and my life was inglorious until the very end, but it was mine

by moodybluemood

When Narancia died, when Bruno died...it was hard but I was there. When Mista finally bit the bullet, I came for him. When your Pannacotta got sick I came for him too. I said hi to Trish after she died. And now look at you. I thought you'd die within the first week but you wound up a great-grandfather, so clearly what do *I* know? You did good, kid. You did real good. Asshole.

"Fucking finally."

"…Abbacchio?"

"You remembered my name."

"I named my son after you."

"I heard. Of course you're that stupidly sentimental."

"…Is my husband…?"

"Yeah, your plague boy's here. I figured you needed a minute to compose yourself before I took you to him. We're all here now."

"I'm so sorry."

"For what?"

"You were my teammate. I let you die. I lived and you didn't."

"Don't give me this shit, Giorno. I got the fuck over my own survivor's guilt, so surprise, fucker, you will too. I had a good run."

"You died with a hole in your chest."

"I died doing something good for a change. I died believing in something…so thanks for that. I mean it. There are worse ways to go. Our Trish died someone's nonna, so I did pretty damn good, didn't I?"

"Still-"

"Don't backtalk me, recruit. I mean it. Though I guess you're the boss now, aren't you? Or you were. Bruno's so proud of you."

"When you were alive, you called him Buccellati."

"Death's the great equalizer. He calls me Leone now. I wish we got to that point when were still alive but I don't have time for regret anymore."

"Have you been waiting-"

"I've waited for all of you. And you're the last one. And the last person who remembers me alive, which just figures, doesn't it?"

"…"

"Shit, Giorno, don't shake like that. I can't fucking stand it when old people get sad. Fuck, come here, you need a hug. Don't tell Mista; he'll never let me live it down."

"I never realized how young you were. You were just a boy, Leone. You could've done so much."

"...I think about that sometimes. If I had lived. I had a shitty life and I made shitty choices and I was a prick to people, but if I lived, I could have fixed all that. I was a dick to you when I was alive. Sorry for making you drink my piss. I had one shot at life and I mostly blew it except at the end, but I'm trying to be a better person now."

"…I never drank it, you know. I turned my tooth into a jellyfish that sucked it all up and then I turned it back into a tooth."

"What the fuck, Giovanna. Fucking freak. Thanks for making Passione not shitty. You did good. Welcome home."