The Cry Of A Mockingbird •Dio Brando X Reader•

•Thirty-One•

Dio ain't got no business being this hot js.

“Dio,” You called, making him pause in the doorway as he walked past. 

“Hmm?” He asked, walking towards the chair you were sitting in. He sat on the table in front of you. 

“What...what did you mean when you called me a mockingbird?” You asked. 

Dio looked at you in surprise. “Have you never heard the phrase ‘to kill a mockingbird’?”

You shook your head. “No, I haven’t. What does it mean?”

“It’s an old phrase that my mother used to say,” Dio said. “Mockingbirds are a symbol of innocence. They are harmless birds that do one thing, and one thing only: Make music. They sing their hearts out until they die at the cold hands of this cruel world. To kill a mockingbird is the same as to destroy one’s innocence. That’s why it’s considered a sin to kill one.”

“Why did you say that? Do you think I’m your innocence or something?” You asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Dio chuckled and shook his head. 

“I won’t tell you,” He said. 

“Then how will I ever know?” You frowned. 

“I’ll let you figure it out for yourself,” He grinned. 

“You’re a bastard,” You said, glaring at him. 

“Doesn’t feel so nice now that it’s turned around on you, does it?” He grinned, leaning forward. You pushed his face away and stood up. 

“I hate you,”

“Where are you going?” He asked as you started walking away. 

“To find something entertaining,” You replied, sighing when you felt his presence shift in front of you. 

“Am I not amusing enough?” He asked, leaning against the doorway, blocking your path from the bedroom. 

“No. You’re just annoying,” You said, slipping under his arm and out into the dark corridor. 

“Ouch,” Dio murmured, following after you. 

“Why must you hover around me?” You groaned. “And why is it so bloody dark in here?”

“I like it better this way, don’t you?” He asked, taking your arm and slipping it through his as he guided you through the pitch-black mansion. 

“Not when I can’t see my own hand in front of my face. Not all of us are vampires you know,” You huffed. 

“I could change that,” Dio hummed, making you snap your gaze to him with a cold glare that even he saw through the darkness.

“No,” You said sternly. 

“You could heal faster,”

“No,”

“You could help me,”

“I still plan on doing that,” You said. 

“Not with your leg being in such bad shape. I may not be human,” He said. “But I’m not inconsiderate.”

“Are we going through this again?” You muttered as he stopped in front of the balcony doors. The last time you’d had this discussion with him, it ended with you chucking a random book at the back of his head and knocking him into the fire while shouting at him you were perfectly capable.

“I’d rather not,” He mumbled, opening the door and allowing you to walk out first. “We have much more to discuss rather than argue over petty things.”

“Like what?” You asked, leaning against the railing. The night was warm, unlike the cold weather you’d had for the past few nights. The trees shimmered with droplets of water from the dew as the wind blew slightly, making them shift and sway. 

“I’ve begun to regain my strength in anticipation of Jojo’s arrival,” He said. “I’ve gathered some servants to aid me as well,” You scoff at his words, making his gaze flash to your unamused face.

“It’s only a matter of time before the man shows up. Speedwagon will probably be tagging along as well,” You said, turning your head away from him. “You...should be careful.”

“Do you think I can’t handle the two of them?” He asked. 

“I’m not saying that and you know it, arsehole,” You huff, turning your head back towards him. “Jojo did some hefty damage on you the last time. Plus it’s almost been two weeks since then. I wouldn’t doubt if someone else came to help him,”

“You think he got help from someone else?” Dio asked though he didn’t seem surprised.

“I’m saying it’s a possibility. Jonathan is smarter than you think,” You said. 

“Do you favor him?” He raised an eyebrow at you. Your eye twitched in annoyance and you slammed your heel against Dio’s foot, making him yelp out in the sudden action. 

“Are you mad?!” You shouted at him. “If I favored him, I wouldn’t be plotting to kill him with you, ya moron! God, sometimes I think you’re both the stupidest and smartest person all at the same time!”

“Are you-”

“I take it back!” You called, walking back into the mansion. “You aren’t smart at all!”

Dio grinned as he watched your figure walk into the darkness and held up three fingers. He began lowering them with each passing second with a shit-eating grin plastered on his face. When he lowered the final finger, your voice bounced off the empty walls.

“I CAN’T FUCKING SEE ANYTHING! BRANDO!”

“I’m starting to believe you couldn’t survive without me,” He purred, hands landing on your waist as he pressed your back into his chest, lowering his head into the dip of your neck. 

“You do this on purpose so I’ll call for you,” You sighed. “I’m not stupid.”

“You’re obviously not smart either if you keep doing it,” He chuckled. You turned in his grasp, now facing him as you glared up at him. 

“What makes you think I’m not doing it on purpose?” You asked, placing your arms around his neck. 

The blade in your hand glinted as the moonlight shone through the open window and onto you. You hated Dio with the entirety of your heart, but he was right. You were depending on him. You’d never depended on anyone before. It felt so wrong, yet...so right. You were stupid to do it, you knew that much. Dio was only playing you in his hands. He had manipulated you into one of his loyal little servants. He had you wrapped around his finger. 

But who’s to say you didn’t either? 
Dio could have very well worshipped the ground you walked on. He followed you around like a lost puppy. He sat by your bed when you’d pass out from exhaustion. He watched as you would sit and read by the fire. He could be halfway across the mansion and hear you wince in pain and flash in front of you, urgently asking you what was paining you.

You both were trapped in an endless loop of compassion and deceit. And the only way out of it was for one of you to perish. It was chaos and confusion. It was painful and worthless. 

You finally see how loving was the most dangerous thing. 

“Why do you hesitate?” Dio asked, looking down at your conflicted expression. He could feel the tip of the knife pressing lightly against the side of his neck, threatening to pierce through his skin and potentially kill him. If he were human, that is.

He grinned widely as the blade dropped onto the floor with a clatter that echoed off the walls. Your head dropped against his chest. You couldn’t kill him. Even if you tried to, you couldn’t drive the knife into his throat. You didn’t know if it was because you’d knew it would be a waste or the fact that you’d been drawn so close to him. 

“I applaud your courage, Y/n,” Dio said. His hand inched around your throat as he forced your head up to look at him. You glared at him, lips pulling down in a frown as he brushed some hair from your eyes and tightened his grip as you struggled against him. 

“But don’t ever do that again,”