Impress Me Not: The Architect

Chapter 48

Author's Note: !!!Heavy Theme Warning!!!!! This chapter has some dark things in here that you may or may not want to read. While I didn't go too in detail about this subject, there is something about Valentino's past that really gets brought into play in this chapter, and it's not that pretty. If you are in a low mood or think that this chapter would affect you negatively, please feel free to skip it.

That being said, hi guys! This chapter has been one that I hinted at very faintly in one of the beginning chapters of this story. While Casimir and Valentino have had issues within their relationships, they also have some of their own personal problems that come into play as well. And it just so happens to hit Valentino all at once in this chapter. I do want to tell you that the end of this does have a happy ending. I love all my characters for it not to.

Thank you all for reading this fantastic story. I've loved bringing it to life. While this isn't the end of the book, we're getting closer. And, as usual, I'm getting sad feelings all over again. Nevertheless! Thanks for all the votes and comments!

-Saturn

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"Lou! What the fuck?!"

He knew he had a bad feeling about today. He had just decided to take it off after bringing Casimir to the airport early that morning. He was hoping just to spend the day catching up on sleep and hanging out with his brother. Now he had to stop himself from shaking as he stopped what was going on before him.

The room was dark, with the curtains pulled closed. The heater wasn't even on. It was freezing in the house. But that wasn't what was giving him shivers and goosebumps.

This had only happened once before, and he had been hoping and praying that it wouldn't again. He didn't know who he would even be praying to. All he knew was that if there was some higher power, there was a chance that they might help him.

It seemed like that wasn't going to be the case this time. But he was able to catch him before he actually moved the chair. Last time he had seen him hanging and had to manage to get him down. If he hadn't come at the right time, even now, this would be a completely different story.

He ran to Lou, grabbing his legs before he could try to move the chair. He had to act fast. He couldn't think about his own emotions that were raging on inside of him. Those didn't matter anymore. They never mattered. All that mattered was that his brother wasn't successful in this magic trick of death.

"What are you doing here?" Lou asked, surprised that he had come so early. Valentino had told him that he was going to be at work that day.

"You're really going to fucking ask me that?" he looked at his brother. "Come on, Lou. Get that damn rope off. It's not worth it."

It was easier to hold him when he was conscious. He held onto his brother's legs until he gave into him and took off the rope. As soon as he got off the chair, he burst into tears. It was the second time that he had ever seen his brother like this. The seconds from him walking in the door to right now seemed like an eternity. He had to swallow his own heart as it cried with the brother that had raised him half his life.

When it rains, it pours. Just like this crazy state, Valentino's family was the same. He could at least say that he had a good holiday. Now he had to deal with the aftermath of something he knew was a bad idea from the start.

He should have known that it was coming. It only happened once before. But all it took was one time for him to be wary of it ever happening again. He was angrier than a starved lion right then, but he had to hold back. He mainly wished that it didn't have to happen at all. Or, if this had to be a necessary evil, that it would have happened just a little bit after all of this other stuff he was dealing with. At least then he would have someone to help him through it. But he was always alone when this stuff happened before. All he ever seemed to have by the end of the day was himself.