Don't wait for me

Chapter 2: Broken

He shouldn't have drunk this much. His head was aching and his muscles were stiff. The last night must've been athletic. The same morning, he had woken up naked in a woman's bed. He had never seen her, and didn't even remembered meeting her the night before. But she was really gorgeous, too bad he couldn't recall any of their acrobatics. His only mistake was the alcohol. Abusing of it was really not recommended for an epileptic, he told himself that he would quit drinking for a while to reduce the risks.

He was massaging his forehead when he heard heavy steps coming closer. Then the bell rang.

Caesar didn't expect to see him this soon, but the Joestar guy was standing here, soaking wet because of the heavy rain falling outside. Caesar stood up and disappeared a few seconds in the tote room, and came back with a towel that he threw at Joseph's face.

-Don't make my floor wet.

-Wow, not even a hello? said Joseph.

Caesar realised that his attitude was a bit rude, but he was exhausted by both his headache and the lack of sleep, so it wasn't going to change. Maybe he should've taken a day off.

-What are you here for? he asked.

Joseph finished drying himself and kept the towel on his shoulder.

-It...the watch, I kinda broke it, he said showing his wrist.

Indeed, it looked like it had been crushed under a rock, the glass was in pieces and the hands of the watch were stopped.

-Three weeks, Caesar said. You bought it three weeks ago. How did it end up like this?

His voice sounded irritated.

-There was a chain in my way, I fell, there was a rock on the ground, it smashed it. At least it wasn't my head.

-Hmm, loosing brain cells would be fatal to you.

Joseph was about to retort, but the bell rang again. A woman dressed in blue, with a transparent umbrella entered, she closed it and put it in the umbrella bucket next to the door. She had beautiful short black hair and her face was...the same as the one he woke up next to this morning.

Caesar was surprised, and Joseph was smirking like a fool.

-Hello, he said, unsure of how he should act.

Did she remember last night?

She came closer, leaned on the showcase and smiled to him.

-Do you remember last night? Or are you here as a client?

-How could I forget you...she said. Though I may also buy something in here.

Even if he couldn't see his face, Caesar was sure that Joseph was carefully listening. He began to feel nervous.

-I'll be honest, he began. I don't remember anything, not even meeting you. All I know is that I woke up at your place, sorry.

She looked chocked in the first place, then began to blush furiously.

-Oh, I see. I'll just take a look at the watches then, she said before turning to her left.

He felt bad for her, especially since she lives at the other side of the town.

-Woman's watch on your right, he said.

*

She finally left, after saying a last little 'goodbye' and causing the bell to ring again.

Joseph, who had the time to browse all watches, came back to him.

-Who was that? he asked.

-A person out of your concern, and probably out of mine too now...Take off your watch.

Joseph obeyed and put it on the showcase between him and Caesar.

-You screwed it up successfully, he commented. But it doesn't mean I cannot fix it.

He opened a drawer below and looked for spare parts. The strap was okay, but the dial and frame were broken.

-I can change the frame and dial, but I only have purple to go with that strap.

-It's alright, replied Joseph.

He took the parts and began to dismantle it. Caesar could see Joseph's elbows resting on the showcase, and thought he was looking at was he was doing. But he somehow felt the brunette's gaze directly on him. Caesar raised his head and met his eyes.

That's such a hypnotizing green.

-Do you know how annoying it is to be stared at while trying to concentrate?

Jojo stepped back and apparently looked elsewhere while Caesar returned to his activity.

-Well, this should do, he said after a few adjustments.

-That's a pretty nice gem you have here, the brunette said while looking at a necklace on the desk.

-It's a ruby, and it isn't to sell. Bring your wrist please.

He put the watch on Joseph's wrist and sighed.

-How much is it? Jojo asked.

-Did you listen last time? Any repair is guaranteed for six months. It's zero. And give me back the towel.

Joseph did as he was asked, and said:

-Where does it come from?

-The ruby? Joseph nodded. Apparently, from my mother, and her mother before her, etc.

-That word again, he mumbled. Why 'apparently'?

Caesar froze, then sighed. He shouldn't have let his scepticism contaminate his words.

-I don't remember her. Nor my father. But please don't ask a ton of questions now I need some rest.

Joseph seemed hesitant a few seconds, his face looked too serious.

-You're gonna close?

Caesar took a quick glance outside. There was a pouring rain.

-Yeah. But you can stay here to wait for the rain to calm down if you want. I'll be at the room behind, he said.

-Thank you.

Caesar went at the door and turned the panel 'CLOSED' to the outside, and went into the tote room. He closed the door and jumped in his sofa, letting out a heavy sigh.

Too bad he didn't have aspirin with him.

Why was Joseph interested in his family? Were the Joestar and Zeppeli somehow related? An idea crossed his mind, an idea that could totally make sense. He felt his heart being filled with hope and stood up too quickly. The pain in his head worsened, but it didn't matter. He opened the door.

-Hey Jojo, he called.

But no one was here. Caesar thought that he couldn't be very far since he stayed just one minute in the room. He got out and looked around, feeling the coldness of water on his skin. He couldn't know in which direction Joseph went, but took his left on instinct. He ran, getting drenched, for about five long minutes. No green and orange scarf in sight.

He had an important question, and he needed a clear answer.

-Damn!

***

AN: Ok, I actually forgot about this fic, because of school, and lack of time, and a lot of ongoing projects, but here, a few chapters I had in advance.

Hope you enjoy!

Soon.