Good Little Valkyrie

Part 4

"Rosie."

"Oh, Ricky, I'm sorry, I just --- well you didn't see him," the brunette sighs, clasping her hands tightly as Horror looks at her in dismay. "He looks so unhappy and defeated! If Ghost is really being that mean to him, we have to do something! We can't just let him be abused!"

"But, but Rosie," Horror stresses her name, horrified. His baby brother can't stay in the same house as him, that's weird! He just found his own independence, but that doesn't mean he wants to take over Christopher's job of raising brothers and babysitting them! No one even discussed this with him first!

"Oh, please don't be upset," Rosie frets, hastily coming to where he stands at his desk, running his hands down his face dramatically. He looks like every parents nightmare, ripped black jeans, a beanie pulled so low over his forehead his eyebrows are barely visible, and black makeup around his eyes that he suddenly likes using; really, when Rosie intended him to dress more relaxed, she didn't mean this, but it looks good on him. She just feels like it makes them look like they don't belong together even more, that they're too different. "I just couldn't let him suffer, you didn't see how exhausted he looked. And it was the right thing to do."

"But, Rosie ---."

She sighs. "Ricky, please. It's not the end of the world, and it's not forever. You might find it a good bonding experience!" She adds brightly, as if that'll make everything better! She just doesn't understand, Horror doesn't know anything about Vinny, he's never really interacted with him, and he took the spot of baby in the family!

This could be a disaster!

"But we don't know how in control of himself he is," Horror finally states, trying very hard not to pout. "He could still be volatile, he could hurt you, he ---."

"Ricky, look at me," she quickly takes his hands, giving them a warm squeeze. "With your blood, do you really think anyone could hurt me right now?"

"Well... it's not very likely," he admits, tightening his grip on the only woman he's ever loved. "But that doesn't mean I want to risk something happening to you just to prove it."

"I think everything is going to be just fine," she replies, giving him that loving smile he so adores, so warm and genuine. He's never had to question her intentions, she's always been truthful and straightforward with him, and he's crazy about her; finding her was the best thing that ever happened to him. "You trust me, don't you?"

"Inexplicably." He doesn't hesitate, his hands rising to cup her beautiful face. "But if this all goes down in flames, at least I know it's not my fault."

"Ricky!"

He chuckles, his thumbs caressing her cheeks before he gives her a soft kiss, just the barest brush of his lips. "If you think it will end alright, I'll let it be. Just don't take any chances, be very careful around him. I don't really know him."

"Because you've not tried to spend any time with him," she curls her fingers against his gray t shirt, noticing the dark splotches across the shoulders --- that's not blood is it? "You don't know what he's like."

"Well, I've had my hands full since he came into the family," Horror replies, a little defensively. He found her, he had the club, he was trying to get his footing since he wasn't a very good drug lord, taking over Ghost's business was an utter disaster. He almost feels like she's scolding him for not being more involved, but usually, Christopher always deals with everything.

"I know, but this is your chance to maybe have some sort of closeness with your brothers."

"I don't think closeness is what any of us wants."