Heart Strings (Passione x Reader)

Chapter Thirty

It had been a couple days since that night. It piled onto your constant thoughts.

Yet, here you were outside their door once again, bored with the house alone, and mindlessly wandered here. Or not so mindlessly. You knocked twice, waiting patiently.

Illuso opened the door, his hair still messy from sleep. "Y/n? What do you need?"

You realized now how stupid you looked, "nothing?"

"I mean, you're welcome to come in but it's only me here." They seemed to be hardly home as of late. "Make yourself at home, I'll be right back."

He returned shortly after, his hair in its typical separate pony tails.

Illuso dozed off here and there as you watched tv. "Y/n remember the sand castle beach?"

"Mhm," you smiled.

He left for a moment, you eyed him as he returned, a pouch in hand. "I actually," he lightly chuckled. "Kept some of the seashells from your sand castles."

You beamed, holding out your hands as he poured out a few shells. They were mostly different colors, some with ridges, some smooth, and a couple cone-like. You toyed with them for a bit, slowly returning them as you finished admiring them.

Illuso shrugged, "I've always loved the shells."

You were both interrupted by Formaggio and a brown haired girl stumbling in laughing, he was clearly intoxicated. His eyes momentarily fell on you and Illuso, and he paused, his voice turning cold towards the girl and ushering her to leave. You eyes stung, your head clouded with anger. Illuso took notice, "y/n?" He turned to Formaggio, "what the hell is your problem? We thought you were done with shit like that."

Formaggio looked around in fear, "uh, y/n? Illuso?"

Illuso sighed, "I'm sorry, he hasn't done this in awhile, I didn't realize there was any chance of it happening again."

You only nodded unable to form words. Formaggio took a step closer, "y/n... about that."

You didn't stay to hear the rest. Pushing past him roughly, you rushed outside. The chilled air whipped you back into your senses, and you began to walk, anywhere, just away.

Footsteps approached you, and you turned, "what was that Formaggio?!" Instead, it was Illuso.

"Hey," he stood in front of you. "Are you okay?" You shook your head, it was obvious anyway. "Look, I gave him an earful, but it'd probably be best if we just go for awhile?" It came out as more of a question, and this time you nodded, wanting to be anywhere but around Formaggio.

- - -

You walked blindly beside Illuso, looking up once you felt sand under your feet. You were at the sand castle beach.

You sat beside him, piling sand up into a mound as he looked worriedly at you. He wordlessly joined you, shaping a tower. You worked on the main part of the castle, not caring about the sand on your clothes.

Time passed peacefully as you finished the last details, Illuso handing you the shell bag. "Don't you want to keep them?"

He shook his head, "It's only one, and it seems necessary today." You smiled, grabbing a ridged white shell with slight hues of purple. Pushing it lightly into the front of the castle, you sat back to admire your work. It was a bit sloppy, but it had several neat towers surrounding it crafted by Illuso. The shell gleamed in the sunlight.

"It looks great," you mumbled happily.

Illuso studied your troubled face, "it's weird. All the years I came here time and time again for the sand castles, I never thought I'd really be here with the maker of them. Well, I suppose it crossed my mind I might run into you here one day, but I never thought that would happen."

You looked pleasantly at the waves lapping at the shore, "it would've been nice if we had met then, but I'm glad we at least have now." Illuso nodded, offering you a gentle smile.

- - -

You were unsure how long you'd been walking, Illuso quietly admiring the now cloudy sky above you. "You know, Risotto has known you longer than me," Illuso commented. "Not that I knew you as much as I knew of you, but Risotto he actually knew who you were. He recognized your name."

"Really?" You looked over with a raised brow.

Illuso nodded, "he mentioned always seeing you with some blonde kid."

"Giorno," you absentmindedly said. You missed him, and mentally noted to text him.

"Probably. Seems you didn't know Risotto back then."

"Probably not," you admitted. "I never paid much attention as a child, if we weren't close I doubt I'd have remembered him."

"A shame," Illuso remarked. "Hey I'm sorry we've all been busy lately, but I've got to get some things done today. It's best if we don't drag you into it, I'd offer our place but.."

"It's no worries, be safe, and I think I'll be fine going home."

Illuso nodded, continuing walking with you.

You were home, Illuso momentarily smiling as he bid you goodbye. "Illuso, thank you," you departed.

- - -

You had focused on the news of Risotto as best you could to drown out the sour parts of the day. You mentally noted to bring it up to him later when a knock came at the door.

Formaggio waited on the other side. You promptly slammed the door in his face.

"Y/n!" He called from outside, "please just let me explain!"

You locked the door.

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Ch 31 Preview

Risotto smiled gratefully, but he said nothing.