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Giorno tilted his head back to soak up the sun that was filtering through the trees he was currently relaxing under. This park was one of his favorites to spend time in, a little outside of the city—enough that there were rarely many people there, especially in the early morning when they usually went. Because of that, Giorno could easily bring Polnareff, giving them both a chance to get some fresh air, skipping out on duties for a little while.
"It really is a beautiful day," Polnareff commented as he trundled through the grass around Giorno's feet. Since no one else was around, his ghostly form was currently poking out of the key in the top of the turtle shell so he could enjoy the morning.
Giorno smiled and stretched out fully in the soft grass, watching the tree branches sway above him. "It is. Thank you for suggesting we go today. I sometimes forget when I've been so busy."
"I'm aware," Polnareff said fondly. "But duties can wait until later today. There's little sense in wasting your youth while you still have it—you deserve to play hooky a couple days a week."
Giorno smiled. Of course, neglecting his job was a little more significant that skipping a couple days of school, but Passione would not fall just because he wanted to spend a couple hours sitting under a tree.
And he could use the time to relax. Aside from Passione business, he'd had a lot going on recently, working on getting into discussions with the Speedwagon Foundation about a possible partnership. Polnareff had been the one to put forward the idea after the discussion surrounding Giorno's parentage and connection to the Joestar bloodline. Giorno was still somewhat hesitant, wary about what they would think of him, but the initial discussions had gone all right. Not that it was any less nerve-wracking for Giorno, however.
In fact, because of him worrying over the talks with SPW so much, he'd sort of neglected some other duties he was supposed to have taken care of that week.
Which meant that, as nice as the morning was, they should probably be getting back. More people would start to show up at the park soon anyway.
"I guess we should get going," Giorno sighed regretfully. "But I want to check in on that family of ducks before we do."
He picked up Polnareff and the pet carrier he used to transport his consigliere in, and started off toward the pond that resided on one end of the park. He'd been watching a family of ducks for the last couple months, had seen the mother nesting, and had actually been there when the little ducklings had started to hatch.
The waterlilies were currently in bloom, and fish snapped at bugs that landed on the water.
"There they are," Giorno pointed with a smile. He set Polnareff down and approached the pond carefully so as not to startle the group of ducks.
"Look at them, what a happy little family," Polnareff grinned.
Giorno smiled at the sight of the little brown and yellow ducklings following their mother as she wove through the weeds. Giorno knelt at the pond's edge and pulled some bread crusts that he had saved from breakfast out of his pocket. He tore them into little pieces and tossed them to the ducks.
The babies quacked excitedly as they snapped them up.
When the bread was gone, Giorno reluctantly stood, helping Polnareff back into the carrier. "I'm glad to see the ducklings are doing well."
"Me too," Polnareff said as Giorno picked the carrier up. "Perhaps someday you could get some ducks for that old pond in the back garden."
Giorno laughed. "I would have to hire a fulltime gardener. Ducks are quite messy. I think I will just stick to frogs, and maybe some fish."
He was still talking about his eventual plans for the garden at the mansion when they got back to the parking lot and Giorno realized they weren't alone.
And then he realized, that, not only were they not alone, but he recognized the two people who were getting out of the car that had parked only one space down from Giorno's.
Giorno instantly froze, his hand clenched around the handle of the carrier as a million unpleasant memories assaulted him, leaving him unable to make a rational decision in that moment.
"Giorno? Are you all right?" he heard Polnareff speak quietly, obviously sensing something was wrong.
But Giorno couldn't reply. Instinct was telling him to leave. To take his keys from his pocket, get in the car, and drive away before he was forced into a confrontation.
But it was too late, because by the time he was able to make any sort of move again, a surprised voice called out:
"Giorno? Is that you?"
By then, it would look cowardly if he were to run, especially after he too had been staring, so he instead straightened his shoulders and braced himself for an encounter that would inevitably sour his peaceful morning. "Mother," was all he said in reply.
The woman's face crinkled in annoyance. "Is that all you have to say to me after you've been gone for months?"
"What do you want me to say?" Giorno asked blandly. "I've been busy."
"Where have you been? Even the school didn't know where you were."
"So were you worried?" Giorno cut in, a sharp edge to his voice even as his body wanted to tremble with nerves. "Or were you just worried that if something happened to me you would have to do something about it to keep up the appearance of being a decent human being?"
His mother looked shocked, standing there with her mouth open. Giorno was able to straighten his shoulders further, seeing that his words had hit exactly where he had wanted them to.
And then he came forward, the threatening way he held himself causing Giorno to instinctively take a step back.
"You're just gonna talk to your mother like that after all this time, you ungrateful little brat?"
The backs of Giorno's legs hit his car and he was trapped. His mind worked frantically. How was it that he could take on Diavolo; that he could face off with men like Raffaelo and others who meant to murder him for his position, and yet when this bad memory from his past showed up all he could do was freeze like some terrified animal when faced with a predator?
And his stepfather seemed to enjoy the fact that he could get that reaction out of Giorno. A cruel sneer twisted his lips as he took another step closer.
"Maybe I should teach you a lesson? You remember what used to happen when you disobeyed, don't you?"
Giorno swallowed hard but felt Gold rippling just under his skin, waiting, and that gave him courage. He straightened slightly and forced himself to look the man in the eyes. Giovanna had always hated that, but it felt good.
"You can't touch me anymore," Giorno told him firmly. "I hold far more power in this city than you will ever hope to see."
"What are you talking about?" Giorno's mother demanded. "Have you actually gone insane?"
His stepfather just laughed. "I told you the boy was cracked. Look at him, he's walking around with some animal like a little freak. What've you got in there, huh? More of your freaky little friends?"
His stepfather made to grab at the carrier Giorno was still holding and he wrenched it out of reach, hoping Polnareff would forgive the sudden jostle.
"Don't touch him!" Giorno snapped, fury and terror clashing and fighting inside of him, enough to make him sick.
His stepfather made a scoffing sound in the back of his throat, but thankfully backed off for the moment. "Guess you remember the time I killed all your frogs, huh? You stealing stuff from the park now? Could probably get you arrested for that."
Giorno squeezed his eyes shut briefly, trying not to remember being forced to watch his stepfather kill the two frogs he had kept for a week as his only companions as a child. The physical beatings might have become a lot more infrequent after Giorno had saved the Mafioso, but if anything that had just made Giovanna more creative with his torments. Creative in ways to where Giorno sometimes wished for the beatings instead.
"Speaking of stolen stuff, what about this car here?" Giovanna asked, stepping around Giorno to get a better look at the Alpha he used as his private vehicle. "Pretty fancy for a sixteen-year-old brat. You steal that too?"
Giorno gathered himself again, with more difficulty this time but managed to get out, "I have no need to steal things," he said firmly.
"You really are cracked," Giovanna spat.
"Giorno, stop this ridiculous act," his mother spoke up. "You need to go back to school. And if you really have that much money, you should let us look after it for you. You're too young to manage it all by yourself."
Giorno almost laughed. Of course that's what they would be interested in.
Giorno's Stepfather seemed to get on board with his wife because he suddenly smirked. "Yeah, how about we set you up a special bank account, kid?"
"No, thank you, I have people to handle that for me," Giorno said. "And I need to be going."
He shoved his hand into his pocket to grab his keys, when his stepfather's hand caught his arm, keeping him from retrieving the keys.
"Hold on a second, we're not done talking yet."
Giorno froze at the touch, the man's hand rough and bruising. He could feel Gold Experience bubbling up, twisting things on his jacket, ready in case the attack went further. But for now, Giorno held himself still, trying to keep the panic at bay.
"Giorno, where the hell have you really been?" his mother demanded. "You can't seriously expect us to believe all this crap, right? That you got that nice suit and the car through legal means? Come home with us and talk."
Giorno finally extricated himself from his stepfather and turned toward his mother. "No. If I truly caused you any distress by my absence, I'm sorry. However, I know that more than anything, you were probably glad I was gone. After all, wasn't I only ever a burden to you?"
His mother folded her arms over her chest, but she didn't protest. It didn't hurt Giorno any. He'd known this for years, after all.
"I'm not going to let you use me now just because you think I have money," Giorno told them firmly. He turned to his stepfather then and looked him right in the eye. "I'm sorry I'm taking your favorite punching bag away. I suppose you'll just have to find something else to work your frustrations out on."
"You little shit," his stepfather snarled, lunging at him again. "Where do you get off talking to me like—"
Giorno had been ready for him to grab him again. Gold Experience seemed to have anticipated the move as well, having turned one of Giorno's buttons into a flower under his collar. As soon as his stepfather grabbed his shoulder, Giorno's power activated.
It sent the man reeling back in shock, grabbing his own shoulder with an expression of shock and genuine fear.
"What the—the hell did you do?"
"What happened?" Giorno's mother demanded, reaching for her husband while staring, terrified, at Giorno.
"I warned you to leave me alone," Giorno said simply, straightening up and finally retrieving his keys from his pocket. "I'm not going home with you—I'm never returning to that place. I have a new family now. You would do yourselves a favor by not bothering me again."
He then turned and left them standing there in shock, somehow managing to unlock the car, put Polnareff in the passenger seat and start the engine all with his hands shaking almost uncontrollably.
He barely got the car in gear properly before he was out of the parking lot, speeding back toward town.
Giorno was shaking so hard, he didn't even realize he could barely breathe until he was halfway down the road.
"Giorno!"
Polnareff's voice filtered through as if they were under water, and Giorno finally pulled over, knowing he had to get ahold of himself before he could properly drive. No matter how much he wanted to just gun it out of there.
"Giorno, are you all right?"
"I—I don't, I don't know why…" he babbled before he shut his mouth, gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles were white, trying to keep his hands from shaking. The rest of him, however, still didn't stop.
"It's all right, just breathe," Polnareff was telling him. "Try to calm down; you're okay now. Just us."
Giorno took a shuddering breath and did manage to calm a little bit. After a few more, he could breathe freely again and he was shaking less.
"You can take a moment inside the turtle if you need," Polnareff told him.
But Giorno shook his head. "No, I—I'd rather get back home."
"Are you good to drive?"
Giorno nodded, hands a lot steadier. "Yes. Better now."
He put the car into gear again and pulled back onto the road. He didn't want to wait here, was afraid that his mother and stepfather would catch up to him. What would he do if they found out where he lived? In reality, Giorno knew Mista and his other bodyguards would never let anyone, especially non-stand users, anywhere near him, but years of fearing only his stepfather had muddied his mind.
He would feel better once he got back home. He was just upset that this had ruined the start to a nice day.
Polnareff fretted silently most of the way back to the mansion, truly furious for the first time that his current state wouldn't allow him to drive Giorno back himself; had kept him from stepping in back there.
He had never seen Giorno scared like that. The way he shook even now when they had left the park nearly ten minutes ago. Giorno had obviously told Polnareff the basics of what his childhood had been like, but it seemed like it went a lot deeper than he had let on. It had truly done some damage to Polnareff's young charge and the thought made him furious. While Giorno had done admirably defending himself, Polnareff still regretting him having to stand alone. He would have liked to give Giorno's parents a word or two himself. It was unfortunate that he would have just made things worse.
Giorno finally pulled up in front of the mansion and turned the car off with a shaky sigh.
"Giorno?" Polnareff called to him, as he heard Giorno open the door, fumbling slightly at the handle.
"I'm fine now," the teen said, obviously lying. Polnareff could tell by the slight tremor in his voice.
Polnareff didn't protest at the moment, simply allowed Giorno to come around and take him out of the car in his carrier before heading inside.
Another steadying breath and then Giorno said. "We can get started on those proposals this morning; I just need to look at a couple things before—"
"Giorno," Polnareff spoke firmly. "Take a moment. Why don't you come inside and sit for a while?"
"I'm okay, Polnareff."
"GioGio," Polnareff tried again, still plainly able to feel the trembling in Giorno's hand as he carried the cage. "Just a few minutes. We have all day to work on the proposals."
Giorno didn't reply, but he headed toward Polnareff's room and set the carrier down, opening the door. Polnareff lumbered out and popped out of the back of the turtle, holding his hand out to Giorno. "Come in. I'll make you a cup of tea."
Giorno pressed his lips together tightly, then stepped toward the room.
He appeared inside facing Polnareff and the Frenchman motioned him toward the couch. "Sit down. Relax."
"I really am fine," Giorno said stiffly, obviously deflecting.
Polnareff sighed, taking his shoulder gently as he led him over toward the couch. "You're not fine and you don't have to be," Polnareff told him and pulled a blanket from the back of the couch, draping it around Giorno's shoulders.
The teen flinched slightly, hunching over. "I'm not cold."
"You're shaking," Polnareff commented. Giorno looked down at his hands and clenched them tighter in his lap. Every muscle in his body was tight and defensive.
Polnareff left him a moment to head over to the side table where the electric kettle Giorno had brought him sat. He filled it and turned it on to boil as he retrieved two cups and some teabags.
He then headed back over to Giorno, taking a seat on the coffee table for the moment in order to face him. "Giorno, I know this must be hard, and I can't imagine how it felt to have to face them unprepared, but for what it's worth, I think you handled yourself well."
A shuddering sigh shifted the blanket covered shoulders. "I was terrified," Giorno said softly, staring down at his hands. "Why can't I…I don't understand why I can't get over it."
Polnareff's heart broke a little more at the waver in Giorno's voice and reached out to settle a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Giorno, you don't simply get over things like this. That's years' worth of trauma you never thought you'd have to face again, showing up where you least expected it. You have every right to be afraid, and even then, a lot of times our minds simply like to torment us by bringing back feelings we think we've forgotten at the worst possible opportunities."
Giorno exhaled slowly and his shoulders slumped further, body bowing in exhaustion. He leaned forward until his head was resting against Polnareff's arm and the Frenchman's heart warmed in a bittersweet way.
"Oh, Giorno. It's all right."
He shifted closer and pulled the boy into his arms, feeling Giorno relax against his chest and let out a long breath. How grateful Polnareff was that within the confines of the turtle's room he could be corporeal enough to offer this kind of physical comfort when needed.
He truly had come to care for this boy so much over the relatively short time he'd known him. It made him wish he could do more physically to protect him, but Giorno was extremely powerful. And he had a whole organization of men to keep him safe. Polnareff had come to realize he provided something else. That he was there as a mentor, an advisor, but also to fill a spot Giorno had obviously never had filled to begin with. And Polnareff was more than happy to care for the boy in the way his parents had never been bothered to. To show Giorno that human touch didn't just mean pain and suffering. That you could be safe and unguarded around people. That you could learn to trust.
Polnareff held him for a long moment until the water in the kettle started boiling. He patted Giorno gently on the back. "Let me get the tea started, hm?"
Giorno reluctantly pulled away and Polnareff swiftly went to make up the two cups.
He returned and sat on the couch beside Giorno, handing him one of the cups. Giorno curled in the corner of the couch, still wrapped in the blanket, and held the warm mug between his hands. Polnareff was glad to see he had at least stopped shaking so much, but there was still a certain unease in the set of Giorno's shoulders that told he was still bothered by the events of that morning.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Polnareff asked him softly, blowing on his tea.
"I don't know," Giorno replied quietly, looking into his cup. "It—it actually pisses me off," he admitted finally as he looked up at Polnareff with a pinch in his brow. "I was having a nice morning."
Polnareff gave a small, sympathetic smile. "I know. It was unfortunate that they had to surprise you there."
"Why the hell were they even there? I don't understand…" Giorno sighed heavily, hands tightening around the mug. "I just wish I didn't get so worked up about it. Why can't my body react like it does to any other threats? They're not even really a threat to me. What could they really do against Gold Experience?"
"It's because your subconscious is remembering how you felt before, as a child who couldn't defend himself. A child who had no one to defend him," Polnareff said. "Like I said before, the mind can be crueler than anything else. Especially when it comes to reliving things that trigger traumatic events. I've had my own spats with the subconscious and how it deals with trauma."
"Then how did you get over it?" Giorno asked.
"Well, facing your fears down is a good start," Polnareff told him sincerely. "I didn't have the luxury to do that with all of my trauma, but you kept your cool out there today and came out on top of the argument in my opinion."
"But is it enough?" Giorno demanded, a deep pain in his eyes that bore into Polnareff's heart. "I thought I was rid of them already, but they just… showed up…in a place I felt safe. What if they show up again? What if they find out where I live now? What's to stop them from coming and making my life miserable?"
"Truthfully? Nothing," Polnareff said and Giorno looked at him in some surprise at his frankness, but the Frenchman wasn't finished yet. "They may find out who you are now, and they might find out where you live. But what can they do to you? You're not a powerless child anymore, Giorno. You run a crime syndicate, have hundreds of loyal men at your call. Your Stand is extremely powerful. They would never be able to touch you."
"Exactly," Giorno croaked, and Polnareff was shocked to see tears threatening in his eyes. "So why the hell am I so scared?"
"What do you fear the most when you look at them?" Polnareff asked.
Giorno's lip shook and he glanced down into his tea again. "Being left alone in the dark. Being hungry. Being cornered, beaten, left to tend my own injuries. Hiding bruises because their discovery would only make him give me more. Afraid that anything I cared about or made me happy would be taken from me. And I—" He took a shuddering breath. "It doesn't matter that I'm the one with the power to do all those things now, when I saw them there, I was just a scared boy again and so maybe…maybe this is all just a façade anyway." He let out a bitter laugh, the sound strangled in his throat. "To think that a few weeks ago I was worried about being a monster and now I'm just a terrified child."
"When the truth is you are neither," Polnareff said firmly and set his tea aside before opening his arms. "Come here."
Giorno scooted along the couch until he was leaning into Polnareff and the Frenchman wrapped him up in a firm embrace once more, pulling him close. "Why are you not scared of the dark anymore?" he asked.
"Because Trish bought me a nightlight," Giorno murmured against him.
Polnareff smiled, remembering the few rough weeks after they had moved into the mansion when Giorno, on more than one occasion would have horrible night terrors—when he slept at all. It was Trish who had realized Giorno's discomfort surrounding pure darkness and had bought him a soft glowing nightlight that he could leave on to see by. That way he wouldn't be in the dark, even if he woke from a nightmare.
"Mm-hm," Polnareff nodded, rubbing Giorno's back comfortingly. "And what do you do when you're hungry? At least, when you're not being a self-neglecting workaholic."
He felt Giorno smile against his shoulder. "I eat. Whenever I want."
"Exactly," Polnareff agreed, moving on to the next point. "And tell me this: if someone were to get into this house with the intention of hurting you, even if they cornered you, what would happen to them?"
Giorno let out a shuddering sigh. "If Gold Experience didn't take them out, Mista would."
"And here you can have whatever you want with no fear of it being taken or destroyed, right?" Polnareff added and Giorno nodded against him.
"Very well, then. You're not part of that life anymore, Giorno. They have no hold over you and they never will again. Not here. And if your memories ever deicide to take hold and refuse to let go, you know you only ever have to come here. No one will ever find you in this room—no one who shouldn't be able to. It's our little saferoom away from the world."
Giorno let out a long exhale, relaxing further into Polnareff's side. "Thank you," he said quietly. "For reminding me of that."
"I will continue to do so for as long as you need it," Polnareff promised. "I know it won't just go away, and if you truly want to do something about it, I'm sure you could make it certain they will never cross your path again."
"No, I'd rather they think I'm just crazy," Giorno admitted, sitting up a bit again, though still leaning his shoulder against Polnareff's. "It's…kind of fun to hold this over them, you know? That they don't think I can actually make good on any threats. That way, if I ever have to…"
Polnareff smiled. "Bien. Well, as long as it makes you feel better. I wish I could have done something to back you up today, though. What I wouldn't give to have given that bastard a piece of my mind. Sometimes, being bound to a turtle's body is not the most useful thing."
Giorno gave him a tentative smile. "I think it might have made things worse for a talking turtle to get involved, though it would have been fun to see their faces. But you did help, Polnareff. Honestly just having you there, and, being here for me to talk it out now—that means everything. Truly. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you around."
Polnareff's heart warmed at the sincerity in Giorno's eyes, glad that they were no longer wet and pained. Impulsively, he took the boy's face between his hands and pulled him forward to give him a swift paternal kiss to the forehead.
Giorno's eyes were wide and surprised when he pulled back and Polnareff gave him a soft smile and squished Giorno's cheeks fondly until he smiled. There was a shine of wetness in the boy's eyes but he was glowing too.
Giorno pulled away from his touch, but only to surge forward in another hug, squeezing Polnareff fondly.
The Frenchman beamed, glad the boy was learning that he too was allowed to show affection to the people around him. To family. And that it would be well received. Polnareff rubbed his back gently.
"You know I'm here for you whenever you need me, GioGio. In spirit, if not in body."
He and Giorno both chuckled at that before Giorno sighed and finally pulled back pushing the blanket off his shoulders and sitting up straighter.
"I still think one of the best cures for trauma is working through it. Would you mind helping me with those proposals today?"
"Of course," Polnareff replied. "Why don't we draft them out together?"
And it was good to see the eager look in Giorno's eyes again as he went to fetch some paper and pens. Polnareff knew that he still had a lot to work through, and part of him was aware that Giorno would probably never fully get over all the trauma he'd suffered. But he would strive to be there for Giorno as he grew in his position and in life. To be a guide, and a teacher to the young mafia Don. And to the boy, the kind of parental figure he'd never had.
And Polnareff was more than happy to fulfill all of those duties.