The Missing Bianchi Twins

Chapter 11: Panic Attack

Riccardo's POV: back to present time

Panic. That's all that came over me when I saw Dante's reaction to my question. He was curled up in a tight little ball with his hands over his ears and head and rocking himself while mumbling quietly. I could here a little of what he said

'Don't hurt me'
'Please stop'
'I didn't do anything'
'I didn't meant to forget'
'Where's Lucia'
'I don't wanna be punished'

My heart shattered. He was acting like a small child and he looked so vulnerable right now I knew I'd have to leave my questions for later. Right now he needed support and help to get out of this state. We needed to be very gentle.

I looked over at Vincenzo and we made eye contact. He looked very worried, however we both knew that this was a crucial moment in developing our bond with our brother. We had to go about this carefully. Vincenzo, although he is the second in command, actually studied psychology before he took his place in the mafia so I trusted him with what to do.

We saw Lucia start to get up to help him but decided to try to help, she could decide whether we were doing right by Dante and stand watch we weren't going to push her away when Dante was in such a vulnerable position. I knew it must me a flashback, when you join the mafia there's always a few moments that just stick.

Vincenzo slowly lowered himself onto his knees in front of Dante while Lucia stood pensively off to the side watching us carefully.

'Hey Dante' he was whispering to him.
'It's okay you're safe here nobody's going to hurt you'
'Open your eyes it's okay, look Lucia is right over there she's okay'

Slowly we saw Dante gradually lift his head up from his little hiding spot and when he saw Lucia stood by him you could see some of the tension melt away from his shoulders. He had tears in his eyes and looked terrified still so slowly, I got down onto my knees next to Vincenzo and raised my band slowly so he could see what I was doing before I placed it on his head and started to play with his hair hopefully to relax him a little bit.

'Am I alright to touch you Dante?' I whispered to him. Calm, collected and supportive, that's what he needed right now. When I saw the slight nod he gave I slowly stood up and hugged him. Ever so slowly we saw all of the tension relax from his body before I started to feel tears wetting my shirt.

I rubbed his back to try calm him down while rocking him a little like he was doing to himself earlier.

'Ssshhh shhhh you're okay Dante. Everyone's okay you're safe here, see?' He peeled out to look back at Lucia to check on her and I saw she also had tears in here eyes but she also looked kind of happy. She smiled a little and nodded at me and Vincenzo before she took my place and hugged her brother.

We stayed like that a while, just in the quiet with Lucia shushing Dante every once in a while when he'd get a bit more upset.

Worry. That's all that I had on my mind. Now that we had calmed Dante down I could fully register the situation. Then it was anger. Pure. Blinding. Rage. This was not normal behaviour anyone could tell that and I just knew it was because of those fucking cagne. (I'm not Italian so please correct my spelling or words if you know)

They were going to pay. Coma or not I would make them pay. Plans started forming in my head about how I would get them transferred here, when a doctor informed me of their current condition a couple days ago he said it was looking positive for them to wake up within the next couple weeks.

When I was done with them, they'd wish they had never woken up.

Dante's POV:

I started to gain more sense of my surroundings. Lucia was hugging me and slowly I started to remember what happened through the fogginess of my head. I had a flashback. Gosh that's so embarrassing. I'm Lucia's brother I'm supposed to take care of her not the other way around. Gosh I'm so weak, so stupi-

'Stop Dante' I nervously looked up to see Riccardo, he didn't look so scary anymore I'm not sure if that's just because he and his brother helped me or if I've just accepted my fate.

'Don't insult yourself like that okay. You're siblings you look after each other. We look after each other.' Oh. I must've been talking out loud. Did he really just say that? He barely knows me why would he help me?

Oh shit. The others. They can't know about this, especially Leonardo, he doesn't need any more ammo against me.

'Please don't tell the others about this' I whispered I knew I was quiet but from the widening of their eyes on hearing me talk for the first time (panic attack doesn't count because it wasn't a conscious decision) I knew they heard me.

'We won't tell anyone about it as long as you tell us what that was about.' When Vincenzo saw the clear alarm growing on my face he rushed out

'You don't have to tell us right now obviously. We know you need time to come to terms with what happened but when you do we want you to talk to us. We don't want to force you but when you feel ready you should know you can come for us. What just happened wasn't normal Dante and although we won't do anything without your permission you need to think about the next step'

I knew what that meant. Therapists. It wasn't a bad idea and I'm glad they aren't pushing me but therapists ask questions and questions are dangerous. That could lead to them knowing about the abuse. A therapist may have a million degrees and years of knowledge but they have never first hand experienced what me and Lucia went through. They are still a stranger and before I start blabbing to a stranger I want my brothers to know. I know I'm not ready yet and I know not to trust them yet. But if they turn out to be as good of people as they seem, with the exception of Leonardo, then maybe I could start trusting them. For now, no therapy.

I just nodded at them. Before Vincenzo got up to grab a glass of water which he put in front of me on the dining table. Slowly sipping it, Lucia let go of my wrist where she was drawing circles and sat back down next to me.

'Do you guys want some breakfast? We could make sausage sandwiches?' As soon as I heard Vincenzo ask that my stomach started grumbling from the lack of food in there. I heard their quiet chuckles which was kinda embarrassing but I nodded still and Riccardo got up to start cooking the sausages whilst Vincenzo started setting the table. The atmosphere was so calm and just, normal that I completely relaxed in my chair and forgot about my earlier embarrassment and nodded and shook my head to Lucia's conversation.

Maybe living here won't be as bad as I thought.

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Hey so I know this story is kinda different to the normal tropes of this kinda thing and I would like you guys to comment on how you find it. If you want me to steer it to more of the stories with the same kinda ideas or if you prefer this way?