oneshots | JJBA

dionilla | one more

a/n: set in a canonverse mudad au. quite a few dionilla chapters to come, but then i have some other pairings to post. i just go through dionilla writing phases a lot lol.

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"Why does Giorno hate me?"

The question hangs in the air for a long, long time. For the first time since knowing him, Vanilla Ice is unsure how to answer Dio. He would tell him nothing but the truth, if only he knew the truth for certain.

Dio watches Vanilla, tracing the arm of his chair with his fingers. He wears the same relaxed expression he always has, but by now, Vanilla has grown accustomed to the hint of concern underneath it all. Dio was never truly heartless — subdued, perhaps — but ever since he caught wind of his son, Giorno, his indifference is becoming tough for him to maintain.

Vanilla isn't confident that it's because of a paternal response. A sadness follows his Lord, now. One that Vanilla can understand. One that makes Why does Giorno hate me? the most difficult question Vanilla Ice has ever been faced with.

"I don't know," he finally answers. "I'm not sure that he does hate you."

Dio's quiet, considering his response. Then, he sighs. A genuine, defeated sigh that Vanilla has never heard out of him before. He's seen Dio tired and groggy, but this a new fatigue he can't put a name to. "Why else would he hole up in his room? Shouldn't he want to be around his father?"

"The boy has seen a lot of hurt." Vanilla treads lightly, having witnessed how easily this subject angers Dio. "He's going to need time to realize you aren't like his stepfather."

An uncomfortable silence falls over the two. Vanilla stands from the edge of the bed to touch Dio's shoulders, feeling them tense up and then relax. He thinks it's ironic. They've been lovers for months, yet Dio still flinches when Vanilla touches him by surprise; the same way anxiety strikes Giorno when others are around, despite Dio's reassurances that he will always be safe in his home. Shouldn't Dio understand? But Vanilla won't say that aloud. He knows that it is never that simple.

Giorno is young enough to not question the lifestyle his father leads, but the dark scares every child. The mansion is always dim, for much of it goes unused and forgotten, and the other rooms are frequented by Dio. Context isn't needed to feel uneasy in such a daunting place. There's so many factors that could contribute to Giorno's reclusiveness, and Vanilla wants to comfort Dio by listing every single one, but he would only continue to insist that there is something wrong with himself.

"Maybe I am like him," Dio says. His voice is quiet, as if he's not actually talking to Vanilla. "I've never... I've never raised a child, after all."

"You've done everything right so far, Dio," Vanilla reassures. "You've said the right things. I truly think it's up to time."

It pains him to hear the edge in his voice, to know that Dio even considers the possibility that he could be such a monster. Neither of them have lived a model lifestyle. Vanilla isn't sure of all that Dio's life has entailed, but his own was never anything to brag about. He's been the abuser, the abused. Dio cannot be... Dio is not cruel enough.

"I'm sick of waiting." Dio grunts, leaning his head back. "There isn't time to wait."

"I—" Vanilla begins, but Dio cuts him off.

"If the Joestars get here... what time will I have for a son? They won't stop just because I've decided to be a father," Dio continues. He frowns. "They'll kill him, just for being my son."

"As long as I'm here, they won't lay a hand on him."

Dio breaks his stare with the floor tiles, looking up at Vanilla. His faces softens. "I know."

He takes one of Vanilla's hands, holding it over his chest. Even with how close they've grown, Dio has been strategic to not share much about himself with Vanilla. That's alright by him. He doesn't have to know his past to adore him; there are things that Dio doesn't know about him, either. What he's shared tonight, though...

There's too much sincerity behind his words.

Even for a master of charm and appearances, Vanilla has the sneaking suspicion that Giorno's arrival has shaken Dio far past his breaking point. It unsettles Vanilla to know Dio is unhappy when he shouldn't have to be. He wishes he had the ability to take his worries away the same way Dio takes his.

Vanilla leans down and kisses his forehead. "You're going to be a good father to that boy," he says.

Dio smiles faintly. "So are you, love."

Vanilla pauses, but the smile tugs at his face before he can even register it. This is an offer, he knows, that Dio is presenting, one that goes beyond their current, loose relationship. Vanilla feels warm knowing that Dio wants him by his side raising Giorno. And while it presents its own set of challenges, including the fact he has never raised a child either, he's never felt quite this happy. He's seen the way Dio looks at his son. To be offered a chance to be a part of that? It takes his breath.

"I'll certainly do my best," he promises.

originally pub. on ao3 on 2020-05-25