Omake 46: You made it, Mr. Vice

It’s been six years since that adventure, and yet Bloody couldn’t just forget it.

The year that shaped his life into what would become his core to success. From a young teen to a young man, from his traumatic bindings to his truest form of patriotic freedom. Dio didn’t exactly drive him into embracing the need to Manifest Destiny, but it became apparent it was necessary. Just not for the wrong reasons. What does Manifesting Destiny mean to someone like Bloody Valentine? One of his own speeches managed to summarize his feelings on the matter just perfectly, and got quite the popular support during the campaign through it.

“Manifesting Destiny should be our reason to be, not our reason to expand. Our chance to be strong from within, not by weakening those around us. Tell me, good people of this most unique union, how many of you think that we really need to do more for… what? Our interests? America’s interests should be to provide a roof to those that don’t have a home, a warm soup to those that are hungry, free water to those that are thirsty for that is a right to life and no one should deprive this from us,” He said with such a resolute voice. “This, my good people, is how we wish to change things. To be able to manifest a Destiny born from the American Dream- the Founders’ dream when they thought of the future of this most glorious country, for its people are its soul.”

Nine months of campaigning were troublesome to handle, but after just two Bloody had conquered the ideal schedule and managed to help the candidate he was the running mate of. Teddy Roosevelt had changed a bit. One that listened to his speeches could hardly notice- no, the real differences happened within his household. Less smoking, more political-planning and… drinking wine from time to time. The bespectacled man wasn’t fond of wine itself, but he appreciated the company of his vice-president. Bloody, as he would openly say, was something like a little brother. One suggested ‘son’ would have been a better term for that relationship, but Theodore refused on a sole matter: Bloody was his first child’s godfather, and somewhat of an uncle to her.

One wouldn’t be surprised to see Bloody walk around, ignoring the tiny girl chasing after him like a little duckling. Alice Roosevelt was a bit of an odd individual, with her mother always keen to scold the child for embarking on ‘adventures’ in finding out what her uncle was doing. Despite the oddity of the situation, the presidential candidate was more than happy to let that happen, mostly because he owed Bloody much due to his intervention during little Alice’s delivery but also in stabilizing his wife when she was close to perish due to kidney’s failure. With a debt to repay, Bloody asked for one thing.

“Let me run when I’m old enough. Let me try.”

And Theodore was more than happy to allow him to do so, even receiving support from the previous Vice-President due to his advancing age limiting his capacity in the role. Bloody was put on the ticket in 1890, voted unanimously as a good replacement for his predecessor and put through the gauntlet of the Midterm elections of that year.

Bloody felt ecstatic at that point, even before the true election unfolded, and that’s where he felt the sense of duty from six years ago shine brighter than before. Up to that point he had listened, watched, studied and then plotted the best course of action, even scoring himself some favors through some advice he sent around to the various candidates to the senate and governorships of various states, becoming a relevant factor for the victory of the National Progressive Party in 1888. With that much support from the party under his belt, the rest was convincing the people that his age would be irrelevant due to experience and skill. It was a tough and prolonged fight, but Bloody emerged victorious. The votes ended, with the NPP scoring a solid majority that exceeded the one of the 1890 Elections. It was a signal, one that further cemented his entry in politics in such a high office. He was elected, yes, but now it was time to wait for the inauguration by the beginning of the next year. People were happy, everyone was delighted and… yet something was missing.

It was mostly unimportant to him, but there was one last thing he would have wanted through that election, and that one thing was someone he wanted to speak to. Someone that he knew was going to give him praise… by the letters. That was what Bloody expected. What he didn’t expect was for Dio to come and prepare a surprise for him. He had been invited to spend Thanksgiving Day with the Roosevelt family. Little Alice was squeaking and demanding, as the little ‘tyrannical lady’ of the house, to have him around and he saw no reason to miss the chance to tease the endearing child. All was set for a lovely day… which became more when he realized that Theodore had invited another family inside. He was mostly confused by the extra noise, but even more when one of the figures turned as he entered the house and greeted him.

“D-Dio?”

The world went still just for a second and the older blond smiled. “Bloody. Good to see you.”

He couldn’t believe it. If before the feeling of victory hadn’t sunk in his mind, now it did. Even more when he found himself pulled in a hug. Things had changed. He was taller, he was older, he shouldn’t be getting emotional like that. Theodore was going to poke fun at this for years to come if he saw the tears already forming.

“You made it, Mr. Vice.”

“Y-Yes.”

It felt so great. This- this was the taste of true victory? It was so sweet and glorious!

As the embrace ended, Bloody’s attention was moved elsewhere as his gaze matched the violet eyes of a little boy leaning close to Dio.

“Dad, is this uncle Bloody?” The child quietly asked, a hint of curiosity and surprise filtering through his lips.

Dio nodded. “Yes.”

...Dio had a child? Now that he looked a bit behind them, Bloody saw a familiar woman helping Theodore’s wife with the table- it was Dio’s wife. It was the whole family and-

“Uncle Bloody. I’m Giorno. Dad told me that you wewe amazing and that you became vice… vice-pwesident!”

A smile appeared once more on Bloody’s face. “That sounds about right, little Giorno.”

“See! I told you that Uncle Bloody is cool, Gio,” Alice exclaimed, appearing beside Giorno. “Now, let’s go back. I was beating you with my toy soldiers.”

“W-What? That’s not twue.”

“Yeah it is!”

This Thanksgiving Day is just going to get better…