secret ☆ giorno giovanna x reader

XV. [you okay?]

"You've been a bit off lately."

Giorno hums, holding out a hand horizontally and tilting it in both directions as if saying, more or less.

Mista, who was dropping off some paperwork, couldn't shake off the feeling that his superior was acting odd the recent times he's seen him. Of course there was an attempt on Giorno's life a mere day previous, but it was something that the older male usually expected the blonde to shake off quickly after healing himself.

It wasn't that he was acting really weird or out-of-the-ordinary, per se; Giorno simply seemed out of it. Like he was constantly thinking about something far away. And although it was true that he was one to always be inquisitive and curious, he was not usually one to let it show.

Mista frowns. "You sure you're fine, Giorno?"

"I'll talk to you about it later."

"Fine," the dark-haired man responds, a bit of worry shown in his tone and in his facial expression. "Rosario's at the door."

"Mhm," he hums. "Send him in."

A moment later, the wooden door opens and the one that Giorno knew always set you on edge was present. A silent glance in his direction and the visitor knew to take a seat in front of his desk, the other instinctively pushing some files on his desk aside to face him clearly.

Rosario clears his throat in an attempt to calm the tense silence before speaking, "So."

Giorno only stares at him expectantly.

"I heard there was an assassination attempt yesterday. Glad to see you're on your feet."

"Yes, thank you. I'm assuming Mista or Narancia told you of the news?" It was a harsh glare, extremely obvious that he was in an unhappy mood.

"Uh, yes..." Rosario's eyes dart around. Anywhere but at the blonde man.

Giorno lets out a huff and caps the fountain pen that he was previously holding before adjusting his suit. "Let's cut to the chase. Have you found anything?" He rests his elbows on the dark oak of the desk and rests his chin on the back of his hand, leaning forward.

"I've found something interesting from one of the first cases."

"Do tell."

"I'm sure with Pantera's help you've found out that Quattrone was killed in his own office, and then the date of the killing was masked with fake blood. That's what's written in these files as a conclusion, anyways," Rosario gestures to the manila folder that he had brought with him. "Well, I'm here to be a little more inquisitive about this one. Actually, all of the murders and disappearances."

Giorno nods, silently urging him to continue.

"Well... as you know, Pantera's field is forensics. In a case, there's two factors to take into consideration during prosecution - actus reus and mens rea."

"The two latin terms referring to a guilty action and a guilty mind," Giorno responds, thinning his eyes. "And?"

"Quite clever of you," Rosario praises. "As you may know, forensic science is quite good at determining the actus reus of a case. However, determining the mens rea is nearly impossible," he smiles a sickly sweet smirk that Giorno thinks he's imagining as said blonde pushes the uneasy feeling to the back of his head.

"What are you implying?"

The dark-haired drops the smile and rolls his eyes. "Let's be frank here, Giorno Giovanna." He drawls out the letters of his name in a falsely playful way, as if he was trying to discreetly give off a menacing aura that left others confused. And it was slightly working. "Ever heard the phrase? Actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea."