Chapter Text
She stood proud in the moonlight, an intimidating golden figure beside her, it's body tense; poised to strike at any minute. The woman's eyes were a molten amber yet despite their heated coloration her gaze was cold and unforgiving as she scrutinized her opponent.
"Madre?" Giorno broke through the silence, his voice barely a whisper as he stared in disbelief at the woman just a few feet away from him. The woman turned to him, her mane of gold fluttered around her from the speed. Her once frigid gaze lit up with recognition.
"...Haruno?"
But before either could say another word the enemy attacked, deeming it a perfect opportunity. The woman snapped back to attention, her stand blocking the blow. She hissed something too quiet for Giorno to hear but they certainly weren't kind words. Her painted lips curled upward into a devious smile, and she spoke once more, her voice even and cold.
"The World." Giorno felt the air around them distort before going completely still, with a flash the enemy was gone and all that remained was the woman staring aimlessly at the emptiness before her. She once strong stance seemed to crack as she swayed and then her body gave out completely, rapidly plummeting toward the ground. Golden Experience manifested itself to catch her just before she made contact. The stand cradled her limp form gently in its arms, staring down at the woman curiously. Giorno rushed over to aid her. "she's out cold," Giorno muttered pressing his hand to her forehead. She was like ice in Golden Experience's arms yet her cheeks were flushed with heat and her breathing ragged. Giorno needed to get her somewhere safe, away from prying eyes.
When Diana awoke she found herself somewhere completely unfamiliar. She wasn't in a bedroom nor was she floating through the oblivion she had grown accustomed to after her defeat, instead she found herself laid out on a sofa in a lounge. The scent of freshly brewed tea and the sweetness of hyacinth floated through the air, it was a nostalgic smell; for a moment she let herself indulge in a small fantasy; where she was just a girl once more, having fallen asleep in the library and Jojo was in the midst of convincing the maids that he should bring her tea to rouse her from her slumber. Alas, Diana banished the thought; unwilling to dilute herself with such self-indulgent, unrealistic wishes any longer. She perked at the sound of several hurried footfalls headed towards the room and watched as several youths flood in, all of them staring at her with varied reactions; most notable among the group being a blond young man with Jonathan's eyes holding a tray. He was second only to the dark-haired young man that smelled of citrus, who seemed to lack a filter, Diana's suspicion was confirmed by his awestruck reaction, a quiet "Oh wow," broke the silence.
“good to see you're awake,” said the boy in a slow breath as he set the tray down on a coffee table and offered her a cup of tea. Diana sat up drawing her legs to her side as she accepted the drink. It was an aromatic herbal blend; passionflower to calm anxiety, she would be offset by the recurring theme of flora if she hadn't been as fond of it as she was. The group stared at her expectantly as she took a sip of the contents.
"You have questions I can tell." She avoided their eyes and sat her cup back on the tray. One of the boys fell over himself to refill the cup. A tall gothic man with long silver hair and purple lips; who was noticeably irritated, approached her. He was shadowed by several others who seemed to be completely enraptured by her presents.
"Yeah, how about we start with telling us who the hell you are and why Giorno just had to bring you back with him." The man growled.
"Giorno? What a lovely name." Diana mused her eyes falling unto the boy in question, who promptly avoided her gaze.
"Hey! Answer the damn question." The man demanded. Diana felt amusement bubble to the surface at such an adorable tough guy act, covering her smile with her hand she let out a quiet laugh. The man seemed to take offense to that, his cheeks staining with embarrassment, the heat traveling to the tips of his ears.
"I assumed I required no introduction," Diana teased, forcing more bouts of newfound meekness out of the group. It was amusing watching the little darlings lose their composure. She rose from her resting place and stood to her full height, just an inch or so below the silver-haired young man without her heels.
"My name is Diana, it's a pleasure to meet you all, thank you for taking in my little prince." Diana heard the blond's breath hitch in his throat and he approached her. "But before you ask any more questions, please take a seat." Diana insisted. The group seemed to be conflicted, torn between obeying her request or ignoring it out of distrust; until the lone girl of the group plopped herself on a chair adjacent to Diana. One of the other boys, one with dark hair and gentle eyes managed to get the rest to follow suit, Giorno sat down next to her, fidgeting with his braid. With everyone settled the boy with kind eyes proceeded with introductions. "Por favore, ci scusi, signora. My name is Bruno Bucciallati; capo of Passione, this is my team." He exposited gesturing to the rest of the group as he rattled off names.
"So Giorno's your…?" Mista asked, uncaring of Giorno's flustered state. Diana reached out and ran her fingers through his hair, the braid coming undone under her ministrations, her nails scraping gently against his scalp.
"I'm his mother." The answer was so blunt a few, namely Narancia; the poor boy must have suffered whiplash from the news. Giorno got pulled into her side, his head pressed against her considerably generous bust. While the position was disconcerting and a tad humiliating, Giorno quickly grew fond of the casual yet comforting skinship. If it wasn't for the scandalized, flustered, or teasing reactions his predicament elicited from his friends he would have been content to stay where he was. Yet alas the boy found himself unwilling to endure the crass teasing of his companions that would surely follow after Diana retired for the night.
The sun would rise soon she needed to find somewhere dark and safe, lest she perishes once more, an insistent little voice known as self-preservation reminded her. Diana reluctantly listened, lifting herself from the sofa and bidding farewell to the group, the goth; Abbacchio exclaimed on where she thought she was going, while Bruno simply requested for Giorno to show her to the spare room.
"But it's almost morning shouldn't you stay up and go to bed early tonight?" Mista questioned.
"Perhaps I should but sadly the sun does not agree with me as of late, nevertheless I have grown quite fond of the night in my lifetime, I find the most charming of company under the gaze of the stars." Diana purred as she strode out of the room arm in arm with Giorno as her escort.
They walked in a silence born from Giorno's own nerves, if he had been too nervous to speak to her amongst his friends it was safe to say he was too mortified to do so alone. The teenager wondered briefly if she noticed it, if she had she must have elected not to comment on it which was a small kindness he was thankful for. When they reached the spare room Giorno noticed how Diana seemed lost in her own head as he herded her into the room.
"I'm sorry if it’s a little unkempt we don't usually host guests." Giorno apologized his voice breaking his mother out of her daze, pulling her arm out of his own a tad reluctantly she went over to the windows and closed the curtain, before turning back to him with a closed-eyed smile.
“Worry not darling I've managed worse" Diana assured her as she turned her back to him. In this quiet moment one would feel ever so inclined to bask in woman's seemingly unearthly magnificence, her skin was fair with an almost ethereal glow, unmarred by the harshness of labor or strife, her voluminous mane cascading down her back in flowing waves of pure sunlight. She held herself with a sort of vintage allure, an elegance long lost to the sands of time. Yet there she stood, an enchantress clad in a flowing gown; far too lovely to be human. Yet her most striking feature was her eyes, bright almost crimson amber gleaming dangerously in the light and practically glowing in the dark, so deep one felt they could drown in the vast pools of honey if they weren't mindful. Yet in that depth lurked something dark, almost feral in its violent intensity but it laid dormant; caged by the cold steel of resolve and intelligence. Of course, she had soft features as well, a pleasant contrast to her sharpness was her long gold lashes fluttering like butterfly wings, casting elegant shadows against her fair skin and a pillowy pair of lips permanently pursed in a prominent pout and painted a pale peach pigment, perfect for kissing. She could fell empires with a glance. Her beauty was power and a smile was her weapon. Giorno was enamored, curious as to the secrets she held; the wisdom she could impart unto him. His curiosity birthed a query that itched at the edge of his tongue, one he blurted without much thought.
"Madre what was my father like?" There was a tense silence, Diana stood unmoving from her spot in front of the window, clutching the curtain tightly in her fists; her painted nails threatening to put holes in the fabric. She refused to turn to him. How useless, to be such a coward in the face of a question she knew she would have to answer eventually but she couldn't find the strength to face it. Giorno felt guilt start to form a pit in his stomach the sensation made Giorno nauseous whilst he berated himself for his tactless approach to such a sensitive topic, he was about to voice his compunction only to be silenced by his mother's response.
"It's okay Giogio, you deserve to know about him, he's your father after all.” Diana assured, moving to sit down upon the bed, patting the seat next to her. He practically radiated excitement at the prospect of this knowledge, giving his mother his full attention. "Your father was a man named Jonathan Joestar, a strong and kind man who dedicated himself to being a gentleman and grew into an honorable man, and despite being quite the scholar somehow manage to find the time to practice the martial arts."
" But what was he like?" Giorno pressed eagerly, Diana smiled at such a childish display.
"You two are very similar"
"Really?"
"Oh yes, He was strong and kind, charming and oh, so handsome!" She proclaimed, ruffling Giorno's hair playfully earning an embarrassed groan from her son as he batted her hand away. "Your father was a good man. He fought fairly and loved unconditionally. When we were young he would pick fights for my honor against groups of boys who were playing a tad too rough with me. He was a gentle giant, who believed everyone had the capacity for good, even… he believed even I could be good..." Diana trailed off, her eyes became glassy with unshed tears as her mind drifted somewhere far off. Giorno leaned into her side wrapping his arms around her shoulder and pulled her into a hug.
" Did you love him?" He asked, Diana, smiled sadly and kissed his hair.
" Oh yes, I loved him very much, more than he could have ever known. But our relationship was strained, complicated, and riddled with thorns of animosity." She whispered somberly, her voice having lost its confidence.
"Why was it like that?" Giorno pushed his curiosity, getting the best of him. She didn't seem to mind.
"I am a prideful woman, more so when I was young, too ambitious, I was far too jaded to accept his warmth in my youth. I resented Jojo, for he had been gifted the most outrageous of fortunes upon birth, I despised the arbitrary dealings that cursed me to a life of squalor and oppression, I abhorred him and everything his existence stood for. I sought to change my fate. I put my goals before everything else, nothing else mattered to me, no one else mattered." She paused to gather herself, Giorno pressed himself more firmly into her hold afraid she would flee if he let go; she took a breath and continued.
"Jojo made it difficult, he loved her; I killed Diana Brando and he refused to accept it, he held onto the memory of a girl who was afraid of the dog and read too many books; a girl who cheered for him at rugby games and embroidered his favorite jumper." A choked laugh escaped her throat, fat tears spilling over, gliding down her cheeks as she let out a shuddering breath. "Your father loved a lie, a girl I never was and would never be." Giorno wiped her tears, it pained him to watch her cry. A choked laugh escaped Diana's throat, "What a pitiful creature I am, even now I feel he haunts me in you what a despicable, horrifically selfish belief. To fear that your existence is punishment rather than the blessing I know it is." Diana admonished reached out and cupped his face, a melancholy yet adoring smile decorating her lips,
"Oh my son, my little star." She whispered, pressing another chaste kiss to his forehead. Giorno did not press the subject any further that night, simply content to fall asleep in his mother's embrace and new feelings to sort through..
In that moment Giorno Giovanna made a promise. He would never be the source of her tears for as long as he lived, his mother would not suffer by his doing.