Faustini ✔️

trentanove

Leo waited outside of Rita's father's apartment complex. "Leo!" Rita called out, rushing down the stairs. "What's good?" 

Leo exhaled sharply. "I can't go home. I don't want to- I don't think I've ever wanted to!"

"What's wrong?" Rita wondered. "Did something happen?"

"I finally stood up for myself. I don't regret anything I've said but I feel so bad-" Leo cut off his sentence and Rita grabbed a hold of his hands. The handhold was calming and stimulating. His breathing slowed and he spoke less erratically. "I know I'll probably never hear the end of it, but it needed to be said, right?"

Rita nodded. "Of course it did."

"Right." Leo replied, looking around. "Do you think I did the right thing?"

"What does it matter what I think?" Rita let go of one of his hands to point at his chest. "This is about you." Rita hesitated. "...But if you must know, I'm so proud of you."

Leo shied away. "But you don't even know what I did."

"That doesn't matter. Look at you, I've never seen you glow this much. You spoke your mind, that's all I need to know." Rita responded calmly. 

A faint smile appeared on Leo's face. "Do you want to go on a date? I think I've got a few more hours before this adrenaline high wears off, we could do anything. We could go out for dinner, or ice skating."

Rita also smiled. "Yes, I will go on a date with you."

Leo moved closer, squeezing her hands gently. "That's great." He said through his growing smile. 

Meanwhile back at the Faustini Penthouse, Elena was becoming impatient. "Claudio if you tell me what love is one more time I will set this dinner table on fire."

"What is love, Elena?" Claudio wondered spitefully. 

Elena pouted in anger, crossing her arms. Donatello's head turned up. "Baby don't hurt me."

The elevator chimed and Sebastian hurried towards the table. "Oh good you're still here so I can kick you out." Sebastian responded, standing behind Amara, facing Claudio dead on.

"What's to say you have any authority over moi?" Claudio gestured to himself. 

"Where was this overconfidence when you left a pregnant woman behind, Claudio?" Sebastian blurted out and everyone went silent. 

"What?" Catalina spoke up, looking at Claudio. 

"I can't do this anymore, I can't sit here and act like I don't have a problem with this Catalina, your family has a problem with me for some reason I don't understand." Claudio stood up.

"You know exactly why." Sebastian snapped, anger present in his face.

Donatello grimaced. "Claudio, this man has killed people before, it might be time to run."

"I know I shouldn't do this, it's unprofessional of me, but it needs to be said because, Catalina, you're acting like a child. And Amara, you're so much more mature than me for standing by and not letting him get to you-"

"Oh my god." Elena said, once the realisation hit.

"What?" Donatello asked her.

Elena looked over to Amara, who bit her lip. "I told you guys again and again, hoping that I wouldn't have to tell you and that you'd both just put the pieces together."

"Catalina, you want to get back at your sisters, I understand, but being with someone who abandoned your sister at the sight of pregnancy is just wrong. Catalina, Claudio is Elio's father." Sebastian explained and Catalina's face was hit with surprise. "And quite frankly, it's wrong of me not to tell you earlier, because he could end up doing the same thing to you."