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Using the last of his energy, Caesar manages to pull Joseph up to the top of the wall surrounding the oil-soaked pillar. He’s more tired than he’s ever been in his life and his breaths are coming in short pants and his ears are still ringing from all of Joseph’s shouting as he was trying to pull him up. All he can do is lie on his back and wait for his breathing to even out and for the aching in his limbs to lessen.
Jojo seems to be doing much the same. His head is just a few inches from Caesar’s and he can feel Jojo’s hot, shallow breaths fan across the side of his face as they’re expelled from the mask.
“Caesar,” Joseph says between breaths, “we made it. We did it!”
“That we did, Jojo,” Caesar replies, his voice weak but not without a tint of amusement.
Joseph lets out a long, joyous howl and Caesar wonders how he has the energy. It’s taking all he has just to keep focus and not pass out where he’s lying. Caesar closes his eyes and hopes to catch just a few moments of rest before Master Lisa Lisa inevitably makes them get up. And that’s all it takes for Joseph to grab him into a sort of half-hug, his big hand running through Caesar’s hair and consequently pressing Caesar’s nose much closer to Jojo’s armpit than he was ever expecting, wanting, or needing it to be.
“I’m so happy if I didn’t have this stupid mask on, I’d kiss you!” Joseph says, half-laughing half-crying.
Caesar thanks God for small miracles.
***
As it turns out, Joseph has a habit of saying that phrase. During their few weeks of training on Air Supplena Island, Caesar hears it many times.
At the end of their first full day of training -
“If it wasn’t for this mask, I’d kiss you!”
The first time they complete one of the minor tasks set by Messina and Loggins -
“I could kiss you!”
Caesar narrowly saves Jojo from drowning -
“Oh, my little Caesar, I'd kiss you!"
They get away with sneaking an extra serving of dessert -
“I’d kiss ya!”
It’s cute. But it's all enough to drive Caesar mad. Clearly, Jojo doesn’t mean it. Joseph can be very affectionate, but as his repeated attempts to flirt with Suzie Q prove, he’s rather inexperienced and clumsy when it comes to romance. He still manages to be charming in his own way, and that’s what makes Suzie Q and even Caesar himself smile, but inexperienced nonetheless. Caesar doubts Jojo has kissed anyone other than his grandmother in his entire life.
And that’s not really a bad thing. Joseph is still young, after all.
But it definitely means there’s no real intent behind Jojo’s casual use of the phrase. And strangely, Caesar finds himself disappointed by that. Over the course of the month they’ve spent together, he’s grown fond of Jojo - ridiculously, immeasurably fond, more fond than he ever thought he could be of a person.
He feels at ease whenever Joseph is around him. He smiles more. He laughs more. He feels light as a feather and completely content with himself. But at the same time Jojo causes him so much anxiety. Every time he tears a page from the calendar, there’s a sinking feeling in his gut. He’s always worried about Jojo, always watching him to make sure he doesn’t do anything (else) stupid and heroic.
For all his romantic trysts with women and men alike, Caesar has never been in love. But he thinks this is maybe what it feels like.
***
When Caesar pulls Joseph up from the side of the cliff after their run-in with Kars, he knows exactly what Jojo’s next line will be.
“I’m so happy, I could -"
He’s interrupted as Caesar threads his fingers through the hair at the nape of Joseph’s neck and tugs his head down for their lips to meet. It’s not exactly quick and chaste isn’t really Caesar’s style and Jojo is definitely surprised, but Caesar is accomplished enough in the art of romance that he’s able to work around that.
He uses the fingers he has on the back of Joseph’s neck to gently massage the skin there and he brings his other hand up to stroke the side of Jojo’s face, relaxing him and coaxing him into returning the kiss. He does - hesitantly at first, unsure of what to do. Caesar chuckles, a deep rumble that resonates through his chest and into their kiss. He expertly moves his lips against Jojo’s, nipping and tugging until he’s sure Joseph wouldn’t even know his own name if asked. He breathes deeply into the kiss before he let’s go of Jojo.
“Kiss me?” he says, eyes half-lidded and a playful smile gracing his lips.
Joseph looks ridiculous. His dark hair is even more mussed than usual and his eyes look like they’re going to fall out of their sockets and his cheeks and ears are red and there’s a tiny trail of saliva running down his chin.
“I - I -" Joseph stutters. He brings a hand up to touch his lips and then holds it out in front of him, his eyes moving from his hand to Caesar and back to his hand again.
“You don’t have the mask on anymore. You had no excuse for not kissing me this time,” Caesar says. He feels relief. He feels happier than he has in a long time and his smile is wide enough to make his eyes crinkle.
Joseph spends a few more moments staring at his hand before it's like a switch flips in his brain and suddenly he’s scowling and grabbing the collar of Caesar’s jacket, although his face and ears are still a ruddy red color.
“That was my first kiss you bastard!” he shouts.
And Caesar laughs when he says:
“I thought that may be the case.”
Jojo’s scowl shifts into a more flustered expression and his face reddens even further.
“But it was a good one, wasn’t it?” Caesar continues.
Joseph looks away, mumbling something under his breath.
“What was that?” Caesar asks in a lilting tone. “Didn’t quite catch it?”
“I said you and your damn Casanova moves!”
“Well they worked on you, didn’t they?”
Caesar leans in for another kiss - this time no more than a peck - and swings an arm around Joseph’s shoulders. Jojo is still grumbling under his breath, but he’s smiling and clearly content as they walk together back up the hillside.