𝗕𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗗 𝗔𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗔𝗦 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗥 ⚔︎

19

they were both rather tipsy by the time they got home. giovanni was first to stumble through the door, his keys in his fist. jesse followed, giggling slightly with the bottle of wine in hand. at the sound of their arrival, sofia poked her head out of the living room archway.

"ragazzi!" she whisper-yelled, clicking her fingers at them. "it's ten o'clock and i've only just got isabella to bed. be quiet!"

"sorry, mama," giovanni said, laughing drunkenly. he dropped his bag onto the floor and walked toward her, kissing her messily on the cheek. "where is antonio?"

"he's just watering the grass before he goes up to bed," sofia answered, her voice quiet. "i'll not be long, either. and neither will valentin."

valentin pranced over from the sofa, his curls bouncing as he went. "oh, i'm not tired."

"well, you better be, or i'll make you tired," sofia said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "you two had a good day today, yes?"

"yes, sofia," jesse said, his words slurred as he spoke. "we had a good time."

"a bit too much of a good time, by the looks of you," valentin said.

giovanni poked his younger brother on the end of his nose before walking away from him. "we're gonna go sit in the garden," he said, looking behind at jesse, a signal for him to follow.

"okay, caro," sofia said, watching the two as they went. "please keep the noise down. i'll see you in the morning."

"we will," giovanni smiled. "goodnight."

"goodnight," jesse echoed, giving sofia and valentin a short wave.

it was very dark in the garden. above, the moon shone like a spotlight, casting a thin web of silver over everything in sight, and the stars twinkled in the never-ending blanket of dusk. they emerged onto the patio, pulling out two of the dark brown wicker chairs from the outside table and settling them beside each other. the dim lamp above their heads was their only light, as well as the shine from antonio's torch as he watered the flowers and the grass a few metres away. giovanni let out an exhausted huff as he sat down, catching the attention of his stepfather from across the garden.

antonio turned around, hose in hand. "buona serata, boys." good evening, boys.

"ciao," giovanni said, taking another swig from the wine bottle.

"good time at the beach?"

"absolutely," jesse answered, lighting a cigarette.

"i'm glad," antonio said, switching off the hose. he let out a loud yawn, his thick moustache contorting above his mouth as he did so. "i'm going up to bed. i'll see you tomorrow."

"goodnight, antonio," they both chorused. as he walked by, antonio affectionately rubbed giovanni's buzzcut with the palm of his hand. he dipped his head to them before gently closing the patio doors.

giovanni sighed and slouched in his seat. jesse put his cigarette in between giovanni's lips, watching as the older boy took a big breath, the smoke whirling out of his nostrils as he exhaled. he took it back from him with a smirk and reached into giovanni's lap for the wine bottle.