Long-ish chapter
2376 words.
“You better have a damn good reason to show your face here again, Dio Brando,” Elijah spat, glaring harshly at the blonde as he entered the tavern. Dio glared equally as hard at the redhead as he scoffed.
“My business here doesn’t concern you. Where is Vex?” He asked as Elijah leaned against the counter.
“Their business is mine, so whatever you have to say, I’d be glad to pass the message along,” Elijah said.
“Unfortunately, this information is for Vex only,” Dio sneered. “Where are they?”
Elijah crossed his arms over his chest. “Busy. They’re not here.”
“Where can I find them then?” Dio huffed.
“Like I said,” Elijah said, his eyes darkening dangerously. “I’d be happy to take a message.”
“Like I said,” Dio growled. “It’s for their ears only.”
“Then I guess you’ll just have to come back another time, then won’t you?” The redhead sneered.
You sighed from your place in the doorway, making them both turn to look at you in surprise. You rubbed the side of your head as you walked inside. “The two of you bicker like children.”
“I need to talk with you,” Dio muttered as you walked past.
“I’ve heard,” You said, tapping your hand on the bar before pointing to the back. Elizabeth nodded and took a glass out. “Back here, Brando. And you stay, Elijah.”
“Like hell,” The man scoffed. You shot him a dangerous glare over your shoulder. Your gaze pierced straight through him, making a shudder run down his spine. He could tell you weren’t in the best of moods. Elijah huffed and stayed back as you led Dio through the back. You motioned to the table and sat down across from him with an exasperated sigh.
“Here, Vex. I brought one for your friend too. They’re on the house. You look exhausted,” Elizabeth said, placing two frosted glasses on the table filled with rum.
“Thanks, Lizzy,” You said, taking the glass with a grin. “I appreciate it.”
“No problem. Holler if you need anything else,” The blonde girl smiled before walking away, disappearing behind the curtain.
“She’s quite the church-bell,” Dio said.
“Just like most of the girls in this part of town,” You muttered, tipping your head back as you down your glass. “Now, what do you want so late at night?”
“I have an idea, and I want to know if you’ll be willing to participate,” Dio said, sipping on his glass with a grin crawling on his face. You frowned slightly as you kicked your feet onto the table and folded your arms behind your head.
“Alright Brando,” You sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that night. “Let’s hear it,”
“I need a test subject for the mask. W-”
“I’m going to stop you right there,” You interrupted. “A test subject? How much alcohol do you have in your system?”
“I assure you I’m perfectly sober,” He chuckled. “I assume you read the notes Jojo took on the mask, didn’t you?”
“I did,” You muttered. “And if I’m thinking correctly, you want to use the mask on someone?”
“Think about it, Vex,” He said. “The Stone Mask is powerful and with it, both of us could destroy the Joestar’s and take their fortune. Everyone in England would know who we were. You wouldn’t ever have to worry about scurrying around like a sewer rat.”
“I’m gonna need more alcohol for this,” You grunted, calling out to Elizabeth.
“One more?” She asked.
“Just give the bottle here, love,” You huffed. Elizabeth giggled and handed you the bottle of rum before disappearing again.
“Vex-,”
“I heard what you said, Brando, just...shut up for a moment,” You rubbed a circle on your head, trying to ease the migraine that was forming. You took a long drink from the bottle of rum, enjoying the burn it left as it slid down your throat. Instantly, you could feel your body warming and you sighed in contentment before raising your gaze back to the blonde in front of you. “Talk,”
“I want someone to use as a test. I want to know if it truly works,” Dio said.
“Let me make sure I’m on the same page here,” You said, planting your feet on the ground as you leaned forward. “This Stone Mask...has the ability to turn someone into a child of the night, isn’t that correct?”
Dio tilted his head in a so-so motion. “I’m not completely sure. That’s why I need a test subject. And for the record, it doesn’t have to be you.”
You looked at him hard for a moment, and he could practically see the gears turning in your mind. It was evident that you were tired and the half bottle of rum you just chugged a few moments ago didn’t help your case either. Your movements were sluggish and he wondered when the last time you slept was. The thought of your judgment being clouded flashed across his mind, making him rethink asking you tonight. After all, even if he was an asshole and a liar to anyone else, he trusted you, and (hopefully) you trusted him as well, so he didn’t want that to be ruined by an alcoholic decision. You looked like a bricky person, and he felt that you could handle your drink well, but still. A drunk decision is a regretted one. Dio sighed.
“Actually forget about what I just said, alright? Get some sleep, Vex. You look like absolute shit,” He muttered, moving to stand when you said his name, making him stop.
“If you don’t want to talk business,” You said, yanking your hood down. “Then sit down and drink with me.”
Dio looked at your face. With the different lighting, your features stood out more. Your soft jawline, high cheekbones, and chapped lips. This time, however, he could see your hair more clearly. The other night, your hair had looked dark, maybe a brown or black color, but now it was evident it was a h/c hue. Your cheeks were slightly flushed from the booze, and your lips upturned into a grin.
“Or are you scared I’ll outdrink you?” You taunted, watching as Dio frowned, before grinning at you.
“As if,” He snatched the bottle from your hands and tipped it back.
“Good to see you're trusting enough to get drunk with me,” You chuckled as Dio placed the bottle back on the table.
“Good to see you're actually trying to befriend me,” He said, grimacing at the aftertaste of the booze, making you snicker.
“Yeah, well,” You said as waved Elizabeth down as she popped her head back to check on you. “I realized you aren’t so bad, Brando.”
Dio grinned at you. “Didn’t think I’d ever hear those words from you,”
“Don’t get used to it,” You said, popping the top off a new bottle as you raised your eyebrow. “This is the alcohol talking.”
“Oh, sure!” He laughed as you shrugged.
“It is,” You defended as you placed the bottle back down on the table. “Now, let’s drink.”
“We have been,” Dio scoffed.
“No, no,” You said, chuckling as you locked eyes with him. Competitiveness glinted in your clouded e/c orbs and the alcohol tainting your system made a new feeling of socialness and humor wash over you.
“We’ve only just begun.”
…
“Oh, my,” Elizabeth said from the door, where Elijah stood beside her, clearing fuming with anger. She raised a hand at the scene laid out before them.
Empty bottles were littered across the table, some knocked over, some on the floor and one in your hand. Your cloak was thrown over the back of your chair, revealing your bandaged arms and scarred hands. Your arms were wrapped around your torso as you laughed so much your sides ached, tears pricking the corners of your eyes at the idiotic blonde in front of you, who was laughing just as hard. He had told the most stupid joke anyone had ever heard, but with the amount of booze flowing through both of your veins, it had been the funniest thing to the both of you. Most of the night had been spent laughing at each other, making fun of each other, and dare you even say bonding.
Elijah was furious. You acted so friendly when you had been drinking. He didn’t like the way Dio was acting with you. He didn’t like the way he looked at you. He didn’t like the way he talked to you. He didn’t like Dio. Not one bit.
“Y-you’re a f-fucking idiot!” You cackled.
“Yo-you laugh like a-a jollocks!” Dio laughed, throwing his head back.
“You look like one!” You retorted between giggles.
“Enough you swizzlers,” Elijah snapped walking towards your table with heavy steps. Both of you looked up.
“Oh shut up you fuddy-duddy!” You managed out between giggles. Elijah glared down at you, brown eyes burning into your skin, making your smile drop slightly. The sweet mocha color didn’t come to your mind. No, a shit brown did. Elijah was mad.
“Stand up, you wretch,” He spat, harshly grabbing your arm, making you yelp with pain as he held the exact spot you’d been slashed with the broken pipe.
“Ow! Knock it off!” You hissed, trying to wiggle your way out of his grasp. You winced as he yanked you from the chair. “Eli!”
“E-Elijah, stop it!” Elizabeth said, grabbing his arm. He yanked it back, shoving her to the ground as he did.
“Hey!” You yelled, beginning to sober up. “Back off jackass! What the hell is your problem?!”
Elijah growled as you struggled against him, thrashing in his grasp as you tried to escape. The next thing anyone knows, the bottles are clattering to the ground as your back is slammed against the table and your hands are shooting to grab at Elijah’s wrists which are wrapped around your throat. Dio jumps into action, swinging a hard punch to Elijah’s jaw and sent him stumbling to the side. Elizabeth scrambles to her feet and rushes out of the room, more than likely in search of her father to try and break the fight up.
“Bastard!” Dio spat. “Get the hell out of here!”
“Fuck you!” Elijah yelled as Dio grabbed your uninjured wrist and helped you stand properly. “Get your goddamn hands off them!”
It was almost like a fight or flight instinct as Elijah rushed towards Dio with murderous intent. Your thoughts were foggy, your mind unable to fully comprehend the situation at hand. Elijah had never acted so...possessive. You couldn’t understand it at the moment. But what you could understand was crystal clear to you: You and Dio were in danger, and Elijah was a threat. It was almost like a switch had been flipped inside of your mind.
Your hand latched around Elijah’s wrist, catching it before he could strike Dio. You twisted around him swiftly, jerking his arm up behind him, and made him yelp with pain. He threw his head back, crashing it into yours. You stumbled backward, and Elijah spun around and locked his hands around your throat. Your eyes went wide and you let out a strangled gasp from surprise, as Elijah started walking forward, making you walk backward until your back hit the wall. Your nails dug into his wrists as he squeezed around your neck, cutting your supply of air off. You began to panic as you lost your breath, the primal need for air taking over as you clawed his skin and face. Black worms crawled across your vision, but before you could be submerged in the darkness, Elijah was knocked away from you.
You gasped for breath, your hands shooting to your neck and you winced at the tender flesh. You looked to the side as your knees buckled under you and you slid down the wall. Dio was on top of Elijah, landing blows on him and taking some from the angered redhead. It wasn’t long after before the barkeeper was running inside and pulling them apart with the help of some of the patrons. Elizabeth knelt in front of you.
“Vex?” She whispered hesitantly, snapping you from your daze. “Come on, let’s get you out of here and get you some water.” She helped you stand, and you looked back to where Dio was wiping the blood away from his nose with the back of his hand. His entrancing amber eyes flashed to yours, and you could see the concern, anger, and worry behind them, concealed by a hard glare.
Dio hadn’t even thought twice before jumping to save you. Elijah was going to kill you. He was so angry and you had no clue why. He was acting so possessive towards you. He was being such a...prick.
You watched as the barkeeper drug Elijah’s unconscious body up from the ground and tossed him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Elizabeth tugged on your arm, trying to get your attention to get you to walk away. You didn’t budge. Your gaze was glued on the blonde as he stumbled back, pressing his back to the wall as he grimaced, probably from a headache.
When Elijah had grabbed your throat, for the first time, you truly felt an overwhelming sense of fear. That fear disappeared when Dio shoved him away from you. You hardly knew him, yet he didn’t hesitate to beat the hell out of your best friend for laying his hands on you.
“Vex,” Dio said, raising his head to look at you. When he saw you half-leaning against Elizabeth, eyes wide and brimmed with tears and your bruised neck, he frowned deeply. Anger swirled in his stomach. “Are you alright?”
“D-Dio,” You rasped. He walked from the wall and towards you, catching you in his arms as you stumbled to him. He held your head against his chest, placing his other hand on your shoulder as he held you flush against him.
“It’s alright,” He muttered. “I’ve got you.”
For the first time in a long time, you felt safe in someone’s arms.
But you felt you shouldn’t have.