Descent to Corruption

16

The sound of distant clanging is what wakes me. As I slowly blink my eyes open, I see sunshine peek through the drapes indicating it's later in the morning than I would like. The weight of Leo is off me and it's not too hard to tie the ongoing clamoring with him.

The thought of him banging away on whatever pots and pans he has gotten his hands on makes me smile and it's what makes me creep out of the room without bothering to fix my hair.

Cold air hits my bare legs, clad only in my sleep shorts, I pause and look down before I reach the kitchen, where the noise is the loudest, but when I hear Leo's unmistakable giggle I forget any lingering worries about still donning my pajamas and I continue forward.

Stepping inside the kitchen, I have to walk around the island to spot Leo's characteristic black curls, after a night of sleep they're all mussed and springing in every direction. He sits criss cross on the floor in the middle of what looks like every pot and pan the Rossi's have and with a wooden spoon he thwacks away with glee.

I can't help but smile at his antics, and not wanting to stop him in the middle of his show I lean on the counter and rest my head in my hands as I watch him go.

After a particularly loud solo with a large stainless steel pot I hear grumblings from behind me and as I turn I catch the tail end of Nico's words.

"...see how much you like a metal drum solo when you're a teenager trying to sleep in, just you wait."

Despite now knowing he's a scary mafioso type, his annoyance is almost cute and I can't help but laugh.

Nico gives a small smile as he moves further into the kitchen, his lithe figure is highlighted in the slacks and button up he's wearing, and he uses Leo's focus on his drum work to allow him to sneak behind him and swing him up into his arms. Leo shrieks at the disruption, but as he twists and spots his uncle's face he settles for a moment before wriggling around as if to go down again.

"He was on a good roll there why'd you stop him?" I can't help but tease.

At the sound of my voice, Leo twists again in Nico's arms and stretches his arms my way, asking without words to be held.

I step in front of Nico and Leo all but leaps into my arms. Nico makes no move to move back once he's settled in my grasp, and if not for the babbles of Leo as he begins to twist some of my hair that fell out of the braid I had slept in, the lack of distance between us would be more palpable. My mind begins to wander to some more unsavory places and I can feel my cheeks heat up, so I take the initiative to step away.

As I do, Nico grabs my forearm, his touch immediately warming me and halting me in my movement.

"Bell, I know we did not answer all of your questions last night, but today I promise things will become more clear."

My eyebrows furrow in confusion, but before I can ask what he means he moves to the fridge.

"Pancakes work for you little monster?" He calls out to Leo as he looks into the fridge and Leo's squeals of delight at hearing pancakes is enough of a yes for Nico to begin pulling out ingredients to make them.

After breakfast and getting a chance to get showered and changed out of my pajamas, I find myself alone in the living room with Leo watching another Disney movie.

Nico had excused himself shortly after breakfast saying something about needing to keep the brutes away and I had not seen him since.

Leo is sprawled across my lap and with a hand tightly wrapped around a few of my fingers, he's enraptured in the bouncing, bright figures on the screen.