--Switched--

[andnextyoullsay]

[Joseph Joestar was four years old when he was lured away from his nanny by some people who, decades earlier, had been extremely keen on worshipping Dio Brando as a god and were not especially pleased that Jonathan Joestar had killed him. They weren't ever able to do anything to him, thankfully, but the damage was already done. Joseph was far too young; by the time he was picked up by someone not a crazy vampire cultist wannabe, all he could really tell them was that he was called Jojo and he had a grandmother and an uncle.

They tried to send him to an orphanage, but even at a young age he was getting into fights with the older boys and winning, so when he was six they turned him out. Jojo fell in with some London troublemakers; his smarts and charm (and the weird light shit) would see him in charge of the London troublemakers and eventually his own little gang by the time he was thirteen. They're violent, naturally, but they do a lot more scamming and tricking than mugging. It's a lot easier to avoid trouble if there's not blood on your shirt.

Jojo's been in charge of his little gang for about two years at this point. One of the boys runs up to him, grinning.]

There's a pretty'un comin' this way, Jojo, absolutely reeks of old money!

Man or woman? You know I won't hurt a lady unless she throws the first punch.

C'mon, like I'd tell ya about a girl! S'a boy, dumbass!

[Jojo laughs and brushes off his trousers. This one must have the others a bit spooked for some reason, so he'll handle it. Shouldn't be too hard, the pretty boys are always easy pickings. Usually scholar types if they're anything, so they can't throw a punch or keep track of his chattering.

He slips out of the abandoned old house they're using for a base right now, looking for the mark.]

Comments

[andnextyoullsay]

I know more about shit then you do, so why don't you shut your mouth and lemme at Jojo, huh?

[bolledivita]

[... Nope, fuck it, he's done trying to be civil.]

Piss off, coglione!

[And he's only letting go of Joseph to slam his fist into this prick's face.]

[andnextyoullsay]

[Luke stumbles, hand to his face because that is his nose and probably some teeth. There's a moment of dead silence before Luke lunges forward, trying to go for Caesar's eyes.

Of course Joseph, familiar with how Luke fights, gets between them and hauls Luke off his feet and throws him into the alley he came out of.]

You know better than to piss me off, Luke! Either fuck off or pay the price.

[Luke looks for a moment like he wants to fight, glancing between the two.]

[bolledivita]

[Caesar's practically snarling as he cracks his knuckles.

And looking about ten seconds from outright murder.]

[andnextyoullsay]

[Yeah, no. Luke turns tail and flees, yelling something about how next time Jojo won't be so lucky.

Joseph just watches him, furious but also a little sad.]

[bolledivita]

[Once Luke flees, Caesar relaxes a bit. Thank God.

But immediately after, he turns his attention to Joseph.]

Jojo, are you alright?

[It's soft, gentle. A complete 180 from how he'd been just seconds ago.]

[andnextyoullsay]

[...oh. Oh no.

Joseph shrugs, not really looking at Caesar.]

I will be. Hopefully no one who care heard all that, I don't want to have to explain who that was to Granny Erina.

[bolledivita]

[Caesar sighs softly, brushing some of Joseph's hair back.]

Pretty sure we're the only ones around who cared. [...] Was that the guy who gave you a black eye?

[andnextyoullsay]

[Oh his heart.]

Yeah. [He sighs.] We weren't really a thing, but I guess he thought we were more of one than I did.

[bolledivita]

If he comes back around, he'll get more than a broken nose and some missing teeth for his trouble.

[... Since nobody seems to be looking, Caesar's just going to pull Joseph into a quick, one-armed hug.]

... Let's go home, Jojo.

[andnextyoullsay]

Yeah.

[If Caesar doesn't mind, then Joseph will just lean against him as they walk.]

Sorry about that.

[bolledivita]

[Caesar doesn't mind at all.]

Don't be. Neither of us knew that'd happen.

[andnextyoullsay]

Obviously, but...

[That was kind of his ex and Caesar doesn't seem to mind?]

[bolledivita]

But...?

[He's a bit worried.]

[andnextyoullsay]

You really don't care that another boy came up and...all of that?

[bolledivita]

I don't care about that, no. I care more that he upset you.

[andnextyoullsay]

Caesar...

[Jojo smiles a little, leaning against Caesar even more. They're almost home.]

Like I said, apparently he thought we were more of a thing than I did.

[bolledivita]

You don't say...

[Once they are, in fact, home, Caesar pulls Joseph into another hug--a proper one this time.]

[andnextyoullsay]

[Oh.

Joseph returns the hug, just as tightly.]

Caesar...

[bolledivita]

... It pissed me off when he talked like that to you, Jojo.

[andnextyoullsay]

Eh, it was fine. That was tame, believe it or not. Gangs aren't exactly polite, after all.

[bolledivita]

[... Falling quiet, hugging tighter.

That may have been tame, but he still didn't like it.]

[andnextyoullsay]

...did I say thank you for defending me? I'm not used to that, but it was nice for a change.

[bolledivita]

You didn't, but you're welcome. I'd do it as many times as you'd want me to.

[andnextyoullsay]

[Joseph laughs a little.]

I mean, if you're going to show off like that, I may get into fights just to see that!

[Wait, shit. That's flirtatious, isn't it?]