[There's no amount of willpower Dio could exert that could possibly stop the bitter and acidic noise that escapes Dio at that. It's not directed at Giorno, however, nor is it a direct refutation. Well over 100 years after the bastard died and Dio still can't contain his hatred of his own father. But Giorno and Dio do somewhat differ. Giorno may consider it a lie that a father should do anything, but that's nearly the exact opposite of how Dio feels on the matter. That doesn't mean that every father follows suit, but...]
[Well.]
[Dario Brando served more as template of what not to be, even to someone like Dio who never had any intention of siring any children. It may have been one thing if Dario was merely selfish, but he took it to an extreme. He always took everything to an extreme from his drinking to his temper, and he took everything out on his son. Were it not for that, Dio doesn't think Dario would have had any use for Dio after his mother's death, and he'd have just as soon sold him in some form or fashion as a means to another bottle.]
[Which is why even though it lasts only for a fraction of a second, Dio notices the way something in Giorno seems to recede. No, not something. It's almost the very whole of him, making himself temporarily small and absent to be more accepting of whatever is to transpire in the moment. Dio bore no such look for very long. He'd been small and prone to crying, but that never did any good. So, he had to learn other ways to tolerate it. To let it pass over him and until the gentle hand of his mother was there to replace his father's, but it wasn't long until the only way Dio could possibly comfort himself was with dreams of wrenching the power from his father's shaking, ultimately feeble hands and one day bringing it to fruition. That's why Dio didn't look like that, the way Giorno did just now in that fraction of a second, for very long.]
[But he recognizes it. He recognizes it and he doesn't know how to be gentle the way his mother had been. He knows only his anger and his hatred, things he doesn't think Giorno allows to manifest very far if that response is any indication. For that brief fraction of a second, Giorno was little more than a wounded child that scar tissue quickly masked and that is either all he can do or all he will allow. But Dio is something a little less forgiving, something darker just beneath his calm albeit tense veneer.]
Simply because someone fails to live up to your expectations is not reason enough to stop holding that individual accountable. That just gets you into the habit of compromising your standards and leaves you vulnerable when you opt to settle or simply give up on what's within your rights. But assuming it is somehow a lie that a father should act for his son, tell me who in your world taught you to stop believing in it.
cw: child abuse/neglect
[Well.]
[Dario Brando served more as template of what not to be, even to someone like Dio who never had any intention of siring any children. It may have been one thing if Dario was merely selfish, but he took it to an extreme. He always took everything to an extreme from his drinking to his temper, and he took everything out on his son. Were it not for that, Dio doesn't think Dario would have had any use for Dio after his mother's death, and he'd have just as soon sold him in some form or fashion as a means to another bottle.]
[Which is why even though it lasts only for a fraction of a second, Dio notices the way something in Giorno seems to recede. No, not something. It's almost the very whole of him, making himself temporarily small and absent to be more accepting of whatever is to transpire in the moment. Dio bore no such look for very long. He'd been small and prone to crying, but that never did any good. So, he had to learn other ways to tolerate it. To let it pass over him and until the gentle hand of his mother was there to replace his father's, but it wasn't long until the only way Dio could possibly comfort himself was with dreams of wrenching the power from his father's shaking, ultimately feeble hands and one day bringing it to fruition. That's why Dio didn't look like that, the way Giorno did just now in that fraction of a second, for very long.]
[But he recognizes it. He recognizes it and he doesn't know how to be gentle the way his mother had been. He knows only his anger and his hatred, things he doesn't think Giorno allows to manifest very far if that response is any indication. For that brief fraction of a second, Giorno was little more than a wounded child that scar tissue quickly masked and that is either all he can do or all he will allow. But Dio is something a little less forgiving, something darker just beneath his calm albeit tense veneer.]
Simply because someone fails to live up to your expectations is not reason enough to stop holding that individual accountable. That just gets you into the habit of compromising your standards and leaves you vulnerable when you opt to settle or simply give up on what's within your rights. But assuming it is somehow a lie that a father should act for his son, tell me who in your world taught you to stop believing in it.
[He leans forward a little.]
Me? Or the man your mother allowed to raise you?
[The man she allowed to lay hands on you.]