The Underbosses Chef [M/M]

26 - Twenty - Six - Matteo Concetta's Point Of View.

Turns out, Alessio was way easier to convince to let me meet Ilya. It was Vito who seemed hesitant about the entire thing. I went to ask about seeing him as soon as I got back from lunch with Caio and Nonna.

"Matteo?"

"Huh?"

"I was telling you what not to do. Please listen."

"Right, sorry."

"Ilya should be rather docile thanks to his medications, but don't touch him, stare at him, raise your voice at him."

"Got it. Anything I can do to make him like me better?"

"You can cook, offer to bring him food. Lev does it all the time. It works for him." Alessio said, as we reached the first basement, much like Maddox's complex.

He used his phone to open a door, and we headed down the hall for a bit before he stopped and punched a code in on the front of the door, and it opened. Inside looked like a regular wing. There was no front hall, however, it just opened into a large room.

Alessio flicked on all the lights and a hand shot up in the air from the couch that had the back turned to us.

"Ilya, I've brought my brother Matteo with me. I also brought cookies from Andrei."

"Proceed." a male toned voice said, his accent odd. But he spoke in English.

Alessio moved me around to the other side of him as we came around the couch. He gave the male a bag of cookies.

"Andrei made them special for you, chocolate and sea salt." Alessio said.

"Ah. Thank him."

The male looked me up and down as Alessio pulled me to sit down on the other couch. I kept my eyes looking at the other side of the room, flicking my gaze every few minutes to really get a good look at him without upsetting him.

His blue eyes were rather hollow, and his light brown hair was cut short, but styled. His skin didn't have the tan that Alessio and I had, but that was probably due to the fact he hadn't seen enough sunlight. I felt his eyes on me.

"He doesn't look like you half brothers then?" He asked Alessio.

"Yes, Matteo and I have the same mother, different fathers."

"Hmm. Where's Lev?"

"He is at home, making some dishes for dinner. I could find out if you want, if it's something you might like?"

"Vito made me something. He put it in the fridge earlier."

"Alright. Matteo is a chef. If you want something, you can ask him." Alessio said. That got his attention, and he looked at me, and he met my eyes, and I looked away.

"Something Italian." He said, standing up and walking away, muttering to himself. He was looking through all the papers that were scattered on the table. Vito came in and he paused.

"Where is the paper? Italian food." He said, and Vito walked over and found the sheet. It was a menu for Nonna's. I knew it just from the colours alone. Vito gave it to Ilya and grabbed his arm roughly, and Ilya met eyes with him.

"Did you take your lunch medication?"

"Yes."

"Alright."

Vito let him go, and he rubbed the inside of his arm for a moment before he returned to the couch. He went to sit down, but he started to come over and he handed me the sheet.

"The ravioli." He said and pointed at the picture.

"I can absolutely make you that dish." I said, looking at the sheet.