Unsteady

by Angel of Music - Lone Wolf

Luigi Largo had always been unstable. In the wake of Rotti Largo's death, it seemed that the single thread holding him together was unraveling. Can Amber and Pavi save their brother from himself?

The man looked up as an audible 'click, click, click' resounded from outside the door. A pause and the doors flew open. The woman who walked in had brown shoulder length hair and blue surgically advanced eyes. She looked at the man questioningly, a flicker of blame in her eyes. The man just gave a shrug, his face unreadable. The woman broke her gaze and settled herself in the chair opposite the man. His gaze returned to his mirror but his attention was not on his reflection.

The 'click' sound filled the room again as the woman began tapping her foot in annoyance. Irritating as it was, it was a welcomed relief from the overwhelming silence. She wore a blank look on her face, head lolled and fixed towards the floor. Her eyes, however, betrayed her as they continuously darted towards the red light above the second door.

Time passed and the light finally went off. The woman was on her feet when a doctor walked through the door below the light. The man just looked up lazily. "Miss Sweet, Mr Largo." The doctor greeted subserviently. "We stopped the bleeding and fixed the damaged vessels and tendons. Physically, he will be fine but-"

With a firm slam, the woman left the way she came. The doctor stared after her then turned towards the man, wondering whether he should continue. The man focused his attention once again at his mirror, hand slowly caressing his face. The doctor stood still for a moment, unsure of what to do. He gave up, muttered under his breath and left the room.

At the loud and annoyed bang, the man's gaze left his mirror. He stood without a sound and headed to the door the doctor came from. He pressed a palm onto the door and hesitated. His hand clenched into a fist and he turned suddenly, heading out of the waiting room.

Amber read the same sentence for the fifth time in a row. She uncapped a pen and pressed a blot onto the bottom of the page. With a sigh, she recapped it and dumped the document to the side. She decided she'd try again when her attention wasn't elsewhere. Her watch rang and with another sigh, she answered it with an irritated, "Yes?"

"Miss Sweet." Amber heard indistinct yelling in the background. "Miss Sweet, he is acting up again and we can't control him." A high-pitched feminine scream echoed from the background.

Amber seethed, "You removed all his knives didn't you?"

"Yes ma'am but it isn't stopping him from trying to hurt the Genterns."

She bit back a groan. "I'll be right there." Or you could just shoot him full of Z. She headed straight to the wards, ignoring her staff's greeting.

The cursing and yelling grew louder but it stopped as soon as she entered the room. She dismissed the Genterns who ran out happily. "Done throwing tantrums?"

"Slut!"

"Cunt." She glanced at him. He was much paler than usual. She avoided looking at the bandages and tried to read the expression on his face. He looked…like himself. Pissed, but what else was new?

"Where's my knife?"

She rolled her eyes and ignored the ache in her chest. "Don't know, don't care." She said lazily.

"Where's my fucking knife?" He slammed his hand onto the table, "If you threw it out with my clothes, I swear…"

"I have them." At least those the Genterns managed to find when they threw apart his room. "The blade you kept in your suit jacket snapped though. Serves you right for leaving your stuff on the floor."

"Give them back."

"No."

"Give them the fuck back now. Those fucking Genterns won't show me respect unless I stab one of them."

"No." She dusted her suit, "Behave or I will shoot you full of Z."

"Fuck off."

"Gladly," She said but made no move to leave. She gave another quick examination but found her eyes drifting towards the bandages. The silence dragged but she couldn't pull herself away. "The doctor said 5 more minutes and it might have been too late."

Luigi sneered, "Why, Carmela, didn't think you cared."

"I don't," she said coolly. "GeneCo has been getting enough bad press. I would love to say I'd need all the help I can get but you are fucking useless anyway."

"Fuck off."

She rolled her eyes, "That your answer to everything?" He didn't reply, "Behave. If I have to come back here, it's with a vial of Z." She headed towards the door. She turned slightly and she watched Luigi stare out the window, donning an expression she could not read. She clutched the door frame, stifled a whimper and headed back to her office, "Yay, paperwork."

Pavi slapped the ass of the blond Gentern as she left his room. She was lucky his face was new, not that she was strikingly beautiful. With a spring in his step, thanks to a good lay, he decided to see which of his siblings would be fun to wind up.

As he made his way to Amber's office, he spied one of Luigi's Gophers fidgeting outside his brother's room. "Mr Largo!" he squawked. "Mr Largo, your sister insists you come for the meeting at once. Mr Largo!"

Pavi cleared his throat to make himself known. The Gopher squawked a 'Mr Largo' in greeting but didn't say anything otherwise. Pavi headed towards the door and punched in his brother's code. The doors slid open but the Gopher just stared at him, wide-eyed. Pavi smirked, "Has-a mio fratello really scared-a you that much?"

He didn't wait for an answer and strolled in the room. "Fratello!" He sang, "Fratello, her majesty has summoned you." The room was empty but the sound of running water came from the bathroom. "Fratello, she's been-a cranky lately. If-a you don't answer me, I will-a come in-a." Or he could leave. He had no interest in seeing his brother naked, as much as Luigi's over-inflated ego loved to insist he was attracted to him. The Pavi was only attracted to beautiful bellas.

He punched the code into the panel by the bathroom door. At least an inch of water covered the usually dry, changing room floor. Pavi tilted his head a little; something about the water didn't feel right. "Fratello?" He noted his brother's suit jacket in a heap on the floor. Luigi was too much of a neat freak to leave it there, that much he was sure.

He pulled open the glass partition, "Fratello!" Luigi was in the bath, fully clothed. Blood pooled on the floor below Luigi's extended hand where a long cut ran down his forearm. A twin cut ran down the other hand. Numbly, Pavi called for help. Nothing would function; not his legs, not his body, not his voice. Even as SurGens pushed past him to help Luigi, he was still frozen to the spot. His brain had refused to move past the one question that resounded in his mind, 'Why?'

Pavi's eyes shot open at the beeping of his watch. He reached over and grabbed it. "Pronto sorella?"

"He tried it again," came his sister's tired voice.

He closed his eyes and swallowed a rather painful lump. "How? He wasn't supposed to leave his room-a."

"He didn't." Her voice turned bitter, "He OD'd on 3 vials of pure Z. Nothing to me, but for someone who'd refused to touch it…. Someone must have given it to him." Her voice dropped to a murmur, "If he used Z, he must have really been desperate."

He sighed, "Sorella…" She wasn't going to like this, "If he really wants-a out…why not let him?" Silence greeted him from the other end. "Sorella…"

"Don't."

"Sorella…"

"Pavi don't! We can't give-" Her voice cracked. He waited as she drew back her emotions. "No. Just no."

"What do you want to do then, Sorella!?" Irritation crept into his voice. "Lock-a him up forever?"

"That doesn't sound like such a bad idea. I wouldn't need to keep replacing my staff." He giggled; he didn't mean to and now that he had started, he couldn't stop. The stress of the past couple of days was getting to him. "We can't give up, Pavi. He can hate us all he wants but I'm not going to let him die."

"I know, Sorella but it's-a not going to be easy." He wasn't even sure what they could do other than locking Luigi up forever. He knew what it was like to want to die when his face was destroyed. He knew full well that no one 'saved' him. He saved himself with his obsession with women's faces, anything to hide the monstrosity under it. You're not men, you're creatures.

"When has anything in our lives ever been easy?" The bitterness in her voice echoed through the line and he couldn't help but agree with the sentiment.

Amber rolled her eyes as she passed the Zydrate Support Network, outside which all the Z-addicts hung out. She folded her arms as she walked pass them, most too high to even notice her. "Graverobber, we need to talk."

The long haired man smirked and pushed her against the wall. "Amber Sweet, I was wondering when you'd come back." He waved the Z-gun before her.

She swallowed, "No." She pushed the gun and its temptations aside. "We need to talk in private. Now."

"Well Princess, I'm busy. It's either now or in private. You can't get both."

"15 minutes, Graverobber or I'll call the GeneCops to clear everyone out."

He bowed, "You heard her Majesty. 15 minutes, cash only. Hurry now."

She watched the addicts clutch Graverobber's leg like it was their lifeline. Pathetic. 15 minutes on the dot, Graverobber bowed out and beckoned her to follow him. They made their way to the graveyard, thankfully empty by this time of night.

"So, what can I do for you, Princess?"

"Don't play coy. Who else would have the balls to go to GeneCo itself and peddle his wares? Missed me that much or are there addicts that I haven't weeded out yet?"

He closed the distance between them and pinned her to the gravestone. "Of course I missed ya, Sweet. I was so used to seeing your face and suddenly, poof, vanished without a word. I had to come find you."

She rolled her eyes, "I want names, Graves. And I want to know who directed you to Luigi's room. Someone is playing middle-man in GeneCo and I want to know who."

"Now, now Sweet, I can't exactly be giving out my client list now can I?" He leaned in and gave a playful lick on her ear. "If it makes you feel better, I found your brother on my own."

His mouth met hers and she couldn't bring herself to pull away. His lips trailed down her neck and she let out an unintentional moan. "Fine Graves," she breathed out. "You keep your middle-man and his client list. On the condition you give me the employees who are too far gone to do their job and you do your business away from Gene-Co. I don't need the press to think I still deal with the likes of you."

He placed his hand of his chest in mock hurt but she pulled him towards her; her mouth crushing his. "Fine, fine. Whatever you want, Sweet." He lifted her and she wrapped her legs around him. He nibbled her shoulder and she groaned. That felt good.

"Graves?"

She heard him mutter "Cockblocker…" as her feet returned to the ground. Her irritation vanished; she knew that voice. "Kid, go back to bed."

It was her, Shilo Wallace, Nathan's brat. "Why?" Any semblance of calmness she had, faded. "Why you?"

"Sweet…" Graves warned but she ignored him.

"What was so special about you?" She pushed Graves aside and approached the girl. "Were you his bastard? Why were you chosen over us?"

The kid backed away, fear evident on her features. "I…I don't know…"

"Amber, that's enough, you're scaring her. She doesn't know a thing."

"What did he say to you?" Hysterical might actually be an understatement here. She thought she was over this. She'd accepted this and moved on but seeing the girl in front of her brought everything back. "Why were you any better than us? Why...Why didn't he love us?" Tears welled up in her eyes and only sheer stubbornness kept them from falling.

"I'm sorry. I don't know. I just wanted my cure. I never wanted Gene-Co. I just…wanted to be free…"

"Kid, go back to bed. I'll take Amber home." She felt him wrap his arms around her, whether to hold her back or support her, she didn't know. As soon as the girl ran off, she felt him guide her gently back to Gene-Co. "Come on, Sweet."

She stood at the entrance, staring at the building looming over her. "Stay…please." She whispered. He nodded and pointed up before turning and leaving her alone. She staggered back to her room and true enough, he was there waiting for her. He wrapped his arms around her as he lay on the bed next to her. She laid her head on his shoulder and if he had noticed her crying, he didn't say a thing. They stayed that way until she fell asleep and he was gone by morning.

His head was heavy when he awoke. Groggily, he tried to reach up and rub his eyes but his hand snagged. He forced his eyes open and let out a string of curses. He was fucking chained to the fucking bed.

"You're awake." The faggot was sitting on the table, mirror held in front of him and hands stroking his face.

"Get these off now."

"No."

"Pavi, I'm fucking warning you." He tugged the handcuffs harder but it refused to budge.

"If-a you throw too much of a fuss-a, the bellas outside are allowed to sedate you."

He growled and struggled against his bonds in response. He cursed and threatened his brother but Pavi didn't move or even act like he was listening. His wrists were beginning to chaff. He finally calmed down when he realized that he'd have to find another way out. He felt a pair of eyes boring into him. "What!?"

"Niente, just-a thinking."

"Yea, don't fucking hurt yourself."

"Well-a, I'm not-a you, am I, fratello?" Pavi spat at him. He wore a look that Luigi knew all too well, hatred.

"Why don't you and that fucking slut just mind your own damn business? Just leave me the fuck alone!"

Pavi slid off the table without a word and headed towards the door. Luigi turned to the ceiling, not wanting to watch his brother walk away. Finally, he had his peace. "Does this have-a something to do with-a Papa?"

He glared at Pavi, now standing at the foot of his bed. "Shut the fuck up."

"He was-a sick, fratello."

"Pavi…" he growled in warning.

"He didn't mean-a what he said."

He sneered, "Is that how you sleep at night? By pretending it was just the cancer talking." His voice grew colder and if he had control of his arms, he might have throttled the faggot. "Hate to burst your bubble, faggot but it wasn't. He fucking hated us. That was it."

"You're-a wrong." Pavi's voice went up a few pitches and Luigi was suddenly reminded of the little boy who wouldn't believe that his mother had died. A low tolerance to Zydrate, a one in a million chance, he'd appreciated the irony. "Papa loved us. I don't-a care what-a you and Amber think-a."

He rolled his eyes, "Yea, he loved us and that was why he was willing to leave us with nothing. We'd have been out on the street and dead within weeks." It didn't matter whether it was the lack of necessities or revenge, they wouldn't survive on their own. "He loved us all right."

Pavi didn't say anything. Luigi turned to him and saw a look of something akin to pity. He walked towards the door and came back with a tray in hand. He dropped the tray onto the table before him, ''Eat."

Luigi growled and raised his handcuffed hand in response, "You fucking feeding me?" Pavi just stared at him before finally approaching him. ''Hey! I was fucking kidding."

Pavi just rolled his eyes. He produced a key and unlocked the handcuffs on his right hand. "Behave."

"Not a fucking dog." He muttered, rubbing his sore wrist with his other hand. Pavi continued looking at him expectantly, "What!?" Pavi didn't say anything but tapped the table impatiently. He stared at the food and turned slightly green. "Not hungry," he muttered.

"You look like crap-a. You need-a to eat." Luigi felt sick at the mere thought of food and shook his head. ''Eat-a and I won't handcuff you back-a when you're done-a."

Luigi hated being threatened but the thought of being handcuffed again was unappealing. "Both hands."

"Fine." Pavi released the other wrist, "But this is only while I'm in the room-a, fratello."

Luigi took what he was given. The food still remained as unappetizing as ever but he took small mouthfuls; anything to get his brother off his back. Speaking of which, "Can't you do something other than fucking watch me eat?" That only got Pavi back to preening but it got those eyes off him.

"Pavi, were you-" Amber stopped and narrowed her eyes at him, "You're awake."

"Great observational skills," he snarked.

She marched towards him and raised her hand to slap him. He grabbed her hand mid-slap. "You're uncuffed."

"You have a real knack for stating the obvious, don't you?"

Amber ignored him and turned towards Pavi, "What the hell were you thinking?"

"That I wasn't-a going to feed him and the Bellas outside are too scared to do anything."

"If anything happens, it's all on you." She hissed as she shoved him to the side and stormed out of the room.

"Isn't she a ray of fucking sunshine?"

"She's under alot of stress-a." Pavi muttered. He gave the door a hard look that Luigi couldn't read.

"So, how long are you fuckers planning on keeping me here?"

Pavi's eyes were still on the door. He pulled himself away and transferred the hard look towards Luigi for a second. "As-a long as it takes-a." The look faded into his usual grin and he dropped a deck of cards into Luigi's lap. "So you better find a way to keep-a yourself occupied, fratello."

Luigi bit back a sigh and shuffled the cards. "Is there booze at least?"

"No, doctor's orders."

He groaned; this was going to be a long stay.

"He's asleep-a."

Amber looked up from her desk and glared at him. "Did you re-cuff him?"

"Si."

She nodded and resumed her work. "I have no idea what you were thinking."

"The Pavi was-a there, Sorella. The Pavi wasn't going to let him do anything."

"Even so it was a stupid thing to do. You even gave him a knife to eat with. All he had to be was fast enough and you would have been too late." The 'again' hung loudly between them.

"At least I'm-a doing something, sorella." Pavi had had enough. "Let's-a list-a what you have done. Handcuffed him to a bed-a without anything to do and hide away in your office without-a saying a word to him. Great-a job so far, sorella."

She slammed her hand on the table, "Don't pin this on me. I have a fucking company to run. I would love to sit down and play cards too but I have more important things to do."

"Si, more important than keeping Luigi alive of course. Running the company you stole from-a him. Maybe it is-a your fault-a after all." Pavi hissed cruelly.

"GET OUT!"

Pavi mock-bowed and left their father's old office. He barely flinched as a scotch glass flew past his head and shattered on the lift door. The doors opened. Pavi entered and stared defiantly at her, never breaking eye-contact. The doors slid close making him just miss Amber collapsing into her chair, sobbing into her arms.

Luigi's eyes darted to the door as he heard it open. He hid his confusion as Amber walked in; for once, not looking like she wanted to kill him. She gave him a quick once-over and moved towards him. She produced the key and unlocked his right hand.

"With all the crap you gave Pavi, don't you find this a little fucking hypocritical?" He stretched his hand but Amber didn't move towards his other hand. He told her as much.

"I won't be here long." She said shortly but it lacked her usual venom. She placed a stack of papers in front of him. "All it needs is your signature."

"The fuck is it?"

"Transfer of ownership of GeneCo." His eyes widened in surprise, "You want this hellhole? Take it."

He stared at the document; it was all he wanted, all he deserved, all he was owed. He tore his eyes from it. "The fuck is this about?"

"It's more work than I thought. I don't see what you and Pavi were fighting over. Just take it and I'll be free."

"You're lying." He muttered quietly and pushed the document back towards her. The fuck was he doing? All he had to do was fucking sign it before she changed her mind. What was wrong with him?

"Just take it." She pushed it back towards him.

"Why?"

"I can't stand the job, the stress." He gave her a disbelieving look. "Just take it you cunt."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know what else to do." Her eyes widened in shock as she realized what she'd said. He didn't say anything. They sat in a tense silence before she finally broke it. "I don't know why you are doing this and I don't know how to stop it…. But if this is the reason or if this helps even just a little, then take it, I don't need it."

He slammed the document shut, "Mind your own fucking business, Carmela."

"This is my business" She yelled in frustration. "Stop. Stop trying to push us away. Like it or not, we are family."

"Fuck this! Stop pretending like you fucking care, both of you." Amber's fake eyes widened at his words. "Just leave me be!"

"You can't really think that," Amber said quietly.

"Just go away, Carmela."

"If we didn't..." she choked, "If we didn't care, why would we bother with all this!? Of course we care you fucking cunt!"

"Yea well, then you are fucking alone in this cause I don't give a flying fuck for either one of you."

Hurt seeped into Amber's eyes and she turned to walk away, leaving his hand free, thankfully. "Fuck this!" She turned suddenly and glared at him, "The only one fucking pretending here is you! You can put up a show all you like about wishing you were the only child but the only one who believes it here is you! Why did you let me take GeneCo?"

"You took it, I didn't fucking let you do shit."

"I wanted it and you let me have it in exchange for me going clean. You didn't have to, neither of you did; all three of us had equal claim. So you can pretend all you fucking want but I know the truth. So fuck this Luigi, I'm not letting you die."

"It's not your fucking choice!"

"You're-a right, fratello, it's-a not." His eyes darted towards the door, towards Pavi, leaning tiredly against the doorframe. "But we're the ones-a who have to live with it."

He dropped his head into his hand, "Stop it. Just stop. Stop pretending."

"Why won't you believe us!?"

"Because it doesn't fucking make sense!" He slid his hand across the table and the document clattered loudly onto the floor. "Pops didn't fucking care, why should you?" His eyes burned. Great, now he was going to cry like a fucking pussy again. He looked away from them, hoping that they did not see his reaction.

"Papa was-a sick." Pavi repeated firmly. "If it really was not the illness talking, then Papa was an idiota."

"Fag..." Luigi growled warningly but Pavi ignored him.

"Family is-a everything; that's what he said. If-a he forgot that, then that's-a his problem. This isn't-a pretend, we do care about you, fratello."

"How can you say that? How can you say that after everything I've done? Look me in the eye and tell me you don't fucking hate me for what I did to you."

"I don't-a."

"I fucking ruined your face."

"I forgave you a long time ago, fratello."

Luigi's hand returned to his face, "Why? How?"

"Because you're mia fratello. Si, I remember the fights-a, the threats-a, the beatings. But I also remember you teaching me math as a kid-a. I remember you punishing the bullies who used to pick on me. I remember you protecting me when some men tried to kill me in revenge. They nearly killed you, fratello. You wanna know how, that's-a how."

Luigi dropped his head further, "Stop it! Just shut the fuck up. I don't want to hear this anymore. Just leave me the fuck alone."

"Why?" Amber grabbed his chained forearm, "Why are you-? Just…why?"

"I...I don't deserve it. I don't deserve this. I break everything I touch. Just…please just leave me alone. Just let me die." He couldn't stop himself any longer, he just sobbed into his hand.

The grip on his arm tightened and Amber's nails dug painfully into it. A muffled sob sounded from her and drops on water fell onto his arm. Something was dumped onto the table before him. He looked up slowly and his eyes widened in surprise. It was a gun.

"Pa-Pavi, what are you-?"

"Release his other hand." The voice was hard, cold.

"Pavi what are you-"

"Release his other hand." Amber reluctantly obeyed, eyes wide in fear.

"I-I'm not going to force you to do anything anymore, fratello. If-a you want to go, go." Luigi looked into Pavi's face but the mask made his expression unreadable. "But 20 years ago, when your heart-a failed, I begged you to take the surgery. You listened to me, I don't know why but-a you did-a and I have been grateful for that since. So I'm-a going to beg you again not to do this anymore." Pavi struggled keeping his voice straight, "I don't-a think-a you really want to die, fratello. I think-a you're in-a so much pain-a, you just-a want it to stop-a. And I," Pavi stopped and took a few breaths. "I'm-a sorry I didn't see it before and I don't-a know if I can help, but I want to try-a. I…I don't want you to die, fratello. I don't-a want to lose you too."

Luigi didn't say anything. Slowly he reached forward and picked up the gun. Amber made a grab for it but Pavi shook his head. Reluctantly she pulled her hand back and whimpered quietly. Luigi looked at the gun; it would have been so easy. Everything would end, no more pain. He wouldn't hurt anyone anymore, wouldn't be a constant failure. He pressed his thumb against the hammer of the gun but a hand grabbed his wrist.

"Please Luigi don't do this. Don't leave us. You are my big brother. I have always looked up to you, always. I know our relationship for the last few years have been shit but we were a family once. We can be one again. Please just try. Just give us a chance."

His hand trembled. He tugged his hand away from hers and tightened his grip on the gun. Everything told him to just put the gun to his head and shoot himself.

But he couldn't.

Slowly he placed the gun back onto the table. He couldn't do it. He couldn't do it to them. I don't think you really want to die, fratello. I think you're in so much pain, you just want it to stop. Maybe Pavi was right. His head was in such a mess, he couldn't think straight, couldn't be sure. "One month," He swallowed to force the hoarseness out of his voice. "I'll give it one month. I swear I'd wait until then but if it doesn't help, if I still want to do this, you won't stop me."

Pavi took the gun from the table and slid it back into his coat. He hesitated for a moment before striding over to Luigi. Before Luigi could protest, Pavi embraced him. A string of insults gathered at the tip of his tongue but he couldn't get them out. He would never admit it, but it felt good.

Pavi barely released him when he was attacked from the other side as well. Amber sobbed quietly into his chest. He stroked her hair gently like he used to when she was a child. When the sobs subsided, Amber pulled away, wiping all traces of tears from her eyes and got to her feet.

"As soon as the doctor clears you as healthy, you will come back to work. The company will be divided to three, leaving us with equal share in GeneCo. When you come back, you will be in charge of operations and Pavi will be in charge of communications."

"Amber, you don't have to-"

"I want to. The lawyers will draw up the papers in the morning. I was an idiot to think I could do this alone."

"Well-a, since we all have-a equal say now, I'm-a ordering you to take the day off-a."

"But-"

"Sedere." She sat down immediately. Pavi produced a deck of cards and dealt them each a hand.

It was the first time in many years that they willingly spent so much time in the same room with each other. There were no real insults traded between them except their usual name-calling. Maybe, Luigi thought, Amber was right after all. Maybe they could be a family again. And for the first time since the Opera, Luigi smiled.