#livewirevampire

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Nightwatch

Nightmegs (Nightwatch/Megatron)

Ezryo (Ezra/Ryoma)

Bloodflowers (DIO/Orion)

Prompt 75: Speaks in a terrible Shakespearean/Elizabethan style to woo/make the other laugh

Ship: Dio Brando/Orion Experience

Featuring: College/Modern AU (no stands, no vampires), And They Were Study Partners, Hinted/veiled confessions via English class reading assignments, Pre-relationship tension, Dio being Dio, directly quoting sections of Shakespeare, No proofreading my eyeballs tired and I’m flustered

Word Count: 914

“I agreed to help you because I thought you were going to take this seriously.”

“I am!” Orion assured, hiding an impish smile behind his copy of Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar’.

He rolled onto his back, head hanging off the edge of the bed to watch his begrudging study partner. Dio ran his thumb along the spine of his own copy of the play, book cover cracking in response as he smoothed the page.

“That ridiculous voice you’re putting on says otherwise.” he muttered, resisting the urge to sigh heavily. 

“But that’s how the words are written! Reading it out like that helps me process the content.”

“If you’re only going to be a good liar when it comes to ghost stories you should keep it that way. Some of us are perfectly capable of reading on our own.”

“Okaaay, I’ll stop with the fake accent, just help me get this over with. What part are we on again?”

He caught a slight eyeroll from Dio out of his peripheral, missing the hint of a smile that accompanied it.

“Act one scene two. My line.”

Orion returned to a more comfortable position as he found his place in the text, tucking a pillow under his chest to prop himself up.

“Brutus, I do observe you now of late: I have not from your eyes that gentleness and show of love as I was wont to have: You bear too stubborn and too strange a hand over your friend that loves you.” Dio chuckled, “Stubborn and strange? Certainly sounds like someone I know.”  

Orion stuck his tongue out at his temporary roommate, though he felt the tips of his ears begin to burn.

“Cassius, be not deceived: if I have veil'd my look, I turn the trouble of my countenance. Merely upon myself. Vexed I am of late with passions of some difference, conceptions only proper to myself, which give some soil perhaps to my behaviors; But let not therefore my good friends be grieved-- Among which number, Cassius, be you one-- Nor construe any further my neglect, than that poor Brutus, with himself at war, forgets the shows of love to other men.”

Wait, what? 

He was reading too much into things. Or he was translating wrong. 

Get your head out of the gutter, Indigo, come on. It’s a Shakespearean tragedy, and only the second scene for fuck’s sake, this is no time to panic and project your crush on fictionalized historic murder.

“Then, Brutus, I have much mistook your passion; by means whereof this breast of mine hath buried thoughts of great value, worthy cogitations. Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?”

“Huh?”

“Just reading my lines. I knew you were easily distracted but this is a bit much, don’t you think?”

A smug grin tugged at his study partner’s lips, accented by a tilt of the head and an accusingly cocked eyebrow. 

“I’m not distracted, you’re just talking too quietly, I can’t hear you.” he huffed defensively, earning a flash of sadistic joy across Dio’s face.

“Well, I can’t go disturbing others with my volume just for your sake. I’ll just have to read closer to you.” Dio sighed, exaggerating his smooth movement from desk chair to bedside. 

He leaned forward on his elbows, forgoing his own book to read over Orion’s shoulder. As he spoke, Orion could feel his warm breath on his cheek. 

“It’s your line.” he purred, words practically dripping off of his tongue. “Tell me, good Brutus, can you see your face?”

“No, Cassius; for the eye sees not itself, but by reflection, by some other things.”

Don’t think about kissing him. Don’t think about kissing him. Don’t think about kissing him. Don’t think about kissing him. Don’t-

“'Tis just: And it is very much lamented, Brutus, that you have no such mirrors as will turn. Your hidden worthiness into your eye, that you might see your shadow. I have heard, where many of the best respect in Rome, except immortal Caesar, speaking of Brutus. And groaning underneath this age's yoke, have wish'd that noble Brutus had his eyes.” 

He was lowered his voice on purpose, forcing Orion to turn even more of his attention away from his book. Personally, he was amazed he managed to not drool when he spoke- the sounds fumbling slowly out of his mouth as his eyes drifted off the page and towards Dio’s lips.

“Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius, that you would have me seek into myself for that which is not in me?”

All at once any connection with the reading material disappeared. Dio hooked a finger under Orion’s chin, pressing his thumb against his lips and forcing him to turn his head towards him. They were inches apart, Orion’s mind already swimming with thoughts of Dio’s haughty golden gaze and honeyed torment.

“Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear: And since you know you cannot see yourself so well as by reflection, I, your glass, will modestly discover to yourself that of yourself which you yet know not of. And be not jealous on me, gentle Brutus: Were I a common laugher, or did use to stale with ordinary oaths my love. To every new protester; if you know that I do fawn on men and hug them hard and after scandal them, or if you know that I profess myself in banqueting to all the rout, then hold me dangerous.”

“Dio...”

for every "🌹" received in my inbox i'll post one random sentence of a random WIP i'm currently writing

[WARNING: Smoking mention]

“Hey, Lugosi- Need a light?”

“That isn’t-”

“Your name, I know.” The stranger sat down on the concrete beside him, holding out a lighter. “You wanna smoke or not?”

------------------------------------------

He hasn’t realized it. I don’t think he ever will. To think, at first I thought he was a kitten. Curious, stupidly bold, but harmless nonetheless.

But no... He’s something else entirely. That ceaseless drive, I can’t figure it out. How can he be so aimless and yet so focused!?

-----------------------------------------

We’re the same. Driven. Resourceful. Devoted. Ruthless. Cunning... Ravenous...

@werewolfpine 

i sort of turned this into a confession text aaaahhhh dont look at me

ignore the fact that SDC takes place before texting existed also ignore that Ace’s name has since changed to Orion