Swallowing the Sun
10th Sunrise: Together (Part I)
"Aria, can you sing something?" Giorno asked tentatively, clear turquoise eyes peering from long dark lashes.
With his request, all eyes were suddenly on Arianna, all the kids stopped doing whatever they were doing. Not that they have much to do in a cell, but they are children, bored children, so they'll do anything to occupy their time. And right now, they are playing charades, imitating animals or even the different 'wardens' that come and go into their section.
Luce's imitation of the fat sleazy bastard who bought Giorno and Arianna was by far the most accurate and amusing impersonation.
Giorno and Arianna didn't participate. The others tried to coax them to play to make them feel included, but the twins declined, sighting that they still don't know much about the men holding them to make much of an impression.
So, the two was on their assigned bed, with Giorno's head cushioned on Arianna's lap, playing with it and making little braids.
"You don't have to, if you don't want to." Giorno followed, taking Arianna's silence as refusal.
The other's eyes were still on her, it's not uncomfortable, if anything, it bolstered her confidence for that matter.
"No," Arianna smiled, thinking what she should sing, these kids hadn't heard of a lullaby in their life, right? Maybe she should sing one. "I think I'll sing."
The answering smile that Giorno gave her was enough to warm her from the cold she currently feels.
"Oh, oh, Vivi wants to hear Aria sing! Vivi wonders what it'll be."
"Hahaha, I could only hope that you have a talent for it Blondie. I still want to use my ears after all." Luce smirked, it was mocking in a friendly way, but Giorno took it as an offense.
"Aria's voice is like an angel, I don't think you have to worry about your ears." Giorno glared at the laughing albino as best as he could while still on Arianna's lap. What an adorable twin she has.
A fist buries into Luce's starlight hair, making him groan from exaggerated pain.
"Shut up Lucifer," Rosie's flinty silver eyes softened when she directed it to them. "I'm sure that her voice is lovely."
"Yeah! Vivi agrees. Aria's voice is warm and pretty, so Vivi is sure that she could sing. Right Ver-Bear? Big bro Curo?"
"Y-Yeah."
"Un."
Arianna could only chuckle softly at the eyes directed at her with attentiveness, all eager to please. It gives her hope that some innocence are still there in these children. Something she wouldn't mind protecting as they have grown on her as quick as seven days could.
(It's worrying that her fever wasn't gone yet, though it's now more bearable and nothing more but heated skin and some dizzy spells.)
Maybe she could finally discuss Madonna with Luce and start planning, Arianna by no means want to stay in this shit hole for longer.
Threading her fingers on Giorno's soft hair, Arianna started humming, the soft lilting tone filling the dreadful four walls of their cell and at the corner of her eyes, she watched the children seated on the floor.
Vivi leaned in eagerly, Rosie closed her eyes in contentment, Verde sagged in his seat swaying, Cenere's expression smoothened and Luce stared at her intently, though relaxed in a way she hadn't seen without sleeping.
"Stars hidden away from the sky
Still shines for you and I~
Shining in you and I
Bright as the sun
No matter what comes,
The dark can't hold you down
Cuz you are a special star, my precious star~"
The song is a traditional lullaby passed down to Joestars every generation, it is simple, sweet and short but nonetheless special. Sang only to members of the family. May she be Emi or Arianna, she is still a Joestar through and through, the star on her back is further proof of her bloodline. The Joestars are of noble blood and in old family myths, a family blessed by the stars, they even have a relic of a star fragment, held in the main family line, in her cousin Nathan's house. It looked more like a piece of jagged rock than a star. As Emi, she listened closely to her mother's tales about her family, soaking up every story into her heart and will never be forgotten, carried through Arianna in this second life.
She doesn't mind sharing this lullaby to them. These children needed family more than ever, even if it is just with each other. Giorno stared at her face for a few seconds and then nodded, turning to face Arianna's stomach and hug her there as she continue to sing.
They've already accepted each other as family and they seemed willing to accept the two of them as theirs.
It's only been a week since they have been together, and they all showed that they are all willing to welcome them in their arms.
And right at this moment, as Arianna continued to sing of stars and darkness and hope and light. She has finally accepted them as hers.
Arianna has a strong mindset when it comes to family, and Giorno shares the same value as hers. He had been more cautious to the others than her, unwilling to let them anywhere in. A week together and they still hadn't changed, cautious Giorno and his keen observant eyes is a great judge of character, judgement that he trusts as much as Arianna who has an innate talent of dissecting personality traits and emotions.
It was a mutual agreement between Arianna and Giorno to finally let the others in, now instead of two there is seven against the world.
From the look on Luce's face when he caught Arianna's eyes he already knew.
Giorno's eyes flitted from one side to the other beneath Aria's arms, the new room they are placed in are darker, dirtier and smelling of blood, piss and other disgusting things.
He made a show of being afraid, clammy hands and shivering body that even Aria from the looks of it, is convinced that he is afraid for the next course of actions that they would need to take to complete the plan.
Above them, Madonna kept flickering in and out like an illusion, from what he can see when he minutely glanced up, their Guardian Angel is incredibly worried for them.
Aria's body ran hot with her fever and Giorno tried his best to share his own heat when she felt her shiver. Placing his face at the crook of her neck, Giorno whispered an assurance.
"Just acting, don't worry."
With those words she seemed to relax, the hold on his clothes loosening a bit.
When a groan of a metal door sounded and followed by a bright light, Giorno tensed, but Aria's soft reassurance had him relaxing once more.
Giorno can only trust Luce in his plans and trust others to follow said plan.
They are his new family, and Giorno could only hope that the others know how much that entails to become his and Aria's family. That they don't take it lightly and betray them.
He may be young but Giorno already knows what betrayal is, he and Arianna has experienced betrayal since they came to the world.
(Betrayal is being neglected and unwanted by their own mother. Betrayal is being hurt by the people who are supposed to protect them. Betrayal is being sold by a person who was supposed to be family.)
The stage had been set for their escape, roles have been given and the script had been written, the only thing missing now is for them to play their part. Giorno isn't too nervous about his part nor Arianna's part of the play.
Because the Giovanna twins had always been phenomenal actors, on the spot or otherwise.
Here's to hoping the others could keep up.
A/N: Haven't updated this but I'm getting to the swing of things with real life. Uncooperative Capstone Project groupmates are a bane of my stress life. Due to that stress I produced this, another interlude for the grand escape hehe.