7 - ☆ - VIDEO

[trickstar]

[Most of the screen is dark. There is, however, just enough light that one can make out the outfit of the individual standing in front of the video feed with their hands on their hips. He's dressed in some stupidly bright neon yellow and green outfit, but the shadows definitely cover a majority of this individuals face. Nothing out of the norm for a guy like him.

But when he opens his mouth to talk, it doesn't… sound quite like Dio, to those who would know his voice well enough, but more like if Dio suddenly had a cold.]

I bet you are all wondering… "why would Dio suddenly make a post like this?" But the truth is...

[And then the individual in the absolutely awful outfit steps into the light a little more- AND SURPRISE! IT'S NOT DIO.]

You thought it was Dio… but it was I, JoJo!!

[Joseph says, pointing a thumb towards himself and then proceeding to laugh like a moron. Of course, to anyone who bothered to look at the nametag of the person who posted would be able to tell right away this Joseph to begin with, but... who cares?]

Dio's gone! Completely! All that was left are his clothes- like Satan dragged him down to hell without them. I'm thinking about burning these after I end the video, anyone wanna join me?

Comments

[fistofthejoestar]

I can imagine. That room is very much to Dio's taste.

[which is Jonathan's polite way of saying it's ostentatious and gaudy in a stupidly theatrical and thematic way. who knew Dio would embrace stereotypical vampire spookiness so much? ...pretty much everybody.]

[trickstar]

It almost seems like kind of a waste to leave all this stuff here for the cleaners, but... no way would I actually want most of it, you know?

[Some of those books though... Might take the books.]

[fistofthejoestar]

You can bring it here, if you like. I don't mind holding onto it.

[it's phrased in a very specific way, but Jonathan really doesn't notice when he makes the offer. he's only thinking of helping, and - well, it would be easier to see if Dio had made off with any of his things that way.]

[trickstar]

...

[Should he? Letting Jonathan hold onto anything of Dio's may wind up leaving the other fonder of Dio than he really should be. More so than he already is, that is. Probably should nip this in the bud.]

I'll see if there's anything that looks important while I'm here.

[Which he's already decided will be nothing.]

[fistofthejoestar]

[joke's on you, Joseph, this bud has already become a beautiful rotting meat scented flower that's only bloomed further because of the timing of Dio's departure.

thankfully Jonathan doesn't realize his grandson's making decisions about his emotional state of being fore him, so he simply nods in assent. it won't really seem suspicious when he comes back with nothing - it's always been difficult to figure out what was actually important to Dio.]

That's fine.

[his expression becomes pensive as the well of practical topics runs dry, leaving nothing but his own thoughts on the matter. eventually he exhales softly, speaking more to himself than to Joseph. he doesn't sound particularly confident in his words.]

...well, it'll certainly be more quiet here now.

[trickstar]

[Ugh. Of course, Jonathan would miss Dio. Joseph's at fault here for this too... Made Dio seem like not as bad a guy as he really was. But he knows if he let Jotaro spill the beans- or really, let anyone spill the beans, things would have gotten a lot more violent. Now, he's not exactly a peacekeeper himself, but... Protecting his family here comes first. His family and Caesar... they're the most important things to him, nothing will change that.]

"Things will be more quiet" huh? You want me to take that as a challenge?

[He can stir up shit for you, Grandpa Jojo.]

[fistofthejoestar]

Aren't you providing enough challenges already? You're going to strain yourself at this rate!

[he laughs, unable to really mask the gentle joke with a facetiously serious expression. the mixed emotions Dio's departure have left aren't going anywhere, but he can already feel them retreating to the far corners of his mind in the face of Joseph's not quite insincere threat. as much as his grandson made him feel like a child, he could lift his spirits just as easily. it truly felt like a gift to Jonathan.]

[trickstar]

Don't kid yourself, I haven't even gotten started!

[AKA the amount of bullshit he can get himself into can only skyrocket if challenged right or if we get a Kars

But Jonathan's smiling again, and so Joseph's smiling again too, even if the video feed is off. But now that he's back in his normal clothes ("normal") he feels like he can turn the video back on and smile back 'in person'. ]

[fistofthejoestar]

My apologies, but I'm far too optimistic to give up on that.

[even if he already knows that it's a lost cause. the smile on his face widens when Joseph comes back on screen, and he decides to indulge a little and stroke that massive ego. maybe it's a bad idea in the long run, but he's feeling even more sentimental than usual.]

Ah! You look much more handsome now.

[trickstar]

[Well, mission accomplished, because Joseph doesn't hesitate to smile wider at the compliment. Damn right he's handsome! It's not like he thought he looked good in Dio's clothes, anyway!! Especially knowing he and Hisoka... ugh. Ughhhh.]

Yeah, I know, I know. This suits me better.

[Ah yes, the old classic of belly shirts and scarves. If Jonathan likes it, it can't be bad, right? Fuck what Josuke was saying, he totally doesn't look like a stripper!]

[fistofthejoestar]

[Jonathan loves his descendants no matter what they're wearing and what he actually thinks of them. there's no need to tell them his actual opinion, especially when it comes to Joseph's fashion...]

Quite a bit better. [...] Not that the alternative really suited anyone.

[DIO'S GONE HE CAN FINALLY SAY THIS OUT LOUD GLORY BE]

[trickstar]

What? Really? You don't think that looks good at all?

[Teasing, teasing...]

No, I know. It's why I'm burning it. It kind of just makes the world a little worse by existing.

[Like Dio himself.]

[fistofthejoestar]

I still can't imagine why anyone would have wanted something like that in the first place.

[because, like, he had to buy it from somewhere. that implies there is more than one of there things running around. why???

and just casually sidestepping having to comment on the big goodbye bonfire because he doesn't feel like falling back into his pool of mixed emotions after having successfully been pulled out for the time being.]

[trickstar]

Who knows?

Anyway, let's stop talking about that. How about we go out together for a bit? And we can take your dog on a walk too.

[fistofthejoestar]

[he pauses, and then flashes probably the brightest smile he's given so far. that is exactly what he needs right now.]

...I'd like that very much. It's been a while.

[trickstar]

It has been a while! And don't worry, I got it covered.

[Moneywise he means. As in he stole Dio's money. But no one needs to know that.]

You're still in Heropa, right?

[fistofthejoestar]

That's right. I seem to be the only constant in this house at the moment; it's gotten a bit sparse again.

[well, looks like Dio's finally getting to treat his brother to a day out...]

[trickstar]

You know, you could always move out. You've made friends here too, right? Move in with them!

[fistofthejoestar]

It wouldn't be very fair to burden them like that just because we're friends. Besides, I can save up a little more money this way.

[Jonathan what could you possibly be saving up money for, you can't will your possessions to the family in this world stop being so financially responsible.]

[trickstar]

[Fully intends to slap that thought out of him.]

Save it up for what? Gonna put it in a mortgage?? Gonna put it away for my college fund?? Live a little!

[fistofthejoestar]

One of you might need it someday!

[LIKE FOR BAIL MONEY. THERE, HE SAID IT...in bracket text, but still.]

[trickstar]

Don't worry about that! Look, I got $300 cash on me right now, I'm fine!

[It's... It's Dio's money. But if Jonathan asks, it's tips from work.]

[fistofthejoestar]

It wasn't an immediate worry...

[Joseph you are so lucky that Jonathan still doesn't know how to convert modern day US currency into Victorian age UK shit because otherwise that excuse would never fly.]

But I suppose that doesn't matter right now. It would be rude of me to decline a gift.

[even if he might still try and shove his half of the bill into Joseph's pocket later on. he's going to see how things go.]

[trickstar]

Yeah, it would. Really rude.

[Go ahead and try, Joseph is now all the more aware of people putting money into his pants by now.]

[fistofthejoestar]

And we both know it's unacceptable for a gentleman to behave that way. I guess you've caught me this time.

[not that he seems particularly upset about being caught. probably because he doesn't realize how many hands with sweaty twenties have been down his grandson's pants in the past...]