divine violence

4

divine violence.
_____________________
cerellia vienna marchetti.
_____________________

The dinner table quite obviously had a specific set up regarding where everyone was to sit. Eliseo was sat to the right of the empty chair at the head of the table, with Luciano in front of him but two empty seats down from the head of the table, assumedly for us to sit at. Dante sat to the right of Eliseo.

The table was already filled with plates of food in front of every set spot, three of the plates sitting in front of empty chairs.

Raffaele walked in front of me to stand at the empty seat next to Luciano, leaving me the seat next to the last empty plate. He pulled my chair out as usual and pushed it in for me before he sat down.

The rest of our brothers watched us sit down quietly. They seemed overly curious about us with their blank but obviously stares.

A few minutes of pretty awkward silence passed before an extremely tall, suited man walked into the room. His presence made the rest of my brothers stop staring at us, looking at him instead. He was obviously well respected.

His brunette hair was felled perfectly on his head, connecting to a short and neat beard. His eyes were the brightest blue, the colour clearly running strong in our family genes.

He took a seat next to Eliseo and I, at the head of the table. His strikingly blank face took a look at both Raff and I, the quickest flash of relief and joy passing through his eyes before it was masked perfectly again. He's good at hiding his emotions.

"Raffaele, Cerellia, I'm glad to have you home again," he spoke with a deep voice before turning to the table and nodding, which caught the attention of the rest of our brothers.

Everyone picked up their cutlery and began to eat the gorgeous meal of lasagna in front of us. I noticed the portions were excessive compared to how I usually eat. They may be grown men but I'm half their height and weight so I don't know how they expect me to eat this much.

Raff looked down at my plate as we began our food as well, pulling a face that told me he knew I wouldn't finish it.

"So I assume you've been introduced to the rest of your brothers, I'm Armani. I'm your eldest brother and legal guardian now, I'm twenty seven," the man, who I now know as Armani, spoke directly to Raff and I.

Raff spoke up for us politely. "Good to meet you, I'm Raff and this is Vi, but I assume you already know that as well."

"I do." Armani nodded.

We continued to eat again before I couldn't stomach any more of the food, despite how delicious it was. I ended up twiddling my fork around the plate to be less suspicious about it.

It didn't work.

"Do you not like it, Cerellia?" Eliseo noticed I had stopped.

I shook my head gently. "No, it's really nice, I just can't eat any more of it."

Armani looked at me sternly as the conversation caught the attention of everyone at the table. "You need to eat more than that, you've barely touched it."

I glanced up at Raff to see a look of understanding, I haven't been able to stomach full meals since we were left to fend for ourselves in the streets of New York. Something about never having enough food back then took a toll on my stomach, meaning me finishing this massive plate is not gonna happen.