, (y/n),” he finally said, but still found himself unable to meet your eyes. He pulled you closer to himself; his hulking frame enveloping yours perfectly, and your head rested on his ribcage. You would say you loved him too, but you were busy muffling your sobs against his chiseled chest, hearing his faint heartbeat, and you were so, so scared; he was so empty now, and you knew he probably wouldn’t put up a fight if Dio came to take him to Hell. He was barely alive inside.
“Don’t cry for me. Please,” he spoke gently, taking your hand in his larger one. He never spoke harshly to you, no matter what the situation was.
“If you can’t cry for yourself, then I will!” you cried, voice raw with emotion, holding back the tears for a brief moment, before they began to flow again in full force.
“(Y/n), I know it’s not the best time to ask this…” Jotaro started, sitting up straighter, a hint of a smile on his face. “Will you marry me?”
“What?” You shifted your head on his chest to look up at him, and saw that he was looking more alive, and his eyes were open a little wider; it was a big deal, and it sounded like his final wish on this wretched Earth, even if he tried to disguise it casually.
“I know I don’t have a ring, and this is sudden but-”
“I will,” you interrupted him midway. “But you have to promise me something.”
“Anything you want”.
“Promise me that when Dio comes for you, you’ll fight back,” you said, meeting his gaze intensely. “Please fight back. For me. For everyone. For the last time. It doesn’t matter if you don’t win…” You trailed off, the last sentence heavy with an unpleasant implication. It was hard to imagine, and it was even harder to say. You didn’t want a life without him, even if this world was inevitably going to turn to dust.
A calloused palm softly brushed against yours - it was warmer than before - and your small hand was squeezed reassuringly. You settled against him once more, both of your eyes fixed on the endless ocean, and he uttered the words you longed for:
“I promise.”