Cross-posted from AO3
Iggy.
Iggy likes Abdul, though he'd never openly show his affection for him (unless it ended in him getting treats). Abdul is patient with him. He, like Jotaro, understands Iggy's intelligence. The added fact that Abdul still occasionally let's his guard down long enough for Iggy to grab the whole pack of gum vs the single piece that Iggy normally gets is just an added bonus really.
It's Polnareff that Iggy has trouble with. He's always jumping up and down. He's all erratic movements and full of emotion ready to burst. And to make things worse his pride rivals even Iggy's own.
It's not that Iggy goes out of his way to antagonize Polnareff or anything, it's just that the silly human doesn't seem to understand that Iggy is the king of runaway dogs and he won't submit his will to anyone.
Still it doesn't change the fact that Polnareff smells like Abdul.
Iggy hadn't noticed it until one day, after Joseph had given him a piece of gum to temporarily placate him as the crew checked into a hotel for the night. Content with the situation, Iggy happily chewed away and ever so slightly relaxed enough to allow Abdul to scratch his back.
Normally Iggy wouldn't allow himself to be coddled in such a manner but hey, the occasional back scratch is nice.
The scratches went on for a few moments until Abdul walked into the lobby carrying some luggage.
Wait... Abdul?
Jumping up and growling at the mystery backscratcher revealed him to be Polnareff caught
wide eyed,
shit eating grin frozen with terror on his face at being discovered.
After a good portion the frenchman's hair had been torn out and obtaining a new pack of gum, Iggy had happily trotted away, no worse for wear...
It was strange though, that the Frenchman smelled so strongly like Abdul.
Joseph.
Joseph watches as Polnareff turns away from the group. Abdul practically doing everything he can to stop him short of physically holding him back
and Joseph understands.
He's seen this scene play out before, except last time it had been him calling out after the retreating back of his friend
...more than a friend really.
He tells Abdul to let Polnareff go because he knows that there are some decisions that can't be unmade.
Polnareff made the choice to go after his sister's murderer,
Just like Caesar made his.
He doesn't, however, stop Abdul from chasing after him.
As the rain starts pouring down and a rather disgruntled waiter comes out of the restaurant asking Joseph and the others if they are planning on paying and eating their food, Joseph's last thoughts before turning away are
Please let it be different this time.
Kakyoin.
He's still mad at Polnareff. Even as Abdul's blood pools out beneath his head, Kakyoin can't help but feel angry at the Frenchman.
This whole thing was his fault and he doesn't even have the goddamned decency to turn around and look at Abdul, to even so much as apologize.
Even after the tears have stopped gushing out of Polnareff's eyes, Kakyoin still can't bring himself to fully forgive him.
The loser is the evil one...
And the winner is just.
Kakyoin doesn't feel bad about suggesting that Polnareff be kept out of the loop about Abdul's recovery... At least not at first.
He's always so expressive, cracking jokes at inappropriate times, making rash decisions based on emotion. But Kakyoin's learned that the things that really haunt Polnareff aren't the things that he openly shares with his friends.
Sometimes in lull between traveling Polnareff becomes oddly quiet, eyes unfocused, mouth set firm in a contemplative line.
It takes awhile for Kakyoin to notice,
it but, the only time the Frenchman grows silent is after Abdul is mentioned. At first Kakyoin thinks it because he still feels guilty about what happened. But as time goes on he realizes.
The only people that Polnareff avoids talking about are his sister and Abdul.
Kakyoin absentmindedly wonders how much Polnareff must care for Abdul, and how he's going to react when Abdul is finally healed enough to rejoin them.
Jotaro.
He doesn't know when it happened, but he's starting to realize that at some point on this journey, Kakyoin and Polnareff have been swapping earrings.
Where cherries would normally be swaying from Kakyoin's ears, now half broken hearts sway.
Pulling his hat lower over his face, Jotaro looks over to the Polnareff, and sure enough, a pair of cherries dangle brightly from his ears.
Hmph, it's not like it's that big of a deal to swap earrings but well, isn't it unhygienic? Jotaro fiddles with his own earrings in thought. He's about to say something to Kakyoin about it when Abdul turns to Polnareff.
He catches the cherries gently and leans in to say something to the Frenchman and for the briefest flicker of a second Jotaro could swear that he sees a faint blush appear on both Polnareff's and Abdul's faces.
He's interrupted though when Kakyoin flicks the brim of his hat.
"If you're going to say something just say it, it's annoying when i can tell that your getting ready to say something to me and then you don't."
Jotaro frowns down at Kakyoin. Taking one last glance at Polnareff and Abdul composed faces he almost thinks he might have imagined things.
Turning back to Kakyoin he clears his throat awkwardly,
"Would you like to trade earrings with me sometime?"
...
Perhaps he should have realized it when Polnareff had refused to believe what he was saying.
Or maybe, he should have recognized the flash in his eyes when he dangled the severed arms mockingly in front of him.
Either way, it's too late now. It's funny in a way, how his last thoughts as the sun burns his skin isn't about his lord, his world... Dio.
No, his last thoughts are about the look in Polnareff's eyes and how the Egyptian man could have survived if he hadn't been so adamant about saving the Frenchman's life.
As the light turns his body to ash. He wonders if Lord Dio will show Polnareff the mercy of quickly sending him after his lover.
Bonus
At this point, Abdul couldn't even say why it's Polnareff of all people but it is. It's always Polnareff.
His smile.
His laughter. The way he leans towards Abdul, when Abdul's talking to him. His strange fixation with his hair. His kindness and caring.
It's always Polnareff that he thinks about, and if he had to wager he'd bet that the man probably feels the same way about Abdul.
When Abdul remembers the darkness that had radiated from Dio during their brief encounter he is honestly afraid, but not for himself.
"If I am beaten or lost, don't stop to save me, we're here to defeat Dio." He tells Polnareff and Iggy.
As worried as Abdul is for the safety of his friends, it is Polnareff that he is worried about the most. It would be just like the Frenchman to try and save his life instead of protecting himself. Abdul looks to Polnareff, willing him to understand, and watches as his mouth settles into the straight line that means he's taking the situation as seriously as he can.
"Abdul, if we make it out alive buy me dinner" Polnareff offers, reaching out.
Clasping his lovers hand, Abdul fondly smiles back at the Frenchman.
"I'll buy Iggy's as well"