Chapter Three
Debito was enjoying his night so far; he had gotten some alone time with Felicità, who was staying overnight, and she's upset with Luka- what a lucky break! As he lay reclined on one side of the bed, his attention seesawed between a short book and the sleeping girl to his left. She had nodded off while he was cleaning off her delicate little fairy feet and he hadn't managed to stir her, even when he settled down a decent distance from her.
Her breathing was soft and rhythmic, barely stirring a lock of red hair that had fallen across her heart-shaped face and caught on her plump lower lip. The rest of her hair was fanned about her, released from the black ribbons nearly two hours ago by the girl who usually wore them, and it splayed across the back of her dark suit uniform. She had discarded her gloves and stockings while he was gone, unfastening the belt of deadly knives, and left herself in just the usual suit worn by any female in the Famiglia. She looked so small and fragile now, sleeping the stars away in his bed, totally unguarded.
Debito heard someone making a terrible racket at his front door and growled in annoyance when his Bambina stirred faintly, snuffling in her sleep. He vowed to shoot the ruffian massacring his door in the knee caps and elbows for disturbing her even slightly and got up, not bothering with the discarded eye patch at this hour.
"Oi," He snarled, unlocking the chain, "what's all the-"
"Debito!" Luka shouted angrily, obviously beating his fists upon the door from the outside. "You predator! Where is Milady! Unhand her this instant!" Debito took a moment to breathe deeply, sighing at Luka's insistence, and resisted the temptation to pull out his pistols. Luka was an old friend, so the insult meant-
"You lech!" Libertà screeched suddenly, "Unhand the princess!"
Debito threw open his front door, glowering, with his pistols drawn. "You little punk!" He growled, waving one gun at the blond threateningly, "I ought to-"
"Debito," Pace chuckled tensely, "he's just worried about the princess. Well, and mad you're not out searching with-"
"I found her." Debito interrupted casually, leaning on the door frame and holstering one gun. "Why waste time searching for someone that isn't lost?" Debito watched Pace's shoulders straighten, as if he had shocked the strong Club leader with his simple answer, but Pace's caramel eyes were nothing but relieved.
"You found her?!" Libertà gasped, gripping the handle of his cutlass tensely. "Where is she?!" His eagerness brought him forward, but his rivalry with Nova made it hard to get too close without bumping shoulders and growling. "Is she alright?!"
"She was tired," Debito told the blond boy laxly, "so she's sleeping now." Debito knew that Libertà had been pining for the young girl in his bedroom, and that Nova was considering proposing, and smirked at their assumption wordlessly. They didn't know how their princess had unarmed herself willingly for him and drifted off so vulnerably with him right beside her.
Oh, but if they knew…
"Excellent," Luka said, his tone reflecting his trust in Debito –or lack thereof. "I shall collect her then, and take her back to the mansion before- Debito?" Luka looked up from the arm blocking his way to the solitary eye that was peeking from behind Debito's slate-grey curtain of hair. "Why are you-"
"Like I said, Luka, Bambina is sleeping," Debito drawled, using his body and his height to tower over the attendant a little and steer him back over his threshold and into the street. The other men stiffened aggressively as Debito refused Luka entry and blocked the door, his hands toying with his pistols softly. "and I doubt she wants you here. Not after what you did."
"What do you mean, Debito?" Nova demanded seriously,
"Luka," Libertà frowned, turning his accusing teal eyes to the attendant. "what's he talking about?"
"I don't kn…" Luka's voice trailed off and Debito watched the violet pair of eyes catch the fires of understanding within them. "oh." He looked past Debito pitifully, into the house beyond, and he suddenly pushed forward and tried to force his way past Debito. "Move, Debito! I have to-"
"You will apologize," Debito nodded, catching the servant by his collar harshly and looking down at him like something the cat had dragged in. "but Bambina will send for you when she's ready." Debito tossed Luka back into Pace's arms, unsurprised when Pace fumbled their friend –Debito shot Pace a grateful glance masked by a smirk- in shock at the declarations made against him. "Now get lost. Tell Papa that Bambina is just a little upset, so she's staying here with me."
"St-St-'Staying'?!" Luka stammered, his eyes wide in horror. "With you?"
"Sì," Debito nodded confidently, "now get lost." The Hermit Tarocco slammed his door emphatically to end the conversation, but Pace's foot stopped the process and Debito growled as his old friend invaded his home uninvited. "Pace…"
"At least let one of us talk to the princess," Pace said entreatingly, opening his arms, "and get a note out to Papa. He's worried too, and I doubt he'll believe a word from us without proof." And Debito growled under his breath, scratching his own head to stall before he nodded grouchily and told Pace to bring the kids and close the door. "And Luka?"
"Leave the dog outside." Debito muttered, ascending back upstairs to wake the sleeping princess. "And take off your shoes!" He could hear Libertà muttering about the discarded boots and stockings by the door, apologizing to Luka faintly, and sighed as the trio followed him upstairs to his bedroom door. He turned on his heel, facing Nova, Libertà, and Pace gravely, and crossed his arms over his chest. "Stay here while I wake her, and I'll call you in."
