Meetings of Destiny

[madimpossibledreamer]

Main Points:
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure/Buffy the Vampire Slayer meant to occur in the same universe as O Christmas Tree and the posted Possible Timeline
Summary: Out of all the people Buffy expected to see in LA, her bio-dad wasn't one of them.
Word Count: 892
Rating: Gen

 

              Buffy feels something looming above her and immediately lashes out.  She’s learned a lot from being in Los Angeles.  Things like the best places to sleep and where has good food, and how to effectively deal with grabby hands.
              All she hears is a grunt, which means whoever it happens to be is used to pain and not deterred by it, which does not bode well for her.  Still half asleep, she pulls out her small dagger and stabs.
              She hears a somewhat familiar voice muttering something in a language she almost remembers, and at the same time misses.  Somehow.
              This jolts her completely awake.  Her eyes blink open.  Threat.  But….
              But she recognizes that giant.  His white pants are cut, and there’s a little trickle of blood, but somehow he managed to get out of the way.
              “Jotaro-san,” she spits.
              He’s frowning, staring at her, and that just makes her angier.  Like it’s any of his business how scruffy she looks, or how she sleeps.
              “All right, you’ve done your duty.  You can leave my life now.  It’s what you’re good at.”
              He doesn’t leave.  Doesn’t even move.  He crosses his arms.  “Your mother mentioned vampires.”
              Thanks Mom.  Now the collection of family members who think I’m insane is complete.  I was just thinking, y’know, I wonder if my dear old birth dad thinks I’m crazy.  What a pity he doesn’t.
              “Yeah, guess my lot in life is to be a crazy hobo.”  She’s trying to be flippant.  Her voice cracks.
              But Jotaro doesn’t treat it like she’s joking.  He’s still serious.  “You kicked their asses, right?”
              Her lips curl in anger.  “You think this is a joke?”
              “Vampires aren’t a joke.  One of them nearly killed your grandmother.  Now, you didn’t answer my question.”  The words are flat, but if Buffy isn’t imagining things there’s a glimmer in emotion in the stoic giant after all, as he tightens his jaw.
              Her hands fly to her mouth, teenage angst forgotten.  “Grandma?”  She doesn’t remember much about Grandma Holly; is pretty sure that they only met once.  She remembers Hank’s parents, opinionated and snotty, better.  Unfortunately.
              She remembers briefly wondering if Daddy had been adopted because he was nothing like Grandma Holly.  Where Jotaro-san was uncommunicative, Grandma Holly was downright chatty.  Where Jotaro-san was dour, Grandma Holly was cheerful as sunshine.  Where Jotaro-san was hard to read, Grandma Holly wore her heart on her sleeve.  Where Jotaro-san was awkward, Grandma Holly was free with affection.  Where Jotaro-san had been banned from the kitchen, Grandma Holly made the best food.
              She definitely misses Grandma Holly in a way she hadn’t missed her dad.  It’d almost have been better if he ran off with his secretary, like Hank, so she didn’t have to worry if he was some sort of unfeeling robot.
              “Yeah.”  He gave her a little time to think, but looks impatient.  Which is unusual for him, since it usually doesn’t seem like he cares about anything.  Maybe he does actually care a little.  He’s still looking at her expectantly, still has his arms crossed.
              “Of course I beat them up.”  She’s trying to keep the anger inside.  “When were you going to mention bloodsuckers to me, Jotaro-san?”  She can’t bring herself to call him Dad.
              He frowns, but she hears his heartbeat increase and…is that actual nervousness?  “I hoped that you’d be safe,” he answers bluntly.  He grabs his hat and pulls it down.  When she was younger, she would’ve read that as disinterest, or something, but she’s getting the distinct feeling it’s embarrassment.
              “Well, I happen to be the Vampire Slayer,” she states frankly.  “And I think Mom agreed with you, since she had me locked up.”
              The response is a sharp look.  “She did what?”  It’s soft and low and dangerous, and for the first time in a little while it makes her feel nice and warm and fuzzy inside.
              She throws herself at him, met with a harsh, panicked “W-wait, Jolyne, don’t—!”  He grunts as her Slayer strength half-strangles him, but takes it stoically.  She can see his death grip on his hat, though, to the point she can see his knuckle turning white.
              She giggles a little with the relief.  “I’m not named Jolyne anymore.  We had my name legally changed.  I’m Buffy now.”
              “What the hell?” he asks bluntly, and she stifles a few more giggles.
              “I chose it when I was seven.  Don’t judge me too harshly.”  She’s still getting the raised eyebrows, but lets go.
              “Yare yare.  Buffy, then.  We’ve got a lot to talk about.”
              “Yeah,” she agrees quietly.  She’ll get over the initial giddiness and be mad at him again.  Probably.  But at the moment, any sympathetic response from a family member is enough to get her.  “Is there someplace that’s better to talk?”
              “I’ve got a hotel,” he responds, but it’s not really an answer to the question.  He’s leaving it up to her.
              And that reminds her, he was always like this.  He’d give her all the facts and then assume she could make the right decisions on her own.
              Someplace like the aquarium might be nice, but it’d hardly be secure.  If she went to her apartment, it’d be home turf (sorta), but she’d have to explain it all.
              She sighs, her shoulders slumping.  “Your hotel, I guess.”