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The hounds were all downstairs when she rushed down, past them, and to the wall phone next to the entrance to the kitchen.
Giorno took the phone off of its hook, twisting her finger around the wire before dialing the, now unfortunately familiar, number. She turned back for a second before facing the wall again. The wolves were all sitting at attention, staring at her in alarm, ears perked up.
The phone dialed once, twice, before someone on the other side picked up.
“Speedwagon Foundation, how may I help you today?”
“Hello,” She breathed out, finding that she was holding her breath for too long. She quickly cleared her throat, “May I speak to Dr. Kujo? Please tell him Giorno Giovanna is calling, and that it’s urgent.”
“Of course, Ms. Giovanna. Please hold for a moment.”
Before she could even respond, staticky jazz music began playing over the speaker. It lasted long enough that Giorno began tapping her foot. She huffed frustratedly, turning and leaning against the wall. When she glanced over, the wolves were still staring at her.
Click.
“Giorno?”
“Dr. Kujo, hello,” Her greeting was rushed, or perhaps close to desperate if she allowed herself to describe it as such. “I wanted to speak with you about something I’m worried about. It might be nothing, so I apologize in advance, but I figured I couldn’t exactly put something like this off.”
Dr. Kujo only hummed, so she continued. “So, do you remember how we discussed my father’s…”
She hardly knew why she paused; she was alone. Nobody was in their house except for her. The only ones listening were Gold Experience and the hounds. As if she willed him to with the thought of them alone, ‘Narancia’ stepped forward and pushed his snout into her hand. She began petting his head, then behind his ears.
“…My father– his vampirism?”
'Narancia' jolted under her hand at her words, suddenly barking at her as he jumped up. She noticed the other wolves began to swarm her, poking their noses into her legs as they vocalized loudly.
“No– shush! I’m speaking with someone, please stop!”
“Do you have… dogs with you, Giorno?” Dr. Kujo’s tone was light and curious, almost teasing.
She huffed as they quieted down, but did not cease sniffing and prodding at her, “Yes, Gold Experience created them when everyone left for their monthly retreat. I believe she’s convinced I get lonely the second they’re gone, so she creates animals that resemble them to keep me company. Usually she creates frogs, but last month, she created birds since I’ve become more interested in them. Though I’m not sure why this month it’s wolves.”
Dr. Kujo hums slowly, “Strange. You were talking about Dio?”
“Yes,” She sighed, getting back on track, “So, my father’s vampirism. Do you remember when we discussed it, we decided how it most likely did not carry onto me, since we didn’t recognize anything out of the ordinary?”
“I assume something is out of the ordinary now.”
“I– I believe I’ve grown fangs?" Her voice cracked when she said it, and her face scrunched up in a cringe. She reached over to one of the wolves, she didn’t look at which one, to feel the fur in between her fingers. She felt whoever it was nuzzle into her palm.
“You have?” It hardly sounds like a question, voice low and grave. “Have you noticed any other symptoms? Aversion to sunlight, heightened senses, extreme hunger that eating can’t fix?”
She shook her head, though she knew the man couldn’t see her. “No, I am still able to go into the sunlight, I checked,” …out of the bathroom window the second she noticed the larger canines poking out of her sensitive gums, “I might have heightened senses, but that could possibly just be Gold Experience’s sensing of life– I can’t tell with how far away we are from the general public, and with everyone being gone. But–“
She thought for a second. Looked down at the hounds, as if they would judge her.
“I believe I have been experiencing… hunger?”
A snout pushed itself into her hand again, she scritched behind whoever’s ear. “At first, I believed it was because I’ve been working, and– I used to not eat enough, so I just chalked it up to me possibly slipping into my old ways, which was worrying on its own, but…”
But she had been eating more. She’d been out more in general, more open to letting Narancia and Mista drag her away from her work, get her outside so she can feel the sun on her skin, food in her belly, and annoyance at the group’s antics. She could tell, everyone watched her with a pointed gaze, making sure she ate enough, or even more than her fill. Even with them gone and these hounds in their place, she still feels their eyes on her, and she eats every meal she makes fully, no matter what. But…
“It’s different. My stomach still hurts.”
The confession was whispered, her voice cracking as she heard an accepting hum on the other line.
“I understand.” Is all that acknowledged her pitiful confession. “I’ll make sure you’ll be supplied with a blood bag by tonight to test the waters, and we can set up a monthly supply if it gets any worse. You’ll have to make room in a refrigerator for them, though.”
“Hopefully it won't get worse, but… if it comes to that, a monthly delivery would be greatly appreciated. And storage is covered, I have– uh, Mista gifted me a…” What was it called? “A mini fridge? So, I should be able to store them in my room perfectly fine.”
“Alright,” She heard tapping on the other line, perhaps Dr. Kujo tapping his pen on his desk. “I have to leave soon to pick Jolyne up from school. Please update me on your status when you get the chance.”
“I will,” She nodded. “Thank you, Dr. Kujo.”
“It’s no problem, Giorno. Goodbye.”
She hung up the phone on the hook, letting out a shaky sigh when it clicked. One of the wolves barked again, and she looked down to see it was ‘Bucciarati' who spoke. She silently patted his head as her lips curled into a wobbly smile. Her smile must look strange to them, though they can’t vocalize it.
“I’m going to have to tell them.” She muttered to herself as she looked down at the hounds shuffling at her feet. “How do I tell them something like this, though? Oh, hello, welcome back, it turns out vampires are real! And I am one! I won’t suck your blood in the middle of the night, though, I promise!” She huffed, “What a joke. I might as well tell them werewolves exist too.”
The hounds froze as she began walking toward the stairs, completely unnoticed by her as she muttered to herself and poked at her newly sharpened teeth.