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]

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?”

[nohardwork]

"GREAT grandson?" Joseph offered cheerily.

[buon_giorno]

"...Well, if that's true, I suppose saving your life is in my best interest, isn't it?" Giorno folded his shirt to set it to the side and began undoing his belt. "If you die I will too...unless you've, ah, already ensured your bloodline."

[nohardwork]

"Yeah." Joseph scratched the side of his face. His expression said it all.

[buon_giorno]

Giorno pulled on a robe after he finished undressing. "...Well. Your love life or lack thereof aside, why don't we just have a nice relaxing soak?"

[nohardwork]

"Yeah," Joseph said, his tone a little more cheery now. And then without a second thought, he raced into the bath and cannonballed in.

[buon_giorno]

~~

When they returned to his room, Giorno was...well, he wouldn't go so far as to say he was relaxed but he did feel a bit more rejuvenated.

There no was no sign of Croccante waiting at his door. It figured. She would only deign to visit if she knew Juli was somewhere close. He couldn't fault her preferences.

"The bath was a good idea," he conceded.

[nohardwork]

"Of course! Granddad knows best!"

[buon_giorno]

It was going to be useless to dissuade him of that title, Giorno could already tell.

“Please, take a seat. We’ll begin the examination.”

[nohardwork]

Joseph sat down obliging, though he was tense and bracing for some sort of pain.

[buon_giorno]

Giorno approached Joseph where he sat on the edge of the bed.

“It might be a little strange but it won’t hurt. I promise.” Gold Experience manifested from his body and began to reach for Joseph’s chest before pausing. “Would you prefer I do this from behind?”

[nohardwork]

Joseph tried, but failed to suppress a snerk. "Sure."

[buon_giorno]

"Very well." It was for the best. Painless or no, it would be disconcerting for anyone to see what he was about to do. Giorno climbed onto the bed to situate himself behind the large man. He put one hand on the back of Joseph's shoulder as his stand's arm phased through his back to reach for his heart.

It always filled him with a quiet sense of confidence when he used his stand--just half a year ago he hadn't known at all what it was capable of. Everything he'd learned, he'd learned by endless trial and error...or matters of life or death. He'd gone from desperately launching an offense against Bucciarati on the train to now--touching someone else's heart without really touching it.

'Stay focused.'

Through Gold Experience's touch, he sensed it clearly--the ring. It was as good as fused with Joseph's aorta. Giorno leaned over to grab a notebook from his nightstand and cracked it open to begin sketching what he felt along with a list of notes that took up three pages within minutes.

When he was done, Gold Experience faded back into himself and he fell to sit on his hip. "...Okay. You're free to move about."

[nohardwork]

Joseph rolled his shoulders, then stretched one arm, then the other. "Didn't hurt at all, but I feel a little stiff."

[buon_giorno]

Giorno didn't respond--he had gone deep into his own head as he stared at Joseph's back.

'If I could isolate it...even a little bit of it...but how...?'

[nohardwork]

"Hello? Grandson...?" Joseph turned around to wave a hand in front of Giorno's face.

[buon_giorno]

"My apologies." Giorno scooted off the edge of the bed and gathered his notebook. "I'll be up late to get my thoughts down while they're fresh...but please, get some rest. I'll conduct another exam in the morning."