Beautiful but fleeting.

It’s incredibly rude and he’s lucky Semimaru doesn’t send him flying onto his butt. But as long as Joseph isn’t happy and Semimaru isn’t happy they’re on equal grounds of unhappy– so it all cancels out?

“An artist– shoulda known.” A sage nod to himself as if he really had considered this? And also how could he tell? And also–

“I dunno, you seem like the kinda cut throat to be one.” It’s a compliment.

“Whー“ Semimaru is making an awful lot of assumptions about him... Exactly what kind of first impression has he been making? “Cutthroat? What do you mean by that?” What does he mean by ‘should’ve known’?

❝ I’ll look at them later, ❞ Octavio managed as he caught his breath. He rolled onto his back, kicking his legs to launch himself back onto his feet. Brushing some dirt off his backside, he jogged over to look at the view from the photographer’s perspective. His eyes narrowed and he tilted his head a bit. The whole place was a bit serene for his tastes. Probably why Joseph was out here in the first place.

❝ We should find someplace else to shoot from. Maybe with the city in the background. Something indust–OH! ❞ Octavio wheeled on Joseph as he had a particular stroke of genius. Or, what he’d call one by his standards. ❝ You think that thing’s strong enough to lift my bike? Hold on! Stay here! ❞

Backing up a few steps, he held out both hands, waving them to emphasize Joseph stay put. He then rounded on his heel and took off across the park to where he’d left his bike in the parking lot. Driving it across the grass…almost certainly illegal. Caution had long since been discarded, though. Soon enough, an approaching engine was audible from the site of the impromptu photo shoot.

At the very least, Octavio was wearing a helmet.

"A-alright,” Joseph gets out, scorning himself for stuttering, but it wasn’t like he meant to, he just wasn’t expecting the sudden proximity.

He’s honestly into the idea, for most of Octavio’s statementーit had been a bit since he’d seen the city skyline, and he was rather fond of it. But he startles a bit when Octavio suddenly races off god knows where.

Bike? He thinks they’re cool and the people who ride them more so, if he’s being entirely honest with himself, but Octavio’s excitement makes him a bit worried about what he has in store. Especially since he apparently wasn’t allowed to follow. He quickly starts feeling like maybe this anxiety isn’t unfounded after all when he hears the rumble of an engine.

“It wasn’t enough,” an answer Semimaru is used to getting these days. All days. All his life. He occupies himself with scooping hair out of his face and eyes and also his freaking nose! Gross!

He stops, peering at Joseph through a curtain of that hair.

“Mine’s culinary. Gonna be a hot ass, expensive chef.” He’s surprised the other’s being so social, but he always looks for a chance to preen. “How bout you? Poli sci or whatever?”

Joseph can’t help a small chuckle when he hears that. “Oh, really? That’s cute.” Genuine as he may be, he doesn’t seem aware of how that can absolutely come off rude. “You certainly look the part at the moment.”

❝This is taking longer than ‘five minutes’, you know.❞ Kiryu finally decides to voice his annoyance after fifteen minutes of keeping this kid balanced on his shoulders.

It isn’t exactly tiring to be carrying Desaulniers for this long but Kiryu still believes the young aspiring artist is overstaying his welcome because despite several sounds of his camera clicking, he still hasn’t said a word nor made a gesture that he has finally taken the picture he’s been trying to get.

Kiryu knows that he should have just said no because who on earth asks a professor if he could get up on his shoulders to get a better angle of his subject? Then again, this wasn’t even Desaulniers’ idea so perhaps he shouldn’t really be pointing fingers here. This is thelast time he ever suggests something just for the sake of helping a student out.

“You done yet?❞ He asks, unaware of the odd looks passersby have been giving them.  

If nothing else, Joseph remains perfectly blissfully unaware of the eyes of strangers as well.

He isn’t one to be daringーnot usually. But more than that, he isn’t one to turn down an offer, and especially not from a superior. Besides, what was the point of being here if not to take some risks? ...Sometimes, that meant embarrassing himself. He wouldn’t think about it too hard.

“Almostーjustー” He fidgets, lowers his camera, then sighs. “I suppose so. I don’t think it’s going to work out after all.” He attempts to readjust himself, find a way down, but immediately finds himself instead almost falling flat on his back. His grip on Kiryu’s shoulder is now maybe a bit too tight.

           “ it wasn’t an insult. just an observation. you’ll be surprised to learn i make a lot of those. ” he doesn’t know why he would invite someone out if he planned on insulting them. that usually comes after he knows them better.

           “ …i haven’t been in this city very long. if i went by myself, it’d look weird. and i don’t know anyone else, so that’s where you come in. ” it’s all matter-of-fact, but he’s not looking at joseph anymore– is he embarrassed? of course not. he just admitted to be completely clueless about the city and friendless, but that’s per usual for him. “ sure. i saw it earlier, so i remember the way. ”

Joseph shoots a glare Wujiu’s way behind his back, but leaves it at that. If nothing else, snarky types were interesting.

So he was here purely for convenience? Like an accessory? Very believable. “Oh? Hmm. I’m not new here, but... I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t in a similar boat for the latter.” He raises an eyebrow at him. “Though I don’t think there’s anything weird about going to a cafe by yourself, y’know. You won’t exactly look any better going with me, either, but I suppose it’s your loss.”

Crying out in shock– for a sick guy he can really move! – Semimaru dives after him, sighing in relief once he reaches the awning.

He shakes out his hair like the mutt that he is, grumbles under his breath.

“At least we made it. Not thanks to your twinkle toes.”

“Listen! I tried the best I could!” Joseph’s tone lacks any of the bite it’s probably intended to have. He gathers his shaky breath and gets a better look at the building they’ve come to. ...Yeah, definitely not what he expected. Still...

‘Don’t hurt yourself.’ All Joseph got in response was a gritty laugh. Octavio hooked his forefingers under his mask and pulled it up over his nose and mouth with a sharp snap. He forewent the goggles, wanting his fans to get more of a glimpse of his face than usual, for professional photos.

❝ Just shoot as fast as your fingers will go! ❞ he warned. He held up a hand to give a finger-countdown from 3 to 1, then took off at a full sprint towards the springboard he’d dragged over.

As before, the board had a little more sprig than Octavio anticipated, and by the time he was at the top of his ark, he’d flipped completely upside down. Both arms out, he gave the camera the double-devil-horns before he came crashing back down, tumbling in a heap. A laughing heap. That would never get old.

Joseph almost gasps, catches himself before near-diving to his position behind his camera to get there during Octavio’s actual countdown. (hearing his statement, he’s grateful for burst mode...)

...Though this does mean that when Octavio lands, he realizes he’s going to have an awful lot of photos to go through, and perhaps not so much patience from his ‘client’ to do so. Oh, well. He attempts to shake off the secondhand adrenaline from watching Octavio (half from not knowing if he’d actually land safely) and catch his attention.

he rolls his eyes. what does his appearance matter when it’s nothing important? and why would he say something he didn’t mean? he never understood the appeal of lying for the sake of others. he supposed he couldn’t be too harsh on joseph, though; he only knows wujiu from the five minutes since he stepped into the room. he hoped he was a quick learner. it would be annoying if he didn’t realize that soon.

           “ either way’s fine. ” he had remained where he was, leaning against the wall beside the door. he didn’t exactly need to get ready– he was already outside, and knew his hoodie would be all he needed. he could forego gloves, opting to just shove his hands in his pockets. “ though you don’t look like the type of person who needs any help paying for things. ”

           “ there’s a place that opened up recently. cocoa cafe, or something. if i’m going anyways, might as well bring you along. ”

Joseph opts not to act on the childish impulse to smack Wujiu’s shoulder. “I can tell when I’m being insulted, you know. But I’ll do it, since you’re taking me.” Even if he wasn’t entirely sure what Wujiu meant by that... It doesn’t sit well with him. Though it’s not something to get hung up on, because it wasn’t like it was wrong.

wujiu rolls his eyes. so his dorm mate is this type of person. he could hope that he would be like bi’an in that he wouldn’t care about wujiu’s behavior, but he had a feeling it’d be a waste of his time to hope that. he gestures vaguely with his hand.

           “fine, fine. i’ll pay.” that’s the polite thing to do, and he is still trying to be polite…mostly. “but it’s not that short of notice. fifteen minutes is plenty of time, and you look fine anyways. i mean, more clothes are preferable, but otherwise.”

Joseph blinks, stares at Wujiu for a moment, trying to process what his deal is. He's still shaking the haze off, so for now he decides to just roll with the punches.

“...You mean that?” slips out before he can stop himself. He tries to disregard it to move on as quickly as he can, in the hopes Wujiu would do the same. “If you think so, then fine, I’ll just get a jacket. Give me a minute.” Running his hands through his hair, he’s in and out of the closet as quickly as promised, though a little pouty that he doesn’t have time to make himself look nicer. (and that his first impression on his dorm mate was him completely bare-faced and disoriented.)

“It makes perfect sense! You’re not making sense!” He insists, shaking the jacket with his mounting rage and overwhelming embarrassment.

“Then perish,” he says with all the strength of that meme. “Lock me out and I’ll break into yours and shit in your bed, dude.” He means it, he truly means it.

Squinting into the cascading rain, he nods. “Yeah, there it is.”

Joseph can’t restrain a clumsy giggle. “Fine, fine, sure. That’s perfectly normal. Whatever’ll make you stop being gross.”

And if that was the case, then... “Alright!” and he makes a dash for the closest balcony he could locate, yanking his jacket back as soon as they get under cover again. Honestly, he’d like to say he doesn’t mind if Semimaru’s left behind in the rain, but that would be a lie. (but he’s sure not doing a great job of showing it.)

❝That sounds like a hassle to do for a stranger.❞ Then again, Hitoshi remembers his mom always telling him that some people just like to do things for others even if they don’t reap any benefits from it. Perhaps this guy is one of those people. But that still doesn’t make any sense to the young artist. What good would come out of that other than an inflated ego?

His eyes trail down to the other male’s bag before looking back at him. He gestures to it with a tilt of his head. ❝What were you taking pictures of earlier?❞ He opts for a change of topic, not wanting to dwell on the unwanted offer that could end up with him owing a complete stranger a favor for helping him.

Joseph is a bit surprised he’s suspicious of him, but accepts it after a moment’s thought. Hitoshi was right, after all, and he brushes aside the thought to tell him his excuse that he was really just bored, even if it was true.

❝ In your defense, my face is normally covered. ❞ Octavio hooked a finger under the mask hanging around his neck, tugging on it and making it stretch for emphasis. Really, there was no excuse, if you asked him. But the compliments were nice.

He flicked his phone about his fingers again before sliding back into his pocket. He hopped on his feet, shaking his hands out as the boredom started to creep up on him from standing around.

❝ Since you know what I can do–you still in? ❞

Joseph doesn’t miss how antsy Octavio’s getting the longer he stalls, even if unintentionally. With a few small waves of his hand, he starts, “Yes, yes, of course. I’ll reiterate what I said before - I’m up for anything if you take the blame for whatever might happen.”

“Aha, is it really that obvious…?” Well, it’s not like he was exactly trying to hide it or anything, but Joseph pointing it out is making him more acutely aware of it. Tiny bit embarrassing. He’s choosing not to dwell on him apparently being interested in that, either.

Aesop’s perfectly patient as Joseph thinks over what he wants to say, reclining back in his chair again but keeping his attention focused. It’s true that the story he hears is not quite up to what he’d been hoping for, but he doesn’t appear bored or bothered by that in the slightest. Life isn’t a horror movie ( most of the time ). They can’t all be dramatic hauntings and ominous wailing. The simplicity of it is… charming.

“It may not be exciting, sure, but I wanted to hear your experience. I couldn’t be disappointed with that.” That it wasn’t some tall theatrical tale makes it feel like Joseph told him something true, not just some fabrication he invented. Is it actually true? He can’t possibly know that, but he wants to believe it. “I’ve always rather liked this sort of thing. Growing up where I did, it was… hard not to believe in ghosts, in spite of my father’s insistence they weren’t real.”

A warm smile makes its way onto his face from the way Aesop seems to be relaxing. Joseph isn’t particularly good at reading people, and he’s very much aware of this, but years of practice have made him accustomed to gauging someone’s comfort, if nothing else.

“Well... I don’t think anything else I have to tell you would be terribly interesting either, on that note.” A short pause, “I was a bit of a lonely kid, so I was never really scared of these things, and they seemed to reciprocate that demeanor. Thus... it was more like being visited by a lost, uninvited guest than anything.” Among other things, but that was the only one that Aesop needed to be aware of.

Semimaru startles at his comment, self conscious and definitely embarrassed. Had he said something weird? He flushes,

“Shut the hell up! I was saying for you, for you!” Jeez, that’s the last time he tries to be nice (????)!

“I’m inside where it’s safe, I don’t go playing in the rain like some people I know,” sulkily, he shoots a knowing look down at Joseph instead.

"That still doesn’t make any sense?” He’s still grinning, in a lopsided way that looks almost clumsy. “And I’ll shut up when I’m dead! I wasn’t playing in the rain either! If you want to be rude, I’ll lock you out of your building.”