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It may not have been a good idea, in fact it was a very bad idea, but in the moment he was enjoying himself. Giorno had never been one for high school parties, yet here he was on a Friday night, holding a half empty red solo cup, and drunkenly dancing alongside his peers. It wasn’t that bad actually. In fact, he’d found that after a few drinks it was way easier to engage with the other kids. And after a few more, he didn’t feel goddamn awkward. He was finally able to really fit in with everyone else. He didn’t know why he’d let Mista talk him into this, but he was glad he did. Where was Mista anyway? Probably somewhere getting high with Narancia. Oh well, he was fine for the moment. He was dancing with some senior guy he couldn’t remember the name of. Everything was a hazy kind of pretty, and he almost felt like he was floating. He couldn’t tell if it was him or the room that was spinning. He felt like he was in a movie, until someone grabbed his arm.
“Giorno! There you are, I told you to stay with us!” Fugo dragged him away from the crowd and into a more secluded room.
“I was jus dancin’” Giorno giggled and Fugo pushed him on to the couch.
“Yeah, he was jus dancin’” Mista slurred, leaning in the door way with a beer in his hand.
“Well we AGREED to stick together and he keeps running off!” Fugo scowled.
“Chiiiill my guy,” Mista smiled. “Ya need another hit?” He held up an unlit joint.
“What I need is to get the fuck outta here! I fucking hate parties!” He flopped down on the couch next to Giorno.
“Then why’d you come?” Mista sipped his beer.
“HA! Come!” Narancia said from the other room.
“Shut the fuck up! God I hate this!” He was taking deep breaths with his eyes closed, clenching and unclenching his fists.
Mista walked over to him and shoved something in his mouth.
“What the fuck?” Fugo coughed, but Mista put a hand over the man’s mouth. Fugo swallowed. “What was that?”
“An edible,” Mista grinned.
“ARE YOU CRAZY?” Fugo glared. “I’m already high!”
“Not high enough if you still feel like you’re gonna go apeshit.” Mista patted his head. “Pulse it’s not even that strong, you’ll be fine. Just very relaxed.” He turned to Giorno.
“How you doin’ kid?”
“I’m *hic* ‘mazing,” Giorno slurred, grinning stupidly at Mista.
“Mans is wasted,” Mista laughed, and stumbled back into the other room to grab another beer.
“Get me another drink too!” Giorno called after him.
“No way, you’re already drunk enough.”
Giorno did not listen, instead he followed Mista into the kitchen dispite Fugo telling him to sit back down.
“GioGio seriously, got sit down.”
“Nooo, I wanna move! I wanna dance,” he took Mista’s hands and awkwardly pulled him into a waltz position.
“Did you know my dads taught me how to dance when I was little?”
“Giorno-“
“Shhhh, dance with me Guido.”
He couldn’t say no, so he let the blonde lead as they very ungracefully stumbled around the room in a motion that somewhat resembled dancing.
“It’s all bout the rhythm,” Giorno said, followed immediately by bumping into one of the cabinets.
Mista started laughing. Then Giorno started laughing. Then the were both on the floor laughing until there were tears in there eyes.
“Shit, you’re fun when you’re wasted,” Mista sighed, unsteadily pushing himself to his feet. “You hungry? I’m hungry.”
“Yeah… sure I could eat.”
“Narancia!” Mista called into the other room where Fugo and Narancia were talking on the couch.
“Yeah?”
“You guys hungry?”
“Starving! They have food in the other room I think. Don’t ask me to get your stuff, I’m too stoned for that, I’ll mess it up. You gotta get it yourself.”
“Ugh, fine. Let’s go GioGio.”
Giorno looked up at Mista from where he sat on the floor.
“Can you get up?”
Giorno nodded and unsuccessfully tried to get up. It was like watching a baby giraffe try to stand for the first time. Mista reached out a hand to grab his arm and pull him to his feet.
The four boys eventually found where the food was, loading up their plates with pizza, chips, and other shit they serve at parties. Giorno somehow got his hands on another red solo cup filled with whatever shitty concoction whoever was in charge of drinks had thought up. For as drunk as the kid was, he did a good job of not spilling it on their way back to they’re hang out.
Food tasted better drunk. That was another thing Giorno had noticed. The normally shitty pizza was wonderful, and he was able to eat a few slices of it. How much had he eaten? He didn’t really know, but his stomach felt fine so he wasn’t worried about it. He continued to eat until one of Mista hands reached out and took away his half eaten slice of pizza.
“You’re gonna make yourself sick GioGio,” he took Giorno’s plate and moved it away from him.
“But I feel *hic* fine,” Giorno whined reaching for his plate.
“Trust me dude, I’m doing you a favor,” Mista lightly pushed him away. “Besides you’re making a mess.”
“Wha?” Giorno stared in confusion. He’d been doing his absolute best to eat properly and mind his manners.
“Seriously,” Mista took a napkin and whipped pizza sauce off the corner of Giorno’s mouth. “You’re so gross,” he laughed.
Giorno did not like that. Did Mista really think he was gross? Was he disgusting and messy? He thought Mista was supposed to be his friend. Why was he being so mean?
“No, don’t cry Giorno,” Mista sounded concerned. “I was just joking around, okay?”
“M’not crying,” Giorno sniffed. Oh shit, maybe he was crying. “I just- don’ like it when ya say tha cause now I feel bad an ya think m’gross? Am I gross?”
“Shh, Giorno it’s okay. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it,” Mista patted his friend on the back. “I think maybe it’s time to go. What do you guys think?”
“I’m literally having an out of body experience,” Fugo said from where he was laying on the floor. His voice just loud enough to hear.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
“Mista you said the edible wasn’t that strong. You fucking liar. I feel like I’m in a high school drug PSA, and I’m the one the kids are gonna laugh at.”
“Did it at least calm you down?”
“Is this real? Mista I need you to tell me I’m real.”
“You’re real Fugo.”
“Shut the fuck up Mista.”
“Ok, Nara you help Fugo up an I’ll call someone to come-“
“GIORNO GIOVANNA!”
They boys froze, and before Giorno could even turn to face him, his father grabbed him by his arm and pulled him to his feet.
“STUDYING AT A FRIENDS HOUSE HUH?” Dio glared at him. “IS THIS WHAT YOU CALL STUDYING?”
“I- uh- I- “ Giorno stammered, racking his alcohol soaked brain for an excuse.
“YOU WHAT? HUH?” Dio tightened his grip on the boys arm, black pointy nails digging into his skin.
“Dio don’t hurt him,” Jonathan said entering the room. Well that was unexpected. Both dads together and not trying to kill each other.
“Silence Jonathan,” Dio snapped. “He needs to be punished.”
“Not here Dio, it’s already embarrassing enough that we showed up to get him. No need to destroy his social life anymore.”
“Um,” Mista spoke up. “How did you find us here?”
“Giorno gave us the address because he said he was staying the night to study. I tried calling him earlier and he never picked up the phone. We got worried and decided to come see if everything was alright,” Jonathan gave a concerned smile.
“You gave them the actual address?” Mista couldn’t believe it.
“M’sorry,” Giorno mumbled.
“Clearly the boy can’t be trusted,” Dio snarled.
“M’sorry,” Giorno mumbled again.
“Look, we can talk about it at home. Let’s just get out of here,” Jonathan looked at the other three boys. “Would you guys like a ride home?”
“I’m not letting that filth in my car!” Dio glared. “Look what they’ve done to my baby boy! He can barely stand up!”
“Hey!” Narancia said. “We just brought him here, he did the rest my himself!”
“How dare-“
“I’ll take them in my car Dio. Just bring Giorno home.” Jonathan gave the other man a look and Dio shut up. He picked up Giorno bridal style and left the room.
“Is Pannacotta okay?”
“He’s fine, just really high,” Narancia said quietly.
“You boys were doing drugs!” Jonathan looked shocked.
“Only cannabis,” Mista looked down. “Giorno didn’t take anything as far as we know.”
“Okay,” Jonathan bit his lip, concern on his face. “Let’s just get you guys someplace safe.”
He scooped up Fugo from off the floor and Mista and Narancia followed him out to the car, trying to ignore the classmates laughing and taking videos of as they did their walk of shame.
—————-
Dio pushed open the front door and help Giorno stumble to the couch.
“Stay here,” he said firmly.
“I want my bed,” Giorno whined.
“No,” Dio said flatly. “I don’t want you getting up in the night and falling down the stairs. It’s not very fun.”
“But-“
“No, Giorno. You are going to sleep here tonight. Now stay here while I get you some water and a bucket.”
Giorno sat with his head down as his father went into the kitchen. His head was spinning and the fun effects of the alcohol were starting to wear off. Now he just felt dizzy and uncomfortable. It was too hot, and the sweat and smudged makeup on his face was overstimulating. He struggled unsuccessfully to remove his shirt, tangling himself up and falling off the couch.
“Dad,” he called out weakly. “Dad help…”
Dio sighed, placing a glass of water on the coffee table and a bucket by the couch.
“You know I should just leave you there to fend for yourself. Figure out how to get out of the mess you caused,” he frowned. “But I won’t.”
Dio’s rage had subsided, replaced with concern. He knelt down and help his son out of his shirt. He took Giorno’s face in his hand and studied it. Glassy eyes with smudged eyes shadow, mascara running down rosy cheeks, remnants of shimmery gold lipstick wiped across his mouth. All framed by messy golden curls that had since fallen out of their donut shape.
“You’re a mess Giorno,” he said quietly. “Stay here and don’t do anything.”
Once again Dio left. He returned with makeup wipes, a hair brush, a tooth brush, and a fresh set of pajamas. He sat Giorno on the couch without a word, and began removing his make up. He washed Giorno’s face with a wash cloth, then helped him into his pjs. Then he brushed his teeth, and began brushing out his hair. Giorno did not protest.
“I’m very disappointed in you Giorno,” he said as he picked the bobby pins out of his hair.
“M’sorry…” Giorno said quietly.
“Sorry doesn’t change the fact that you lied to me and made a fool of yourself.”
“I know,” Giorno sniffed. “I jus dunno what else to say.”
Dio sighed.
“Your punishment will come in the morning, so save the crying okay?”
“Ok…”
Dio continued brushing his hair.
“That’s nice,” Giorno smiled. “You haven’t brushed my hair in years.”
“Well I wasn’t going to let to go to bed with it all nasty.”
“You took care of me too. Helped my get dressed and you brushed my teeth.”
“You’re my baby Giorno, of course I took care of you. Like I said, you’re punishment can wait til tomorrow.”
“I’m jus…” Giorno trailed off.
“Hm?”
“I’m jus, glad you still *hic* love me I guess.”
Dio froze.
“Of course I love you. What kind of father would I be if I didn’t?”
“I dunno it’s hard to tell sometimes,” Giorno turned to face him. “I feel like I’m never good enough for you.”
“Oh Haruno,” Dio sighed, turning Giorno’s head so he could tie his hair back in a ponytail. “You’re more than I could ever ask for. And you twice the man I’ll ever be.”
“Thanks dad,” Giorno smiled. “It’s so much easier to talk to you like this,” he slurred as Dio pulled a chair up next to the couch so he could sit by him.
“Don’t make a habit of it.” It wasn’t a request. It was an order.
“You know about my father, yes?” Dio asked, helping Giorno to lay down.
“Yeah, kinda.”
“You know he was an abusive alcoholic?”
“Yeah.”
“And you know why I go to those meetings every month, yes?”
Giorno was quiet.
“Do you know why Giorno?”
“Because you drink too much sometimes,” Giorno said softly.
“Yes,” Dio answered, though it still hurt to admit. “That kind of stuff is hereditary Giorno.”
He was silent again.
“Giorno-“
“What do you want be to say?” his voice cracked. “I’m sorry I jus wanted to have fun like everybody else! I jus wanna be a normal teenager! M’ so weird all the time an I jus wanna fit in!” he was crying now. “I jus wanna fit in! I didn’t mean any harm by it, it was only this once. Why does that make me a bad person?”
“Shh, Giorno please,” Dio reached down and stroked the young man’s hair. “You’re not a bad person for drinking at a high school party. I’m just asking to be cautious about it. That’s all.”
“Why?” He looked up at his father. “Why do I have to watch myself and be so cautious and everybody else can just have fun? It’s not fair! Why can’t I ever just relax? Why does the weight of the world always have to be on my shoulders?”
“Giorno I’m just saying-“
“No! I’m so tired of this “sins of the father” bullshit. You’re punishing me for a crime you THINK I’m gonna commit. I just-“ he sobbed, pulling his blanket over his head.
“Haruno,” Dio said softly. “Im sorry I’ve upset you.”
“I jus don’ wanna lecture right now… my head is spinny, and my stomach hurts, and I feel sick.”
“What do you want?”
“I want my dad,” he reached up and wrapped a hand around Dio’s. “I just want my dad…”
Dio squeeze his sons hand.
“I’m here. Dad’s right here.”
——————
Dio woke up in the early morning to the sound of Giorno vomiting. The poor kid was hunched over the bucket, forehead slick with sweat, trying to catch his breath.
“I’ll get you more water,” Dio said getting up and grabbing his glass.
“Oh my god,” Giorno groaned. “I’m never drinking again!”
“Glad to hear it,” Dio rubbed Giornos back as he vomited once again. “Teen drinking is never a good idea.”