[ Joseph is hiding underneath the bed, endeavouring to be as still as he can. Though, a big bulky bara man under the bed is probably the worst idea especially since he could probably pass off as one of the Pillarmen in this pose. ]
[ There's just a sputtered cry on Joseph's end as he takes a Ripple'd punch straight to the face. No blocking, no nothing. So he gets propelled straight to the wall, all the breath taken out of him. ]
[Without missing a beat (or checking to see if the wall's been damaged at all #jojoproblems), Caesar's at Joseph's side, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and hefting him up.]
What the hell were you thinking?! [It's probably counterproductive to ask someone you're in the middle of punching this kind of question, but if he can still take a Ripple punch to the teeth without going out cold immediately, he'll probably be coherent enough to explain himself.
Not that any explanation'd be good enough, mind you. So he punches Joseph. Again.]
[ Joseph doesn't quite make it up, he's managed to prop himself on one knee, a hand clutching his face. He can't bring himself to look at Caesar at the minute. ]
Are you going to punch me in the gut now? If you're going to do this, you might as well do it properly, right?
No. [Surprisingly, Caesar stays his hand and stands his ground. This is a side of Joseph he's never seen. His posture, his refusal to look him in the eye...
Is this remorse?]
When I arrived here, I was at death's door. So I tried to forget about everything you had said in St. Moritz-- after fifty years, you wouldn't remember it, and I thought... fighting someone like DIO to protect your daughter, you must have learned, long ago, to understand how I felt back then.
[It hurts, admitting this. He believed in Jojo; he believed that he'd grown up and left the stupid impulsiveness of his youth behind. Or at least refined it to make it more useful than a simple talent for bullshitting well enough to get by.
He hasn't been so wounded by a realization since that day in Switzerland. It's not a feeling he's eager to feel a second time, but here he is.]
If you were this irresponsible... it's clear that you didn't!
[Repentance is an unexpected end when Caesar had wanted, primarily, to vent his anger through his fists. His pride is too much for him to allow Jojo to slide for this, but what else is there left for him to do? It's intensely frustrating: though he still seethes, it almost certainly won't feel good to keep beating down upon a man who's apologizing. On his knees, no less.
Caesar must still be the same idiot he was, too. All he wants to do is leave.
He's quiet for a few moments that seem to stretch longer than they are, made even more excruciating with his silence, but finally, he shoots Jojo a final dark look before simply turning on his heel. The desire to storm off wins out after all, since he can't find it in himself to forgive Jojo-- not yet.]
I'm going. [since this has always worked brilliantly for him in the past.] Get up: you look like an old fool.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
voice;
Hello? Joseph Joestar isn't here at the minute, so you can just leave a message...
voice;
Then you'd better get here, bastard. You do not want me to have to hunt you down.
[HE'S SERIOUS.]
voice;
[ He closes the line and dives for dear life. Joseph is currently hiding in their bedroom, underneath his bunk. ]
voice -> action;
About five minutes later, the door to their room slams open. Caesar, still seething, stomps right on in]
JOJO!
Rrrghh... I know you're still here! I heard you moving around!
no subject
1/2
no subject
Your foot's sticking out from underneath the bed, Jojo.
[busted]
no subject
no subject
[He's... sounding unusually tame, for how upset he was seconds before.]
Stand up. [And Caesar gestures as such with his hand.] I need to talk to you about something important.
no subject
no subject
[here's the wind-up; he clenches the fingers of his right hand, already crackling with Ripple energy]
Your illegitimate son!
[--annnnd in a swift, savage motion, Caesar slams his Ripple-charged fist into Joseph's face.]
This time, you've gone too far, Jojo!
no subject
no subject
[Without missing a beat (or checking to see if the wall's been damaged at all #jojoproblems), Caesar's at Joseph's side, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and hefting him up.]
What the hell were you thinking?! [It's probably counterproductive to ask someone you're in the middle of punching this kind of question, but if he can still take a Ripple punch to the teeth without going out cold immediately, he'll probably be coherent enough to explain himself.
Not that any explanation'd be good enough, mind you. So he punches Joseph. Again.]
Does Suzie know? Tell me!
no subject
Nn-no. She doesn't. Why are you so... mad.
[ He's not acting at this, he's genuinely feeling stung. Sure Caesar probably had his heart but it didn't have to come to blows like this.
Who is he kidding, of course it did. This is Caesar Zeppeli we're talking about. ]
no subject
[Unbelievable. He drops Joseph without warning, and whether or not he gets back on his feet, he stares down at him without an ounce of pity.
A deadbeat is the worst thing a man can be. Joseph deserves this.]
You betrayed Suzie Q's trust. You left a boy to grow up without you-- thank God he had his mother at all.
And you want to know why I'm mad, Jojo?
no subject
Are you going to punch me in the gut now? If you're going to do this, you might as well do it properly, right?
no subject
Is this remorse?]
When I arrived here, I was at death's door. So I tried to forget about everything you had said in St. Moritz-- after fifty years, you wouldn't remember it, and I thought... fighting someone like DIO to protect your daughter, you must have learned, long ago, to understand how I felt back then.
[It hurts, admitting this. He believed in Jojo; he believed that he'd grown up and left the stupid impulsiveness of his youth behind. Or at least refined it to make it more useful than a simple talent for bullshitting well enough to get by.
He hasn't been so wounded by a realization since that day in Switzerland. It's not a feeling he's eager to feel a second time, but here he is.]
If you were this irresponsible... it's clear that you didn't!
no subject
I'm still the idiot I was 50 years ago.
[ There's a sad smile on his face, though his face is starting to swell. ]
Like I said to Josuke, I'm not asking for any forgiveness. When all this is over, things will go differently.
[ He coughs and wipes that tiny bit of spit that comes out from his swollen cheeks, still avoiding looking Caesar in the eye. ]
If I learned something, it's you repent for your mistakes.
no subject
Caesar must still be the same idiot he was, too. All he wants to do is leave.
He's quiet for a few moments that seem to stretch longer than they are, made even more excruciating with his silence, but finally, he shoots Jojo a final dark look before simply turning on his heel. The desire to storm off wins out after all, since he can't find it in himself to forgive Jojo-- not yet.]
I'm going. [since this has always worked brilliantly for him in the past.] Get up: you look like an old fool.