[Even Giorno can't quite hide how pleased he is at this assessment. He is strong on his own - has been for years - and while he did need Bruno once, he doesn't anymore. He's don now, after all, a title that travels with him no matter where he goes; there's a power in him that thrives with support, but doesn't require it. And yet.]

[His fingers curl around the edge of his cup, a slight joyful motion, and he nods - because Bruno is important, and he's been so focused on catching up that he hasn't had time to actually be happy that he's here. Alive, or something far more like it than anything Giorno could do on his own.]

We are. Although . . . some things are a little bit more like convergent evolution, and some things are all his.

[His values, his beliefs, his influence.]

I told you about perspective before, I think. Bruno provides good perspective.

I hope you understand why I didn't tell you right away. For his sake, mostly. [For his sake in a lot of different ways - because if Giorno was cautious before, he's paranoid now.]