(no subject)

[julibahana]

"How do you feel?"

Juli felt anxious for Giorno, though she tried her best not to let it show. And true enough, her words came out sounding unworried and confident. Because even though she was concerned for Giorno, she knew that if there were anyone in this world who could help Jojo, it was him.

Comments

[buon_giorno]

Giorno's eyes immediately flicked away from the bread he'd been waiting all day to have over to her face. "...Is that shocking?"

[julibahana]

"Well, he is good-looking."

[buon_giorno]

Giorno willed his poker face to stay intact. "Ah. Well. I suppose so."

[julibahana]

What was that reaction? Juli wasn't sure how to interpret it. "Well," she started, "if it makes you feel better, it seems to run in the family."

[buon_giorno]

Giorno smiled appreciatively and rubbed his eyes. The lack of sleep and pressure was making him foolish--but he had taken this on himself.

"Well...once he's recovered, I'm sure he won't have a problem finding a date for the party."

[julibahana]

"I'm sure you won't either."

[buon_giorno]

Giorno fiddled with the end of his braid that was bound loosely rather than being finished with its usual polished loop. The bags under his eyes had sunken even further into his skin, too. “Yes, well…anyone who offers would probably change their minds if they got a look at me right now.”

The butter rolls were being finished off with sea salt now. Giorno’s heel began to rock against the ground impatiently.

“What about you?”

[julibahana]

"Me?" Juli gestured at herself. "Well, no one's asked me yet."

[buon_giorno]

“Really?” Giorno couldn’t keep the genuine surprise masked.

[julibahana]

"Nope."

[buon_giorno]

His heel bounced harder against the the ground and he had to will it to stop. “Were you thinking of asking anyone else?”

[julibahana]

"Maybe, but I'm not sure what he'd say."

[buon_giorno]

Maybe. So…there was someone else?

‘Of course there could be. You see men sniffing around all the time.’ And then there was him bringing this up now when he had barely slept. He was a fool, that’s what he was.

But his nature won out—he wasn’t someone content to roll over first and foremost, no matter how shabby he looked.

“Juli.”

[julibahana]

"Hm?"

[buon_giorno]

“Go with me.”

[julibahana]

"Huh?" It took Juli a minute for it to register. "Are you sure?" she asked, brushing her bangs away from her face. "I'm sure you could find someone better."

[buon_giorno]

“Better than the only woman I want to go with?”

[julibahana]

"Oh." Juli swallowed. "Well, then," she said more smoothly, with confidence, "I'd be happy to."

[buon_giorno]

“I’m glad,” Giorno said with an air of calm he certainly didn’t feel. “Of course…if you really had your heart set on someone else, then please don’t feel pressured.”

[julibahana]

"Well, actually... I had wanted to ask you."

[buon_giorno]

“Oh.”

When the baker came to proudly present his fresh batch of the salted rolls, a large sunflower rapidly sprouted from the earth in front of the bench and its unfurling leaves thwacked him full in the face.

[julibahana]

If it had been Giorno being thwaped by the flower, she wouldn't have been able to hold in her laughter. She just barely managed to hold it in after the baker was assaulted by the sunflower's leaves.

"Are you alright?"

[buon_giorno]

“Oh, sorry—“ When Giorno turned to assist, he was quickly struck in the face with a sunflower’s bulbous head erupting from the ground.

[julibahana]

That was enough to make Juli laugh. "Maybe I should be asking if you're okay," she said, setting a hand on Giorno's shoulder.

[buon_giorno]

Giorno blew a thick golden petal out of his mouth. There were a few more plastered to his cheek and wedged in the curls of his hair—all of which were clearly visible when he turned to grin at her.

“Sorry. That’s never happened before.”

The baker set a few rolls down and rushed back to his oven, clearly leery of more plants jutting from the ground.