[His smile goes, then. The trust, the confidence, the submission - these are things Giorno expects and takes for granted from many people, but not from Bruno. It's an odd, weightless feeling, as though the rug's been tugged out from under him, or gravity has just been reversed and he's standing on the ceiling. It's right, that Bruno acquiesce to his requests, his orders, his unspoken wishes. But it still feels very strange.]
[His fingers curl in the middle of the table, and he watches almost dispassionately, as though the perfect nails digging into the wood are not his own.]
Yes. I will.
[Of course he will. He is don. At home, here, it makes no difference. Just because his domain here is smaller - so far - does not mean he has any less of a need to exert control.]
[He takes a moment, then, to think. Bruno's connection to him could be dangerous. An ally of a man like Giorno - a subordinate of Giorno's - could easily draw parallels to other men, less skilled, perhaps, but more overtly dangerous. And yet keeping the truth from them would be a lie, and could cement any lingering distrust. Giorno would like to protect Bruno, even though he knows he doesn't need it; would like to keep him entirely out of harm's way. Especially given how similar Star Platinum's power is to King Crimson's. But that wouldn't just be unnecessary, it would be an insult.]
[It's harder to decide than he thought it would be. In the end, he thinks he needs more information. It's possible - probable, even - that the two other Stand users might assume a connection between the two of them, with or without proof. They both have Italian names; they have similar demeanors, cautious and untrusting. And Stand users gravitate to other Stand users.]
[His gaze is steady on Bruno for a moment as he thinks silently. Then:]
In the interest of controlling their distrust . . . I need to give you all the information I have. They disclosed it to me freely [more or less], but if you come across them and seem aware of it, they'll assume we know each other. This may not be the wisest course.
Kakyoin and Kujo are friends. They traveled together from Japan to Egypt in the company of several others to kill a man named Dio. [His expression doesn't flicker, not one bit.] This man was a Stand user; his Stand had the power to stop time. This man also killed Kakyoin. Kujo killed him. Kujo's Stand possesses the power to stop time as well.
[He watches Bruno carefully for a reaction, unsure whether or not to expect one. On the one hand, surely he remembers King Crimson as well as Giorno does; on the other hand, Bruno is not one to react when a reaction is unnecessary, or even when it is. He keeps everything locked up tight. Outward calm means almost nothing on Bruno Buccellati.]
no subject
[His fingers curl in the middle of the table, and he watches almost dispassionately, as though the perfect nails digging into the wood are not his own.]
Yes. I will.
[Of course he will. He is don. At home, here, it makes no difference. Just because his domain here is smaller - so far - does not mean he has any less of a need to exert control.]
[He takes a moment, then, to think. Bruno's connection to him could be dangerous. An ally of a man like Giorno - a subordinate of Giorno's - could easily draw parallels to other men, less skilled, perhaps, but more overtly dangerous. And yet keeping the truth from them would be a lie, and could cement any lingering distrust. Giorno would like to protect Bruno, even though he knows he doesn't need it; would like to keep him entirely out of harm's way. Especially given how similar Star Platinum's power is to King Crimson's. But that wouldn't just be unnecessary, it would be an insult.]
[It's harder to decide than he thought it would be. In the end, he thinks he needs more information. It's possible - probable, even - that the two other Stand users might assume a connection between the two of them, with or without proof. They both have Italian names; they have similar demeanors, cautious and untrusting. And Stand users gravitate to other Stand users.]
[His gaze is steady on Bruno for a moment as he thinks silently. Then:]
In the interest of controlling their distrust . . . I need to give you all the information I have. They disclosed it to me freely [more or less], but if you come across them and seem aware of it, they'll assume we know each other. This may not be the wisest course.
Kakyoin and Kujo are friends. They traveled together from Japan to Egypt in the company of several others to kill a man named Dio. [His expression doesn't flicker, not one bit.] This man was a Stand user; his Stand had the power to stop time. This man also killed Kakyoin. Kujo killed him. Kujo's Stand possesses the power to stop time as well.
[He watches Bruno carefully for a reaction, unsure whether or not to expect one. On the one hand, surely he remembers King Crimson as well as Giorno does; on the other hand, Bruno is not one to react when a reaction is unnecessary, or even when it is. He keeps everything locked up tight. Outward calm means almost nothing on Bruno Buccellati.]