#one-shot

Mary is outside the cabin, sitting at the stairs, looking at the night sky as she reflects about something that happened today.

It is heard the way Wukong opens the door of the cabin behind her and sits by her side in the stairs, offering her a juice box. "Want some?"

"Yeah, sure. Thank you." Mary says softly, taking the juice box.

The silence lingers as she starts unpacking the juice box, feeling progressively uneasy.

She turns back at him with a smile, soft, "Hey, you don't have to stay if you're tired," her gaze flickers and turns her head softly, "I am just... thinking—about stuff."

Wukong leans to her shoulder, his head resting there.

"Yeah... thing is, I want to." He replies, humorously.

The silence comes back again, Mary fidgets with the straw a few moments, a little nervous, while Wukong is just chilling, taking audible sips of the juice that kind of breaks the vulnerable atmosphere, but he doesn't care.

"Have you ever gotten tired of... how much I tend to overthink things and—" her eyes follow him, "...complicate myself?"

Wukong replies easily, with a smile "You are not complicated." He pauses for a moment, "Why would I even get tired of you?"

"I mean... my mind usually circles over the same thing, even when it's not supposed to be that complex." Mary explains.

"Oh, so— Your head circles because you're afraid of people getting mad at you?" Wukong deduces easily.

Mary's eyes widen, by the way Wukong read her right all of the sudden.

"Am I warm?" Wukong asks, knowing damn well he did by her reaction.

"Have you also felt the same way?" Mary asks back, her eyes shimmering. Her smile is a little tired, but softened by his comprehension.

"Nah, not really. But I've known you well enough to understand how you think." He admits, nonchalantly, though still smiling and easy to her.

"Well..." She turns her head back to the ground, averting her gaze, "That's actually really comforting to hear."

"Yes, baby. I know." Wukong replies, his voice is soft.

"And hey, if you need to stop overthinking something, just tell me and—man—lemme assure you... I can find the easiest solution. Try me!" Wukong teases a bit, playing it with humour, to make her laugh. Annie Mary actually chuckles.

"Like the Occam's razor principle?" She wraps her arm around Wukong, pulling him closer to her.

"What's that?"

"Umm... It says that usually the simplest explanation of a fact tends to be the correct one."

"Oh... Well—yeah. Something like that." Wukong nods, snuggling into her embrace, "I'm gonna be your razor then."

"Though sometimes the correct one can be far more complicated than that." She contradicts herself with a bashful smile.

"Well, sometimes the easiest path turns out to be a good starting point." Wukong argues, smiling gently at her.

Joseph, or rather, Tequila, navigates the steps out of the subway station in her kitten heels, while Suzi and Caesar lag behind. “Hurry up! We can’t let the march pass us by!”

As soon as the two blondes make their way up, the three are greeted by a cacophony of music, glitter, and joy. The march, to their relief, hasn’t turned the corner yet, giving them time to get situated. They squeeze their way through the dancing and cheering crowds until finding the perfect spot just close enough to the barricades. “You know, we wouldn’t be rushing if you didn’t take up too much time in the bathroom,” Caesar sighs.

“And risk losing this perfection?” Tequila poses with one hand cocked on her hip, and the other glamorously framing her face. “I think not, Caesarino.” She adjusts the pink sparkly fabric of her ruched dress, not wanting to overheat, but not showing off too much underneath the short skirt.

Suzi pulls a fan out of her bag, opens it with a CRACK, and fanning it in their direction to help them cool off. “You both remembered your water?” They each raise their respective bottles in response, and Caesar takes a sip of his. “Alright, let’s do this!”

The songs of Chappell Roan and Diana Ross grow louder as the throuple dances, mingling with the attendees near them. At one point, a young woman with golden blonde hair bumps into Tequila by accident, a demisexual flag wrapped around her like a cape. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I was dancing too much with my friend, and I didn’t notice you there.” She has to look up at her, as her heels make her tower over the two friends.

“Hey, at least it was an accident. But be careful out there, ‘cause I think the parade is getting closer!” 

The conversation caught the attention of her friend, who turned to Caesar instead. The two locked eyes, noticing each other’s faces. Light peach fuzz on his upper lip, their sideburns shaved square. A look that says “I see you, and we’re alike,” without uttering a sound. They nod to each other and smile, then return to their respective groups.

“Suzi, can you hold my bag for a moment?” Caesar shakes off the straps of his drawstring backpack and hands it to Suzi. “I think I’m ready to take this off. It’s too damn hot, anyway.”

“Are you sure? I know you were feeling a little uncertain before we left—” Suzi rambles, but out of genuine care. Caesar was one of her lovers, and she wanted him, as well as JoJo, to feel as comfortable as they wanted.

“Yeah, I’m sure.” Caesar removes his tank top and quickly folds it before stuffing it into his bag. The hot summer sun shines on his skin, which matches perfectly with the tape binding his chest. He sighs with relief, both from the discomfort of the shirt on the cloth-like tape and the freedom to show who he truly is.

Loud cheering can be heard from down the street, catching everyone’s attention as the march finally makes its way to their section. The crowd cheers along, hands raised and waving miniature flags and bubbles flowing in the breeze from mechanical blowers. Marchers give high-fives from the other side of the barricade, greeting everyone they pass.

Dancing along to the DJ perched on top, a drag queen on one of the floats notices Tequila. She waves excitedly, pointing down at the float. “YOU GOTTA JOIN US NEXT YEAR!” she shouts, just barely audible over the booming bass music.

“NOT IF YOU’RE THERE!” The other queen playfully flips Tequila off, knowing it’d be taken in jest. Tequila leans down to Caesar and Suzi. “She’s a new girl at one of my home bars. Really sweet, actually! I should introduce her to both of you the next time you come for a show.” They wave at her, smiling wide.

• • • • • • •

As the parade winds down, the crowds dissipate into different parts of the Village, whether it be bars, the subway stations, or apartments shared with friends. Joseph, Caesar, and Suzi, however, wander until they find an empty bench in Christopher Park. The three let out a heavy exhale in unison when they sit, the exhaustion from the day finally hitting their bodies. Suzi takes the bisexual-themed scrunchie out of her hair, letting it fall to her shoulders. Caesar, having collected several bead necklaces, carefully removes them without tangling them.

And Tequila? With a groan, she removes her styled brunette wig, wig tape and all, before struggling to get it into her mini backpack. She raises an eyebrow at Suzi and Caesar’s amused faces when she turns to them, but it quickly turns into a smile. “What? You’d do the same if you were me!”

“Yeah, and that’s why we don’t,” Caesar jokes. “I’m not carrying you home because you don’t want to wear your heels, by the way.”

“Ugh, then you’re paying for the Uber home.” Caesar rolls his eyes at Joseph’s childishness, but doesn’t argue. 

Rather, his attention is drawn to the design of the park. White sculptures decorate the surrounding benches, reflecting the ancestors of their community. They seem relaxed, enjoying each other’s company. Not dissimilar to Caesar’s own feelings as he sits with the ones he loves, showing that, despite all the chaos in the world, all the efforts to delegitimize them, they’ll be there no matter what.

“Everything ok, Cae?” Suzi notices his distant stare, bringing his attention back to reality.

“Uh, yeah. I’m fine.” Caesar finishes the remaining water in his bottle before tossing the empty plastic into a nearby trash can. “Just thinking about us.”

“Well, ‘us’ is a rather nice thing to think about.” She kisses him on the cheek before giving one to Tequila as well. “I’d spend eternity with you if I could.”

“You two, Suzi. It’s about time we get going, I think.” Caesar pulls out his phone and requests a ride back to their apartment. “Speaking for the three of us, there’s no way in hell we’re going to a bar tonight.”

“Agreed,” Tequila nods. “There’s always tomorrow!”

“Yeah, always tomorrow.”

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10 years had passed since Joseph and Suzi got hitched, bringing Holly into the Joestar family as well. World War 2 was finally over, and Europe was on its way to recovery.

So when Joseph, self-admitted genius, pondered a way to show his devotion, he realized that it should go back to where it all began.

• • • • • • •

The couple was relieved upon their arrival in Venice, able to finally take the time to enjoy the experience without the threat of impending doom, and having their little girl along for the trip was a wonderful addition to the plans. Suzi shields her eyes from the sun as the three emerge from the ferryboat taking them from the airport to the streets of the city, and Joseph lifts Holly onto his shoulder. “Welcome to Italy!”

Holly waves at the crowds around her. “Hi, Italy!”

“This was where me and your mama met waaaaay before you were born! Of course, I won her over easily.”

Suzi playfully hits Joseph's shoulder. “Oh, JoJo! You know that I found you silly at first.”

Joseph gently lets his daughter down, but doesn’t lose hold of her hand. “But you love me anyway.” He quickly pecks his wife on the cheek, and Holly responds with an exaggerated gagging face. “Shush, Holly. How about we get going on our tour?”

“Yay! Gonna go all around Italy!”

“Just the city we’re in, dear. It’s called Venezia! Or just Venice.” Suzi takes Holly’s other hand, helping to guide her.

“Ve…nice.” She tries pronouncing it a few times, stumbling over her words.

“Good job, Holly!”

• • • • • • •

The Joestar family sits on the seats of the gondola, the gondolier in front speaking in a regional dialect of Italian. “I can’t understand a single thing he’s saying,” mutters Joseph. “I mean, it’s so different from how you speak.”

“I’ve been catching some of it,” Suzi replies. “Oh, be careful, piccolina!” Suzi catches Holly before she wrangles free from her grasp, as the young girl was trying to dip her hand in the canal. “Stay in the boat with us, ok?”

Suzi’s pet name in her mother tongue catches the gondolier’s attention, who attempts to start a conversation with her. She quickly becomes flustered, trying to interrupt before he continues. “Ah, parliamo dialetti diversi.”* The message thankfully gets across, and the man makes a sad face before continuing to row.

Holly points at the buildings along the canal, eyes wide. “Mama, Papa, these houses are so old!”

“That’s right! They’ve been here for hundreds and hundreds of years.” Joseph then lowers his voice, talking to Suzi. “And it’s a miracle they survived the war, too.”

Suzi hums in agreement. “We made it to New York in the nick of time.” Holly continues to marvel at the architecture, while her mother carefully holds her in her lap.

• • • • • • •

With Holly resting in the hotel room, Suzi and Joseph make their way down to a famed bar on the edge of the Grand Canal one evening. The bar is small, but thankfully they find their way in. The two sit near the entrance, sipping on cocktails.

“It’s nice to have a break. It’s our anniversary, after all!” When the bartender hands the couple their drinks, Joseph raises his glass in a toast. “To our love.”

“To our love!” They each sip their respective drinks, the fresh peach puree a refreshing flavor with the champagne. “Oh, this is good, JoJo!”

“I know! The bartender said it’s a recent addition to the cocktail menu. Someone has to bring this back to America, or we’ll be coming out here a lot more often,” Joseph laughs.

“I wouldn’t be opposed, as long as we have the money.” Suzi smiles at Joseph over her drink. “We could get lost here sometime, once Holly is old enough.” The conversation isn’t extremely titillating, but when he sees the lipstick mark on Suzi’s glass, Joseph feels a soft blush on his cheeks.

• • • • • • •

On the final evening of their trip, Joseph and Suzi take Holly to a small cemetery near where an abandoned dock to Air Supplena sits. The sun slowly sets over the horizon, setting everything in an orange glow. “Where are we going, Papa?”

“Just a moment, sweetheart. We’re almost there.” The family reaches the back of the cemetery, where a stout gravestone sits covered in accumulated dust and dirt. “Damn, it doesn’t seem like anyone’s been here in years. But at least we finally made it, huh?”

Joseph wipes the dust off the stone's engraving, revealing the epitaph.

Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli

13 Maggio 1918 - 27 Febbraio 1939

Uno splendido figlio e un fratello amorevole.**

Suzi approaches the burial plot next, gently resting a bouquet of sunflowers from a local florist on the ground. She fetches a handkerchief from her purse, blotting at tears that she began to shed. 

“Mama? Are you ok?”

Joseph brings Holly close to him, gently holding her hand. “Holly, Caesar was a man very important to your Mama and me. We loved him like we love each other, and like how we love you. He, uh,” his breath catches in his throat for a moment. “He’s been gone for a long time, and this is the first time we’ve been able to visit since he passed.”

“Oh.” Holly looked at the ground, unsure of what to say next. “Well, um, if you guys loved him so much, then I guess I love him too! Cause I love you both.”

Both Joseph and Suzi pause a moment before laughing with her, hugging their daughter close. “And I know he would have loved you too, piccolina.”

Joseph fetches a small velvet box from his pocket, taking a deep breath as he opens it. “We got this for you, Cae.” Inside, it holds a golden ring, engraved with small, triangular patterns. The inside of it reads “J.J. & S.Q. & C.Z.”

“We would have come here sooner, but the war broke out,” he continues. “Anyway, Suzi and I are doing great, and Holly too, of course.” Joseph turns his head to Holly. “Cover your ears, Holly. Papa’s gonna say some adult words, ok?” The young girl nods, covering her ears with her palms flat against them.

“It’s been so fucking hard without you. Suzi and I, we both have moments where you’d know exactly what to do. But you’re not here, God damn it. Not in a marriage with us, or at least whatever the law would allow.” Joseph’s tears flow harder, and he hiccups as he tries to remain composed in front of his daughter. Suzi comes to his side, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. “But we know that you’ll always be here, in spirit or otherwise.”

Joseph takes the ring and places it around one of the thinner flower stems, tying it around the band until it's snug. He works the stem deeper into the bundle, trying to hide it until the flowers wilt. “Hopefully one of his siblings will come by and see it, if they decide to come.”

Suzi pulls Holly into the embrace, and as she looks up, a dove flies from a nearby tree to perch on the wooden fence in front of them. Somehow, the three of them know that Caesar is there with them. Even the wind echoes him, sounding like the whisper of “I miei amori.”***

“You’re our love too, Caesarino.”

Translation of the Italian in the fic:

*“We speak different dialects.”

**“A splendid son and a loving brother.”

***“My loves.”

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