Joseph regained consciousness. He sat up and looked around. He was in Lisa Lisa's house. Caesar and Lisa Lisa were talking across from him. Caesar had noticed Joseph moving around.
He rushed over to Joseph, "Lay back down."
"Good morning to you too."
Lisa Lisa looked at him with concern, "You feeling okay? You had a bad panic attack yesterday and passed out. It's 10:30 in the morning, you've been out since 9:00 in the evening yesterday."
Joseph brushed his hair into its proper place with his hand. He had indeed had a panic attack the previous night. Oh right, because he was a murderer.
He sighed, he just wanted to go back to the life he had before he was a murderer. He frowned, thinking of what his granny would think of him.
Caesar took notice of his mood. "If me and him can be alone for a bit?" He asked Lisa Lisa. She quickly left the room, unable to handle the homosexuals for one moment longer.
"Are you okay?" Caesar asked as he sat down next to Joseph on the bed. "Do you want me to make you something to eat?"
"No…gosh, Caesar, I killed him." Joseph said, "I picked up my gun and shot him."
Caesar hugged him, sitting on his lap and wrapping his arms around Joseph. "I told you that we'd risk our lives here." Caesar said, his head resting over Joseph's shoulder, "Things like this happen."
Joseph knew Caesar was right. This is what they had been training for. They didn't carry guns on them to frolic around in flower fields, they carried guns to kill. And that just so had to happen to Joseph.
"Caesar?"
"Yeah?"
"Let's go home."
"Mhm."
"Let's have sex."
"Of course."
"Let's eat pasta."
"Yeah."
And so they did. In that order.
-
After eating pasta, they sat on their couch. They were talking, bantering even. For some reason, Joseph just wanted to spend every hour, every minute, every second of the rest of his life with this beautiful man that sat before him.
Caesar felt the same. He didn't ever want to leave Joseph. Even after this was all over, he wanted to stay with Joseph.
Caesar felt a horrible churning in his stomach. If one of the Pillar Men had been on the estate and almost got away with killing 2 people and almost killing a third, that meant that they were close.
That meant that his time might run out. And that meant that he wouldn't be able to be with Joseph anymore. That he would die.
"Joseph," Caesar spoke quietly as he crawled over to Joseph and laid down on his chest, "I love you."
Joseph wanted to start kicking his feet and giggling. "I love you too."
Caesar turned over onto his stomach to kiss Joseph. It was a soft yet passionate kiss. Caesar felt his eyes stinging. He didn't want to die yet.
If you had told Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli 2 months ago that he might die, he wouldn't have cared. It was just Death coming to collect the one that got away.
Now, he felt like he had more to live for. He had Joseph Joestar. That dumb brunette of his.
"Caesar? Are you crying?"
Caesar snapped back to reality when Joseph broke the kiss to wipe a tear off Caesar's face. He smiled at Joseph, trying to ease his concern.
"Yeah, but it's because I'm so happy I met you."
Joseph began crying too. Not even crying, bawling.
"Aw, jeeze, Caesar," He said as he rubbed his face into Caesar's shoulder, "I'm happy I met you too. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. If it weren't for you, I would be eating chips, olive oil, and bread every day…"
Caesar smacked him on the shoulder. The two of them began laughing.
And of course, they can't be happy. The phone just had to ring.
Caesar sighed, "I'll get it."
He stood up and walked over to the telephone. Caesar picked it up, "Hello?"
'Hello, it's- it's Suzie Q. Lisa Lisa's assistant.'
"Oh, yes, is there something wrong?"
'No-no. Ms. Lisa Lisa wants you to come over to the house. She said that she wants to discuss something with you. It- it seemed urgent.'
"Okay, I'll be there in a bit. Thank you, Suzie."
'...Yes, of course.'
She hung up the phone. Caesar turned around to face Joseph. "I'm going to Lisa Lisa's right now, she called for me."
"Oh, alright. Be careful."
Caesar nodded and began to walk away. But he didn't feel right. Suzie Q sounded unnatural, nervous even. She was usually very confident and firm with the way she spoke. It was almost as if something happened to her.
Caesar really didn't feel okay. He wanted to run back to Joseph and ask for him to accompany him. He didn't want to go without Joseph.
He turned back around and walked back into the living room. "Joseph, I forgot something."
Joseph hummed in response. Caesar kissed him.
"There. Goodbye, Joseph."
"Aren't you feeling cute today? Goodbye, Caesar."
Caesar walked away, once more.
"Wait!" Joseph called out, "Can we eat french toast tonight?"
Caesar frowned at the thought of breakfast for dinner, but he didn't mind. "Of course. Bye, I love you."
"I love you too."
-
Caesar entered Lisa Lisa's house. It felt cold. Not the temperature, but the atmosphere. It felt cold and evil. Caesar made sure that he had his gun in his back. "Lisa Lisa? Suzie?"
"Oh, in- in here!" Suzie Q called out, "We're in the dining room."
Caesar began walking over there. With each step he took, he felt even more terror and anxiety fill his chest. He grabbed his gun.
He turned the corner into the dining room. And there they were. One of the Pillar Men, holding a gun, and Suzie Q, being held at gunpoint.
"Drop your weapon, Zeppeli," The man growled, pushing the gun closer to Suzie Q, "You don't want to find out which one of us is quicker."
Caesar wanted to scream. He wanted to scream at himself for ever walking away from Joseph. He wanted to scream at himself for letting his father do such filthy work. He wanted to scream at himself for everything he had done that led up to this moment.
Caesar dropped his gun and slid it over to the man. The man pulled out a seat for Caesar, so he sat. "What the fuck do you want?" Caesar hissed.
"You," The man said, "We would like you."
Caesar was confused at this statement. Did they want him, as in Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli, or him, as in Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli's life? "My life?"
"Your skills," The man answered, "We are offering you a place within the Pillar Men."
"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Caesar laughed, "You Pillar Men and your sense of humor…"
"I'm not sure what is so funny. I'm being serious," The man said with confusion in his voice, "If you join us, you will have protection, money, and a family."
"A family? Who's the mommy and who's the daddy," Caesar said with a smug smile on his face, "And protection? If the protection were so good, then how did one of your guys end up with a bullet in his head just yesterday?"
The Pillar Man was not having this. "Alright then, go fuck yourself, I told him you would be a bitch about this." The man barked at Caesar. The man had Suzie in a headlock as he readied his gun. Then there was the click of his gun, that click that you hear just before a shot is fired.
Of course, Caesar had another gun on him. He wasn't stupid, he wasn't dying that easily. He grabbed it from his sock and shot. Caesar was faster. Somehow, he was faster.
He shot at the man's shoulder. Suzie Q screamed, terrified that she was going to die. The man shot at Suzie Q, the bullet going through her bicep. The man let her go and she fell to the ground. Suzie Q didn't want to make things any harder than they were, she already felt horrible for doing all this for the safety of her own life.
She crawled over to the gun that Caesar dropped, picked it up, and shot at the man's other shoulder. "You dirty bitch…" The man barked at her.
Caesar smirked to himself. It was 2 against 1. "Just give up," He told the man, "You're outnumbered. Any last words?"
"Yeah, look alive."
Caesar felt his blood run cold. He turned around. There he was. The third Pillar Man with a gun pointed at Caesar.
Caesar gasped and quickly shot at him, but he missed. Suzie Q didn't waste another second, she shot at the second Pillar Man's penis, then his head. He fell to the ground, shrieking vulgar things, cursing her. The third Pillar Man shot at Caesar, but also missed.
Caesar smiled, what a woman that Suzie Q was. "Suzie, leave! Go find Lisa Lisa, or Joseph, or somebody!" The Pillar Man began open firing as Caesar sprinted to the kitchen.
How was he going to do this? He had 3 bullets. Caesar heard the tapping of the man's shoes as he came close and closer. "Come on out, Zeppeli," The man said in a deep and evil voice, "You can't run forever. It would be a shame if you, being the coward that you are, would end up killing another person that you love…"
Caesar controlled his breathing, trying not to panic. He quietly but quickly walked over to the living room. He then walked back into the foyer from the living room and went up the stairs. The Pillar Man didn't want to play ring around the fucking rosie, so he stomped his way into the foyer, his eyes meeting Caesar's from the top of the stairs.
Caesar took another shot at him, making it into the man's thigh. He grunted and clenched his thigh. Caesar took a second shot, missing. He was down to his last bullet. If he doesn't make it, he's done for.
At that very moment, he had never been so thankful for brunettes. Especially the dumb ones.
Joseph barged through the door and shot at the man's back. He just grunted. This bitch was not dying.
Instead, the man paid no attention to Joseph, he instead rapidly fired at Caesar, making three shots. One in his leg, another in his stomach, and another in his bicep. Caesar made a horrible noise and collapsed.
"Caesar!" Joseph said, panicking at the sight. He felt a horrible anger building within himself. Joseph could not believe that he ever felt sorry for these disgusting people. They do nothing for this world except make it worse. He wouldn't ever forget watching the love of his life get shot at, or the sight of Suzie Q running to their house, clenching her arm and screaming for Joseph.
Joseph began firing at the Pillar Man who was running up the other set of stairs. Joseph followed him, trying not to worry about Caesar. Caesar would be alright. He was Caesar after all. Why was he worrying?
Joseph fired another shot that went through the wall. The Pillar Man stopped and turned around. He pointed his gun at Caesar. He knew that Joseph would never dare do anything if it meant that Caesar might get hurt.
Joseph stopped, "What is it? You're finally out of options?"
Caesar looked at Joseph. He was bleeding out onto the floor. His head felt so light yet heavy. The Pillar Man looked at Joseph, "You take one more step, one more shot, and he's dead."
"The fuck do you want then?"
"Join us."
"Excuse me?"
"Join us. You're buddy here rejected us, but you have major potential. Protection, money, family, your own home, all of these things can be guaranteed to you if you just give up."
Joseph laughed out loud, "You've got to be joking, right?" Joseph shouted at him, "How dense is that head of yours that you believe that after all the things that you've done to the both of us, that I would ever even dream of joining you?"
The Pillar Man sighed. "Well, if I throw in one more offer, maybe you'd consider it." He stared at Caesar, then back at Joseph. "If you join us, then we'll let Caesar live. On one condition, the both of you have to join us. You can continue being with each other, knowing that you both have safety and everything one needs to live. And all you have to do is cooperate with us."
Joseph's heart was being played with. Caesar could live. He could live. They just have to agree. His eyes met Caesar's. Joseph remembered what he had told him, about how these people took the people that he loved from him. He couldn't do this to him. He can't force Caesar to do this.
He looked once more into those deep jade eyes of his, trying to say all the things he wished he could have said to him with his eyes. 'I love you' 'I'm sorry' 'I don't want to do this' 'You're the best' 'I want to be with you forever.'
'I'm so sorry.' Caesar recognized the apologetic look in Joseph's eyes. He simply smiled. 'It's okay.'
"No, I won't ever do that."
The Pillar Man sighed once more. "Can't say I didn't try."
He shot Caesar in the stomach once more. Caesar shrieked in pain. The Pillar Man wanted Caesar to die a slow death. And that's what really got Joseph angry.
Joseph screamed in frustration as he open fired at the man. He didn't even take a second to look at where he was aiming. He was furious that all of this was happening. Everything. Caesar bleeding out on the floor, wheezing and wincing in pain, Lisa Lisa taking her sweet time to arrive, and himself not being able to help Caesar at all.
The Pillar Man was caught off guard with how rapidly the bullets were coming at him. He could not dodge them, but somehow, that did not take him down. He shot back at Joseph. He shot Joseph in the wrist, the calve, his forearm, and his mid thigh. Joseph fell to the ground.
Caesar was watching in horror as the love of his life was being gunned down by one man. He could no longer move without losing too much blood.
The Pillar Man chuckled to himself. "What a pitiful sight…" He reloaded his gun. He had nothing to worry about since both of the men were thought to be disabled. He walked over to Joseph and pointed the gun at his head.
Caesar doesn't know how he mustered up the strength to do this, but he picked up his gun from the floor and shot at the man's skull. His final shot.
The Pillar Man stood there for a second. Joseph and Caesar exchanged looks. Then, he finally fell. He had died.
Joseph began smiling, in awe of how amazing his Caesar was.
Caesar smiled in return, but soon, his head became too much for his body to continue holding up. His head slammed into the floor. Joseph gasped and began army crawling to Caesar, as he couldn't move the majority of his body.
He was calling Caesar's name. Joseph made it by Caesar side, stroking his hair and holding his hand. "Caesar, it's okay, you'll be okay," Joseph said with tears in his eyes, "You're alright, sweetheart, we did it. We're gonna leave this place and go back to the cafe."
"Joseph…" Caesar managed, "I love you- I love you, so much."
"I know, I love you too," Joseph said, wiping a tear of Caesar's cheek, "Just stay still, Lisa Lisa and Suzie are gonna be here soon. Just stay with me, Caesar."
"Jo-Joseph-" Caesar began choking. He was choking on his blood. He wanted to say a million more things to him. He wanted to spend a million more moments with him. He wanted to make a million more memories with him.
"It's okay, baby," Joseph sobbed, pleading with the universe to give Caesar a second chance, "I'm here, it's okay, you're gonna be okay…"
Caesar managed one last smile at Joseph. Then, he choked. The blood was all in his mouth. His body shook, finally giving up.
Caesar was glad he went out this way, with somebody he loved by his side. He has never been so thankful that he was able to die looking into the eyes of the man that he loved.
He felt the pain leave his body. He felt the weight of an elephant lifted off of him. Caesar realized that he was dead. He watched as Joseph sobbed, screamed, and cursed whilst stroking Caesar's body's hair and holding his hand. Caesar wanted to give Joseph the biggest hug, 'It's okay, I'll wait for you.'
But no words came out. He could try all he wanted to to try and reach out for Joseph, to stroke his cheek, to hold his hand, to hug him, one more time. But it wouldn't work. Caesar felt a pull coming from behind him. He turned around and saw his family.
They had their arms spread out, as though saying, "Come with us! We've been waiting for you!"
Caesar didn't want to leave Joseph, but he had to. He wanted to be with his family. So he went to them. They rejoiced, hugged, kissed, and welcomed him.
And so there, Caesar would wait for Joseph to arrive when his time came.
Joseph regained consciousness. He sat up and looked around. He was in Lisa Lisa's house. Caesar and Lisa Lisa were talking across from him. Caesar had noticed Joseph moving around.
He rushed over to Joseph, "Lay back down."
"Good morning to you too."
Lisa Lisa looked at him with concern, "You feeling okay? You had a bad panic attack yesterday and passed out. It's 10:30 in the morning, you've been out since 9:00 in the evening yesterday."
Joseph brushed his hair into its proper place with his hand. He had indeed had a panic attack the previous night. Oh right, because he was a murderer.
He sighed, he just wanted to go back to the life he had before he was a murderer. He frowned, thinking of what his granny would think of him.
Caesar took notice of his mood. "If me and him can be alone for a bit?" He asked Lisa Lisa. She quickly left the room, unable to handle the homosexuals for one moment longer.
"Are you okay?" Caesar asked as he sat down next to Joseph on the bed. "Do you want me to make you something to eat?"
"No…gosh, Caesar, I killed him." Joseph said, "I picked up my gun and shot him."
Caesar hugged him, sitting on his lap and wrapping his arms around Joseph. "I told you that we'd risk our lives here." Caesar said, his head resting over Joseph's shoulder, "Things like this happen."
Joseph knew Caesar was right. This is what they had been training for. They didn't carry guns on them to frolic around in flower fields, they carried guns to kill. And that just so had to happen to Joseph.
"Caesar?"
"Yeah?"
"Let's go home."
"Mhm."
"Let's have sex."
"Of course."
"Let's eat pasta."
"Yeah."
And so they did. In that order.
-
After eating pasta, they sat on their couch. They were talking, bantering even. For some reason, Joseph just wanted to spend every hour, every minute, every second of the rest of his life with this beautiful man that sat before him.
Caesar felt the same. He didn't ever want to leave Joseph. Even after this was all over, he wanted to stay with Joseph.
Caesar felt a horrible churning in his stomach. If one of the Pillar Men had been on the estate and almost got away with killing 2 people and almost killing a third, that meant that they were close.
That meant that his time might run out. And that meant that he wouldn't be able to be with Joseph anymore. That he would die.
"Joseph," Caesar spoke quietly as he crawled over to Joseph and laid down on his chest, "I love you."
Joseph wanted to start kicking his feet and giggling. "I love you too."
Caesar turned over onto his stomach to kiss Joseph. It was a soft yet passionate kiss. Caesar felt his eyes stinging. He didn't want to die yet.
If you had told Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli 2 months ago that he might die, he wouldn't have cared. It was just Death coming to collect the one that got away.
Now, he felt like he had more to live for. He had Joseph Joestar. That dumb brunette of his.
"Caesar? Are you crying?"
Caesar snapped back to reality when Joseph broke the kiss to wipe a tear off Caesar's face. He smiled at Joseph, trying to ease his concern.
"Yeah, but it's because I'm so happy I met you."
Joseph began crying too. Not even crying, bawling.
"Aw, jeeze, Caesar," He said as he rubbed his face into Caesar's shoulder, "I'm happy I met you too. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. If it weren't for you, I would be eating chips, olive oil, and bread every day…"
Caesar smacked him on the shoulder. The two of them began laughing.
And of course, they can't be happy. The phone just had to ring.
Caesar sighed, "I'll get it."
He stood up and walked over to the telephone. Caesar picked it up, "Hello?"
'Hello, it's- it's Suzie Q. Lisa Lisa's assistant.'
"Oh, yes, is there something wrong?"
'No-no. Ms. Lisa Lisa wants you to come over to the house. She said that she wants to discuss something with you. It- it seemed urgent.'
"Okay, I'll be there in a bit. Thank you, Suzie."
'...Yes, of course.'
She hung up the phone. Caesar turned around to face Joseph. "I'm going to Lisa Lisa's right now, she called for me."
"Oh, alright. Be careful."
Caesar nodded and began to walk away. But he didn't feel right. Suzie Q sounded unnatural, nervous even. She was usually very confident and firm with the way she spoke. It was almost as if something happened to her.
Caesar really didn't feel okay. He wanted to run back to Joseph and ask for him to accompany him. He didn't want to go without Joseph.
He turned back around and walked back into the living room. "Joseph, I forgot something."
Joseph hummed in response. Caesar kissed him.
"There. Goodbye, Joseph."
"Aren't you feeling cute today? Goodbye, Caesar."
Caesar walked away, once more.
"Wait!" Joseph called out, "Can we eat french toast tonight?"
Caesar frowned at the thought of breakfast for dinner, but he didn't mind. "Of course. Bye, I love you."
"I love you too."
-
Caesar entered Lisa Lisa's house. It felt cold. Not the temperature, but the atmosphere. It felt cold and evil. Caesar made sure that he had his gun in his back. "Lisa Lisa? Suzie?"
"Oh, in- in here!" Suzie Q called out, "We're in the dining room."
Caesar began walking over there. With each step he took, he felt even more terror and anxiety fill his chest. He grabbed his gun.
He turned the corner into the dining room. And there they were. One of the Pillar Men, holding a gun, and Suzie Q, being held at gunpoint.
"Drop your weapon, Zeppeli," The man growled, pushing the gun closer to Suzie Q, "You don't want to find out which one of us is quicker."
Caesar wanted to scream. He wanted to scream at himself for ever walking away from Joseph. He wanted to scream at himself for letting his father do such filthy work. He wanted to scream at himself for everything he had done that led up to this moment.
Caesar dropped his gun and slid it over to the man. The man pulled out a seat for Caesar, so he sat. "What the fuck do you want?" Caesar hissed.
"You," The man said, "We would like you."
Caesar was confused at this statement. Did they want him, as in Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli, or him, as in Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli's life? "My life?"
"Your skills," The man answered, "We are offering you a place within the Pillar Men."
"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Caesar laughed, "You Pillar Men and your sense of humor…"
"I'm not sure what is so funny. I'm being serious," The man said with confusion in his voice, "If you join us, you will have protection, money, and a family."
"A family? Who's the mommy and who's the daddy," Caesar said with a smug smile on his face, "And protection? If the protection were so good, then how did one of your guys end up with a bullet in his head just yesterday?"
The Pillar Man was not having this. "Alright then, go fuck yourself, I told him you would be a bitch about this." The man barked at Caesar. The man had Suzie in a headlock as he readied his gun. Then there was the click of his gun, that click that you hear just before a shot is fired.
Of course, Caesar had another gun on him. He wasn't stupid, he wasn't dying that easily. He grabbed it from his sock and shot. Caesar was faster. Somehow, he was faster.
He shot at the man's shoulder. Suzie Q screamed, terrified that she was going to die. The man shot at Suzie Q, the bullet going through her bicep. The man let her go and she fell to the ground. Suzie Q didn't want to make things any harder than they were, she already felt horrible for doing all this for the safety of her own life.
She crawled over to the gun that Caesar dropped, picked it up, and shot at the man's other shoulder. "You dirty bitch…" The man barked at her.
Caesar smirked to himself. It was 2 against 1. "Just give up," He told the man, "You're outnumbered. Any last words?"
"Yeah, look alive."
Caesar felt his blood run cold. He turned around. There he was. The third Pillar Man with a gun pointed at Caesar.
Caesar gasped and quickly shot at him, but he missed. Suzie Q didn't waste another second, she shot at the second Pillar Man's penis, then his head. He fell to the ground, shrieking vulgar things, cursing her. The third Pillar Man shot at Caesar, but also missed.
Caesar smiled, what a woman that Suzie Q was. "Suzie, leave! Go find Lisa Lisa, or Joseph, or somebody!" The Pillar Man began open firing as Caesar sprinted to the kitchen.
How was he going to do this? He had 3 bullets. Caesar heard the tapping of the man's shoes as he came close and closer. "Come on out, Zeppeli," The man said in a deep and evil voice, "You can't run forever. It would be a shame if you, being the coward that you are, would end up killing another person that you love…"
Caesar controlled his breathing, trying not to panic. He quietly but quickly walked over to the living room. He then walked back into the foyer from the living room and went up the stairs. The Pillar Man didn't want to play ring around the fucking rosie, so he stomped his way into the foyer, his eyes meeting Caesar's from the top of the stairs.
Caesar took another shot at him, making it into the man's thigh. He grunted and clenched his thigh. Caesar took a second shot, missing. He was down to his last bullet. If he doesn't make it, he's done for.
At that very moment, he had never been so thankful for brunettes. Especially the dumb ones.
Joseph barged through the door and shot at the man's back. He just grunted. This bitch was not dying.
Instead, the man paid no attention to Joseph, he instead rapidly fired at Caesar, making three shots. One in his leg, another in his stomach, and another in his bicep. Caesar made a horrible noise and collapsed.
"Caesar!" Joseph said, panicking at the sight. He felt a horrible anger building within himself. Joseph could not believe that he ever felt sorry for these disgusting people. They do nothing for this world except make it worse. He wouldn't ever forget watching the love of his life get shot at, or the sight of Suzie Q running to their house, clenching her arm and screaming for Joseph.
Joseph began firing at the Pillar Man who was running up the other set of stairs. Joseph followed him, trying not to worry about Caesar. Caesar would be alright. He was Caesar after all. Why was he worrying?
Joseph fired another shot that went through the wall. The Pillar Man stopped and turned around. He pointed his gun at Caesar. He knew that Joseph would never dare do anything if it meant that Caesar might get hurt.
Joseph stopped, "What is it? You're finally out of options?"
Caesar looked at Joseph. He was bleeding out onto the floor. His head felt so light yet heavy. The Pillar Man looked at Joseph, "You take one more step, one more shot, and he's dead."
"The fuck do you want then?"
"Join us."
"Excuse me?"
"Join us. You're buddy here rejected us, but you have major potential. Protection, money, family, your own home, all of these things can be guaranteed to you if you just give up."
Joseph laughed out loud, "You've got to be joking, right?" Joseph shouted at him, "How dense is that head of yours that you believe that after all the things that you've done to the both of us, that I would ever even dream of joining you?"
The Pillar Man sighed. "Well, if I throw in one more offer, maybe you'd consider it." He stared at Caesar, then back at Joseph. "If you join us, then we'll let Caesar live. On one condition, the both of you have to join us. You can continue being with each other, knowing that you both have safety and everything one needs to live. And all you have to do is cooperate with us."
Joseph's heart was being played with. Caesar could live. He could live. They just have to agree. His eyes met Caesar's. Joseph remembered what he had told him, about how these people took the people that he loved from him. He couldn't do this to him. He can't force Caesar to do this.
He looked once more into those deep jade eyes of his, trying to say all the things he wished he could have said to him with his eyes. 'I love you' 'I'm sorry' 'I don't want to do this' 'You're the best' 'I want to be with you forever.'
'I'm so sorry.' Caesar recognized the apologetic look in Joseph's eyes. He simply smiled. 'It's okay.'
"No, I won't ever do that."
The Pillar Man sighed once more. "Can't say I didn't try."
He shot Caesar in the stomach once more. Caesar shrieked in pain. The Pillar Man wanted Caesar to die a slow death. And that's what really got Joseph angry.
Joseph screamed in frustration as he open fired at the man. He didn't even take a second to look at where he was aiming. He was furious that all of this was happening. Everything. Caesar bleeding out on the floor, wheezing and wincing in pain, Lisa Lisa taking her sweet time to arrive, and himself not being able to help Caesar at all.
The Pillar Man was caught off guard with how rapidly the bullets were coming at him. He could not dodge them, but somehow, that did not take him down. He shot back at Joseph. He shot Joseph in the wrist, the calve, his forearm, and his mid thigh. Joseph fell to the ground.
Caesar was watching in horror as the love of his life was being gunned down by one man. He could no longer move without losing too much blood.
The Pillar Man chuckled to himself. "What a pitiful sight…" He reloaded his gun. He had nothing to worry about since both of the men were thought to be disabled. He walked over to Joseph and pointed the gun at his head.
Caesar doesn't know how he mustered up the strength to do this, but he picked up his gun from the floor and shot at the man's skull. His final shot.
The Pillar Man stood there for a second. Joseph and Caesar exchanged looks. Then, he finally fell. He had died.
Joseph began smiling, in awe of how amazing his Caesar was.
Caesar smiled in return, but soon, his head became too much for his body to continue holding up. His head slammed into the floor. Joseph gasped and began army crawling to Caesar, as he couldn't move the majority of his body.
He was calling Caesar's name. Joseph made it by Caesar side, stroking his hair and holding his hand. "Caesar, it's okay, you'll be okay," Joseph said with tears in his eyes, "You're alright, sweetheart, we did it. We're gonna leave this place and go back to the cafe."
"Joseph…" Caesar managed, "I love you- I love you, so much."
"I know, I love you too," Joseph said, wiping a tear of Caesar's cheek, "Just stay still, Lisa Lisa and Suzie are gonna be here soon. Just stay with me, Caesar."
"Jo-Joseph-" Caesar began choking. He was choking on his blood. He wanted to say a million more things to him. He wanted to spend a million more moments with him. He wanted to make a million more memories with him.
"It's okay, baby," Joseph sobbed, pleading with the universe to give Caesar a second chance, "I'm here, it's okay, you're gonna be okay…"
Caesar managed one last smile at Joseph. Then, he choked. The blood was all in his mouth. His body shook, finally giving up.
Caesar was glad he went out this way, with somebody he loved by his side. He has never been so thankful that he was able to die looking into the eyes of the man that he loved.
He felt the pain leave his body. He felt the weight of an elephant lifted off of him. Caesar realized that he was dead. He watched as Joseph sobbed, screamed, and cursed whilst stroking Caesar's body's hair and holding his hand. Caesar wanted to give Joseph the biggest hug, 'It's okay, I'll wait for you.'
But no words came out. He could try all he wanted to to try and reach out for Joseph, to stroke his cheek, to hold his hand, to hug him, one more time. But it wouldn't work. Caesar felt a pull coming from behind him. He turned around and saw his family.
They had their arms spread out, as though saying, "Come with us! We've been waiting for you!"
Caesar didn't want to leave Joseph, but he had to. He wanted to be with his family. So he went to them. They rejoiced, hugged, kissed, and welcomed him.
And so there, Caesar would wait for Joseph to arrive when his time came.