Chapter Text
Dio looked down at his hands. His shaking hands that were covered in the blood of the people who had hurt his son. He’d strangled them to death, not using Hamon or The World, but his bare hands with zero remorse. This was how much Dio hated them so. To even think of treating a child, his child like that made him feel sick. He’d kill them both over and over again if he could, but right now they were dead, and Giorno’s cries could be heard from the living room where Dio was standing, glaring at the corpses on the ground as if they were going to get up again and he was not going to let that happen. He’d spit on their graves as he did with his father if they even got to find the bodies to make graves for them.
Dio looked up, looking at the clock on the wall and then the window outside. It was late but also dangerously close to morning, and Dio needed to get Giorno home before the sun came out. As long as he could do that, he would be fine with staying up with Giorno for a while or the whole day at that. He knew that he would never get frustrated with him, and he would be there if Giorno needed him. He would be there this time. This time.
The last time, or what Dio could remember from last time, Giorno had gotten kidnapped in the middle of the day. The bastard knew that Dio wouldn’t be able to come and save Giorno, and so he waited, regretting ever leaving him out of sight. He waited for years alone, until a knock on his door thirteen years after he was taken away, the boy was standing there holding a care package with a letter written ever so elegantly about how he was sorry. But it wasn’t Giorno’s fault, Dio knew it was his own. It was his own for not checking on him here and there, his own for not assigning one of his servants to look after him, his own for not hearing the window smash, and his own for eventually giving up searching for his dear son because he had no leads or help. Dio Brando, a man who once ruled the world nearly shattered into a million pieces at that moment.
But that was then, and now he would be better. He would do everything he could to keep Giorno by his side, even if he needed to kill every last person on this damn planet. If he died doing so, he’d die knowing that his son grew up well, and his son would know that by God, Dio was so proud of him.
He moved over to Giorno’s room as silent as a mouse. He wanted to avoid scaring him after all, and the thunk thunk thunk of footsteps down the hall may cause him to hide. He pushed open the door, a soft and gentle expression on his face while he looked at Giorno, who appeared so fear-ridden he was shaking like a leaf. It hurt Dio to see his son so corrupted, and no matter how many times he made that face.
“No need to be afraid now little one. The monsters are gone.” He spoke in a gentle voice, a gentle voice that Giorno and Giorno only would ever hear.
”You’re safe now, I’ll never hurt you.” He ran his fingers through his golden locks, noticing that it was different this time. The last time Dio had done this, Giorno’s hair was as black as night. Now it was the golden blonde that Dio remembered when Giorno came back home.
Giorno was looking up at him, his eyes shined with a glaze of tears, but they were one thing that hadn’t changed. Still the wondrous eyes hiding so much pain behind them. One of them as blue as the mysterious sea, the other green as the grass in a flower-filled meadow. Dio always liked Giorno’s eyes. They were a feature that was unmistakably Giorno’s.
Dio scooped up Giorno, holding him close to his chest. He noticed the shaking had stopped and could sense the amount of trust that Giorno had in him already. Maybe he remembered too?
No. Dio wouldn’t want him to remember that anyways. Giorno didn’t deserve that confusion and torture, always asking in the back of his mind “what happened?”
He held him securely, closing his eyes for a bit before taking a breath and dashing out the window, making sure that the little Giorno was safe while the glass shattered. A dumb idea sure, but what policeman would be dumb enough to go after the same vampire who killed an entire squad years ago. Or maybe they wouldn’t remember that either, it was a long time after all.
He dashed through the city, eventually stepping onto a parked car and launching into the air. He got far before turning his head to notice his home, the large mansion.
”Almost home Giorno, hang in there.” He whispered, flying by with the wind hitting his face as if he was chasing the sun to reach the building before it was too late.
He got there eventually, beating the sun and slinking down in front of the door. When he looked at Giorno again, he noticed the little one was sleeping peacefully. Probably as peaceful as he ever would have slept, but too bad he would need to wake him.
“Only for a bit.” Dio thought to himself before running his fingers through Giorno’s hair again, his eyes slowly fluttering open and he cooed sleepily. Gah, so cute! But beside the point. Dio pricked his pointer finger with a fang to make it bleed, and held it out to Giorno, who started at it confused.
”This will keep you safe my son. Though, you must avoid the sun, understood?” He knew Giorno wouldn’t understand yet, and so he would have to protect him himself, but the way Giorno looked at him made him think that maybe he did understand, and Dio swore he saw him nod before licking the blood off of Dio’s finger and cringing as if he has just eaten a lemon.
Afterwards, Giorno began to cry. A pained cry, but a cry that notified Dio that it was working. Baby vampires always cried when their fangs were coming in, as Dio assumed it felt like needles pushing through their gums. But he wouldn’t know, after all, he was converted later on via stone mask. He comforted Giorno, rocking him and running his fingers through his hair and reassuring him with “I know” and “It’ll be over soon.” and eventually Giorno's cries got quieter and reduced to a whimper. Dio got up to his feet, moving to the kitchen to find some human food for Giorno, as he knew he was hungry and still had humanity left so he could eat human food for nutrition.
"Applesauce, or the crackers?" He waited for Giorno to point or to grab onto whatever one Dio was holding up, and when Giorno seemed to choose the applesauce he had no issue feeding it to him. Gentle and caring, sweeter that Dio had ever been with anybody. It was different now, he knew what things meant this time and he knew that Giorno hadn't been fed that day, which broke his heart, but Dio wasn't one to show sadness and he didn't want Giorno to pick it up either.
When the little Giorno was done eating, Dio picked him up again knowing that he was going to fall asleep sooner or later. He brought him upstairs, up the tall staircases and into his room, checking if the massively large bed was there or if it was a coffin this time. Bed. Oh well, at least there were no windows, and there was enough space to sleep with the little Giorno without crushing him. Dio didn't move much in his sleep, but either way, Giorno was immortal now. He wanted to keep him close, never let him out of his sight ever again. Dio would kill anyone who dared to even think about taking Giorno from him.
Giorno was asleep by the time Dio made it upstairs with him, and Dio chuckled softly, kissing his forehead before getting comfortable enough to rest himself. He knew he would have to wake up soon, but for now, it was peaceful and reassuring. Dio knew Giorno was safe with him, safe from any monsters or harm, and Giorno seemed to know it too.
"I love you, my little Giorno." he whispered, drifting off to sleep soon after. But, not before thanking whatever had given him the second chance to raise Giorno as he wanted to. To make him feel safe and loved, instead of hurt again like he had been when he returned. He'd take care of Giorno forever if he needed to, no matter what.