[He can see it, something in Jotaro's face that he's beginning to be able to read. It takes a moment for him to parse what it means, because he doesn't have much to compare it to, but in thinking of men he's met before with Jotaro's demeanor, he comes to the odd conclusion that he has done something right. That he has proven himself, somehow.]
[There's a small burst of relief in his chest at that, a release of tension he didn't realize he was holding on to. Had he wanted to impress Jotaro that badly? Maybe. It would be - vindication, in some sense.]
[But that isn't something he needs to focus on now. Instead, he focuses on what Jotaro is saying, about Star Platinum, about - The World. His brow furrows slightly. What a thing to call a Stand . . . and he has to wonder who named it, Dio or someone else, and whether it truly belonged to Dio or to the Kujo ancestor previously mentioned, the one that provided him with a body. It's convoluted and disgusting to think about, and Jotaro probably doesn't have the answers, but he can't not analyze every angle. He's received more information about his father in the last fifteen minutes than he's ever had in his life, and he has to understand it, for reasons even he can't put his finger on.]
Completely alone.
[He doesn't need to say it out loud. He's quite sure Jotaro will understand that he understands, words or no words. But he says it anyway, and leaves the rest implied - that he can imagine, in the absolute silence of timelessness, hearing only the echo of his father's laugh, seeing only his smile, and knowing that you are going to die in time between time, that someone you love will blink, open their eyes, and see you dead.]
[There is no way to communicate that perfectly, it's true. But Giorno can imagine. He is trying very hard right now to imagine.]
[He takes a step forward, leans down to pick up the cigarette pack, then straightens and turns it over in his hands.]
The man I mentioned before - Trish's father - he was . . . evil. Not as powerful as my father, but his Stand was similar. It deleted time instead of stopping it, and he wasn't clever or charismatic. Not like my father.
[Not like me.]
But I remember - the hiccups. Time being eaten away. That's why I wasn't surprised. I thought it was him for a moment, but I wasn't surprised.
[He steps forward again and holds the pack out to Jotaro.]
You will not be alone again. [It has the tone of a command - not to Jotaro, but to the world, a listen here and obey me, I will not be ignored. He will not allow it to happen. Not anymore.]
no subject
[There's a small burst of relief in his chest at that, a release of tension he didn't realize he was holding on to. Had he wanted to impress Jotaro that badly? Maybe. It would be - vindication, in some sense.]
[But that isn't something he needs to focus on now. Instead, he focuses on what Jotaro is saying, about Star Platinum, about - The World. His brow furrows slightly. What a thing to call a Stand . . . and he has to wonder who named it, Dio or someone else, and whether it truly belonged to Dio or to the Kujo ancestor previously mentioned, the one that provided him with a body. It's convoluted and disgusting to think about, and Jotaro probably doesn't have the answers, but he can't not analyze every angle. He's received more information about his father in the last fifteen minutes than he's ever had in his life, and he has to understand it, for reasons even he can't put his finger on.]
Completely alone.
[He doesn't need to say it out loud. He's quite sure Jotaro will understand that he understands, words or no words. But he says it anyway, and leaves the rest implied - that he can imagine, in the absolute silence of timelessness, hearing only the echo of his father's laugh, seeing only his smile, and knowing that you are going to die in time between time, that someone you love will blink, open their eyes, and see you dead.]
[There is no way to communicate that perfectly, it's true. But Giorno can imagine. He is trying very hard right now to imagine.]
[He takes a step forward, leans down to pick up the cigarette pack, then straightens and turns it over in his hands.]
The man I mentioned before - Trish's father - he was . . . evil. Not as powerful as my father, but his Stand was similar. It deleted time instead of stopping it, and he wasn't clever or charismatic. Not like my father.
[Not like me.]
But I remember - the hiccups. Time being eaten away. That's why I wasn't surprised. I thought it was him for a moment, but I wasn't surprised.
[He steps forward again and holds the pack out to Jotaro.]
You will not be alone again. [It has the tone of a command - not to Jotaro, but to the world, a listen here and obey me, I will not be ignored. He will not allow it to happen. Not anymore.]