5 years ago
Fifteen year old Pierre approached Luca's crib quietly, leaning over to peek at the sleeping baby inside.
The baby was sleeping peacefully. A warm looking blanket was draped over her. She looked so beautiful, so peaceful that Pierre was contemplating whether he should wake her up or not. Her brown hair looks tamed for once. Usually, it'll be a mess. It's amazing how so little hair could turn into such wild mess.
The teen leaned his elbow against her crib bars and listened to Luca's soft, snuffly breathing. Pierre smiled when the little baby shifted slightly in her sleep, stretching her arms like the cute adorable baby that she was.
Luca was probably going to naturally wake up soon so Pierre decided to quicken the process. Pierre reached into the crib and softly smoothed a hand over Luca's soft brown hair then moving down to her stomach, rubbing in firm, slow circles.
"Lu... " He called softly. "Rise and shine." Pierre stroked her rosy, chubby cheek. "Come on, kid."
Eyes still closed, Luca stretched up again, this time it was a 'waking up' stretch and not a 'I'm still sleepy' one.
"Good morning, baby girl." Pierre cooed, taking one of Luca's little hand in his own and gently playing with her adorable fingers. Luca's eyes finally blinked open and she blinked a few times, taking in the morning sun.
Pierre's hand moved on her soft hair again. Luca finally looked at Pierre with those big chocolate doe eyes and the teen saw a tiny smile playing on her lips.
Pierre smiled as well. "Hi, Lu-Lu."
Luca made a gurgling noise before clumsily sitting up and then pulling herself up on the bars until she could just peek over them, locking eyes with Pierre. Pierre watched her efforts with pride. He then snickered and bent down to her eye level.
"Hey, short stuff." He said. "Guess what?"
Luca made a noise with a smile on her face, bouncing enthusiastically.
Pierre chuckled and leaned forward to kiss her forehead, causing her nose to scrunch up. "You're one year old, baby. It's your birthday today. Don't go leaving me all alone now, okay? You'll always be my baby girl."
Luca made another happy, slightly gurgling noise.
"Aren't you in such a good mood this morning." Pierre straightened up and and held out his arms to Luca. "Come on, Luca. Your cousin Harley's going to be the one making your cake."
He wondered how that kid's good at making sweets. He's only nine and he's acting like such an adult already. Pierre also noticed Harley coming by often to see Luca. The teen just shook that off as just wanting to treat Luca as his own sister since he doesn't have any siblings.
But hell, if somebody asks Pierre who's the better care taker then he'll, without a doubt, point at Harley.
Luca beamed up at him and reached out for him with both hands. Pierre swooped her up, swinging her up high, earning a fitful of squeals and giggles before tucking her in his chest and holding her close.
Luca snuggled right in, babbling continuously.
"Ba dya na na!"
"I don't know what that means but I'm just gonna take that as excitement."
Pierre carried Luca down the stairs and into the living room where Luca squealed excitedly at the decorations around the room.
"Piyah!" She squealed, pointing at the atrocious decorations. She clapped her hands happily.
Pierre's heart melted when she called his name. He smiled into Luca's hair, looking at the stylized bunnies on the banner that Luca was pointing.
Somehow, Pierre hates bunnies. One time, Harley brought a live one and it actually tried to bite him. It tried to freaking bite him! It follows him around with those demonic eyes that just stares into his soul that makes him shiver in fear.
At least, Luca loves them.
"That's right, shorty. It's a bunny. You picked that out yourself, remember?"
Pierre sincerely doubt that Luca have any memories on having that picked out, especially since she seemed so excited by everything, like she didn't remember choosing all of it.
Luca babbled and waved her hands around, squealing at every decoration that she sees.
Pierre took a red balloon from the ground and gave it to Luca.
The little girl's eyes widened comically as she seemed to study the balloon with interest. She squeezed it and shaked it around like a rattle. When she tried to munch it, the balloon popped, making Luca jump in his arms.
Pierre tried not to laugh at her expression. It was so cute. She doesn't know whether she wanted to cry or laugh.
She picked the latter.
Luca screamed in laughter and clapped her hands together in amusement. Pierre could only smile at the little girl, watching his precious kid getting so excited about something so simple was a blessing.
It honestly makes him appreciate the little things.
"Is that Luca I hear?"
They both look at Harley. His curly brown hair bounced as he moved towards them.
Luca's eyes beamed and she made grabby hands towards Harley.
The boy giggled adorably and securely took her away from Pierre's hold. The guard wasn't mad or anything. If anything, he was glad to bask in the cuteness that those two unconsciously emit.
Luca gave him a kiss. Well, she lurched forward and presses her slobbery open mouth to Harley's cheek.
Harley actually beamed at her and hugged her tightly. "Aww, thank you! I love you too, honeybee."
"You two are seriously adorable." Pierre remarked with a grin.
Harley glared at him but there was no heat in it and the smile on his face was something as well.
"Jealous?"
Pierre snorted and shake his head. "Nah, man."
Harley chuckled and looked back at Luca, who was patting his face while babbling nonsensically.
"Yes, bambina, it's me. It's your cousin, Harley." He cooed, kissing her nose.
"Hawls!" Luca said lovingly, earning another chuckle from both boys.
"Yes!" Harley cheered happily. "Yes, It's Harls! I'm Harls, darling. Your cousin, Harls. Good job!"
While Pierre was looking at the two with fondness, he remembered something that made his smile turn into a frown.
Her family was coming back from Italy. They didn't give him any reason why or when but he couldn't help but feel uneasy about it since they weren't exactly on good terms with Luca yet, leaving her in Pierre's care.
They don't trust Pierre. They just keep him around because he was connected by Maria and the woman trusted him. Now, they just deem him useful.
It saddens Pierre to see them give Luca to somebody they barely even trust.
Pierre's only fifteen. He's a former sex slave and a psychopath. Nobody could run away from their past that easily and that's what scares Pierre the most.
But he tries to be a better care taker for Luca.
They don't even care what happens to Luca. They don't even bother calling on how she's doing.
Harley noticed Pierre's grim look and he just knew what's on his mind. After all, the kid's still got the blood flowing in him.
The Cattaneo blood.
"They're coming."
It wasn't even a question.
Pierre smiles sadly. "Yeah. I don't know when though. I'm sure that they'll definitely come this week."
"Well... " Harley started. "We can't do anything about that, right? So, let's just give this birthday girl... " He blew Luca's cheek a raspberry, causing Luca to squeal in laughter. "Her birthday breakfast! How does that sound, Luca? Yeah?"
The maids made pancakes breakfast. Luca liked eating everything when it's finger food, so Pierre cuts up her food Luca-sized bites and placed it on her high chair tray.
Luca looked at the both of them and Harley snickered.
"Have at 'em, Lu. It's your birthday after all."
Harley and Pierre kept getting distracted by Luca who was gurgled away, playing with her food, prodding it and pushing it on her tray and occasionally putting a pancake in her mouth.
"Don't play with your food, Luca." Pierre reprimanded amusingly.
"Piyah?" Luca tilted her head to the side while trying to give him one of her pancakes.
Pierre looked at the slimey pancake in her hand and shook his head. "No, thanks, kiddo. It's yours after all."
Luca giggled and ate it.
She looks at Harley and gives him a toothy grin. Harley sighed lovingly.
"Ahh, why are so cute?"
"Hawls!" Luca giggled adorably. "Hawls, Piyah!"
"Yeah, that's us!" Pierre cooed, reaching out to ruffle her soft brown hair. "Good job Luca."
While they were eating breakfast, a maid came towards Pierre and whispered something to him.
The table clattered when he suddenly stood up.
Harley looked at him in confusion and Luca's babbles tuned down and a frown slowly crept up onto her pink lips.
He was shaking, fear evident on his face as he clenched his fist with anger.
Harley was concerned and was about to reach out to him when he looked at the boy with wide eyes.
Luca looked sad when she saw Pierre like this and whimpered, as if she knew that Pierre's upset about something.
"Piyah...?"
Pierre flinched and looked at Luca.
Her big doe eyes were looking at him and forced himself a smile and softly pinched her cheek, earning a smile from her.
Harley was still confused. Pierre looked at him in disbelief and slowly sat down.
"Hey, Pierre... " Harley called out in concern. "What? What's wrong?"
Pierre sighed tiredly. "Well, apparently, they decided that they'll be here today."
"Fuck... "
Pierre glared at Harley in slight amusement. "Language, Harls."
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I hope that you guys enjoyed it!
I'm sorry for not updating on Friday. Apparently, I forgot that it was even Friday that day and when I realized that, it was already too late so I decided that I'll just update on Sunday.
How was it?