Cullen's white-knuckling it through his day. Ci's been stuck to his side like a burr as he makes himself go through the motions of daily routine, trying to ignore the cold sweats and the headache. There's a bench in the viscount's gardens that allows him to see anyone coming; it's enough that he's willing to distract himself with his Karkat-enhanced book (though not with any of the movies).

Until the notification pops up.

JJ: No, I'm here.

This is, sad to say, Cullen's idea of a joke.