Blood Ties

[buon_giorno]

Giorno had saved his business for the council meeting that evening for last. Everything had gone more or less now he’d expected after that.

Chilchuck had questions. While he didn’t raise an objection of any kind, he had spent the rest of the meeting watching Giorno’s face.

Zelda had questions but they were all centered around the technicalities and how she could assist.

Evandor kept it simple, as always. “Giorno has never lead anyone astray.” He said nothing more.

And Juli…she was supportive but he knew she had questions of her own. He offered to walk the scenic route with her back to her room.

“We may not see each other much over the next week.” There was an apology and a lament in there.

Comments

[buon_giorno]

"Ah, I see. So you find asking for things more intimidating than abduction."

[nohardwork]

"Who said that?!"

[buon_giorno]

"Ah, so I was right. How cute."

[nohardwork]

Tch. "What's so cute about it?!"

[buon_giorno]

"It's not a bad thing." The entrance to the men's apodyterum was separate from the women's--and a young women left as they entered, giggling and waving at the two of them. Giorno politely waved back.

[nohardwork]

"Those girls couldn't keep their eyes off you." Joseph hadn't missed it and it reminded him of Caesar. It made him jealous when it was Caesar, but right now, it didn't hurt his ego at all.

[buon_giorno]

Giorno hummed in acknowledgement but his disinterest was clear. He opened the door to the changing area for Joseph. “After you.”

[nohardwork]

Joseph entered the changing area and immediately peeled off his shirt. He folded his arm over his shoulder to give his birthmark a scratch, then began to unbutton his pants.

[buon_giorno]

The changing area was made of smooth rock and it held the warm and humid air from the baths up ahead. It was another thing about the villa that seemed ancient and eternal and every time Giorno stepped foot inside he promised himself he’d making visiting more of a habit.

While Joseph was undressing, Giorno was preoccupied with filling one of the empty wicker baskets arranged on a shelf to decide on which infused oil he preferred that evening—likely something that would keep him perked up. As much as he craved a tall glass of wine, he had a long night ahead.

When he finished his selection, he set it to the side and turned to prompt Joseph to do the same—but the words quickly left his head when he got a look at him.

[nohardwork]

"This is some place you have here," Joseph remarked, oblivious to Giorno's reaction. He plucked up one of the infused oils, uncapped it, and gave it a sniff.

[buon_giorno]

“Your shoulder.”

[nohardwork]

"Oh yeah?" Joseph rubbed his shoulder. "I've had this since I was born."

[buon_giorno]

“Me, too.”

Giorno quickly stripped off his own shirt. He touched his own — in the exact same place, the exact same hue darkening the skin, the exact same size relative to Giorno’s smaller frame.

[nohardwork]

Joseph's mouth dropped.

"What?!" Joseph slapped his cheeks in utter shock.

[buon_giorno]

“My mother said my father had a birthmark just like this, too.”

[nohardwork]

"My gramps and dad had one, too!"

[buon_giorno]

Giorno took Joseph in.

He didn’t look like his father, not even slightly. Even if all he had of him was a photo, his features were etched into his mind. But the visceral familiarity he shared with the person in front of him was beyond denial or doubt.

“Mister Joestar…when were you born?”

[nohardwork]

"1920." Joseph's forehead was perspiring now. Did Giorno think what Joseph thought he thought?

[buon_giorno]

“I was born in 1985.”

[nohardwork]

Joseph immediately re-inflated.

"So you're my... grandson?!"

[buon_giorno]

Giorno squinted. The mere concept was almost too much to process. He felt like his brain was trying to accelerate while being stuck in neutral.

“I suppose…that’s one possibility…”

[nohardwork]

"If that's the case, that means you need to listen to me grand-son." Joseph waggled a finger tauntingly at his uncle, using it to punctuate every syllable of Giorno's newly-gotten (but wholly incorrect) title.

[buon_giorno]

Giorno resisted the urge to do something unkind to that finger. “Mister Joestar, please be serious. I never knew my father, much less a grandfather.”

[nohardwork]

Heh heh heh.

"We will have to make up for last time, then!" Joseph clapped a hand on Giorno's shoulder.

[buon_giorno]

Giorno grunted as he stumbled forward.

“…How can you be so sure about this?”