Smooth Criminal (La Squadra x Reader)

Prologue

A young woman, aged 35 years old, went into labor for the first time in the year 1979 in Naples, Italy, and gave birth to a pair of premature fraternal twins.

The older twin girl was named Tiramisu and the younger one, y/n.

Unfortunately, however, the older child was expected to die shortly after she was born. She was sent to the NICU immediately once she was diagnosed with Harlequin Ichthyosis, an extremely rare and severe genetic disorder that affects the skin and typically results in death if not treated properly.

The child's skin was covered with hard, thick scales that covered the body, cracked in various areas. The fish-like scales that plastered her frail body resembled a shell or armor and there were two holes where her nose should've been. Instead of ears, there were only holes visible on either side of her head. Her skin was pulled so tightly that her nose and ears were flattened against her skull and her eyelids and lips were turned inside out, revealing their red inner linings. Having been born prematurely, the child was below the average size of a regular baby and looked almost inhuman, like the offspring of an alien of some sort.

The condition, which had no known cure, could limit the movement of the body, including the chest, which resulted in difficulty breathing. Infants were susceptible to infections, low body temperatures, and dehydration. The few that ended up surviving the neonatal period, at least a month after birth, usually adopted a less severe phenotype of skin disorders but still died quite young.

The woman wept loudly, gripping her one healthy baby against her chest. She prayed that her firstborn child would also survive, as she was all alone in the world—her husband had abandoned her soon after she received news that she was pregnant with his children and she had no other close family in the country.

As if her prayers were answered, the doctors had later informed her that the infant would likely live a few more days, and that period could be stretched if she was cared for properly. From then on, the woman made it her goal to keep Tiramisu alive, healthy, and happy.

Once she was released from the hospital, she hired a babysitter to stay at home with y/n as she worked for the duration of time that she could while she was separated from her older child. After a few months of the routine, she was reunited with Tiramisu. She collected her payment from and quit her job to care for the child.

The child's life went on for a year, two years, and then three. The thick plates peeled off from her skin, leaving it dry and reddened, covered in large, thin scales. To prevent infections, the woman had to purchase gauze to wrap around Tiramisu's body and gallons of bleach for her to bathe in once or twice a week. For moisturizing and softening her skin, the woman bought multitudes of moisturizers. To rub off the scales on her body, she had to invest in sandpaper towels.

Eventually, the girl aged even further. Her mother's effort hadn't gone to waste and she was soon able to attend school like any other girl.

Tiramisu and y/n were equipped with neatly packed lunches from their mother every morning, receiving a kiss on their cheek before they departed for school. They boarded the bus, y/n supporting her twin when she had to ascend the steps. Sitting side-by-side, the two chatted away as the driver navigated the vehicle to their new school.

When the bus came to a halt, the kids scurried out, some of them shoving each other and stumbling in the process. Tiramisu and y/n stayed seated, waiting for every other kid to exit before y/n would accompany her sister out. Unfortunately, the two didn't have the same classes, so they had to separate once the school bell rang.

As soon as Tiramisu stepped foot into her classroom, all eyes were on her. Not because she was beautiful or anything, but because she was different. Unlike the other girls with delicate features, clear skin, and silky locks, Tiramisu had red, scaly skin and she was unable to grow hair.