002 ★ video

[nextlineis]

Who: jojo & you
Broadcast: video
Action: optional, but on the caprine
When: rite meow!!!

So, it's September already, which means my birthday is coming up!

I mean, it's technically February back home, but I'm not gonna complain about celebrating my birthday early. Besides, that seems like way too complicated math to try and figure out what it should be.

[It actually is not that complicated. It's the 28th of February where he's from. C'mon Jojo...]

[But then again, this is the guy who struggled at determining the age of someone who was a baby 50 years ago...]

Anyway, I'm gonna be nineteen on the 27th. Just to give you guys the heads up. You know. [He grins.] In case you wanna get me something.

Comments

[mylegacy]

You can tell her, you know. If that would make it easier.

[His voice is very quiet, but strong.]

[nextlineis]

Caesar... That's not...

[He purses his lips. It's not the sort of thing that she should probably hear from another person. Probably. He doesn't know. Obviously in the normal world, that's how she'd hear something like that, but these are weird circumstances. It's not so cut and dry.]

She doesn't need to know all that unless you want her to.

[mylegacy]

I was going to tell her anyway eventually. But you're the one who . . .

[He hesitates briefly, trying to find a way to say this that isn't keeps losing his cool. Eventually he settles on:]

It's not fair for you to get angry with her and she not know the reason why. Or one of the reasons, anyway. [Maybe most of the reason.]

[nextlineis]

[It's better that Caesar doesn't take such a direct route with Joseph right now. Maybe later and in private because deep down, Joseph knows he's reactive and doesn't do a very good job in keeping his feelings to himself because he doesn't know what else to do with them. He does frown a little, however, wondering what it was that Caesar was going to say, if he was mad at Joseph for maybe forcing the issue. He looks away, then down.]

Yeah, I guess. [A beat and a little quieter,] Sorry.

[He's not exactly sure what he's sorry for, but he feels he probably should be. And maybe feels it a little, too. He's not really sure. At the very least, he wishes he was better at this. Whatever...this is.]

[mylegacy]

[He doesn't really understand it. He should be angry. It's not as though he needs anyone coming to his defense, or speaking up for him, or getting upset for him. If it was anyone else, he'd be furious. But he doesn't mind this. It's just . . . one of those Joseph things. So he can't help but smile, just a little, because whatever this is, it's not just a bad thing; and besides, how many times has Joseph ever said sorry to him?]

Hey, [he says, trying to get him to look up.] You don't need to apologize to me. Although I appreciate the rarity value.

It's not as though . . . [A small, helpless shrug.] It's not as though either of us really knows what he's doing.

[nextlineis]

[He looks back up when Caesar speaks again. At first a little tentative and a little unsure, but then surprised because Caesar is smiling a little. He'd been expecting at least a little irritation even if he hadn't been angry. But he's smiling a little instead. It's more soothing than Joseph would have guessed it to be. Whatever strange amalgamation of guilt and some anxiety seems to just melt away.]

Well, [he says after a small beat of silence, just a little smile starting to creep back out.] If you don't know, then I'm screwed.

[mylegacy]

You are.

[He nods solemnly.]

But we'll figure it out. We tend to.

[As long as they're idiots together, things work out more often than not.]

[nextlineis]

[He can't help it, he starts grinning. Not that Joseph knows why he can't on any conscious level, but talk of them being together always puts a smile on Joseph's face.]

Barring that, we can definitely bullshit it.

[mylegacy]

That's more your specialty than mine, Jojo.

[Although they actually both suck at planning for the future. Caesar acts like he doesn't, but then there's the whole throwing-himself-in-front-of-the-moving-train-of-fate thing that kind of . . . speaks to his inability to see past the next six months.]

[nextlineis]

Yeah, maybe. [He shrugs a little.] But I'm rubbing off on you. You've been getting better at it.

[mylegacy]

You think so?

[He looks kind of doubtful. And also like he would very much like Joseph to pay him compliments.]

[nextlineis]

[Well, that doubtfulness is enough for Joseph to want to make sure his point's taken.]

Hey, I mean, you're not an expert or anything yet, but you think outside the box more than you did when we first met and you don't act like you've got such a stick up your ass all the time.

[Sorry, Caesar, they are Joseph compliments. They come out a little sideways.]

Don't worry. Stick with me long enough, Caesarino, and you'll learn to pull off some great pranks. And hey, you might start to actually have fun, too.

[mylegacy]

[He rolls his eyes. This abruptly turned into the Josephest conversation of all time.]

I think I've already started having your kind of fun. We had your kind of fun every day on the planet.

[nextlineis]

That's not complaining is it? 'Cause I'll find a way to turn the Fleet around and go back until you learn to love it.

[mylegacy]

No, I liked it. But you can turn the Fleet around and go back anyway.

[nextlineis]

[Oh, there's that proud, smug smile of his.]

For you, Caesarino? Anything.

[mylegacy]

[Oh. God. Okay, that's too much. He just barely manages to roll his eyes and hang up with the last vestiges of his dignity.]