ʏᴇʟʟᴏᴡ ∆ ᴄᴀᴇsᴀʀ ᴢᴇᴘᴘᴇʟɪ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ ∆

∆ᴛᴡᴇʟᴠᴇ∆

I watched in pure shock as the boat drifted off, with Joseph dramatically waving over the edge. I looked around me and saw no one else was out. Did they seriously expect me to swim back? Are they crazy? I should have never agreed to this! Oh, I was surely going to make Joseph regret pushing me over the edge. I was also glad I was on the swim team in high school. My stamina wasn’t very high, it was about average, but my endurance made up for it. I also had to remember to control my breath because of this damn mask.

Why did my training have to start in the most infuriating way possible? I know I said I wanted to swim in Italy’s beautiful, crystal waters, but this was taking it a little too far. Nonetheless, I gave one final sigh before beginning the journey to this stupid island. I occasionally took breaks, allowing myself to regain my breath and to give my muscles a chance to recuperate before starting all over again. When my plane had touched down, just a little over an hour ago, it was two o’clock in the evening. By the time I could finally and clearly see the island, it was almost dark, meaning that it was close to eight in the evening. Once I was close enough to shore that I could stand to the waters at my knees, I dropped down and caught my breath. The mask was making it way harder to breathe, and I’m pretty sure there was sand in it. There was sand everywhere.

I wanted to just lay down and fall asleep there on the shore, but I knew I couldn’t. So, I willed myself to go on and trudged towards the stairs. I saw the boat sitting idly by the dock, and the urge to curse it was strong. I drug my feet up the stairs to the door, to which I didn’t even bother knocking on before pushing it open. As soon as I stepped inside, I looked up and saw Joseph, Caesar, Speedwagon, and two women I’d never seen before sitting by a fire, chatting with each other.

I felt my eyes go wide when I saw the second woman, younger than the other, with brown hair and hazel eyes settle beside Caesar and kiss his cheek with a giggle. I felt my chest tighten up. What...why...am I feeling...jealous? I don’t like Caesar. I shouldn’t get jealous.

“Y/n! My god, someone grab a towel!” Speedwagon exclaimed, making everyone turn their heads towards me as the old man noticed my presence. “Here, come stand by the fire! You’re shaking so badly!”

I didn’t even react as he pulled me closer to the fire and forced me to sit in front of it. The warmth hit me and made me even more tired than I already was. I felt my eyelids flutter as they grew heavy with exhaustion.

“Hey, hey, hey, don’t fall asleep yet,” Joseph said, kneeling in front of me. I watched as his fingers lit up with some kind of golden sparks, almost like electricity, and reached behind me. I felt the mask unhook and it dropped onto the ground. I was right. There was sand in it. I spat some of it out before raising my head to look at Joseph.

“You...absolute bastard!” I yelled, kicking him in the stomach. His eyes went wide with surprise as he falls back. I heard Speedwagon gasp, and for Caesar and the older woman to laugh. “If you ever push me off a boat again, I’ll make sure that Suzie Q becomes a widow! And you!” I yelled, turning to look at Caesar.

“Oh no,” He muttered, his laughter stopping almost immediately.

“The same goes for you!” I said, closing my eyes as my teeth chattered together. “That water was freezing!”

“Congratulations, Y/n,” The woman, the one with black hair said as she walked towards me. She crouched in front of me and offered a cup of steaming tea. “You did excellent for your first time.”

“Wah-! Lisa Lisa, how come you never praised us!?” Joseph asked as he sat up.

“Because you didn’t deserve it,” She said. “Y/n does. She had no training in Hamon before, yet she managed to swim 40 kilometers with the mask on. Neither of you was able to do that until you had weeks of training. Now, Nina has already drawn some hot water for you to rest in. I’ll get you some dry clothing, and then you can rest.”

“This is unfair treatment!” Joseph yelled.

“Oh, shut up,” Caesar said. “Come on Y/n, I’ll show you where the bathroom is.”

“Actually,” I found myself saying before I could stop myself. “I’d rather Joseph. I want to talk something over with him if that’s alright.”

Caesar looked taken aback for a moment. “O-oh, um, of course,” He said. Joseph shot him a look before grabbing my hand and lifting me up.

“Let’s go tootsie,” He said. “You look beat.”

“I am,” I replied, as Joseph led me down a hall. After a moment, he turned to me.

“So what did you want to talk about?” He asked.

“Nothing. I just didn’t want Caesar to walk with me,” I mumbled honestly. Joseph looked down at me in shock.

“Am I...missing something? Did you just suddenly not…like him anymore?” He asked. “You and he seemed to get along pretty well. What happened?”

I thought back to the woman kissing his cheek. “N-nothing happened. Can’t I just walk with my younger cousin?”

Joseph side-eyed me. “I’m not buying it,” He said, leaning closer to me. “What’s the real reason?”

“I told you! It’s nothing, I swear!” I said. Joseph narrowed his blueish-green eyes at me before realization washed over his face.

“You saw Nina kiss him, didn’t you?”

I looked away guiltily. I was never good at hiding anything from anyone. Joseph sighed and stopped in front of a door, which I presumed was the bathroom.

“Don’t let it eat at you, Y/n. Caesar’s a playboy with a flirty attitude. I give it until next week until they’re split up and he’s back to messing with you. But don’t let him do that,” He said, looking at me seriously. “Caesar’s my best friend, and I’d do anything for him. But I draw the line at breaking hearts and leading nice girls like you on. For right now, just forget about Caesar and focus on your training, okay? It’s what’s more important right now.”

I nodded as Joseph playfully ruffled my hair. “Y-you’re right, I guess…”

“Go ahead and relax some. Lord knows it’s the only time you’ll be able to. Lisa Lisa will have you begging on your knees to take a break for the next few weeks.” He said.

“Okay,” I sighed.

“I’m serious, Y/n,” Joseph said. “Just forget about him. Got it?”

“Yes, I got it, Jojo,” I said, raising my hands in defense. “I’m forgetting.”

“Good,” He said, giving me a short hug. “Now sleep.”

“I feel like now you’re going to put a knife in my back,”

“Don’t try me, Tootsie,”

“What if I have a knife?”

“Then, oh, how the tables have turned,”

I laughed and pushed him away, shaking my head at him. “See ya, idiot.”

“See you.”