prompt: first meeting, eventual angst, hurt/comfort, eventual confession
status: abandoned
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he watches him pour another bottle over his mouth, this time a dribble of wine escaping his lips. this time too, bruno doesn't stop the sigh coming from his own lips.
patience - he hears his father tell him, echoing the very depths of his soul. patience is a companion necessary for living. fishing / is / living. so the key to catching the best out of the best is nothing else but patience.
yet how come with every time he's visited and persuaded this man, his patience ran thin. compared to all of his recruits, abbacchio was a persistent and resounding 'no' despite his attempts of listing the other's traits that could help them succeed in any situation.
it was difficult. abbacchio was a force to be reckoned with, with self-hatred deeply-rooted thanks to survivor's guilt.
even so, that shouldn't even be an excuse to give up on him.
no - nothing should be an excuse to give up on him. there's potential in the man despite not being able to see it himself. it was bruno's job to bring those traits to light even if takes him countless numbers of rejection. hell, he'll do whatever it takes just to bring the other man out of this stump even if all he gets is nothing but a dismissive wave of a hand every time he tried.
"that's enough for today." he stands from his seat, a particular spot he's gotten comfortable and at home with every time he's visited. "no matter how much you drink, those demons of yours won't disappear."
the bottle of wine almost slips from abbacchio's grasp, yet bruno was quick to pull it away - one of his hands already stopping the other man from standing up to snatch it back. "what makes you think another swig of this vile liquid helps?"
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Naturally the man wasn't happy about any of this. He was perfectly content on just having a miserable life to the very end. It only felt fitting to at least try and repent for what he did. But, this complete stranger refuses to let up. The man just couldn't understand why he was so persistent with someone he hardly knew.
It was even a little annoying to him. That someone could believe in you this much on hunches alone. Where did this confidence even stem from?
Abbacchio wasn't really happy when his drink was taken from him and left to stay seated. Alright. So this person just invites themselves over each day and now they're giving orders?
"Why don't you start by telling me what all this is even about? I get you mentioned a gang, but if you know me at all you'd know that's a stupid thing to ask of me. So tell me what you're really up to. It's starting to get on my last nerve." He didn't answer the question, but he made it seem like he would if his question is answered. That or he was just trying to calm his head a bit before starting something.
Part of him knew this man only wanted to help. Which is why he hasn't tried to fight back much each time they showed up at his door.
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he watches him hunch over, pitiful and resigned, but bruno thinks this is better than wallowing in pain through intoxication. with the drink now in his hand, he sets it far from his reach yet the question still remains in the air between them. his back was turned to him, and bruno traces the lip of the bottle, lost in thought.
what was all this for? why didn't he just leave him be and found some other replacement instead? it'd have been easier, saved them both the trouble -
- but he knows that's not the case.
it's not about using him for his background. it's not about using him at all. "have you ever stopped and thought to yourself - " he tilts his head just enough to see him in his peripheral, " - in what way can i ever leave an imprint to this world?"
it's a question bruno asked himself quite often, and he'd like to know what the other man would say. he'd want to know what he says this very moment, so then he can decide whether or not all of this is worth it.
"answer that question for me, and then i'll answer yours." he then turns to him, expectant but not pushy, holding his gaze until one of them turns away.
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He glanced up at the man a moment before giving a heavy sigh, leaning his elbow on the table with his weight on it. "Imprint, huh?" He repeated, though seemed to pull away at the question, like it was some sort of secret to him alone. But, it could be the drink he had in him to make him ponder on answering the man. Mde his lips a lot looser than they normally would be.
He looked down at the floor, giving it serious though on how he'd answer. "Of course I have. That's why I became an officer to begin with. But all that made no difference at all. I was just someone to direct blame onto for every little thing. All I've managed to do-" He couldn't help but catch himself. Images of his partner laying dead in a pool of his own blood. The memories never changed. They were always vivid no matter how many bottles were emptied. He hated it with ever living part he had.
"All I managed to do was cost people their lives. All because I got tired of being useless. I screwed up big time. Just because of greed and selfishness. I should have done my job. If I had-" Abbacchio didn't want to continue. His voice was failing him. He didn't want to lay out his sins for the other to see. Not all of them at least.
He made it clear that he did want to make a difference. He just got tired of doing it the legal way and getting no where.
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"look at me." it takes him a few steps to reach the other's seat, but he stands there with his palm close enough to touch the man's cheek, yet bruno never made an attempt to do so.
"you're a man beyond your past. someone worthy of a future than the one you've already set for yourself." he waits for the other to look at him, and his smile - despite melancholic - was warm with understanding. "you've fought your battles alone, and i'm not asking you to drop everything behind and join me, but - "
he takes a leap of faith then and ever so gently presses his palm against the other's cheek. it's unlikely of him to do this much just to bring someone in his team. no, frankly, he feels there's much more to this. maybe it's the same look of despair he saw in his father that day when his mother asked him to choose to go with her. maybe it's the way / he / looked at him with plea in his eyes as if bruno held some answer to his lifelong questions.
" - i'm asking you to start your life over. it's not the best occupation for a man living in regret, and i can't promise it's going to be a fulfilling life," there's a small temptation to brush his thumb across the other's cheekbone, but he holds back. this wasn't the time, "but i can only hope to serve you back some semblance of normalcy before all of it went downhill."
he pulls his hand away and curls them by his side, already hyperaware that he's overstepping boundaries despite being strangers towards each other; a little less on his end, confirming the idea he'd done a bit of background check beforehand.
"it would be an honor to have you, leone."
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It was definitely strange to him. A person he'd never met before all of this was so determined to help him no matter how stubborn he was being. To have someone see hope where he couldn't. He didn't understand the motive at all, but he was particularly greatful for the efforts he put into an otherwise lost cause.
"To join a gang? You sure having a former cop is the best choice?" He asked as he kept eye contact with the man. Hoping to see some hesitation or doubt. And yet, it never came. This guy was determined, no doubt there.
Leone tapped his finger on the table, actually for once, ever since the met, giving his offer some serious thought.
He rubbed the back of his neck as he tried to think of all the pros and cons to this offer. The truth is, he had nothing really to lose from this. Maybe that's what finally convinced him. Someone had the faith in him he couldn't fully understand and maybe accepting would help him find out why he was so persistent and hopeful.
"Honor? Well, I hope for your sake you know what you're doing. You might regret this, after all." It wasn't a definite yes, but it might as well have been at that point. It's the closest thing Bruno was going to get.
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patience wasn't the only thing helping him, bruno muses. his own resolve to have abbacchio in his team was what pushed him through. his father was right, though he sees now it wouldn't be enough. not with / him /, at least.
he can tell there's still doubt lingering in his words, a barely resolute nod to his former offer. "are you doubting me already?" although he doesn't blame him, it happens to be one of the things he's been working on. he was curious if the other doesn't think he's credible enough to lead.
"i trust your senses, and i've no necessary background in leading people, but if it's any consolation, you would never be at harm if i'm around." to say he wasn't ready to give up his life for his group was an understatement. if the other can't see it now, then he'll just have to watch.
he swallows down the lump in his throat as he walks back to his own seat, exhausted but content. "your past does not define you, leone." bruno finds himself leaning back and closing his eyes, sighing. "don't think just because you're a former cop, doesn't mean you won't be of use to us. it takes resolve to pick yourself up and choose a path that you find fitting, even if strays from the path you've gone through."
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The fact he hadn't lead before wasn't the issue. Something nagged at him that this might just be a fix that wouldn't last. Something was bound to go wrong. He didn't know what or why, but he felt it. And yet, even knowing this, he was willing to agree. He found no excuse or reason not to at this point. Might as well humor the man for a bit and see for himself where all this will take him.
"Your past does. It's what makes you choose to do things differently. Since you're so quick to give advice here's mine; Forgetting or shrugging off your past will just make you an infant. They way you think amd act now is only driven by what you've experienced and done before. It gives motivation. Sometimes you just need help along the way." He gave a small huff as he folded his arms over his chest. Letting that thought sit for a moment.
"Fine. I'll join. One condition is that I at least get three days to leave if I start to not like the feel from this whole group you mentioned. After that you're stuck with me if I choose to stay." It wasn't solid commitment, but it was better than nothing. Besides, or didn't seem like he really had plans on leaving either way. It was just something to help him from over thinking this whole thing.
"Two days of you really feel uncomfortable with the uncertainty." He had motivation, no doubt there. Taking all this resentment and turning it into something productive might be a big job, but one that would definitely pay off in the long run.
"So, explain this whole situation to me properly. How this thing works and what my roles might be. Simple stuff. Where we have to stay and how contacting works." Basica stuff he needed to know. But, there was a test Abbacchio needed to go through as well. One he wouldn't have known about yet. Maybe once he definitely agrees to join then he should be tested. Or he could just be thrown into the deep end. That wasn't his choice to make.
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he takes note of his condition, knowing all too well how overwhelming this all could be especially if one really hasn't intended on joining although he thinks this conversation should be easy, so he rattles off to how the hierarchy works, the ins and outs, the who's and what's, and where they stand as a group. "i've assigned rounds with receiving investment from stores on our list of protection." how the other man could listen to him despite being drunk not too long ago was beyond him, but bruno welcomes the change without falter.
"we'll make sure these people are getting their money's worth." he takes a moment before dropping the last bit of information that could either make or break the deal. "before you could join, you'll have to take a test. I'm in no position to tell you what it is, but it's the one thing you'll need to do before you get accepted into the family."
the tension in the air is palpable. it takes a moment, but he decides it wouldn't be fair to put him through the test if he wasn't even sure himself. "take as much time as you need to decide, and your condition still stands. i won't push you through the test if there's no resolute agreement coming from your end. it's not a bargain, it's a decision you'll have to make someday and once you've decided, i won't try to change your mind."
it's a promise. he's laid everything out on the table. there's a sliver of hope that he'll face the challenge, but seeing the clouds of doubt spring to life with the way abbacchio curls his lip in thought - bruno thinks it might be too much to ask too soon.
despite that, he doesn't feel threatened by the plausible outcome of him backing down. he has a feeling abbacchio was a man of good reason. the mere fact he's alive right now proves that. all bruno needs to do is to bring that person out again and see it for himself.
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Abbacchio gave a small nod as he repeated everything once over in his head to make sure it stickied. Sure he was out of it, but he was good at this sort of stuff. Ask him small things about cases he'd done as a cop and he'd be able to tell you. Only for the things he is told and experienced. The things he read was about as memorable as they would be for anyone else. Something you'd forget in a year or so.
"It's a deal then. I don't mind a test. Seeing how the level of command works, it is someone above you I have to be proven to, right? A test out of your control and say?" In all honesty, it gave it some appeal. A test, a challenge to over come. There's no better motivation. It would make joining a lot more rewarding that way.
"I don't expect to see everything. I understand some things are secret to only the family. At least let me get a good feel for this environment you're looking to push me into. That's all really. I'll tell you straight up if I don't like it and want out so don't even worry about my hesitation." Upfront and honest. He is the type of person that would tell you to your face if he doesn't like you. He would sit by and silently be annoyed. Piss him off and he'll make you aware of it.
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he takes this as an invitation for him to leave, "you have my word, leone." standing, he chances a look at the bottle with his gaze eventually landing back to the other man seated comfortably enough despite a stranger in his home. "leave the drink. just this once, please."
he doesn't mention it concerns him, nor does he show any sort of remorse with telling him what to do for the nth time that day. "i'll be seeing you in libeccio, if you're ready." with that, he strides out of the house, glad with the results this day has brought them.
it won't be an easy feat, but he has high hopes for abbacchio.
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H
e definitely tried to leave the drink. Especially figuring he had a good enough destruction now. He'd gotten past the test rather easier than some. Being a past member of the force gave him some perks and pitty cinciderinv the event that lead to him quitting. Abbacchio's life changed and there was no going back. Once he made up his mind, took the test and became an official member of the family, he didn't look back. He showed no sign in wanting to leave.
During the day Leone seemed to carry himself well. All seemed fine from the outsider's eye. But, once they'd gotten a mission, a rather small one at that, things got more tricky. They were held up to wait for intelligence before they can go back to their usual lifestyle. The first two days went fine, but it was starting to slip rather quickly. He'd kept his addiction under wraps up to this point and all of them having to share a floor wouldn't make it easy.
It all might have gone better if Leone hadn't had a pretty bad night after. Reliving a memory that clinged to him in his sleep. Causing him take wake up in a panic and cold sweat. It gave him ticks the following day. And when it happened for a second time he caved in. Seeking the comfort a bottle could only seem to give him.
They each had their own rooms, but with walls this thin, there wasn't much of a point to them. Popping the cork and the loud sound the liquid would make after the bottle had been emptied half way might as well have been played over a microphone given the utter silence of the night.
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had it been any other day, he wouldn't have known. had it been one of the nights he had to leave and tend to other things, he wouldn't have been able to help, but - fortunately, he was there, stuck doing paperwork during ungodly hours of the morning. heaven forbid he'd let this man fall back into habit when he's been doing well.
and god, he was doing so well too. he'd watch him pick himself up time and time again - entrusted him with a few minor work to deal with. there was no hesitation, no fallbacks. but he should've seen the red flags.
which is why the moment he hears that familiar sound just a few rooms down, he swears he feels his heart drop. how long has it been since he last resorted to that? a few weeks? a month? he hasn't been counting. as long as the other man was holding up, he trusted there wouldn't be any mishaps -
-not that there were any. abbacchio played well in the field, and bruno couldn't have been any more right with his decision to bring him along. he was proud of him; he was proud of all of them.
even so, nights like this should've been expected.
"leone," he knocks on the door, voice barely going over a whisper so as to avoid waking up the others, "talk to me."
it's the first thing that comes to mind; not a word of chastise nor disappointment. the last thing he wants was for the other man to lock him out, not just his room, but from his world as well. abbacchio has to learn to trust bruno, and possibly reach out to him if events like these occur.
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He honestly hadn't expected someone to be at his door. His words were even more surprising. If it had been a few weeks earlier he would've locked him out without hesitation. Saying things like 'Leave me alone' or 'I'm not in the mood to talk'. But now, he was caught only considering it for a moment.
But now his guilt was eating away at him. He'd tried his best to improve and all it took was two bad nights to push him back to the starting line. He felt pathetic for it. "I don't think talking is going to solve this to be completely honest with you."
Leone might be strong physically, but honestly he was at the point of just breaking down mentally. He couldn't handle it anymore. Everything stacked on each other just made it feel a lot worse than it probably is.
But, he didn't turn the other away. He didn't chase him off either. It was up to him if he wanted to stay or not. It was up to Bruno what he'd want to do with him now.
He wouldn't even flinch if he got kicked out at this point. No hard feelings at all. Leone would understand regardless of the motives.
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his words rang true. as far as abbacchio was concerned, words never really went through him. he'd shrug bruno off the first time they met, that much is enough of a reason not to push through with mere solemn talks. he leans against the door, eyes closing out of reflex once he lets out a deep sigh. "then allow me to keep you company."
he mentally counts the seconds until he hears something on the other side of the door. he thinks maybe abbacchio was about to open it. a little more persuasion then. "i won't say a word. i just want to make sure you're okay." the last statement was more of a plea. maybe it's because it was late. maybe - maybe it's the quiet of the night. maybe because he was tired.
but when he feels the door slowly open, he smiles - relieved. "pardon my intrusion." this isn't the most ideal situation, especially when both of them are at their most vulnerable state; one who's about to breakdown, the other near exhaustion. for the most part, bruno remains quiet as he's taken solace on the bed ( not that there was much of a place to sit anywhere else in the room ), watching the other chug down what's left of the bottle.
it was familiar. all of this was. it strikes something in him and for a second, he swallows a pathetic lump in his throat as the thought of tucking the other's hair behind his ear came across him.
'shameless,' he thinks, but for some reason, it felt right. for the same reason, he finds himself asking, "would you mind if i sleep here with you tonight?" and it comes out exhausted. it sounds garbled in his own mind, but the words make it out and maybe abbacchio wouldn't think too much about it. maybe he wouldn't mind if bruno stayed the night to silence his demons down.
maybe he prefers this than talking.
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Leone didn't even mind really. He had missed two nights now of sleep so he was every bit as tired. He couldn't think straight either. Being tired and having mixed a whole bottle wine into the mix wasn't the best thing he could've done. Not to mention that he hadn't exactly been eating a whole lot. There was nothing to dampen the effects in him.
He let out a soft sigh before giving a nod. He was technically his boss, but he didn't really seem to care about that gap now. He wrapped an arm around the younger man.
He leaned slightly against him in the process. Leone might just be running on auto pilot, but he seemed to feel a bit better for it. He just needed some comforting to keep those horrible memories buried.
Replacing an addiction with another one really.
After a moment or so Leone had let go of him only to lay down and give the man as much space as he could. A yes. Not a verbal one, but one none the less. It didn't really feel right or fair to the rest of the group, but for the most part he'd just gotten fed up with himself and left it up to Bruno to decide if he really wanted to do this.
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there's no time to think about it. he wasn't given a chance to. he'd ask to sleep the night and what he receives in exchange was feel of the other man seeking comfort from him instead. he was stunned in silence, or at least, awake enough to realize he was inside the room of one of his subordinates.
is this okay? was he picking favorites by doing this?
he didn't think so - going to abbacchio's room was more of an instinct he hadn't realize was there. he'd felt the need to be here for the other man despite the piles of papers he needed to finish. all of this was happening because bruno wanted it to.
because both of them wanted it to.
before he can even return the gesture, he feels the other pull away and give him space in the bed to lay down - and too much space too. he wonders if abbacchio thought bruno didn't appreciate the contact. perhaps, abbacchio didn't feel right asking for such comfort from him.
but wasn't that the reason bruno was there in the first place?
the darkness of the night gave him enough courage to lay down beside him, while ever so gently pushing himself close enough to reach for the other man against him, resting his arms around the other's waist to gently squeeze them together.
"i don't know what caused this, but like i said before," he places a soft kiss at the back of abbacchio's head, unprecedented and a reminder, "no harm will come your way when i'm around."
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Leone hadn't expected this, not at all. He thought he just wanted to rest by his side, but not like this. He felt the same guilt of favoritism. Abbacchio knew full well this was to stay between them and them alone.
The hell was he even thinking? His body was tense for a good while due to the closeness. It was embarrassing. He felt like a little school girl who had no control over the situation. Not that it was a bad thing though. He just never thought this way before. Not towards guys that is. It was a bud that hit him out of no where.
All of this was making him over think. But, enough to keep the bad thoughts far away. Leone was too detracted on questioning his emotions at this point.
When he eventually did relax he let out a soft sigh. Having a big 'screw it' moment with himself as he rested an arm over Bruno's, taking his hand into his own. It was the best he could do at the time. No way in hell was he turning to face him. That might just make him even more embarrassed and uncomfortable. "Get some rest already. I'm fine now so don't worry." If he'd ever had a sobering moment in his life it might be this one. But, it was helping him a lot to catch up on some much needed rest. Probably for both of them.
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in the midst of all this, bruno was less tense than the other man. it happened in a split-second. he presumes neither of them really know what they're doing, but it feels right somehow. fitting, even. so when abbacchio tentatively intertwines their fingers together, that's when bruno thinks he's done something right.
he hasn't really given thought about the normalities of what they're doing. isn't this normal for friends? are they even friends? they're bound from both work and home, so formalities of a subordinate and leader tend to go beyond what normal is, meshing together - with the lines positively blurred.
perhaps that's not necessary to dwell on. he's not bothered by it and he most definitely would love to do this all over again if the other man allows him to - and if this is what would help him calm down - by all means, he's willing to drop everything and pull the older man in a hug.
the thought - even for a second - leaves a smile on his face ( which he dutifully hides in the confines of the dark, and the strands of abbacchio's hair ).
with his thumb gently brushing over abbacchio's own, he hopes the other is lulled to sleep. friends would definitely comfort each other - but with the way he has his forehead pressed against abbacchio's nape was definitely something he's reserved only for him. ( he's well-aware he hasn't even thought this was something reserved, but ultimately he's isn't ashamed of what he's doing. )
the night may end soon, but with this - he hopes it'd last longer.
"buonanotte, leone."
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"And you, Bruno."
Honestly it worked wonders. He fell asleep so fast. It just made him feel safe and not having to worry about something bad happening. Honestly he hoped this would last a lot longer
With barely any time at all Leone had fallen asleep. Peaceful and hopeful that it would last.
He went without any dreams at all. Laying still as he even gave a light snore in his slumber. All seemed to go well up until it got closer to the morning.
His breathing picked up along with his heart pounding like he'd ran a marathon. But this was different. This felt a lot more real than it did every time before. Making him shift in his sleep as his grip got rather tight on the other's hand. It wasn't long before he woke up. Normally it would end there, but he was sent into a panic. Making him feel nauseous and cornered. The dark didn't help ease his mind in the slightest as he pushed himself against the wall.
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nights like these make him thankful he's a light-sleeper. growing up with a father whose life was on the line, he's learned to be cautious even in his sleep, so when he feels a strange numbness to his hand, he's quick to gain consciousness to figure out what was wrong.
he hoped it was a misunderstanding; that abbacchio had simply rolled over his hand and thus the result, but he knew such a thing can only exist in a world where they aren't part of a gang, and neither of them had lived a life filled with trauma.
when he tried to pull his hand away to wake the other, it seemed to only have made it worse; seeing as the other had fled to push himself further against the wall. at this point, bruno was awake and had his palms facing the other as he tried to coax him.
"leone - " he calls, making sure the other was fully aware bruno was there and he wasn't stuck in a dreamlike state, " - you're here in your room. you're safe."
so he starts with that, taking note of the way abbacchio's panic only seemed to get worse by the second. he proceeds to mention the process he was going to do, guiding the hand he touched to press against his chest so the other hopefully follows suit. in a state of distress, he thinks it would be best to keep mentioning what he plans to do so as not to frighten the other man.
'like talking to a frightened child.' he thinks, 'or pacifying a cornered animal.'
but then again, abbacchio was neither of those. he was going through some emotional trauma and bruno can't possibly pin that against him. the man barely had his life together when he first met him, yet for some reason, bruno was captivated with the other's snark and spite even in his depressive state.
"breathe with me, leone." he takes hold of the other's chin to make him focus on him, "there. that's right. deep breath. in and out. in and out."
although it takes a while, bruno sits it through with him; hand never leaving the other's where it was still pressed against his chest. he watches attentively so as not to lose track of abbacchio's state - and once he thinks the other has at least the mind to realize what had happened, bruno gently tugs the other's hand as a silent gesture if he wants a comforting hug or if he needs to talk it out.
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Naturally he was confused at first. Like nothing before that day had even happened. Like he forgot for a moment and reacted as if his partner had died just now, in front of him for the first time. But, gradually he managed to see the light at the end of the tunnel again.
He closed his eyes for a moment as he calmed his breathing gradually. Holding two fingers in the middle of his own chest as he tapped lightly as it trying to get his heart to follow the tapping. It might have been different, but it definitely seemed to have worked.
Didn't make him feel any less awful, but it got him out of a panicked state. Honestly, he was beyond fed up with himself at this point. He just wanted to go back to normal. It made feel like a burden that would just end up annoying everyone eventually.
Once he was calm enough he did move a bit closer. He refused to look the other in the eyes. He didn't want to see any pity or annoyance. Even if he wasn't, there was still a possibility. So, instead he just gave a sigh as he rested his forehead against Bruno's shoulder as he quietly apologized a few times. For waking him, having to put up with him, letting him down. For all of it.
If he wasn't so damn proud he'd be crying his eyes out by now. He just really didn't want to reach that point of vulnerability. Not yet at least. He had some strength in him still and he was going to use it for petty things like this.
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abbacchio's lack of eye contact made perfect sense. no one wants to be smothered in pity they didn't ask for. not even bruno asks for help and he prefers it that way. it's less of a controlling issue, and more of a personal preference. although in this case, he thinks it's necessary that he was there with abbacchio even if the other wouldn't think the same.
which is probably why the moment he hears abbacchio mutter apologies after he'd remotely placed his forehead on bruno's shoulder, the latter assumes that the exhaustion might be getting to him. it's the most vulnerable he's seen him, and he's more concerned than surprised.
the fleeting return of affection, the panic attack, and now this? clearly the night had a lot to offer and bruno can barely catch up; not that he was complaining. he liked this side of abbacchio - raw and unhinged. or at least, as raw and unhinged as he can get for now.
he wonders if they'd ever reach that point of trust from each other - not that he wishes for abbacchio to cry on purpose. he doesn't find the thought pleasing, but he'd appreciate it if abbacchio were to cry and look for him instead.
it's wishful thinking, but one can only hope.
"there's nothing to be sorry for. what happened just now isn't going to change the way i think of you and neither is that going to make me want to leave." is what he tells him, soft and reassuring while he lifts a hand to brush along the other's loose strands of hair, tucking them effortlessly as he mutters more reassurances.
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Abbacchio took a good long whole to calm himself down. Maybe more so enjoying the company while he could before making his mind up on what he aught to do now. As much as he wanted to he couldn't just stay like this the rest of the morning.
He gave a soft sigh as he pulled away, rubbing his eyes as he moved to the edge of the bed to get up. "I think I'm going to take a shower to clear my head a bit. You can rest up. I feel better now. Thank you."
He honestly dis. He felt rested. More so than yesterday and all this helped him get through this better than a bottle ever could. He just needed a good way to wake up now and get ready for the day. Even if it was only 5 in the morning by now. Maybe he'd repay him later. Like a dinner or something. A trip to the bar or café might be nice as well. Somewhere less formal and restrictive.
Leone looked over to him, trying to convince him he'd be alright now. That he didn't have to worry. Despite him not wanting to look the other in the eye to begin with. He at least wanted to give some reassurance of his own. "Rest up. You probably have a big day ahead."
He added as he got up ang gathered some clean clothes to change into once he was done.
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there's no guarantee that abbacchio was telling the truth or hiding behind a facade, but all he can do now is trust him to be honest with this one. "i'll try to sleep, and leone - " he's slowly carding through his own braids to loosen them out, placing the hair clips nearby as he prepares to lay down. he lifts his gaze to him then, seeing the other still not meeting his own, " - it goes without saying, but you can always come to me when... things like this happen."
he needs to remind him of that before abbacchio could run to his thoughts and possibly shut him out. he's not gonna risk that. at this point, it should be crystal clear that bruno would do anything for him and the others too. if abbacchio needed help, bruno would gladly assist.
by the time abbacchio repeats for him to rest, bruno promptly follows suit and lays down on the bed, listening to the other close the door and leaving him alone with nothing but the remnants of his warmth keeping bruno company. the silence was deafening, but bruno welcomes it with ease despite having to toss and turn just to feel comfortable. it's not the bed, it's the fact it isn't his room to begin with - and now that abbacchio was up and gone, tending to his thoughts before passing out was a feat he hadn't fully mastered.
he recalls the night in vague detail, placing an arm over his eyes as the situation dawns on him, fully immersed in the thought that abbacchio seemed to respond in a relatively normal manner. if his assumptions were right, he can even say that abbacchio might even be content.
if that's the case, maybe the next time he feels the need to drown in alcohol, he'd have an inkling of idea that bruno was just a knock away and he'd have another night like this.
the sigh that leaves him this time was nothing short of tired. abbacchio was right - he needed to rest. there's still a pile of papers he'd left unattended and they certainly won't answer themselves. so with the morning light hazily drifting inside the room with the fleeting warmth from the other side of the bed, bruno allows himself to be lulled to sleep.
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Abbacchio did do a lot better. A shower with slightly cold water definitely helped him get through this haze he felt looming over his head. Honestly he was glad that things seemed to have some positive side now. He was stuck in a pretty deep rut and his leader helped him out of it. But he couldn't shake this one feeling. It wss strange.
Warm and inviting, but he couldn't really see why. To be comforted like that didn't feel like like something simple friends would do. And yet, that's all he pushed himself to believe it to be. He didn't know why, it is just simply how he seemed to preferred to look at it that way. He was still over thinking, but now it wasn't about his days as a cop. It was now about these confusing emotions he had.
Leone ad got dressed, made some coffee and just waited about for the other's. Usually they all went to their favorite place for breakfast. Not that he could get close to anyone really. With the big age gap he didn't really connect to anyone other than Narancia. Like a little brother most in a way.
Once it got around 9 he went to check on the other, passed out and dead to the world. Leone quietly sat next to him as he moved a few dark locks out of his face before calling his name to wake him. "Bruno, the other's want to go eat. Want me to tell them you'll join up later?" Not to mention he wanted to tell them and avoid someone else look for him and find him in a room he isn't meant to be in.
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to be frank, he wasn't exactly a morning person. despite his usual appearance, mornings had been a tough trek for him ( especially with a night like that, he'd prefer to stay in bed for a while before going through the day ), but as someone with his position, the least he can do is to show his team he's ready to face the day head on. even so, he didn't think the person to see him this way was none other than abbacchio himself, but he supposes it's some kind of righteous poetry to share some vulnerable side of him as to what the other had shown him the night before.
the ticklish sensation on his face is what brings his senses to wake. it takes him a slow good stretch, a soft groan, and a shift to his side as he presses his face further into the pillow to acknowledge that it is in fact morning and abbacchio is already asking him a question about breakfast. { sometimes, he swears he's bringing up a family instead of gang members. not that he's complaining - he did recruit young men into his team so it's not like this wasn't to be expected. )
lifting his face to take a peak of the already groomed man, bruno gives a sigh. he swears one won't be able to tell that abbacchio just had an absolutely rough night, and he doesn't know if it's because he's still squinting against the morning light - blocking his perception - or if abbacchio just really has it under wraps, but despite that he greets him with a good morning, "good to see you're doing well." he rubs his eye, shifting yet again to push himself up with his elbows, "i hope it's not too much to ask, but yes, please."
he takes him up on his offer, knowing he wouldn't exactly fix himself fast enough to accommodate everyone's needs. "thank you, leone. i'll meet you at libeccio and try not to make a ruckus."
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It was so strange really. He'd never thought him to not be a morning person. It was a little cute even. Not that he'd ever admit it aloud. But, it didn't really matter. It wasn't like they had a set schedule for their daily routines to begin with. Sleeping in wasn't a big deal since people did it often enough.
He gave a soft smile and a nod once the dark-haired male explained his small plans for the time being. "I'll tell the others. We'll be there a while by the sounds of it. Fugo is going to tutor Narancia again so it won't be anything majorly bad. It's history lessons so I doubt he'd have one of his tempered episodes."
As much as Abbacchio would have liked to stay with him, he didn't really want to sleep again. He wasn't good with napping. His temper grew and his patience shrunk when he did. So he avoided it as much as possible.
Leone did clean up well though. He was rather good at hiding things from the others. Not that it was deep and dark secrets. Just things he thought they didn't need to know. Only Bruno really knew and he was fine with that much.
With a soft sigh he got back up as left him to sleep a little more. Closing the curtains properly so it would be a bit easier on him. "See you later then." Leone said with a slight hush, closing the door as he left. All that could be really heard after was him walking down the stairs, muffled conversations and then finally the front door closing as they all went out.
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there's a shift in the air between them. he can't really pinpoint what it was, but he knows it's for the better. ( he doesn't notice it at first, but when he catches a glimpse of the ever so slightly curl of his lip, bruno doesn't say a word but quietly stashes it in his memory. )
a traitorous little voice in his head wanted abbacchio to stay behind and nap with him, but he's not one to easily give in to selfish wishes. there's no particular reason to ask him to stay; bruno just craved his persistently looming presence. besides, all the others would think something was up if abbacchio took long enough.
not that there was anything up between them. he didn't think so, at least.
( even if he would ask, it was already too late. the moment he'd gathered up the strength to push himself up and respond properly, abbacchio had already closed the blinds / and / the door. )
he supposes today wasn't the day for that and proceeds to go about his routine instead. a shower is in check, and a change of clothes too ( he mentally notes not to sleep in his attire for the nth time. ) there's not much work other than drying his hair and rearranging the stack of papers he'd promptly left the night before. should he be a little late in arriving to libbeccio, it's not because it took him long to finish everything -
- he was just greeted by people who frankly knew and respected him within the small community he's been looking after.
by the time he's arrived, he's more than ready to handle the boys and their antics. "well, can't say i'm not surprised, but you all seem to be behaving." bruno eyes abbacchio at the other side of the table, curious as to why they were, "did anything happen while i was gone?"
he listens to mista discreetly avoid the question by spewing a bunch of philosophical topics that frankly didn't make sense but proved to be a good conversation starter just as bruno gave his order to the server. at this dismissal of topic, bruno raises an eyebrow but he doesn't bring it up - unless of course one of them rats each other out.
he looks at abbacchio for an explanation, ignoring the wary looks the others the younger men gave him.
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Abbacchio had been enjoying his tea and small dessert he'd picked out to waist some time on. In all honesty, it was one of their more relaxed days there. Normally big fights would be a regular thing, but there wasn't really all that much they got up to.
Leone pulled down his headphones as he made some room for Bruno to join them. "I'd say it was pretty alright. A small argument, but Mista stopped a big fight breaking out." He simply answered with a small shrug. He didn't really throw anyone under the bus. "Naranvia even got a 40% on his pop quiz." It didn't sound like much, but it is probably the best he'd ever done in a sudden test. The small boy seemed rather proud of himself.
Abbacchio didn't really do much at all. It just sounded like Fugo got impatient and before he could start something Mista stopped it all before he could attack the little one.
Despite the usual, everything else seemed rather quiet. It all seemed like a pretty nice day. They were still waiting for Intel so it isn't like they could go very far from their usual places. "Say, would you like to try out the bar that opened near by? The others are still too young to go. Legally at least." Plus, it gave him an excuse to say thanks to Bruno properly at least. Just a small night out. He didn't see anything that could go wrong. There are at least others about to take the Intel if need be.
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no other words could describe this feeling other than pride ( an overwhelming amount of it too ) as he looks around the table to see some sheepish smiles and a rather puppy-like excitement coming from narancia. "40% is still better than nothing. good job, narancia."
he gives fugo a pleased nod with how well their tutoring sessions were going. if narancia continues to work hard, he'll eventually get at least a passing score next time.
lastly, he tilts his head to the gunslinger, a smile already on his lips, seemingly aware that bruno was happy about the group, "and thank you for keeping them in line, mista. i'm sure it wasn't an easy feat, but you managed." with that, bruno then lets them go along their business as he turns to abbacchio, his attention undivided even with his food already served in front of him.
( though he does thank the server once the food is settled. he didn't grow up a neanderthal after all. )
"a bar in the morning doesn't sound ideal, especially if we're expecting intel about the incident the other day downtown." bruno leans his elbows on the table, a purse of his lips as he weighs the idea of them going out ( he's not particularly sure if this is abbacchio's way of asking for a private conversation, but if it is, then maybe - just maybe - he'll consider going out ), "if we could scour the area on our way there, i think it might work. we need to be on guard. keep the drinking to minimum, abbacchio."
bruno doesn't dwell on the curious gaze that mista was giving them, and proceeds to ignore the raised eyebrow he gets when they meet each other's eyes. if mista was listening to their conversation, then so be it. he doubts he'd read between the lines, and frankly, there wasn't anything between him and abbacchio. it was just a thing that happened in one night; not that it was wrong or anything to hide. it's simply not something to talk about openly - in the daylight. in front of a group. while eating breakfast.
he then calls for the others' attention, telling them about his plan on going out with abbacchio to scout the area for any possible skirmishes similar to what happened the other day. he advised to keep their wits about them and that intel was coming within the day. "we'll be back before you know it."
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It wasn't like he was expecting a morning drink so it sounded like a reasonable idea. Just something to end the day with really. He knew the other's would mind since most of them had gone out a night or so as well. Shopping it just walking around the area to pass time. It was a rather quiet job, so naturally some of them got bored rather quickly. "It's just to see if they're a good place to spend time at. Wouldn't want high expectations and be let down once the rest are old enough to go."
Not that he meant it. Just a casual statement that came across sarcastic really. He knew full well the rest wouldn't care either way since some of them have had drinks before despite the law. It could be worse though. It wasn't placed high on their list of problems. But, a drink might be nice, especially after the mountain of paper work Bruno has to get through. Leone definitely didn't envy him for that part.
Mista had moved to sit at the table finally, after standing off near the side instead the whole morning. Something about 4 people at one table bothered him immensely up until Bruno came along. Honestly, he took this sort of this too far at times. He even ate his breakfast alone before standing by them. He was a strange one, but all of them were in a way. It was just something they got used to at this point.
"Need help with some of that paper work though? You've been stuck with them for a few days now." Leone offered with a light sigh as he poured some tea for the other after refilling his own cup. It was a bit worrying, even Fugo seemed to want to help. Plus, they could definitely tell it was wearing him out at this point. Well, that was the excuse Leone also used as to why he was having a late morning today. It was just the first and believable excuse he could think of.
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"ah, perdonami. i've misunderstood." he purses his lip, letting the other explain what he wanted to say. brief as it may, bruno still nods, eyes not once leaving abbacchio as he spoke. "if you insist, we'll drop by later then."
he doesn't mention he's not good at holding his liquor. he's aware that when the alcohol takes over, he loses filter of what he says - and he wouldn't know what his drunken self could possibly say in front of abbacchio then; let alone in front of his team who would definitely join them later.
( he'd made plenty of bad decisions in his life, but he's sure a night's worth of drinking wouldn't really go beyond that. it'd just be a bit of fun. no harm in it - and he doubts it was abbacchio's intention to get him drunk in the first place. none of them really know about him being a lightweight when it came to that. )
that's a thought he didn't need to worry about - for now, at least.
and only then had he started eating; a soft hum at the back of his throat as he savors it for a good second until abbacchio brings up his paperwork and he's left wondering how often had he stayed up at night for him to notice?
( the only time he could have noticed was last night, and he wouldn't have thought abbacchio would even think of something like that when he was in distress himself. )
he watches abbacchio pour a cup of tea for fugo and narancia, letting the question hang in the air while he chews his food. "i've been working on them just fine -" he picks up a napkin and wipes at his lips, before looking at abbacchio once more; amused ( and flattered ) by the concern he was showing, "- it takes a while, but i can handle it."
he wouldn't have joined the mafia if he knew there was a handful of paperwork to deal with, but if in turn, his team gets out of living in poverty, then he'll do it. "thank you for the offer though."
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Abbacchio was one to take note of a lot of things. No matter how small or slight it might be he had a talent for finding things or noticing when something had changed slightly. This is also what helped him to read people so easily. It is this skill that made him join the group so fast. He could tell they were good people no matter how bad their past was. This was maybe the skill that also saved his skin a few times. If he didn't like someone it was because he knew full well that they were lying or withholding something deep down.
The man gave a soft sigh as he continued with his sweat treat, at least joining Bruno so he wouldn't feel like he was the only eating at the table. "Don't sweat it. But remember we are a team. If you need the help we'd gladly do so." It wouldn't make sense for one person to drag around the most weight. Only seemed fair to split the work. But, if he didn't want help, at least he knew he had the option down the road.
It seemed like a pretty peaceful day at least. He wasn't really worried about drinking out. He'd behave himself as much as he could manage. He had his fill the night before so he wouldn't push his luck. He didn't want to make Bruno uncomfortable either. He didn't seem like the type to enjoy drinking really. But he could be wrong. He was still getting to know everyone at this point. For the most part, Abbacchio had a decent time with the other's. They didn't really bother him much and they were friendly for the most part. So he didn't have a reason not to like any of them.
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the trifling sensation of blood running down his arm reminded him how feeble a human's body is. he wasn't careful - no, scratch that - he couldn't care less what happened to him when the gun was directly pointed at abbacchio. careful and cautious was out of the question. protecting his team was his priority.
it didn't register in his mind how he'd jump in the other's position, pushing him down just in time the gun shot rang in his ears. the piercing noise crowding his hearing and the pulse in his head reminded him he was alive - and that the shot was barely fatal, although his paperwork would be compromised. not that he cared at the moment.
a few more shots rang in the air, and bruno hisses in pain as he pushes himself off of abbacchio so they could find a place for cover. he meets his gaze for a second, and what he sees isn't something he's alienated to.
fear is such a common sensation that one doesn't need to read textbooks to know about it, or how to recognize it.
pain doesn't register at first, but when bruno tugs abbacchio to run with him; the dull throb in his arm and his now painfully bleeding shoulder kept his adrenaline pumping. "i guess negotiating wasn't their cup of tea." he mutters, looking at the crimson stain on his white suit, hoping to make light of the situation they've gotten themselves into.
it had been a few hours past brunch when they finally received some intel about the people causing skirmishes in their area. he'd dragged abbacchio and mista with him, leaving fugo and narancia to handle whatever business still needed tending to. mista was scouting the area for anything out of place while bruno opted to talk with them first, giving them an offer they can't refuse, but so much so - he wouldn't have seen this coming.
"mista would've heard the gunshots by now." he mutters mostly to himself while they search for cover. he wouldn't know if those bastards did that to scare them off or if the main intent was to kill them at all cost, but he trusts abbacchio would know how to aim so all that's left to do is to regroup.
bruno turns to the other man once he's done making sure no one has found them yet, "they're most likely going to keep mista separated from us. i don't know if they have information about us, but i doubt these lowlife thugs are any threat to passione."
he doesn't ask if abbacchio was okay. not yet. not in the middle of a fight. but he looks at him yet he doesn't say anything about why he did what he did in the first place. he thinks the other would understand. abbacchio was good at reading him in the first place. "we'll have to figure out how to take them all down without wasting a bullet."
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If it had been any other situation he'd be ferocious right now. He didn't care the reasoning or motive that drove his so called leader to take a shot for him like that. He didn't want things like his past to repeat. Even if he survived, that wasn't a risk he should have taken. Damn him for it. In the grand scheme of things, Leone wasn't worth saving that much in comparison. But, now wasn't the time. He'd chew him out for this later. He can bet on it. Right now he had to put his focus on the situation instead. Put those years of training to use after so long. They were behind a building, and if they knew of their stand abilities was still to be seen.
Leone asked for the gun before looking at their options. They can't just wait for Mista. It could easily turn on him as well. They can't afford his getting killed in this mess. "Open the wall for us. But stay low. If they won't expect us to be inside if they don't know about our Stands. It's risky, but we don't have many options. If I try to shoot from here, his backup will take the opening. Guys like these don't care if they get killed as long as the mission gets done." The longer time they have the better their survival will be. They would be able to observe more that way. Plus, this little test will also give them an opening to shoot and duck. With Bruno's ability, any place can be an escape route. They just need to be careful and not make their own moves as obvious.
"With this gun, it's better to be level with them, otherwise I would have suggested finding a way to the roof. The chances of missing would be a lot more even if it means we'd be safer." It was a risk, but one that had to be made at this point. He wasn't all that comfortable with a gun anymore. It gave him anxiety just holding it. But, with a smaller gap, he had less room for error. Pressure himself into performing.
"Let's go. Try to stay quiet and low."
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abbacchio's certainly crossed with him. even as he tells bruno what to do, there's snark in his voice that bruno only noticed as he's trying to put pressure on the bleeding on his arm. luckily, that doesn't phase abbacchio's reasoning and still proceeds to give his insight on what to do. it's the best option they have and bruno wasn't going to argue with it.
he calls out his stand, unfurling a zipper on the side of the building, large enough to be an entryway for them. bruno signals for abbacchio to keep watch outside until bruno was sure it was safe inside.
once there, hardly anything was of use within the building; empty chairs, barely standing tables, cobwebs on the ceiling - bruno took a step inside and his shoe left an imprint along the dust-ridden floorboards. it was old and creaky - and if he wasn't raised in a house similarly of the same age, he'd be certain such buildings didn't exist anymore. he guesses this was one of the abandoned restaurants in the far side of the town, although he wasn't so sure what the other floors hold, this floor in particular was held as a dining lounge, at least.
he motions for abbacchio to follow him in; not once letting up his guard despite being in cover. two shots ain't fatal but it's already a close call. he's not willing to bet his life on mere luck and chance. he's sure he won't hear the end of it from abbacchio either, but god forbid he'd watch abbacchio get shot right in front of him too when he could do something to avoid that.
and thus the result of his wounds.
abbacchio's body language spoke volumes for someone so meticulous in speaking up about his true feelings. bruno doesn't blame him, but he also doesn't want that to hinder his ability to aim properly. "leone," he stops by the wall, hearing voices nearby. bruno motions that there's at least three people and he notices the shift in abbacchio, "it's gonna be okay."
when he says this, he sees doubt cross abbacchio's features; the telltale raise of his eyebrow, the tilt of his lip - close to a frown but not quite, and of course a quick, subtle scrunch of his nose. "trust me." bruno situates himself behind the other man, wrapping an arm around his waist while gliding his uninjured arm to help abbacchio aim just at the small unzipped opening they'd left in order to shoot.
bruno then rests his head by abbacchio's shoulder, tilting his head just enough for his lips to touch abbacchio's ear, "all you have to do is breathe in - " he gently squeezes abbacchio's hand, " - and shoot."
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As Bucciarati was making his way inside Leone covered up the blood trail he was leaving behind. Hoping to throw them off incase they came that way with a sudden hope in their step. You can never be too careful with these things. As soon as he got in, he made sure to stay out of any window sights. Ceking the same for his companion. It was going to be tricky. But, with Bruno's help, it was going a little smoother.
When he helped him along, he calmed enough to aim right for the guy's head. They couldn't take chances. Not with so many of them around them. A leg shot might work, but he can still shoot at them. "Get ready to move through the wall at the back of the building." He knew this little area. There was a drug dealer that had a bad run some time ago. As soon as they were set, he took the shot. A nasty shot hoping right through his jaw and out his skull on the other side. No doubt he was out for the count. When the trigger got pulled Abbacchio grabbed Bruno as he ran him to the back of the store, letting him open the wall for us. The enemy was confused, so that helped to their advantage. He didn't take him far before stopping by another building's back wall. "Below us. Please open the floor. There's a storage area to this bakery." It wasn't to run and hide, it was to give them some time. Bruno needed his wounds tended to. Plus, he'd be safer that way. There is no way they aught to know where they went for a while. They were relying heavily on their guns and numbers. No doubt they didn't have Stands. It was an advantage to them. But for how long?
Once the floor was open, Abbacchio took up most of Bruno's weight for him, knowing they'd be falling on some boxes and flower bags. It wasn't a far fall thankfully. He checked if they were all okay before taking out the strap of his shirt to tie off the blood flow to the man's arm. "Honestly you idiot. Don't pull risky moves like that." He mumbled, flicking his forehead once he'd done what he could for the man. "Anyways. We have to wait for them to come over us. You can trap one down here with us. Would give us a chance to ask them some questions. They don't seem to have Stands, but stay on guard just in case." He seemed to be in his element. Thinking ahead as well as ways to cover what's behind them. Maybe even have a few backup plans just in case.
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leone abbacchio has never failed to impress him, and he sits there in awe - no, in admiration - ( and possibly a blossoming interest towards him to which he simply chalks up to a good amount of blood loss resulting to delusion ) at how quickly he'd taken over, patching bruno up and telling him what to do and which is the best course of action for them. he doesn't tell him yet that the reason for his earlier attempt of rescuing him was all uncalculated risk and by heavens, he knows the other will never receive it lightly, but what's done is done and they're here - safe for now, yet with a plan.
it's dark, and that much is a given, but he couldn't be more confused once his eyes adjust to their setting. the lower ground was not any better than the upper floor - cobwebs and dust, yet an encompassing nostalgia of what had once been there remains strong in the feats of what's left around them. he proceeds to scout the limited area with caution, following abbacchio's advice of waiting for their enemies to come looking for them.
"if you hadn't said this was a bakery, i would never have guessed." he mentions in the dark, surrounded by piles of what he can only guess were once ingredients and materials used for baking. he wonders if this was a family business once and for a second, he's filled with a longing for domesticity; those days of going out with his father to fish hit him in waves of unwarranted memories. "i think... i'd gladly take your offer for a drink once all of this is over."
he doesn't wait for abbacchio to respond ( not that he had a chance to ) once they hear footsteps above them. he doesn't count this time but instead follows the sound of the one barking out orders left and right. that right there is the one they'll need.
with a quick swipe of his hand, he creates an opening to trap the person down their territory and before the guy could even make a sound, bruno's already zipping his mouth shut. some grappling takes place and with much effort, bruno manages to push the man on the floor with a kick to the shin. he straddles the man as his own stand dismembers him, leaving only the torso and the head attached.
when satisfied that the figure beneath him wouldn't dare move a muscle, bruno cups the other's cheek with a quaint smile on his lips yet eyes held nothing more but phantom glee. "ah signore, i thought we already came to an agreement earlier?" his thumb gingerly brushes over the skin, wiping away drops of sweat. "but you decide to betray me and shoot my men with no account for what's about to happen."
he gives the man a pat on the cheek - one, two, three - with faux gentleness that almost serves as intimidation, though it doesn't take long until he lifts his hand to land a hard slap to the same cheek he'd been caressing seconds ago. "you'd think i'd ever spare scum like you? huh bastardo?" the sound of skin hitting skin resonated in the silence between them.
"you'd be lucky to think you'd even get out of here alive."
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Well, many wouldn't see what goes on behind the scenes, but getting to experience Bucciarati's leader instincts take over was really something that would take anyone off guard. He is normally a quiet person, so getting on his bad side was probably something most would want to avoid if this is the outcome they are to receive.
Bruno reacted quickly, Abbacchio would have also subdued the man if he had to. He had some experience in pinning people to the dirt before they even got to lift a finger. But now, his job was a bit easier. He'd just have to keep an eye to make sure the guy wouldn't pull anything funny, as well as guard the door for anyone potentially finding their way down there. He wasn't sure if the man had a Stand. You can never be too sure. So it was probably the best to dismantle him. Give him less options to work with and corner him completely. If he did have a Stand, this would probably be the best motivation to use it.
"Ask him anything, I'll tell you if he seems to be lying. A bullet to the knee might motivate him even more of he tries anything funny. Would he still feel it like this?" He questioned, but definitely showed confidence in his claim. Deal with enough criminals you get used to picking up skills to counter their survival equipment. Plus, this might calm Bruno down a bit. Being upset could just lead to mistakes. No one would want that to happen now. They were at the halfway point, so there wasn't any way back from here now.
After a short moment, gunshots went off in the distance. Very familiar ones at that. Mista made his way there and by the sound of it, he was taking care of anyone left behind. Leaving their commander in a rather hopeless situation.
As for the drinks, they'll definitely be well in for celebration. Here's hoping they'll have the opportunity to do that still. Bruno would need his wounds properly dressed first. At least they were clean shots. In and out. Would save them the headache of having to dig out a piece of shattered lead.
"Don't let your guard down either. Something doesn't sit right. If they were sent to give Intel, then they surly must know some things about us as well for them to pull a stunt like this. That, or someone bought them over by possibly doubling their price. Maybe even tripling it." Leone mostly just speculated, but seeing how the man reacted it would appear he wasn't all that far off the mark with that assumption. The man was clearly stressed and cornered. Someone bought their loyalty and threw them in the deep end in the process. Maybe in hopes of learning about their abilities by using a few guinea pigs to do the dirty work for them. That, or he was putting on a pretty convincing act. So far, he wasn't going to let down his guard. To him. There was someone else's life on the line here. He couldn't afford to relax until this situation is dealt with.
It would be up to Bruno to ask the questions now. Maybe starting with who they work for, or where they even got all the information they've been giving them to begin with. Up until this point, they had no reason not to trust them. But they might even have been feeding them false information this whole time. Maybe it was for the best this happened. If they had been lying then their other missions would have gone up in smoke before it even had a chance to start. There was a lot to reevaluate after this mess is dealt with. Here's hoping Bucciarati doesn't work himself to death due to this mess. A shameless workaholic. No doubt there.
"We have a lot of time to ask him, so feel free to take your time with this. We'll have to thank /the boy/ later as well." He was purposefully avoiding names. Leone made it obvious to Bruno so he'd do the same. For all they know, this group didn't even know how many of them there were or who all of them are. Best to keep it that way as long as they can manage.
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"how does it feel to be at the mercy of the people you're supposed to kill." he spat to the side, tasting bile at the back of his throat as memories yet again resurface to a childhood he'd spent looking after his father. this is the life he chose. might as well live it. he definitely needed a drink after all of this.
vengeful as one might think, bruno held no sense of remorse whatsoever. it was one thing to betray him, another to shoot at them, but it's damn near insulting that they even dare think he'd willingly let any of his men die. he caught a glimpse of the limbs trying its hardest to feel anything - reaching at nothing as he assumes confusion takes over the man in question. it's a senseless motion; freeing but it still leaves you powerless.
he curled his palm, feeling it throb while he reveled in the sensation ( aiming to punch next ) until abbacchio's voice pulled him back to reality, grounding him then. ah. right. they took this guy in for a reason and taking out his anger on him wouldn't solve anything.
"i'd go for the latter. the intel we were supposed to receive tied down to the opposing family that passione had been fending off for a good year now. the trouble downtown were caused by them - since the route of the drug trade has been overlapping recently. if all of this is true, they've most likely doubled down on their people." he chances a look at the man beneath him, thinking business was the only thing that led him to this. "it wouldn't surprise me if this one was bought as well."
at this point, the sound of gunshots had stopped, leaving the thought that mista had done them over, or he's in serious trouble. either way, they had to finish this interrogation before things got messier. "tell me this one thing -" there's regret in the eyes of the man beneath him, and he supposes fear lingered in there too. good. he'd let abbacchio shoot this guy's brains out once they're done. can't afford leaving unfinished business. "- if all my speculations are true, who else has been bought?"
when he pulls the zipper free from his mouth, they've been told a handful of names. he'll have to cross these people out on their payroll. information is valuable and they can't afford getting cornered like this again. "abbacchio, see to it that these people are taken care of in the next few days. we'll have to weed out unreliable sources."
he assumes abbacchio understood the weight of his job. bruno has to talk about it with him when they're in the clear, but right now, they'll have to do this one thing. "thank you for cooperating, but you must forgive me that this will be our final meeting." bruno then takes his place beside abbacchio, giving the final nod to finish the guy off.
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The former cop knew all too well what he'd have to do. Already thinking on what to do first. Once Bruno had stepped away and gave him the go ahead, he did just as he wanted. Dead in impact. No sense in making him suffer at this point. They had what they needed and torture would just be cruel and uncalled for now. "I'll ask Mista and Narancia to assist with some. When news gets out about this, no doubt some of them will band together. A bought man has no honor. They know full well they'd spill their secrets if it meant saving their own skin." Again, he spoke from experience. He'd dealt with these people. He knew to bring down the heads you just had to find a spineless man on a big payroll to question.
Abbacchio let Bruno lean on him a bit as he lead the way out of the dusty storage area. No doubt the wounds were taking a toll. He lost a lot of blood. He'll bee a little dizzy for a bit and he didn't want him to trip and fall in this state. "Let's see if Mista is alright. I trust he is though. Most of these guys weren't even holding their damn guns right. Like toddlers given a toy. Honestly." It was pathetic in his opinion. Out of all the people you buy over, you buy the ones with close to zero skill in killing. They were only good at sneaking around it seems.
✧･ﾟ: * Time passing...
Seems Leone had the right instinct for the most part. Mista caught them off guard. They were so focused on finding the other two that they didn't expect another person to show up. Couple that with his Stand abilities and they were goners before this night even got started. For now, they were back at home base, getting Bucciarati the help he needed. Nothing some medical alcohol and stitches couldn't fix. The holes were too small for his zippers, so he'd just have to bare with the minor inconvenience for a bit. Once he'd been patched up and the bandages covered up the wounds, Abbacchio gave him a look.
A moment of relief and then one of a parent about to chew a kid's ear off for doing something stupid. And lord knows there was a lot Abbacchio could have said. But, it never came. He just shook his head as he gave a low sigh. "Seriously. You're lucky you didn't die. I would have brought you back just to beat the shit out of you." He was joking, of course, but there was some seriousness to it.
"Anyways, you still up for drinks? Bet you could really use it right now. Maybe see if we can get Mista something for the backup as well?"
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bruno might be a man of many things, but he's not one to hold back even the smallest sounds of pain while abbacchio makes work with his wounds. he's bitten down on a piece of cloth - a towel maybe - which was handed to him by the other man not too long ago, hoping to silence at least most of his noises. he feels cold despite sweat clinging to his skin. at least this one's over and done with, he thinks. despite half-lidded eyes and an absolute lack of focus, he still catches the look abbacchio gives him and all he can do is wait for the onslaught of words that the other was bound to say.
well, he supposes being the receiving end of one scolding can't be too bad, right?
although much to his surprise ( and relief ), all he receives is a light-hearted joke which leaves him sighing out all the tension in his body as he leans back on whatever he can lean on, which in this case, is abbacchio himself. "at this point, i think dying wouldn't hurt as much." he responds in kind once he spat the said towel in his mouth, resting his head on abbacchio's shoulder just to seek warmth.
he's at least thankful for the moment's respite, closing his eyes briefly to take it all in. paperwork inevitably will be set back. they have a new issue at hand and god forbid he lets this one set out for too long unless he wants the higher ups to hear of their poor performance. he's not risking any of that and neither is he gonna jump the gun at this either.
but god is he tired.
he wants to climb back into the comfort of abbacchio's bed, sleeping without a care until he's more than ready to face the day. but such is a life of a mafioso. he can't ask for the simplest pleasures without paying a smidge of his soul to the devil. everything has a price. even peace and safety.
so when abbacchio brings up the topic of drinks and further discussion about the plan, he's already nodding even without lifting his head from the other's shoulder. "we'll talk it out first thing in the morning. for now, i wish to spend time with my team and not think of anything else." he's aware he told abbacchio they'll discuss plans once they're safe, but doing so now is taking off years of his youth and he thinks a bit of alcohol splurging wouldn't be bad.
"tell the others to get ready, i'll get dressed."
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He let the man rest for as long as he needed as he gave a small sigh. The worst was actually over. The clean up was just another job to do for a later day. In all honesty, all the adrenalin had gone by now. It left him rather tired and spent over all.
He needed a small relaxing night before the real work starts. Maybe they all really needed a break. "They're under age though. Maybe we can treat them to some cake and sweets tomorrow? Get some of that fancy chocolate Mista is always on about?" It was a better suggestion in his opinion. He didn't want them to be exposed so early to it. Could lead to a lot of bad effects. That, and he just wanted to spend some time alone with Bruno.
Once he'd rested a little, Abbacchio carefully got up and got Bucciarati a new pair of clothing. At least helping him to put on his top coat. "Say, when did you get this tattoo? The lace, does it have any value to you?" It was a little feminine actually. Not something you'd expect a gang leader to have.
Though, it was just really out of curiosity that he'd like to know, it wasn't really any other reason he'd asked.
Abbacchio figured he had to clean up a bit as well. They were at a pretty dusty place. Plus, the running and stress kind of left him in a bad state.
Leone was used to getting into uniform in front of others, so he didn't really think when he started to get changed in front of Bruno. Just getting on something clean and some scent he could spray on for the time being. He didn't want to go through the trouble of showering and fixing his hair.
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his spirits dropped - if only a little - when abbacchio had pointed out the others can't join them for the night. it would make for plenty of good memories, but perhaps when they're of age, he can bring them along. ah, but no matter - abbacchio was still there to keep him company and his presence should be more than enough for his thoughts to remain occupied for the time being.
he thinks he's not the only one taking a toll from the earlier events, seeing as abbacchio looks just as tired and beaten up while seated there beside him. at that point, he would have rather dressed himself, but there's no use declining help when it's already there.
despite that, bruno felt the need to return the gesture. he can't really find an excuse to do anything until abbacchio points out his tattoo. "my mother... she used to like patterns. we'd been very close; her and i, but she wanted to leave and i couldn't do that to my father." he finds himself placing a hand over the pattern on his chest, tracing just a few of the lines before he drops his hand, turning around to fix his hair by the mirror with its usual braid on top.
he was supposed to tell abbacchio he'd wait for him outside, but realized it's a little too late when he turns around to find him already undressed while picking out something to wear for the night. it's a wonder really how the other man maintained such a fit physique despite being out of the force for a long while now.
it doesn't take him long to change ( luckily ) but before abbacchio could turn to look at him, bruno stops him with a hand on his shoulder. "ah, let me -" he doesn't bother finishing his sentence as he already works through gathering the strands of hair in a gentle sweep of his fingers. he does it with precise movements as if he's done it a million times ( if not for his hairstyle, one might think he's been doing this for a little sister ), but to be fair - it doesn't take an expert to tie a low ponytail on someone.
there's no doubt abbacchio would be turning heads tonight and for some reason, the thought sparks a tinge of something he can't quite explain. for a moment, he wanted to hold abbacchio's hand ( and it makes him curious if he's already felt these things before today ). when he opens the door, he checks to see if the others were out and about before peeking his head back in the room, "shall we?"
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"Mother? I guess it has a special meaning to you. I took up the police work for my dad's sake. So, I guess we all need them to push us along the way." Not that it is always needed.
He stopped briefly as he left the man to fix his hair for him. Honestly, he hadn't tied it up in a while. It was probably better this way. He had naturally frizzy hair. If he left it to dry on its own and not straighten it, he'd have a pretty bad time. He remeber the afro it caused him, growing it out.
Someone doing his hear caused small chills. Not bad ones though. He rather enjoyed it actually. He could see himself falling asleep with attention like that. "Let me just wash my face. I'll meet you by the door?" Abbacchio wore slightly more plane clothing than he normally did. A black button-up shirt and black dress pants to go with it. He just also wanted to fix his makeup a bit. He rarely wore eyeliner, it was more so the iconic purple lipstick he'd have to fix after washing his face.
It didn't take all that long. As soon as he left the room he managed to get it done with no trouble at all. He'd done it so many times now, it was basically second nature. Though, this time it felt different. For the first time he was doing it for someone else and not himself. It felt like he was getting dolled up for a date. It was funny actually.
It was hard not to admire Bruno though. He was so young and chose to take on all the responsibilities life threw at him. Even as a child. He threw away a promising future, all for his father's sake.
Once Leone finished up he headed down to go out with Bruno. It won't be long before Mista would her to join them. He kind of liked them all. Sure he and Fugo can have nasty fights, but that was only because their personalities clashed a lot. "Right, ready to go?"
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if there ever was a time bruno found men to be beautiful, this would be one of the few ( if not, maybe even the first ). he hadn't really set an expectation, but he was sure abbacchio just exceeded them regardless. was the night so special that he'd been graced with someone looking like they just stepped off the runway? it baffles him how a bit of emphasis on those eyes and lips were all it took to look so effortlessly attractive. ( he supposes pre-existing beautiful features help that too. )
he feels under dressed, confused, and certainly enthralled.
he purses his lips, making sure his jaw wasn't hanging 'cause frankly it's too late to cover up the fact he'd been gawking. he prays it wouldn't be misinterpreted, but bruno was definitely appreciative of how the outfit ( especially now that he's got a good long look at him ) accentuated that body he'd been subjected to seeing half-naked not too long ago.
"right. yes." he nods to the side as he avoids eye contact, letting abbacchio lead the way. he clears his throat, finding the clothes he's wearing to be a little suffocating now that he's feeling a bit hot. it's embarrassing, really. to be flustered over something so miniscule when he'd killed men before and tortured others with no remorse, yet the moment one of his closest men dresses up for the occasion, he ends up a mess inside.
certainly it's something bruno wouldn't be able to tell abbacchio even if he asked for it, and god forbid the latter should even notice at all, so for a while, he lets the silence drag between them - letting the idea of exhaustion be the reason for his lack of interest in talking. he's not opposed to complimenting the other man, that's for sure, but he thinks there's more to this than that.
bruno doesn't think abbacchio's just some eye candy for tonight, but... for every single thing he's been doing with, for, and around the other man spoke volumes of bruno's own growing interest that didn't simply fall in the guise of friendship, but of a deeper affection he's willing to give to him.
and that thought is dangerous in and of itself. he fears such affection can be used against him some day, putting abbacchio even more at risk. so maybe tonight - maybe... he can drink away every little problem he's holding: his godforsaken paperwork, his people being bought off, memories that keep resurfacing, his stupid new wounds, and of course, his newfound but ever-present affection for none other than leone abbacchio himself.
so the moment they settle in, bruno asks for something hard - immediately refusing to look at abbacchio's curious gaze on him ( whereas he feels everyone else having their eyes on abbacchio himself. flattering to think the man people are looking at has his eyes on him. ). "i hope you don't mind, but i'd like to let loose for a while." he chances a look at him and god -
- he swears he could kiss him if he keeps looking at him like that, but he's reserved his emotions only for the liquor, so he bites his lip, forcing himself to tear his eyes away from him and looks down at the glass already set in front of him. he doesn't bother thinking about it. he doesn't bother thinking at all. so he just drank.
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Abbacchio couldn't help but think the whole walk to the bar. Something didn't really sit right. It wasn't to do with the battle or what had happened to Bruno, he had said his peace on the matter by now. But he still felt like there was more left unsaid. Why? He admired the man, but that was obvious.
No, it wasn't admiration. He had admiration for his partner. It didn't feel the same. It felt like something more. Something he'd known about but didn't want to see it. And he was left to wonder why he was doing this to himself. Like he was hiding the answers from himself for no real reason.
He knew it was just respect. Leone wanted to hold this man close to him like he did the night before. He wanted to keep that pure and bright smile on Bruno's expression for as long as he could. But, why? Because he saved him? Gave him a better life that definitely would have just lead him down the road and off a bridge with the way he was declining? Or, was it his kind words, his smile and the trust he was so willing to give? Bruno's determination and willing to put others before himself?
Leone gave a soft sigh as he took his glass and tasted the familiar substance, but he showed he'd overcome his addiction to it. He only now had a glass on specific occasions. Like this one.
He thought to push the thoughts away for a moment. He wasn't getting anywhere with them. It was funny. You'd think a man so expressive with his makeup and sense of fashion would have a lot of confidence in knowing themselves. Well, in reality there was a lot he didn't know. He didn't know why he preferred such dark clothing and colorful makeup, nor did he even know his orientation when it came to romance and relationships. He'd always failed in them so he just thought he wasn't cut out for them.
"Are you that tired? Then again, we didn't really eat dinner, and considering what happened I don't blame you. We both had a bad night's sleep, plus all the energy was waisted on that whole mess." They didn't really have proper food there, but it might be best to snack on something. Wouldn't want the alcohol to just stay in their bodies and have nothing to soak it up. It would only make the effects worse than they normally would be.
"Want to share some fries? Not really fancy, but this place is really only known for their good drinks and no so much for the food." Plus, it was a new place. It opened near a restaurant so it made sense as to why they don't give food.
He glanced over to Bruno, giving a small smile. He definitely looked tired and uncomfortable due to the hole left in him. Part of him wanted to take him by the cheek and comfort him a little bit. Just to see his somewhat dark eyes a bit longer. But, he stopped himself for some reason. Leone wished to just hold him close, but he didn't.
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a drag of a cigarette would complete the meal, but abbacchio offers him actual food and he can't really say no to that so they call for a plate ( no, he didn't want to have one for each of them. he wasn't feeling like eating at all, but - maybe he can add a platter of nuts in there ) and another fill of his glass.
"you know, i never got to tell you - " he lifts the newly filled glass with bronze liquid shining inside of it, swirling it so as if he's far more fascinated with it than what he was about to say, but he knows in himself that's not the case - which is why he tilts the glass to his lip and gulps it down like the finest water he's drank after a long, searing hot day.
he winces at the flavor and the particular aftertaste it left in his mouth, but finds the alcohol working its way to loosening his tongue and blocking out most of his coherent thoughts telling him this was a bad idea. " - you did great today, leone."
at the mention of the other's name, he places the now empty glass down and turns to the man beside him, giving him the warmest smile he could muster. it must be the alcohol but he tries to scoot his chair closer, a gleam of pride in his whiskey eyes while leaning towards his companion with uninhibited interest. he's still vaguely aware of what he's doing, but it feels as though he's watching everything unravel in front of him without being able to hold back.
"you know, i try. i really do." he lifts his good arm to rest his chin over the back of his hand - his earlier reservations long forgotten as he lets himself slip away to the binds of heat, the smell of smoke, and the swirl of alcohol in his belly. with a tilt of his head to the barkeep, he lifts his glass and asks for another round, only then returning his attention to the man he'd so wistfully risked his life for. "but i can't seem to figure you out."
their ordered platter arrives alongside bruno's refilled glass ( to which he allows to sit for a while as he picks up a fry to pop in his mouth ). "you're a recluse yet here you are having a drink with me." he bites his lip, as if holding back a smile, "you're observant but also quite very dense." bruno lets out an amused chuckle, "you don't care what other people think of you, yet right now, i'd assume you wanted to look good, did you not?"
he's not sure himself what he's trying to get at, but he grabs his drink and silently toasts their glasses together, drinking his third? glass for the night. "tell me, leone. what am i supposed to believe?" he hums at this, leaning his cheek against his palm this time as he lets his eyes gaze at him shamelessly. "do you know people keep looking over our direction? do you know why that is?"
he leans in as if to tell a secret, while a loose grip on abbacchio's arm kept him steady, "because they're staring at you, / bello / but you're out here with me and it disappoints them not being able to make a move." he pops another fry in his mouth, chuckling to himself as he finds the situation amusing. he can't possibly get jealous when people are jealous of him - and he's not even dating the guy at all.
"see. take a look for yourself."
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Leon had just been relaxing up until the second glass went down like he was drinking shots. Honestly, he was out of his mind? But, the more he explained the situation the more obvious it became. He was jealous? Is that why he got so aggravated all of a sudden?
Abbacchio titled his head slightly as he took a quick glance around before turning back to his drink. "Tsk, like I care what they think." He simply said, clicking his tongue as he finished his first glass. "I came here with you, didn't I? Do you honestly think I care to look around when I'm here with you?" Seriously, it pissed him off. Bruno was acting like a kid out of the blue. The fact that Leone got mad set off a light bulb though. Why did he care so much? Was it, because he was so close to him and he didn't want something so simple to upset him? Leone gave a huff as he looked over at Bruno. Honestly, he was sick of over thinking. It was about time he just acted on his instinct.
Once Bruno seemed fed up, Leone just simply moved closer and wrapped an arm around him. Seems like he was the one who needed comforting this time. How funny that their roles changed so easily. Then again, he guessed all the stress just built up for a while now. Plus, the fact that he was just chugging it down wasn't doing him any favors.
"Stop worrying already. We're here together, got that? So stop worrying about the other people, okay?" Bucciarati probably has never seen him mad before, not like this at least. He was mad at Bruno, the fact that he had to point out the obvious like this and make him not worry when he is supposed to be relaxing.
He kept him close as he ate some of the fries, letting the bar tender fill his glass for him properly. He wasn't going to nave away. He made that very clear.
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the thrill of escaping death can never compare to the sensation of an arm wrapped around him, protective and unabashed. he wonders what gave him the honor of being pulled to this comfort so suddenly? he doesn't know. he doesn't find a reason for abbacchio to do such a thing.
"how unfair." he mutters despite leaning against the man in question, then pressing the glass to his own lip before tilting it - only to realize his hadn't been filled yet. it gives him a chance to direct his attention to abbacchio, with glazed eyes and clouded thoughts, "do you really think i'd find it so easy to let go of that?"
his gaze flickers to abbacchio's lip, and it aggravates him how easy it is to lean in and close the gap between them, but he wasn't exactly desperate to do so. it just... irks him how physically close they are yet can't meet halfway with their emotions. "you say such words and not realize the message they bring. can't you tell, leone?' he whispered then as he reached out to touch abbacchio's cheek. the sensation of warm skin under his palm makes him smile, one that's reserved only for abbacchio.
their gazes meet and even through his drunken stupor, bruno points out the obvious. "you're mad at me." his fingers glide from the other's pale cheek to tuck imaginary loose strands behind his ear. he does it more for show - much more as an excuse to simply touch abbacchio. he realizes he's been doing these things even sober, and it brings an amused exhale out of him. "is it because i'm acting the way i am? saying these words for what they are?"
he pulls away, realizing he'd been leaning with every word he spoke, barely a breath separating their lips yet all he does next is ask for another fill of his glass - pushing every ounce of dignity down with a sullen gulp of alcohol. it burns his throat and drags all the way down. he'll definitely regret this in the morning. "let me ask you something," he wishes he was holding a cigarette right now, the taste of alcohol wasn't enough. he's tapping his index gingerly on the table, noticing the growing frustration of the man beside him. "would it make any difference if i tell you why?"
/ why my words feel so heavy despite holding some truth? why i act so lost around you? why, out of all the things i notice, i notice people staring at you? why every time you so as much glance at me, it fills me with unbridled joy to have even a speck of your attention? why your life was even worth risking for? /
funny how alcohol worked. now that he's grasping hopelessly for any sense of coherence, all he's thinking about are the same thoughts he'd wanted gone in the first place. he doesn't bother with it and lets it flow seamlessly which came in forms of tears he hadn't noticed until he's seeing drops of liquid coming from his chin. he paws at his face hastily, feeling childish in the midst of the presence of the man he'd grown fond of. "forgive me. i hadn't meant to cry." he tells no one in particular, but he's sure abbacchio heard it. he motions for the other to proceed what he wanted to say, apologetic that he'd interrupted in the first place.
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He slowly drank from his own glass as he listened, only giving a soft sigh once he was done. Bruno was right, he was mad. But it took him a good while to accept the reason for it. It wasn't because Bucciarati was acting this was and getting upset. Maybe it was because he was laying all his feelings in the open so easily and Leone struggled to do the same. Like he was pointing out his feelings for him since he was unable to do it in his own.
And it felt wrong.
To feel these things towards your leader and boss. To do this, felt like he was taking advantage of some things. He didn't want to have this risk, but a part of him was willing to go through with it. Even if it might just end in ruin. It might be worth a shot.
He knew why. He didn't have to spell it out for him anymore. Leone was going to leave him to ramble on as he ate some fries, though that quickly changed once he became emotional like this. It caught him completely off guard. He knew full well he'd screwed up big time. Just because he was being stubborn. He was attracting attention from the people around them. He didn't want people to see him so vulnerable, not while so many people in this area looks up to Bruno so much.
Leone pulled out his wallet, leaving some bills on the counter as he pulled Bruno along his side. He honestly didn't care at this point, they were leaving to where people can't glance into their affairs. "Come on. I think you had enough for tonight."
Leone pulled the man's arm over his shoulders as he walked him out, having his free arm wrapped around his waist. He might fight back and argue, but in this state there wasn't much of a chance to over power Leone. Even on a normal day he was still physically stronger.
Once he managed to get them outside and in the back streets he gave a slight huff as he stopped to let Bruno go. Seriously, he thought he was bad when it came to drinks. He took a moment before he thought of the right thing to say. It might not be the best thing to say, but it felt right at the moment.
"Bruno... Is it because you fancy me romantically? Since you're being so honest I guess I should do the same-" Should he? It didn't feel like he should. Maybe he should stop while he was ahead. It could just make things bad between them.
He bit into his lower lip as he turned to look away. He could face him and say what his mind is telling him to say. It might actually break him otherwise. "I'm sorry... But I don't feel the same way-" But he did, and it killed him a bit to know he was lying this was. This guilt just reinforced his suspensions on his feelings.
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that should make things easier. so much so that he doesn't know if abbacchio was telling the truth or sparing him the trouble of being in a relationship at all, but he looks at him for a second, ponders that it might be true and nods instead. he nods and nods until he thinks he understood what he meant.
"you read me so easily, yet i can't tell what you're thinking of right now." he covers his mouth after this, feeling himself choke on his words. it's probably the alcohol and everything else that led to this very moment, but he thinks this might be the second time he'd experienced something so painful that he hadn't found the right words to say. it leaves him feeling numb while everything around him remains muted.
he takes a step away from abbacchio, feeling undeserving of his presence. after making such a fool of himself, he preferred not to add more so bruno does what he thinks was right and makes his way home with a staggering balance of a child learning how to walk and an eyesight that's made him see doubles. at least, he thinks, one thing's for sure - he's walking the right path.
he makes a mental note not to get drunk again despite not making any sense of himself either. he'd spare anyone the trouble. mostly abbacchio. he's probably worked up with him right now. he doesn't even know if he's following him home. no matter, he'll just have to apologize in the morning. abbacchio was more than sensible and out of all the people, bruno should know.
when morning comes, he doesn't have the slightest idea how he got home. he doesn't remember the arm that once again slid around him to guide him to the right way. he doesn't remember how comforting it felt despite the aching in his chest. he doesn't remember how the same person had held up his hair while he threw up the contents of his stomach the moment he found his way to the rest room.
he doesn't remember the way he'd held this person's hand, pressing his forehead against it while saying that he wished things could've been different. 'and maybe then, i could've done this better and we wouldn't have to be afraid.' he doesn't remember crying at all.
no, he doesn't remember anything.
but his head's throbbing, his mouth's dry, and he feels as if there's more weight in his chest than it had last night. god, he's never doing that again.
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He hadn't expected him just turn and walk away like that. Not arguing or even fighting with Leone. Just simply accepting his words for what they were even if they weren't true. But, he couldn't just leave him to wonder alone in the state he was in.
Of course he helped him home, helped him get rid of the poison he so willingly swallowed at the bar and even helped him into clean clothes before he went to bed. All that and he couldn't bring himself to speak.
It felt horrible. He knew he had made a mistake, and it took a whole night of absolute misery for him to realize it. He wanted to make things right. But, he didn't know the first way of going about it.
After a shower and some food he figured out a way, it might be cowardly, but it was the best thing he could think of. There was a job he needed to do today, related to the incident of the night before, so he couldn't really wait for Bruno to wake up. After the night he had, there was no doubt he would be sleeping in.
So, before he had to go he left him something beside his bed. He knew eventually the man had to go to it to get his brush. A simple white Iris flower and a note beside it.
The note was probably more for Leon's sake really. He had the time to sit in silence and think things through carefully. The option to take back words and exchange them before making it a final thing. He just hoped the meaning came across the right way.
The note read:
"I should start by apologizing to you. I shouldn't have let you get so upset to begin with. I imagine you must feel awful from it all. I really do hope you can forgive me. I've betrayed your trust in me. I've lied to you, but I still fear the truth all the same. I guess I still have a hard time accepting any of these feelings. Not because of anything you've done. I just know what I'm like. I always screw things up half way through, and I didn't want that to happen between the two of us. I'm a failure, but I didn't want the possibility to fail you as well. I thought I've made the right choice last night, but it's still eating away at me. It isn't something I can just run away from either. When I get back, I hope there is some chance of us talking this through. Bit for now, I hope you accept this small apology for the time being. I thought I said the things I did to protect you, but I just ended up hurting both of us. I'm sorry.
-Leone"
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he's holding a note in one hand and a flower in the other - and one can say bruno, for the first time in his life, is not sure of what to do with them. he'd been in situations far more outlandish than this one and frankly he's not new to being courted with - but he's definitely new to having such intense feelings for someone and have them apologize for -
he rereads the note over and over, finding himself sitting on his bed in disbelief as he pushes a hand through his hair.
- breaking his trust and... if he's not mistaken, abbacchio wants to talk about his feelings when he gets back. bruno might as well make use of the time they're gone and finish half of the piled papers he's left for the day.
he supposes abbacchio's out already to finish the mission they started yesterday. if he's right, he would've brought mista and narancia with him. ( he'll need them to give a report once they get back. he's not taking any chances with what happened to their line of information, and they'll have to make new alliances, but that's a different headache for another day. right now, he trusts his men to accomplish their task completely. )
he hasn't doubted them before and he won't doubt them now. if things go smoothly, they'll be back before sunset. with this in mind, bruno gently brushes his index along the petals of the flower. he thinks today might turn out for the better. he just hopes none of them would be injured, or if they ever were, it wouldn't be fatal.
( maybe next time they can negotiate with one of the directors of the local hospital for protection and in turn, they'd be given free services. although he doubts it'll be an easy thing to do. he'll have to ask for permission from their capo. the team direly needs it especially with what they're tasked to do. )
so he trudges on even with a pounding headache topping it off with sensory overload. he'd ask for fugo's help with the papers, but it wouldn't be right to put half the workload on him when it's his fault in the first place he'd been feeling this way. with a resigned sigh, he starts working on the files and hopefully, he'd be able to clear most of this when the day ends.
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The sun had already started to go down, with a rather quiet day around their little hideout. Seems The sun had already started to go down, with a rather quiet day around their little hideout. Seems like all of them were busy with something. Especially the three who went after some leads. It took them a good while to find a few people on the list, but things got a bit complicated when they managed to catch and question one of the paid spies.
Once it started to get dark there was a sudden ruckus breaking out down stairs. Door opening and shutting, Mista and the young Narancia talking rather loudly only to be hushed by Leone. Having to remind them they weren't the only people who lived there. The fridge creaked open as someone dug around for food and something to drink while someone else turned the radio on slightly.
Mista made his way upstairs with a loud huff as he went straight for the shower to get cleaned up. Dealing with the enemy was a messy ordeal, but fortunately they all seemed to have come out just fine. Maybe a few small cuts, but nothing to write home to about. This just prompted Fugo to go down to greet them.
Someone passed by Fugo on his way down as steps drew closer to Bruno before a light knock on the door. "Bucciarati, we got some more information. Fugo is going to help with the rapport now. I asked him as he walked by." It was Leone, and honestly he sounded a bit tired, but not in a bad mood really. He sounded a bit relieved even after the work they managed to get done. He slowly opened the door as he leaned done next to Bruno to see if he was doing alright.
"Have you eaten at all today? Or at least taken a break?" Honestly he wanted to make sure he was okay at least. He wasn't sure how he took the letter of if he would be mad at him for everything that had happened.like all of them were busy with something. Especially the three who went after some leads. It took them a good while to find a few people on the list, but things got a bit complicated when they managed to catch and question one of the paid spies.
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with limbs aching, he silently places the pen down and looks at the cause of his inevitable heartache for no more than a day. abbacchio seems fine, a few scratches here and there, but nothing that can't be treated immediately. he should be cleaning himself up - although he appreciates that his immediate concern was to go straight to his office.
"i want those reports on my table by morning," he leans back, observing the other man with silence. there are bags under his eyes and he can't quite put it, but something was different with the way abbacchio spoke.
he's the first one to break eye contact cause honestly, he's not sure where he stands and he wants to know what abbacchio wants without making the same mistake of assuming again. "but you and i have more to discuss, no?" he ignores the question about his own well-being. abbacchio should know by now that once he's set his eyes on something, he wouldn't stop until he's had his hands on it.
although, once again, abbacchio proves to be the only thing to be different out of all of bruno's interests. it's peculiar, but most certainly welcomed.
bruno takes a stand, stretching his arms with a not so subtle yawn. "now, about your note - " he had his back turned to him, afraid that if he looks at him, he wouldn't be able to speak so confidently, " - correct me if i'm wrong, but you're saying you can't like me back because you don't think it's going to work out, right?"
he pauses, tilting his head as he rubs a sore spot on his neck. there's so much he wants to say, so much he needs to apologize for - but bruno can't find it in him to say those words out loud. he feels as though he's already said so much last night even when he can't remember most of them.
"if i were honest, being with me can put your life at risk and i don't want you to just become a leverage those bastards can use, yet..." when he turns to him, he tucks his hair behind his ear although shifting his gaze down to his paper-filled desk - still afraid of what abbacchio's gaze might be, "... every time i look at you, there's only more longing to what could have been."
he's shaking his head at this, but he continues, "i understand your worries and doubts - you've made yourself clear, always, with your lack of confidence towards anything, but you've proven yourself otherwise for the past months you've stayed with me and the team." for a moment, he thinks his heart might burst. really, he's done plenty of other things with a calm demeanor, yet everything falls apart when their feelings are out on the table with no use of liquor between them.
so he musters up the courage to finally ask, "what is it that you want me to do with us, leone?"