![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ic inbox ( ruby city )
"Leave a message, per favore; I'll be back before you know it."
[text|voice|video]
"Leave a message, per favore; I'll be back before you know it."
[text|voice|video]
Caesar, piccolino, there's something very, very important I need to talk to you about. Before anyone else breaks it to you the worst way possible.
Don't tell me he's there-- Look, I- [ SIGHS ] -- I don't care. Trust me this is important; it's about Jojo.
[ Notson she could just about scream at you right now if it would make you listen. ]
Our Jojo, Caesar! [ Have you ever even heard her call anyone that, really. ] I— Ugh— Listen: his mother is in this city and knowing Jojo, if anyone tells him he'll tell you and I need you to know that before things escalate more than they already are.
[ Lisa "doesn't know how to act on impulse" Lisa. ]
Our Jojo, Caesar! [ Have you ever even heard her call anyone that, really. ] I— Ugh— Listen: his mother is in this city and knowing Jojo, if anyone tells him he'll tell you and I need you to know that before things escalate more than they already are.
[ Lisa "doesn't know how to act on impulse" Lisa. ]
[ Her face is as close to stoic as possible. Unfortunately current circumstances make that look... Not all that convincing, really. ]
I think I made myself clear.
I think I made myself clear.
[ This is the worst part about having two boys to break this to. See, she can probably handle whatever Dio might think, say or do; he's a child right now. Caesar and Joseph, on the other hand, are all she knows of raising teenage boys. If she can even call it that– they raised themselves. She just wants to think she's been there for them, just a minute or two but in some way. ]
[ This is the worst. This is too complicated and she's so sorry but she's not good with emotions at all and when she falls into complete silence, it's tense and upsetting and she's upset but right now this is less about her and more about how Caesar feels, how Joseph might feel and how, really, how far is he from the truth. ]
I omitted the truth. [ Which... Isn't much better without full context, but would Caesar even stop to hear that. ] Don't you find it strange that Loggins or Messina — or even Suzie — couldn't pinpoint my origins.
Think for a second, Caesar. Knowing me, do you think I'd lie deliberately about something so crucial.
[ This is the worst. This is too complicated and she's so sorry but she's not good with emotions at all and when she falls into complete silence, it's tense and upsetting and she's upset but right now this is less about her and more about how Caesar feels, how Joseph might feel and how, really, how far is he from the truth. ]
I omitted the truth. [ Which... Isn't much better without full context, but would Caesar even stop to hear that. ] Don't you find it strange that Loggins or Messina — or even Suzie — couldn't pinpoint my origins.
Think for a second, Caesar. Knowing me, do you think I'd lie deliberately about something so crucial.
That's lying. You lied.
[And you left him, you left him alone, how could you leave him alone?]
You had a thousand chances to tell the truth and you didn't take any of them. That's what you did. You lied. You abandoned your family and you lied. I don't want to hear excuses for that.
[And you left him, you left him alone, how could you leave him alone?]
You had a thousand chances to tell the truth and you didn't take any of them. That's what you did. You lied. You abandoned your family and you lied. I don't want to hear excuses for that.
I didn't abandon anyone!
[ There's more than just a hint of hurt in her voice but that's more than he'd probably ever get to hear from her. It's not that different from when they found him... After he. ]
[ She doesn't want to think about that. ]
[ But it still hurts to hear that, to have that accusation flung at him by someone she cares for so much and it's a blessing that she's not standing in front of him right now, because after twenty years of this, she might crack some day. ]
Think about it - think about Mario and what he did for you! He and I are no different, Caesar. I never had a choice. If I told him- if, if I did don't you think it would change everything?
[ God, she can't do this. She can't argue with this boy, she just can't. ]
[ There's more than just a hint of hurt in her voice but that's more than he'd probably ever get to hear from her. It's not that different from when they found him... After he. ]
[ She doesn't want to think about that. ]
[ But it still hurts to hear that, to have that accusation flung at him by someone she cares for so much and it's a blessing that she's not standing in front of him right now, because after twenty years of this, she might crack some day. ]
Think about it - think about Mario and what he did for you! He and I are no different, Caesar. I never had a choice. If I told him- if, if I did don't you think it would change everything?
[ God, she can't do this. She can't argue with this boy, she just can't. ]
[She says his father's name, and his blood runs cold. He will not do this. He refuses. No. She will not use his father's name against him. She of all people should know better.]
How dare you . . . how dare you say that to me.
[Of course it would change everything. That's the whole point.]
[He cuts the feed.]
How dare you . . . how dare you say that to me.
[Of course it would change everything. That's the whole point.]
[He cuts the feed.]
Caesar—
[ That's that, then. There's no way she's getting to him now and that's the issue; she knows Caesar well enough to know this won't get anywhere. ]
[ It just... hurts. And if he does care to look at it another way, she'll have left him a single text message for him to think about: "Please, listen to me." ]
[ But that's it. That's where she leaves it off at. ]
[ That's that, then. There's no way she's getting to him now and that's the issue; she knows Caesar well enough to know this won't get anywhere. ]
[ It just... hurts. And if he does care to look at it another way, she'll have left him a single text message for him to think about: "Please, listen to me." ]
[ But that's it. That's where she leaves it off at. ]
you know im starting to understand why you dont like my family and everyone associated with them all that much
oh nothing you know just figured out that BASTARD dio took my grandfathers body and survived while kakyoin was pussyfooting around trying to "TELL" me something
he had the gall enough to try and keep me in the dark until jotaro was ready to talk about it
i swear to god caesar this is just like lisa lisa all over again i am so fucking TIRED of it
he had the gall enough to try and keep me in the dark until jotaro was ready to talk about it
i swear to god caesar this is just like lisa lisa all over again i am so fucking TIRED of it
[What kind of stupid question is that? Of course I do.]
[It's what Joseph thinks, but doesn't type. Caesar coming here would feel better, but it'd lend itself to further disaster. He has an even nastier temper than Joseph does and less tolerance for bullshit from Joestars and Joestar-adjacent individuals by default than Joseph does right now. And besides, Joseph might be stronger with Caesar at his side, but he has to learn to stand on his own two feet sometimes. He can't become dependent on Caesar to handle every problem, especially not problems with his family.]
no i got this im giving jotaro a chance
[But...]
but if he doesnt do the right thing
caesar i need you to tell me everything you know promise me?
[It's what Joseph thinks, but doesn't type. Caesar coming here would feel better, but it'd lend itself to further disaster. He has an even nastier temper than Joseph does and less tolerance for bullshit from Joestars and Joestar-adjacent individuals by default than Joseph does right now. And besides, Joseph might be stronger with Caesar at his side, but he has to learn to stand on his own two feet sometimes. He can't become dependent on Caesar to handle every problem, especially not problems with his family.]
no i got this im giving jotaro a chance
[But...]
but if he doesnt do the right thing
caesar i need you to tell me everything you know promise me?
Of course I will.
[Honestly, he's starting to think he should have already. It would be - bad for Joseph in terms of how he relates to his family, would make things so much harder for him to forgive if he got that information from a secondhand source, but maybe he shouldn't have trusted those boys to give Joseph the information he needs.]
[This is the last chance, anyway. That much is clear.]
I promise. You'll know everything I know by this evening, one way or another. You have a right to that.
[Honestly, he's starting to think he should have already. It would be - bad for Joseph in terms of how he relates to his family, would make things so much harder for him to forgive if he got that information from a secondhand source, but maybe he shouldn't have trusted those boys to give Joseph the information he needs.]
[This is the last chance, anyway. That much is clear.]
I promise. You'll know everything I know by this evening, one way or another. You have a right to that.
okay
[Joseph's still angry, but the high energy and explosive part of his anger has diminished to a point where he just feels exhausted. All he wants to do right now is go back home to Caesar's apartment and say to hell with any of this anyway. Possibly never move again, if he can help it. But he's not going to do that. He's not going to run from this because he's never run from anything before in his life and he's not about to start to now. He can't give up and just let everyone continue deciding what's best without him having any say in it.]
thanks
[Joseph's still angry, but the high energy and explosive part of his anger has diminished to a point where he just feels exhausted. All he wants to do right now is go back home to Caesar's apartment and say to hell with any of this anyway. Possibly never move again, if he can help it. But he's not going to do that. He's not going to run from this because he's never run from anything before in his life and he's not about to start to now. He can't give up and just let everyone continue deciding what's best without him having any say in it.]
thanks
[It's a little strange to realize how proud he is of Joseph right now. How much he wants to tell him he's doing the right thing, being stronger than anyone would ever expect. But in moments like this, being told that doesn't help, he thinks, so - he doesn't.]
[Instead:]
I'll get us some dinner. All right? So you tell me what you want and I'll get it while I'm out.
[Instead:]
I'll get us some dinner. All right? So you tell me what you want and I'll get it while I'm out.
[There's a longer delay in Joseph's response, mostly because he's trying to think of what he'd want to eat later. But nothing is really coming to him. His mind just keeps going around in circles. He wants so much to be distracted by this, to think about food and being able to just spend the rest of the day in Caesar's apartment with Caesar, and maybe convincing Caesar just to eat on the couch instead of at the table where it's more comfortable. He tries just rereading things between him and Caesar again to try and focus on what to say, but he can't stop trying to piece together the scraps of information now that his anger has simmered into something quieter and he's ignoring Kakyoin, who's near him again by now.]
[Jotaro said it came down the bloodline, didn't he? So Dio was the one that awoke all of their Stands. Because of Jonathan's body...]
[Joseph rubs at his eye with the heel of his hand before writing back and simply admitting,]
i dont know im not sure im going to even be all that hungry later
might just go to bed
[Jotaro said it came down the bloodline, didn't he? So Dio was the one that awoke all of their Stands. Because of Jonathan's body...]
[Joseph rubs at his eye with the heel of his hand before writing back and simply admitting,]
i dont know im not sure im going to even be all that hungry later
might just go to bed
That's fine, too.
[He wants to say something more comforting than that. He does, but . . . he's not very good at this. He's out of practice, and anyway, Joseph isn't one of his little siblings crying after a bad dream. He can't just say it's not real, because it is. He can't say he'll fix it, either, that he'll protect Joseph against whatever comes, because that isn't really fair to him, is it? And he wouldn't want that anyway, himself.]
[He just . . . wants Joseph to be able to relax a little. Not all the time, because no one has everything in life just handed to them, not even people like Joseph, but . . .]
[That's the thing. Just because Joseph's lived a charmed life so far doesn't mean that it's fair for everything to dump on him at once now, with no breaks.]
[He just wants Joseph to smile.]
Sometimes when I get angry I get sort of. A little sick to my stomach. I'll find you something for that, just in case. And then tomorrow we can do whatever you want. Even if it's nothing, I can probably manage it.
[He wants to say something more comforting than that. He does, but . . . he's not very good at this. He's out of practice, and anyway, Joseph isn't one of his little siblings crying after a bad dream. He can't just say it's not real, because it is. He can't say he'll fix it, either, that he'll protect Joseph against whatever comes, because that isn't really fair to him, is it? And he wouldn't want that anyway, himself.]
[He just . . . wants Joseph to be able to relax a little. Not all the time, because no one has everything in life just handed to them, not even people like Joseph, but . . .]
[That's the thing. Just because Joseph's lived a charmed life so far doesn't mean that it's fair for everything to dump on him at once now, with no breaks.]
[He just wants Joseph to smile.]
Sometimes when I get angry I get sort of. A little sick to my stomach. I'll find you something for that, just in case. And then tomorrow we can do whatever you want. Even if it's nothing, I can probably manage it.
[Caesar is trying so hard right now. It doesn't take a genius to see that he's trying so very hard to keep Joseph distracted, pulling his attention to anywhere but right where he is, what he's waiting for, and who he's waiting to see and listen to. In some ways, that's enough to make Joseph want to smile, but he doesn't follow through with it. He already feels a little too strung out and tired right now to manage it though. Joseph settles for the warm instead that starts somewhere in the middle of his chest spreads instead. That's nice even if it makes him feel a little more tired. It's a good sort of tired by comparison, anyway.]
you think youre that good at doing nothing already??
you think youre that good at doing nothing already??
Page 12 of 40