Holly waited with her son Jotaro, age seven, behind the front door to the Kujo house. Her husband had volunteered to go and buy groceries for dinner supplied with a list written by Holly. Any moment she was expecting her father to appear at the door probably boisterious as ever.
She heard the sound of a few muffled footsteps and the door was slid open.
"Holly!"
"Papa!" Giggling like a twelve year old Holly rushed to embrace him Jotaro following slowly behind a quiet smile beaming on his face. The hug was made awkward by the bag slung over Joseph's right shoulder.
"Whoa there, don't make me drop the presents. I'll be here for a few days before going back to New York to meet up with Smokey," explained Joseph glancing from Holly, who had just kissed his cheek, to little Jotaro. The old man bent down ruffling the child's black hair. "Hey there, how's my favorite grandson?"
"Jiji!" Blue eyes looked up at him sparkling with delight. It was rare to see his grandfather except on special occassions and he made sure every time counted.
"Jiji? No, say it with me, grandpa."
"Gurandupa?"
"Gur-"
"Gur-"
"-rand-"
"-r, randu-"
"-pa."
"-pa."
"Grandpa!" Jotaro paused to recollect himself before taking the plunge.
"Gurandpa!" Holly burst out in laughter and a smile spread out across Joseph's weathered face. It was the closest he was going to get at present. He knelt down in front of Jotaro taking the sack off his shoulder.
"Good work! Now, I got a job for you." Joseph's suddenly serious tone caused Jotaro's previous smile to dim as he focused on what was being said his mother helping to translate when needed. "You take these presents to the tree and put them under there. Understood?"
A determined look appeared on Jotaro's face and he nodded in confirmation. Taking the sack he began to drag it dutifully towards the most spacious room in the house where they had the Christmas tree set up. Holly watched him go a warm motherly glow about her.
"You really didn't need to get so many presents," she said. Joseph stood looking over at her.
"Nonsense, he's my grandson. He deserves to be spoiled just like my little girl." As Holly was about to reply the front door was slid open again.
"Joseph! You really shouldn't leave you wife outside in the cold!" Turning around Holly recognized her mother standing there with a stack of presents piled high between her hands. Not far behind her was Roses objecting to his mistress's demands of carrying the presents herself.
"You have more?!"
"Suzie! Steady, let me get those-" Thankfully Joseph reached her in time before the tower fell over completely. Admist the laughter that ensued if one could hear there would be another more faint male one joining in.
Christmas day felt like it came sooner than expected. The morning was spent opening presents and watching little Jotaro tear excitedly through the bright wrapping paper. A radio was turned on playing Christmas songs to help set the mood. Digging under the Christmas tree for more of his presents Joseph sat beside him and pointed out a small box. Taking it the child curiously began opening the present wondering what could be so small to fit in the box. Holly and Suzie sat by watching (Jotaro's father had gone to make them all hot chocolate in the kitchen).
Inside the box was revealed to be a faded yellow and pink headband he lifted out to gaze at. The awe on Jotaro's face managed to amuse Joseph.
"Here." The old man took the headband and wrapped it around the boy's head tying it firmly in place. Giving his grandson a once-over he said, "This headband belonged to a warrior I knew long ago. I want you to have it."
"War…Wowri-"
"Bushi," interjected Holly kindly. Jotaro made the connection and a close mouthed smile spread across his face. This belonged to a warrior! Reverently he touched the parts of the headband that spilled over his shoulders. Maybe he, too, could be a warrior like the one his grandfather knew.
"Take care of it. I had it restored once I'm not sure if it'll last a second time," warned Joseph with a smile. Jotaro looked up at him and nodded his eyes trailing off as he saw a figure hovering over his grandfather's shoulder. Focusing his attention the figure turned out to be a young man with blond hair, weird marks on his cheeks, and Jotaro noticed he was wearing the same headband. The weirdest part was that the stranger was entirely translucent.
Just as Jotaro was thinking of drawing attention to the hovering stranger he motioned for the child to be silent by holding a finger up to his own lips. The next second he was gone from sight. It would be later on in the night that Jotaro would come to more formally meet Uncle Caesar.