Chapter Text
As Joseph sprinted, she thought of the woman who was likely about to beat her ass.
She often thought about her, actually. Who couldn't? Caesar Zeppeli was an enigma. Joseph thought that only the most obvious life-of-the-party people, like herself of course, could be so magnetic. But Caesar was so different from her.
Mature, calculated and dedicated in everything she did. She was flirty in a way much unlike Joseph was--which is to say, she was successful. And it annoyed Joseph beyond belief. Certainly more than it should.
They had finally just started to become friends, at least, but still Caesar was rather distant. So Joseph didn't understand why she was so attracted to her. Her knowledge of the woman was limited, and so far she had really only ever been chastised or teased by her. Both of which she unfortunately enjoyed very much. Though Caesar wouldn't find that out for a while.
Joseph wanted to make a move, but she was smart enough to know that it could be a real disaster if Caesar's reaction was anything like what most of the world thought at that time. Sometimes Joseph was bitter about the fact that she grew up with such an openminded family. Why couldn't her grandmother and uncle be hateful and ignorant like everybody else?
Agh! Curses to them for making her feel comfortable in her sexuality!
She was beginning to enjoy her friendship with Caesar, and didn't want to ruin that over some silly attraction. Plus, she probably would no longer be able to get away with changing clothes in the same room as her. And she would never want to lose the privilege of knowing that Caesar matches her bra with her underwear. Or the annoyed tone that she used when she chastised Joseph to actually wear a bra for once, lest she get a black-eye doing jumping-jacks.
So, Joseph kept her mouth shut, and purposely made Caesar just a little angry, because she liked the way Caesar would glare and pinch her waist as minor discipline.
"Jojo!"
Ah, there was that voice.
"Sor-ry!" Joseph sang as she jogged closer into the training room. "I lost track of time..."
"You lose track of many things." Caesar deadpanned. "Your dignity, seeming to be one of them." She tugged at the waistband of Joseph's shorts. "This are far too tight to work out in. You might as well be wearing a flapper dress."
"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Joseph wiggled her eyebrows.
"Go put your muzzle on." Caesar frowned and pushed her away.
"It's a mask!" Joseph whined. "Don't call it a muzzle!"
"You're just lucky I convinced Lisa Lisa to let you sleep without it on." Caesar said. "Don't complain even more."
As Joseph grabbed the breathing mask, Caesar tried to scowl hard enough that she didn't laugh. Per usual, Joseph was being dramatic, hissing from the touch of the cold metal, squirming her legs around as it warmed up against the skin of her face.
"Alright!" She clapped, voice just slightly muffled. "What are we doing today?"
"Stretching, then cardio, then breathing-focused yoga, then--"
"Okay, never mind. Just tell me when we're about to do it." Joseph waved her off.
Caesar rolled her eyes and shed her jacket. She indulged Joseph in light conversation as they went through various stretch moves. Truthfully, it was good that she talked so much. You had to breathe to talk, so it was a bit of lung capacity training on its own.
Once they properly felt limber, they headed outside to go for a run. Joseph knew that convincing Caesar to go for a lap through town meant they would get breakfast together while they were out. Caesar only agreed to the ordeal for 'convenience', but Joseph could tell that she enjoyed the small break that they got to just hang out during.
"Jojo, are you up for a race?" Caesar shouted towards her, turning around and jogging backwards.
Show off. Joseph thought.
"Always!" She called back, speeding up into a full run to catch up.
They ran, side by side, though Caesar varying levels of faster than Joseph, until they reached Caesar's favorite café. It was an unspoken finish line, and as usual, Caesar won. Though it was by less of a margin than last time they raced. She gave Joseph a pat on the back in place of any outward praise.
It was still somehow enough for Joseph's eyes to shimmer and crinkle up, clearly grinning underneath her mouth covering.
"What're you having for breakfast?" She asked as they found a table to relax at.
"Not sure." Caesar sighed. "Probably just some tea and a couple biscuits with jam."
"Mm! Sounds good! I want a cookie." Joseph said. "And coffee."
"Why are you telling me this?" Caesar raised an eyebrow. "I am not our waitress."
"I'm making conversation." Joseph squinted. "It's what friends do."
"...I suppose." Caesar rolled her eyes. "They started making those rainbow cookies a few weeks ago. You'd enjoy them."
Joseph nodded and decided to try a couple. Which turned into several after she got a taste.
Caesar didn't even attempt to warn her about eating too much confectionery right before continuing a workout. Luckily, she didn't puke on their jog back to Lisa Lisa's estate.
She may have turned a little green during their yoga session, after having her head down for too long, but she held it together.
"Wanna get dinner together?" Joseph asked as they walked back to their respective bathrooms for post-training showers.
Caesar grabbed her arm to make her stop bouncing in circles around her as she walked.
"How could you be complaining about working all day, but now that the sun has gone down, you're full of energy?" Caesar sneered, though there was no real annoyance behind it. "But sure, we can have dinner later. We're eating here. I don't feel like going out again."
"Aw, man! I wanted to go-" On a date. "-to that fancy place across town!"
"Perhaps another evening." Caesar waved her off and went into her own room without another word.
Joseph just assumed she was meant to wait for her, after her shower. Caesar took much longer ones than her. Maybe one day she could convince her to let her join?
Eh, wishful thinking.
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"Jojo!" Caesar called, hands cupping her mouth. "Good job! Keep going!"
Joseph grinned wildly at the praise, body surging with even more energy as she continued climbing. She was scaling a rock wall that Caesar had requested be put up. The holds got farther apart the higher she got, but jumping and stretching to reach them was fun. And the fact that she no longer had to wear her mask during training hours, made using Hamon to her advantage even easier. Just a sharp inhale made her fingers stick in place if she wobbled too much.
It was only about eight more feet until she would reach the edge.
Caesar gave her another bout of courage, and she leaped to the handholds above her, using the momentum to swing her feet over and get her body in line with the last two holds.
She grabbed one, laughing in satisfaction. Preemptively, it seemed, as her other hand grabbed the next hold, and it wiggled. The screw holding it in was loose, and it swung her side to side when her weight dangled from it.
"Jojo!" Caesar called. "What's happening?"
"It's fine!" Joseph said back, though her voice shook nervously. "I've got it!"
She went to look down, and realized how bad of an idea that was. Her stomach lurched at the sight. Caesar looked so tiny, so far away from where she stood, looking up at Joseph with her arms out.
"If you fall, I'm right here!" She shouted. "I've got you!"
Joseph wanted to laugh at the idea of dropping down almost 70 feet and absolutely destroying Caesar. But for some reason, she knew that Caesar meant it.
"I'm okay!" Joseph said and looked back up.
She moved her thumb to touch the loose screw, and channeled her Hamon with a deep breath. The electric feeling flowed out of her through the tip of her finger and into the screw. She grinned as the little spike of metal started to turn to the right, getting tighter back into place.
"I fixed it!" Joseph laughed, then quickly leaped up and grabbed the edge of the wall and pulled herself up.
"You did it!" Caesar laughed loudly. "Fantastic work!"
Joseph smiled at her and pumped her fists in the air.
"Now what?" She shouted down.
"Now come back!"
"Ugh!" Joseph whined and laid back in defeat.
The tiring trek was worth it, because Caesar pulled her into an excited hug when she got back to the ground with her. Her arms were so tight around her waist that it almost hurt, and Joseph loved it.
"Come on. I'll get you some gelato as a treat."
"Hell yes!" Joseph smiled for maybe the millionth time that day.
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"Are you nervous?" Caesar asked quietly.
Yes. Joseph thought. I'm terrified.
"Pfft! No!"
"Liar." Caesar snickered.
"It's not like there's a point in being scared. There's only two ways this could end."
"You die, or they die." Caesar sighed and leaned back on his palms. "You know..." Caesar trailed off and looked up to the moon.
"Yeah?" Joseph tilted her head towards her.
"I've...I've got your back." Caesar says, looking over again at Joseph, a determined look on her face. "I won't let you die."
"You sap." Joseph smiles and nudges her. "Unfortunately I don't think you have much control over that."
"Well, you clearly don't know just how powerful I am." Caesar nudged her back.
"I'd love to find out."
Joseph wondered if it was too risky, too flirty, but then Caesar chuckled. And she readjusted her position a bit, ending up with her hand resting much closer to Joseph's.
Was it a sign? Did she want Joseph to make a move? Why couldn't she make a move? Everything about her was so much more confident and suave and experienced than Joseph. She was foxy in her ways, knowing and perceptive and eager to make people fawn over her. But, she was hesitant with Joseph, and it was now or never.
Joseph scooter closer and put her hand on top of Caesar's.
"I'm really glad to have met you, C." She whispered.
"...Jojo..." Caesar breathed out and turned to look at her blushing face. "I feel the same."
She flipped her hand so that their palms were together, and then she intertwined her fingers with Joseph's. It was a bit uncomfortable, as now she had to put all her weight on just one arm, but she did it anyway. Just so she could hold hands with Joseph.
Somehow, Joseph knew they both meant more than what they said.
'Glad' couldn't even begin to describe how knowing Caesar actually felt. And it was the same for Caesar about her.
The had the kind of bond that would last a lifetime. A friendship that was recently--or maybe always--pushing the boundaries of platonic. The grip that Caesar unknowingly had on Joseph's heart, was enough to make her think this was love.
What else could it be?
How could it be anything other than love, when Caesar was all Joseph ever thought about? How couldn't it be love, when Joseph had never had a connection this deep and meaningful?
How could it be just friendship, when all Joseph wanted to do was kiss her right then and there. Where they sat, looking up at the stars.
She could have done it. She could've kissed her. Caesar would have let her, at the very least. And even that would have been enough to keep Joseph sane for a little while. Caesar wouldn't get mad. She could have kissed her...
But she didn't.
Yet.
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Joseph groaned as she was helped to stand. Laying in bed for nearly a week straight was not very beneficial to her legs.
As the nurse took her in slow circles around the hospital room, Joseph kept staring at her arm. Or, lack thereof.
It didn't hurt currently, what with all the pain medication they pumped into her via I.V. and pills, but there was a phantom feeling every time she looked at it. An invisible itch that she knew would never--could never--be scratched. She hoped it would be different once her prosthetic was completed and she tried it on for the first time. Because she had a sick feeling in her chest when she watched them change the bandages every night.
Every day since she woke up, she asked where Caesar was. The anxiety that bubbled up in her throat, threatening to explode out like bile, went away when she was told that Caesar was okay. Just...in poorer condition than Joseph.
"Poorer?" Joseph had choked out. "I lost my bloody hand. How bad off is she?"
She listened with bated breath as the doctor with her explained. Caesar had lost a leg, just above her knee. The other leg had broken in two places, and would likely cause a tense limp for the rest of her life. The fact that she had a life at all was a miracle, though. So Joseph hoped she wasn't too upset.
Which was hypocritical, considering how bothered she was by her own extremity loss. She knew she would get over it, but for now she allowed herself to lament.
But what was most important was that Caesar was alive. On the other side of the hospital, still in a medically induced sleep, but alive nonetheless. And hopefully, with enough walking today, Joseph would be able to go see her by dinner time.
When Joseph asked a nurse, she seemed hesitant, but she quietly agreed to escort her anyway. She made Joseph use a walker, which Joseph wanted to argue against, but ultimately thought the annoying metal device was not that big of a deal to risk not seeing Caesar over.
Joseph was lead into the room silently, with a gesture towards the bed from the nurse.
Caesar's face was relaxed. Perhaps the least tense Joseph had ever seen her. If only it was from joy rather than sleep...
Joseph sat down at the foot of the bed, careful to avoid Caesar's casted leg. She gently took her hand and intertwined their fingers. She knew Caesar couldn't feel her, but it was a comfort to her at the very least.
Her hand was warm and calloused and Joseph wished she could stay there forever. Or at least for the night. But, after a few minutes of quiet talking, Joseph had to go.
If the nurse noticed her tears, she thankfully did not mention them.
It was a day later when Joseph received three bits of excitement.
The first, was that her prosthetic had just arrived. It took a little while to properly put on, as it was very high-tech and bulky, but when she was finally able to use it...man, it was cool.
Joseph hated the fact that all this help she was receiving, all this hospital care, the bionic hand she was actually very excited to use, was all at the hands of some nazi's. She could barely stand working with them to save the world, and she hated having to put aside her discomfort and disgust just to get the medical help she needed.
The second exciting news was her release date. She would be able to finally be discharged in just two more days. She could not wait to be back in America with her grandmother and uncle. She hoped the two of them were taking care of Smokey as well.
And the third, perhaps most exhilarating news, was that Caesar was awake. Awake, groggy, and apparently incessantly asking to see Joseph.
It made Joseph's heart thrum a little too happily.
And when she was allowed to walk to her friends room, her face broke out into a grin.
There Caesar was, looking paler and more tired than Joseph had ever seen her, but she was sat up and looking out the window absentmindedly. Her head turned at the sound of footsteps coming into the room, and when she saw Joseph, she smiled. It was warm, and free of the usual teasing that accompanied her smirks.
Joseph ran up and practically crushed her into a hug. Caesar laughed freely, voice raspy and broken as she greeted Joseph.
The nurse with them had politely asked Joseph to be gentler, which she barely was able to do. Caesar was looking up at her, eyes full of adoration, and Joseph was sure that her expression was exactly the same. She put her hand on Caesar's cheek and wiped a tear from her slightly greasy skin.
"Jojo..." Caesar whispered. "You're here."
"Of course I am." Joseph smiled. "I would've stayed in your room if they had let me."
Caesar chuckled and lifted her hand up to cover Joseph's where it rested on her face, and squeezed just barely.
"What's that?" She asked when she glanced down at the metal that was in place of Joseph's arm.
"Robot arm." Joseph said. "Or--hand, I guess. I lost mine so..."
"Looks cool." Caesar nodded. This was the most laidback Joseph had ever seen her. "Are they gonna give me one for my leg?" She asked.
"I dunno." Joseph shrugged. "Probably. These germans love showing off."
Caesar snorted and closed her eyes, blindly feeling around for Joseph's fake hand, and intertwining her fingers with the chilly metal one's.
"Hey--I'm really glad you're okay." Joseph mumbled. She looked around the room, and noticed that the nurse had left them alone thankfully. "I don't know what I would have done if..." She sighed.
"Don't think about that." Caesar said and smacked her real hand.
"It's not that easy." Joseph tried to keep a straight face, but she ended up chuckling anyway. "I hope you know I'm going to be annoying you forever now."
"All day? Every day of every week of every year?" Caesar grinned, catlike and teasing. The smile that Joseph was more accustomed to.
"If you'll have me." Joseph whispered, leaning in closer to her. "If you want me."
"...I always want you..." Caesar said, just as quietly, as if she was holding her breath.
Joseph noticed she was also leaning in, and she hoped she was reading the whole situation correctly, because without another moment of hesitation, she closed the short distance between them and kissed her.
Thankfully, she was right. Caesar kissed her back passionately. Joseph's heart was pounding, her blood rushed to her head and made her feel dizzy, as she lifted her hand to grab at Caesar's hair. It was messy and free of it's usually ponytail, so she had to be careful not to tug on any knots.
If she did, Caesar didn't complain. She just held her close and put all of her love into their embrace.
When Joseph was forced to pull away for air, she gazed down at Caesar's flushed face. She was sure she wasn't any more composed. Probably less so, if she had to guess. But she collected herself enough to brush Caesar's hair back behind her ear, and stroke her cheek.
"I suppose we should talk about that later, huh?" Joseph breathed out.
"Later yes. When we're both out of here perhaps. But for now, you better do it again, amore."
Joseph laughed and let Caesar tug her down by the neck, kissing her more playfully than the serious and intense one they'd just had.
Joseph could kiss her all day, but then ended up only having a few minutes in private before they had to separate. But they were able to make a silent agreement that Joseph would come back tomorrow, as early as the nurses would let her, and they would continue where the left off.
Joseph should probably tell her about how she lost her arm, how she saved the world, how their shared enemy was turned into a large rock floating in space...but that could wait for now. For now--Joseph just wanted to be with her. In any capacity allowed.