Work Text:
“Hey, Giorno? What are we?”
Giorno looked away from his book, turning his gaze down to Mista whose head was resting in his lap. He had previously been napping, face buried in Giorno’s stomach having fallen asleep while Giorno was combing his fingers through his hair, one of the rare moments the gunman was not wearing his signature hat.
It was a quiet, rainy Sunday afternoon. No pressing work needed their attention and it allowed the two gangsters time for themselves to unwind. Giorno was intent on finishing his book, only having a chapter or two left, while Mista had settled on simply napping, taking most of the afternoon to rest against Giorno.
It was nice, peace and quiet. Just the two of them in Mista's tiny little apartment. It was secluded and quaint. No one knew where they were, the only way to contact them was the landline number Giorno had given to a select few for emergency purposes only. Otherwise, they were completely and entirely alone.
They didn’t get many weekends like this, just to themselves. Mista’s apartment was almost like an alternate reality where they could pretend: act like they were just normal citizens, stupid youth in their own world. No stresses of running Passione or having to keep up appearances, but just allowing themselves to act their age and be themselves.
Mista cooked meals, old family recipes Giorno never experienced in his own childhood. They watched soap operas on Mista’s ugly couch, tangled together in each other’s arms. They talked about stupid, non-work related things: stories from childhood, neighborhood gossip, silly dreams and hopeful thoughts of the future. They went to bed together whenever they wanted and stayed there for as long as they pleased, no worries about people interrupting them. These scattered few days a year were idyllic, something Giorno had never really thought he’d ever get to experience. Certainly, never with Mista, yet here they were.
“I’m sorry, what?” Giorno raised an eyebrow.
Mista pouted, turning around so his back was on the couch as he was looking up at Giorno. Idly, Mista’s hand fumbled for Giorno’s free one, tangling their fingers together and holding it over his stomach.
“I don’t know,” he gave a half shoulder shrug. “Just been thinkin’ about it lately, you know?”
Giorno didn’t. He didn’t think much of their relationship, at least not in the way Mista apparently was. Giorno thought it was obvious. Aside from the tender moments and the explicit trust, Giorno at least thought the physical aspects of their relationship would be enough of a clue.
“We’ve kissed,” Giorno said, slowly. He was going to start slow. Hell, before Mista had settled for his nap, they had been making out like teenagers who finally got the house to themselves when the parents were away…on second thought, it wasn’t exactly too far off from their current situation.
“Everyone kisses,” Mista rolled his eyes as if Giorno were being the ridiculous one.
Giorno raised an eyebrow. He doubted Mista was shoving his tongue down everyone’s throat but fine, maybe kisses weren’t an absolute for romantic, intimate relationships. He’ll give Mista that one.
“We’ve had sex.” Twice last night, not that Giorno was keeping track.
Mista couldn’t meet his eyes, looking at the soft fabric of Giorno’s shirt instead. “People can have sex casually, Giorno.”
“Are you?”
“No!” Mista nearly smacked heads with Giorno with how fast he sat up. “I mean, maybe in the past with other people but…” He didn’t continue but the unspoken words spoke volumes. Giorno’s expression softened with his heart. If he wasn’t having this conversation, he’d be kissing Mista senseless. Perhaps, that wouldn’t be a bad idea…
No, that can wait until after this.
“We cuddle,” he said softly, leaning in close to Mista. “You do that with everyone too?”
“Just you,” Mista replied quietly. He licked his lip nervously, his hand reached out to reclaim Giorno’s.
Giorno’s not sure if he should feel amused or swept off his feet. He felt a mixture of both as his heart squeezed in his chest.
“You talk to other people like you talk to me?”
Mista’s eyes dart to Giorno’s lips before looking back up. “Never.”
Giorno cracked a small, soft smile. “Still not sure what we are?”
Mista’s own wiry grin came to his face. “I think I’m starting to get it.”
“I should hope so.” Giorno leaned back on the couch, resting against the arm so Mista could lean over him. “I’ve been giving you hints for ages.”
“I’m a little slow on the uptake,” Mista waved off, pressing his forehead against Giorno’s. “’Sides, no one can blame me for second guessing with someone like you.”
“Why?”
Mista broke the tenderness, throwing his head back to laugh. “Are you kidding me, Giogio?” He waited a moment for Giorno to say something but when he didn’t, Mista groaned. “Come on! Seriously, you are perfect.” Mista leaned back in, arms on either side of Giorno to balance himself over him, practically sitting in Giorno’s lap. “You’re beautiful beyond words. It’s unreal. And you’re so smart and talented and driven and just, you are you.” Mista looked frustrated as he said this. “You are too good for words. Makes it hard to speak.”
“I quite like you tongue-tied,” Giorno said, and he’s grinning wide at the expression on Mista’s face.
“Oh, Giorno,” he groaned, brushing their noses together. “You can’t get rid of me even if you try.”
“Who said I was? I never said otherwise. I’m very intent on keeping you right by my side.” Giorno leaned forward to brush their lips together. “You already promised you would and that’s a promise I intend for you to keep.”
“That was for work,” Mista rolled his eyes a faint blush coming to his cheeks. “Not that I don’t plan on it extending past work.”
"I wasn't talking about that." Though how could Giorno forget Mista's intimate, public vows in front of all of Passione, knelt before him, lips against the back of Giorno’s hand. If they had been alone, Giorno wouldn’t have been able to help himself in pushing Mista to the ground and making sure he knew those vows went both ways. “I was referring to that night.”
“Oh.”
Oh, indeed.
Giorno may have had to restrain himself during his induction to becoming the Don of Passione, but when they were finally alone, finally able to break down the tension that had been bubbling up between them for months, Giorno let all hesitation go. If the vows Mista had declared to him during the ceremony had been almost enough to break him, the sweet words breathed into his skin that night utterly destroyed him. Only Mista could completely wreck Giorno with just a few simple words.
How Mista could still question what they were after that was still beyond Giorno.
“Kind of feel like an idiot,” Mista muttered, laying down on Giorno and curled his arms around him in a loose embrace. “Now that you said all that…” Mista gave a heavy sigh, burying his face into the junction of Giorno’s neck and shoulder. “So we’re dating?”
They had never discussed a label up until now. There really hadn't been a need. Terms like ‘boyfriends' and ‘dating' sounded far too immature and lackluster. They were more than that, their relationship deeper than a simple romance. Now Mista's initial question was beginning to make a whole lot of sense.
"I guess," Giorno murmured. He felt Mista stiffen and quickly elaborated. "I just mean, we are more than that, you know?" They spent so much time together, so absorbed in each other that dating just felt too casual for what they really were. They had skipped the casual get-to-know-you talks, skipped the awkward first-times, skipped the dates…
Oh.
Oh fuck.
Maybe Mista wasn’t being that ridiculous after all.
“Have we never been on a date?” Giorno asked, moving to sit up.
Mista, half perched on his lap, stared at Giorno. “I mean, I don’t think business trips or those work dinners count.”
A flush of embarrassment crawled up his neck.
“Oh no,” Giorno buried his face into his hands. “I can’t believe I missed this. I just…”
Mista started shaking above him. Peering through his fingers, Giorno could see Mista biting his fist to stop himself from laughing.
“Sorry, Giorno,” he chuckled, grinning face inches from his. “I just thought you weren’t about all that dating stuff. I didn’t realize you forgot-”
“I didn’t forget,” Giorno cut him off.
“Right,” Mista was still grinning, teasing him. “You were just too eager to have me in your bed, huh?”
Giorno wasn’t going to remind him that it was Mista that had carried Giorno up the stairs to his bedroom that night and refused to let Giorno leave at all the next day.
“I just thought…I don’t know what I thought,” Giorno admitted. “I guess I just liked this, you know?”
Mista’s teasing smile turned kind and soft. “I know what you mean. Just being able to relax and not be in public, having to keep being the Don wherever you go is exhausting.”
“Yeah.” Perhaps he had grown too fond of their downtime to remember that being in a relationship typically meant dates. “I just like our time like this.”
“Me too.” Mista kissed his forehead. "Don't worry about the date stuff. I already have enough fancy dinners with you for work. This, though," Mista leaned forward until they were chest to chest, lying against the couch “this is nice.”
Giorno smiled, enjoy Mista’s warmth blanketing over him. He dragged his fingers through Mista’s hair. “This is nice.”
“It ain’t dating.” Giorno opened his mouth to retort, but Mista continued, “Don’t worry, we’ll figure out a different thing to call it. For now, let’s just do this some more.”
As if to officially put the conversation to bed, Mista reached for Giorno’s forgotten book and brought it back to him before sighing heavily against Giorno’s chest.
“Going back to sleep?”
“Mhmm, gotta save up my energy for tonight. Got some more promises I wanna say if you know what I mean.” If he was looking up, Giorno knew there would be a stupid wink and smirk on his face. Instead, he got a soft kiss on his chest and nuzzle. “Love you, Boss.”
Maybe they were both idiots, but at least neither of them could deny this. Labels and dates and all that trivial stuff may trip them up, but at the center of it, they had this special little bubble to themselves. They knew deep down where each other’s heart was and that was enough.
“Love you too.”