Leo's P.O.V.
"Seb-"
"No. If you need help, ask one of the others. I need to calm down and think for a minute Leonardo." I nodded,
"Yes sir." I left his room, going downstairs to the kitchen, "Papa?", my voice cracked a little. He spun around from the stove,
"What's wrong?"
"Um- I-I need- I need help with s-something."
"Okay. What is it?"
"H-How do I cu-cut a s-switch?" He smiled sadly,
"C'mon. I'll show you amore." He led me out back to a specific tree, showing me how to cut the branch and then pull off all the leaves and make it smooth. "It's always best to bring two, just in case.", he said softly. I nodded,
"Okay."
"Are you alright?" I hesitated before shaking my head a little,
"N-No. I really messed up papa."
"Come're bambino."
Sebastian's P.O.V.
I looked out my bedroom window, watching papa hug Leo in the backyard. I didn't want to do this. At all. But I know if any of us had snuck out to a party, it's what papa would have done. And he's a good dad. I need to be a good dad too.
"Seba?", Luca said softly, "What's going on?"
"Leo snuck out to a party last night. He called me to pick him up- thank god- but he was wasted and smelled like pot."
"So you're making him cut a switch because that's what dad did?" I nodded,
"I... really don't want to."
"Dad didn't."
"What?" He sat next to me on my bed,
"He made us go out and get a switch but he never actually used it on us. Ever. I asked him once and he said it's because it cuts and makes you bleed and that's not a punishment."
"I'm glad you told me that. I don't want to and now I feel like I don't have to."
"I recommend not."
"I'm not going to." Leo walked into the room, shakily holding two switches. Luca got up and walked over, kissing his head,
"Don't you ever do something so stupid again giovanotto."
"I won't zio."
"Good." Luca closed the door and left as I sighed,
"Come here." He drug his feet over to where I sat on the bed, handing me the switches,
"I-I'm sorry papa.", he whispered. He only called me that when he was scared, as if trying to remind me or remember himself that he was my son.
"I know bambino. I'm much calmer now and I've had time to think." I put the switches behind me on the bed, "If you ever do something so insanely dangerous and reckless again, I will wear out both of those switches on your ass. Do you understand me?" He nodded,
"Y-Yes sir."
"Good. Go get me the brush." He did so quickly as I pulled him over my lap,
Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack!
I helped him up, standing him in front of me,
"Okay. Lay over the bed."
"N-No please! I-I-I learned I pr-promise!"
"Baby I know. One more thing and we're done." I stood up and unbuckled my belt as he backed away from me, shaking his head,
"N-No. Please."
"Dulce, I've decided. You know I would never, ever hurt you amore."
"Th-The last time I-I got hit with-with that, it was t-terrible. And-And then I tried to ki-kill myself."
"Neither of those things will happen this time because things are different now. You're getting twenty, that's it. I swear. If you'd rather, one of the others can. Or they can come sit with you for it. Whatever makes you feel safer."
"P-Promise?"
"Promise." He slowly laid over the bed, gripping the blanket tightly,
WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!
I stopped and put my belt back on before sitting on the bed and pulling him into my lap,
"All done. I forgive you mi amore. I love you so so much."
"I-I love you to-too.", he sniffled. I rocked him back and forth, humming softly until he fell asleep.
₩₩₩₩
Leo called me at work as I ignored it, being in a meeting. After two more tries, my phone buzzed,
Dad please.
Please answer I need help.
Papa?
"Can you guys excuse me for just a second?", I asked. Everyone nodded, continuing their conversation as I stepped out and called him,
"Dad?", Leo sniffled.
"Hey, what's wrong baby?"
"Can-Can you come get me? Pl-Please?", his voice cracked.
"Why? What happened?"
"I-I- She- it ha-happened-"
"Okay, okay. Calm down dulce. Where are you?"
"B-Bathroom. Sc-School."
"Okay. Listen to me, I'm gonna call Micah. I want you to go find him and stay with him until I get there. Okay?"
"O-Okay."
Leo's P.O.V.
Not again.
This can't be fucking happening again.
"Leo, what's wrong?", Micah asked me in the hallway. I broke down sobbing as he kept me from falling to the ground, "Woah, shh. It's alright kid. Calm down.", he said softly. Eventually, he calmed me down. I wrapped my arms around myself uncomfortably as he handed me a hoodie, "Here. Your dad is on his way. I have a class but you can hang our while I teach, okay?" I nodded as we both went back into the room. I awkwardly went to the back, curling up in his desk chair and the oversized hoodie. I wasn't small, but I was smaller than my uncles and dad. They were all super tall and muscular and scary. Same with papa. I zoned out for awhile until the phone rang.
"Hello?", I answered it.
"Sebastian is here.", the lady at the front desk said.
"Okay. Thank you."
₩₩₩₩
"We're not leaving until you give me some sort of explanation.", dad said as we sat in the parking lot.
"One of my teachers held me back after class."
"Whatever happened, you can tell me. I won't be mad and we'll fix it."
"D-Do you remember why my other dad hit me at my party?"
"Yeah that woman-" He froze, "No."
"Y-Yeah.", my voice cracked.
"I'm so sorry bambino."
"It-It was worse."
