What does Bruno get out of relationship with Leone? (Tarot reading for Fiction)
Warning - this post has images of tarot and oracle decks which feature non-sexual imagery.
I am a massive Bruabba fan. That is, the theoretical relationship between Leone Abbacchio and Bruno Buccellati, two gangsters from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind. The main personal appeal of their ship is the idea of two men in wretched conditions being each other's anchors and home.
This is, explicitly, something Leone admitted to Bruno, after all. When Bruno admitted he is betraying the mafia organization they belong to, Leone chewed him out, called him a suicidal idiot - and then said he will join him, purely because to him, Bruno feels like home. Not queer in intention, it nonetheless carries one of the strongest almost-declaration-of-love feelings in a romance-free Jojo.
However, most of the Bruabba as a ship in fanworks focuses on Leone -> Bruno, which is to say getting into the nitty gritty of Leone's feelings towards Bruno. Which makes sense, cause we can see his emotions clearly on display. He never shuts up about how displeased he is, and he smiles or emotes fairly openly (or usually gets mad). Bruno on the other hand is like an antique statue, carefully put together and honestly idealized by many around him, with not much emotional bandwidth (except for his introduction against Giorno where he is almost like a bothersome silly guy, which could be a hidden part of his personality.) Most fanfics specifically also usually only focus on the inner world of one character with the extremely popular third person limited POV. And I don't blame people for focusing on Leone . Here is this broken guy, who is endlessly devoted to the other guy. The other guy who seems more stoic, phlegmatic and well adjusted. Of course people focus on the story of brokenness and I don't blame anyone or want them to change their focus.
However, I find myself disappointed and saddened by the fact Leone often gets reduced to this broken thing cured or fixed by the saint Bruno. It denies both of them dimensionality. Proper relationships require love from both sides and so I do want to explore what makes Bruno love Leone in return. One-sided affections have their place but not in what is meant to be - for me - a healthy couple.
This is a matter of expanding on fictional ideas. And while I have a fairly solid base in my head, I am going to treat it also as a bit of cartomancy practice. I shall use four decks currently in my rotation to answer a simple question of "Why does Bruno love Leone?" Using four allows me to tease out multiple dimensions and then to hopefully see similarities between the draws for even more ideas.
Decks used: Lubanko Tarot, Pvrgatorium by Friborg, Tarot des Ambiguites, The Wild Unknown Pocket Archetypes
Fun fact, the Emperor, in the Golden Dawn's tradition, is connected to Aries - which just happens to be Leone's sun sign! All other cards face to the left towards the Emperor and it’s kinda cute. Overall focus seems less cute. The Emperor could after all be work and chains and society. If this indicates internalized homophobia (on top of chain as a motif for fate that is common to Jojo), then this could combine into anxiety and trying to be masculine. The idea of androgynous man like Bruno still struggling with internalized problems is a fun thing to explore.
Forgive the interjection and thoughts. The question was WHY and we shall keep to it.
The Page of Cups and The Emperor mirror each other colour-wise, with the 8th of Pentacles in-between them like a mediator almost, or a transformation state. Considering that the Page of Cups is surrounded by the Golden Triangle and Golden Cup, it could be said that the 8th of Pentacles transforms and solidifies them into the Emperor. This signals Leone as being an extremely stable and solid presence for Bruno, permitting him to channel and survive as an Emperor, even with the heart of Page of Cups. 8 and Coins are both extremely stable. Leone is also like the crows on Odin-Emperor shoulders for Bruno, one of the chattering sources of advice.
Another thing is the overhang present on every single card - one of chains on the Emperor (although it is just a mountain in front of the background, the stylistic choice makes me think of framing), water on PoC and normal curtains on the 8th of Coins. This could be seen as viewing Leone pretty as a picture, and… this is silly but the thought of theatre comes to mind. It might not be relevant to this but put a pin into this, it will be relevant later! On the other hand it could also redirect or flow. Leone knows how to take the pressure of Bruno and Bruno definitely appreciates it.
Love between Hiding and Identity, shining like a Sun. It should be said, all cards in Pvrgatorium have both dark and good sides. Private love where one needs not pretend. Of course it would be simple to just say that love permits us not to pretend, but we all have personas. We all wear masks. Bruno, as stated, has shown a different side of himself in the early arcs. Linking to it in this ship is a possibility, perhaps an open invitation.
There are more roles that could be explored by Bruno in this relationship. Sexual, romantic, homeowner, civilian, just dating. The openness of being something else and trying more than being a mere gangster or saint who saves others. That is all very very important. Experimentation space suffice to say. Being embraced for both his darker side, or his lighter side is another reason to love someone.
The characters on the side cards have tightly bound hair, while the middle card has hair unbound, signifying freedom - freedom to be yourself yet again.
Hiding is easily the most terrifying card here. But it should be said that with the piercing light of Love and the generic lightness of the Identity card means that even if Bruno hates it a bit Leone sees right through him. He sees the boxes Bruno puts himself in. And even as annoying and scary this ability is, it is definitely one of admirable features of the would-be relationship.
This one is difficult - I notably dislike having two court cards eating up the free estate of reading. But it is what we got so let’s truck on.
Fluidity between the two on level of decisiveness. The sharp shift of turns between Page and Knight show dynamic movement between planning and carefulness vs decisive action. The Page of Coins could be results of our investment, or, in non-financial terms, foresight, which Leone notably lacks if he is incensed. Knight of Wand confirms this canon. They are back-to-back, which could be two sides of one person, OR notably, two people interacting. Hey we pushed the 3s of Cups aside for a bit, but 3s are two realities coming together for a new blossoming thing. In this reading Bruno loves Leone because he completes his approach with his intensity, challenges it, and also pushes it forward.
Two sides of one coin.
There are also both of the courts touching their belts. This is, according to Jodorowsky, one of the people responsible for Marseille tarot revival (if I remember), sexual. Now, sexuality is a forbidden topic but it could be that Bruno loves Leone for his courage in this area. 3 is not commonly associated with intercourse, 6 is that for me, but 3 is the seed of that.
The soil beneath the courts also moves from coloured normally in Page, to coloured black in Knight. Rich, fertile soil? Or a darkness of confusion, where they nonetheless ride together?
This deck is rather opaque - archetypes is something I do NOT enjoy thinking about thank you very much, but the art is incredible.
What is it that we refuse to accept about ourselves? Perhaps it is the fact that we are indeed sticky parts of everyone else, whether we like it or not. Our decisions affect them, and we hurt and heal with the same word. The Prayer card is a colour between the realizations - being self, with all of your worst parts, ones that are not brought to life, yet still respected. This is something Bruno needs - someone to love him regardless of his darkness, but because of who he is as a person as a whole. This seems to echo earlier findings.
The Prayer does remind me of Leone himself though. He has been in darkness. He sucked, and he found home. He reached out. Despite the fact the text outright states he is fully willing to die, he didn’t. He fights for meaning. He faced his lowest points and now he does his best. There is admiration to be found there if we interpret his endurance and hidden depths as ALSO something to be loved by Bruno.
And now for the overall picture!
One thing I notice is lots of full darkness. Across every reading mayhaps (even the Ambiguites Tarot has knights of wand with darkened ground). They make up just a small proportion of reading, but it does signify that darkness, in its many forms - stealth, alchemical nigredo, night - are in some ways part of this love. If we look at our conclusions from every reading, then they cannot separate their love from their darknesses. Their union has them both try to climb out of depths in different ways.
To sum up all of our findings, Bruno loves Leone because he represents someone who sees through his bullshit, empowers him significantly and provides safe space to be what he currently needs at the time. He also admires Leone for being strong and for having some unbeaten light deep inside him. Using cartomantic decks definitely helped me put it into words, even if some findings were rather doubled up, but that just makes the cause stronger!