Kakyoin will be the first to admit that he is quick to grow attached. Though with Jotaro, it is downright infatuation that consumes him.
As they sit together and talk each day over the next weeks, he grows more and more fond of him. He does not talk very much, if at all, and that suits Kakyoin just fine. He is rather private and never says much about himself, but he has shared that he's majoring in marine biology and he likes to listen to R&B. Kakyoin also notes that he never wears colors apart from the gold in his hat, and his eyes look sunken.
He had been considering something a bit more serious than Jotaro's sleep schedule before he arrived today, though. As he takes a seat across from him, Kakyoin decides to put the feeling he has to the test and ask for his help.
"Jotaro." The man glances up and grunts, and Kakyoin takes it as a sign to continue talking. "I have another art project. I was wondering if you'd like to model for it."
He seems to consider it, relaxing back into his chair a little more. "What's it about?"
"I have to make a series of paintings," Kakyoin explains. He taps his pencil on the rings of his sketchbook as he talks, nerves setting in. They will have to be together an awful lot. "And they have to tell a story. It's more work, so it might take a few weeks."
Jotaro, who had been staring at Kakyoin's hand in annoyance, reaches over and lays the pencil down on the table. Kakyoin feels his face warm in embarrassment. The brush of their hands does nothing to help it. He mouths a sorry, but cannot find the breath to actually say it.
"I'll do it," Jotaro decides.
Kakyoin feels a tad excited. Though he is not one hundred percent sure, he feels that this could be the beginning of the end to an unfortunate dilemma.
"Do you know somewhere we could meet?"
"How's my place?"
"Your place?" Kakyoin asks.
"Need somewhere quiet to work, don't we? Not a lotta places like that 'round a college town," Jotaro points out. Under his breath, he adds, "Hell, my place is hardly quiet."
"You're right," he says. "It's not due for about a month, so whenever is fine for you."
Jotaro nods and engrosses himself in his work once again, leaving Kakyoin to slip into his own thoughts. He has done his warm-up sketches at this cafe since the beginning of his freshman year a few months ago, though he's known of it for far longer.
The people passing through offer good subjects for drawings more often than not. In the years that Kakyoin has frequented the spot, he cannot recall a week in which he did not see someone with interesting hair, clothes, or features. He attributes it to the fact that most of this city is rather young and experimental. The cafe, owned by a middle aged couple named William and Robert, is arguably the most peaceful place there is. Located near the edge, where the city begins to give way to suburban neighborhoods with sparser housing, it attracts a majority of the students going in and out of the university; as well as the younger kids making their ways home from middle school and the like. Kakyoin knows for a fact that Robert in particular likes to think he is the dad of every kid that wanders in.
He begins to rough out William's face shape on the paper. He thinks back to when he was part of the latter bunch, though he was never really part of a bunch. He would always frequent the cafe alone and he feels a dull pang in the scars across his eyes remembering it. But as he begins to sulk over his dreary childhood, a thinning face becomes chiseled, eyes droopy with age become disinterested slants — and he is drawing Jotaro yet again.
He can guess why, as he is beginning to believe that Jotaro and his scars relate to each other in some strange way. He goes with the change in subject until Jotaro speaks up.
"Are you free today?"
Kakyoin tries to remember when his classes end. "Yes. Around two."
"Same. Drop by at three?" Jotaro nods towards his sketchbook. "Since you already can't stop drawin' me."
It's teasing and friendly, but Kakyoin feels as if he has been caught. "You're attractive. Symmetrical," Kakyoin defends, though he is not sure why. Anyone with eyes can see why Jotaro is a fine muse. "You're easy to draw."
"Oh," Jotaro says quietly. He straightens up in his chair and presses his lips together, yet seems to shrink in on himself at the same time. "I guess so."
Kakyoin finds the way his cheeks tinge with red to be adorable, but he doesn't say anything. When he stands to leave for class, Jotaro slips him a piece of paper with his address on it.
-
While he waits outside the front door, Kakyoin takes a moment to glance over the outside of the house. It's in the low end of the wealthier sect of the neighborhood, and he feels completely out of his element looking at the neat white siding and beautiful greenery up and down the street. He only knows a little about architecture, but this is a nice house if he has ever seen one.
Instead of Jotaro, a middle aged blonde woman opens the door. She gives him a cheerful smile. "You must be Kakyoin! Come in," she greets. "I'm Jotaro's mom, but you just call me Holly."
Kakyoin nods, shaking her hand when she offers it to him. "It's nice to meet you, Holly," he says, slipping off his shoes when she asks him to. Before Holly can finish fawning over his politeness, Jotaro comes in and leads him away, mumbling something under his breath.
The house is narrower inside than Kakyoin had expected. Through the kitchen, which is a bit cramped on its own, one walks through a doorway past the living room and into a hallway lined with doors. Jotaro's bedroom was near the beginning, and the man vaguely motions towards a door besides it as being a bathroom should Kakyoin need it.
"Mom can be... overwhelming. Sorry," Jotaro says, once the door is shut. His room is scarcely decorated besides wildlife posters on one wall. Kakyoin has a feeling it's always this clean.
"I thought she was nice," Kakyoin says.
Jotaro opens his closet and leans up to glance on the top shelf, before rummaging below and pulling a folding chair from the back. Kakyoin tries not to stare too much, but he realizes how tall and finely built Jotaro is. His ego takes a hit knowing how he probably looks beside this man.
"You can sit at the desk," Jotaro says, as he unfolds the chair. "So. How are we gonna do this thing?"
Kakyoin had assumed the chair was for him, but as he sinks down in Jotaro's worn leather desk chair, he decides that he won't protest. "Kishibe wants to see what we can do with portraits, so we get to decide our own themes."
He does not need to elaborate on Kishibe, as everyone is well aware of Professor Kishibe Rohan, professional artist turned teacher and ruthless dictator in the classroom. Kakyoin has always thought he was an alright man. He is well aware that he is a teacher's pet and has little room to say anything, though.
Jotaro makes a face. "Thought he was s'posed to be strict. Y'know, like 'spank you with a ruler' strict."
Kakyoin chuckles a little. "He is. But it's our first big project of the year."
"So he wants to know what to criticize you guys for."
"Probably." Kakyoin says, and Jotaro nods. He looks almost comical sitting in that folding chair, but Kakyoin won't laugh. Instead he asks, "I had a few ideas, but I don't know what you like."
"What I like?"
"Yeah. What's important to you?"
"Aren't you the artist here?" Jotaro asks, dodging the question.
"It's a two man job," Kakyoin points out. "If you aren't engaged, then I may as well turn in my blank canvases now."
Jotaro thinks for a while, and Kakyoin gives him the quiet he needs. "Animals are important to me," he finally decides. His voice grows softer as he adds, "And... my family. There isn't a lot you could do with those, though."
"Bollocks," Kakyoin says playfully. "That's a perfect start."
Jotaro grunts in response, and scoots his chair closer as they brainstorm the specifics. Kakyoin can tell the other grows more comfortable as he jots their ideas down in his sketchbook, glad everything is going well thus far.