Chapter Text
He spoke with such elegance and passion. Physics graduate student, Gyro Zeppeli stood at the front of a packed lecture hall, scribbling on a chalkboard. He described the phenomenon of the spin which he was studying for his thesis. By harnessing a particular proportion of spin, infinite amounts of energy from centripetal force could be produced. Curious undergraduates and skeptical professors watched as Gyro spoke with animated hand movements. His long hair paired with his unshaved face gave him a scruffy look. He also had the sunken in eyebags of someone who hadn’t gotten enough sleep in weeks.
Johnny Joestar sat at the front, sticking out of the natural array of chairs in his wheelchair. He listened intently, ignoring all the questions professors would ask Gyro. Gyro typically did not have a formulaic answer. Most of his research so far was just theory. Eventually, he stepped away from the chalkboard and towards the desk in the front of the hall. On it were two steel balls. The silent lecture hall echoed as he picked up one of the balls. With the curve of his hand, he threw it at the chalkboard in a swift motion.
The impact from the steel ball hitting the chalkboard echoed through the hall. Johnny looked down at his legs, feeling a tingle, a feeling he had not felt since the accident. Looking up he saw that the steel ball left a perfect spiral crack in the chalkboard. A few gasps were heard. The silence was interrupted by a voice.
“That proves nothing! Any baseball pitcher could recreate the same thing!” Groans followed as people began to get up and leave the lecture hall. Gyro, however, was unfazed, used to the denial, and began packing up his belongings too. He was almost out the door when he was interrupted.
“Wait!” Johnny exclaimed, rolling up to Gyro.
“I don’t have time for this. I have to get to class.” Gyro groaned.
“Your theory, it has to be true! I felt it in my legs,” Johnny exclaimed.
Gyro continued walking, “Of course it’s true.”
“You have to teach me. Teach me everything you know about the spin,” Johnny pleaded as he continued after Gyro.
“It cannot be taught. You must learn it on your own.” He disappeared into the crowd leaving Johnny behind.
On my own? Can’t he guide me through it? That asshole won’t even give me a second of his time.
Johnny was determined to talk to Gyro more. He was already fairly familiar with the man. Gyro was a teaching assistant for a math class Johnny had taken the previous semester. Johnny grew quite fond of him. His serious demeanor and handsome face were very endearing. Johnny spent quite some time at his office hours just getting to know him. Gyro would usually kick him out once he realized that Johnny didn’t actually have any questions about the class material, but this effort was bound to be different. Johnny was one of the few people who actually believed this theory and wanted to work on it himself. His academic curiosity and own desire to get closer to Gyro kept him motivated. He was going to get closer to him one way or another.
The next day Johnny went to Gyro’s office to speak to him again.
Without looking up from the paper he was reading Gyro spoke, “Yes, Johnny?”
“Please Gyro, I want to work with you on this. There is so much I want to know.”
Gyro looked up with furrowed brows. “There is a lot you need to do before we even touch on the subject of spin,” he explained.
“Like what?”
“Lots of research. You must understand how the golden ratio was used and studied in the past before we can discuss how it describes spin motion.”
“I’ll do it. All of it.”
Gyro let out a small smile, “Why is it that you want to know so much about this?” Johnny tried to think of the right answer. The answer Gyro would want to hear, but his face got all hot and he worried that Gyro could see the color on his cheeks.
“I am intrigued by you.” He blurted out. “I mean your work. Your passion for your work,” he stumbled over his words.
Gyro didn’t say anything. He just got up and gestured for Johnny to follow him. Johnny obliged as he followed him down the hallway towards the elevator. Gyro pressed the button, “Have you been to the library?”
“Yes, many times,” Johnny replied.
“The basement stacks have a collection of books on the golden ratio which is the foundation of the spin,” Gyro explained. Johnny nodded and they entered the elevator. The elevator descended from the 5th floor to the 1st. On the 3rd floor, it stopped. An attractive blonde man entered and wedged himself between Johnny and Gyro. Gyro let out a sigh. The blonde man and Gyro were clearly acquainted with one another.
“Still trying to prove the spin theory that defies every law of accepted physics?” The man mocked Gyro.
“It’s very much alive unlike your research, Diego.” Gyro retorted. Johnny let out a snicker. The paleontology department had just been heavily defunded. He didn’t know much about Diego and the only thing he liked about him was his girlfriend, Hot Pants, whose real name remained a mystery.
“Whatever man,” Diego scoffed. He exited the elevator on the 1st floor towards the left. Johnny and Gyro headed to the right, towards the library. Gyro continued explaining the history behind the golden ratio.
Once in the library, they headed down another elevator which descended into the glum stacks of the basement. Gyro led them to a dimly lit desk with piles of old books scattered across it.
“This is where I do most of my reading,” Gyro said softly.
“Doesn’t anyone else come down here?”
“Rarely. I’ve pretty much been able to claim this desk as my own.” Gyro sat in the chair at the desk. Johnny moved next to him and began flipping through pages of a book. “That book describes how the mathematicians in ancient Greece defined the golden ratio,” Gyro explained. Johnny nodded while looking at some illustrations depicting the golden ratio.
Gyro couldn’t help but notice how soft Johnny looked. His blue eyes so focused on the book, his blonde hair complimenting them so well. This curiosity of his was so attractive. He had never encountered someone who had shared such a passionate interest in his academic work–
I cannot pursue these feelings.
Gyro cleared his throat and focused on another pile of books scattered across one end of the desk, pondering which ones to give Johnny. He pushed a stack toward Johnny, “Here read these and come back to my office when you’re done.” He stood up and headed for the door.
That should keep him occupied for at least a few weeks.
He couldn’t be around Johnny any longer without having worrisome thoughts. Johnny couldn’t get a word out before Gyro was gone.
Was it something I did? Why did he leave so abruptly? I thought things were going well.
Johnny picked up his books and headed out of the library with them on his lap. He headed towards his dormitory, a brick building not too far from the library. Once he got back, he laid the books across his desk, determined to finish them as fast as possible. He wanted to see Gyro again, to connect with him.
He couldn’t help but notice the way he had looked at him.
“You can’t get rid of me so easily,” Johnny stated as he tossed the books on Gyro’s desk in his office.
“I wasn’t trying to- did you really read all of those last night?” Gyro asked, noticing the bags under Johnny’s eyes.
I didn’t realize he was this serious about the spin.
“I told you I wanted to know more, didn't I?’ Johnny remarked. Gyro just nodded. “Besides, I needed to make a good second impression.”
“I did think you were a bit of an odd guy in class, but I admire your determination.” The compliment made Johnny blush, which did not go unnoticed by Gyro. A few moments of awkward silence followed before Gyro continued, “With summer approaching I could use your help on my research. You could be my research assistant.”
Johnny lit up at the idea. The thought of spending all summer with Gyro and getting closer to understanding the spin was a dream. He happily accepted the position.
Later that night Johnny reflected in a journal,
The past few days my feelings have been blurry. I cannot understand myself… whether or not my interest in this project is due to Gyro himself or his work. Can’t it be both? My mind was clouded by that captivating face of his. That was until I felt my legs for the first time since my accident during his demonstration. Part of me feels I should just pursue the spin, but maybe I really just long to get closer to him. I should just keep it professional. I cannot jeopardize this golden opportunity.
A couple days later Johnny and Gyro decided to meet up at a nearby cafe. Johnny pulled up to a table where Gyro was already sitting.
“I ordered your usual, earl grey tea with milk,” Gyro pushed a steaming mug towards Johnny.
“How did you-?”
“You mentioned it once in office hours. Said that was how your mom always made it.”
So he was listening.
Johnny took a satisfied sip and gently placed the mug back down. Gyro took a bite of a croissant in front of him, spilling the flaky crumbs onto his lap. The cafe was on a busy street, perfect for people-watching. Pedestrians moved with haste outside as swift raindrops began to fall from the grey sky. Bikers and cars muddled their way through traffic with the occasional honk of a horn.
“Have your finals concluded?” Gyro asked.
Johnny nodded, “I can put all of my focus into research now.”
“Yes, I wanted to talk with you outside of research though. Pretend this is like office hours. I already know you are interested in the research. What else are you interested in?” Gyro asked.
You, is what Johnny wanted to say. But he shrugged instead.
Gyro realized that he may have prodded too much and backed off. He noticed the way Johnny fiddled with his hands in his lap and stared out the window. Perhaps he made him uncomfortable. He then reached into his bag and pulled out a book. It was a thin book with a plain green hardcover.
“I take it you like to read? This is one of my favorite books” He handed it to Johnny.
Johnny looked on the inside for the summary and skimmed through it. It was a fictional novel about a boy being wrongfully accused of a crime and how he escaped wrongful execution. Interesting.
“I do like to read. Thanks,” Johnny said. They continued making small talk in the soft lighting of the cafe. Gyro’s long hair was tied back in a bun, highlighting his sharp features and unshaved jawline. Johnny admired how the light reflected in his eyes making the green color stand out. Johnny let his mind wander while Gyro droned on about the best way to properly make tomato sauce. He then realized this would be the perfect opportunity to get himself invited over to Gyro’s place.
“Can you show me how to make sauce sometime?” He asked.
Gyro thought about it for a minute. His fingers stroked the hair along his chin. He didn’t really want to invite Johnny over to his place. It was a mess and he needed to keep Johnny at a distance to keep his own feelings at bay. “Sure, we can use the kitchen in your dormitory.”
Dammit. Johnny just smiled back.
Later that night, Johnny flipped through that book again. Towards the back of the book there was a note addressed to Gyro. It was signed with a heart and the name "Mariano."
Mariano… Mariano… Who is Mariano?