[Bruno's eyebrows start to raise minutely as Polnareff cuts off whatever it was he was about to say because Bruno is fairly certain there was more to that sentence than where Polnareff made it end. But there's nothing filled in and Polnareff moves on, so Bruno decides that he might not want to know. Bruno shakes his head a little as Sticky Fingers carefully controls the tree's descent to the ground. Once it's down, Sticky Fingers splits it in half with another zipper.]
[That is the sound (and, in all likelihood, taste) of a liar.]
But I'm just warning you-- there are some out there. Or-- one, really, a leviathan, but one's more than enough, right?
[Chariot is both more and less precise than Sticky Fingers. His way makes more of a mess-- there's bits of bark and wood gathering in the area he's in-- but on the other hand, he's got cleaner cuts. He's a bit slower, though-- Chariot's only just managed to down the tree.]
[Yeah, Bruno doesn't actually believe that for a second. But because he's a generous and merciful soul, he'll let it slide.]
Mm, I've heard of the leviathan before. But as far as I know, no one has seen or heard anything from it since. [Bruno steps over a little closer to the tree that Sticky Fingers felled, glancing back at Polnareff.] I'm sure it will return eventually, but there's no sense worrying about it endlessly in the meantime when it might not even make another appearance so long as we're here.
I didn't say I was worried. I'm just saying, it's out there, along with all the sharks and squids and other creepy junk in the ocean.
[He wrinkles his nose at Bruno, even as Chariot hovers over his own tree. It's not a competition, but now Chariot's blade goes a little faster. Like, he's not going to do a shoddy job, but he'd like to keep up, thanks.]
Which, by the way, if you don't know? There's a ton of it. I don't know why goblin sharks even exist.
[While Polnareff is talking, Bruno's taking a moment to inspect the wood before letting Sticky Fingers further divide it. But at the comment about goblin sharks, Bruno turns his head a little, bringing the back of a hand up and covering his mouth as he laughs softly.]
And what's wrong with goblin sharks? I'd think a viperfish would be more difficult to look at.
[He likes that laugh, actually. He likes it so much that he plays up what he's saying-- not a lot, he really doesn't care for deep sea fish, but just a little.]
I don't know what a viperfish is-- and don't tell me, all right-- but goblin sharks, they're like--
[He gestures in front of his face, like that's going to help.]
That nose, first off, what's the point of that friggin' nose, but then they've got that mouth! It's not a normal mouth, it looks like something on a person-- why does a shark need a mouth like that! But then, if that wasn't enough, they've got a second mouth! A second mouth that just pops out like it's the alien from Alien, what the fuck is wrong with the ocean.
[Bruno watches the gestures, which does very little to actually illustrate what he's talking about, but does keep his attention entirely centered on Polnareff for the moment. It's not really until he gets to the second mouth part of his small rant in opposition to goblin sharks that Bruno has to turn his head away again with another laugh.]
Not everything in the ocean is horrifying to look at, Polnareff. Even some of the bioluminescent fish in the deeper parts of the ocean are beautiful in their own way.
Comb jellies are a good example. They're similar to most jellyfish, except the way they move creates the illusion of a shimmering rainbow underwater and they don't sting. They're sticky instead.
How is it I have two friends who know a lot about the ocean?
[It's not actually a complaint, just an observation. Polnareff reaches forward, prodding his downed tree with a foot. It's coming out fairly neatly, actually-- Chariot's started on cutting the log into strips, things that could eventually be filed down into boards.]
That's pretty okay, though. I could deal with seeing them on our trip.
[As always, there's not much of an outward reaction to the phrase our trip beyond the barest of hesitations before Bruno speaks again. He never particularly means to be, but he's almost always aware of the sort of talk that's inclusive and implies any sort of future even with as much as Giorno often talks like that. Bruno just doesn't invest much into it often because there was a time where even being in the present moment had been difficult once. He hasn't quite gotten around to being able to think beyond that just yet and worries about the consequences if he ever should for the people around him.]
I'm sure the species as a whole is grateful to have made the cut. Is there anything else you wouldn't mind seeing?
[He really does set himself up for it, Polnareff thinks; no wonder he'd been so ready to flirt a few weeks ago. Like, how is he supposed to respond to that? Is there anything else you wouldn't mind seeing, he says, and he actually bites back a grin. He's not entirely successful, but at least he tries.]
Whales. Any kind, not just killer whales-- they seem pretty interesting. You ever hear one sing?
I saw whales, of course, but most of the whales would keep their distance. Dolphins, on the other hand, were usually braver. Which isn't surprising. There are a lot of programs along the coast and islands for tourists and marine biologists to swim with them, so the dolphins aren't really afraid of humans or boats.
Besides, fishing boats go where the food is. They were smart to follow a boat for a few hours.
And be the one who has to explain to Giorno how I let his other consigliere be eaten by a leviathan? [Bruno hums softly in amusement and shakes his head as he moves on to identify the next tree.] I'd rather take on the leviathan given the choice.
Don't worry, Polnareff. You have my word that Sticky Fingers and I will do our best to keep you safe. [He looks over his shoulder at Polnareff.] And if any goblin sharks get any funny ideas, I'll be sure to zip their mouth closed for you.
[Drawled out, and he presses a hand to his chest. And-- all right, two trees apparently does not a boat make, though they've accumulated an awful lot of wood so far. Still, Bruno will (presumably) say when they've gathered enough, and so Chariot darts to the next tree, flitting past Bruno and Sticky Fingers.]
Is that a permanent offer, or just for the boat? Just to be sure.
[But I'm not your family, and the words are on the tip of his tongue. Certainly the confusion registers on his face. It isn't a rejection, not on his end-- but how can Bruno say something like that when they barely know each other? This isn't Giorno, who knows him so well in the future-- from what Bruno's told him, they only exchanged a handful of words.]
[Bruno turns to face Polnareff better as he explains.]
Giorno considers you a part of Passione and that's enough for me. Giorno thinks highly of you and cares for you, and my loyalty to him will always guarantee you my loyalty as well. That's all it should take from anyone in Passione provided you meet and protect his interests. But your place with Passione, from your perspective, is still the future. Giorno wouldn't have held it against you if you had chosen to keep your distance and I think you've always known that, but that's not what you chose. You've chosen to stay and keep a close eye on him as best you can.
[Bruno folds his arms loosely in front of himself.]
Maybe you're not exactly the same man Giorno remembers in Napoli, [he says, shaking his head a little,] I'm not the right person to make that call, anyway. But I can at least see the beginnings of the man who will look after Giorno, Mista, Trish, and perhaps even Fugo when he's ready, when I will no longer be able to. You protect the future I died for in choosing to look after Giorno now, even when you have no obligation.
That means something to me, Polnareff.
[Bruno places a hand on the center of his chest, over his heart, but doesn't let himself become distracted by its steady beat as he so often does. He doesn't need that right now.]
La mia famiglia è tutto e tutto è per la mia famiglia.
[Sometimes he's a little stunned by all this. It isn't that he and Jotaro and Kakyoin don't have the same bonds of camaraderie and loyalty; it isn't that those feelings run any shallower or less intensely. The things that Bruno says-- famiglia, and all the sacrifices and love that the word contains-- he can easily apply to the other crusaders.
But maybe it's different because he's gone through all that with them. Those feelings came from things he can recall; Giorno's-- and by extension Bruno's-- loyalty is still something touched with mystery. You protect the future I died for, and god, but thinking of it like that is terrifying.
All of this means that Polnareff exhales unsteadily, glancing away, unsure how to respond in a way that won't offend or sound false.]
Bruno--
[He meets his gaze again.]
Well. That answers my question, I guess. On-boat and off.
[It's a weak answer, and he scowls, annoyed at himself for it. Christ.]
Look, I just mean-- I appreciate it. Is all. And return it. You're one of Giorno's closest friends, and Jotaro and Kakyoin think you're great, and I mean, you seem it, so--
[Bruno is patient as Polnareff scrapes to find the right words and how he wants to say it exactly, saying nothing and his expression still as he watches him. It seems as though he's managed to catch Polnareff completely off-guard. How Polnareff chooses to respond, however, doesn't matter nearly as much as he understands what Bruno's told him. And he seems to even if the words in return aren't coming as clearly or easily.]
[Bruno isn't the type to self-deprecate, but he does think the opinions other hold of him are somewhat inflated at times. Bruno wouldn't deny that he does as much as he can as best as he can, but he doesn't see anything particularly extraordinary about any of it. Bruno ducks his head a little in a small nod and gentle smile.]
Grazie. [Bruno turns away again to look over the work of their Stands.] Mm, one or two more should do it and give us a little extra just in case.
[Emotional moment: semi-successfully navigated. Not only that, but he's going to walk away with even more things to think about-- because it was one thing to go through all this with Giorno in mind, and quite another to include Bruno in that thought process.
But! That's for far later in the evening. For now, Polnareff offers a grin-- not his brightest or his most enthusiastic, but vibrant and genuine enough.]
Please. Chariot is built for speed.
[The Stand in question straightens up, back arching, presenting himself a little. But if it's to be a race-- and it is, because he loves a challenge-- he's going to press every advantage. With a little hiss Chariot's armor falls away, disappearing into nothingness.]
[Bruno's surprised to see a change in Chariot's form since it's not often a Stand changes its form in a way that doesn't impact the user, but he puts two and two together as to the purpose of ditching the armor almost immediately. He chuckles softly.]
You're free to think what you want, but I'd advise against counting Sticky Fingers out like that.
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Not particularly, no. Are you?
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[That is the sound (and, in all likelihood, taste) of a liar.]
But I'm just warning you-- there are some out there. Or-- one, really, a leviathan, but one's more than enough, right?
[Chariot is both more and less precise than Sticky Fingers. His way makes more of a mess-- there's bits of bark and wood gathering in the area he's in-- but on the other hand, he's got cleaner cuts. He's a bit slower, though-- Chariot's only just managed to down the tree.]
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Mm, I've heard of the leviathan before. But as far as I know, no one has seen or heard anything from it since. [Bruno steps over a little closer to the tree that Sticky Fingers felled, glancing back at Polnareff.] I'm sure it will return eventually, but there's no sense worrying about it endlessly in the meantime when it might not even make another appearance so long as we're here.
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[He wrinkles his nose at Bruno, even as Chariot hovers over his own tree. It's not a competition, but now Chariot's blade goes a little faster. Like, he's not going to do a shoddy job, but he'd like to keep up, thanks.]
Which, by the way, if you don't know? There's a ton of it. I don't know why goblin sharks even exist.
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And what's wrong with goblin sharks? I'd think a viperfish would be more difficult to look at.
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I don't know what a viperfish is-- and don't tell me, all right-- but goblin sharks, they're like--
[He gestures in front of his face, like that's going to help.]
That nose, first off, what's the point of that friggin' nose, but then they've got that mouth! It's not a normal mouth, it looks like something on a person-- why does a shark need a mouth like that! But then, if that wasn't enough, they've got a second mouth! A second mouth that just pops out like it's the alien from Alien, what the fuck is wrong with the ocean.
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Not everything in the ocean is horrifying to look at, Polnareff. Even some of the bioluminescent fish in the deeper parts of the ocean are beautiful in their own way.
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[So, you know. Fuck that goblin shark nonsense. But his curiosity wins out over his loathing, and so after a few seconds:]
So like . . . what kind of bioluminescent fish we talking about here? That's the kind that glow, yeah?
[Sometimes he pays attention to Jotaro!]
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Comb jellies are a good example. They're similar to most jellyfish, except the way they move creates the illusion of a shimmering rainbow underwater and they don't sting. They're sticky instead.
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[It's not actually a complaint, just an observation. Polnareff reaches forward, prodding his downed tree with a foot. It's coming out fairly neatly, actually-- Chariot's started on cutting the log into strips, things that could eventually be filed down into boards.]
That's pretty okay, though. I could deal with seeing them on our trip.
[Our trip, like it's some big adventure.]
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I'm sure the species as a whole is grateful to have made the cut. Is there anything else you wouldn't mind seeing?
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Whales. Any kind, not just killer whales-- they seem pretty interesting. You ever hear one sing?
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I saw whales, of course, but most of the whales would keep their distance. Dolphins, on the other hand, were usually braver. Which isn't surprising. There are a lot of programs along the coast and islands for tourists and marine biologists to swim with them, so the dolphins aren't really afraid of humans or boats.
Besides, fishing boats go where the food is. They were smart to follow a boat for a few hours.
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[Do they have dolphins out there? Maybe. It's possible; they have a leviathan, so anything goes, really.]
Dolphins, whales and those light-up fish. Anything else comes near the boat, you have to deal with it. Deal?
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Don't worry, Polnareff. You have my word that Sticky Fingers and I will do our best to keep you safe. [He looks over his shoulder at Polnareff.] And if any goblin sharks get any funny ideas, I'll be sure to zip their mouth closed for you.
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[Drawled out, and he presses a hand to his chest. And-- all right, two trees apparently does not a boat make, though they've accumulated an awful lot of wood so far. Still, Bruno will (presumably) say when they've gathered enough, and so Chariot darts to the next tree, flitting past Bruno and Sticky Fingers.]
Is that a permanent offer, or just for the boat? Just to be sure.
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[His grin fades a little, now, as he studies Bruno's posture, trying to read his meaning.]
But not the rest.
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"Family is everything."
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Is that what we are?
[Quietly, and he rubs the back of his neck.]
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Giorno considers you a part of Passione and that's enough for me. Giorno thinks highly of you and cares for you, and my loyalty to him will always guarantee you my loyalty as well. That's all it should take from anyone in Passione provided you meet and protect his interests. But your place with Passione, from your perspective, is still the future. Giorno wouldn't have held it against you if you had chosen to keep your distance and I think you've always known that, but that's not what you chose. You've chosen to stay and keep a close eye on him as best you can.
[Bruno folds his arms loosely in front of himself.]
Maybe you're not exactly the same man Giorno remembers in Napoli, [he says, shaking his head a little,] I'm not the right person to make that call, anyway. But I can at least see the beginnings of the man who will look after Giorno, Mista, Trish, and perhaps even Fugo when he's ready, when I will no longer be able to. You protect the future I died for in choosing to look after Giorno now, even when you have no obligation.
That means something to me, Polnareff.
[Bruno places a hand on the center of his chest, over his heart, but doesn't let himself become distracted by its steady beat as he so often does. He doesn't need that right now.]
La mia famiglia è tutto e tutto è per la mia famiglia.
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But maybe it's different because he's gone through all that with them. Those feelings came from things he can recall; Giorno's-- and by extension Bruno's-- loyalty is still something touched with mystery. You protect the future I died for, and god, but thinking of it like that is terrifying.
All of this means that Polnareff exhales unsteadily, glancing away, unsure how to respond in a way that won't offend or sound false.]
Bruno--
[He meets his gaze again.]
Well. That answers my question, I guess. On-boat and off.
[It's a weak answer, and he scowls, annoyed at himself for it. Christ.]
Look, I just mean-- I appreciate it. Is all. And return it. You're one of Giorno's closest friends, and Jotaro and Kakyoin think you're great, and I mean, you seem it, so--
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[Bruno isn't the type to self-deprecate, but he does think the opinions other hold of him are somewhat inflated at times. Bruno wouldn't deny that he does as much as he can as best as he can, but he doesn't see anything particularly extraordinary about any of it. Bruno ducks his head a little in a small nod and gentle smile.]
Grazie. [Bruno turns away again to look over the work of their Stands.] Mm, one or two more should do it and give us a little extra just in case.
[He looks back at Polnareff again.]
What do you say we see who's faster?
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But! That's for far later in the evening. For now, Polnareff offers a grin-- not his brightest or his most enthusiastic, but vibrant and genuine enough.]
Please. Chariot is built for speed.
[The Stand in question straightens up, back arching, presenting himself a little. But if it's to be a race-- and it is, because he loves a challenge-- he's going to press every advantage. With a little hiss Chariot's armor falls away, disappearing into nothingness.]
I mean, if you want to lose, by all means . . .
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You're free to think what you want, but I'd advise against counting Sticky Fingers out like that.
[He tips his head a little to one side.]
The count of three then?
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