Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

On December 15th, 1888, a baby boy named Anatole Lewis was born. His mother was unwed, disowned by her family. She was only 18 years old when she gave birth. Her name was Mary Lewis.

Mary had become pregnant after an encounter with a charming and mysterious man named Dio Brando. It was one night, and Mary had not expected to have a child after.

She was unable to track down the father- she had hoped she would, and the two would wed, and she could have a happy family.

But she did not find Dio Brando. She never heard his name again.

However, word of a woman searching for the father of her child, reached the ears of a man named Robert EO Speedwagon. After the death of Jonathan Joestar, the last thing him and Erina Joestar wanted was another Dio.

Speedwagon kept a close watch on Anatole and Mary, but one never interfered. He never let them know that he even knew they existed.

Mary struggled for years, alone and afraid. She only wanted a good life for her son. He carried the charm of his father, but he held the kindness of his mother.

After many years of making desperate money, Anatole found himself an education and a job. 

Mary would not live much longer after that.

When her son was 22, Mary Lewis died of an unidentified illness in her lungs. She was only 40 years old, and Arthur was left to fend for himself. 

On February 26, 1910, on the day of his mother’s funeral, Anatole Lewis promised he would never let his children suffer like he and his mother had. 

In 1919, Anatole would meet Nottella Giovanna while on a trip to Italy. She was a rich, fun loving girl who went to parties every night and was sought after by many men. Arthur just happened to win her heart. The two fell in love, and wed one year later.

On April 16, 1924, Anatole and Nottella Lewis would welcome their son into the world.

They would name him Giorno Giovanna Lewis, but all those close to him called him Giorno Giovanna (or Giogio) as a nickname.

Giorno was blessed with his father's golden hair, and his mother’s blue eyes. He was a beautiful child, even from birth. Those around him called him an angel, and he lived up to the expectation. Giorno was a quiet child, who always behaved and listened to adults. His life was bliss, and that was all Anatole ever wanted.

Yes, utter bliss…

Until it was all destroyed in just one day.

On a cold, dark night in 1931, Anatole Lewis was killed in a house fire. He was passing by the building when he saw a child trapped inside. 

The child was saved, but at the cost of Anatole’s life. He died a hero, in a blaze of glory.

Nottella was horrified. She was a new mother, now a widow. 

Giorno's face was a distorted reflection of Anatole, and Nottella couldn’t take it. 

She began to ignore him. She would cry, and when her son would try to comfort her, she would hurt him. 

But she hated when he left her alone just as much.

Neglect and abuse overtook the household. The Speedwagon foundation’s close watch finally came to use- not to save the world from Dio’s bloodline, but to save Dio’s bloodline from the hurt of the world.

Giorno Giovanna Lewis became Giorno Giovanna Speedwagon. Raised not by a mother and a father, but by Mr. Speedwagon and his entire foundation- and the remaining Joestars.

It was a big family, but it was wonderful that way.

Chapter Text

It took 2 days for Joseph to accept Giorno as a member of the family.

It took 3 days for Giorno to idolize Joseph.

It took 4 days before the two of them were no longer allowed to play in the foundation.

With both of them being orphans who adored Speedwagon and respected Erina, the two children bonded quickly. Speedwagon had been afraid they would have a relationship similar to Jonathan and Dio, but it was the opposite. Giorno loved Joseph, and Joseph loved Giorno. They were brothers through and through, despite Joseph being a few years older.

Only 7 months after meeting, the two were inseparable. Nothing could keep them apart, especially with the insane determination both had. It was a useless endeavor to try making the boys do anything without the other.

Of course, that meant they caused far too much trouble. Joseph on his own could be hard to handle, but adding Giorno made their antics almost unbearable. The most peace anyone got was when the two would run off into the woods and play pretend until the sun was no longer in the sky.

Despite being smaller and weaker than Joseph, Giorno always managed to keep up. Perhaps it was sheer determination to make Joseph proud, or the fact that Joseph made sure to slow down when they played so Giorno wasn’t left in his dust. Maybe a little bit of both.

That didn’t stop Joseph from getting carried away with his ideas sometimes.

“Joseph, slow down! You know I can’t run so fast!” Giorno was lagging behind Joseph, both running fast through the dense woods near one of the SPW’s locations. They played there often to stay out of everyone's way. “I’ll fall! Miss Erina will get so mad if I get hurt because of you being a dummy!”

“Oh come on, you can keep up! You’re as fast as me, Giogio!” Despite what he said, Joseph made sure to slow down a little to match Giorno’s pace. 

“Where are we going anyway?”

“It’s a surprise!”

The two ran, Giorno following close behind Joseph. The winding forest had no paths, but there seemed to be spots where the dirt had been run on so much that paths formed on their own. Giorno felt doubt creep into his thoughts- was Joseph leading him to somewhere populated? Why would people be walking here?

Suddenly, the older boy came to a halt. Giorno crashed into his back, falling on to the ground below.

“ Ow- ” he groaned. “Why’d you stop?”

In front of the boys was a burnt pile of rubble, but not anything like a normal house or bar that could have burned down- it was enormous, collapsed and charred wood laying across a large chunk of land. It had to have been some kind of mansion.

“Look, here it is! Cool, right Giogio?” Joseph grinned. 

“It’s a burnt house.” Giorno shrugged. “I guess it’s cool, but there isn’t much to look at.”

“Nuh uh! We’re gonna go look in the rubble! They must’ve been rich, maybe we can find something cool!”

“Miss Erina wouldn’t approve, y’know! Neither would anyone in the foundation. We’ll get in such big trouble-”

“Giogio, we won’t get to do somethin’ like this again! What are the chances of coming across a cool burnt mansion?!” Giorno opened his mouth to answer, but Joseph shushed him. “Don’t answer, it a rate-ore-ical question. Granny Erina told me about that yesterday, it means I ask and you don’t answer.”

Giorno huffed. “That’s dumb. Why would you ask somethin’ if you didn’t wanna know the answer?”

“Who cares? Let’s just go look around!” Joseph’s eyes shimmered and he pouted, his hands clasped together in front of him. “ Pleeeease? Just for a little bit? It’ll be no fun without you!”

Giorno crossed his arms and frowned. “ Fine . But if anyone gets mad at us, you’re takin’ the blame.”

The boys walked out of the trees and towards the charred remains of the mansion. It wasn’t just burnt, but it was clear the rubble was old. Tiny plants peeked out of the crevices of the wood, clearly struggling to grow in the circumstances they were in but living nonetheless. There didn’t look to be anything of interest. 

“There’s nothin’ here!” Giorno waved his arms around, gesturing to the blackened wood they stood by. “If there ever was, someone's taken it by now! This place is old!”

“There’s gotta be something!” Joseph kicked at a loose chunk of burnt… something. “I’m gonna look over here. You look around somewhere else! We’re bound to find something cool!”

‘No, we are not bound to find something,’ Giorno thought, but he stayed silent and begrudgingly followed Joseph’s instructions. 

After watching Joseph run off in the other direction, the smaller boy carefully stepped forward onto the burned wood. It nearly crumbled under his feet. After taking a few cautioned steps to be sure it was safe to walk on, Giorno moved along to look for something .

Maybe if he was lucky, he’d find a cool plant, Or maybe a cool rock, or-

Giorno stopped in his tracks once he noticed something small and shiny peeking out from under what he could only assume was what remained of a bed. It was probably some kind of sweets wrapper, but that was better than nothing.

The boy ran towards it, nearly falling on the broken wood beams laying across the ground. Nothing was stable on the pile of destroyed and burnt wood, so Giorno’s steps were shaky, but he still ran as fast as his tiny legs could carry him. 

Soon enough, he found himself in front of the collapsed bed. It was broken in the middle, but the shiny object was settled closer to the front, so it hadn’t been crushed.

Giorno bent down to get a closer look. It was just a piece of trash, but something beside the trash caught his eye. A small box, carefully wrapped in newspaper. There was soot coating the newspaper, but it was still in relatively good condition. 

Giorno carefully lifted the box from its tiny spot under the bed to examine it closer. Scrawled on the side of it was:

For Erina

From JoJo

Giorno recognized the name JoJo- it wasn’t just Joseph’s nickname, but his grandfather’s too. Jonathan Joestar, Erina’s husband. He could tell the gift was old- maybe something Jonathan never had the chance to give her. 

But that would mean this mansion belonged to-

“Did ya find anything, Giogio!?” Joseph’s yell broke Giorno’s train of thought.

Looking down at the wrapped box in his hand, he gulped. He knew if Joseph saw it, he’d want to tear it open right then and there. That just didn’t feel right. 

He carefully slid the box into his pocket. 

“Nope! See, I told you there was nothing here.”

Joseph groaned. “I guess you were right. The suns starting to set, let’s go back to the foundation!”

Giorno nodded, and the two raced back.

As always, Joseph won.

“So did you two have fun today?” 

It had been a few hours since the boys had their small adventure. Giorno was sleeping over with Joseph and Miss Erina, as he often did. He hadn’t really been able to focus since finding that box. Miss Erina, being the lovely woman she was, always took time to ask them about their days. Giorno just adored her.

“Yeah!” Joseph answered for the both of them. “We found a burnt down house! It was super old too, but there was nothing cool.”

Erina frowned. “That sounds dangerous. Don’t tell me you pulled Giorno into your trouble again, young man!”

“No, it wasn’t dangerous! All the wood was rotting and burnt, there’s no way we could’a gotten hurt!” Joseph pouted. “Just let us have our fun!”

“Well, you were very good today. I’ll let it go, but don’t try going back there ever again.” The old woman gave a stern glare to her grandson. 

Joseph groaned, but nodded. “Ok, I’ll go get Giorno’s bed ready. It’s getting late!”

Erina smiled. “That would be wonderful, dear.”

Joseph barreled up the stairs of his home, leaving Erina and Giorno alone. 

“Miss Erina?” Giorno clutched the box in his pocket. 

“Yes, Giorno?” Erina’s face was so, so sweet. Giorno had to wonder if his Grandma might have been the same. 

“When we were at the burnt house, I found something.” He looked down. “An’ I didn’t tell Joseph.”

“Well, was it something bad? I promise I won’t be mad, dear.” 

Slowly, Giorno pulled the box from his pocket and placed it in Erina’s lap. “It says it’s for Erina- From JoJo.”

Erina lifted the box with her wrinkled hands, looking at it closely. Her eyes widened when she saw the writing on the side- She must have recognized the handwriting. Giorno was sure of it now, that box was from Jonathan.

“Thank you, dear.” Behind her glasses, the woman’s eyes seemed to be clouded with tears. “I think I’ll open it with Robert.”

Giorno nodded softly.

Soon after that, Joseph sprinted back down the stairs. “Beds all ready, Giogio! Let’s get ready to sleep, I’ll read you some of that book you like!” 

Giorno gave Erina one last smile before following Joseph up the stairs and into his bedroom.

He ran too fast to see it, but Erina smiled back.

Chapter Text

Joseph Joestar was a hamon master.

Well, at least in Giorno’s eyes.

Maybe Joseph could only do basic hamon, and maybe the basic hamon was pretty powerless, but Giorno was still fascinated by it all. Joseph was already his hero before he showed hamon potential- now he was just cooler.

The mission now was for Giorno to learn Hamon.

That was a pretty difficult mission considering Giorno was 4 years younger than Joseph- only 9 years old- and seemed to show no Hamon ability. His father couldn’t use Hamon, and god knows DIO couldn’t. It was all up to chance.

But Giorno was determined to be cool like Joseph. He would meet his goal at all costs. 

Well, most costs. He did have a set of rules he always followed. A mix of the gentlemen code Erina had taught him and the businessman code the foundation had taught him.

…and just a sprinkle of the rebel antics Joseph always tried.

He was always a polite kid, but he had a few tricks of his own. Perhaps it was the Brando blood running through his veins, but he had a great ability for stealing wallets and other trinkets. However, He wouldn’t dare tell anyone about it, not even Joseph. Although he loved the Joestars and Speedwagon Foundation, he knew something was up with his bloodline. He hadn’t eavesdropped enough to know exactly what quite yet, but he was sure if they found out he stole wallets as a pastime, they’d grow concerned.

However, Giorno soon made is own friends- people who knew nothing of the Joestars. People with no expectations, good or bad, for him. It was freeing.

Although his friendships started slow, with one young boy. He was visiting Venice- home - with Erina, Joseph and Speedwagon. That’s where he made his first real friend.

And his name was-

“Ey? Are you really not gonna answer my question?”

Giorno suddenly jumped. He had totally zoned out.

“You took my wallet, didn’t you?”

This was the first time he’d be caught.

An older boy stood in front of him, even older than Joseph. Dark black hair resting on his shoulders and large blue eyes piercing his soul.

“I… uhm…” Giorno’s words caught in his throat. How did he catch me? I was so careful.

“I won’t be mad if you just give it back, alright?” The older boy, although his expression was Intimidating, his entire face looked… soft . Like someone you can trust.

Without a word, Giorno pulled the wallet from his pocket, stray coins he had stolen earlier falling to the ground. 

The young boy held it out in front of him with both hands, looking down in shame. 

“M’sorry.” He mumbled.

The older boy swiped the wallet quickly, and after checking to see that everything was still inside…

He laughed.

Giorno was confused, albeit relieved the boy didn’t seem too angry. 

“I can’t believe you actually gave it back- you did a good job, I barely noticed.” The laughter subsided. “I’m surprised you have enough integrity to return it while also being scummy enough to steal in the first place.”

When Giorno said nothing, the kid smiled. “I’m just messing around, alright? I steal wallets around here too. I’m just surprised you’ve got such a good method when you’re so young.” With shimmering eyes, he held out his hand.

“I’m Bruno Bucciarati. It’s nice to meetcha! What’s your name?”

Cautiously, Giorno took Bruno’s hand.

“I’m Giorno. Giorno Giovanna.” His voice was shaky, but Bruno’s smile only widened.

“That’s a funny name! I’ll call you Giogio then, yeah? We can steal wallets together, and make twice as much!” 

Giorno giggled. “That’s already my nickname. You’re super smart.” 

“I’m not too smart, kid! I dropped outta school already, but I’ve got tons of street smarts!” 

Bruno Bucciarati was one of the nicest people Giorno had ever met. Despite the fact that he stole wallets for a living (and definitely did worse things, although he didn’t mention that giorno) he had a warmth about him. It was similar to Erina, or the stories he had heard about Jonathan. 

Trips to Venice became a lot more fun after meeting Bruno.

Giorno’s second friend was quite similar to his first, in many ways. A kind soul- one who would teach Giorno some of the most important lessons of his life.

They met 1 year after the first meeting with Bruno.

Giorno was now 10, but with no Hamon ability in sight. He was afraid of never being able to be like Joseph- what even were the chances? His bloodline had no Hamon. He didn’t want to believe that he would never learn Hamon, but he was starting to lose hope.

Until he met Caesar Zeppeli.

A thug. Caesar was a thug, to say the least. He had told Giorno himself.

“I’ve committed every crime short of murder.” He said. “You’d better be scared of me.”

Giorno, however, was not scared. 

Bruno had helped open his shell. The facade of a shy polite boy still remained, but inside he was nothing but. 

And surprisingly, Giorno's refusal to fear anyone , even the strongest thugs, was admirable to Caesar.

Another friendship began.

Although, with Caesar, it was more of a mentorship. He taught Giorno everything he knew, including Hamon.

Caesar may not have realized he was using Hamon all this time, but Giorno knew. He watched, closely, examining all of Caesars techniques. Silently learning for years.

And when Giorno was 13, that all paid off.

Once Caesar had started proper Hamon training, he began teaching Giorno his lessons in his free time. Whenever Giorno would visit Venice, trips that became more and more frequent as the years went by, Caesar would try his best to find some Hamon in the kid.

“It’s breathing, Gio. Your breath is so shaky, mamma Mia ! You’ll never use Hamon like this.” Caesar slapped bod palm to his forehead, groaning softly. “You’re such a focused kid, and you can’t even breathe right.”

“I’m just nervous! What if I can’t do it?” 

“ Gesù Cristo , just breathe in and out! What’s so bad if you can’t use Hamon?” 

“You said it right there! That’s what’ll be so bad, if I can’t use it!”

Caesar sighed and placed a hand on Giorno’s shoulder. “ Il mio bambino , you don’t need to use Hamon to be good. You can be plenty helpful without it.” 

Giorno nodded sadly. “I just wanna be cool, like you, and-”

“Shut it, alright? You don’t need Hamon to be cool. You’re already cool, bambino .” 

Taking the hand that was placed on Giorno’s shoulder and moving it to cup his cheeks, Caesar chuckled. “I know lots of people around you use Hamon, but not being able to doesn’t take away your worth. L'erba del vicino è sempre più verde, Giorno.” 

The child felt his eyes prickle with tears. “But- if I’m not- I just wanna be-”

“Shh, shh, bambino. Breathe. Slowly.” Caesar’s voice was soft and comforting as he pulled Giorno into a warm hug. “Breathe in sync with me, yes? You can feel my lungs, follow their pattern.”

The younger boy closed his eyes, letting himself be fully embraced by Caesar. He choked on his breath, but Caesar only held him closer.

“ Breathe.”

Giorno began to follow Caesar’s breath.

His cries subsided as he focused on the air moving through his lungs.

In, 

Out.

In,

Out.

In, 

Out.

Giorno kept the pace as Caesar broke the hug. “See? No more crying. Breathing isn’t hard when you just focus, bambino.”

As he kept breathing in pace, Giorno felt something. A spark, a light, starting in his lungs and spreading across his body. Lightning flying through his veins, a power unfamiliar to him.

The tiniest spark of Hamon, barely noticeable, made its way to the tip of Giorno’s fingers.

But Caesar noticed, of course.

“Ah-” 

Giorno must not have, because he only continued breathing. The spark on his fingertips growing slightly more visible by the second.

“Hey, hey! Bambino ! That was Hamon! Right there!” Caesar cheered. “That was it!” 

Keeping his breath steady, Giorno opened his eyes. Surely enough, there it was. The same spark he recognized from watching Caesar train. Hamon.

“I- I did it, Caesar! Did you see?!” 

“Of course I saw, Giorno! Oh, oh, I’m so proud of you! 

Those words felt comfortable in Giorno's head. 

I’m so proud of you!

He couldn’t wait to make Joseph proud too.