Family Comes Last

Chapter 20: A Storm of Misty Ocean and Clear Sapphire.

"Tomorrow"

"Yeah" Vittorio nodded "They don't know we know so we should be taking them by surprise, we'll have the advantage however get as many men as we can here"

"Alright and back up?" Gusto asked, it was Vittorio's usual plan, after all, surprise attack after surprise attack, after surprise attack, just like Inception's dream within a dream within a dream.

"Two teams. I want three surprise attacks, as usual, our first one should take them off guard as it is" Gusto nodded circling two areas on the map "This and this then?"

"Yes, make sure they are well prepared" Vittorio stared at the map bitterly "We both know how thorough Katherine can be?"

He couldn't comprehend why they turned into this when the girl who played Piano with him sitting on his lap wanted him powerless, dead. When the girl he twirled around and danced with nodded as a yes. When the girl he pretended to scare monsters away from agreed without hesitation. When the girls he drove to the school shrugged and said yes. 

Serafina he understood, he never gave her an ounce of love. The twins? maybe the smallest amount possible.

But the girls who saw him, the real him, the ones he taught to ride bikes? the ones he braided hair for?

When did they start hating him so much?

Maybe he knew when.

He did know when.

But he lied to himself saying he didn't, and he believed it just like he believed any lie he fed himself over the years.

~o~O~o~

He got out of the shower smoke following him, that's how high the temperature of the water was, he slowly got in beside her and pulled her in his arms.

"I'm so sorry about what I said" He whispered "I was hurting and I hurt others when I hurt"

"It's not a good fucking trait" She muttered and then sighed, his family was betraying him, she needs to be here for him right now, she could hold a grudge later.

"I know" He sighed "I know, it's just it's so much"

"Talk to me" She turned "Tell me, you tell me everything but what made you this way, the scars"

Her eyes looked like she was going to tear up "What happened to you?"

"You won't be able to handle it"

"You don't know that" She begged and looked deeper into his eyes a perfect storm of misty ocean and clear sapphire. "And if I can't, I still will for your sake"

He couldn't help the pained chuckle that left his mouth and he looked into her slightly concerned forest green eyes with his own sad blue ones.

He wanted to tell her, he really did, he was just...afraid.

"You'll tell me as soon as it makes you uncomfortable or troubles you" He took her hands in his and she nodded "Promise?"

"Promise"

And he kissed her, sweetly, not lustfully, gratefully.

She returned it before they broke off.

Short and sweet.

He kissed her cheek, beneath her ear before sighing as he leaned back, his arm wrapped around her.

"We were a normal family" He chuckled after the word normal "As a multi-billionaire family could be, loving parents, protective older brothers, little sisters, a pet goldfish which Vesper took care of more than herself"