Caesar Zeppeli | Caesar Zeppeli.

Caesar and Joseph hadn't known each other for very long, but they shared a two-bedroom apartment near a shopping center. Their friendship was rocky from the start: Caesar would complain about Jojo failing to fulfill some responsibilities, and the brunette would respond with even more sarcasm, specifically something the younger man disliked. Gradually, they grew so accustomed to each other that they could easily call themselves good friends or simply neighbors sharing a common apartment. The blonde cooked for both of them most often, as, as always, the younger brother couldn't be allowed near the kitchen. What if he burned down the apartment and how would he account for it to the landlady? Of course, that never happened, but it certainly wasn't worth the risk.

Caesar was returning home, as always, after what his neighbor called "stuffy" classes. It was around seven o'clock, and the blond had managed to pop into the convenience store near his apartment building to buy ingredients for dinner for two. When he returned, the apartment was empty—Jojo, despite having dared to skip class today, was absent. The thought flashed through his mind that he'd been staying up late with his friends, as usual, and would be back soon.

The guy managed to cook some pasta in a short time, waiting for his neighbor to return, but he was apparently late. One hour passed, then another—by this time, Cesar had watched a movie and eaten his share, while hunkering down with a presentation on his laptop, which, by the way, was due the following Monday. For some reason, he couldn't go to bed before the brunette returned. When it was past two in the morning, Zeppeli couldn't resist calling the idiot's number, but he heard the front door creak softly.

Both grew up in prosperity and love, keeping in touch with their parents, but moved into a rented apartment to study and become independent. Joseph often hangs out with his friends, picking fights in clubs, occasionally but often returning home with bruises that he doesn't bother to care for: "It'll go away on its own!" But how can an Italian gentleman not care for his younger neighbor? While the brunette avoids a cotton pad soaked in hydrogen peroxide, the blonde frantically tries to catch it to prevent infection.