maskormenace | ★ 001

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★ 001 | Video

[When the broadcast begins, the young man onscreen (sporting a perfect pompadour with not a single strand of hair out of place) tucks away a comb and reclines upon the front step of one of the government houses, presumably the one he's been assigned. He seems to consider for half a second more what he's going to say, one eyebrow cocking upwards, a strong indication that there's a question brewing, while his lips pucker in a vague showing of frustration.]

Alright...

[Here we go.]

So, I'm digging all the free stuff that people seem to wanna hand out in exchange for photographs with us and whatever, and the hoverboards are really, really awesome. That said, I might actually like these new phones even better, though? They're pretty great! Slim, stylish, lightweight...pocket size. Anyway, all that's nice, but something's been bothering me and I've gotta ask...

What the actual fuck is up with these glow-in-the-dark tattoos?

[His jaw sets stubbornly, blue eyes fixating on something that lies out of view of the camera. Probably the tattoo in question.]

I mean I know what they're for, or what we're being told they're for, but like...

Shit, is this even legal?

[Actually, he's a hell of a lot more concerned with the fact that he wasn't even asked if something could be done to his body, especially as he can't fix it. Talk about invasive. Makes a guy wonder what else was done without his knowing.]

And on that note...I'm kind of curious about this whole registration deal! Anyone got a solid argument for it or against it? 'Cause right now I'm right in the middle and uh...from what I hear, that means my roommates can put me out?

What kind of asshole would do that, though?

Anyway, that's it. That's all I gotta say!

[He reaches forward as if to turn the device off but stops.]

Oh, and the name's Josuke! [Best to get it out now so he's not repeating it a hundred times later.] Josuke Higashikata!

[Click!]

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[It's not like you're swearing with hostility, Joseph. Your son doesn't mind. Actually, he's mirroring your grin if anything!

Evidently his little test turned into a pretty great ice-breaker. He couldn't have asked for better results.

As for the money, he decides to split it down the middle and plunk half the bills before his dad. The other half go into his wallet and...then he stops.]

I won't tell him. Actually, I haven't even spoken to him yet. Uh, but before we get to that—and I do wanna get to it, there's a lot I wanna ask you about the people here—there's something else. I only just thought of it now.

Do you...wanna see a picture of my mom?

[The one he'd put in his old man's wallet so that he could swipe it—he still has it.]

[This is... a really difficult question to ask him, man. He drops the grin and winds up becoming vastly preoccupied with his coffee mug.

On one hand, curiousity. He does want to know who it is he winds up with, even if it's just once. Did he go to her for just her looks, or personality, or was there something more? But that's all things he couldn't learn from just a photo. He can't figure out what a Joseph Joestar over forty years in the future will be thinking from something like that. He can't even make up his own mind in the here and now. If someone's his family, he'll accept them wholeheartedly regardless of circumstance. But now he's unsure if he can even trust himself. For someone who used to think themselves at the top of the world... being told the things he does in the future knocks his ego quite a bit. Even he, Joseph, is not without fault.

On the other hand... well. There were a lot of reasons to not want to see it. And those wind up winning out. While an older Joseph might have wanted that photo quite badly...]

No.

[He hopes this doesn't offend Josuke, but-]

I don't. Sorry.

Edited 2015-01-15 06:58 (UTC)

[Josuke's not offended.

Of course, he's not disappointed or satisfied, either. But then...he didn't ask the question with any expectations surrounding the answer in mind. In the end, it wasn't for his sake that he'd asked, so it's not his place to be anything with his old man's response besides accepting. And that? He is.]

Why're you sorry? If you don't want to, that's fine. You've probably got your reasons, but it didn't feel right not to at least offer, you know?

[He folds shut his wallet and tucks it away before reaching for a donut. One of the ones with apple chunks baked inside.]

Guess it was kind of unexpected, huh? Maybe I should be the one apologizing? I'm not trying to make this hard, honest...I just don't wanna leave anything out if you wanna know about it.

The more I hear about the future, the less sure I am I want to hear about it...

[Joseph sighs, leaning on his hand as he picks up a frosted donut.]

I mean-! Not with you! I just mean with... everything else, you know? Hearing about all the screw ups and wrong things you do in the future and knowing you can't do anything about them...

[No wait, that sounds like he's calling Josuke a screw up! Fuck!]

I mean-!!!

[UGH.]

... You're a good kid. Even if I'm going to get my ass beat a hundred times for this... I'm glad you exist. I just wish it wasn't so complicated.

[Josuke lets Joseph talk while he chews and swallows a mouthful of donut. His old man means well. That's enough for him. So he doesn't take those little slips personally.

Besides, he feels the same way, often finds himself wishing things weren't so complicated. Of course, he also knows the kinks will work themselves out over time. He's seen it happen, more or less, seen how they come together as a family. With enough patience, Joseph will probably feel less like a screw up and Josuke will probably be able to forget again that he was born illegitimately. Or at least...it'll come up in conversation less and they'll both be happier for it, can go on living normally again.]

For what it's worth...you're not bad, either. I mean, you weren't there when I was a kid, but it's only because you didn't know.

[He shrugs.]

I wasn't really looking forward to meeting you, but in the end I'm glad I did. You really proved you gave a damn. More than once, actually.

[And not just back home, either.]

I would have been there. Believe me, Josuke...

[If he had known any sooner than...whenever it is that he finds out. He can't imagine that he would ignore his son, no matter the circumstances of his birth. Then again, he also doesn't really know much of what a Joseph in the future is thinking, but... He can take guesses, based on how he feels right now.

He gives so many damns, kiddo.]

I know.

[And that's the truth. He does know. Joseph's proven himself before. He's even proven here that he's a decent guy, before even knowing Josuke was his kid. Meaning Josuke's got every reason to believe his old man's declaration and no reason to doubt it. Not a one.]

Anyway...I'm not really sure where you wanna begin, so I guess...if you've got questions or something, I'll answer them. And if not, well we should probably...

[He shifts in his seat.]

...you know. Set some ground rules. Because you're only two years older than I am here.

[Ahaha...ahahaha...hah. Fuck. He's already trying to weasel out of whatever future trouble he'll find himself in. Aren't you proud, Joseph.]

I got questions.

[DOES HE?? Not... not really. But he doesn't want to seem completely disinterested in Josuke's life, despite not... really wanting to know anything more about how much of a fuck-up he is for not being involved enough. So he looks pretty serious when he asks this:]

... You like comic books, right?

[...Look, it's pretty important Josuke likes comics. Jotaro didn't even know who Superman was. A failure of a grandson. His son can't be the same way.

Also, eyebrow raised at this... "ground rules" business.]

What do you mean by ground rules?

[Of all the questions to ask him...]

...y-yeah, totally.

[Don't ask him who Superman is. Because his answer will be just as disappointing as Jotaro's, probably.]

Love comic books, are you kidding me? Read 'em all the time. Like that one about the...

[He shoves a piece of donut in his mouth and mutters something unintelligible around it before swallowing, gulping down some of his soda, and then continuing on...]

Oh, and about those, well... [Shoot, not a good choice of words.] I mean, they'd be less like 'ground rules' and more like things that'll just make it easier for the both of us, you know? Because you've probably got a lot going on, and I don't wanna get in the way of any of that. There's no reason to change how you were doing things before I showed up.

[...Okay, that sounded like a sneaky 'get out of this question' kind of answer, but whatever, he'll buy it. For now. Wait for the quizzes, Josuke.]

That's not really going to cut it anymore. You already told Jonathan about you being my son, and he's definitely going to be all wound up about that, so he's going to be expecting me to be keeping an eye on you. I can't just act like I'm not responsible for you now.

[Bring it on, old man. He'll...head into town and go pick up some comics or something. Study up real hard.

Except that he won't, he'll probably get distracted when passing an arcade and go blow his money in there.]

Jeez, you make it sound like you expect me to get into trouble or something. Do I look like a delinquent to you?

[He...stabs a finger in Joseph's direction. This is all BS, but he might as well try...]

You trying to say you don't think my mom raised me right? You saying she was a bad mother?

[Sounds...

Exactly like something Joseph would do too. Whoops. Sorry you got those traits from your old man. As for the line about his mother, well... It might work a little bit on making Joseph feel guilty, but he's not going to back down on this so easily.]

What-?? That's not what I'm saying at all! Stop putting words in my mouth!

I'm not! You're the one sitting across from me saying you gotta keep an eye on me like I'm a problem.

[His feelings are so hurt, Joseph. You're so mean.

Look at him as he sits back in his seat, arms crossing, eyes shooting out the window because HE CAN'T WITH YOU RIGHT NOW. Actually, he's at his best when lying if he doesn't have to LOOK at the person. So this just makes it easier.]

Guess you really don't think I'm a good kid after all, huh? Even Jonathan didn't treat me like this.

You aren't-

[THERE'S NO WINNING HERE. HOW DOES BEING A PARENT EVEN WORK?!]

Look- I didn't mean it like that!

[You're lucky this threw him off guard and this is the first time they've met as 'father and son', or he'd pick up on how good Josuke is at bullshitting.]

Fine! What do you want, anyway?? Me to just... not acknowledge you or something??

[??????]

Wait, what?

[No don't. Don't suggest that, Joseph. Not that! If you do, it's...it's going to throw the whole facade off.

Which it does. So Josuke just sits there for a minute, glaring at his reflection in the window and thinking to himself, Don't look don't look don't look don't look at him.

But.

Fuck it. He looks. How can he not?? And he probably looks a little more worried than he'd like to admit. Because the LAST thing he wants is for his old man to NOT acknowledge him.]

That's not...what I was trying to say. Like, at all.

[He busies his hands with the straw in his cup, twisting it around. It makes some rather obnoxious sounds. And he doesn't care okay.]

I just don't want stuff to be weird. I want us to be cool.

[So he says, but there's actually a part of him that likes the way Joseph's trying to parent. It means a lot that he's trying.]

[Well, he was kind of joking... Okay, not joking, but definitely not serious. He didn't mean for Josuke to take it so... Well. He definitely feels even more guilty now that Josuke looks that upset. Joseph's expression softens.]

Good, 'cause I don't want it to be like that either.

[He means not acknowledging Josuke.]

We can be cool. You mean we like, hang out and do things together, but I'm not like "go brush your teeth and eat your vegetables," right?

[...pretty close to laughing at that suggestion, because coming from Joseph? That'd be rich.]

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Seriously, I keep out of trouble. I've got a great rep back home, you know?

[For getting into fights and fusing people with boulders and burning down peoples' houses and pissing off robbers and stealing motorcycles...

Perfectly good reputation. Nothing to worry about, nope.]

So you don't gotta feel obligated to worry too much. I mean...if something happens, you'd probably be the one I'd call, anyway.

[Though whether or not he'd call Jotaro first is debatable.

WHAT. His nephew's a lot CALMER, okay. And he doesn't dress like stripper.]

[At least he's NEVER BEEN TO JAIL OR DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL so you know what, that's a great rep as far as Joseph might be concerned. Maybe less on the burning people's houses down thing, but everything else seems okay. That boulder guy totally deserved it. Let's put everyone in boulders. And then launch them into space. What a great father-son team.]

Really?

[Considering the circumstances of what he's saying, one probably shouldn't be so happy to hear "if I'm ever in deep shit, I'm calling you" but... it does mean a lot to Joseph. ...He doesn't need to know he's not the first one Josuke would call.]

Alright. That... sounds fine. I mean, I don't want to be a drag on you either, you know? It's not like it'd be fun for me to go around scolding you. But you do gotta promise me one thing, alright?

[Okay, well, no...because he's not a dumbass. So it is a great rep and Joseph better be damn proud of him for it and better not screw up his flawless record. It's pretty nice having that in common with his great gramps, okay?

Anyway, anyway...Joseph's not NOT the first one he'd call, at least? It's all circumstantial! There's definitely bound to be things Josuke would call his dad for before Jotaro. Like...well, if it came to dating advice he'd never even think to call Jotaro, for starters. And shut up, dating advice is totally a serious concern.]

Read my face. [But please don't do it literally, that shit is freaky.] Does it look like I'd lie about that?

Anyway.

[He takes a sip of his drink.]

I don't wanna promise anything until I know what I'm agreeing to first, so...what is it?

Nah, it doesn't.

[But maybe that's because you have such an innocent looking face, Josuke. You can probably thank your mother for that one...

Still, time to get serious. Joseph looks pretty deep right now, might want to actually pay attention for a moment.]

If I say for you to keep out of something, you'll stay out of it. I don't care if you go downing chocolate for breakfast or whatever. But I need your word that you'll listen to me if I'm serious.

[This is about Dio, and they both probably know it by now.]

[That's not...that's not fair.

It's exactly what he was expecting, but it's still not fair to expect him to agree to any such thing. And he doesn't plan on agreeing, either. How can he? It opens up too many possibilities that he just can't face. Refuses to under any circumstances. And it may mean running away when Joseph's in danger someday.

Not happening. He'd never ever turn his back like that.]

...I can't. And I think you know I can't, because I think...you'd be just as quick to call such a promise bullshit.

[He sets his drink back down. Doesn't sound angry. More like...torn. Because he knows why Joseph's asking what he is. He cares. He doesn't want to see anything bad happen to his son or to anyone else in the family, probably. But Josuke feels the same way.]

I'm sorry, but if something serious goes down...I'd rather stand with you. That's what family does, right?

[Of course, he expects that kind of answer. Everything Josuke does is predictable to a degree, because it all just reminds him of himself. A weird type of nostalgia, like looking a fun-house mirror. Is this what it's like having kids? Seeing weird versions of yourself running around but with different pasts and memories?

Okay, this is getting way too deep.]

If something serious goes down, then I'd rather you lived. Standing together as a family is fine, but what point is there if everyone winds up dead? Don't you understand? Don't get into a fight unless victory is assured. And if I'm the one telling you to stay away...

[Joseph looks down, into his coffee. God, he's not used to this. Caring about so many people. Living life for other people than just himself. Sure, he'd do anything to take care of Erina or Speedwagon, but it used to be just that. Now there's so many names on this list of people he cares about, how is he supposed to be able to protect all of them? Especially if one of them doesn't listen?]

Please, just do it.

How 'bout swallowing your own advice? You're not gonna need to tell me to stay away if you do that, because you won't be getting in over your head.

[Yeah. He's being stubborn. And he doesn't care one lick about it.

Joseph doesn't like it, then too bad.

Josuke knows himself pretty well, and he knows he's not cut out to take losses of that nature. It was hard enough losing his grandfather, hard enough losing Shigechi and nearly losing Okuyasu. There's been too many close calls as it is, even...even his old man got really badly hurt trying to help him. He can't...]

Look, I'm not budging. I'm not gonna make a promise I know I can't keep.

[Because, at the end of the day, even if he did give his word, when it came right down to it, if his temper was triggered or those fears of his, he'd throw caution to the wind every time and put another's well being before his own. Anything to avoid more unnecessary loss of life. Anything for family.

As long as anything doesn't mean walking away, that is.]

[Joseph sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. Of course Josuke would be stubborn about this. At least Jotaro backs down, but Josuke's hardheaded. Honest, but hardheaded.]

What a pain...

[Joseph mutters to himself, and finally looks up to meet Josuke's eyes. More pointing happens. It's an unstoppable force, apparently.]

Edited 2015-01-20 20:06 (UTC)

Then deals off. If you're not gonna do that one thing, then I'm gonna be the most uncool dad ever.

Edited 2015-01-20 20:06 (UTC)

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