[That's more than enough to bring a bloom of warmth to his chest, a sincere, incongruously soft smile to his face. He places a hand over his heart to feel it beating and thinks, yes, I am alive; I am alive here on this beach, and here is my friend who is also alive, brave and fragile and strong.]
. . . I'm honored, then. To be able to help you fight for what's yours, so you don't have to fight for it ever again.
[Underneath his words are everything he's ever said to Jotaro, affirmations that he's wiser and better and more giving than he thinks, that Giorno understands not believing it but will believe it for him until he can, that it's an honor to be his friend, his family. His opponent, in this situation, because--]
[He squares his shoulders.]
This might be arrogant, too. But I don't think there's anyone here who can begin to match us, except the other.
[Which is only right. Start a chapter with a fight, end it with a fight. Another thing that blood is: cleansing, the body's way of purifying itself, and they will never be pure or clean but if they shed a little blood tonight at least they can prove to themselves that they're still human.]
no subject
[That's more than enough to bring a bloom of warmth to his chest, a sincere, incongruously soft smile to his face. He places a hand over his heart to feel it beating and thinks, yes, I am alive; I am alive here on this beach, and here is my friend who is also alive, brave and fragile and strong.]
. . . I'm honored, then. To be able to help you fight for what's yours, so you don't have to fight for it ever again.
[Underneath his words are everything he's ever said to Jotaro, affirmations that he's wiser and better and more giving than he thinks, that Giorno understands not believing it but will believe it for him until he can, that it's an honor to be his friend, his family. His opponent, in this situation, because--]
[He squares his shoulders.]
This might be arrogant, too. But I don't think there's anyone here who can begin to match us, except the other.
[Which is only right. Start a chapter with a fight, end it with a fight. Another thing that blood is: cleansing, the body's way of purifying itself, and they will never be pure or clean but if they shed a little blood tonight at least they can prove to themselves that they're still human.]