What Goes Around (Unedited)

17

(Don't hate me for not updating last week and being late for this one :( I'll try to make this extra cute and fluffy for you as an apology. If there is any 'Alessandro's in this, pretend it says Triton until I fix it. I keep mixing up the names for some reason haha. Also, using this as a distraction at thanksgiving dinner since my stepbro and grandpa are staring at certain places on my body.... This isn't that good, enjoy reading!!)

"Have a nice nap?" Triton teases as Aelia slowly wakes up, being cradled like a baby on his lap whilst he typed on his computer.

She had escaped to his office when they returned, immediately feeling safer by his presence being near her. She couldn't figure out why she got so scared at the mall. It was like deja vu; you feel it, but you don't know what caused it. Her fingernails were picked raw, her eyes puffy from crying and her throat sore from the dazed yelling she must have done during her tantrum--or so she called it.

That's what Robert would have said. That she was being an insolent baby, fussy and whiny, and that she was having a temper tantrum. Aelia didn't understand why her tantrums were so scary, and why they came out of nowhere.

She blinked tiredly, snuggling into the warmth he provided before noticing what she was doing, and darting away, eyes wide. She wiggled off of his lap, stumbling on her feet, making him steady her with his legs.

"How are you feeling, bambina?" He closes his laptop, eyes trained on her.

She shrugged.

"I'm okay. I'm sorry I caused a scene at the mall. I didn't mean to." She apologized, looking towards her feet, which still had shoes on.

"Don't apologize." He leans forward, hands softly holding her shoulders. "You were scared. Everyone gets scared sometimes." He rubs them a couple of times, before leaning back in his chair. "I believe the boys are waiting for you in the TV room if you still want to watch a movie."

"They still want to watch a movie with me?" She gasped excitedly, her smile wider than he had ever seen it--except maybe when he walked in on Georgio clad in a tiara and sparkly tutu on his neck.

"Doesn't he look so good?" Aelia giggled as she rested her chin on her arms on the back of the small chair.

Triton grinned at the scene. He made sure to nod his head to the security camera in the corner of her bedroom and pointed directly at him. Georgio's eyes widened the tiniest bit, but Triton swore he saw his lips quirk up, too. And that man never smiled.

"If you hurry. They might start without you." He fibs to her, watching as concern takes over every inch of her. Her eyebrows lower, and a look of determination crosses her face.

"I should go then!" She rushes to the door, opening it wide and turning to look at him once more. "Thank you for letting me hang out with you, Triton."

"Go." He laughs, shooing her away.

She gives him a thumbs up and pretends to walk calmly down the hall, but sprints the second she thinks she's out of eyesight. It doesn't matter though since she seemed to have forgotten the tower of a man that follows her around day in, day out.

"Ah!" She hollers, running straight into Georgio, who doesn't move a muscle, but easily steadies her. What is with her and having to be caught when almost falling today? "Sorry! I, erm, was going to watch a movie. You should come with me!"

Georgio looks down at her. She was practically shaking with excitement, the beams in her eyes making it extremely hard to say no.

"What's with all the ruckus out here?" Zeus asks, arms spread across the width of the dining room doorway he was leaning in.

Aelia stumbles to straighten herself, cheeks red with a strange combination of joy and embarrassment. Once he realized she was literally going to explode with excitement for the movie, his frown grew into an amused grin, and he walked forward, facing her in the middle of the hallway.

"I was just walking and didn't see Georgio." She fibs, twirling her hair.

"Walking, you say?" He raises an eyebrow. "You seem pretty out of breath for someone who was just walking." He uses his fingers to mock her, like quotation marks.

"Mhm! I was just, well, erm, dancing for Georgio!"

"Of course." Zeus winks at her and beckons her over to him, his arm outstretched for her to walk in front of it. She skips over. He leans down and whispers, "You're not in trouble, but don't run anymore, okay? I don't want you to slip and fall, carino."

"If I was running I would say... okay, sorry." She sends him a goofy grin, and he smirks, ruffling her hair.

The two of them walk in, matching smiles adorning their faces. The living room was chilly, and goosebumps ran up her arms and legs. The rest of the boys--excluding Triton, who was still working, and the younger boys, who were still out with their friends--were sat around. Zeus didn't give her much of a choice on who to sit with as he gently nudged her between him and Marco, violently hurling himself onto the couch, making the latter curse at him. He quickly recovered from the bouncing his body and forced a smile on his face for the little girl. Her smile turned awkward like his smile was off-putting. Marco noticed and looked away, making Caelus laugh at him.

"She doesn't like your ugly smile?"

"Shut up, idiota. Il mio sorriso è perfetto." He mumbles, frowning ahead at the starting screen. (My smile is perfect.)

"Certo, certo. Dillo alla sua faccia spaventata." Caelus winks. (Sure, Sure. Tell that to her scared face.)

"Entrambi state zitti." Kronos throws a pillow at Caelus, and leans back, crossing his legs on top of the coffee table. (Both of you shut up.) "Let her enjoy the movie without you two bickering like children."

She looks at him offended. He sees and raises his hands in mock surrender.

"Like immature children." She nods at his correction.

The others chuckle quietly, and she wiggles back, pushing herself further into the extremely comfy couch. Her old one was not like this. The leather was peeling, and it had an odd smell that tended to linger after she got up. The springs squeaked with impact and her body ached if she sat on it for too long. Her uncle had intended to buy a new one, but when he and Joanna went furniture shopping, he came back alone with two cases of beer instead.

That was the first time his friends came over, too.

Aelia's comforted appearance dims, and she shudders. The memory floats off into her head ready to bother her again when she least expected it--least wanted it--as the movie began playing, a large Earth floating in the abyss on the screen. She hears one of the boys yawn, and one of their phones ping, and chewing on popcorn. This catches her eye. She looks around to find the snack, and zones in on Avni munching away.

"Want some?" Marco nudges her softly, voice as low as he could make it for her.

"Oh, no, 'm okay." She hesitates, shaking her head. His eyes narrow at her for a moment, before his downturn smiles and nods, leaning back and pulling out his phone. She doesn't notice the prompt text to Triton, who sends one of their kitchen staff to fetch her a small bowl of popcorn, some candy she didn't know the name of but had seen Avery eat at lunch, and some kind of juice to wash it down.

Her face completely lit up when a very pretty woman handed her the tray of snacks, and she looked at every single boy as if she couldn't believe it was all for her.

This was the best day ever. She had her own freaking popcorn, her own juice, she got to get new clothes and sit on a comfy couch to watch a movie, she had a new inside secret with her new friend, and, to top it all off, she had an amazing breakfast. Aelia didn't know how she would ever repay her brothers, or if anything could ever trump this day.

However, it seemed to be the best day for Marco too, because even though his awkward smile that he wasn't used to sharing seemed to defer her from him, her head falling against his arm, lost in the slumber, made him feel less ashamed. His little sister felt safe enough to fall asleep beside him and even better? He wasn't forced to sit through an entire two hours of this terrible, annoying animated movie about dogs and bunnies and sewage.