TW: Starvation
This was a horrible idea. Why did they pick him to do it? It wasn't like the boy liked him. After all, it wasn't his fault Polnareff had pissed the boy off. Jotaro loved him, but he never knew when to shut up.
The boy had not left his room since the incident in the kitchen. Everyone had tried coaxing him out to at least eat, but he always refused. He was certain Avdol or his mom would convince him to leave, but even they weren't successful. So they decided to send him as a last resort.
Now here he was, standing in front of the guest room terrified for the conversation to follow. Every time he talked to the boy, they got into a huge argument, and he had a feeling that theme would continue.
Maybe he should just leave. It's not like anything good would come from this exchange. He doubted the boy would even listen to him. After all, the boy made it painfully clear that he despised him. He couldn't blame him, though. Jotaro even hated himself. Besides, he had never been the best at confrontation. They always ended in anger and violence for him, so it was best he didn't engage. If he left now, he could avoid an altercation. But he knew his mother and his conscience would never let him live it down if this boy died under his care. Especially if he could have prevented it.
Perhaps his mother was right. He had gone through something like this before. After that bastard cursed him, he spent probably a month locked up in his room. He refused to talk to anyone or let anyone in. He must've spent that entire time huddled in his bed under the covers hiding like when he was a small child, after all, that's what you did to not have to face the monsters outside. When he wasn't there, he was destroying everything in sight. Even a century later, he still hadn't repaired an of the damage. He kept going between fits of rage or depression, sometimes both. Then again he still had those moments. Though he came out on his own, after being tired of feeling sorry for himself. He also knew how it felt to starve yourself, he still does though these are for entirely different circumstances. The boy did not need to go through what he does every day. Hunger drives men to madness, and he did not want to see that boy descend into that insanity. Jotaro was unfortunately inhuman and immortal, he could go without eating, but this boy could not.
Reluctantly he made his final decision and gently knocked on the door. No response. He tried again. Same thing. Then, he knocked with more force three times for good measure.
"Alright. I heard you." An irritated voice finally responded. "If it's Polnareff again, go away. I don't want to speak with you."
Well, here goes nothing.
"Hey," he stuttered. He hadn't really planned this far, and already there was hostility. This could only go well. There was a long pause. Then Jotaro heard the boy shuffle towards the door. He didn't open it, but he was there. Jotaro faintly heard the boy's heart pounding and his breath shaking through the wood. Was the boy that scared of him? It unsettled Jotaro, but he knew the boy's fear was definitely rational. Sometimes Jotaro even frightened himself. It was silent for a little while longer until the boy finally spoke.
"What the fuck do you want?" The boy whispered. Jotaro groaned. This was going to be a lot harder than he thought.
"It's been three days," Jotaro gently began. "You haven't left your room, eaten, drank, or talked to anyone."
"So?" the boy retorted. Jotaro noticed the sounds of his body were closer to the ground and were almost muffled. He must be on the floor with his arms wrapped around himself. The image reminded Jotaro of an upset toddler throwing a tantrum. "Why do you care?"
"Forgive me for not wanting you to die from your own stupidity." Jotaro felt like he was talking to a child. Then again, he imagined this was what he sounded like when he locked himself in his room. Maybe he should take it easy on the boy. After all, it was probably partially Jotaro's fault the boy was staying holed up in his room. He knew the feeling of hopelessness the boy was going through. He should be more gentle with him.
"I'll take my chances." Nope. Screw being gentle with the boy. He was starting to get fed up with all these sarcastic remarks. So the boy wanted to be stubborn? Fine, Jotaro could be just as stubborn, if not more. That boy was going to come out of that room one way or another, even if Jotaro had to force him out. And when Jotaro set his mind on something, he usually did not give up easily.
"Look, you have to come out of there at some point," Jotaro stated. He began to feel his fist clench. If he wasn't careful here, he could lose control. He had to keep his vampire side in check. "You can't just stay in that room forever." Was he being hypocritical? Maybe. Perhaps he should take his own advice.
"And what if I don't?" the boy almost laughed hysterically. "What will you do then, drag me out?" Jotaro could not help but notice the slight fear that seemed to creep into the boy's voice. He stayed silent for a minute. Force would not be the way to get the boy out. Force was something he would do and Jotaro was not him.
"I'm not going to drag you out." The boy's erratic breathing stopped and there was silence. He guessed the boy was confused at his sudden calmness. "Are you hungry?" More silence. No matter what he did, he was never going to get through to this boy, was he? He could try convincing him to come out with his name. Jotaro had not used the boy's name the entire time. Maybe that would show the boy he cared about his well-being.
There was only one issue with this plan. What was his name again? He remembered the boy's father had said it and his mother uttered it a couple of times. So why couldn't he think of it? He believed it was Japanese and started with an N. He racked his brain for a moment, and finally came up with at least his first name. It might not have been the best since they were merely acquaintances at most, but it was something.
"Come on, Noriaki," he tried. "You need to eat." This time he was not met with silence. He could practically feel the rage that was pouring out of the boy through the door. Okay, so using that name was a mistake.
"First off," the boy angrily began. "Don't you dare speak my name like you're my friend. You don't even know me, and I certainly don't want to know you. Secondly, don't pretend as if you care about me. If you actually did care about my health and wellbeing, you would have never taken me prisoner in the first place. And lastly, leave me the fuck alone. I never want to see you or hear your stupid voice. I am content to just stay here and die if it means I never have to encounter you again."
Did Jotaro deserve that after all he's done? Probably. However, he was done with the boy for now. His own fury was starting to show and he did not know how long it would be before he lost it. He had tried to be nice. He just wanted the boy to eat food or at least come out of the damn room.
"I've just about had enough of this." Jotaro gritted his teeth.
"Join the club," the boy mumbled. Another sarcastic comment. Of course. He was going to try one last time.
"Just come out of the room." Jotaro didn't expect it to work, but he could at least try.
"Fuck off." That's it. If the boy wanted to starve himself, fine. Like the boy said, why did he care? The boy was just a prisoner of an evil monster anyway. Why not give him what he wants.
"You know what, go ahead. Go ahead and starve for all I care. See what happens. You have no idea what hunger does to you. Be glad you can actually fucking eat. But fine, if you want to die, be my guest. It won't matter either way to me what you decide to do. At least if you died, I wouldn't have to deal with your bullshit anymore." This is what Jotaro wanted to avoid at all costs. Every time he and the boy talked, one or both of them started yelling. It inevitably ended in a fight. He was also starting to think this boy was a spoiled brat. Maybe the reason why Jotaro was so mad at him is that he had a choice. The boy could eat without any repercussions, unlike him. Jotaro had to starve to keep others safe, even though it took a toll on his sanity and strength. The boy had a choice. He could eat. He merely chose not to, which made Jotaro's anger boil. He might have just been jealous of the boy, mostly for being human.
Jotaro was still seething with anger and was about to say something else until he heard an extremely faint sound. It wasn't loud. No one but Jotaro could have possibly heard it. But it was there. The soft sound of sobs carried through the door and reached the vampire's sensitive ears. Good grief. Jotaro's anger faded. Of course he made the boy cry. Well, what did he expect? He was a demon after all. He tended to make people cry. But that didn't mean he liked hearing it. He had to get out of here before he made things worse.
He ran down the stairs and out one of the back doors to the one place he could think properly; the castle garden. Fortunately, it was nighttime, so he could actually be there. It was unkempt, and some plants were starting to get overgrown with weeds, but it was still kind of like his sanctuary. He sat down by the cracked marble bench that was beside the small pond. Fish used to reside there, but Jotaro believed they had all long since died. A shame really. Jotaro always loved watching the koi swim around in the clear water without a care in the world. It was calming. Now the water was murky and green with algae.
Yet he could still see his distorted reflection. He could still see his sickly pale skin reflect the moonlight, his slightly ragged clothing, the small tips of the fangs that threatened to poke out of his mouth, and most of all the crimson eyes that could pierce through his soul. He remembered why he had destroyed all the mirrors long ago. His reflection was there to taunt him. A reminder that no matter how much he pretended he wasn't, he would always be a monster. The feared demon of the woods would stay his permanent title. It made him sick.
He averted his gaze to the roses that were across from the pond. He used to love roses. Used to. Now, they were just another reminder of the vampire who cursed him. After all, roses were his signature flower. He hated the roses. He still thinks that the bastard made more of them grow to further mess with his head. They were the blood-red kind, so the man knew what he was doing.
Red. Why was everything always red? The curtains in the hallway. The carpet in his room. The bedsheets on his bed. The roses in the garden haunted him. The hair of the boy trapped inside his castle. Everything was always red. He wished he could rid the entire world of the awful color. He could even see red now as the anger clouded his vision. He jumped from the bench, stomped over to the roses, and did what he did best; destroy.
There was something cathartic about kicking the roses and watching the remains scatter about the garden. It was like trampling over that prick's unwanted gift. His unwanted curse. He couldn't get rid of this stupid affliction, but he could definitely dispose of these roses. He gazed down at the carnage. There were petals everywhere. He had taken a good chunk out of the roses. But now that his anger was gone, what had it accomplished? Honestly, it just made the garden more of a mess than before.
He sighed and pulled out the one thing he ever asks the Speedwagon Foundation for; a package of cigarettes and a lighter. He had only recently discovered them. A few years ago he spotted one in a worker's mouth from his window and asked his grandfather to inquire about them. Their premise intrigued Jotaro, so he asked for a pack after he found out more. And he never went back. He grabbed a cigarette out of the box and brought it to his mouth to light it. He finally relaxed when the familiar smell hit him and the cloud of smoke filled the chilly air. He closed his eyes, content to get lost and forget in the fog of his mind.
"Those poor roses. What did they ever do to you, JoJo?" He whipped around at the all too recognizable voice. The same voice that plagued his nightmares and hardly ever ceased during the day. Jotaro grimaced as he watched the destroyed roses come to life with golden magic and were instantly revived. The cigarette fell to the ground and extinguished as Jotaro's mouth dropped. Those intense crimson eyes bored into his soul as they looked down on him. "Did you miss me, JoJo?"
"Go fuck yourself," he growled. Jotaro promptly turned to leave but was stopped instantly by Dio appearing in front of him.
"Now, now. Is that any way to talk to your great-great-great-uncle Dio?" It had been years since he had visited Jotaro. He had always hated these meetings. They always went the same way. Dio would talk to him about whatever, occasionally taunt him, and then Jotaro would futilely try to punch Dio before he left. He had thought that Dio had finally lost interest in visiting, but here he was with his signature smug smirk.
"Why are you here?" Jotaro decided to bite the bullet and get this whole exchange done and over with.
"Must I have a reason to come visit my little JoJo?" Dio roughly jerked Jotaro's shoulder to touch his own. "We're family after all. Don't families need to bond?"
"Let go of me." Jotaro didn't scream or yell anymore. He knew Dio would inevitably do what he wanted, then leave. Usually, anything he said was devoid of emotion unless it was an insult. He knew it wasn't worth it to fight sometimes. Dio had told him many times that whatever he did was useless. To his genuine surprise, Dio did release him.
"I'm hurt, JoJo." Dio always did this. He played the victim card without fail every time. "And here I naively thought we could spend some time together."
"Again, what do you want, Dio?" Jotaro just wanted to go back to the solitude of his desolate room.
"Fine." Dio's loving uncle facade faded and he merely started examining his sharp black nails. "A couple of days ago, an older man burst into the bar, raving that the Demon had allegedly taken his beloved son." Jotaro froze as Dio glanced up with a malicious glint in his eyes. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you, JoJo?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," he lied. Dio quirked an eyebrow.
"I am terribly concerned, though. No one has heard from the poor boy for almost five days." Dio paused and made direct eye contact with Jotaro. "Maybe he disappeared into the woods. Have you seen him? He has cherry-red hair and amethyst-colored eyes. He also might have a cut on his wrist. Let me see, what was his name again?" Why was Dio messing with him so much? If Dio knew the boy was here, why was he toying with him? "Oh right! It was Noriaki Kakyoin if I remember correctly."
"Again. Never seen nor heard of him." Jotaro vainly tried to retreat to the castle but was again stopped. It was like Jotaro never even moved.
"You're lying to me Jotaro," Dio taunted. Jotaro didn't dare move. He knew that tone and it was never good. "You want to know how I know?" Jotaro didn't respond. "I can smell the faint scent of his blood. Noriaki is somewhere in that castle isn't he, JoJo?"
This wasn't good. With Dio, you never knew what he was going to do. What did he even want? Did he just want Jotaro to admit he had the boy? What was his game here? Jotaro attempted to move away again but was only met with the same result and wicked smile on Dio's face.
"Why would I have a human, Dio?" Jotaro sincerely hoped he could just keep lying his way out. Conceivably, if he didn't give Dio the answer he was looking for, he would leave.
"Oh, there are plenty of reasons why." Dio's smile was sinister. "For one, this particular human is quite handsome. Don't you think, JoJo?" Jotaro hadn't given it much thought. He hadn't regarded the boy that much, but he thought back to how the boy was in the dungeon. The raging fire that burned in his violet eyes as he challenged Jotaro, rocked him to his core. Those determined eyes threatened to kill him with a single glare. In contrast, he remembered how peaceful the boy was when he was sleeping and how perfectly his red hair framed his face. Okay, so maybe he was a little attractive, but what did that matter?
"No." Dio could probably tell he was lying again but didn't mention anything.
"Even so, I wonder what possibly possessed you to accept his deal." Dio came closer to him. "It's not like you, JoJo, so indulge me." Jotaro still didn't speak. Dio was starting to get on his nerves even more than usual. That nickname had always made him uncomfortable, but for some reason, it was making him even angrier tonight. Every time Dio used it, Jotaro wanted to deck the son of a bitch.
"Don't you have anything better to do than bother me?" Jotaro was done with this prolonged conversation.
"Not particularly," Dio shrugged. "I'm merely curious, so tell me." Jotaro decided now was the time to stay silent. He knew damned well Dio wouldn't be leaving until he was satisfied screwing with him, which meant he might be here for a while. After a few seconds passed, he could tell Dio was becoming just as impatient as he was, "Oh, come on JoJo. Why can't you just admit what we both already know?"
"Cut the crap, Dio. Why do you care so much?"
"Because, Jotaro, you won't tell me." Dio never used his real name unless something was wrong. His tone was menacing. The lighthearted air was gone immediately. "I figured I wouldn't have to prod you this much, but like all the Joestars, you're too proud and stubborn to ever admit anything. But do you want to know something, Jotaro?" He froze, not daring to breathe as Dio came closer, his voice low. "You can't hide anything from me. I know everything that occurs in these woods including that wretched castle. No matter how much you foolishly try to escape my watch, you never will."
"What are you going to do, Dio?" Jotaro anxiously whispered.
"Nothing, dear Jotaro." Dio's dreadful smile returned. "I'm not going to do anything."
"What?" Jotaro at least expected him to have some sort of nefarious plan for him or the boy.
"You heard me right. I am very curious to see how this turns out. It will be entertaining to say the least, watching the beast attempt to make the beauty fall in love with him," Dio teased.
"Excuse me?" Jotaro's anger was beginning to flare up again. He was starting to think anger and depression were the only things he ever felt.
"That's why you accepted his deal, isn't it?" Jotaro wanted to punch that arrogant smirk right off Dio's face. "You're desperate to break the curse are you not? Oh, wait!" Dio chuckled almost maniacally. "You don't believe in true love, do you?" Dio continued cackling at Jotaro. Dio was mocking him. Dio knew exactly how he felt about the only solution the monster had offered to return him back to normal.
"Shut up!" Jotaro clenched his fists and was ready to beat Dio's ass. As soon as he assumed his fighting stance, Dio just ceased his laughter and disappeared. Stupid time stop. He always did this. Jotaro spun around, frantically searching for where the villain went.
"Over here." He threw a punch at the voice, but it was no use. He knew he was no match for Dio in his weakened state. He was exhausted. Dio caught his arms and squeezed, and he felt the sharp nails prick his skin. "You're weak, Jotaro, but if you would actually eat you'd be stronger. It's just like a Joestar to starve themselves before ever taking a human life. You and Jonathan have so much in common. But that fiery temper and inclination towards violence, takes after me. I wonder how much longer it will take you to realize we are the same."
"I'm nothing like you!" Jotaro spat. "And I never will be."
"So you've said." Dio grinned and harshly released Jotaro's arms. "Oh well, I have all the time in the world to wait and so do you, Jotaro." Jotaro didn't care how weak he was. He tried another punch, but Dio was gone.
"Until next time, JoJo." Jotaro heard his laugh echo through the woods, but he was nowhere to be seen.
"Bastard." Jotaro slumped onto the bench, his energy drained. He looked up at the stars, desperate to find something. That was his grandfather's advice for when Jotaro felt lost. As usual, he was met with cold unfeeling dots that revealed nothing. He sighed and thought of the boy he left in tears, Noriaki Kakyoin. He bent down and raked his fingers through his disheveled hair. He wasn't like Dio, and he never would be. That's what he had always said, right? But as the curse kept eating away at his soul, he wasn't sure how much longer that would remain true.
Oh wow. It has been a while. There has been a lot going on lately and there is still more coming up as I am currently undergoing some huge life transitions. I will try to not make updates months in between. but I cannot promise quick updates right now. Anyways, thank you so much for reading and for all your support. It really makes my day.