Capelli Palace

Chapter 2

The door banged against the entrance hall, slamming into the door stopper, avoiding a gaping hole. Tony was nearly heaving, his one precious person (despite having a loving family) being targeted by some imbecile. He pat his chest, coughing like the cigarette addict he is, and spread himself across the couch. He didn't need to stand like some mafia Don (no matter how close he is to one) to be powerful, he just needed his work to scare anyone off.

"What the hell is he doing here?" The words were more realistic now, puffs of air between the "hell" and "here" since he was undoubtedly running out of air. His sports car wasn't the only thing trying to go 100 mph on the way in.

"Fuck, Tony, come on man!" Renzo rushed to get his brother a sip of water nearly slipping on the way to him. It wasn't normal for Tony to be this out of order, his carefully planned life only being sunken into the abyss when his beautiful Willow went off the grid due to his bullshit. Now, his brother was hacking on his living room couch and making his blankets smell like his lung disease.

"I-I fucking ran. Shit, I don't need to smoke anymore." He hadn't ran that fast since participating in cross country in middle school. Fuck, he's out of shape.

"You don't," turning to the amused man on the end of the L-shaped sofa, "Anthony look man I'm sorry, if that's all you had to say today, can you show yourself out. I'm glad you're doing better!" Lorenzo ran to get more water for Antonio, his brother downing it in two seconds.

He was honestly happy, not wanting the memories of yesterday or years ago to reoccur with Anthony's presence. He also didn't need the investment that Anthony offered. Antonio had managed to save him from the ongoing conversations, but he wasn't always going to be there, Lorenzo knew that. The door subtly shut and the small window beneath the kitchen cabinet showed a retreating Anthony.

Dumping the cup into the sink Lorenzo leaned against the island counter behind him, turning to stare at Tony.

Once Antonio calmed down the room was frigid, a topic stilling the two in their seats "Why was he here?" Antonio finally spoke up.

"He's the one I saved and I'm sure you know that already." Lorenzo brushed his hair away from his face, staring, unimpressed by his brother's behavior. "Are you spying-"

"I'm just keeping you safe." This conversation happened often, Tony too afraid of anything happening to him. If Lorenzo needed a therapist for his obsession and PTSD then Tony did too.

"You're spying and you're obsessing, I'm not a little kid anymore Antonio." Lorenzo felt his heart ache, Tony treated him like a helpless child sometimes when he's near thirty and able to handle his own. Yes, he appreciates the fact that his brother protects him from the outside world but not at the expense of all his freedom. He couldn't do anything without Tony knowing. The Capelli palace ended up being the only place he couldn't touch.

Antonio had no words, not entirely agreeing, but seeing his point. He'd left home, panicked beyond himself, and now he was being chewed out. He wasn't supposed to be mothering his little brother and squashing his own responsibilities to do so. Caressing the hairs standing on the back of his neck he laid back on his mother's knitting. Maybe if she was alive he'd feel more secure letting Renzo live here. They lived together in silence, Renzo carefully learning all of her recipes as she grew older. She was tempting him cruelly with motherly love, but he was safer with her. He wouldn't be alone.

Lorenzo sat next to his brother, body limply laying into him, offering some of his warmth to Tony's cold demeanor. Antonio accepted it, "I'm sorry, I've been overreacting. I'm just used to having to protect you from the world, the familia, and our parents. I haven't paid attention to the fact that you're an old man now." Their bodies melded together in the embrace of their mother's wool, and they sat in peace.