((A present for @regularlyscheduledjolynemom, along with how Marina and Josuke met! This was super fun to draw and color and write! Small vignette under the cut!))
Josuke checked his watch again. It was getting late, after all, and Jotaro had told him to be at the beach at 11AM, sharp. Jeez, he thought, leaning further against his squad car and crossing his arms over his chest. From behind his sunglasses, he felt his eyes narrow. I only get the day shift a few days out of the year, and I'm spending my entire lunch hour here! This had better be good. As he watched the people at the beach run from one side of the beach to the other, he couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Polyester in summer was hot.
He absently listened to the dispatchers talking over the radio. His fingers drummed on his arms, and he rolled his eyes. Five more minutes, Joot, then I'm getting back in the air conditioning.
Just as he thought the words, a familiar hairstyle sitting atop a familiar body flew by, followed by a loud 'whoop!’. Josuke almost jumped out of his skin, and looked over to see a woman with honey brown-colored hair standing close to him, on the phone.
"Yes, Jotaro, I'm at the beach," she smiled into the phone, and Josuke felt something nagging at the back of his mind. "Oh, Jolyne is already in the water. I'll have her call you later, okay?" Josuke's ears perked up, and he reached to his radio to turn down the volume. The dispatchers' voices all but disappeared, and he focused all his attention on the woman.
"A what?" She asked, and though she was wearing sunglasses, Josuke knew she was staring right at him. Dumbly, he stared back, already caught. "Y-yes, there's a squad car here. Yes, there's a police officer nearby..." Josuke bristled. On such a hot day, the thought of fighting a new enemy Stand already sounded exhausting. But, if Jotaro was on the other side... "What?" She turned away, and Josuke strained his ears. "I'm not going to go talk to him! I don't know him!" Civil service was a pain in the butt sometimes. The officer pushed away from the car, trying to look as friendly as possible.
"Excuse me," he cleared his throat behind her, and the woman jumped, almost dropping the phone in her hand. Josuke could hear the unmistakable voice of Jotaro Kujo on the other side, asking if the woman was still there.
"Do you need help with anything?"
"N-Nothing!" she laughed, turning away from the officer and holding the phone closer. "You didn't tell me I was going to meet a police officer! You remember how they treated Jolyne--Oh, don't give me any of that--"Josuke heard the other side of the conversation end, and flustered, she shook the phone. "Jotaro!" She hissed, and Josuke stood up straight, scratching the back of his head.
"That wasn't Jotaro Kujo, was it?" He asked, and she softened, turning back around. He laughed. "Figures. He's impossible, don't you think?"
"I wouldn't say impossible," she sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Just...difficult. How do you know him?"
"He's my nephew," Josuke explained. "My name is Josuke Higashikata."
"Oh!" A smile finally broke across her face. "You're Josuke! Jotaro's been telling me to meet you for years!"
"Has he?" Josuke blinked. "I saw you with Jolyne, but..."
"He hasn't mentioned me?" She asked, and when the officer could only shrug, she sighed. "I'm Dr. Marina Kujo, Jolyne's mother and Jotaro's former wife. He told me to come to Morioh with Jolyne for a vacation, and that he had someone he wanted me to meet. I suppose you must be him," she smiled.
"I suppose so," He laughed. "I'm currently on the beat, but if you're looking for a tour guide, I've lived here all my life, so I can show you around," he offered.
"Oh, that would be great!" Marina beamed up at him. "Jolyne has nothing but good things to say about you, so I'm sure she'd love to see you again!" Josuke opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, a photographer stopped them.
"Commemorative photo, 500 yen!" he pressed in their faces, and Josuke and Marina shared a look. "Commemorative photo, 500 yen!" He tried again, and Josuke sighed.
"You don't mind, do you?" He asked. "It's not every day I meet my great-niece's mother."
"Oh! Not at all!" She waved a hand in front of her face, and Josuke handed the man the money. A flash, snap, and squeal later, the Polaroid camera spit out a photo that read 'Greetings from Morioh-Cho!' on the white frame. Josuke waved to Marina as she moved toward the beach with a promise to see him later, regarding the picture in his hand with a fond smile.
You know, you'd create much fewer issues if you just communicated, Josuke typed out a text message to Jotaro on his way back to the squad car.
