#ily Jess ty for being patient while we learned how to write together!!!

[softlimefluff]

Fashion Mafia Art

Hi everyone!! Jess over at @alittlewhitetulip and I have been working on a collab fic for a bit about how AriHan and JessCiutto meet each other, and IT’S FINALLY DONE. We’re really proud of it and hope you enjoy learning a little more about everyone’s dynamics!! This fic happens about 2 weeks after the Giovanna twins are born (we love u @dongiovannaswife 💕) (P.S. The title is inspired by the song Fashion Model Art)

“They said another client’s coming in soon and there’s a limit on how many people are allowed in the store, so I should go…”

Giving Rohan a kiss on the cheek, I grinned up at him.

“I’ll just be around the corner. We can video chat if you want~”

With a kiss to my knuckles, Rohan nodded and pulled up his phone.

“I’ll text you the outfits. Stay safe, okay?”

“I will… I’ll miss you~”

Winking, Rohan walked me to the door and stole another kiss, letting his hand slip over my stomach for a brief moment, before pulling his mask back up and returning to the fitting rooms. Putting my mask on as well, I ventured out onto the street in search of a coffee shop.

While the streets were less busy this time of day, Napoli still bustled with afternoon errand-goers, everyone clad in masks as they sought out their next destination. Adjusting my messenger bag, I looked up Centrale del Caffe and followed the map until the glowing storefront appeared.

Getting in line, I looked over the menu, settling on a hot herbal tea and pastry and stumbling through the order in my limited Italian vocabulary.

Why hadn’t I gotten Rohan to Heaven’s Door it into me like he did for Koichi?

After locating the Wifi password and an open table (the last one left), I slid into the booth side of the table, noticing Rohan had sent me a few pictures already. As I scrolled and replied, my name echoed out from the counter, and I went to retrieve my order.

Back at the table, I arranged the cup and pastry into an aesthetically pleasing setup and shyly took a picture, blushing and taking a bite of the croissant as I glanced around after. Everyone else was busy, thank goodness.

Glancing back down at my phone screen, I texted Rohan back, adding little heart reactions to the outfits I liked best.

***

“Hm.”

Looking over Ari’s reactions, Rohan walked out of the dressing room to look for more options to try on. Outside the shop’s glass windows, he saw a couple looking in, before trading their goodbyes: a gentle hug and a quick squeeze of their hands. The man then entered the shop, glancing around. He wore 4 small buns in his slicked-back blonde hair, and a vintage suit that screamed high fashion.

Now this was someone interesting. It took everything in the mangaka not to instantly use Heaven’s Door to read the mysterious stranger. The blond seemed to sense Rohan’s staring, as he quickly met the man’s gaze.

“Hey. You work here?”

Folding his arms, Rohan scoffed. “No. I’m here to shop, just like you.”

“Ah. My bad. Any idea where someone who can actually help me is?”

Gesturing to the front desk, Rohan sniffed out a laugh.

“If you’d be so kind to step this way, I’m sure the proper staff can help meet your needs~”

The blond raised a brow. “Like I said, it was an honest mistake,” he spoke, walking up to the counter. Carefully tapping his fingers on the desk, he called out into the shop: “Excuse me?”

***

Settling in at the table, slowly sipping my tea, I noticed a new message from Rohan. “I met the other client. He looks interesting.”

I quickly typed out a reply.

“Don’t read him with Heaven’s Door!”

“Tch, I promise I’ll behave~ I’ll still be in here for a while longer. Text you when I’m done?”

Texting back a pink sparkle heart emoji, I slipped my phone back into my bag and glanced around. I hadn’t realized it, but the street outside had gotten more crowded—a little faster paced. The bustling scene, full of people of all ages and styles, would be perfect drawing practice.

Not wasting a moment, I laid out my laptop and sketchbook, carefully arranging a pile of pens and pencils nearby so I could find them easily. Popping my headphones in, I chose a song, then opened my sketchbook to a new page.

Before my pencil could hit the paper, I felt a sudden tap on my shoulder. With a start, I quickly pulled at the headphone cord and looked up at the stranger.

In front of me was a young lady—the creamy white of her tea length dress stood out against the stained wood interior of the coffee shop, and a beige coat draped itself picturesquely across her shoulders. Dark hair fell in gentle waves around her face, and I caught a glimpse of dangling gold earrings between the strands. She could have easily fit into a high-end party if she wanted to.

“Posso sedermi?”

Ah, I haven’t heard that phrase before.

“Mi dispiace, ma non parlo…”

“Oh, do you speak English?”

I nodded back and the stranger continued.

“Is it alright if I sit here?”

Realizing all the other seats were taken, I rushed to move my stuff back to the imaginary half line of the table. “Yeah, sure! Of course!”

Sitting down in the other seat with a “thank you,” she took off her mask and gave me a bright smile. While setting her things on the table—a cup of whipped coffee, some pens, and a small leather-bound notebook—she motioned over to my sketchbook. “My apologies for interrupting your drawing! Were you about to sketch the street?”

“Oh! Yeah, I was. There’s so many people around and it’s so full of life. I wanted to capture the moment...”

“Yes, it is quite lovely, isn’t it? You have a good eye.”

The lady winked at me, a playful grin dancing on her lips. She suddenly straightened up in her seat and stared directly at me.

“Ah! But how rude of me, I didn’t introduce myself! Hello, I’m Jess! It’s lovely to meet you. What’s your name, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Returning the smile, I offered a hand out to shake, then thought better of it, opting for a small wave instead. Already, Jess seemed to be a bright, bubbly person from the enthusiasm of her introduction.

“I’m Ariel. It’s nice to meet you too.”

“Ariel! That’s such a beautiful name. Are you an artist?”

“Technically, yeah! I do a little of everything--drawing, painting. I even do stained glass.”

“Glass art? That sounds fantastic! Would you mind telling me about it?”

We quickly started a longer discussion about my work, soon branching off into what Jess did as well. In between sips of our drinks, Jess explained she was a writer and had moved to Italy two years ago for inspiration. Originally from Hong Kong, she had been planning to go back to visit, but because of the current situation, she had to stay put.

“Do you live alone?” I asked her halfway into our conversation.

A soft flush spread across Jess’ face, and her bright smile melted into something softer, almost shy.

“Ah...no. I live with my partner, actually… I’m out with him today, but he’s shopping just round the corner at this little vintage shop. I would’ve stayed to shop too, but there’s a limit on how many people can go in.”

“Oh, really? That sounds like the same place my husband’s at~”

Jess’ eyes widened and she gasped, leaning forward in her seat.

“Really? They could be talking to each other right now! I wonder if they’re getting along?”

Laughing, I made a little grimace.

“Rohan doesn’t always know how to play nice with strangers. But, if your partner is at all interesting, he’ll probably cooperate… He’s a manga artist, you see, and he loves looking for character ideas while we’re traveling.”

Jess froze for a moment, eyes narrowing. She opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened it again, trying to form a question.

“...He wouldn’t happen to be the Rohan Kishibe, would he? As in, the manga artist who draws Pink Dark Boy?”

“Yeah! That’s the one! Aah, I’m surprised you know it, Jump hasn’t put translations out in many countries!”

A soft squeak came from Jess. “Oh my god, oh my god, I am such a huge fan! His work is absolutely incredible and—wait. You said he was your husband...”

The realization seemed to dawn on Jess, and she burst into a squeal.

“MRS KISHIBE?! OH MY GOSH, IT’S AN HONOUR TO MEET YOU!”

Laughing with her enthusiasm, I blushed a bit and grinned.

“Thank you! Heh, I’ve never really met anyone who knew Rohan’s work outside of Morioh... I’m so glad you appreciate Pink Dark Boy, though!! I’m sure Han would be thrilled to know there’s someone out there reading his stories.”

“I CAN MEET HIM?!”

I laughed again, nodding.

“Yeah. Of course you can meet him.”

“OH MY GOD! Seriously, you don’t know what an honor this is, I—a moment, please!”

Jess turned to dig into her bag, producing a copy of the newest summer edition of Pink Dark Boy.

“Do you think he’d sign it for me?”

“Of course he would! I’ll text him now and ask, if you want?”

“If it’s okay? PLEASE.”

Pulling out my phone, I tapped out a message to Rohan and took another sip of tea, listening to Jess gush over the cliffhanger at the end of the issue. With a small gasp, she turned to me again.

“WAIT. You know how this arc ends, don’t you?”

“My lips are sealed. You know I’m not allowed to share until it’s been published.”

“BUT YOU KNOW.”

“Jess, I helped WRITE it~~”

***

Looking down at his phone, Rohan hummed, reading the text that had just arrived:

“Babe, there’s a fan of yours I just met at coffee. Her name’s Jess and she’d like an autograph, if that’s okay? She says her partner is actually at the same shop as you too. Name’s Prosciutto, like the ham. (Don’t laugh, she’s serious). Jess seems really nice, so we’ll probably be here for a bit more chatting. lmk when you’re done and you can meet us here.”

Muttering “Prosciutto?” under his breath, Rohan wrote a quick reply and scanned the store for the man from earlier. The blond was currently in front of the triple mirror, looking at a slim cut suit and testing the fit. Rohan had to admit, the man knew fashion.

“Prosciutto?”

No answer. The man continued to adjust his suit, though he did tuck his hand into the inner suit pocket.

“Excuse me. Are you Prosciutto?”

The blond glanced up this time. “...I am,” He answered, but there was an edge to his words that hadn't been there before. “And I don’t remember giving you my name.”

“My wife told me. She’s chatting with your partner, Jess. They found each other at the coffee shop.”

Prosciutto’s eyes narrowed, when a ringing went off in his pocket. His hand was still in his inner suit, so he used his other one to answer it, fishing out his phone and pressing it to go on speakerphone. “Bella?”

“Bello! Pro, I met Rohan Kishibe’s wife at Centrale del Caffe! You know, the Rohan Kishibe? The manga artist that draws—”

“The manga artist who draws Pink Dark Boy?” “—YES! And I think the two of you might be at the same shop right now!”

Prosciutto turned his gaze back to Rohan. “I think I see him. I’ll let you know,” He paused for a moment, before speaking up again: “Shall we pick up your bouquet from the florist later?”

“...Of course! I ordered tulips. I’ll see you later then! Play nice with Mr Kishibe, please!”

Something changed in Prosciutto, subtle. Chuckling, he pulled his hand out of his suit, and it was only when he relaxed did one realize he had been tense before. “Sure, darling. I’ll see you later. Bye.”

The call ended, and the blond turned round. “...Rohan Kishibe, yeah?”

Finally.

Nodding, Rohan bowed slightly. “One and the same.”

“I see. I thought I recognized you from the inner leaf pictures,” Prosciutto nodded his head in greeting. “Sorry about not answering you before. I tend to be wary of strangers. People around here have a lot of...character.”

Rohan grinned at that. “If you only knew~ That’s why I enjoy traveling so much--it’s the perfect way to research for my manga.”

“I suppose that’s one way to see things." Prosciutto fixed his cuffs, looking at the mangaka. “You already heard her, but my partner is a big fan of your stuff. Pink Dark Boy, was it?”

“Yes. That’s my manga.”

“Right. And would you mind meeting her?”

“Not at all. My wife actually asked if we could go over to that coffee shop when we’re done.”

“Then it’s settled. I’ll figure out what outfits I’m getting.”

“If it helps, I think that one suits you well.”

“...Suits, huh?”

Crossing his arms, Rohan smirked. “I said what I said.”

“Right. I’ll get it. Did you find anything for yourself?”

“I did, actually. I’m about to try them on.”

“If you want a second opinion, I’m happy to offer it.”

“I’ll keep it in mind. If you wait around, I shouldn’t be long. Then we can head over?”

“Sure. I’ll text Jess and ask for directions.”

***

“AH! A bigger table just opened up! Can we move?”

Jess pointed over to a 4-top in the corner with room for all of us. Before anyone else could claim the spot, she gathered up her belongings and ran over, setting her bag down on the table with a grin.

Smiling back, I stowed everything in my messenger bag quickly and came over, our newly unoccupied table filling up instantly. Rohan had texted me that he would arrive with Prosciutto in a couple of minutes, so I kept a watch on the street door.

It wasn’t long till I spotted Rohan walking towards the cafe, chatting with who I assumed to be Prosciutto. I waved Rohan over, grinning as he walked over to our table.

“Hello, Mr. Kishibe~”

“Hello, Mrs. Kishibe~”

Rohan smiled, pulling his mask down and kissing the top of my head, before turning his attention to Jess.

“Hello. I’m Rohan Kishibe.”

“Ah, yes! Hello, I’m Jess! It’s an honour to meet you!”

“Likewise. Before we start talking, I believe Prosciutto said he wanted to speak to you..?”

Rohan nodded his head over to the blond, who was standing outside the cafe. Prosciutto had taken his mask off to smoke, smiling round his cigarette when he spotted Jess.

A soft flush dusted across Jess’ cheeks and she returned Prosciutto’s smile with a beam of her own. Quickly turning back to Rohan, she nodded. “Ah, yes! My apologies, it won’t take very long. Thank you again for taking the time to meet me!”

Rohan and I watched Jess head out of the cafe with her mask, before turning back to each other.

“So, how did shopping go?”

“Good, good. But the person I met while shopping was even better.” Rohan took a seat, leaning in to whisper. “Prosciutto. He’s hiding something. There’s more to him than meets the eye.”

“Hiding? Like, in a suspicious way?”

Rohan nodded, glancing out the window at the couple as I bit my lip.

“Han, it’s not our place to meddle. Jess seems like a lovely person… Do you really think she would be with someone questionable?”

Rohan narrowed his eyes, humming in thought.

“Why don’t we find out?~”

A few seconds later, Heaven’s Door appeared by Han’s side, starting to glide towards the entrance of the cafe.

Following Rohan’s lead, I reluctantly called out Hearts on Fire and did the same, watching Heaven’s Door perch on her shoulder and hide behind the cafe doors. With our Stands’ senses, we could make out bits and pieces of the conversation outside.

“...sure it’s safe inside...”

“...certain...everything looks fine...no one from enemy territory around…”

“...have work tonight...low intensity job…”

“...don’t track blood through the house again…”

Rohan and I shared a glance. This didn’t sound like normal couple talk. Carefully, Hearts on Fire moved from behind the door and out of the entrance.

Something whizzed past Hearts, the high whine ringing in my ear. A gasp almost fell from my lips, but Rohan gripped my hand tightly, a sign for me to stay quiet.

“Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” Rohan murmured.

I was. Prosciutto's cheeks had ruptured with three pairs of eyes, blinking their chlorine-green scleras and neon yellow irises. Jess’ arms grew branch-like limbs, pulsing and twisting with an ominous blue glow.

But the physical changes weren’t the most terrifying part—it was their gaze. Prosciutto’s eyes were an icy blue that froze you to your spot, and Jess’ dark eyes bore into you, making you feel as if you’d been turned inside out. They were terrifying and they were staring straight at our Stands.

Immediately, Heaven’s Door shrunk behind Hearts’ shoulder, realizing that other Stand users had just joined them. Prosciutto spoke first, tone harsh and cutthroat.

“Who sent you? Don Giovanna? Another Caporegime?”

“Answer us,” Jess ordered, “Or you won’t ever get the chance to.”

The branch growing from Jess’ arm started snaking towards our Stands, and Hearts On Fire sprung into action. In an attempt to diffuse the situation, she switched on her blue light, bathing the Stands and their users in a calming cerulean beam.

The effect was immediate. “What...is…” Jess looked over at her hand with unfocused eyes: the branch growing from her dipped and swayed, relaxing under the light’s influence.

“Jess...we’re under...attack...” Prosciutto slurred, his movements significantly slower. “Keep your guard up…”

“Wait! Wait…” Jess looked over at Heaven’s Door once more, gaze narrowing. “Doesn’t that look a little like...Myo?”

“Who?”

“Pink Dark Boy! The main character!” Suddenly Jess gasped, tugging at Prosciutto’s sleeve. “I think that Stand...belongs to Kishibe-sensei..!”

Prosciutto frowned, brows furrowing. “So why would they attack us..? We haven’t done anything...to provoke them..!”

Even under Hearts’ influence, Prosciutto was still on high alert. From behind him materialized his Stand: it only had an upper body and supported itself on claw-like hands, its face and body covered in the same eyes that had appeared on Prosciutto’s cheeks. Dragging itself across the floor, its imposing form started lumbering towards our Stands.

“Prosciutto, wait.” Jess turned her attention to Hearts now, clearly doing her best to focus under the blue light. “If the short Stand is Kishibe-sensei’s...then is it possible…? Does the taller Stand belong to Ariel? Does Ariel have a Stand..?”

Hearts On Fire nodded in answer, switching her light off and bowing politely as she spoke.

“We mean you no harm. We only wished to be sure you were safe, Mistress Jess.”

Without the light, Prosciutto and Jess looked much more awake, slowly gathering their bearings. When she heard what Hearts had said, Jess’ eyes grew wide, a soft laugh escaping her.

“I think there’s been a misunderstanding…I’m not in any danger. Could we go back inside and talk?”

***

“So you’re saying that there’s nothing the matter here? We only heard bits and pieces of your conversation, but…” I lowered my voice a bit and continued, “blood all over the house sounded pretty suspicious… I’m sorry if we overstepped a boundary, we just wanted to make sure you were safe, Jess.” I looked up at the two of them, embarrassed.

“First of all, you shouldn’t go messing with things that aren’t meant for you.” Prosciutto sat with his chair pulled back, arms crossed, one leg slung over the other; his expression was anything but kind.

“We meant no harm,” Rohan had his arms crossed too, glaring down the man across the table with an equally icy stare. “If anything, we should be the ones scared about getting hurt, seeing that you mentioned Don Giovanna. Now, what is it you actually do?”

“Why don’t we let Jess explain, yeah?” I glanced over, hoping she could shed light on our misunderstandings. She took a deep breath, nodding.

“If you’re aware of who Don Giovanna is, then it shouldn’t be hard to put things together from there… If we explain more, can we trust you to not compromise his position?”

Rohan nodded, sitting up now to listen. “You have our word.” I nodded as well, listening intently.

“Even though I don’t know Prosciutto’s exact position for my own safety, I know enough to say that he works under the Giovannas—he makes sure things go to plan and that trades don’t fall into the wrong hands. He’s on the Don’s side...even if he has to get his hands dirty.”

Raising an eyebrow, Rohan leaned forward. “Does that mean what I think it means?”

“If by that you mean killing, then yes. If someone is a threat to the Don’s safety, then I get rid of them,” Prosciutto talked about it like he was discussing the weather. “That’s the way things work.”

I looked over at Jess, who was watching her partner with a soft gaze. “How did the two of you find each other anyway? It doesn’t seem like you two have a common ‘boy meets girl’ story…”

Laughing slightly, Jess agreed. “Anything but common. I had rented an apartment here in town and this guy turns up in the middle of the night, unlocks the front door and barges in, COVERED in blood. I had been finishing up one of my manuscripts and, honestly? I was too tired to be scared.”

Prosciutto smiled slightly at the mention, his glare going away for a moment. “You were scolding me while bandaging me up.”

“What else was I supposed to do? I didn’t want a corpse in my house, but that didn’t mean I was happy to be wrapping up a bleeding stranger at four in the morning.”

Jess pulled a face at Prosciutto, before continuing with her story.

“Anyway, turns out Prosciutto used to rent the place, but had been on mission for a while and couldn’t turn in the cash for the bill. I felt really bad once he had explained...when I caught him trying to sneak out in the morning, I suggested that he stick around till he found somewhere else. And...yeah! The rest is history. I keep out of his work where necessary, but we take care of each other where we can.”

“Aw, sweet~” I smiled over at them and grinned at Rohan. Even if he was putting on a cold face, I knew he couldn’t resist hearing a story like that. It was too weird and bizarre—just how he liked them.

Rohan rolled his eyes at my gaze, before turning back to Prosciutto. “So tell me one more time, Prosciutto. You know Don Giovanna? You work with him? Not against him in some rival gang or…?”

“He’s my Don. I’m loyal, and it would be stupid not to be.” Prosciutto sighed, clearly wanting this part of the conversation to be over. “...So. Jess mentioned you draw cartoons?”

Rohan’s face crinkled up as he tried to disguise his mild disgust at the way his art was being described. He didn’t hide it very well. “They’re actually called manga in Japan and it’s an ARTFORM. People pay to read my new issues. Sometimes, the shops can’t even get enough copies on the shelf to keep up with the demand.”

“Mm. Good for you, then.”

Jess’ eyes lit up as she remembered her original reason for wanting to meet Kishibe-sensei. “Would you still be willing to sign my copy of Pink Dark Boy? It’s the newest print.”

Reaching his hand out, Rohan accepted the small tome, looking the pages over and admiring the Italian printed version. “They do a nice job here. I’m impressed.”

“They do!” Jess grinned, bouncing in her seat slightly. “There’s a bookstore around the corner that sells them.”

As Rohan signed the inside cover with a little flourish from Heaven’s Door, I snuggled closer to him. “We should go there after and see if we can take a few home as souvenirs~”

Having handed the book back to Jess (who proceeded to grin and gush about it to Prosciutto), Rohan glanced at me and leaned over to kiss my cheek.

“Good idea. We should~”

I blushed as Rohan stole a full kiss, biting my lip gently before pulling away. Kissing around others made me shy, but sometimes Rohan liked to show off—to show everyone that I was his and he was mine.

Averting his gaze from me and Rohan, Prosciutto pushed back his chair and stood, looking down at Jess.

“Are we going soon? I need to make a few calls before heading out.”

“Mmhm! AH, WAIT! BEFORE I FORGET.” Digging into her purse, Jess produced her phone, presenting it to me. “Ari, can I have your number?”

“Yes!! Sorry, we should have done that earlier. I have a business card too if you want. It has art on it and everything~” Pulling a small stack from my messenger bag, I deposited them on the table for Jess to pick while I made a new contact in her phone. Jess was still sorting through the card designs when I held my phone out with a smile.

“I need yours too.”

“YES! RIGHT.”

As she picked up a card and began typing, I stowed the rest away and looked for my mask, putting both ears on and adjusting the nose. Once Jess returned my phone, I packed everything up, using a dose of hand sanitizer and offering some to Rohan as well. Little routines were different now, but we wanted to take every precaution now that we were trying to…

Well, that’s a discussion for another time~

Standing up and bowing slightly, I greeted Jess and Prosciutto once more.

“Thank you for talking. I’m so sorry, again, for any misunderstanding.”

Jess smiled and shook her head.

“Please, don’t worry! It was an honest mistake. I’m just glad I ran into you, Mrs. Kishibe~”

I grinned under the mask and took Rohan’s hand. “I’ll text you later? Maybe we can meet up again before Rohan and I fly home.”

“Oh, I’d love that! Please don’t hesitate to send a message, I’m always glad to talk!”

“Will do. I hope you two have a nice afternoon.”

“Same to you! Stay safe out there, okay?”

“We will!!!”

After exchanging pleasantries and waving goodbye, Rohan and I finally had our masks on and made our way to the exit, leaving the couple behind to chat at the table.

***

Prosciutto watched Jess wave goodbye to Ariel and Rohan, raising a brow as she turned to him with a large beam. “...So, that was the Rohan Kishibe that you’ve been gushing about?”

“Mmhm! Like I’ve said, his storytelling and worldbuilding skills were ahead of his time.” The both of them took a moment to put on their masks before heading out of the cafe, Jess’ fingers deftly moving to twine with his own; his chest tightened in that funny way it always did when she squeezed his hand. “His coloring technique had changed around a year ago, and I’d been wondering what had caused it. I think I understand what it is now~”

“And what is it?”

“It’s the power of love, of course!” Jess announced with a dramatic swoon, before quickly switching to a deadpan: “I’m joking. His wife is incredibly skilled when it comes to color theory, and she had mentioned offering him suggestions every now and then. I think it’s quite sweet: the two of them make a good team.”

“Is that so? Then how about we try something similar? You write, I read your work—”

“Oh no you don’t, mister,” Jess warned, but he could hear the grin in her words. “The last time you did that, you ended up taking over my editor’s job! The poor thing was just sitting in the corner as you took the manuscripts meant for them to look at.”

“I promise I’ll behave this time, then.” Prosciutto put a hand to his chest, smiling under his mask when Jess rolled her eyes. “Will you, Miss Writer, let me read your work?”

“Hm…since you asked so nicely! Come on then—you can read my newest draft. It’s got a plot twist that I’m pretty proud of, if you ask me…”