Chapter Four

P H A N T O M B L O O D

"Buttercup don't break my heart."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You lazily stood beside the main doors to the Joestar mansion. You rub at your sore wrist, leaning against the huge building until someone emerged from inside. That someone being the Joestar you were waiting for.

"Dear god, Jojo you're wearing a hat!" You exclaim, shocked at the brown cap the Joestar's wearing, the boy in question going pink as he shut the door behind him.

"Well yes, I thought it'd be appropriate for going to the fair today." Jojo bashfully scratches at the back of his neck, not expecting the teasing to start the minute he got out the door, "Speaking of, should we get going now?"

"Hm? Oh yes definitely! I'd hate to leave Erina waiting." You had also dressed somewhat fancily, rather than your usual uniform you were wearing a simple (F/C) ruffle shirt, high waisted black trousers and some wellie boots. Paired together was a simple pair of dangling lilac earrings.

It had taken a while to save up for the ensemble, but you thought it was well worth it after seeing yourself in the mirror.

The two of you set off, chatting happily until you meet up with Erina at the spot by the stream where she'd first approached you both. Then the three of you set off, chatting happily until you all arrived at the fair.

As you went from various stalls and rides, sometimes having to take turns on single or two people rides, you all seemed to be enjoying a happy relationship. Alas, this was the Victorian times so anyone would assume that there wasn't any romance involved with all three of you.

You sigh, watching as Erina and Jonathan roll down a wooden slide. The queue to the ride had been really long, only to find all three of you couldn't fit into one cart together.

Though despite the annoyance you could still appreciate the smiling faces of your two fair companions as they slid down the ramp.

'Golly, I sure am lucky to have such great friends.' You thought absent-mindedly as you realised how beautiful your friends were.

Waving cheerfully as they slid past you, you meet them at the bottom of the slide, helping the two out the cart despite saying a cheeky, "Took you long enough!"

"Oh (Y/N) don't be so silly, it was barely two minutes." Erina laughs, quickly followed by Jonathan who had finished brushing down his hat of any dust collected on the slide.

"Yes (N/N), there's no need to be so upset you couldn't get on the ride." Jojo laughs again and you scoff.

"Well... Well, I'm not upset! Maybe you're upset one," Seeing the grins you got, you quickly start looking for a way out of the teasing, "Hey let's go play at that stall!"

The two agree and the three of you make your way over to the hoop throwing game.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You know what, I deserve a raise." You say smugly, watching as Jonathan and Erina both hug close the confectionary you had managed to win them both.

"Of course, so you can buy us more treats, right?" Jonathan replies, enjoying a piece of chocolate.

"Why you! Erina tell Jojo he's not doing a good job at being a gentleman please." The two of you stop bickering to turn to Erina, only to see her laughing at you both. You can't help the colourful blush spreading across your skin at her soft giggles.

"Today's been fun but I should really be going now," Erina smiled sweetly to you two before waving and walking away, "Goodbye!"

"Goodbye Erina!" You and Jojo chorus, swooning and waving before continuing your way home.

"Say, (N/N), where were you this morning?" Jonathan says, happily munching on his chocolate once again.

"Oh, I was with Dio. You've got a little something there actually," You poke at Jojo's face and he quickly takes a moment to wipe at the spot before his eyes widen and he clenches his fist. A comically delayed reaction if you ever saw one.

"Dio?! Oh, I just want to hit him in his stupid face! Did he try anything?"

"Nothing really, he just sort of asked me to go on a walk with him." You wait a moment before telling him, "I think he was trying to get me to dislike you or something."

Jojo gets angrier than before, cursing out the blonde villain until you stop walking and hug him.

"(N/N)?" The Joestar stiffens up slightly, his anger quickly being washed over by the red colour now painting his face.

"Don't worry Jojo, I don't think anything in the world could make me even think about disliking you." Jonathan's eyes widen and he hugs you back with a smile.

"I know that silly. No matter what Dio says I'll always have you and Danny if I remember correctly?" Jonathan said sweetly, leaning his chin on top of your head. He really was quite tall compared to most people your age, well except maybe Dio.

"Yes! I'd say you even have Erina now! You're quite the charmer, lover boy." You tease, struggling to talk through the chest you'd been embraced into.

"That's a bold statement coming from you! You couldn't stop complimenting her, it was quite impressive (N/N)." The two of you separate and grin at each other, continuing the pleasant walk home.

"Of course it was impressive my dear Jojo! I work with flowers, after all, I know beauty when I see it. That includes you Joestar." Despite your apparent smugness, Jonathan couldn't help the blush on his face. He was your dear Jojo, golly.

"Don't be silly (N/N), pretty people don't wilt when it gets too cold for you to go outside and tend to them."

"Jojo! You know I'm sensitive about how easily I get too cold to garden!" With that, you start to chase a laughing Jonathan down the path home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been a few weeks since Dio's arrival now and you had happily settled into the new routine. Spending any free time in the morning with Dio, he seemed to enjoy beating you at chess and you were always amused when talking about how much London sucked.

The free time in the afternoon was spent with Jojo and Erina. The three of you talked the minute Jojo finished school and only parting at the late summer sunsets.

One occasion, you had brought the pair some flower crowns, lilacs for Erina, some blue bellflowers for Jonathan and lavender for yourself. This was such a massive success that when you had returned home for work you spent the night smiling and bashful and fawning over any even distinctly romantic flower you tended to.

On this particular day, you'd all gone swimming at the stream where you usually met up. Erina and Jonathan trying to win a splashing fight against you and Danny. It wasn't exactly a fair fight with how effective the doggy was at splashing but ha, that only helped you win.

You were affectionately petting and murmuring to your canine partner and fellow winner of the water fight when Jonathan and Erina got out of the water, the Joestar boy walking over to the nearby oak tree.

"What on earth are you doing to that poor tree?" Erina had crossed her arms behind her back as Jonathan began carving into the oak.

Your gardener senses tingled and you, trailed by Danny, headed up the water bank until you could see what was happening.

"Jojo, what possessed you to do that? Goodness!" Erina had gasped after Jonathan stood back to reveal the carving. The two blushed and Jonathan scratched at the back of his neck. You, however, stood confused.

"Do you have feelings for the tree?" You questioned, vaguely pointing to the love heart shape Jojo had made. He blinked for a second before scratching at his neck faster.

"It says all of our names (N/N)," Jonathan said making you. Oh, golly that's so embarrassing, you sort of didn't want Erina to know you couldn't read. Your companions were both smart and well educated and you really wanted to impress them in any way you could.

"Golly Jojo that is sweet! Come here you two!" Quickly trying to distract them from your lack of education you bring the two into a hug, ruining any progress Erina and Jojo had made of drying off. Once they were both secured in your arms you grinned. "You guys are the best!"

They were the best and you meant it.

Jojo and Erina were blushing at all the close contact in their swimming costumes and then even more so at what you had said. Even though it wasn't a grand gesture or some proclamation of love it was still very flattering coming from the ever-charming (Y/N).

The moment was sweet as you all enjoyed the hug and the young, blossoming love between you. That was until Danny started shaking out his dripping fur and you all ran away screaming from the smelly droplets of dog-ified stream.

The rest of the lovely summer day was spent on silliness and affection.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey, have you ever fought about how similar your name is to arena?" You asked, smiling at the blonde girl who took your breath away. It was just you today, Erina needed to go dress shopping in town and Jojo didn't get out of school until after the shop had closed.

"I don't suppose so. A fighting arena?" Erina grinned slightly as she looked away from the light blue skirt she liked and towards the gardener she liked, "The ones with gladiators?"

"Yeah, funny isn't it?" You put a hand to your chin as though you were thinking too hard, "Though I couldn't imagine you as a gladiator, you're way too regal and lovely for that. You'd be a much better Roman empress, admired by all the world!"

'As you should be.' You wanted to add, but you let that thought die on your tongue.

Erina's whole face goes red but you pretend not to notice, continuing with the pretence of imagining her in an arena.

"Or better yet, one of the Roman goddesses!" You take Erina's hands into your own enthusiastically, "You could be whats her name- Venus!"

"N-Now you're just being silly (Y/N)! Don't go comparing me to someone like the goddess of love," Erina squeaked, separating your hands and holding your face, shaking it slightly, "I'm meant to be dress shopping right now but I'm all flushed because of you! You flirty little flower fiend!"

"Well, you know what they say," You laugh slightly and lean forwards to the lovely blonde, "Sweet mother, I cannot weave- slender Aphrodite has overcome me with longing for a girl. And well, Aphrodite and Venus are kinda-sorta similar. And I'm similarly overcome."

"Oh shush you big flirt," Erina leaned closer as well smiling and speaking softly with the blush still settled on her smooth skin, "Where did you even learn that? Goodness, I thought you couldn't read."

"I can't," You smile at the blonde, noses touching, "That hasn't stopped Aphrodite's grip on my heart."

You were sure you were going to kiss Erina when the seamstress walked over asking the two of you if you'd found what you wanted to buy. The two of you broke apart and the seamstress had the nerve to say what good friends you both made.

You huffed as the woman effectively ruined your moment with Erina as the two began discussing the light blue dress.

You didn't really pay much attention to what they were saying but instead focused on the delicate hand that suddenly and subtly reached out for your own.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Gee Dio, I'm surprised you're so cross. It's only going to be a couple of days of not being able to gloat to me."

It was the next month and the two of you were in the library, Dio reading and you filling up some sweet-smelling vases. Neither of the two gardeners was going to be at the Joestar residence for about a week, you were going to London to get Lord Joestar some shrubbery and Dio wasn't overwhelmingly pleased.

"Oh please, as if all I'm good for is gloating. You are insultingly small-minded." The scowling blonde saved his place in the book before slamming it shut, "I don't gloat."

"Oh yes, you do. I have to listen to it every day you know." You turn away from the bouquet in your hands with a pout, "I, Dio, won a boxing match. I, Dio, have amazing table manners. I, Dio slapped a squirrel out of a tree! It's never-ending."

"Oh no, I don't. I've never said any of that before, enough with your nonsense." Dio huffs, rolling his eyes at you, "Besides I'm not even cross, merely annoyed. If you left I wouldn't be able to practise my chess skills."

"I doubt you need practise! You could probably even beat the person who invented chess." You move forward and boop an unimpressed Dio's nose, "You could make big moneys playing people you know."

"Moneys isn't a word you know." Dio grabbed the prodding hand and turned it back on you, making you boop your forehead, "Besides I don't need chess to get rich. I'm the adopted son of a wealthy lord."

"It was only a suggestion, Dio, no need to get all factual. Besides not all of us get whisked away into a large mansion with a large inheritance." You try to stop the poking but Dio won't give back your hand, "Actually sounds like you're some fairytale princess! Is there something you're not telling me?"

"If I'm the princess that makes you the villain, (Y/N). The suspicious and scheming servant in the shed, ready to poison someone with all your plants," The blonde smirks, finally stopping the constant poking and leaning back comfortably into his chair.

"I wouldn't be the villain! I'd be the valiant knight who rescues you." You make a grand pose but Dio chuckles and uses a leg to trip you.

"My hero." The blonde tips his head back and continues laughing mockingly at your floored figure though you quickly smile back.

"Ha! I told you, you gloat!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A smirking marigold blonde ran his hand over carved wood. The entire countryside was bathed in the crimson and orange of sunset, fitting lighting for his upcoming actions.

Dio's eyes ran over the names again. So this was why Jonathan was so happy. Good. This Erina girl could be dealt with easily. Dio was almost worried he would have to get rid of his (Y/N).

Speaking of (Y/N), were you spending time with this nuissance girl as well? What an awful idea. No matter, Erina would not get in his way again after this evening.

Kono Dio da tingz 💔💔

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I feel like I made Dio way too out of character but I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Feel free to comment what y'all think so far I'd love to know :p

Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top