Gold And Sapphires (JJBA)

Invitation invites Hesitation

It was just barely noon when Giorno got the news.

Blue eyes darted out the glass window. Outside the sun shone clear, evaporating the last morning dew and flowers bloomed. It was a beautiful day, really, but that wasn't what Giorno was looking at.

Below there were two people in very recognizable uniforms. Speedwagon Foundation employees, and across from them was a familiar man. With olive skin and chocolate hair, Mista conversed with them.

Giorno could probably expect the trio in this room; his office, in a few minutes. He should probably get ready. Giorno's eyes swept over the small bit of mess that littered the room.

The office was a strange thing. The walls were half covered in bookshelves, and the remaining space by plants. Flowers, small trees, a Venus fly trap and a few pitcher plants. The center of the room was covered in a scarlet rug, and atop sat a low table with a couch residing beside it.

His desk was also a green tinted olive wood. On it rested a lamp, and far more paperwork than any normal person should have. Trish once told Giorno that from looking at his desk one might think he was addicted to doing boring and dull tasks. He had laughed it off and said perhaps they'd be right. But Trish had only been half joking.

Honestly, it was only his desk that needed a bit of tidying, with papers strewn about, and a cup of half-drunk coffee, it was the one place that looked the least bit lived in.

So, Giorno set about neatening up the papers into straight stacks, all the while contemplating what could've lead to this.

When the two SPW Foundation workers had shown up he had been surprised. Giorno did not think he had done anything to earn a visit. Like they asked, Giorno had been staying away from the stone masks, and the friction between Passione being well...the mafia, and the Speedwagon Foundation being just...themselves, had been sorted out a while ago.

The only cause for concern that he could think of was when, a little over two months ago, Passione had destroyed a stone mask without seeking the foundation's counsel. However, it had been a while since then, and Giorno saw no reason for the Foundation to bring it up this late.

Which brings it back to the original question; why? Why were there two employees right outside his front door?

He supposes he'll find out soon enough—Mista had been sent to bring the two in, of his own request. Now Giorno just waited.

Sitting down on a cushioned chair, and waiting with only a slight nervousness in his gut. There was just something off; a feeling of unease that was telling Giorno this wasn't normal.

The door creaked open; slow and steady. Mista was first to enter, quickly strode back to Giorno's side with far less of his normal casual attitude. To keep up appearances was probably some of it, but Giorno knew there was a bit more.

Mista, in all sincerity, didn't particularly like the foundation and Giorno knew that, but couldn't change it.

With Mista by his side, Giorno paints his face over with a gloss of tranquility; eyes are sharpened, lips are curved, brows are unwound—all is done with expert and experienced brushes.

A saccharine smile is on his face when Giorno speaks to the pair. The younger is nervous, his hands clamped tightly around a white wax-sealed letter. Giorno figures he'll be seeing it soon. The older is stone faced with stiff muscles. Neither is at ease. Giorno figures he should fix that.

"Welcome, please," he gestures them onto the opposing couch. "take a seat."

In no time, guided by his honeyed voice—the pair is sitting down and there's a somewhat awkward silence in the air.