21st Century Girl [Dio X Reader]

Chapter Five

"This is the third time we've met now, but I have yet to catch your name," the young man resets the chess board between them, picking all of the black pieces for himself.

"I'm Y/n," she smiles lightly beneath her hood and helps him arrange the pieces. "And you?"

"Dio."

The name immediately pulls back memories of the anime that Y/n watched in the 21st century. The Dio in front of her and the one from the show she watched even have the same hair and eye color and confident attitude. It brings a cute chuckle to Y/n's lips. "I'll be sure to remember it."

"Do you know how to play?" Dio leans back in his chair lightly, his gaze never leaving hers.

"I do, but it's been many years." Y/n fails at biting her tongue. She doesn't have the confidence to win, but to the right person, losing may be fun too. "Mister Dio," she smirks lightly with a tilt of her head. "Care to wager?"

The girl in front of him no doubt saw what he did to the last guy he competed with, so how does she manage such a playful grin? It is clear she is accustomed to the streets but does she know no fear nor caution? Whatever the answer, it doesn't matter. He smirks. "Don't complain when you lose."

The match went by quickly and as they moved around the pieces, the pair chatted about work and the dirty streets of London. Y/n was a little more skilled than she thought she would be, but soon it was clear that it wouldn't be enough to defeat the young man across from her.

"Why don't you leave London and go back home?" When asked about the slightly off way she talks or her origins, Y/n always says that she came to London with her parents from (place) but they died in an accident, leaving her stranded here. It's a little tragic, but in the slums of 19th century London, it's not particularly shocking. "Once you get enough money for the boat ticket it shouldn't be that difficult."

"That's true," Y/n smiles as she moves her rook a couple of spaces. "I thought about leaving at first, but I've come to really like it here. If possible, I'd like it if I never have to go back." It's the truth. Life is hard here and she might not even make it to her forties if her life continues like this, but the freedom and excitement she feels in this world is like no other.

Dio quickly takes Y/n's bishop which fell unguarded and waits as Y/n pauses to think of her next move. "But you were obviously more wealthy before. Wouldn't you be better off going to some relative and living a life with more luxury?"

Y/n rubs her jaw slightly before moving another piece. "I don't know how believable this will sound coming from someone that barely manages to feed herself, but money isn't everything." Although I sometimes think it is.

Dio doesn't seem pleased with her answer, but let's the topic drop. He moves a final pawn forward and it is only then that Y/n realizes the web that her king has been caught in. "Checkmate."

"Damn." She felt that it was going to happen, but the game and conversation was fun nonetheless. "Good game." She already decided to trade her meal of the night for her date, so like Dio, she had yet to order any food. She reaches into her bag and grabs the coins that she would normally use for food. "We didn't decide on a price earlier, but would this be enough?"

Dio peaks at her hand, but shakes his head. "Put it away." Confused, the girl across from him does as she is told and then helps him rearrange the pieces on the table. "When the penalty isn't decided before the game, the winner gets to decide it at the end." He looks slightly irritated, but nothing close to when the other man shoved his face into his meal. "You really shouldn't place bets with anyone, especially when you don't think you'll win."

"You could tell?" Y/n chuckles lightly. He's a rough guy but for whatever reason, he seems to be trying to express his concern for her. "So, Winner, what's my penalty?" His hard gaze doesn't falter and he bides his time as if letting her teasing words sink in. Y/n can tell the moment he's decided on his prize as a light grin teases his features.

"I want to see you again."

A bolt of cold jumps up Y/n's spine and the young man across from her seems to enjoy every bit of her reaction. The man she's with shares the same name and features as Dio and even some of the same charisma, but there is no way that the Dio from the anime would say something so honest and sweet to a poor woman he just met. The man in front of her smiles again, stretching out his hand, likely already knowing her answer. "So what do you say?"

This time Y/n ignores the glances from around the tavern and takes his hand. "Yes."

· ─────── · ☆ · ─────── ·

"Oh my god, Taylor!" For the first time since Taylor has met the poverty stricken girl, Y/n is more excited about something than her. Taylor watches Y/n's beaming smile with one of her own as she listens to the details of her third meeting with the blond boy, Dio, for the seventh time today. "You should have seen him! Oh and his rich voice-" Y/n cuts herself off as she attempts to reenact the scene. "'I want to see you again.' Can you imagine how attractive he was?!"

Taylor laughs and puts away the teapot. Y/n has clearly had too much caffeine. "I didn't think that you were the type to fall for a guy so easily," she leans across the counter with a grin. "You always ignore that little blue head boy when he comes in hunting for attention."

"You're right." The part about the noisy blue haired kid that normally gets dragged to the store with his father every few months or so goes in one of Y/n's ears and right out the other. "It's rare for me to like someone so much. Should I just marry him?"

"What?! Y/n just how old do you think you are?!" Taylor happily takes the opportunity to be the one to smack sense into Y/n instead of always having it the other way around. "Plus you've just met this guy."

"Yeah, well weren't you trying to marry the Prince?" Y/n retorts with a laugh at Taylor's not too distant past. "You haven't even met him once."

A blush spreads across Taylor's cheeks and she quickly shoos Y/n away from the register with a broom. "Anyway, you're still too young!"

TO BE CONTINUED...