--The Family--

[esperienzadoro]

[Sometimes, Giorno wishes he'd never met his biological dad. Sure, Dio is much better than his stepdad is, but that is a remarkably low bar to clear. Dio may not be a physically abusive jackass or constantly demeaning and sure he took great offense to hearing how Giorno's mother treated him as a child but...all of that somehow makes everything else about him worse. Not the mob boss thing, that's fine, Giorno can handle that. But he's just unabashedly cruel to everyone else around him, even Giorno's brothers he has by him. Not that they seem to care, they all just accept and seem to adore him for it. Which, again, just makes everything worse, because Dio isn't terribly cruel to him. Dio's...partner/flunky/boytoy/honestly Giorno has no fucking clue Enrico says it's because Giorno looks the most like him and the oldest and therefore the obvious choice as heir to the Brando name.

Giorno does not want this. Yes, his family is powerful and feared by any who hear their name, but everything his father does just...disgusts him. He puts children and other vulnerable people in danger, oftentimes killing them just because they're in the way. He jokes about the many horrific ways to kill people for minor infractions and then expects Giorno to laugh. He takes great pride in destroying entire neighborhoods with his drug trade.

And the "main" family, the Joestars, who yes are all criminals but with a sense of honor...can't do anything. For some reason, they're all forbidden from doing anything to stop Dio's reign of terror. It's very clearly driving some of them nuts, too, but apparently family is family and they can't stop him.

Well, fuck that. If Giorno has to do something about it himself, he will. His father's sent him to Italy to strengthen their position there, and it's in Italy that he will start to tear his father down from the inside. He may not have any allies but...well. He can hopefully fix that. He's put out some feelers for other families or criminal groups in the area and has settled on one Bruno Bucciarati. Information is scarce on if he's a don himself or just a capo under another but either way.

Giorno kills a man he knows to be tangentially connected to Bucciarati and waits for the other man to come to him. No one'll miss Luca, at least.]

Comments

[nellacerniera]

[Luca was a liability, frankly. Not only was he obnoxious, he wouldn't know the meaning of "discretion" if it hit him over the head with that ever-present shovel of his.

But still, one of the men in this area being taken out is enough for Bucciarati to want to investigate, and investigate he shall.

At least the killer isn't a difficult person to find. It almost feels like the guy wanted to be found.]

Mind if I join you?

[Bucciarati hasn't taken a seat next to Giorno on this bench yet, but he's going to, regardless of Giorno's answer.]

[esperienzadoro]

[Bingo.

Giorno glances up from his textbook for only a moment to confirm that yes, this is Bucciarati.]

There's plenty of room.

[nellacerniera]

[Taking a seat, then!

Bucciarati's going to be silent for a bit, though, as he studies Giorno carefully.]

[esperienzadoro]

[Giorno seems to just be going over his math homework, but if Bucciarati is observant or just paranoid, he might realize that Giorno is regularly looking at him out of the corner of his eye.]

[nellacerniera]

[... Hm.]

So, let's cut to the chase. You wanted my attention, you've got it. Who are you and what do you want?

[esperienzadoro]

[He closes his book and finally looks at Bucciarati.]

My name is Giorno Giovanna--but you've probably heard of Giorno Brando before you've heard of Giovanna. I want to talk to you about a possible business venture.

[nellacerniera]

[Yeah, "Brando" is enough to immediately put Bucciarati on guard.

If there's one thing he knows, it's having a Brando's attention is never a good thing.

But his expression remains neutral enough for the time being. Let's not go making any snap judgments.]

A possible business venture? What is it?

[esperienzadoro]

I want to put an end to my father, and I think you would be the perfect ally.

[nellacerniera]

[... Oh, this just got good.]

Go on.

[esperienzadoro]

I've been sent here by my father to establish a base of operations in Italy, where he plans to start taking over the rest of the mainland. If I want to stop him, I need allies. My cousin isn't able to help me, some promise he made to his father before taking over, so I have to find them outside of the Joestar family for now.

[nellacerniera]

[Well.]

You know, I think I'd have to be an idiot to refuse. I've heard the harm the man does, and I don't want it anywhere near Italy.

[esperienzadoro]

Neither do I. I grew up here, before my father found me and took me to England. The less damage he can do to this place, the better. Should we discuss the details over dinner? Your choice.

[Let Bucciarati pick the location, so Giorno is at a disadvantage. A sign of trust.]

[nellacerniera]

[... Oh. Well.]

Sounds like a plan. I know just the place.

[esperienzadoro]

[Giorno puts his textbook in his bag and stands, ready to follow Bucciarati.]

Lead on, Signore.

[nellacerniera]

[And lead on Bucciarati does.

Once they get there, one of the waitresses giggles as Bucciarati walks in with Giorno following.]

Another stray, Signore Bucciarati?

Nothing like that this time, Tafani.

[esperienzadoro]

[Giorno gives Bucciarati a look as they walk past the waitress.]

"Another stray"?

[nellacerniera]

[Tafani just grins.]

Tafani's apparently under the impression I take in any unfortunate teenager I come across which-- [As he says loud enough for her to hear specifically--] --Is not true by the way--it's really not that frequent.

True, Signore Abbacchio breaks the pattern by being an unfortunate adult--

Tafani.

[esperienzadoro]

I see. So you're a regular here?

[nellacerniera]

I am, yes. I like the seafood served here, and if you enjoy sweets, their desserts are nothing short of divine.

[As he leads Giorno to a booth and slides in on one side.]

[esperienzadoro]

I do like chocolate...

[But really he needs actual food first, so he'll take a menu when one is offered.]

Are we expecting any of your associates, Signore?

[nellacerniera]

Not for a while, at least--order anything you'd like, by the way, it's my treat.

[He takes a menu as well, but only scans it.]

[esperienzadoro]

Grazie.

[So that means some sort of pasta for now so as not to cause him to spend too much.]

You know, they say you took down Passione with nothing but an arrow and a tortoise.

[nellacerniera]

[Bucciarati laughs.]

That is quite the exaggeration. I can tell you the whole story, if you'd like to hear it.

[esperienzadoro]

I'd love to hear about it. Polnareff is too dramatic to be an accurate storyteller.

[nellacerniera]

Somehow I should have known...

[It's exasperated, but fond.

Bucciarati's nowhere near as dramatic a storyteller as Polnareff, of course, but at least he's a good one still. He only pauses when Tafani comes over to take their order, and he's finishing just as their food arrives.]

And now Diavolo is gone, and the country is far better for it.