Chapter Text
Jonathan slowly blinked his eyes open, trying to quickly get adjusted to the light that shone to him. He groaned as he struggled to right himself from his position against the wall, lifting a hand to his head to try to ease the heavy headache. He peeked an eye open through the pain, before widening his eyes in alarm at the sight. There was no way!
Though the chequered tiles on the floor made him freeze, when he slowly turned his eyes upwards to in front of him, he felt himself choke on his breath, the pain forgotten as he swallowed the lump in his throat. The old setting of his home, the main lobby, made him take heavy breaths. The reddish pink wallpaper, the columns, and though he couldn't see the front of the staircase, he had seen behind it plenty of times when he’d walk away from the wall he was currently leaning against while sitting.
He turned his head fully up to love above him. Or rather, at the wall space above his head, only to find it empty. Normally the mask would be hanging there. Well, it used to be hanging there. Before…
“My, talk about a sight for sore eyes” Jojo’s eyes widened at those words. That voice! He whipped his attention to the front of him, where not even three steps away, stood someone he thought he would never see, especially like that.
15 year old Dio stood with a usual smug smile on his face, a hand on his hip while the other hand held the mask to his side and slightly behind. He was dressed in the attire he wore when he first arrived at the mansion all those years ago, minus the blue jacket.
Jojo couldn't move, his wide eyes on the approaching form of the younger Dio whose lowered eyes never left his. The blondes brows slightly narrowed as he kept his head high, before leaning down and using a finger to jab the bottom of Jojo's chin up, forcing him to close his agape shocked mouth
“A gentleman never gapes Jojo” Dio teased, a smirk on his face as he saw the confused and terrified look in Jojo's whole being. He couldn't help but let a malicious smile across his face, his hand changing so a thumb and finger laid on either side, slightly stroking the man's frozen jaw. “What's wrong? Dog got your tongue?” His evil smirk grew as he saw Jojo's expression change to a displeased one, before gritting his teeth and pushing his hand away. Dio wasn't the least bit intimidated when Jonathon rose to his full height, easily towering over the vastly smaller teen, glaring at the blonde.
“What’s going on Dio?” Jonathan asked, keeping his voice strong to try not to look weak. Though, as soon as he heard his tone he immediately regretted it, internally wincing that he was trying to frighten a child. He lowered his shoulders, his facial expressions softening a bit as he waited for his answer. He looked down as Dio merely walked to him and smacked the back of his knuckles against Jojo's abs, looking up at the slightly nervous man with a grin as he turned away from and started walking away.
“We should hurry Jojo. We’re quite behind you know” Jonathan stood in place, thinking that it was a trap of some sort as Dio made it to the bottom of the staircase, flashing Jojo another smirk before disappearing from sight, probably ascending the steps. Jojo thought quickly and called out to him, running after him, though when he reached the front of the staircase, he couldn't see the boy anymore, nor along the landing above him. He shouted Dio’s name once more, taking two steps at a time as he ran up the stairs, reaching the top and quickly turning his head left and right, before decking on the left. He sprinted to where he thought the boy would have gone, his own room, and when he had arrived in front of the door in record time, he shoved the door open, slightly breathing heavily, and his eyes landed on Dio’s once more.
He sat at a small table near the window, leaning his head on his hand with one leg over the other, numerous books laid open near him, the mask nowhere to be seen. Jojo slowed hs breathing as he examined him, the room, objects, trying to find something to be out of order, before Dio’s voice brought him back to him.
“Hmph, you’ll never score full marks at this rate Jojo” Dio taunted, his head still facing the book but his eyes on the alerted Jonathon. Jojo narrowed his eyes slightly before standing straight and walking his way to him, guard up incase Dio tried anything.
“Full marks?” Jojo questioned before looking at the table again. There were two open maths books, identical to one another, one in front of Dio, and another in front of the empty chair. He lowered his head so he could take a better look, now recognising some of the equations there to be ones that he used to do. As he raised a hand in front of him to turn the page, he was shocked to see his arm covered in a brown sleeve, his hand much smaller now. As he examined with a concerned look, he caught sight of himself in a full body mirror in the corner, recognising himself to be in the same state that Dio was in, in his teens when they first met.
He whipped his head to Dio again, but before he could demand answers on what was going on, a bark was heard, from the direction of the window. Jonathan stared wide-eyed at the sound of the direction, before hastily making his way to the window. Dio watched with aboard expression as Jonathon leaned over the table and looked out the window, his own eyes following as he saw that rotten mutt Danny run around and play with what looked like butterflies outside. He huffed in disgust.
He turned his attention back to Jojo, who was now staring outside with a dazed smile, both hands on the window as he assumed the man was watching the dumb mutt run around doing idiotic things. He glanced back down to see Jojo was kneeled on the table to get close to the window, but was kneeling on some books and paper that belonged to himself. He smacked him hardware then before on his thigh, causing the other teen to exclaim in pain before turning to him with an annoyed look. Dio returned the look while pointing to where his knee was currently deforming his book on the table.
Jojo looked down, before his expression turned into a shocked one and then into an apologetic one, hurriedly getting off the table and apologising to Dio for ruining his book. The blonde merely huffed at the other man's insolence and looked back down at his own work, though a small smile remained on his face. Jonathan didn’t realise this however, as his attention was mainly now focused on the assignments in front of him.
He scratched the back of his head with a puzzled look, using his other hand to pick up a pencil, before grinning and speedily writing down his answers. He felt something touch his leg, ignoring it as he figured Dio must have accidentally brushed against him under the table by accident, before giving a quick g;ance to said person again when he felt it once more, this time stronger and longer. Dio kept his eyes on his own work however, twirling the pencil expertly between his fingers, almost looking bored with his other hand supporting his head.
Jojo sighed quietly, thinking that he wouldn't be able to get much work done if he carried on, before freezing in place, eyes wide. This…this didn’t matter. He looked back at Dio, a sad realisation on his face.
None of this was real .
He remembered now, looking sadly at Dio’s face as he felt his throat tighten and eyes water slightly. He remembered what had happened at the boat. He laid the pencil down softly, straightening himself in his chair as he slowly got up, swallowing hard again, refusing to look at Dio’s face as he tucked his chair in and turned around to walk away.
“And where do you think you’re going?” Jojo didn’ know why he stopped, he should have carried on and ignored him, focused on getting out of this place or at least finding out why he was here. But he couldn’t help himself. He turned his head to look back at him, pausing as he gazed into Dio’s dangerous, alluring amber eyes, the raised brow bringing back many memories.
“Dio…” It came out as a whisper, along with a slight voice crack, his heart aching as the sun shone brightly on the blonde.
He missed him. After everything that had happened, after everything that Dio had done to him and his family, his comrades, friends, the pain he had put him through. He had missed Dio, so, so much. Jojo didn’t move when Dio pushed his chair back, lowering his pencil to the table as he stood to his full height. He elegantly made his way to the Joestar, Jojo captivated by everything about him, staring almost lovingly into Dio’s eyes as the proud teen used his thumb and placed it onto Jojo's eyelid, causing him to close his eye.
Jojo thought back to the last time Dio had his thumb near his eye, though he didn’t nothing to stop him, instead leaning into his touch, giving Dio the opportunity to softly swipe his thumb over, wiping the wetness from his eye. Dio pursed his lip as Jojo gave a smile to him, soft eyes melting his heart once more, before ‘hmphing’ and striding past him. Jojo felt himself being pushed away, watching the back of Dio with a small pout before calling out to him, speed walking to the door that was left ajar.
He swung the door open, hesitating as he took in his surroundings again. It was no longer the inside of the Jojo mansion, the hallway now being replaced by the outside, more specifically, the old rugby pitch that he used to be so fond of. He felt the cold go through him, looking down at himself and seeing that he was in his old rugby outfit, his body now at the age of a 19 year old. He looked around for Dio, not spotting him in the open area, before spotting the school in the distance. Maybe he was there…