Chapter Text
A warm breeze tickles their skin as they lie on sand. Jolyne opens her eyes slowly. She hears the sound of the soft waves behind her. She looks around and finds Giorno right next to her, he is still unconscious. Or asleep? The green haired girl shakes him lightly, hoping that would wake it up “GioGio, are you alright?”
The man groans and opens his eyes “Where are we?” he asks. He sits up and brushes the sand off of him. The sun is shining and it doesn’t seem to set anytime soon. She did it, she stopped the acceleration! “Jolyne, you did it!
Her eyes fill with tears at the realization. But her tears of joy turn into tears of sorrow as she remembers the horror they’ve been through. Her loved ones aren’t there. She lost them. Giorno sighs and tries to process everything that had happened.
The world is saved, but at what cost?
What has changed? What remained? He runs a hand through his blond locks and clenches his jaw. Their journey only started now.
“Are you alright?” “I think so.” She answers as she wipes her tears away “Oh my god I don’t know how to feel right now.” Giorno doesn’t want to be pushy, so he stays silent. He looks behind them and sees a familiar scenery before him. “Naples… we’re in Naples?” “Yeah. That’s your home, right? I saw that in your memories.” “Yes.” He said absentmindedly. “Your friends are all alive. I made sure of it.” His eyes shoot back at her. They’re alive! “Where are they?”
Jolyne chuckles “At the headquarters of Passione. Bucciarati is Capo.” “Let’s go then!” Giorno gets up and offers Jolyne a hand. On their way to the headquarters, they look around “Everything looks just the same.” Giorno points out “I tried my best.” “Wait, so if Bucciarati is Capo, what am I then?”
Jolyne hesitates but answers “When I was in the string, I had to make choices. Really, really difficult choices. So basically, you and I… don’t exist in this reality.” “Hold up, we don’t…” Jolyne shakes her head “I played through like… hundreds of possible scenarios. I had to make a choice. Taking you with me and giving you another chance at life was the best. The only downside is that nobody remembers you, and everything you achieved in your past reality is nullified. Same goes for me, though.”
Giorno has mixed feelings about this “Must have been hard. I hope you don’t beat yourself up over it.” He tries to find words of comfort because he heard sadness in her voice “I’m not mad at you! I’m glad to be alive, Jolyne. You’re a hero.”
Jolyne huffs “Stop that.” And punches his arm lightly. As they walk past a shop window, she sees her reflection “Good fucking grief, I look horrible!” her clothes are torn, and she is covered in dirt and bruises. Giorno’s black designer clothes don’t look any better “We can get dolled up later.” He jokes.
At the headquarters they’re held back by Leaky Eye Luca “Yo what’s the matter? What do you want?” he asks. Giorno grins “We don’t want trouble.” Leaky Eye takes a closer look at Giorno “Interesting… you look like someone I know.” The blond raises an eyebrow “Is that so?” “Yeah… oddly familiar…” he rolls his eyes and pushes Leaky Eye back “Move.” “What do you want here?” “None of your fucking business.” Jolyne follows close behind him. They walk upstairs to where Giorno assumes would be Bruno’s bureau and knocks on the door “Jolyne?” he turns to her and she nods “I’ll be downstairs.”
“Come in.”
Giorno swallows and pushes the door open. Secretly he hopes that Bruno miraculously remembers him. He looks at the man who is smoking a cigarette by an open window. His suit is black with white dots, as if the colors of his last suit were inverted. Giorno doesn’t say anything, he doesn’t even know what to say, really. “Buongiorno.” He starts. Bruno looks over his shoulder and inspects the ruffed-up man before him “Are you alright?”
Giorno smiles. Bruno is still as caring as he remembers him “I’ve been through a lot.” “I see. How can I help you?” he flicks the cigarette away and walks up to Giorno. “I don’t… I don’t know. Just happy to see you.” He bites his lip to stop it from quivering so much. Bruno furrows his brows “Whatever happened to you… I’m sorry. Come here.” He puts his arms around Giorno, who has grown to be much taller than the new Capo.
They sit down and Giorno tells him his story. Bruno is in disbelief, but after all he’s been through himself, what GIorno tells him doesn’t sound far off “You can sleep at my place. Oh, and your niece too, of course.” “Thank you.” “Let’s go then.” Bruno offers with a soft voice. They walk downstairs and call Jolyne. She is sitting in a corner of the restaurant and observes a group of guys trying to teach a twink some math and complain about the number of slices of cake.
Griorno stops when he sees them. It feels like the first time Bruno introduced him to the group, except Abbachio is missing. He watches as Mista freaks out over the cake. Mista is wearing more casual clothing. A gray sweater, black pants, and a black crop top. His belly is pierced, too.
Interesting.
Single strands peak through his beanie and he is just as quirky as he used to be. As much as he wanted to throw himself at him, he couldn’t.
Jolyne gets up and joins them “I’m driving these two home, they will stay with me. Come over tomorrow.” Bruno announces “Alright, boss!”. Mista’s gaze meets Giorno’s and he falls silent for a second.
It’s as if they’ve known each other forever.