They Had Fun Today
[AN: First off: this wasn't supposed to be as long as it is. Holy h*ck.
Explanation of the AU: Zatch Bell plot but in the 80s and with the plot of Stardust Crusaders and not with Zatch Bell & co. This was supposed to be a huge AU/fic series but fuck that since I'm busy with too many other wips so instead you get this mush with a sprinkle of projecting lol.
Basically, the Stands are little kiddos with their own personalities and whatnot. Physically, they appear as a weird in-between canon and gijinka. They are demons (still called Stands though) from another world competing to be King of the Underworld except that doesn't come up in the fic but that is the premise.]
'Jotaro, Kakyoin, we'll organise dinner. You two oversee the Stands and Anne.' Joseph said.
Avdol nodded whilst their Stands, Hermit Purple and Magician's Red, pulled faces at Anne who balled her fists and glared back.
'What are we supposed to… do with them?' Jotaro asked.
He side-eyed the Stands and Anne. It looked as though a war was about break between them. There had been tension all afternoon; Anne kept picking fights with the "other children" and peacemaking was difficult for him and Kakyoin.
'They might be demons from another world but they're still children. Play with them.' Avdol said. He followed up with a shrug: 'Can't be that hard.'
Kakyoin sighed. 'With what.'
'They're children. They will think of something.' Joseph said. 'Now, we are getting takeout. I hope that is fine by all of you.'
'I want McDonalds!' Silver Chariot piped up with a pout.
'We're not getting McDonald's.' Polnareff said as he grabbed his bag. 'Yep, ready to go.'
'Get McDonalds!' Silver Chariot attempted again but this time, he had gained support from Anne. She was in the background, doe-eyed and just as hopeful.
'Ugh kids, can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. We're not getting McDonalds!' shouted Joseph and the adults herded through the doors with Magician's Red and Hermit Purple trailing along behind them; as honorary adults better known as adolescents.
The door was locked behind them and Silver Chariot backed away from it. His armour clunking as he sat down in the space Jotaro and Kakyoin had made for the kids. When they had first arrived, the first thing they did was push the two beds in the room to the walls – they did this before even setting their bags down. It was make space so the Stands and Anne could play and sleep somewhere convenient for them. They had learned quite early on this was a good strategy.
Kakyoin awkwardly sat on the bed. Anne, Chariot, and his Stand Hierophant Green were sitting in front of him, looking up with expectant eyes. Jotaro and Star Platinum sat closer to the other bed, on the floor and were sharing a… car?
Where had they found a toy car?
More importantly, were there more of them? He supposed not as Star Platinum had to share it with Jotaro. And, for some reason, Kakyoin felt like he had seen Jotaro play with a toy car before, idly. Maybe when they were still in school…
'What do you guys want to do?' Kakyoin asked.
Anne thrust her hand in the air with a giddy grin. 'I want to hold a tea party!'
Kakyoin glanced towards the kitchenette. 'Potentially doable but we would need the crockery for dinner so it would be hard to pack up since the, uh, adults should be back in half an hour.'
'Why don't you put on a movie?' Hierophant asked, putting his hand in the air too – mimicking Anne.
'We don't have a television, in this room. That's why we can't.' Kakyoin said.
'Um, uh…. What about those small, portable telephones? What's Netflix, why can't we use it?' Hierophant Green asked as he made odd hand movements.
'I don't know what you are talking about.' Kakyoin replied but he took a mental note of what Hierophant said in the off chance, one day, he could put stock in small, portable telephones and a service called "Netflix".
'Huh.' Hierophant replied and he glared at the floor; when he did that, it was a sure sign that he had a glance of the future and it wasn't an immediate one.
Silver Chariot huffed and he turned around to watch whatever it was Jotaro and Star Platinum, never called anything shorter – always "Star Platinum", were doing. He pouted and turned back around again. He flung his metallic arm backwards.
'Why do they get the toy car and we don't?!' he asked.
'I – I don't…. Jotaro, where did you get the toy car?' Kakyoin asked.
Anne and the Stands turned around. They held onto their ankles and expected a story. All these eyes on Jotaro and Star Platinum made them both quite nervous on top of hassled and crowded. Star Platinum froze up and Jotaro licked his lips.
'I carry it everywhere.' Jotaro admitted.
'Really?' Kakyoin asked.
'Yes. Really.' Jotaro affirmed.
'Greedy bastard; at least bring enough for us all to play.' Silver Chariot whined.
'Language.' Kakyoin tutted.
'Tch.' Silver Chariot muttered.
'How about we leave Jotaro and Star Platinum alone. They seem quite content by themselves.' Hierophant Green suggested.
'Er, yes, a fine idea.' Kakyoin replied.
Kakyoin made certain that Silver Chariot turned back around again. He was the troublemaker among them: teasing Anne by pulling her hair, starting fights with Star Platinum and Hierophant over things that shouldn't matter. It was that sort of thing. It didn't help that Polnareff rarely disciplined him; opting to laugh at Chariot's antics and encouraging said bad behaviour.
'Let's keep coming up with ideas then. I know, there's probably some blank paper around here somewhere, if not, there's a newspaper we're done with. Surely we can do some arts and crafts type of thing.'
'I wanna play with Star Platinum's toy car.' Chariot complained. He threw his hand back to demonstrate his next point. 'He doesn't even play with it right.'
'Ora, ora, ora!' Star Platinum growled.
'Silver Chariot, apologise right now. It is Jotaro's car and Star Platinum is playing with it. There is no wrong or right way to play with it.'
'Ugh, fine.' Silver Chariot heaved and he turned around. 'I'm sorry.'
Star Platinum seemed to accept the apology. 'Ora.'
Silver Chariot turned around again. 'Fiiiine, I guess we'll make arts and crafts like lame-o's.'
'I like this idea!' Hierophant Green replied exuberantly. 'Art has always been, historically speaking, the most sophisticated way to convey ideas. Perhaps, we could do something similar. I'm sure Silver Chariot could learn a lot by having to use other means besides his big, fat mouth to speak.'
'I wanna make paper snowflakes.' Anne added with a smile; blissfully ignoring the bickering between Silver Chariot and Hierophant Green.
Similarly, Kakyoin also chose to ignore their pettiness and encourage Anne; hoping the other two – always starving for attention – would follow suit if he focused on her.
'Good, good. A great idea even, Anne. There should be some pens on the table, Anne would you grab those? And I'll get the newspaper. Remember, no running or harassing each other with the scissors. There's probably only one pair.' Kakyoin said.
Anne nodded. 'Yep.'
He got up and searched the kitchenette's drawers. He was able to find a pair of scissors. Anne soon grabbed the pens and shared them with the other Stands. She wished that Star Platinum would be more social as he only ever played with Jotaro. He was a part of the group too but she didn't know how to tell him that. He didn't speak after all and didn't like listening to anyone who wasn't Jotaro. It was bizarre.
Another peculiar thing was how he and Jotaro were playing the car they were sharing. Anne had never seen anyone play with a toy like that. The pair were just taking turns running the wheels along their hands, sometimes their faces too.
Anne sat down with Chariot and Hierophant again. Kakyoin sat on the bed once more and he divided up the newspaper into equal parts for himself and the children.
'Here you go.' he said, handing out the collections one by one. 'Feel free to make any pattern you like. I'm going to make paper chains. Don't you think they would be fun to hang around this dreary hotel room?'
'Yep!' Anne said. 'I'm still going to make snowflakes. I've never seen real snow before. I hope to see real snow one day.' She blinked. 'Hey, Hierophant, Chariot, is there snow where you two come from?'
The truth of the Stands was something the group had masked from Anne; well, to the best of their abilities. She was no longer believing that Magician's Red and Silver Chariot were both wearing a costume all the time or that Star Platinum and Hierophant Green painstakingly painted themselves purple and green respectively. Though, she did think Hermit Purple was fully human.
To her, the Stands weren't Stands. They were kids, just like her. Except, they weren't from Hong Kong or Japan or Singapore or France. They were from… somewhere else. But they were still kids and they still spoke a variety of languages, like her – in fact, she had been teaching them some basic Chinese here and there – when they could get along, of course.
'Yep!' Silver Chariot replied.
'Really?' Anne replied, wowed. 'You're not pulling my leg are you…?'
'Of course, not. I live in a very snowy area with my mother and father. Every day, Papa and I would go into the forest and chop wood for Mama. It was very hard because snow is not as squishy as it looks.' Silver Chariot stood up so he could demonstrate his next point: 'You gotta walk through it like this.'
He mimed trudging through snow. Anne had bit of a laugh and Hierophant proceeded to talk about everything he had ever read about snow ever. This caught the attention of Star Platinum though. He watched intently. Stared with unbridled intensity. He ignored Hierophant Green's prattling and just focused on the charades.
It was only when Silver Chariot stopped, that Star Platinum lost interest. He cautiously stopped staring though and then returned to playing with Jotaro.
'That's very good, Chariot.' Kakyoin said with a forced laugh. 'You could be an actor when you grow up.'
'I don't want to be an actor.' Silver Chariot said with a flounce of his arms. 'I want to be King.'
'I want to be King.' Hierophant Green stood up and retorted.
'I want to be Queen then.' Anne said, confused. 'I don't get this game.'
'You can't be a Queen.' Hierophant interjected. 'Only Stands can be Kings and it's not like you can marry one of us.'
'I don't want to marry any of you. You're all gross, mean boys.' Anne said. 'But, I still want to be a Queen. Why do you boys get to be Kings? You're just kids like me.'
Kakyoin sighed. He glared at the two Stands up in arms about this childish fight. 'Don't.'
Hierophant Green became sheepish. Silver Chariot crossed his arms.
'You're right, Anne. We are just kids. We – We shouldn't worry about being Kings or Queens.'
'Stop being such a goodie-two-shoes, Hiero.' Silver Chariot teased.
'Good, good, your improving at conflict resolution.' Kakyoin said and the kids sat down again.
'Let's just, keep making our paper snowflakes and chains and whatever else you would like to do with the newspaper I gave you.' Kakyoin said.
'I appreciate you giving me the stocks. I have high hopes for this "Apple" company.' Hierophant said.
'Look, look, this'll make a pretty pattern.' Anne said. 'May I have the scissors? I'm ready to cut my newspaper up. I promise to catch all my cuttings and put them in the bin.'
'W-W-W-Wait, let me read it first.' Hierophant said and he started to grab at Anne's newspaper.
'Hierophant,' Kakyoin said cuttingly, 'what is the magic word?'
'I believe it is Esmeralda Chapotéa, Noriaki-dono.' sassed Hierophant with a smarmy smile.
'Y-Yes, while that is a magic word, I had actually been referring to "please". If you want something from Anne, say "please".' Kakyoin reprimanded.
Hierophant rolled his eyes. They were insect-like and as he rolled them, noises akin to clicking could be heard.
'Fiiiiine, Anne may I please read your newspaper before you cut it up?' Hierophant Green corrected himself.
'No.' Anne said scathingly.
Kakyoin chuckled, genuinely, as he handed Anne the scissors. She then proceeded to cut along the lines she had set for herself. Hierophant Green caught her off-cuts and attempted to read what was left but he could only construct random sentences; mostly constituting from particle words.
'Look, look!' Anne said, beaming with pride.
'Well done, Anne.' Kakyoin replied with a soft smile.
The snowflakes Anne had made were dainty and perfectly symmetrical. It would seem that Anne had a real eye for art.
'Psh, whatever. I could make a better one.' Silver Chariot said.
'Go ahead then.' Anne challenged.
'Ora…?' Star Platinum piped up from behind them; spooking them all.
He wasn't using his usual growly voice. Instead, he sounded soft and curious. Anne turned around.
'I think he wants to look at your artwork… Anne.' Jotaro translated; dodging Anne's gaze.
'Really? You surely can, Star Platinum.' Anne replied joyously.
She went to rush across the small space between her and Star Platinum but Jotaro put his hand up.
'Come closer, slowly.'
'Okay then, Jotaro.' Anne replied with a blink.
She crossed the space slowly and sat down next to Star Platinum quietly. Usually, he didn't try to reach out to her like this but he seemed to be wanting some attention from her nonetheless. It was hard to tell. He was making a vehement point of looking past Anne; not at her, but within close proximation. He was a very intense kid and sometimes that intimidated Anne but not this time. She grinned. Tried to make herself seem as friendly as possible.
'Ora.' Star Platinum grunted and he pointed at the snowflakes Anne had made.
'D-Do you want to look at them?' Anne asked.
'I think he wants to hold them.' Jotaro said and he had a slow glance at Star Platinum who non-verbally confirmed this idea.
'Okay, Star Platinum you can hold onto them.' Anne said.
She held them towards Star Platinum and looked away. He cautiously took the paper snowflakes away from Anne; very much worried he would rip them. Anne smiled though and he carefully unhooked them from Anne's fingertips.
Between his own fingertips, he rubbed the paper.
'Ora.' he mumbled, mystified.
'Mm, soft.' Jotaro agreed but Star Platinum shot him a funny look. 'Newspaper paper is special. Softer than normal paper; usually.'
'Ora.' Star Platinum nodded.
He then continued his inspection of them. He glared at the fine print and sniffed the paper. He didn't really like the inky smell and lingering coffee scents on them though. He did like how soft they were and how pretty Anne had made them. He didn't know how to tell her this but he thought she did a great job; Anne got a sense for that. Star Platinum may not like talking but his eyes could be super expressive from time to time; if you ignore how stony and grumpy his face is, that is. And make sure you don't look at him for too long. He was strangely fickle. Anne didn't understand why.
Once Star Platinum finished inspecting Anne's snowflakes, he slowly gave them back to her.
'He liked it.' Jotaro said. His intonation flat; insincere on Anne's ears.
'I can tell.' Anne said. 'Thank you, Star Platinum. You were very nice.'
'Ora.' Star Platinum grumbled and he turned away from Anne. Embarrassed. He was blushing.
Anne giggled. 'Thank you.'
Star Platinum's ears perked up and a faint smile crossed his face curtly. He seemed to appreciate repetition.
Anne returned to sitting at Kakyoin's feet with the other two. Kakyoin had finished his chain. He seemed pleased with himself. Hierophant meanwhile had turned the newspaper he had been given into origami swans and other miniature animals. Similarly, Silver Chariot had also made origami using his newspaper: he called it "the snowball" and he was having a lot of fun seeing how many ways he could cut it up and make a mess. Kakyoin was keeping a steady eye on the mess Chariot was making as he had every intention of making sure that Chariot intended to clean up after himself.
Kakyoin got up and attempted to place the chain he had made over the doorway.
Anne wiggled closer to Hierophant Green; moving herself only with her hands so her palms reddened considerably. She cupped the side of Hierophant's head; where she assumed his ear should be under his costume.
'Ne, Hierophant, why is Star Platinum like that?' she whispered.
Hierophant crossed his arm across Anne and cupped her ear.
'What do you mean, Anne-dono?' Hierophant Green asked as he wracked his brain.
'Why doesn't he speak? Why doesn't he like be stared at yet stares back so weirdly? And like Chariot said earlier, he doesn't even play with his toy car right.'
'Oh, I know.' Hierophant Green said, like he was having an idea so obvious he had overlooked it.
Upon his arrival in this mortal realm, Hierophant Green's first order of business had been to consume every source of human information. And he had done so to the best of his abilities. He often forgets titbits here and there but for everything he forgets, he usually finds he can soon remember if he thinks about it long enough. Now was one of those moments. Stands didn't have a word for Star Platinum's behaviour outside of "abnormal" or "anti-social" but humans did. Hierophant green thinks this human label best suits Star Platinum.
'I do believe that he is autistic.' Hierophant Green replied.
'Huh? What's that?' Anne asked.
'Not anything bad, but-' Hierophant began.
But, before he could reply with everything he had ever read on the topic, there was a knock on the door. Kakyoin answered and soon, the others had returned. They had brought groceries with them, not McDonalds like Silver Chariot was still boisterously hoping for.
'See, kids can turn anything into a game.' Joseph announced raucously upon noticing the newspaper chain.
'It had been my idea actually, sir.' Kakyoin replied.
Silver Chariot raced towards Polnareff. 'Did you get McDonalds?' he begged.
'No but we did get some frozen fried chicken to warm up instead. Think of it as the healthier alternative.' Polnareff replied with a wave of his hand.
'I suupppose that is acceptable.' Silver Chariot overenunciated with a dramatic swing of his arms.
'Grocery shopping was lame.' pouted Magician's Red to Hermit Purple as they sat on the furthest bed together. 'We should have chilled with you guys. Arts and crafts is dope.'
'At is good for the soul.' Hermit Purple replied; speaking like an old man, world weary voice and all.
'Oi, you two lazy lumps!' Joseph called out from the kitchen towards Hermit Purple and Magician's Red. 'If you're old enough to push a trolley around, you're old enough to chop up carrots.'
'Okay, okay, old man.' Magician's Red replied as he and Hermit Purple got off the bed once more. It creaked as they got off it.
Jotaro and Star Platinum had evacuated to the balcony but this afternoon had been a good afternoon for them both. It was getting a little crowded now and they couldn't wait until Joseph, Avdol, Polnareff and their stands chuffed off back to their rooms again so there would be more breathing room. But still, they had had fun today. In their own way.
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AN: If I have portrayed autism insensitively, please let me know so I can either amend this fic or take it down completely based on the severity of the inaccuracies.