Matteo invited her this time to go play at the park.
Luca was still skeptical about it because Matteo's a big meanie to her.
Pierre was her guardian for now. Her brothers were caught up in work and despite their cries, Achilles didn't let them leave the office.
Luca skipped as she saw the familiar playground.
And she also saw the familiar boy who's also standing beside a man whose uniform was also just like Pierre's.
Must be his bodyguard.
"Oh, it's Tafita!" Pierre said with a grin when he saw the familiar man. He looked down at Luca and smiled softly at her. "Why don't you go play with the young master, m'lady?"
Luca beamed at her permission and went towards Matteo who was still unaware of her presence.
The little girl giggled and hugged Matteo, giving him quite a scare.
"Surprise!"
The boy glared at her. "Luca! That's not funny!"
Luca giggled more as she slipped her tiny fingers to intertwine with his. "Were you scared?"
Matteo glared at her but the two bodyguards saw how his tiny fingers held her hand tightly. It made Pierre sigh at the cute scene in front of him.
"No!" He scoffed, trying to hide his blush. "I wasn't. Why would I be scared?"
Luca face him an impassive look. "Dummy, you're a liar."
Matteo's face got redder and he was speechless for a second before answering her. "I-I wasn't! You're the dummy!"
Luca's eyes glinted with mirth when she heard the familiar insult. It was so like Matteo to repeat her insult.
She tugged his hand. "C'mon, Matty! Le's play?"
Luca paused, a frown was then plastered on her face. She looked at Pierre and the man Pierre called as Tafita.
"Can me and Matty play?"
The two men laughed and Matteo rolled his eyes.
"Of course we can, what's the use of going to the playground if we aren't going to play."
Luca blew him a raspberry. "You aren't the adult here, Matty. Shh! I'm asking the adults."
Matteo's eyes widened at that and he grumbled defeatedly.
Pierre laughed at that before nodding. "Of course, my lady. It wouldn't be fun to stay here, right?"
Luca nodded before looking at Tafita.
The man chuckled and nodded.
With that, she looked at the sulking Matteo and patted his head softly. "There, there. S' okay."
Matteo gently swatted her hand away with a little grumble. "Don't treat me like a kid!"
Luca blinked at him owlishly. "But we are kids... "
Now it was Matteo's turn to blink.
Pierre had to stop himself from laughing too loud because he might get his head chopped off if he unintentionally offend the little boy.
"Whatever!" Matteo pulled her away from the two adults and went to the swings
Luca pouted at him. "Don't be mean!"
"You were the one being mean!" Despite his cold answer, he let Luca take a sit at the unoccupied swing first before going to the next swing beside her.
Luca giggled at his answer.
"Matty... " She whined his name.
Matteo growled and looked at her. "What?" He snapped.
Without any hesitations, without any second thoughts, she smiled warmly at him. The same smile that just melts anyone's heart.
A smile that made Matteo's heart skip a beat.
Wait, what?
Skip a beat?
What kind of word was that?
"You're a witch!" Matteo accused suddenly, his face was red and priceless. "Y-You just made me feel weird!"
Luca blinked at him in confusion before swinging herself slowly with a teasing grin. "S' loooooove!"
"W-What?" He demanded, feeling embarrassed. "Love?"
Luca snickered at him. "I loooove Matty even if he's a dummy."
"I'm not a dummy!"
Luca giggled at his answer. Pierre, on the other hand, was talking to the other bodyguard about his master and Tafita's. Tafita would roll his eyes whenever Pierre would say that Matteo's got a better chance at living if he's the one taking Luca's hand for marriage.
That... Wasn't impossible, actually.
Before Luca could say her reply, someone pushed her off the swing. It made her stumble back and fall off.
Pierre immediately stood up, his eyes was burning with rage when he saw a bunch of kids surround Luca.
Luca wasn't mad. She was taken by surprise.
Pierre was about to rip those kids' head off when Tafita stopped him.
He looked at him and Tafita smiled softly at Pierre. "Let's see if Matteo's really worth taking Luca's hand."
Pierre exclaimed in exasperation. "This is not the time to bet on that! I need to—"
One look from Tafita made the young man close his mouth.
"Let's just see."
Meanwhile, for Matteo, it seems like time has stopped.
Seeing Luca wince at the pain of the fall, it made Matteo feel hot. The feeling to protect the little bean was the same intensity as her frightening brothers.
The same blood thirst.
The same power of a Colombo.
The seven year old boy immediately jumped out of his swing and immediately went straight towards Luca.
She hissed when she saw the bleeding wound on her elbow.
Oh, her brothers would totally freak out.
"Just wanted the swings!" The boy who pushed her, snickered. His group of friends laughed. "You've been usin' the swing too much."
Using it too much?
She barely got the swing to sway!
And how dare he use violence on a five year old?
"Say that again." Matteo's voice was low.
He demanded the boy to say it again.
"I said that that girly's been using—"
Matteo laughed softly when the boy tumbled to the ground, touching his cheek in pain. Before anyone could stop Matteo, the little boy have already punched him. A small smile was plastered on his face.
"You touched her, pushed her and told her that she can't use the swing?" He shouted angrily at them.
"Matty... "
Matteo snapped out of his rage and he suddenly felt the same soft fingers that intertwined with his.
He looked at Luca and her lower lip was quivering. She wasn't crying though. No, it's seems like she's trying not to.
"Stop, Matty... " She whined sadly.
Matteo frowned. "But, they were—"
"No bullying... " She pulled his arm again. "Please, Matty."
Matteo huffed. "I don't care about—"
She stopped him again from speaking again. This time, she stopped being childish for a second and gave him a serious expression.
"Matteo." She called out, her tone was stern that it took Matteo by surprise. "It's not worth it."
This was the first time that Matteo saw the seriousness in a five year old. He expected her to cry and whine but here she was.
Not crying and not whining.
She's just looking deep into his eyes.
Matteo suddenly laughed.
Ah, Damn it.
He lost his cool in front of Luca. That's so not cool of him
Softly, he intertwined his fingers with hers and just walked away from the group.
Luca huffed. "They're bullies."
Matteo rolled his eyes. "Obviously."
"Are you okay?"
Matteo stopped. He froze. Did she just seriously ask him if he's okay? She's the one who got pushed off of her swing! Now she's got a bleeding wound!
He turned around and Luca was surprised at his upset look.
"I'm fine! I'm the one who should be asking you that!" Matteo growled angrily. He's still mad at the group but he's mad at himself for not saving her fall.
Luca hummed in thought before smiling. "M' 'kay."
"How about your wound, Lu?" Matteo slowly twisted her arm to take a good look at Luca's bleeding wound.
Luca frowned and shrugged. "S' fine."
"It's not fine!"
"Dummy..." Luca flicked his forehead cause g him to wince in pain.
He was about to retort but Luca beat him to it.
"S' okay, it doesn't hurt. Besides, I'm a big girl now! I won't cry." Luca proudly exclaimed, grinning wolfishly at the seven year old.
Matteo was surprised at her facade. She's just five for goodness sake. Seeing her like this is making Matteo embarrassed for making the situation look like it's something worth worrying for.
Which it is worth worrying for.
"Just... " Matteo unconsciously clenched her hand tighter. "Tell me if you're hurt. I don't want you to suddenly cry, Lu."
Luca tilted her head to the side. "Is Matty worried?"
Matteo scoffed. "Of course I'll be! I don't wanna see you suddenly cry!"
Luca's eyes beamed in joy and she immediately hugged the boy's arm.
"I looooooove you, Matty!"
Matteo's face was pink as he nodded shyly. "Yeah... I heard you the first time!"
"Does Matty love Luca too?" Luca asked adorably. She looked at him, her eyes were shining adorably up at him, expecting him to answer.
Matteo was speechless. He doesn't K ow how to answer to that.
But she's looking expectantly at him. He couldn't afford not to answer her.
"Mhm, so be nicer to me... " He mumbled and Luca smirked at his answer.
Pierre was laughing at how cute the scene played. It was absolutely adorable!
Tafita just grinned proudly at his young master.
______
Is it weird that I'm focusing on writing this while having my prom, seeing how I'm literally just in the corner here, watching my schoolmates dance? XD
Nope?
Yeah?
anyways, here's another chapter!
I didn't recheck this because if I get caught then I'm gonna be a goner!
Hope you guys enjoyed this!