I just want to apologize for this one: I don't like it XD I originally had a much better idea for this prompt that I would still like to write eventually, but this was one of the last whumptober fics I wrote and I didn't have the time to allow for a more complicated plot, so this is what it ended up being. I hope you all might be entertained by it anyway.
For prompts: vows, restraints, 'don't move'
On the Edge
While hunting down a potential serial killer, Jotaro and Josuke are captured and forced to play the killer's game, leaving Josuke in a very precarious situation.
Day 21: Vows, Restraints, 'Don't move'
Jotaro had Star Platinum yank the rest of the ropes off of him, staggering to his feet. He gritted his teeth, reaching up briefly to clasp his aching head.
He looked around the deserted industrial structure, crumbling concrete giving way to the metal beams keeping the building up.
He and Josuke had been looking into a potential killer and had gone to take a look at the abandoned factory just outside of Morioh that they had gotten an anonymous tip about. However, soon after stepping inside they realized this was, in fact, a trap and had been promptly chloroformed and subdued.
Jotaro had barely come to from the drug to catch sight of his killer as he was tying Jotaro firmly hand and foot. "You'll have an hour to find the boy and save him," the man said, the sound of a grin behind the mask he wore. "Good luck."
A blow to the head had sent Jotaro back into unconsciousness until now as he frantically started to look around the crumbling factory.
"Josuke!" he called.
He glanced at his watch, realizing that he'd been out for about fifteen minutes. Which meant that presumably forty-five minutes remained for him to find Josuke. If the bastard hadn't been lying.
He hurriedly checked the lower floor, but Josuke didn't seem to be anywhere down there.
Jotaro hurried toward the stairs on one side of the large room, carefully testing each one before he stepped on it with his full weight.
"Josuke!" he called again as he got up them.
"J-Jotaro?" the thin voice filtered in.
Jotaro hurried around a corner and stopped, not only because the floor here was crumbling in places, but because he had found Josuke.
The teen was dangling above a large hole in the floor, gaping toward the story below. His hands were bound and strung over his head, attached to a pulley system. Upon further glance, Jotaro saw that Josuke wasn't completely suspended, he was balancing on two chains that had been stretched across the opening, wobbling all too much.
"Josuke, are you all right?" Jotaro asked, then amended, "Are you hurt?"
Josuke took a shuddering breath. "M-my arm. He dislocated my shoulder." Jotaro could hear the strain in his voice. "And this thing…it keeps getting lower and the chain isn't attached to anything once it runs out. I'm just gonna fall!"
The pulley suddenly clanked and shuddered and Jotaro's heart leapt into his throat as Josuke cried out, the chains holding him slackening a few more inches. Josuke teetered on the chains below his feet, trying to regain his balance as he swore in pain, hands grasping at the chains above him to try and alleviate some pressure on his injured shoulder.
"Please do something!" he cried.
"Just hang on," Jotaro said, cautiously making his way toward the pulley. "Let me look at this."
Josuke whimpered, but nodded.
Jotaro got to the pulley, inspecting the roll of chain and feeling sick as he saw that there really wasn't much left. Even if he could have used it to lower Josuke to the lower floor, he wouldn't do that considering Josuke's injured arm. As long as he could anchor the chain though, he might be able to—
There was a sudden snapping sound and Josuke cried out, tottering as one of the chains he was standing on suddenly gave way, leaving him teetering on only one, the links groaning with his weight.
"Jotaro!" he cried.
"Josuke, don't move!" Jotaro snapped hurriedly. "Stay as still as possible and slide your feet apart.
Josuke did as he was told, shakily sliding his feet to either side of the chain, wincing as the current position put more pressure on his shoulder.
Jotaro quickly went through their options, realizing they didn't have many. He could tell that chain was straining under Josuke's weight and if that pulley dropped again, it was likely to snap as well, leaving Josuke dangling with his full weight on his dislocated shoulder. As it was, Josuke was too far from the edge of the opening for Jotaro to grab him. He could use Star Platinum, but there still wasn't enough slack on Josuke's chain to get him close enough to a safe area of the floor.
That basically left one option and Jotaro knew Josuke wasn't going to like it.
"Alright, Josuke, listen to me," he said as calmly as possible. "I think the only option is for me to release the rest of the chain."
"What?!"
Jotaro manifested his Stand. "Star Platinum is going to be ready to catch you."
"No way!" Josuke cried out, voice trembling in terror.
The pulley shifted again and wobbled, scrambling with a terrified cry to keep his feet on the chain, hunched over now, eyes squeezed shut.
"Josuke, I promise I will get you out of this, I just need you to trust me," Jotaro said to him firmly. Star hovered underneath where Josuke was suspended, waiting. "Do you trust me?"
Josuke squeezed his eyes shut, letting out a quiet sob before he nodded once. "Yes. I trust you."
"Alright," Jotaro said and went to start working on the pulley. He found the mechanism that was slowly letting the chain out and took a deep breath.
"Okay, Josuke, it's going to go slack when I finish counting down. Just take a deep breath, and stay still. Let Star catch you. I promise he won't let you fall."
"O-okay," Josuke whimpered.
Jotaro turned to the pulley and took a deep breath himself as he raised a foot to kick the lever.
A heavy clang resounded, followed by the sound of the chain letting out rapidly.
Josuke screamed and Jotaro watched as he plummeted for a brief second before Star caught him firmly.
The Stand hovered toward the floor below and Jotaro hurried back down the stairs, running over to meet Josuke, still cradled in Star's arms.
"Holy shit," Josuke muttered, shaking. Jotaro took hold of him and lowered him to the ground as his Stand took care of the manacles around Josuke's wrists. "I thought I was gonna die."
"I told you I wouldn't let that happen."
"Yeah, I know," Josuke murmured, then cried out as Jotaro finally freed him and shifted his arms down to his chest.
"Easy," Jotaro said, then without warning, popped the shoulder back into joint.
Josuke screamed in agony, slumping against Jotaro's chest for a brief moment before he pulled back, reaching up to wipe the sweat off his face.
"I'm really glad you're going for an academic doctorate and not a medical one," Josuke muttered.
A slow clap sounded and both of them looked over to see their captor standing to one side, watching.
"Well, I must say you're the first ones to get out of that little pickle. I am wondering how you did it though."
Jotaro and Josuke glanced at each other before they brought out Star Platinum and Crazy Diamond.
"Curious?" Jotaro asked. "We'll show you."
The Stands rushed the man and his shocked cries sounded out as they pummeled him into unconsciousness before Josuke manipulated some stray rebar with Crazy Diamond to loop around his wrists and ankles, pinning him to the ground.
Jotaro helped Josuke to his feet, the young man giving a look of satisfaction. "Well, in the end he was relatively easy to take care of. Not even a Stand user."
Jotaro nodded. "I think we can let the local authorities handle this now. Let's get you back into town and taken care of."
Josuke sighed and leaned on Jotaro as they made their way out of the building to call in help.
"Hey, Jotaro," Josuke said quietly. "Thanks, by the way. I was really freaking out back there."
"Understandably," Jotaro replied.
"You think I can get extra credit for hunting down serial killers over summer break?" Josuke asked then, cradling his injured arm.
"Good grief," Jotaro muttered tiredly. "Let's just get out of here, kid."
"Don't need to tell me twice."