Fandom JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Tainted Lineage

[RottenEgg5]

The ballroom was certainly filled this time around. The extravagant marbled floors had been polished to pure perfection, all the lighted fixtures were beautifully gilded in gold plating, everything in the room spelled high society. The small band hired to preform were currently taking a small respite to allow guests to mingle and talk to one another. Evelyn held her unfolded fan up to her mouth as she gently fanned herself. Black eyes slowly looking across the large gathering of men and women. All of them were dressed to the nines in suits and gowns that would easily cost a common man's entire salary. Pearls, diamonds, gold, silver, money dripped and oozed out of these people like sweat. Evelyn could feel her mouth twitching into an annoyed sneer as she quickly corrected herself back into her polite mask. This was a debutante ball, Evelyn needed to remind herself that as she put her fan up. A small, sweet smile already formed itself on her scarlet red lips.

Evelyn looked over at one of the servants. The poor lad was so nervous he was sweating though his rather cheap suit. Evelyn could tell he was maybe a little younger than herself, doing his very best to carry a tray of champagne around to guests. The woman carefully made her way over to the young man. A sweet grin on her face as she gently took one of the glasses from the tray. "Thank you so much." Her voice was light and airy as she gently toyed with the servant. Batting her long lashes at him as he sputtered and blushed a dark red. Evelyn only watched with a smile as the man took a few steeps back, her grin becoming a little bigger as the servant knocked himself into one of guests. She only turned away and started to walk off as soon as the shouting started. Evelyn took a small, ladylike sip from her glass. Being extremely careful to make sure that she didn't smudge her lipstick on the glass. The band had already started to play once more as Evelyn spotted a familiar face.

Putting on an excited and polite grin Evelyn made her way towards her good 'friend', Erina Pendleton. Friend, was the word that the two women would use though it clearly had no real bearing outside of these social gatherings. In truth, Evelyn could barely stand to be in the same room as Erina. She was a rival for her when it came to finding a man of such high status. Erina's blue eyes and blond hair made her a beauty in her own right and then add on the fact her father had a flourishing business in India, and suddenly she shone out like diamond covered in gold to some men. Evelyn, while she lacked any sort of money or familiar business, she offered her own looks and intellect. She was molded to be the perfect high class woman and for some men, men who weren't able to play the game of being pristine gentlemen, that was more valuable than money.

"Oh Erina!" Evelyn's voice was pitched up slightly as she looked at her dear 'friend'. "I'm so glad you could make it! How have you been?" Evelyn smiled at the blond as she tilted her head sweetly.

 

[The Star]

Erina Pendleton wasn't one for extravagant affairs.

It wasn't that she was awkward in social settings, no. That couldn't be further from the truth, in fact. She liked the company of others, for the most part, though she'd vastly prefer more casual and grounded gatherings. It'd been a while since she'd been treated to such a relaxed respite though. That became rarer and rarer as she aged. As did dodging the "traditional" responsibilities that came with her social status. Her parents had been surprisingly lax about it, for the most part, though it ended all the same. "Responsibilities" that usually boiled down to tight corsets, the memorization of proper etiquette, and attending functions such as these, that was.

A debutante ball.

They had become commonplace for her over the past three or so years. Another occasion, another woman to be shown off. Part of her found it to be tasteless, really. Women were little more than prizes by men who sought their status, beauty, money, or a mixture of all three. Love was hardly a factor, as far as she knew, but maybe she was terribly wrong about that. It wasn't like she'd bother to voice these thoughts anyway. The balls always seemed to be filled with merriment and laughter, music that echoed through open rooms, and soft murmurs acting as their backdrop. It was fun, sometimes, even she had to admit. There were worse ways to spend her time—

A voice caught her attention.

"Oh, Evelyn!" The words were slipping through her lips before she even had a chance to properly turn. Raven black hair, eyes as dark as night, and the bright scarlet that danced across her lips. It certainly made her noticeable at events such as these. Perhaps that's why avoiding her was rather impossible as of late. There was a part of Erina that admired her courage in that aspect, actually. Not that her parents would probably mind much if she followed suit. She wasn't sure how much more she'd want to be affiliated with the young woman though. Talking with her seemed to be. . Enough. For now. "It's so lovely to see you! It's been too long!"

Lie.

It didn't stop a safe smile from coasting over her lips anyway.

"I've been well. I'm a little exhausted though. Traveling tends to wear you out." White gloved hands clasped in front of her chest. "And how have you been as of late? Well, I hope?"

 

[RottenEgg5]

Evelyn offered a larger smile at Erina's response. Even with what most would consider a beaming grin, it didn't even start to reach the woman's eyes. Her large, dark eyes always seemed to stare far too deeply into people. It was like Evelyn was constantly staring into the very abyss of people's souls. "It truly has been quite a while! I'm so happy to see you were also invited as well!" The black haired women held her closed fan close to her own chest as she spoke with a pleasant note in her voice. Her black eyes gazed into Erina. It was fairly clear that was a lie.

This was all just a simple game to Evelyn. A game Evelyn kept pace with and matched every fake smile and compliment.

Once the question of how Evelyn herself was doing she feigned a blush and looked away. "Oh, things have been good lately. I actually just started my on small business. It's honestly nothing, I've started to work as a seamstress. I work from my shared home with my father but so far it's doing well enough for being so new." With every word that Evelyn spoke about her tiny start at something, there was faint crinkle at the corners of her eyes. Her lips turned up in a smile that truly reached her eyes. "I even made the dress I'm currently wearing." Evelyn was honestly proud of her sewing skills. The red silk dress she wore was truly a gorgeous piece. Black lace accentuated the piece wonderfully. She always had a love for the red and black color scheme.

"Though," Evelyn's smile returned to the faux polite mask she always wore "that's enough about me and my little ventures. This is after all a debutante ball." The woman offered a small giggle at her own comment. Black eyes soon looking at Erina once more as she unfolded her fan and held it up to her face. Hiding her mouth as Evelyn fanned herself. "I heard that George Joestar actually accepted the invitation to come as well. He's even suppose to be bringing his two sons. There's a lot of whispers going around that he might be looking at potential matches for them."

 

[The Star]

George Joestar and his two sons.

Erina froze.

She could only hope, only pray, that Evelyn hadn't noticed her reaction. Evelyn probably did notice though. As much as she loathed to admit it, Evelyn hadn't seemed to be the type of lady that would let such an observation slide by. Perception was key when it came to women of status, after all. It was the only way to filter the trash from the deserving, as many of social standing seemed to believe, but Erina truly struggled to agree with that. People were people. Money didn't make or break a person, neither did their occupation or beauty. She was of the opinion that good could come from all walks of life. The same was true for evil too. Evil, too, could come from all walks of life.

Including the adopted son of a nobleman.

"Ah." The corners of Erina's mouth twitched upright as quickly as they fell. "Yes. I, ah. . Had heard a similar rumor myself."

Erina Pendleton hadn't bothered to admit that she was once soft on a certain Jonthan Joestar then. It wasn't a secret, no, not by any means. It was long forgotten, though, a memory that had faded away from many summers ago. She was just a girl then, foolish and reckless, that let herself believe she'd fallen in love. It hurt even more that her parents would have probably approved of their union too. The good-natured albeit somewhat immature son of an archaeologist and judge? He was a diamond in the rough, surely, but one that would have charmed her parents with enough time and effort. No doubt in the same way that he'd managed to win her over too.

But that was a faded memory now.

And she loathed to think of it.

"I didn't realize that you were. ." Dancing around words required the same rhythm as feet. Women of high society were expected to master both. Erina considered herself to excel at both, but she was certain that Evelyn had her beat in one. And it wasn't related to ballroom dancing. "Interested in either of them. To tell you the truth, you're the only person that I've seen so far. I haven't seen either of them, but I'll be sure to send them your way if I do."

A smile.

It was far from relaxed, however. If Evelyn was interested in courting Jonathan Joestar or Dio Brando, then so be it. She had no room to comment or stick her nose where it hadn't belonged. That was far from courteous. There was something about the statement that bothered her though. Something about it that was deliberate. As if Evelyn had not only known about her history with the Joestar family, but that she was also searching for a reaction. Well. Of course Erina wasn't about to give her one that, that's for sure. At least not a reaction that she'd have wanted. "If you're looking to get their attention, I'm sure that you'll succeed. Your dress looks lovely, by the way."

That, at least, wasn't an utter lie.

 

[RottenEgg5]

Erina's prayers that her hesitation and, dare Evelyn say, nervousness to go unnoticed hadn't reached God's ears it seemed. Evelyn merely smiled as one of her well manicured brows quirked upwards slightly. A soft giggle leaving her just as she merely looked at the blond. "I had heard you and George's son, Jonathan, had a cute little dalliance as young children. You two do make a striking pair when one imagines it." The black haired woman fanned herself gently as she hummed quietly to the band in the background. "Though, I do wonder if it must have been a good relationship given your reaction." Evelyn's black eyes stared directly at Erina's. She looked far more like a viper waiting for any chance to strike at its prey.

Evelyn allowed herself to stare at Erina in silence for a moments. Just taking in every possible reaction she could have before just laughing it off softly. "I jest of course!" Evelyn's voice was tinged with fake sweetness as she smiled at the blond. "I'm sure whatever happened between you two as children to change your relationship is in the past. Maybe you two can still be friends if you don't wish to try and court Jonathan." The black haired seamstress snapped her fan shut as she tucked it away to her side. At the mention of being interested in getting either young Joestar heirs' attention, Evelyn frowned slightly.

"I only know about Jonathan, and he doesn't seem like the sort of man who would require a woman like me to be his wife. However," Evelyn looked back at Erina. The polite façade she constantly wore was gone if only for this conversation. The way the gilded light bounced off her eyes made Evelyn look far more serious than she ever had. It was like the whole ball had gone silent with the sheer intensity she was showing to Erina. "Do you think you could tell me a little about this Dio Brando that George adopted? This will be my first time having been a guest with the Joestars also in attendance and that name brings back memories."

Evelyn's voice was as soft as ever, however there was an almost icy chill to it. It was as if Winter had been embodied into the woman that stood in front of Erina. The barren look in Evelyn's eyes as if she was replaying memories only known to her had made her black eyes look even blacker. However, it was gone in almost an instant.

The intense stare and icy face gone and replaced with the slightly warmer mask that Evelyn consistently wore had slipped right back on. A gently upturn of the dark red lips, and the abyssal staring eyes of Evelyn looked at Erina as she laughed softly. "Sorry, that was rude of me. It's just I knew of a boy who had the same name and if they are one and the same I would greatly like to meet Dio. If you do see him here, feel free to send him in my direction if you don't get swept up by him. I did hear he was quite the charmer." It was very clear what Evelyn meant by that. Even if she hadn't met Dio in person, there were plenty of women she talked to who that had and had told her about their little dalliances with him.

The young boy from her memory also had a history of flirting. If you could call what Dio did flirting.

 

[The Star]

Evelyn was definitely playing with her.

Erina no longer needed to speculate that, in fact. This much had been given away by her own, ah, jest. It was in poor taste and she ought to have known it too. If she were a more outspoken young woman, then maybe, Erina might have been inclined to inform Evelyn of that fact. But this wasn't the time or place for an argument. And she certainly hadn't wanted to start a scene that could have somehow damage her family's reputation. No, no. She doubted, again, that her parents wouldn't have been too terribly bothered by it. They were a little different than other upper class families, for better or worse, but still. Maybe she could speak her mind at her own debutante ball instead.

"Ah. Well. ." Lips pursued in a flat line. "I'm sure if it were the same Dio Brando that I'm thinking of, you'd most certainly remember him."

A shudder was forced back.

Dio was cruel, through and through, Erina had already convinced herself. Maybe it was the circumstances of his upbringing or the alignment of the stars when he were born, but she knew of all the ways he tormented his adopted brother. And she still remembered that kiss too. That awful, awful kiss. It shouldn't have been the end of the world, maybe, if it was from anyone other than him. That menacing aura, those crimson eyes as fiery as rubies, an arrogant smirk plastered on his face— She remembered cleaning her mouth with rainwater. Of desperately cleaning herself with rainwater. It was too late though. She'd been tainted and it wasn't as if Dio had feelings for her, no, not like Jonathan did.

The only feelings he'd withheld were ones of petty vengeance.

"Ah? And what's this?" There was no hiding a shudder this time. It came, full force, until Erina's back straightened into a firm line. How ironic. It was the speak of the devil, perhaps too literally, as a familiar purr sounded off behind her. She hadn't even heard or seen him approach yet he was close enough to have whispered in her ear if he wanted too. And maybe, if he were feeling petty enough, he would've. "I do believe that I heard my name just now."

You must be mistaken.

The urge to respond in such a petulant way was shoved to the back of Erina's throat. The blonde was already sidestepping, hoping to break free of the shadowy aura that he'd already cast over her, but it was too late for that too. His presence had already pervaded her evening. She was determined to stop him from outright ruining it though. "Yes, that's right. Lady Blackwood was just asking about you. And I was just about to bid her farewell. If you'd excuse me. ."

Of course he wouldn't.

He wouldn't excuse her because he was Dio Brando.

And he was standing mere centimeters behind her.

"I should look for my father." A polite nod was shot in Evelyn's direction. "Until next time, Evelyn."

And then, she was gone.

"Ungrateful wench. ." A murmur from the blond that stood far too close to a young woman that he felt familiar for some reason or another. Ah. It was probably just another silly girl, chasing the Joestar fortune or his marvelously handsome good looks, that he'd met at some party or another. A friend of Erina Pendleton's, was it? How interesting. If only Jonathan were still fixated on that girl, then he could've used that to his advantage. Maybe he still was. But, as things were right now, he'd decided to play fairly with his adopted brother. And all of the sudden obligations that came with upperclass society too. "Ah, my apologies, my lady. Please excuse my uncouth language."

He could play nice with her too.

"And who might this lovely young lady be, hmm?"

 

[RottenEgg5]

Evelyn couldn't hold in the laughter that bubbled up in her chest. A few muffled snickers left her tight lipped smile as she watched Dio and Erina's exchange. Evelyn put her dainty hand over her mouth as she stopped another noise from escaping her mouth. The black haired woman gave a passive nod to Erina's farewell as she turned her attention directly onto Dio.

"Ah, there's no need for apologies, Lord Brando. I'm sorry for how Lady Erina acted towards you." Evelyn's voice was sweet, a hint of familiar fondness rang inside her words. "I'm Lady Blackwood. Though, you may call me Evelyn if you wish." Evelyn offered a gentle smile up at Dio as she looked at him. She moved to tuck a small loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

Those eyes, that long raven hair, and that name. Dio knew this woman. Everything about her was screaming a familiarity that went past the countless fawning socialites.

"If I may, you truly haven't changed a bit from when we were children." Evelyn smiled at Dio as she moved to put her hand on her chest. There was a fondness in her movements as she thought back to the worst times of her life. Nothing about Evelyn's childhood was like the other women surrounding her. While they may have been forced to also learn how to play, they had the luxury of not also living in crippling poverty. Nor did most of the other women's mothers beat, abuse, or blame their unhappiness directly on them. No, the only person who suffered a childhood like Evelyn's stood right in front of her in the form of a handsome bland man. "Your honesty is far more refreshing than some of the other guests I've talked to."

The young woman turned for a moment to grab a glass of champagne. Gently holding the wine glass by the stem, she sipped it carefully. "If you would be willing to, will you tell me what you've done since I've last saw you. I remember you had told me you were going to be going to the Joestar Manor after Dario's death." Evelyn spoke in a soft tone as she looked at Dio. She would never refer to the pig as being Dio's father, she knew just what Dario would do to not only his son but the poor young woman he entrapped. However, she was still in a ball and couldn't just curse at the dead, fetid corpse of a bastard.

 

[The Star]

Lady Evelyn Blackwood.

The name, admittedly, rang a bell in the back of Dio's mind. And she certainly spoke as if she'd known him too. That wasn't terribly rare for women of high society to do, especially at functions such as these, but they rarely spoke with such a sense of sincerity. Evelyn Blackwood. Raven black hair, black orbs that shimmered like onyx, rose-tinted lips that offered a sickly sweet smile. That, too, wasn't terribly uncommon. Showing truer emotion, such as unhappiness, were as frowned upon in upper class society as they were in low. That certainly hadn't stopped a certain blond from snooping anyway, however. Especially when it could have, more or less, served his own fancy later.

Dario.

A bastard name that he hadn't heard in some time now. Save for the occasions when George Joestar dared to utter it, as if completely unaware of his own thoughts towards the dead man, or when his son chose to do it instead. There was more deliberation on Jonathan's part whenever the name was brought up though. And every once in a while, dare he imply it, there was almost a sense of pettiness behind the name's mention. Those were one of the very few times that he could actually, begrudgingly, admit some low level of respect for the Joestar scion. Not that it stopped his disdain for him, however. An issue that would need remedying sooner or later, Dio knew.

"Evelyn Blackwood." Back to the conversation at hand. She certainly dressed like a lady of high society and perhaps could have passed off as one as well. To an untrained eye, that was. There was, though, something else, hidden behind those eyes. Something bleaker, something hungrier. Something that he recognized all too well. Something that he'd owned too well. That look, after all, was one that he'd caught himself sharing with a mirror on occasion. He'd train himself to hide, whenever necessary, though this wasn't one of those occasions. "Yes, I do believe that I recall you. It has been some time, hasn't it?"

It was definitely beginning to come back to him.

Stolen food, running barefoot through the rain, dealing with whatever nosy police came sticking their noses where they hadn't belonged. It felt like a lifetime ago. And, in some ways, it actually was. The lifetime of an impoverished Dio Brando, still trapped by that cowardly dastard, had been long forgotten. It was well known that his history was spotty, that he was an adopted heir, though most of his history was mystery. Including the part where he had oh-so-graciously took it upon himself to shorten what was left of Dario's miserable lifespan. Had Evelyn finally found the courage to do the same to her own mother, he wondered? Maybe. That could explain how she was here and now.

"I have a few moments to speak with you, certainly." Crimson eyes darted around the ballroom. "Perhaps our conversation would be best suited for the balcony though, hmm?"

 

[RottenEgg5]

"It truly has been." Evelyn's smile was about as sincere as she could allow it. When it came to the sort of childhood the young woman had, Dio was probably one of the only highlights of it. The memories of what they would do were something that she kept close to her chest. Black eyes looked down at the ground for a moment as she replayed some of her favorite ones. Though, she looked back up at Dio when he mentioned going to the balcony.

Evelyn's eyes barely moved, but that was all she needed to be able to see how many people were aware enough to potentially notice them. "Yes, I think that would be for the best." The tall, slender woman pulled out her fan as she started to walk towards the balcony. Her steps were utterly silent, even while she wore heels, Evelyn seemingly made it her goal to always stay quite when not spoken or interacted with. She was in essence what anyone would think a perfect woman would be.

Evelyn, took a deep breath of fresh air when she made it out of the ballroom and onto the balcony. The winter air left a chill on her skin, but it felt better than the warm, humid air inside. Evelyn didn't dare turn to see if Dio would be right behind her. No, it would be unseemly if he just came right to her. Evelyn knew it would be at least a few minutes until Dio would join her out here. The raven haired woman instead took this moment to simply gather her thoughts as she looked up at the night sky. Even while she was in one of the richest parts of London, the sky looked just the same as the sky above her own tenement. The only differences was the scenery below the soft glow of the moon. Evelyn looked down the railing of the balcony as she lost herself in memories and thoughts. Her long, red painted nails gripped the marble rail as she closed her eyes and exhaled into the frigid winter air.

Evelyn's eyes only looked away from the ground below when she heard movement behind her.

 

[The Star]

"Evelyn."

Dio Brando hadn't waited for anyone. That didn't stop him from making others wait for him though. It would have probably been terribly off-colored to skip off to the balcony right away anyway. He'd have to at least offer a quick greeting to the young woman of the evening herself. A task that was easy enough once he'd found her. She was a timid little thing, brown hair and eyes reminiscent of honey, that looked far too nervous to be in the spotlight. He couldn't relate and, for what it was worth, he'd already forgotten her name by the time that he'd walked away. He had no intentions of winning her over, of course, and that was true for the rest of these balls as well.

Most of these women came from lesser families and should have been begging for the Joestar fortune instead.

And some of them did too. It wasn't too terribly uncommon for some young woman or another to fling herself at him. Whether it was from his devilishly handsome looks or for the promise of the Joestar fortune, Dio couldn't tell. He hadn't much cared either. That money was going to be his anyway, women be damned, and very few higher class ladies grabbed his attention as it were. Most of them were as dull as the rest, with the same sense of naivety and manners, that he'd long since grown tired of. To imagine a life where he'd marry one of them? That sounded absolutely torturous. He hadn't needed the company of another anyway. Not when that fortune was good as his.

Soon enough.

"I would say that I'm surprised to see you, but I'm truly not. If anyone could have clawed their way up, I'd like to think it would be you." Picking a commoner from a crowd was easy enough. Most of them were just as eager to please and usually sought handouts. Finding someone who was raised in the slums though? That was a bit trickier. He supposed he should've had his good memory to thank for this one. "Although I am curious. How did you do it?"

Imposing hands fell onto the balcony's railing.

"Found a wealthy husband to marry, did you?"

 

[RottenEgg5]

Evelyn hummed gently in response to her name as she looked at Dio's hands. A soft smile on her face as she looked at the man's pale skin against the marble railing that kept them from being able to fall off. Her smile grew slightly larger as she heard what was praise. Evelyn liked to think that she knew Dio well enough to know that what he had said was praise though some might argue with her about that. "That's kind of you to say. I'm glad to see you have made your way into such a covetous position as heir to the Joestar fortune." Evelyn's voice was sincere as she looked up Dio's arm and towards his face.

In the moonlight, her eyes sparkled like polished obsidian. Evelyn allowed her polite mask to come down for just this moment. "If I had married, you would have given me your deep regret and sympathies over hearing about his sudden passing when you saw me with Erina." The slender woman chuckled softly, however there was a very serious tone in her voice. Evelyn never planned on having her husband live long enough to curse her with his pathetic seed, she only needed a man to live long enough to say I do at the alter and to unfortunately pass away soon after. "No, I was able to claw my way here through a few ways. A pretty face, silver tongue, and the backing of Meredith's parents." Even as a grown woman, Evelyn refused to call Meredith her mother.

"Meredith became infected with tuberculosis, or that's at least what doctors and her believed. It honestly enraged me how happy she was to hear she was dying by the hands of what was considered a disease for the affluent." Evelyn's grip on the railing tightened. "She died alone, laying in her own filth and vomit like the gutter trash she was at heart. I sold her corpse for the small amount of coin she was worth and wrote to the Blackwoods. When they discovered she died and I was her daughter they were frightened of the social consequences of what could happen if I allowed anyone to know. So, they agreed to take me in." Evelyn's grip slackened as she turned to look at the landscape once more. "They were amazed by how I was in essence the perfect young lady. I have manners very few women my age could display, a sharp wit to allow conversation to be interesting, I know when to speak and how to, and I was pretty enough for them to feel comfortable allowing me to be their heir. It's sad that after that they both ended up having a horrible carriage accident. They died crushed under the heavy weight of their carriage and horses. A very nasty way to die, or so I'm told."

Evelyn offered a small smile at Dio as she looked back at him. "After their sad deaths I became owner of their small manor and fortune. I'm a lower wealth socialite, but I have status. I even started my own seamstress business recently. Though I won't be satisfied until I have more. More money, more status, more power. Sometimes I think I will never truly be satisfied. However, I won't stop attempting to gain more until the day I die. I refuse to be content in being left unsatisfied." The black haired woman closed her eyes and hummed a little. A smile on her red lips shone out in the illuminated darkness.

"I'm sorry if that was uncouth. However, with you Dio, I feel like I can express and say the things on my mind. The hunger I feel for more. You feel too, don't you? You strike me as a man who will never be satisfied when you could gain even more."

 

[The Star]

"You needn't apologize for sharing such joyous information. I am simply overjoyed to hear that woman is now dead." There was neither dryness nor celebration to Dio's silky tone. That, though, hadn't discounted his sincerity. A rare sight, indeed. It wasn't like he had much of a need for formalities or pleasantries anyway. And, on the same token, he'd had no need to disarm Evelyn either. She would tell him anything if he so asked and with minor resistance at that. If only the rest of the world were that obedient. It would make his work so much easier. "And I should have known better, really. You don't strike me as the type of woman to be chained by a man even if he were of status."

Dio could relate to that.

The evening air was cool against his skin and he was surprisingly grateful for that too. These parties and affairs had become more than tiresome over the past few years. They'd become stuffy too. Hot. Even in the dead of winter, like now, and so shortly after the holiday season at that. Holidays were far and few between in the slums though the upper class most certainly loved their gatherings. They came with such frequency that Dio had already memorized the ins and outs of higher class mannerisms, of the festivities that were held, of proper etiquette and conversations that echoed through each of these empty halls. He'd become more than familiar with it, in fact. He had become a master of it all.

That was natural though.

He was Dio Brando, after all.

"A pity that you couldn't join me sooner though." A pale hand wrapped around the railing. Sharp crimson eyes flickered through the darkness. "Especially when that woman deserved that fate long ago."

 

[RottenEgg5]

"Oh Dio." Evelyn laughed softly at the man's words. "The only man I would ever allow myself to be chained to would be you. I would be more than ecstatic to let you put a collar on me and hold the leash." Smokey eyes stared into Dio's own crimson as she smiled. "You're the only man worthy to hold my loyalty and respect. You're the only man who I'd be willing to kill for." The sincerity in her voice rang out in the chilled air around them. Evelyn's gaze soon turned to the railing.

The black haired woman couldn't help but look at the space between her own hand and Dio's. Evelyn's eyes roamed over that large hand nearby as she imagined what it would be like if he held her own. That warm skin against her own. Dio's grip slowly tightening. If it were around her neck, Evelyn could see it in her mind. Dio slowly tightening his grip on her small neck. Slowly cutting off any air flow she might have. Dio ending her life. Evelyn's eyes opened to look at Dio's hand once more. She didn't even remember having closed them.

"I like to think I'm just fashionably late." Evelyn chuckled softly as she looked up at Dio's face. "I'm a glutton for punishment it would seem. Though, I like to believe I've grown since then." There was a glint of something undefinable in those abyssal eyes. "I won't make the same mistakes again. Not in this life or the next." Behind the pair, Evelyn could hear the band starting to play as she hummed the tune gently. It might have been the glass of champagne, or the fact she felt utterly comfortable with Dio, but something possessed the raven haired woman to turn and look at the door that lead back to the ballroom.

Evelyn couldn't help but genuinely smile as she turned to look at Dio. "Feel free to reject, however, would you care to join me for a dance? I'd be honored if you would."