They were in the library, the two of them, and it was strange. Not that they were in there together, no. Jonathan had come to understand that usually, wherever he went, Dio followed. Or Dio would be there first as if he’d known Jonathan would head there and decided to react accordingly. His space wasn’t just his, more often than not.
That wasn’t the strange part. The thing that had Jonathan rambling on like his voice would up and disappear if he did otherwise was Dio himself. He was draped over the couch, watching silently as Jonathan dug through the bookshelves. His arms were crossed across the back of the antique chaise, his head settled on top of them.
“-really, I think it may be best to read this one. It’s an anthology, you see, and it covers a rather broad range of things, for its length, and that is helpful. Ah, though maybe I’m biased, but I think it’s a truly fascinating read besides...”
“Fascinating,” Dio said. “I’m sure it is.”
No, it was strange because Dio was being… nice.
Perhaps nice wasn’t the exact word. But he was surely behaving differently. Jonathan had been alone, initially. His history teacher had offered him a chance opportunity to present a paper on the courting behaviors of an ancient civilization at a sister university. Jonathan, of course, had jumped at the opportunity. He was a whirlwind as soon as he got home, jetting straight to the library, sorting and re-sorting through books.
He'd even started talking to himself at some point, answering his questions as soon as he thought them. He was excited, and his focus was solely on the wall of books before him. So when he had turned around, a three-stack of books in his hands, he nearly launched clear into the air at the sight of Dio already staring at him.
Dio had smirked and huffed out a laugh. “Go on, you were having quite the riveting talk.”
“Dio! When did you—?”
Another self-satisfied smile was all he got in reply, and suddenly Jonathan was embarrassed. He tensed, waiting for the inevitable needling that always came whenever Dio caught him unawares. Instead, Dio finally shifted his focus from Jonathan’s face to the books in his hand. He arched a brow in silent query.
“Oh. Ah… I’m just preparing for a paper. For history. You wouldn’t be all that interested.”
Dio’s eyebrows twitched, his gaze sharpening. “I’m asking, am I not? It’s impolite to speak for others, Jojo.”
Jonathan sighed, nodding. “You’re right, I’m sorry.” He set his books down on the desk by the bookshelf and turned back around, preparing to resume his digging. Dio’s eyes were still burning holes in his back.
“Well?”
Jonathan startled. “Huh?”
Dio clicked his tongue. “Well?” He stressed again, draping his upper half across the back of the couch. “What is your paper about?”
He sincerely wanted to know? Jonathan mulled it over, carefully scrutinizing Dio's face. Eventually, “Ah, my professor came to me, today…”
That had been nearly half an hour ago now. Trepidation had bled away the longer Jonathan talked. In its place was warmth, a pleasant happiness. He was talking, and Dio was listening- without any snide asides, either! Whatever had come over him, Jonathan found it made him rather enjoyable company.
“Jojo.”
“This one is a bit- ah, yes?” Jonathan turned around, still wearing a gentle smile.
Dio beckoned him over with a hand. He hesitated for a moment but brushed it aside. Dio had been nothing but cordial this entire time, so Jonathan shelved the book in his hand and moved toward the couch. As soon as he stopped, Dio motioned with his arm again, beckoning him to lean in. Confusion growing, Jonathan still complied and hunkered down, their faces mere inches apart.
A moment passed, and then Dio leaned forward and kissed his cheek. It was brief and feather-light. Just a gentle brush of skin against skin.
Jonathan blinked. Dio had kissed him. Dio… had…
“Ah!”
His brain having finally caught up with the situation, Jonathan sharply stood up, stumbling backward. Dio watched as he brought a hand to his cheek and sputtered inelegantly.
“You just—!”
Dio was still smiling, amused and infinitely pleased with himself. He tilted his head. “Is there something wrong?”
Jonathan rubbed his cheek, astounded. Was he being funny? If he was, it certainly wasn’t a good joke. Just like that, all the pleasant feelings drained away, and Jonathan was left embarrassed again. “It’s strange, Dio.” He turned away, struggling to match gazes with the blond menace before him. “…very strange…”
“It’s just me being affectionate, Jojo.” Dio shifted and scooched further along the couch, leaning across the back to close the gap between him and Jonathan. “It’s nothing so terrible, I thought. Aren’t we family?”
Jonathan opened his mouth, but the words died in his throat. Intuition warred with the innate desire to offer at least a smidgen of earnest trust. It was strange, true, but the entirety of their interaction had been strange, too. Could he be doing this as some sort of odd ploy? Maybe, but if Dio wanted to get under his skin there were more overt ways that Jonathan knew he was already privy to dishing out. And more to the point, he was still being… affable. Perhaps he was just being affectionate in his own way, and Jonathan was blinded by his inclinations and not seeing Dio’s behavior for what it was.
“…alright. Uhm. Thank you, Dio. I care for you as well.”
“That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
“I suppose,” he mumbled. The mood of things had shifted too far for his liking, now. Dio still seemed to be in a good mood, but the… kiss had really caught Jonathan by surprise. Fighting back the urge to raise a hand to his cheek again, he turned around and eyed the stack of books he had set aside on the desk. There were five in total, and that would be more than enough for his needs. He’d return tomorrow and begin his drafting then. Jonathan moved away, taking care not to look toward the couch. He felt the weight of Dio’s stare long after he’d left the library.
----
When dawn rolled around the following morning, Jonathan sprung from his bed. With no classes for the day, it meant one thing: he was free to study as he liked! He zipped around his room, gathering up a fresh set of clothes. After that, he disappeared into the bathroom, stripped himself of his nightwear, and stepped into the shower. Sufficiently fresh, Jonathan turned off the water and dried himself off, humming a random tune. His thoughts were awash with ideas for how he’d handle the draft for his paper, so he hurriedly tugged on his clothes and left toward the library.
A duo of yelps rang through the air the second he stepped outside his room. The maid he’d nearly collided with gave an apologetic curtsey. Jonathan bowed in turn, smiling good-naturedly as his heart settled down.
“Ah, good morning, Master Jonathan. You’re up so early we’ve not even begun breakfast yet.” She dipped her head.
“No, it’s quite alright. I was going to go read for a while. Please don’t mind me.”
“Oh! Are you and Master Dio working on something, together?”
Huh? Jonathan’s brows knit together. “Ah, no? What makes you say that?”
“The both of you are up rather early, and Master Dio has been in the library for quite a while now himself. I just assumed… my apologies!”
Jonathan resisted the urge to slouch down, energy suddenly gone. Instead, he kept up his smile. “It’s a reasonable thing to presume, but it is just a coincidence we’re both up. Uhm.” He fidgeted. “Did he say what he was doing?”
“Reading, I would think. I only know he’s up because I saw him go in while I was on my way to… oh, the linens!” The maid gave another hurried curtsey. “I must be off, Master Jonathan! Please enjoy your morning!” With that, she took off down the hallway. Jonathan watched her go with a tiny frown.
Dio was up. Dio was in the library. A veil of awkwardness fell over him as he unconsciously brought a hand up to his cheek. Maybe he could go after breakfast? Certainly, it wouldn’t be unwise to start working after filling his stomach.
Oh, cut it out.
Shaking his head, Jonathan resumed his trek to the library, if not a little less enthused than before. If Dio were reading, he likely wouldn’t have any desire to bother him. They’d both be able to co-exist, just like yesterday.
Not exactly like yesterday, I hope, Jonathan thought as he pushed the door to the library open.
This time, Dio was sitting in one of the armchairs. One book sat closed on the table in front of him, while he held another aloft in his hand, but the angle made the title unreadable. As the door closed Dio looked up, wearing a look of vague disinterest. Only after Jonathan half-heartedly waved his hand did he look away and return to his reading.
It seemed he did have his own plans for the day. Relaxing his shoulders, Jonathan walked over to the desk. His books were still there, alongside a few pens that he needed to remember to put away after using this time. All that he needed was paper. Paper, paper. Where?
Aha! Jonathan pulled open one of the desk’s drawers and withdrew a few sheets of paper. With all the required material gathered, he sank into the chair, grabbed hold of a pen, and began his work. Time was a blur as books were cracked open and poured over. Was that a strong enough opener? It felt like it, but the transition into what would follow felt abrupt. Reading it aloud helped, but… He mumbled to himself as he alternated between looking over books and scribbling down his thoughts.
Mere moments after he finally felt happy with his introduction (and happier in his grace in avoiding chewing on his pen while thinking), a shadow fell over him. Before he could turn around, a pair of hands fell on his shoulders. Jonathan jerked in his seat. Dio leaned over, filling Jonathan’s peripheral vision with gold. He didn’t remove his hands.
“Er.” It felt rude to try and get his attention- he was obviously reading his paper- but it was an awkward position. He swallowed, preparing to try again when his little peep received no response. “Dio—“
“Quiet.” Dio squeezed his shoulders, briefly but no less painfully. “I’m just looking. There’s no need to pay attention to me.”
Right…
Jonathan heaved a sigh. He repositioned his writing arm only to quickly think better of it. Instead, he dragged one of the nearest books completely in front of him and swept his eyes downward. Just reading for the moment, then. As soon as the book was drawn in front of him, Dio shifted. He pressed closer, squishing his head even closer to Jonathan’s. Jonathan closed his eyes.
“If you’re interested, I wouldn’t mind letting you hold this book after I’ve finished with it.“
“You may turn the page, Jojo.”
“Dio, please. I want to get a bit done before breakfast is ready. I can’t do that if you’re so close.”
There was a low growl of displeasure, and then the pressure on his shoulders finally disappeared. He couldn’t relax, though, not with Dio now scowling so harshly at him.
"I wanted to see how things were progressing" he bit out, arms crossed as he looked down at Jonathan, "because you were so excited yesterday. I had hoped we could talk like we did then. But if you would rather spurn my curiosity, fine."
"I just needed more space than you were giving me! You were leaning down on me, and you're nearly as large as I am." He rolled his shoulders with a light wince. "It was hard to focus."
Dio clicked his tongue, but his expression gradually softened. He turned his head away.
"...I apologize. Perhaps I was overzealous."
Jonathan's brows shot upward. He quickly smothered his surprise and turned back toward the desk, fidgeting. "That's okay." He felt Dio's gaze settle back on him. "You can pull up a chair," he quickly added, "if you'd like. I wouldn't oppose your company."
The expression on Dio's face was oddly gentle. "Thank you.”
He pulled over a second chair. When he sat down it left the two of them nearly shoulder-to-shoulder, but Jonathan could work through that far easier at the very least. It certainly helped that Dio seemed to have his attention on his work rather than him, for now. As time went on Jonathan had even begun to bounce ideas off him, and Dio, amazingly, was more than willing to assist.
When they’d managed to fill the entirety of the first sheet of paper, Jonathan set his pen down and looked over their accomplishment. It read rather nicely, he thought. And, admittedly, he’d gotten more done than he had initially expected. Quite a lot more.
“Thank you.”
Dio tilted his head. “Mm?”
“Thank you,” he repeated, smiling gently. “Really. I know you don’t especially care for history, but you were a true help. I didn’t expect to get so much done this morning, and I wouldn’t have without you.”
Jonathan looked back toward the desk, still smiling. “It makes me happy—“
A burst of warmth, then pressure. Just on the side of his jawline, right on the cusp of his neck. He felt Dio’s lips part open as he pressed closer, teeth scraping against his skin as his breath tickled his jaw. It wasn’t anything like the first kiss, longer and stranger and Jonathan felt blood rushing to his cheeks and something utterly primordial seizing around his heart. He didn’t just jerk, he flailed, flailed so hard that his chair rocked to the side and then tipped over completely.
"Jojo!"
Sprawled on the floor, Jonathan shook with embarrassment, painfully aware of how red his face was. He pushed off the ground and looked toward Dio warily. Red eyes stared back at him, mockingly wide. A spike of frustration made Jonathan tremble even harder. It was just a game, some new way to sucker him in and summarily trip him up right after.
"I-" Jonathan swallowed down the tremor in his voice, trying and failing to will away the blush still blazing on his cheeks. "This isn't funny!” He croaked out, barely keeping his eyes level, “and it's certainly not nice, Dio."
"Funny?" Dio's brows rose. "I didn't mean it to be anything like that. I just—"
There wasn't any point in trying to argue any further. He knew exactly what he was doing, and Jonathan refused to let it go any further. He rose from the floor and hurriedly gathered up his books and papers. From then on, he resolutely decided, he'd just work in his room. Alone.
"Where are you going? Jojoooo!"
As he turned away, he could hear Dio also rise from his chair. Jonathan refused to spare him a glance and marched right toward the door. No more! To think that he’d earnestly thought that maybe, just once, Dio had approached him with a goal beyond making him decidedly unhappy.
The maid from earlier was in the hallway, again. “Breakfast!” She called jovially. “Everything’s prepared, young masters.”
Jonathan stopped dead in his tracks, briefly mulling it over. The mulling stopped rather quickly, however, when he felt Dio’s presence in the doorway behind him.
“Shall we go together, Jojo?” A hand settled heavily on his shoulder, making him jump. "Maybe I could help you carry your books, first?"
“I’m not very hungry,” he grumbled, knocking away Dio's hand with a jerk of his shoulder. Both the maid and Dio watched him mutely as he fled.
----
Three hours into (not!) hiding away in his room, Jonathan realized that maybe, perhaps, he ought to have grabbed something to eat. Even a bread roll. But hindsight was twenty-twenty, and as he sat at his desk flipping through one of his books but retaining none of it, he continuously scolded himself internally. It wouldn’t be so horrible if he were at least making progress on his paper, but every time he picked up his pen and wrote—
No, that’s rather weak. It’s a bit redundant to bring that up now. I’ve already covered this in great detail. And that isn’t very relevant at all!
His stomach took the opportunity to growl loudly again, and Jonathan groaned and sank his head onto the desk. He needed to eat, but just the thought of getting up sent a tingle through his skin and heat rushing to his cheeks. Just focus! Focus on the paper and wait out lunch. Simple.
Jonathan picked up his pen, drumming it against the desk as he looked over his work. In the time he’d been here, he had made it a staggering two sentences into the second page of his paper. Two sentences he was unsure of even truly liking. If only he’d had someone here to… augh! He buried his head in his hands.
He’d have remained like that if not for the knock on his door.
“Just a moment!” He called, jerking his head away from his hands. He sharply rose and briefly adjusted his clothes, then moved away from his desk. Once he was close enough he grabbed hold of the handle and pulled. When he realized just who exactly was on the other side, he hurriedly moved to push it closed again.
"Jojo!" Came Dio's muffled response beyond the door.
"I'm still working," which wasn't a total exaggeration he rationalized, "we'll have to talk later!"
There was only silence for a long while after that. Jonathan pressed an ear to the door, but the thickness of it made it a pointless attempt. He bit at his lip, staring hard at the door handle. Curiosity won out, eventually, and Jonathan slowly cracked open the door. He stuck his head out, taking in as much of the hallway as possible. Dio had long since left, and no one else was around. Just as he prepared to return inside, his eyes briefly glanced downward.
There was a tray just beside his doorway. Upon it sat a white plate, covered with a metallic dish lid. His thick eyebrows shot upward. Food! He stepped further out and ducked down, taking the try in hand. He gave one more look around the hallway before he disappeared into his room once more. Back inside, he rushed over to his desk and moved aside his papers and books before setting the tray down. Beneath the lid lay a few rolls of bread and a small bowl of grapes. At any other time it would hardly even have registered as a snack, but as it stood...
The grapes were still cold. They were delicious, crisp, and sweet as they burst apart in his mouth. He wolfed a good few of them down before focusing on one of the rolls. A little hard on the initial bite, but fluffy on the inside and just the right amount of buttery. He alternated between mauling one of three rolls and popping grapes into his mouth, a relief beyond all feasible measure flooding through him. Once he'd cleared the entirety of his tray he leaned back in his chair and silently thanked whoever had thought of him.
...
Jonathan sighed. Once again, Dio had done something kind. Quite unnecessarily, too. He had been childish, running away to his room. That and his stubborn refusal to leave and opting to instead sit around hungry for no reasonable, well, reason. And to top it all off with turning Dio away after he dropped by...
Was he in the wrong? Was there truly no grand scheme, no conniving play, just unadulterated kindness? The last time he recalled Dio doing anything like this was—
A flash of bitterness panged in his chest and he quickly swallowed it down. No. He'd been unyieldingly peaceable for two days now. That was then, and the now showed that he did wish to engage him in good faith. The kissing was just the ultimate symbol of that. Mindlessly, Jonathan rubbed his cheek. It wasn't like they felt bad. Just- strange. Unexpected. But skinship was no monstrous thing. Maybe... maybe the two of them needed to talk.
His stomach growled.
After he ate something else.
----
Oddly enough, Dio was nowhere to be found. After he finally left the kitchen, satisfied and with renewed vigor, Jonathan searched around the estate. The library first, then the upper halls. Even Dio's room was empty. None of the staff could help either, offering only shakes of their heads or simple 'I couldn't say's. When the inside proved fruitless, he went outside. It was refreshing to run about the yard, the warm air further soothing him, but it too proved pointless. Where in the world was he?
Thirty more minutes of searching, and Jonathan finally gave up. Wherever Dio had gone, it wasn't anywhere in or around the manor. Which was fine. Perhaps he had plans, somewhere. Maybe he'd gone into town? Gone for a run? Possibilities were endless, and that meant he had no reason to feel that his behavior had run Dio, of all people, away from the house.
As he listlessly worked on his paper, that little fact did nothing to make him feel any better.
The hours passed, and the sky darkened. How long had he been sitting? He set his pen down and leaned back in the chair, arms stretching high as he yawned. As he pushed his seat back and stood, preparing to tactlessly flop on his bed, a polite knock made him pause. He moved across his room and cracked open the door.
It wasn't the same maid from before. She dipped her head as their eyes locked. "Dinner is prepared," she said, succinct and professional. "Masters George and Dio are already seated."
"My apologies, I hadn't meant to make them wait." He hardly ever needed to be fetched for dinnertime. Pull it together, Jojo! The maid stepped back as Jonathan stepped out of his room. The trek downstairs and into the dining room was made in perfect silence, leaving Jonathan free to try and think. Should he apologize over dinner? After? He hadn't decided by the time they arrived at their destination, but it admittedly wasn't such a long walk. The maid bowed once more and disappeared toward the kitchen.
His father and Dio were engaged in conversation as he settled into his chair. George looked at him first, an eyebrow slightly arched. Dio's expression was unreadable.
"Sorry, sorry. I was doing a bit of writing and lost track of time."
George waved a dismissive hand. "You're quite alright Jonathan. You're on time rather than early!" He snorted good-naturedly. "Dio told me you've been working hard. How do you fare?"
Dio did...? "Ah, good!" Jonathan said, naturally preening beneath his father's attention. "I... we've gotten a lot done."
George tipped his head. "We? Dio made it seem as if you had done it all alone."
Jonathan looked directly across the table to Dio, who still sat in stony silence. "We, yes. Dio has been quite helpful." He lowered his gaze, staring somewhat forlornly at the silverware before him. "And I do appreciate him for that," he said almost in a whisper.
"Wonderful. It's always a joy to see you two working together. Ah, wonderful indeed!"
Before anything more could be said, the waitstaff burst forth, trays in hand. They moved around the table in effortless tandem, one person cutting free portions of tantalizing-smelling roast as another heaped thick potatoes alongside them. Cups were topped off with wine, and a basket of freshly baked rolls was settled in the middle of the table. After a hum of contentment from George, the staff stepped back, bowed as a collective, and left.
"I ought to do something for them all sometime soon," George idly mused and then began to eat. Jonathan followed suit, downing a piece of his roast along with a juicy potato. He bit back a happy groan as he swallowed. Was it hunger making it so much tastier than usual?
In stark contrast to his two table mates, Dio seemed to hold little interest in the bounty before him. Of course, he'd always eaten with poise but this was something else entirely. His attention just... wasn't there. Jonathan looked toward the basket centered between them.
"Dio, do you mind—"
"May I be excused?"
Jonathan's mouth clamped shut. George, surprised, gave a slow nod after regaining his bearings.
"Well, yes, I suppose. Are you well?"
"I am," Dio said as he smoothly rose. "I just don't think I can bring myself to eat at the moment." He and Jonathan's eyes locked for just a moment. In that instance something flashed across his face, a subtle downward tug of his lips, a tired look in his eyes. Then, just like that, it was gone, and Dio had disappeared out the doorway.
"My goodness... I do hope he isn't coming down with anything." George stroked a hand across his mustache, still focused on Dio's now empty chair. He shook his head and reached toward the basket and offered a roll to the motionless Jonathan.
The younger Joestar took the offering with a weak 'thank you'. He cleared his plate, the wine was smooth, the roll was fluffy, and yet he still had never been happier to be free of dinner.
----
It wasn't at all polite to run inside, so he made do with very, very long strides. After he bade his father good night he hurried upstairs and toward Dio's bedroom. He gave three antsy raps of his knuckle on the door. A minute passed, so he tried again, punctuating his second attempt with a fourth knock. Nothing.
If he'd gone asleep then there was nothing to be done. But if Dio were ignoring him...
He slumped down. Had he really been so callous, so aggressively unkind? Jonathan turned away and trudged toward his room. Maybe they could talk things over in the morning. Yes, that'd give him ample time to prepare a proper apology.
Back in his domain, Jonathan stripped down until he stood in nothing but his undergarments. He dug through his dresser autonomously, pulling out the first suitable piece of nightwear he found. It was a nightshirt, which suited him fine. He slipped it on and set aside his dirty clothes. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his pen sitting unassumingly on his desk. The very idea of attempting to write anymore today left him drained in a way he couldn't explain. Instead, he closed all of his books and stacked his papers. Everything would be neat for when he did start working again, at the very least.
Jonathan heaved a sigh as he sunk into bed. He wiggled around on his stomach for a while as he tried to get comfortable. In the end, he simply flipped onto his back. He stared at his bed's canopy unseeingly, hands clasped over his stomach. He wasn't tired, but he didn't want to be awake, either. He simply... was.
He wished he could've spoken with Dio.
His eyes closed. Sleep never claimed him, but awareness came and went in waves. He breathed in and out, the rise and fall of his stomach a comforting lull of motion. Soon, it didn't matter how tired he was. The mattress was so comfortable, the temperature of his room so pleasant.
Warmth bloomed across his shoulder. No, not just warmth, that was a weight. It was... a hand?
"Jojo."
Jonathan opened his eyes, rapidly blinking against the darkness. Dio sat on the edge of the bed, already withdrawing his previously outstretched hand. He had on his own pajamas, a matching burgundy shirt and pants. When their eyes met, Dio was the first to look away.
"Did I wake you?"
"No, no," Jonathan sat up and wiggled aside to make room. "I wasn't asleep." Dio hummed in noncommitment and said nothing. Despite Jonathan having moved over to offer him more space he still sat on the absolute edge of the bed, like he was preparing to rise off it at any moment. Jonathan's mouth twisted into a little frown.
"Dio," he said gently, "I want to apologize."
For a moment, Dio did nothing. Then he lifted his head and looked to Jonathan, eyebrows drawn together. "I don't understand. Why?"
"I haven't... been particularly fair to you the past few days. You've been nothing but kind and helpful and- affectionate. I thought you were trying to bully me in some odd way when you were just being nice." He sighed. “I made a rather unfair assumption and stuck to it.”
Dio turned his head aside, contemplative. He wet his lips and sighed. "When I first saw you in the library I had intended to... needle you, a little bit. You were all but bouncing around over history paper! But you kept talking, and I found I enjoyed listening. I was happy, Jojo, and wanted to convey that." He ran a hand through his perfect blond hair. "I hadn't intended to make you so disgusted with me. When you turned me away earlier today I realized you couldn't even bare my face. I should be the one apologizing."
Rather than respond, Jonathan looked down at his hands. So he had, in the end, run Dio out of the house and away from supper. It felt like an impossible idea, him having any sway in his behavior, but the downcast aura he radiated was impossible to deny. Could he not have at least tried a little harder to talk things out? Dio hadn't done anything to deserve being treated like this. With firm resolve, Jonathan lifted his head. When Dio did the same, he spread his arms wide.
"Jojo?"
He said nothing. Instead, he smiled and beckoned him closer. Dio hesitated for just a moment before slinking further onto the bed. Jonathan moved first, when they were close enough, wrapping his arms around Dio and resting his head atop his shoulder. Dio was slower to respond, but eventually snaked his arms around Jonathan's waist and squeezed him closer. They bathed in each other's warmth, with Jonathan gently patting Dio's board back. Eventually, though, he loosened his grip and made to pull away.
Dio's grip tightened. "Jojo..." he breathed right next to Jonathan's ear, "may I?"
Jonathan froze. With the proximity between the two of them, it was obvious what he was asking. Blood rushed to his cheeks as a tiny voice inside him warred with his thoughts. No! But he means no harm. It makes me feel weird! But is that his fault? He hadn't realized that he'd gone stock-still in Dio's grasp until he felt the warmth leaving him.
"Never mind," Dio said in a hushed tone, turning his away to hide his face behind his hair. "I overstepped. I make you ill, and—"
"The cheek."
A pause. Dio looked up, and Jonathan fought not to crumble beneath his stare.
"Just on the cheek. If it's your way of showing you care then I refuse to turn you away." He raised a hand and rubbed at his jaw, embarrassed. "But nowhere else, please."
In a show of goodwill, he turned his head to the right and presented his cheek. When Dio leaned in he closed his eyes and held his breath. When he felt the pressure, the warmth brushing against his skin, he let himself relax. It was fine, and it felt... it felt fine, too. Dio didn't linger this time and pulled away after but a moment. Jonathan turned toward him, equipped with a tiny smile, and then Dio kissed him again, right on the bridge of his nose. Jonathan flinched but fought the desire to flee. "Dio—"
With a flurry of movement, everything went topsy-turvy. His back hit the mattress with a whump, and he stared upward at Dio in confusion. What in the world was this? He weakly wiggled, nervous but not willing to escalate just yet. "Dio," he said with a firmness that belied the knot in his stomach, "I don't like this. Please let me up."
Rather than respond, he leaned further down and buried his face in the junction between Jonathan's neck and shoulder. His breath was hot and sent sparks coursing down his spine. He started to wiggle in earnest then, so Dio simply pressed him even further into the mattress. "But I'm so happy, Jojo. I want to let you know that, Jojo."
Before Jonathan could eke out a response, wet heat dragged across his neck. He shuddered at the feeling and bucked wildly, earning himself another rough shove into the bed. Jonathan gasped, sharp and loud as he felt teeth sink into his skin. When he tried to buck again, he felt Dio's teeth clench tighter, a final warning. Miserable, he fell still. Dio hummed in amusement and finally pulled away, licking his lips as he loomed like a predator above him.
Jonathan screwed his eyes shut. When he felt Dio's lips return, peppering him in drawn-out kisses and the occasional swipe of tongue, his body began to tremble and wouldn't stop. This was madness. This wasn't right. He felt Dio shifting around on the bed, drawing away to readjust both of their bodies. One of his hands cinched about Jonathan's waist while the other grabbed his calf. He propped Jonathan's leg high into the air and moved between his legs, pulling his crotch flush with Jonathan's cushy rear. He gave an experimental roll of his hips and growled low at the feeling.
Just taking in a breath felt like a herculean task. He pitched his hips upward, desperate to distance himself from that pressure, but Dio simply tsked and pushed against his waist again.
"Stop moving," Dio grunted, working up a slow rhythm with his hips as Jonathan continued to weakly spasm against him.
"This is wrong!" Was Jonathan's choked wail of a response. "Dio, this isn’t right—“
A particularly rough thrust cut him short. He yelped as Dio bore down on him, forcing his leg into a wide, painful arc. Dio's pupils were blown wide, terrifying pools of darkness made only more severe by the vicious snarl on his face. "You don't have to whine," he hissed, forcing another cry out of Jonathan as he pressed even harder against his leg. "Fight me off, Jojo. Stop letting me do this," another sharp thrust, "and protect yourself. You certainly could." He ran his hand along Jonathan's thick thigh, squishing his fingers into it for emphasis.
"Dio, please!"
"But I’d hate it if you did," he continued, voice softening as he hovered near Jonathan's ear. “Don’t turn me away, again. Lie still, Jojo. Let me show you my affection."
Jonathan swallowed, terror swirling in his chest and warmth coiling in his stomach. Dio watched him all the while, the almost gentle expression on his face more unsettling than any other he'd seen. He was hyper-aware of everything. Every place their bodies met, the blood pumping in his ears, the tingling sensation that set his every nerve alight. Slowly, he let the tension seep from his body. He sank bonelessly into the bed.
"Good," Dio purred, leaning down to lock their mouths together. "That's good, Jojo."
It was a long while before Dio finally left Jonathan's room. But when he did, he left wearing an expression that could only be seen as utterly victorious.
----
In the times that followed, Dio would corner him, on occasion. In the library, his room, the garden. He'd press him against any nearby surface and kiss him with an all-consuming ferocity, just because he could.
Jonathan let him.