What did bodyguarding me entailed? Was he going to just stand by me every day or just lurk around? "Wait, Signore Bucciarati!" I called out to him, getting up in a hurry to join him in his stride. That man had long legs, making him quite fast if he wanted to. Fortunately, he stopped once I was by his side, which I felt grateful for since I was not going to keep following him around until we entered Libeccio.
"Could you be a bit more precise? What do you mean bodyguard? I've never had a problem with showing my stand before, why should I worry now?" I asked, looking up at him perplexed. His gaze softened, he understood the predicament I was in, he could only imagine the questions running inside my head. Smiling at me, he opened a zipper on the wall next to us before looking at again. "I will gladly go in detail about the whole situation after the dessert, it wouldn't be very polite of me to leave my fellow mafiosos hanging." He told me, adding a wink before slipping back inside through the zipper in the wall.
Shaking my head in bewilderment, I was still amazed by his strange ability to put zippers anywhere. Now I was curious what the others' stand look like, except Narancia who I had seen had some sort of plane. Walking back to the back door, I almost had a heart attack when I heard two cats had started fighting in the alley, before quickly going their separate ways once they heard my footsteps. Entering through the back door, I grabbed my apron and put it back on, making my way to Benito. "Hey, I'm back. I'm sorry it took so long I had a discussion with Bucciarati." I told him as I tied the apron around my waist, casually glancing at the small window of the lead to the dining area.
Benito looked at me with a smirk, "Oh you two talked? You know he's quite handsome, I wouldn't-" interrupting him quickly before he couldn't finish whatever train of thoughts he was having, I tutted him. "You know full well I did not mean anything like that, Zio." I chuckled, swatting him away playfully, he was right: Bruno was quite handsome, not only that, he seemed quite determined to keep his famiglia safe, which means he was loyal to his famiglia to the point of maybe threaten someone who looked too suspicious.
"Alright bambina, I'll prepare the desserts. You go get their empty plates." He said, pointing towards the dining area. Nodding, I left the kitchen and joined the mafioso once again. As I approached their table, I started with the Don like I did before, putting on the professional persona I smiled at him. Starting to make my way around the table to grab each plate, I asked "Was everything to your liking?" Being that Fugo, Mista and Narancia where in a heated conversation, Giorno interrupted his hushed tone conversation with his Capo and flashed me a bright smile, "It was perfect, as expected from Deangelo." He told me in his charming voice, it was very nice to hear, it was soft and gentle but also very poised, he knew what to say and how to say it, a mafia Don needed to be charismatic and he sure as hell did the job.
Humming, I continued stacking the empty plates, this time as I passed by Mista, he did not flirt which made a sigh of relief escape my lips. As much as Mista was obnoxious, I was more perturbed by Abbacchio's behavior, the fact that he did not talk most of the time and drank quite a lot of wine made me anxious as of how he'd react if anything was to go down. Would he do nothing? Would he go bonkers? But those questions did not matter, I was not going to get involved with any of these men more than I need to. As I grabbed Bucciarati's plate, I discretely stole a glance his way, only to notice he was also staring at me. I casually looked away, and heard a chuckle from one of the two before returning to the kitchen.
When I say I casually looked away, I can assure you that it was just a façade. Meeting the right-hand man's gaze was quite off-putting, he held a frightening calm look that send shivers down my spine and yet gave off a kind of warmth that you'd want to be closer to.
Benito was finishing the display of the strawberry cake on the trolley when I stepped inside the room, putting the dirty plates in the dishwasher. "Hey Zío, are there any gnocchi left? I forgot to grab something to eat before coming to work." I told him sheepishly.
Knowing Benito, he was debating on whether he should berate me, see he always tells me that this restaurant is as much his house as it is mine. He always tells me that I can eat whatever I want, even use the ingredients in the kitchen to make something if I so desire; however, I always feel bad doing it. I know he gave me his permission, but I was not yet comfortable acting so freely, hence me asking for his permission again.
Giving me an exasperated look, I smiled timidly in response, Benito dropped what he was doing and put his hands on my cheeks. "Gattina, how many times do I have to tell you?" he said with fatherly gaze, I knew his earlier exasperation was just playful, he truly loved me as a daughter. "I'll prepare those gnocchi for you; I'll even make some for you to take home. Now bring the tray to those young men." He said delicately pushing me towards the handles of the trolley.
Alright, final entry in this god forbidden area. I don't know why I felt so tense every time I went in there, they seemed to have calmed down since learning I had a stand... but I know they were still wary of me. As I pushed the trolly through the door, Narancia and Mista look at the cake with true hunger, or burning passion I did not know. Grinning I pushed the trolley to their table and stepped back to let them serve themselves. The two craving mafiosos stood up, grabbed their plate and took two part each. Before leaving them to enjoy their dessert, I looked the don and his right-hand man who were smiling slightly. "If you need anything else, call me" I said with a smile, turning around expecting them to be silent.
"Signora Coda, would you please come here?" Dio mio, if they start interrogating me once more, I'm going to use my trump card. As I made my way towards Bucciarati, I couldn't help but dream about finally going home and unwind all this tension that has been built up in the span of one evening with those mafiosos. Once I was next to the Capo, I realized the Don had his back turned to me, his chair was facing the younger black-haired man, which meant that he truly did not fear for his life when I was around. If I'm not a threat, what does he want... I pondered, hesitantly meeting the Capo's gaze.
"Is there a problem?" I asked calmly, clasping my hands behind my back as a way to no fidget too much. He tilted his head forward a moment before standing up. His form was towering over mine; I could not quite guess his height but he was taller than I was, which was intimidating. There seemed to be a tension around us, he slowly raised his hand towards my face- "Signore what are you doing?" I hissed, his wrist now in my hand. Glaring at him, he seemed unphased by my actions, so much that he chuckled, a small smile painted across his face.
Gently freeing his wrist from my hand, he started "Cara, I am sorry if I startled you." Taking a step back, I was still confused, blame it on my lack of social interactions during my college years, but are every mafioso this cocky? Or is it just this one raven-haired cazzo? No matter how hot you are, you're not touching me. Still smiling he quirked a brow, "You have some frosting on your cheek." He explained, extending his hand once more to wipe the frosting from my face. Shit, Benito must have put it there accidently when he took my face between his hands.
Beaming a charming smile, he sat back and joined the conversation his friends were having, leaving me dumbfounded with, although clean, flushed cheeks. I rushed back to the kitchen with as much composure I could keep and slammed my palms on the counter, rattling my zío along the way. "Dio mio bambina, what is wrong?" he asked as he poured the sauce over the gnocchi. Breathing deeply, I stare at him intently: "That Capo, Bruno Bucciarati, will be the death of me. I swear to god Benito, is it allowed to be this handsome? Is that why he joined the mafia, because he was himself illegally hot?" I rambled foolishly to my uncle, shoving my face in my hands as I let out of heavy sigh. A few moments went by to finally regain my cool. Looking back up, Benito was smiling mischievously while cleaning the pots he had used to cook.
"Don't. Don't start, you can find someone attractive without falling for them. All I am saying is that he's too much, ok?" From an outside point of view, it might sound like I was having a crush on the Capo, but logically I could not have a crush after barely talking to the guy. The most rational way of handling the situation was to box those feelings towards the Capo as physical attraction and nothing else, which is what it was. Sitting on the counter, I took the plate my Zio had set down next to me and started eating in silence, not hearing much of what the gangsters were talking about.
With his arms crossed across his chest, a towel draped on his left shoulder, zío was deep in thoughts across from me by the counter. I couldn't help but wave a hand in front of him. "You good zío?" Coming back to reality, he giggled and stepped closer. He took my hands in his and whispered with playfulness in his eyes "Chi s'assomiglia si piglia, Alda. And you two seem quite alike." My eyes widened, those who look alike, end up with each other? Did he really just- that old man is the worst. "For fuck's- "pulling my hands out of his grasp, I send him a broad smile but still shook my head. "You are unbelievable! At this point I'm afraid you'd try to marry me off to Bruno Bucciarati." I said jokingly, finishing my plate before standing up and putting it in the dishwasher.
Walking to the door that led to the dining area I glimpsed at Benito, and brushed away the wrinkles of my working suit, "Off to check on my husband, give me strength old man." I said sarcastically, his response was to shrug before resuming his cleaning of the counter. Thinking back on how Benito reacted to my confession of finding the young gangster pretty hot, I knew he'd keep on teasing me; what I found surprising was that he was such a fan of him? No one would be supporting their almost daughter dating a criminal...
Last time I'll get in there for the evening, last batch of plates then no more mafiosos. I thought with relief, swinging the door open with a bit more strength than I meant to. "Shit-"lunging forward to grab the frame, I was stopped in my track when a slender hand grabbed it for me. You've got to be shitting me. Straightening my back, I put on a poker face and met the man's gaze. "Signore Bucciarati? I was about to come- is there a problem?" Although no one asked, I am feeling tired of being put in a situation with this gorgeous bastard. Every time he's too close, my heart starts pounding fast, I did not know if it was from fear or something else, but it was reasonable to think that having been threatened by the man less than an hour ago might make me uncomfortable.
"Good. We have business to discuss, if you would join us, Alda." He said, extending his arm towards the table that was now almost empty, only Giorno was left sitting. Oh right, his whole protection stuff... I thought he'd drop it. I'll sit, tell them I don't need it and leave. I followed him in his stroll, thinking about what he said- wait did he just- did he call me by my name? Putting my arm in front of him to stop him, he frowned slightly in response to my actions. "Please don't call me by my name, unless we're alone. I don't call you Bruno, do I?" I'm not going to lie, I didn't mind how my name sounded coming from his lips but we weren't friends or close on any level, so I'll have to tell him off for now. The others will have to call me Coda.
Unreadable as I always, Bucciarati nodded. "It sounds fair. However, I insist you call me Bruno, we're going to spend quite some time together, after all." He responded politely, before joining his Don at the table, waiting expectantly for me. Rushing to them, for a moment, I faltered, should I sit down next to the Don or his Capo? Or no one... no one is good. I pulled up the chair opposite of them and sat down straight or perhaps rigid was the word, the situation was a bit strange. Perhaps I was making a big deal out of nothing and they were actually just going to put someone near my house to watch over me?
Now deep in thoughts, I was staring blankly at the table. My brain was buzzing with theories, one of them being that they would not actually protect me but kill me, being a logical person, I crossed this one out of the list, knowing full well that I had done nothing to deserve their wrath like such. "Signora Coda?" Called the Don, his eyes focused on my person. "Oh, shit sorry, I was... hum... daydreaming? I'm sorry the situation is quite unusual, and I'll be honest with you, I am freaking out." I said in all honesty, rubbing my hand over my arm anxiously. Giorno let out a hearty laugh, surprising me along the way, "Bruno's right, you are very forward." He said, taking his glass of wine in hand as he glanced at his capo who was sitting with his legs crossed, a certain fondness written in his eyes.
"I apologize for any inconvenience we may have put you in today." Started the blond gangster, "You are important to Deangelo, he's family, so by extension you are important to us. Being that you're a stand user, you are now vulnerable to potential attacks from other stand users" He continued, resting his elbows on the table and leaning on his hands. "It makes no sense to attack me, I'm not part of the Passione famiglia. I'm sure they won't even notice I have Yesterday." I said in a convincing tone, resting my arms on the table as I started folding the napkin while paying attention to them.
Both men chuckled in response, which brought warmth to my cheeks in embarrassment. "Unfortunately, you can't use reason on criminals" Giorno added with a genuine smile, "A lot of stands in the Passione family were given by one of our, now dead, Capo under the command of the old Don. With this in mind, since the old Don died, people who are still loyal to him are tracking down every stand user they encounter believing they're Passione members." Leaning back on his chair, the young mafioso gave me a chilling look. "To put it simply, they'll test their loyalty; If their loyalty lies with me then they'll kill them."
Silence fell. Looking down at the crane-like folded napkin, my mind was trying to process how serious is all was. Even if my loyalty did not lie with the young mafioso, like they said, I could not reason with assholes, they would kill me anyway. I might as well trust him, and let him put his Capo on night-watch. I did rather like being alive for the moment, dying so young would be a waste... I thought calmly.
"It's a lot to process in one go. But it makes sense, so I'll accept your protection, though I have the feeling that even if I had not accepted you would have done it anyway." I said the last part with a small smile. Sighing in relief, Giorno stood up with an extended hand, "Then it settled, Bucciarati will be you bodyguard until the situation is handled." I shook his hand with a firm grip, then took a quick glimpse at the raven-haired man who was still sitting elegantly on the velour chair. Giorno let go of my hand and sat back down. "Now that we're done, I suggest you get your bag; Bucciarati will be accompanying you home." The way he said it made it sound like it was a suggestion, but I knew it was more of an order.
As she walked to the changing room, the Don was smirking at his Capo playfully. "I think she likes you Bruno, I think you're going to get along very well." To which Bruno scoffed in response, smiling softly.