“Y/n, sweetheart why aren’t you eating?” The soft voice of the woman’s voice flooded your ears, making you look up from the plate in front of you. Concern was washed over her face, thin eyebrows furrowed together with a small frown. “Are you okay?”
You pushed your plate away. “I’m not hungry,”
“Y/n, you haven’t had anything in two days. Eat,” James said, also showing his concern for you.
“I don’t want it,” You said. “Give it to Michael or Helen,”
“We’ve already eaten,” Helen replied.
“You need to get something in your system, Y/n,” Joette said, reaching over to hold your hand. You glared hard at her, making her frown deepen. “Please, for me?”
You pulled your hand away and placed it in your lap. “No,”
“Y/n,” James sighed.
“I said I don’t want it!” You stood up, knocking your chair over, and ran down the hall. You dashed into your room and jumped on the mattress. You slid your hand under the pillow and felt around the semi-hard surface. When your fingers touched the cold and engraved metal, you pulled it from under the pillow and folded your legs under you. You leaned against the wall and pulled your knees into your chest. Your thumb swiped across the engravings and your eyes shined with tears as a deep sense of sadness overwhelmed you.
The mattress dipped beside you, and you smelled the warm scent of cinnamon. Joette placed her hand on yours. “Tell me what’s the matter,”
“Why did they leave me? Was I not good enough?” Your bottom lip quivered. “Why did my father leave this to me, but he never was there?”
“Your parents were the pure scum of the Earth, Y/n. They didn’t deserve to have you as their child. You are the strongest, quickest little kid in all of London. You’re intelligent, book smart, and considerate. It was their loss if you ask me,” The older women smiled, pulling you into her side. You sniffled, and no tears dared break over your eyes to cascade down your cheeks. You wiped them away before they could.
“You are strong, Y/n. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
“What time is it?”
“Don’t you have a watch?” Dio asked, looking over from his spot in his chair. You turned the page and sighed.
“Elijah stole it,”
“Hmm,” Dio said, glancing at the clock. “It’s 2:30. It’s time to give Father his next dosage of medicine.” He said, standing up.
“Have fun with that,” You said.
“Oh I will, because you are coming with me,” He said. You glared up at him as he stood in front of you, one hand on his hip, the other extended out to you. You scoffed and looked back down at your book.
“You’re perfectly capable of doing it by yourself,” You huffed. “Or are you scared of being alone, Brando?” You grinned.
“Go willingly, or I’ll drag you,” He said, raising an eyebrow.
“Are you deaf? I said piss off,” You growled, beginning to become irritated. “Maybe you should be named Vex instead.”
“I want you to come with me, because I need to show you something in my desk, anyhow,” He said, snatching the book from your hands. You growled in annoyance as he placed the bookmark between the pages and set it to the side before taking your hand and pulled you up from the chair.
“So annoying,” You muttered, walking past him as he held the door open for you. As you walked down the hall towards the stairs, you ran into the butler at the bottom of the staircase.
“Here, let me,” Dio said, taking the tray containing a glass of water and a small packet, to which you assumed was the medicine to George Joestar.
“Many thanks to you, Master Dio,” The old man said gratefully as you and Dio began to walk up the red-carpeted stairs. “The years betray me and climbing the stairs is much harder than it was before.”
Dio smiled as a response, and you watched as he reached into his pocket and pulled out another small packet, one that was identical to the medicine, and switched them out. He shot you a small glance, eyes glinting with mischief as the corner of his lips turned up ever so slightly is a sly grin. He gave a small chuckle and broke eye contact with you. As you stepped onto the last stair, slightly ahead of the blonde, your gaze immediately fell upon Jonathan. He was standing in the hall, and you could see hints of anger in his eyes.
“Dio!” He barked, making the blonde turn his head at the sharp call of his name. Jonathan’s eyes fell on the tray in Dio’s hand. “Wait..that’s..that’s Father’s medicine!”
“He’s due for his next dosage,” Dio replied, as you sighed quietly and leaned against the wall. Of course, the two would find something to bicker over. And here you thought they were actually getting along.
“All this time, you’re the one who’s been bringing it to him,” Jonathan said, slightly frowning.
Dio raised his hand with a small smile. “Yes. What of it?”
Jonathan then held up a piece of paper, creased as if it were previously in an envelope. “This letter. Your father sent it to mine. Guess what it says,” You flicked your eyes to Dio and noticed his lips curling into a frown. You looked back at Jonathan as he began reading. “‘Your lordship, sickness has laid me right low. It’s the end of me, whatever it is. My chest hurts, my fingers are all swole up, and I can’t breathe but for all this coughing.’ Those are the same symptoms as Father’s, blow for blow!” Jonathan exclaimed as Dio placed the tray on the small table near the end of the staircase. “No way this is mere coincidence!”
“What are you trying to say, Jojo?” Dio asked.
Jonathan stormed towards him, his gaze locked on the packet. “I’m having a doctor look at this powder,” But as soon as Jonathan snatched it, Dio was quick to seize his wrist in an iron grip. You glanced between them, feeling the tension rise in the room, and frowned. Things were only going to get worse from this point, you thought.
“Jojo,” Dio said, glancing at the man in the corner of his eye. “If you think I would poison Father, then from this day forward...you and I are no longer friends!” The blazing look in his eyes made Jonathan gasp and avert his eyes quickly. Try as he might, but Jonathan couldn’t look Dio in the eye. You knew this because Jonathan had no solid evidence or proof that Dio was in fact poisoning his Father. He was acting on sheer speculation.
“Now, then, if you put the medicine back on the tray, I’ll be willing to forget your lapse in judgment,” Dio said, slight smugness settling into his voice. Jonathan glared at him and yanked his wrist away from Dio’s grip.
“Dio, there’s only one way you’re going to convince me. Swear to me that the contents of this are safe. Do it in Dario’s name. Swear to me on Dario’s honor as a gentleman. Do that, and I’ll never bring up this moment again,” Jonathan said, making both you and Dio’s eyes widen slightly.
Dario? That was Dio’s father, wasn’t it? And if you can recall correctly, Dario was no gentleman--not one bit. He was one of the worst con men and drunks in all of the slums. You wouldn’t doubt if the old man beat Dio and his mother if she was in the picture that is. You knew nothing about Dio’s home life, but you knew that it was pretty either. Jonathan must be expecting to catch Dio in a lie on this, knowing how much the subject must have irked Dio.
“Say it!” Jonathan yelled. “What are you waiting for?”
“I s-swear...how can I swear on the honor of a man who didn’t have any?!” Dio suddenly exclaimed. “He deserved to die! How’s that for the truth, Jojo?!” Dio swung his fist and hit Jonathan in the jaw. You pushed off from the wall in surprise as Jonathan didn’t seem to budge, even though Dio had just busted his lip open.
“You just gave me all the proof I needed, Dio,” Jonathan said, making Dio gasp quietly. “At hearing his name, you lashed out. I don’t know what he could have done that moved you to such murderous rage but murder him, you surely did!” Dio frowned and went to jam his thumb into Jonathan’s eye, but Jonathan grabbed onto his wrist and started peeling it away from his face. Dio struggled against him as Jonathan twisted his arm.
You wanted to step in and intervene, maybe pull the two away from each other, but you stayed in your place. This was their argument, not yours. If Dio was stupid enough to let his emotions get the better of him then that was his fault. It didn’t concern you, even if you did consider him your friend. So, you stepped back, and silently watched from the sidelines, a frown deep on your scarred lips.
“You hurt Father,” Jonathan growled, eyes blazing with anger. It was something you’d never seen within the gentle giant of a man. “Never again, Dio!” He grabbed Dio’s sweater and lifted him overhead, almost effortlessly, and threw him into the stairwell banister. The wood broke under the sudden force and weight, and Dio fell onto the tile floor below.
“Brando!” You exclaimed, shocked at the swift and sudden action. You rushed to the edge of the stairs, lips parted in shock. Dio grunted in pain and pushed himself up from the ground, blood trickling onto the floor as he cursed Jonathan’s blazing eyes.
“Of course!” Jonathan said. “You’ve been planning to murder him for years now. I knew it. I knew that you were playing false with us. And you,” Jonathan spun to face you, making you take a step back, ready to dash down the stairs.
“I know who you truly are now. You’ve been helping Dio, haven’t you, Vex?” Jonathan spat out your name, making you glare harshly at him. A witty remark formed on the tip of your tongue, but you bit it back. Instead, you held your tongue and remained silent.
“But now your villainy is over. Once I’ve learned what this is, I’m taking it to the police straight away!” With that, Jonathan turned and walked away, more than likely back to the room his Father was held in. You glared holes in his back with narrowed eyes, before turning back where Dio stood up and wiped his mouth.
“Are you alright?” You asked, watching as Dio trudged back up the stairs, holding his arm and grunted in response.
“Damn it,” He hissed, walking down the hall towards his room, with you at his side. “Their fortune was within my grasp! Was it fate that Jojo found out when he did?”
“Don’t be an idiot,” You sighed, opening his door. “It was that letter. Jonathan must have been snooping around in his Father’s room and found it. He must have realized your Father’s shared the same deathbed symptoms and immediately assumed you had something to do with it.”
“Damn that old man,” Dio growled, leaning against the door with a scowl. “He drove her to an early grave. Knowing that cur’s blood flows through my veins--It’s enough to drive me mad!”
You could see Dio seething with anger in his darkened room, and could only assume he was speaking of his parents. You wanted to say something, maybe encouragement, but you decided against it. You weren’t a sympathetic person, and you didn’t want to say the wrong thing and upset him. So, you said nothing. You understood what it felt like for him, though. To have a complete scumbag of a father. His mother seemed kind to him, so you couldn’t exactly sympathize with that.
“You are not at a dead-end, so stop acting like it,” You said, making Dio look over where you stood by the window, attention turned outside as you thought. “Jonathan, no doubt, will be going out and searching for a cure for his Father. I have a hunch as to where he’ll be going, but I’m going to do some snooping of my own. Take care of yourself,” You said, sweeping towards the door. Dio placed his arm in front of you, locking you in place.
“Why are you still helping me?” He asked, growling as he glared down at you. “I’ve lost the fortune.”
“We’re in this together now, Brando,” You said, glancing at his arm, before up at him, meeting his fury red eyes with your hard e/c ones. “Don’t think I’ll let this money slip between my fingers.”
Dio grinned and dropped his head, shaking his head as he chuckled and removed his arm. “Do your thing then, Y/n,” He said, easing himself into a chair at his desk.
You grinned. “Glady.”