BLACK VOSS: ACT 1

9

Tomorrow came and went, and soon Andre found himself feeling better. He woke up the next morning actually feeling relieved for some reason. Despite his apartment being trashed, he was safe. Lucio was letting them stay with him, and despite the situation, he was happy.

In turn his sons were feeling better as well, they were back to being talkative, even though they were in a new place. They wandered around greeting people and playing with the twins while Andre sorted out their life.

Everything seemed to go well, he would spend most of the day with his children, then some afternoon with Lucio to discuss what happened. Everything was fine, but Andre was afraid he was burdening the man.

With helping him settle things with the police, and collecting things from his ruined apartment, even housing him and his children. He was afraid he was encumbering the poor man with his antics. He liked Lucio, he didn't want to, but he did. And he didn't want to use him.

"No feelings, Andre!" he tapped his face, "You don't have time."

Andre, Morgan, Remus, and Celia were currently walking to the kitchen. He noticed that there were no cooks in the estate, just a maid or two wandering around. He brushed it off at first, but now he came he realized how lonely the house really was. Lucio and Celia were alone until his cousins came, and even still he rarely saw them together.

He realized Lucio and his daughter must be feeling isolated, spending as much time away from home as possible and getting takeout—which they ate regularly. And it was such a waste since the kitchen was beautiful.

It was more than what he had at his apartment. Bright silver appliances and multiple electric stovetops. Even white marble countertops, it was made to have people in it, and it was just him.

"This kitchen is so big!" Morgan shouted, using his hands to pull himself up onto the counter.

Everything looked unused, and fresh. "No one in this house has had a home cooked meal before..."

Celia knew that personally, it had been years since the kitchen was used for stuff other than storing take out containers. She hasn't had a home cooked meal in forever.

Andre knew he wasn't a master chef, and that home cooking wasn't very 'manly' of him when it came to family dynamics. But he wanted to do something nice, and besides he liked cooking, even for others, and his kids always liked food anyway.

He knew it was around breakfast time, if he was fast enough, he could bring Lucio's plate to him just when he finished training. Maybe they could all eat together?

Andre shook the thought away, he was getting ahead of himself. Though, he was feeling strangely warm inside at the thought of Lucio eating his food. When he looked at the reflection of the fridge, he could see himself looking doe-eyes and flushed. Like he was in love.

"I'm not!" He shouted to himself, "I just like him as a friend..."

"Dad..." Remus made a sleepy grabby hand to him, and in turn Andre picked him up.

"I'm okay, Ray." Was he? They had known each other for four months now, and they spent a good time alone. And they definitely did things friends don't do together. But, that wasn't enough time for him to catch feeling right? He couldn't, he shouldn't! He couldn't be crushing on him, could he?

He was just robbed, he should be focusing on that, not Lucio.

"Can we have eggs and sausages for breakfast?" Morgan pulled out a carton of eggs and a pack of meat from the fridge, barely balancing them with his small frame.

"Sure buddy," Andre took the items, smiling, "Why don't we make breakfast for everyone."

"Okay!" It was almost Christmas, and everyone—despite being in the same house—was separated.