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Joseph and Caesar are best friends.
They’ve known each other for about four weeks, a short time, but human connections never take too long.
Constantly training, constantly in each other’s rooms.
They were just best friends, they always and forever will be.
Joseph can’t tell how many times he’s repeated that in his head.
It was late at night and Joseph was in Caesar’s room, the two both on his bed, Joseph rest his aching head on Caesars shoulder.
Caesar was gently reading a book translated in Italian on flowers, stroking Joseph’s hair with his free hand absentmindedly, like they had done this before in a past time.
A rare moment of peace for the two.
“You’re getting tired again, JoJo.”
Caesar gently murmured, noticing Joseph’s face slowly grow more tired, eyebrows furrowing and he shook his heavy head forward.
Caesar chuckled, still had his arm around Joseph’s shoulders, still playing with his hair.
Joseph groans, then slowly nods his head in response instead, giving into the sleep.
“You’re an amazing friend, Caesar.”
Joseph whispered out into the already too silent room, his words unprecedented.
They had always insulted, berated and threatened eachother, to influence harder training.
To try and give some hefty motivating words with the lack of praise they usually got from Lisa Lisa.
The sweet words curled around Caesar’s heart, stabbing a knife into it, the words were a little own of his own motivation that he’d remember for a while.
He hid his flushed cheeks as he turned around to quickly set the book aside to focus on Joseph better.
“I-I’m… not doing anything special.”
He scoffed, hesitating and taking a small breath before gently tucking a peice of hair
that fell from Joseph’s head behind his ear, Caesar noticed a shiver in Joseph’s spine, just as his fingers tickled unintentionally behind the ear.
“I’m only letting you rest. It’s basic decency.”
“You’re doing more than I’ve ever felt from someone before.”
Caesar scoffed louder again, his cheeks flushing an even soft pink, the colour matching the delicate birthmarks on his cheekbones.
He knew Joseph was abandoned quite young, raised by his grandmother and close family friend, but he didn’t know he was this touch starved.
I guess since his grandmother was old.
The sweet reactions and small shivers Joseph gave Caesar always made him smile. He felt like he was taking care of one of his siblings.
Or… taking care of a lover.
“That’s because you’re still young JoJo. You’ve obviously never been in a relationship before.”
He paused, but it was too late before he could fix his words. The ministrations and reassurances running through Joseph’s hair suddenly stopped.
“Relationship?”
Joseph looked up, his eyes wider, sleep slowly fading from them.
“You… know what I meant Joseph.”
“I.. don’t— know what you meant.”
Caesar’s hand slowly falls out Joseph’s hair.
“What are we?”
The question was sudden, and it hit Caesar like a punch to the teeth.
He almost felt his cavity ache.
They’ve always been… reportedly romantic with each other. Touching, and teasing.
It only seemed platonic to them.
Recently, Caesar was never too sure about that.
They never kissed, never had sex. They only looked for comfort in their friendship.
Comfort from this lonely, cold… annoying island.
But Caesar had always felt more, ever since after the hell climb pillar, the way they talked like normal friends after.
He had the smallest glimmer of hope that Joseph felt exactly the same.
Caesar tried to get some form of excuse out from the slip of his words.
Caesar stuttered, he badgered his mind for a different answer, anything else other than ‘I LIKE YOU’.
Joseph got close to him. Pressing on for an answer.
Caesar’s expression softened and he sighed, and slowly moved his hand to ruffle his fingers through Josephs hair, like an annoying older brother, and Caesar’s hand slowly fell down Joseph’s warm hair, down his face and cupping his left cheek.
He brought Joseph’s cheek up slightly.
“You’re more than just a friend to me, you know that, right… JoJo?”
His face was solemn. There was now a small sense of melancholy in the quiet room. “I know… I know that Caesar.”
“Then why do you still act like we are?”
He raised his voice slightly, and Joseph looked up at him in pain.
“You know why.”
Caesar took his hand off Joseph’s face and body fully, biting the skin on his thumb.
It was as true as ever, they both completely knew why.
They were both men.
As Caesar’s body turned and moved away from Joseph on the bed, Joseph was desperate to inch closer, but tried to respect Caesar’s choice.
“Caesar…” Joseph reached out his palm, he desperately wanted to feel Caesar’s embrace again.
His palm hit the mattress, just near Caesar’s leg, not actually touching him.
“Caesar, please don’t do this.”
“We don’t have to label this as anything.”
“Nobody will find out.”
Joseph repeated, all the things he said the last time this happened.
Caesar wanted to agree with Joseph, but he didn’t want it to be unlabelled.
He wanted to be Joseph’s boyfriend.
It’s a guilty pleasure at best, especially in this day and age, but a guilty pleasure that Caesar loved.
The thought of being romantic with him, in public, everyone watching, not caring.
It broke his heart, and broke Joseph’s too.
“I like you a lot, we can do this, Joseph. But we can’t be public about this. Ever.”
Joseph understood and nodded quickly. They both did.
Joseph gently took Caesar’s hand finally, they looked up at each other.
Intertwining fingers, they made a decision, a silent but mutual one.
Joseph’s sea green eyes met Caesar’s green, and Caesar gulped hard.
The meaning behind Joseph’s eyes spoke for himself.
Joseph’s fingers slowly ran down Caesar’s arms, a soft whisper Caesar shook out, his cheeks grew the same pink it was a minute or two ago.
Joseph’s fingers made way to Caesar’s hips, pulling them up against fabric.
Caesar felt his breath hitch.
Just a few words and he couldn’t believe this was happening.
Bare fingers against his chest, and a sense of intimacy he hadn’t felt in years.