Chapter Text
Of all the things that Jotaro was expecting to find during his exploration of DIO's mansion, this was clearly not one of them. In front of him, inside a room covered by vines and leaves, was a small child. The kid seemed to be around five years old, his blond, curly hair tied up on a messy braid. Even with all of the sound they should have made earlier, the kid didn't look like he had moved, even an inch, his head hidden between his kness. Jotaro wasn't good with kids; blame his usual scowling face for that. So, when he opened his mouth to talk to the child, his voice came out more rough than what he wished.
"Oi, what are you doing here? Are you lost?"
The child lifted up his head slowly, staring at Jotaro with big and shiny blue eyes. Not a sound left his mouth, and Jotaro let out a sigh. He tried again.
"Are your parents close? What's your name?"
At the mention of the word 'parents', the kid seemed to come back to planet earth. His eyes traveled for the room like darts, searching for something that clearly wasn't there anymore.
"Parents? I- i think i lost my father..." the kid mumbled, his voice raspy. The room had a huge window, and the cold egiptian breeze that was entering seemed to be affecting the small kid. Jotaro frowned, thinking about all the time this child may have spended alone, in this hell of a place "He's big, blond and has a scary face"
Jotaro felt a hole on his stomach in the moment the words reached his ears; there was only one option that matched the kids description, and it would explain what he was doing on this old and rusty mansion. How could it be possible? He knew he shouldn't be surprised, with all the weird stuff he had witnessed on this journey alone. But this? This was to surreal. Jotaro closed his eyes for a moment, but all remained the same when he opened them again. The son of DIO was still in front on him, looking at his eyes with his own blue ones. The teenager felt out of words for the first time on the night.
"I haven't seen anyone like that...sorry" Jotaro said, hiding his eyes behind the rim of his hat. How could he tell the truth to this kid, at this moment? He couldn't just said 'Yeah, your father was an asshole who killed my friends, so i killed him. Wanna go with me?' and he was to tired to think in a better history. The kid didn't said a thing, but his eyes lost their previous shine, as if Jotaro's words had flipped a switch inside him "Despise that, i can't leave you out here, freezing to death"
Jotaro got close to the kid, sorrounding his tiny body with his jacket. He lifted him up with the help of Star Platinum, since his arms were feeling kinda numb. The cold breeze against his bare arms made him shiver, but he concentrated in what he had to do now. The kid clinged at his neck, confused at the fact that he was being lifted up by invisible hands.
"I'm going to take you to a safe place" Jotaro said, walking to the door of the desolated room "But i need to know your name first. Mine's Jotaro"
"My name is H...My name is Giorno"
The journey to the hospital went by in complete silence. Jotaro didn't answer any of the questions made by the workers of the Speedwagon fundation regarding the kid on his arms. One look from the tired teenager was enough to cease the blabbering. It have been only hours since the battle in the streets of Cairo, and Jotaro was craving for some moments of peace. Giorno (who hadn't said a word during all the trip) had ceased to the stress of the night, falling asleep, still clinging to Jotaro's shirt. The teenager just sighed, wishing he could just fall sleep that easily.
They arrived at the hospital close to the break of dawn.
Inside of the building, the nurses couldn't make anything to separate the kid from Jotaro. Giorno didn't scream or cry, he just holded on Jotaro's shirt so tight that his knuckles became white. Maybe it was because of all of the new faces, or the new enviroment where they had arrived. Jotaro let it pass, holding the kid tightly on his arms, making him company during his medical check.
He doesn't like hospitals either.
To the teenagers relief, Giorno was in a perfect, healthy state. So, after giving him an abundant meal and collect the few facts they could get from the shy boy (as Jotaro guessed, he was five years old), they were free to go. Their best option was to go and find the old man and Polnareff, since his grandpa had more experience with this kind of...situations. Jotaro asked for the directions at the lady on the counter, and one of the nurses was kind enough to show him the way.
Joseph and Polnareff were resting in a double room of the second floor; Jotaro opened the door slowly, in case one of them were sleeping.
"Jotaro! Were did you go?" Joseph said, a tired smile on his face. He looked a bit more old, and a bit less cheerful. The curve of his lips started decreasing at the sight of the boy on his arms. Giorno clenched his fists, hiding his face on Jotaro's shoulders "Who is this young man?"
"He was alone, sitting on one room of DIO's mansion" was the only thing Jotaro said, as if that was enough explication. Polnareff, that had woken up with all of the sound, was looking at the kid with curiosity.
"Are you implying that?.."
"Just what you're thinking about, old man" Jotaro said, sitting on the edge of Joseph's bed. He gave the old man a look, and that was enough for Joseph to confirm his unspoken theory "Just that"
"That's...impressive, to say the least" Polnareff made his way to the elder's bed "Who would think that an assh... i mean, someone like him woud have a child?"
Giorno seemed to think that the situation wasn't dangerous anymore, so he turned around to face the other adults on the room. His blue eyes scanned the hospital room, stopping at the silver haired man. Polnareff gave him an insecure wave, trying his best to smile.
"Your hair is funny" Giorno said, waving at him too. His eyes shone with nothing more than a childish wonder, and Polnareff felt a little more of ease. This kid was no doubt DIO's kid, but his eyes were so different to his father's ones. Where DIO was all cold violence, this kid seemed to be all soft kindness.
"Oh non, non, non, your taste in hair seems to be completely wrong! My hair is fantastic!" Polnareff said, giving his tower of hair a pat. Giorno covered his mouth, hiding a smile "What's you name, hair offender?"
"My name is Giorno"
To Jotaro's surprise, the kid got off his arms, to get closer to Polnareff, who was telling him that he would show him how a true cool hair style should look. Jotaro turned his attention has his grandpa, who had been suspiciously quiet during all of the exchange between his friend and the kid.
"What are you thinking about, old man?"
"Jotaro... have you noticed what is on Giorno's shoulder?"
The teenager furrowed his eyebrows, looking straight to the collar of the oversized shirt the kid was wearing. There, lying on Giorno's left shoulder, was the birthmark of the Joestar lineage. A lonely star on a sea of pale skin. If Jotaro was impressed by the sudden discovery, he didn't show it on his face.
"Giorno is not only DIO's son, but also a part of our family. I guess this all has to be because of what DIO did to my grandpa's body years ago" Joseph mumbled, trying to keep his tone down so Giorno couldn't hear their talk. The small blond seemed to be having fun, maybe for the first time since a long time "It's a complicated situation"
"What are we gonna do?"
"We are not gonna leave him abandoned to his luck, he isn't guilty of his father's sins. The fundation is going to have to make some research to see if he has more family, but until that... i don't know"
Joseph looked at the ceiling, lost on his thoughts. From his position of the bed, Jotaro could see his crazy mind running at an incredible speed.
"What do you think of... what do you think about him living with you and Holly?" Joseph saw the expression on Jotaro's face, and rushed to explain himself "If you think about it, is a good idea. Is more likely that the kid has a Stand, one that he don't know nothing of. If it goes out of control, the new ability of Star Platinum should be enough to stop any problem. An the kid seems to like you, too"
Jotaro stayed quiet, putting his options on an imaginary balance. His grandpa was right about Giorno and the possibility of him having a Stand; it was possible that he had developt one because of his father's influence. But Jotaro wasn't good with little kids, least with kids in Giorno's situation. Something like guilt was creeping on his stomach, making him felt a little dizzy. He had taken Giorno's family away from him. He had taken from him the opportunity of growing on a home (even when Jotaro asked himself if growing up in DIO's mansion was good at all). Maybe DIO was an asshole to the world, but he was a good father. They would never know, because the man wasn't here anymore.
He had saved his family at the cost of destroying another. The worst thing was, that he didn't regret a single thing.
"Besides, i don't think Holly would mind a little bit more of noise on the house" Joseph said, bringing him back to earth "Is a big house"
Maybe this was his punishment. He sighed and accepted it. He was just so tired.
"Is going to be a lot of paperwork"
"We can think about that when the time comes. The important thing now is give the kid a safe place to live"
Jotaro nodded, staring at the kid. Giorno was trying to braid Polnareff's hair, his tongue sticking out of his mouth, with a look of complete concentration on his face. It was so weird, thinking that this small, innocent looking kid was the son of the biggest douch of the earth.
Jotaro sighed for what had to be the ten time of the day, trying to not think of anything else. He really was wishing for a long night of sleep
(One day, a shooting star appeared in front of one of the crooked windows of the mansion. Giorno looked at it with awe, following the trail of light it had left behind. And then he wished, he wished for the only thing he really wanted.
"I don't want to be alone anymore")