Doppio was curled up in a chair, staring balefully at Giorno. Giorno was working on paperwork that the gang had provided him with. He read through it, signing where necessary. Doppio supposed the boss used to do stuff like that. The whole power exchange had gone over flawlessly; After Doppio had introduced Giorno as the head of power, his identity as the boss was accepted. Though there were doubts, no one outright refused to bow. After all, everyone knew that Doppio was the only one who had ever met the boss, and if Doppio was confirming it, who could argue?

Giorno flipped the page over, turning his head slightly to scan the new page. Doppio fidgeted, uncomfortable with being so useless. Well, not useless, he reminded himself, he was protecting Giorno. He made it very clear that Doppio wasn't useless. Doppio shifted his position slightly and chewed on his nails a bit. Perhaps useless wasn't the right word… perhaps it was boredom? Doppio had been sitting in that chair for what felt like hours. He now realized that he usually had gaps in his memory. Before he could stare off into space and lose track of time, just drift through his consciousness. Ever since the boss had been separated from him, he seemed to have lost the ability. Everything was slow now. Everything seemed to take more time and was so much more real now. Doppio hated it. He felt like he had to live out every second to its most extreme. He tried to drift off, no luck. Not because he wanted to shirk his responsibility of course. He was very grateful to Giorno and the others for saving him. And he was sure his ability to would activate if he or Giorno was in any danger. No, he was not ignoring his job to protect Giorno, he was just trying to make the painful boredom stop. The excruciating dullness rang through his head as though it was a knife. Nothing was occupying his mind. Nothing was taking the edge off the distress that was his mind.

Giorno yawned and look up at Doppio. His discomfort must have been obvious, because Giorno said:

"Wanna take a break? Coffee?"

Doppio leapt up off his chair so fast that he stumbled.

"Oh yes!" He enthused.

Giorno slowly laid the papers down and got up. He walked over to his office door and held it open for Doppio. Doppio felt stupid, wasn't that his job? Giorno shouldn't be holding doors open, he was the new boss. Stupid. Stupid. Should have been faster. Should've thought ahead.

"Thank you," he muttered.

He hurried through the door and quickly walked to the break room and held open the door for Giorno. Good. Good. He wasn't so bad afterall. Giorno entered and went straight for the coffee machine pouring himself and Doppio a cup. Giorno took his coffee black, while Doppio put three lumps of sugar in his and enough cream to make it almost white. Giorno just sat down with a sigh when Mista burst in. Doppio jumped so hard he dropped his coffee.

"Boss! We got a problem it's-" Mista started but he stopped when he saw

Doppio. He was panicking and picking up the cup pieces, as it had shattered when it fell. Loud huffing noises and sniffing slipped from Doppio's crouched figure.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no." He was mumbling.

Giorno stood up and walked over to Doppio leaning down beside him.

"Can it wait a minute?" Giorno asked, half turning to Mista.

"Uh yeah, but…"

"It's okay, Doppio, it's just a cup," Giorno soothed, helping picking up the pieces. "No need to get upset. You should be careful, you might cut yourself."

"I'm so useless, so stupid, so clumsy. Oh, oh, please don't throw me away, I try, I try." Doppio's panicked breathing quickened, he clenched his fist around a large piece of ceramic cutting his palm. "Ah no!" He dropped the ceramic and looked at his bleeding hand." Oh, oh no, so useless! I'm so useless!"

Giorno pulled a handkerchief out of his back pocket. Giorno, at this point, was used to Doppio's self doubt.

"Here, put pressure on it, I'll clean up." Giorno said.

Doppio held the handkerchief to his cut hand closing his eyes and trying to ignore how real the pain felt. In a moment Giorno put the pieces in the garbage and threw a towel on the ground.

"Mista?" Giorno asked.

"Remember those people of interest you wanted me to look into? It seems you were right to be suspicious. We discovered that one of them and his team were planning on betraying. We tried to break them up, but they managed to escape."

"Well, that's unfortunate."

"Who was it?" Asked Doppio.

"Machiato Solo." Mista said.

Doppio shook his head, "I don't remember."

Giorno sighed. "It seems we have work to do. Doppio?"

Doppio jumped. "Yes s- GioGio?"

"You and Mista will find this Capo and his subordinates and try to bring them to our side. If it proves impossible..." Giorno walked to a cabinet and opened it, he took out a first aid kit and gestured for Doppio to come towards him.

Doppio inched closer until he was close enough for Giorno to grab him. Giorno quickly bandaged his hand. "Well, I think Mista can take care of that part."

Doppio looked back at Mista, who's face was contorted into one of disgust. Mista slammed his fist against the door. "This is bullshit! Why do I have to work with this loser?"

"You're long range, and very capable, Mista, but he can see potential threats. You need someone who can watch your back, god forbid, you die of your own bullet wounds. It'll be for the best, since I can't really be there to heal your wounds for you."

Mista squawked indignantly.

"H-Hey! I can take care of myself perfectly fine!" Mista grumbled something inaudible, definitely using very colorful language. He glared at Doppio as the young man hugged his injured hand to his chest.

"Cannolo Murolo. You remember him?

Mista folded his arms. "Yeah. He felt ashamed for what he did and bowed to you or something?"

"Correct. I will arrange for you to meet him tomorrow. His ability will probably be useful in this situation. Come along Doppio."

Doppio chewed his lip furiously, sending furtive glances to Mista, who was still staring at him with distaste. He followed Giorno to his office and went to sit in the chair near him. He pressed on his hand as he sat, almost shocking himself with its response. It was distracting, and it certainly hurt, but there was a sweetness to the pain.

"Doppio?"

He glanced up and Giorno was staring at him. He must have been talking while Doppio was distracted.

"S-sorry, I didn't hear you."

Giorno nodded gently and repeated. "Are you ok with this mission? I think it's an opportunity for your growth."

Doppio withered under Giorno's kind gaze before saying: "I would prefer not to… but if you think it's good for me, I can try."

Giorno smiled, "I don't want you relying on me, and I'm sure Mista won't let you, so you'll grow more independent, understand?"

"Y-yeah."

Giorno's mesmerizing blue eyes locked onto Doppio's own pair.

"I just want you to try your best, that's all I ask."

Doppio let in a shaky breath. "I understand. I will! I will do my best!"

Giorno beamed, and the knot in Doppio's stomach loosened and he felt a spark of something he hadn't felt in a long time. Hope.